Mid-January, KeyArena, Seattle.
This is not only the first test of this "winning lineup" after it was formed, but also a reunion full of destiny.
Gary Payton has returned to where his career began.
Back then, after the management traded away " Reign Man " Kemp, his veteran teammate McGee said to him, "The Seattle management has no idea who the real backbone of this team is. If... you can leave here this summer, maybe you'll have a completely different career."
This statement became the catalyst for Gary Payton's decision. Completely disillusioned with the team, Gary Payton immediately slammed his fist on the table and requested a trade. The incident was extremely unpleasant, with Seattle media repeatedly using terms like "betrayal" and "deserter" to describe the former city hero. Angry fans even burned his jersey outside the arena. As a result, when Gary Payton played against the Seattle SuperSonics with the Celtics on the road a couple of years ago, he was greeted only with boos and insults.
But in competitive sports, only the victors are remembered, and time will reshape all memories.
When Gary Payton lifted the 1998-1999 NBA championship trophy in Boston and was crowned Finals MVP as the team's undisputed star, Seattle's mentality underwent a subtle yet bittersweet shift. In the city's eyes, before Gary Payton went to Boston, the Celtics were still struggling, unable to even reach the NBA Finals. After he arrived, he led the team to the top in just two years.
As Seattle's media and fans watched Gary Payton wearing his championship ring on television, only one lingering thought remained in their minds: if the management hadn't made so many blunders back then, if they hadn't traded Gary Payton, wouldn't that championship trophy have belonged to Seattle?
So, on this night, the atmosphere changed when the Boston Celtics ' team bus drove into the KeyArena's underground tunnel.
There were no more malicious banners or jerseys vandalized with graffiti. After the pre-game warm-up, the DJ didn't quickly and vaguely pronounce Gary Payton's name as usual, but deliberately paused. Then, the giant screen in the arena's dome suddenly went dark and began playing a two-minute tribute video.
Those were highlights of Gary Payton's defensive plays during his time with the Seattle SuperSonics, his fast-break dunks, his no-look passes, and a still from the moment he led the team to the NBA Finals.
As the video finished playing, a spotlight shone on Gary Payton, who was wearing the Celtics' number 20 jersey. All 17,000 Seattle fans in the arena stood up in unison, erupting in thunderous applause and cheers. The overwhelming boos of the past two years vanished, replaced only by belated respect and an undeniable sense of regret.
Gary Payton stood in the center of the court, tilting his head and chewing his gum vigorously, still with that nonchalant attitude that said he didn't care if the sky fell down.
But under the interplay of light and shadow, his expression softened for a fleeting moment.
But in just a second, he swallowed back the emotions that had been showing. Gary Payton looked away, raised his right hand expressionlessly, and waved it briefly at the surrounding stands, as if trying to shoo away those complex emotions like flies.
Garnett walked up behind him, slapped him on the back of the head without hesitation, then put his arm around his shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and grinned loudly amidst the deafening roar.
"Enjoy your night, Gary. I'll set you up for the game tonight."
Gary Payton didn't turn around, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch upwards.
The Seattle SuperSonics at this point are no longer the team they were in the original timeline.
Lin Qi's butterfly effect in Boston not only brought the Celtics a championship but also completely reshaped the fate of several teams.
The Celtics paid a hefty price to acquire Gary Payton, which resulted in Sam Cassell, Steve Nash, and Michael Finley being traded to Seattle.
In the summer of 1998, Seattle, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks jointly facilitated a three-way trade.
In this trade, the SuperSonics sent Nash and Finley to Dallas. Mavericks head coach Don Nelson got his wish, not only acquiring this backcourt duo, but also drafting Dirk Nowitzki in that season's draft, thus forming the "Nash, Finley and Dirk" Dallas trio ahead of time.
Seattle's reward was Ray Allen, the Milwaukee Bucks ' most promising second-year star.
After that three-way trade, the Seattle SuperSonics established a new core player on the perimeter. With subsequent moves in the free agent market, the team's roster became completely stable.
As the game was about to begin, the starting lineups for both teams were displayed on the giant scoreboard in the KeyArena dome, marking the start of this highly anticipated nationally televised match.
Boston Celtics: Point Gary Payton, Shooting Eddie Jones, Small Forward Chris Paul Pierce, Power Forward Kevin Garnett, Center Dikembe Mutombo.
Seattle SuperSonics: Point Sam Cassell, Shooting Guard Ray Allen, Small Forward Ruben Patterson, Power Forward Horace Grant, Center Vin Baker.
The game officially began as the referee tossed the basketball into the air.
"Welcome to NBC National Broadcast, this is KeyArena in Seattle! Listen to this deafening roar, Seattle are welcoming their former Sacramento Kings with the most complex emotions!" In the broadcast booth, commentator Marv Albert's voice was half-dampened by the noise of the arena.
Gary Payton was clearly prepared. He took the basketball that Garnett passed back and dribbled it across half-court at a leisurely pace.
Sam Cassell will be the Seattle SuperSonics ' matchup against Gary Payton tonight. The former Celtics player was traded to Seattle in the Gary Payton deal, and his consistent mid-range shooting and clutch performance have secured him a starting position, somewhat alleviating the Seattle SuperSonics ' pain after losing Gary Payton.
During pre-match warm-ups, Sam Cassell warmly embraced Garnett and Eddie Jones. But as soon as the whistle blew, those old camaraderie was immediately forgotten.
On his first offensive possession, Sam Cassell used a screen from Vin Baker and hit a mid-range jumper over Gary Payton's defense. On the way back on defense, Sam Cassell grinned and kept talking to Gary Payton.
Gary Payton was unusually quiet today, offering no response. However, in the next possession, he simply called for the ball with his back to the basket on the right low post. Sam Cassell gritted his teeth and closed in, but Gary Payton, like a bulldozer, used his broad shoulders to push twice, creating space before suddenly flipping over and banking the ball in.
After scoring, Gary Payton stared intently into Sam Cassell's eyes, his gaze sharp and menacing.
At that moment, a strange cheer erupted from the stands of KeyArena. It wasn't for the home team, but for the away team's defender, Gary Payton, who had scored the goal.
Seattle fans are all too familiar with this post-up game. When they saw that guy in the number 20 jersey still able to dominate his opponents in the low post, their nostalgic instincts beat their reason, and applause spontaneously erupted.
The Seattle SuperSonics ' other key backcourt player, Ray Allen, also quickly found his rhythm. His fluid off-ball movement and textbook catch-and-shoot plays allowed him to dominate Seattle's offense at the start of the quarter. Six minutes into the first quarter, the Seattle SuperSonics took a 15-11 lead.
Doc Rivers stood up from his seat, waved to Mutombo, and then turned to Rasheed Wallace, nodding slightly.
Substitution. The other four starters remained on the field: Gary Payton, Jones, Pierce, Garnett, and Rasheed.
In their first game after the "experiment" ended, this five-man lineup, personally promoted by Lin Qi and regarded as the "ultimate weapon" by the Celtics coaching staff, made its first full appearance on a nationally televised broadcast.
Seattle's head coach Chris Paul Westphal immediately stood up from his seat, his brow furrowed. As someone who had served as a special advisor in Boston and personally coached Garnett's face-up offense, he was so familiar with the Celtics ' tactics that he instantly understood their intentions, and a sense of unease settled over him.
Rasheed leisurely ran across half-court, stopped directly outside the three-point line at a 45-degree angle on the left, and then stretched out his hand to ask for the ball.
"Wait, what is Rasheed Wallace doing?" commentator Marv Albert exclaimed in the broadcast booth. "He's coming in and waiting for the ball at the three-point line right away? Last season, he occasionally took a couple of shots from beyond the arc, but that was never his regular weapon!"
Vin Baker, who was responsible for guarding him, hesitated.
Vin Baker, who once possessed exquisite footwork in Milwaukee, now has a noticeably bloated waist and abdomen. Alcohol and fat have robbed him of his agility, making him drag his heavy body to the three-point line, which is practically a form of physical torture.
Vin Baker didn't follow the ball out completely, but instead stopped near the free-throw line, trying to cover the paint as well.
Gary Payton astutely seized the opportunity. He beckoned Garnett over from the top of the key, and the instant Garnett regained his footing, Gary Payton sliced past him by the shoulder, leaving Sam Cassell behind.
Grant moved towards the middle, and Vin Baker instinctively took a half-step back towards the basket.
But Gary Payton flicked his wrist, and the basketball landed precisely in front of Rasheed's chest.
Receive the ball, adjust, and release with a high arc.
"Whoosh!"
Hollow-core netting!
Rasheed retreated to defend, spreading his hands and raising an eyebrow at the still-stunned Vin Baker.
Seattle didn't immediately change their defensive strategy, Baker remained near the free-throw line. On the next possession, Rasheed received the ball again, made a convincing fake shot, and knocked away Baker was struggling to get out of position.
Facing an empty penalty area, Rasheed passed the ball smoothly, took two long strides straight to the inside, soared into the air, and swung his arm to complete a clean and decisive one-handed dunk!
"Boom!"
The rim shook violently as Rasheed pulled on it. He let go and landed, bouncing and leaping around the baseline with boundless excitement, as if he were on a spring. He pounded his chest and let out his signature roar.
In the next round, Vin Baker was finally forced to stand further out.
And this is exactly the tactical effect the Celtics wanted.
Gary Payton launched another attack under cover. Sam Cassell instinctively reached out to block him, but the moment his hand touched Gary Payton's side, he recoiled as if he had been electrocuted.
The league's changes in the standards for enforcing perimeter shooting this year caused Sam Cassell to hesitate for a moment.
That half step was enough. Gary Payton suddenly accelerated, squeezing between two defenders. Facing Grant's help defense, Gary Payton attempted a reverse layup in mid-air, throwing the ball towards the backboard before losing his balance.
"Drop..."
The whistle blows, the ball goes in! 2+1!
"Brilliant! Gary Payton has turned Seattle's defenses into a morning thoroughfare!"
The broadcast booth erupted in cheers.
Gary Payton got up from the floor and habitually shrugged his shoulders. At that moment, the entire KeyArena erupted in thunderous cheers and whistles!
The atmosphere at the home stadium became extremely strange... Seattle fans watched helplessly as their defense was mercilessly torn apart, yet they couldn't help but cheer loudly for the man who had single-handedly ripped their defense apart. In this arena, it was as if Gary Payton had never left.