Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 598 Being cared for as if you were mentally challenged by someone with intellectual disabili

The fourth game turned out to be a mere formality, with the Wizards putting on their worst performance of the series. Whether it was Arenas, Jamison, or Butler, their performances were far inferior to the first three games.

This is a normal reaction after being completely crushed and utterly desperate.

Arenas, in particular, continued to be targeted by Lin Tian in the fourth game, making only 9 of 28 shots and scoring only 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, while also committing 5 turnovers!

He was completely crushed by Lin Tian!

At the end of the fourth game, Lin Tian said to Arenas, "Always know who you can't mess with! Never use those kinds of moves on me."

As Lin Tian spoke, he once again took out his thumb and ran it across his neck.

The climax of this series was a throat-slitting gesture, and it was also a throat-slitting gesture that ended the series!

It can only be said that these two former Pacers players have truly learned Miller's skills.

Although he was utterly outplayed by Lin Tian, ​​Arenas still averaged over 35 points per game and had a decent shooting percentage in this series. Unlike his predecessor, he didn't completely destroy his value in one series, and he will most likely still receive a max contract offer this year.

But his shadow and fear of Lin Tian will probably never disappear in this lifetime.

Since we've mentioned Arenas' former partner, we must also talk about this series between the Cavaliers and the Pistons.

Wade, who dominated the first round, carried his unstoppable form into this series. He remains unstoppable, and his fierce and reckless drives have shown the Detroit players what a suicidal style of play truly means.

疯狂的韦德率领骑士队在第一和第四场拿到了胜利，他在这两场比赛之中也先后轰下了39分7篮板5助攻和44分8篮板3助攻。

Of course, Wade's seemingly perfect performance was not without controversy; on the contrary, countless people began to question his whistle-handling.

He went to the free-throw line too many times. In the first game, he made 17 out of 18 free throws, and in the fourth game, he made 22 out of 24!

In these two games, Wade scored nearly 40 points solely from free throws!

"We can't touch him. Even if I breathe too heavily and blow on him, it's still a foul on me, and he gets two free throws!" Billups cursed after the fourth game. He was really disgusted by the fouls!

He committed 5 fouls in his first game, and tonight he fouled out with 6 fouls. With calls like that and penalties like that, he really can't play anymore.

"If he just couldn't touch the ball, that would be one thing, but he can still run with it!" After Billups, Hamilton said, "I don't even take as many steps as he does when he goes for a layup!"

"I'm curious, does this league actually have rules regarding traveling? Or are the rules only applicable to us, and other people can take a few steps without any problems?"

Rashid went even further, swearing at the media: "If touching his body hair is a foul, and pulling him down from the sky and slamming him to the ground is also a foul, then I'm going to resort to violence in the next match!"

"We'll see. Even if Devin continues to break through, I can't guarantee he'll be able to walk back to Cleveland on his feet!"

"My boss once told me something: 'If the opponent keeps charging into the paint, then great, let him bleed!'" Ben Wallace grumbled, looking at the reporters with a fierce expression. "It's normal to fall a couple of times in basketball, right? Isn't he proud of his 'Wade fall'?"

"I'll show him what a real 'Wade fall' is! Falling down and getting back up is nothing!"

Artest, looking just like he was about to start a fight, said, "I think everyone's forgotten why I'm called the Beast. Maybe it's time to remind you of that!"

Compared to his disciples' threats, profanity, and insults, Larry Brown's remarks were more direct and undisguised.

"This is the dirtiest, most shameless, most laughable, and most blatant whistle I've ever seen! If you don't want us to win, if you want the Cavaliers and Knicks to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, then fine, just say so in advance, we can skip the game, we can disband and start our vacation."

"If you want us to keep playing, then fucking get that damn whistle out of your mouths! If you want to fucking eat shit, go find your mother! Don't try to satisfy your cravings with whistles on the court!"

Team general manager Dumars also gave a rare interview to reporters after the game: "We have compiled a highlight reel of controversial calls and calls we couldn't understand from these games and sent it to the league."

"This includes the same action with different results, completely different standards and scales, unacceptable comparisons of free throw numbers, and various other instances of Cavaliers fouls going uncalled. I think once you see these, you'll know who the real bad guys are!"

"We are the victims! We reserve the right to appeal to the league for a rematch and will do everything in our power to defend Detroit's honor!"

The fact that almost half of the Pistons team spoke out at the same time stirred up the entire league and public opinion, and those who originally wanted to watch other series involuntarily focused their attention on this series.

They wanted to see just how outrageous the officiating was to make the Pistons so angry.

After everyone carefully watched these matches, they almost all came to the same conclusion: it was indeed fucking outrageous.

After the series ended, Lin Tian was surrounded by the media and asked for his opinion on the series. Lin Tian said directly: "Ben and Ron's tempers have improved a lot recently. If it were a few years ago, I think the two teams would have already broken into a full-blown fight."

"Are you trying to incite those two teams to fight?"

"Of course not! I've said it before, I'm against violence, I'm against all forms of violence, I hate all forms of violence! I'm proud of them! They're starting to know how to solve problems with basketball instead of fists, they're mature adults now."

Lin Tian's statement represented the feelings and thoughts of the vast majority of fans. Apart from a very small number of Cleveland fans and people who disliked Detroit, almost everyone who paid attention to this matter stood on the side of Detroit.

The Pistons, who have been portrayed as villains for almost their entire history, have suddenly become the victim and the side of justice this time.

It has to be said that this whistle was really too much!

Of course, the overwhelmingly negative public opinion does not affect the league's actions.

Stern reacted swiftly, stating that he would thoroughly investigate the game's officiating to determine if there were any issues, while also supporting the referees, saying that it's impossible for anyone to make absolutely correct calls all the time, and that some calls that were only half right cannot be considered misjudgments, and that those very few misjudgments were within the league's acceptable range!

After all, people are not machines.

At the same time, Stern also issued a large number of fines.

Billups and Hamilton each receive $10,000, Ben Wallace and Rasheed each receive $20,000, Artest receives $25,000, and Dumars and Brown each receive $50,000!

With that one wave, the league happily generated nearly $20 in revenue! Stern was also thrilled!

Of course, these guys only got fined and weren't suspended. Stern knew very well that this was a plan devised by these bastards to put pressure on the league and prevent it from favoring the Cavaliers so much.

In response, the refereeing department also asked Stern: How should we officiate next?

"Just call the calls the way they're supposed to! Ignore those bastards from the Pistons, and ignore the public opinion! Stick to the previous standards. If the Pistons protest, immediately change the criteria and blatantly alter the officiating methods and standards; that will only bring more criticism to the league!"

"They would think we're admitting our mistakes, that we were biased in the past! But we weren't! We didn't bias the game, we didn't favor anyone, and we didn't expect anyone to advance or meet anyone else."

"We were just officiating normally. Wade gets more free throws because he drives to the basket a lot. Do you, Billups, have Wade's ability to drive? How many free throws do you, Hamilton, a shooter, expect in a game? If you're so envious and jealous, go drive to the basket yourself!"

After finishing his long explanation, Stern looked again at the head of the refereeing department who had come to consult him and said, "Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understood! We know what to do!"

For now, that's how things stand. The league won't admit its mistake or change the officiating, but it's during this time that Wade has started to have more nicknames.

"Stern's biological son", "Hairy Man", "Cleveland's heir", "Untouchable Devon", "Devon Who Never Walks", "Stern's pride"...

A barrage of taunts and sarcastic remarks rained down on Wade. Under immense pressure, Wade didn't think twice and instead made a phone call to Lin Tian.

He respected Lin Tian and believed Lin Tian could help him out of his predicament and find a solution: "Lin, what should I do? Should I shoot more and drive to the basket less?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? With your shooting skills, you still want to shoot?" Lin Tian said with a smile. "Just play the way you normally would. Those keyboard warriors are not the reason for you to change your playing style. Your penetration is among the best in history. You are the second-best penetrator in this league."

"You deserve those free throws! Remember, no matter what others say, you have to remember this. You deserve them, understand? Don't hesitate, don't be afraid, and don't change your playing style. If you change your playing style, isn't that admitting you're wrong?"

"Remember, you're not wrong! The Detroit players are wrong because they can't defend! They can't defend, so of course they have to foul! Do Billups and Hamilton, two shooters, expect to get 100 free throws in a game?"

"Thank you, Lin! It's so great to know you'd support me!" Wade was incredibly moved. Lin Tian's suggestion put his mind at ease: "I believe I'll play even better next game!"

"Don't thank me yet, there's one more thing," Lin Tian said casually, "Those derogatory nicknames and mocking names about you online..."

"I will completely filter them out and treat them as if they don't exist! These nicknames won't affect me in the slightest!" Wade thought Lin Tian was going to continue encouraging him and make him forget those annoying nicknames, so he immediately patted his chest to show that he was fine.

"No, that's not what I meant," Lin Tian said. "What I meant was, which of these names do you prefer? How about 'Hairy Man'? That's the name I came up with! I think it's fantastic! Or 'The Pride of the Warrior'? That's also one I came up with."

Wade was stunned. He really didn't expect Lin Tian to say this to him. He also really didn't expect that his biggest hater would be his most admired mentor.

The polarity has reversed, right?

Even someone as humble and composed as Wade couldn't help but want to swear at this moment.

He wanted to smash Lin Tian's head with a meteor hammer and send him to have a good talk with Lucifer. What a bastard!

Lin Tian hung up the phone with satisfaction, and after waiting a while, he calmed himself down, picked up his phone, and called Billups.

"What the hell are you doing?" Billups has always been in a rather conflicted emotional state regarding Lin Tian.

How so?

It's that feeling of "I'm no match for you, I'll never beat you in my life, but I just won't accept it."

He's like an NBA version of Zhou Dian, and among all the current players, the one who's been the most rude and aggressive towards Lin Tian might just be this seemingly ordinary guy.

"It's okay, I'm going to wish you all the best in advancing. I'm looking forward to you advancing and meeting us in the Eastern Conference Finals!"

"So eager to be beaten up by us again? Have you forgotten who took you down last season?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Lin Tian said with a mischievous grin. "I just watched your game against the Cavaliers, and I think you guys are easier to deal with!"

"What did you say?" Billups' eyes widened. Did he think I was an easy target?

"What I'm trying to say is, if I played a series against you guys, I'd get to the free-throw line at least 25 times a game, and scoring would be too easy! I think I could average 50 points a game! Then I could easily send you guys to the repair shop!"

"25 free throws? Very good!" Billups scoffed. "You think we can't stop Wade, right? You think we'll get shredded by Devin again, right? Very well!"

"We'll see!" Billups angrily hung up the phone. He knew all too well why Lin Tian had made that call.

Isn't the point to provoke himself and the Pistons, then unite the entire Detroit against the Cavaliers in a war of attrition, and then, after both sides are exhausted, he can go to the Eastern Conference Finals to reap the rewards and easily advance to the NBA Finals?

Daydreaming!

Billups cursed, stood up abruptly, knocked on Larry Brown's door, and then went to find his teammates.

Finally, he revealed what Lin Tian had said.

"He wants us to fight a tough, painful, and physically exhausting battle; he wants us to be completely worn out."

"I bet Lin called that bastard Wade too. Given his character, he'd definitely do things to encourage both sides, making sure they both give it their all. He probably wants us to go to a Game 10 and then ten overtimes!"

"What I'm saying is, we can't let him have his way!"

"So, we're going to forfeit the next game?" Artest asked, looking clueless. "Let Lin face a full-strength Cavaliers team?"

"Did Ben eat your brain?" Billups really wanted to blow Artest's head off.

What kind of brain circuit does this guy have?

"I'm not going to eat his brain. It's so small, not even enough to fill a tooth gap, and I might even get infected with that terminal disease of low IQ." Ben waved his hand dismissively, his eyes full of disdain for Artest: "Chansey means we should go all out."

"Let's take down the Cavaliers with minimal effort, then go to the Eastern Conference Finals and settle things with Lin!"

At this point, Billups nodded with satisfaction. Although Artest was mentally challenged, at least Ben Wallace, who seemed even sillier, was still quite witty!

"So, the moment the next game starts, if that kid Wade dares to come in, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! I'm going to make him bleed, hmph, dare to drive into the paint I'm guarding? Then leave me with some trash! I guarantee he won't be able to play again this season!"

"That's not what I meant!" Billups was about to be driven mad by these two idiots.

One of you just gave up, and the other is a self-destructing truck. You two should go form a manzai duo and do manzai!

The group name would be Big Fool and Second Fool, or Dumb Egg and Even Dumber Egg.

"Fine, I'm done talking, meeting adjourned!" Billups was getting angrier and angrier, so he slammed his hand on the table and quit. "Do whatever you want! I'll see if you two go easy on me or bleed me dry, damn it."

After Billups finished speaking, he stood up and left, and then he vaguely heard Ben Affleck and Ron Artest's voices behind him.

"What's wrong with Chauncey? He can't even take a joke," Ben said to Artest.

"He has absolutely no sense of humor. No wonder he kept changing teams in the first half of his career. It's only here that the two of us can look after him and make him less lonely and helpless." Artest wholeheartedly agreed.

"I can fucking hear you, I'm not deaf!" Billups finally exploded, turning to look at the two clowns and saying, "Besides, I was the one who came to Detroit first. I'm the one protecting you, not the other way around! Understand?"

"Yes, yes, you've got our back." Artest and Ben Affleck each patted Billups on the shoulder with one hand, looking completely nonchalant.

How can I describe this feeling?

Just ...

Being treated like an idiot by someone with intellectual disabilities and having them comforted was a huge blow to Billups!

It's only because he's bald, otherwise he would definitely be furious right now!

Damn it!

Dwyane Wade, huh? You're dead meat! I'll kill you!

As for why Billups was treated like an idiot by Ben Wallace and Ron Artest, and why he hated Wade, does that matter? Absolutely not!

Most importantly, the crucial battle between the two sides began precisely on time! (End of Chapter)