JR Smith, Player of the Game
The Cavaliers inbounded the ball, and Marbury passed it to LeBron James.
LeBron James received the ball and quickly broke through, his powerful body like a tank, driving towards the Knicks' interior.
James's "breakthrough" attracted the attention of Allan Houston and Ariza.
In this Ariza was the primary defender against James, with Allan Houston providing help defense. Alvin Gentry's task for the two was to double-team James as soon as he got the ball.
However, judging from the goal just now, it seems to have had little effect.
Seeing that he had attracted the defense of two Knicks players, James took a Euro step and passed the ball to his teammate Goscas.
Goscas caught the ball steadily and jumped up without hesitation for a powerful two-handed dunk.
This seamless offensive play thrilled Cavaliers fans.
But just then, a figure appeared out of nowhere, a large hand blocking Goscas's path, and then the large hand slammed down between his hands holding the basketball.
A terrifying power erupted from Li Chen's perfect physique as he swatted the basketball and Goscas down from the air.
Goscas stumbled back two steps, lost his balance, and fell to the ground.
The basketball slammed onto the floor and then flew towards the sideline.
But just when the Cavaliers players thought it was an inbounds pass...
A figure rushed towards the basketball like Hupu pouncing on its prey, managing to save it at the last moment.
In the instant he fell, he tipped the basketball toward Li Chen's location.
This scene was completely unexpected by Li Chen and the Cavaliers players.
Li Chen reacted quickly, immediately opening his arms to catch the precious ball.
However, LeBron James reacted quickly enough, cutting the ball before Li Chen received it. But he didn't control his strength well, and the ball went out of bounds.
In the TNT broadcast room.
"Charles, perhaps I understand why Li Chen is so determined to bring JR Smith to the Knicks."
"How so?" Barkley asked.
"You saw it too, or perhaps Li Chen was attracted to his relentless drive."
Barkley nodded. "Yeah! Although JR Smith's foul just now caused Li Chen's score to be invalid, this fearless diving save can be considered as making up for it."
On the court, Li Chen helped JR Smith up, slapped him on the back, and praised him, "Kid, well done!"
Hearing Li Chen's praise, JR Smith grinned, clearly excited.
Li Chen stared blankly at JR Smith, whose eyelashes were practically blooming with laughter.
At that moment, he seemed to have found the correct way to use JR Smith.
Crawford passed the ball to Li Chen.
Li Chen dribbled the ball forward into the attacking third.
At this point, Marbury clung to him like a leech.
His close defense made things very difficult for Li Chen.
At this moment, Li Chen suddenly accelerated, using his speed to forcefully break through Marbury.
Upon witnessing this, Ira Newbill immediately decided to surround and attack Li Chen.
Li Chen suddenly stopped, nimbly shifted his body to the side, and used the change in his center of gravity to get rid of his defense.
Seeing this, James immediately stepped in to help defend.
Li Chen's excellent vision allowed him to clearly observe the positions of his teammates, so he didn't need to confront James head-on.
His main task this year is to highlight the strength of his teammates and downplay his own role, so as to enhance their value.
That's the only way to screw over that old fox Morey.
He quickly tossed the basketball into the air, and JR Smith, who was already under the basket, leaped high, caught the ball with one hand, and then slammed it into the hoop.
After JR Smith dunked, he excitedly ran over to Li Chen for a high-five, then came over to compliment my expression.
Seeing this, Li Chen's lips twitched slightly. Then, he patted JR Smith's shoulder forcefully and sincerely praised him, "Well done."
But in my heart, I was thinking, "When did acting become an essential skill for playing basketball?"
After receiving praise in the following games, Jr. Smith began to let loose.
He became increasingly confident during the competition.
Every steal and every difficult shot he made was breathtaking; he displayed the unpredictable and passionate nature of a top-tier player.
His steals are unpredictable, and each one seems to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, causing the Cavaliers considerable trouble.
Meanwhile, Crawford, Ariza, and Allan Houston also delivered outstanding performances.
At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led the Cavaliers 40-30.
At halftime, the Knicks led the Cavaliers 70-50, a 20-point advantage.
At halftime, James stood with his hands on his hips, silently watching the score of 70-50, before turning and walking towards the corridor of the locker room.
In the TNT broadcast room.
"Charles, I have to admit the Knicks' tactics are really impressive."
Barkley nodded and said, "Yes! Three Knicks players are each positioned at a three-point line spot. This breaks down the Cavaliers' defense."
"The brilliance of this tactic is that it prevents the Cavaliers from double-teaming Li Chen. If they don't double-team him, Li Chen can score easily. If they do double-team him, Li Chen will pass the ball, and the Cavaliers won't even have time to help defend."
"I have to admit Alvin Gentry is a real talent. Everyone says Nelson is the scientist of basketball, but I think Alvin Gentry is just as good!" Barkley remarked.
"This tactic still has weaknesses," Kenny Smith said.
"What?" Barkley asked, feigning confusion.
Kenny Smith smiled slightly. "The key to this tactic is the Knicks' outside shooting percentage."
"Hey, Kenny, look at their outside shooting percentage today, it's over 50%!"
Kenny Smith "..."
"But they can't maintain that terrifying shooting percentage every game," Kenny Smith continued.
"At least in this match, they are invincible."
Kenny Smith agrees with this.
At the start of the third quarter, JR Smith displayed what it means to be unpredictable, with his shooting accuracy being incredibly high.
Even Li Chen couldn't tell whether this guy had triggered a stimulant buff or simply had innate stimulant properties.
When the game ended, the Knicks had crushed the Cavaliers 131-107 on the Quicken Loans Arena floor.
During this period, Crawford was injured while defending James, which was a significant loss for the Knicks.
In this game, James played 32 minutes, shooting 10-for-14, scoring 26 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and making all 6 of 6 free throws.
James shot 70% from the field in this game, but the Knicks' relentless attack forced them to accept defeat.
Marbury played 30 minutes, shooting 7-for-15, scoring 20 points and dishing out 6 assists, including 1-for-3 from three-point range and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
For the Knicks, the highest scorer wasn't Li Chen, but JR Smith, who racked up 40 points.
This guy really has no sportsmanship. The Cavaliers had already surrendered in the fourth quarter, but he still stayed on the court and refused to leave.
Alvin Gentry was happy today, thankfully he didn't substitute JR Smith.
Crawford scored 16 points, Alan Johnson 13 points, and Ariza 18 points.
Li Chen played 35 minutes in this game, shooting 7-for-10, scoring 20 points and dishing out 18 assists, including 2-for-2 from three-point range and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, the Knicks tied the Lakers ' 33-game winning streak.