The longest river

Chapter 229 2001-2002 Season (Part 2)

In a Christmas Day game, the Trail Blazers faced off against the Pacers.

After forming the O'Neal-Miller duo, the Pacers' record finally rebounded this season.

They are currently at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, more than three games ahead of the second-placed Nets.

It has been proven that while peak Shaquille O'Neal may not be able to contend for championships, his ability to maintain a high standard is still very strong.

This boosted O'Neal's confidence to an all-time high.

In an interview on the eve of the Christmas Day game, he took his earlier-season bold statement about the Lakers' hopes to reach the NBA Finals to a whole new level.

"I am more confident than ever that we will win the championship this season."

O'Neal's implication was that he was confident he could beat the Trail Blazers even if they made it to the Finals.

O'Neal's comments were reported by the media, making the Christmas Day game even more noteworthy.

When Lu relayed these words to Yang Shuai, Yang Shuai simply smiled.

Back when he was still playing for the Pacers, the Eastern Conference was really strong, but now, the East has become the "Eastern benefits" he's familiar with.

Ewing left for Seattle last season, and the current Knicks are struggling to even make the playoffs;
Former powerhouses like the Bulls, Hawks, and Cavaliers have all entered rebuilding phases.

Currently, apart from the Pacers, the teams in the Eastern Conference playoff contention are all young, rookie-led teams like the Raptors, Magic, Celtics, and Pistons.

The 76ers, who were the best team in the Eastern Conference last season, have been struggling this season due to Brown's obsession with three-pointers, and their winning percentage is now barely over 50%.

Playing in such a division and having a good team record can indeed easily lead to an inexplicable sense of confidence.

Compared to O'Neal's issues, Yang Shuai is more concerned about Billups' injury right now.

Three weeks have passed, and although Billups has made his comeback, he still doesn't seem very natural during team training.

Yang Shuai suggested that Billups rest more, but Reid gradually adapted to the starting lineup and performed well, which put a lot of pressure on Billups.

Although the two play different positions, Sura's poor three-point shooting has allowed him to continue starting because the Trail Blazers need an outside player to relieve Young's defensive pressure.

So while Reed's good performance won't necessarily cost Billups his starting position, considering that Sura can also orchestrate play, it will inevitably reduce his playing time.

For him, who is on the rise, playing time is crucial.

The Christmas Day game took place at Conseco Arena in Indiana.

From the start of the game, O'Neal displayed absolute dominance in the paint.

The Trail Blazers' center group, who had struggled against Yao Ming before, were completely outmatched tonight.

Collins picked up two fouls in less than three minutes and was substituted. Willis, Okur, Kemp, and others who came on afterward were completely unable to stop O'Neal.

At his peak, O'Neal's hunger for victory with the Trail Blazers transformed him into a true "bloodthirsty shark."

Miller's presence on the perimeter prevented the Trail Blazers from double-teaming O'Neal as freely as they had done against the Lakers.

In addition, Billups, who had just returned from injury, was not in good form, allowing the Pacers to concentrate their defense on the strong side, which made the Trail Blazers extremely passive from the start.

At this point, Kirilenko's presence greatly reduced O'Neal's defensive disadvantages.

In terms of help defense alone, Kirilen Kobe is a level above Artest.

Less than half a quarter later, the Trail Blazers were already trailing the Pacers by double digits, which excited the Indiana fans in the arena.

While O'Neal's words may sound a bit arrogant, the Pacers might actually have a chance this season.

Seeing this, Carlisle substituted Reid for Billups, and Sura had to stay on the field because he was needed to mark Miller.

This adjustment worked. Reed's outside shooting ability, combined with off-ball tactics, drew the defense away, reducing the defensive pressure on Yang Shuai on the strong side. He then frequently scored using his individual offensive skills.

At halftime, the Trail Blazers had tied the score at 54.

When the second half resumed, Carlisle made defensive adjustments and began to double-team O'Neal.

O'Neal's performance was hampered, but Miller seized the opportunity on the perimeter and hit consecutive three-pointers.

The Pacers' inside-outside coordination perfectly illustrates the terrifying synergy that can be created between a top shooter and a dominant low-post weapon.

Previously, Yang Shuai could have easily switched to defend Miller, but because the team needed to switch to small forward, his weight increased, and his effectiveness in defending Miller's off-ball movement was greatly reduced.

Moreover, Billups, who still couldn't find his rhythm, was getting a little anxious. During a half-court game, he received the ball, faked a shot, and then drove to the basket, but ended up injuring his ankle again without any contact.

Billups initially tried to stay on the field, but ultimately could not continue and had to leave the game early due to injury.

He had just recovered from his injury and returned to the court, only to be forced to retire again. He's really had the worst luck imaginable.

When Yang Shuai saw this, he felt a pang of anxiety. Non-contact injuries may not seem too serious, but in reality, they are more likely to lead to serious health problems.

However, there was no time for him to think about that, because after Billups left the game due to injury, the Pacers launched an offensive surge.

With O'Neal grabbing an offensive rebound and dunking it down, the Pacers once again extended their lead to double digits.

Carlisle called a timeout, and O'Neal glared angrily at the Trail Blazers' bench.

"Leave tonight's game to me."

After O'Neal made that move, Yang Shuai immediately told Carlisle, who had picked up the clipboard, to put it down again.

On some game nights, the best tactic is to give the ball to the strongest player on the team.

When the timeout ended, the Indiana fans in the arena were instantly reminded of Yang Shuai averaging 40+ points per game in the Finals back in the day.

With Reed drawing defenders away from the weak side, Kirilenko's help defense is greatly reduced, allowing Yang Shuai to unleash his full potential on the strong side.

Seeing this, Thomas tried to have Kirilenko guard Yang Shuai one-on-one, but in terms of one-on-one defense, Kirilenko was not as good as Artest.

The main reason was that Kirilenko was too thin at that time. Although he had height and wingspan, he was much worse than Yang Shuai in terms of physical strength.

So when the two faced off, Yang Shuai's strong offensive desire led to him being completely overwhelmed in many rounds.

Yang Shuai scored 25 consecutive points after Billups left the game due to injury, silencing the entire Conseco Arena.

Ultimately, Yang Shuai unleashed his full offensive power in the second half, scoring 64 points in the game, breaking Bernard King's record of 60 points in a Christmas Day game set in 1984.

Thanks to his outstanding performance, the Trail Blazers defeated the Pacers 106-101.

After the game, Lu, who came off the bench and scored 6 points, uttered a classic line in the post-game interview: "Yang Shuai and I scored 70 points together."

However, Yang Shuai was not most concerned about his score after the game; he quickly obtained Billups' test results from the team doctor.

Billups suffered a torn ligament and is out for the rest of the season.

This is absolutely devastating news for the Portland Trail Blazers, who are aiming for a fourth consecutive championship.

Especially this season, under Porter's guidance, Billups has embarked on a new round of evolution.

But injuries are inherently unpredictable, and that's part of the NBA season.

There is no other way but to overcome it.

In early February, the 2002 NBA All-Star Game took place in Philadelphia.

After Billups got injured, Yang Shuai had to take on more offensive duties, which boosted his scoring.

His season average points per game has surpassed 33 for the first time.

However, the surge in statistics did not make Yang Shuai happy, because it was mostly due to the depletion of physical strength.

So he wasn't really in the mood for this year's All-Star Game.

Moreover, the West Army's strength now far surpasses that of the East Army, so the MVP award is more like a prize.

Kobe Bryant ultimately scored 31 points, making 12 of 25 shots, the most of any Western Conference team, and won his first MVP award.

This season, Kobe and Jermaine O'Neal developed excellent chemistry, with O'Neal's stats increasing rather than decreasing compared to last season.

Theoretically speaking, it's impossible for Kobe to change his selfish playing style in just one season.

But the reality was year after year of failures, and the outside world's comments that he couldn't lead the team made him try his best to suppress his desires.

Moreover, in essence, Kobe didn't need to use all-around statistics to highlight his uniqueness. This allowed him to share the ball and make his teammates better than before.

Better teammates, in turn, provided Kobe with a better scoring environment, which in turn allowed Kobe to reach a new career high this season.

"Kobe is trying to stand in the same world as Hansen, the world where Hansen was all alone after Michael retired."

Ernie Johnson let out a sigh at the end of the All-Star Game.

However, what drew more attention to this year's All-Star Game than the players' performances was an event that occurred in Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund plans to sell the team.

Gund bought the Cavaliers in 1983, but the Cavaliers never made it to the NBA Finals in nearly two decades, and they only made it to the conference finals once.

Without results, the team cannot expand its market, and Cleveland is already a sports wasteland, which made Gund lose confidence in the investment prospects.

Currently, the Cavaliers are valued at over $2 million, but no major business tycoon in Cleveland is willing to take them over.

This means that if the Cavaliers are indeed sold, they will likely relocate from Cleveland.

NBA team relocation is always a very sensitive matter, because the team not only affects local fans, but also the local economy.

For example, the Memphis Grizzlies, who just moved from Vancouver to Memphis last season, are still a tanking team, but they have greatly boosted the local economy in Memphis.

Therefore, for Cleveland, losing the Cavaliers would cripple their already weak economy.

So not only the fans, but even the local government was unwilling for the Cavaliers to move away from Cleveland.

But the reality makes it very likely that it will happen.

After the All-Star Game, it's that time of year again for the trade deadline.

The most talked-about trade of the day came between the Celtics and the Suns.

The Celtics traded their 10th overall pick, Joe Johnson, to the Suns in exchange for Jim Jackson.

The Celtics are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference. To bolster their offensive firepower, they selected Jackson, who is ready to contribute immediately. Meanwhile, the Suns are eyeing Johnson's potential.

The Trail Blazers finally made a trade before the trade deadline, sending Tyronn Lue, who had just signed a contract extension with the team in the summer, to the Wizards in exchange for veteran Avery Johnson.

Lue is well-liked by the Trail Blazers, and his performance in last season's Finals was impressive. In the new season, he has also taken on the role of the team's backup point guard very well.

However, after Billups' season-ending injury, Lue struggled as a starter, necessitating the team's acquisition of a starting-caliber point guard. Johnson was one of their few options. Following the trade, Yang Shuai also bid farewell to Lue in the locker room.

Although he was reluctant, he did not stop the trade because he knew the team had no other choice.

Moreover, this may not necessarily be a bad thing for Lu.

The Wizards are rebuilding, and with the experience he's gained over the years, Lue has a chance to become a starter there.

"Please take good care of Yao for me."

Yang Shuai added one more sentence at the end.

Although Yao Ming has established himself in the Wizards with his performance, cultural differences will create significant obstacles for communication between him and his teammates.

Ultimately, Yao Ming's goal is to become someone who can lead his team to victory.

The Lu meeting is a very good bridge.

"I will help him become an All-Star player," Lu promised Yang.

This also reminded Yang Shuai of something: Lue is the NBA star who has collaborated with the most superstars in history, and that seems to be coming true.

After the trade deadline, the 2001-2002 season entered its second half.

After acquiring Johnson in the trade, Carlisle also put Johnson in the starting lineup.

约翰逊本赛季在奇才队打了51场，首发13场，以48.6%命中率场均贡献9.4分5.1助攻，刚刚年满37岁的他油箱里看起来仍有油。

However, after playing a few games, Carlisle quickly realized that Johnson's performance was not up to par.

Although his passing is excellent, he has basically lost his driving threat in high-intensity games. In addition, he has never shot a three-pointer in his entire career, which limits his effectiveness on the court.

Furthermore, Carlisle cannot play alongside Sura, as that would significantly reduce the team's offensive space.

After playing a few games, Carlisle had no choice but to put him on the bench and instead use Reed and Sura as a backcourt pairing.

With Sabonis no longer with the team, the Trail Blazers have become even more reliant on Young, not only in terms of scoring but also in terms of ball possession.

Yang Shuai's playing style has reverted to the ball-dominant, carry-the-core style that Billups played before he joined the Trail Blazers.

Time flew by and it was early April, marking the end of the 2001-2002 season.

The Pacers finished with a record of 58 wins, topping the standings.

They had a chance to achieve 60+ wins, but O'Neal's injury prevented them from doing so.

The Nets are ranked second with 52 wins.

As a team that won 26 games last season, Kidd did indeed lead them to an incredibly impressive comeback.

Of course, it's a 180° turn, not a 360° roll in place.

The Celtics are ranked third with 49 wins.

The Celtics' sudden rise from being out of playoff contention to the top half of the Eastern Conference is due not only to the overall decline in the strength of the Eastern Conference, but also to Paul Pierce's amazing performance.

皮尔斯场均贡献26.1分6.9板3.2助攻1.9抢断，并且赛季场均出手6.3次三分并且投出40.4%的命中率。

His performance also made the video of the AAU Championship final between the Geswell and Paterson teams go viral.

On one side are Yang Shuai, Garnett, and Pierce; on the other side are Carter, Kobe, Hamilton, and Tim Thomas.

Looking back at past matches after these people have become famous has a unique charm.

In the Western Conference, the Lakers are at the top of the standings with 60 wins.

Kobe averaged 30 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, setting new records in all categories.

The Trail Blazers finished with 57 wins, ranking third.

杨帅场均33.5分8.2板8.2助攻2.4抢断1.7盖帽，再次收获了联盟得分王。

In the first round of the playoffs, the Trail Blazers will face the Timberwolves.

Yang Shuai and Garnett both play in the Western Conference, but this is the first time they have faced each other in the playoffs in so many years.

加内特状态爆炸，面对开拓者队内线场均贡献24分18.7板5助攻1.7抢断1.7盖帽的神级数据。

However, the Timberwolves struggled to secure a single victory against the Trail Blazers.

Yang Shuai scored 40+ points in two of the three games, completely dominating the Timberwolves' wing.

In the next round, the Trail Blazers faced the Kings.

At the beginning of the season, the Kings traded away the flashy "White Chocolate" Williams and acquired the steady Mike Bibby. They eventually won 59 games, just one less than the Lakers.

The intensity of the games the Trail Blazers faced in this series was on a completely different level compared to the first round.

Moreover, in this series, the Trail Blazers, without Sabonis and Billups, were completely outmatched at both the center and point guard positions.

Especially at point guard, Bibby, playing in his first playoff game, averaged 20 points and 5.3 assists, and neither Sura, Johnson, nor Porter could contain him.

This caused the Trail Blazers' defense to collapse throughout the series.

This forced Carlisle to engage in a high-scoring battle with the Kings.

The two teams battled all the way to a decisive Game 7.

In the final Game 7, the Trail Blazers narrowly won 4-3 thanks to Yang Shuai's phenomenal 55-point performance.

Their opponent in the Western Conference Finals is the familiar Lakers.

Compared to the Trail Blazers' fierce battle, the Lakers' path to the next round was much easier.

They swept the Jazz in the first round and easily won 4-1 against the Spurs in the second round.

Popovich's 1-2-1 zone defense failed to stop Yang Shuai last season, and it failed to stop Kobe this season as well.

The rematch between the Trail Blazers and the Lakers attracted a lot of attention, but this time, the depleted Trail Blazers lost 2-4 after six hard-fought games.

Yang Shuai averaged 40 points per game in the series, but the Lakers, with their full roster and complete cohesion, were even more formidable in terms of firepower.

Yang Shuai was visibly fatigued after the second half of the regular season and the grueling two rounds of playoffs.

However, in front of reporters, he calmly accepted the result of the defeat.

"There are no permanent winners. This season's failure is a lesson that will make us stronger next season. Nobody wants to face us next season."

Yang Shuai didn't mention the roster or injuries, because that's part of the season.

He didn't say anything about how the haters' lives were not going well, because no matter what the reason, it's normal to be criticized when you fail, just like you'll be praised when you succeed.

The final NBA Finals were between the Lakers and the Pacers.

Because of the rivalry between OK, for the first time in recent years, the viewership ratings for the finals were on par with the Western Conference Finals.

In terms of roster, both teams have complete squads and are evenly matched in strength.

But ultimately, the outcome of the finals depends on the skill level of the two head coaches.

Phil Jackson exploited the Lakers' abundance of interior players, employing a rotation of guards and the "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic to keep O'Neal bogged down on offense.

Moreover, Kobe volunteered to defend Miller on the defensive end.

This prevented the Pacers from fully utilizing their offensive capabilities.

While Miller's shooting skills are comparable to Curry's, he is still a level below Curry in terms of ball handling and initiation.

Moreover, due to the limitations of the era, he could not play like Curry.

On the other hand, for the Lakers, Jermaine O'Neal's offensive tactics were mostly based in the high post, and Kobe frequently used pick-and-rolls with O'Neal to attack O'Neal's defensive retreat.

Fisher's spot-up three-pointers on the weak side also relieved some defensive pressure on Kobe.

Kobe Bryant's face shot against Shaquille O'Neal became a highlight of the Finals.

After six games, the Lakers defeated the Pacers 4-2, helping them lift the championship trophy again after 14 years.

Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP thanks to his average of 33 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game in the Finals.

Adding to his regular season MVP and All-Star MVP awards before the Western Conference Finals, he completed a grand slam of season MVP awards.

During the championship award ceremony, Kobe couldn't hide his excitement and burst into tears.

For him, finally defeating the Trail Blazers, whom he had always been unable to overcome, and eliminating O'Neal to win the championship this season was truly the peak of his life.

"Years ago, Hansen told me that basketball is a team sport. He told me that there is no 'i' in 'team'. I didn't understand what he meant at the time, but now I do. I have to thank Hansen. He helped me win this championship trophy."

During his Finals MVP speech, Kobe Bryant was deeply moved.

Just as one cannot simultaneously possess youth and an understanding of youth, many things will never be understood without experiencing them firsthand.

After the Finals ended, the Los Angeles media immediately launched into a frenzy of praise for Jerry West and Kobe.

"Jerry made one of the greatest trades in history; he's the greatest manager in history!"

"It has been proven that you can never win a championship by surrounding Shaq, while Kobe is the man who is closest to Jordan and Yang Shuai."

"Young's era is over. Kobe has surpassed him. The Lakers will begin their own dynasty!"

As a Black player and a darling of Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had an immeasurable number of fans.

One title surpasses Yang Shuai's, and this is happening in Los Angeles.

A few days later, the Lakers held a massive championship parade in Los Angeles.

As the largest city in California, it rivals the size of Portland's former Dynasty Parade.

Some fans at the scene were so excited that they shouted directly at the camera, "We beat the GOAT!"

After being shut out by the Trail Blazers for three consecutive seasons, and then watching the Trail Blazers win championship after championship to build a dynasty, Los Angeles fans had been holding back for a long time and finally seized the opportunity to vent their emotions wildly.

The sculpture that Allen erected for Yang Shuai became their best outlet for emotional expression.

This summer will not be easy for either the Trail Blazers players or their fans.

And next season will also present them with many things to prove.

(End of this chapter)