Chapter 58: The Rookie Wall? (Part Two)

On January 2, 1997, the New York Knicks secured their first victory of the new year.

With a final score of 96:84, the Knicks managed to hold onto their lead and win the game, largely thanks to the Washington Bullets' abysmal shooting performance.

Larry Johnson shot 1 for 8, and Charles Oakley went 3 for 12. It felt as though both veterans had hit the rookie wall, unable to buy a bucket no matter how they tried.

Playing 31 minutes, Li You faced intense defensive pressure from the opponents throughout the match, yet still managed to deliver a respectable stat line:

4 of 8 from the field, including 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line, totaling 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers.

In his post-match interview, Jeff Van Gundy appeared in high spirits, taking the initiative to praise the team's performance:

"Our first game of the new year was an away game. We overcame adversity and performed exceptionally well. Everyone played with energy!"

"I don't care about our field goal percentage because we held the Bullets to around thirty percent shooting."

"This is how we play. Even when our shooting touch is off, we can still win games through defense."

Shit-flavored chocolate was still chocolate; winning was what mattered most!

On January 3rd, the Knicks players eagerly flew to Atlanta. Upon arriving at the hotel, Patrick Ewing and the other veterans pulled the rookies aside to give them a quick briefing:

"Tonight, we're going out to check out the scene first. Don't tell the coach where we went!"

Allan Houston and Li You, along with a few other rookies, stayed behind at the hotel, passing the time by watching NBC's Saturday Night Live together.

"We might as well bring the coaching staff along. We're all adults, and this isn't illegal. Enjoying life is no big deal!"

Rookie John Wallace felt an itch and wanted to go out with the big boys to "meet the ladies."

Hearing this, Li You let out a direct laugh. Grouping up for that sort of thing—he couldn't believe someone would actually come up with such an idea:

"Trust me, if Head Coach Van Gundy hears your brilliant idea, you can kiss your playing time goodbye for the next few months."

The perennial scapegoat Walter McCarty also wanted to experience the latest services. Watching the television absentmindedly, he spoke in a sour tone:

"Even Buck went along. We are family, they should've taken us too!"

Allan Houston was utterly speechless. Was "family" really a word to be used in this context?

"We have a game to play tomorrow. Rookie players should focus on working hard in training and showing the coaching staff what you can do. That's what matters most."

Hearing Allan Houston's words, the two rookies felt a sudden surge of shame. Their lower halves had almost taken over their brains...

Li You was also somewhat curious. He had never actually been to a club like that, though he had no interest in getting tangled up in any messy business—his main motivation was simply to witness history firsthand.

During the morning training session on the 4th, several veterans walked with unsteady steps and had glazed-over eyes. After a night of intense competition, their physical stamina had pretty much hit rock bottom.

Jeff Van Gundy looked helpless. It didn't take a genius to figure out where these veterans had been...

The game that night saw the Knicks completely devoid of form. To make matters worse, Chris Childs rolled his ankle just before the official timeout in the first quarter.

The Hawks' offense was equally dismal, but on the defensive end, Dikembe Mutombo remained largely unaffected, firmly protecting the paint as usual.

Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith relentlessly harassed the Knicks' perimeter. Under their fierce defense, Li You avoided turnovers, but his offensive output was certainly hampered.

The Velcro-like defense made it extremely difficult for Li You to find clean shooting space. Combined with a drop in screen quality and an increase in team turnovers, the Hawks quickly capitalized with a 10:2 run.

Jeff Van Gundy initially tried calling timeouts to instruct his players, but by the second half, noticing that everyone's legs felt even heavier, he simply sat back down on the bench.

Ultimately, the score ended at 82:89. The Hawks completed their revenge on their home court, successfully defeating the Knicks.

Despite the loss, Ewing was in a great mood. After the match, he pulled his close friend Mutombo aside for a quiet conversation; the two Georgetown-bred big men shared a lot of common ground on certain matters.

Following the match, the team flew straight back to New York. The veterans, having played two consecutive games, crashed and fell asleep the moment they boarded the plane...

Upon exiting the airport, Allan Houston looked particularly depressed. Everyone's form had been mediocre that night, and he hadn't received many shooting opportunities either, going 4 for 11 and scoring just 10 points.

"Sometimes I really dislike the team's tactics. We clearly have better offensive options available!"

Hearing Allan Houston's low murmur of complaint, Li You shrugged and offered a simple response:

"The Knicks are Pat's team. One of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players, this year's Eastern Conference All-Star starting center. Keeping his stats at 20+10 is just one of the perks of being a superstar."

"Still, the future definitely belongs to the youth. No one can resist the erosion of time—not the Knicks, and certainly not the league-leading Bulls!"

"Right now, we just need to stay healthy, remain patient, and opportunities will eventually arise."

...

On the evening of January 5th at Madison Square Garden, Li You finally received his Rookie of the Month trophy upon returning home.

Before the game even began, Ray Allen on the visiting team's bench felt a twinge of envy toward Li You's treatment upon hearing the cheers from the New York fans.

Tonight, the Bucks were visiting the Knicks. Ray Allen had hoped to put on a strong performance, but he ended up getting very few shooting opportunities throughout the entire game.

Although the Bucks were a young team, their current core consisted of Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson. Operating both inside and out, the duo monopolized the vast majority of the Bucks' shots.

In the first half, the two teams remained closely matched, but by the third quarter, the Knicks suddenly unleashed their signature "iron-blood" defense, outscoring their opponents 26:15 in a single quarter to decisively lock down the victory.

In the end, the score was 88:97. Playing a back-to-back home game, the Knicks easily defeated their opponents!

Playing 33 minutes, Ray Allen shot 3 for 7, finishing with just 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 turnover.

Compared to Li You's situation, Ray Allen was genuinely hitting the rookie wall...

With the loss, the Bucks' record dropped to 15 wins and 16 losses, sliding down to 9th place in the Eastern Conference.

On the morning of the 6th, Li You hosted his friend at his Manhattan apartment. Having struggled to score in his recent games, Ray Allen was naturally feeling quite gloomy:

"Vin Baker drinks frequently, and there aren't many players on the Bucks who train seriously. I wouldn't even be surprised if we miss the playoffs this year!"

"I sort of envy Antoine Walker. Even though the Celtics keep losing, at least he gets the green light to shoot."

"Asking a scorer to take only 10 shots a game while demanding high efficiency is a standard I just can't meet!"

Li You handed his friend a glass of plain water. During their routine daily text exchanges, Ray Allen rarely complained.

The reason his emotions were fluctuating so wildly this time was mainly due to trouble in his relationship; long-distance romance was truly detrimental...

"The Celtics have only won 7 games total so far. With that kind of blatant tanking, the league is definitely not going to let them get their way!"

"In a few days, it's the ultimate tanking showdown between the Spurs and the Celtics. That ought to be quite interesting—the fans of both teams are probably rooting for their own side to lose!"

Li You began changing the subject, pushing unpleasant thoughts out of the way. After all, rookie players could rarely change their own immediate circumstances...

Ray Allen quickly adjusted his emotions as well, smiling as he replied:

"The league might do Red Auerbach a favor. We all know the lottery drawing is definitely rigged!"

"..."

In the second week of the new year, the Knicks played a total of three games against just two opponents: the Mavericks and the Celtics.

While the competitive pressure wasn't overwhelming, Li You continued to face high-pressure defense. Even a tanking team like the Celtics didn't let up on their individual defensive coverage against him.

On the night of January 11th, the score was 96:112 as the Knicks secured a blowout home win against the Celtics!

After all, Li You wasn't an ordinary rookie. Facing targeted defenses from every team, he reduced forced shots, managed his stamina wisely, and focused more on running the team's plays.

Though his statistics dipped slightly, Li You reaped greater rewards:

[Allen Iverson's Exceptional Ball-Handling] had turned bronze, and his fusion rate with this talent was accelerating rapidly!

The cheers of the crowd pulled Li You back from his wandering thoughts. The old guys were all in high moods, enjoying a continuous streak of beating up weaker opponents while watching their own stats climb:

"John! Next week's Western Conference road trip is going to require everyone's help!"

Hearing Li You's words, John Starks slapped his chest and made a promise:

"Don't worry, Li! Once we get to Phoenix, everyone will pitch in. We are family!"

"..."