The rest is just noise

"Thanks to John, Reggie, Kevin and Patrick being down, we got to see a game like this. Benj had to take over and he did it in a great way. I don't care what people say about him, he's a real guy.

A superstar, he deserves all the praise in the world, and I am his fan."

In the game that eliminated the Pistons, Wilson scored 41 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists, 27 of which came in the second half.

Louis praised his performance and criticized the other four by name.

The Knicks advanced to the semifinals, meeting the Celtics for the top of the Eastern Conference for two consecutive years.

"Detroit Free Press" reporter Kirkland Crawford asked: "Are you sure you can win the series against Boston again?"

"I'm very happy that after I left, Boston won three more championships, which means they didn't lose in the playoffs for four years. I was a part of that team and I became a professional basketball player there.

As a member of the circle, that place means a lot to me." Louis recounted in detail, "When I left Boston, I secretly decided to lead a team to end Boston's dominance. So I will give them a lot of respect.

I admire the dominance that continues to this day and it gave me the opportunity."

"Now that I have the opportunity to finish him, you ask me if I am sure of winning the series? YES, of course." Louis said shockingly, "I am sure of it."

If nothing else happens, Louis' speech will make the headlines on the sports page.

By then, there will inevitably be responses from Boston.

This is good, Louis just wants to make it known to the world and let people know that the Knicks are not a youth army, but a real challenger.

If they still carry the name of youth army, others will not believe that they can beat Celtic.

Even if Louis says this, there are very few people who believe they can defeat the Celtics. However, this does not prevent them from setting a goal for themselves.

"Coach, what you said is really crazy!" Wilson said excitedly, "'You asked me if I was sure to win the series? YES, of course.' That's cool!"

Louis laughed and said: "The coolest thing is to make this statement come true, otherwise we are just a joke."

After they returned to the locker room, Louis didn't say much about his opponents in the next round.

"I'll let you do whatever you want tonight, as long as you remember not to cause trouble, come back to the hotel before three o'clock in the morning and I will check the room."

Louis gave Dale Ellis a special look: "Especially those guys who are always in trouble."

Just because Louis glanced at him in the crowd, Dale Ellis decided not to go out.

Ellis isn't a jerk, he just can't control himself.

He likes to drink and has a slight tendency to drink alcohol. Once he is drunk, he is prone to do some outrageous things.

Louis gave the players freedom and had an appointment himself.

Chuck Daly, who had just led the team to lose to him, asked him out for a drink alone.

Louis arrived on time, and Daly seemed to have accepted defeat.

"Lu, you made me wait for 10 minutes." Daley complained, "Thanks to you, my already bad mood became even more depressed."

"Then I'll punish myself with three drinks?"

"What's the rule?"

"The rule from China is that those who are apologetic will always drink three glasses of wine first to express their apology on such occasions."

After all, Louis really drank three glasses.

Daley smiled: "I think you want to drink it yourself."

"No, I really should apologize. Charles Oakley was too rude." Louis successfully pretended that he didn't know, "Please apologize to Robert for me."

Dai Li's gaze was as sharp as a sword: "Stop pretending, Lu, I know you are the one who instigated this."

"You have misunderstood me. Have I ever actively encouraged players to fight on the court?" Louis didn't want to leave the impression in Daley's mind that he would let others fight if he couldn't beat him.

Daley, however, dug out the old almanac: "In Game 6 of the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics that night were in a similar state to the Knicks tonight. They both looked lifeless. Later, the Celtics

Derek Maxwell had a fight on the field, do you dare to say that this matter has nothing to do with you?"

Louis opened his eyes wide and was shocked.

That matter was considered top secret. Except for insiders of that Celtics team, who knew who gave the instruction?

"Chuck, have you forgotten that I was just an assistant coach back then?" Louis said innocently, "At that time I was just a 21-year-old little white rabbit who had just joined the coaching staff. How could it be possible?"

Daly laughed as if he was playing Werewolf and discovered that the other party was having a blast: "Lu, have you forgotten that Cedric played with us for a while?"

"Uh" The sealed memory has been pried, it seems that there is such a thing?

Daley said calmly: "That game, that fight, and your suggestions were Cedric's favorite stories in the locker room. Well, you said you were only 21 years old at the time, which surprised me.

A 21-year-old young man who is in his first year as a teaching assistant can give this kind of advice. I really didn't 'misjudge' you."

That big mouth that needs to be pumped!

Louis couldn't let his image darken in Daley's heart like this, he had to find a way to restore it.

Anyway, it was Maxwell's foul mouth that caused the trouble, so let him pay for it.

"You may not believe it, but I have to tell you that Cedric suffers from a serious disease, and what he says cannot be completely believed." Louis said seriously in a serious tone, "He should have Alzheimer's disease and have severe memory problems.

obstacles, so the crazy things he said cannot be fully accepted."

"But he says it almost every day."

"Yes, he gets sick every day! Otherwise, why would Reid trade him?"

Daley couldn't help laughing out loud. The image of Louis in his eyes became more and more "vivid". He looked fair and clean, and maybe even the blood in his body was black, right?

In order to clear his name, he can slander his former colleague as having Alzheimer's disease. Is this person really

Daly didn't want to find out the truth about the fight between Oakley and Parish. The Knicks lost and the Pistons won, that was the result.

If you insist on making a fuss about small things, it will only affect your own mentality.

Because the result cannot be changed.

"I heard what you said in front of reporters." Daley took a sip of wine and acted as if someone was massaging him from behind. "Are you really that sure?"

Louis was so arrogant in the face of reporters, but he was full of worries in front of Daley.

"Larry looks healthy, Ralph has always been an unsolvable player, Isiah Thomas is also a potential unsolvable player, Boston also has a strong lineup, almost everyone is in their prime, normal circumstances

Next, the momentum of five consecutive championships is unstoppable.”

Daley picked up the wine glass, gently shook the wine inside and asked playfully: "What about abnormal circumstances?"

"If there are abnormal circumstances, Boston is not invulnerable."

"For example, Larry's back injury; Isiah's shooting range; Ralph's lack of physical strength to play the whole game; and, we have more considerable depth than Boston."

Daley asked: "What do you think the situation is now?"

"During the regular season, there were rumors that Larry's recovery speed from his back injury was not ideal, but after the start of the playoffs, that situation disappeared. I now suspect that it was a smokescreen thrown by Reid." Louis said his

Conclusion, "Larry may have recovered."

"Even if Larry doesn't recover, your chances of winning are not high, right?" Now that the Pistons are out, Daly can speak his mind.

In his opinion, the Celtics are invincible.

"Yes." Louis said, "Even if Larry is only 70% strong, the Celtics will be difficult to defeat. This year's Larry may be the weakest in history, but this Celtics is

Probably the best team he's ever been on."

Daly shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I have watched the video of their semi-final match. Judging from Larry's shooting, post-up play and running posture, even if he has not recovered to 100%, he definitely has 90% fighting capacity. I'm sorry.

Let me put it bluntly, the probability of the Knicks beating the Celtics is lower than the probability of us defeating you."

The truth is hard to hear, but Louis needs it.

Excessive optimism is not advisable, and the Knicks are currently in this state of mind.

The eight-game winning streak in the playoffs is the same as the Celtics, but the process is different.

In the same eight-game winning streak, it was not easy for the Knicks to beat the Pistons, while the Celtics won overwhelmingly every game.

"You're right. Defeating the Celtics may be one of the most difficult goals in this league, but if it wasn't difficult, I wouldn't leave."

Louis said confidently.

"I don't want to stay on that team that can't be beaten and win title after title because those guys are great enough and they're the best players that Reid has handpicked and leading them to win, I'm not going to get a lot.

glory."

"New York is different. This group of people was personally selected by me to defeat the Celtics. Although they are still young, I believe that the time has come." Louis said without doubt, "It is this year.

"

Chuck Daly looked at the young man in front of him. He was only 28 years old and had already experienced so many twists and turns.

Daly only became an assistant coach at the age of 48 and became the head coach at the age of 51. Unlike Louis, he almost ruined his coaching prospects in a bad team with no future (Cavaliers). Louis' kind of start is what he dreams of.

of.

If it were him, would he retire after winning the championship in the first year? No, he can't do that.

Louis decisively left the Celtics, came to the Knicks, who had been a joke for many years, and spent four years reshaping them.

Jumping ship from Boston is unreal;

It is also unreal to leave Boston and choose New York;

To turn the Knicks, who were at the bottom of the league, into a new force that can compete with the Celtics in four years is an incredible achievement.

Now, he has his sights set on the Celtic throne.

The Knicks have unlimited potential, but they are too young. They should have no chance of winning against the veteran Celtics.

For some reason, Daley began to believe that Louis and the Knicks might actually bring surprises.

"I don't usually raise a glass to someone who beats me, especially if I lose to you in this way, I'm not willing to do it." Daley picked up his glass and raised it to Louis, "But, if any team can

To end Boston's dominance, I can't think of an answer other than the Knicks. Since you are already so good, why should I be unwilling to do so?"

"So, I'd like to toast you with this glass of wine." Daley suddenly said rudely, "I wish you a good start in Boston."