Champion, please stay!

Chapter 118, Section 116: The first month begins and ends in madness!
After playing back-to-back games, the Knicks had a day off. On November 29th, the last day of the Knicks' first game month arrived, and they hosted the Warriors at home.

This match garnered a lot of attention, with several television stations choosing to broadcast it additionally.

It has little to do with the strength of the two teams; it's just that fans think this match will definitely be exciting and generate a lot of discussion.

D'Antoni's fast-paced style vs. the mad scientist's classic run-and-gun offense!

The Knicks have played 15 games, with a record of 11 wins and 4 losses, averaging 110 points per game, ranking first in the league! The Warriors have played 16 games, with a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, averaging 109.5 points per game, ranking second in the league!

Both teams have a balanced distribution of points, with one player standing out in scoring.

Yi Shui of the Knicks averaged 27.6 points per game in 15 games; Monta Ellis of the Warriors averaged 23.3 points per game.

There are several players in each of them who average double-digit points per game.

Knicks: David Lee (15.8 points per game), Curry (14.2 points per game), Harrington (11.6 points per game), and Big Q (10.8 points per game).

勇士队：场均16.6分的斯蒂芬-杰克逊、场均14分的贾马尔-克劳福德、场均13.8分的马盖蒂、场均11.9分的安德烈-别德林斯、场均12.4分的新秀布兰登-拉什。

Even fans who don't follow these two teams closely will be curious about how they will perform when they see the stats in the match preview.

At 7:40 p.m., Yi Shui and his teammates entered the stadium.

He is also looking forward to this game and wants to experience the two different styles of run-and-gun offense firsthand.

He was also looking forward to the game against the Nuggets. It was a bit of a pity that Iverson and Anthony's "twin guns" were gone, but Billups' defensive counter-attacking style of play was stronger than before. The Nuggets came from behind and steadily suppressed the Trail Blazers, taking the top spot in the Northwest Division.

After the opening ceremony, the lights came on, and as D'Antoni and Nelson exchanged pleasantries, Yi Shui noticed that the mad scientist was looking in their direction... or rather, staring at Curry, still unwilling to give up?
For some reason, Yi Shui felt a little sour. Shouldn't she be even more resentful for not getting him?
Mad scientist: I was never going to choose you anyway, so what's there to be resentful about?

Elementary school students are different. They enter the draft a year early. Their physical talents are not favored by the media and scouts of various teams. They are not selected for the All-American First Team like they were in their junior year in the original timeline. Despite the high exposure from their 40+ point performance against Yi Shui, their draft expectations are only on the edge of the lottery, which is exactly within the Warriors' draft position range last season.

With none of the top 10 picks selecting Curry, Don Nelson, who had the 14th pick, was about to snatch him up. However, the Knicks used Randolph as trade bait to get the 11th pick and hijacked Curry's draft!
How could old Nelson accept this?

What upset him even more was that when Curry was "working out the whole league", he had already made a draft promise to Curry, but Curry was not interested in them and still went to New York for a tryout.

Finally, the 14th pick was used to select Brandon Rush, a 23-year-old rookie who has shown excellent immediate impact and performance. He has been averaging 12.4 points per game so far, which doesn't seem to be much different from Curry's 14.2 points per game.

However, this is almost Rush's limit. Scoring solely through the run-and-gun system makes him a substitute-level role player.

Curry's 14.2 points per game was dragged down by several games where he didn't score in double digits. What limits his consistent performance are areas that can be improved, such as his physical strength and stamina. When he's on fire, he can make five or six three-pointers and score more than 20 points! In addition, he also averages 5 assists per game!

However, during the offseason, when Curry signed a four-year, $16 million endorsement contract with the Knicks, which was higher than the fifth overall pick Mayo's three-year, $10 million contract and Westbrook's four-year, $14 million contract, only Yi Shui's $100 million contract and Rose's three-year, $15 million contract were higher, Nelson understood why Curry wanted to go to the Knicks more.

Mad Scientist: If I had known that the game would end badly, I would have quit my job at my old company and applied for a job in New York!
Don Nelson unconsciously tightened his handshake. D'Antoni: [_?]
...

The competition started at 8 p.m.

Knicks starting lineup: Curry, Q, Yi Shui, David Lee, Swift.

Warriors starting lineup: CJ Watson, Ellis, Brandon Rush, Stephen Jackson, Biedrins.

Biedrins beat Swift to win the jump ball, giving the Warriors the first possession!

Swift has lost jump balls before this season, but this is the first time he's lost to a white center.

The Knicks quickly retreated and settled into their defensive positions, their formation was well-organized, and overall, it seemed like they had established a defensive framework.

Ellis received the ball on the right side of the top arc, drove to the basket, drew a double team, and then passed the ball to Stephen Jackson. Jackson received the ball and passed it again, leaving Watson open at the top arc. Watson received the ball and took a three-pointer... and it went in!
In the transition between offense and defense, Yi Shui received the ball on the right side of the top arc, directly knocked Brandon Rush aside, and broke through, but was double-teamed in the right elbow area, and passed back to the free-throw line.

David Lee received the ball and passed it to the low post. Curry, without the ball, used Swift's screen to step into the left sideline of the three-second zone and took a floater... and it went in!
Both teams showcased their respective run-and-gun styles in their first attack.

At the same time, both teams' defenses were merely a framework, easily torn apart with just a couple more passes, leaving them completely exposed.

There was no room for probing; the two teams immediately launched into a fierce battle!
The Knicks had a clear advantage in scoring inside.

Whether Yi Shuichi or David Lee has the ball or not, the Warriors can't defend them and can only double-team them, which in turn leads to outside shots. They can even keep the defense on one side and create open shots for their guards on the other side.

The Warriors' outside shooting was also a clear advantage.

The starting lineup includes Watson, Rush, and Stephen Jackson, three players with a three-point shooting percentage of 40% or higher.

The bench also boasts shooting talents such as Jamal Crawford, Anthony Morrow, Kelana Azubuk, and Marco Belinelli.

Ellis, who started the game, and Maggette, who came off the bench, broke through to initiate the offense. Almost every outside shooter could pass the ball, and several players averaged 2+ assists per game. The outside shooting quickly got going, which in turn led to Biedrins, Brandon Wright, and other inside players receiving the ball.

The two teams' offensive battle drew gasps of excitement from the fans in this basketball mecca.

The most exciting part was the transition between offense and defense between the two teams.

Before his major injury, Ellis's greatest characteristic could be summed up in one word—speed!

Last season, in that high-scoring game between the Warriors and the Nuggets that didn't go into overtime, both players scored over 130 points. After the game, Iverson commented on Ellis: "Monta was amazing. Playing on the same court as him, I felt like an old man."

Although Iverson was only three months shy of his 33rd birthday at the time, he was still one of the fastest players in the league. His assessment was enough to prove just how fast Ellis was.

Ellis consistently manages to keep Knicks' defensive players inside during fast breaks, allowing him to pass the ball to the perimeter.

The Knicks' counterattack was just as sharp and fierce as the Suns' "mini twin towers" of Stoudemire and Marion back in the day!
Yi Shui charged forward, and even Biedrins, who retreated to the basket, couldn't stop him. He could only extend his defense to block, and Swift and Birdman, who were returning from two games of injury, followed up with fierce attacks.

This led to a surge in long-range shots from Curry, Big Q, and Duhon, who came off the bench.

Towards the end of the first quarter, Ellis drove into the paint, jumped over Yi Shui who was helping to defend, pulled up in mid-air, twisted his body like a pretzel, and made a low-handed floater... and it went in!
The Warriors have tied the game at 31-31!

In the transition between offense and defense, Yi Shui fell into the low post and relied on Brandon Wright to get the ball.

Seeing Yi Shui firmly pinning Wright behind him to receive the ball, the other Warriors players wanted to curse.

But they dared not double-team, as Curry at the top of the arc, Q at the right corner, Durant at the left 45-degree angle, and Birdman at the left elbow were all in position to receive the pass.

Crawford, Ellis, Belinelli, and Biedrins all dared not leave their defenders open.

The first three can catch the ball and shoot, while Birdman can catch the ball, take a step, and take off to dunk.

Yi Shui took a step, and Wright lowered his center of gravity as if he were in a horse stance, barely withstanding Yi Shui's impact. But after the first impact, Yi Shui suddenly turned and entered the basket. Wright got up and tried to follow, but it was too late. He could only watch as Yi Shui stepped to the other side of the basket and scored!
This low-post attack was actually just a regular post-up move from the outside, a turnaround drive, a baseline drive, and a reverse shot. The move looked quite standard, like something you'd just learned. But when combined with the center's strong drive, the visual effect was completely different!

With 17 seconds left, Ellis advanced to the frontcourt, running down the clock to just 8 seconds. He then initiated an attack with a pick-and-roll with Biedrins, shaking off the persistent Duhon and driving into the paint! The Knicks' close-range double-team was swift, but Birdman blocked him in time. Curry's timing on the wing was surprisingly good, giving Duhon time to cover for Crawford on the sideline.

But Ellis jumped up and passed the ball!

Biedrins cut through the middle, jumped up and slammed the ball toward the basket against Yi Shui who had received it under the rim... but at that moment, the fans in the arena cheered!
Yi Shui jumped up and slapped the ball accurately as Biedrins slammed it down!

A vertical jump block!

Belinelli got to the ball first near the top of the arc, but before he could shoot, the long whistle blew.

At the end of the first quarter, Yi Shui scored 14 points and 2 blocks in the quarter with a strong low-post attack and a rim protection block in the final moments, leading the Knicks to a 33-31 lead over the Warriors!
...

In the first quarter, both teams had already established their offensive rhythm and shooting touch.

Moreover, both teams' head coaches and players with high basketball IQ have gained a more intuitive understanding of each other's defensive habits and weaknesses.

In the second quarter, Yi Shui rested for 3 minutes before returning to the court.

The Warriors' physicality and defensive pressure are far less than they used to be. The Warriors team that upset the Mavericks back then had Baron Davis, Pietrus, and Matt Barnes on the perimeter. Now they only have Maggette, and Maggette is easily outmaneuvered and disappears in a flash.

Yi Shui played the full first quarter, which was less physically demanding than playing only 8 minutes in the first quarter of the previous back-to-back games against the Trail Blazers and Pistons.

The two teams continued to play a back-and-forth game.

Despite allowing a staggering 112 points per game and having the worst defense in the league, the Warriors' offense was absolutely phenomenal. Against the Knicks, whose defense wasn't much better, they went on a shooting spree.

The Knicks responded in kind with a fierce offense.

Both teams' offenses were even more intense than in the first quarter!
Towards the end of the second quarter, Crawford scored a long two-pointer against Curry. On the other end, Yi Shui received the ball and launched a strong counterattack, passing the ball to Curry, who responded with a three-pointer, answering Crawford's call!
单节34比32，半场打完，尼克斯队以67比63领先勇士队4分！
After halftime, the two teams switched halves and resumed play.

The battle continued, with both teams experiencing a slight dip in long-range shooting. Towards the end, the Knicks, thanks to their better inside shooting percentage, led 30-27 in the quarter, bringing the score to 97-90 and extending their lead to 7 points!
But with 33 seconds left, Crawford hit two consecutive three-pointers, dealing a heavy blow to his former team.

三节战罢，尼克斯队靠着易水连续三节得分上双、29分钟时间拿到36分，以97比96领先勇士队1分进入末节。

On the opposing team, a player scored in double figures for three consecutive quarters. Ellis played 32 minutes, shooting 13-for-21 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, for a total of 34 points!
Both players had a reliable receiving point. Curry made 4 three-pointers and scored 20 points, while Crawford made 5 three-pointers and also scored 20 points.

The fourth quarter began amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the fans in the stadium.

Yi Shui's playing time was well controlled in the second and third quarters. He rested for 3 and 4 minutes respectively, and his physical condition was very good. He started the game directly in the final quarter.

On the other hand, Ellis is currently at the level of physical prowess, able to play more than 40 minutes per game like Kobe, Iverson, and James. The score is close, keep going!

The Warriors took the first possession. Ellis used a screen to drive into the paint, jumped over Harrington and Swift, and made a layup... It went in, and he also drew a foul!

Yi Shui watched as Ellis made the free throw, bringing his score to 37 points, surpassing him by one point. He thought about how he had been blocked by his teammates when he went in earlier... There are gains and losses, after all. At least the two guys in the paint are much better at collapsing and protecting the rim than before.

But then he encountered Ellis, that folding monster.

Ellis's waist was compared to that of the old blacksmiths of the West Coast.

In the transition between offense and defense, Yi Shui received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the right side. Maggette, fearing he would be faked out, did not press forward. Yi Shui simply pulled up and shot... making his third three-pointer of the night!

With 39 points, Yi Shui has once again taken a two-point lead over Ellis!
The Knicks have regained a one-point lead, now 100-99!
Amid cheers and encouragement from the fans, the Knicks continued their back-and-forth battle with the Warriors.

Yi Shui and Ellis continued their duel, neither paying much attention to individual scores, their only goal being to score!

Aisley had Maggette and Biedrins cutting in to receive passes, while Yi Shui also had Swift and substitute David Lee attacking the basket, and Curry seizing opportunities at close range.

Ellis has Crawford, Stephen Jackson, and Belinelli coming off the bench for long-range shooting support, and Yi Shui... still has Curry connecting with long-range shots.

Although the Knicks don't have the same roster depth or a constant stream of perimeter rotation players as the Warriors, their overall offensive rhythm is better maintained, and they have Yi Shui!

The defense of both teams in the final quarter... completely disappeared. As the game drew to a close, both teams scored over 130 points, going even faster than in the first three quarters!
With 11 minutes and 33 seconds left in the game, David Lee received the ball close to the basket, faked a shot... Biedrins flew out, and David Lee drove into the paint and made a floater.

David Lee's score also rose to 20 points, making him the third Knicks player to score 20+!

The Knicks took a two-point lead at 135-133, leaving their opponents with only 23 seconds left!
But the Warriors didn't call a timeout! Stephen Jackson immediately retrieved the ball and inbounded it, and Ellis launched a strong counterattack!
The Knicks tried their best to stop him, but they couldn't. Ellis, who had been playing for more than 40 minutes, was still as fast as lightning. He drove straight to the basket and made a layup.

Ellis's score increased to 45 points, tying the score at 135-135, prompting the Knicks to call a timeout!
D'Antoni and his players shared the same idea – they needed three-pointers!

They actually held the initiative for a long time tonight, but the opposing perimeter players were too fast-paced. Yi Shui had already played 41 minutes, so they could only choose to shoot threes and then block the opponent's three-pointers. Overtime and being defeated by the buzzer were both unacceptable.

After the timeout, the lineup of DuHon, Curry, DaQ, Yi Shui, and Harrington came on.

For the Warriors, the lineup of Ellis, Brandon Rush, Azubuke, Stephen Jackson, and Biedrins was on the court, and Don Nelson also brought in his fastest and best defensive lineup.

The Knicks inbounded the ball from the center line. Duhon ran down the clock to just 8 seconds before passing the ball to Harrington at the top of the key, a result that surprised both Don Nelson and the TV commentators.

Moreover, Yi Shui pulled out to set a screen for Harrington!

Harrington broke through on the left after a screen, and Yi Shui moved to the right along the three-point line to screen for Ellis, who was chasing Curry. Harrington then passed the ball back to the top arc from the left side of the free-throw line.

Curry hit two more three-pointers in the final quarter, making 6 of 10 three-pointers in the game, tying his own record for most three-pointers made in a single game by a rookie from the 08 draft class.

Biedrins, who had switched from guarding Harrington to guarding Yi Shui, immediately rushed towards Curry who was using a screen. Ellis also went around Yi Shui to guard Curry, and even Stephen Jackson on the left side of the free throw line rushed over.

Curry is once again enjoying the same defensive treatment he received during his sophomore year's "March Madness" phase... Seize the opportunity and control the rhythm when passing the ball!

Yi Shui received the ball at a 45-degree angle on the right side. At that moment, the only Warriors player who noticed him was Azubuike, who had the best perimeter defensive awareness. He left Duhon open and rushed up from the right sideline towards the 45-degree angle, blocking Yi Shui's path!

But to Azubuk's surprise, his defensive intervention did not make Yi Shui tense or flustered at all. Instead, he seemed to see a 'surprise' flash across the other party's face.
There was no time for Azubuk to think. Yi Shui received the ball and jumped immediately. Azubuk also jumped and tried his best to interfere... but the difference in height and wingspan was too great, and it did not affect Yi Shui's movements at all.

Just as the ball was leaving the Yi River, flying to its highest point and about to fall, the final whistle blew.

"Iron wall" means that after setting a screen, it's easier to find your shooting touch when you break up the defense and get open for a shot.

The "high tower sniper" technique involves catching the ball and jumping to shoot without dribbling, significantly compensating for any loss of rhythm.

This time I was lucky; the second phase of 'Tower Sniper' was surprisingly effective and triggered!
With his buffs fully stacked, Yi Shui received the ball and pulled up for a three-pointer that went straight into the basket!
The cheers and shouts from the fans at the stadium were deafening!

But not for this game-winning shot, but rather...

On the big screen, Yi Shui's stats were displayed. Before this play, Yi Shui already had 47 points, plus that buzzer-beating three-pointer... 50 points in a single game!
(End of this chapter)