NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On February 7, 1997, there were no games that day, and the All-Star Weekend was about to begin.

For ordinary players, the four-day rest period in the middle of the season is a natural time to take a peaceful vacation.

The atmosphere group of the Knicks team chose to join in the fun. Patrick Ewing was selected as one of the 50 greatest NBA stars, and Clay Lee was selected as a substitute for the NBA All-Star Game.

It was everyone's common choice to witness history together!

John Wallace was also selected for this year's Rookie Challenge. Being able to appear on TV and participate in the All-Star Weekend has made this rookie very talkative in the past two days:

"Lee, when you get to the Rookie Challenge, remember to pass the ball to me more. I want to complete a beautiful alley-oop dunk in front of my family and friends!"

"It's so cool! The 4th Rookie Challenge has an epic feel. I feel like I've become a historic rookie!"

"How many points should I get? The names of the first-year players in the West are unfamiliar. Have these guys ever played in the regular season? Why don't I have any impression of them at all!"

"God! Red Auerbach will still be our head coach. I'm already getting nervous. It would be really lame to make a mistake in front of this legend!"

"Mr. Holtzman will also serve as the head coach of the Western Conference. In fact, I am more looking forward to him coaching us."

After getting on the plane, the newbie John Wallace kept talking beside Clay Lee, showing the unique rhythmic accent of black people to the fullest.

Lee held his forehead helplessly. After all, he was not a young man, and it was difficult for him to empathize with John Wallace's excitement:

"Okay, John, I'll make sure you get the points in the Rookie Challenge!"

"Relax! Just treat it as a normal exhibition match, a duel between rookies. There's nothing to be nervous about!"

Charles Oakley, who was standing by, was in a good mood and didn't pay any attention to the excited rookie. He just warned him,

"Lee, don't let him make a fool of himself in the Rookie Challenge. Remember to dress formally and don't dress like a street thug."

"Don't expect to get too much playing time in the All-Star Game, because that's the stage for the old guys."

After being selected as a substitute for the All-Star Game, Lee has completely established his foothold in the Knicks.

Although Ewing is still the tactical core, everyone will also listen to his opinions.

Some people think that Lee was selected because the NBA needed a gimmick and that he was a product of the "star-making movement".

But within the Knicks, everyone recognized Lee's status in the team. As an All-Star player, he could already enjoy some privileges.

Larry Johnson, who was jealous, did not follow the crowd. He decided to put this year's All-Star Weekend behind him and finally chose to take a vacation to "recover".

Alan Houston was not on the flight either. He planned to take his girlfriend to the All-Star Weekend, enjoy their time together, and then go sightseeing in Cleveland.

Lee knew that Ewing didn't want to see him selected as an All-Star.

The team has only one boss. After playing in New York for so many years, Ewing will not give up his privileges even if his physical condition declines.

The Knicks have been circling around Ewing for so many years, and the gorilla has become accustomed to such treatment:

20+10, priority shooting, and giving up the core style of play. This is impossible.

Similarly, Lee will not give up his privileges. Unless one of them compromises, the conflict will break out sooner or later.

"I'm a little curious, is Michael really not going to attend the press conference of the top 50 stars? This is a historical moment!"

Hearing Lee's whispered question and noticing the gloating expression on his face, Charles Oakley tugged at his tie and chuckled,

"I don't know. Anyway, he called to invite me to play golf. Press conference? Maybe he wanted to teach those old guys a lesson!"

"He's a jerk, but he should be respected. Four championships, a three-peat, and 46th place? I think these guys pissed him off."

With the All-Star Weekend approaching, Cleveland is packed with superstars, and the old guys have all come out to take a breath this year. The happiest ones are the sports media.

There are so many stars. Basically all the well-known star players have come to Cleveland.

For fans, this is also a basketball feast. No matter what era you were born in, you can always find your youthful memories here.

On the morning of February 8, Lee brought John Wallace and met up with his good friends Ray Allen and Travis Knight.

In addition to the Rookie Challenge, Ray Allen will also participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Many fans gathered around the Cavaliers' home stadium, Gund Arena, and the giant party officially began.

Big man Travis Knight looks like a tough guy with his short hair.

After joining the Lakers, he didn't have much playing time, but recently O'Neal was injured, and Knight also got more opportunities:

"Lee, you are a big star now! I can see news about you every day in Los Angeles. You may not know that there are many fans who like you here too!"

"ClayGod, this move is so cool, how does it feel to dribble past Michael Jordan? I watch this goal every day!"

Big guy Knight talked non-stop excitedly after meeting him. He also felt very proud that his friend had become a big star.

Ray Allen just smiled and fist-bumped with Lee, still as quiet as before:

"Second in the Eastern Conference, a well-deserved All-Star, I know how hard it is for you to perform like this! Don't pay attention to those boring reports!"

Lee raised his eyebrows. He regarded those questioning articles and reports as fun.

Ordinary news could not attract him at all. Only the UC body's fabricated stories could make him smile knowingly.

It was just that it was hard for others to believe this situation, so Lee didn't explain.

He hugged and greeted the two friends in front of him, and then joked:

"I thought you would bring your girlfriends. It seems that everyone is focusing on basketball. This is great! I am relieved!"

Lee mainly wanted to comfort Ray Allen because long-distance relationships are really difficult.

After introducing John Wallace, the four of them also prepared to take a tour of Cleveland.

Everyone was dressed in sportswear and thought they wouldn't attract much attention, but soon, some enthusiastic fans surrounded them:

"Lee! I came to Cleveland specially to support you. Can you take a photo with me first?"

"Too young, I couldn't confirm it just now, Lee, you are cooler than on TV! The same arm guards as yours, God! I like your look so much!"

The fans began to chatter, realizing that this was an opportunity to get close to the All-Star players, and soon more and more people gathered around Clay Lee.

After Ray Allen, who is usually calm, realized that he was being ignored, he looked at Lee who was smiling and taking photos with fans, and he secretly felt jealous:

"If I could have gone to the Celtics as I wished"

On the afternoon of the 8th, before the start of the Rookie Challenge, the NBA held a press conference for the top 50 superstars.

It was a pre-set procedure for the event to appear in front of the media, but Michael Jordan slapped them in the face right away.

Michael Jordan didn't attend the press conference at all, choosing to hang out with friends and play golf.

46th? Not valued?

Michael Jordan is not going to play anymore! If you don't participate in the event, you have money and you can be punished!

At the press conference, Chamberlain and Bill Russell were the undisputed protagonists.

The event held at the Gund Arena in the afternoon was also star-studded.

But without Michael Jordan, the media present always felt that these 50 superstars were lacking something.

Michael Jordan once again demonstrated his huge influence. Fans were furious when they didn't see Jordan. They bought tickets to attend the event, not to see these old guys!

In the end, the event held at Gund Arena ended abruptly with a mediocre response.

The NBA was furious and fined Michael Jordan before the Rookie Challenge began.

Other stars who did not attend included Jerry West and Shaquille O'Neal.

The NBA believed that Jerry West was recruited illegally after the Magic took Shark away from the team during the offseason, so it directly investigated Jerry West.

However, this behavior seemed to have touched Jerry West's bottom line. The legendary superstar believed that the NBA lacked respect for him, so he simply said goodbye and left the 50 Greatest Stars event!

Jerry West declined to attend this year's event, citing ear surgery.

As for the Shark, he was really injured and never came to Cleveland at all. His All-Star position was replaced by the second-year Kevin Garnett.

Something unexpected happened on the first day of the event, and the happiest people were the onlookers.

In the evening's Rookie Challenge, before the game, the newbies were also discussing this matter:

"This is so damn cool! Michael Jordan should teach those old guys a lesson. 46th place, go to hell! I support him!"

In the Eastern Conference rookie locker room, Allen Iverson seemed particularly excited and loudly praised Jordan's counterattack.

Antoine Walker seemed very calm. After changing his jersey, he casually said:

"Michael Jordan also has to respect his predecessors. That's Bill Russell, a true legend. He shouldn't miss such an event."

Upon hearing this, Marcus Camby on the side immediately mocked:

"Look at this guy, less than a year after joining the Celtics, his blood has turned green! This is what Michael Jordan should do, 46th? This is a shame!"

Iverson immediately followed suit and fought back. Before the game even started, the place was already in a mess.

Before the game, Lee exchanged pleasantries with Knicks legend Holtzman, and when he returned to the locker room, he found that everyone was arguing non-stop:

"Hey, don't tell me we're going to have an internal conflict now? If you don't want to win, I won't pass the ball tonight!"

"With me & John, we are more than capable of dealing with the rookie on the other side!"

Returning to his seat, Lee teased the people who were still arguing. Upon hearing this, Iverson immediately changed his tune:

"The youngest All-Star player in NBA history? If you weren't in New York, you wouldn't be treated like this."

"If I wasn't in New York, I would have averaged 24+10 per game, and you wouldn't have booked me the best rookie."

Lee teased Iverson with a smile, but Antoine Walker's eyes twitched. He really did score points in the Celtics, but before he could say anything, Ray Allen, who was already annoyed by the noise said helplessly,

"There's no need to argue. Michael Jordan has his reasons for doing that, but that's too far from us. I just want to win tonight. I don't want to disappoint my family members who are here."

Ray Allen's words stopped everyone arguing. Being able to appear on TV and participate in the Rookie Challenge, everyone naturally wanted to perform well in front of their friends and family.

Everyone agreed on this point. Iverson straightened his jersey and said coolly:

"When I play, I will give it my all. No one can limit me in a one-on-one situation!"

Everyone in the locker room laughed when they heard Iverson's words. A basketball game is not a one-on-one duel. Lee even said in a coaxing tone:

"Don't worry, we will take good care of you and try to create one-on-one opportunities for you!"

"."

The Rookie Challenge has only been held four times, including this year's event, and it happens to coincide with the NBA's 50 Greatest Stars and Top 10 Coaches events.

This year, both rookie teams have legendary head coaches.

Red Auerbach was more approachable than expected. He was wearing a black suit and looked older. After arriving in the locker room, he greeted the newbies with a smile and didn't talk about the game at all:

"It's great to be young. I can express myself freely on the field. I think the fans watching the game don't want to see complicated and boring tactics anymore."

"Go enjoy the game, guys!"

"Lee, when you come on the court, you will be responsible for controlling the rhythm of the game. You are already an All-Star player, show your strength!"

Before going on stage, the old man simply took over the task and patted Lee on the shoulder with a smile. Among all the new players, he was the one with the highest achievement at the moment.

Lee, who had already changed his jersey, was not polite and responded confidently:

"Although the opponent is coached by Mr. Holtzman, I told him before the game that we will definitely win tonight's game."

When Auerbach heard what Lee said and looked at the serious expressions of the new players, he completely turned into a fun fan and laughed non-stop:

"It's great to be young!"

There was no complicated entrance ceremony at the Rookie Challenge.

Everyone changed into their team uniforms and sat quietly on the bench, waiting for the DJ to call out:

"Let's welcome the 6-foot-3 All-Star guard from the University of Connecticut --

"Clay——Lee!"

At the Gund Arena, fans saw Clay Lee wearing the Knicks' white No. 1 jersey and standing up to wave, and immediately burst into cheers.

In the eyes of fans, those who can often be included in the top 10 plays must have good abilities. In this regard, Iverson and Lee are the most well-known.

Lee used the "Sam Gold" fancy move to dribble past Michael Jordan and scored 2 points. This round has been played repeatedly recently, which has brought him a huge popularity bonus.

The starting five of the Eastern Conference's first-year rookies:

Clay Lee, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Antoine Walker, and Marcus Camby.

On the other side, the starting five of the Western Conference first-year rookies are:

Matt Maloney, Kobe Bryant, Roy Rogers, Shareef Abdul-Rahim, and Travis Knight.

Compared to the Eastern Conference rookie starting lineup, 5 players come from 5 teams.

On the Western Conference rookie side, Maloney is currently the starting point guard of the Rockets, and the other 4 spots are taken by the Grizzlies and the Lakers.

The expression on Iverson's face said "You all can't do it", and he seemed very confident, but Lee smiled and bumped fists with the people opposite him.

The rookie Kobe was wearing the purple and gold away uniform of the Lakers at this time, and his expression was extremely serious.

It is difficult for him to get much playing time on the Lakers, so in the Rookie Challenge, he naturally wants to prove himself.

With Marcus Camby's successful jump ball, Lee took control of the ball and the Eastern Conference rookie team took the lead in attacking.

Iverson didn't ask for the ball. He quickly ran across half court and directed his teammates to get to the line to create offensive space.

Except for Marcus Camby, the other four are outside players. Therefore, Camby has no chance to show off his low-post skills and can only do pick-and-roll at the top of the arc.

Everyone wants to win, so naturally they have to play with all their might. Kobe noticed that Lee held the ball in his left hand, slowly approached the three-point line and slowed down, then subconsciously moved forward, preparing to squeeze through the screen.

Lee did not shake too much. At the moment when Kobe was defending him, he moved in and out with his left hand quickly and slightly.

While shaking his body, he took the opportunity to move the ball behind his back.

Lee picked up the ball with his right hand again, quickly lowered his center of gravity and accelerated his breakthrough. Kobe followed his body's instinctive reaction and quickly slid to the left rear.

Lee broke through the three-point line with his shoulder, took advantage of the opponent's sliding defense, dribbled quickly behind his back, switched to his left hand, and when Camby stood still, he paused slightly and pretended to break through on the left side.

Kobe changed his body center of gravity again and was about to slide to defend, but Lee, who was holding the ball with his left hand, suddenly turned around, picked up the ball with his right hand again, and immediately accelerated with all his strength.

The fans at the scene only saw Kobe take two steps and then completely lost his defensive position. Lee's fancy shaking made the fans at the scene cheer for a while.

His teammates were out of position and big man Knight was forced to delay early. Camby quickly moved down at this time and was about to raise his hand to signal.

Lee, who broke through to the left blocking area, threw the basketball high with his right hand.

Marcus Camby, running down the middle, quickly accelerated, jumped up with all his might, scooped up the ball with both hands in the air, paused for a moment, then grabbed the ball with his right hand and pulled it back, and then made a powerful tomahawk dunk!

"Boom!" The alley-oop dunk was successful!

"WOW!"

The wonderful aerial connection immediately ignited the atmosphere at the scene, and the fans exclaimed, followed by a burst of shouting.

After landing, Marcus Camby's mouth almost stretched to the back of his head. When he returned to defense, he excitedly high-fived Lee to celebrate.

This cake is so fragrant!

The rookie Kobe felt that he was being fooled, but he didn't say anything. When attacking, he came to the right wing outside the three-point line and asked for the ball.

Matt Maloney also gave face and immediately sent a side pass. The basketball had just slipped out of his hands when Iverson saw the opportunity, suddenly accelerated, and stole the ball directly!

Before the Western Conference rookie team could react, the speedy Iverson had already crossed the center line.

Holding the ball in his right hand, he continued to accelerate. After Iverson came to the paint area, he immediately jumped with both feet, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and dunked it with one arm!

After completing the dunk, Iverson immediately beat his chest and roared at the camera under the basket, showing his strong sense of the camera!

The cheers of the fans made Matt Maloney look a little ugly. He didn't expect Iverson to be so serious.

When the Western Conference rookie attacked again, Kobe wanted the ball, but Matt Maloney chose to attack himself.

Facing Iverson's defense at the top of the arc, Matt Maloney dribbled the ball between his legs, then broke through with the ball in his right hand and turned quickly in the paint area, trying to use his height advantage to get rid of Iverson's defense.

After turning around and grabbing the ball with his left hand, Matt Maloney felt that he had completely shaken off the defense and took the opportunity to make a one-handed layup.

The basketball had just flown into the air when Marcus Camby suddenly jumped up and blocked his shot!

The moment the basketball was shot away, Ray Allen seized the opportunity, grabbed the ball, threw it forward, ran without the ball, and accelerated across half court.

After Lee scooped up the ball with his left hand, he continued to accelerate along the left sideline, ignoring the physical confrontation from Kobe on his side, rushed across the center line to the left wing outside the three-point line, and threw the ball towards the basket.

Ray Allen took three steps forward and easily scooped up the ball in the air. Then he spun the ball around, grabbed the ball with his right hand, and slammed it down!

"Boom!" The windmill dunk was successful!

...

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