Since the 21st century, a strange phenomenon has appeared in the NBA.
Whenever a team's performance is not ideal, a "blame game" will be staged.
This has almost become a fixed routine: first, the core players express dissatisfaction, then the Head Coach publicly declares that the team is on the right track, and finally, they tank for a top draft pick, and the management envisions the future.
The entire process might take less than two years for some faster teams, while slower ones might persist until the Head Coach's contract ends.
Loyal fans always believe the management's grand promises, and with sports media hyping up team new stars, "trusting the process" has gained much recognition.
With the advent of television and the internet, the situation has changed again.
Paying for "good reviews" has become a regular operation, and most columnists have no psychological pressure when making dirty money.
Before the Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2, a Detroit Free Press reporter suddenly broke a shocking piece of news:
"General Manager Joe Dumars has transactional dealings with Adrian Wojnarowski, a well-known columnist for Yahoo. The latter has been completely compromised."
This news went viral throughout the NBA circle before the game began.
For a team's General Manager, public perception is very important.
If the fans do not support the team, he is very likely to take the blame directly.
For relevant practitioners, this is actually an open secret.
Paying the media to say good things is nothing new, but to have it exposed so openly is indeed rare.
Under these circumstances, during that night's Eastern Conference Semifinals, TNT's cameras frequently focused on Head Coach Saunders on the sidelines.
Some suspected he had given up.
Everyone knew that the "regular season coach" was about to be fired.
Flip Saunders would be the second Head Coach in the East to be fired after Maurice Cheeks.
As the third quarter began, the director also focused the camera on Lee.
Over so many years, the New York Knicks have caused multiple Head Coaches to be fired, truly earning the title of "coach killer."
"Oh!"
The New York fans on site were too lazy to care about such gossip.
The first half had already decided the outcome of the game.
Now, everyone was cheering and shouting, just wanting to see Lee "beat up" the Rookie.
Tonight's game was not as intense as the commentators predicted.
Just 5 minutes into the game, Billups pulled his right hamstring during a slide and was forced to leave the court to rest.
This resulted in the Detroit Pistons only scoring 16 points in the first quarter, and the halftime score was fixed at 39:59.
New York fans once again celebrated the victory in advance.
The cheers from over 18,000 fans pressured Rodney Stuckey, who had just dribbled past half-court.
He was not good at organizing offense, but at this moment, he had to bite the bullet and take on this task.
The basketball in his hands seemed to become disobedient.
Protecting the ball with his back to the basket at the top of the arc, Rodney Stuckey swayed his shoulders, trying to shake off his defender and switch the ball to his right hand, but Lee almost poked the ball away.
Rodney Stuckey, who was called the "future core" by Detroit sports reporters, is also a combo guard, but his performance tonight was disappointing.
In the first half, it was difficult to organize an effective offense.
His individual strong attacks either resulted in blocks or air balls.
Rodney Stuckey's performance was completely different from the first round, showing his Rookie nature.
"Defense!"
Seeing the Rookie opposite stop the ball at the top of the arc, the cheers grew even louder.
When Hamilton came to the right wing outside the three-point line to receive the ball, the Detroit Pistons once again fell into isolation play.
From the start of the first quarter, with Raja Bell's relentless pursuit and containment, Hamilton's opportunities to receive the ball in the sweet spot became fewer and fewer.
Although he made 5 of 13 shots in the first half, scoring a team-high 11 points, Hamilton's offensive threat was greatly reduced by receiving the ball far from the three-point line.
Raja Bell did not care about the opponent's pick-and-roll plays at all.
Rasheed Wallace's screen was once again squeezed through.
Although his teammate's bounce pass found him, his jump shot from the right restricted area once again hit the rim.
"Shit!"
The cheers made Rasheed Wallace even more uncomfortable.
Watching Gasol grab the rebound, he could only quickly retreat on Defense.
The New York Knicks' fast breaks were becoming more and more aggressive.
Head Coach Saunders on the sidelines did not shout as much as in the previous game.
His players did a good job of retreating on Defense, but completing their matchups did not mean they could make effective Defense.
Rasheed Wallace had just rushed to the lower left side of the basket and noticed Gasol stopping at the top of the arc.
Clay Lee just made a large behind-the-back dribble, and his teammate lost his defensive position, causing him to curse under his breath again.
Moving his feet, Rasheed Wallace ignored his matchup, Chandler.
Seeing Lee accelerate from the middle and break through directly in front of the basket, he immediately jumped with all his might.
Jason Maxiell's symbolic reach near the free-throw line had no effect.
Lee calmly took a step, bumped into Rasheed Wallace in the air, then grabbed the ball with one hand, suspended, pulled it to the side, and shot a floater!
The ball banked in.
After landing, Rasheed Wallace was completely despairing.
He stared at the basket with his mouth open, unable to recover.
The Defense on the perimeter was easily broken.
"Oh!!"
Cheers and applause once again echoed throughout the Madison Square Garden.
At the TNT commentary desk, Doug Collins could only exclaim:
"Billups leaving the game due to injury is a huge blow to the Detroit Pistons. Now we can only hope that others can step up and try to reduce the deficit to within 15 points before the fourth quarter."
39:61. In Kevin Harlan's opinion, the opponent had no chance:
"Clay Lee is in excellent form tonight. Although Rodney Stuckey is working hard on Defense, his positioning always has problems, and in most possessions, he struggles to get through screens."
"The future core still has a lot to learn. Now the Detroit Pistons need his offense even more."
Rodney Stuckey's dark face showed impatience, but no matter how he accelerated, stopped suddenly, or initiated physical contact, he still could not shake off Lee.
Not every player can execute a pick-and-roll well.
Rodney Stuckey tried it in the first half, committed two turnovers, and then stopped seeking cooperation.
Without a good opportunity, he eventually passed the ball obediently.
On the left restricted area, Wilson Chandler received the ball with his back to the basket and was immediately pressured by Ron Artest from behind.
He failed to complete a smooth turn and breakthrough, quickly protected the ball to his right, and then observed the movements on the court.
The Detroit Pistons cleared one side, with two big men positioned at the free-throw line and the lower right of the basket.
After several probing steps with his right foot, Wilson Chandler suddenly lowered his center of gravity and drove hard towards the baseline with the ball in his left hand.
The deceptive sweep of the ball did not affect Ron Artest's Defense.
Both players were not fast, but Ron Artest, half a step behind, successfully forced his opponent to stop near the left baseline.
After protecting the ball and continuously backing down, as Wilson Chandler brought the ball up and turned towards the perimeter, his jump shot from near the rim was easily interfered with by Ron Artest.
The ball went over the rim and fell straight into Chandler's arms.
Laughter began to emerge in the Madison Square Garden, and Wilson Chandler's face darkened further.
He could only lower his head and retreat on Defense.
As both sides crossed half-court, Rasheed Wallace realized the opponent was using a double-screen tactic and immediately shouted a warning to his teammates.
Jason Maxiell, alerted, immediately stepped onto the three-point line.
Rodney Stuckey was squeezed between the two big men.
While moving, Lee just paused slightly, then executed a very quick in-and-out dribble with his left hand.
After pushing the ball outwards, he immediately lowered his shoulder and accelerated.
Jason Maxiell, attempting a hard hedge, failed to limit Lee's acceleration in time.
Seeing that he was about to be squeezed past, besides desperately sliding his feet, he loudly called out to his teammates.
"Wilson!"
The alerted Rookie quickly retreated from the left corner towards the paint.
As he moved closer to Lee, the basketball zipped past in front of him.
Ron Artest, who had quietly stayed on the baseline, received the pass and immediately burst into a three-step drive.
Uncontested, he leaped high and slammed the ball down with both hands!
Noticing Ron Artest shouting at the top of his lungs, Rasheed Wallace felt even worse.
He angrily clenched his fist and looked at the Head Coach, but found no instructions.
"Give me the ball!"
Neither Rookie could open up the game, and the Old players were being tightly guarded.
In this situation, Rasheed Wallace loudly demanded the ball, and after crossing half-court, he immediately demanded the ball with his back to the basket in the left restricted area.
Chandler defended hard.
After receiving the Rookie's lob pass, Rasheed Wallace had to bend down to adjust.
Once he was firmly balanced, he immediately put the ball down and backed down forcefully.
Muscles collided.
Chandler held his ground firmly.
Rasheed Wallace had no intention of passing the ball.
After backing down again, he suddenly turned towards the baseline, smoothly gathered the ball, and shot a fadeaway jump shot!
Rasheed Wallace's straight-arm shot gave him a very high release point.
Chandler failed to effectively interfere, and the basketball finally went through the net cleanly.
41:63. Rasheed Wallace's +2 was unlikely to change the situation.
The New York Knicks' offensive pace was extremely fast.
Seeing Chandler preparing to set a screen outside the three-point line, Rasheed Wallace completely snapped.
He immediately went for a hard hedge, while also calling for his teammates to double-team.
Noticing the opponent's defensive Center of Gravity, Chandler accelerated and broke away.
Lee first dribbled behind his back to switch to his left hand.
As Rasheed Wallace rushed up, he feigned a lateral acceleration, then suddenly pushed the ball and changed direction.
Instantly lowering his center of gravity, Rodney Stuckey seemed dumbfounded, frozen in place, and Rasheed Wallace instinctively stretched out his right arm, but it had no effect.
In the blink of an eye, he weaved through the double-team, and cheers erupted again.
Clay Lee once again went all out, but Rasheed Wallace, attempting to chase him down, helplessly bumped into Wilson Chandler, and could only watch as his opponent finished with a step-through layup.
Although Hamilton, who was guarding the left corner, returned to Defense in time, Lee relied on his absolute speed to first collide with Jason Maxiell in the air, then, a step ahead, threw the ball off the backboard from the lower right of the rim.
Despite the double-team, the basketball still banked in, and the New York Knicks bench erupted in celebration, while the Detroit Pistons became increasingly quiet.
Billups sat in his seat, a look of dejection on his face.
A hamstring strain in his right leg meant it would be difficult for him to return to the court for the upcoming home games.
Watching the Rookie being exploited by Lee, forcing Old players to constantly switch, Billups finally complained:
"Rodney has lost control of the game."
Antonio McDyess, seeing Head Coach Saunders standing quietly nearby, covered his mouth and chimed in, saying in a muffled voice:
"In the playoffs, Rookies are always unreliable!"
In tonight's game, both Rookies had more opportunities for self-offense.
Head Coach Saunders did not overemphasize Defense, nor did he put out a twin-towers lineup.
This seemed to send a signal to the players: the team was starting to rebuild, and the Old players were not part of the plan.
The game had to continue.
Hamilton cut from the free-throw line area to the basket, and was ultimately blocked by a massive swat from Raja Bell.
Rasheed Wallace wanted to go argue, but the referee immediately pulled him away.
As a player under close scrutiny in the game, the referee would intervene immediately whenever Rasheed Wallace showed any sign of "erupting."
"How should the Detroit Pistons adjust when they return home? Should Head Coach Saunders change the starting lineup?"
Taking advantage of the free throw, Kevin Harlan simply started discussing the upcoming games.
Doug Collins instinctively shook his head when he heard the question, and after glancing at the statistics, he confidently stated:
"They are comprehensively behind in every aspect. Rebounds, assists, steals—the Detroit Pistons are at a disadvantage."
"They cannot solve the matchup problem. Even with a double-team, Clay Lee can break through their Defense. Only by hoping for Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace to explode can the Detroit Pistons have any hope of protecting their home court."
43:65. Hamilton made both free throws, but it still couldn't help the team narrow the deficit.
"Let's go Knicks!"
The New York fans' enthusiasm for the game remained high.
Seeing Lee quickly advance and then suddenly stop at the top of the arc, followed by continuous between-the-legs dribbles in place, and then a sudden feigned gather, they cheered again.
Rodney Stuckey was completely bewildered.
He unconsciously shuffled his feet and raised his right arm to attempt a block, but Lee's sudden push-dribble change of direction made him stumble, ultimately losing his defensive position completely.
With his defender stumbling and falling behind him, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, instantly burst into the paint.
After drawing the interior help Defense, he immediately lobbed the ball towards the upper left of the rim.
Gasol easily jumped, and over the returning Jason Maxiell, extended his long arm, caught the ball in the air, and slammed it directly into the basket!
"Ah!!"
The beautiful alley-oop once again ignited the atmosphere in the Madison Square Garden.
On the Detroit Pistons bench, Billups' ears were filled with the happy shouts of the fans.
The game was largely over, so he simply covered his head with a towel.
The Detroit Pistons found it difficult to respond consistently, while the New York Knicks grew stronger with each play.
Wilson Chandler's offensive rebound completely broke Rasheed Wallace's Defense, and in less than half a quarter, he still picked up his 4th personal foul.
"Boo!!"
Amidst the boos, Rasheed Wallace ripped off his headband and turned to look at Head Coach.
Flip Saunders just shook his head slightly, indicating he wouldn't make a substitution.
The Detroit Pistons players on the court immediately understood that they were surrendering.
For the remainder of the 3rd quarter, Rasheed Wallace failed to make a field goal, while on the New York Knicks side, Raja Bell's two consecutive open three-pointers completely nullified the double-team.
The lead continued to widen.
In the late stages of the 3rd quarter, Head Coach Saunders called a timeout, no longer struggling, and actively substituted in the 'atmosphere group', declaring surrender.
60:93. During the break between quarters, according to this year's broadcasting regulations, a TNT reporter interviewed Mike D'Antoni.
Mike D'Antoni was beaming, but his words remained very humble:
"It's regrettable to see Chauncey suffer an injury. This disrupted the opponent's game plan. Now I just want to thank Lady Luck for her favor!"
"The Detroit Pistons' young players are very talented, and guarding Lee is not an easy task. Rodney Stuckey performed very well."
Playing 28 minutes, 12-of-18 shooting, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, Clay Lee clocked out in the third quarter against the Rookie, delivering a double-double of 32 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
The opponent's recognition did not bring Rodney Stuckey any joy.
The Rookie stared blankly at the assistant coach's tactical board, nodding numbly.
He just wanted the game to end quickly.
Unfortunately, during garbage time, Rajon Rondo, who came off the bench, also didn't like "trading baskets."
His Defense intensity did not decrease at all, and he would even meticulously execute tactics.
When Rodney Stuckey was repeatedly beaten on Defense by Rajon Rondo during the game, the laughter in the Madison Square Garden grew louder.
This had turned into an entertainment game.
JR Smith also didn't miss this opportunity to strike hard.
After coming off the bench, he quickly found his shooting touch, driving to the basket and shooting from outside, fully showcasing his physical talent to the fans.
Ultimately, the final score was fixed at 84:123, with the Detroit Pistons suffering another crushing defeat.
The cheers in the American Airlines Arena were non-stop.
Doug Collins watched the two Head Coaches shake hands in front of the scorer's table and commented with emotion:
"In my opinion, the Detroit Pistons have done their best. Head Coach Saunders did his best, but unfortunately, they met Clay Lee!"
"The New York Knicks' big men completely dominated their opponents in rebounding. They don't need to do more like Rasheed Wallace."
"The wing players just need to play good Defense. Clay Lee makes everyone better. Without a doubt, he is the best active player."
The disparity in the lineups was evident.
The New York Knicks bench even had big-contract players like Diaw.
Kevin Harlan could only offer some polite words for the Detroit Pistons:
"Game 3 is extremely important, and I think the Detroit fans are ready. Both sides will once again face off at Auburn Hills Palace!"
"Hopefully, Billups can recover from his injury as soon as possible. The Detroit Pistons need his leadership."
After two consecutive large-margin losses, Hamilton remained silent as he walked into the player tunnel.
Only after returning to the locker room did he quietly inquire about the injury:
"How do you feel, Bro?"
Billups didn't try to be tough, nor did he talk about sacrificing for the team by playing injured.
He leaned back in his seat and responded dejectedly:
"It's all over. I won't expect Rodney to limit Lee. Look at his current state."
Hamilton instinctively turned his head and quickly noticed that the Rookie seemed to have shut down, his eyes lifeless, without his previous vitality.
3-of-12 shooting, 0-of-4 from beyond the arc, 2-of-4 from the free-throw line, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 turnovers.
Officially starting at guard, Rodney Stuckey had a nightmare of a game.
The dejected Rasheed Wallace, seeing the Head Coach return to the locker room, had hoped he would say something, but instead, Head Coach Saunders simply gave some simple encouragement before telling everyone to pack up their gear.
Recalling General Manager Joe Dumars' efforts to "public relations" with money, Rasheed Wallace, who had been in the NBA for many years, realized that Head Coach Saunders would have to take the blame and leave after the series:
"Damn season, shitty management!"
With the core guard injured and the Head Coach and management blaming each other, the Detroit Pistons were already fractured.
For this series, the New York Media had already begun to prematurely celebrate victory.
"12 consecutive seasons in the Conference Finals, Lee, you have led the team to create an insurmountable record!"
"I think the New York fans are all curious, how long will this record ultimately last?"
There was naturally no one to refute the New York reporter's speculative question.
Lee, who was attending the press conference, chuckled when he heard the first question and said in a joking tone:
"The record will continue for at least the next two years. My physical condition is good, I even have the illusion of being 20 years old again!"
"..."
[LeBron James' extraordinary physique] had been converted into physical power.
In a sense, Lee wasn't lying.
The reporters below all let out good-natured laughter, and some even exclaimed in admiration:
"I believe Lee can perform excellently at 40, just like Stockton."
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)