Chapter 55 Farewell 1996 (Part 1)

In Li You's opinion, Player of the Week is not a great honor. This award is usually awarded to young players with popularity and statistics.

But Li You forgot one thing. The Player of the Week in 1996 was only awarded to one player. This award was not a bad thing. While he won the award, there were a lot of lemons.

In the last game before Christmas, the Knicks continued to insist on "iron-blooded" defense, allowing the Hawks to only score 19 points in the first quarter.

At 42:51, at the end of the half, the Knicks had a 9-point lead.

The Hawks' twin towers Christian Laettner and Dikembe Mutombo played particularly depressed in the first half.

After Patrick Ewing made 0 of 3 starts, he stopped attacking in the low post and frequently went to the line for pick-and-rolls, forcing the Eagles' twin towers to help defend.

Chris Childs played relatively restrained after the start, but after Li You came on the court, he threw away whenever he had an opportunity.

Mutombo didn't care at first and continued to stay in the paint area, but after Li You hit three consecutive three-pointers, the DPOY could only reluctantly leave his most familiar defensive position.

The New York fans at the scene felt that the tickets tonight were worth it. Li You lived up to everyone's expectations and showed off his tricks from time to time.

Madison Square Garden also has a strong Christmas atmosphere tonight. The celebrity audience in the front row may not care about this, but the ordinary fans who bought tickets in the back row are already getting excited with the music.

"If we win this game, our record will reach 20 wins and 6 losses, just surpassing the Heat and ranking third in the Eastern Conference."

"Although it is not as good as the Bulls' record, I still want to praise coach Van Gundy. After taking over the team, he delivered a satisfactory answer."

In the MSG live commentary box, commentator John Andaris took advantage of the midfield to comment on the Knicks' opening record. This professional football commentator also began to say good things for Van Gundy.

"The Knicks' performance before Christmas was really surprising. We continued our excellent defense in the past, and at the same time, we were able to play a smooth offense."

"Lee's joining played a key role. The team has more offensive options. He will only turn 19 at the end of the month. I think many fans are already looking forward to the future of the team!"

The commentator, Marv Albert, was not polite and continued to praise.

When the two commented on the game, they both subconsciously avoided the question of the championship. The Bulls' current dominance is too strong!

As veteran commentators at home, they don't want to overshadow the fans.

Christmas is approaching, and rookie Walter McCarty has had a good two days since returning to New York. Oakley no longer asks him to run errands, and the atmosphere in the locker room has become more cheerful.

"Next time I go to Atlanta to play away from home, I will take you to a good place. Li, you have to enjoy life after making money. You are already 19 years old!"

"Dikambe won't lie to me. It is said that the owner of the local club is still our fan!"

Patrick Ewing, who has not been criticized by the New York media recently, returned to the locker room and introduced the wonderful place he had just learned about from his friends.

Before Li You could speak, Larry Johnson asked with great interest:

"Pat, how about privacy? You know, I don't want it to be in the newspapers the next day!"

When Ewing heard the inquiry, he immediately pulled out his close friend to give his assurance:

"Dikambe is an honest man. Many celebrities have been to Gold Club. They have just changed their business model not long ago. You can just wait and see for a few more months!"

The LSPs all laughed. It was hard to stimulate them with ordinary business. It was rare to have a club with a variety of tricks and constant praise, and everyone felt itchy.

Li You noticed that Alan Houston remained silent and immediately joked:

"Are you still planning to get married this year? Single life is actually very beautiful!"

Alan Houston has been in a bad mood recently, mainly because he was booed by fans when he returned to Detroit.

Coupled with the fact that Grant Hill, his former new teammate, is becoming more and more popular, but he is struggling in the Knicks, Alan Houston has been looking for lemons these days:

"I just want to stabilize my playing time, Li. Sometimes I envy your shooting talent. You can always adjust your condition quickly."

Houston's playing time was taken up a lot by Starks, and Li You could only pat the opponent's shoulder to express comfort.

The Knicks' rotation has begun to stabilize. The amount of playing time depends on the status of the players that night. Unlike "Auntie", the competition for backcourt players is more intense.

Although Van Gundy often hangs up, most games still focus on inside offense, while Li You and others on the outside can only roll in.

Christmas was approaching, and in the second half of the game, the Hawks didn't have much thought about chasing points. Jeff Van Gundy tried his best to let all the players appear on the court when the pressure of the game was not high.

Of course the young coach knows that there are many family members of the players here tonight, and being able to play on the field can be considered a favor to the players.

The two sides fought frequently in the second half, but no one cared at this time. Everyone wanted to end the game as soon as possible and then go home peacefully for the holidays.

In the end, 86:98, the Knicks won the last game before Christmas at home, which was considered a Christmas gift for New York fans.

After the game, Mutombo and Ewing, two alumni, were still talking and laughing and whispering.

Many players were greeting their families who were present. Li You sighed. He also missed his days in Albuquerque.

After returning to the locker room, Jeff Van Gundy and the coaching staff applauded the players. The team staff were also present, and everyone's faces showed joy:

"20 wins and 6 losses, I am proud of this result!"

"It doesn't matter if there is no Christmas game. We will prove ourselves again and we will reach the finals again!"

"Now, enjoy the holiday in peace and say hello to my family, Merry Christmas!"

After Jeff Van Gundy said this, he greeted every player with a smile and a hug. The staff also cheered, everyone loves a holiday!

"Well done, Lee! The Player of the Week award shows the league's recognition of you. Of course, remember to protect your body. Rookies will encounter some difficulties. Communicate with the coaching staff in time. It's dangerous and tiring to cut trees!"

Li You heard Van Gundy's serious instructions and immediately hugged the young marshal hard. This man is indeed a good man:

"Don't worry about me, coach! I'm ready. Merry Christmas!"

Every rookie will encounter difficulties, such as physical fitness, injuries, technical characteristics being figured out, team tactics mismatch, etc.

Li You is not a man of steel, and there are bruises and bruises on his legs. Under the intensive schedule, these injuries continue to accumulate, which will definitely affect the state of the game.

Ewing wears thick straps on both knees every time he plays, Alan Houston's fingers are swollen, "Big Mom"'s back sometimes hurts, and Oakley also has bruises from the collision.

If there is no structural damage, everyone has to continue to play. There is no rest. Fans buy tickets to watch the game, not to watch the players sit on the bench in formal attire.

Everyone showed a smile. Everyone can enjoy the Christmas vacation tonight. The equipment manager, Mike, looked at the lively locker room and smiled and whispered to the staff beside him:

"I have a hunch that we will succeed!"

Thank you book friends for your collection￣﹁￣
Chapter completed!