On June 8, 1998, after Game 4 of the Finals ended, all major sports media outlets were in climax:
"Curse from the finals!"
"Karl Malone is not a qualified leader."
"Amazing three-point shot, the youngest player to score 40 points in the NBA playoffs."
"Angry Jerry Sloan and disappointed Salt Lake City fans."
"With a bonus from New York, the Knicks legend is heading to Salt Lake City."
"The Knicks are ready to win on the road."
"The big heart attribute of a champion point guard!"
"THE BLOCK!"
"."
On the morning of June 9, Salt Lake City's print media collectively broke down, with The Salt Lake City Tribune even rarely denying Karl Malone.
The Mormon Church's Morning Post also deliberately reserved a portion of its content for the poor performance of Karl Malone.
Bill Frost, a sports columnist for the Salt Lake City Weekly, went all out, criticizing Karl Malone for ruining the Jazz's championship.
If you turn on the broadcast media, commentary programs like KFNZ-AM's "NBA Today" and "Jazz Hotline" have been spraying from the end of last night's game until the next morning.
Karl Malone played very well throughout the game, with 12 of 26 shots, 10 of 13 free throws, 34 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 turnovers.
Unfortunately, he lost the most crucial 2 points.
At the press conference after the game, Karl Malone was rarely absent.
Stockton was still supporting his teammates, but the Salt Lake City media couldn't stand it.
In the 1997 Finals, Karl Malone missed two free throws in the final moments, and Michael Jordan defeated the Jazz at the United Center.
No one expected that in this year's finals, Karl Malone would replicate the classic moment.
When he could have entered overtime with just one free throw, he missed both free throws.
Finally, he grabbed the offensive rebound, but was blocked by the defender?!
This year, the Jazz lost not the away game but the more important match point.
The score was 1:3, which meant that the series was almost over:
"No more miracles!"
"Karl Malone can't perform miracles."
Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel has been bustling since this morning.
Early in the morning, Charles Dolan, who fully controls the Knicks, flew to Salt Lake City with the team's management and several celebrities.
The team's uniform team also started to get busy.
They needed to prepare items such as match points, championship T-shirts, celebratory champagne, etc. in advance.
After breakfast, we didn't have to attend the video class and just had a small party in the hotel.
Old Charles and his son James Dolan chatted with everyone on the team with a smile.
Cablevision just took full control of the Knicks last year, and this year there is a high probability that they will win the championship.
With the help of metaphysics, old Charles is in a very good mood.
As the helmsman of the family business, Charles Sr. also took this opportunity to let his son leave a good impression on everyone.
From a rich second-generation playboy to a CEO, the span is quite large.
Charles Sr., dressed in a black suit, smiled and patted Ewing.
After a few pleasantries, the two quickly moved to Clay Lee's side.
At this time, his good son James Dolan was still bragging:
"Don't worry, Lee! You will get a big contract. Grunfeld has done a good job in the past two years. Don't worry about the labor agreement."
"No one can criticize the Knicks anymore. I know some media don't get along well with Pat, but you don't have to worry about that."
"Later, I will ban these unscrupulous media from interviewing us. We have our own MSG and we can speak for ourselves!"
"After winning the championship, where do you want to have a party? I know."
James Dolan, who was still talking nonstop, was patted on the shoulder.
He turned around and saw it was his father, so he stopped bragging.
He glared at his son helplessly.
The idea of banning the media from interviewing the players made old Charles' eyelids twitch.
"Perfect performance! Don't feel pressured, and don't worry about the labor-management agreement. Lee, you are the future of the team. New York has always liked guards!"
Old Charles winked at Lee and tilted his head to look at the Knicks legends.
Dick McGuire, Dick Barnett, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe and other famous players whose jerseys have been retired were all backcourt players.
After hearing that both bosses mentioned the labor-management agreement, Lee also smiled and expressed his desire to stay on the team:
"I am very happy in the team, and I also like life in New York. The opponents are under pressure. Tomorrow night, we will win the championship!"
In early June, the ninth round of labor-management agreement negotiations broke down and a lockout was almost inevitable.
When the fact that the management and the league wanted to limit players' salaries was exposed, it caused quite a stir.
This time, Charles brought the celebrities to express his condolences to the Knicks in advance and made a statement to the players:
"No matter how the labor-management agreement changes, the team will not treat you unfairly if we win the championship, and you don't have to worry about contract issues. We have money!"
Unlike other small markets, if the Knicks win the championship, season ticket sales will increase.
In addition to the old fans who will spend money, the new generation of fans will not be stingy with their wallets.
Ewing was already grinning like a flower at this time.
In last night's game, he made 7 of 18 shots, 6 of 8 free throws, and scored 20 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.
His shooting percentage was less than 40%, but he received countless praises.
No one criticized him even when he missed free throws.
The title of "the league's best center" once again fell on him.
Legendary star Willis Reed is still telling Ewing:
"Don't be careless, Pat! End the series as soon as possible. Don't underestimate the veterans on the other side. They also want the championship."
"Believe me, after you win the championship, the media will no longer exploit you!"
"."
General Manager Grunfeld and the team staff chatted with old Charles and the players for a long time before leaving.
At this time, several celebrities also completely relaxed.
Bill Bradley, who was wearing a loose grey suit, looked at Lee and Walt Frazier chatting happily, and suddenly said with a smile:
"I plan to run for the Donald Trump Party nomination in 2000. Lee, young people like you, remember to do me a favor when the time comes."
Walt Frazier was somewhat surprised to hear the news.
As a champion player, and after years of political accumulation, Bill Bradley has indeed become more popular than ever:
"Deep involvement in politics is not a good option!"
Bill Bradley saw everyone looking at him, shrugged his shoulders and said easily:
"I love politics, I like policies!"
The senator's status was no longer enough for him.
Lee learned from the newspaper that his situation was not good:
"It's dangerous and tiring to cut wood! It's my honor to be able to help."
Several celebrities also expressed their support for this old friend who turned to politics.
Oakley and others loudly complained about the living conditions of the lower-class black people.
The Knicks atmosphere group could not get a word in at this time, as the topic the old guys were talking about was beyond their understanding.
On the evening of June 10th, at the Delta Center, Game 5 of the Finals had already begun, and Spike Lee continued to argue with Jazz fans in the front row.
Ray Allen and head coach Calhoun sat near the front row with Travis Knight and others.
Although the Jazz still have a chance to pull one back, no one wants to miss Lee's championship moment.
The University of Connecticut plans to hold a separate graduation ceremony for Lee, and as for the law school afterwards, as long as his grades are acceptable, there will naturally be no problem.
Coach Calhoun, who was sitting in his seat with a beer in his hand, heard the Jazz fans shouting and cursing around him, and said to Ray Allen beside him with a smile:
"I knew that Lee could succeed in New York. A good point guard would be the biggest reinforcement for the Knicks. Both sides would achieve mutual success."
"Ray, Milwaukee is not the right place for you. You still have one year left on your contract. You need to think carefully."
Ever since his idol Michael Jordan was eliminated by Lee, Ray Allen has been criticized.
He certainly understood what coach Calhoun meant, but he didn't like the Knicks' style of play:
"I want to stay in Milwaukee. I've already got the core position. Although it's just a small market, the management has not given up the championship."
Seeing Ray Allen's serious look, head coach Calhoun shook his head slightly, and then suddenly sighed:
"If you were selected by the Celtics, it might not be a good thing. I don't see any hope for them to rise in the next few years."
"Defense!Defense!Defense !"
The first half of the game was about to end, and even though the home team was behind, the Jazz fans were still cheering hard.
Alan Houston's mobility was affected by his ankle injury, and it was difficult for him to run out of open space tonight.
When the Jazz double-teamed Lee, he was more of a receiving point.
Just after crossing half court, Lee came to the left wing, and Stockton and Hornacek came up late.
At the same time, Bryon Russell also moved quickly to the top of the arc to guard Alan Houston.
When Lee was about to be double-teamed, Alan Houston quickly cut into the middle and took away the defense.
Larry Johnson, who was left open, quickly came to the right wing and easily received the pass from Lee.
With no one guarding in front of him, Larry Johnson took aim at the basket and made a steady jump shot!
"Swish!" Another open three-pointer!
The "Grandmama" who had a bad shooting form in the last game finally found his shooting touch tonight.
Larry Johnson grinned, pounded his chest, retreated to half court, and high-fived Lee again to celebrate.
49:43, with 52 seconds left in the first half, the Knicks widened the gap again.
"Booo!!"
Huge boos resounded throughout the arena again, and Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines shouted excitedly.
Since meeting with the management, the bald young coach has been completely relieved.
As long as he wins this championship, he will get a contract worthy of a championship coach!
Regardless of whether the players could hear him or not, Jeff Van Gundy wanted to play on the court himself and kept yelling from the sidelines:
"Pay attention to defense! Protect the rebound, Pat, guard the basket!"
The Jazz attacked, Karl Malone screened at the right elbow of the free throw line, received the pass from Stockton, and went straight to the basket.
Facing Ewing's shrinking defense and Oakley who cut the ball from the side, Malone made a layup at the bottom right side of the basket, but the ball went out of the basket.
"oh!!"
Every time Malone missed a shot, the Jazz fans at the scene would sigh.
This situation also made Karl Malone a little frustrated.
After grabbing the rebound, Ewing immediately passed the ball to Lee, and the Knicks team began to accelerate towards the opponent's half.
At the loud reminder of head coach Jerry Sloan, the Jazz players quickly retreated.
Continuously accelerating along the right sideline, Lee came to the right wing despite Stockton's defense.
Holding the ball in his left hand, Lee approached the three-point line and began to protect the ball sideways, while looking up to observe the position on the court.
There was no double-teaming. Ewing quickly came to the top line to perform a pick-and-roll and stood on the left wing.
Lee immediately pretended to break through on the left side and quickly dribbled the ball behind Stockton at the moment when he was trying hard to squeeze past him.
Lee scooped the ball with his right hand, nimbly dodged the defense, and then went straight to the basket from the right side at 45 degrees.
Jazz big man Foster quickly slid to the left rear after switching defense.
The two players just made physical contact in the right blocking area, and Lee suddenly swiped the ball under his crotch with one hand, then leaned forward, picked up the ball with his right hand, and shot it quickly over the backboard!
Foster was half a beat late in reaction, and when he made the block reaction, the basketball had already hit the backboard.
"Bang!"
After a high shot, the basketball fell accurately into the net.
"Boo!!"
The boos were mixed with the sounds of curses.
The Jazz fans at the scene were particularly "excited" when they saw Lee score.
"The Jazz should continue with their previous defense. Lee's shooting touch has declined tonight. Foster should continue to use tough defense to stop this attack!"
In the NBC commentary booth, Doug Collins kept shaking his head.
Without the confrontation, Lee scored points.
In his opinion, the Jazz's defense had slackened again.
Isiah Thomas didn't even look at the technical statistics, but just smiled and praised Lee's offensive choices:
"The opportunity was fleeting. Lee knew exactly how the opponent would defend him, so he changed the rhythm during the breakthrough."
"Rhythm is very important. Going fast all the time sometimes doesn't get rid of the defense. Staying calm on the court is also a talent!"
In the final moments of the half, Hornacek missed a three-pointer from the left wing, and the boos in the Delta Center grew louder.
51:43, at the end of the first half, the Knicks, who were in full bloom, led by 8 points.
Bob Costas felt that the Jazz did not play desperate basketball:
"They double-teamed Lee after the start, but after the other Knicks players responded, the Jazz seemed unprepared."
"They didn't play with desperation. Maybe it was because of their age, but they missed most of the transition offense opportunities."
Isiah Thomas laughed and said something sarcastic again:
"Not every player is suited to a big stage like the finals, and not every player will explode completely in desperate situations."
"It's a shame that we were trailing by 8 points at halftime. I think Jazz fans will get to witness the Knicks win the third championship in team history at home tonight."
During the halftime break, in the Knicks locker room, Jeff Van Gundy was so excited that he kept giving out chicken soup:
"There are only 24 minutes left to the championship. Don't give your opponent any hope. Hold on. We will win the championship tonight!"
"Believe me, the opponents are desperate and they can't counterattack effectively. We just need to maintain this defensive intensity and have a chance to win the game."
Looking at Jeff Van Gundy walking back and forth in front of the whiteboard and chattering loudly, Lee raised his eyebrows and whispered to Alan Houston beside him:
"It seems that our head coach has been promised a championship coach reward, and there is a big contract waiting for him."
Alan Houston was also in a good mood, and Charles Sr. assured him that the Knicks would offer him a good contract:
"Maybe the same salary as Phil Jackson!"
While the two were whispering and teasing the bald young coach, Ewing also began a passionate speech.
The gorilla was particularly excited at this time, and several veterans also shouted along.
Unlike Lee and other new players who joined the Knicks later, Ewing, Oakley and Starks had experienced too many failures.
Seeing the championship was about to be won, everyone was extremely excited.
After the second half of the game started, the over-excited Knicks players kept missing shots, while Karl Malone of the Jazz suddenly lost his aggressiveness.
After shooting 5 of 12 in the first half, Malone suddenly stopped trying to position himself and rush to the basket in the third quarter.
The disappointed Jazz fans booed louder and louder, and when the Knicks regained their touch, the score difference quickly reached double digits.
23:20 in a single quarter, after three quarters, 74:63, the Knicks led by 11 points.
In the fourth quarter, every time the Knicks scored a goal, Spike Lee on the sidelines would arrogantly raise his hands in front of the away fans.
Old Charles, who was watching the game in the box with the celebrities, was also smiling.
At the end of the fourth quarter, the score difference showed no sign of narrowing, and the league staff began to prepare for the award ceremony in advance.
In the front row of the audience, David Stern looked calm.
The labor-management agreement negotiations broke down and the lockout had entered the countdown.
It was a three-for-one loss for the league.
The Jazz held on until the end, and as the buzzer sounded at the end, boos rang out in the Delta Center.
96:85, without any twists and turns, the Knicks suppressed the Jazz throughout the game and successfully won the game!
Lee casually threw the ball into the air, raised a finger to the media who rushed to surround him, and shouted with a smile:
"The first championship, this is just the beginning!"
Compared to Lee's reserved smile, Ewing and Oakley hugged each other, and the two of them beat each other's chests excitedly.
Starks also hugged everyone he met and shouted unconsciously.
Jeff Van Gundy raised his hands high and punched wildly, his shirt ripped out of his trousers.
The bald young coach didn't care at all and shouted excitedly:
"We are the champions! We are the champions!"
A small number of New York fans at the scene were also jumping and cheering loudly in the stands.
At this moment, no one cared about the boos in the arena, and they just felt extremely happy.
The camera followed Lee all the time.
Although his performance was average tonight, everyone knew that the Most Valuable Player award of the Finals would not go to anyone.
Stockton also showed frustration on his face.
The veteran point guard immediately found Lee and gave him a simple hug:
"Congratulations, Lee, it's great to play against you in the finals."
The media around them did not hesitate to use film, and they kept snapping away.
They surrounded the two men, and the cameras continued to focus on their faces.
Lee did not pay attention to the surroundings, but just smiled and patted the veteran on the shoulder:
"I hope we can continue to compete in the finals!"
"."
Inside the Delta Center, the boos and yelling continued, and in the front row, head coach Calhoun stood up and applauded along with everyone else.
Watching Lee and Stockton greet each other, he once again sighed to Ray Allen beside him:
"A new era has begun. Perhaps we have witnessed a historical moment tonight!"
...
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)