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***
On the morning of May 25th, ESPN reviewed the long Eastern Conference Finals from last night during its program.
The good news was that the ga set a new viewership record, while the bad news was that the NBA was preparing to issue fines, as the unruly Detroit fans completely forgot the rules of civilized spectating.
In response to the NBA's call, fans entering Auburn Hills Palace for gas would receive a simple guide to spectating, with a basic rule being not to throw debris at the court or players.
With over 20,000 people in Auburn Hills Palace, the situation beca difficult to control once so emotionally charged fans initiated "attacks."
Of course, so sports dia expressed understanding, after all, this was the first ti the Detroit Pistons had reached the Conference Finals in 13 seasons, and being swept was bound to cause emotional reactions.
The Philadelphia sports dia, considering themselves New York's arch-rival, enjoyed the spectacle.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, as the largest local newspaper, published several NBA columns praising the passionate Detroit fans:
"Victory is not the only thing. Detroit fans show us the purest love!"
...
The Philadelphia sports reporters, who had begun to trust the process, completely beca the leaders of the "Anti-Clay Lee Alliance" after clearing out the "traitor" Stephen A. Smith.
Even the Philadelphia Daily News praised Detroit's pure basketball, completely ignoring the fans' racist taunts.
After all, everyone engaged in emotional taunting on the court, and the NBA would impose penalties.
Sports dia were only responsible for fanning the flas and enjoying the drama.
Different dia outlets had different leanings, and The New York Tis' report was simple and direct:
"GOAT!"
The accompanying photo showed Lee yelling and pounding his chest after a one-handed alley-oop dunk in the third quarter, with the photographer capturing many fans in the left stands covering their faces in frustration.
New York fans who read the newspaper were in a good mood and gave high praise to Lee's "new" gear!
Last night, in the away ga, Lee wore the blue New York Knicks away jersey, paired with a black compression shirt.
He wore a black arm sleeve on his right arm, and his left leg was wrapped in protective sleeve, plus black and orange away sneakers, which looked incredibly imposing in the photo.
Gear enthusiasts were already planning to update their outfits.
With compression pants, black sleeve was also a must!
The New York Post, as always, sarcastically mocked their opponents:
"Ball don't lie!"
"Ball don't lie" is Rasheed Wallace's signature phrase.
After a controversial call by the referee, Wallace would yell this at the free-throw shooter.
In Ga 3, despite the ho-court advantage and a halfti lead, the Detroit Pistons suffered another crushing defeat as Clay Lee scored 22 points in a single quarter, leading his team to dismantle the opponent.
With a score of 112:93, the series stood at 3:0, and New York fans were already celebrating their ho team's return to the Finals.
During the NBA playoffs broadcast, the halfti team in the ESPN studio consisted of host Mike Tirico and guest Sean Elliot.
In the morning program, with the addition of Tim Legler and Stephen A. Smith, everyone started arguing again.
Of course, their discussion was not about the outco of the series, as the New York Knicks had already secured the win.
Instead, they argued about the developnt of the NBA.
As a San Antonio Spurs legend, Elliot disliked the New York Knicks and felt indifferent towards Lee, seizing the opportunity to condemn them:
"There's no doubt that the New York Knicks' ergence has affected the NBA's developnt!"
"They can offer players high salaries, and the luxury tax cannot prevent the birth of a super team."
"The New York Knicks are very likely to continue dominating the Eastern Conference, and I can't imagine what it would be like for fans to see the sa gas every year."
Legler, who spent most of his career as a three-point shooter, then began to change the subject:
"It's hard for
to evaluate the current state of the NBA, just like the New York Knicks' unique tactics, no one can predict what the future will hold."
"But one thing I agree with is that the current players' abilities have indeed declined significantly. They are just ordinary star players, with only a few reaching the level of past MVPs."
"I'm not questioning Kevin Garnett's ability, but Lee and Shaq are clearly more capable players."
One of the speakers shook his head in denial, while the other solemnly played the peacemaker.
When it was Stephen A. Smith's turn, he imdiately gave a highly personal answer:
"It's not the New York Knicks that are causing the NBA's ratings to drop, but those players who lack ability and try to make excuses to cover up their shortcomings!"
"I swear, most fans absolutely love watching the New York Knicks play. Don't forget, last night we just hit a new viewership high."
Noticing Elliot starting to shake his head again, Smith imdiately raised his voice:
"I know what you want to say, but ball don't lie!"
"As an ordinary fan, when I see Clay Lee score 22 points in a single quarter against the Detroit Pistons' tight Defense, I get so excited I scream."
"After Lee scored 50 points in the ga, I want to share my favorite superstar with my friends!"
"This is how ordinary fans feel. They might not pay much attention to the NBA, but after watching Lee's performance, they will eventually fall in love with the New York Knicks."
At this point, Smith again tilted his head and looked at the San Antonio Spurs legend opposite him, loudly speaking with a tone full of superiority:
"Do you know why? It's simple, the New York Knicks won the ga!"
"Most fans are ordinary people from all walks of life, and watching the New York Knicks allows them to enjoy the happiness that cos with victory! They can enjoy Lee's superhero-like individual performance."
"We shouldn't be discussing the New York Knicks' championships, but rather questioning why other teams can't win championships."
"Why did Tim Duncan enter the Finals twice without a championship, while Shaquille O'Neal eventually got a ring?"
"Don't bla the opponent for being too strong. Think more about why you failed!"
These words imdiately infuriated Elliot.
Mike Tirico pushed up his glasses, and seeing the San Antonio Spurs legend's face turn red, he imdiately changed the topic, saying:
"Now we should discuss tonight's ga. Can the Lakers find their form after returning ho?"
Legler remained silent, and Smith began to sarcastically mock again:
"In the history of the NBA, rookies and veterans partnering up always create a wonderful chemical reaction, leading to championships."
"Magic Johnson did it, and Clay Lee and Patrick Ewing even completed a four-peat, while so stars failed."
"Clearly, so players are overrated!"
TNT's program replayed a scene after the ga where the New York Knicks players were doused with beer.
Compared to the bickering among the ESPN crew, Charles Barkley was simply fanning the flas:
"If I were Ron Artest, I'd punch that jerk who threw beer and cursed at !"
"The Detroit Pistons are a bunch of softies! Lee scored 50 points on them, with a 60% shooting percentage!"
"Don't tell
this is the best defensive team in the NBA anymore."
Playing 42 minutes, shooting 17 for 28 from the field, 6 for 11 from beyond the arc, and 10 for 11 from the free-throw line, he delivered 50 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers.
Delivering a 50-point double-double, Clay Lee also swept the top 5 plays on SportsCenter.
Even though Chauncey Billups shot 8 for 17 for an efficient 26 points, and Hamilton shot 9 for 18 for a team-high 28 points, they received no praise after the ga.
The reason was simple: in the second half, the Detroit Pistons only scored 32 points, and in the crucial third quarter, both of them went cold.
Throughout the entire day on the 25th, comntators who found material discussed it repeatedly, and the rising popularity attracted many casual fans.
Lee, as the most outstanding "highlight reel star," quietly gained a new batch of bandwagon fans, thanks to the "poor" performance of his opponents.
It wasn't until the Western Conference Finals Ga 3 began that evening that everyone's attention shifted to that ga.
With a score of 89:100, the Lakers completely dominated the Timberwolves, successfully protecting their ho court, bringing the series score to 2:1.
After several sluggish gas, Gary Payton finally had a breakout performance!
Playing 36 minutes, he shot 8 for 11 from the field, 2 for 5 from beyond the arc, for an efficient 18 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.
Karl Malone shot 4 for 12, contributing 11 points, and although his stats were diocre, he effectively limited Kevin Garnett on the defensive end.
The new MVP shot 9 for 21 for the entire ga, tallying 22 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 turnovers. After the loss, Kevin Garnett left through the player tunnel early.
A stellar Gary Payton started boasting again in his post-ga interview, confidently stating to reporters:
"The Lakers don't care about those boring comnts, because we know how to win!"
The continuous criticism had put Payton in a particularly bad mood.
Thinking of the external doubts, he finally held his head high and, in his sowhat high-pitched voice, declared:
"You have no idea how much I crave a championship! The Lakers will keep winning, and this year we will hoist the o'brien cup!"
Kobe had been very low-key recently, having been criticized after taking too many shots and losing the previous ga.
Tonight, he shot 5 for 12 from the field, 2 for 6 from beyond the arc, and 10 for 11 from the free-throw line, tallying 22 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 turnovers.
After congratulating Gary Payton, Kobe noticed that the TNT reporter ignored him, so he turned and walked away.
His relationship with the dia was currently very strained.
ESPN was constantly being sarcastic and occasionally gossiping about his personal life, which made Kobe develop an aversion to these sports reporters.
Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, was happy to see the veteran's performance: 7-of-10 from the field, 8-of-22 from the free throw line, for 22 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, and 1 turnover.
After once again delivering a double-double, Shaquille O'Neal loudly shouted as he put his arm around Payton and walked towards the player tunnel after the ga:
"We'll send the MVP ho soon!"
The Lakers took 66 shots in this ga, and made 25 of 43 free throws.
With fewer possessions and more free throws, the ga was not pleasing to watch.
After the ga, comntators mostly discussed whether Payton could maintain such a performance.
On May 26th, the NBA and the Detroit Pistons jointly announced the penalties for the disruptive fans.
"Permanently banned from entering the Auburn Hills Palace to watch gas!"
"The Detroit Pistons were fined $20,000, and the fans who made racist remarks published apologies in the newspaper."
The Detroit Free Press showed insufficient sincerity, only using a very small space to describe the penalties.
Ron Artest, during an interview at noon, again highly mockingly said:
"These losers only use these petty tricks. In fact, they can't do anything but watch the Knicks win."
"I don't like it here, and I don't have ti to discuss these trivial matters, because I'm preparing for the Finals!"
With the Knicks holding match point, Ron Artest's emotions had stabilized again.
He had sat on the bench for a long ti in the fourth quarter last night, and the excellent roster depth had been a great help.
Grant Hill's emotions were sowhat complex, after all, he had spent a wonderful ti in Detroit early in his career.
Back then, the fans here all liked him, but now, more people held up white boards calling him a "traitor."
However, Hill didn't argue with the fans.
Instead, after the league announced its penalties, he magnanimously stated:
"When watching a ga live, fans' emotions can be affected. I can understand the curses used to vent emotions, but they should not say those racially discriminatory words."
"That shouldn't appear in a basketball ga. I'm happy to see the Detroit Pistons in the Conference Finals. They are very talented, and I believe Detroit will welco a championship."
Grant Hill, who was about to beco "Captain Arica," naturally wouldn't say anything excessive.
After the Knicks make it to the Finals this year, Grant Hill will receive even more promotional resources.
After last night's ga, Lee returned to the hotel and was busy replying to text ssages from his superficial friends.
While showing hostility on the court and in front of the dia, most players would privately show favor to Lee.
More friends an more options.
If he ever goes bankrupt, maybe Lee can help.
Of course, Allen Iverson was not among the superficial friends.
This faded All-Star guard would find it difficult to beco friends with Clay Lee.
Before heading to the Angry Detroit for warm-ups that afternoon, Lee also accepted an interview.
Nike had given a heads-up, so the various sports reporters didn't talk about anything else.
Everyone just discussed the ga:
"Lee, this year's playoffs, your playing ti exceeded 40 minutes for the first ti. How do you feel physically today?"
"I feel great! After these two rounds of gas, I feel like my rusty body has been fully activated!"
"I like playing in confrontation. Although I have to control my movents on the road, I enjoy the Defense I encounter on the offensive end."
Lee, who had changed into a black printed T-shirt, vigorously patted his chest.
Everyone looked at the muscle lines revealed by his stretched-out clothes and were speechless:
"Rusty?!"
The ESPN reporter was better at flattery, and at this point, he asked with a smile:
"Lee, Gary Payton played exceptionally well in last night's ga. If you face the Lakers again in the Finals, what kind of performance do you expect him to deliver?"
Payton's strong performance sparked discussion among comntators again.
Everyone still had high expectations for this veteran All-Star.
Lee pretended to think for a mont, then answered unceremoniously:
"I will limit his scoring to single digits! On offense, I will continue to score over him."
"I respect this veteran, but the fact is, his physical condition is not what it used to be. Currently, his Defense is definitely not as good as Kidd's or Chauncey Billups'."
"..."
The Los Angeles Tis reporter was unable to refute, watching Lee wave with a smile as he boarded the car.
Noticing that everyone agreed with Lee's answer, a few of them secretly fud:
"Payton's form will definitely get better and better!"
Detroit fans certainly didn't like Clay Lee, and even less the Knicks, but that didn't an they would refuse Lee's autographed sneakers.
As Nike's current top star, new materials and high technology were all concentrated on Lee.
The first-generation sneakers repeatedly exploited the market with their flashy color sches, which were a favorite of many fans!
Besides Air Jordan, Lee's flashy sneakers all sold well.
Therefore, whenever political and racial issues were involved, Nike would imdiately remind Lee to be careful.
This was also the case for Michael Jordan.
The leader set an example back then, and Lee just needed to follow suit by keeping a low profile and remaining silent.
Many Black fans always complained that Michael Jordan didn't speak up for Black people, but the vast majority of them also greatly envied Michael Jordan's achievents.
Black fans might not like Lee's mixed race, but after seeing the inco rankings published by Vanity Fair and Forbes, they would also yearn for Lee's life.
With a large amount of money, it beca unimportant, and many Black won even openly stated:
"Clay Lee is the sexiest man in the world!"
Before the start of Ga 4 that night, Larry Brown's face was long, and when he accepted interviews, he no longer spoke grand words:
"We used many Defense strategies, but sotis basketball gas are just like that. They can't proceed according to the planned sche."
"I've witnessed Clay Lee change gas with his individual ability. I thought we were ready, but as the series has progressed, I just want to say that the team still has a lot to learn."
He no longer emphasized turning the series around or making it to the Finals.
Larry Brown did not deceive the sports reporters.
He was prepared for a loss.
Essentially, the content of the Knicks' last two gas was ""Four protect one
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