Champion, please stay!

Chapter 106, Section 104: The Winning Streak Begins!
With Iguodala missing a three-pointer over Duhon, the game ended.

The Knicks narrowly defeated the 76ers 103-98, securing their second consecutive win to start the season!
After celebrating with his teammates, Yi Shui glanced at the key statistics of the two teams displayed on the big screen.

他今晚11投5中，其中三分球5中2，外加4中3的罚球，只拿到15分。

He passed the ball during the fast break and pulled back to receive it, but no one followed up because he was 1-for-4 from three-point range, while Curry, who was double-teamed, was 3-for-5.

不过他除了这15分，还有10板7助攻3抢断3盖帽！

在他的串联下，全队6人得分上双，库里18分5助攻、哈灵顿11分6板3助攻、大卫-李19分8板、大Q13分。

Looking back at the game that just ended, Yi Shui felt that although the opposing head coach had an unconventional approach, preferring to be an assistant coach rather than a head coach, he was indeed quite capable in coaching, especially on the defensive end, and was worthy of being a disciple of Larry Brown.

The coach clearly anticipated that the opposing players would double-team him excessively and calculated that he would use this to pass the ball, so he made a targeted arrangement.

However, he quickly realized the opponent's defensive intentions and passed the ball not with the aim of getting an assist, nor risking passing the ball if it might be intercepted, but making more reliable passes with the aim of keeping the ball in the tactical flow.

Perhaps the opposing coach's plan is to force him to forgo the best but dangerous opportunities and compel them to make more passes?
He felt he had done too much reading comprehension, but their pace tonight was definitely much slower than in the previous preseason games and the opening game, and the opposing defense was very successful.

Fortunately, Curry and Q had a great shooting night, combining for 6 three-pointers, while David Lee and Harrington also carried the inside scoring, securing the victory.

On the other side, seeing that they still lost after such a fierce battle, Cheeks became even more determined to quit.

'If the team had listened to me and developed Andre into an all-around playmaking and defensive swingman, we wouldn't have lost!'

When he returned to Philadelphia as head coach in 05 after leaving Portland, he discovered that the team's development of Iguodala was very wrong.

Iverson was already 30 years old at that time, and he could have completely given up the task of organizing the offense and focused on scoring.

Iguodala's talent lies in developing his offensive and defensive skills, and he can quickly adapt to the game.

Cheeks met Iverson in 96 when he first entered the NBA, and they had a good relationship.

After the discussion, Iverson accepted the suggestion, which would indeed help him improve his scoring efficiency and better compete with Kobe for the scoring title.

The management disagreed! Those people had their own ideas!

Cheeks encountered a very eccentric owner and a team doctor who could turn a minor illness into a serious injury with the Trail Blazers. He also encountered a group of incomprehensible management at his former team, the 76ers. Cheeks was truly exhausted. He didn't earn much more money than when he was the lead assistant coach, but he had many more problems!
...

After playing the 76ers, Yi Shui returned to New York with the team and rested for a day. On the 3rd, their third day of the new season arrived.

With matches every other day and constant travel, this schedule felt much more intense than the Olympics. Although the Olympics also featured matches every other day, at least the teams were always in the same city and the same stadium.

It didn't affect him much; he started extra training as soon as he got back to New York yesterday.

In the evening, after warming up, Yi Shui and his teammates entered the court together.

Looking at the opposing team's lineup, he felt that their management really wanted to improve, but they were just really unlucky.

During the offseason, the Bucks traded their still-unfinished lottery ticket to the Nets in exchange for Richard Jefferson, who averaged 22 points per game last season, giving the Bucks a significant boost at the small forward position.

The draft has its pros and cons. Joe Alexander was a bust, but the second-round pick, Bruins forward Luc Mbah a Moute, is a solid player right away.

Point Guards: Luke Ridnour, Ramon Sessions; Shooting Guards: Michael Reed, Charlie Bell; Small Forwards: Richard Jefferson, Luc Mbah a Moute; Power Forwards: Charlie Villanueva, Francisco Elson; Centers: Andrew Bogut, Dan Gazuric.

This roster is very competitive in the East, and the roster structure is also very good.

but!

Before the season even started, half of the 10 core rotation players were injured! Most importantly, three core players – Ridnour, Reed, and Bogut – were all injured, with Ridnour, who had the least serious injury, out for the first four weeks.

Before the game, Yi Shui exchanged a few pleasantries with his college senior, Villanueva, and the atmosphere was very harmonious. After the game started, Yi Shui led his team to give the Bucks, who were led by his senior that night, a sound beating!
Villanueva was forced into the role of primary scorer, but Reed and Ridnour were both injured, and while Sessions and Charlie Bell could attack with the ball, their scoring ability was not strong enough. Only the eyebrowless Villanueva was left to lead the attack.

On the Knicks' side, Curry, who performed exceptionally well the day before yesterday, faltered tonight. However, they had plenty of point guards, with Duhon and Chalmers, who was at his full potential when he entered the NBA, stepping up to fill the gaps. The former initiated the offense, while the latter facilitated shots, and both did a good job.

Yi Shui and David Lee took advantage of the opponent's weak interior defense and relentlessly attacked inside.

At 8:3 p.m., the game ended with the Knicks easily defeating the Bucks 107-94, achieving their third consecutive win to start the season!

易水17投10中，其中三分球1中1，加上7中7的罚球，拿到28分7板4助攻2抢断2盖帽。

After two games, he understood why D'Antoni wanted to 'review the opening game' with him. He scored 45 points in the first game, and all the opponents were watching him closely.

Tonight was no different. Every time he received the ball and prepared to attack, he saw the opposing players moving towards his path. Jefferson, who was guarding him, stuck to him and prevented him from shooting.

However, with their depleted roster, that's about all they can do. He can score easily when he's off the ball, unlike the 76ers' pseudo-zone defense with its four fastballs, which is much harder to deal with.

…After a day of rest, the Knicks' fourth day of competition arrived on the 5th.

When Yi Shui arrived at Madison Square Garden for training in the morning, he met another senior, Emeka Okafor, the first player in the history of the Husky team.

Why before Okafor? Because when the media ranked the most famous players in the history of the Huskies in the summer, they ranked Yi Shui, who won all three major awards in a single season, first.

Yi Shui wasn't really keen on chatting with Okafor; he felt the other was too cold.

But to his surprise, the other party talked to him for almost half an hour, talking about many things to pay attention to in the NBA and sharing a lot of experience.

When Yi Shui parted ways with her senior, she was completely confused. Was this the same Okafor who had called her last time? Or did this senior simply not like making phone calls?
What he didn't know was that in Okafor's eyes, he had an 'invisible label' on his head—a senior in college, guaranteed admission to graduate school, checkmark.

When it came to training, Yi Shui saw that the elementary school student who had only scored 5 points in 8 shots the day before yesterday was in much better form.

Besides the schedule being much more intensive than in college, Yi Shui estimated that Curry's weight was also a reason for his fluctuating performance. At only 80 kilograms, he was too thin. He remembered that Curry's peak weight was over 90 kilograms.

In the game against the 76ers, Curry guarded Andre Miller. Although he did a good job, he looked almost exhausted when he flew back to New York the next day.

If you have an idea, just say it. After the pre-game training session, Yi Shui mentioned this to Curry.

Curry replied, "I've talked to my dad about this too. He told me not to rush it, to get used to the intensity of the NBA first, and then to think about improving myself... He'll be coming to New York before Christmas. I'm looking at houses now. If you want to improve your three-point shooting then, you can come to my house. My dad is a great shooter."

Since there was a plan and 'legendary resources', Yi Shui wasn't worried about that anymore. He said, "I know, Dell Curry, the Hornets' all-time leading scorer and three-point leader... Do you have enough money to buy a house? If not, you can borrow from me."

Curry: "Aren't you afraid I'll borrow a huge sum of money and won't be able to pay it back?"

Yi Shui: "It's okay. Your salary and endorsement fees will be very high in the future. I believe you have the potential to be a top earner."

"Ha ha……"

Curry rolled his eyes, but a touch of emotion still welled up inside him.

"No need, the houses I've been looking at are all off the island. I also have an endorsement fee of 16 million over four years. Although it's not as much as yours and I can't afford a luxury house on the island, it's enough to buy a house off the island. If that's not enough, I can get a loan as an NBA player... Thanks!"

"Why thank me? Lending you money would definitely incur interest. Putting it in the bank or buying stocks wouldn't earn as much as lending it out. What a pity..."

Curry's forehead creased into a furrowed brow, and Curry, taking advantage of the moment, launched a sneak attack... only to have his head pinned down again...

The game between the Knicks and the Bobcats started at 6 p.m.

Before the game, the media predicted that this would be the toughest game for Yi Shui since entering the NBA.

Yi Shui himself felt it as soon as the match started.

Gerald Wallace was the primary defender against him, Jahlil Okafor was the rim protector, and Larry Brown was the Bobcats' head coach.

However, he and D'Antoni had already discussed a strategy to counter this – focusing on off-ball screens on the wings and fast breaks!

The Bobcats' defensive system is beginning to take shape, but their roster structure is terrible. Okafor's mobility has declined after his major injury, and he's now playing center. At power forward, they only have Adam Morrison and Juwan Howard... and these players are all terrible defenders.

If Yi Shui gets stuck with Gerald Wallace, and then tries to break in only to be caught in a pincer attack by Okafor and Gerald Wallace, he'll be in serious trouble.

But after setting a mid-range screen for David Lee on the wing, he used his "iron wall" to accelerate at full speed, and Okafor's rim protection was no match for him.

When D'Antoni heard Yi Shui say that he should set a screen for David Lee instead of using David Lee as a screen, he was completely confused.

But Yi Shui insisted, so he could only try it first, and if it didn't work, he would be more forceful and ask Yi Shui to play normally.

During the game, seeing Yi Shui steadily block Diaw and Juwan Howard, creating catch-and-shoot opportunities for David Lee, forcing Gerald Wallace to switch defense quickly, and giving Yi Shui better conditions to cut in... D'Antoni was impressed.

Although the Bobcats' defense failed to stop the Knicks, their offense, driven by Felton, Gerald Wallace, Okafor, and Jason Richardson, was excellent, resulting in an offensive battle with the Knicks and ultimately tying the score in the final moments!
Curry confidently launched a three-pointer, seemingly poised for a game-winning shot... but it missed.

but!

Yi Shui rushed to the left side of the three-second zone, circled around to Okafor who had judged the rebound's landing point, and grabbed the offensive rebound!

Facing the dunking champion blocking his way, Yi Shui immediately started, pushed past the opponent, grabbed the ball, took a step, and slammed the ball into the basket over Gerald Wallace, who was jumping under the basket!
It ignited the entire venue!

The game ended when Felton's drive to the basket and layup attempt against Curry was disrupted by Yi Shui, who had moved inside.

The Knicks narrowly defeated the Bobcats 111-109, extending their winning streak to four games!

After the final buzzer sounded, Yi Shui felt completely exhausted. He had played for 40 minutes tonight! The dunks and contests in the final moments were all purely instinctive. He had squeezed out every last bit of energy, but thankfully they won! Four consecutive wins to start the season!

(End of this chapter)