Chapter 41 Rapid Rise to Fame

Riding a wave of consecutive victories in the playoffs, the New York Knicks found themselves basking in the limelight, attracting post-game interviews from numerous media outlets.

At the press conference, a journalist asked Larry, "You seem to be in excellent form this season. How does it feel to return to the power forward position?"

"It's fantastic; it's the way I love to play the game," Johnson replied.

When probed about his secret to adjustment, Johnson immediately thought of Jerry and chuckled, "It was Jerry's suggestion that I move back to the power forward spot. It makes it easier to capitalize on mismatches, and he's an incredible young man."

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Calling a coach young was unprecedented, a tale for the history books.

John, during his interview, also mentioned the tactics. "Our current offensive strategy lets all of us showcase our strengths. We're undoubtedly stronger than last season."

In this game, Jerry avoided any sideline disagreements with Jeff over personnel, a relief that sat well with Jeff. With a good mood, Jeff felt it only right to share some of the credit with his subordinates.

Smiling, Jeff said, "We started well because of the addition of Tom and Jerry in the coaching staff. They are very capable and have provided many great suggestions."

Jeff brought Tom into the limelight, leaving third assistant Billy out.

Billy, absent of hard feelings, had little say within the team. With tactics laid out, his main role was to enforce the plays from the sidelines, the blue-collar among coaches.

The next day, many media outlets were abuzz about Jerry.

Jeff's words in interviews virtually acknowledged Jerry and Tom as his good helpers. The fans were well aware of the level of offense under Jeff last season; his assistants' contributions couldn't be erased.

"History is made with Jerry's outstanding performance as an NBA coach."

"The Knicks showcase a fiery attack, a testament to the wisdom of a genius assistant."

"The Knicks have transformed magnificently this new season; Jerry, the assistant coach, is the unsung hero."

The director of the Five-Star Basketball Camp gave an interview, exclaiming, "Jerry possesses astonishing talent; he's a once-in-fifty-years basketball prodigy."

Actually, those who had taught Jerry in the past were puzzled. During classes, Jerry had been quiet, his strategies not particularly brilliant. But now, how had him become so enlightened?

Coupled with the summer's discrimination incident, not only New York fans but also coaches across the league took notice of Jerry, who swiftly rose to fame.

Those participating in the discrimination video who mocked and belittled Jerry were now out of luck. Archer fared the worst, having been stripped of his basketball coaching credentials, ousted from the basketball community.

Surprisingly, a few NBA assistant coaches took interviews to congratulate Jerry, believing he had revolutionized the Knicks' offense.

Originally, Jerry was concerned that his fame might make him a target, but it turned out that NBA assistant coaches held him in high regard.

Because of Jerry, fans started to recognize the importance of assistant coaches, a precursor for salary increases. While most head coaches earn over a million annually, exceptional ones like Jackson might command six million. In comparison, assistants typically make between one hundred and two hundred thousand, which was a glaring disparity. Who wouldn't want to earn more money?

Compared to head coaches, assistants received far less attention. However, their roles were vital, and this contradiction proved frustrating.

Coaches' roles often interchanged; some ascended to head coaching positions, while others stepped down to assistant roles. Therefore, all assistants aspired for increased visibility and promotion.

The New York Knicks' season was just getting started.

On November 4th, the New York Knicks triumphed at home against the Boston Celtics with a 108-70 victory.

Patrick, on fire, tallied a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes of play.

The team boasted five players with double-digit scoring, and the bench showed no drop in output compared to the starters. Charles, John, Chris, Charles, and Ben composed the balanced second unit.

Larry continued his heroic performance, locking down against the Celtics' star Antoine Walker, limiting the rotund player to a mere 2 for 15 shooting. Relying on free throws, Walker scraped together 9 points and grabbed only a single rebound.

On November 6th, the Knicks mercilessly defeated the Suns away with a score of 115-88.

The Suns' three-point shooting was defended, with Jason Kidd only managing 6 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists. Keeping Jason from driving, the Suns were rhythmless throughout.

Jason wasn't as strong now as he would be later with the Nets, his shooting woefully inadequate at mid to long range.

Even worse was the Suns' defense, opting for a dual guard setup with Jason paired with Kevin Johnson.

In Jerry's previous life, the elder fans would remember Kevin, a man of unforgettable feats, who had fought with Barkley, pulled off a dunk on Hakeem Olajuwon, brought Allen Iverson to tears, and later became the Mayor of the City of Sacramento.

His playstyle echoed Iverson's, as they were both explosive, quick, and adept at driving with the downside of being only 6 feet tall and 180 pounds weigh, limiting his ability to engage physically.

Steve Nash also played off the bench for the Suns, performing even worse. Hindered by Charles, Steve failed to score from the field, merely contributing 4 points from free throws and dishing out 5 assists.

In back-to-back away games against the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks finally faced a threat but secured a win with the smallest margin of the season, 102-95.

The New York Knicks tightly defended the perimeter, singled out O'Neal and even resorted to the Hack-a-Shaq strategy.

Lakers' perimeter players missed shots frantically; Van Exel went 3 for 10, Eddie Jones 3 for 9, Kobe 1 for 9, and Fox comparatively accurate with 4 for 10.

Patrick's strategy to vacate the paint proved effective, creating mismatches after screens and ensuring efficiency in cuts or jump shots. He dominated with 24 points, 12 rebounds, an assist, and three blocks, outperforming O'Neal's 17 points, 8 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.

On the 9th, the New York Knicks overcame the Sacramento Kings, and on the 11th, they bested the Denver Nuggets, winning against these weaker teams with no suspense.

The Knicks' management could hardly believe it. The team had undergone a metamorphosis, winning 7 straight games, ranking first in the league. The most recent power rankings also placed them at the top spot.

The Knicks' starting lineup wasn't significantly different from last season in strength; it was the bench that had improved markedly. No team thus far could withstand the onslaught of the New York Knicks' attack.

Charles and Ben, both compact powerhouses, could defend the paint, secure defensive rebounds, and quickly switch on pick and rolls due to their agility. They could even spearhead fast breaks, much faster than the towering centers.

All three perimeter defenders excelled, causing headaches for the opponents' reserves while the offense mainly hinged on John and Chris' individual capabilities.

The rest of the league began to study the New York Knicks. Jerry hadn't anticipated that just by infusing some future tactics, the New York Knicks would become this formidable.

Of the five players he had brought from the Summer League, Jackson and Mikki hadn't had a chance to play. Chucky was a fringe player, and the other two were blue-collar players. The decisive impact on winning games lay with the New York Knicks' veterans, last season's core.

Jerry remembered, in his previous life, the Knicks had been handicapped by Patrick's injury and barely scraped into the playoffs with a 43-43 record, on par with the Nets, while the ninth-place Washington Wizards sat at 42 wins.

Reflecting, it seemed extraordinary that Jeff almost failed to lead such a talented squad into the playoffs, which indicated his abysmal coaching ability.