NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 443: The Invincible Spiritual Victory Method! (8000-word chapter)
Can a champion coach also be questioned? The answer is yes.

Ever since the Bulls lost in 98, some people have begun to doubt Phil Jackson's coaching ability.

After taking over the Lakers, the old man from KFC lost consecutive finals and lost all his status as the creator of the dynasty!

After the rise of the Knicks, the young coach Jeff Van Gundy, who broke many records in succession, became the league's hottest championship coach.

With the blessing of four consecutive championships, the reputation of this bald coach reached its peak. After coming to Cleveland, the local sports media even called him the "savior."

By playing badly to get the No. 1 pick, and with the addition of the Chosen One, Van Gundy led his team to the semifinals last year. His reputation has been getting higher and higher, and he has almost become the best coach in active service!

However, as the Cavaliers once again collapsed in three quarters in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals this year, many sports reporters and commentators woke up:
"Would a true champion coach go undefeated against the same opponent for three consecutive seasons?"

As Game 3 was coming to an end, the Cavaliers failed to launch an effective counterattack throughout the second half. Instead, they missed shots one after another, allowing the Knicks to launch continuous transition offense.

The director at the scene probably had the same question, and the camera kept focusing on Van Gundy, who was shouting and clasping his hands at the sidelines. The latter was already furious at the loss.
In tonight's crucial game, Van Gundy used his strongest tactics again. Not only did he frequently pass the ball to James, but he also maximized the playing time of the Chosen One.

Although the score difference has reached 20 points and there are 3 minutes and 28 seconds left in the game, the Cavaliers still show no signs of substitutions. Up to now, James has not rested for a minute.

There were signs of collapse at halftime, but many Cavaliers fans still couldn't accept losing the game in this way, and the boos couldn't be stopped in the last few minutes of the Gund Center.

For the Knicks, if the opponent does not make substitutions, D'Antoni will not take the initiative to withdraw the main lineup, which makes Li You's data rise silently again.

Unlike his exaggerated scoring in the past, Li You transformed into "Jason Kidd" tonight, maximizing his auxiliary ability and relying on his teammates' rebounds to frequently perform tomahawk-style rebounds.

From time to time, he would pick up long rebounds in the frontcourt and take advantage of the opponent's mentality. Li You had inadvertently completed steals many times.

Occasionally he would make a long pass throughout the entire court, relying on his personal speed to initiate a transition attack from the backcourt. With a big lead, Li You played more and more cool, and his fancy dribbling silenced the fans on the scene many times.

Although LeBron James wanted to speed up, unfortunately, he was frequently double-teamed in the second half of the game.

The disadvantage of lack of match experience was highlighted. Some safety balls dragged down the team's offensive efficiency, and occasional risky passes failed to be converted into points in time.

It’s hard to suppress the frustration when I think about the Knicks about to get the match point.

With little time left in the game, James dribbled across half court and accelerated laterally with the ball in his left hand under double screens at the top of the arc. He encountered help defense from Dio and was unable to completely get rid of Artest who was chasing him.

Under the interference of the two players, James quickly stepped back near the left sideline, drifted to the left and rear, and missed the jump shot.

It started well but ended badly. After an efficient performance in the first quarter, James' shots became increasingly unreliable and he failed to respond in time. The long rebound was picked up by Li You in the right blocking area, and the boos could not be stopped for a while.

Watching Li You accelerating with the ball, the two on the ESPN commentary booth were also discussing the Cavaliers' tactical adjustments. Mike Breen took the opportunity to ask:

"I believe many fans noticed that until the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers were still double-teaming Lee, which gave the Knicks many easy scoring opportunities."

"Whether the adjustment made by coach Van Gundy is worth discussing, maybe they should give up the help defense earlier."

Li You, holding the ball in his right hand, had already rushed across half court. When he approached the left wing, facing Damon Jones who was defending him, he immediately turned his body sideways, slowing down while also observing the defense.

Hubie Brown watched Li You suddenly turn around and throw the ball out with his right arm. He exclaimed and answered the question at the same time:
"What an excellent vision. Lee found Dio who cut into the basket in the first time!"

"I think there was nothing wrong with the Cavaliers' game strategy. If they wanted to catch up, they had to do a good job of defense. Unfortunately, they failed to respond in time on the offensive end."

The two watched Dio break away from the defense and cut into the basket to score easily in the transition offense, and they realized at once that it was too late to talk about tactics anymore.

The Cavaliers still did not withdraw their main lineup. Van Gundy did not seem to intend to surrender, and continued to roar loudly regardless of whether the players could hear him clearly.

Perhaps the Cavaliers' perfect performance in the first quarter of the game gave Van Gundy unrealistic fantasies. Faced with the high probability of a sweep, the championship coach could not accept it.

Howard, who was still on the court, received the ball at the right elbow. Damon Jones passed the ball and then ran silently to the right corner.

The cross screen didn't work at all, and James, who started from the right corner, still couldn't get rid of Artest.

Coming to the top line, he took the hand-to-hand pass, attracted the defense of James, dribbled the ball with his right hand, and simply threw the ball directly to Howard who was following closely.

By raising the arc and slowing down the ball, Li You easily saw through this overly straightforward attack method.

Howard, who received the ball, was unaware of the defense on his side. He received the ball slowly, wanting to vent his emotions with a powerful dunk.

As a result, the moment he landed and jumped up, Li You rushed to the basket and swung his right arm to block the shot!
"Oh!"

Looking at Howard falling to the ground in a mess, the Cavaliers fans at the scene exclaimed again.

On the Knicks bench, everyone was laughing. Howard, who had just gotten up from the floor, was furious. While he was complaining to the baseline referee, Li You, who had control of the ball, took the ball and rushed forward again.

James rushed forward to delay the game immediately, and perhaps because he was furious about losing, he directly crashed into Li You who was accelerating along the left sideline.

Seeing the movement on his side, Li You pushed the ball with his right hand and changed direction. While leading the ball forward, he exerted force with his feet and also followed the "brutal collision".

One seemed to want to delay the defense, and the other seemed to be trying to change direction and dribble past the opponent. Amid the screams of the fans in the front row, NFL moves appeared on the basketball court.

Li You, who took the lead, lowered his body and hit James' chest with his right shoulder. The latter also rushed at full speed. After the collision, he almost couldn't breathe. His feet left the ground and flew sideways.

Under the huge impact, Li You's body tilted, rushed out of the sideline, and leaned in front of the technical table.

"God! Lee knocked LeBron away! Maybe coach Van Gundy should change the starting lineup, after all, the series is not over yet."

In the commentary booth, Mike Breen, who was wearing headphones, stood up nervously as he said this. He then breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Li You, who was moving his shoulder, seemed to be fine.

After rolling twice on the floor, James felt a dull pain in his chest and his brain went blank. He struggled for a long time but couldn't stand up.

The scene soon erupted in boos. Although James was the victim, Artest and others were dissatisfied with his actions and rushed over to ask for an explanation:
"You damn rookie! Don't think I don't know your little thoughts!"

When the Cavaliers saw that something was wrong, they quickly surrounded him. Howard tried to hold Artest, who was shouting and excited, but he was almost elbowed by him. He immediately stepped forward to pull him away in anger:

"This is Cleveland! Show some respect!"

"**"

Both sides rushed to the center line and pushed each other, almost stepping on James who was still lying on the floor. The brief conflict was not officially over until the referee separated everyone and the team doctor called for a stretcher after checking.

"Shh!"

Seeing the chosen one being carried out of the field, the Gund Center was filled with boos. When the referee only gave Li You an ordinary foul, the boos became even louder.

D'Antoni saw that Li You was fine, and he secretly rejoiced while the opponent was shooting free throws and simply replaced the main lineup.

"Don't worry about me, my shoulder will be swollen the next day at most, but it won't affect my physical condition."

Li You returned to his seat and saw the team doctors circling around him. He immediately spoke to comfort them, but everyone was still very nervous. Not only did they use the spray, they also checked carefully again:
"Lee, you should have gotten out of the way! For us, the series is over. There's no need to risk getting hurt by colliding with the other team now."

After hearing what assistant coach Mike Malone said, Li You shook his head. There is no room for wimps in the league, and one must not be timid on the court.

Most importantly, he has been practicing hard year after year, training hard every day, and has absolute confidence in his body. Li You's head-on confrontation is not a reckless choice:

"This is the benefit of working hard on your body, hard work pays off!"

Everyone in the atmosphere group had different expressions when they heard Li You's words. Valanciunas was almost shocked when he saw James being knocked away, but now he was speechless.

If he remembered correctly, Li You's training was just to punch in on time.
David Lee was also confused. He had been following Li You and flattering him for most of the season. He really didn't know when the boss started to work hard to improve his body.

Fisher, who was about to appear, seemed to have witnessed Li You's crazy daily weight lifting, and added seriously:
"This is the NBA. Everyone wants to see superstars make fools of themselves. We have to be as strict with ourselves as Lee is and not relax in the remaining minutes!"

"."

Looking at Fisher's back, Hill, who returned to the bench, twitched his eyes slightly. He always felt that it was not a good thing to let such a guy serve as the chairman of the players' union.

On the other side, after the atmosphere group was replaced, Van Gundy returned to his seat, trying hard to control his expression and not let any frustration show on his face.

The director frequently focused the camera on Cleveland's "savior". The Cavaliers bench was exceptionally quiet. Thibodeau watched the players on the court miss shots and couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

“Maybe our game plan was really wrong”

Time passed quickly, and amid the boos that resounded throughout the arena, the score finally settled at 121:91. The Knicks successfully got the match point, and the series score came to 3:0.

输球球员通道，披着毛巾的霍华德扭头就走，今晚8中3，罚球4中2，仅拿到8分10篮板1盖帽2失误的数据。

Howard is still somewhat dissatisfied with the game strategy formulated by the coaching staff. As one of the core players of the team, he should shoulder more responsibilities.

Snow, Damon Jones and others lowered their heads and shook hands with the Knicks players. The series was over, and the game the day after tomorrow night became a battle of honor.

Boos broke out from time to time in the Gund Center. Li You, who was being interviewed on the sidelines, was in a good mood. He hoped to get the match point as soon as possible so that he could have a few more days of rest before the subsequent divisional finals.

"Li, congratulations! We're leading 3-0. Let's talk about the triple-double tonight. Your performance was incredible!"

Stuart Scott adjusted his glasses, and an expression of amazement appeared on his dark face. Li You just smiled and said calmly:
"Triple-double? I don't care at all. This is just a tactical adjustment for us. The most important thing is to win against our opponents."

出场36分钟，14中10，三分线外4中2，罚球8中8，30分12篮板17助攻4抢断2盖帽2失误，5个前场篮板，也是李佑今年篮板新高。

Scott noticed that Li You really didn't seem to care, so he immediately changed the subject and asked, "
"The Cavaliers had a perfect start. How would you rate their game strategy tonight? Was it the main reason for their loss?"

"I know Coach Van Gundy. The fact is that even the best game strategy still needs players to execute it."

"They played the best defensive performance in the league in the regular season. I think it's okay to stick to defense. In fact, it was not easy for us to win tonight."

Li You continued to speak well of Van Gundy, and Scott nodded repeatedly, thinking it made sense, but he soon realized that this seemed to be saying that the Cavaliers players were not good enough.
Watching Li You talking and commenting on the game seriously, the black reporter always felt that this was a hidden mockery:

"The Cavaliers lack star quality?"

尼克斯队出席新闻发布会的是希尔和加索尔，前者15中9，贡献了22分，后者12中8，砍下20分8篮板2助攻1抢断2盖帽的全能数据。

After getting the match point, both players were in good mood, and soon the media on the scene asked about the Cavaliers' tactics again.

Hill didn't want to comment too much on Van Gundy's adjustments. After all, basketball games are result-oriented. If the Knicks lose, public opinion will be completely different:
"Defense is the foundation of everything, but the coaching staff has made corresponding game plans. In fact, Li led the team to victory in a different way tonight."

"All we have to do is run out of space and wait to catch the ball. Everyone knows that Lee will see it. I'm glad the Knicks played a perfect game!"

If we look at the technical statistics, all 9 players on the court scored points, and the number of shots taken by the main lineup was almost the same. This can definitely be called perfect team basketball.

Seeing the confident smile on Hill's face, the Cleveland sports media was unhappy again, and took this opportunity to seduce the opponent:
"Pau, there is news that the Knicks will bring in another big man. Will this affect your position in the team?" Gasol didn't expect the other party to ask a question that had nothing to do with the game. Considering that they were already leading 3:0, he also understood the emotions of the local sports reporter:

"Everyone on the team can play multiple positions, and I can also play the No. 4 position."

"I won't think about these things. At the moment, I'm only focused on the game. Maybe coach D'Antoni will have happy troubles. You know, he may need to rearrange everyone's playing time."

After making a little joke, the bearded Gasol laughed easily, and the New York reporters also laughed and made fun of it. Only the Cleveland reporters looked unhappy.

The stronger the Knicks are, the slimmer the Cavaliers' hopes of winning the championship will be. If they are swept for two consecutive years, this result will be too unacceptable.

Van Gundy, who attended the press conference, took the initiative to take the blame. He didn't want the reporters to disturb his players. He sat in his seat and took the initiative to say to the audience:
"I made a mistake. I should have replaced the starting lineup earlier. I shouldn't have been carried away by victory."

"?"

Looking at the serious-looking bald white fat man, the reporters in the audience were all puzzled. No one could figure out what was going on. The Cavaliers won?

"For a rookie team, losing is often a good thing. We gained more playoff experience."

"Two consecutive years of painful losses can inspire the players' fighting spirit!"

"Like I said in the locker room, losing is not terrible. How to face failure is the key to achieving greatness!"

Jeff Van Gundy, who had adjusted his mood, didn't care about the surprised expressions of the crowd at all. He started with a thick chicken soup, which made the audience stunned.
A smug expression appeared on the chubby white face again. The method of spiritual victory always works. Van Gundy became more and more confident as he spoke. He believed that the team had a promising future!

The Yahoo Sports reporter had to interrupt the chicken soup and try to turn the topic back to tonight's game:
"Jeff, the Cavaliers didn't seem to make any effective adjustments after trailing by double digits at halftime."

As if he had expected the other party to ask such a question, Van Gundy was not in a hurry, and even smiled as he answered confidently:

"Yes, but we showed the spirit of not giving up in the face of adversity. In fact, the team still did a good job of limiting the offense of the opponent's core players. Li only scored 30 points tonight."

"To some extent, we have also won the game, and the coaching staff will summarize a better game strategy after returning."

These words stunned everyone in the audience. How could the Cavaliers win?
On the morning of Sunday, May 5, ESPN's Sports Center announced the news immediately:
"LeBron James has a fractured rib and will miss tomorrow's Game 4!"

The program revisited the collision that only occurs in a football game. LeBron James was knocked off the ground with both feet off the ground and rolled on the floor. Fans who were not following the game were stunned.

An unnamed source from the Cleveland Beacon Magazine told the media:
"Lee almost killed LeBron on the court. He is worried that he will be surpassed. Maybe we have all forgotten how he played when he first entered the league!"

"He was afraid of failure, LeBron's talent threatened him, and jealousy made him lose his mind."

These remarks on the show sparked heated discussions among basketball commentators, and those who didn't watch the game also followed suit in their imaginations. For a time, the hospitalized LeBron James received more praise, as people always sympathize with the weak.

In fact, on ESPN's show, just looking at Excel, James's numbers are pretty good too:
出场44分钟，18中9，三分线外4中1，罚球6中4，23分10篮板9助攻2抢断1盖帽4失误，生死战，高效准三双数据！

Many fans watched the show and felt sorry for James, saying that the loss was all the fault of the coach and teammates. Translated into Chinese, it means:
"My James tried his best. It's not his fault for losing!"

James, who had a fractured rib, not only stole the limelight from Li You's triple-double, but also overshadowed Nowitzki's nearly buzzer-beating free throw in the final moments.

103:104, after returning to the home court, the Spurs and the Mavericks fought until the last minute. In the end, Nowitzki caused a foul on the frontcourt rebound and completed a near-game winning shot with free throws.

Leading 2:1, if the Mavericks can protect their home court again, they will most likely advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Magic Johnson was invited to TNT's show this afternoon. In addition to warming up for the game that night, the four of them also chatted about gossip in the studio:

"I like Li's response. This is a conversation between men. Our Chosen One shouldn't take the initiative to provoke!"

"In fact, the league has become softer over the years, and young players have forgotten how to play. I hope Lee can wake them up."

The director showed the picture of James in the hospital. Charles Barkley was grinning and gloating. Kenny Smith on the side couldn't stand it anymore and said tactfully:
"It was just an accident. Anyone who watched the game knows this. Both of them were playing basketball."

Ernie Johnson didn't want to talk about this topic anymore, so he looked at Magic Johnson on the other side and brought the topic back to the game:
"My friend, Lee contributed a crazy triple-double in Game 3. His shots were limited. Does this mean that the Cavaliers' defense was successful?"

Magic Johnson restrained the smile on his face and answered seriously when he heard the question:

"If the measure of success is limiting shots to 15, then the Cavaliers succeeded."

"Lee has always been on the scoring list over the years, which makes us forget the passing vision he showed when he first entered the league."

"We have all played in the league. It has never been easy to organize the team's offense and complete assists. Many times, "seeing" is a talent that cannot be replicated!"

Seeing the smug look on the other person's face, Charles Barkley couldn't help but interject:
"I think you're bragging. I can see it's not as hard as you say. I've had triple-doubles in the finals. The other team will double-team me. It's not hard to pass the ball to an open position!"

Showing his white teeth, Magic Johnson laughed again. He did not deny this point, but continued to brag:

"You are the MVP, I am also the MVP, and Li has won the MVP for three consecutive years!"

"I don't want to emphasize how great it is to be able to see. In fact, it is difficult for most players to do this. This is a gift from God. Don't deny it!"

As the business was being praised, Barkley also laughed, and seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly said to the camera:

"In fact, I am more looking forward to Game 4 the day after tomorrow. LeBron is absent. This is Dwight Howard's chance to prove himself!"

"He performed well on the defensive end, but to go further, he must also show his dominance on the offensive end. I am very much looking forward to the little guy's performance!"

"."

In the two matches that night, the Heat, returning to their home court, did not give the Pistons too many opportunities. With a score of 80:98, they were leading by double digits at halftime and secured victory early on.

奥尼尔继续统治内线，15中11，罚球10中5，贡献了27分12篮板2抢断4失误的两双数据；
韦德延续了自己的出色状态，交出了一份“李佑式数据”，17中13，罚球11中9，35分8篮板4助攻2抢断1盖帽4失误。

After winning the game, Fat Shark even had the heart to tease LeBron James who had a broken bone:
"I saw that he was hit by Lee and his bones were fractured. But I don't like the discussion after the game. A real man should not be pitied!"

After saying this in a deep voice, O'Neal smiled again, raised his voice into the microphone, and said loudly:
"Lee is very strong, but if he dares to rush into the inside, I will make him lie on the floor. Superman does what he says, and you will see this scene in the divisional finals!"

The TNT reporter was speechless. If he remembered correctly, when Li You was dunking, the fat man in front of him would often make way for him to avoid being a background board.

The Heat won the game, and no one left the American Airlines Center early. The fans cheered loudly. Wade waved excitedly and rushed to the camera while his teammates were interviewing and shouted:

"We are sure to win, the championship belongs to Miami!"

"."

In another game, the Clippers once again blew up the Suns, 102:116. After winning the home court, the score between the two sides came to 2:2, and the next battle was the decisive battle.

The defensive level of both teams is really worrying, and most commentators predict that the Western Conference Finals will be one-sided.

On the afternoon of May 5th, LeBron James came to the stadium to warm up with his teammates despite his injury. Such tough performance greatly boosted the team's morale!

Looking at his teammates who were a little pale, Howard suppressed his excitement and comforted them again:
"LeBron, don't worry about the game tonight. I will help the team win at home. The fans need this victory."

It has been learned that the coaching staff has formulated a lot of low-post tactics for Howard. Although James is not optimistic about the "rough guy" in front of him, he still encourages him on the surface:
"Bro, keep going! We really should dedicate the victory to our home fans!"

"Believe in your talent, we are better than our opponents"

After delivering the chicken soup, James and Howard bumped fists, then moved their feet with difficulty to encourage each teammate. Seeing this scene, many Cleveland reporters nodded secretly:

“This is the leader we are waiting for!”

After using the psychological victory method, Van Gundy regained his previous confidence and boasted in an interview:

"Having made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals for two consecutive years, I can safely say that the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations!"

“We outgrew every team in the league in the playoffs this year.”

"As a whole, the Cavaliers play for each other. We will not be discouraged. Losing will be a driving force for our growth!"

After saying these nice words, Van Gundy felt inexplicably relieved, as if all the suffering was over. They were going to win big this year!
The sports media surrounding them were stunned again. After being swept for two consecutive years, the Knicks ended up losing?

At 20: p.m., the Gund Center was still packed. When the Cavaliers fans saw James appear on the bench, they cheered loudly.

With the core players absent, the Cavaliers had Donyell Marshall starting, Howard and Ilgauskas continuing to partner up in the interior, and Snow and Ronald Murray still in the backcourt.

Larry Hughes continues to miss the honor game due to family matters, and the former steals leader seems to be away from basketball.

After Howard successfully jumped the ball, cheers echoed throughout the arena. Although they may not win the game, the Cavaliers fans have high expectations for tonight's game.

Van Gundy was still standing on the sidelines giving orders loudly. On the Knicks bench, D'Antoni continued to laugh and hang out. The opposing team had become a weak team and the game was no longer suspenseful.

"Let's go Cavs!"

Waves of shouting seemed to encourage Howard, who came to the half court and immediately completed a cross screen with Ilgauskas at the baseline.

Howard raised his right arm to try to get the ball with his back to the basket in the low post on the left side, but Snow on the left wing was interfered by Li You and was a beat late in throwing the ball.

Gasol used this gap to successfully get back behind Howard. When the opponent received the ball, he immediately interfered.

It was not as smooth as he had imagined. When Howard received the pass, he had to face the frame to protect the ball, then put the ball in his right hand and tried to squeeze into the basket.

Gasol interfered again. Howard wanted to turn to the baseline, but soon realized that he seemed to have lost control of the ball. He hurriedly protected the ball with both hands and finally stopped at the lower left side of the basket.

There was no angle for passing the ball, so Howard forced the ball, but the referee immediately blew the whistle, indicating that he had stepped on the baseline.
On the Knicks bench, everyone burst into laughter. Sensing the opponent's emotions, Howard's face darkened, he cursed inwardly and threw the ball to the referee.

Perhaps due to lack of fighting spirit, although defensive cheers were heard in the gym again, the Cavaliers did not double-team Li You at the first moment.

At the top of the arc, as Gasol moved up to set a fake screen, Li You, holding the ball in his left hand, slowly broke through with Snow hanging on.

Looking at Gasol speeding down, and then looking at Li You approaching the three-point line, Howard hesitated a little, and his defensive position was neither up nor down.

When Li You pushed the ball and changed direction to his right hand, Snow was still stuck on his side. Howard watched Li You lean forward and speed up, and hurriedly moved his feet to assist in defense.

Near the free throw line, Li You casually threw the basketball with his right hand, and the basketball flew to the upper left side of the basket. Gasol jumped up and grabbed the ball without any interference, and pushed the ball into the basket with his right hand!
"What the hell!"

In the offensive round, Howard actively asked for the ball. Using the same tactics, he received the ball in the low post on the left side. Howard lowered his head and squeezed to the basket with a jump step. At the moment of his breakthrough, he suddenly felt a strong force hitting the basketball.

Li You, who was returning to the defense, blocked the ball and sent it out of the baseline. Seeing the other party's surprised eyes, he immediately teased:
"Rookie, you're going to make history tonight!"

(End of this chapter)