Post-match press conference, Staples Center.
In contrast to the Lakers ' press officer's utterly dejected expression, the Celtics ' press conference was remarkably orderly.
As the mastermind behind Boston's success, Lin Qi made a rare appearance in the post-game media interview. At this sensitive juncture of national broadcast, he knew what the media wanted, and even more importantly, he knew he needed to use the media's microphone to convey something to the people of Los Angeles.
"Mr. Lin Qi, the Celtics won big on the road today and have a match point," a reporter from the Los Angeles Times asked first. "Does this mean you've completely cracked Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense?"
Faced with this slightly provocative question, Lin Qi shook his head.
He leaned forward slightly, bringing his body closer to the microphone, his tone revealing undisguised sincerity and professionalism.
"On the contrary, I must pay my highest respects to Coach Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal."
Lin Qi's voice echoed in the quiet press conference hall, " The Triangle Offense is an extremely sophisticated tactical system. And Shaq, he displayed pure, historic dominance in the paint. When he gets into position in the low post, ordinary defense becomes very ineffective."
"What I find even more awe-inspiring is that when Shaq, as the linchpin of this tactic, uses his immense defensive presence to keenly find and assist open teammates on the perimeter, that smoothly functioning Los Angeles Lakers is virtually invincible."
The reporters in the audience were quickly taking notes. Lin Qi's words were very objective. He not only affirmed the Zen Master's tactics, but also praised O'Neal's selflessness and destructive power as the tactical pivot with great precision.
But these praises sounded particularly jarring in the context of tonight's game... because throughout the entire second half, O'Neal didn't receive the ball at all, let alone provide any pivotal support.
Astute media professionals immediately sensed the tactical implications in Lin Qi's words. An ESPN reporter stood up and loudly pressed for an answer.
"Since you so highly praise Shaq and the Triangle Offense, what are your thoughts on the Lakers ' other core player? Kobe Brian took 24 shots today, scoring a team-high 22 points, but only had 1 assist. How would you rate his performance in today's game?"
The only sound in the hall was the clicking of camera shutters. All the lenses were pointed at Lin Qi, waiting for the Celtics president's evaluation of the new generation of Los Angeles superstar.
Lin Qi looked at the reporter who asked the question and paused for a moment.
He didn't answer immediately, but frowned slightly in confusion, as if he was seriously searching for some information in his mind.
Two seconds later.
Lin Qi looked into the reporter's eyes, his tone calm, without sarcasm or ridicule, only a pure and natural bewilderment, and asked a question in return.
Who is Kobe?
The hall fell into a deathly silence.
Several reporters in the front row even wondered if they had misheard. But Lin Qi's expressionless face told them that this was no joke.
The hall was so quiet that the only sound was the rapid clicking of camera shutters. All the lenses were pointed at Celtics president Lin Qi, who sat in the center of the stage.
The ESPN reporter in the front row even wondered if there was something wrong with his ears.
"Mr. Lin Qi, are you kidding me?" The reporter instinctively raised his voice, his tone incredulous. " Kobe Brian! The Lakers ' number 8! The guard who took 24 shots and scored 22 points today!"
"Oh, that number 8."
Lin Qi nodded as if he had just realized something, his blank expression disappearing perfectly. He adjusted his posture slightly, placed his hands on the table with his hands crossed, and his tone returned to its extremely professional calm.
"I looked at the stats. 24 field goal attempts, 1 assist, and in the fourth quarter when the team needed to catch up, he went 0-for-8."
Lin Qi looked at the reporter, his voice flat and emotionless. "If you ask me how I would evaluate a player like this, I'm sorry, I have absolutely no interest in commenting on this kind of performance."
The reporters below the stage exchanged bewildered glances, and a low murmur rippled through the hall. Lin Qi wasn't just spouting trash talk; he was fundamentally denying Kobe's value in this game.
"Mr. Lin Qi, isn't that a bit too harsh?" another reporter from the Los Angeles Times raised his hand to object. " Kobe, after all, has an extremely strong scoring explosiveness, and many people believe he is the future face of the league."
"That's just a media cult, and I'm a team manager."
Lin Qi did not shy away from the question. He looked at the media below the stage and coldly laid out his absolute bottom line as the Boston trader.
"In my team-building philosophy, basketball is always a five-player sport. With the Celtics, only the championship banner at the top is the true honor. As for scoring titles, regular season MVPs, or even NBA Finals MVPs, those are merely icing on the cake for the championship trophy."
Lin Qi's gaze swept across the entire room, each word like a knife.
"I will never allow anyone to prioritize personal heroism or individual statistics over the team's victory. When a player completely ignores the tactical system and his open teammates, focusing solely on satisfying his own selfish desire to win, no matter how many points he scores, it has no meaning for the game's outcome."
"I would never allow someone like that on my team. I wouldn't offer him a single cent in free agency, and I would never call his name out on draft night. Because players like that can never be true winners."
After delivering this declaration that was enough to shake up the entire American sports world, Lin Qi stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and walked straight out of the press conference hall, accompanied by Doc Rivers and the press officer.
Only after his figure disappeared behind the curtain did the press conference erupt into an uncontrollable uproar. Reporters frantically grabbed their phones to contact the editor-in-chief.
"Who is Kobe?" This line, coupled with this extremely cold-blooded team-building philosophy, was undoubtedly the most thorough and fatal humiliation for that proud Los Angeles number 8.
Staples Center, away team locker room tunnel.
Chris Paul Pierce, standing beside Lin Qi, raised an eyebrow slightly as he listened to the faint commotion of the media coming from outside the passageway.
"Lin, weren't you a bit too harsh with what you said outside?" Pierce said in a low voice. " Kobe is a complete fanatic. You said on national television that you 'don't know him,' and even said you'd never draft him... When we get back to Boston for Game 6, he'll definitely bite us like a mad dog."
Lin Qi stopped and turned to look at Pierce, a barely perceptible smile finally appearing on his lips.
" Chris Paul, what do you think the Lakers need most right now?" Lin Qi asked in return.
Pierce thought for a moment and replied following basketball logic, " Kobe needs to calm down. If he's willing to give the ball to Shaq and let Shaq punish us in the paint, and then shoot when double-teamed, the Lakers will have a hard time dealing with him."
"That's right." Lin Qi nodded. "A calm Kobe who knows how to use Shaq's gravity to his advantage is our biggest threat."
"Therefore, I absolutely cannot let him calm down."
Lin Qi turned and walked towards the bus, dissecting the weaknesses of human nature in an extremely cold tone. " Kobe is too arrogant. When he sees the newspapers tomorrow morning, when he sees me publicly questioning his professional value and even denying his ability to win, his first reaction will definitely not be to reflect on whether he should have passed the ball."
"He'll just be angry. He'll fight tooth and nail to prove to me, to the whole world, that he can win a match using his own one-on-one style."
Upon hearing this, head coach Doc Rivers, who was following behind, suddenly realized what was happening and felt a chill run down his spine.
"Lin... do you want to completely enrage him, to make him continue to ignore Shaq in Game 6, and turn the game into a one-man show of his temper?"
"On the stage of the NBA Finals, tactics are just the foundation; psychological warfare is the trump card that determines life and death." Lin Qi did not deny it and strode out of the player tunnel.
"Let the fires of Los Angeles burn even brighter. By Game 6, we'll make Kobe's obsession the final noose that strangles the Purple and Gold Legion."
June 18, 2000, early morning.
News reports from major sports media outlets flooded across the United States.
The front page of the sports section of the Los Angeles Times.
"Ignoring and Humiliating: Who is Kobe?" " Celtics president Lin Qi made highly controversial remarks after the game. He not only highly praised Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal's dominance but also fundamentally negated Kobe Brian's playing style with an extremely ruthless team-building philosophy. 'Individual heroism must never supersede the team,' which was undoubtedly a bombshell dropped by Boston on the internal conflicts in Los Angeles."
TNT Morning Sports Talk Show.
Ernie Johnson sat in the studio, looking at the headlines in the newspaper, shaking his head repeatedly.
" Lin Qi is an extremely dangerous trader," Johnson pointed out the crux of the problem. "He saw through Kobe's character. When the whole world was discussing Lin Qi's question, 'Who is Kobe? ', the Lakers ' crisis was already irreversible."
" Ernie, do you mean Kobe will fall for it?" Kenny Smith asked.
"He definitely will," Johnson sighed, "Because young geniuses always believe they can fight back with points."
Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighborhood.
The morning sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows and fell on the wooden dining table.
Kobe, wearing a gray hoodie, sat at the dining table with several newspapers in front of him.
On television, ESPN's morning news was playing a loop of Lin Qi's interview from last night's press conference.
"Oh, that number 8..."
I won't comment on this performance...
"I would never choose someone like that, because he can never be a winner..."
Kobe stared intently at the television screen. His breathing grew heavy, and the muscles in his cheeks twitched slightly from the intense effort.
He scored 22 points. In the team's most desperate moment, he was the one trying to put the ball in the basket despite being guarded by three players. And that jerk from Boston not only ignored his efforts but also claimed he "didn't know" him at all?!
"Never be a winner?"
Kobe repeated the words in a low voice. He suddenly stood up, grabbed the newspaper on the table, crumpled it into a ball, and slammed it against the wall in the distance.
What Triangle Offense, what Shaq's inside presence?
What's the point of this game if we can't beat Boston the way we do, if we can't smash the ball in that bastard Lin Qi's face with our own hands?
Kobe picked up his sports backpack and walked out of the house without looking back.
With less than 48 hours until Game 6, he's heading to the training facility now. He's going to make sure the whole city remembers his name on Boston's soil, using the most ruthless methods.