NBA: The Basketball Miracle

On May 22, 1998, although Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals was on that night, most sports media were still reminiscing about the Bulls' loss.

This season was indeed difficult for the Bulls, but with Pippen returning in the second half of the season, the dominance of the old guys seemed to be back.

Before the playoffs began, the Bulls were the favorites to win the championship, and most sports media followed suit, believing that Michael Jordan would lead the team to a second three-peat.

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bulls and Pacers played to a seventh game.

Michael Jordan made 9 of 25 shots and finally won the game, but some media became fence-sitters.

After the Bulls lost two games in a row in the Eastern Conference Finals, some fence-sitters began to talk about the past:

"Maybe the Bulls' general manager Krause is right, they should stick to rebuilding this season!"

"Michael Jordan's arrogance ruined the Bulls. He should have considered the advice of management."

"Phil Jackson's tactics have been figured out, the Bulls should fire him during the offseason!"

"."

Since last night, basketball critics and columnists have been in a carnival moment.

It seems as if everyone has amnesia and has forgotten how they had previously praised the Bulls' dominance.

To these TV shows and newspaper articles, the fans of the entertainment industry have only one reaction:

"Please increase the intensity! We love watching it!"

As the ratings rose, newspaper sales also increased.

This feast for the media lasted until the next day.

TNT will naturally not miss this hot topic, but as a professional sports media, it naturally has to present data to make sense:

"During the regular season, the average score was 96.7 points per game, ranking 9th in the league;"

"Limited opponents to an average of 89.6 points per game, ranking third in the league;"

"He averaged 82.9 shots per game, with a field goal percentage of 45.1%, ranking 15th in the league. He averaged 11.7 shots per game from beyond the three-point line, with a three-point shooting percentage of 32.3%, ranking 23rd."

After briefly introducing the Bulls' basic statistics, McHale said:

"I never said the Bulls were dominant this season!"

"Maybe they were affected by Pippen's injury, but judging from the basic data, I am not surprised that they encountered difficulties in the playoffs!"

The host Ernie Johnson looked strange.

If he hadn't lost his memory, the legendary star had been optimistic about the Bulls before the playoffs began.

Kenny Smith on the other side insisted on his position and said seriously:

"The regular season and the playoffs are completely different. I believe the Bulls will find their form again after two days of rest!"

"Michael Jordan will not give up easily. The Bulls have a lot of experience. They have been through a lot."

"As long as we can defend two home games, the outcome of this round of playoffs is still hard to predict."

Perhaps because he didn't want to see a second three-peat, McHale continued to output seriously:

"No one can beat time, and the Bulls are no exception. Even in Game 7, it's still the Knicks' home court."

"Maybe the young players lack match experience, but they are in better physical condition. Do you think Lee will suddenly perform poorly?"

"This is the second year of his career. Some players cannot be viewed with ordinary eyes. Look at Tim Duncan. Although he is only a rookie, he averaged 20+9 in the playoffs, which shows that game experience is not a problem."

Seeing that the two insisted on their own opinions, the host Ernie Johnson suddenly said:

"Maybe we should pay attention to the game between the Lakers and the Jazz tonight!"

McHale, who was still producing, couldn't stop at this time and said casually:

"The Jazz will get the match point. O'Neal can't defend the opponent's pick-and-roll, and the Lakers' outside line will not respond."

"I think the same is true for the Bulls' perimeter. Even if they return to their home court, they can't solve the shooting problem."

"."

Since the morning video class was cancelled, Lee also saw the scene where TNT and ESPN collectively suffered from amnesia.

The shamelessness of these media outlets was beyond his imagination.

Lee clearly remembered that it was these people who praised Michael Jordan to the sky when the Bulls won the seventh game.

He also watched those episodes and thought there would be some solid analysis, but it turned out to be all boasting and bickering, and it also stepped on Reggie Miller.

After getting the big contract, Starks moved to another luxury apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where New York celebrities like to live.

In the afternoon, Lee drove to the training hall alone.

The Dodge Viper GTS-R was a new car given to him by the manufacturer.

In the 1997 Le Mans Endurance Race, Dodge performed well.

In order to advertise the race in early June, this limited edition street car that had not yet been released became Lee's new car.

The car is in Knicks team colors, with a white body and orange stripes running through the body, which is particularly eye-catching.

The advertising effect is good. At least New York fans are familiar with this car and will say hello when they see it.

The two-game win over the Bulls also boosted the confidence of the Knicks, but as the playoffs draw to a close, the players are also particularly concerned about the labor-management agreement.

This is about US dollars, and the players don't want a shutdown.

When Lee came to the locker room, Ewing was scolding David Stern:

"The league and the management are on the same side, they just want to exploit the players!"

"Fans buy tickets to watch us play. If the team makes money, our salaries should be increased and our contracts should be more secure."

In 1995, the labor dispute lasted for more than two months, and there was also a work stoppage in 1996.

In March 1998, the league's owners voted on whether to restart collective bargaining agreement negotiations, and 27 of the 29 owners supported re-signing the agreement.

So far, the two sides have negotiated many times.

When Ler heard Ewing complain, he knew that the eighth negotiation broke down again.

Oakley thought that what the gorilla said was right.

The old guy also wanted to make more money:

"We should provide some protection for veterans. We have played for half of our lives, and it is time for us to have a big contract."

Before the start of this season, the Timberwolves offered Kevin Garnett, who had just finished his rookie contract, a 6-year, $126 million contract!

$126 million, even more than what team owner Glen Taylor paid to buy the Timberwolves two years ago.

This contract not only stimulated the owners of each team, but also dazzled the players:

"Raise your salary! You must raise your salary!"

However, the breakdown of this negotiation has sent a very bad signal, and the next season may really be suspended!

For the atmosphere players, if the game is suspended and the boss doesn't pay their salaries, they will be left with no money and their credit cards will be blown up.

At this time, everyone is discussing what to do if the game really stops, which will have a huge impact on the grassroots players.

The media did not report the breakdown of the negotiations at all.

Apparently, the management and the league had joined forces to teach the players a lesson.

A lockout means no training, no team meetings, and no player trades.

Seeing Lee, Alan Houston whispered,

"Lee, if the next season is really locked out, what are your plans?"

"I plan on putting on some muscle!"

Lee patted his biceps, indicating that he wanted to further hone his body!

Larry Johnson also didn't care about the lockout.

"Grandmama" has a contract with Converse and a lot of off-court income, enough to support his extravagant life:

"Come and train with me, and go to Las Vegas to watch a fight. If you win the championship, you should enjoy life during the off-season!"

Players with sponsors are completely different from grassroots players.

Bottom-level players may compromise for their jobs, but star players will never cut their salaries.

Lee smiled and bumped fists with the "grandmama".

No matter how the labor-management agreement develops, his big contract cannot be reduced.

Workers don't talk about feelings.

The labor-management agreement negotiations broke down again, which naturally affected the internal situation of the Bulls.

For Michael Jordan, as a role model for the players, it is impossible for him to accept a pay cut.

This has nothing to do with his personal wishes, but the players' union needs Michael Jordan to make a statement.

As a superstar, he must never compromise with the management and the league.

After receiving the news, Michael Jordan knew that this season might be the last season for the Bulls to play together.

Pippen will not give up his big contract, nor will he take a pay cut.

The Bulls currently have the highest salary in the league, and the owner no longer wants to pay for the championship.

Just as the media reported, the Bulls were falling apart.

After flying back to Chicago overnight, Michael Jordan held a player meeting the next morning.

There was no need for any chicken soup for the soul, as everyone on the Bulls was aware of their current situation.

"Everyone has heard the news. I don't want to say too much. I just want to win the championship again!"

"Play good defense, throw away those useless little ideas, and remember that the championship will give us everything."

Wearing a white training suit, Michael Jordan looked serious.

He talked about a defensive issue and didn't say anything else.

If the Bulls win the championship again, will they keep this lineup?

Pippen planned to run away because he couldn't get a big contract, but Rodman didn't care about this issue.

After hearing what Michael Jordan said, the other players felt that there was still hope to retain the lineup.

The Bulls expressed their opinions one after another, saying that they would do their best in the next game, and the "motivational" meeting ended successfully.

On the evening of the 22nd, contrary to everyone's expectations, the Lakers lost again, and the Jazz got the match point!

The Jazz, with a rotation of 10 players, beat the Lakers, which had 4 All-Star players.

109:98, the Jazz easily won the game with multiple points.

The score was 3:0.

Although the series was not over yet, there was no miracle.

The Jazz had already made it to the finals!

O'Neal's heroic performance could not lead the Lakers to victory.

With 17 of 30 shots and 5 of 13 free throws, the Shark scored a big double double of 39 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 5 turnovers;

But the Lakers' outside shooting was limited to 5 of 19, and the 26.3% three point shooting rate stunned the Lakers fans.

Facts have proved that most of the players who play in a flashy way are not suitable for the playoffs.

Van Exel made 2 of 13 shots tonight, 1 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, and scored 10 points.

Facing the Jazz's iron-blooded defense, the Lakers, with their flamboyant style of play, were unable to fight back.

On May 23, after a day of rest, the Knicks team flew to Chicago in advance.

Unlike the Bulls who refused interviews, the Knicks were not afraid of anyone who came.

As soon as they arrived at the Hilton Hotel where they were staying, some reporters who had been waiting there began to move towards the players.

David Aldridge, a sports reporter for ESPN, interviewed Lee during the Eastern Conference semifinals.

This young black reporter often covered Georgetown University games when he worked at the Washington Post and had a good relationship with Ewing.

However, after joining ESPN, in order to get the latest news, most of the interviews with the Knicks in the past two years would first sound out Lee.

The gorilla didn't brag when he met the Bulls, and Aldridge didn't make things difficult for Ewing.

While the team was still checking in, he smiled and approached Lee to casually chat about the next game:

"Lee, two away games, let's talk about the Knicks' game plan."

Wearing a Hickey Freeman grey custom suit and pushing a suitcase, Lee looked very steady.

He answered the reporter who often interviewed him with a relaxed look:

"The playoffs all start with a win on the road, and our plan is to win the next road game and then return to New York to finish the game."

"Of course this is the best plan. We all know that the Bulls will not give up easily. Maybe they are particularly united now."

Aldridge smiled back at Lee.

He would not report on the labor management agreement, but just this sentence was enough.

He was particularly good at making up stories in his mind.

On the evening of the 24th, at the United Center, the noise was getting louder and louder before the game started.

For Bulls fans, everyone wants to see the team complete its second three peat!

Coupled with the previous rumors that the Bulls were going to break up, fans all wanted to see a perfect farewell.

The two home games are games that the Bulls cannot lose.

Once the Knicks get the match point, it will be useless for them to make a comeback.

In the game that night, the Bulls started to attack frantically on the defensive end after the opening, and with the blessing of the home whistle, their moves became more and more intense.

The Bulls performed poorly in the early stages of the regular season, but were able to make a comeback thanks to their defense.

Phil Jackson stopped pretending to be cool at this time.

He stood on the sidelines and shouted to encourage the players since the game started.

According to the game plan made before the game, the three outside players of the Bulls began to take turns defending Clay Lee.

The expected crushing victory did not occur, and the Knicks still made very few mistakes.

At the end of the first half, the score was 46:49 and the Bulls were leading by only 3 points.

In the second half, the hand-to-hand combat familiar to the fans took place again.

Rushing for rebounds and leading defense throughout the game, the Bulls only wanted to slow down the pace of the game.

In the end, the united Bulls managed to protect their home court.

86:90, after a fierce battle in the second half, the Bulls pulled one point back and the series score came to 1:2.

After the victory, the United Center was completely boiling, and after two days of rest, Michael Jordan's physical strength had recovered a lot.

Playing 43 minutes, he made 12 of 25 shots, 10 of 12 free throws, 34 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 3 turnovers.

Michael Jordan once again played an efficient performance.

After the game, Michael Jordan, who was interviewed, was also emotional.

He panted and assured the Bulls fans:

"Thank you to the Chicago fans who came tonight. The Bulls will eventually win the series!"

"No one wants the championship more than us. We will win three consecutive championships again!"

"."

When he came to the away game, Lee's efficiency began to decline, making 8 of 20 shots, 3 of 8 from beyond the three-point line, and 4 of 7 free throws, scoring 23 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers.

A lot of physical confrontation did affect his touch, but at the post-match press conference, Lee still had a smile on his face and looked very confident.

The reporters in the audience acted as mouthpieces and repeated Michael's point of view.

Lee couldn't help shaking his head:

"The desire for victory? Maybe it will affect the outcome of the game!"

"But basketball games can be very cruel sometimes. The winner is not only determined by fighting spirit, but also by physical condition."

"In the next game, the Eastern Conference Finals will officially begin, and the Knicks are also eager to win!"

"."

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