The longest river

Chapter 214 Unexpected Finals Matchup

Two days later, in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers, having tasted success, noticeably increased the frequency of their "OK ​​pick-and-roll" tactics.

Carlisle was unable to find a good solution to this tactic.

Because it's like choosing one of two poisons.

Despite Yang Shuai scoring 46 points, OK also combined for 50+ points, and the Lakers defeated the Trail Blazers 108-101 once again.

Just as Kobe said, the Lakers defended their two home courts, bringing both teams back to square one.

Kobe's reputation subsequently took a sharp turn for the better.

Most of the time, people need to act rationally.

But when faced with dire circumstances, when reason fails, it is people with obsessive personalities who are able to accomplish what seems impossible.

This might help people understand the origin of Jordan's bullying personality.

Because the Bulls had fallen to the Pistons in a row, Jordan had to do that to get the team into top form and defeat the opponent who had beaten him three times in a row.

As the Lakers tied the series, criticisms of the Trail Blazers followed.

This was naturally directed at the rest of the Trail Blazers team.

Essentially, the Lakers were able to tie the score because they had the "OK combination," while the Trail Blazers only had Yang Shuai.

Pippen received the most criticism because he currently earns the second-highest salary on the team, and not just any high salary, but nearly $1600 million, which is more than a million less than Shaq's salary.

However, his defense became ineffective starting from the first round of the playoffs against the Kings.

O'Neal only became a liability, unable to score or defend, after being worn down for three quarters, while Pippen was a liability from the very beginning of the series.

If he could defend Kobe, or pose a sufficient threat to the Lakers in half-court sets, the Trail Blazers would certainly not be in this situation now.

Wallace has also been criticized for his slow growth. He earned a max contract in four years with the Trail Blazers, but his presence on the court was too weak.

Billups's reputation as a "bust" third overall pick has resurfaced, with comments describing him as "a point guard who can only dribble the ball across half-court, wait for open three-pointers, and is not good at fast breaks."

Even Barkley was considered "cursed" because it seemed that any team he joined couldn't win a championship.

The atmosphere at the Trail Blazers' offseason practice was quite subdued.

Unable to find a solution, Carlisle remained frowning on the sidelines, while the Trail Blazers players, burdened by public pressure, also looked gloomy.

When Yang Shuai returned to the locker room after training, he felt that the atmosphere in the locker room was very dull.

Especially when he looks up and glances at someone, that person will unconsciously turn their head away, as if they are afraid of being scolded.

Upon seeing this, Yang Shuai stood up and cleared his throat.

The sound drew everyone's attention to Yang Shuai in the locker room.

Yang Shuai's only previous public speech was when he gave his opening address at the first Reebok Individual Training Camp.

Even in the past, it was Carlisle who ignited the team's "championship spirit".

But this time, Yang Shuai knew he had to say something.

"Those media outlets are idiots. They're a bunch of idiots who don't know anything about what happened but pretend to know everything!"

Everyone in the locker room breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Because of Yang Shuai's absolute status in the team and his stern attitude in dealing with Pippen, as shown earlier, they are now worried about becoming the outlet for Yang Shuai's emotions.

But Yang Shuai's words let them know that he was on their side.

"Chansey, those idiots have no idea about the sacrifices you made, just like they forgot that it was your game-winning three-pointer that gave us our first championship."

“Rasheed, I can confidently tell those idiots that they won’t find a better stretch four in the league than you, and you’re improving every year.”

"Scottie, our counter-attacking strategy will be greatly weakened without you."

……

Yang Shuai spoke with great familiarity, praising all the teammates who had been belittled.

"Guys, I believe in you. No matter what difficulties we face, I will always believe in you because we have done it together before and we will continue to do it together."

He has never forgotten what Walton told him back then: trusting teammates is a crucial part of winning the championship.

As soon as Yang Shuai finished speaking, applause and cheers erupted in the locker room.

Yang Shuai's speech was essentially telling everyone, "I need you," which is the most effective way to boost morale when the outside world is questioning them.

Just then, applause rang out at the locker room door.

Yang Shuai turned his head and saw that Carlisle and Dunleavy had arrived at the door at some point.

"Hansen, you did a better job than me."

After Carlisle led Yang Shuai out of the locker room, he let out a heartfelt sigh.

Although his motivational speeches have been improving ever since that incident that inspired his team members' "champion's spirit".

But the effect of Yang Shuai's previous speech is something he can never achieve now.

"Rick, my method can only be used once."

Yang Shuai is very honest.

The NBA is a big company, and the teams are small companies.

The company boss's efforts to boost employee morale naturally had a significant effect.

However, constantly boosting morale is like setting all sorts of rules and regulations for the company; it only makes people feel that the company is not far from going bankrupt (breaking up).

"The problem we can't solve right now is their pick-and-roll, not their morale."

Carlisle and Yang Shuai talked about tactics, and it was clear that he was out of options.

After Game 3, Kobe underwent a mental transformation. It didn't suddenly boost his skills, but it made his performance much more consistent.

"Then let Kobe score."

Yang Shuai's understanding of tactics is not as good as Carlisle's, but he knows more about Kobe than Carlisle does.

Although Kobe suppressed his scoring desire under external pressure, that forced part could not overcome his instinct.

"Moreover, without Kobe's defense, I can handle the game just like I did against the Jazz."

While Carlisle was weighing his options, Yang Shuai spoke up again.

Carlisle nodded. If Kobe were allowed to shoot, Kobe would obviously not have enough stamina to defend Yang Shuai.

Two days later, Game 5 between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers tipped off at the Rose Garden Arena.

The game achieved a new playoff record in viewership.

Some fans hope the Trail Blazers can shake off their slump after returning to their home court; others hope the Lakers can ultimately turn the tide and usher in the era of the "OK combination's" dominance.

Of course, many fans simply wanted to know what kind of sparks would fly between these two teams in this crucial match.

O'Neal won possession for the Lakers, and the Lakers started by attacking O'Neal in the low post, while the Trail Blazers continued to double-team him.

Kobe received the ball on the perimeter, faked out Pippen, and hit a mid-range shot to open the scoring for the Lakers.

On the other hand, Yang Shuai made a pass to Wallace on the baseline, who then hit a mid-range shot.

Everything seems to have returned to the beginning of the series, but in reality, everyone can see that this is just a mutual probing between the two sides.

Five minutes into the game, the score was tied at 10.

Fans can see that Kobe's performance has been much more stable than before, and he scored 7 of the Lakers' first 10 points.

On the Trail Blazers' side, Yang Shuai's teammates, who had been questioned by outsiders, did not lose heart. Instead, they played their most aggressive game of the series so far.

"This is the real showdown between the best."

Even Kenny Smith, the commentator, exclaimed in admiration at the match.

The victory in Game 3, much like the Lakers' Game 7 against the Trail Blazers in history that year, cemented the Lakers' status as a "championship team."

And what they are facing is the defending champion, the Trail Blazers.

At that moment, Phil Jackson couldn't sit still any longer, and with a wave of his hand, the Lakers started running the OK pick-and-roll again.

After running two pick-and-rolls, Kobe quickly noticed the Trail Blazers' defensive strategy adjustment.

Previously, the Trail Blazers' defense against pick-and-rolls was balanced and comprehensive, but tonight it was clearly tilted towards O'Neal.

That discovery made his blood boil and his hair stand on end.

Shaq set screens for him and he then went on a scoring spree, leading his team to victory – it was a scene he had only ever dreamed of!

However, after Kobe scored consecutive points, Yang Shuai also turned on his offensive mode.

The game quickly turned into a scoring duel between Yang Shuai and Kobe.

At the end of the third quarter, Yang Shuai had 35 points, while Kobe Bryant had 36 points.

Kobe, who had previously only appeared behind Yang Shuai as a shadow, seemed to finally stand on the same level as Yang Shuai tonight.

The two teams were evenly matched.

In the decisive moments of the fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers suddenly made defensive adjustments.

Pippen had been guarding Kobe the whole time, but suddenly Yang Shuai took over in this quarter.

Moreover, Yang Shuai's defensive strategy was completely different from the Trail Blazers' strategy in the first three quarters; he prioritized defending Kobe.

Reason told Kobe he should pass the ball to O'Neal, but instinct led him to shoot before Yang Shuai's defense arrived.

After all, he's hot, and the ultimate goal of everything he's done since joining the Lakers is to replace O'Neal as the Lakers' leader. There's no better opportunity than now.

It was at this point that the differences in choices between Yang Shuai and Kobe emerged.

The Lakers launched another round of intense double-teaming against Yang Shuai in the final quarter, but Yang Shuai did not attempt a strong attack, choosing instead to trust his teammates.

The Lakers' excessive defense on Young gave other Trail Blazers players opportunities, and the rest of the Trail Blazers did not disappoint the fans again, seizing those opportunities.

So in the end, the game turned into Kobe taking on the entire Trail Blazers team one-on-one.

The Trail Blazers quickly established a lead.

Phil Jackson realized something was wrong, but the situation was already out of his control.

He used a timeout to tell Kobe to pay attention to his teammates, but Kobe was determined to win the game with his own abilities, and Jackson couldn't take him off the court.

Ultimately, despite Kobe Bryant's career-high 48 points in a single playoff game, the Lakers lost Game 5 of the pivotal series 103-110.

When the match ended, commentator Walton, unable to contain his excitement, went down to find Yang Shuai.

It wasn't just because of the victory, but because he sensed a change in Yang Shuai.

Compared to last season, Yang Shuai has truly chosen to trust his teammates.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Kobe sat on the bench, panting and feeling resentful.

Although Kobe fans often say things like "Kobe did his best, but his teammates were terrible," Kobe's desire to win was far greater than his statistics.

But what he was thinking about at that moment wasn't whether he should adjust his playing style, but rather why he couldn't score more goals in the final quarter to help the team win the game.

After winning Game 5, the Trail Blazers have a 3-1 lead in the series.

Media opinion has also changed with this situation.

With five players scoring in double figures in Game 5, the doubts surrounding the Trail Blazers players naturally vanished.

But this was followed by doubts about O'Neal, because O'Neal only scored 15 points in Game 5, and he only took 9 shots throughout the entire game.

Even Los Angeles media outlets have published articles stating that if O'Neal continues to perform like this, it's understandable that he didn't win the MVP award.

Two days later, Game 6 between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers continued at Staples Center.

The stadium was packed.

Although they lost Game 5, Kobe's outburst gave Los Angeles fans hope. Now, if O'Neal scores a few more points, the Lakers have a real chance to force a Game 7.

However, once the game started, Los Angeles fans quickly sensed that something was wrong.

The Lakers are still running the OK pick-and-roll, but this pick-and-roll is quite different from the ones they ran in the previous games.

That change came from O'Neal.

In previous games, O'Neal would screen for his opponent before cutting to the basket, which gave Kobe enough space to shoot.

Because of his large size, even Yang Shuai couldn't get around him.

However, in the crucial Game 6, O'Neal only made a token screen before starting to drive to the basket early.

Clearly, this is closely related to the voices in the media.

He willingly set screens for Kobe because Kobe was in really good form; and because after winning Game 3, he saw hope for the Lakers to win again.
However, the Lakers lost the most crucial Game 5, and he realized that if they continued to play like this, even if they could win, Kobe would become the Lakers' leader next season, even if he wasn't traded.

How could someone who calls himself "dominant" and aspires to be the greatest center of all time possibly play second fiddle to a selfish player like Kobe during his prime?

His choice seems reasonable, as it boosts his offensive drive after being questioned by the media.

However, this change also caused the effectiveness of the OK pick-and-roll to plummet.

While Kobe was good at passing, being good at passing and being fond of passing are two different things.

On the other hand, their opponents, the Trail Blazers, despite playing away and having the Lakers' home-court advantage, performed even better than in the previous game.

Yang Shuai, in particular, is extremely eager to win tonight's game, as he doesn't want the match to go to a tiebreaker.

As a result, by halftime, Yang Shuai had scored 34 points, while the Trail Blazers were leading the Lakers by nearly 20 points.

The Staples Center, which had been bursting with enthusiasm at the start, fell into complete silence. Phil Jackson's helpless expression before halftime was captured by reporters.

The Lakers' problems in this series are actually quite obvious.

When OK is united, they are not without the ability to compete with the Trail Blazers.

But uniting OK is something Phil Jackson couldn't handle.

The Lakers tried to mount a comeback in the third quarter, but having experienced Game 3, the Trail Blazers were clearly not going to let them succeed again, and their offensive and defensive quality slowed down considerably.

By the end of the third quarter, the Lakers' comeback attempt failed, and they were still trailing by more than 20 points, effectively sealing the game.

Ultimately, the Trail Blazers defeated the Lakers 104-83, eliminating them 4-2 in the series and advancing to the NBA Finals.

When the game ended, O'Neal quickly left the court and returned to the locker room, without even participating in the final handshake.

Kobe stood on the sidelines for a long time, his eyes red.

He vividly remembers his first experience of losing a match despite giving it his all.

When it came time for the handshake, Kobe took the initiative to hug Yang Shuai and made a bold statement to him: I will definitely win back next season.

Yang Shuai smiled.

Although he was born in the 00s, he certainly knew that the 00-01 season was the Lakers' peak season.

But he played the strongest.

However, he can't think about next season like McGrady, because even if he defeats the strongest opponent, the Lakers, he still has the Finals to play.

The day after Game 6 between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers ended, the Eastern Conference Finals also came to a conclusion.

奇才队在G6以101比104输给了步行者队，2比4止步东决。

This result was surprising, but upon closer analysis it makes perfect sense.

Although Oakley's arrival boosted Jordan's performance, the Wizards' fundamental problem, as reflected in their final regular season record, remained unresolved: they lacked a qualified second option.

Even during Jordan's first era with the Bulls, when he was almost invincible, he still couldn't lead the team to a championship before Pippen emerged.

Ultimately, the Wizards' failure stemmed from Jordan's involvement in team management.

The readily available second option, Webber, was traded away due to Jordan's personal bias. Every step they took afterward was actually paying the price for that wrong step they had taken in the first place.

Looking back at Jordan's Bulls career, his feud with general manager Krause is well-known, but it turns out that without Krause restraining Jordan's management desires, the Bulls might not have been so successful.

After the loss to the Pacers, the media was also concerned about whether Jordan would continue playing.

Although Jordan had previously stated that this was his last season, most people knew it was more of a way for him to motivate the team.

In particular, the Wizards failed to make it to the Finals.

"No, this is my final destination."

However, Jordan gave an affirmative answer at the post-game press conference.

The Pacers are getting stronger, while the Wizards are only getting weaker. Even Jordan himself, at 39, is unsure if he can maintain his form from this season.

Therefore, he has lost the will to continue.

"Regrets? Of course there are, but I'm ready to start the next phase of my life."

Jordan ultimately chose to let go of his past mistakes.

Although his professional career was not perfect because of Yang Shuai's appearance, just like Justin Bieber, he found out when he retired that he was only 39 years old and worth more than 10 billion.

Moreover, the dividends Nike gives him each year are enough for him to earn more money than he can ever spend.

Compared to those wealthy people who are constantly battling it out in business battles, he may not be the richest, but he is certainly the most carefree billionaire.

"I wish him good luck."

When asked about Yang Shuai leading the Trail Blazers to the Finals, Jordan offered his best wishes to his arch-rival.

Yang Shuai's emergence allows the NBA brand's influence to continue, which is the best outcome for Jordan, who values ​​"legacy."

Of course, what he couldn't say was that watching Yang Shuai play now was like seeing his younger self.

So even though he has retired, he will continue to follow Yang Shuai.

The fact that their Finals opponent was suddenly without Jordan was a completely unexpected event for both the Trail Blazers and the media.

But for Yang Shuai, this result is even more meaningful.

Playing against your former team is like meeting your ex-girlfriend; no matter what the reason for the breakup, there's always a special feeling.

Especially when this ex-girlfriend hasn't changed much from the one he knew years ago.

Although three years have passed, this Pacers team still feels very familiar to him.

Bird remains the head coach, Miller is still the team's nominal leader, and Jermaine O'Neal, who has the best stats, is still Bird's former teammate from his time in Indiana.

Even in the Pacers' starting lineup, four of the players are former teammates.

The Pacers are arguably one of the teams with the least roster changes in recent years.

But perhaps it was precisely because of that that they were able to eliminate Jordan's Wizards and advance to the Finals through their tacit understanding and mutual trust.

The Trail Blazers had home-court advantage in the Finals, and the Pacers arrived in Portland the day before the game.

That same evening, Yang invited Bird and O'Neal to his home.

"Don't you have a girlfriend yet?"

Upon entering Yang Shuai's home, Bird asked in a "very impolite" manner.

You should know that Kobe had already given birth to his first daughter with Vanessa last summer.

But this seemingly inappropriate behavior actually shows that their relationship remains close.

"If I want it, I can have it in the next second."

Yang Shuai smiled and stepped forward to give his mentor a big hug.

As a time traveler, how could he give up the whole forest for the sake of a single tree?

Yang Shuai then punched Jermaine O'Neal in the chest: "Well done!"

He was naturally referring to the Pacers' victory over the Wizards.

Jermaine O'Neal made a series of mistakes in the final moments last season, which led to the Pacers' elimination, but this year he played exceptionally well against the Wizards.

In 6 games, he averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks per game.

When the Wizards use Laettner to match up against him, he can post up against his opponent.

When facing Oakley, his mid-range shot and drives made it difficult for his opponent to keep up with his pace.

It's fair to say that half the credit for the Pacers' success this year goes to Jermaine O'Neal.

When they sat down to eat and catch up, Bird mentioned something to Yang.

He will retire after coaching this season and then move to the Pacers' management.

Is it because of what happened before?

Yang Shuai did not seem surprised by this.

Because during the season, Bird was involved in a "racism" incident.

That was during a TV show he was on, where the host asked Bird if the NBA lacked white stars.

Bird's answer was straightforward: he not only felt it was lacking, but he also believed that the NBA was an African American sport.

Bird then mentioned that during his playing days, he hated being guarded by white players because when he encountered that situation, he felt that the opposing coach was looking down on him.

"If you use a white player to guard me, you're going to lose."

These remarks were considered racist and plunged Bird into a media storm.

Bird smiled, which was a sign that he agreed with what Yang Shuai said.

But then he shook his head and said another reason: "I want to live a more relaxed life."

Bird's personality is more impulsive and straightforward, such as when he strongly recommended Yang Shuai to the Pacers' management, or when he directly took over Brown's management of the Pacers.

The longer he stayed with the Pacers, the more he felt there were things around him that were restricting him.

He has to deal with a lot of media and be careful with his words, which is not what he wants.

So he simply stepped back from the spotlight and became a behind-the-scenes operator like Jerry West, which was more interesting to him.

"So, this is our final battle?"

Yang Shuai joked with a smile.

"If you were to play against Michael, I hope you would be the one to win."

Bird's answer contained the first part, but the second part was unnecessary.

Jordan wanted to win one last championship before retiring, and Bird, the king of showmanship, certainly didn't want to leave with a dashing finale.
Just as Yang Shuai and Bird were catching up, the latest episode of TNT's "NBA Insider" was airing, with a group of commentators analyzing and predicting the Finals.

Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Hubie Brown, and others have all predicted that the Trail Blazers will successfully defend their title.

After all, the Trail Blazers had already defeated their biggest rival of the season, the Lakers, while their other rival, Jordan, was eliminated by the Pacers.

What they discussed more was whether the Trail Blazers would win the championship within a few games.

"I hope they can play to the sixth game. I've never seen Hansen lift the trophy at home before."

Johnson even had his own "selfish motives".

However, Marv Ebert, in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers, was furious at their poor performance and became a Pacers supporter for the first time.

"Indiana has a unique competitive spirit; they can surprise people the most when they are least expected to win."

However, his remarks drew laughter from the other commentators.

They were all too embarrassed to say it out loud: "Are you, Albert, supporting the Pacers?"
That means supporting all the teams that stand against Yang Shuai!
Of course, Albert getting slapped in the face by Yang Shuai has become a regular occurrence.

With his words, they felt that the Trail Blazers winning the championship was a sure thing.

The following day, the Trail Blazers and Pacers played their opening game at the Rose Garden Arena.

Portland fans are incredibly enthusiastic.

When Yang Shuai first arrived in Portland, he made a promise that he would make "more than one," and now all that's left for him is the final championship game.

Moreover, they share the same view as Ernie Johnson and others: the Trail Blazers' title defense is almost a certainty.

However, once the match actually started, they quickly discovered that things weren't so simple.

First of all, in terms of the game itself, the Pacers and the Trail Blazers are like mirror images.

Both teams primarily employ space basketball tactics, and while their playing styles aren't exactly the same, they are at least 70-80% similar.

The only difference is that Yang Shuai's current playing style is more about breaking through, so he will use this space to drive and pass to mobilize the team's offense.

Miller's shots were mostly taken after pick-and-rolls for the Pacers, so the Pacers used pick-and-roll offense more often.

However, both teams have a stretch big man, which makes their defense less than ideal.

Of course, it was an accident, but the fans enjoyed watching it.

Having grown accustomed to defensive battles, especially on the stage of the Finals, where "defense wins the championship," this sudden offensive showdown is not only refreshing but also incredibly entertaining.

The score between the two teams went back and forth from the start.

After three quarters, the score was tied at 85.

In the decisive moments of the final quarter, the Pacers made the first changes.

Bird began to double-team Yang Shuai with high intensity. As Yang Shuai's former coach, he knew Yang Shuai better and his defense against him was naturally stronger.

Just like he showed at dinner last night, Bird came to Portland fully prepared to beat the Trail Blazers.

However, Yang Shuai soon showed Bird how he had changed over the years.

Artest's performance in previous playoffs was commendable, and even his performance against Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals was impressive.

That's where Bird's confidence came from.

He doesn't expect Artest to completely shut down Yang Shuai, but at least he can buy his teammates enough time to help defend.

That did work in the first three quarters. Artest had size and strength, and more importantly, he hadn't gained weight yet. He was a swingman and also had speed.

However, in the final quarter, the offensive pressure from the Pacers, along with Yang Shuai's desire for the championship and to fulfill his promise, ultimately put him in "zone" mode.

Artest soon experienced what Yang had experienced when he faced Jordan.

All his previous "correct" defensive plays, and the defensive experience he had accumulated over the three quarters, were rendered meaningless by Yang Shuai's repeated changes of direction.

The Pacers players, or more accurately, Yang Shuai's former teammates, felt the difference in Yang Shuai more acutely than Bird did.

That was an even more powerless situation than when facing Jordan.

You might think of using attrition tactics against a 35-year-old Jordan, but who would use attrition tactics against a 23-year-old Jordan?
Although Jermaine O'Neal had an advantage in the paint, his scoring was far less than the Pacers' points allowed.

Moreover, Carlisle assigned Billups to guard Miller in this game, and Billups did a great job, preventing Miller from having a breakout performance in the final quarter.

Finally, amidst wave after wave of cheers from Portland fans, Yang Shuai demonstrated the strength of the league's best player, scoring 24 points in the final quarter alone.

The Trail Blazers also defeated the Pacers 114-104, taking a 1-0 lead in the Finals.

(End of this chapter)