The Pope of Basketball Community

As soon as the suspension penalty came out, Michael Jordan was in a terrible mood. The Bulls had no home court advantage. Now that there are fewer generals, it is even more difficult to win the first game.

Jordan really wanted to gamble and relax, but after thinking twice, he reluctantly gave up and stayed in the hotel.

If there is a media scandal about his gambling, the situation will be even more unfavorable for the Bulls. When he retired for the first time, he had a public relations crisis due to gambling.

Coincidentally, the year Jordan retired for the first time, his opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals was also the Knicks. The team fell behind 0-2 as soon as they came up. Jordan, who shot 37 irons on 59 shots in the first two games, became the target of public criticism.

Then the media broke out that someone saw Jordan gambling all night in Atlantic Casino. During such an important game, Jordan was also addicted to gambling, which chilled the hearts of many Bulls loyalists.

This time, Jordan hopes that he can have a perfect curtain call, and he must use all his strength on the court.

Pippen is also working hard, and he will definitely work hard to prepare for leaving the Bulls in the summer. He will use the victory to win a big contract.

Although Rodman was suspended, he also participated in team training, followed by rehearsing tactics and practicing defense.

Phil Jackson did not give up hope, he encouraged the players to concentrate before the game, go all out to play every game well, and don't leave any regrets for the Bulls in the final season.

On May 14, before the first match between the two sides, there was a brief MVP awarding ceremony. Ewing received the trophy from Stern and thanked a group of people, including Yang Rui.

More than 100 TV stations broadcast live in many countries. This series has attracted far more attention than the Western Conference Finals Lakers VS Jazz.

China CCTV5 Zhang Reasonable said: "During the Asian Championships, Zhang Bin, the coach of the national team, once said that Yang Rui is very good. Later, as the season progressed, I think many people underestimated Yang Rui. After he joined, the Knicks played well. Achieved the best record in team history, and became the first in the league in terms of offensive power."

Sun Zhengping said with a smile: "Van Gundy failed to win the best coach. The judges believe that the success of the Knicks this season has a lot to do with the signing of Yang Rui in the summer... We saw the camera on the sidelines. Yang Rui was very relaxed and was talking to the fans. group photo."

Many New York celebrities came to watch the game and cheered for the Knicks. Spike Lee, a famous director fan in the front row, asked Yang Rui and Thibodeau to take a photo together.

New York commentator Groom Albert couldn't help complaining: "The cat and mouse and the big dog are finally together." (The American bulldog in the animation is called Spike)

Partner Marty Glickman said with a smile: "Rodman's inability to play today must have a great impact on the Bulls. This is the best chance for the Knicks to beat the Bulls. Ewing already has the MVP of the regular season. To win the championship and the Finals MVP, his career is complete."

Albert said: "O'Neal is under a lot of pressure now. Among the four major centers, he is the only one without an MVP, but he is the youngest, and he will definitely have a chance in the future."

After warming up, the players played, and the Knicks started: Ward, Houston, Bowen, Johnson, Ewing.

Bulls starters: Harper, Jordan, Pippen, Kukoc, Langley.

Ewing won the jump ball, Bowen picked up the basketball and passed it to Ward, and the game began.

Ewing screened for Houston on the left side and helped Houston catch the ball. Longley defended relatively outside. The Bulls are very familiar with Houston's catch and shoot routines, so the key point of defense emphasized by "Zen Master" Jackson is to switch defenses quickly.

Houston's three-pointers and one-step stop-and-go jumper are already regarded as the league's killers. If it weren't for the weaker breakthrough, his scoring data would definitely be higher.

Attracting Langley to defend, Houston broke through with the ball and flashed a little gap, and hoisted the ball into the basket in the middle. Ewing cut to the inside to catch the ball, misplaced in the middle and hit Jordan, leaned his back against his opponent and turned to the right to hook. 2 to 0.

Jordan has rich experience and knows that it is useless to jump. The height gap is here. Ewing's hook is not something ordinary people can block.

Unless the side assists in defense. Kukoc was pulled out by Johnson, and Pippen followed Bowen in the corner and didn't return.

Only in the first round, the Bulls showed flaws on the defensive end.

The Bulls attacked, the Knicks shrank to the penalty area, and Bowen defended Jordan on the outside. The defensive system has always been arranged by Van Gundy, and he continues to be good at pseudo-zone defense, forcing Bulls players to take shots farther from the basket.

Jordan broke through with the ball and met Ward's double-team on the right, and Hubble was emptied. Jordan didn't pass the ball, turned around in the middle and made a fallback jumper, ignoring the interference of the two to score. 2 to 2.

Regardless of whether Jordan holds the ball in a high or low position, he can always deal with the ball most effectively before the double-team is formed, or even after the double-team is formed. This is the most powerful point. He dared to make a strong shot when he saw that Ward was double-teaming. He knew that Ward was limited in height and the effect of interference shots was poor. As long as he avoided the steal, it was almost the same as facing Bowen alone.

The Knicks routine remained the same, Houston received the ball from the outside, Ewing screened and then made an air cut, Houston took a little more space to hang the ball to the low post, the distance was very close, and Longley couldn't stop the pass.

Ewing "rabbit jumped" to the center with his back to Jordan at 45 degrees, and turned to face the frame. Jordan's defense is still outstanding, and he was selected to the best defensive first team, keeping interference in front of him.

But even when he was young, the defensive center could only play three-way ball or help defense, and the one-on-one height disadvantage was obvious.

Ewing made a throw with his right hand, and the arc was super high to avoid Jordan's blocked shot. 4 to 2.

Zhang Lili sighed: "The Knicks mainly attack the inside, and the inside is empty as soon as Langley goes out. In the contest between the two superstars, Ewing has the upper hand at the beginning."

Sun Zhengping said: "Ewing is capable inside and out, and deserves to be the MVP. Houston's role is not inferior to Reggie Miller. Compared with the stars, the Knicks are as good as the Bulls."

With the Bulls attacking, Bowen started to defend closely against Jordan, entering the playoffs, and the intensity of confrontation has generally increased, which is more beneficial to people with Bowen's style. Referees hate rookies in the regular season and like to call fouls by rookies, but they call them less now.

Van Gundy didn't expect Bowen to prevent Jordan from dying, just to consume Jordan's physical strength. The Knicks have a lot of people playing, as long as they bite in the first half, they will have an advantage in physical fitness in the second half. Bowen rested, and Starks and Mills came on top.

Jordan went to the low post on the right and asked for the ball with his back. After leaning twice, Ewing let go of Langley's double-team.

Now Jordan, Pippen, and Kukoc form a triangle on the right side. If those two help defend, there will be three-point opportunities.

Jordan scored the ball, Langley made an open jumper in the middle, and the ball missed the basket without interference, and Ewing got the rebound.

Longley, who had only 11.4 points at his peak, had a 218cm big man, and never hit 50% of his shots in a season. His offense was hopeless.

The Knicks attacked, Ward passed the ball and ran to the left corner to pull away. After the screen, Houston switched to Kukoc. Houston moved the ball laterally to Johnson outside the 70-degree three-point line on the right. The ball was pulled dry, and Langley was too inward, so he only stretched out his hand.

The arc of the ball is not high, hit the basket and hit. 7 to 2.

The Knicks fans shouted with emotion, fascinated, the Knicks offense is too strong.