The longest river

Chapter 215 Trail Blazers Championship *2!

"The Pacers proved that their victory over the Wizards was not due to luck, just like their victory over the Bulls back then, and Yang Shuai showed us that he is the Michael Jordan of this era."

New York Today summarized the results of Game 1.

"The Pacers are a better team than the Lakers, but Yang is a better player."

Sports Illustrated used a method that fans are more familiar with.

Although the two reports differ in content, their core ideas are actually the same.

The Pacers do indeed possess a unique, or "stronger against stronger opponents" mentality, as Marv Ebert said. But like the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Suns, SuperSonics, and Jazz in the past, it's not that they aren't good enough, but that they've encountered better players.

Before G2 began, reporters interviewed Yang Shuai about related issues.

This was exactly what Yang Shuai wanted.

"I'm not some modern-day Jordan, I'm just Yang Shuai."

Yang Shuai's answer was full of personal characteristics; he became "the first version of himself".

"No, Coach Popovich said last year, 'We are the better team.'"

And by bringing up Popovich again and retaliating, he delivered the perfect response in just the right way.

Game 2 of the Finals continued at the Rose Garden Arena.

In this game, Bird used the "Jordan Rule" against Yang Shuai, forcing Yang Shuai to pass the ball more often rather than shoot.

However, Bird's change of tactics ultimately backfired.

Because Yang Shuai has reached his peak this season, double-teaming him by opponents in the regular season has become commonplace. Therefore, instead of improving his mid-range shooting as originally planned, he raised his passing ceiling to 90+.

This is also why he was able to handle the Lakers' relentless double-teaming before.

Although Bird knew him better, how could Yang Shuai, who had played for the Pacers and helped the team win a championship, not be familiar with this team?
And the teammates, whose importance Yang Shuai repeatedly emphasized, did not disappoint their expectations in the game.

The Trail Blazers won 104-87, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

"Portland is beginning its dynasty."

After the game, The New York Times celebrated the Trail Blazers with champagne.

However, after the first two games ended and the two teams moved to Indianapolis, the situation changed.

Like the Lakers, the Pacers have moved from City Square Arena, which is familiar to Yang Shuai, to Conseco Arena this season.

In the first Finals game in this new arena, the Pacers delivered a thrilling performance.

They shot a remarkable 57.4% from the field and made 10 of 20 three-point attempts, achieving a 50% three-point shooting percentage.

雷吉·米勒12投7中，三分8投6中得到26分，小奥尼尔20投14中得到32分12板。

The Pacers defeated the Trail Blazers 120-106, pulling one back in the series.

This game perfectly exemplifies the characteristics of space basketball: it is influenced by touch, but has a very high ceiling.

The Pacers, as the Trail Blazers' "mentors," are more adept at understanding and applying this tactic.

Of course, the outside world still favors the Trail Blazers, because the Pacers' outstanding performance is a low-probability event, and it will be difficult to maintain.

Or rather, the Pacers' explosive performance in Game 3 was more a reflection of their team characteristics: when pushed to the brink, they always manage to unleash amazing energy.

And indeed, this has proven to be true.

In Game 4, the Pacers' offense slowed down, while the Trail Blazers, led by Yang Shuai's 34 points and 12 assists, once again displayed a balanced attack.

The Trail Blazers won 116-104, taking a 3-1 lead in the series and securing match point in the NBA Finals.

"It seems my wish cannot be fulfilled."

After Game 4, Ernie Johnson also looked helpless in the latest episode of "NBA Insider".

He once said he wanted to see Yang Shuai lift the trophy on home soil, but now it seems that possibility is getting smaller and smaller.

Game 5 of the series was also the Pacers' last home game in the Finals.

Because it was the Pacers' match point game, Stern and league staff were present at the event.

Many celebrities were also present on the sidelines, including Kemp, who is also a member of the Reebok roster.

Kemp is from Indiana, and with the Pacers in the Finals and Yang Shuai also present, his presence was not surprising.

What's intriguing is who he came to support.

The answer to this question came during the pre-match warm-up, as Yang Shuai and Kemp had a pleasant exchange before the game.

Although Yang Shuai and Camp are not exactly close, they are both Reebok brand ambassadors and often attend events together, so they are naturally familiar with each other.

Although he was somewhat surprised that Kemp had come to support him.

After greeting Kemp and returning to the bench, Yang Shuai saw Barkley sitting there unconsciously shaking his leg.

This is a very common sign of nervousness, and it shouldn't happen to a 16-year veteran, but it's understandable if it's Barkley.

The championship that Barkley has been chasing throughout his entire career is now within his grasp.

Seeing his expression, Yang Shuai patted him on the shoulder, then asked with a smile after he looked up, "Charles, will you cry when we win the championship?"

Barkley was taken aback; he clearly hadn't expected Yang Shuai to ask such a question at this juncture.

After realizing what he had said, he immediately shook his head with a serious expression: "I will absolutely not cry on the field."

"If you're going to cry, you'll have to wait until you get back to the locker room, right?" Yang Shuai seized on the loophole in Barkley's words.

Barkley was instantly amused by Yang Shuai.

However, he did not comment, since he could not yet understand the feelings after winning the championship.

When Yang Shuai appeared at the opening ceremony, he caused a huge stir among the audience.

For Indiana fans, the man who helped them beat Jordan and then led the team to a championship is now the one who is about to end their hopes. It's a complicated feeling.

At times like this, those who initially thought Yang Shuai left for greed might actually feel better, since loving or hating someone is a simple emotion.

After the opening ceremony, the match between the two sides quickly began.

When they reached the edge of the cliff, Bird also made tactical adjustments.

He began to apply the "anti-Jordan rule" to Yang Shuai.

This adjustment is not surprising, as the previous few games have already proven that the strategy of relentlessly double-teaming Yang Shuai is not working.

Although there's the past example of Sloan's game strategy that led to Young scoring 61 points, this is the Finals after all, and in terms of defensive ability alone, Artest is stronger than Russell.

The Pacers also demonstrated their strengths in the game; the more they were pushed to the brink, the more energy they unleashed.

That applies not only to the offensive end, but also to the defensive end.

Furthermore, it cannot be ignored that there was a clear home-field advantage in this match.

The two teams that will face off in the Finals will change every year, but Stern's principle will remain the same: to extend the Finals as much as possible for the benefit of the league.

This biased officiating allows the Pacers to play a more intense defensive game.

This made the rest of the Trail Blazers team perform somewhat poorly.

Pippen missed all four of his shots in the first quarter.

Even Chauncey Billups, who has excellent ball control, made a mistake when Mark Jackson stole the ball from him.

Even Lu, who came on as a substitute later, was forced to make a dribbling mistake due to pressure.

At the end of the first quarter, the Pacers led 30-20.

The only consolation for Carlisle was that Yang Shuai was forced into one-on-one situations in the latter part of the first quarter, and his performance remained as stable as ever.

If Yang Shuai also has problems, then the Trail Blazers might as well not play tonight.

Of course, Carlisle's worried expression only deepened as the first quarter ended.

He had no choice but to let Yang Shuai play the entire first quarter, as Yang Shuai was going to rest at the start of the second quarter no matter what.

In this quarter, Carlisle not only brought Barkley in, but also substituted Kevin Johnson into the game.

In this situation, he could only hope that these old guys could keep their composure.

The two veterans did not disappoint him.

Although Johnson doesn't get much playing time with the Trail Blazers and rarely scores many points, as a long-time star veteran, he can at least control the ball.

It's worth noting that the Pacers scored over 30 points in the first quarter, many of which came from fast breaks after pressure.

More importantly, Barkley has an advantage against the frontcourt duo of Kukoc and Dale Davis, and he's especially eager to play tonight.

Barkley's desire for the championship is the highest among the Trail Blazers, even surpassing that of Yang Shuai.

In his mind, winning the championship tonight is the best option.

Otherwise, he would have to go through that same ordeal before every match.

Barkley's outstanding performance helped the Trail Blazers successfully navigate this transitional period with their bench players.

However, even after the starters returned, the rest of the Trail Blazers still didn't perform well against their aggressive defense.

Pippen, in particular, was too afraid to shoot after his cold shooting touch in the first quarter.

The Trail Blazers could only maintain their lead through Yang Shuai's isolation plays.

Carlisle knew that if they continued playing like this, they would be entering the rhythm that Bird wanted.

In particular, he saw that even though Artest was repeatedly beaten, he would still throw himself back into defense with full energy, even after being faked out. He saw Yang Shuai's younger self in Artest.

He called a pause.

The main purpose of the timeout was to allow Pippen to move more on the weak side and create scoring opportunities.

Just like when they played the Lakers, being afraid to shoot is more damaging to the team than missing shots.

Pippen looked helpless after hearing this, and then complained that the referee's calls tonight were too biased, and that his layup missed because he was hit on the hand.

This left Carlisle speechless.

Yang Shuai couldn't hold back any longer and glared at Pippen, making the latter shut up.

Pippen has been playing in the league for so many years and has experienced so many big moments, yet he still looks like a rookie.

As it approached his turn to play, Sabonis pulled Pippen aside to discuss the details.

Pippen seemed a little impatient and turned to leave, but Sabonis reached out and pulled him back.

It was at this moment that something unexpected happened.

Perhaps he could accept being given attitudes by Carlisle and Yang Shuai, after all, one was the team coach and the other was the team leader, but Sabonis was unbearable for him, so he threw the towel in his hand at Sabonis's face.

This move instantly stunned the Trail Blazers players who were about to take the court.

Sabonis looked displeased. Although he hadn't played in the league for long, he was still a well-known international star, and being given a towel in public like that was definitely embarrassing.

Moreover, he couldn't quite understand Pippen's motivation for doing that, because he just wanted to talk to Pippen about the game.

However, this veteran was more composed than Pippen, another "veteran," and he did not respond impulsively.

Seeing this, Dunleavy stepped forward to comfort him.

The referee then came over to remind them to hurry up and get back on the court, as the timeout had already expired a while ago.

Carlisle demonstrated his improved coaching ability by immediately replacing Pippen with Barkley.

This was how Pippen handled his overreaction, and only in this way could morale be stabilized.

After the timeout, the Trail Blazers fielded a big lineup, with Wallace moving directly to the small forward position.

Carlisle was forced into it, but the lineup had an unexpected effect.

Although this lineup has limited spacing, Barkley is in good form tonight and can provide Yang Shuai with an effect similar to that of Shaq in the "OK combination".

More importantly, they controlled the rebounds and slowed down the pace of the game.

Before Pippen arrived, when Grant was still on the team, Carlisle had used a similar lineup more than once, and the Trail Blazers were quite adept at it.

Once the pace finally slowed down, Yang Shuai's singles attacks began to show even more power.

To be effective in one-on-one combat, you need to rely on structured, positional warfare.

With a high success rate, even the "least valuable" two-point shot can lead to a comeback.

Moreover, with the rebounding advantage, Yang Shuai wouldn't be foolish enough to try and score one rebound at a time; he immediately switched to three-point shooting mode.

In situations like this, it becomes even more difficult for Artest to make a defensive impact.

After all, Jordan once had a memorable moment in his career where he hit six three-pointers in the first half of a Finals game, but Yang Shuai, if he's in a good shooting streak, can make six three-pointers in a single quarter.

Of course, Yang Shuai's shooting touch wasn't that good tonight.

But that's enough.

Yang Shuai attempted eight three-pointers in the remainder of the quarter, making four of them.

Not many, but enough to help the Trail Blazers tie the game at 58 before halftime.

Yang Shuai scored 30 of those 58 points.

"Two years ago, Jerry Sloan's one-on-one defensive strategy gave us a magical scoring performance, and perhaps tonight, Larry Bird will let us witness it again."

During halftime, Ernie Johnson was already getting impatient.

"If Larry realizes this, he should adjust his defensive strategy in the second half."

Kenny Smith, who was standing nearby, offered a friendly reminder.

Bird is a master of showmanship; losing in the Finals isn't shameful, after all, he led the Pacers to a championship, beating Jordan. But if he lost and Yang Shuai scored high, he'd be hung on the wall like Sloan. In the second half, Carlisle immediately replaced Pippen with Barkley in the starting lineup.

He was forced to adjust the lineup in the second quarter, but after finding that it worked well, he naturally started using it more often.

On the Pacers' side, Bird did not adjust his defensive approach as Kenny Smith suggested; he continued to use a one-on-one defense strategy against Young.

However, the Pacers have made changes on their offense.

In the first half, or rather in this series, the Pacers' pick-and-roll finishing was mostly done by Jermaine O'Neal.

But in the third quarter, Miller started taking more shots from the outside.

Then, he demonstrated his "big heart" nickname, rarely faltering in crucial moments, and this time he didn't falter either.

On the other side, Yang Shuai was not to be outdone, responding with a combination of inside drives and outside shots.

The game turned into a scoring duel between Yang Shuai and Miller in this quarter.

The commotion at the scene continued in waves.

Their emotions were already complicated before the match, and seeing this scene made them feel even more complicated.

The "Splash Brothers," who once won Indiana's first championship together and had an unbreakable partnership, are now fighting tooth and nail for their respective teams on the Finals stage.

Moreover, such a scene of shooting three-pointers is rare, not to mention the finals, even the playoffs.

In this era, only Miller and Yang Shuai can probably hit three-pointers under playoff intensity.

Of course, those who aren't Pacers or Trail Blazers fans have had a great season.

In Game 1 of the Finals, the two teams were engaged in a fierce offensive battle. Now, in the match point game, Yang Shuai and Miller are exchanging three-pointers. This series of new experiences is pushing them to the climax.

Moreover, Yang Shuai and Miller both hit their three-pointers in this quarter, and the scores of both teams rose accordingly.

At the end of the third quarter, the score was tied again at 85.

At this point, what's even more impressive than the point difference is Yang Shuai's individual score, which has reached 50 points!
Clearly, Yang Shuai is now stronger than he was two years ago. Not only does he have more ways to score, but more importantly, he scores more easily, which means that he expends less energy each time he scores.

Yang Shuai, now resting on the bench, is fundamentally different from the Yang Shuai who was drenched in sweat back then.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Barkley, who had been substituted early, returned to the court, playing like a starter tonight.

However, less than three minutes into the quarter, something unexpected yet predictable happened: Barkley's back injury flared up during a physical battle under the basket, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.

Compared to his playing style, Barkley's physique is actually quite durable, especially compared to Zion Williamson, who is of similar build.

But even the most resilient body can't withstand the test of time. Barkley's ability to stand on the Finals stage until this moment is already a testament to the load management Carlisle implemented for him this season.

The game went into a technical timeout, and the rest of the Trail Blazers players came on and gathered around Barkley.

The team doctor finally determined that Barkley was definitely out of action and called for a stretcher to carry him off the court.

Barkley once famously said, "Don't take me off the court. I'll have plenty of time to rest after I die."

He certainly won't die now, but he'll have to be carried off the stage.

However, when the stretcher arrived, Barkley refused to get on it and, with the help of the team doctor and his teammates, gritted his teeth and moved to the sidelines to sit down.

Large beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his body was trembling slightly, showing that he was enduring immense pain.

His meaning was clear: he would not leave the field before the end of the match.

Seeing this, the Trail Blazers players were all deeply moved.

Although Barkley is a big mouth and seems to be a hapless guy, his competitive spirit is second to none.

The technical timeout ended, and both teams returned to the field.

Carlisle had no choice but to bring on Yang Shuai ahead of schedule.

Just before going on the court, Yang Shuai walked up to Barkley.

“Charles, you’re going to cry tonight.”

Yang Shuai patted Barkley on the shoulder again, but compared to the joking words at the beginning, this sounded more like a promise.

After the timeout, the game resumed, and Carlisle was forced to bring Pippen back on.

Right after the timeout, fans noticed that Yang Shuai and Billups switched on defense.

He started to match up against Miller on the defensive end.

This seems like a very irrational act.

Because the Trail Blazers' offense relied entirely on Yang Shuai tonight, and if Yang Shuai also had to guard Miller, then his stamina definitely wouldn't be enough to support him until the end.

Especially now that the Pacers have Jermaine O'Neal in addition to Miller, even if you try to shut down Miller like Jordan did back then, you still can't stop the Pacers' offense.

However, the fans at the scene quickly realized what Yang Shuai had done.

Because in the very first round, he completely blocked Miller's shot, preventing it from hitting the target.

Countless one-on-one matches and practice games in the past gave him a thorough understanding of Miller's offensive habits.

In the next possession, he even stole the pass from Jackson to Miller and then completed a fast break dunk.

Compared to the 35-year-old Jordan, Yang Shuai's defensive style is significantly more aggressive.

Moreover, his thinking was very clear.

Going head-to-head with the Pacers and deciding the game with offense in the final moments is not a safe approach.

He was well aware of Miller's clutch ability.

Therefore, to ensure the team's victory, that situation must be avoided.

Driven by Yang Shuai's consistent defensive performance, the Trail Blazers began to gain momentum.

When it comes to fast breaks, the Trail Blazers are a team that excels at that style of play.

The referee didn't try to steal the spotlight at this point, because everyone knew that if he insisted on blowing the whistle then, he would inevitably become the target of public criticism after the game.

With one minute left in the game, Yang Shuai hit a three-pointer to bring the score to 120-112, effectively sealing the game's fate.

This three-pointer brought his personal score to 62 points!
That not only broke his personal playoff career high score, but also became the highest single-game score in the NBA Finals.

Just as Ernie Johns had predicted, Bird's defensive strategy ultimately led to another magical performance by Yang.

The camera focused on Bird, whose expression was not one of frustration. Instead, he smiled as he looked at Yang Shuai, who was about to leave the court.

Strategically speaking, the Pacers were closer to victory in this game than in the last one, and Bird's strategic choices were not wrong.

As for why he didn't adjust his strategy to avoid becoming the background character, perhaps that was the last bit of tenderness he could give to his former protégé before leaving the NBA head coaching stage.

When Yang Shuai left the field, there were no cheers, but rather a continuous round of applause.

Those fans who had mixed feelings throughout the game finally no longer had to struggle with their emotions.

Watching Yang Shuai stand on the highest podium, that was perhaps the only result they could accept besides their own team.

After all, they once had Yang Shuai, and when Yang Shuai was still in Indiana, he was completely open with the fans.

As for why they lost it later, that's the management's problem, not theirs.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Trail Blazers players rushed onto the court to celebrate.

After a brief celebration, Yang Shuai walked to the team's bench.

Barkley covered his head with a towel at this moment.

Just as Yang Shuai had expected, Barkley cried like a big boy.

Covering his head with a towel was the last act of defiance he could muster.

Yang Shuai didn't bother Barkley, but simply patted him on the shoulder, then quietly sat down next to him, watching his teammates still celebrating wildly on the court.

The feeling of fulfilling a promise is like standing in a field on an autumn day, watching the wind ripple through the wheat fields – it's wonderful.

After a while, Barkley seemed to have finally calmed down. He took off the towel from his head and looked at Yang Shuai with red eyes.

"I didn't cry on the field."

Barkley emphasized that the bench doesn't count as being on the court, and he kept his promise.

"Yeah, it's a bit windy."

When the Trail Blazers players came out of the locker room after changing into their championship T-shirts, some fans had already gone down onto the court.

But unlike last season, the entire arena was still packed to capacity.

In other words, the number of fans at the stadium did not decrease, but rather increased.

Stern once again took the initiative to shake hands with Yang Shuai to celebrate.

This time, Yang Shuai did not embarrass Stern on the spot like he did last season.

The home-field advantage in tonight's game was expected; at least the referees didn't try to steal the spotlight in the final moments.

That is clearly related to Stern's requirements.

Because if a strict order is given to drag the game to Game 6, it would be like Game 4 of the Finals between the Thunder and Pacers during the Adam Silver era, showing fans what it means to have no bottom line.

As for Stern, he would certainly be happy to see Yang lead the Trail Blazers to a championship, or even establish a dynasty.

After all, Jordan has retired, and the league needs Yang Shuai to become the next face of the league.

And the champion is like a diamond set in a ring, indispensable.

After everything was ready, and witnessed by many fans in the audience, Stern announced the winner of the championship.

"This is their second consecutive NBA championship. They are ushering in a new era of basketball. Let's congratulate them, the Portland Trail Blazers, the 2000 NBA champions!"

The championship trophy was passed from Allen's hands, and when it came to Yang Shuai's hands, confetti sprayed out, and the stadium was instantly filled with cheers from the fans.

"When Hansen came to Portland, he promised to bring the team 'more than one' championship, and now he has done it. He is the new 'god of basketball'!"

When the microphone was handed to Allen, the billionaire's face flushed with barely concealed excitement.

This time, he wasn't doing it in front of reporters, but in front of the whole world.

Although this wasn't the first time, the second time felt even better!
When the microphone was given to Yang Shuai, the cheers from the audience lasted for more than a minute.

"I first lifted the trophy here."

Yang Shuai had barely uttered a single sentence when the stadium was filled with cheers from the fans once again.

Yang Shuai ultimately failed to lift the trophy at home, but for him, Indiana was also his home ground.

“I have to hand the trophy to Charles. We couldn’t have done it without him. He’s our hero tonight.”

As Yang Shuai spoke, he deliberately placed Barkley's hand on the trophy, and then, together with Barkley's hand, raised the trophy above his head.

After most of the quarter had passed, Barkley's back pain had subsided considerably.

Whistles filled the air. Unlike players like Malone, who are notorious for their bad behavior, Barkley has a pretty good reputation among fans.

It was Yang Shuai's words that prompted the reporter to hand the microphone to Barkley.

"The person I should really thank is Hansen. He invited me to this team and it is he who allows me to leave this stage without regrets."

Barkley's eyes turned red again when he said this, and he raised his head after he finished speaking.

His eyes welled up again, but he didn't let the tears fall.

The staff at the scene had already handed Stern the envelope containing the FMVP results.

This year's FMVP selection is even less suspenseful than last year's.

Because Yang Shuai became the second player after Jordan to average 40+ points per game in the Finals.

5场比赛下来，他场均贡献41.2分6.2板7.2助攻，三项命中率分别为47%/88%/44%。

Although Yang Shuai keeps saying that the Trail Blazers are the better team, everyone knows that the Trail Blazers' success is because of Yang Shuai.

This is especially true tonight.

As the team's second-leading scorer, Pippen scored 6 points on 2-of-11 shooting tonight.

If only Jordan could lead Pippen, who only scored 8 points, to a championship back then.

So now, it really is only Yang Shuai who can lead Pippen, who only scored 6 points, to win the championship.

Moreover, after winning this championship, Pippen's total number of individual championships has reached 7.

This makes one sigh with admiration; despite being repeatedly criticized by Jordan and Yang, Pippen is truly fortunate.

"Yang Shuai won the FMVP trophy; he received all 13 votes!"

Yang Shuai was unanimously elected FMVP!

Stern made a point of emphasis when announcing the results.

This result can be said to be expected, because Yang Shuai delivered the best performance in the finals in front of all the media. Who wouldn't vote for him?

"...This season wasn't as easy for us as it looked, with injuries, form, and mentality, but we overcame them in the end, and we grew once again, which is something to celebrate more than this (FMVP).

I know we'll face more difficulties next season, but I believe we can do it. We will achieve a three-peat and establish our dynasty.

Yang Shuai's FMVP speech was much more concise than last year's, but the content he wanted to express was simple and direct.

For this Trail Blazers team, their only goal now is to establish a dynasty, something that no team in modern basketball has achieved except for the Bulls.

Yang Shuai made no attempt to hide his desires.

When you have one, you want two; but when you have two, you want three.

However, desire is also the driving force behind human progress.

(End of this chapter)