The longest river

Chapter 222 You can always trust Pippen

There are many players who are qualified to compete for MVP this year, but players like Webber and Garnett are limited by their teams' performance and actually have no chance.

Only four players will truly make it to the final competition: Iverson, Duncan, Yang Shuai, and O'Neal.

Of these four, Duncan's statistics differed significantly, so in the end, it was really a choice between Iverson, Yang Shuai, and O'Neal.

Statistically speaking, although Yang Shuai did not win the scoring title again this season due to the sacrifice of ball possession, his near triple-double stats are more comprehensive.

Although O'Neal's stats are relatively weaker among the three, the Lakers have the best record in the league this season, so he has the best chance.

As for Iverson, aside from being the scoring champion, he doesn't have an advantage in terms of All-Star stats or team record, so he should have the least chance among the three.

However, the final result of the MVP award was quite unexpected, because Allen Iverson won the MVP award for the 2000-2001 season!
Allen Iverson defeated Shaquille O'Neal (22.8%) and Kevin Young (21.9%) with 30.77% of the vote!
"The reason I lost MVP is because I was born into a better family, and that's why those idiots didn't vote for me!"

Shaquille O'Neal has always maintained a very diplomatic image in front of the media, but this time he broke down.

Last season, he missed out on the MVP award because the Lakers won two fewer games than the Trail Blazers.

This time, the Lakers finally surpassed the Trail Blazers in record, and his stats were not much worse than last season, but in the end, he lost to Iverson!
Yang Shuai didn't seem to care much about the result.

When he and Carlisle finalized their season strategy at the beginning of the season, he had already accepted the possibility of missing out on a three-peat for MVP.

You can't have it both ways. The Trail Blazers are moving fast toward a dynasty, and that's a good result.

Moreover, as a time traveler, he also knew that not all season MVP awards go to the team with the best record.

One of his initial conclusions was that, in the media's eyes, the MVP award depends not only on the player's own stats but also on their teammates.

Shaquille O'Neal lost to Allen Iverson, but Kobe Bryant's presence cannot be ignored. Kobe's average points per game this season are exactly the same as O'Neal's.

Of course, this is just a basic principle, because there are exceptions. The most classic example is the 2011-2012 season, when the Heat's Big Three finished fourth in the league, but James still won the MVP.

So essentially, it all comes down to who the league and the media want elected.

In fact, the fact that Larry Brown was awarded Coach of the Year had already given a signal.

Moreover, O'Neal's protest missed the mark. Iverson's story isn't about his birth, but about his lone heroism this season.

Amidst the uproar, Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers tipped off at Staples Center.

Mindset became the decisive factor in this match.

O'Neal was mentally unbalanced because he didn't win the MVP award. In addition, the Trail Blazers' defensive strategy of double-teaming Wallace with Sabonis hampered his performance. In the end, he only scored 19 points and 14 rebounds on 8-of-21 shooting.

In contrast, Kobe's performance of 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 11-of-24 shooting was within the normal range, especially in the first half, where he scored 24 of his 28 points, leading the Lakers to stay close in the score.

However, the key to OK's maximum power lies in the mutual restraint between the two players.

Now that O'Neal isn't performing well inside, Kobe's scoring opportunities on the perimeter will naturally become worse.

Moreover, O'Neal's poor performance led to Yang Shuai switching onto Kobe's defense in the second half, which ultimately secured the victory for the Trail Blazers.

As for the offensive end, Yang Shuai, with a calm mindset, scored 34 points in three quarters against Pippen's defense, turning the final quarter into garbage time.

"The playoffs don't truly begin until you win on the road," and by taking Game 1 and seizing home-court advantage from the Lakers, the Trail Blazers further proved the correctness of their season strategy.

For the Lakers, if they are down 0-2 despite having home-court advantage, they basically have no chance of turning the game around.

Two days later in Game 2, the Lakers won 104-98, leveling the series.

奥尼尔调整好了心态，他全场22投11中，甚至罚球都8罚6中，得到28分11板。

However, the Lakers' victory was not due to O'Neal. O'Neal's performance was more about forcing Wallace to invest more on the defensive end and drawing the Trail Blazers' defense away.

The key to the Lakers' victory was Kobe.

Drives, mid-range shots, drawing fouls, and even three-pointers—Kobe used everything in his arsenal.

He scored a whopping 45 points on 18-of-34 shooting.

Kobe led the Lakers to a great victory.

This is the headline of a post-game report by Los Angeles media.

In the past season, during the internal strife within the OK duo, due to O'Neal's strength and his smooth-talking image in the media, the media mostly sided with O'Neal.

However, this season, with Kobe's rapid improvement, that tendency has changed.

In addition, O'Neal had previously lost his temper after losing the MVP award and launched a sweeping attack on the media, so the media immediately sided with Kobe.

Playing for the Lakers, you can't escape these Hollywood dramas.

However, the conflict between OK and Shaq is not the focus of the Trail Blazers' attention.

Carlisle and Yang Shuai can exploit the conflict between OK, but they won't pin their hopes on it, because that would be tantamount to handing their fate over to someone else.

After returning to Portland, Yang Shuai talked to Carlisle about the defensive issues during the game.

It was already evident in Game 1 that while Sura's defense was highly aggressive, it was no longer effective against the current Kobe, or more accurately, against Kobe who was also burning with a desire for revenge.

So Yang Shuai's request was that he would guard Kobe next, just like he did in the second half of Game 1.

Carlisle did not agree.

Yang Shuai was able to do that in Game 1 because O'Neal had an off night, and the Lakers could only rely on Kobe. Locking down Kobe was the way to defeat the Lakers.

However, if O'Neal plays normally in Game 3, Yang Shuai's efforts to simply lock down Kobe will not only be ineffective, but will also cause the Trail Blazers' offense a lot of trouble.

"Then we'll finish the game in three quarters."

Yang Shuai stuck to his own ideas.

He didn't finish his sentence, but Carlyle could guess what he meant.

What if the game isn't won in three quarters?
The fourth quarter will be a test of willpower.

"Let's first take a look at Kobe's game condition."

Carlisle ultimately disagreed with Yang Shuai's idea, but he didn't completely oppose it either.

Because this year's Kobe is a completely different person compared to last year. Last year, they could win by locking down Shaq and letting Kobe play one-on-one, but Game 1 this year has proven that that won't work.

The next day, the Lakers and Trail Blazers moved to Portland to continue their Game 3 matchup.

Because of O'Neal's poor performance in Game 1, the outside world is also paying attention to his performance in this game.

As a result, not only was Kobe still in excellent form, but O'Neal also performed even better than in Game 2. Sabonis and Wallace were both struggling to contain him on the defensive end.

This brings us to Phil Jackson; O'Neal's ability to adjust his mindset in Game 2 was entirely thanks to Jackson.

This master of psychological manipulation could easily transform O'Neal's dissatisfaction with the MVP award into motivation for winning the championship.

This allowed the Lakers to keep pace with the Trail Blazers even when Kobe was limited by Yang Shuai.

The game ended with the score still tied after three quarters, and the two sides entered the fourth quarter, a test of willpower.

Exhausted, Yang Shuai had to choose between offense and defense, and he chose to continue limiting Kobe's performance.

As for the offensive end, he chose to trust his teammates, just like last season, and handed over the offensive responsibility to Wallace and Billups.

This became the decisive factor in the competition.

O'Neal dominated the paint in the first three quarters, but his energy inevitably waned in the fourth quarter.

It was already difficult for Kobe to score against Yang Shuai, and without O'Neal's strong presence in the paint, the game returned to the scenario of Game 1.

With a 24-15 run in the final quarter, the Trail Blazers ultimately defeated the Lakers 107-97 to regain home-court advantage.

With a 2-1 lead, if the Trail Blazers can hold onto their second home game, they will have a match point in the Western Conference Finals.

However, it was in this Game 4 that a classic match was played, one that will go down in history.

The Trail Blazers' game strategy was the same as in Game 3, but when Phil Jackson saw that Pippen couldn't stop Yang Shuai at all, he also started to apply the "Jordan Rules".

Both sides put a lot of effort into defense, and their energy was quickly depleted, resulting in a series of clanging sounds of metal hitting the ball on the court.

At the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Lakers 62-58.

In the final quarter, both sides continued to fight hard on defense, turning the game into a test of willpower.

With 30 seconds left in the game, Yang Shuai broke through the double team and made a difficult game-winning shot despite being double-teamed, giving the Trail Blazers a 77-76 lead.

Moreover, after returning to the defensive end, he stayed close to Kobe and blocked Kobe's difficult game-winning shot.

With only 0.4 seconds left in the game, the outcome was essentially decided.

The Portland fans in the stadium also began to cheer for Yang Shuai's performance.

Yang Shuai's final attack and defense were absolutely brilliant.

With 0.4 seconds left, Phil Jackson unleashed his most famous "Starburst" tactic.

Yang Shuai's approach was the same as when he defended Jordan: directly cutting off the Lakers' passing lanes to Kobe.

Moreover, Carlisle was very effective in his defensive strategy, collapsing the defense to never give the Lakers an alley-oop opportunity.

Pippen, serving from the sidelines, eventually had no choice but to throw the ball to Fisher.

Fisher caught the ball and shot it from the right horn, then made the game-winning shot in a way that no one expected.

Portland fans were filled with disbelief.

Carlisle also requested a replay from the tech desk.

Replays showed that the ball had already left Fisher's hands when the red light on the sidelines came on.

The problem was that the timers in that era were manual, which meant that the timer did not start immediately after Fisher received the ball.

This ultimately led to a bug: everyone could see that Fisher's game-winning shot was timed out, but according to the rules, it wasn't.

At the post-match press conference, a reporter asked Yang Shuai about the game-winning shot.

"That game-winning shot was fine; we shouldn't have given him that opportunity."

Yang Shuai's answer reminded the reporter of the Eastern Conference Finals game between the Bulls and the Pacers, also in Game 4, when Jordan gave a similar answer when asked by a reporter whether Miller's push on him was a foul.

Yang Shuai and Jordan have very different personalities, but they are surprisingly similar in some aspects, which may be a common characteristic of "winners".

The Lakers tied the series thanks to Fisher's miraculous game-winning shot, bringing both teams back to level terms and forcing a decisive Game 5.

This match has attracted unprecedented attention from the outside world.

Compared to last year's one-sided affair, this year's Western Conference Finals felt like a true clash of titans.

This crucial battle at Tianwang Mountain will undoubtedly play a decisive role.

The game was held at Staples Center, and the Trail Blazers arrived in Los Angeles the day before.

At the hotel where they were staying, Yang Shuai encountered those familiar women once again.

However, since it was the playoffs, Carlisle naturally forbade his players from having any communication with them.

In order to completely prevent the team members from expending too much energy before the game, he even checked the rooms twice late at night, just like a teacher checking dormitories.

It's clear that Carlisle is well aware of just how important this life-or-death battle is.

Carlisle's extreme actions worked; even a womanizer like Kemp was forced to behave for a whole night.

The Battle of Tianwang Mountain officially began on the second night.

The fans at Staples Center were incredibly enthusiastic.

This game was crucial for the Trail Blazers, determining the success of their dynasty, but for the Lakers, it was more than just important; it was a matter of survival.

So at the start of the game, the Lakers fans in the arena cheered wildly for their home team.

That seemed to energize the Lakers players, who scored 34 points in the first quarter, giving them a double-digit lead over the Trail Blazers 34-23.

Fisher, who made the game-winning shot in the previous game, hit two three-pointers in the first quarter, scoring 8 points and delivering an outstanding performance.

In the second quarter, Carlisle made his rotation earlier than usual, attempting to close the gap through this adjustment.

However, fueled by the cheers of their home crowd, the Lakers maintained their hot streak and managed to suppress the Trail Blazers' comeback attempt.

At halftime, the Lakers continued to lead 63-54.

It was clear that Fisher's game-winning shot not only changed Fisher's confidence, but also changed the morale of the entire Lakers team.

In the third quarter, the Lakers maintained their momentum, and after Fisher hit his third three-pointer of the night, the point difference had reached 14 points.

This is how clutch plays boost a player's confidence; tonight he became the Lakers' secret weapon.

Yang Shuai sensed that if the game continued like this, there might not be a decisive moment tonight.

Then, just when Los Angeles fans were excitedly thinking that the Lakers were about to take the pivotal Game 5, they suddenly found that the situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse in a short period of time.

And the person who caused that to happen was Yang Shuai.

Yang Shuai first stole the pass from Pippen to Kobe and completed a fast break layup. Then, in a half-court offense, he repeatedly faked out Pippen and Kobe who was helping on defense. He then shot a three-pointer over O'Neal. In the next possession, he even faked out Pippen by two meters and then made a step-back three-pointer.

In dire straits, Yang Shuai entered "zone" mode.

The Lakers' double-teaming strategy was ineffective against Yang Shuai.

In this quarter, Yang Shuai scored 21 points, and the Trail Blazers managed to take the lead by the end of the third quarter thanks to his performance.

Phil Jackson watched from the sidelines with a complicated expression.

Having coached Jordan for so many years, he is naturally familiar with this situation.

But even if you're familiar with it, there's nothing you can do about it.

However, when Yang Shuai went to the bench to rest at the start of the fourth quarter, Jackson substituted Kobe into the game early, and the Lakers seized the opportunity to take the lead again.

Carlisle brought on his starting lineup early, and the two sides entered the decisive moment ahead of time.

Yang Shuai clearly has some physical issues, but the Lakers aren't in much better shape either.

The home fans' enthusiasm at the start of the game gave the Lakers a strong start, but that kind of energizing enthusiasm also caused the Lakers players to unknowingly deplete too much of their energy.

This situation is not uncommon in basketball games, especially in the NBA playoffs.

If it weren't for Yang Shuai, with that kind of momentum, the Lakers could have finished the game by the end of the third quarter.

But because of Yang Shuai, everything changed.

Both teams' offensive success rates declined rapidly in the final quarter, and unable to guarantee offensive success, they could only seek better defense.

The defensive battle reminiscent of the previous game reappeared at the end of the quarter.

Even a similar scenario was repeated in the Battle of Tianwang Mountain.

With 20 seconds left in the game, Wallace received a pass from Yang Shuai and made a layup over Oakley, giving the Trail Blazers a 103-101 lead.

Phil Jackson called a pause, and the camera returned to Fisher.

Unlike the last game, the Lakers now have more playing time and more options.

Whether to launch a quick two-pointer and then defend the Trail Blazers' final possession, or to run down the clock and try to win with a three-pointer, it all depends on Jackson's final decision.

The fans at the scene were also extremely nervous at this moment.

The Trail Blazers' tenacity is beyond imagination, and this next round may well determine who wins this Western Conference Finals battle.

Pippen dribbled the ball up the court, dodging Yang Shuai's attempt to steal it, and started running down the clock. It looked like the Lakers were about to hit a game-winning three-pointer.

With about 8 seconds left in the game, O'Neal set an off-ball screen for Fisher, but Billups intercepted the pass and cut off Pippen's passing lane.

At the same time, Kobe used Oakley's screen to bounce to the corner for a three-pointer.

Phil Jackson devised a very ingenious positional version of the Starburst tactic.

Sura was aggressive enough, but he still couldn't get around Oakley's pick-and-roll.

However, at that moment, as Kobe moved, Yang Shuai abandoned his defense of Pippen and quickly ran towards Kobe's tactical position.

Clearly, Yang Shuai's decision was not impromptu; he had successfully deduced the Lakers' offensive intent for their final play by reading the game.

Then a seemingly unbelievable scene unfolded on the field.

Because Yang Shuai was heading towards Kobe's playmaking position, if Pippen forced the pass there, it could be intercepted.

Conversely, because of Yang Shuai's departure, Pippen got a completely open three-point opportunity.

If Pippen makes the shot, he will have sealed the victory against the Trail Blazers.

Just like he said during the Christmas Day game, he would prove that the Trail Blazers couldn't win a championship without him, and he would personally end Yang Shuai just like he ended Jordan.

Even Yang Shuai himself gave him this opportunity.

This will cut off the Trail Blazers' chances of a three-peat.

Pippen's heart was pounding and his breathing was racing.

There were only two seconds left in the game.

There was no time for him to think. Amid the cheers of the fans in the stadium, he made that game-winning three-pointer.

The shouts from the crowd stopped abruptly right after Pippen made that three-pointer, and everyone stared at the spinning basketball in the air, forgetting to breathe.

"beep!"

As the final whistle blew, the trembling Adam's apples in the fans' throats testified to their tense emotions.

In this very scene, Phil Jackson's eyes revealed an unprecedented sense of worry.

Pippen's three-point shooting percentage this season is 35%, which is a pretty good statistic.

However, if we consider that this is an open performance after OK's control, then good data becomes another sign of instability.

Moreover, what worries Jackson more than the data itself is Pippen's mental fortitude in crucial moments.

His decision not to let Pippen take that game-winning shot was definitely not a personal attack; his trust in Pippen was second only to Jordan's on that Bulls team.

He didn't give it to Pippen because he knew that giving it to him would likely give Pippen a chance to win the game, and that was a do-or-die playoff game.

As the basketball began to fall, a commotion started to rise in the arena.

"when!"

The basketball bounced off the side of the rim.

Pippen's game-winning three-pointer failed!

The Trail Blazers' bench erupted in cheers as they rushed onto the court in excitement.

The Trail Blazers players on the court also began to celebrate wildly.

Yang Shuai, however, stood there calmly, a barely perceptible smile on his lips.

"we won!"

At this moment, Lu rushed up to Yang Shuai and shouted.

It's clear that even though he wasn't on the field, winning the crucial game was incredibly exciting.

Yang Shuai simply nodded, as if he were not surprised at all.

It's really not surprising, because he knows Pippen just as well as Phil Jackson.

In crucial moments like these, as an opponent, you can always trust Pippen!

Especially considering Pippen's previous stats of 2-for-8 shooting tonight, there's even less reason not to believe him.

And even if a very low-probability event occurs and Pippen actually makes the shot, that's acceptable.

After all, this is just the pivotal Game 5, not a tiebreaker.

Pippen was completely stunned.

If Fisher's game-winning shot in the previous game boosted his confidence, then this missed game-winner is a devastating blow to Pippen's confidence.

The words Yang Shuai said during the Christmas Day game are now echoing in his ears.

His success stemmed not from ability, but from luck.

No one went up to comfort Pippen at that moment.

For the Lakers, losing Game 5 of the series instantly shattered the confidence they had built up in the previous game.

Moreover, if G6 were to go to Portland again, their chances of survival would be slim.

"We'll force a Game 7, I guarantee it."

After the loss, O'Neal and Phil Jackson seemed a little lost, knowing they had missed their best chance, but Kobe still showed his confidence.

The situation is dire for the Lakers; only the paranoid and the mad can hold onto hope in such a desperate situation.

"We will not be coming back."

Echoing Kobe's words was Yang Shuai's post-game remarks.

Tonight's game is the Trail Blazers' most dangerous game in this year's playoffs.

If that ball had been passed to Kobe, he believed that with Kobe's ability, there was at least a 70% chance he could have made the shot.

But now the most dangerous time has passed, and it's the Trail Blazers' turn to play.

While the Western Conference Finals between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers are still in full swing, NBA teams have already begun trying out their rookies.

Instead of rushing to arrange for Yao Ming to try out one by one, Paul followed the example of Vaccaro in the past and held a "pro day" showcase and tryout for Yao Ming and Chandler and other players under his management.

Yao Ming and Chandler are both currently projected to be top-five picks in the draft, which has attracted almost all the managers of lottery teams.

This round was more of a showcase, and it was Yao Ming's first public display, albeit in a non-confrontational mode.

The result was that Yao Ming's performance was quite successful. His soft touch, especially his performance at the free-throw line, shocked many scouts.

They've seen many big men with accurate free throws, but they've never seen anyone as accurate as Yao Ming.

Moreover, Yao Ming seemed to be exceptionally versatile. Not only did he have dazzling footwork under the basket, but his shooting range could even extend to the NBA three-point line.

Then, most importantly, Yao Ming, as a 2.26-meter tall man, possesses an agility that is not typical for someone his height.

Under Paul's direction, he even performed a series of three-point line dribbling breakthroughs and layups.

A powerful weapon in low-level positions?
Inner space line?

High-level support core?

He seems to possess limitless potential.

However, this is precisely the significance of such trial training sessions; they primarily showcase the players' strengths.

Of course, some executives also noticed some shortcomings in Yao Ming, such as his upper limbs appearing too slender, which may indicate a lack of upper limb strength.

"I think Yao will be the number one pick this year. Although we all know that he previously played in the CBA, a league that is unfamiliar to us, he really has all the qualities to become a legendary center."

Clippers general manager and Lakers legend Elgin Baylor gave Yao Ming the highest praise without reservation.

For Elgin Baylor, the most painful thing is that the Clippers only have the third overall pick this year.

Of course, the possibility of a trade between the Clippers and the Warriors cannot be ruled out. After all, if the Warriors are not so keen on drafting Yao Ming, there is room for maneuver on both sides.

Regardless of the circumstances, Baylor's words will undoubtedly have a positive impact on Yao Ming's draft prospects.

If Yao Ming doesn't underperform in subsequent individual tryouts, he could even secure a top-three draft pick.

After he returned to Portland, Paul even took Yao Ming, who had just finished his tryouts, to Portland to have a meal with Yang Shuai.

This was the first time Yang Shuai had met Yao Ming since Yao Ming won the CBA championship.

To Yang Shuai's surprise, Yao Ming also prepared a gift for him: a bottle of aged Moutai.

According to Yao Ming, it was something his father had treasured before.

The gift wasn't expensive, but you could tell Yao Ming really put his heart into it.

Yao Ming is very grateful to Yang Shuai.

"I have a feeling that if it weren't for you, I definitely wouldn't have been able to make it to the NBA this year."

Hearing what Yao Ming said, Yang Shuai couldn't help but laugh.

Yao Ming's sixth sense is pretty accurate.

Yang Shuai also asked about his conversation with the Warriors.

"They are very interested in me and have already invited me to try out."

Yao Ming did not intend to hide anything from Yang Shuai.

Although Jordan did not attend the tryout, the Warriors' executives talked to him for a long time after the tryout.

"That's good."

Yang Shuai did not mention his phone call with Jordan because he knew that Yao Ming was the kind of player who wanted to prove himself through his own abilities.

But at that moment, Yang Shuai remembered the game between Yao Ming and Chandler in the training camp.

"Don't hold back during individual tryouts."

Because he has been playing in the CBA, Yao Ming, who is now 20 years old, doesn't look much different from when he was 17. He still looks very shy.

Yao Ming nodded; he knew it was about whether he could become the number one draft pick.

Besides not winning a CBA championship, another important reason why he didn't enter the draft last year by retiring was that his draft stock was only in the first round.

He ran for the draft because he wanted to be a high draft pick, or even have the chance to be the number one pick, like he does now.

The following day, Game 6 between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers tipped off at the Rose Garden Arena.

This game was highly anticipated, and Paul seized the opportunity to arrange a spot for Yao Ming in the front row.

If the previous tryouts were a chance for Yao Ming to make an appearance in front of NBA executives, then this was his first public appearance in front of fans across the United States.

Because he was a potential number one draft pick, and given his height, Yao Ming was given a close-up shot during the pre-game warm-up, which maximized the impact.

However, once the match started, the fans' attention shifted to the game itself.

From the very start of the game, Portland fans erupted in fiery passion.

The sound waves, after being reflected by the sound wave panels, were even more powerful than those at the Staples Center.

Fueled by the fans' enthusiasm, the Trail Blazers started the game with tremendous momentum.

Although Yang Shuai once again benefited from the Jordan Rules, Wallace and the others were completely outmaneuvered.

At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Lakers by a whopping 13 points, 35-22.

This game was extremely similar to Game 5, the only difference being that the lead changed from the Lakers to the Trail Blazers.

In the second quarter, the Lakers, led by Kobe, began to fight back. However, after their attempts to double-team Yang Shuai failed in the first quarter, the Lakers also reduced their defensive intensity against Yang Shuai.

The result was that Yang Shuai took over the Trail Blazers' offense.

Fans at the scene witnessed Kobe and Yang Shuai's scoring duel.

Or rather, fans saw that in this unfavorable situation, the Lakers player who dared to attack and was able to score was Kobe.

At halftime, the Trail Blazers still led by 13 points, 61-48.

During halftime, commentators Barkley and Ernie Johnson discussed the Lakers' potential adjustments for the second half.

"They should let OK run pick-and-rolls; that saved them last season." Johnson was a commentator for the Lakers-Trail Blazers game last season.

"They won't do that." Barkley didn't think Johnson was wrong, but given the current situation within the Lakers, anything could happen, except for that one thing.

Returning in the third quarter, as expected, Yang Shuai switched to guard Kobe.

Then, just as Barkley had predicted, the pick-and-roll between the OK duo didn't happen, and the Lakers' offense began to shift towards O'Neal.

O'Neal's performance during this period was outstanding, showcasing his dominance.

But Yang Shuai's performance in this quarter showed everyone who truly is the best player in the league.

He not only contained Kobe, but also drew double teams with his offense, which fueled the Trail Blazers' offense.

The rest of the Trail Blazers continued their excellent form from the first half, seizing opportunities one after another amidst the cheers of the home crowd.

As a result, despite O'Neal's significant advantage in the paint for the Lakers, the Lakers' deficit not only failed to narrow but actually widened further.

Before the end of the third quarter, Billups received a pass from Yang Shuai and hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc, bringing the point difference to 20 points.

The match has already been decided.

The Trail Blazers did what the Lakers couldn't do in the last game!
The Lakers didn't give up in the final quarter, but they still couldn't close the gap with five minutes left in the game.

Phil Jackson ultimately had no choice but to substitute his key players and accept the final result.

When both sides substituted their key players, Portland fans began to cheer and celebrate wildly.

The celebratory atmosphere lasted until the end of the match.

For the Lakers players on the sidelines, especially for OK, these were the most agonizing five minutes.

Every second feels like an year.

When the final whistle blew, O'Neal got up and walked straight to the player tunnel.

Kobe's eyes were red, but he still got up to give the final handshake.

Yang Shuai didn't say anything to Kobe, he just hugged him and patted him on the back.

Kobe's performance throughout the season was outstanding, but unfortunately, just like Drexler in history, there can only be one winner in competitive sports.

After the handshake ceremony, Yang Shuai and the Trail Blazers players waved to their fans in the arena.

The overwhelming cheers instantly pierced through the roof and soared into the sky.

The score was 4-2, the same high score as last season, and as Yang Shuai said, they will not return to Los Angeles.

This marks the third consecutive year that they have eliminated the Lakers, following their defeat four years ago.

An arrow wound deserves three arrows in return.

Now, the Trail Blazers are just one step away from their dynasty!
(End of this chapter)