Chapter 60: Core Benefits (Part Two)

On January 15, 1997, the Knicks played the second game of a back-to-back on the road against the Spurs.

Since David Robinson had only played six games at the start of the season before being sidelined for the year due to a lower back injury, the Spurs had embarked on a frantic mission to tank.

Having changed their head coach midway through the season, the Spurs currently held a 9–25 record under the leadership of rookie Gregg Popovich, slightly worse than the Celtics.

The tanking efforts needed to be stepped up further!

San Antonio fans were well aware of the team's situation, so those who came to the Alamodome to watch the game were mostly there just to see the opposing team's stars...

Ewing had played poorly in the previous game, and Jeff Van Gundy originally wanted to let the Gorilla feast on a weaker opponent to find his rhythm, but the strategy almost backfired in the opening quarter.

At 20:15, the Knicks led by a mere 5 points.

Ewing was 0-for-6, Allan Houston was 2-for-7, and Li You kept feeding them the ball, but they just couldn't make a shot...

Fortunately, the Spurs were destined to lose, so Jeff Van Gundy wasn't panicked, proceeding with the rotation according to plan.

In the game against the Rockets, Li You scored a team-high 22 points. Although he was forced to change his playing style after being inserted into the starting lineup, the overall impact was minimal.

Though his physical age was 19, his mental age was twice that. Li You was ultimately no raw rookie; his play was steady yet flamboyant, highly opportunistic, and exceptionally patient.

During the second-quarter lineup rotation, Li You, sitting on the bench wearing a blue warm-up jacket and holding a tactical board, explained offensive sets to Allan Houston:

"Move horizontally, get to the wing quickly. If Charles's screen isn't set properly, you can drive straight off the dribble. It doesn't matter if you miss, but you must shoot decisively!"

The big man sets a screen in the elbow area, and the shooting guard cuts horizontally from near the baseline to the wing, catching and shooting quickly.

This tactic was simple; it was essentially the "Iverson Cut" frequently utilized by Larry Bynum in the future.

Li You drew several evolutionary variations on the tactical board. Allan Houston nodded thoughtfully, while Charles Oakley looked somewhat bewildered:

"What is all this nonsense?"

The old veteran's expression already said it all. Setting a screen was fine, but whatever happened afterward would be entirely up to fate...

"When I successfully catch the ball on the wing, the opponent will usually block my right side. The moment I drive with the ball in my left hand, pay attention to positioning. Once their defense collapses, I'll pass it out immediately."

"Get ready to catch the ball; easy scoring opportunities will definitely arise."

Li You re-explained the timing of the pass. This set of tactics was actually better suited for himself, and he had deliberately prepared it for the upcoming game against the Suns.

The coaching staff hadn't designed custom plays for him, so Li You had to script his own minutes. To score efficiently, he needed cooperation from his teammates.

As a player equipped with a cheat code, Li You had mapped out his own development path early on. In this era, a "four-out, one-in" offense was a bit difficult, but a "four-guard-plus-one-star" setup was entirely possible.

The on-site broadcast director also noticed the interesting scene on the Knicks' bench and frequently shifted the camera to Li You, prompting the home team's play-by-play announcer to joke:

"It looks like the Knicks already have victory in hand. Li seems to have transformed into the team's assistant coach. New York is truly lucky to have selected him with the 18th pick!"

"However, San Antonio fans needn't worry—the Spurs are also on the right path!"

In a game destined to be lost, the Spurs' acting skills were somewhat lacking, and they failed to produce any standout performances throughout the entire match.

The fans who bought tickets didn't mind; at the final buzzer, there were even faint cheers.

100:77. With the starters sitting out the entire fourth quarter, the Knicks easily defeated the Spurs.

After the game, Gregg Popovich proactively walked over to exchange pleasantries with Jeff Van Gundy, and the two rookie coaches shared some experiences...

Patrick Ewing was in a slightly sour mood. Playing on a back-to-back, he continued his cold shooting from the previous game, going 5-for-14 and scoring 20 points mostly from the free-throw line.

Dressed in a sharp suit, David Robinson wore a polite smile as he shook hands with every Knicks player, finally offering Li You a word of encouragement:

"Played well, Li. Remember to pace your stamina reasonably!"

Li You smiled and nodded, only to be yanked away by Charles Oakley, who wasn't particularly fond of the Admiral's demeanor:

"Basketball is about leaving nothing on the floor. Softies don't survive in this league!"

...

On January 18th, the Knicks flew to Phoenix to challenge the Suns on the road.

Having rested for two days, the team took the opportunity to briefly run through the new offensive sets.

The playbook wasn't complicated; the core principle was simply giving the ball to Li You.

"Good brothers" were all honorable men, patting their chests to pledge full support to their younger teammate—with the sole catch that the next time they visited Gold Club, Li You would foot the bill...

The Suns held a mere 13–25 record coming into this game.

Kevin Johnson, who had once averaged 20+10 for three consecutive seasons, teamed up with Charles Barkley to battle the Bulls, and contributed the iconic poster dunk over Hakeem Olajuwon, was now starting to find himself isolated. Basketball was still a game for five players.

Explosive guards often fell victim to injuries, and Kevin Johnson had missed time in two consecutive seasons. Having returned from injury this season, he was currently at the tail end of his prime.

New York reporters stirred up trouble before the game by dredging up the past, bringing up the Suns' double standard during Li You's pre-draft workout. Naturally, the Phoenix side played it safe and diplomatic.

The tides turn every ten years; nobody expected a young Li You to adapt to the NBA so rapidly.

During the pre-locker room interview before the game, facing the provocation of the New York reporters, the usually hot-tempered Kevin Johnson displayed the poise of a future mayor of Sacramento:

"I think that was just a misunderstanding. The Suns' staff has always been extremely professional, and Phoenix welcomes everyone."

"I love this city, I love the fans in Phoenix, and I'll stay right here forever!"

"..."

Dan Majerle became the head coach of the Suns this season, and the starting lineup that night didn't feature many adjustments.

Kevin Johnson and Wesley Person manned the backcourt, Cedric Ceballos and Loren Meyer started at the forward positions, and Hot Rod Williams played center.

After Barkley sought out a championship-contending super-team, Cedric had become the Suns' second scoring option this season.

Of course, Li You didn't need to worry about defending the opposing forwards; in this game, he only needed to mind his fouls, as Kevin Johnson possessed explosive driving ability.

After the home team's player introductions concluded, the atmosphere inside the America West Arena grew increasingly intense. Regardless of their record, the local fans continued to support their team as always.

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

The moment Ewing won the opening tip, the chants echoed throughout the arena.

Li You secured possession, dribbled quickly across half-court to the left wing, and was immediately met with tight, cautious ball-pressure from Kevin Johnson.

With the regular season well underway, no opposing defender was leaving Li You open anymore. The Suns had also reviewed game tape prior to the matchup, so they were naturally well-prepared.

Larry Johnson, returning to the starting lineup, quickly shifted to the left elbow of the free-throw line.

Seeing his teammate complete his cut, Li You immediately fired a cross-court pass to Allan Houston at the top of the key, then swiftly cut horizontally from left to right.

At the left elbow, "Grandmama" first delayed Kevin Johnson. Simultaneously, Oakley's screen at the right elbow delayed the trailing defender.

When Li You popped out beyond the three-point line on the right wing, Allan Houston delivered a pinpoint cross-court pass.

Without taking any time to adjust upon catching the ball, Li You hoisted it up immediately!

Kevin Johnson had just chased him to the spot and failed to contest the shot in time, wearing a look of sheer astonishment.

"Swish!" The three-pointer went straight through the net!

Jeers erupted from the home crowd. Li You ran back on defense with a calm expression, simply flashing a thumbs-up to his teammates.

Al McCoy, the veteran play-by-play announcer for the Suns' home broadcast, watched Li You score right out of the gate and said in a helpless, low voice:

"Terrible shot selection! But Li's rhythm is looking pretty good tonight; he knocks down the jumper."

"Also a rookie this class, Steve Nash still seems to be adjusting to the NBA, and Coach Majerle feels he isn't ready yet."

As an old-school point guard, Kevin Johnson had never relied primarily on perimeter shooting.

The Suns ran their offense through center Hot Rod, who immediately came up to set a screen at the right elbow.

On the right wing, Kevin Johnson held the ball in his left hand, used his teammate's screen to drive rapidly toward the free-throw line, briefly shook off Li You's trailing defense, and pulled up for a sudden jump shot!

Ewing remained anchored in the paint, strictly guarding against drives to the rim. The ball clanked off the rim, and the Gorilla easily hauled in the rebound before firing a quick outlet pass to Li You.

Unlike previous games, the Knicks' transition offense was operating at a much higher tempo.

Kevin Johnson once again moved instantly to deny and press him, but Li You quickly zipped the ball to Allan Houston, who had already crossed mid-court.

As Houston reached the top of the key, Li You and Larry Johnson sprinted down both the left and right wings.

Charles Oakley, trailing the play, didn't rush. Taking advantage of Houston's pass back to Li You just as the defense was scrambling to set their positions, Oakley jogged over to the left wing and planted his feet to set a screen.

Holding the ball in a triple-threat stance, Li You faked right and went left, lowered his center of gravity, dropped the ball into his left hand, and exploded into a lightning-fast crossover drive.

The home fans involuntarily gasped. There were no flashy hesitation moves, yet Kevin Johnson bit on the move anyway, misjudging the play and letting Li You blow right past him.

Kevin Johnson chased him down instantly, recovering to press against Li You's side and applying constant physical contact.

Near the paint, Li You executed a jump stop, used his body to shield off the defender, completely ignored the contest, and scooped in a left-handed finger roll!

"And-one!!"

Landing back on the floor, Li You roared loudly, signaling to the referee that he had been hacked on the arm. Receiving no whistle, he didn't dwell on it and immediately sprinted back on defense.

Hot Rod, lingering in the paint, was still preoccupied with watching Ewing, while Li You had already put 2 more points on the board. The Suns players all instinctively looked toward their leader.

"Boo!!"

Massive jeers erupted across the arena. Feeling like he had lost face, Kevin Johnson took the baseline inbound pass with a gloomy expression, proactively taking the blame:

"My fault, everyone watch your transition defense!"

Having missed his shot on the first possession, Kevin Johnson tried a different approach to reclaim his pride on this trip down the floor.

Using Hot Rod's screen at the left elbow, Kevin Johnson pushed the ball forward with a quick change of pace and direction, lowered his center of gravity intensely, switched the ball to his right hand, and accelerated into a drive!

Li You didn't have many great options for defending pick-and-rolls against smaller guards. Kevin Johnson got past his initial defense, but without managing to build up full momentum, he ran straight into Ewing, who was crouching in the paint to protect the rim. Twisting his body mid-air, Johnson clutched the ball in his right hand and forced up a layup!

Collapsing to the floor after avoiding the contest, Kevin Johnson didn't hear the whistle he was expecting. Amidst the heavy disruption, the ball clattered off the rim, and Ewing snagged yet another rebound.

On the sidelines, head coach Dan Majerle shouted at the top of his lungs, urging his players to scramble back on defense.

During the fast break, Li You received the ball completely unguarded. Hearing the shouts, the Suns' big man Hot Rod focused solely on retreating, completely oblivious to what was happening on the flank.

Kevin Johnson scrambled up from the floor, raced back on defense, and loudly warned his teammates:

"Pick up your man!"

By the time the Suns realized something was amiss, Li You—advancing rapidly along the right sideline—had already reached the right wing.

Approaching the three-point line, he slowed down, set his footing, gathered the ball in one fluid motion, and pulled up for a transition step-back three-pointer!

"Swish!" The three-pointer swished cleanly through the net!

"Awful shot selection! Oh! Our transition defense has some issues!"

Play-by-play announcer Al McCoy was practically dumbfounded; in his view, these sorts of shots were entirely irrational.

After the basket, the Knicks' bench mob went wild, furiously waving towels. Li You remained expressionless, raised his right arm, held up three fingers, took tiny shuffling steps, and trotted back on defense.

8:0. In less than two minutes, Li You had scored 8 straight points, forcing the home crowd to resort to helpless boos.

Cruising on autopilot, Jeff Van Gundy sat calmly on the bench, trying hard to emulate Pat Riley's look of absolute composure.

"Occasionally letting Li take charge of the offense is a pretty good option, Jeff. We could design a few more sets for him," assistant coach Don Chaney suggested in a low voice, looking thoroughly pleased as he held the tactical board.

Jeff Van Gundy didn't reply. Establishing a franchise cornerstone wasn't a simple matter; he still had to consider the politics of the locker room:

"Having a top-50 all-time great play second fiddle to a 19-year-old rookie?"

At that thought, Jeff Van Gundy shook his head internally. There was no way that was going to fly!

Wesley Person broke the drought for the Suns. Kevin Johnson drove and kicked it out to him in the right corner, where he answered with a three-pointer.

The home fans cheered; the Knicks' pace had been so frantic at the start that it had momentarily stunned them.

Li You could feel that Kevin Johnson had ramped up his defensive intensity against him. Consequently, over the next few possessions, rather than forcing things, he simply read the defensive alignment, executed the play-calling, and made the team's offense much more purposeful.

The score began to climb for both sides, leaving Kevin Johnson feeling as though he were punching a pillow.

Just as he relaxed his defense slightly, expecting Li You to cut along the baseline, Li You instead popped out on an angle.

The moment he popped out to the left wing, Li You caught Grandmama's cross-court pass, immediately raised the ball for a shot fake, and caught Kevin Johnson leaning forward. Dropping the ball into his right hand, he drove straight past him.

Sliding his feet rapidly, Kevin Johnson hadn't completely lost his defensive positioning, but Li You drove deep into the paint, gathered into a three-step drive, and faked a layup!

Jumping right along with him, Kevin Johnson raised his left arm, fully intending to block the shot. However, Li You hung in the air for a split second, whipped a no-look pass with his right hand, and hurled the ball directly into the hands of Ewing beneath the basket.

Realizing he had over-committed on the help defense, the Suns' big man Hot Rod spun around only to watch Ewing slam down a thunderous one-handed dunk!

"Ah!!"

The Gorilla roared. On the Knicks' bench, the cheering squad erupted once more, and assistant coach Don Chaney smiled, leaning in to offer another low-toned suggestion:

"We really need to give Li more opportunities! Age isn't an issue!"