The day after the Eastern Conference Semifinals ended, in Boston.
The media conference room at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel was so crowded that there was hardly any room to stand.
85 to 80.
The Miami Heat, in a grueling game so ugly it made even neutral fans frown, managed to tie the series 1-1. Throughout the game, Boston's counterattacks were repeatedly thwarted. Kevin Garnett had just grabbed a rebound when Dan Majerle reached out and grabbed him around the waist from center court; Michael Finley was about to make a fast break when Keith Askins rammed into him with his chest; Mark Price was about to pass the ball when Tim Hardaway grabbed his arm.
The Heat couldn't outrun Boston, so they simply dismantled the runway.
When Lin Qi sat down at the podium, the front-row media skipped even the most basic pleasantries and went straight to the point with their first question, "Mr. Lynch, what do you think of the Heat's frequent use of center-court fouls to cut off fast breaks in Game 2? Do you think this is normal playoff playoff competition?"
The entire press conference hall fell silent instantly, with dozens of recording pens almost pressed against Lin Qi's face.
Lin Qi didn't speak immediately. He lowered his head and straightened his cuffs, waiting for the shutter sounds from the audience to gradually subside before pulling the microphone half an inch closer to himself.
"If the American audience, sponsors, and our rules committee really enjoy watching these, I have a more efficient suggestion. We could suggest to Commissioner David Stern that they simply replace the basketball jerseys with protective gear that includes shoulder pads. Then, make the process completely transparent... We could just learn from the NHL next door."
The reporters in the audience immediately brightened up.
"In hockey rules, each team can legally have one or two enforcers. If someone thinks the Boston youths are too fast, or if someone thinks Chris Mullin's shooting is too accurate, no problem, both enforcers take off their the Glove and have a fight on the ice. After they're done, they go sit in the dark room for five minutes, and then the game continues."
A low chuckle rippled through the press conference room. But Lin Qi showed no sign of a smile; his fingers tapped lightly on the marble podium, producing a crisp, cold sound.
"At least hockey is honest and transparent enough in terms of rules. But what about Miami last night? They used wrestling and fighting to disrupt the game while forcing families across America to accept a false concept, telling everyone that this is called 'playoff brutality'."
Lin Qi looked at the excited reporters below the stage, sneered, and delivered the heaviest taunt of the night.
"I must remind Mr. Pat Riley that this is the NBA, not Vince McMahon's WWF. There's no wrestling belt going to be hanging in the FleetCenter Arena. If Miami really can't tell the difference, they can simply change into their uniforms and report to the cable wrestling show every Monday night."
Lin Qi leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire arena, before unleashing his truly prepared killing move.
"President David Stern has spent over a decade doing something truly remarkable. He's dedicated himself to making basketball a respectable, modern sport accessible to middle-class families worldwide."
"The reason NBC is willing to pay huge broadcasting fees, and why major multinational sponsors are lining up to send checks, is because middle-class families around the world are willing to sit in front of their televisions and watch the most talented group of people in the world showcase a pure competition of speed, space, and skill on the court. They want to see Magic Johnson's passing, Michael Jordan's fadeaway jumper, and Kevin Garnett and Michael Finley display the pinnacle of human physical talent in fast breaks."
"They absolutely do not want to see ten 200-pound men wrestling and missing shots on the court during prime time on weekends, with no skill involved, and inbounding the ball every 30 seconds. When a team has to 'stop basketball' to win, it's no longer simple defense, but using loopholes in the rules to degenerate modern basketball into a brutal, gritty brawl. This is seriously damaging the future of the NBA as a commercial product."
"I'm not asking the referees to specifically protect Boston; I'm just asking everyone to protect basketball itself. If a 20-year-old player has just grabbed a rebound, hasn't even taken his first step, and can be grabbed around the waist by someone who has absolutely no intention of touching the ball at center court, and the only consequence is a regular foul and an inbound pass... then what are we selling to the audience?"
Is it a competition of speed, talent, and skill? Or is it a mixed martial arts fight disguised as a basketball game?
A reporter from the Boston Globe immediately raised his arm. "Mr. Lin, are you implying that Pat Riley's team is afraid to compete on a purely basketball level?"
"I didn't say that..." Lin Qi looked at him and added casually, "When a team has to stop a basketball game to win, they've already answered the question for the whole world."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Qi ignored the flashbulbs that went completely out of control below the stage, gently pushed the microphone back, and got up to leave.
The previously rapid-fire clicking of camera shutters abruptly stopped for a few seconds the instant Lin Qi turned backstage. Then, the entire press conference hall seemed to explode as if a bomb had been dropped on it.
The veteran reporter from United States Today, sitting in the front row, even forgot to pause his recording. He just watched the young Chinese man's retreating figure, swallowed hard, and muttered, "That kid... he's thrown a choice onto David Stern's desk that he had no choice about."
"Quick! Go to the back and grab a public phone! Connect to the sports department at New York headquarters!" The senior reporter from Sports Illustrated scrambled out, not even bothering to pick up the pen that had fallen to the ground.
A newly recruited reporter next to him, looking completely bewildered, tugged at his sleeve. "Boss, is it really that exaggerated? He was just complaining that the Heat's defense was dirty and their play was too aggressive, right? Don't all the teams that lose in the playoffs say that?"
You don't know anything!
The veteran reporter shoved his hand away and growled urgently, " Lin Qi wasn't complaining about the referees or the defense today; he was blackmailing David Stern with NBC's broadcasting rights! He's made Pat Riley public enemy number one for all the sponsors in America. Anyone who continues to tolerate the Heat's sloppy play is jeopardizing the entire league's livelihood. What's David Stern most afraid of? He's most afraid of games that are so ugly no one will watch! Just watch, those guys at New York headquarters who want to smooth things over won't be sleeping tonight. The officiating standards absolutely have to change tomorrow night! Get to the phone booths; tomorrow's front page needs to be changed!"
The real contest has only just begun.
That evening, ESPN's " SportsCenter " repeatedly played clips from Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the footage, Garnett had just grabbed a rebound when Majerle grabbed him from the side and hugged him around the waist; Finley had just crossed the center line when Askins directly rammed into him with his body.
The production team even placed a timer from a small hockey game room in the corner of the screen. The host spread his hands and couldn't help but laugh, " Lin Qi was being harsh, but last night's game certainly didn't seem like a basketball game prepared for television viewers."
The next morning, the Boston media's sports section headline was concise. " Lin Qi slams Pat Riley's basketball."
Miami media outlets were in an uproar. "After losing, Boston demand the league protect their hothouse flowers!"
As the Miami Heat's arch-rivals, the New York media were quicker to kick them while they were down than anyone else. Ever since Pat Riley "betrayed" the Big Apple and turned the Heat into the dirtiest team in the league, New York have been holding a grudge. This time, seizing the opportunity of Pat Riley being publicly humiliated by Lin Qi, the New York Post displayed its characteristic New York scathingness on its front page. They dug up footage overnight of Pat Riley's elegant championship win with the Los Angeles Lakers during "Showtime" and spliced it together with the Miami Heat's brutal midcourt slam, creating a huge bold headline.
Pat Riley's Degeneration: From Hollywood Director to America's Highest-Paid Wrestling Coach
A New York columnist gloated in his article. " Lin Qi has ruthlessly ripped off Pat Riley's fig leaf. The gentleman who once wore haute couture Armani and talked about fancy basketball on the West Coast can now only hide in Miami peddling his savage myth. Watching the Miami Heat play these days, you don't need to prepare popcorn; you need to book an appointment with a psychologist beforehand, otherwise the endless sound of missed shots and slams will leave you with lifelong psychological trauma."