The longest river

Chapter 221 Yao Ming did indeed participate in the 2001 NBA Draft
"Negative energy from Karl Malone +999".

Ma Long was furious, but as his old rival, he knew Yang Shuai's purpose and could only endure it.

Yang Shuai's words are not without merit, because the Jazz set an NBA record this season: they are the first team in history to have four of their starting five players aged 35 or older.

This is indeed an old team that could retire.

Yang Shuai continued the pick-and-roll with Wallace. This time, the Jazz collapsed their defense on both wings, and Yang Shuai passed the ball to Sura on the outside.

Sura's three-pointer came down with a swift and decisive shot.

After getting off to a good start, Sura was able to sink three-pointers.

Malone continued to use pick-and-rolls to drive to the basket, and this time he drew a foul from Wallace and got free throws.

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; the fact that 38-year-old Malone can still be selected for the All-Star team this season shows that he still has ability.

However, just as Ma Long stepped to the free-throw line, Yang Shuai's familiar voice appeared again.

"Are you still not retiring? Are you trying to become the all-time leading scorer?"

Malone surpassed Wilt Chamberlain in total points this season, ranking third on the NBA's all-time scoring list, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan.

Malone didn't answer, but his two consecutive missed free throws served as his answer.

Wow, it seems that the all-time leading scorer is actually more cared about by more people than Yang Shuai imagined.

Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, oh right, and LeBron James too, this track is quite crowded.

Sabonis grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Trail Blazers launched another fast break. This time, Yang Shuai took the lead, received the pass, and slammed a gliding dunk over Stockton, forcing the Jazz to call a timeout.

11:0.

The Jazz were completely stunned.

Just as Albert said, the two teams are only 5 wins apart, but the situation feels like a 20-win difference.

At the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers were leading the Jazz by as many as 18 points.

The game was already decided at this point, but the Jazz refused to give up and brought in their full starting lineup early in the fourth quarter.

Seeing this, Carlisle granted the Jazz's wish and substituted his starters into the game. Carlisle only substituted his starters out when Sloan had completely replaced them with five minutes left in the game.

The Trail Blazers ultimately crushed the Jazz 107-77, sending Portland fans into a frenzy.

赛后的技术统计，爵士队首发只有马龙得分上双拿了25分，斯托克顿7中2仅得4分5板9助攻。

开拓者队这边，杨帅得到33分11板7助攻的准三双，华莱士25分8板，比卢普斯也有20分3板5助攻的出色发挥。

As it turns out, the Trail Blazers made the right choice; by sacrificing their record, they quietly skipped the transitional season when their core players were aging.

The Jazz thought they had luckily caught the Trail Blazers in a weak period, but they didn't expect to become the first unlucky ones.

Ultimately, the Trail Blazers swept the Jazz 3-0 in the first round, easily advancing to the second round.

In the third game in Salt Lake City, the Jazz capitalized on their home-court advantage and played to their defensive strengths, ending the game in a tie with the Trail Blazers at the end of the third quarter.

But in the end, Yang Shuai's 20-point performance in the final quarter extinguished the last glimmer of hope for Salt Lake City fans.

When the final whistle blew, Salt Lake City fans couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Because this time Yang Shuai didn't jump onto that damn technical platform again.

But everyone knows that it's not that Yang Shuai doesn't want to, but that it's no longer necessary.

He buried a team that should have faded from the historical stage long ago.

Sweeping out his old rival Ma Long is definitely a happy thing for Yang Shuai.

Just then, he received even better news, a double celebration.

In April of this year, Yao Ming led the Shanghai team to defeat the Bayi team, which was without Wang Zhizhi, in the finals and won the CBA championship.

Yao Ming has achieved all his wishes, and his next goal is the NBA.

The Shanghai team is in principle willing to let Yao Ming go to the NBA, and Wang Zhizhi has had a good start in the NBA, so the Basketball Management Center is not against it.

However, some people, driven by their own interests, obstructed the process, causing Yao Ming's entry into the NBA to be delayed time and time again.

Ultimately, Yao Ming invoked the advice Yang Shuai had given him years ago, stating that if he couldn't go to the NBA, he would retire directly.

After a month-long standoff and some compromises, Yao Ming finally received the green light to enter the NBA, at which point he decided to participate in the 2001 NBA draft.

Moreover, because of the help Reebok and Yang Shuai had given him all along, he ultimately chose Paul as his American agent.

The 2001 NBA Draft Lottery will be held a week later. At that time, Paul will arrange a workout for Yao Ming in advance based on the actual situation, and do his best to help Yao Ming make this year's number one pick.

Just as Yang Shuai said before, another player under Paul's banner, Tyson Chandler, will also be running for the draft this year, which will greatly help Yao Ming's chances of being drafted number one.

No, actually it should be more accurate to say that three happy events are happening at once.

Because after the series against the Jazz, Yang Shuai had raised his mid-range shooting ability to the maximum of 99.

Two days after the Trail Blazers finished their first-round series, the Spurs and Suns also came to an end, with the Spurs defeating the Suns 97-84 in Game 4, successfully advancing to the Western Conference semifinals to face the Trail Blazers.

At the same time, the Lakers and Kings also determined their matchups, with the Kings eliminating the Mavericks 3-1 in the fourth-fifth seed game.

McGrady's Magic were swept by the 76ers in the first round.

Such a comparison is somewhat disheartening, making McGrady seem like an unlucky guy who couldn't even get past the first round.

It was at this time that the league announced the winner of the Coach of the Season award.

Phil Jackson, who led his team to the best record in the league, was the most popular candidate.

Ultimately, however, the league awarded Coach of the Year to Larry Brown, the head coach of the 76ers.

This led to Lakers fans hurling insults, and it also hinted at something different.

The league is clearly trying to promote the 76ers, after all, what the 76ers have done this season is very much in line with Stern's penchant for storytelling.

The debate over Coach of the Year continues, but the series between the Trail Blazers and the Spurs has already begun.

At the Rose Garden Arena for Game 1, Portland fans were as passionate as ever.

The first-round game against the Jazz was a grudge match, and so was the second-round game against the Spurs.

The Spurs lost to the Trail Blazers 2-4 in the Western Conference Finals two years ago, and this is also their revenge season.

During the pre-game warm-up, Duncan remained silent, but a fire burned in his eyes.

One of the main reasons he ultimately stayed with the Spurs last summer was that, as a player who, although not good at expressing himself, was extremely competitive, he didn't want to run away after a defeat.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Spurs: Antonio Daniels, Terry Porter Jr., Derrick Anderson, Tim Duncan, David Robinson

Trail Blazers: Billups, Sura, Young, Wallace, Sabonis

Duncan jumped for the ball for the Spurs, and on his first possession, he scored with a turnaround layup against Wallace in the low post.

Once back on defense, the Spurs immediately set up a 2-1-2 zone defense.

相比于偏外线防守的3-2联防和偏内线防守的2-3联防，这种联防属于混合均衡型防守，因为它可以根据对手进攻重心的变化转换成2-3或者3-2联防。

比如这会儿华莱士给苏拉打挡拆接球，站在2-1-2阵型中“1”位置的安德森就快速对华莱士进行协防，直接变成了2-3联防。

Anderson was much smaller than Wallace, and although he couldn't stop Wallace's offensive pace, he forced Wallace to dribble the ball one more time.

This move put Wallace in a pincer attack by Anderson and Duncan.

Wallace lacked the ability to quickly pass the ball when double-teamed, and in the end he could only choose to attack the basket. His shot was interfered with by Duncan from the side and went wide of the rim. Duncan also secured the rebound.

In the opening offensive and defensive plays, Duncan not only demonstrated his desire for revenge, but also showcased his unparalleled individual ability.

Using Wallace as a benchmark, Duncan was clearly able to outmaneuver Wallace on both offense and defense compared to Malone.

While Malone's advancing age was a factor, Duncan also suffered a career-ending meniscus tear last season.

In fact, Duncan's playing style this season is completely different from before. He has basically stopped violently attacking the basket and instead uses a combination of mid-range shots and low-post back-to-the-basket moves.

It's not entertaining at all, but combined with his physical gifts, it's very practical.

Wallace couldn't contain Duncan one-on-one, so the Trail Blazers had to resort to double-teaming on the strong side. Duncan handled the double-team perfectly, delivering the ball accurately and quickly to Porter on the perimeter.

Porter, a veteran, decisively took a three-pointer and made it.

The Spurs' starting lineup has been changing all season, with veterans Avery Johnson and Shawn Elliott both falling out of the starting lineup.

Popovich made these adjustments based on only one principle: improving the outside shooting touch.

The most important thing that the perimeter players paired with the twin towers need to do is to make those open three-pointers.

The three starting perimeter players for the Spurs right now are the three who have done this best.

Moreover, in the next possession, Billups' three-pointer from the top of the arc was blocked by Anderson, and he failed to make it.

After Duncan grabbed the rebound, the Spurs launched a fast break, and Daniels received the ball and made a layup on a fast break.

0:7.

The Spurs got off to a perfect start.

Carlisle acted decisively, calling a timeout less than three minutes into the game.

The camera then focused on Popovich on the Spurs' bench.

More impressive than the roster changes or Duncan's performance tonight was the Spurs' defensive formation.

The 2-1-2 zone defense is not common in the NBA, and even the Spurs rarely used it in the regular season.

However, judging from their defensive coordination, the Spurs must have practiced a lot in their regular training sessions.

Or rather, the Spurs have been holding back a big move to deal with the Trail Blazers.

Although this was actually a choice that Popovich was forced to make after Duncan's major injury.

Duncan's torn meniscus not only affected his athletic ability but also his speed of movement; he can no longer defend a large number of opponents like he did before the injury.

Popovich was forced to implement this zone defense, much like how Duncan, after suffering from plantar fasciitis and experiencing a significant decline in his abilities, implemented the "hammer tactic."

In the end, the Trail Blazers were clearly caught off guard by this zone defense because it used fewer players.

Carlisle has studied tactics extensively, so he is naturally familiar with the 2-1-2 zone defense. However, even in a 2-1-2 zone defense, the defensive emphasis varies depending on the position of the "1" player.

The Spurs' positioning from the start of the game largely demonstrated its characteristics: utilizing the mobility of the small forward to quickly switch between zone defense and focus on attacking the paint and three-pointers.

This is why Billups, despite choosing the most effective three-pointer to break the zone defense, ultimately failed to do so.

"It's up to you now."

Carlisle patted Yang Shuai on the shoulder before he went on the field.

As Carlisle analyzed, the Spurs' zone defense focuses on the three-point line and the paint, so its weak defensive area is the mid-range, or more accurately, the horn area between 30 and 45 degrees.

This mid-range position is the most difficult to shoot from.

Although there is no direct defense there, the help defense will come quickly, which will require a high speed of shooting from the players.

A faster shooting motion inevitably means instability, and an unstable mid-range attack is ineffective at killing.

"Don't worry, Rick, we won't lose tonight."

Yang Shuai gave Carlisle a huge sense of reassurance.

暂停回来后，开拓者队攻到前场摆出了针对2-1-2联防的1-3-1的进攻破解阵型。

Billups had the ball at the top of the key, Yang Shuai and Sura spread out on the sides, Sabonis was at the free-throw line, and Wallace was wandering in the three-second zone.

However, although the formation was set up, the Trail Blazers' first attempt failed to create good offensive opportunities for Yang Shuai.

Unlike the Spurs, who had planned ahead, the Trail Blazers didn't practice this formation much in their regular training.

So when Yang Shuai received the ball, Anderson was already in position to help defend.

When Popovich saw this, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

Carlisle is indeed a tactical mastermind, but making timely adjustments and achieving targeted results are two different things.

"Shh!"

But before Popovich could even smile, a crisp sound reached his ears.

Yang Shuai immediately combined the ball to freeze Anderson in place, then quickly released a mid-range shot that went in smoothly.

"Thanks for your cooperation."

After making the shot, he turned around and smiled at Popovich on the sidelines.

Proper defensive coverage and successful defense are two different things.

Despite Wallace's best efforts to defend, Duncan still managed to score the ball with a spin move resembling a ballet jump.

While the move wasn't exactly elegant, Duncan possessed not only historic physical gifts but also historic soft touches.

He is the most perfect power forward God ever created.

The Spurs maintained their lead at 2-9.

Popovich's eyes once again radiated confidence.

Although Yang Shuai's mid-range shot was beautiful, it was obviously more difficult than Duncan's low-post isolation play, and in terms of efficiency, it was clearly inferior to Duncan's.

Furthermore, Popovich was making tactical gestures to the players on the court. The Spurs were still using a 2-1-2 zone defense, but the defensive positioning had changed. The player in the "1" position had changed from Anderson to Duncan.

This adjustment resulted in the Trail Blazers passing the ball more quickly, but Duncan's help defense covered a larger area, depriving Yang of the opportunity to shoot immediately. It must be said that while Popovich initially lacked tactical ability, he is highly adaptable to different tactics; once he studies a tactic, he can understand it thoroughly.

But the next second, this adjustment failed once again.

Because Yang Shuai directly cut to the right with Duncan, then stopped abruptly and launched a mid-range shot that hit again.

Yang Shuai also encountered a bug in this move.

Popovich's tactical evolution has always been passive, and this passivity is based on Duncan's declining ability. If Duncan hadn't torn his meniscus, he would have been able to interfere with Yang Shuai's shot just now.

But now, Duncan can only watch as Yang Shuai strikes him down.

"Defend! Defend!"

Despite trailing in the score, Yang Shuai's consecutive points, igniting the emotions of the Portland fans in the arena, were amplified by his disregard for defense.

Wallace finally managed to defend against Duncan's strong attack, but on the other side, Robinson demonstrated the rebounding ability of the twin towers by grabbing the offensive rebound and drawing a defensive foul from Sabonis.

The Spurs' twin towers still have unparalleled control over the boards in the league.

Robinson made one of two free throws, and the Spurs maintained their 7-point lead.

The Trail Blazers' offense still relies on Yang Shuai.

However, after two consecutive possessions, the Spurs also noticed the Trail Blazers' passes to Yang Shuai.

This time, Billups' pass was swatted away by Duncan's long arms, almost resulting in a turnover.

However, Yang Shuai turned the mistake into an opportunity. After gaining control of the ball, he successfully used a fake shot to knock up Duncan, who was completely dodging the ball after failing to steal it. Then, he demonstrated the footwork he learned from Olajuwon, and made a backflip shot with a turnaround step-back.

"That's Hansen for you. Even though he's already the best player in the league, he still improves every season!"

This play even brought tears to the eyes of Ernie Johnson in the commentary booth.

It's worth noting that Yang Shuai's scoring last season mainly came from face-up drives to the basket, but this season his mid-range offensive skills have reached an elite level.

"That's Hansen for you; you never know where his ceiling is."

Barkley, on the other hand, seemed very calm; no one understood Yang better than him.

Yang Shuai's goal continued to ignite the emotions of the fans in the arena, and the Trail Blazers finally made a successful defensive play.

However, the Spurs also knew that the weakness of the twin towers was their defensive retreat, so the backcourt trio immediately retreated to defend, and both sides continued to settle into half-court offense.

This time, Yang Shuai received the ball on the outside, and the defender who came to cover for him was Daniels, Yang Shuai's old rival.

Daniels moved quickly to the side and this time he stuck to Yang Shuai.

Seeing this, Yang Shuai immediately turned and broke through with a back-to-the-basket move, then jumped up to meet Duncan's help defense.

Popovich's eyes were fixed on Yang Shuai.

Yang Shuai has already made three difficult shots in a row. Surely he'll miss the next one?

Popovich guessed half right.

Because Yang Shuai, while in the air, did not choose to shoot, but instead threw the ball directly towards the basket.

Wallace, lurking in the three-second zone, received the ball and unleashed a powerful two-handed dunk.

8:11.

The point difference was narrowed to one round.

As Yang Shuai retreated on defense, he turned around and faced Popovich again, but this time he didn't say anything, he just shrugged and spread his hands.

You don't think I'm Kobe, do you?

Popovich's face instantly turned ashen.

He never expected that his long-prepared, powerful move would be so easily shattered by Yang Shuai alone.

Moreover, Yang Shuai's pass just now also illustrates one thing: the Trail Blazers are not his team alone. The Spurs have invested more defensive resources in him, and others can definitely step up.

This soon came true.

When Popovich stood on the sidelines to focus on guarding Yang Shuai, Sabonis, who received the ball at the free-throw line, played a high-low post pass with Wallace. Wallace turned around under the basket, dodged Robinson's help defense, and scored again off the backboard.

This immediately silenced Popovich.

When the next defensive possession came, he had no choice but to abandon the 2-1-2 zone defense.

But Yang Shuai did not stop his offensive at this time.

His previous consecutive shots helped him find his touch in the mid-range, and he started receiving the ball at the high post to launch attacks.

One mid-range shot after another was like a series of daggers aimed at Popovich's chest.

Unstable at mid-range?

That depends on the person.

You might say DeRozan's mid-range shot is inconsistent, but would you say Jordan's mid-range shot is inconsistent?

Speed ​​and talent are the deciding factors.

Throughout the game, Yang Shuai scored 46 points on 20-of-35 shooting.

Under his leadership, the Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 104-90.

Duncan had a game-high 28 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks.

It's worth mentioning that only one of Yang Shuai's 20 goals was a three-pointer.

Although Popovich abandoned the 2-1-2 zone defense, he did not abandon his defensive strategy, which still focuses on defending the three-point line and the paint.

It wasn't that he was stubborn, but rather that he knew Yang Shuai's three-pointers and drives were harder to defend than his mid-range shots.

If Yang Shuai is allowed to break through, or if he gets into a three-point shooting rhythm, the Spurs will only lose even faster.

The Spurs lost this game largely because their outside shooters didn't perform; they only made 5 of 15 three-pointers. If they had made just two or three more, the Spurs would have had a chance to win.

In Game 2, the Spurs adopted the same strategy and stuck to a 2-1-2 zone defense throughout the game.

As a result, Yang Shuai made 17 of 29 shots, scoring 42 points again.

尽管邓肯的发挥比G1还要好，全场比赛轰下40分15板3助攻4盖帽的数据，但是马刺队外线依旧没有发挥出来，16次出手仅有4次命中。

However, unlike Game 1, this time it wasn't that their shooting was off, but rather that Carlisle realized the Spurs' only chance to win was to get their three-point shooting going. So in Game 2, he reduced double-teaming Duncan and instead strengthened his defense on the Spurs' perimeter.

Popovich outmaneuvered Carlisle tactically in Game 1, but in Game 2, Carlisle immediately turned the tables in his area of ​​expertise.

After two games, Yang Shuai averaged 44 points per game, earning him the nickname "Spurs Killer" from fans. The Spurs' 2-1-2 zone defense was also known as "Yang Shuai's Happy Zone Defense" by fans.

With a 0-2 deficit, the Spurs cannot afford to lose Game 3 at home.

Popovich, who is not particularly adept at tactics, ultimately made a gambler's choice in this situation.

Since we can't limit Yang Shuai's performance no matter what we do, let's apply the Jordan rule to him.

Although Wallace and Billups performed reasonably well in the first round, the Spurs' defense was better than the Jazz's, and they were able to do both things at the same time.

That's what Popovich thought, but after Game 3, it turned out that what he thought was just what he thought.

Yang Shuai's scoring was indeed successfully limited to below 30 points, with only 28 points, but he delivered as many as 11 assists.

Led by him, Wallace and Billups scored 26 and 24 points respectively, and by halftime, the Trail Blazers had already built a 25-point lead.

The remaining half of the game became nothing more than a waste of time for racking up points.

The Trail Blazers ultimately defeated the Spurs 111-82.

With a 3-0 lead, the Spurs are likely doomed to a sweep.

In fact, if Popovich continues to allow Yang Shuai to play mid-range isolation plays, the Spurs have a chance to win one or two games, since Yang Shuai can't be that accurate every night.

Moreover, looking at the entire series, this continuous exertion will cause Yang Shuai's physical condition to decline as the series progresses, increasing the probability of him missing shots.

It can only be said that Popovich is still too inexperienced, and he is basically still a supporting player to Duncan.

The results of the 2001 NBA Draft Lottery were announced right after the Trail Blazers finished Game 3 against the Spurs.

The Warriors were lucky enough to get the first overall pick, the Wizards got the second, and the Clippers got the third.

Yang Shuai was visibly stunned when he saw the result.

Although he was born in the 00s, he still knew about major events such as Jordan drafting Kwame Brown with the Wizards.

As a result, Jordan ended up with the Warriors, but the number one draft pick went to the Warriors instead?
He, the time traveler, suddenly became the observer of a control experiment.

The question of whether the NBA draft is truly fair has finally been answered.

This year's number one draft pick, to put it bluntly, wasn't for any particular team, but for Jordan personally.

After all, for Jordan to make his role as owner effective, the teams he manages must achieve results.

Otherwise, if the owner of a team is always a bottom-tier team, then even Jordan would be no different from an ordinary person.

Considering that Jordan had specifically gone to Los Angeles to persuade him, it now seems that Jordan must have received advance notice.

Just like when the team, now renamed the Mavericks, sent Doncic to the Lakers.

Although this result made Yang Shuai see through the true nature of the NBA draft, he was still happy to see it happen.

Because there are many Chinese people in Golden State.

If Yao Ming were to join the Warriors, the market he could bring would definitely be better than if he were with the Rockets.

Moreover, the Warriors' owner is more willing to invest than the Rockets' owner, so Yao Ming's career will definitely be better than it was with the Rockets.

After realizing this, Yang Shuai took the initiative to call Jordan and strongly recommended Yao Ming to him.

Although Jordan was only a minority owner of the Warriors, he knew from their previous conversation that Jordan was now the de facto leader of the Warriors.

However, it seemed from Jordan's phone call that he cared more about Yang Shuai's choice than the draft.

Jordan even made Yang Shuai feel that as long as he agreed to go to the Warriors in the future, he could now discuss with Jordan who to choose as the number one draft pick.

Yang Shuai certainly wouldn't make any promises.

He can't tie his future to anyone, even if that person is Yao Ming.

Speaking up for Yao Ming has elements of Chinese people supporting each other, but more importantly, it's about considering the interests of HARK Company.

If Yao Ming develops better, HARK will earn more money and gain greater fame.

Although Jordan didn't seem to care much, Yang Shuai still expressed his thoughts in the most affirmative tone before hanging up the phone.

"Yao will become the league's best center in the future."

Yang Shuai is unsure whether the Warriors will have a chance to acquire Curry after drafting Yao Ming.

If we could draft Curry, the combination of Yao Ming and Curry would be really exciting.

The following day, Game 4 between the Trail Blazers and the Spurs continued in San Antonio.

Perhaps inspired by Popovich's performance in Game 3, or perhaps seeing the Spurs' poor outside shooting in this series, Carlisle unleashed the "Jordan Rules" against Duncan in Game 4.

This move achieved perfect results.

尽管大卫·罗宾逊得到了机会，18投10中高效得到24分12板，但是邓肯全场14投3中仅得9分13板7助攻。

It's easier to contain the inside players than the outside players.

Without Duncan drawing attention in the paint, the Spurs made only 26 of 81 shots, for a shooting percentage of just 32.1%.

That allowed the Trail Blazers to grab a total of 63 rebounds, nearly 30 more than the Spurs.

Ultimately, five Trail Blazers players scored in double figures, with Yang Shuai and Wallace combining for over 60 points, leading the Trail Blazers to another resounding 111-72 victory over the Spurs.

"We are the better team."

After sweeping the Spurs, Yang Shuai still couldn't resist making a joke about Popovich from back then.

After two rounds of games, the outside world's perception of the Trail Blazers has completely changed.

Before the playoffs began, the outside world was pessimistic about the Trail Blazers completing a dynasty due to their regular season record.

But after two rounds, especially after the Spurs were swept, everyone realized that the Trail Blazers might be stronger than last season.

After all, Pippen has never scored 30+ points in a playoff game since joining the Trail Blazers, and 27-year-old Wallace is definitely a stronger player than 35-year-old Pippen.

Of course, whether the Trail Blazers can complete their dynasty depends on their performance in the Western Conference Finals.

Just the day before the Trail Blazers swept the Spurs, their biggest rival in the West, the Lakers, also swept the Kings.

Including their first-round sweep of the Timberwolves, the Lakers are also undefeated since entering the playoffs.

It's clear that the Lakers, having acquired Pippen and Oakley and welcomed Fisher's return, are a stronger Lakers team, or perhaps the strongest Lakers team under the OK model.

The clash between the two strongest teams is bound to ignite even greater sparks than last year.

Moreover, judging from their playoff performance, everyone knows that although the league seems to be favoring the 76ers this season, whichever of these two Western Conference teams makes it to the Finals will most likely win the championship.

In contrast, the 76ers played seven games against the Raptors in the conference semifinals, with Iverson and Carter exchanging 50+ points in several games before narrowly winning.

However, the good news for the 76ers is that the Pacers, their biggest threat in the East, were eliminated by the Bucks in the second round, so their chances of making it to the Finals are still very high.

Just before the conference finals began, the league announced the winner of the season's most important award, the MVP.

(End of this chapter)