February 13, 2000, Oakland Arena.
A subtle atmosphere filled the air when Kevin Garnett stepped into the Eastern All-Stars team's locker room.
There were already a few people in the locker room. Vince Carter was sitting in the corner wearing headphones, Allen Iverson was chatting with the team trainer, and Grant Hill was stretching. When Garnett walked in, a few people looked up, their gazes lingered on him for a second, and then casually looked away.
It's strange that no one greeted us first.
During Garnett's last All-Star trip, everyone exchanged pleasantries and chatted in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
Garnett walked expressionlessly to his locker and began changing his jersey. A few minutes later, Gary Payton, Pierce, and Rasheed entered the locker room one after another. The four men, all wearing Celtics jerseys, gathered together, forming a small, private circle.
"How are you feeling?" Gary Payton asked Garnett in a low voice.
"It's like walking into the visiting team's locker room," Garnett said coldly.
Rasheed grinned. "You'll get used to it. From now on, the entire alliance is our enemy anyway."
Pierce didn't say anything, he just silently tightened his shoelaces. He was the youngest of the four and it was his first time participating in the All-Star Game. But he could sense that the atmosphere in this locker room was completely different from what he had imagined All-Star Weekend to be like.
The Eastern All-Stars ' head coach was Jeff Van Gundy of the Knicks. He walked into the locker room, briefly outlined the tactics, and then glanced at the Celtics ' four players.
"It's the All-Star Game today, everyone relax and have fun," Van Gundy said calmly, but his gaze lingered on the four players for a moment. "But remember, we represent the Eastern Conference."
Lin Qi sat in a VIP box on the second floor of the stadium, holding a glass of whiskey. There were several other bosses and executives in the box, and although they were chatting casually, the atmosphere was clearly awkward.
Sitting to Lin Qi's left was Knicks owner LeBron James Dolan, a businessman known for his autocratic style and penchant for meddling in basketball affairs. He held a glass of champagne, his gaze sweeping over the four Celtics players on the court before settling on Lin Qi.
"Lin, you're really on fire lately." Dolan's tone was filled with complex emotions... a mixture of jealousy and admiration. "Four All-Stars, the whole league is talking about you. How did you do it?"
Lin Qi took a sip of whiskey and said calmly, "Choose the right people, and use them effectively."
"The right choice?" Dolan laughed, lowering his voice. "Lin, to be honest, you've done a fantastic job in Boston. But have you ever thought about moving to a bigger stage?"
Lin Qi turned his head and looked at Dolan.
A bigger stage?
" New York." Dolan's arrogance and ambition were undisguised. " Madison Square Garden, the center of the world. The Knicks are worthy of your brains. Give me a number, Lin. Don't waste your talent on that team that takes three days to discuss even signing a max contract. If you're willing to come to New York, I can give you two... no, three times the salary from Boston, plus five percent of the team's shares. I can make your Boston owner look like a beggar."
The private room fell silent instantly; the other executives even held their breath.
Lin Qi was silent for a few seconds, then his lips curled up slightly and he chuckled softly.
This self-important "appreciation," tinged with the arrogance of a nouveau riche, did not make him feel honored. Instead, it evoked a sense of inexplicable absurdity and a touch of offended anger within him.
In Dolan's eyes, Lin Qi was just a high-class employee who could be bought with expensive checks. Dolan could never imagine that the "shrewd, beggar-like" behind-the-scenes power in Boston that he described was sitting in front of him at this very moment, drinking whiskey and watching him perform like a circus clown.
Hiring the Celtics ' owner to be the Knicks ' general manager? What a ridiculous idea!
" LeBron James, I appreciate your generosity." Lin Qi's tone was calm, yet carried an aloofness that kept people at arm's length. "But I'm very satisfied with my current position."
"Satisfied?" Dolan was clearly incredulous, his voice unconsciously rising. "Lin, let's be frank, Boston is just a small market. If you come to New York, the resources you can access will be ten times what you have now! Unlimited funding, top-tier stars, the biggest media exposure in the US... I can give you everything you want."
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the basketball court.
" LeBron James, do you know the difference between you and me?" Lin Qi said softly.
"What?"
"You want everything, but you don't even know what you really need. New York's salaries are consistently among the highest in the league, yet they never achieve anything worthwhile." Lin Qi turned his head, calmly looking Dolan straight in the eye. " New York is indeed an incredible stage, but it's not my stage. All these years in Boston, I've poured all my energy into building a culture. LeBron James, that's something you can't buy with any amount of money."
Dolan's smile froze.
"And," Lin Qi added, his tone becoming calmer, "If I really go to New York, the first thing I'll do is kick you out of management. Because a good basketball team doesn't need an owner who doesn't understand basketball meddling in things."
The private room fell silent instantly.
Everyone held their breath.
Dolan's face went from red to white, then to ashen. His hand holding the champagne glass trembled slightly.
"You..." Dolan's voice trembled slightly, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"Of course I know." Lin Qi stood up and put down his glass. "I'm stating the facts. If the facts offend you, it means you're guilty."
He picked up his coat and prepared to leave.
"Lin!" Dolan stood up, his voice rising, "You'll regret this! You'll regret rejecting me!"
Lin Qi stopped, turned around, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.
I never regret telling the truth.
He turned and left the private room.
Dolan angrily sat back in his chair and slammed his champagne glass onto the table.
Spurs owner Peter Holt, sitting in the corner, coughed softly, breaking the silence.
" LeBron James, let me give you a piece of advice," Holt said calmly but with a warning, "Don't try to buy that young man off with money. He's different from us. He doesn't want money; he wants a championship."
Dolan snorted coldly and did not respond.
Sitting next to him, Heat owner Mitch Arison whispered, "I think Lin is right. LeBron James, you really should mind your own business less in basketball matters."
"Shut up!" Dolan roared angrily.
An awkward silence fell over the private room once again.
On the court, Garnett had just completed a powerful dunk. After landing, he pounded his chest, his eyes cold and stern.
Holt looked at the field and said softly, "This young man will either become a legend or a joke. There is no middle ground."
The commentator on the sidelines chuckled and said, "Looks like Kevin's really competitive tonight."
But Lin Qi knew this wasn't about competitive drive. It was the Celtics ' style... They wouldn't let their guard down, even in the All-Star Game.
In the following rounds, the four Celtics players began to show amazing chemistry.
Gary Payton dribbled up the court and passed to Garnett at the top of the key. Garnett received the ball, drew the defense, and then made a bounce pass to Pierce, who was cutting in. Pierce received the ball and went for a layup, drawing a foul from O'Neal.
In the next possession, Rasheed had the ball at the high post, facing Carl Malone's defense. After a fake move, he passed to Garnett who was cutting to the basket, and Garnett caught the ball and slammed it home.
In another possession, Gary Payton intercepted a pass from the Western Conference and made a long pass to Rasheed in the frontcourt. Rasheed received the ball and made a no-look pass to Pierce in the corner, Pierce hit a three-pointer.
In just three minutes, four Celtics players went on a 10-2 run.
The audience began to stir uncontrollably.
"Is this... is this still the All-Star Game?" The ESPN commentator raised his voice, his tone astonished. "These Celtics guys are playing like they're playing a Game 7 in the playoffs!"
"Look at their off-ball movement, and the timing of their passes..." another commentator exclaimed, shaking his head in amazement. "Smooth as a feather! This kind of chemistry can only be cultivated through long periods of real-game practice. Even if the opposing team is full of All-Stars, they are still just a hastily assembled lineup, and they are no match for this kind of perfect teamwork."
The other players on the Eastern Conference began to show some discontent.
During one offensive possession, Iverson attempted a one-on-one play, but Gary Payton didn't pass the ball to him; instead, he passed it to Garnett. Iverson stood there, looking somewhat displeased.
Vince Carter attempted a dunk during a fast break, but Rasheed beat him to it and passed the ball to Pierce. After landing, Vince Carter glanced at Rasheed with obvious displeasure in his eyes.
On the bench, Reggie Miller said to Mourning next to him, "Are they here to play in the All-Star Game, or are they here to play in internal scrimmages?"
Mourning shrugged. "Who cares? Let's just fight our own game."
Van Gundy stood on the sidelines, watching the situation on the court, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. He called a timeout.
After the timeout, Van Gundy looked at the four Celtics players, his tone somewhat dissatisfied.
"I know you want to win, but this is the All-Star Game. The fans are here to watch the show, not to see you play team basketball. Pass the ball more and give other players a chance to shine."
Garnett nodded expressionlessly, but there was no sign of compliance in his eyes.
After the timeout, the Celtics ' four players became a bit more restrained, passing the ball more to their teammates. But whenever the score gap widened, they naturally returned to their rhythm, using precise teamwork to close the gap.
At the end of the second quarter, the Eastern Conference trailed the Western Conference 59-62 by 3 points. Four Celtics players combined for nearly half of the Eastern Conference's points.
Halftime
Lin Qi left the VIP box and went to the corridor outside the stadium for some fresh air. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the wall.
"Forest."
A deep voice came from behind him. Lin Qi turned his head and saw NBA Commissioner David Stern walking towards him.
"Mr. President," Lin Qi nodded.
Stern walked over to him and leaned against the wall as well. The two were silent for a few seconds.
"Your players played very hard tonight," Stern said calmly.
"That's how they always are."
"Maybe I'm trying too hard." Stern turned his head to look at Lin Qi.
Lin Qi exhaled a puff of smoke.
"My players only know one way to play."
That might make other people uncomfortable.
"That's their problem." Lin Qi turned and looked Stern straight in the eye. "I didn't have my players do anything against the rules. If their playing too seriously is uncomfortable, it just means the others aren't taking it seriously enough."
Stern was silent for a moment, then smiled.
"You know what, Lin, you remind me of someone."
"Who?"
Auerbach...
Lin Qi flicked his cigarette ash.
"Then I would be honored."
Stern smiled, shook his head, and turned to leave. After a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and said...
"Lin, have you ever heard this saying?"
"Please speak."
Be kind to others as you climb up the ladder, because you'll definitely run into them on your way down.
Lin Qi pondered the words, watching Stern's figure disappear at the end of the corridor.