For the long-cherished grudges of D'Antoni and Popovich, Lin Yi is simply a treasure.

This has to go back to when Lao De coached the Suns...... The Suns in those years were one of the brightest sights in the league, but no matter how beautiful they played, they never got past the Spurs.

In the 04/05 season, D'Antoni built the Suns into the best team in the league at the time with his run-and-gun tactics, and the Suns' star Steve Nash won the first regular season MVP trophy of his career.

The Suns, who averaged 110 points per game, were regarded as the number one favorites to win the championship that season.

However, in the Western Conference Finals in the 04/05 season, the Suns lost 4-1 to the Spurs coached by Popovich because of an injury injury to key player in the Suns' lineup Joe Johnson in the previous round.

In the 06/07 season, the Suns and Spurs met in the Western Conference semifinals, and this time Lao De put a lot of effort into the Suns' defense, in order to pass the Spurs.

As a result, the series was met with controversy in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, when the Spurs fouled 18.2 seconds before the break, and Robert Horry explained what it means to sacrifice one person to be happy for the whole team.

When Horry ferociously rammed Suns star Steve Nash, causing the latter to fly directly off the court and crash into the billboard, the enraged Stoudemire and Dior stormed the court in an emotional mood to avenge Nash......

As a result, Horry was ejected and suspended for a second-degree malicious foul, while Stoudemire and Dio were also suspended for one game for leaving the bench without permission.

No matter how you look at it, this deal is a big loss for the Suns, Horry is a role player in the Spurs, and Stoudemire and Dio are the core of the Suns, so the Suns, who lack key players, were eliminated by the Spurs again 2-4 after losing the next battle of Tianwang Mountain.

In the 07/08 season, the Suns introduced the "big shark" O'Neal, vowing to pick off the Spurs in the playoffs, but in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Popovich directly used a "shark cutting tactic" to make D'Antoni stomp his feet on the sidelines.

The Spurs also attracted D'Antoni's anger after the game because of their non-stop use of "shark slashing tactics", and many fans complained that they couldn't accept such a fragmented game, and NBA commissioner Stern also said that maybe it's time for the league to revisit the rules.

But in the end, it was the Spurs who defeated the Suns 4-1 to advance, and D'Antoni himself left Phoenix after this playoffs.

Regarding D'Antoni's Suns career, some people say that the Suns he coached are strong and weak in offense and defense, and it is impossible to win the championship, and some people say that the gorgeous Suns are vain and flashy.

But no matter what, D'Antoni's Suns broke the dull situation of the NBA game at that time, Nash's unbelievable passing, and the Suns' wonderful fast-break performances were the most beautiful scenery in the NBA at that time.

D'Antoni is enough to leave Phoenix with his head held high, but for D'Antoni himself, he is really full of endless resentment towards Popovich and the Spurs.

Whether it was Bowen's dirty maneuvers, the conflict caused by Horry, or the later shark-slashing tactics, D'Antoni taught too much tuition with Popovich.

Competitive sports are all about winning and losing, and when the Spurs lift the championship again and again, years later, people will only remember that it was the Spurs who won the championship, not Bowen, Horry, and the Sharks.

……

On the 26th, during the Knicks' training session, D'Antoni has been in his spirit.

During the break, D'Antoni looked at Lin Yi, who was replenishing his energy, "Lin, do you think we can win the Spurs?" ”

"Coach, I think you need to believe in yourself, and even more so in the players you lead." Lin Yi said.

D'Antoni smiled, "You're right, Lin, it's me who thinks too much about myself, and as the head coach of the team, I actually asked such a ridiculous question. ”

Lin Yi understands D'Antoni's gains and losses very well, because the Spurs are such a team that is angry and can't pay for their lives.

Wasn't LeBron James deceived by Duncan's "the future is yours"?

James: Didn't you say the future is mine?

Duncan: Don't worry, your future isn't here yet.

Poor LeBron, the most unbelievable person in the world is the man named Duncan!

And that Popovich, who always calls himself a good guy, ahh

I'd rather believe that there are ghosts in the world than Popovich's broken mouth.

This sentence is the bloody lesson of countless teams that have fallen under the butcher's knife of a spur.

From the pre-game training session, it was clear to the Knicks players that head coach D'Antoni took the game against the Spurs very seriously, because the old German kept mentioning the word "defense" in the training session.

To win against the Spurs, the Knicks must raise the level of the team's defense.

"Danilo, why do you look in a bad mood?" Lin Yi patted Gallinari on the back, the handsome Italian guy looked a little down, tomorrow is the game with the Spurs, Gallinari will play a key role in this game, Lin Yi doesn't want to see Gallinari not play as well as he should for some special reasons.

"Lin, I'm out of love, I feel like I've been abandoned by the whole world......" Gallinari looked aggrieved.

"Huh? Danilo, in fact, the whole world has not abandoned you at all! Lin Yi said to Gallinari.

Gallinari looked up at Lin Yi, although Lin Yi always beat himself, but at the critical moment, he was really the most reliable brother.

"Danilo, because the world doesn't need you at all! How can we abandon it? After Lin Yi finished stabbing the knife, he felt much more comfortable.

Gallinari: "......"

Hell, I actually believed that Lin would comfort me? This must be a delusion!

……

December 27, Madison Square Garden, New York.

The New York Knicks host the San Antonio Spurs.

Another duel between D'Antoni and Popovich.

And the No. 21 rookie and No. 44 veteran finally ushered in the first meeting of their careers.

During the warm-up before the game, looking at Ginobili's back, Lin Yi almost didn't suppress his urge to go over and touch Ginobili's head.

Fortunately, at this time, Gallinari walked to his side because he picked up the ball, and Lin Yi only suppressed that terrible impulse after touching Gallinari's head.

At this time, the close-up of the TV broadcast happened to capture this scene, and the astute photographer also spotted on the other side, Duncan, after chatting with Ginobili for a few words, Duncan touched Ginobili's head with a relieved smile.

"I have to say that Lin Yi and Duncan both have the habit of touching their teammates' heads." CCTV's commentator Yu Jia complained.

"Haha, this is also thanks to Lin Yi and Duncan are the tallest in the team, and their teammates can't touch them if they want to." Commentator Zhang Li said with a smile.

"Director Zhang, if Lin Yi and Duncan are on the same team, who do you think they touched whose head?" Yu Jia asked.

"It's hard to say, but don't say it, Ginobili has less and less hair in the past two years." Zhang said reasonably.

On the court, Duncan glanced at Lin Yi curiously, and Lin Yi also happened to glance at Duncan, the two looked at each other, and for a long time, Duncan smiled at Lin Yi, and the corners of Lin Yi's mouth also raised slightly.

"Are they making eye contact?" Gallinari on the side said in surprise.

"Duncan was just saying: You kid can play, Lin replied: each other, Duncan said: The future is yours, Lin replied: No, no, no, the future is yours." David Lee complained.

Gallinari turned to look at David Lee in shock, "How do you know?" ”

David Lee said to Gallinari like an idiot, "Danilo, I made it up. ”

Aha?

In fact, David Lee and Gallinari didn't know that Lin Yi had indeed had a consciousness exchange with Duncan just now.

Duncan: Is that you?

Lin Yi: It's me.

Duncan: You're here.

Lin Yi: I'm here.

Duncan: You shouldn't have come.

Lin Yi: I'm already here.

Duncan: You're here anyway, after all.

Lin Yi: I'm here anyway after all.

Silence, long silence.

The two people, like clay sculptures and wood sculptures, confronted each other, but the sunset became more and more oblique.

"What are you doing here?" Duncan broke the silence.

Lin Yi silently walked towards Duncan, then stretched out his right hand and touched Duncan's head.

"For this."