madnovel Chapter 511: The Celtics Swept into History
Chapter 511: The Celtics Swept into History
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Tracing the long history of the NBA, the Celtics' 8 consecutive championships and home record are unavoidable topics for commentators.
Before this, no one believed those outrageous records would be broken, but the changes in the league after the 21st century left people dumbfounded.
In the 1985-86 season, the Celtics achieved an outrageous record of 40 wins and 1 loss at home.
They only lost once at home, which was the pride of Boston fans.
Entering April, the Knicks had the chance to break this record, and they had already begun to strive for a perfect record!
In the last two road games of March, the coaching staff directly rotated a large number of players, giving the Dallas Mavericks and the Hornets two victories.
In the first week of April, the Knicks had two home games, and the entire team went all out against the 76ers and the Timberwolves.
On the evening of the 6th, at Madison Square Garden, as the Timberwolves fell into a scoring drought, the shouts grew louder, and New York fans saw the light of victory.
Breaking the home record is not an easy task.
The Chicago Bulls almost did it back then but ultimately failed.
Fortunately, the Knicks won enough, so they could appropriately reduce their burden in road games and back-to-backs.
With 3 minutes and 6 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, the Timberwolves hadn't scored a point for over two minutes, remaining stuck at 70.
Seeing Kevin Garnett finally receive the ball in the left low post, Head Coach Randy Whitman on the sidelines couldn't help but loudly remind his players to spread out.
After McHale persuaded Head Coach Casey to leave, the Timberwolves' record began to decline.
With 30 wins and 44 losses, even if they won all their remaining games, they would still be out of the playoffs early.
Kevin Garnett's loyalty to Minnesota had not been rewarded.
There was a problem with this team's building philosophy.
Being out of the playoffs during his prime, if it weren't for the former MVP's loyalty, he would have likely left a long time ago.
Facing Pau Gasol's low post Defense, Kevin Garnett chose to back down.
After two powerful back-downs, he suddenly turned towards the baseline, attempting a powerful fadeaway jumper that clanked off the rim, drawing a chorus of cheers.
Kevin Garnett's expression was blank as he retreated.
His energy in this game was visibly lacking.
He no longer muttered to himself or pounded his chest in anger as he usually did, merely watching his teammates perform.
He rarely forced shots on offense and seemed distracted on Defense.
The noisy Madison square garden seemed to affect Kevin Garnett's mood.
When he retreated to the right elbow area, he could even hear the insulting shouts:
"Thief! You disgrace the MVP trophy!"
"Go home and fish! You damn coward!"
"..."
Kevin Garnett's expression on the court was numb.
When he saw Lee dribble past half-court and casually toss the ball to his matchup, Pau Gasol, he no longer stuck close to interfere as he usually did, merely symbolically raising his left arm.
Pau Gasol, who received the ball in the right elbow area, was not in a hurry to attack.
In the left restricted area, JR Smith feigned a move to the top of the key to screen for Lee's acceleration and back-cut.
Rookie Randy Foye was almost shaken off by Lee's horizontal acceleration and back-cut, and he loudly reminded Davis to switch.
As both of them double-teamed Lee on the left wing, JR Smith suddenly cut to the basket.
As Pau Gasol delivered a bounce pass, the latter easily slammed it down with both hands under the basket.
70:84, the lead was extended, and cheers erupted again.
Kevin Garnett noticed Davis complaining to the Rookie but said nothing.
Watching Lee and a few others high-five in front of him to celebrate, he only wanted to get off the court and rest.
Even the most passionate players feel frustrated after being eliminated from the playoffs.
Kevin Garnett saw Head Coach Randy Whitman, with his short gray-black hair, wave his hand in frustration and let out a sigh of relief.
He didn't like this decision.
"It seems the Timberwolves couldn't withstand our comeback in the third quarter. Perhaps Kevin Garnett is considering leaving the team. He looks unmotivated tonight."
From the MSG commentary booth, Mike Breen gossiped happily.
He had been startled when the opponent scored 58 points in the first half, thinking it would be a tough battle, but he didn't expect the opponent to collapse first.
Walt Frazier was also in a great mood.
The two consecutive losses at the end of last month didn't affect the team, and the Knicks were full of energy at home:
"I respect McHale, but his decision to fire Head Coach Casey is indeed debatable. The Timberwolves are out of the playoffs early, which is a big blow to Kevin Garnett."
"Perhaps they should have re-signed Sprewell back then. With the help of championship experience, they almost made it to the Finals."
"Since then, the Timberwolves have fallen out of the playoff picture. Regarding Kevin Garnett's predicament, I can only express my regret."
As the two gossiped in the commentary booth, Mark Blount received a pass from Kevin Garnett and tried to dunk from the lower right of the basket, but Gadzuric swatted it down.
"Foul!"
The big man stumbled and complained to the baseline referee.
Marko Jaric on the court was also defending his teammate, but Ron Artest started to accelerate after grabbing the rebound, and there were only cheers in the Madison Square Garden.
Randy Foye had already been left behind by Lee.
The Rookie chased hard but found himself gradually falling behind.
Driving straight to the basket from the left wing, Lee immediately took off after receiving a direct pass from Ron Artest.
He glided through the air to the front of the basket, grabbed the ball with his right hand, turned his body, and slammed it down with a powerful arm swing!
"Oh!"
Cheers once again echoed through the Madison Square Garden.
These easy fast-break dunks indicated that the opponent had already collapsed.
As time ticked away, Head Coach Randy Whitman grew increasingly frustrated on the sidelines.
His players showed no fighting spirit on the court.
It wasn't until Ricky Davis's free throw near the end of the 3rd quarter that the scoring drought was broken.
72:92. Seeing the Knicks, who were down by 2 points at halftime, now leading by 20, even the Timberwolves' bench cheerleaders fell silent.
In the three quarters, Kevin Garnett only took 6 shots.
Everyone could see that the Wolf King was not in his usual form and severely lacked the desire to win tonight.
The last quarter entered garbage time. After playing for a little over 3 minutes, a blank-faced Randy Whitman began to rotate, directly surrendering in less than half a quarter.
The camera focused on the jubilant Knicks bench, where Clay Lee was high-fiving everyone, celebrating the home victory.
Glancing to the other side, Kevin Garnett randomly wiped his face with a towel, then stared intently at his teammates on the court.
During the subsequent timeout, he didn't listen to the coaching staff's instructions.
The Wolf King remained seated, as if contemplating life...
In Madison Square Garden.
The game was nearing its end, and the cheers grew louder and louder.
When the final buzzer sounded, Kevin Garnett, with a towel covering his head, instinctively covered his ears, seemingly wanting to block out the noise.
96:119. The Knicks easily defeated the Timberwolves, extending their home winning streak.
New York fans, holding up '39-0' signs, jumped up and down in the back.
As long as they won the remaining two home games, the Knicks would break the Celtics' record.
70 wins and 5 losses.
The outrageous record forced Kevin Garnett to maintain his composure and pay his respects to Clay Lee.
JR Smith happily rushed onto the court to chest-bump his teammates in celebration, disregarding the Timberwolves players' feelings, occasionally shouting at the top of his lungs:
"They can't stop us! These softies who are out of the playoffs are no match for us!"
"..."
Kevin Garnett, with a towel draped over him, gave JR Smith a "death glare," staring without speaking, suppressing his displeasure, and turned to walk towards Clay Lee.
"Congratulations, Bro! Another record! Congratulations to you guys in advance."
Lee, wearing the home white and orange training uniform, smiled and fist-bumped Kevin Garnett.
He noticed the other party's dissatisfaction but didn't mind, instead teasing him again:
"This is just a small record, nothing to praise!"
"You know, players like us only chase championships. Those awards and records only serve as embellishments, because fans are forgetful, and only championships are worth remembering."
Kevin Garnett felt a pang of bitterness upon hearing Lee's words.
This season, the Timberwolves' total wins were even less than the Knicks' home record.
Sports media only cared if he would leave Minnesota.
As for MVP and championship topics, he had long been forgotten.
"Kevin, I told you long ago, don't let loyalty ruin you. You shouldn't be out of the playoffs every year."
Lee once again teased the silent Kevin Garnett, who came back to his senses, forced a smile, and said nothing more, just patting his shoulder and leaving with a tight-lipped expression after a hug.
As Kevin Garnett hurried towards the player tunnel, he could still hear the jeers of the New York fans on both sides, and the team's predicament left him feeling helpless.
In the away team locker room, Trenton Hassell, a former member of the Knicks' atmosphere-building squad, chuckled and shared his experiences in New York with his teammates:
"There should be another bonus for breaking the record. I can guarantee that this year, Lee and Grant will all give up their championship bonuses."
"The Tarrytown Training Center changes every year. Besides being a bit far from here, living there isn't bad."
"Lee won't force us to train. He's a true genius. Kevin is sometimes too strict..."
Seeing Kevin Garnett's long face, Trenton Hassell finally stopped sharing.
The Wolf King was a training fanatic, and only after he 'fished' early did everyone else get a chance to slack off.
Randy Foye noticed the difficult expression on his boss's face and quickly reined in his smile.
After all, Kevin Garnett had a history of beating up Rookies, and he had no interest in provoking him.
"If you don't want to play in Minnesota, then get the hell out!"
"..."
The dark-faced Kevin Garnett began to curse, venting his anger.
He hated former Knicks players the most.
Their championship experience still haunted him.
Only after Head Coach Randy Whitman entered the locker room did Kevin Garnett stop his tirade.
The coaching staff's pep talk had no effect on him, and he remained seated, head down, silent.
As the Timberwolves boarded the bus, the jubilant New York fans outside the Madison Square Garden were still celebrating passionately.
Perhaps it was due to the impending record-breaking, as many young people were shouting at the top of their lungs:
"Fuck Boston!"
As the bus slowly drove away, Kevin Garnett, sitting in the back, felt annoyed.
This bustling city didn't even bother to show him malice.
He was almost forgotten by the fans.
Kevin Garnett, scrolling through his phone, had a sudden urge to text Kobe.
He didn't receive a reply even after returning to the hotel.
Unlike the Knicks, many teams were still striving for playoff berths.
In the Eastern Conference, the Nets, Washington Wizards, Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors were still preparing intensely.
No one wanted to finish 8th, especially the Nets.
Chauncey Billups had had enough of facing Lee in the playoffs.
On Saturday, April 7th, the Knicks played a back-to-back game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
This game was a complete 'flop,' as Coach DAntoni started rotating players early.
The 'fishing' Bucks also didn't hold back, engaging in a back-and-forth battle, winning 110:118 at home.
The direct confrontation between the Washington Wizards and the Nets went to overtime.
In the end, thanks to the excellent performances of Jason Kidd and Carter, the Nets successfully defeated their opponent!
114:120. After winning, Kidd and Carter celebrated passionately.
They had set a new record.
Playing 47 minutes, 16-of-28 from the field, 7-of-13 from three-point range, 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, Black Mamba Carter had a spectacular triple-double with 46 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, and 5 turnovers.
Playing 40 minutes, 4-of-12 from the field, 1-of-6 from three-point range, 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, Jason Kidds' near-quadruple-double with 10 points, 16 rebounds, 18 assists, 4 steals, and 9 turnovers was equally eye-catching.
After losing this game, the Washington Wizards' record fell to 39 wins and 37 losses.
Gilbert Arenas, absent due to injury, couldn't help but secretly curl his lip as he felt the lively atmosphere of the Continental Airlines Arena.
At the press conference, Gilbert Arenas was equally blunt.
As sports reporters raved about Kidd and Carter's triple-double record, he sneered with a big mouth:
"I don't know what's so commendable about that! Everyone in the league knows that Jason Kidd is running away. He's afraid of facing Clay Lee in the first round!"
"Vince Carter is indeed an excellent scorer, but he's not as deadly as Clay Lee says. Check the stats. Maybe I can also be called a Mamba. I don't see any difference between us."
"I'm the real Mr. Big Shot. Even if we fall to 8th place, I'm confident we can beat the Knicks."
"..."
Carter and Kidd, who had been very happy, heard the words from the loudspeakers after attending the press conference and immediately felt like they had lost face.
They were indeed working hard to avoid the 8th spot.
Ever since Kobe'stole the Mamba' nickname, Carter had been somewhat sensitive.
Hearing Gilbert Arenas's bragging, he couldn't hold back and couldn't help but mock him:
"Gilbert Arenas has no idea what he's talking about! We really don't like 8th place because everyone doesn't want to let down the fans' expectations."
"I hope he faces Lee in the playoffs. Then he'll understand the meaning of 'Mamba.' I don't think he can challenge Lee."
When an ESPN reporter asked about the rankings, Jason Kidd also didn't deny it.
The team he least wanted to face was the Knicks, as they would lose home-court advantage:
"As you said, we don't want to fall in the first round. Compared to the Knicks, the Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons are better opponents."
"At least in those two matchups, we'll have three home games."
Kidd' self-deprecating remark made the sports reporters in the audience laugh.
The New York Media were very satisfied with this answer.
The second team should be so honest.
On April 9th, after a day of rest, the Knicks delivered another powerful punch at home against the Detroit Pistons.
Chauncey Billups was completely shut down in the first half.
Facing Clay Lee's tight Defense, this former substitute had a hard time, making only 1 of 3 shots in the half and scoring 4 points from free throws.
38:57. At halftime, the Knicks led by 19 points.
Head Coach Flip Saunders kept shaking his head before the end of the second quarter.
Ultimately, the Detroit Pistons were held to 3-of-22 from three-point range.
This Eastern Conference powerhouse, which had transformed into an offensive team, suffered a 4-0 sweep this season.
85:114. After winning this game, the Knicks only needed one more home victory.
With a record of 46 wins and 31 losses, under the influence of the new rules, the Detroit Pistons, despite the loss, still remained firmly in third place in the Eastern Conference.
The situation in the upper half of the bracket was basically clear.
If the Heat could maintain their championship in the Southeast Division, they would secure the fourth seed.
In contrast, the Chicago Bulls were the unluckiest. With the Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons in the Central Division, a division championship was basically out of the question.
At the post-game press conference, all the sports reporters were no longer concerned about the remaining two games of the week.
The April 16th matchup against the Nets became the focus of attention.
Clay Lee, who attended the press conference, was in a good mood.
He could continue to rest tomorrow after flying to Chicago for the back-to-back game.
"Lee, do you feel pressure regarding the April 16th game? The Nets are still fighting for playoff seeding; they have extra motivation!"
The ESPN reporter also didn't care about other games.
Everyone could see that the Knicks were putting all their focus on their home game.
"Pressure? I believe in my teammates. In the face of absolute strength, we just need to perform normally to win."
"More importantly, we have a lot of preparation time. I don't want to be second place. This record will belong to the Knicks."
Lee's confident answer brought smiles to many New York reporters' faces.
Sweeping the Celtics into history was what everyone was hoping for.
After continuously giving away wins, on Monday, April 16th, the Knicks faced the Nets in a back-to-back home game.
After the Nets' hard-fought win last week, which officially secured their playoff berth, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter clearly relaxed.
With Kidd's 2-of-9 performance in the first half, the Knicks took a double-digit lead, 48:60.
Carter, walking towards the player tunnel, still felt a bit disappointed.
The cheers from the Madison Square Garden weren't for him.
The basketball atmosphere in New York was alluring, making him involuntarily recall his agent's words:
"Maybe I should consider Schwartz's advice..."
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