Champion, please stay!

Chapter 264, Section 262: Breaking Kobe's Record!

After the break, both teams made personnel adjustments.

Vogel brought on a lineup of Price, Dahntay Jones, Granger, Randolph, and Hansbrough.

D'Antoni substituted Chalmers, Hughes, Yi Shui, David Lee, and Ben Wallace.

The fourth quarter began with the Knicks taking the lead.

Against this lineup, David Lee had the opportunity to attack inside, but he didn't ask for the ball, and Chalmers didn't pass it to him either. Instead, he waited for Yi Shui to circle around the baseline and get to the high post on the left before passing it to him.

In previous encounters, when Hibbert was resting, D'Antoni always assigned David Lee to close-range attacks, but he suffered greatly each time. David Lee was surrounded every time, unable to pass the ball out or make the shot.

There's Randolph, who can handle it;
There are Price and Hansbrough, who have just graduated from college and whose teams were championship teams during their college years. They have excellent teamwork and execution in defense.

Granger, a small forward with a top-tier defensive ability, intercepts high-post passing lanes.
There's also Dahntay Jones, a fierce defender with exceptional ability to chase down wing pitchers;

The Pacers' defensive execution and intensity are outstanding.

After suffering several setbacks, D'Antoni completely gave up on the idea of ​​improving David Lee's offensive performance when facing the Pacers again. He simply let David Lee focus on second-chance opportunities and mid-range shots, not expecting him to be perfect, but just to avoid making mistakes in this area.

Yi Shui didn't run around like that to shake off Granger's tight defense; he just stood on the sidelines for a few minutes trying to run a bit. If he could affect the opponent's defense and create an opportunity for his teammate with the ball to pass directly to another teammate for a shot, that would be great, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't.

Granger glanced at Chalmers running towards the right corner and Hughes at a 45-degree angle to the right, then looked away and carefully stood guard in front of Yi Shui.

With both opposing guards moving to the weak side, and David Lee drawing strong attention behind him on the baseline, he was left to defend Yi Shui alone. Unless Yi Shui chose to break through, he wouldn't get any help.

From a tactical perspective, Granger believes this is a good thing.

Yi Shui's field goal percentage in the right-side long two-point area is as high as 46.8%, second in the league. Only Nowitzki's 48.3% is higher than that. However, Yi Shui averages 2.9 made out of 6.2 shots in that area, which is more than double Nowitzki's 1.4 made out of 2.9 shots per game. He is truly the 'number one player in the right-side high post'.

While Yi Shui's attack on the left side was also excellent, there was a noticeable gap compared to the attack on the right side.

Most importantly, while the Knicks' formation, which resembles a triangle offense or Princeton offense, creates excellent one-on-one opportunities for Yi Shui, it also makes receiving opportunities much worse.

If we can defend against that, and our teammates in the paint can protect the rebounds, we can shut down the opponent's offense!
After Chalmers settled down, Yi Shui started moving, pulling to the right and changing direction. Granger followed with small, quick steps. Yi Shui took two steps to the right, approaching the center, then suddenly slapped the ball with his right hand and jumped to the left and back. Granger wasn't fooled and immediately moved back, but...

Yi Shui retreated and jumped much further than Granger had expected!

Yi Shui just used both legs to step back, with his right foot exerting full force and his left foot assisting in maintaining balance... He used the lateral movement technique of the gorilla's turnaround jump shot to step back!

When Granger got into position, Yi Shui was already ready to shoot. He could only watch as Yi Shui released the ball in front of him... A long two-pointer from the left 45-degree angle, close to the three-point line, went in!
The Knicks lead 79-76, a 3-point advantage!
When the Pacers were on offense, Granger also took turns dribbling and attacking.

The Pacers' offense has always been very simple. When Hibbert or Murphy is on the court, Ford or Price will run pick-and-roll drives and dishes, or the star players will go one-on-one and dish. The offense relies purely on the individual abilities of the star players.

This was a choice Vogel couldn't make. The backcourt was too weak, and there were no players with strong playmaking abilities on the front line. Playing tactical combinations was actually less effective than playing like this, so he simply focused on defense and played a pure iron-blooded style of play.

The fans cheered loudly for Granger, but Granger missed a three-pointer after a behind-the-back dribble and a side step against Yi Shui's defense!

In the early part of last season, Granger dominated Yi Shui, but towards the end of the season, he could only go toe-to-toe with Yi Shui.

Granger's offense relies heavily on his 203cm height and 216cm wingspan, and he mainly plays one-on-one against a rhythm disadvantage.

Last season, Yi Shui's defensive fundamentals were not solid enough. Even though he had reached his full height potential, Granger still had the ability to deal with Yi Shui's defense.

This season, Granger has lost his ability to score one-on-one against Yi Shui. In the first three encounters, his efficiency was below the season average, with only his positioning and shooting being decent.

David Lee held off Randolph, while Ben Wallace secured the defensive rebound.

When the Knicks went on offense, Yi Shui continued to post up on the left side... but missed this time.

On the other end, Randolph received the ball in the low post, turned his back to the basket, and made a hook shot over Ben Wallace's help defense.

The Pacers kept the score close at 78-79.

Randolph is the Pacers' strongest offensive player!

David Lee is physically strong enough, but when Randolph takes a step forward, David Lee takes a step back. Yi Shui is held back by Granger on the outside, Chandler is resting on the bench, and even if Ben Wallace double-teams him, it won't be very effective. Randolph can easily take on two opponents at once, which is more difficult than Yi Shui taking on one opponent at a time on the outside.

However, although Randolph's inside offensive ability is strong and his outside scoring is more lethal than Yi Shui's, the Pacers failed to take the initiative as they had in the first half as the fourth quarter progressed.

Because he couldn't keep swinging like Yi Shui!

Facing a double-team from David Lee and Ben Wallace, Randolph scored on a one-on-one and grabbed offensive rebounds for second-chance points. He might score twice in three possessions, but at most he could score two or three possessions in a row.

But Yi Shui can be swung continuously!

In addition, Yi Shui's ability to limit Granger in one-on-one situations makes his offensive firepower almost equal to that of Randolph + Granger!
Randolph and Granger had no choice but to hold on with all their might.

To have better conditions for one-on-one play, the opposing Emperor gave up his support position and took the initiative to shoulder the pressure.

On their side, second-year student Hibbert is not physically fit and can only play about 25 minutes per game. The team also lacks the conditions for playing exquisite team offense and must maintain defensive intensity throughout the game.

When Hibbert needs a rest, players like Dunleavy and Murphy, who are good at offense but bad at defense, can't be used. Instead, you have to send in team defensive players like Price and Hansbrough, or defensive brutes like Dahntay Jones who aren't good at scoring. They can only rely on their individual abilities to get going.

This is also why Bird was willing to offer Bibby a high salary last summer; they urgently needed a tactical core who could organize the offense.

After a few rounds, it was the Knicks' turn to attack.

Hughes advanced to the top arc, preparing to pass the ball, when he saw Dahntay Jones' body already leaning towards the Yi River...

He grabbed the ball, made a pushing motion to the left with both hands, and Dahntay Jones lunged towards Yi Shui... Hughes retrieved the ball, took a three-pointer from the top of the arc... and it went in!
The Pacers called a timeout!
...

Yi Shui excitedly rushed up and hugged Hughes.

He scored 10 points in 7 consecutive possessions, making 3 of 6 shots, including 1 of 1 three-pointers. He also drew a foul on a fast break and made both free throws. In addition, Hansbrough made a free throw after being given a three-second violation, which he also made. He scored 10 points, which was 2 points more than Granger and Randolph who scored 6 points combined.

加上休斯这记冷不丁的三分，尼克斯队末节开局4分钟打出了13比8的比分，分差拉开到6分，90比84领先步行者队！

Hughes' transformation this season is evident. At the beginning, he followed Yi Shui and did the most basic tasks, with his primary goal being to avoid making mistakes. As the season progressed, he gradually became more proactive and began to make his own adjustments to the tactics. Now, he even dares to take the initiative and launch surprise attacks when the star player can attract excessive defense, just like Fisher and Blake!

Yi Shui should also thank the Cavaliers for 'nurturing' Hughes. Hughes' three-point shooting percentage reached 39.1% during his time with the Bulls. Although it's not as high this season, it's still 38.4%. If it were Hughes who had just joined the Cavaliers, he definitely wouldn't have been able to seize that opportunity.

D'Antoni substituted Curry, Hughes, Yi Shui, David Lee, and Chandler.

On the other side, Vogel brought on his starting lineup early, with Ford, Dunleavy, and Hibbert in the starting lineup, while Randolph and Granger continued to play.

Hibbert had already played 21 minutes in the first three quarters, and Vogel wanted to hold on until the official timeout before bringing on the center.

In the first few minutes of the star players' duel, Granger and Randolph performed no worse than Yi Shui. Yi Shui only managed to score two more points than their two forwards by relying on strong counterattacks that drew fouls and Hansbrough's defensive mistake that resulted in a three-second violation. It was a close game.

But there are always unexpected events in a game. Hughes' three-pointer before the timeout was the X-factor, and Vogel had to rotate the game earlier than expected.

After the timeout, both teams went all out in a battle.

The Pacers' offense remained the same: Ford and Hibbert initiated pick-and-roll offense, Randolph posted up, Granger ran to receive the ball and shoot, and there were necessary isolation plays – a simple and direct style of play.

The Knicks didn't change their playing style either: half-court offense, pick-and-roll offense, and isolation plays. They would attack when there was an opportunity to launch a counterattack, and if not, they would try again. It was the simplest of their strategies.

It all comes down to individual ability and performance on the spot!
Both teams fielded their starting lineups, but the Pacers held a slight advantage thanks to their absolute dominance in the paint.

But a six-point deficit requires two to three possessions to close, which will be too difficult for the Pacers tonight!
With 10 minutes and 55 seconds remaining, Pacers' Randolph and Hibbert each scored two baskets in three possessions, including a floater. Meanwhile, the Knicks failed to score on two separate possessions, finally narrowing the gap to 100-101, a difference of just one point.

But then Curry faced Ford's tight defense, took a step back, and hit a three-pointer from more than a meter away from the top of the arc, drawing a foul from Ford who rushed over, and making the free throw!

105比100，库里用一记3+1将分差重新拉开到5分！
Fortunately, Granger caught the ball after a screen and hit a three-pointer over Hughes's switch defense, narrowing the gap to two points again.

With 33 seconds remaining, the Knicks did not call a timeout, and D'Antoni did not give the opponent the opportunity to substitute Ford during a crucial defensive possession.

Curry advanced to the frontcourt but didn't continue his attack. Ford, this time, didn't care about anything else and just stuck close to his lower body, not caring if he got beaten.

Yi Shui received the ball on the left high post. When Curry ran to the right 45-degree angle, he straightened his body and dribbled, then suddenly stepped back.

Granger reacted quickly and pressed forward... but Yi Shui, who had taken a step back with both feet off the ground, failed to catch the ball!
He pulled the ball back with his left hand, accelerated to the right, brushed past Granger, grabbed the ball, and took three big steps from a position a full step outside the free-throw line!
Curry had just completed a 3+1 play, and Hughes had also hit a crucial three-pointer in the final quarter. Ford and Dunleavy on the right side didn't collapse in time, and now it's too late to close the gap.

On the left baseline, David Lee took control, relentlessly pressuring Randolph and denying him any immediate opportunity to close the gap...

Yi took three easy steps down the middle of the court, moving from the high post to outside the restricted area in two steps. On his second step, he landed heavily on the floor with his left foot, jumped, raised the ball, pulled it to the right, and slammed it into the basket over Hibbert's vertically jumping arm!
The Pacers called a timeout!
The Knicks' lead has been restored to 4 points, 107-103!
Hearing the fans' lamentations and watching the opposing team's wild celebrations, Vogel felt helpless.

Hibbert, who was substituted in early, played until the last minute. When Yi Shui rushed into the paint, he couldn't even step up to push the opponent away. He could only rely on his good habit of jumping vertically to avoid fouling. If Hansbrough or Murphy had been in his place, this play would most likely have been a 2+1. Gao Yuanyuan has done a good enough job.

Vogel cleared his mind. There were still 19 seconds left, and there was still a chance. He couldn't give up. He started to give Granger instructions. At this point, the only player he could count on was Granger, the one with the most commanding presence in the entire league.

Even with a poor lineup, Vogel can devise a brilliant tactical plan for a single round.

but……

After the timeout, Granger faced a five-man lineup of Hughes, Yi Shui, Barnes, Ben Wallace, and Chandler, and couldn't get into position at all. In the end, he could only force a three-pointer despite Ben Wallace's interference... and missed!
After Chandler grabbed the defensive rebound, Murphy committed a tactical foul. Chandler's free throw percentage is usually just over 60%, which is already very good for a physical blue-collar player. This time he was lucky and made both free throws, widening the gap to 6 points and completely crushing the Pacers' hopes of a comeback.

The match ended at 7:21 PM.

首节9分、第二节5分、第三节16分、末节16分……易水35投16中，其中三分球8中3，加上10中9的罚球，狂轰46分，外加8板3助攻1抢断2盖帽。

加上库里的21分6助攻、大卫-李的8分8板、钱德勒7分11板、休斯的10分5助攻……尼克斯队以109比103险胜步行者队！

...

In the post-game interview, the Knicks were interviewed by TNT Sports. With their 12-game winning streak, they tied the Lakers and Mavericks for the best record of the 21st century!
Yi Shui, Curry, and D'Antoni all praised Hughes' performance tonight.

He made 3 of 8 shots, including 2 of 5 three-pointers, plus 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 10 points and becoming the team's third-leading scorer. He also had 5 assists, feeding the ball to Yi Shui and Curry very well.

And that crucial three-pointer!
Without that basket, they wouldn't have been able to force Hibbert to come on early. Facing the Pacers' 19-point run in the last 8 minutes, they probably wouldn't have been able to withstand it, and there wouldn't have been Curry's 3+1 in the final moments, Yi Shui's one-on-one to seal the victory, and Chandler's two free throws to kill the game.

Hughes was a little teary-eyed as he faced the camera. He had been playing basketball since he was a child, for more than 20 years. He was once Jordan, who was a block, a city, and even a state. Tonight was just an ordinary regular season game, but he couldn't suppress his excitement.

Before joining the Knicks, he hadn't received this kind of recognition for many years. With just 10 points and a single basket, his teammates and coaches praised him endlessly.

When he didn't play well, no one blamed him; the head coach just kept him on the bench...

On Yi Shui's side, while his teammates were being interviewed, he opened the system.

"Basic rewards..."

"Competition rewards..."

"Refuse to sweep: "
You have led your team to victory over the Pacers, avoiding a regular season sweep by them. Congratulations on receiving the reward: Quick Start Guide to Low-Post Back-to-the-basket Play (Randolph Version).

"You have defeated every team in the league this regular season and have not been swept by any team. Congratulations on achieving this for the first time. You are awarded the following rewards: Jump +1 and Jump Speed ​​+1."

Your vertical jump has increased from 91 to 92, and your vertical speed has increased from 90 to 91.

When Yi Shui saw the achievement reward, he realized that after tonight, they, like the Magic, would have won against other teams!
When the Magic achieved this feat, he saw in the news that such things had rarely happened since 04, and that only the Magic had done it in the last two seasons. They did it too!
They directly gave him two physical attribute points, which seems to be a reward given to match Howard?

Yi Shui remembered reading in the news that during Duncan's first and second peak periods, he accomplished this feat almost every year. How could it not match Duncan's... Well, back then, Duncan also played a high-flying style, especially during his first peak period. His running and jumping abilities were no weaker than Howard's, earning him the nickname "Devil." Perhaps that's what matched Duncan back then.

When Yi Shui first received the mission, he thought Randolph's back-to-the-basket style of play was unsuitable for him. But now his opinion has changed.

When he first got Ewing's turnaround jump shot, he thought about using Ewing's turnaround lateral movement technique in his step-back, but he never tried it. He likes to use it only when he is confident. But tonight, he was pushed to the limit by the Pacers and didn't care about anything else... The effect was very good!

Although Granger could predict almost every move because of the large 'pre-swing' of his movements, Granger couldn't keep up with his retreat if he didn't move in advance. By moving in advance, he could combine Durant's two-footed step-back technique to change the retreat into a crossover in front of his body!

Even if Randolph's back-to-the-basket game isn't suitable for him to use directly, there might be corresponding fundamentals and techniques that can enhance his other offensive skills.

And just like the three threats, learning more about other people's back-to-the-basket moves will also help him develop and improve his own back-to-the-basket moves...

The match ended early, and after taking care of the post-match matters, Yi Shui returned to the hotel with the team, turned on the computer, and went online... Feeling great!
赛季第28次单场40+，超越科比05-06赛季的27次单场40+，现役第一！

Some media outlets commented that even if Yi Shui didn't play in the last game or lost, his performances of 43 points against the Bulls, 53 points against the Bucks, and 46 points against the Pacers would be enough to earn him the Player of the Week award for the final week.

However, he noticed that the Cavaliers were also on a three-game winning streak. James had recorded one triple-double and one 40+ point game in those three games, averaging 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 11 assists per game. He was playing like his life depended on it.

The final week of competition has 8 days, and the 19th is next Monday, so it's counted as the final week. If James wins back-to-back games and maintains that level of performance... his chances of winning Player of the Week in the final week are not necessarily guaranteed.

Yi Shui calculated that he scored a total of 142 points in the first 3 games this week, and only needs to score 18 points in the final game to average 40+ points per game for the week... The most important thing is to win!

He doesn't care about the Cavaliers' wins or losses. What matters to him is winning, whether it's to break the 21st-century record, to win Player of the Week, to showcase his three-point talent, or to gain a psychological advantage in the playoffs!

...

The next day at noon, Yi Shui returned to New York with the team. In the afternoon, he didn't rush to try Randolph's back-to-the-basket moves, and he didn't even watch the 'demonstration video' first.

They've faced off eight times in two years, and Randolph's post-up game is exactly what he remembers. There's no rush; in this short time, he can't really develop anything significant. It's more important to study the Magic's scouting reports, analyze film, and think about playing styles.

That evening, Yi Shui sat in front of the TV watching the live broadcast of the Cavaliers' away game against the Pacers.

ESPN predicts that the Cavaliers will win their final back-to-back games and their fifth consecutive win, and that they will defeat Yi Shui to win Player of the Week... Yi Shui himself thinks this prediction is correct.

He also felt that the Cavaliers had a high probability of finishing with a 5-game winning streak, and he wanted to compete for Player of the Week, but whether he would actually win... well, when it comes to awards, you can do your best and listen to the Jewish guy. After all, you're in America, so you have to win to have any chance.

The Cavaliers had very few back-to-back games in the first five months, only 11 in total. The schedule in April was much tighter, with 11 games in 19 days, two back-to-back games in less than three weeks, and the last one was in the final two games of the season.

However, although it's a back-to-back game, it's not actually that difficult. The Pacers just fought the Knicks to the very end yesterday, and they're at a disadvantage to face the Cavaliers tonight in a back-to-back game.

The Cavaliers' last game was at home against the Pistons, who were from the same division... Actually, the April schedule looked like a lot of games, but the intensity wasn't that high; it was all very carefully planned.

However, at 8 p.m., after the game started, the situation in the first quarter was a huge surprise to Yi Shui...

Last night, Randolph played 41 minutes, shooting 12 of 26 and scoring 31 points and 18 rebounds. Yi Shui thought Randolph might not perform well tonight, but he played even more fiercely than last night!

In the initial stages, Lampard's tiny footwork allowed him to easily outmaneuver Jamison and toy with the big guy!

Once the rotation began, Randolph played even more aggressively, completely dominating the rotation combinations of Jamison, Hickson, and Varejao!

With 6 of 11 field goals and 3 of 4 free throws, Randolph racked up 15 points and 7 rebounds in the quarter, including 5 offensive rebounds, even more than he did in the third quarter last night.

Led by Randolph, the Pacers scored 31 points in the first quarter!
Meanwhile, James suffered a major setback against the Cavaliers' combination of Granger and Hibbert.

James played very hard, playing the entire first quarter and taking 9 shots in that quarter. He even tried to sneak in a shot at the end, but Ford anticipated it and blocked him at close range. James' back-to-the-basket turnaround floater missed. He only scored 5 points in the quarter, making 2 of 9 shots and 1 of 3 free throws, but he did have 4 assists.

尽管贾米森5投3中、其中三分球4中2，拿到8分，替补上场的德隆蒂-韦斯特两次接球三分都进了，奥尼尔和莫-威廉姆斯也各拿到两分……骑士队首节也只有23分。

Yi Shui heard the ESPN commentator say in a very tactful way: "The Pacers are paying special attention to King's defense tonight. He should make good use of his threat and let Mo, Delonte, and Antoine have more possessions and shoot more."

After taking an 8-point lead in the first quarter, the Pacers immediately launched a defensive war of attrition, raising their intensity to the maximum and completely abandoning offense. Head, Ford, Dunleavy, Murphy, and others were all kept on the sidelines, with only defensive players on the court, except for Granger and Randolph.

第二节比分21比22、第三节比分21比19、末节比分18比23……

兰多夫全场出战39分钟，24投12中，加上8中6的罚球，狂轰30分20板。

格兰杰21投8中，其中三分球12中4，加上5中5的罚球，拿到25分5板。

希伯特5投2中，加上3中3的罚球，拿到7分7板2抢断2盖帽。

力压33投13中、其中三分球10中2、加上9中4的罚球拿到32分9板12助攻的詹姆斯。

The three led their team to a narrow 91-87 victory over the Cavaliers!
The Pacers finished the regular season with a spectacular defensive battle, bringing their record to 55 wins and 27 losses, making them one of the six teams this season to achieve at least 55 wins!

The Cavaliers' three-game winning streak came to an end, bringing their record to 52 wins and 29 losses.

Yi Shui originally came to see King, but after watching the live stream, his attention was completely drawn to Lan Pang.

That physique is truly impressive! Tonight's matchup between the two teams was pure playoff level, and the referees were very lenient in their calls; even LeBron James only got 9 free throws.

But Randolph seemed unaffected, even playing better than he did in the early to mid-season when the referees were tight... Randolph was the same last night!

Yi Shui thought of a player who was also playing tonight—O'Neal, although Lan Fat wasn't as strong as Big Fat.

However, he doesn't have that problem now; if anyone should have a problem, it's the Celtics.

直播镜头切到演播室后，ESPN解说员血夸詹姆斯今晚32+9+12的准三双表现、遗憾云云……易水看着詹姆斯9中4的罚球，当真有点过分了。

The score difference was only 4 points, but they missed 5 free throws.

ESPN's pre-game predictions were largely correct; the Pacers' overall performance tonight was indeed affected by fatigue.

Aside from Randolph's explosive performance in the first quarter, the Pacers struggled defensively in the following three quarters but failed to gain an advantage. The Pacers won by two points in the third quarter, only managing to secure a victory with a long-range three-pointer by Granger at the very end. They were also at a disadvantage in regulation time.

Even if Randolph has a breakout performance, and even if James has too much ball possession and misses 20 shots tonight, as long as James doesn't miss any free throws, the Cavaliers have a very high chance of winning.

...

April 19th marks the final day of the regular season.

Yesterday, two-thirds of the teams, like the Pacers, finished their regular season journey. Some teams have already gone on vacation, while others are about to begin their playoff journey.

The league has only scheduled four games today.

Cavaliers vs. Pistons, Knicks vs. Magic, Grizzlies vs. Suns, Lakers vs. Nuggets.

The fans' attention is all on the next three games.

After the Pacers lost to the Knicks, the Cavaliers actually had a chance to overtake the Pacers and move into third place in the Eastern Conference.

Before last night's game, the Cavaliers had a record of 52 wins and 28 losses, and a record of 1 win and 2 losses against the Pacers, while the Pacers had a record of 54 wins and 27 losses. The Cavaliers had a better record in the division than the Pacers. If the Cavaliers had defeated the Pacers last night and defeated the Pistons in their final game, they would have tied the Pacers' record and used their divisional record advantage to push into the top three at the last minute.

But the Cavaliers lost last night, so their farewell game became meaningless. The fifth-ranked Hawks have a record of 48 wins and 34 losses, so the Cavaliers' wins or losses won't affect their ranking.

However, James still managed to get some media attention today...

The Cavaliers told the media that James twisted his wrist in the game against the Kings on the 16th, and played with the injury last night against the Pacers. James will continue to play tonight.

In an interview, James said, "I will not back down because of injuries, and I will bravely stand on the court."

When Yi Shui saw the news, he was full of questions. This was LeBron James, the Cavaliers' 1.0! Not the Lakers' LeBron James... But the Cavaliers released an injury report, which showed that he had been diagnosed with overstretched wrist muscles on the morning of the 17th. ESPN also released footage of James falling to the ground on the night of the 16th while battling for a rebound with Landry, his hand being pressed down by Landry's waist, and him looking pained.

James didn't leave the game due to injury, and he continued to play last night, continuing to attack the basket where Hibbert was... No wonder he made an absurd 4 out of 9 free throws.

It might be for Player of the Week, or it might just be to prove a point... In any case, Yi Shui thinks James has been quite manly and tough these past few days. Even if he brings this up after losing, or if he originally planned to announce it after winning the 5-game winning streak and Player of the Week, just to show off, the fact that he did do it is indeed impressive.

Yi Shui could only lament the complexity and fickleness of human nature...

At 5 p.m. Eastern Time, the Cavaliers and Pistons kicked off the final day of the regular season with their game.

詹姆斯出战41分钟，36投21中、其中三分球4中1，加上12中8的罚球，狂轰51分11板7助攻，率领骑士队以103比79屠杀活塞队。

The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a record of 53 wins and 29 losses.

最后一周5场比赛，詹姆斯合计拿到187分、51板、52助攻，场均37.2分10.2板10.4助攻。

With one 50+ point game, one 40+ point game, and one triple-double, averaging a triple-double, and leading his team to a good record of 4 wins and 1 loss, coupled with reasonable hype, even casual observers felt he deserved to win Player of the Week after the game against the Pistons.

Even when Jordan, O'Neal, Kobe, and Yi Jianlian were at their best, James' performance this week was comparable.

But this time it might not be so certain, there's another player in the East who's been performing at an extremely crazy pace.

过去3场比赛，易水合计拿到142分26板7助攻5抢断6盖帽，场均47.3分8.7板2.3助攻1.7抢断2盖帽，连续3场40+、其中有1场是50+。

An exceptional scoring performance is always more impressive than an exceptional all-around performance.

Passing the ball tests your ability to create opportunities for your teammates, but ultimately it depends on whether they can make the shot.

As for scoring, it's entirely up to the individual!

...

LeBron James's scoring spree in his final regular season game benefited... the major television networks.

The Knicks vs. Magic game, which started in quick succession, saw a surge in paid viewership!
Even Lakers fans, who also have a game tonight, are glued to their TVs, eager to see how Yishui performs in his final match.

Carter said in an interview at noon that they would never let Yi Shui score high points against them, nor would they let Yi Shui continue to win. They, the Magic, are the strongest team in the East.

At 8 p.m., more than 30 minutes after the Cavaliers' game against the Pistons ended, the Knicks' home game against the Magic began at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks fielded a starting lineup of Curry, Hughes, Yi Shui, David Lee, and Chandler.

The Magic fielded a starting lineup of Nelson, Carter, Pietrus, Lewis, and Howard.

Chandler lost the jump ball, but Carter, who took the first shot, missed his pull-up mid-range jumper against Yi Shui's defense!
In the transition between offense and defense, Yi Shui received a pass from Curry while leaning against Pietrus in the high post.

Pietrus was on tight defense, while Carter on the other side of the middle, Nelson on the right sideline, and Howard under the basket were ready to swarm him.

Yi Shui straightened his body and faced the basket, pulled his right foot back slightly, and suddenly pushed forward to the right, dribbling and breaking through!

'Heavy Tank' is triggered, Strength +1, Strength increases to 92 and Explosiveness increases to 95. When you have an absolute advantage in strength, you can break through without dribbling, and the impact of physical contact on your starting position is compensated!

Pietrus, who was pressing forward to defend the step-back shot, was completely overpowered. Yi Shui quickly took three steps to the right elbow area, and Carter, Howard, and Nelson accelerated to surround him, forming a tight encirclement with Pietrus, who was turning to chase him.

But before Howard could cover the shooting space, Yi Shui had already stopped abruptly, jumped, and shot... and it went in!
Technology doesn't necessarily have to be useful, but it must have a deterrent effect!
Two days ago, Yi Shui used various fancy step-back moves to dribble past Granger in the final quarter. As the Magic's strongest defensive player on the wing, Pietrus was very wary of Yi Shui's step-back. Yi Shui only had to step back slightly before Pietrus pressed forward, preventing him from even having a chance to quickly step back and slow down Yi Shui's advance.

Yi Shui adopted a "I'm going to score tonight" attitude. On the Knicks' next offensive possession, as soon as he received the ball, the Magic's wing players began to move in advance. He continued his drive, and the Magic's wing players double-teamed him, creating a help defense opportunity for Howard, but…

The story of Yi Shui has been told!

Curry received the ball in the right corner and hit a three-pointer!

(End of this chapter)