Chapter 495: Easy Victory
Jeff Van Gundy held his phone and thought for a while, then finally sent a text message: "Abandon the Jordan rules, play fast and fast, focus on Howard in the interior, and shoot three-pointers from the outside."
He had no choice but to order what he ordered. The Magic only had so much to offer, so how could they possibly create something different? Their team was built around a high-mobility perimeter-based team, relying on shooting to win, leaving the paint and defense entirely to Howard. With minimal tactical variation, this lineup easily allowed them to win fifty or more games in the regular season. However, in the playoffs, their advantage would steadily erode, and they would be thwarted by any tough opponent willing to play with all their might. This was the fundamental reason why the Magic's regular season record was impressive in recent years, but their playoff performance was disappointing.
While the Knicks' lineup wasn't particularly impressive, their star player was the league's top-tier player. He was arguably the most aggressive player in the league, and also the most dangerous and versatile. And when it mattered, he was truly willing to risk his life. How many players on the Magic would dare to go head-to-head with him? He was a guy who could even punch someone's brains out.
Therefore, in the matchup between the two, the Knicks actually had the advantage.
After receiving advice from his brother, Stan Van Gundy quickly adjusted the lineup to the starting lineup. He put all his offensive players on the court, as if he was determined to fight the Knicks to the end.
But how could Yang Mo touch him? Knicks was not good at other things, but he was a master at scoring. Especially now that Yang Mo had the ability to pass the ball, he was even more powerful.
When the Magic entered fast-break mode, Yang Mo quickly set the tempo, launching an incredibly rapid attack. When the Knicks surged, the Magic, despite their impressive firepower, were no match for the Knicks, whose livelihood depended on it. Furthermore, the Knicks' ball distribution was far more balanced than the Magic's. Consequently, the score gap continued to widen.
Watching the Knicks' relentless attacking and conquering defenses on the court, Dwyane Wade couldn't help but sigh: "It turns out Young's best position is point guard. I used to only know that he could disrupt others' rhythm with his own pace, but I had no idea he'd already reached the point where he could dominate the game."
This guy's control of rhythm is no less than Steve Nash.
Ultimately, Dwyane Wade made a mental statement in shock. He had already admitted that he couldn't suppress Yang Mo. The strength Yang Mo displayed was terrifying. He truly dominated the game, just as he'd said. Watching him play truly gave him a Michael Jordan-like feeling.
Thinking of this, Wade couldn't help but imagine himself teaming up with him: It shouldn't be inferior to the Jordan-Pippen duo, right? We will definitely dominate the league.
Thinking of this, Wade couldn't help but feel sad. They originally had the opportunity to dominate the league, but unfortunately, now they can only be rivals and cannot glory together.
In an instant, Wade's heart was filled with melancholy. He felt like he had lost something very important.
Meanwhile, halftime arrived, and the Magic were trailing by 35 points in their home court, essentially securing their defeat.
This was a result that no one could have predicted. Before the game, almost everyone agreed that the Magic were stronger. The Knicks' victory in the last game was just because Yang Mo's sudden appearance caught the Magic off guard.
For the Magic, reality was brutal. Their pre-game pride was trampled underfoot by the Knicks. They had always believed themselves to be a thousand times better than the Knicks, that they were the authentically rich, handsome, and wealthy, while the Knicks were merely the poorest of the poor. But before they could even shake off their sense of superiority, they were mercilessly trampled underfoot by the "losers" led by Yang Mo, who bullied and trampled them.
Magic fans also left the game disappointed after halftime, having already guessed the outcome. The Magic lost from start to finish. Their strengths from the regular season had completely vanished in the playoffs. The opposing team's Super Yang completely dominated the game, tightly controlling the tempo. The Magic could only react passively, never actively forcing the Knicks to retreat.
And that was indeed the case. In the second half of the game, the Magic were still being suppressed. Occasionally, Howard was able to create some threats in the penalty area, but Yang Mo would soon teach him a lesson, such as rushing into the Magic's penalty area for a dunk or drawing a foul.
In the end, the Knicks won their second playoff game without any suspense, which was also their second away game.
However, the team's big victory did not make the Knicks happy. Turiaf sprained his right foot in the last meaningless rebound scramble. After being examined by the team doctor, he was quickly sent to a local hospital in Orlando. Obviously, his injury was not optimistic and it was very likely that he had torn the ligament.
Turiaf's injury was definitely the heaviest blow to the Knicks. They had already lost Milicic, and now Turiaf was hospitalized. They no longer had a reliable defender in the interior, and the Magic's center was the best in the league. It seemed that the balance of victory was tilting towards the Magic again.
After the game, Yang Mo looked grim in an interview with TNT. He wasn't in the mood for victory at all. Instead, he was completely stoic. He simply said, "Sorry, I'm not in the mood for an interview right now. My thoughts are all on my brother. He single-handedly held up the Knicks' paint tonight. He told me before he went on the court, 'Glory is my life.' He did it, and I'm proud of him."
After saying this, he walked away.
Compared to Yang Mo's stern expression after his victory, Barkley in the TNT live studio seemed much more cheerful: "Hey, Jeff, do you love me? I love you very much. Look, I care so much about your hairstyle. Last time I found a woman's wig for you, and this time I won a woman's thong for you. I swear, no one in this world cares about your hair quality more than me."
"Honestly, you don't have to humiliate me like this. My hairline is a symbol of wisdom. Your thick hair only means that your brain is seriously lacking in wisdom." Jeff Van Gundy replied with a grim face.
"Oh my God, I actually forgot you have a hairline. Excuse me, has your hairline reached the bottom of your skull?" Barkley said aggressively, "My wisdom may not be as good as yours, so now I can only think about whether the thong parts your hair in the middle or 4:6. Do you prefer a middle part or 4:6? Can you give me some advice? Use your wisdom!"
Barkley is such a "despicable" person. He doesn't hide his smug face at all. Anyway, he has never lost since he clung to Yang Mo's thigh.
"Just wait and see! I will also increase the stakes in the next game. I don't believe the Knicks can win the next game. They no longer have a center. If you are brave enough, you can continue to bet with me!" Jeff Van Gundy slammed the table hard, then stood up, looking at Barkley with anger in his eyes that were almost spitting fire.
Charles Barkley wasn't surprised to see Jeff Van Gundy on the verge of madness. He even smiled faintly and said slowly, "Okay. Of course I'll continue to bet with you, but you have to fulfill this bet first. I don't want to play gambling games with someone who doesn't pay his debts."
"Okay, you wait!" Jeff Van Gundy said this fiercely, turned around and walked out of the screen. He didn't want to stay here any longer.
Meanwhile, Barkley was already laughing heartily, not even trying to hide his arrogance. In his opinion, if he didn't laugh wildly when he won, would he have to laugh only when he lost?
Barkley could smile happily, but Yang Mo had no reason to be happy. The problem facing him now was that the Knicks no longer had a viable center, not even a power forward, only a slew of small forwards. How could a team without a big man possibly make the playoffs? Even a powerful offense wouldn't matter because the opponent would have complete control of the rebounds.
Yang Mo was extremely distressed. Even if he returned to the post, it would be too late to save the situation. After all, his energy was limited. He couldn't play the two most demanding positions on the court for 48 minutes. Moreover, even if he played center, the team still needed a helper who could provide assistance.
Yang Mo was already feeling irritated when league officials came over to invite him to the post-game press conference. He hadn't wanted to go, but the officials kept asking, so he had no choice but to go.
Arriving at the press conference, Yang Mo noticed a cold, deserted press conference, a complete lack of the excitement of the previous game. The remaining reporters were mostly from Asia and New York, all of whom had come for Yang Mo. As for the local Orlando media, they had already given up on staying. The team had lost two games in a row, with the score difference getting wider with each game. Why were they still here? Were they being humiliated by Super Yang?
As soon as Yang Mo sat down, a New York reporter stood up and asked with great concern, "Super Yang, as far as we know, Milicic and Turiaf are both injured. Their injuries are quite serious. If they don't show up for the home game, do we still have hope of winning the game?"
Knicks fans are undoubtedly the most concerned about this issue. They don't want to win two away games and then be defeated by their opponents when they return to their home court.
Yang Mo pursed her lips in silence for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "I can't accept losing at home, so even if I'm exhausted in the third game, I will lead my team to victory."
