Chapter 53 Losing the Game, Keep the People

With Ewing out, the strength of the New York Knicks took a major hit. After all, Ewing was a consistent 20+10 player and a recognized star before his wrist fracture.

Oakley filled in as the starting center, solid defensively, but his offense inevitably suffered.

Houston, Starks, Oakley, and Davis ran poorer off-ball screens compared to Ewing's; everyone knew tightly guarding the perimeter was key since the other two didn't pose much of a shooting threat, making switching on guards sufficient.

Oakley was tough on defense but merely a bystander on offense.

Ben fared even worse, with other teams exploiting his glaring weakness, a free throw percentage of 33.6%. Who else to foul if not him?

Davis, after receiving the ball in the post and drawing fouls, hesitated to take long-range shots when far from the basket. He waited for a teammate to position themselves, ultimately affecting team morale.

The Knicks' interior game faltered, relying heavily on outside shooting, leading to an 88-98 loss.

Despite Jerry's attempts at adjustments, they couldn't compensate for their weaknesses. Milwaukee Bucks, capitalizing on perimeter play, effectively countered the Knicks.

In 1996, rookie Ray Allen exploded against Allan Houston, scoring 35 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, showing his prowess as a superb shooting guard of the Golden Generation in only his second season, averaging 19.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals.

Small forward Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson contributed 27 points and 6 rebounds, besting Bowen and Mills.

Robinson was exceptional, signing a lucrative 10-year, $68 million rookie contract upon entering the league. Despite not being an All-Star, he possessed star-caliber abilities.

However, his abrasive personality and lack of popularity hindered Robinson from All-Star selections and recognition in various NBA accolades. While averaging over 20 points in his first four seasons, he was critiqued for his laziness as he relied on talent rather than hard work during practice.

As the team lost, Van Gundy lamented during the press conference, attributing the Knicks' defeat to Ewing's absence, expressing regret over the key players missing from previous games as well.

Jerry, on the other hand, felt no remorse and even sighed in relief.

Ewing had dodged this, potentially finishing the season healthy if he stuck to his jump shots and facilitating style of play, unless deliberately injured by opponents.

A reporter asked Van Gundy, "Will Ewing come back for the next game?"

"We had a great start, and everyone wants to keep the momentum. Whether he comes back or not depends on his own decision and the medical team," said Van Gundy with a poker face.

During the return trip, Van Gundy and Jerry sat together, as Van Gundy vented while Jerry remained calm. Van Gundy couldn't take it anymore.

"If it weren't for your lousy suggestion, we definitely wouldn't have lost."

"We lost the fourth game," Van Gundy said morosely.

"So what? Do you think it's difficult to get the best regular-season record?" Jerry said with a smile.

Van Gundy was stunned.

‘Not difficult? If it's not difficult, have you ever achieved the best record? Many coaches work their whole lives and never lead their team to a regular-season first place, let alone win a championship.’ He thought.

"Wanna bet? I am certain that the New York Knicks will have the league's best record. That's why I suggested rotations to ensure the stars' stamina. This season's competition is not that fierce," Jerry said languidly.

Van Gundy's thoughts followed Jerry's lead. "How many wins do you think we need for the regular season first place?"

"Sixty-five wins should suffice. The main competitor in the East, the Chicago Bulls, would struggle to get 60 wins considering the current situation, even with Pippen's return. In the West, the Utah Jazz, Supersonics, and Los Angeles Lakers are closely matched, and they will likely end up with around 60 wins."

Van Gundy was completely taken aback by the bluff, which seemed actually plausible considering the current win rates. The Los Angeles Lakers had 6 losses, Utah Jazz already had 10, and the best record in the West was held by the Supersonics with only 5 losses.

"Why don't you believe the Supersonics can maintain their position?" asked Van Gundy.

"Firstly, their geographic location is not favorable, and the league doesn't want to promote the Supersonics; secondly, the Supersonics have had an easy schedule in the first half of the season, so their win rate is inflated; thirdly, the Supersonics rely on Payton and Vin Baker's pick-and-roll, with the rest shooting from distance, their overall strength is average. I don't believe they will finish first in the West."

"What about the Los Angeles Lakers?" Van Gundy inquired.

"Lacking three-point shooters is their fatal weakness; no matter how strong O'Neal is, he can't solve every problem on his own," Jerry said with a smile. "Don't take this Los Angeles Lakers too seriously, unless they trade for a shooter, or else even not being swept in the playoffs would be good enough."

Even with an excellent memory, Jerry couldn't possibly recall most of the games from the 1997-1998 season, but he did remember key matchups. In 1998, the Western Conference Finals saw the Utah Jazz sweep the Los Angeles Lakers, who had four stars on their team.

Nicknamed "The Big Bear," Utah Jazz's center Ostertag, standing at 7.2 feet and weighing 287 pounds, relied on picking up scraps for offense, had no mid-range shot, but he could contend with O'Neal without needing double-teams from his teammates, which was a headache for the Shark. If the perimeter shots didn't open up, it was hard to beat the Utah Jazz.

Van Gundy was never a boastful person. Since joining the New York Knicks, he had not been part of the team to achieve the best record, so he was skeptical of Jerry's analysis and felt like Jerry was asking for a punch.

"You're not saying that just by following your offensive strategy, we will definitely get first place, right? Riley, Nelson couldn't achieve it; what makes you think you can?"

"You got it wrong, Jeff. If we get first place, the media will focus on you, not me, as I'm just an assistant coach. Alone, I definitely can't do it, but with your defense, it's no problem." Jerry laughed.

Van Gundy was taken aback, thinking, 'I almost forgot. I'm the head coach, so how can it be said that he's leading the team?'

Considering Ewing's rest and the use of Jackson and Bowen, all these suggestions came from Jerry, leaving him feeling confused.

Jerry whispered, "Haven't you ever thought that this season you might win Coach of the Year? As long as the team gets the best record, you have a chance."

Van Gundy's heart skipped a beat. Who wouldn't want honor? But before the dust settled, he didn't want to get his hopes up, for fear the bigger the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Van Gundy smiled. "I thought you had become more sensible lately; how come you still talk so unrealistically? Let's first win against the Mavericks."

"The next game will definitely not be difficult," said Jerry casually.

"Have you forgotten who ended our 16-game winning streak?"

"That was just a coincidence. The Mavericks are a lousy team and riddled with injuries—there are hardly any capable players left. I just hope they don't lose too quickly," Jerry said as he closed his eyes to rest.

Van Gundy's face darkened slightly, and he turned his head, didn't say anything.

Losing to the Mavericks was Van Gundy's worst moment of coaching that season. The Mavericks had a record of 5 wins and 20 losses, with the only playoff team they had beaten being the New York Knicks.