Champion, please stay!

Chapter 246, Section 244: The Strongest Form of Sudden Stream Diversion

However, the Cavaliers' playing style has also changed drastically!

Before Jamison joined, the Cavaliers allowed only 94.6 points per game in 38 games, making them one of the top seven defensive teams in the league with fewer than 95 points allowed, alongside the Spurs, Bobcats, Hawks, Grizzlies, Magic, and Pacers. When O'Neal was on the court, they were number one.

But now, the Cavaliers are allowing an average of 96 points per game in 56 games!
Yesterday, when Yi Shui was looking at the Cavaliers' scouting report, it noted that the Cavaliers had allowed an average of 98.95 points per game in their last 18 games, and their defensive efficiency ranked only twelfth in the league over the past month.

During this period, the Cavaliers' offense also declined, averaging only 101 points per game in 18 games, bringing the average of 104.3 points per game in the first 38 games down to the current average of 103.2 points per game.

Their net point differential dropped from a league-leading 9.7 points per game to 7.2 points per game, placing them third in the league, behind the Knicks' 7.6 points per game and the Magic's 7.5 points per game.

The Cavaliers had a 5-8 record at one point, then collapsed in the middle of the season, and only stopped their losing streak with a recent 5-game winning streak.

During their five-game winning streak, the Cavaliers averaged 105 points per game and allowed 97.8 points per game. The downward trend in their scoring average stopped and started to rise again, but they did not control their point allowance and it continued to increase. They are becoming less and less like a playoff team.

To be honest, this time, Yi Shui felt that the Cavaliers' management really screwed over King and Shaq.

During the pre-game greetings, although James still went through the motions in front of the cameras, he was noticeably more perfunctory than when he had played here before.

During this year's All-Star Weekend, Yi Shui's attempt to steal the main attacker position completely severed ties with LeBron James.

However, Yi Shui thought it was a good thing. He was the kind of person who responded better to gentle persuasion than force.

After James stopped putting on airs as the 'top endorser of a sneaker brand,' 'league leader,' and 'senior,' he greeted people with a smile. He couldn't bring himself to refuse and had to engage in meaningless social interactions with the other party.

...

The pre-match preparation time has ended, and both teams have started their respective teams on the field.

Cavaliers starting lineup: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, James, Jamison, JJ Hickson.

Knicks starting lineup: Curry, Hughes, Yi Shui, David Lee, Ben Wallace.

Yi Shui arrived on the field and looked at the two tasks related to James.

On his road to the scoring title, he is currently trailing 31-35 and has three more matches to play, which will be quite challenging.

'Royal Power' has already won once in regular season matchups against James to gain a competitive advantage; they need to win at least two more times.

At 8 p.m., the game started. Yi Shui narrowly defeated Hickson and won the jump ball, giving the Knicks the first possession!

The Cavaliers' lineup retreated incredibly quickly on defense, successfully pushing the Knicks into half-court sets. They played very aggressively in those sets, but...
As D'Antoni analyzed in the pre-game meeting, the Cavaliers' defense has become very simple – pressure defense, double-teaming, and collapsing defense are the three main tactics, nothing else.

The team's defense—which previously included Hickson sweeping up mid-range and close-range shots, O'Neal protecting the rim, two guards covering long-range shots and chasing down shooters, and James connecting the inside and outside—is gone!
Curry and Ben Wallace set a pick-and-roll to initiate the offense, Curry drove to the right side of the paint and passed the ball.

Yi Shui received the ball on the left side after using David Lee's screen to get around to the free-throw line. Facing Jamison's switch defense, Yi Shui took the initiative to step up, cut the space first, and drove straight to the basket.

James made a good defensive decision this time, actively retreating to the basket and holding off Yi Shui's drive... but he still couldn't stop him, and Yi Shui forced a layup and scored under pressure!
The ball went in, but Yi Shui thought Mike Brown was really amazing.

With O'Neal injured, most coaches will likely use Zydrunas Ilgauskas as the starting center to maintain height.

However, with Jamison as the starting power forward, it was destined that the team would not be able to execute a regular half-court defense unless paired with a center like Howard, Yao Ming, Duncan, or a younger O'Neal who had the ability to independently protect the rim.

During the previous 5-8 period, Mike Brown clearly realized the problem, and after O'Neal was sidelined with injury, he stopped using Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The Cavaliers' opening defense was simple but aggressive, employing a switch-everything strategy, though their rim protection was somewhat lacking.

When it was the Cavaliers' turn to attack, James, facing Yi Shui's defense, did not drive directly to the basket. Instead, he used Hickson's screen to initiate the attack with a pick-and-roll.

Curry collapsed to the wing, joining Ben Wallace in double-teaming James.

James passed the ball to Mo Williams, who faced Hughes' help defense and then passed it again... Anthony Parker was left wide open at the right 45-degree angle, caught the ball and hit a three-pointer!

The Cavaliers' offense was incredibly simple. It looked like their offense took 16 seconds to execute, and the pace wasn't fast, but it was purely about pushing the ball up and down.

In the actual tactical coordination phase, one star, one screen, three throws—that's it!

But like their defense, the Cavaliers' offense was simple, yet direct and effective.

Jamison, a top-tier inside shooter with an average of 20 points per game, spreads the floor as wide as possible, and he and the two guards are both capable of passing. The pick-and-roll between James and Hickson is the simplest way to attack the basket on two fronts... forcing the Knicks' defense to resort to simple double-teaming and help defense!
The Knicks coach had anticipated this situation, as the Cavaliers' opponents in the past five games had also encountered the same predicament.

D'Antoni's strategy in response was to attack!

Their defense is average; even with Chandler, they only consistently rank in the middle.

But when it comes to scoring, the Suns and Nuggets are going head-to-head with them, so why would they be afraid of the Cavaliers?

After one quarter of the game, the fans in the stadium had a great time.

The Cavaliers scored 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, plus 3-of-5 from the free-throw line, showcasing their skills with drives to the basket, three-pointers, and fast-break dunks.

The Knicks shot 12-for-22, including only 1-for-3 from three-point range. The Cavaliers used Jamison and Hickson as their twin towers for most of the first quarter, along with James, and extended their help defense very far out, leaving the Knicks with very few three-point opportunities.

However, Yi Shui and David Lee, along with substitutes Chandler, Gibson, and Birdman, all put in a lot of effort to attack the basket, scoring 33 points in a single quarter with 8 out of 10 free throws, tying the game with the Cavaliers!
Mike Brown initially intended to play Jamison and Hickson for the entire first quarter, seeing the Knicks' offense flourishing both inside and outside tonight. However, both players were fouled out by the Knicks' relentless attacks on the paint and were substituted at the end of the quarter.

The Knicks, trailing 24-29 by 5 points, rallied with a 9-4 run in the final two minutes to tie the game. The only three-pointer they made came after the Cavaliers substituted Varejao in.

Although they managed to tie the score, the pressure on Yishui has increased significantly.

This is the first time we've encountered the Cavaliers' extreme drive-and-kick style of play, and we really don't have a good counter-strategy; we can only go head-to-head with them!

Mo Williams, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Antawn Jamison... even backup forwards Jawad Williams and Darrell Jackson can all hit three-pointers.

If the intensity of the confrontation cannot be increased further, and any more aggressive moves are considered fouls, there is really no way to defend against it.

In the second quarter, the Cavaliers built an advantage, led by James' pick-and-roll and drive-and-kick strategy!

单节20投11中、其中三分球9中5、加上7中4的罚球，单节再轰30+，拿到31分！
For the Knicks, their offense was decent at the rim in this quarter, but their long-range shooting was terrible. They only made 8 of 21 shots, including 1 of 6 three-pointers, and with 8 of 11 free throws, they only managed 25 points.

This is precisely why the Knicks initially wanted to use David Lee, Duhon, and draft picks as trade bait to acquire Hamilton and Haywood.

Aside from Yi Shui and Curry, the Knicks' other wing shooters are still a bit weak. The best one is Webster, but Webster's footwork is too slow. Against the Cavaliers' dynamic and versatile transition defense, he was severely limited.

詹姆斯半场打了22分钟，9投6中、加上6中4的罚球，拿到16分4板7助攻1盖帽，率领骑士队以64比58领先尼克斯队6分！
However, in the third quarter, the Cavaliers' long-range shooting cooled off, and the situation reversed!
易水第三节8投4中、加上4中4的罚球，拿到12分2助攻，率队延续了上半场的进攻火力，拿到27分。

For the Cavaliers, James stepped up, scoring 13 points in the quarter, one more than Yi Shui, but he only made 5 of 12 shots and 3 of 5 free throws to get those points. The team had 23 offensive possessions in the third quarter, and he accounted for 14 of them, while the team only scored 24 points.

After three quarters, the Knicks narrowed the score to 85-88, reducing the gap to 3 points!
In the final quarter, the Cavaliers' long-range shooting touch began to return. Jamison, Delonte West, and Anthony Parker were indeed impressive shooters, and James's drive-and-kick offense using pick-and-rolls with Hickson or Jamison came alive again.

But this time the Cavaliers were unable to capitalize on their advantage!

The Knicks, who made 3 of 12 three-pointers in the first three quarters, finally found their shooting touch in the final quarter!

Chalmers, Hughes, and Barnes combined for 2 of 4 three-pointers in the first half of the fourth quarter, forcing the Cavaliers to spread their defense even wider!

前半节两队打成18比18平，尼克斯队以103比106落后骑士队3分进入官方暂停。

After the timeout, the two teams entered a period of star player competition, and the Knicks began to take control.

Yi Shui, Curry, and David Lee launched a fierce one-on-one attack, overwhelming Mo Williams, James, and Jamison!
In terms of one-on-one offensive ability on paper, the three Knicks players might not be as strong as the three Cavaliers players.

The former was able to outmaneuver the latter because Yi Shui and others focused on one-on-one offense while their teammates moved around, whereas the Cavaliers focused on one-on-one offense while their wing shooters and weak-side cutters were waiting to score easy baskets.

官方暂停后的5分多钟时间，尼克斯队打出了13比9的比分，打到11分33秒，靠着易水高位背打詹姆斯转身后仰跳投命中，尼克斯队以116比115反超骑士队1分。

The Cavaliers called a timeout with only 27 seconds left!
Mike Brown brought in four of their best three-point shooters of the night: Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, and Antawn Jamison, along with LeBron James, creating an ultimate lineup of one star and four shooters.

D'Antoni substituted Duhon, Hughes, Barnes, Yi Shui, and Chandler.

After the timeout, the Cavaliers had possession in the frontcourt. James received the ball, and the other four Cavaliers players spread out to the left and right corners and the 45-degree angle, creating ample space.

James opened up a large gap against Yi Shui's defense, running down the clock.

With 6 seconds left on the shot clock, James started his drive.

Everyone on both teams thought James would respond to Yi Shui's earlier fadeaway jumper by driving in for a powerful shot. But James took two steps, grabbed the ball, and lobbed it to West... West saw the ball coming and didn't even have time to react before reaching out to catch it, only to have it snatched away by the quick-thinking Hughes!
Yi Shui had already retreated to the free-throw line, ready to go one-on-one with James' footwork when he attacked the basket, but unexpectedly the opponent passed the ball.

He instinctively launched his charge!

'Charge Ahead' was triggered, and Yi Shui started at top speed, rushing towards the frontcourt from James' side!
James, forgetting to berate West, quickly chased after him.

Hughes rushed out to the three-point line first, but couldn't outrun the two number one draft picks, so he slowed down, seized the opportunity, and passed the ball...

Yi Shui rushed to the free-throw line, received Hughes' precise lob pass, took a step and jumped!
James reached out and grabbed Yi Shui's jersey, but couldn't stop him. Yi Shui made a layup, the referee blew the whistle, and James was called for a foul for pulling.

Yi Shui's goal stands, but an additional penalty is due!

The fans in the stadium cheered wildly. Before Yi Shui even stepped to the free throw line, the chants for MVP had already begun.

Yi Shui greeted his excited teammates who rushed over, giving them high-fives and hugs... He even heard James angrily rebuking West—"You ran two steps towards the top of the arc and you were open..."

Yi Shui agreed with this assessment. He and others had all agreed that James would definitely drive to the basket. If West had simply taken two steps up from the 45-degree angle, he would have had an open shot and wouldn't have been dispossessed by Hughes. But…

Amidst the deafening MVP chants from the crowd, Yi Shui made the free throw, prompting the Cavaliers to call a timeout. Mo Williams received an inbound pass from James but missed a three-pointer, ending the game.

首节7分、第二节10分、第三节12分、末节13分，易水27投14中，其中三分球3中1，加上14中13的罚球，拿到42分11板5助攻2抢断2盖帽！

He scored 5 consecutive points in the final moments, leading the Knicks to a 119-115 victory over the Cavaliers!
After the final whistle blew, Yi Shui received a mission progress notification.

'Royal Power' is now 2-0; 'Road to the Top' is 73-75, trailing by two points.

易水关掉系统，看了眼大屏幕，詹姆斯今晚31投15中，加上14中10的罚球，拿到40分8板12助攻2盖帽。

If it weren't for those two last-minute goals, King would have widened the gap again!

After celebrating with his teammates, Yi Shui gave a post-match interview.

"You guys were chasing the Cavaliers the whole night and only won in the last moments. How would you rate the Cavaliers' performance tonight?"

Yi Shui glanced at the station logo; it was his own TV station. No wonder he asked that.

It is only worthwhile to defeat a strong opponent.

He replied, "This is the toughest game we've played against the Cavaliers in a year. They've found a way to play that works perfectly with the James-Jantison frontcourt duo..."

As Yi Shui was speaking, he suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Sir Barkley is right. The Cavaliers are even better without Shaq. If we hadn't been lucky and the other team made a mistake at the end, we would definitely have lost tonight."

In a long-term rental villa on the outskirts of Kecun City, a 300-pound fat man threw the remote control at the television.

He was originally going to jump out and say, "The Cavaliers can't beat the Knicks without me," but how can he keep up that act now? Shaq roars!

The reporter was taken aback by Yi Shui's comment and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

He has such a broad mind; he was criticized by Shaq a few times during the offseason, and he still remembers it!
Following up on Yi Shui's words, the reporter asked, "Tonight's game was your worst defensive performance this month. Do you think the Cavaliers will be your strongest opponent on your road to the Finals?"

Yi Shui quickly reviewed the game and honestly said, "The Cavaliers have the best ball-handling core, excellent pick-and-roll players, and so many great role players and shooters. Their tactical goals are clear and their execution is strong. When they are in a good mood, no one can stop them from scoring... I really look forward to facing the Cavaliers again in the playoffs."

Instead of giving a direct answer, the reporter cut to the chase and asked the controversial question: "James chose to pass the ball on the last possession, but ended up making a mistake. What's your take on his final offensive decision?"

Yi Shui replied, "Maybe I defended too well? I didn't lose my position at the time, and I was confident I could disrupt his shot."

Every player has their own way of handling clutch situations. Perhaps James needs a teammate like Steve Kerr or Robert Horry, someone who can make the shot when the shot clock is almost up.

"So, if you were in the same situation, what would you choose?"

"Of course I'll vote..."

...

The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers, securing their fifth consecutive win and bringing their record to 46 wins and 11 losses.

They also ended the Cavaliers' five-game winning streak.

After the game, Cavaliers fans and Knicks fans had a heated argument.

In terms of media attention, the Cavaliers are no match for the Knicks.

But the Cavaliers' individual fighting spirit was truly formidable; even the New York fans, known for their trash talk, couldn't out-argue them!
The main reason is that James played really well in this game. Although his shooting percentage was a bit low in the second half, making only 9 of 22 shots, his overall shooting percentage was still acceptable. He was just two rebounds away from a 40+ triple-double.

Furthermore, James genuinely led his team to dominate the Knicks in regulation time, only falling behind during the star-studded duel.

Some media outlets have also commented on this – James played 46 minutes tonight, he was too tired, it's not his fault that he couldn't win one-on-one.

James' fans wholeheartedly agree with this view.

As for the final game-winning pass error... it's all West's fault for not being prepared to receive the ball.

Based on this logic, James' fans furiously cursed Yi Shui for his "sarcastic" remarks during the post-game interview.

Fortunately, while New York fans didn't gain the upper hand in the online arguments, they didn't fall too far behind either, with the verbal exchanges going back and forth.

The next day, April 1st, a new month began.

This morning, the league also announced the latest Players of the Week and Players of the Month awards.

Player of the Week.

东部：易水，3战全胜，场均36分9.3板4.3助攻1.6抢断3盖帽，3战2次40+。

Western Conference: Roy, undefeated in 3 games, averaging 25.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 steals, pushing the Thunder back to ninth place in the West.

Coach of the Month: Eastern Conference: Larry Brown; Western Conference: Nate McMillan.

月最佳新秀，东部：篮网队的泰伦斯-威廉姆斯，10场比赛场均13.1分7.6板；西部：森林狼队的埃文斯，10场比赛场均21分5.6板6.3助攻。

Player of the Month.

东部：易水，8胜2负，场均33.3分8.7板4.1助攻1.9抢断2.9盖帽。

西部：斯塔德迈尔，8胜3负，场均24.1分8板2助攻2盖帽。

Once the award was announced, Cavaliers fans went wild, intensifying their verbal battles with New York fans.

In their opinion, James should have won both Player of the Week and Player of the Month awards.

詹姆斯2月份9场比赛，场均33.9分8板9助攻1.9抢断1盖帽，数据明显比易水更好。

骑士队2月份5胜4负是差了点，但命中率51%+36%，比易水的46%+35%高！
In the five days since the All-Star break, "Little Zhou" has had two triple-doubles and one near triple-double with 40+ points, averaging 34 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists per game. His stats are better than Yi Shui's, with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss. Although he lost to Yi Shui head-to-head, his stats in head-to-head matches are still better than Yi Shui's.

New York fans really can't refute this forced comparison, because Yi Shui's shooting percentage in February was indeed average, especially his three-point shooting, averaging 2.2 out of 6.2 attempts per game, a mere 35.5%.

Most of the Knicks' opponents this month have excellent three-point defense capabilities.

The 76ers, Nets, Pacers, Bucks, Spurs, Rockets, Mavericks, Heat, Hawks, Cavaliers... only the 76ers, Nets, and Heat have poor long-range defense. The other 7 teams' defensive strategy is to block the paint and three-pointers, and allow mid-range shots.

Yi Shui had some bad luck at the beginning of the month when playing against the 76ers and Nets, and his shooting touch was poor. The only game he did well in the whole month was against the Heat, where he made 4 out of 7 three-pointers. In the other games, he made one and missed two.

But Cavaliers fans have already 'putted aside the 5-4 record,' and New York fans have also raised their firepower, focusing their criticism on James's reluctance to shoot crucial shots and his passing to West.

The fans are arguing so loudly, and the media is also fueling the flames, making the conflict even more heated, because the Knicks and Cavaliers are playing each other back-to-back games!
On March 2nd, the Knicks traveled to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on the road.

This back-to-back game between the two teams across the month was a highlight matchup specially arranged by the league. The game the day before yesterday was intense and exciting, with special highlights in the final moments. Although tonight's game is being played in Cleveland, the fan attention and paid subscription viewership are even higher than the day before yesterday!
Despite the Knicks' eight-game winning streak against the Cavaliers, their practice this morning was even more serious and focused than the day before.

Because they felt from their direct confrontations that the Cavaliers, with their current style of play, were truly capable of defeating them!
They will expect the Cavaliers' outside shooters to underperform, but they won't pin their hopes on that; instead, they will focus on improving their own team's long-range shooting percentage.

At 8 p.m., the two teams faced off for the third time this season. The game started in a way that surprised Yi Shui and his team. The Cavaliers played like they did in the last two games of last season's playoffs!

(End of this chapter)