thefictionvixens Chapter 226 The End of an Era, the Beginning of an Era
Chapter 226 The End of an Era, the Beginning of an Era
Chapter 226 The End of an Era, the Beginning of a New Era!
Jordan spread his arms, wanting to get possession of the ball, but the basketball would never come into his hands again.
Lin Tian! It's still Lin Tian!
He bypassed the screen, caught up with Jordan, and with incredible speed closed the gap between them. Before Jordan could even touch the ball, he poked it towards the center circle!
In an attempt to steal the ball, Lin Tian used an almost diving motion, nearly throwing himself out, before finally touching the basketball before Jordan could reach it.
"Steal! Lin stole again! It's Lin again! In the final two possessions, Lin dominated the court! He dominated Jordan! Yes, he dominated Jordan!" Marcus's voice was almost heart-wrenching: "One block, one steal! In two possessions, Lin ended the Bulls' run with those two defensive plays!"
"I think we can congratulate the Pacers on advancing to the Finals!"
Miller reacted incredibly fast. He was the first to sprint towards the basketball, the first to touch it, and then he dribbled the ball and sprinted towards the frontcourt!
When the Bulls players finally caught up with him and tried to foul him, Miller passed the ball to Lin Tian, who had also rushed to the frontcourt!
Lin Tian, holding the ball, once again demonstrated his terrifying physical reserves. He ran on the court for a full 5 seconds before finally running out of space. Pippen grabbed him and sent him to the free-throw line.
At this point, only 12 seconds remained in the game.
Trailing by 5 points with 12 seconds left, the opponent is due for free throws, and we have no timeouts.
The Bulls are no longer on the edge of a cliff; they've already fallen, but they haven't hit the ground yet.
But it was only a matter of time. Everyone knew the Bulls were finished! Their season was down to its last 12 seconds!
Want to turn things around?
First, they have to pray that their season free throw percentage is over 80%, and that Lin Tian, who has over 90% in this series, misses both free throws. Then they have to pray that they can hit a three-pointer within 5-6 seconds. Next, they have to steal the Pacers' pass or pray that the Pacers miss both free throws again. Finally, they have to hit a three-pointer.
This is no longer an impossible task; it's downright a fantasy!
"Whoosh!"
In particular, when Lin Tian steadily stepped to the free-throw line and made the first free throw, Chicago fans were already in despair.
"Whoosh!"
Then, when Lin Tian made his second free throw, and the score difference between the two sides reached 7 points, requiring at least 3 more baskets to catch up, the suspense of the game completely disappeared!
The Bulls lost!
The Bulls, who have won five championships in the past seven years, including one three-peat and one two-peat, have lost!
The Pacers players were already celebrating wildly. No one paid any attention to Kerr as he dribbled the ball up the court, nor to his almost desperate, pointless three-pointer.
"Bang!"
With a clang of a missed shot and Ben Wallace, the only one who remembered the rebound, grabbing it, they waited for the clock to tick away.
This match, dubbed a "turn-based" game, this long but exciting series, has finally come to an end!
An ecstatic Barkley rushed from the bench onto the court the instant the final buzzer sounded, then wildly embraced every teammate he saw! He had finally defeated Jordan! Even though he missed the final moments of the game due to defensive shortcomings, the Pacers' victory tonight wouldn't have been possible without his contribution!
Miller's legs gave way the moment the race ended, and he sat down on the floor, then lay back down, panting heavily. He had run for a full 42 minutes that night, and his energy was completely depleted.
The usually reserved Christie rushed onto the scorer's table, where he stood and roared towards the sky! His two three-pointers in the fourth quarter not only saved the Pacers, but also saved himself!
Da Ben then crawled directly between Lin Tian's legs, and with a burst of strength from his legs, he lifted Lin Tian onto his shoulders and carried him up!
Thomas and Bird, the two old rogues, smiled at each other, gave each other a high five, and then walked towards the Bulls' bench.
As coaches, they also had to shake hands with Jackson in respect.
The entire Pacers team roared with excitement, celebrating wildly as they defeated the Bulls and advanced to the NBA Finals!
They really did it!
This is the first time in Pacers history that they've made it to the NBA Finals!
Compared to the Pacers' frenzy, the fans in the United Center were listless. Even now, not many fans had left, and the arena remained completely quiet.
They couldn't accept the fact that their team had been eliminated. They kept watching the timer, hoping that suddenly they would have five more minutes to turn the tide.
"Lin! He did everything! Lin did everything tonight!" As the final whistle blew, Marcus could no longer contain his excitement and roared, "Lin tonight is the best in the NBA! He's the best player in the NBA!"
「是的，我知道今晚的麦可一个人就在第四节拿到了公牛队全部的分数，他单节爆砍了整整30分！虽然今晚他一个人33投16中，爆砍43分14个篮板4次助攻4次抢断和3次盖帽的完美数据！」
"Although Michael performed exceptionally well in terms of both statistics and the overall performance, he was defeated by Lin in the final two rounds of the match! And it was a fair and square defeat, a head-on clash with Lin!"
Smith added, "Great! Michael played fantastic tonight! Any other night when he puts on such a crazy performance, his opponent would be completely thrashed and helpless, but tonight was different! Tonight, he was facing Lin, who was also playing like a god!"
「今晚的林拿下了36分14篮板8助攻5抢断3盖帽！他的表现同样精彩绝伦！虽然在这个晚上，林的命中率非常糟糕，但他在下半场独砍29分！他在最后时刻锁死了乔丹！」
"Lin tonight deserves all the praise! And he truly lived up to it. He fulfilled every boast he made before the season, during the season, and up to tonight! Tonight, he is the strongest in the league!"
After Smith finished speaking, Marcus excitedly followed up, "Apart from Lin, the Pacers' entire team deserves praise for their performance in the fourth quarter tonight! Christie finally hit two three-pointers, Miller's clever positioning and that crucial three-pointer, and Barkley's strong attack under the basket."
"And of course, there was Ben's defense and rebounding. Tonight's victory belongs to the entire Pacers team! They all deserved and deserved this win!"
"In short, let's congratulate all of Indiana, let's congratulate all Indiana fans, let's congratulate the birth of a new king in the East!"
Yes, a new king has been born in the East!
After all, everyone knows that the relationship between Pippen and the Bulls' management is almost irreconcilable. He is determined to leave and pursue his big contract. Rodman is also in the final year of his contract. He is in poor form this year, suffering from frequent injuries, and his mind is no longer on basketball.
This guy seems more interested in playing casually. Although he grabbed a career-high 31 rebounds in the playoffs tonight, almost everyone thinks Rodman will never play again.
The conflict between Phil Jackson and the management had also reached an irreconcilable point. He wanted management and personnel control, but how could Krause sit idly by and watch his job be taken away? Jackson wanted a bigger contract, but Reinsdorf felt that Jackson's success depended on Jordan and Pippen.
Status, money, recognition... a successful coach, a super coach who had the potential to become the greatest coach in history, received no respect whatsoever.
His departure was almost a foregone conclusion.
Their story is almost over.
When the Bulls finally came to an end and were destined to disband, Jordan's choice became the most intriguing question.
The question of how Jordan will choose this offseason is sure to be the biggest, hottest, and most talked-about topic of the entire offseason!
Will he stay with the Bulls? Will he switch teams? Or will Jordan, like Lin Tian remembers, retire with MVP-level skill and leave everyone with a perfect legacy?
Well, an imperfect view from behind; Jordan didn't win a championship this year!
I don't know when it started, but the fans at the United Center suddenly became excited again. I don't know who started chanting, but soon, the entire stadium resounded with unified chants.
"One more year!"
"One more year!"
"One more year!"
That means, another year!
The fans' heartfelt shouts were for the players, the coaching staff, the management, and their boss, Reinsdorf.
They really hope that this Bulls team can play for another year with the current roster!
They really hope that the team can get revenge on the Pacers next year and give them a good beating!
But clearly, no matter how earnestly and desperately the fans shout, at this moment, no one can give them an answer.
Everything is unknown.
"Congratulations, Lin, you played well, a beautiful game." As the Pacers' celebration slowly subsided and the Bulls players gradually recovered from their disappointment, Jordan walked over to Lin Tian, shook his hand, and said, "I really don't want to say this, but I wish you the best of luck in winning the championship."
"You're much more peaceful than I imagined. I thought you'd explode with anger and turn around and leave." Lin Tian hugged Jordan, but still joked around.
"You won fair and square, and I crave victory, but I'm not a sore loser either. Let's do it again." Jordan shrugged. "By the way, Juanita has prepared a big dinner. Charitz has already gone home with Juanita. You have to go too."
"Forget about those Charles or Reggie's bullshit celebration parties, come to my place, let's have a good chat."
"I will go." Lin Tian nodded, and patted Jordan on the shoulder, saying, "I won't let you cry alone in the dark."
Lin Tian was met with Jordan's retreating figure and a raised middle finger.
Of course, there are also a full 3000 experience points!
Of the 3000 experience points, 2800 came from the players of the Bulls and Pacers at the end of the game. The Bulls players were in pain because of the defeat, while the Pacers players were celebrating their victory. Together, they contributed a large amount of experience points to Lin Tian.
Of course, the bulk of the contribution came from Jordan, who alone contributed 800 points. 600 of these points were credited to Lin Tian after he made a steal against him, and the remaining 200 points were credited after Lin Tian agreed to have dinner at his house.
It's clear that Jordan was very happy and satisfied that Lin Tian accepted his invitation without hesitation.
As for Lin Tian?
He felt this wasn't an invitation, it was a threat, and the kind of threat that came with hostages!
You all took Theron away, what the hell am I supposed to do? Call Theron and tell her to come out and not go home with Juanita? Or just ignore Theron and let her eat with the Jordan family by herself?
Of course, before going to Jordan's house, Lin Tian had a press conference that was sure to be very long and boring.
Oh, and there was even a segment that was more boring and yawn-inducing than the press conference.
The award ceremony for the Eastern Conference champion.
But who cares about this crappy Eastern Conference championship trophy!
Especially if you only have this and no championship trophy, then this thing is a constant reminder that you have lost the championship game!
Anyway, Lin Tian felt that this piece of junk, which could only bring people pain and painful memories when it appeared alone, was really better off not having.
Hmm, how about giving it to Theron? Maybe along with Jordan's MVP trophy?
It seems pretty good.
Thinking of this, Lin Tian looked back at the stands and found that Juanita and Theron had indeed left their original positions together, apparently having driven home early.
Lin Tian then greeted Spike Lee, Carter, Jamison, and others one by one. After raising the useless Eastern Conference championship trophy, he walked into the player tunnel to attend the boring press conference.
By this time, Lin Tian could guess pretty much what questions the reporters would ask without even going there. He could even write the questions in advance and give them to the reporters to answer freely.
But rules are rules, and although this is Lin Tian's third Eastern Conference championship, it's Miller and Barkley's first time.
This is Miller's first time in the NBA Finals. Barkley has been to the Finals once before, but that was in the Western Conference.
So these two guys are jumping around like crazy, just as excited as the fat and thin monks!
Seeing how happy the two guys were, Bird decided to bring them and Lin Tian to the press conference that evening so they could all have some fun together.
The reporters were delighted to see such a large lineup!
This is a huge amount of material!
"First of all, congratulations to everyone for reaching the Finals! This is a first in Pacers history! What are your thoughts on this record-breaking achievement?"
"This is definitely a historic moment! This is the happiest day of my career so far! But I believe I will be even happier in two weeks! Because at that time, we will lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy!"
"We will be the champions!"
Miller's lips, unusually, didn't droop down to reveal his signature smug, "the whole world owes me money" expression. Instead, they turned upwards in a smile. He was genuinely happy today.
"Yes, a historic moment! I've lost a lot, given up a lot, for this moment, but I've gained even more! I believe it's all worth it!" Barkley followed up, "I'm ready to defeat Salt Lake City!"
"I don't feel anything," Lin Tian said casually. "I've made it to the finals every year of my career, which is very easy for me. It's something I do and can do every year. Ask me this question again when we can't make it to the finals. Maybe I'll have some special feelings then."
"Although I haven't made it to the Finals every year of my career, I have won a few, I guess? Well, I have several championships, so if you ask me to say anything special right now, I can't really say anything."
As soon as Lin Tian finished speaking, another big critic on the team, Bird, chimed in: "If I had to put it into words, losing the Finals is really tough, it feels awful, but winning several times feels amazing too. I feel the same way as Lin!"
After Bird and Lin Tian finished speaking, Miller's previously cheerful expression disappeared, and his expression once again turned into one of 'everyone in this world owes me 200 million'.
After all, he had just been criticized by two bastards for being unsophisticated.
What's so great about it? It's just that we've made it to the finals a few times.
Barkley's innocent but foolishly happy expression vanished, replaced by a sour look as if he had just lost the 93 NBA Finals.
After all, he had just been criticized by two bastards for being unsophisticated.
What's so great about that? It's just that they've won a few championships.
Barkley and Miller, these two unfortunate souls, couldn't help but turn around and glance at each other, and then their eyes met.
Then Barkley got excited!
"Yes, losing the Finals is a terrible thing. In '93, I was so sad that I didn't smile for two whole months. To be so close to the championship but fall short at the last hurdle is 20 times worse than losing the Conference Finals!"
Barkley quickly turned his attention to Miller: "Sometimes I even envy those who have never lost a Finals game. After all, some things, if you never get close to them, won't hurt too much."
Barkley decided on his side in an instant: "I've been to the Finals before, and I'm going to join Lin and Larry in despising those trash who don't even know what the Finals are."
"FUXX!" Miller didn't even want to look at those three guys anymore. How could there be such bastards in this world?
We'll take them down sooner or later!
"Lin, many people say that this series is a landmark, a sign that the players who entered the league before 90 are about to hand over the reins to you players who entered the league after 90. People say this is a brand new beginning!"
"Especially after you defeated Jordan and the Bulls, many people say you're now the best player in the league. What do you think of that?"
"It's an honor, and I'm very happy." Lin Tian, unusually, refrained from any flirtatious remarks and simply stated, "Moreover, I believe I deserve it!"
Hey!
The reporters below were in an uproar.
That kid is really arrogant!
What he said was indeed simple and clear, without beating around the bush.
Is he just admitting outright that he's the strongest in the league?
When Jordan took over the mantle from Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Isaiah Thomas, and others, none of them had...
Well, back then, Jordan seemed even more arrogant than Lin Tian is tonight.
When he defeated the Pistons to enter the Finals, Jordan was practically ready to give Thomas and the entire Pistons team a shout-out. As for when he defeated Magic Johnson to win his first championship trophy, well, the word "arrogant" doesn't even begin to describe Jordan at that time.
The word "arrogant" doesn't do him justice; it's too understated.
Compared to this... Lin Tian seems alright? Not that arrogant?
A reporter stood up and pressed Lin Tian on the matter: "So, do you think Michael's era is over?"
"Look at Michael's performance in this series. He can still score 60 points in a game, deliver a game-winning shot, and explode for 30 points in a quarter! His performance is still better than 99.9% of the players in this league!"
After saying that, Lin Tian suddenly smiled and said, "I'm that 0.1%!"
Arrogant!
That's incredibly arrogant!
Who just said this guy is humble compared to Jordan? How is he humble?
But ironically, no reporter could refute what Lin Tian said.
Because when Jordan scored 60+ points, Lin Tian also scored 60 points.
Because when Jordan made a game-winning shot, Lin Tian also made a game-winning shot, and it was even a counter-game-winning shot aimed at Jordan!
When Jordan scored 30 points in a single quarter, Lin Tian disrupted Jordan's offense twice in the last minute, preventing him from helping the team achieve a comeback.
Given this performance, it would be a bit of an understatement for Lin Tian to say that he is better than Jordan.
To say that he crushed Jordan in this series would be more in line with Lin Tian's usual arrogance.
……
Around 2 a.m., Lin Tian and Jordan sat side by side by the swimming pool in the backyard of Jordan's villa.
They had just finished their dinner party. Juanita went to coax Marcus and Jeffrey to sleep, and Theron, exhausted from the journey, went to bed early to rest. Only Jordan and Lin Tian remained, each holding a bottle of beer, sitting by the pool, unwilling to go back to their rooms to sleep.
"How does it feel to beat me? Don't you feel like you've won the whole world?" Jordan took a sip of beer and finally steered the conversation back to the game.
That night, before he said that, the group hadn't uttered a single word about the NBA, basketball, or this series.
"You overestimate yourself," Lin Tian snorted. "I won the World Championships, the Olympics, the World Championship, the MVP, the Finals MVP, and all the other honors before I could feel like I'd conquered the world."
"I only beat you once, it's nothing to brag about."
"Luckily you're good at fighting, you really are a good fighter." Jordan scoffed, "Otherwise you'd be beaten to death sooner or later. I've never seen such an annoying guy in my life!"
"You don't really think you're easy to get along with, or a good person, do you?" Lin Tian took a sip of his drink and said, "If you couldn't play basketball, you'd definitely be dead by now. When it comes to being annoying, you're no less so than me!"
After Lin Tian finished speaking, the two of them suddenly fell silent.
For a full two minutes, not a sound came from the courtyard.
"What are your thoughts on Xia Tian?" This time, it was Lin Tian's turn to ask.
"I don't know." Jordan shook his head. He knew the Bulls' predicament better than anyone else. In fact, he was 100% sure that if it weren't for his outstanding performance this year, and his coercion, status, and the lure of a three-peat, which forced the Bulls together, the team would have fallen apart long ago!
Role players wanted bigger contracts, Pippen and Jackson wanted bigger contracts too, and they also wanted more respect. Who knows what Rodman was really thinking? And Krause and Reinsdorf, that miserly duo, had long since reached the end of their patience with Jordan.
After losing this Eastern Conference Finals series, Jordan was certain that the Bulls would completely collapse overnight, and the players, coaches, and management would definitely undergo a large-scale overhaul.
Nobody knows what the Bulls will be like next season.
"Why don't you just retire?" Lin Tian was also well aware of the Bulls' current predicament; otherwise, Jordan wouldn't have chosen to retire when he was in such great form.
Besides the league lockout that disheartened Jordan, the disbandment of the Bulls also made him feel that there was no need for him to stay in the league and with the Bulls any longer.
Aside from helping Reinsdorf make a lot of money, he couldn't find any other meaning in it.
"Retire? Don't be ridiculous." Jordan laughed and said, "I won't leave the league with the title of loser. You beat me, and you think you can make me leave? No way!"
"I will retire. My career is definitely coming to an end, but I will definitely leave the league after I've taken you and your team down! Lin, don't even think about making me leave the league with a label that says I can never beat you."
"You're really too petty." After hearing Jordan's words, Lin Tian felt a sense of relief for some reason.
Perhaps he didn't want this guy, who averaged 30 points per game in the regular season and led his team to first place in the East, to leave like this.
"How about you go to San Antonio? With two big men on your side, you might have a chance to be crushed by me again next season. Or Salt Lake City wouldn't be bad either; if they lose the Finals for three consecutive years, it would be a truly gratifying thing!"
"You should just focus on your own game," Jordan said irritably. "Are you really that confident you can beat the Jazz? They're not a tough opponent!"
"At worst, we can just beat them all again," Lin Tian said casually. "It's not like we haven't fought them before. I can crush Stockton, that piece of trash, into a meat patty. Charles isn't afraid of Karl either. This series isn't going to be difficult."
"It's not that simple! This year's Jazz are much stronger than last year's!"
At this point, Jordan seemed to perk up immediately, his earlier slight dejection vanishing instantly: "Besides pick-and-rolls, they have a lot more! For example, the 4-1 reverse pick-and-roll that Karl recently practiced, where Karl sets a screen for John with the ball..."
When the topic returned to basketball, to the purest form of basketball, unrelated to business, money, results, or anything else, and only about basketball, Jordan immediately opened up. The gloom of the narrow defeat to the Pacers that night disappeared, and he and Lin Tian began to talk in detail about the Jazz's roster composition, main rotations, playing style, tactical system, as well as their weaknesses and strengths.
It wasn't until the east was turning light and the sun was about to rise that Jordan was finally shooed back to his room to sleep by Juanita, who came out of the room.
Watching Jordan's departing figure, Juanita suddenly said, "Thank you, Lin. Thank you so much."
"What are you thanking me for? For letting Michael take a two-week vacation earlier so he can spend more time with you guys?"
"Of course not." Juanita chuckled. "It's just that you changed Michael. Before he met you, after losing a series and being eliminated, he wouldn't speak to anyone for at least a month. He would lock himself in the gym or weight room for at least a month."
"But losing to you doesn't seem to bother him much. He recovered in just two hours, so of course I have to thank you."
"Then you'd better put away all the newspapers that are coming later, so Michael doesn't see them, or he'll definitely have a breakdown immediately!" Lin Tian thought for a moment and decided to give Juanita a piece of advice. Otherwise, he would know how wild he, Miller, and Barkley were last night, and how much nonsense they said.
Lin Tian was quite certain that if Jordan saw those things, he might immediately grab a submachine gun and rush to Salt Lake City for revenge.
Juanita glanced at Lin Tian helplessly and said, "Although you're a jerk no matter how you look at it, whether it's the way you interact with girls, the way you talk to the media, or your usual behavior, it's all very unpleasant, but I have to say, you're a good guy, Lin."
"I quite like you."
"You'd better not let Michael hear that." Lin Tian stretched and said, "Alright, which room is Charlize sleeping in again? I need to go get some sleep. We're flying straight to Salt Lake City this afternoon to prepare for the Finals. It's all Michael's fault. If they had just been swept, we could have had a few more days of rest."
A few minutes later, Lin Tian quietly lay down next to Theron, intending to take a nap, when he felt something as soft as an octopus wrap around him.
"I've been waiting for you all night, and you just want to go to sleep like this? Next time you chat with someone else, make sure I fall asleep first!" Theron pressed down on Lin Tian aggressively, her dark circles proving that this girl really hadn't slept all night.
Why don't you rest for a while?
"I was afraid you two would get into a fight," Theron said, sounding a little aggrieved. "Besides, when you two were talking about shooting and layups, you almost came to blows!"
Lin Tian rolled over, regaining the initiative, and said, "You need to remember one thing: in this alliance, no one can beat me!"
"I know, but I'm afraid you'll hit Jordan. If you get suspended, your championship this year will be... um, no..."
By the time Lin Tian and Theron got out of bed, it was already getting dark. The Jordan family had disappeared, leaving only a note for the two of them.
"F... Damn it, Juanita doesn't let me swear in front of the kids, but if you, you bastard, dare to be so loud in my house again, I'll kill you! There's food in the fridge, eat if you want, or just get out."
"I've already asked Larry for leave for you. Just go to Salt Lake City and meet up with them. The last flight today is at 10 p.m. You'd better catch it, or Larry will definitely kill you."
Lin Tian handed the note to Theron and said, "Hey, he said you're loud and he threatened to kill you." At the same time, Lin Tian whistled, turned around and went to the refrigerator to find something to eat, and then put several pizzas and steaks left by Jordan into the microwave.
"Aren't you going to catch your flight? Aren't you afraid your coach will kill you?" Theron glanced at the note, her face only slightly red, but she didn't say anything else.
"It's only 6 o'clock now, and it's only half an hour to the airport. We'll have plenty of time." Lin Tian pulled Theron into his arms and said, "Do you think Michael and the others might suddenly come back?"
"If we're here, we should be able to hear the door open." Theron's breathing became a little heavy. Of course, she knew that "there's enough time" meant more than just time to eat pizza.
Lin Tian clearly wanted to eat something else.
……
After the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers only have two days of rest before their first game of the NBA Finals against the Jazz on the evening of June 3rd!
It's worth noting that the Jazz easily swept the Lakers and had been resting since May 24th, until June 3rd, a full nine days of rest!
In terms of stamina, the Jazz, who easily swept the Pacers, were far more energetic than the Pacers, who fought a grueling seven-game series against the Bulls to advance! They were definitely in top form!
To allow the team to recover their physical condition as much as possible, Bird did not return to Indiana. Instead, the day after the Eastern Conference Finals ended, he took the whole team to Salt Lake City so that the players could rest well in the hotel!
At the same time, Bird also issued a stay-at-home order to everyone, no matter who it was, no one was allowed to leave the hotel, nor were they allowed to go out to have fun or bring anyone into the hotel!
This is Salt Lake City, one of the cities with the lowest moral standards in the United States. Who knows if there are crazy fans waiting outside the hotel, hoping to cause trouble and make things difficult for the Pacers in the Finals?
Nobody knows if some madman might actually be holding a gun and ready to fire a couple of shots at these Pacers players.
Therefore, the best and safest way to play in the playoffs in Salt Lake City is to stay in the hotel and not go out, doing everything from training to eating, drinking and resting within the hotel.
Fortunately, the entire Pacers team came for the championship, and most of them are veterans. They can distinguish between priorities and know what the bottom line is.
So, apart from Lin Tian arriving a few hours later than the others, only at the hotel in the early hours of the 2nd, everyone else stayed in their rooms during this time, playing games, watching TV, and at most going to the training hall to add a few sets of strength or shooting exercises.
As for training, Bird No. 1 didn't prepare any training at all, just let everyone relax and recover. Bird No. 2 just did some very simple and easy shooting and layup drills, just to let the players sweat and get into shape.
Most of the time, Bird would bring a TV and have everyone watch the Jazz's game footage and analysis from this season.
Bird didn't even analyze much on the 2nd, letting the players figure it out themselves. This was not only because he trusted his players and knew they were experienced and had a strong ability to learn, but also because he wanted them to have an extra day of rest!
Both mind and body need rest!
It wasn't until the morning of the 3rd, the day the game was about to start, that Bird gathered everyone together again to analyze the Jazz's roster, playing style, and defensive strategies for key players.
"This team has changed a bit compared to last season, but not much." Bird cleared his throat and began his final and most important tactical analysis session of the season.
"First of all, their core components: head coach Sloan, power forward Malone, and point guard Stockton. These are the three most important and core players on the Jazz, and the reason why they have been a top team in the West for many years."
"Last year, Charles and Lin both faced this team in the playoffs, so we actually know them quite well. Compared to last year, their top four scorers are still Malone, Stockton, Hornacek, and Russell. The most important players on their team haven't changed at all."
"Their changes this season come from role players. First, last year's starting center, who once made Hakeem Olajuwon very uncomfortable, Ostertag has been marginalized this season and become a substitute player. The player who has been promoted to the starting lineup is Adam Fakeie."
"Of course, Greg Foster will start in some games. What I'm saying is that these two guys are faster than Ostertag, and their help defense and rotation abilities are better. That's why the Jazz let Ostertag go this season."
"Sloan has built a more effective, faster, and more mobile defensive system. His goal is to make up for the team's disastrous performance last year when Lin and Jordan dominated them. Even though he lost some of his size, height, and rebounding advantages as a result, they clearly gained much more!"
"For example, although they were hit by O'Neal's terrifying 30+10 average in the Western Conference Finals this year, they almost never attacked the basket, rendering O'Neal's presence under the basket ineffective. Their perimeter defense and the entire rotation system were almost perfect, which caused the Lakers' three All-Star perimeter players to perform below their average level."
"This season's Jazz team has the best defense in the entire NBA. They are the best defensive team in the league. Their only defensive weaknesses are interior defense and rim protection, as well as their lack of defense against low-post isolation plays."
"Charles, this is where we're counting on! You have to dominate the Jazz's interior and create more opportunities for our perimeter players!"
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the humiliation Karl brought me last year. This year, I'll show him who the real best power forward in this league is!" Barkley said confidently, indicating that he would definitely teach Malone a lesson.
(End of this chapter)