The rest is just noise

Chapter 1074. Now that it has happened, let it keep happening.

June 18

The eve of the Game 7 between the Knicks and Trail Blazers.

Rudy Tomjanovich invited Louis to watch the game again.

This time, Louis thought carefully about it for a few minutes.

He truly felt that this might be his last chance to appear at Madison Garden as the Knicks' president of basketball operations.

If the Knicks win, finishing with a seventh consecutive championship sounds great.

If the Knicks lose, at least he will accompany this team to the end.

Unknowingly, Louis made "leaving" a prerequisite for considering this matter.

"I'll be there."

Rudy asked, "Can I trust you?"

"I'll be there."

Louis said again.

Rudy stopped asking. He didn't know if he could trust Louis.

He also had a strong feeling that Louis was leaving.

"Whether you come or not, we will win the seventh game." Rudy said stubbornly, "I will never let the championship break in my hands."

Louis said with a playful face: "Unless you plan to stop working after this year, the Knicks' consecutive championships will be cut off in your hands sooner or later."

"That's not tomorrow night either!"

Louis made the decision to go to the scene.

This is not a difficult decision at all.

Then, the time came for the fateful day.

The final game of the fourth series between the Knicks and Trail Blazers.

Like Louis, Americans are tired of the Knicks and Trail Blazers in the Finals.

Just like the Warriors and Cavaliers facing each other in the Finals for four consecutive years.

The first time was surprising, the second time was eye-catching, the third time was thrilling, and the fourth time except for the fans on both sides, the third party's feeling should be "Don't fight anymore."

The difference between Nituo and Qiyong is that there is only hatred between them.

When the game is over, no matter how much time has passed, the person involved will never speak of his opponent with respect.

Some just hate it.

In fact, this level of hatred is rare in sports history.

Even Russell, the leader of the Celtics in the 1960s who knocked Jerry West out of depression, said at the former's retirement ceremony, "The greatest recognition a competitor can receive."

, is to gain the friendship of your opponent, Jerry, I hope you will always be happy".

And you'll never hear Ewing or Wilson say that to any Trail Blazers player.

It was this mutual hatred that made the sixth scene unfold in such a bloody way.

If it hadn't been spoiled by OJ Simpson's police chase scene, this game would have saved the fans' hearts.

But in the days after that, the New York media used a unique way to review Game 6, finally letting fans know what happened that night.

Many people have set their sights on the final battle of this series.

"Will Portland still fail this time?"

"Sports Illustrated" published a long article about the Trail Blazers.

This long article reviews the history of the Trail Blazers' struggles after they drafted Jordan.

According to statistics, after Jordan joined the Trail Blazers, they fought a total of 18 life-and-death battles, and the Trail Blazers only won 4 of them.

Against the Knicks, they had a good chance to win the championship last year and the year before, but were defeated both times.

Can you win this year?

The Illustrated writer believes the Blazers have no reason to be optimistic.

The season-ending losses of Sabonis and Thomas are like a curse to the Trail Blazers.

Bill Walton's championship seemed to have exhausted this team's luck, and they were plagued by bad luck.

That evening, Madison Square Garden was packed with people.

Excited New Yorkers filled every seat.

The next flashpoint in the Simpson case is still waiting to break out, and fans can finally turn their attention to the final game of this crucial series.

Louis and Lorraine appear after a long absence.

The surrounding audience all stood up and paid tribute to him.

"Can you really give up so much love?" Lorraine asked.

Louis smiled and waved to the fans and said softly: "I don't know."

Since both the Knicks and Trail Blazers are missing their main players, the lineups of both teams are not familiar to fans.

The Knicks' lineup is Stockton, Wilson, Stevens, Kemp, and Ewing.

The Trail Blazers' lineup is Jordan, Cosey, Barkley, Mason, and Clifford Robinson.

Due to injury, Riley is ready to play in a seven-man rotation tonight.

The Knicks have an absolute advantage in the lineup.

The Trail Blazers can't afford any more injuries, and the Knicks don't care.

They have not forgotten how the Trail Blazers won Game 6. In Game 7, they wanted to fight violence with violence.

However, Stern did not want to see Game 7 turn into a replica of Game 6, so he strictly ordered the referee to tighten the standards of the game.

After three consecutive fouls at home, the Knicks figured out the referee's bottom line and decided to change their style of play.

This is certainly a good thing for the Trail Blazers, but the Knicks are not deterred.

Just because you're not violent doesn't mean you can't have an intense game.

The Knicks will make the audience understand that there is a game that will make the commentator lament: "There is really no love between these two teams."

Ewing dominated the paint.

From the beginning of the game, no one in the Blazers could match him.

Mason was as weak and helpless as a toy in front of him.

Double teams can have a certain effect, but Ewing's teammates will not watch him being flanked.

They will definitely start running, either going to the basket to receive Ewing's pass and attacking the basket directly, or running to their own sweet spot to catch the ball and shoot.

Ewing gave the Knicks a 10-point lead in the first quarter.

Riley replaced Mason with Nance, and the other four players remained the same.

In the second quarter, Robinson and Jordan's three-pointers allowed the Trail Blazers to chase a wave of points.

But Wilson's response and Doug Christie's breakthrough layup kept the Knicks still 9 points ahead.

Barkley stepped up.

Kemp stood up and confronted him.

Jordan continued to shoot three-pointers and felt good.

Stockton's substitute Sam Cassel also had a stellar performance.

This is the scene the pioneers least want to see.

Everyone in the Knicks is open, but they need their stars to maintain the situation.

Jordan and Barkley tried their best, but every time they exerted force, it was like a fist hitting cotton, with no effect.

Because the Knicks always have someone to stand up and withstand their offense.

Or core players like Ewing and Wilson.

Or a nobody like Cassell or Christie.

The only variables in the game were that Cassell sprained his ankle, and when Stockton was ejected with a second-level flagrant foul by an overly sensitive referee for picking off Jordan's balls, fans didn't know who else the Knicks could let control the ball.

Tomjanovich called out Mohamed Rauf, who had been neglected by his staff for a long time.

Fans know him as the one who desecrated the Star-Spangled Banner and the "rat shit" who gave the Knicks a bad name.

But the fans didn't boo him, and no one cheered him.

It's like he's not there on the court until he hits three-pointers non-stop.

Rauf's first shot was an emergency three-pointer following an Ewing pick-and-roll. He knew his feeling was coming.

Then there was Ewing's three-pointer after attracting double-teams.

The Blazers' defense became flustered.

The Knicks' system is starting to move, and Rauf is in hot form, so let's play with him as the core.

In Louis' time, Raouf had unlimited fire rights.

Although Rudy took back this authority, his teammates still regarded him as a privileged player who could take shots at will.

Ewing worked tirelessly to pick and screen for him, time and time again.

Wilson often just stands in the corner to space the floor.

Christie can run and score points with the ball. His all-around skills are destined to win a place in New York.

Kemp was the one who gave the fans a huge surprise.

Ewing, who is getting older, will give way sooner or later, and he is the most suitable successor.

The successor to the Iron Throne acts like a functional role player, as Rauf can get rid of the defender's high-position wall.

Rauf made 5 of 7 shots in just a few minutes and scored 15 points.

Then, he began to feed his teammates back.

In order to restrict him from catching the ball, the Blazers need to use more manpower.

In order to prevent him from shooting, the Blazers chose to double-team without thinking.

He just needs to pass the ball at the right time.

Jordan tried his best.

Barkley rarely defends like this.

Mason, Nance, Cosey, they all used their full strength.

But they were defeated by the Knicks.

It was the Knicks who beat them, not a specific person.

They start from Rauf's range, surround the great center of Ewing, and connect with each other to become a complete system. Everyone can launch an attack, without selfish desires, without greed, without any unnecessary steps that make people frown.

.

They made this game, which should have been like Mars hitting the Earth, lose its suspense in the third quarter.

The pioneers' futile resistance only resulted in more entertainment for the audience.

Tomjanovich, like Louie, played an 11-man rotation.

Everyone on the Knicks roster has points, rebounds, and assists.

Is there a better team than them?

Louis' eyes flickered.

3-2-1

The referee blew the final whistle, the Knicks achieved their seventh consecutive championship, and Tomjanovich could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Louis had a feeling of relief. There had never been a moment where he was more certain than now that this team was so perfect that he no longer needed him.

The Trail Blazers sadly exited the game. The Knicks went back to the locker room to change into championship T-shirts, then returned to the scene to participate in the awards ceremony, and then rushed back to the locker room to celebrate.

Louis followed, and just when Kemp was about to spray champagne on anyone he saw, Rauf said: "Can I spend half a minute praying to the Lord?"

"What prayer?" Kemp asked.

Rauf said: "I want to let the Lord know how important today is to me, and I want to thank the Lord for giving me the talent and strength to perform tonight."

Ewing asked: "Will you introduce us to Him (the Lord)?"

"If you want." Rauf wasn't sure whether his request was too much.

Everyone was hesitant, but Ewing said decisively: "We give you three minutes."

"Thank you, captain." Rauf said emotionally.

Then, McHale shouted: "Hey, I haven't retired yet, I'm the captain!"

Louis quietly left the dressing room.

Outside the locker room, he bumped into Rudy.

"Will you come back?" Rudy asked him.

Louis took a deep breath and said, "You can do it without me."

"But without you, none of this would have happened."

Rudy wanted to stay.

But Louis' mind was made up: "Now that it has happened, let it keep happening."

With or without me.