The rest is just noise

Pat Riley was very proud. Although the game was not over yet, the Trail Blazers had already turned away and led the Knicks by 8 points before halftime.

In the seventh game of the Finals, in New York's Madison Square Garden, the world's top arena where they suffered a bitter defeat last year, the Knicks' dynasty will be ended by them.

This feeling of excitement made Riley's fingers tremble uncontrollably.

When he saw Louis being interviewed on the spot, he seemed to be in a very low mood, because usually Coach Lu always looked energetic and had endless things to say, unlike today, which gave people a sense of desolation as the sun was setting.

.

Riley regards Louis as his biggest rival in the NBA. On the occasion of his proud life, he couldn't help but step forward to tease this "old enemy": "Coach Lu, thanks to you, the Trail Blazers have grown into the best player in history.

Good team.”

Louie didn't deny what Riley said.

Perhaps the Trail Blazers have many problems on the defensive end, but their offensive end can solve all hidden dangers.

The Knicks are recognized as the strongest defensive team in history. If they are defeated by the Trail Blazers, then calling the Trail Blazers the best team in history may only be opposed by Celtics fans.

However, Louis was not going to give in just yet.

And throughout the second half, no one knows what will happen.

Louis smiled and said: "Coach Riley, I have to admit that the strength shown by the Trail Blazers is stronger than ours. Just like the night before yesterday, you were stronger than us, and you were leading by more than 20 points, but in the end you won the game.

But it’s us.”

"So, I don't recommend you to be happy too early."

Having said that, Louis walked towards the passage.

The fans on both sides of the aisle loudly encouraged him, but Louis didn't even look at them.

To him, it doesn't matter where he is.

He felt extremely tired. He had not been so tired since taking over the Celtics in 1983.

This fatigue comes from psychology, from lack of desire, from depletion of energy, and from self-doubt.

The Knicks have won five consecutive championships, do they still have enough desire?

After experiencing so many things in New York, Louis is no longer as unstoppable as he was before. This team has smoothed out Louis' corner. If we go back to 1984 and let Louis coach this team

, you can be sure that many problems will not arise.

It is precisely because Louis was deeply involved and formed various connections with the players that he was unable to rule as aggressively as he did with the Celtics.

On his way to the locker room, Louis wanted to find out the reason why the team had reached this point. He tried to pass the responsibility to time. He was so familiar with these people that he couldn't discipline them in the same way as before.

But is this the truth?

This is not the truth. The truth is that Louis also made many wrong choices in this intricate tangle of branches.

Fortunately, his gamble did not fail in the end. Ewing matured and Wilson realized it. Although this team still had problems, it finally reunited, but they needed to face the strongest team in history.

The Trail Blazers were formed by the Avengers. Their desire and driving force is to revenge against the Knicks and win the championship. Riley's iron-blooded rule and Jordan's tyrant pressure made this team strong enough to withstand being defeated by the Knicks in Game 6.

A painful comeback loss.

It can be said that it was the defeat in Game 6 that made the Blazers have no reservations tonight. All of them gave their best and had only one purpose.

Use the best offense in history to defeat the best defense in history represented by the Knicks.

Thinking of this, Louis couldn't help but wonder, besides defeating the Trail Blazers, what else did he need to do?

Perhaps we should ask, if they really beat the Trail Blazers tonight, what else can he bring to this team as the head coach of the Knicks?

We live in bed and die in bed. The same principle applies on the basketball court.

For the Knicks, all problems arise because of basketball, and all problems will disappear because of basketball.

Suddenly, Louis was extremely hungry for the championship, and he wanted to lead this group of people to win the championship again.

Over the past year, they have fallen into darkness and run towards light, longing for glory but also being swallowed up by selfish self. The Great Wall has almost destroyed itself and everyone is in desperate situation. They are strong, no one escapes or retreats. Now,

The Knicks, like the Celtics in 1988 and 1969, faced their final test.

Louis pushed open the dressing room door.

As he has often said when entering the dressing room at halftime for the past six years: "Second half, we do this."

The players listened attentively.

The content is not special. Louis emphasized the defense of the Trail Blazers' back line, especially Jordan and Thomas, who were the key reasons why the Trail Blazers were able to open up the game.

For Jordan, the "rules" must be strictly applied.

For Thomas, he follows the three principles of attacking from a sudden attack, letting him take long shots, and knocking him down immediately when he comes to the penalty area.

There is nothing special about the content arranged by Louis, as if tonight's game is just an ordinary game.

After laying out the strategy for the start of the second half, Louis was silent for more than ten seconds.

Zhao Yuanzheng reminded: "It's almost time."

Louis nodded and the players were about to walk out of the locker room.

Louis patted Ewing, who was walking in front, on the shoulder and said, "Grab a few more rebounds and defend well."

Then he said to Miller: "Don't force it."

"I can last until the end of the game, coach!"

Miller is indispensable. Even if he can't score a single shot, after Game 6, as long as someone else is on the court, the Blazers will find a way to target him.

Louis encouraged most of the players, Wilson being the last.

"Don't think too much," said Louis.

Wilson nodded and walked out of the locker room with his teammates.

There was no chicken soup for the soul, no inspiring speech, and he didn't even point out the Blazers' Achilles' heel. During the last halftime of the 1992-93 season, Louis didn't bring any surprises, but just gave everyone a calm image.

In the second half, the Knicks chose to play with their regular lineup, namely Stockton, Miller, Wilson, Kemp, and Ewing.

The Trail Blazers also had no reservations, fielding the strongest five-man lineup since the playoffs: Thomas, Jordan, Robinson, Barkley, and Sabonis.

Stockton passed the ball to Ewing. Facing Sabonis, Gorilla's shot was interfered with and missed.

Sabonis's good positioning habits allowed him to get stuck in his position the moment he was guarding Ewing, grabbing the defensive rebound and passing it to Thomas.

The Blazers' quick counterattack was about to take shape, but Thomas obviously forgot what kind of team the Knicks were.

Once forced into a desperate situation, they will use any means necessary.

Thomas jumped up and wanted to go for a layup, but he didn't expect that Kemp would pounce from the side and knock him to the ground like a bird of prey.

"Beep!!"

"Tragic foul, I hope Isiah is safe!"

Thomas was indeed fine, but the two subsequent free throws all bounced out of the basket, which shows how much impact Kemp's foul had.

Subsequently, Stockton chose to break through when the Trail Blazers let him shoot.

Not surprisingly, he encountered the same thing as Thomas.

The no layup rule was first proposed by the Trail Blazers. Now it is natural to retaliate with violence for teammates.

The person who made the move was Sabonis. He only had one foul, so he had no worries.

What makes the fans feel depressed and suffocated is that both sides were obviously fouled by fouls that would have caused a fight on the spot in any other game, but the person who was fouled just stamped his feet and took free throws as if nothing happened.

Not even trash talk can be seen.

The Knicks and Trail Blazers have created the illusion for fans that fouls of this magnitude are really not worth the trouble.

The basket seems to be the only place where there is a chance to take a shot, but when facing opponents rushing to the basket, the Knicks and Trail Blazers make the same choice.

No matter who comes to the basket, they will get violent fouls.

This is a strange tacit understanding that they formed spontaneously.

For four consecutive minutes, both sides scored from free throws.

David Stern watched with a livid face as they committed deadly fouls again and again, then stood up like a stone and walked to the free throw line as if nothing had happened.

To Stern, the game was ugly.

However, a specialist provided him with real-time ratings of the game every 10 minutes.

It's hard to imagine that anyone would like this kind of game, but the ratings for the Knicks-Trail Blazers game are rising, with hundreds of thousands of people turning to NBC's sports channel every 10 minutes to watch this epic showdown.

"NBA Entertainment" director Garcia Lynn said optimistically: "The final ratings of this game may be a number we cannot imagine."

"Does anyone really like this kind of competition?"

Stern frowned.

"I don't think anyone likes this kind of game." Lynn said sharply, "But they like the Knicks and the Trail Blazers. They also like Benj, Ewing, MJ, Isiah, and Charles. They like this group of people.

Competitive game like a beast.”

When Lynn finished speaking, the Knicks and Trail Blazers finally clashed over an unlimited foul.

Jordan was about to fly for a layup, but Kemp didn't allow him to make a mistake, so he pushed forward and tried to knock him over from the air.

Kemp underestimated Jordan's core strength. The moment he pushed towards Jordan, Jordan also pushed forward. He actually withstood the external force and forced his way past Kemp's body. His hand holding the ball was in the air.

He trembled a bit, but did not lose his balance.

"Beep~!"

The referee blew the whistle, but Jordan's ball smoothly left his hand and flew into the net.

Kemp, who paid the foul and got points, lost his balance and fell to the ground. Jordan clenched his fists and shouted: "How could a little guy like you stop me?"

After saying that, Jordan stepped over Kemp.

Kemp became furious, stood up and pushed Jordan away from behind, and a conflict broke out.

The experienced referee did not let the situation get out of hand.

Kemp received a common foul first and was called a technical foul for actively causing trouble. The Blazers got the opportunity to make four free throws, and Louis replaced the hot-headed Kemp with Rodman.

MSG fans issued the most vicious attack: "Big-eared pig!"

Tens of thousands of people in the audience repeated this word in unison.

There are exciting music superstars, famous Hollywood movie kings, wealthy businessmen, noble ladies, and ignorant children. But these people are just fans at the moment. They incarnate the maliciousness of the away game itself to attack

Jordan's most well-known flaw in his physical appearance.

Jordan looked cold and made all four free throws.

At the same time, the Blazers still have the ball.

Jordan completed the feat of 2+4, broke the balance on the court, and still had the opportunity to continue to take advantage of the Knicks.

68 to 57

The situation changed at this moment.

After Rodman came on board, the Knicks' defensive flexibility and coverage area became stronger, while their rim protection declined. This is the difference between him and Kemp on the defensive end.

Kemp pays more attention to the penalty area, while Rodman is a typical modern wing. He can shoot three-pointers from the outside, cover the inside line, and follow defenders when switching defenses. He is very comprehensive.

With Rodman, plus Wilson and Miller, the Knicks' defensive flexibility is beyond the reach of the Trail Blazers.

But the pioneers had their own way.

Jordan was killing like crazy, wanting to reminisce about the aftertaste of the 2+4 just now, dribbling alone into New York's dragon pit and tiger's den.

Double-teaming him in an instant, he must praise the Knicks' defense.

As Pat Riley said, this is the best defense in the history of basketball.

Jordan passed the ball decisively.

Sabonis took the ball without any hesitation. His huge head contained wisdom that surpassed 99% of basketball players, and he could create infinite possibilities with his hands and skillfully throw the basketball behind him.

At the free throw line, Isiah Thomas took the ball and jumped up to take a shot.

70 to 57

"Keep an eye on them!" Jordan yelled.

The desire to kill occupied his mind.

This is the most terrifying Jordan. He is both calm and murderous. His body and skills are at their peak, but his mentality is humble because he is thirty years old and has yet to win an NBA championship.

Stockton should be lucky that he is facing a seriously aging Isiah Thomas.

Although Thomas during the Celtics period was not considered an elite defensive player, with his competitive character, unscrupulous defense in the lower third, and strong physical fitness, it was not easy to break his full-court press.

Now Stockton can withstand Thomas' full-court press one-on-one through half court, but in the frontcourt, his ball has to be passed to Wilson.

Wilson got the ball, and the person coming to guard him was Jordan, which meant that the Trail Blazers had to have Clifford Robinson guard Miller.

Miller is not a good offensive player with the ball, but Robinson is not a good off-ball defender either.

Thus, the tactics surrounding Miller began.

Miller ran and threw away Robinson a few seconds later. The opportunity came? No, when Miller got open, Barkley, who was closest to him, stepped forward.

The Flying Pigs' defense seemed clumsy, but it hit Miller's body "just right".

There was a huge disparity in strength between the two, and Miller was knocked out of bounds.

"Beep!"

"Knocked down like a bitch!" Buckley yelled domineeringly.

Miller stood up angrily: "Say that again!"

This kind of game is often accompanied by vulgar greetings, and Louis does not reject this kind of communication. However, the referee's indulgence in physical contact made Louis feel something. The Blazers like this kind of game, and so do the Knicks.

It's just that Louis doesn't like the current rhythm of the game, and the Knicks have no initiative.

So, Louis called a timeout.

The point difference expanded to double digits in a short period of time. The Trail Blazers were domineering, but the Knicks could not find an offensive point.

Who was the person who allowed the Blazers to open up the game? It was Jordan who scored 8 points in one round. It was that round that unblocked the Blazers' joints and allowed others to enter the state.

Who can the Knicks count on? Louie looks at Wilson.

"Benj, I hope you will be more proactive."

The timeout ended and Wilson received the serve.

It was still Jordan who defended him, and Wilson directed Ewing to run a high pick-and-roll.

Wilson dribbled towards the pick-and-roll. As a result, the Trail Blazers would rather let Ewing cut through than give Wilson a chance to make a small hit.

Jordan and Sabonis approached Wilson at the same time, conducting a flanking attack.

This choice was correct. Ewing received Wilson's pass and no one in the Trail Blazers could stop him from hitting the basket.

59 to 70

Barkley rushed in unstoppably and scored 2 points.

72 to 59

Miller tried to respond with a three-pointer, but his condition was far less intense than in Game 6 because the ankle injury was affecting him. The incredible touch he had in Game 6 could no longer be regained.

"boom!"

Rodman grabbed an offensive rebound in the crowd, and Wilson quickly cut in from the center.

Rodman passed the ball and Wilson glided for a layup. Robinson firmly implemented the no layup rule and slapped Wilson's body hard with both hands.

But this doesn't stop Wilson from scoring!

"Bang!"

"And One!"

"Benj is doing his best to keep the Knicks' hopes alive!"

Louis stood on the sidelines and shouted: "Give Benj more support!"

Another meaning of this sentence is that players should play around Wilson.

Wilson scored 18 points in the first quarter, 7 points in the second quarter, and 9 points so far in the third quarter. His touch and condition are very good, and he can definitely add up to a runaway game full of personal heroism.

However, the ghosts of the first six games are still haunting him.

This cannot be solved by just one instruction from Louis, it also requires the cooperation of others.

The Trail Blazers have two and a half players who can play like Wilson, while the Knicks only have Wilson.

If the Blazers' intensity can silence Miller, they can silence other shooters.

They have two advantages that will never disappear no matter what.

The inside pressure led by Ewing, and Wilson's unlimited singles after entering the state.

Both of these are natural flaws caused by the Blazers' lineup itself and are irreversible.

Extra penalty, Wilson also made a shot.

In the next 20 seconds, the Knicks' defense gave the Trail Blazers no chance.

Jordan did not show the strength of 1 on 5. Barkley's strong attack was blocked by Ewing. If Sabonis did not get the ball on the floor, the Knicks would have started to counterattack.

Sabonis' golf intelligence saved the Blazers' offense, and indirectly let the world know why this Blazers' offensive ability is the best in history.

Roof of the World passes the ball to the top of the key, where Isiah Thomas is.

Since entering the NBA, Thomas has only practiced three-pointers from the top of the arc. Even if he can only shoot three-pointers from the top of the arc, as long as he catches the ball in this position, he will have the ability to attract defenses.

Rodman ran over and Thomas transferred the ball to the left very easily.

At a 45-degree angle on the left, Clifford Robinson caught the ball, ignored Wilson's defense, and made a three-pointer.

The height brought by his height of 210 centimeters and wingspan of 220 centimeters allows him to ignore everything.

"Uh-huh!!!"

75 to 62

"It's unstoppable," the tragedy master whispered, forgetting that he was explaining, "The pioneers are unstoppable."

Wilson then called a pick-and-roll to create an opening for Miller.

That was a deliberate short shot by the Blazers, because Miller didn't have the touch. Even if he made the shot, they still had enough of a lead and were more confident to fight back. This was a gamble that they didn't need to worry about.

Miller did not let them down and missed the shot.

Jordan flew up to grab the rebound and passed a long pass to Thomas, who scored on a fast break.

77 to 62

The score difference widened to 15 points, and Louis requested a timeout.

"It's over. For me, this scene is the final moment." Laimbeer said happily, "You can't take back a 15-point lead from the Blazers who are in hot form!"

"Indeed, because they are the best offensive team ever!"

There was still a quarter and a half left in the game, but to neutral parties and Trail Blazers supporters, it seemed like the Knicks had already failed.

On the sidelines, David Stern received a speech from the commissioner, which was a speech congratulating the Trail Blazers on winning the championship after the game.

"Where's the other one?" Stern asked.

Because the speech must always be prepared in two ways, one for the Trail Blazers and the other for the Knicks.

The commissioner said: "No need, Mr. President, the Trail Blazers have less than half of the third quarter left. If you don't count the game the night before yesterday, all the games in which the Trail Blazers led by more than 15 points in the second half of the third quarter, from then on.

No defeat."

If the Knicks lose tonight, Stern will be happy, because if the league is dominated by a certain team for a long time, the game will lose its appeal and the audience will lose.

But as a New Yorker, Stern was very unhappy when he heard this sentence and said angrily: "Don't be so fucking clever, prepare two speeches for me!"