N-A-A Chapter 303: The Divisional Finals Matchups are Out! Two Old Foxes...
Chapter 303: The Divisional Finals Matchups are Out! Two Old Foxes...
Chapter 303: The Regional Finals Matchups are Out! A Show of Imitation by Two Old Foxes!
Compared to the ongoing playoffs, the rumors of Lin Tian and Iverson teaming up, as well as the dispute between Iverson and Brown, are just a seasoning and an unremarkable interlude.
Especially after Iverson disappeared immediately after the team was eliminated, no longer accepting any media interviews, and Brown also vanished without a trace, with no one knowing where he went on vacation. Once reporters could not reach these two individuals, the idea that the 76ers were about to undergo a major change quickly faded from public attention.
Of course, it's just that nobody's paying attention right now. Once the season ends and the offseason begins, the story of Iverson and Brown will definitely be brought up again by countless busybodies.
But right now, the public and fans' focus is still on the playoffs!
Western.
The Western Conference leaders, the Los Angeles Lakers, faced the Phoenix Suns in the second round.
Originally, everyone thought this would be an easy game, after all, the Lakers had swept the Suns 4-0 in the regular season and averaged a 17-point margin of victory over the Suns!
The Lakers' OK duo, especially O'Neal, were like ancient monsters when facing the Suns' incredibly weak interior defense. They were like Godzilla rampaging across the earth, making the Suns' interior players suffer and unable to fight back.
In the playoffs, the Suns not only failed to strengthen their interior, but also lost their absolute core player, Kidd. Almost all Lakers fans believed that the team could easily sweep the series, or at least win 4-1!
The first game of the series between the two sides shocked everyone!
Hardaway, who performed exceptionally well in the first round, averaging 20+6+5 per game, didn't show any camaraderie with O'Neal, especially since their relationship wasn't good to begin with!
Facing O'Neal this time, Hardaway came out firing on all cylinders, as if he had completely forgotten his past injury history. He once again attacked with a combination of inside drives and outside shots, racking up an impressive stat line of 35 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists!
He not only completely dismantled the Lakers' entire defense, but also led his team to deliver a crushing blow to the arrogant Los Angeles team! The Lakers, who had been touting a sweep before the game, suffered a humiliating defeat, losing their first game of the semifinals at home!
Although in the following game, Hardaway only managed 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists under Kobe's relentless pressure, and the team lost by 12 points, everyone in Phoenix was incredibly happy! Hardaway's fans were especially thrilled!
Everyone exclaimed: "Penny is back!"
Penny Hardaway, the superstar who led his team to the NBA Finals, dominated the Eastern Conference with Shaquille O'Neal, and even eliminated the Bulls, is back!
For the Suns, a 1-1 draw on the road is an absolutely acceptable result, even a perfect one!
Stealing a victory on the road and having Hardaway regain his form and touch are all great news for the Suns!
However, the Suns ran into trouble in their third game back in Phoenix.
Kidd is back!
After missing the last few games of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, Kidd has finally received clearance from the team doctor to play in the playoffs.
However, his performance in his first game after taking the field was nothing short of disastrous.
10投2中，拿下5分7篮板8助攻，同时还有6个失误！
Kidd's poor performance naturally resulted in a crushing defeat. The team lost to the Lakers by 22 points, wasting the stolen away game and giving the Lakers the advantage in the series again!
In the fourth game, the Suns, who wanted to fight to the death and tie the series again, suffered another crushing defeat. This time, the worst performer on the team was Kidd!
6投1中拿下3分6篮板5助攻，并且再次送出了5次失误！
Kidd's performance in these two games has been absolutely terrible! He is definitely the biggest reason for the Suns' two-game losing streak!
While Kidd was performing poorly, all sorts of opinions were circulating.
The loudest voices, without a doubt, were those calling for Kidd to step down and make Hardaway the team's leader.
Kidd is no good. He has no scoring ability, he can only pass the ball, he's the league's worst shooter, he's paid a high salary but can't score, and although he's known for his excellent defense, he couldn't stop Kobe at all...
The various criticisms and his poor performance undoubtedly made Kidd feel terrible.
He was interrogated by the Phoenix media all night after Game 4 of the series, who asked him if he knew he had played poorly.
Then, during the team's practice the day after the game, Kidd was also bombarded with questions from reporters who took every opportunity to ask him why he performed so poorly, why he played so badly, and whether he had done justice to his teammates who had worked so hard.
These questions made Kidd want to curse. Why did I perform so badly? If I knew why I performed so badly, would I still perform so badly? It's all fucking nonsense! Damn it! A bunch of bastards kicking me when I'm down! When I led the team to 50 wins, why didn't you question me? When I hit triple-doubles in a row, why didn't you say I performed poorly?
A bunch of trash!
Returning home with a gloomy mood and feeling frustrated after being interrogated by the media throughout the press conference, Kidd was truly irritable. Upon arriving home, he didn't speak to his wife and son, but instead grabbed a bottle of whiskey, poured himself a glass, and sat there drinking alone.
Then Kidd got hungrier and hungrier as he drank. He called his wife several times but no one paid any attention to him. Frustrated, Kidd cursed a few times, then grabbed a bag of children's snacks from the table and started crunching them down.
"Dad! Dad, why are you eating my snacks!" Kid's eldest son, Little Kid, who had just learned to speak, came running over from somewhere, crying and trying to take the snacks from Kid.
"I paid for it! What's wrong with taking a bite!" Kidd said irritably, holding the snacks high before eating his son's snacks.
I must say, it tastes pretty good!
"Why are you bullying our son? You come back in the middle of the night and don't do any chores, just bully him here? It's so late, aren't you sleeping or is everyone else sleeping? Why are you making him cry! I finally managed to calm him down!" Kidd's beautiful wife, Jumana, whom the entire NBA community envied, walked over with a frown, protesting Kidd's behavior of bullying their son.
"I just lost by 20 points on the court! Everyone's saying it's my fault! Some people are even telling me to get out of Phoenix! But what did I do wrong? Didn't I want to win? I forced myself to play with an injury, just so these bastards would call me trash, say I'm not even as good as a hair on Hardaway's leg! FUXX! What did I do wrong?! The whole world is criticizing me!"
"Can't beat the Lakers? Isn't that normal? Damn, they have Shaq, what do we have? A washing machine?"
"Enough, Jason! Don't swear in front of our son!" Jumana protested, frowning. "You lost the game, don't take it out on me and our son at home! Go take it out on the court if you dare!"
"Are you crazy! Our son is still here! You bastard! Don't touch me, get away! Don't touch me!"
……
That night, no one knows what happened between the two of them, but what is known is that Kidd's neighbors heard loud shouting and the sound of things being thrown on the ground coming from his house, and then they immediately called the police.
That night, Kidd was taken away by the police.
Then?
The good news is that Suns fans no longer have to put up with his poor performance on the court.
Because Jumana claimed that Kidd had committed domestic violence against her and refused to grant him bail or release him, Kidd was detained in the Phoenix police station and missed the team's early flight to Los Angeles the next morning.
Following this, because Jumana is also a public figure and a well-known television host in the United States, her being assaulted immediately attracted the attention of feminist organizations. Many self-proclaimed righteous lawyers, members of feminist organizations, and others even came to the police station to protest, demanding that Kidd be severely punished and that he should feel the iron fist of the law!
The situation escalated so quickly that even though Jumana had calmed down and was willing to let Kidd out, it was too late.
She was starting to lose control of how things were going.
Although Kidd won't end up in jail, he definitely won't be able to play in the team's crucial fifth playoff game.
Without Kidd, the Suns were powerless against the Lakers who had regained their form. They suffered another crushing defeat to the Lakers. After winning the first game of the series, the Suns were swept by the Lakers in four straight games, losing 4-1 and being eliminated from the playoffs!
After the match?
After the game, Kidd was the one who had to take the blame!
Kidd was arrested before the crucial game of the series due to a family dispute with his wife, causing him to miss the team's do-or-die game and resulting in the team's loss. Kidd is undoubtedly the culprit and the one to take the blame.
As for those who previously said that the team would be better off without him and would have a better chance of advancing?
Hehe, those who say his absence caused the team to lose are clearly the same group of people!
In short, Kidd's poor performance after his comeback and the domestic violence incident offended women's rights organizations, and his reputation in Phoenix plummeted. While he may not be a pariah, he is certainly not as popular as before, especially after Hardaway regained his energy and delivered a top-notch performance in this year's playoffs.
At least in the eyes of the team's management, Kidd is already the team's second choice, behind Hardaway!
The other matchup in the West didn't have so many complications and off-court issues. Duncan's injury wasn't as minor as Kidd's, and he was completely unable to return during the playoffs. Without Duncan, no matter how hard Robinson played, he was no match for the Trail Blazers' strong forwards!
4: 0!
The Spurs, boasting three superstars, were easily swept out of the playoffs by the Trail Blazers! Their "Big Four" lineup, assembled mid-season with high expectations, failed to even reach the conference finals due to Duncan's unexpected injury, and they were swept out of the playoffs.
With the results of both Western Conference semifinals finalized, the matchups for the Western Conference Finals were naturally determined.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers!
OK duo versus Portland's criminal alliance!
In the Eastern Conference, another semifinal series besides the Pacers' was between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets. Almost identical to the 76ers vs. Pacers series, this series also ended without any suspense, with a score of 4-0.
When Hornets' star player Eddie Jones faced the Heat's formidable defense comprised of five muscular players—Paterson, Mashburn, Mourning, and Malone—he showed no signs of being an All-Star. He was targeted by the Heat throughout the series, and was almost always double-teamed whenever he got the ball. The Heat's relentless double-teaming made his performance in this series incredibly poor!
4场比赛，琼斯场均只有14.9分3.1篮板2.1助攻的输出，命中率还更是只有38%，21%和77%！
He played even worse than Iverson! After all, although both were swept, Iverson at least had a breakout performance in Game 4, but Jones had absolutely no highlights and was completely outplayed by the Heat's muscular big men!
The two teams had a nearly 20-game difference in wins during the regular season, indicating that their strengths were not on the same level. With their star players being targeted so severely, it was no surprise that the Hornets were completely swept by the Heat!
Eastern Conference Finals: Heat vs. Pacers!
These two undisputed super teams in the East and the only two top teams with championship potential have finally met as scheduled! This also marks the second consecutive year that the Heat and Pacers have faced each other in the playoffs!
The previous year, the Pacers were plagued by injuries in this series, and at one point they could only field 6 players. Some players even cramped up on the court but still had to continue playing!
Even so, the Pacers persevered until Game 7 before finally running out of steam and unable to continue, ultimately losing the game.
At least based on last year's series, if both teams had their full roster available and there were no injuries or accidents, the Pacers should have been able to easily defeat the Heat.
However, this year's series is different. Although the Pacers are currently at full health, players like Miller and Mullin are clearly not in the same form as last year due to their age.
Of course, the biggest difference in this series right now is obviously Malone!
This top power forward, who ranked third in the MVP rankings last year, signed with the Heat this year in pursuit of a championship, forming the fearsome "muscle duo" with Mourning that struck fear into the entire league. Both of them are known for their explosive muscles, incredible strength, and fierce playing style!
Under their leadership, the Heat not only achieved their best record in franchise history, but also swept their opponents in the last two rounds. Like the Pacers, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with an undefeated playoff record!
The clash between these two top teams has undoubtedly attracted the attention and anticipation of countless fans!
From any perspective, this Eastern Conference Finals series is the most perfect matchup ever!
The Heat and Pacers face off for the second consecutive year; Lin Tian and Mourning meet again after numerous matchups; the infamous rivalry between Lin Tian and Malone needs no introduction; a head-to-head clash between Webber, a skilled power forward, and Malone, a muscular power forward; can Ben Wallace hold off Mourning; can Mashburn contain Carter; who will defend Lin Tian; and who can stop the Heat's twin towers...
In short, there are just too many things to watch out for and look forward to in this Eastern Conference Finals!
This matchup will certainly not disappoint!
The day before the Eastern Conference Finals began, Bird did not engage in any high-intensity training, which was his habit. During the playoffs, unless something unexpected happened, the team would not engage in high-intensity training; everything was mainly focused on maintaining form, warming up, and shooting some hoops.
He didn't want the players to waste too much energy on training, and he also wanted to prevent the low-probability event of some unlucky player getting injured due to overly strenuous training.
He doesn't want any more surprises! Especially given how many unexpected things happened to the team last year.
Bird would never want to go through what happened last year again.
So that afternoon, Bird even canceled the usual shooting practice, telling the players to get some rest that night, not to go out, and to just meet at Conseco Arena the next afternoon.
As for today?
Of course, it's a video analysis session. Bird needs to reiterate tomorrow night's tactics to the players!
"The Heat's advantage is clearly in the paint. The combination of Mourning and Malone is probably only comparable to Duncan and Robinson in the entire league! And if we only look at physicality and strength, these two are unparalleled in the league, unmatched by anyone!"
"Ben and Chris, you two have a very heavy responsibility in this series! Whether you can contain the Heat's twin towers is the key to our easy victory!"
"Don't worry! Whether it's Mourning or Malone, I can handle it!" Ben Wallace said confidently, never afraid of any type of opponent or challenge.
However, compared to his fearlessness, Webber wasn't as confident. This technically skilled guy never liked head-on confrontations with those muscle-bound guys. Generally, when playing against other teams, it was Ben Wallace who would go after the bigger and tougher opponent, while Webber would take on the other one.
But this time, the Heat's frontcourt consisted of two truly muscular men, leaving Webber nowhere to run.
"Chris, use your shooting, passing, and talent to teach those two idiots whose brains are no bigger than a walnut. Basketball is about brains, not bodies!" Bird could see Webber's worry and encouraged him, while glancing sideways at Carlisle.
Carlisle immediately nodded in understanding.
He'll talk to Webber after this tactics lesson to give him some confidence!
Bird continued, "As for their small forward, it's our old rival, Mashburn, nicknamed 'The Monster.' His strength, jumping ability, speed, and physicality are top-notch among all small forwards in the league! Doug, you'll face a big challenge too; this guy isn't your type to deal with."
"Including their current starting shooting guard, Ruben Patterson. Although he's the least famous of the Heat's starting five, he's also incredibly muscular, plays a fierce and aggressive style, and focuses on defense and physicality. Vince, you'd better watch out!"
"But to be honest, you're one of only two players in our starting five who can have a clear advantage! I want you to play aggressively, be more ruthless, attack more, take more isolation plays, and shoot more. Do you have the confidence to capitalize on this absolute advantage?"
"Yes!" Carter replied with equal certainty and full confidence!
"Finally, there's no need to say more. 'The Glove' Payton, one of Lin's defeated opponents and one of his favorites to dominate, is also the player with the biggest advantage among our five starting positions and the most likely to completely crush the opponent! Lin, I don't need to say more about what to do, right?"
"Don't worry, Larry, I'll dominate Payton and then draw the Heat's defense away."
After analyzing the matchups, Bird then repeated the strategy from this round, at least the first game!
"We must utilize our strengths: speed and skill! Avoid positional warfare, avoid grappling, and don't let their relentless physicality and competitive pace dictate our pace. Remember, in this match, we must start strong! We must be fast!"
"Lin, Vince, you two will be our main offensive threats in the first phase. Unleash your offensive power and completely dismantle the Heat's lineup! Find opportunities to draw fouls on Mourning and Malone, and take those two out of the game!"
"While their starting lineup is near perfect in terms of height, toughness, and ability, their bench in the paint is simply not worth mentioning!"
"Speaking of bench players, their team's more reliable bench players right now are PJ Brown, Worshan Leonard, and the old guy Mason, maybe with Clarence Weatherspoon! But apart from Leonard having some offensive ability, the rest of these guys are either old or pure role players!"
"Their bench depth is far inferior to ours! So as long as we can keep their twin towers in the paint from fouling, our advantage will be very obvious!"
"So, Lin and Vince, your explosiveness and ability to draw fouls will be the deciding factors in this series! You need to bring that to the table!"
"Last and most importantly."
"When playing against the Heat, you must maintain your patience! Absolute patience! If we can't launch fast breaks, if the Heat dominate the rebounds, if we simply can't maintain our speed, then remember: stay calm, be patient, be patient, and most importantly, don't get carried away or rush!"
"Don't rush into a fast-paced game, don't rush for the sake of speed, control your turnovers, and put away that adventurous spirit! Stay calm! You must stay calm! The Heat are completely different from the previous two opponents we faced this year! They are a team with real championship potential, even dynasty potential!"
"Especially since almost no one on their team has a championship ring, their hunger for the championship will definitely make them unleash a level of performance far beyond their usual abilities. I can even guess how that old guy Riley held the pre-game meeting and how he encouraged those bastards on the Heat."
"He'll definitely pull out his rings from his time with the Lakers and tell everyone: I have championships, lots of them. Losing one doesn't matter to me, but you guys, you're all empty-handed. If you miss this year's opportunity, you might never have a better one in your life! Whether you seize it or not, whether you fight tooth and nail, it's up to you!"
When Bird imitated Riley, he even used his hand to smooth his hair back and create a temporary slicked-back hairstyle, showing off his forehead while clowning around. Bird's antics filled the entire Pacers' meeting room with laughter!
While Bird's move may not have completely eliminated the players' tension, it certainly made them feel much more relaxed!
Next, Bird went on to analyze a whole host of possible Heat tactics, where they might start, and how we should respond. By the time Bird finished speaking, it was already dark and 8 p.m.
Bird glanced at his watch and said, "Well then, dinner's on me tonight! But it's just dinner. No one is allowed to drink tonight, no one is allowed to go out and have fun. Everyone go home and rest properly, prepare for the game! If I find out any of you are going out tonight..."
"Okay, I'm not really going to punish you. I can only say that I'll be very disappointed if you go out tonight! Anyway, go change your clothes, we'll have dinner together tonight!"
……
Two hours before the start of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat arrived at Conseco Arena in their team bus. Riley was the first to get off the bus. His hair was always neatly combed, and the hair gel made him look more imposing, and also more like a "Godfather".
Behind him stood a trio of muscular, rugged Heat players who looked more like bodyguards, thugs, professional fighters, or terrorists than basketball players: Mourning, Malone, and Mashburn. Then came Payton, who had a "the world owes me $500 million" expression on his face. After that, a group of Heat players lined up to get off the bus.
When the Heat players got off the bus, countless cameras were already pointed at them, filming their entry. TNT broadcast the game live once again, and as usual, they started their broadcast two hours in advance to give the Eastern Conference Finals a good warm-up.
In the studio, Kenny watched the Heat walk into the arena and immediately laughed, "Haha, look at the Heat tonight, they're really going all out! They're clearly determined to give the Pacers a good beating in Game 1 of the series! They want to prove that they're not in the same league as the Celtics or the 76ers!"
Then, almost simultaneously, the camera switched to the Pacers' side. Although he wasn't combing his hair or using hair gel, Bird, who looked equally radiant, was the first to get out of the car, followed by Lin Tian and Webber, who looked more like Hollywood stars than NBA players.
Behind them followed closely by the Pacers' most villainous duo, Ben Wallace and Anthony Davis, followed by Vince Carter with a broad smile, flashing his white teeth and waving to the camera, and Reggie Miller with an expression that said, "The world owes me $501 million."
"The Pacers are just as aggressive, and they're definitely more handsome than the Heat," Barkley said with a laugh. "The biggest difference between these two teams is that the Heat's most imposing player is their head coach, while the Pacers' head coach is like a country bumpkin—one coach who's dragging the whole team down!"
"Especially if the Pacers had me, they would definitely crush the Heat in terms of looks and charisma!"
"What looks and charisma?" Kenny exclaimed. "Charles, you always seem to have an unusual expectation and fondness for things you completely lack!"
"But I hope you can face reality! You're not handsome, and if you don't have tens of millions in assets, you're no different from a plumber!"
Barkley and Kenny were exchanging barbs in the studio as usual, while the Heat players went straight into their visiting team's locker room. After everyone entered the room, the Heat players slammed the door shut, preventing anyone from entering!
After everyone was seated and changed, ready to enter the arena to warm up, Riley suddenly coughed twice, calling out to everyone on the team. Then he looked at them and said, "Guys, I have to tell you, the Pacers are not in the same league as the two teams we faced before!"
"They're very strong! They definitely have the ability to contend for the championship and even become a dynasty team! Especially since almost all of their key rotation players have championship rings!"
"This will give them more confidence and assurance when facing us, and it will definitely allow them to unleash far more power than they usually do. I can even guess how that old guy Bird held the pre-game meeting and how he encouraged those bastards on the Pacers."
Riley casually tousled his hair, looking utterly dejected, and then, mimicking Bird's voice, said, "We all have rings, we are winners, we are winners! Those trash and losers on the Heat who've never won a championship can't even compare to us!"
"This year, we'll all have another championship ring, but those Heat idiots will still end up empty-handed! Because they're losers! They always will be!"
Riley's imitation of Bird, while not exactly perfect, certainly made the Heat players burst into laughter. Although it couldn't completely eliminate the players' tension, it definitely made them feel much more relaxed.
After a burst of laughter in the Heat's locker room, Riley suddenly reached into his pocket and came out wearing four championship rings.
"I'm just one short of having a full hand of championship rings. I hope I can achieve my goal this year and have this hand covered in championship rings!"
"But I also have to say, one more or one less doesn't matter to me. I know exactly what it feels like to win a championship, but you guys! None of you have ever won a championship! This year is absolutely your best chance! If you miss this year, you might never get this close to the championship again!"
"What I'm saying is, it's a choice between winning your first championship or letting it slip away again, missing this best opportunity. Whether you seize it or not, whether you give it your all, is up to you!"
After saying this, Riley clapped his hands, signaling that everyone on the team could leave the locker room and start warming up.
As for him?
He needs to stay a little longer; he needs to comb his hair properly.
Riley's hair was completely messed up while trying to imitate Bird, and he had to fix it before going out.
In the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, Conseco Center was unsurprisingly packed to capacity. Fans filled the arena early on, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the home team players so they could unleash their wildest and most enthusiastic cheers upon their heroes!
However, before that, they wouldn't mind using the Heat as practice targets first!
Why did your Heat team enter the court so early?
Let me give you guys a piece of my mind first! Let's warm up properly!
"Malone! Your illegitimate child in Salt Lake City is crying and demanding child support!"
"Alonzo, I heard your muscles are all fake muscles from eating protein powder, all show and no substance! Just like you in bed!"
"Do you know why that Mashburn guy is called a monster? Haha, because he's ugly! This guy looks like a monster, he doesn't look human at all! He should be called 'Alien 2'! His face is absolutely comparable to Kassel's!"
"Leaky gloves! Leaky gloves are here! Gary, are you ready to get beaten to a pulp by Lin again? Lin will make you cry your eyes out tonight!"
"Mallley, aren't you going to retire yet? You're worse than my grandma! My grandma would definitely play better than you if she played against you!"
……
The barrage of insults and trash talk from the fans prompted Mourning to swear, "These Indiana fans, how come they're just as annoying as Lin? That bastard Lin, did he go on TV specifically to teach fans how to trash talk?!"
"You're absolutely right!" A voice suddenly came from behind Mo Ning. When Mo Ning turned around, he was extremely surprised to find that it was Lin Tian!
This guy, who somehow managed to infiltrate the Heat's team, smiled and said to Mourning, "I started by teaching our fans how to trash talk on a radio show, but the response was so good that I started a separate show."
"There are three episodes in total. It's being broadcast on a local TV station in Indiana, and it's already been shown several times! After your game tonight, you might even have time to watch the replay of the fourth episode. I'm sure it will be very beneficial for you."
"Fuck you!" Mo Ning frowned and said, "What are you doing here? This is our territory."
"Nonsense, this is our stadium, every inch of this land belongs to us!" Lin Tian retorted without hesitation. "I've never seen a guest kick out the host."
"Alonzo, you'd better not talk to this bastard. It won't do you any good except raise your blood pressure," Peyton chimed in. "The best way to deal with this guy is to stay silent! Let him shut up on his own."
"Yes, that's how it always is when I crush Gary. He's got a lot of experience! Gary, how many times in a row have I crushed you? If I remember correctly, you haven't beaten me since our first Finals match in '96! I utterly destroy you every single time!"
"When did you start using that fingerless glove nickname of yours? It's one of my favorite nicknames of all time! Besides that, a few others I like include 'Softie' Mourning, 'One-Leg Mailman' Malone, and 'Bullshit Riley'."
"Are you never going to stop?!" Payton rolled his eyes and turned to leave.
"Get lost, don't be a nuisance here." Mo Ning muttered before turning and leaving.
As for Malone? He and Lin Tian don't have the kind of rival-friend relationship like Mourning and Payton, where they can exchange a few jokes. He and Lin Tian are mortal enemies.
It's the kind of relationship where you'd want to strip the other person naked and throw them into a square formation of 100 gay men, then record the whole thing and send the recording to all media outlets to be played on a loop all over the world.
So pure!
It was all hatred, loathing, disgust, and revulsion; there was nothing else at all!
After teasing the Heat's star player, Lin Tian originally wanted to return to his own half of the court to warm up by shooting some hoops, but then he noticed a guy who shouldn't be in Indiana at all.
What's this guy doing here?
Lin Tian scratched his head and walked curiously toward Bird and Carlisle, who were chatting with a black man with a round head, round ears, and a round nose.
(End of this chapter)