Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 564 The preseason game alone is enough to stun the entire league! The opening game...

This year's Knicks preseason is quite similar to last season's. They first play four warm-up games against opponents around New York and nearby, then fly to Southeast Asia for two more preseason games, and then return to the United States for about a week of rest before the regular season officially begins!

This year's preseason games were nothing to brag about; they were all the same old rivals and familiar faces.

But in the first game of this year's regular season, Stern, that old fox, started pulling stunts again!

The opponent he prepared for the Knicks' first regular season game was the Pistons, who eliminated the Knicks in Game 7 of last year's Eastern Conference Finals and then narrowly defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals to win the championship!

Old rivals meet again, and they will once again witness the Pistons raising the championship banner at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

This is definitely a huge boost for the Knicks, and it's also a great way for the league to attract fans to watch the opening game!

To ensure high viewership for this game, the league even broke with tradition and started the season a day earlier than ever before, on October 29th! And that was the only game on that day!

All other teams' debuts will have to wait until at least the next day.

Clearly, Stern is going to make the most of the buzz surrounding this reunion of old rivals and witnessing his opponent don the ring and raise the flag!

Cunning and calculating!

Absolutely shameless!

What Stern could never have imagined was that his strategy of boosting viewership and generating buzz for the regular season opener would cause several teams immense suffering in the following days.

As for the reason?

In their first preseason game, the Knicks hosted their old rural rivals, the Nets.

Less than an hour before the game started, just before all the Knicks players arrived at the locker room and changed into their clothes to warm up, Lin Tian blocked the doorway and said to his teammates, "You've all seen this year's schedule, right?"

"You all know what happened in our opening match this year, right?"

"So, everyone, what do you think?"

"Kill them!" Stoudemire raised his hand, saying simply and directly, "We have to win! We have to make their championship flag-raising ceremony a regretful one!"

"Great! We have to win! Let's kill him!"

"Let them know the consequences of eliminating us!"

"I'm going to go one-on-one with Ben Wallace, I promise I'll break his nose!" Amid the shouts of the players, Nate Robinson, the team's youngest member, stood out.

"We must win! There's no other way." Lin Tian decisively ignored Nate's frantic commotion and looked at everyone else, saying, "The key is, how do we win!"

"I think everyone remembers how we lost last season, right? And remembers how tough that series was, how tiring it was, and how badly we were forced into it by their defense!"

"You also remember last season, when they completely shut us down and we couldn't play to our strengths!"

"So this year, it's our turn! After a summer of training, we're much stronger than last year! We're more than one level above last year! We're a team in a completely different league!"

"Now, it's us who restrain them; it's us who can pin them to the ground and beat them to death!"

"So what I'm saying is, in the season opener, we don't just want to win, we don't just want to beat the Pistons, we want to knock them down! Knock them down, knock them so they can never get up again! That's when it's over!"

"Are you confident that we can avenge ourselves and dominate the Pistons from day one of the season?"

"have!"

"Are you confident that you can make the Pistons fear us, that you can make them live in the shadows all season, that you can make them worry all season about how badly they'll get beaten if they meet us in the playoffs?"

"have!"

"Excellent!" Lin Tian, ​​having finished his first address of the new season, looked fierce and resolute: "Then, starting today, starting with the first preseason game of the new season! Let the world see our transformation, see how different we are!"

"I know a lot of people on our team have a great relationship with Jason and Vince! Yao Ming and I are also good buddies; we come from the same country."

"But I'm saying this: it doesn't matter! Not at all! Today, we'll embarrass them! Today, we'll knock them down first, and let everyone see how terrifying we are!"

"As for why?"

"No reason why! The Nets are just unlucky!"

"They're unlucky!"

Amidst roars, anger, and frantic shouts, the Knicks players lined up and stormed out of the locker room, through the player tunnel, and into the bustling, packed Madison Square Garden!

The fans at the stadium were also full of expectations for their team's performance in the new season!

The excited New Yorkers erupted in a tremendous roar and cheers the moment their home team arrived at the stadium.

The atmosphere, the noise, the frenzy made this game feel less like a preseason game and more like a do-or-die playoff game!

The sheer pre-match momentum alone left the opposing team, including Kidd, speechless.

Although New Jersey and New York are separated only by a river, and they even drive their own cars to the arena, in New Jersey on the other side of the river, let alone the preseason, even the playoffs, you rarely see a fan extravaganza of this caliber.

Being born to a stepmother means you're never favored!

"Jason, you guys are in for a rough night! You'd better be prepared." As both teams finished warming up and headed onto the court, Lin Tian kindly reminded Kidd, "If you trust me, you'll be out after five minutes tonight."

"Are you crazy? Are you planning to just punch us all and wipe us out?" Kidd snorted, not with disdain, but with more confusion.

It's just a preseason game, a few of us are just having fun, and if we're happy, we'll play together again tonight. Why all this fighting spirit?

"Once the match starts, you might actually prefer I punch each of you directly; taking a beating from me isn't shameful," Lin Tian shrugged, indicating he'd said all he needed to say. "But if you guys stay on the field later, that'll be truly shameful!"

Kidd didn't respond to Lin Tian's words. Instead, he began to think about what he and his teammates had done to offend these lunatics and why they were being targeted and bullied like this.

Completely baffled, the referee blew the whistle to start the game!

Yao Ming and Okur jumped at the same time to contest for the ball. Yao Ming, with his obvious height advantage, easily won the first possession for his team. Then, Kidd dribbled the ball to half-court and passed it to Yao Ming, who had just positioned himself. Yao Ming tested the defense and easily turned and hooked the ball into the net.

"Nothing special." Kidd was about to mutter something when he realized he had talked too much.

Because the Knicks have already started running!

After receiving the ball from the baseline, Lin Tian dribbled quickly to the frontcourt and then made a no-look pass to Anthony on the other side. Anthony took the ball and immediately pulled up for a mid-range jump shot that went in!

"Isn't it the same old routine as last year?" After seeing the Knicks score, Kidd first steadily controlled the ball in his hands, and then chatted with Lin Tian in a calm manner.

With the ball in my hands, I'm not afraid of your sudden attack.

"Jason, do you think everyone is like you, able to get everything done in 30 seconds? I really hope you can still say the same thing in 5 minutes."

Kidd still didn't take Lin Tian's words to heart. This time, he and Carter made a handoff pass. After the two passed each other at the top of the arc, Carter received the ball and immediately pulled up for a three-pointer.

"Bang!"

After a muffled thud, Carter's three-pointer bounced off the rim, and the rebound was grabbed by Lin Tian, ​​who had already recovered. Then, he turned around and dodged Yao Ming, and accelerated to attack again!

This time, Lin Tian found Stoudemire following behind him while moving, and made a behind-the-back pass to Stoudemire. After receiving the ball, Stoudemire took off and made another slam dunk!

"Isn't this the same old routine?" Kidd remained unconvinced. He had seen the Knicks' moves last year; they were indeed formidable, and the Nets couldn't stop them, but how terrifying or crazy were they really?

That's not necessarily true.

But then Kidd noticed something different.

For example, in the next possession, his shot missed. Yao Ming had been holding his position firmly, ready to grab an offensive rebound, but Okur pulled him from somewhere, preventing Yao Ming from jumping immediately. This slight delay caused Yao Ming to miss the best opportunity to grab the rebound.

Then Okur gently tapped Yao Ming from behind, moving the rebound to the side, where Stoudemire rushed over and grabbed it.

Kidd: "This guy's positioning, rebounding skills, and judgment have all improved, but it's not as shocking as it seems."

Then Stoudemire passed the ball to Houston, who then passed it to Lin Tian. Lin Tian drove all the way to the frontcourt and then passed the ball to Anthony, who was following up on the wing.

"I held on!" Kittles, who was guarding Anthony, did not lose his position at all. As city rivals, the two had played against each other more than ten times in the past two years, from the preseason to the regular season. He knew Anthony too well!

It's flashy and looks good, but once he gets into a defensive position and maintains his defensive intensity, this guy doesn't have many options.

Before Kittles could even celebrate, Anthony suddenly spun around and shoved him in the shoulder. After pushing Kittles aside, Anthony spun around again and quickly moved to the basket, making a layup and putting the ball in the hoop.

"Where are you? 'Mosquitoes' only know how to bite, but not how to defend themselves, right?"

"This guy has learned to use his body, and his ball-handling skills have improved. With his talent and skills, if it weren't for Lin, he could definitely be the face of a playoff team!" Kidd continued to comment in his mind.

Immediately following the Knicks' possession, Yao Ming faced off against Amar'e Stoudemire. Yao Ming, a traditional giant center, is usually Stoudemire's nemesis. Last year, the Celtics' twin towers and the Pistons' twin Wallaces both caused Stoudemire great trouble.

Even Yao Ming and Pau Gasol from the Nets last season could completely contain Amar'e Stoudemire.

It's just rushing in!

But as it turned out, Stoudemire didn't hesitate at all after getting the ball; he pulled it up and threw it! With a crisp sound, the basketball went straight into the net.

His shooting now is much more consistent than it was during the mini-camp in August!

"This guy can actually shoot hoops?" Kidd's shock was growing.

But Stoudemire's shock to him didn't stop there. After teaching Yao Ming a lesson with a mid-range shot, this guy received the ball in the mid-range again, and he actually used both hands to fake a move, fooling Yao Ming's center of gravity before directly breaking through and driving to the basket for another slam dunk!

"While maintaining a good shot, the aggressiveness and impact haven't diminished in the slightest." Kidd was starting to understand what was shocking him!

Less than a minute later, Houston received the ball during a transition, quickly dribbled between his legs to steady himself, and then pulled up for a shot over Carter!

"Whoosh!"

After another crisp crack, Kidd gasped inwardly once more!

"This old man can still play ball!"

That's terrifying.

As the saying goes, the layman sees the spectacle, while the expert sees the details. In just a few minutes, Kidd understood what had shocked him.

The young players have all shown significant improvement, and the older veterans have even recovered their health.

Lin Tian is right. Although this Knicks team is still the same as last season and is still using the same tactics, they are definitely stronger than last season!

With everyone making significant progress, and Lin Tian acting as a stabilizing force, this Knicks team might just be unstoppable in the new season!

In the first five minutes of their preseason opener, the Knicks went on a scoring spree, racking up 20 points with three-pointers, mid-range shots, drives to the basket, and drawing fouls. Their offensive range covered the entire half-court, and they could attack in all sorts of ways. Their offensive versatility was absolutely top-tier in the league!

No, Kidd thought for a moment and realized that even the top teams in the league were underestimating them.

They should be considered the best in the league's history!

A Knicks team that still doesn't play defense, but whose offense is more ferocious, more three-dimensional, more invincible, and without any weaknesses, could truly shock the entire league!

I'm so envious.

Kidd watched Lin Tian dash around the court, constantly finding open teammates and allowing them to score repeatedly.

Which top-tier point guard wouldn't want to play in this kind of team and system?

It's absolutely perfect, like a dream!

Meanwhile, Kidd also noticed that Lin Tian positioned himself further inside on defense in this game, and he didn't know if it was because he was not good at shooting or because of the Knicks' new style of play.

In short, Lin Tian, ​​positioned further inside the box, was able to grab more rebounds and initiate more counterattacks and drives.

With Lin Tian's rebounding ability and instincts, once he starts focusing his energy on rebounding, the Knicks' original weakness in rebounding will see a significant improvement.

Furthermore, with the Knicks' frontcourt trio becoming stronger, more ruthless, and more prone to dirty tricks, even if the Knicks face the Celtics and Pistons this time, they definitely won't be overwhelmed by those two teams' interior defense.

I still feel envious.

44: 20!

In the first quarter, the Knicks outscored the Nets by a whopping 24 points. Their firepower, their frantic running, and the team's incredible energy truly shocked Kidd.

However, in the next game, Kidd was no longer shocked.

It's fury!

"What the hell did I do to you guys? You want to beat me to a pulp in a preseason game? Have you no shame?!"

Kidd said this when there were 5 minutes left in the third quarter. At that time, the score was already an astonishing 98:57. Lin Tian had just hit a mid-range pull-up jumper over Kidd, extending the lead to 41 points.

"It seems a bit excessive." Lin Tian was unusually embarrassed and scratched his head, but who told him before the game that he would beat the Nets to a pulp?

A man's word is his bond!

However, that's about enough.

With 40 points already, Kidd is really going to lose his temper if this continues.

Therefore, Lin Tian took the initiative to call a timeout in the next round.

Don Nelson was very cooperative, using the timeout to substitute all the key players.

Whether it's the preseason, regular season, or finals, unless there's a deep-seated grudge, it's time to call it quits at this point.

The final result of this game is not important, but the news that the Knicks defeated the top-tier Nets by 40 points in just over two quarters spread quickly.

However, at this time, not many people took the Knicks' blowout of the Nets seriously.

In preseason games, everyone is playing for fun. They're just having fun and in good form, so it's perfectly normal for them to score a few goals and widen the score gap.

Especially considering the Knicks were the best offensive team in the league last season, it makes perfect sense that they had a hot streak in a preseason game and scored a lot of points, doesn't it?

But the alliance's composure and calmness only lasted a few days before being replaced by cold sweats and worry at lightning speed.

The reason is simple: the Knicks are too scary!

In their second preseason game against the 76ers, the Knicks once again took a 40-point lead before the end of the third quarter, a team that nearly made it into the top half of the standings last year, before calling it a day.

Then the Knicks flew to Toronto and played against the Raptors, winning by 40 points in three quarters.

Then there's the Knicks' strongest and last opponent in North America this preseason.

The Celtics, who fought a grueling seven-game series against them last season and came within a hair's breadth of victory.

Then?

The Celtics' lackluster offense still couldn't score, but this time, they couldn't stop the Knicks' attack!

The Knicks went on a 39-19 run in the first quarter, and then in the second quarter they outscored the Celtics 40-18!

By halftime, the Knicks had already accomplished their objective!

For the fourth consecutive preseason game, the team has led by as many as 40 points!

This time, the entire league was finally shaken.

Even though the Celtics lost so badly, partly due to Pierce's absence, and partly because Rivers realized that the Knicks were unstoppable tonight, he stopped putting his starters on the court from the second quarter onwards!

This guy actually started tanking! Anyway, even if you win, it's against my third-string lineup, so it doesn't prove anything!

This turn of events was absolutely a masterpiece of Rivers' coaching career! (End of Chapter)