Champion, please stay!

Chapter 255, Section 253. A Battle of Speed? We've never been afraid of anyone!
Even D'Antoni, who devised the new strategy and boldly executed it, did not expect that they could actually achieve a draw!

After returning from a six-game away game, when making overall plans for the upcoming series of home games, his initial intention was to go all out against star players.

Judging from the impressions they give, the Celtics are like the old version of the Grizzlies, both prioritizing a tough, gritty style and having similar defensive approaches. The Celtics have Garnett, and the Grizzlies have Marion, both having a dominant center behind them.

The difference lies in the fact that the Celtics emphasize team offense, while the Grizzlies are determined to challenge their three rising stars.

The inspiration for the new strategy came from D'Antoni looking at the Celtics' full roster. The youngest of the Big Three, Pierce, was 32 years old, and his scoring, rebounding, and assists were all at their lowest levels since his rookie year... This led to the idea of ​​playing a protracted war of attrition.

Another reason is Garnett. D'Antoni is worried that Garnett might regain his former form in the playoffs.
That's Garnett! If he really wants to get back into form, he should go toe-to-toe with the Celtics' stars in the playoffs, just like how badly the Lakers fared in Game 6 of the 08 Finals.

We need to be better prepared and make more attempts. Anyway, they have a big advantage in the current record, so we can be bold.

The strategy of "sustained attrition warfare" is not particularly strong, but it is difficult to find an effective countermeasure. The main goal is to annoy the opponent. If you don't use your core lineup to suppress them, they may break down your defenses. If you do suppress them, they will continue to wear you down...

D'Antoni's original goal was to drag the game to the crucial moment and let Yi Shui deal with Pierce one-on-one. As long as he could drag it to that point, he was very confident.

Unexpectedly, they managed an 11-0 run for two minutes in the first quarter...

The Celtics have many defensive stalwarts, but none of them can match Yi Shui's skills! Last season, Garnett's athleticism was still at the tail end of his peak, so this problem wasn't exposed... D'Antoni felt there was more room for maneuver.

In the early hours of the morning, D'Antoni returned home, unable to sleep, and browsed the pages of the basketball experts he subscribed to.

Last night's match garnered a lot of attention, with most experts updating their columns overnight. The hype is fleeting.

The experts he subscribed to were all relatively unknown but professional ones who analyzed the matches themselves and discussed strategies, which made him feel great.

However, people can focus on completely different aspects of the same thing.

When D'Antoni opened basketball portals and forums, he saw that the direction of reporters' reports and the points of discussion among fans were all about Embiid becoming another player, after Kobe, to have more than 20 40+ point games in a single season!

Comparing the scoring abilities of Jordan, Kobe, and Yi Shui, predict how many 40+ point games Yi Shui will achieve this season, and analyze the potential scoring heights Yi Shui can reach in the future…

At this moment, D'Antoni felt somewhat aggrieved and heartbroken. The coach's efforts are always overlooked, and he only feels most prominent when he is scapegoated.

But he was also happy.

Without Yi Shui, even if he had won the top seed in the East, he probably would have had a hard time finding a target to exploit when facing an opponent like the Celtics in the playoffs.

In star-studded battles and sustained wars of attrition, you need a superstar who can tear apart the opponent's defense and score consistently.

Otherwise, he would end up like he did when he coached the Suns and faced the Spurs, forced to rely on run-and-gun offense to contend with the Spurs.

Even with Nash and Stoudemire, he wouldn't dare to compete with the Spurs' star players; neither of them could break through the Spurs' defense one-on-one.

Of course, back then, it wasn't just the Suns who didn't dare to compete with the Spurs in terms of star power. Apart from the team with Timberwolves, no other team dared to compete; to compete would mean losing.

The reason? Duncan.

The first 11 years of Duncan's career were the peak of his personal abilities, excluding his rookie season and the 99-00 season when he was sidelined with a season injury.

In the other nine seasons, Duncan won four championships, defeating players like Zion Williamson, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O'Neal before he fully developed, and the Shaq-Kobe duo during their slump after the three-peat.

没拿到冠军的5个赛季，01年、02年、04年、08年输给了湖人队。

In those nine seasons, the only playoff series where they weren't defeated by Nowitzki was in the second round against the Mavericks in 9. In the final moments of regulation time during Game 06, the Spurs were leading the Mavericks 104-101. Nowitzki attacked the basket inside, and Ginobili inexplicably fouled him, resulting in Nowitzki completing a 2+1 play, forcing the game into overtime, and ultimately leading to a comeback victory for the Spurs.

In other words, in those years, as long as Duncan didn't get injured and Manu Ginobili didn't go on a rampage in Game 7, the Spurs were invincible in the playoffs, except when they faced the Lakers.

...

D'Antoni couldn't sleep at night and kept refreshing the news, and so did Yi Shui...

After scoring 40+ points against the Nets, he wondered when he could score 40+ points again, and unexpectedly, he did it just one day later, against the Celtics.

However, while browsing the news, he came across another topic—the Celtics are a boon for Embiid's rebounding.

Last night, in addition to his 41 points, he also had 15 rebounds and 3 assists.

He has had at least 15 rebounds in 4 games this season. In addition to a career-high 21 rebounds against the Cavaliers, the other 3 games were against the Celtics.

The next day at noon, Yi Shui arrived in Toronto with the team, rested for a night, and played against the Raptors on the 20th.

With Bosh sidelined tonight, the Raptors couldn't put up a fight at all.

In the first two quarters, the Knicks scored 38 and 40 points respectively, playing casually and their defense was also casual. Even though the Raptors scored 27 points in the first quarter, 33 points in the second quarter, and 60 points in the first half, the Knicks still maintained an 18-point lead.

In the third quarter, after playing for more than four minutes, Yi Shui was substituted. After focusing on both offense and defense, they started with a 14-4 run, directly widening the gap to 28 points.

易水出战26分钟，15投9中、其中三分球7中5，加上3中3的罚球，易水拿到26分7板3助攻1抢断2盖帽。

D'Antoni originally wanted Yi Shui to rack up some points; wouldn't three consecutive 40+ point games be great? Wouldn't a triple-double be better?
As a result, this guy passed the ball to Curry, Chalmers, and David Lee, while he stood on the sideline as a catch-and-shoot player, and almost all of his shots were catch-and-shoots. He was even happy because he made 5 three-pointers.

The fast break reached the frontcourt, but there was no one in front of them. Seeing Swift coming up, they didn't dunk, but jumped up, did a 360-degree turn, and passed the ball to Swift for a 360-degree alley-oop...

Having seen so many fast breaks in the last two years, D'Antoni is finding it a bit hard to adjust.

However, seeing how much fun the whole team was having, he had to admit that Yi Shui had great talent in basketball, including how to lead a team.

The score in the third quarter was 32-20, and the score in the final quarter was 28-36.

The Knicks ultimately defeated the Raptors 138-116!
With a record of 55 wins and 12 losses, the Knicks became the first team this season to achieve 55 wins!

For the Raptors, the best player tonight was rookie DeRozan.

27投14中，加上8中8的罚球，拿到赛季新高的36分。

Although half of his points came in the final quarter during garbage time, that mid-range shot was truly beautiful, showcasing his slender physique and perfect form.

Curry was frustrated by DeRozan. He finished his shift after three quarters, having scored 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-9 from three-point range, plus 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. This was the highest score in the game, surpassing Yi Shui's performance.

I can't believe this newbie threw it 13 times in the last minute!
They shouldn't have acted like All-Stars...

Then on the 22nd and 23rd, the Knicks faced off in a back-to-back series, alternating between home and away games.

22号来到拉瑟福德镇路航球馆，以116比93轻取篮网队，这次没什么意外，就正常赢了，易水22投12中、其中三分球4中2、加上10中9的罚球，拿到35分8板6助攻3抢断1盖帽，基本上算赛季平均表现。

Back on the 23rd, in a back-to-back game at home, the Knicks suffered a heartbreaking 101-108 defeat to the Bucks, ending their four-game winning streak.

There are two reasons for this loss. One is that the Bucks played really well tonight, with their wing shooters hitting their shots and the team making 14 three-pointers. The other is that the Knicks had their own physical problems.

From the 15th to the 23rd, in 9 days, there will be 6 matches, including two back-to-back games, and most of the opponents will be strong teams. The schedule is too intense.

The Knicks only scored 43 points in the first half, and because they didn't extend their defense in time enough, the Bucks got hot and scored 55 points in the first half. Even though they rebounded in the second half and scored 58 points, they still couldn't stop the Bucks from getting hot.

Yi Shui fared much worse, marking his fifth game of the season with 20 missed shots. He made 14 of 35 field goals, including 2 of 10 three-pointers, plus 6 of 8 free throws, scoring 36 points. 20 of those shots came in the first half, when his teammates couldn't get into position and just watched him, so he had to take the blame, forcing shots while surrounded by opponents...

He also received a technical foul. At the start of the fourth quarter, when Bogut was positioning himself under the basket, he deliberately elbowed Bogut in the head. Bogut responded by swinging his forearm across Bogut's neck, knocking him over, which naturally led to a conflict.

It's worth mentioning that Barnes, who usually doesn't get along with anyone, was the first to throw Yi Shui behind him after the conflict started, almost sending Yi Shui tumbling down onto his buttocks.

It was a pity for Curry, who was on the sidelines at the time. He was ejected simply because he stood up after the conflict and put one foot on the sideline...

After the game, Yi Shui saw that New York fans were all wishing the Bucks could defeat the Bobcats or the Heat and make it into the playoffs, preferably the eighth seed.

The feud is now established, but Jennings is caught in the crossfire, being boycotted and criticized by New York fans along with Bogut.

This time, Yi Shui didn't use a smurf account to join in the fun, after all, they lost... but he also wanted to meet the Bucks in the playoffs.

After playing six games in nine days, the Knicks got two days of rest.

On the 24th, a holiday, the 08 cohort had a meal together and discussed the progress of their functional beverage brand preparation.

This elementary school student is amazing! He managed to secure investment from Michelle Obama, the wife of the current president of the United States.

The company has also found a partner to invest in a beverage brand under the Future Foundation and establish an independent sub-brand. The current chairman of the Future Foundation is former NBA player Shareef Rahim.

In their free time, they frequent upscale venues and are keen to attend cocktail parties with Dolan or Walsh. The elementary school students have actually gained some valuable experience.

Yi Shui, Chalmers, and David Lee, who actively participated, will all invest in the company through capital or endorsements.

This Yi Shui project was handled by the team, and the product quality control was also entrusted to the team to find professionals. He only needed to provide funding or shoot advertisements; he didn't need to worry about it.

After a full day of rest at home, on the 25th, the preparation day, Yi Shui felt that his teammates' condition had obviously improved.

But the upcoming schedule is not easy, with 4 matches in 6 days at the end of the month!
Moreover, the opponents in the four games are the Cavaliers, Magic, Jazz, and Lakers!

The schedule was easy in November and December last year, allowing us to easily handle the start of the season, but we'll have to pay the price later.

...

On the 26th, the eyes of the media and fans were focused on the holy land of basketball.

The Knicks will host the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the season tonight.

The league scheduled the matchup between the two teams after the All-Star Weekend in an attempt to steal some of the limelight from the NCAA by using the topic of the 'best number one draft pick'.

They did manage to snag one, but the attention they received wasn't what Stern had anticipated.

During that back-to-back game between the two teams that spanned two months, the Knicks almost completely crushed the Cavaliers!
全明星周末前后5连胜的骑士队，在打尼克斯队两连败后，10场比赛仅取得5胜5负的战绩，战绩已经下滑到44胜24负了。

Recent news about the Cavaliers has been all about internal strife, arguments, and LeBron James carrying the team forward...

Before the match between the two teams, the pre-game discussions were no longer about a basketball game. The media and fans engaged in all sorts of comparisons, rumors, and whitewashing, even dragging in other star players. The fans' arguments turned into military strategy, creating a chaotic and unpleasant atmosphere.

This is not the kind of attention Stern wanted to see.

However, casual fans who were just watching the spectacle discussed a very simple topic, purely about the game – how many points would the Knicks beat the Cavaliers this time?
At 7:40 p.m., the players' entrance ceremony began at Madison Square Garden.

When the Cavaliers entered the arena, the fans were very enthusiastic, with most of them chanting "king," though in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

After the opening ceremony, Yi Shui saw a group of fans holding up a sign that read "James VS Knicks" in the fourth or fifth row directly opposite the scorer's table.

New Yorkers are awful!
Yi Shui looked towards the away team's bench and, sure enough, many players were eyeing the banner.

He saw O'Neal calling the Cavaliers players together and saying something loudly.

He crept up to the technical table, pretending to apply magnesium powder, but actually eavesdropping.

Shaquille O'Neal is rallying his teammates to unite... The Big Diesel really wants his fifth championship! He's genuinely concerned about Kobe tying his number of titles last season!

When comparing the older generation of superstars, what they care about most is still the number of championships they have won.

Yi Shui thought about how miserable O'Neal's year had been. When he looked at the Cavaliers' scouting report yesterday, he saw that O'Neal had played 6 games since his return, but had not scored in double digits even once. He was averaging 14 minutes per game, getting 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, and had become a pure role player.

The scouting report also noted that this was the first time in O'Neal's career that he had scored less than double digits in five consecutive games; his worst season before, 07-08, saw him only score four consecutive games.

But you have to admit, Shaq is Shaq. Even though he only plays for a dozen minutes per game, he is still one of the best leaders. Before his return, the Cavaliers were constantly embroiled in internal conflicts, but in recent games, there has been much less news about that.

The match started at 8 p.m.

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

Cavaliers starting lineup: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, James, Jamison, O'Neal.

Yi Shui and James immediately went head-to-head!
On the Cavaliers' side, Mike Brown was also forced into a corner. After O'Neal's return, he abandoned defense in the early stages and focused on offense.

If we disregard the fact that this arrangement caused the defense to falter later on, the Cavaliers' offense with this lineup is truly formidable!
With plenty of energy and a powerful drive to the basket, O'Neal drew defenders on the weak side, while Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, and Jamison spread out at the right corner and 45-degree angles on both wings. James' drives were particularly smooth, whether attacking the basket or passing.

After the breakthrough and playoffs, James and the Cavaliers went on a scoring spree throughout the first quarter.

The Cavaliers players are still very capable. After almost a month, the mentality of collapsing at the sight of Yi Shui and the Knicks has gradually dissipated. At least tonight, under O'Neal's encouragement, they wanted to avenge their loss to the Knicks and played very hard.

詹姆斯首节7投4中、其中三分球2中1、加上4中3的罚球，单节12分3助攻，骑士队首节飙出了32分。

But the Knicks were on fire!

With O'Neal unable to extend his reach and Jamison unable to contain his teammates on the wings, the Cavaliers abandoned their endless rotation defense during O'Neal's injury absence, making it too easy for the Knicks to play.

After O'Neal was substituted, the Knicks' passing and cutting game prevented the Cavaliers from tightening their defense.

易水首节10投6中，其中三分球1中1，加上3中3的罚球，单节狂轰16分，率队单节拿到36分！
After the break, the two teams continued their offensive exchange, remaining evenly matched throughout the quarter. A buzzer-beating three-pointer by Mo Williams brought the quarter score to 31-31. The Cavaliers ultimately closed the gap at 63-67.

After halftime, the Cavaliers maintained their fierce offensive firepower in the first half of the third quarter, even slightly outscoring the Knicks by two points. Halfway through the quarter, the Cavaliers led the Knicks 15-13, bringing the score to 78-80, narrowing the gap to two points before the official timeout.

But after the official timeout, James needed to take a break and hand over the ball to the guards. The Cavaliers' old problem resurfaced – their guards couldn't keep up with the isolation plays and passing!
This problem usually occurs when playing against weaker teams.

Previously, they could withstand the opponent's counterattack through defense, and they usually wouldn't lose the game because of that.

But after O'Neal returned, the Cavaliers' seamless rotation defense disappeared. However, if O'Neal didn't return, the Cavaliers' internal conflicts couldn't be contained, leaving them stuck in a rut.

Delonte West and Mo Williams took turns attacking for several possessions, but the offense failed to get going. James lost his temper and took back possession of the ball, but by then the Cavaliers' wing shooters and cutters had lost their rhythm.

This is a common problem for the Cavaliers when they are at a disadvantage against strong teams.

On the other hand, Yi Shui actually reduced his ball-handling attacks starting from the second quarter, but the Knicks' team offense still functioned normally.

Because when he dribbles the ball, he's really just attacking; he's consuming shooting opportunities, not controlling the ball for a long time. When he dribbles the ball a few times without passing, his teammates know he's going to shoot. Those who need to retreat on defense get ready, and those who need to rush to the basket look for a route...

Yi Shui scored 8 points in the first half of the quarter, leading the Knicks to a 17-10 run in the second half.

单节30比25，尼克斯队将分差拉开到9分，以97比88领先骑士队进入末节！
In the final quarter, the Knicks' offensive performance declined, scoring 13 points in the first half of the quarter and 12 points in the second half, marking the first time tonight that they scored less than 30 points in a single quarter.

The Cavaliers... continued their performance from the second half of the third quarter, scoring 9 points in the first half and 10 points in the second half...

What both teams had in common in the final quarter was that their star players accounted for more than half of their team's total points.

The match ended at 10:24 PM.

詹姆斯今晚37投17中，其中三分球5中1，加上11中7的罚球，拿到42分11板11助攻2抢断，轰下40+三双，但空砍了。

首节16分、第二节10分、第三节13分、末节14分，36投19中、其中三分球9中4，加上11罚全中的罚球，易水狂轰53分8板3助攻1抢断2盖帽。

Led by Yi Shui, the Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 123-107!
...

After the final whistle blew, Yi Shui and his teammates gathered together, celebrating their victory in this high-scoring battle amidst the wild cheers of the fans in the stadium!

In fact, when the Cavaliers' defense couldn't tighten up and Mike Brown was forced to keep switching to an offensive lineup, Yi Shui knew that the game was in the bag.

Even though they missed four consecutive long-range shots at the start of the third quarter, he should have passed the ball when they needed to, and things improved afterward.

They don't play defense, they just score high. Yi Shui dares to say that in the entire league, only the Suns and Nuggets are capable of challenging them. They can crush any other team!
Even if it were Kobe Bryant plus three high-achieving players, or Beast Beast plus a group of shooters, it would be the same!
However, James felt that this person was particularly complicated once again tonight.

In the first three quarters, although James held onto the ball very much, he played very hard and was really giving his all for the victory.

After the point difference widened to more than 5 points in the latter part of the third quarter, James, regardless of whether his stamina had recovered, immediately called for the ball and led the team's main attack.

But after the point difference widened to double digits in the final quarter, James showed a clear tendency to focus on stats, often moving early to the paint on defense and dribbling until the last two or three seconds before passing to his teammates on offense.

42+11+11的三双里，有10分4板4助攻是末节拿到的。

In the first three quarters, Yi Shui enjoyed playing against James, but in the final quarter...

There was something else that surprised Yi Shui.

The Cavaliers' internal problems were worse than he had imagined.

Despite Shaquille O'Neal's presence in the locker room, there have been no reports of internal strife within the Cavaliers in recent days.

But some emotions can be seen on the court.

Those two guards really ignore James. If James has the ball, neither of them will ask for it!

Ke Yishui remembers that when the 09-10 playoffs started, the Cavaliers were considered a top contender for the championship. During the first round of the playoffs, the Shaq-King duo even took their teammates to a neighboring state to film a show, and they seemed to have a very good relationship...

Yi Shui guessed that it was his problem?

The Knicks, in their very first game after the Cavaliers acquired Jamison, taught other teams how to deal with the Jamison + O'Neal combination.

After the Cavaliers finally found a centerless lineup and an unlimited rotation defense, the Knicks beat them by 31 points, and the internal conflicts within the Cavaliers were also ignited.

After tonight's game, the Cavaliers' record is 44 wins and 25 losses. They can no longer be considered a championship favorite before the playoffs begin. With 13 games left to play, even if the Cavaliers face mostly weak teams in April, it will be difficult for them to reach 55 wins.

Yi Shui pondered that, given the current public opinion climate, if James really leaves during the offseason, Cleveland fans will still hate him just the same, but the shock and aversion of casual fans might not be as high... Should King thank him?
After celebrating with his teammates and giving a post-match interview, Yi Shui opened the system.

One task has been completed and subsequent tasks have been started.

"imperial power:
In the regular season matchups against the Cavaliers, you led your team to a perfect 4-0 record. Congratulations on receiving the advanced reward: Ball Handling Talent +1, your Ball Handling Talent has increased from 92 to 93 (Basic Ball Handling Skills 91).

"The fourth stage of the Imperial Power quest has been triggered:"
Objective: Defeat the Cavaliers in this season's playoffs.

Reward: 1 random physical attribute point. (Note: If your team advances to the next round of the series while the Cavaliers do not, the mission is considered complete.)

Seeing the note after the task, Yi Shui felt relieved; he might not actually face the Cavaliers in this year's playoffs.

Another task is more than halfway complete.

"The Road to the Scoring Title:"

In four matches against Wade, the total score was 175 to 142, with Wade winning.

He faced Anthony twice, with a total score comparison of 94 to 71, winning the match.

In four matches against James, the total score was 162 to 158, with James winning.

Objective 1 has been completed. Congratulations on receiving the reward: 1 random technical blind box featuring one of the top three scorers of the 03 cohort.

Goal 2: To average more points per game than Wade, Anthony, and James. (In progress)

"You used the 03 Draft's three greatest scorers' random skill blind box... Congratulations on receiving the reward: Quick Start Guide to the Three Threat Offense (Anthony Edition)."

Another triple threat? Yi Shui almost cursed. He had already developed the McGrady version of the triple threat, and if he won the next game against the Celtics, he could get the Pierce version of the triple threat quick start guide. Now there's Dong Ge's version... Wait a minute!
These three players have very different triple threat styles. The versions of Pierce and Anthony that you get later can be used to refine and improve the triple threat style. Moreover, the reward for 'Road to the Scoring Championship' Goal 2 matches the skill reward for Goal 1, meaning he can also have the triple threat skill! A qualitative improvement!
...

The next day, Yi Shui saw that the hottest topic about last night's game was comparing his individual performance with that of James.

At this moment, he hopes that the turtle will immediately come out and rectify the triple-double market.

Currently, triple-doubles are considered too valuable, which is not good for a player like him who prefers shooting.

Unfortunately, the current Turtle doesn't have that ability yet. He'll have to wait at least three or four years for his physical condition to reach its peak, and there will need to be some rule changes so that the criteria for assist statistics will be more lenient later on.

However, he got his third 50+ point game of the season and won, so he received a lot of praise. It's just that being directly compared to a 40+ triple-double was a bit unpleasant.

After resting for a morning, Yi Shui went to Madison Square Garden in the afternoon to practice Dong Ge's three threats.

To be honest, when it comes to playing basketball, your face really affects the viewing experience.

LeBron James, despite his somewhat premature appearance, possesses an imposing presence. While his technical moves may not be particularly aesthetically pleasing, his playing style is highly entertaining when he's serious, making him a prime example of violent aesthetics.

Pierce has solid fundamentals and beautiful moves, but combined with his face, he gives the impression of an old man. And it's not just that he looks like an old man now that he's in his 30s; when he was young and could run and fly, he was already being teased for playing like an old man.

This brings us to the backpack again. Despite its seemingly casual and unrestrained design, it looks rather ugly.

Moreover, Durant has a bigger problem than Pierce: his shoulders are too narrow!
Yi Shui has a longer wingspan than Durant, but when shooting against him, he feels disadvantaged by his wingspan. He checked Durant's wingspan when he had time, and it was narrower than when he first entered the NBA, now at least ten centimeters shorter.

This means Durant has to keep his upper arm tucked when he drives to the basket, otherwise he's easily blocked, and even if the opponent bumps into his arm, it doesn't necessarily get called a foul, making his movements look a bit more shady.

When it came to Anthony...

When Yi Shui watched Dong Ge's triple threat 'demonstration video', he deliberately ignored the face. Compared with Pierce's triple threat style in his memory, Dong Ge was actually more like an "old man". He always chose to shoot from a distance, his step-back range was smaller than Pierce's, and his pull-up jumper height was not much higher than that of the 32-year-old Pierce.

But even with that face propped up, it still managed to have a somewhat ethereal and lively feel.

After two rounds of practice, Yi Shui experienced firsthand the difference between McGrady's triple threat and Anthony's triple threat.

Anthony's triple threat also requires high physical attributes, but it's much less demanding than McGrady's system.

The effectiveness of getting rid of defenders is also far inferior, especially in creating space for a drive. It's completely incomparable. To drive in using Anthony's approach, you need a clear advantage in physical confrontation and rely on explosiveness.

However, the technology itself is much simpler to use and creates better space for dry pulling.

The step-back is incomparable. Anthony's step-back in the three-threat game only has the most basic function of creating space to lift the ball, and it is difficult to get rid of interference.

And then there's the 'pass' in the triple threat. In Anthony's triple threat, passing is absolutely not a consideration!

That "pendulum jab step" can effectively create shooting space by drawing fouls, but it lowers the center of gravity and makes the player lean forward, thus eliminating any passing vision.

However, despite its flaws, it doesn't mean that Anthony's triple threat is weak, and there are many aspects worth learning from.

...

After a day of rest, on the 28th, the Knicks faced their first home game of a back-to-back – the Magic.

At 8:40 p.m., the players from both teams entered the field.

Tonight, Madison Square Garden once again displayed the atmosphere of a 'devil's home ground'.

New York fans are no longer afraid of playing the Cavaliers; in fact, they're very excited.

But the Magic fans are desperate for a win tonight!

The frenzied atmosphere at the stadium was stimulating the nerves of the Knicks players.

Having suffered numerous losses against the Magic in their previous games, the Knicks players were under immense pressure during preparation, but at this moment, they were all excited.

They really liked their leader's saying: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"

After the opening ceremony, Yi Shui greeted the opposing players in a very forthright manner.

He and Carter had some disagreements, but they were all minor issues related to data.

There's a grudge between them and the Magic, but it's all about winning and losing games; there's really nothing dirty going on off the court.

After greeting everyone, Yi Shui looked at the big screen.

Curry, standing nearby, said, "They're 48-22, so 55 wins is no problem for them, but 60 wins... I'd be the first to disagree!"

Yi Shui: "What else? They only have 12 games left to play, and we are their 12th to last opponent."

Curry took a deep breath, resisting the urge to headbutt his boss.

Looking at the Magic players' stats on the big screen, Yi Shui saw that they averaged 102.6 points per game and allowed 95.2 points per game, resulting in a net point differential of 7.4, only lower than the Knicks' average net point differential of 8 points per game. They were indeed impressive.

He recalled that the Magic swept the first two rounds of the playoffs in 10, demonstrating their consistent ability to dominate weaker teams.

Yi Shui didn't want to be a pushover anymore, but their defense really was like a pushover when the Magic got going. Chandler's addition made up for some of the gap at the center position, but it was still huge. However, compared to their mid-season matchup, they were only 5 points away from winning against the Magic at the beginning of the month. The gap in head-to-head matchups is narrowing, and they are not without a chance.

The coaching staff has also come up with a new way to deal with the Magic, a bit too aggressive... but when facing an opponent who can restrain them, they can't worry about that! Just like when he made in-game adjustments against the Grizzlies!
The pre-match preparation time was over, and Yi Shui and his teammates came onto the field. The system notification appeared!

"You have lost more than you have won against the 'strongest region' Southeast region this season. You cannot accept this situation. Mission: Reverse Southeast Triggered."

Objective: By the end of the regular season, you need to achieve a win rate of at least 50% against strong teams in the Southeast Division.

Reward: Three-point talent +1.

进度：对阵热火队2胜2负；对阵山猫队0胜2负，剩余交手次数1次；对阵魔术队0胜2负剩余交手次数2次；对阵老鹰队3胜1负。”

With the Hornets' decline and the Rockets' continued performance drop, the title of 'strongest division in the league' has shifted from the Southwest Division to the Southeast Division.

The Magic and Hawks are firmly in the top five, while the Heat and Bobcats are also in playoff contention and have a certain advantage over the ninth-placed Bucks. The Wizards were originally also in playoff contention, but Arenas pulled off a stunt.

But this stupid mission actually excluded the Wizards!

In other words, we must win tonight's game, our farewell game against the Magic, and our match against the Bobcats in April!
Yi Shui thought of something: the Wizards' soon-to-be new owner publicly complained that the Wizards had been in Washington for 35 years, yet they were still classified as the Southeast Division, which was completely unreasonable.

The mission is quite difficult. Both the Magic and the Bobcats have incredibly strong interior players, but Yi Shui isn't afraid at all.

Hearing the thunderous cheers of the fans in the stadium, let's just get to the game!
(End of this chapter)