RNP Chapter 434 Advancing to the Finals! It's you again?
Chapter 434 Advancing to the Finals! It's you again?
Barkley: "Insane performance! Lin's performance is terrifying with each game. Nobody knows his limits, and nobody knows what he's capable of."
"I really can't imagine what Lin could possibly achieve if his firepower and talent were fully unleashed, and if there were a team that could hold on and prevent the Pacers from pulling away when Lin is on fire."
Barkley's words after the game undoubtedly left a question on the minds of the entire league and its fans.
What exactly is Lin Tian capable of?
What exactly can he achieve when he plays at full power without taking a break and plays the entire game in peak condition?
This suspense, at least in this series against the Nets, will not be resolved.
The Nets aren't good enough!
In Game 3 of the series, Carter exploded once again, delivering the most insane and perfect performance of his career!
With Kidd orchestrating the offense, Carter barely had any chance to attack with the ball.
He repeatedly used cuts, movement, catch-and-shoot, and long-range three-pointers to finish his attacks.
这一场比赛，卡特29投19中，3分球13投9中，罚球3罚3中，全场比赛爆砍50分6篮板7助攻！
His firepower was fully unleashed, and he reached the peak of his career.
Unfortunately, he was still unable to bring the team a victory.
He didn't even force Lin Tian to go toe-to-toe with him!
Tonight's stage belongs to Jordan, to Jordan who has been silent for two games!
这个晚上，乔丹也是老夫聊发少年狂，全场比赛27投18中，连不擅长的3分球都7投6中，再加上10罚9中的罚球，乔丹今晚轰下51分3篮板2助攻！
Especially the fourth quarter!
In the fourth quarter, Carter may have been exhausted, or Jordan may have figured out his running habits and characteristics. In any case, he was locked down by Jordan in the fourth quarter, making only 2 of 6 shots and scoring only 5 points!
而乔丹在这一节却再度打出超高水準，7投5中，3分球2投2中罚球3罚全中拿下15分！
The difference between the two in the fourth quarter was precisely reflected in the final score.
115: 105!
The Pacers won the game by 10 points!
3-0!
The Pacers have won three straight games and taken a 3-1 lead in the series! They're just one step away from advancing!
That night, Jordan and Carter went head-to-head, each scoring 50+ points in a thrilling duel that is destined to become a classic that people will relive time and time again.
This epic showdown between the North Carolina brothers ended in victory for the senior.
Lin Tian's target tonight is Kidd!
Although these two players didn't score high points tonight, they still played a textbook example of what a point guard should do.
That night, Kidd recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and 19 assists, with rebounds and assists being career highs in the playoffs! Kidd really gave it his all that night, delivering the best performance of his career!
Lin Tian, who was guarding him, scored 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 20 assists, achieving a double-double!
Both players achieved a triple-double, and both numbers were incredibly high, but Lin Tian was better than Kidd. He was superior to Kidd in both statistics and performance!
What makes Kidd fans even more desperate is that this is the most perfect, beautiful, and strongest style of play that Kidd can currently deliver!
But what about Lin Tian? He can still score in unparalleled numbers. He can even score 50 or 60 points and still deliver 17 or 8 assists!
He is undoubtedly the best defender in the league right now!
This game completely shattered the last hope of Kidd's fans.
Originally, Kidd's fans could set some preconditions to boast about him.
For example, Kidd is the best pure point guard or the best traditional point guard right now.
But after this match, they obviously couldn't say anything more about it.
What more can be said than to defeat you in the way you're good at?
Who is the best? What's the suspense yet?
If Lin Tian can lead his team to victory in the same way as Kidd, can Kidd use the same method as Lin Tian?
Can Kidd explode anytime, anywhere, and score 40, 50 or even 60 points in a game?
It might be easier to kill him!
After the Pacers secured three consecutive victories without much trouble, the suspense of this series has officially come to an end!
The remaining fourth game was basically just a formality, only allowing New Jersey to earn more ticket revenue.
After being beaten like this, the Nets are already incredibly lucky to have avoided being swept; the Pacers are giving them face.
But unfortunately, face? What face?
I, Lin, have never given anyone face in this world!
In particular, the Nets clearly don't really crave this so-called "face."
After their explosive and crazy performance in the previous game, Carter, Kidd, and the twin towers in the paint were all clearly out of sorts in this game. Their spirit and energy had been shattered in the previous game, and they didn't seem too keen on extending the series.
This game also showed that neither Carter nor Gasol is really suitable to be the team's primary core player; they both fall short.
No matter how dazzling their individual talents, how dazzling their skills, or how captivating their playing style, their yearning for victory is not actually that crazy.
Looking at the top players, which one doesn't have an almost obsessive pursuit of victory and an almost harsh attitude towards themselves?
Well, there are a few exceptions, but those monsters must have qualities that are more important than attributes like persistence and obsession.
A physical gift that transcends its time!
But players like Carter and Gasol clearly don't have that kind of thing; they're better suited to be the team's second option, supporting stronger players in their quest for a championship.
Kidd always had a crazy desire to win, and he was always full of passion for the game. He even had a scoring heart that was not afraid of missing shots or hitting them. He would never hesitate or be afraid to take a shot when it was his turn.
Unfortunately, the guys' offensive capabilities were really nothing to brag about.
Yao Ming will have leadership qualities in the future. He is the kind of person who can roar and unite his teammates when the team is in a disadvantageous or desperate situation.
But he is clearly too inexperienced now. He has not had such an experience in his more than 20 years of life. Perhaps only by throwing him into a place full of thorns and crises can his potential and the sense of responsibility of a leader in his bones be truly brought out.
With each of the Nets' four star players having their own problems and weaknesses, Game 4 of the series was truly devoid of suspense.
The Pacers took control of the game early on and maintained their lead. With 5-6 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the game became garbage time.
86: 109!
A resounding 23-point victory brought this series to a close.
The 23-point victory can be seen as a tribute to Jordan's jersey number. Perhaps the people of New Jersey should be most grateful that Rodman, who wore number 91, is not on the Pacers' roster at this moment.
The Pacers have advanced to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive year!
They will face the final hurdle in their journey to win the NBA's first four-peat since the Celtics' eight-peat!
Their opponent this time is definitely the strongest and fiercest among all their opponents in the past few years!
Los Angeles Lakers!
The Lakers displayed terrifying dominance in the regular season this year. In order to ensure the health and stamina of their players during the playoffs, the team was in a state of "treating minor illnesses as major ones and minor illnesses as minor ones" throughout the season.
Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Karl Malone all experienced minor injuries that forced them to quickly leave the game, or even when they weren't injured, they stayed away from the front lines. Each of them had accumulated enough strength, and each of them had pushed themselves to their absolute limit before the playoffs began.
The Lakers cannot afford to lose this Finals!
So far in the playoffs, the Lakers, like the Nets, have also achieved a 12-game winning streak!
In the first and second rounds, they easily swept their opponents. In the conference finals, facing the Jazz led by their former starting power forward Jermaine O'Neal, the Lakers completely crushed this opponent who had repeatedly defeated them in the 90s!
In this series, Jermaine O'Neal was completely outmatched by O'Neal and Malone. After putting on an MVP-caliber performance in the first two rounds, and seemingly poised to become the league's future best power forward, O'Neal averaged only 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in this series, with a shooting percentage as low as 39%!
For an inside player, there's only one explanation for this shooting percentage: he was completely shut down by the defense!
With team leader Jermaine O'Neal playing so poorly, the Jazz team naturally couldn't offer any resistance and posed little threat to the Lakers!
In all four games of the series, the Lakers led by at least 13 points at the end of the first three quarters in each game! And the final margin of victory in each game was at least 17 points!
In all four games of this series, the Jazz only had a total of 55 seconds in the fourth quarter when they were down by less than 10 points! The rest of the time, they were playing with double-digit deficits!
In the second and fourth games of the series, the Jazz lost by 37 and 33 points respectively!
It's fair to say that the Jazz were completely overwhelmed and powerless in this series!
Their former leader, Malone, was one of the culprits in this series. In Game 3 of the series, the Jazz's first home game of the series, Salt Lake City did not give Malone any tribute video or cheers from the crowd.
They showered Malone with boos and insults!
One after another, words like traitor, coward, and mercenary were hurled at Malone, and he was thoroughly criticized from the inside out by the fans who once regarded him as a hero and totem!
This may explain why Malone scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Game 3 of the series and 27 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4.
The shouts and insults from the Jazz fans made him angry!
Originally, this seemed like a very sad story, but things eased up in the fourth quarter of the game.
As the suspense of the series disappeared and the end of the game drew closer, Salt Lake City fans finally couldn't hold back anymore. Some started chanting Malone's name, others started shouting MVP, and then these voices grew louder and louder, with more and more people chanting.
Ultimately, these shouts merged into a single cry.
"Karl, go win that damn championship!"
"Carl, take down Indiana!"
"Let that damned Lin die!"
The fans have sent their sincerest blessings to Ma Long!
Malone, a top star who is known for his villainous image and is considered the dirtiest, most shameless, and most disliked player in the entire league, also had tears in his eyes at this moment.
He gave up and lost too much in order to win the championship.
As he grew older, he knew very well that this year was his last chance.
Even if he can still compete for the championship after this year, his status in the team and his significance in winning the championship will only decrease, and his contribution will only become smaller.
Malone has absolutely no interest in, and doesn't want at all, the kind of championship that comes from simply playing the role of a supporting player or a benchwarmer!
The Lakers are in great form this year, having won 12 straight in the playoffs. Kobe and Shaq are both incredibly healthy, and the role players are also in top form. If they don't win the championship this year, Malone really doesn't know when he'll ever get one. Does he really have to join that Asian kid's team?
impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
This is Ma Long's last bit of dignity and face. If he were to join Lin Tian's team, he would truly rather never win a championship in his life!
Just before the Finals began, on the last day of May, another major event was about to begin, one that would capture the attention of the entire NBA and involve nearly half of the league's teams.
NBA Draft Lottery!
Tonight, the draft order for one month from now will be determined! Teams tank for a year just to get a higher draft position; they've been eagerly anticipating the number one pick!
Especially this year, which has been called an epic super year!
Many people say this year's event will be the biggest in recent years!
With LeBron James announcing that he would skip college and go straight to the NBA, and Carmelo Anthony also stating that he would join the NBA after winning the NCAA championship, this year's rookies have become the most anticipated class ever!
Countless people have predicted that with the unparalleled duo of Anthony and James, this year's rookies will be a super year that can be compared to and rival the top draft years of '99, '96, and '84!
In years like these, a team's draft position becomes absolutely crucial!
This year's suspense is equally significant.
Is he Carmelo Anthony, the super scorer who completed the NCAA Grand Slam in his freshman year and won every possible honor?
Is he still known as the "Son of America," and is the greatest high school player in history, LeBron James, who is being fiercely contested by top sneaker brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok?
Or perhaps some teams will make unconventional choices and select an underdog rookie as the number one pick?
At least tonight, some of the questions will be answered, and everyone can start simulating the draft rankings!
Based on their regular season records, the Nuggets have the highest probability of getting the number one draft pick, followed by the Cavaliers, then the Spurs, Knicks, Heat, Clippers, and Grizzlies!
These seven teams are the biggest favorites to get the top three picks in this year's NBA draft lottery!
At the draw ceremony, some team representatives were so nervous they didn't say a word, some were eager and impatient, and others were experienced and chatted around, trying to build relationships with others.
Regardless of what these people were doing, when Stern walked to the center and began to announce this year's draft order, everyone fell silent!
Everyone was waiting for Stern to read out the final list.
13th pick, Phoenix Suns!
The Suns, with the lowest probability of being selected, failed to pull off an upset. Their representative, Stephon Marbury, shrugged, not too disappointed. After all, their chance of getting the number one draft pick was only 0.5%, which was better than nothing. It would be normal not to get it.
Next up are the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago Bulls.
Teams came one after another, but there were no upsets, and no one was lucky enough to be drawn into the top three.
When the seventh pick from the bottom was selected, the whole of Portland was in an uproar! Everyone in Portland who was watching the draft jumped up and cheered!
Because the Grizzlies, who should have been here, didn't show up; instead, the Clippers did! This means the Grizzlies will get a draft pick that's at least in the top three!
The Grizzlies representative at the scene looked ashen-faced and was in great pain.
Because they sold this draft pick many years ago, and after a series of twists and turns, the draft pick has now come into the hands of the Trail Blazers. Portland's big gamble in the middle of the season has paid off!
They traded Rasheed and Wells for at least a top-three draft pick! Their rebuild was completed in no time! Portlanders can't afford to be unhappy!
As for Clippers representative Brand, whose draft position dropped one spot for no apparent reason, he could only sigh helplessly. It seems the team's rise will have to wait a while longer.
The Heat are next in sixth place.
Then, the biggest upset of the night occurred!
骑士！
The Cavaliers, with the second-worst record, only managed to get the fifth pick!
This is the lowest possible pick they can get tonight!
Wails echoed throughout Cleveland.
The fifth pick is good, but it's too bad for them!
They can't draft LeBron James, the super talent from Cleveland!
No matter what, James can't possibly fall to fifth!
He can't even drop out of the top two!
The people of Cleveland were in despair.
The failure to acquire LeBron James nearly devastated countless Cavaliers fans.
Meanwhile, the management was furious, and then they quickly started trading, contacting the teams that hadn't yet come up with a draft pick to gauge their willingness to pay.
While the people of Cleveland were suffering, the people of New York and San Antonio were cheering!
The Cavaliers are in trouble, which means that at least one of these two teams will be in the top three!
Just as everyone held their breath, waiting for this historic moment and wanting to see who would pull off an upset and make it into the top three, Stern announced the fourth pick this year.
Then, the cheers in New York and San Antonio went even wilder.
Denver Gold Rush!
The last and second-to-last teams both surprisingly failed to make the top three, only securing fourth and fifth place!
This time, it was the Nuggets fans' turn to lament.
This lottery was truly full of twists and turns, surprises and unexpected events!
Meanwhile, Nuggets general manager Vandeweghe was just chatting with the Cavaliers with a smile, saying that they could sell their draft pick to the Cavaliers as long as the price was right.
After the result came out, Vandeweghe cursed and then angrily hung up the phone.
The fourth and fifth are in the same boat, what kind of deal is that!
The two teams had been fiercely competing for the entire season, earning the nickname "Peerless Duo" and enduring endless ridicule and mockery. Yet, at the draft, they unexpectedly became the "Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Chicks."
That's fucking ridiculous!
When it came to the next three picks, everyone was extremely nervous!
Everyone was waiting with anticipation for the final moment to arrive!
Third pick: Memphis Grizzlies!
Cheers erupted from Portland! Even though they weren't in the top two, it was still a huge win!
Second pick: San Antonio Spurs!
Popovich, in his excitement, slammed his fist on the table and couldn't help but utter a curse word in his excitement!
After Duncan, Popovich finally got another chance to get the team back on track!
A super talent could join the team at any time. The question now is: Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James?
Both!
Popovich said he's not picky!
Having either of these two players on the team is enough to complete the rebuild!
Popovich's eyes welled up with tears as he thought about the hardships of the past few years!
We've finally made it through!
As for first place?
There's no suspense anymore!
New York Knicks!
They have won the first overall pick in the first round of the draft for the first time in 18 years since they drafted Ewing in 1985!
The Knicks are about to embark on a new journey!
The entire Big Apple erupted in excited and frenzied cheers when Stern announced the Spurs' name!
coming!
finally come!
After so many years of decline, the team has finally come back!
"Hey Lin? Who do you prefer to play with? LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony? Or do you have someone else in mind? Go ahead! I have the number one pick! Even if you want Shaq... well, Shaq is a bit difficult, but whoever you want, I'll get them for you!"
Hearing Dolan's almost frantic excitement on the other end of the phone, Lin Tian couldn't help but pick at his ear and say, "James, I told you, I'm not ready to join your team yet! I'm about to play in the Finals, and you're asking me who to draft? Is that appropriate?"
"Who cares about that? You want to play with LeBron, right? No problem! I think he's even better! The two of you would be a perfect combination! He's the one!"
"James Dolan! Wake up, you idiot! I'm calling you!" Lin Tian was already feeling a bit helpless with Dolan's "love-struck" mind!
"You turned down LeBron, so you want to play with Anthony? Great minds think alike! I think so too! Anthony is a true New Yorker, much more reliable than that small-town kid LeBron!"
"His playing style and ability are a very good fit for you! So..."
Go to hell.
Lin Tian hung up the phone immediately, no longer in the mood to listen to Dolan's nonsense, otherwise who knows what other farts that bastard would spout.
I've never seen such a sycophant in my life!
Lin Tian is already considering sending Dolan a box of wool and some brown paint so he can cosplay as Boiling Sheep!
He can only help Mei Yangyang push around in his whole life; he can never expect to stir-fry happy Yangyang.
After hanging up the phone with Dolan, Lin Tian didn't care who the guy chose. After all, no matter how much you fawn over him or how unconventional you are, you can't just use the number one pick to choose someone like Michael Sweetney, can you?
That's impossible!
That possibility shouldn't exist, right?
Forget it……
Let's talk about it next year, let's talk about it next year!
However, this year's draft lottery order was just as chaotic as that in Shanxi!
This was completely different from the 03 talent show that Lin Tian remembered!
The top 5 and even the top 7 positions are vastly different!
The only difference is that the Grizzlies' second overall pick has become the third overall pick, except that the draft pick no longer belongs to the Pistons, but to the Trail Blazers.
However, considering that a normal person would never select Milicic with the second overall pick, from this perspective, it doesn't really matter whether this draft pick is second or third.
Ultimately, judging from the pre-draft hype and the talent and ability displayed by the two players, James and Anthony are undoubtedly the two greatest stars of their generation, and everyone else has to take a backseat.
It's a pity for the Nuggets and Cavaliers, who were originally in the top three. They're going to miss out on the greatest draft pick in their team history. As for when these two teams will be able to turn things around and find another chance to rise again, who knows?
However, at the same time, other teams have gained a great opportunity to rise, making the future and trend of this league even more exciting!
The more chaotic it is, the more interesting it becomes!
Otherwise, if Lin Da Guanren's butterfly wings are broken, and all that's left is a roughly unchanged alliance, that would be too boring!
However, Lin Tian didn't have time to think about or study in detail how much chaos he had stirred up and how much he had changed the alliance.
Now, he has to prepare for yet another Finals journey!
This time, the Pacers' opponent is stronger than ever before!
The day after the draw, which was also the morning of the start of the Finals, Carlisle gathered the players early.
Of course, they won't be conducting any overly competitive or high-intensity training at this time; they'll just continue holding their operational meeting.
Although Carlisle has held several similar meetings since the Eastern Conference Finals to analyze the Lakers' tactics and key personnel, neither the players, coaching staff, nor Carlisle himself have shown any impatience or perfunctory attitude.
Everyone was focused and trying to get as much information as possible from the meeting to help them win the final round.
"The Lakers' core remains unchanged; it's still the team we know best, and also our biggest rivals over the past few years: Kobe and Shaq!"
"Perhaps the only difference is that the Lakers' primary offensive weapon this season has shifted from Shaq to Kobe. Whether in the regular season or the playoffs, Kobe has been the Lakers' leading scorer and assist provider so far!"
"His all-around offensive abilities make him almost like a younger version of Michael. This guy's imitation and learning from Michael has reached its peak! So many people are curious: is the original Michael stronger, or is this high-quality Kobe imitation better?"
"Alright, Rick, I don't need that kind of motivation," Jordan said calmly. "A fake is a fake, an imitator is an imitator! I don't care how Kobe played against you guys a few years ago, I only know that this year I will tear him to shreds!"
Carlisle nodded in satisfaction and continued, "At the same time, we cannot ignore O'Neal. His dominance in the paint is even more astonishing than Yao Ming and Pau Gasol combined. His destructive power and scoring ability are unmatched by any other center in the entire league."
"The Lakers could shift their offensive focus from Kobe to Shaq at any time, and Shaq certainly won't let them down!"
"Ben, you're going to be under a lot of pressure! Although you're already the best defensive center in the league, everyone says that when it comes to one-on-one defense, when it comes to going up against top centers, you're at best just average!"
"In the previous Finals encounters, you were never able to defeat O'Neal, so in this series..."
"Leave it to me! This year, I'll take down Shaq! I'll make him realize that he's just an outdated old man! His era ended before it even began!"
"I've been preparing for this for a long time! I even have a secret weapon!"
At this point, Ben Wallace scratched his head smugly: "I haven't washed my hair since the Eastern Conference Finals!"
"Smoke him to death!"
As soon as Ben finished speaking, Webber and Christie, who were sitting next to him, moved to the sides without making a sound. No wonder they had been smelling something since earlier; they thought someone had farted!
"And then there's Karl Malone! He's been a rival of ours for a while now. He's definitely getting old, and his true skill level is definitely not as good as his stats suggest. But what can't be ignored is that his midrange shot and pick-and-roll are still top-tier in the league!"
"Chris, I know your motivation for playing has been declining over the past two years, and you're not really concerned about stats and accolades anymore, but this time..."
"This time, I have to teach Malone a lesson."
"Garbage should be buried in a garbage dump! It shouldn't wander around, constantly emitting a nauseating stench!"
Webber's determination was evident even while he was standing, but when he sat down, he was half a meter further away from Ben Wallace's position. There was enough space between him and Wallace for two Shaquille O'Neals to sit.
Carlisle continued, "Then, their small forward, a Russian who, despite being only a sophomore, has already developed into one of the league's top defenders!"
"Andrei Kirilenko!" (End of Chapter)