December 24, 2000, Christmas Eve.
Boston Logan International Airport's terminal was packed with travelers rushing home. At Gate 3, Celtics players were passing through security.
Gary Payton, dragging a suitcase and carrying a gym bag over one shoulder, stopped as he passed a newsstand.
The entire newsstand's front page was dominated by basketball—the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated, United States Today, every headline was highlighting the same thing: the Christmas Day game of the century.
Gary Payton tossed down two dollars and pulled out a copy of the Los Angeles Times.
The front page features a visually striking giant composite photo: Jason Kidd holds the ball in one hand, standing in the center of the Staples floor, with the silhouettes of O'Neal, Marion, and Odom looming behind him.
The title is blunt and arrogant. "A New Chapter in the Purple and Gold Dynasty - A Perfect Answer After the Kobe Trade."
"Look at this." Doug Christie leaned closer, holding a copy of Sports Illustrated. "Cover story."
The cover features a striking left-right contrast: on the left is Shaquille O'Neal dunking while hanging from a deformed rim; on the right are the Celtics ' three core players, Pierce, Gary Payton, and Garnett, standing side by side.
The subtitle is highly provocative. "One Man vs. Three: Monster vs. Big Three, Who Will Dominate the Game?"
Gary Payton flipped to the inside pages and jumped directly to the head-to-head analysis of his matchup against Kidd.
" Gary Payton vs. Jason Kidd. This could be the most interesting point guard matchup in the league. Gary Payton was Kidd's mentor on the streetball courts of Oakland. But now, Kidd, averaging 10.8 assists per game, possesses the best passing vision in the entire league. Tonight, the clash between mentor and protégé will determine the outcome of the game."
Gary Payton snorted and casually rolled up the magazine.
"Will you say hello to him?" Doug Christie asked, "After all, he's your little brother from Oakland."
"Why reminisce?" Gary Payton pushed up his sunglasses. "Once he's on the court, all I'll do is teach him how to play."
Pierce walked up from behind, waving a copy of United States Today in his hand. "Compared to Kidd, look at Kobe's interviews, that's much more interesting."
In a corner of the newspaper's sports section, a brief interview with Kobe Brian was published, taken in Chicago. When asked who he supported for the Christmas Day game, Kobe's answer was intriguing, "They are the two best teams, and I hope to see the most exciting game."
"He definitely wants the Lakers to lose," Doug Christie shrugged. "That way he can prove that the Lakers can't win a championship without him."
"But if the Lakers beat the defending champions," Pierce continued, "all the Los Angeles media will be saying: 'Look, trading Kobe for Kidd was a stroke of genius.'"
"So, no matter who wins, Kobe loses." Gary Payton sneered incisively. " Lakers win, it proves the trade for him was right. Lakers lose, nobody cares if he averages 35 points per game with the Chicago Bulls, because the Chicago Bulls are now 9-17, a complete mess. All he can say now is 'I want to see the most exciting game,' because he has no idea how to answer that."
Pierce scoffed. "That sounds pretty pathetic. I'm starting to feel sorry for him."
"What happens to other people is none of our business." Gary Payton grabbed his bag. "Our only mission tonight is to go to Staples and kick their asses."
The team chartered a plane at an altitude of 10,000 meters.
Garnett, wearing oversized headphones, flipped through a magazine featuring a close-up of O'Neal.
The entire article emphasizes Shaq's unstoppable potential. Kings Divac complained in an interview, "7'1", 325 pounds, and he can run and jump, it doesn't conform to physics, it's unfair."
Turning to the next page, you'll find praise for Kidd. Trail Blazers guard Steve Smith commented, " Kidd can see the game three steps ahead. Just when you think the defense is in position, the ball has already been passed to a blind spot you can't see."
"What are you looking at?" Rasheed leaned over from the front row.
"The media's praising them to the skies." Garnett took off his headphones. "I feel... they think Shaq and Kidd have already secured the Larry O'Brien Trophy."
"They are indeed difficult to deal with." Rasheed, unusually, didn't feign resentment.
"I know." Garnett closed the magazine, tossed it aside, his eyes icy. "But we're strong too."
In the front row of the cabin, Lin Qi was leaning back in his seat, talking on the phone with his assistant Margaret, who was far away in Boston.
"ESPN's predictions are in, tonight's ratings will definitely break the regular season record of recent years." Margaret's voice was filled with excitement, "And I've heard some interesting inside information... Shaq and Kidd's relationship in the Lakers' locker room is a bit delicate."
"How so?" Lin Qi looked at the sea of clouds outside the window.
" Shaq is used to being the absolute leader. But Kidd is an on-court commander with his own system; he often directs his teammates' movements in practice, even Shaq's." Margaret lowered her voice. " Shaq hasn't shown it outwardly, but he's already started complaining privately."
"An interesting hidden danger." Lin Qi's lips curled into a slight smile.
"And then there's Phil Jackson," Margaret added. "He drove Jerry West out, orchestrated the Kobe trade, and now the entire Lakers are under his absolute control. If they lose tonight..."
"If they lose, the Zen Master's authority will be fractured," Lin Qi naturally picked up the thread.
"That's right," Margaret said. "So this game is a must-win, must-win situation for the Lakers, a game to prove themselves."
"But for us," Lin Qi said calmly yet menacingly before hanging up the phone, "This is an execution."
The sun slowly sank behind the clouds, and the cabin was so quiet that only the roar of the engines could be heard.
On the morning of December 25th, in Beverly Hills.
In the hotel restaurant, a TNT Christmas special was playing on the television screen.
Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson sat at the studio table, arguing Heat.
"Everyone wants to know if trading Kobe was the right decision." Barkley shook his head. "Looking at the record, the Lakers are 22-4, absolutely right. But if they can't even beat the defending champions tonight, Los Angeles fans will start to miss that fanatic."
" Charles, you've guarded Shaq before. Do you think the Celtics can stop him?" Ernie asked.
"Unstoppable, absolutely unstoppable," Barkley answered decisively. " Big Ben is a top-class defender, but he's too light and too short. Shaq is taller and almost 100 pounds heavier! Gentlemen, this isn't a matter of technique! You can't expect a featherweight champion to withstand the punches of a heavyweight champion!"
"But the Celtics have three scorers averaging 20+ points per game," Kenny Smith countered. "Their scoring is more spread out."
"Basketball isn't addition or subtraction, Kenny," Barkley slammed his fist on the table. "With two minutes left in the fourth quarter and the score tied, you need a monster who can ignore the defense and slam the ball straight into the basket! Shaq can do that, but Boston's three core players can only find space on the perimeter."
The scene then cuts to a phone call with former Lakers legend Jerry West.
The old man's voice was weary but extremely sharp. "I don't want to comment on the Lakers ' current situation. But I must say, Boston's 26-game winning streak lacks a truly tough test. Gary Payton, Pierce, and Garnett are all excellent, but they played too much as a team. Real top-level battles require a superstar who can take over the game unreasonably with their individual talent. That's precisely what the Celtics lack most."
Upon hearing this, Pierce, who was cutting his steak, stopped using his knife and fork.
" West thinks we don't have any superstars?"
"After all, he brought O'Neal to the Lakers, so of course they have to praise O'Neal to cover up the embarrassment of his departure," Gary Payton bluntly criticized.
"Maybe that's what he was thinking." Garnett's voice was unusually calm.
Everyone looked at Garnett.
"The media and those legends all think we don't have Shaq's kind of unreasonable individual dominance." Garnett looked around at his teammates. "Then tonight, at Staples, we'll prove to these old guys how we really beat the Lakers to a pulp."
5 p. m., Staples Center.
When the Celtics ' bus drove into the underground parking garage, even the ceiling was trembling slightly.
"Listen to this noise." Gary Payton looked up. "Twenty thousand men are waiting to see Shaq devour us alive."
"Then let them treat the box office revenue as compensation for emotional distress." Pierce sneered as he slung his golf bag over his shoulder.
In the away team's locker room, Lin Qi stood in front of the whiteboard, without a tactical pen in his hand; the whiteboard was completely clean.
"The tactical coaching staff has been explaining how to defend for three weeks. Your muscle memory is clearer than your brains."
Lin Qi looked at the group of players with fierce eyes in front of him, his voice not loud, but every word carried immense weight.
"They think this is Shaq's show. But I want you to tell them, whose era is this really?"
The players stood up abruptly, gathered in the center of the field, and clasped their hands together.
" Gary," Lin Qi suddenly called out to Gary Payton.
Gary Payton turned around.
"The media is all hyping up the showdown between you and Kidd," Lin Qi, looking the veteran into his eyes. "Tonight, let him remember how you taught him a lesson on the streets of Oakland back in the day."
Gary Payton grinned, revealing a ruthless smirk. "I'll teach him a lesson, with interest."
"One two three..."
" The Celtics!!!"
Outside the tunnel, deafening music blared. The DJ's screams echoed throughout the arena, "Ladies and gentlemen... welcome to the Los Angeles Los Angeles Lakers!!!"
The purple and gold jerseys shone under the spotlight. Kidd, Odom, and Marion ran out in turn, and when O'Neal made his grand entrance, the cheers from the entire arena exploded like a tsunami.
On the big screen, highlights of Shaq destroying rims were playing repeatedly.
"Now... welcome the defending champions... the Boston Celtics!"
Amidst a deafening chorus of boos, the entire Celtics team walked out of the tunnel with expressionless faces.
Ignoring the deafening noise, Ben Wallace walked straight to center court. He looked up and calmly fixed his gaze on the mountain of flesh opposite him Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal.
On the sidelines, Gary Payton chewed gum while watching Kidd stretching across the court. Their eyes briefly met in mid-air, the atmosphere tense.
The subtitles on the big screen flashed.
The 2000 Christmas battle.
Los Angeles Lakers (22 wins, 4 losses) vs. Boston Celtics (26 wins, 0 losses).
The referee tossed the ball high into the dome.
The grand show begins.