Starting lineup:
Point Guard (PG) | Gary Payton, Height: 1.93 meters, Age: 30. Jersey Number: 20.
Shooting Guard (SG/SF) | Eddie Jones, Height: 1.98m, Age: 27, Jersey Number: 7.
Small Forward (SF/PF) | Robert Horry, Height: 2.08 meters, Age: 28. Jersey Number: 8.
Power Forward (PF/SF) | Kevin Garnett, Height: 2.11 meters, Age: 22, Jersey Number: 5.
Center (C) | Dikembe Mutombo, Height: 2.18 meters, Age: 32. Jersey Number: 55.
Second lineup:
Point Guard (PG) | Chauncey Billups Billups, Height: 1.91 meters, Age: 22. Jersey: No. 4.
Combination Guard (PG/SG) | Ron Harper, Height: 1.98m, Age: 35, Jersey Number: 9.
Small Forward (SF/SG) | Chris Paul Pierce, Height: 2.01 meters, Age: 21, Jersey Number: 34.
Center (PF/C) | P.J. Brown, Height: 2.11 meters, Age: 29, Jersey Number: 93.
Center/Power Forward (C/PF) | Ben Wallace, Height: 2.06 meters, Age: 24, Jersey Number: 13.
Functional rotation:
Swingman (SF/SG) | Bruce Bowen, Height: 2.01 meters, Age: 27, Jersey Number: 27.
Forward/Power Forward (SF/PF) | Rashard Lewis, Height: 2.08 meters, Age: 19, Jersey Number: 0.
Forward/Swingman | Bo Outlaw, Height: 2.03 meters, Age: 27, Jersey Number: 45.
Center/Power Forward (C/PF) | Brad Miller, Height: 2.13 meters, Age: 22, Jersey Number: 52.
Locker room veterans:
Forward (SF/PF) | Dominique Wilkins, Height: 2.03 meters, Age: 39, Jersey Number: 12.
In mid-January 1999, the shutdown officially ended.
The general managers of all 28 teams in the league were gathered in an office building for a meeting. When they saw the 15-man roster that the Boston Celtics had submitted to the league for filing, the entire office at the New York headquarters was instantly filled with the gasps of the scouts.
In early 1999, with Michael Jordan's retirement and the league fiercely competitive, all coaching staffs were focused on one thing: how to wear down opponents through defense and physicality in a shortened, grueling schedule of just fifty games. Because the schedule was so packed, teams simply didn't have time to practice complex tactics. In this shortened season, whoever had the lowest defensive margin and the deepest bench would ultimately prevail.
Just by looking at Boston's starting five, their key perimeter player would probably feel a ache in his ribs before the game.
At the point guard position was Gary Payton (#20), nicknamed " The Glove," who was in his prime at the age of 30. This 1.93-meter-tall guy was an extremely unique super point guard in the NBA at the time. As soon as the opposing point guard received the ball, Gary Payton would stick to him like a mad dog, using dirty tricks to aggressively challenge him physically while hurling extremely vicious trash talk at his opponent. He could not only force the opposing team's playmaker to make a mistake with his suffocatingly close defense, but he also had a special skill on offense—the low-post back-to-the-basket game. With his 200-pound weight and extremely strong lower body strength, if the opposing point guard was even slightly thin, Gary Payton could just sit right into the paint and then slam the ball into the basket with an extremely steady turnaround hook shot or fadeaway jumper.
Partnering him in the backcourt was 27-year-old Eddie Jones (#7), also at the peak of his physical and experience. Standing at 1.98 meters tall with ridiculously long arms, when he and Gary Payton spread out beyond the three-point line, Boston's backcourt defense became a nightmare for point guards across the league. Jones was one of the most exceptional perimeter defenders in the league during this era. Unlike other All-Star shooting guards, he didn't need to hog the ball. Defensively, he possessed historic lateral quickness and a stealthy mind; whenever the opponent attempted a pass, Jones' long arms could intercept it like a ghost. Furthermore, Jones had a reliable three-point shot and off-ball cutting ability. When Gary Payton initiated the offense from the high post, Jones could be ready to receive the ball in the weak-side corner or use his speed to cut to the basket the moment the defense was distracted.
What really sent chills down the spines of scouts across the United States was Gary Payton's new pick-and-roll partner in Boston —22-year-old Kevin Garnett (number 5).
Back in Seattle, Gary Payton and Reign Man Sean 'Kemp pick-and-roll was purely physical; Kemp would screen and then drive to the basket for alley-oop dunks. This style of play looked great in the regular season, but in the playoffs, where it was all about half-court offense, Kemp's rough tactical discipline and lack of outside shooting made him easy to contain by the opponent's heavy centers camped in the paint.
Now, 22-year-old Garnett brings a completely different tactical solution. He can still drive and dunk, but he also possesses two weapons that Kemp didn't have.
First, there's his all-around shooting range, extending from the low post all the way to the three-point line. Garnett now not only possesses a smooth touch for mid-range and three-pointers, but he can also drop down to the low post for isolation plays. When the two run a pick-and-roll at the high post, if the defender habitually stays in the paint to defend Gary Payton's drive, Garnett can simply stretch out to the three-point line. Gary Payton passes the ball back, and Garnett can unleash a three-pointer from the top of the arc, effectively drawing opposing big men who are used to camping in the paint to the perimeter, completely paralyzing the opponent's interior defense.
Secondly, Garnett possessed Garnett well-rounded game, capable of both low-post scoring and playmaking after receiving the ball. If the opposing defense was too aggressive, and he switched to guard Gary Payton who had the ball, Gary Payton could immediately become a second tactical pivot, whether he stayed in the mid-range or cut to the low post. Against shorter defenders, he could directly post up and use his height and footwork to back down and score; if a taller defender came to help, he could use his height and wide vision to facilitate, accurately passing the ball to Eddie Jones cutting to the wings, or directly diagonally to Robert Horry (#8), a three-point shooter guarding the corner.
At 28, Horry perfectly embodied the roles of defensive anchor and cold-blooded shooter. He didn't need to fight tooth and nail against opponents in the regular season; his job was simply to sink those open three-pointers that were served to him in the crucial final moments of the game. Behind them stood the 32-year-old, ever-reliable " African Mountain," Dikembe Mutombo (#55). His 2.18-meter height forced opponents to change their offensive options simply by standing under the basket. Garnett, meanwhile, was responsible for relentlessly double-teaming and helping out in the paint and between the three-point line and the paint.
With the Seattle SuperSonics, the team's offense relied solely on Gary Payton and creating opportunities on the perimeter. But in Boston, Garnett could shoot, play in the low post, and handle the ball outside. If these two just exchanged a gesture at the top of the key, the opposing defense would face a three-pronged dilemma: if they switched too slowly, Garnett could shut them down with mid-range and three-pointers; if they came out to defend, Gary Payton could easily drive into the low post and dominate smaller point guards; and if they opted for a double team, Garnett could completely dismantle the defense with his passing, whether he was posting up himself or facilitating from the high post.
Besides this devastating starting lineup, Boston's second unit is also full of potential and strength.
After his rookie season, 22-year-old Chauncey Billups Billups (#4) finally found his place. Standing beside him was 35-year-old veteran Ron Harper (#9), fresh off a three-peat with the Chicago Bulls. Harper's 1.98-meter height and top-tier perimeter defensive instincts honed under Phil Jackson not only saved the young Billups a lot of trouble on defense, but his comprehensive court vision also helped Chauncey Billups in orchestrating the offense. At this time, Billups hadn't fully matured into the clutch superstar he would become, and occasionally struggled against the league's most intense pressure. Harper, on the other hand, could use his incredibly steady ball-handling and passing to relieve the pressure on Chauncey Billups, allowing Boston's second unit to maintain a remarkably stable pace.
What gave scouts across the country the biggest headache was the 10th overall pick that Boston snatched up in the 1998 draft – 21-year-old Chris Paul Pierce (number 34).
This young small forward, who had undergone intensive training during the lockout and reduced his body fat to single digits, stunned Horry, who was responsible for guarding him, on the first day of training camp with his extremely solid lower body strength and post-up skills. Lin Qi gave him only one task: to come off the bench during transition periods and use your kaleidoscopic scoring methods to overwhelm the opposing bench. What's even more deadly is that Pierce is not only an offensive kaleidoscope, but the foundation strength he developed in college also makes him a well-known tough guy on the defensive end, never losing his position when guarding heavy forwards.
Behind Pierce in the paint stood the 29-year-old all-around defensive stalwart P.J. Brown (#93) and the 24-year-old Ben Wallace (#13), who spent his days in the weight room shaking heavy barbells. Pierce, as the first line of defense on the wing, used his physicality to slow down the opponent's drives, while Big Ben and P.J. Brown crouched under the basket, ready to jump and deliver a block at any moment. Boston's bench frontcourt possessed the physical strength to overwhelm the interior defense of any team in the league.
At the end of the bench, Lin Qi had also stockpiled a batch of fully functional jigsaw puzzle pieces.
27-year-old Bruce Bowen (No. 27) has only one task: when the opponent's leading scorer gets going, Bowen will immediately and relentlessly guard him, specifically to wear down the opponent's core player's stamina. 19-year-old Rashard Lewis (No. 0) is still a rookie who has just entered the league. In the locker room, he still has to carry bags for veterans like Gary Payton and Dominique Wilkins every day. Although he is still physically weak, his tall stature and soft touch make him a high-potential outside shooter. Bo Outlaw (No. 45) is a tireless workaholic with extremely terrifying lateral speed and jumping ability. Under the guidance and extra training of Mark Price, his previously criticized free throw technique has greatly improved. He is no longer a weakness that the defense can easily pass to the free throw line, and he can frantically grab every offensive rebound on the court.
Of course, there's also Brad Miller (No. 52), the 22-year-old undrafted fat guy who lost 20 pounds and whose core strength skyrocketed.
Miller's physique is now noticeably more balanced than before he went to Italy. The significant improvement in his lower body strength gives him the confidence to contend with heavy centers in the low post. What's most impressive is his passing ability. When Miller, wearing his #52 Celtics practice jersey, stood at the high post and delivered a smooth, no-look bounce pass to Pierce on his cut, the entire team's coaches and players were astonished.
At the very back of this group of hot-blooded, murderous beasts sat a highly respected elder brother.
Dominique Wilkins, the 39-year-old " The Human Highlight Film " wearing jersey number 12, sat quietly in the leather chair in the center of the locker room. The veteran is riddled with old injuries, and his average playing time may be less than five minutes per game, but he has an excellent mid-range jump shot and low-post experience, and can teach young players like Pierce and Lewis some offensive tips at any time.
In late January 1999, the entire league was plunged into confusion and chaos by Jordan's departure.
Lin Qi has already built a roster for the Boston Celtics that is flawless on both offense and defense. Whether it's a physical, half-court game or a modern, space-management style of play, the Celtics can find the perfect solution within their lineup.
Once the new season begins, anyone in the league who wants to take a win from Boston will have to be prepared to go through a lot of hardship on the court.