A Chance to Turn the Tide

The Pistons' leading scorer in this game was Hamilton, who played 45 minutes, shooting 9-for-16 for 28 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1-for-3 from three-point range, and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Ben Wallace played 40 minutes, shooting 8-for-12, scoring 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Billups scored 11 points, Wallace the Roaring Heavenly Venerate scored 11 points.

For the Knicks, JR Smith scored 28 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds on 11-of-23 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.

Li Chen really went all out to support JR Smith, and it turns out he made the right choice.

Li Chen played 46 minutes, shooting 8-for-18, scoring 29 points, dishing out 17 assists, including 4-for-8 from three-point range, 12 rebounds, and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Other players also performed well, especially Wang Zhizhi, who scored 18 points.

One day later, the first match of the second round was completed.

Western Conference: The Spurs defeated the Supersonics (Oklahoma City Thunder) 103-81.

The Suns defeated the Mavericks Dallas Mavericks 127-102.

Eastern Conference: Knicks, 118-98, crushed Pistons.

The Miami Heat defeated the Wizards 105-86.

On May 11, in Game 2 of the series, the Miami Heat defeated the Wizards 108-102 once again.

The Spurs also defeated the Supersonics 108-91.

On May 12, the Knicks defeated the Pistons 102-83 again.

The Suns, ranked first in the Western Conference, lost to the Dallas Mavericks 106-108.

In Game 3 of the series, the Knicks returned to their home court.

The Knicks won two straight games at the Pistons' home court, which pleased owner Dolan greatly. Dolan is happy, it means good things are coming.

That day, Dolan personally called to invite Li Chen to dinner.

Americans don't have a wide variety of cuisines; their food is mostly limited to steak and the like.

When the two had almost finished eating, Dolan raised the glass of red wine beside him and said:

"Chen, your performance was truly amazing. Back then, those media outlets criticized me relentlessly, saying I had poor judgment and that I ruined the New York Knicks. Look at me now, they've all shut up, and some are even praising me. Those bastards deserve to go to hell."

Clearly, this rich kid was very unhappy with the media criticism, but after several attempts to improve his situation, he still couldn't make any progress and could only endure the ridicule from the media.

Li Chen thought to himself, somewhat amused, that this rich kid in his previous life must have been like a turtle crawling in a stove pit, feeling stifled and frustrated.

Lost in thought, he raised his glass to Dolan and said:

"This is just the beginning. Also, even after I leave, I will find suitable core players for the Knicks and will not let my departure turn the Knicks into a bottom-feeder team."

Upon hearing this, Dolan was first stunned, then overjoyed. In fact, he had worried about such a thing before, but there was nothing he could do. He wasn't confident that he could succeed in the next gamble, after all, there was only one Li Chen.

So how could he not be excited by Li Chen's promise? As for Li Chen's judgment, he had no doubt whatsoever; JR Smith was a prime example.

"Chen, thank you so much." Dolan wasn't just being polite; he genuinely thanked Li Chen. If the previous three-year contract was a transaction, this was a favor, and for someone as proud as him, it was a huge favor.

Li Chen smiled and said, "Mr. Dolan, I don't want the team I used to play for to decline after I leave."

Although he said that, he was thinking to himself that Dolan would probably be one of them from now on.

That's right, Li Chen actively befriended Dolan, after all, he has a certain influence in the NBA circle, and such a person will definitely be useful in the future.

However, this is not the first time. In the future, he will use these 20 years of foresight to build a network of connections for himself.

"Hahaha! Great! Chen, from now on, I will definitely support you with all my might," Dolan declared with a hearty laugh.

Both of them were very satisfied with the dinner; it was a pleasant and harmonious meal.

On May 14th, in Game 3 of the second round of the Playoffs, the Knicks by Li Chen's "unrestrained," "Assist Master," and "Headpat" skills, saw their Knicks explode from all five positions, overwhelming the Pistons and leaving them with no chance to fight back.

In the end, the Knicks 110-80 once again thrashed the Pistons.

In the second round series, the Pistons are already down 3-0 to the Knicks. If they win just one more game, they will repeat last season's 4-0 sweep in the NBA Finals.

From Larry Brown down to the players, the Pistons were unwilling to fall to the team led by Li Chen again.

There's an old saying in the East that goes, "An army driven by desperation cannot be defeated by force," and another saying goes, "An army driven by desperation is bound to win."

This demonstrates the strength of such a team; they are often able to unleash tremendous power.

The Pistons are currently in this state, making them a huge challenge for their opponent, the Knicks.

In a domestic live streaming room.

"Today we bring you a game from the NBA Playoffs, Eastern Conference second round, Game 4: a fierce battle between the Knicks and the Pistons."

"I am your old friend Sun Zhengping, and the gentleman sitting next to me is also your old friend Zhang Weiping, Coach Zhang."

Zhang Weiping then nodded.

"Coach Zhang, the Knicks lead the Pistons 3-0 after the first three games, holding a significant advantage. This game is undoubtedly the Pistons' last chance to turn the tide. What are your thoughts?"

Sun Zhengping turned to Zhang Weiping and asked.

Zhang Weiping thought for a moment and said, "There's an old saying in our country: 'An army driven by desperation will surely win,' so it won't be so easy for the Knicks to sweep the Pistons in this game."

Upon hearing Zhang Weiping's words, Sun Zhengping was stunned. This... this really is Coach Zhang? Could it be a fake?

But just as he thought of this, Zhang Weiping added, "However, I believe Chen will definitely defeat the powerful Pistons."

Sun Zhengping: "..." I shouldn't have had any hope for you in the first place.

The lineup for this match was largely unchanged from the previous three matches, so I won't go into detail here.

From the start of the game, the Pistons showed a strong desire to win, launching a fierce offensive in an attempt to take back control of the game from the Knicks.

However, the Knicks were not overwhelmed by the Pistons' offensive onslaught. After regaining their composure, they gradually began to unleash their full potential.

In the first quarter, the two teams were evenly matched, with the score remaining very close.

At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led the Pistons by a narrow margin of 25-24.

Entering the second quarter, the Knicks began to show their strength, displaying efficient teamwork on offense. With Li Chen constantly feeding the ball, the Knicks had multiple players contributing, continuously widening their lead.

The Pistons, on the other hand, went into a scoring drought and struggled offensively. However, Larry Brown immediately called a timeout and began to rearrange the tactics.

When the timeout ended and the game resumed, the Pistons launched an even more aggressive defense, making very aggressive moves and occasionally resorting to dirty tricks.

Their behavior greatly affected the Knicks players' performance.

It's important to know that, apart from Allan Houston, the rest of the Knicks is relatively young. Youth represents energy, but it also means a lack of composure and a tendency to act impulsively.

The Pistons players' defense, which hovered on the edge of fouls, frustrated the Pistons players, and they became more aggressive with their hands.

As a defensively-minded Pistons employ very subtle tactics, often putting the Knicks at a disadvantage.

However, there is one exception: Li Chen, because his random S-rank Skill in this match is [Fake Accident].

Meanwhile, the intense rivalry between the two teams left the referee and his two assistant referees sweating bullets.

They didn't want a repeat of the Auburn Palace incident, so they kept sounding the alarm.

But Knicks fans were very unhappy, and every time the referee called a foul on the Knicks, a deafening chorus of boos erupted at Tracy McGrady Square Garden.

Actually, the Knicks fans were quite rational, because Li Chen didn't suffer any unfair treatment; on the contrary, they felt the referees were favoring him.

Knicks fans know that as long as Li Chen is okay, they can win, which is why they can remain rational.

In the VIP box, Dolan's face turned green. If it were the Pistons' home court at the Palace of Auburn Hills, he could understand. He could comprehend things within the NBA, since the NBA isn't like those international competitions that emphasize fairness and impartiality.

But this is Madison Square Garden, the home of the New York Knicks, and they're being treated so unfairly. How could the rich kid Dolan possibly tolerate this?

So, without hesitation, he called David Stern.

David Stern was somewhat overwhelmed after receiving Dolan's call, so he gave instructions at the end of the first half.

By halftime, the Knicks had accumulated over ten fouls. Although the situation was quite unfavorable for the Knicks, they still maintained a close contest with the Pistons.

In the Knicks' temporary locker room, Alvin Gentry frowned. Apart from Li Chen, who had one foul, almost all of Knicks Knicks' key players had three fouls, with JR Smith even having four.

Allan Houston was also frequently targeted by the Pistons due to his physical limitations.

However, what reassured him was that although the Knicks had committed too many fouls, the Pistons also had quite a few, because Li Chen kept attacking the Pistons' basket, causing both Wallace to have four fouls each.

Alvin Gentry wasn't a truly capable head coach like Popovich, so he didn't come up with a solution to the excessive number of fouls in those ten minutes.

So he decided to remain unchanged in the face of all changes; to put it bluntly, Alvin Gentry had given up.

A short while later, the third quarter began.

The Pistons gradually regained some shooting form.

They made effective adjustments on both offense and defense, and began to narrow the score gap.

The Knicks, on the other hand, went into a scoring drought. They suddenly lost their rhythm on offense, with players frequently making mistakes, especially JR Smith.

The Pistons seized the opportunity and launched a fierce counterattack, trying to widen the score gap.

However, at the Knicks' moment of crisis, Li Chen stepped up again, like a daredevil, constantly attacking the paint area guarded by the two Wallace.

In just half a quarter, both Wallace had five fouls.

Larry Brown knew how important the Wallace duo was to the Pistons, so he had no choice but to take Wallace off the court.

The departure of the two Wallace gave the Knicks a chance to breathe.

Without the two Wallace, the Pistons are like an aging tiger; they've lost their sharp teeth.

At the end of the third quarter, the Knicks led the Pistons again by 4 points, 77-73.

Entering the final quarter, the Knicks' offense remained hesitant and lacked the fluid, smooth style they displayed in previous games.

In this game, the Knicks were like a dilapidated bicycle that hadn't been ridden for years, full of sluggishness.

The Pistons, however, gradually tied the score.

The Knicks are under immense pressure; they need to stabilize their game and regain their offensive rhythm.

The Pistons continued to apply pressure, and with three minutes remaining in the game, Larry Brown decisively brought in the two Wallace in an attempt to turn the tide.

With 40 seconds remaining in the game, the Knicks trailed the Pistons 89-92 by 3 points.

The Pistons have possession of the ball.

At this point, Alvin Gentry called a final timeout. This ball had to be defended, or the game would be lost.

While Alvin Gentry was setting up defensive tactics, he also reminded JR Smith not to foul, because the guy already had 5 fouls.

Other players on the court also committed a number of fouls: Wang Zhizhi had 4, Ariza had 4, Crawford had 5, and only Li had 2.

Shortly after, the timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court. These 40 seconds would determine the Pistons' fate.

The Pistons inbound the ball.

The Knicks players stayed close to the Pistons players, their jerseys soaked with sweat as if they'd been doused with a bucket of water.

They knew that only by holding off the Pistons' offense could they hope to turn the tide and win.

The atmosphere in the arena froze. Every fan held their breath, their eyes fixed on the Pistons players as if they were reading top-secret intelligence.

At that moment, Prince, who was serving from outside the sideline, had a bright idea and decisively passed the ball to Billups had run into open space.

Ariza, who had just lost his position, once again stood in front of Billups, his 216cm wingspan giving him an exceptionally good defensive range.

After grappling with Ariza for five seconds, Billups, seeing no opening, decisively passed the ball to Prince.

He actually wanted to pass the ball to Hamilton, but Hamilton was being defended by Li Chen, Li Chen Defensive Ability was no less than his offensive ability. So, he had no choice but to pass the ball to Prince.

But just as he passed the basketball, a figure suddenly appeared and intercepted Billups' pass. This person was none other than JR Smith.

However, JR Smith didn't control the ball well, causing it to go out of bounds.

However, the fans still gave JR Smith a warm cheer to show their approval.

Seeing this, Li Chen's eyes lit up; he was certain that JR Smith had triggered the [Headpat].

Great! If the Knicks can stop the Pistons' offense this time, they have a chance to win.

As for giving up on the match? That's impossible; the word "give up" doesn't exist in his mind.