NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On December 22, 1997, Madison Square Garden also began to add Christmas elements.

Just like the major department stores in New York that change their windows to Christmas themes, although the Knicks do not have a mascot, during halftime, staff began throwing Christmas presents to the audience.

25:56, after the first half of the game, the New York fans at the scene were already in a frenzy, the Dallas Mavericks were blown away!

The jump shot team is sometimes unreasonable.

After resting for more than a day and regaining his touch, Alan Houston exploded in the first half of the game.

"It's great to see the lads getting back into form ahead of the Christmas game."

"The last Christmas game was two years ago, when we lost to the Bulls. This year we are playing at home, and I hope we can give our fans a wonderful game!"

In the commentary booth, Walt Frazier did not talk in depth about the Christmas game that year.

After all, the Knicks did not make it to the Eastern Conference Finals that season.

"The Bulls are not in good shape recently. General Manager Krause may send Pippen away before the All-Star Game, but I believe Michael Jordan will not agree."

"A lot of fans are concerned about this, but this is a good thing for the Knicks!"

"I believe New York fans would love to see the Bulls weakened!"

Commentator Mike Breen also took advantage of the halftime to talk about the latest hot gossip.

The conflict between Pippen and the team finally reached the point of breaking up, and the league's most conscientious second-in-command publicly called out:

"I've had enough of these disgusting trade rumors. Put an end to this farce!"

"I never want to play for the Bulls again. I will never wear a Bulls jersey again!"

Actively applying for a trade and making public calls, Pippen's remarks made the fans very happy.

As Christmas approaches, everyone is joining in the fun.

Michael Jordan is still working hard to improve the team's record.

Although he is very dissatisfied with his teammates' choice, he didn't say anything.

He could only give some spiritual chicken soup together with the head coach.

The two people in the commentary booth kept gossiping, and everyone was happy to see the Bulls in trouble.

The huge score difference turned the second half into almost garbage time.

Clay Lee was substituted after playing for half a quarter.

The Mavericks team no longer had the intention of chasing points.

Everyone just wanted to finish the game early and go home for the holidays.

Without the Christmas game mission, the Mavericks can get three days of rest.

Throughout the second half, the New York fans who came to the scene kept cheering loudly.

In the end, the Knicks defeated their opponents 69:108 and won the last game before the Christmas game.

"On the 25th, we will have the 41st Christmas game in team history."

"The Knicks are the team that has played the most Christmas games in the league, and I'm sure the fans are very happy about that."

Walt Frazier continued to preview the upcoming Christmas battle, with a hint of pride in his tone.

From 1950 to 1987, the Knicks participated in the Christmas game for 38 consecutive years, which is unique in the league and in stark contrast to the Hornets who have never participated in the Christmas game.

Commentator Mike Breen smiled and added:

"This is also Lee's first Christmas game in his career. I think everyone is looking forward to his performance!"

"."

The first time is always special.

Although Lee didn't feel much about it, the New York media started to get excited again.

In the past, the Knicks have lost more than they won in Christmas games, and the most memorable one was the 1984 Christmas game.

In the game against the Nets, New York's Bernard King scored 60 points, but still lost.

Everyone expected the Knicks to defeat the Bulls and win the last prize of 1997!

As Christmas approached, Lee became busier and busier.

He had just watched The Titanic with Melinda two days ago. The clichéd love movie moved the usually rational girl to tears and her eyes turned red.

"You jump, I jump"

Almost every girl who has watched the movie will keep repeating this line.

On the morning of the 23rd, they went shopping.

Krysten Ritter, who had just celebrated her birthday two days ago, ignored the cold weather in New York, wrapped herself tightly, and enthusiastically pulled Ler along Fifth Avenue.

After seeing the huge Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, I went to the cinema at night to watch the long-awaited Titanic.

I don't know how many people in the cinema watched the movie repeatedly.

As the memory in his mind became clearer, Lee really couldn't be moved.

The little follower was so moved that he burst into tears when he saw "Jack" sink to the bottom.

After he "jumped" into her arms at night and experienced her special first time, the girl began to look forward to the future:

"If I were Rose, I would jump in too. God, the movie is so exciting! Lee, will we be together forever?"

Looking at the little follower lying on his body with an admiring look, Lee gently stroked the other's smooth back and drew a picture very naturally:

"Of course, we will always be together and have a lovely child in the future!"

"."

On the morning of the 24th, Krysten Ritter said goodbye reluctantly.

Her family had just moved to New York recently, and she had to go home to spend the holiday with her parents.

After a whole night of hard work, Lee originally planned to rest today.

After all, he still has a game tomorrow, and he can't let down in the Christmas battle at home!

As a result, when he saw the angry blonde in the afternoon, Lee tilted his head and knew that he would have to practice more tonight.

Ivanka comes to visit Lee every now and then.

She has a lot of pocket money and doesn't need supplies like a little follower.

Instead, the little girl took the initiative to spend money and, like Melinda, added a lot of clothes to Lee's wardrobe.

Lee did not go home on Christmas Eve, and he did not ask about the other party's situation.

It was not until dinner time that Ivanka, who had changed into loose clothes, looked at Lee busy in the kitchen and said in a low and depressed voice:

"My father's new girlfriend is only 3 years older than me! He even brought her home!"

(A/N: Hint! Hint!)

"."

Lee calculated silently, and silently said "dedicated man" in his heart, without responding.

After a while, he turned around and asked:

"Why don't you go to your friend's place? Tonight is Christmas Eve."

"They all want to laugh at my situation!"

Seeing the blonde's anger rising significantly, Lee finally realized that maybe the "new girlfriend" was Ivanka's superficial friend:

"Not only will I be your friend, I will also be your stepmother!"

On Christmas Day, the NBA prepared two games for fans.

Bulls vs. Knicks, Rockets vs. Jazz.

Both teams that made it to the finals last season appeared on the stage of the Christmas game.

However, unlike previous years when the lineup was complete, there are fewer veteran stars in this year's Christmas game.

The Bulls fans are well aware of the situation.

There are gossips in the newspapers every day that Pippen is about to be traded, and in the Christmas game, this conscientious second-in-command is still recovering from injury.

Charles Barkley of the Rockets returned from injury, but Olajuwon was injured again.

The old Big Three took turns to rest and rarely played together.

On the Knicks side, Ewing was out for the regular season, and it was a rare Christmas game for the New York Knicks.

The gorilla could only recuperate at home and watch the game in front of the TV.

Only the Utah Jazz had a complete lineup.

Stockton was in very good shape after returning from injury. The Utah duo remained as powerful as ever, and their record returned to 16 wins and 10 losses.

Before Christmas, the Bulls had a 3-0 record and Michael Jordan once again won Player of the Week.

Averaging 30.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.7 turnovers per game, with a shooting percentage of 47.1%, Michael Jordan is in great form.

However, before the game, the Bulls did not accept many interviews, which made the New York media itchy.

Everyone wanted to rush to the locker room to interview Pippen, and it would be even better if they could interview the loudmouthed Krause!

However, Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson refused to cooperate at all.

The two of them refused, which immediately irritated the media:

"It is the players' obligation to cooperate with the media to complete the interview!"

"OK! I have the final say in the Bulls, you can interview me now!"

"."

Since he failed to get the melon, the New York media didn't treat Michael Jordan well.

Everyone wanted to know more about the situation in the Bulls' locker room, but they found that the always flamboyant Rodman had also become much more honest, which made many people secretly mutter:

"The weak management allowed Michael Jordan to control the team!"

After the players from both teams completed their entrance ceremonies, Madison Square Garden was already boiling.

After two years, they met their old rival again in the Christmas game.

It happened that the opponent's lineup was incomplete, and the New York fans who were present had already been fooled by the media and were having fun.

"Pippen's injury allowed the Bulls to use the twin tower lineup more often."

"Like the previous regular season, tonight it's still Ron Harper and Michael Jordan in the backcourt, and Dennis Rodman, Tony Kukoc and Luke Longley in the paint."

In the MSG live commentary booth, Mike Breen briefly introduced the Bulls' starting lineup, and then Walt Frazier added briefly:

"Veteran Buck Williams continues to start. Our rebounding will be put to a huge test in tonight's game!"

During the final warm-up session, Michael Jordan was in a good mood and greeted everyone on the Knicks team with a smile.

The mess in the locker room did not affect Michael Jordan's confidence, but after 2 minutes of the game, the smile on his face completely disappeared.

"Michael Jordan! The jump shot from 16 feet missed! Charles firmly protected the rebound, and our chance has come!"

Commentator Mike Breen subconsciously raised his voice when he saw Lee rush across half court after receiving the ball.

Cheers began to ring out again at the scene.

Along the right sideline, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, continued to accelerate, while Harper was chasing and defending him with all his strength.

The Bulls' big man could only run back and forth.

Lee advanced to the frontcourt, glanced at his teammates' follow-up, and then slowly slowed down.

The Knicks players who followed up cleared one side and ran to the left half court, close to the three-point line.

Lee quickly lowered his center of gravity and then quickly went in and out.

Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, pretended to accelerate and break through, while Harper slid to the left and rear while secretly pulling with his right hand.

However, Lee did not choose to break through.

Instead, he deceived the opponent's defensive focus and dribbled the ball behind his back.

The moment he switched to his left hand, he returned to the three-point line, then quickly dribbled the ball and shot it!

"Swish!" The three-pointer went in again!

"Wow!"

Seeing Harper standing there, the New York fans at the scene shouted with joy.

In the commentary booth, Walt Frazier also exclaimed:

"Unbelievable! Lee showed amazing shooting after the opening!"

With 10 minutes and 1 second left in the first quarter, the Knicks scored 8:0 thanks to two transition three-pointers by Clay Lee and a steal layup by Larry Johnson.

Phil Jackson could no longer sit still at this time.

He walked to the sidelines, made a tactical gesture, and indicated to hit the ball into the inside.

The Bulls responded quickly.

Longley made a back-to-the-basket shot in the left low post, came to the basket, turned quickly toward the baseline, and made a layup.

Compared to the Knicks' inside line, the Bulls have an absolute height advantage!

Buck Williams really has no way to stop them from shooting high.

Fortunately, everyone was mentally prepared and quickly sent the ball to the baseline.

While Lee and Harper were struggling, everyone had already rushed across half court.

Coming to the top of the arc, Lee, holding the ball in his right hand, moved sideways to protect the ball, while Harper gave physical confrontation on the side and kept cutting the ball.

Not paying attention to this kind of defense, Lee noticed that Alan Houston quickly slipped across the baseline from left to right, and with the help of Oakley's cover, he immediately bounced out to the right wing, and immediately made a cross pass.

Perhaps because he didn't expect Alan Houston to attack so resolutely, Michael Jordan, who was defending him, was a beat slower and only had time to make a blocking move, but it didn't have any effect.

"Swish!" The three-pointer went into the net!

"oh!!"

Hitting consecutive three-pointers completely ignited the atmosphere in Madison Square Garden, and the New York fans who were extremely devoted to the game shouted excitedly.

At 2:11, the Knicks continued to expand their lead.

In order to protect the rebounds, the job of assisting in double-teaming fell on Lee.

When Michael Jordan received the ball at the elbow on the left side of the free throw line, Lee at the top of the arc quickly retreated, and Alan Houston blocked behind him.

Facing the double-team defense, Michael Jordan did not force an attack after receiving the ball, but quickly passed the ball back to Harper.

The latter did not choose to shoot after receiving the ball, but quickly let go of the ball, holding the ball in his right hand and breaking through, going straight to the basket!

Harper's breakthrough layup was eventually interfered by Buck Williams, the ball hit the rim and went out, Longley grabbed the rebound and easily made the ball in.

"Shhh!!"

The Bulls scored easily and there were boos from the audience.

Phil Jackson saw that the team was on the right track and sat back on the bench with a smile.

"Attack! Watch your position!"

Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines saw that the team started to lose rebounds again and could only shout a warning.

The Knicks' offense was booming, and after Lee made two consecutive three-pointers, Harper wouldn't let go.

All the pick-and-rolls and fake screens delayed the Bulls.

Larry Johnson's hand-to-hand pass would also require Rodman to switch screens and cooperate with Harper to double-team.

But such an aggressive defensive style soon allowed Larry Johnson and Oakley to score easily in succession.

This time it was Rodman's big delay again.

Lee, holding the ball in his left hand, quickly moved to the left at the top of the arc and simply pulled the defense.

When the two were about to form a siege, Lee suddenly took the ball and turned around, quickly passing the ball back to the "grandmama" at the top of the arc.

Larry Johnson didn't hesitate at all.

After receiving the ball, there was no one in front of him, so he immediately made a jump shot from outside the three-point line!

"Swish!" The three-pointer went into the net.

"Nice goal! Larry responded from the outside!"

Commentator Mike Breen sounded a little surprised.

The Knicks were too aggressive with their three-point shots tonight.

After making a three-pointer, Larry Johnson immediately grinned and bumped fists with Lee who was retreating to defense.

The "grandmama" is not stupid either.

The Bulls put two big men in the paint area. Longley squatted to defend at the beginning of the game, and Kukoc also tried his best to stay in the penalty area and let Oakley make mid-range shots.

This situation was expected before the game, and the best solution was to shoot the opponent to death from the outside!

In the subsequent game, Michael Jordan tried to share the ball after the miss, and the Bulls rushed to grab the frontcourt rebounds.

After the Knicks lost rebounds in succession, they became furious.

Oakley and Larry Johnson stopped grabbing rebounds and wrestled to block the ball, allowing Lee and Alan Houston to go inside to collect the rebounds.

With 4 minutes and 2 seconds left in the first quarter, Michael Jordan was in the left blocking zone, facing Alan Houston and made a turnaround jump shot but missed.

"Clang!"

The rebound bounced out, and Larry Johnson and Rodman both fell to the ground at the bottom left of the basket.

At the bottom right of the basket, Oakley and Buck Williams held Kukoc and Longley tightly, and Lee got ahead of Harper and grabbed the rebound in the paint area right in front of the basket.

After taking control of the ball, Lee turned around and immediately accelerated with the ball in his left hand.

On the other side, Alan Houston, who had just been competing for position with Michael Jordan, also rushed forward.

Four people quickly rushed across the center line, and Michael Jordan saw Alan Houston stopped on the right wing, so he had to stop as well.

However, Lee, who held the ball in his left hand, did not slow down.

He went into the paint area despite Harper's defense and immediately rushed forward with three steps!

Harper did not lose his defensive position and jumped up.

The two confronted each other in the air.

Lee tilted his body, grabbed the ball with his left hand, tried hard to avoid the block, and just before landing, he shot the ball into the basket!

"Squeak!"

"Bang!"

The whistle blew and the ball went in.

The basketball hit the backboard high and fell accurately into the basket.

Lee lost his balance and nearly fell to the ground.

He turned his head and saw the basketball go into the basket, then he punched in celebration with an expressionless face.

The teammates who had just rushed across half the court also came forward to pat Lee on the shoulder, and cheers resounded throughout the stadium again.

When Lee stepped onto the free throw line, the New York fans at the scene could no longer hold back and screamed with joy:

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Lee made the free throw steadily, and Madison Square Garden was boiling again.

12:21, Clay Lee's 2+1 widened the gap again.

Although the Knicks, who accelerated their pace, also missed some shots, they were able to withstand the Bulls' rush for rebounds.

Michael Jordan scored the first field goal of the game at the end of the first quarter.

The Knicks were already scoring from multiple points at this time, and Starks, who had just come on as a substitute, also scored.

At 16:28, the first quarter ended and the Knicks had already taken a 12-point lead.

"Lee's performance was outstanding. He had 11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and no turnovers. He completely activated the team's offense."

Commentator Mike Breen looked at the technical statistics and immediately started to blow the whistle.

The big lead also made Walt Frazier inflated and said:

"The Bulls have no chance. The Knicks have never lost a game this season when they have a double-digit lead!"

4 of 7, 2 of 4 from beyond the three-point line, and 1 of 1 free throws. Lee on the bench was quite satisfied with his performance.

The improved explosiveness made it easier for him to face Harper.

"I've said long ago that we should play like this, falling into positional offense, and the Bulls always control the rhythm."

"Without Pippen, the number of transition attacks has decreased. We are sure to win tonight!"

Larry Johnson wiped his sweat and didn't need to chase after Michael Jordan.

He simply wrestled with Rodman. The "grandmama" felt that this job was not difficult, after all, he could let the opponent make a mid-range shot.

Larry Johnson's words also made Alan Houston nod in agreement.

In the first quarter, he made 1 of 6 dunks and only scored 2 points. If the opponent had not grabbed 5 offensive rebounds, he felt that the Bulls would have lost more:

"Without Pippen, the Bulls are counting on Kukoc from the outside, which is a good thing for us."

Hearing his teammates discussing the game, Lee didn't say anything, but he also showed a relaxed look on his face.

The league's most conscientious second-in-command is still very important to the Bulls.

He can provide help on both offense and defense and reduce the burden on Michael Jordan.

But internal fighting is also part of the game.

In tonight's Christmas game, the Knicks are going to hit hard!

Jeff Van Gundy was afraid of being robbed by the opponent, so he put Ben Wallace and Chris Dudley on the court at the beginning of the second quarter.

After the two came on the court, they had no other tasks but to protect the rebounds.

Ben Wallace was so excited to be able to play in the Christmas game that he started stealing the ball as soon as he came on the court.

The Bulls' backup center Joe Kleine didn't pay attention to this undrafted player.

He lost two backcourt rebounds after three minutes of play.

Phil Jackson frowned and, considering the huge score difference, brought Longley on early.

Longley was in very good form tonight, making 2 of 3 shots in the first quarter and scoring 6 points.

He came on the court early and did not show any mercy.

However, the Knicks' bench lineup is also mainly based on jump shots, and Starks always has outstanding performances when he encounters a favorable situation.

When Michael Jordan came on the court early, Starks also scored consecutive goals.

The two sides competed with each other for several minutes, which made the New York fans at the scene scream again.

Michael Jordan was in the right blocking zone, facing Starks with his back to the basket, turned toward the baseline, and made a fadeaway jump shot.

Looking back, on the right wing, Starks used Chris Dudley's screen to get rid of Kerr's pursuit and responded from outside the three-point line.

For a while, both sides played fiercely, scoring points continuously in half a quarter.

After the Knicks' main lineup returned, their firepower did not decrease.

The Bulls rushed to grab the rebound when they missed a shot, and the Knicks continued to block the rebound, trying to get Lee and Alan Houston to get the ball and advance.

Both sides tried hard to pull the other side into their own game rhythm.

In the end, the Bulls were forced to follow a fierce run. With 28:28 in a single quarter, the Knicks continued to play efficient offense.

44:56, a 12-point difference made the noise in Madison Square Garden grow louder and louder.

Michael Jordan, who suddenly found his touch in the second quarter, failed again in the second half.

Without Pippen, the Knicks could double-team him without any worries.

The sudden increase in the intensity of the game immediately caused the Bulls to make consecutive mistakes, and several inside passes ended in losses.

Facing double-team again, Michael Jordan passed the ball to Kerr who came on as a substitute, who caught the ball at the top of the arc and missed the shot!

The long rebound was taken by Lee again, and in order to disrupt the transition offense, Kerr was forced to commit a tactical foul.

"Shhh!!"

The fans at the scene booed and the attack resumed.

Lee advanced to the left side, and Oakley moved up to provide a screen.

The old guy successfully delayed Kerr's pursuit.

Kukoc was a step slow in assisting defense, and ended up watching Lee break free of the defense with the ball in his left hand and make a quick stop and jump shot from outside the three-point line!

"Swish!" The three-pointer went into the net!

Phil Jackson on the sidelines had an ugly look on his face.

He couldn't hold on to the +2 and the +3.

He saw Lee raise his left arm, put up three fingers and quickly retreat.

The cheers became louder and louder, and Madison Square Garden went into a frenzy.

With 2 minutes and 12 seconds left in the third quarter, Alan Houston received the ball on the right wing outside the three-point line, faked a dribble and then broke through.

Finally, he faced Michael Jordan in the blocking area and made a quick stop jump shot.

Such a goal made the New York fans at the scene scream wildly, and the shouts of "Fuck Jordan" rang out again.

After stacking several layers of anger buffs, Michael Jordan stopped passing the ball and scored another 10 points by shooting and free throws.

21:26 in a single quarter, after three quarters, 65:82, the Knicks were already leading by 17 points.

In the last quarter, Michael Jordan played for 6 minutes with a sullen face.

Seeing that the score gap did not narrow, Phil Jackson simply replaced the players with the atmosphere team.

Michael Jordan only rested for three minutes in the second quarter, and the coaching staff was also worried about an injury to his only thigh.

"Tonight's Knicks reminded me of the Knicks in the 1970s. Even though we didn't have an advantage in the paint, we still managed to defeat the defending champions!"

Although the game was not over yet, Walt Frazier in the commentary booth had already started celebrating his victory.

Commentator Mike Breen noticed that Lee was still on the court and said with a smile:

"Lee's performance tonight was outstanding. Whenever the Bulls were on the rise, he always responded from beyond the three-point line!"

"Oh! We are going to witness the birth of a new record again tonight!"

Ben Wallace, who had just come on the court, blocked a rebound, allowing Lee to grab the ball easily.

At this time, the New York fans at the scene also cheered.

Although it was not a goal, everyone knows that Lee has set a new record again!

"31 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, we witnessed a triple-double in the Christmas game tonight!"

"Congratulations to Lee, who at 19 years and 359 days old became the youngest player in NBA history to get a triple-double!"

No one paid attention to the details.

Commentator Mike Breen introduced the game with a smile, and the two people in the commentary booth were already very excited.

He played for 37 minutes, made 11 of 23 shots, 5 of 11 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 5 free throws.

Lee added a standout shot and remained efficient.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

When Lee was substituted off the court, the shouts of MVP rang out again in Madison Square Garden.

On the Bulls bench, Michael Jordan's good mood was gone.

He chewed gum and watched Lee and the Knicks players fist-bumping without saying a word.

The boss is angry again.

This season, Michael Jordan has implemented a high-pressure strategy on the training ground.

The atmosphere group did not dare to speak out, just hoping not to be the punching bag during training.

At the end of the game, the score was fixed at 90:104, winning the Christmas game, and huge cheers rang out again!

Lee, who had already changed into training clothes, smiled and hugged and greeted all the Bulls players.

The two teams actually have a pretty good relationship and they had fun together off the court.

Michael Jordan kept a straight face and said nothing.

After Clay Lee hugged him, he suddenly whispered and teased:

"Black Jesus? Merry Christmas!"

"."

The triple-double record in the Christmas game made the New York media collectively excited, and they took this opportunity to frantically campaign for Lee.

As the All-Star Game is approaching, the Knicks, as the host, naturally hope that someone can get the most votes.

This was also a frequently mentioned issue in the post-game press conference:

"It is a great honor to be selected as an All-Star. I can only thank every fan for voting."

Lee, in a good mood, automatically ignored the mindless praise and simply gave his response.

"Lee, what did you and Michael Jordan talk about after the game? You two seemed to have a very happy conversation. Can you tell us more?"

Lee suddenly thought of Michael who was so angry that he laughed, and he straightened the microphone and immediately said with a smile:

"Michael sent Christmas greetings. Thank you for his encouragement. The future really belongs to the young!"

...

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