N-A-A Chapter 205 The Prologue to the End of an Era
Chapter 205 The Prologue to the End of an Era
Chapter 205 The Prologue to the End of an Era
110: 70!
In the end, this match, which was a foregone conclusion from the very beginning, has finally come to an end!
The second half of the game became a painful ordeal for everyone.
The Pacers players had to endure the boredom of stomping weaker teams, the Cavaliers players were completely overwhelmed and somewhat dazed, and the fans at Quicken Loans Arena came with high expectations but only received a lot of disappointment.
Only the fans watching on TV could change the channel early and no longer have to endure this completely one-sided match.
After this game, the Pacers advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a dominant 3-0 score and a nearly 100-point margin of victory in the three games!
In the remaining seven rounds of the series, only the Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and a fully recovered Pippen, and the Pacers advanced to the second round with a 3-0 sweep of their opponents.
Even the Bulls, in their series against the Nets, only won by an average of less than 15 points!
They won by a total of 42 points in the three games, only 2 points more than the Pacers' crushing defeat in their last game.
If we're only talking about the team that won the hardest, played the most aggressively, and advanced the easiest, then it's definitely the Pacers!
Because the Nets put up some resistance, for example, in Game 1 of the series, they beat the Bulls by 10 points in the fourth quarter, forcing the game into overtime, and ultimately only lost by 3 points!
Although they played three games, they only put up some resistance in the first game, and suffered crushing defeats in the next two!
But there was always resistance! They had much more face than the Cavaliers!
In the remaining rounds of the series, the top-ranked Jazz in the West faced the eighth-ranked Rockets, who were also their old rivals in last year's Western Conference Finals. Everyone thought that the Rockets, who were old and about to collapse and even had serious injury risks, had reached their limit and would not pose any threat to the Jazz.
But once the game actually started, Tomjanovich once again showed everyone why they were known as the unkillable Texas cockroaches!
The Rockets easily stole a victory from the road in their first away game in Salt Lake City, which was also the first game of the series, defeating the Jazz by 13 points and surprising the Salt Lake City residents who had been somewhat complacent.
Then in Game 3 of the series, the Rockets once again united and defended their first home game, not only taking a 2-1 lead but also having a match point!
Meanwhile, Game 4 of the series will also be played at the Rockets' home court!
Just when everyone was expecting the Rockets to make history and pull off an upset, the Jazz finally woke up and won a 93-71 victory on the road. Despite their aggressive defense, only Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler scored in double figures for the Rockets!
而虽然奥拉朱旺高效拿下27分15个篮板，但德雷克斯勒却是11投2中只拿到11分，可以说是表现无比糟糕。
Even if Drexler only made 2 of 11 shots, he was still the second-highest scorer and the second-best performer on the Rockets. This shows just how badly the rest of the Rockets played and how poorly they performed tonight!
Back in Salt Lake City, the Jazz, who had escaped elimination in Houston, were not going to give the Rockets any more chances. Having found their rhythm, they once again shut down Drexler, the Rockets' second-best player, holding him to just 1 of 13 shots!
Drexler delivered two consecutive nightmarish performances, becoming the biggest culprit for the Rockets' failure to pull off an upset. The former second-best perimeter player in the league showed signs of aging in this series, appearing lifeless whether facing Russell or Hornacek.
Injuries, age, mentality, and match feel have made Drexler vastly different from his younger self.
At the press conference following that match, Drexler, looking expressionless, said into the microphone, "I think it's time to let the glider land! I've been gliding in the air for 16 seasons, it's time to find an airport and land properly, so I've decided to officially retire!"
Drexler's retirement announcement came suddenly and without warning. Before his official statement, although everyone knew that the day when the glider would officially land was not far away, no one expected that this day would come so quickly, so early, and so suddenly!
After all, Drexler was still contributing 18+5+5 in the regular season. Although his performance was indeed not as good as when he was younger, and he was no longer the second option for a championship contender, no one expected that he would announce his retirement after two poor performances in the playoffs.
Before saying those words, Drexler's expression was solemn and conflicted.
This versatile forward, who accumulated 22195 points, 6125 assists, 6677 rebounds, and 2207 steals in his career, this former ace of the Portland team who carried the entire team with his fast breaks and dunks, this "Glide" who once made the Trail Blazers management say, "We have Clyde, so we don't need to draft Jordan," has landed tonight!
In addition to those statistics, Drexler also boasts a resume of 10 All-Star selections, 5 All-NBA selections, and 1 NBA championship.
His career may not have been particularly dazzling, but it was absolutely brilliant. He left fans with countless unforgettable and perfect memories, and also left himself with one memorable moment after another.
But regardless of whether people miss him or not, Clyde Drexler chose to leave.
Another superstar has left the league!
With Drexler's departure, the Rockets will only have 36-year-old Olajuwon next season. No matter how strong "The Dream" is, the Rockets, who only managed 41 wins this season and made it to the playoffs as the eighth seed, will most likely miss the playoffs next season.
Although Hakeem Olajuwon has not yet retired, everyone knows that his glory days are over and his era has come to an end.
Another Western Conference series that went to a decisive Game 5 was the showdown between the SuperSonics and the Timberwolves, a clash of old and new talents. The mature, strong, and consistent SuperSonics had won 61 games this season, while the Timberwolves, led by Garnett and Marbury, had also shown amazing talent and versatility.
Like the Rockets and the Jazz, both teams were tied 2-1 in the first three games of the series, with the lower-ranked team leading each time!
The Timberwolves still have a chance to win the series and advance to the second round for the first time in franchise history in Game 4 at home!
Game 4 of the series was a high-level showdown between the two teams!
The score was incredibly close throughout the game, with neither side ever leading by more than 10 points. For 70% of the time, the difference between the two teams was within 5 points!
The score remained neck and neck, with neither side able to pull away. Both teams played at a top level and gave their all!
However, in this fiercely contested game, the experienced and cunning SuperSonics team will have the upper hand and seize opportunities. But the most crucial factor that will determine the outcome of this series is Gary Payton!
Although Payton was always beaten by Lin Tian, and his nickname "Fingerless Glove" was used to death by many people, that was only because he couldn't defend against Lin Tian when facing him.
Stephon Marbury?
This talented guard from the Class of '96 is not on Payton's list of players he can't handle!
系列赛第四战，佩顿18投10中轰下24分6篮板8助攻的全面数据，而和他对位的马布里仅仅16投4中，只拿下10分，虽然送出7个助攻，但失误也高达5次！
The final score was 92-88, with the SuperSonics narrowly winning by 4 points.
It's fair to say that in this close and extremely intense game, if Marbury had just played a slightly more normal game, even with a 30% shooting percentage, the Timberwolves might have won the series!
Marbury's nightmare was clearly not limited to tonight. Two days later, the two teams moved to Seattle for a decisive Game 5. That night, Marbury only made 2 of 10 shots, scoring just 7 points and 8 assists, while also committing 5 turnovers!
His opponent, Payton, once again made 10 of 17 shots, scoring a game-high 29 points!
Absolutely face-to-face destruction, point-to-point bombing!
When facing Payton, Marbury was beaten like a high school student who had just learned to play basketball, and he was almost powerless to fight back!
In addition, Garnett also lost his touch that night, making only 3 of 11 shots and scoring only 7 points. He also had 10 turnovers, which is close to the NBA record!
When the team's two most important core players are both playing so poorly, the Timberwolves' desire to win is nothing short of wishful thinking.
In this decisive Game 5, the SuperSonics reversed the series with a resounding 97-84 victory, successfully advancing to the second round of the series!
The most memorable thing about this series was undoubtedly Payton's perfect containment of Marbury!
In 5 games, Marbury's field goal percentage was below 30% in 4 games, he scored more than 15 points in only one game, and he also committed 5 turnovers in 3 games!
Only in Game 2 of the series did Marbury manage to salvage a little bit of his pride with a 9-for-21 shooting performance!
Payton not only completely shut down Marbury, turning this new generation of talented point guard in the league into a high school student, but he also showed near-perfect form on the offensive end. In 5 games, he averaged 26 points with a 50% field goal percentage, giving Marbury a good lesson on both ends of the court!
Payton proved through this series that he is still one of the best point guards in the league! You could even call him the second-best point guard in the league!
Apart from Lin Tian, no current point guard is better than Payton!
Meanwhile, waiting for the SuperSonics in the Western Conference semifinals is the Los Angeles Lakers, who swept the Trail Blazers 3-1 in the first round without lifting a finger, sending them out of the playoffs!
Although the Lakers did not sweep their opponents in the first round, O'Neal demonstrated his dominance and destructive power with a top-tier stat line of 29 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, along with a terrifying shooting percentage of over 65%!
Although the Trail Blazers' Rasheed Wallace, Stoudemire, Ryder, and others fought desperately, they couldn't put up any effective resistance against the Lakers' four All-Stars led by Shaquille O'Neal. After winning one game to save face, they, along with their former star player Drexler, bid farewell to the season.
The final matchup in the Western Conference is between the Spurs' twin towers and the Suns' dual point guards!
The rosters of these two teams are very interesting. The Suns' two stars are Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson, a pair of star point guards, while the Spurs' two stars are Duncan and Robinson, a twin towers duo in their first year together!
Twin towers versus twin control – it sounds interesting and intriguing, but once the match started, everyone immediately realized that it was just a gimmick!
The Suns' weak interior defense simply couldn't withstand the Spurs' twin towers' relentless attacks, and they couldn't even stop the Spurs' guard "Little General" Avery Jensen's attacks!
In four games, the Suns had almost no chance and, like the Trail Blazers, were easily eliminated from the playoffs by the Spurs!
In this series, the frontcourt duo of Duncan and Robinson combined for a staggering 40.6 points, 26 rebounds, and 6.6 blocks...
The power of these two twin towers is absolutely the best in the league right now! The Spurs' veteran-young frontcourt duo also shows endless potential!
It's worth mentioning that right after this series, the Suns' former pride, Barkley's old friend, and former All-Star point guard nicknamed "The Flash," Kevin Jensen, also announced his retirement!
He stated that he will not play for any team next season, and his professional career is over!
The glider, which had been gliding for 16 years, has landed.
The lightning bolt that had been sprinting back and forth on the field without ever stopping finally came to a halt.
No matter how reluctant and regretful the Phoenix fans are, everything that James brought them will become history. With James' departure, the two matchups in the second round of the NBA Western Conference have been determined!
Western Conference Second Round: Lakers vs. SuperSonics! Jazz vs. Spurs!
Compared to the two Western Conference series where the games went to a decisive fifth game and almost resulted in upsets, the Eastern Conference series was much more exciting!
Because the Black Seven miracle really happened!
The rivalry between the Knicks and the Heat has begun as scheduled. Ever since the serious brawl that occurred between the two teams in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, which resulted in the Knicks suffering a major loss and being eliminated, the war of words between the two sides has never stopped!
It's no exaggeration to say that these two teams are the most hated and most bitter enemies in the league today!
Both teams are playing with the intention of defeating each other on the court in this series!
The worst thing for the Knicks was that, just before this series began, their star player Patrick Ewing's wrist injury flared up again! This injury, which had plagued Ewing for a whole year, struck him once more at the most crucial moment.
Despite his helplessness, Ewing had no choice but to accept the team doctor's advice and stay out of the game!
According to the team doctor's diagnosis, he needs to rest for at least 2-4 weeks after this relapse! In other words, no matter how this series progresses or how it goes, Ewing can only be a spectator and will not be able to play.
Ewing's season-ending injury undoubtedly made this highly anticipated battle and grudge match somewhat boring. Almost no one thought that the Knicks, without Ewing, could defeat the Heat. In fact, many people thought that the Knicks might be swept this time!
But as the series began, fans realized they were wrong!
This year's round of competition is even more intense and exciting than the previous year!
The Knicks, without Ewing but with a balanced, aggressive, and tough style of play, faced off against the Heat, whose star duo of Hardaway and Mourning formed a formidable inside-outside partnership!
During the series, it was as if the two sides had made a pact.
It was a back-and-forth battle, with each side winning one match. The two sides went back and forth, neither giving an inch. There was almost no garbage time in this series, and both sides pushed the intensity, confrontation, and suspense to the limit!
This series was definitely the most exciting and entertaining of all the matches in the first round!
The Heat took the first game at home, but then the Knicks stole the home court in the second game in Miami. Before the New Yorkers could even celebrate, the Heat captured Madison Square Garden in the third game and took a 3-1 lead in the series.
Then came the most exciting fourth match of the series. From the very first second, both sides were locked in a fierce and relentless battle. The intensity of the match was no different from that of a fighting game, with both players fighting with bloodshot eyes!
The score difference between the two sides was close from the very first second, with neither side able to shake off the other!
With a score difference of about 5 points, the two teams traded blows until the very last moment of the game.
And in the final moments of this game, the thing that all of New York had been most looking forward to and most hoping for finally happened!
Larry Jensen, who was tasked with defending against Alonzo Mourning tonight and was completely outmatched by him, may have been physically humiliated, but he's known for his sharp tongue!
Although Mourning scored 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting tonight with super efficiency, Larry Johnson cursed Mourning's ancestors from the 18th generation to the 8th generation below!
The two disliked each other when they were teammates on the Hornets, and were fierce rivals for the leadership position. Now that they are on opposing teams, they have a legitimate excuse to fight each other.
Jason's mouth was so sharp that Mourning was dizzy and his nose was practically crooked with anger!
With just 3 seconds left in the game, when the Knicks finally led by 5 points and the game was essentially over, Jason once again told Mourning that he was a bastard who slept with his mother and then fathered his father. Mourning finally snapped!
He and Jason scrambled under the basket, the two burly men exploding instantly, releasing all the pent-up emotions of the past year! They skipped the pointless headbutting and trash-talking, and started throwing punches at each other like crazy!
This time, Larry Jensen had the upper hand. Well, not because he was better than Mourning, but because Mourning had an extra accessory on his leg!
Van Gundy Jr.!
Upon seeing the two sides fighting again, the Knicks' head coach immediately rushed onto the court and grabbed Mourning's leg tightly, trying to stop the conflict.
At the same time, he shouted, "Larry! Go! Go Larry! Don't fight! Don't get suspended!"
But what kind of strength does Mourning possess? Although he was initially stunned when his leg was suddenly grabbed, after being hit twice by Jason, who took the opportunity to attack, Mourning finally reacted. Then, he used his monstrous strength to drag Van Gundy for more than ten meters on the court before stopping!
But he just couldn't catch up with James. No matter how strong he was, he had an extra 100-plus pounds to carry him, making it really difficult for him to catch up with James, who was also an NBA player.
The brawl began with Jason and Mourning exchanging punches and ended with Jeff Van Gundy being dragged along while clinging to someone's leg. Regardless of his coaching philosophy and on-court reactions, Van Gundy certainly possesses a level of courage rarely seen in the entire NBA when it comes to protecting his players.
After all, he was only up to Mo Ning's chest in height, and he didn't even weigh half as much as Mo Ning!
The last time the Knicks clashed with Lin Tian, Jeff Van Gundy also desperately clung to Lin Tian's leg, shouting "Don't fight! Don't fight!" Out of respect for his elders, Lin Tian immediately stopped.
This time, however, Van Gundy grabbed Mourning's leg and shouted "Larry, run!" but Mourning was completely unmoved and dragged him for more than ten meters before being stopped by the referee and other players.
As expected, I, Lin, am superior to these NBA brutes in both moral standards and traditional virtues. I am a highly educated man!
Of course, it's also possible that Jason's words were just too venomous, causing Mourning to completely lose his composure. He hadn't even gained the upper hand in the fight, so he was furious. Lin Tian, on the other hand, knocked out three Knicks players in just 5 seconds, so it was natural for him to stop immediately.
However, that's obviously not important!
Importantly, the three referees and arena security had already rushed onto the court, and amidst the cheers, shouts, and frenzied screams throughout Madison Square Garden, the referees delivered a ruling that the fans found very satisfying.
The Heat's Mourning, the Knicks' Mills and Jason were ejected, and based on experience, these three players who played the most aggressively will definitely be suspended!
When leaving the court, Jason didn't rush off. Instead, he grabbed Mills, so that when Mourning left, the Knicks fans could hurl insults at him without any restraint!
After Mourning left the field, Jason and Mills strolled leisurely toward the players' tunnel. In just a second, the fans' curses and profanities turned into a deafening roar of cheers!
Many fans even started chanting "MVP!" like crazy!
Jason and Mills were absolutely heroes tonight!
A hero to the entire city of New York!
Don't you, Pat Riley, like to use dirty tricks? Don't you like to pull off 1-for-5 trades?
Didn't they successfully turn the tide after being down 1-3?
What can you do?
Today, didn't we still take down your Mourning?
Even though the next game, the decisive Game 5, is in Miami, New York fans are full of confidence and have 100% faith in their team's ability to win!
You guys don't even have Mourning anymore, what's the point of fighting us?
The Heat and the Knicks this season are definitely two completely different teams.
The Heat have a dual-core system, with most of their offense going through Mourning and Hardaway. For example, tonight, Mourning scored 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Hardaway scored 33 points on 12-of-21 shooting. It was thanks to the performance of their two core players that they were able to keep the game close until the end tonight!
But if only one of the two stars is left, the Knicks are not afraid of the others, such as Mashburn and Leonard!
And what about the Knicks? Larry Johnson and Mills are certainly important, but not irreplaceable! This season, because Ewing has missed almost 80% of the games, the Knicks have long since transformed from the team of previous years with Ewing as the sole center of the paint to this year's pack mentality!
This season, they have three players averaging over 15 points per game, including Starks with 12 points per game, and Oakley and Mills with over 9 points per game.
Houston, Starks, Oakley, Ward, Childs, and others can all step up and take over Jason's firepower when he's not available.
But what about the Heat? Who will fill Mourning's offensive and defensive gaps? Strickland or PJ Brown?
Clearly, neither of them can do that!
This time, the league reacted very quickly, issuing the penalty for the game that very evening.
Mourning is suspended for 2 games, Mills and Jensen for 1 game each!
In other words, all three of them have already ended this series. Now we'll see who will be out of the season because of this. Regardless of the final result, Knicks fans are already thrilled!
What does it mean to use someone's own methods against them?
That's it!
Cool!
Last year you eliminated several of our key players to advance, this year we'll eliminate your core players and kick you out!
It's safe to say that after this epic battle, the Knicks, from fans to players, were absolutely thrilled! They're all ready to completely eliminate the Heat from the playoffs! They're united and full of confidence!
Two days later, Game 5 of the series began on time. It is worth mentioning that Ewing had requested to play before the game! He hoped to fill the void left by Jameson and exploit the Heat's interior weakness caused by Mourning's absence.
After discussing it with the team doctor, Van Gundy refused Ewing's request, but both Van Gundy and the team doctor promised to let him rest for another 3 days!
Ewing will definitely play in the second round of the playoffs!
Left with no other option, Ewing could only continue to watch from the sidelines. However, to boost the team's morale, he booked a VIP room at one of the most exclusive nightclubs in Indiana for the entire team in advance! It's the kind of room where if you don't go, your entire deposit is forfeited and non-refundable!
Wearing a suit, Ewing displayed his bill in the locker room and then announced to everyone, "After this game, let's go to Indiana, prepare for the second round, and have a blast all night! It's on me!"
Whether it was Ewing's simple, direct, and retro encouragement that worked, or the Heat completely panicked after losing Mourning, the Heat offered almost no decent resistance in Game 5 of the series.
The Knicks led from the start of the first quarter and extended their lead to 16 points by halftime!
Although the Heat put up some resistance in the third quarter, they were never able to close the gap, let alone take the lead. In the end, the Knicks, united as one, defeated the Heat 98-81!
They avenged last year's defeat in almost the same way! When the referee blew the final whistle, all the Knicks players excitedly rushed onto the court, hugging, cheering, and shouting with each other!
They have been under so much pressure over the past year!
Perhaps the only imperfection for the Knicks tonight was that there weren't enough fans at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.
After seeing the team trail by about 20 points throughout the fourth quarter and unable to catch up, many fans chose to leave early to avoid traffic congestion.
When the referee blew the final whistle, there weren't many fans left at the American Airlines Arena, and they didn't even have enough time to taunt them anymore!
But no matter what, the Knicks won!
Their next opponent will be the Pacers, who have already swept their opponents and are waiting in Indiana!
The final matchup in the East was between the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks. This series, which should have been the most closely contested and exciting, was the one that received the least attention in the East.
Both sides lacked strong core players and had no superstar players with high popularity. Although there were strong players such as Rice, Smith, Mutombo, Blelock, and Mason, they were not teams from big cities, the two teams had no rivalry, and the intensity and excitement of their match were just so-so.
Therefore, this series didn't have much to offer in terms of excitement or attention.
Thus, the Hornets quietly won the series 3-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second consecutive year, and for the second consecutive year, facing the Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals!
Last year, they were completely outmatched by the Bulls, and Rice was so badly beaten by Jordan that he questioned his existence. Whether Rice and the Hornets can get revenge and regain their pride this year is probably the biggest highlight of this series!
Because the Hornets lacked compelling storylines and players like Rice didn't attract much attention from fans, even though their opponent was the Bulls, far fewer people followed this series compared to the New York vs. Indiana game!
There's no way around it, that's New York!
There's quite a bit of animosity between New York and Indiana!
Miller's throat-slitting gesture still lingers in the hearts of the entire New York City, not to mention Lin Tian. Although Lin Tian seems to have a good relationship with Ewing and others now, two years ago, during his rookie year, Lin Tian had a fight with the Knicks!
At that time, Lin Tian fought against three opponents, and Mason, Starks, and others were utterly miserable!
The players felt that the game was over and done with, but the fans wouldn't let it go so easily.
Especially now that all New Yorkers know that last summer the Knicks approached Lin Tian with great sincerity, hoping he would join them, but he refused. New Yorkers will never forget this humiliation!
In the hearts of New Yorkers, they are the NBA's number one powerhouse and the most attractive super team!
You, an Asian who has only played in the NBA for two years, actually dare to refuse our invitation?
How is this any different from a young person who just joined Microsoft rejecting Bill Gates' daughter?
They are all overestimating their abilities and courting death!
New York fans are ready to boo Lin Tian to the bone this playoff round! Let's settle all our scores today!
Hmm, I can't calculate it today...
The series has to start in Indiana.
Then spare his life for now!
Another noteworthy point is that after this first round of competition, Kevin Johnson and Clyde Drexler announced their retirement one after another, Ewing suffered a serious wrist injury, Olajuwon was too old, and Rodman could no longer even out-rebound Jason Williams.
In addition, players like Jordan, Pippen, Malone, Stockton, Miller, and Barkley, who are all well past their thirties...
Nobody knows when these guys will suddenly choose to leave.
In the same series, first- and second-year stars such as Rasheed, Stoudemire, Garnett, Duncan, and the four Cavaliers all had very impressive performances, and they can't wait to take over the reins of the league!
Before them, there were O'Neal, Mourning, Hardaway, Rice, Houston, Kidd, Mutombo, Kemp, Payton, and other players in their prime who were sure to have very long careers ahead of them, waiting to win their first championship!
Of course, there are also those young guys who, although they didn't make the playoffs, have already shown impressive abilities, such as Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Walker, Richmond, Webber, Howard, and others...
In short, Stern is very pleased with the current state of the alliance!
The old, middle-aged and young generations all have their own pride and signature figures. Each age group can find many representative figures. Stern can feel that the past, present and future of the league will be equally glorious!
Even looking further ahead, Carter, Jamison, Bibby, Francis, Brand, Odom... these high school and college students who haven't entered the league yet but have already shown extraordinary talent and could enter the league at any time to shake up the old forces are also full of possibilities!
This prosperous era is just as he wished!
Of course, no matter how much the future holds promise, this season also gives the impression that a great era, an era that once carried the youth of countless people and featured countless wonderful moments, has begun to quietly come to an end.
Those stars who entered the league around 85, no matter how unwilling they are, have to accept reality and start the generational change.
Of course, no one is willing to hand over the torch, and no one is content to retire quietly.
Want to seize power? Want to become the ruler of the NBA?
Talk is not enough; you have to prove yourself!
Eight championships were produced throughout the 1990s. Apart from the first one won by Magic Johnson and the Lakers, the remaining seven were won by the Bulls led by Jordan and Pippen, and by the Rockets led by Olajuwon.
None of the players who entered the league in the 90s have been able to lead a team to a championship!
To officially take the torch from that group, you'd at least have to win a championship first!
This year, at least the Pacers led by Lin Tian, the Lakers led by O'Neal, and the Spurs led by Duncan are all contenders for the championship and can snatch that damn championship from Jordan, Malone, and others!
Of course, there's still a long way to go before that!
At least for now, they have to eliminate their opponents and win the divisional semifinals!
Inside the Indiana City Square Arena, the enthusiastic Indiana fans naturally filled the entire arena to capacity.
As if they knew their team would be booed and hurled at the New Yorkers on the road, the Indiana fans were exceptionally aggressive tonight. They got into the game early and started hurling insults at the New Yorkers during warm-ups!
"Patrick, let your grandma take your place! After all, she's tougher than you!"
"Larry, how did Alonzo's punch taste? Want to try Lin's too?"
"Charles! Thank you for helping us nurture Ben! He's much better than you now!"
"Alan, your mid-range shot is worse than Reggie's shot with his toes! You're terrible!"
"Jeff, how do you maintain your scalp? Do you apply oil to it every night? Otherwise, how can it be so shiny?"
"What reflects light even better than the moon? The answer is Jeff's head!"
"Lin," Barkley said, listening to the fans' trash talk, and couldn't help but walk over to Lin Tian. "Did you give our fans a trash talk training course? How come their trash talk is so much better than before?"
"I don't have the time for that," Lin Tian rolled his eyes and said, "I just appeared on an interview program on Indiana Sports Radio a couple of days ago."
"Didn't any of you listen to that program?"
"Who has time to watch that stuff? Why don't you just say no?" Miller and Dumas also came over at this moment, looking at Lin Tian, wanting to hear what he said on the show.
"I just gave the audience a brief explanation on the show about the three principles, five methods, and seven key logics of trash talk that really hit the nail on the head," Lin Tian shrugged. "I didn't expect the show to have so many listeners."
"What nonsense are you talking about? What's with all this 'three, five, seven' stuff?" Miller curled his lip, giving him a look that said, "I've never heard of such things."
Lin Tian shrugged and said, "What a coincidence! I'd never heard of it either. It was made up on the spot, but it looks pretty good!"
(End of this chapter)