After a crushing 4-0 sweep in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Boston Celtics are once again entering a period of rest.
In the players' lounge of the training facility, Chris Paul Pierce was holding the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, laughing so hard he almost fell over, before casually slapping the magazine onto the sofa.
"Hey, you'd never guess what that North Carolina heartthrob has been up to these past few days." Pierce pointed at the cover, slapping his thigh in laughter. " Vince Carter! On the morning of Game 7, this kid actually took his private jet back to North Carolina for his college graduation!"
Gary Payton, who was wrapping his ankle in a bandage, paused for a moment, then let out an exaggerated whistle. "Wait... when did you say he did it? The morning of Game 7? Is he out of his mind, or does he think his graduation cap is more important than the Eastern Conference Finals floor?"
"Look at what's in the newspaper," Ron Artest leaned over to take a look, clicking his tongue. "Sunday morning at 10 a. m., he was at the University of North Carolina attending his graduation ceremony to receive his degree. At noon, he took the Raptors owner's private jet back to Philadelphia for the game. And what happened? He missed every shot the entire game, and the crucial final shot slammed off the rim. Now Charles Oakley is publicly criticizing him, saying that if it weren't for this kid's graduation ceremony, they would have been in the Eastern Conference Finals."
A burst of lighthearted laughter filled the locker room; everyone felt the incident was both legendary and somewhat absurd.
Rasheed Wallace shook his head with a laugh, "My God, wearing a graduation cap in a do-or-die playoff game, that's probably the most outrageous thing I've ever seen. After all that on Game 7, no wonder he was completely exhausted in the final moments and missed the game-winning shot."
Just then, President Lin Qi pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing the relaxed atmosphere, he casually picked up the magazine on the table, his gaze falling on the photo of Vince Carter wearing a graduation cap.
"Keeping his promise is a good thing; it proves Vince is a responsible person." Lin Qi walked to the whiteboard, affixed the Philadelphia 76ers logo, and his tone immediately turned serious. "But it also serves as a reminder to us."
Lin Qi glanced around the locker room, his gaze steady yet sharp.
"At this stage of the playoffs, any distraction or lack of focus off the court is extremely fatal. Vince Carter's Game 7 performance captivated the entire nation, proving that competitive sports cannot tolerate even the slightest distraction."
Jeff Van Gundy, who had just joined the coaching staff and was holding an espresso, stood in the corner, adjusted his glasses, and watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips. Under Lin Qi, not only was the tactical discipline strict, but the locker room atmosphere was also so good. No wonder this team had been able to sweep through everything and reach where they were now. After the laughter subsided, the atmosphere in the video analysis room became serious again.
On the big screen, the final moments of the decisive Game 7 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors were playing. As Vince Carter's game-winning shot missed, Allen Iverson spread his arms wide and roared to the sky, celebrating their hard-fought advancement to the Eastern Conference Finals.
"Seven hard-fought games, with Iverson averaging over 46 minutes per game." Van Gundy walked to the clipboard, picked up Mark, and said, " Larry Bird Brown has perfected the team's defense and tenacity. But I must point out that their offensive system is extremely flawed."
"Besides Iverson's unstoppable drives and strong shots, their second most relied-upon initiator right now is Jermaine O'Neal's post-up game in the low post." Rick Carlisle picked up where he left off, circling O'Neal Jr. on the screen with a laser pointer.
Upon hearing the name " Jermaine O'Neal," Rasheed Wallace, sitting to the side, let out a cold laugh.
" Jeff, you're new here, so you might not know this big guy very well," Rasheed said lazily. "He was a softie in Los Angeles, and while he's gotten a little tougher in Philadelphia, he's still a softie at heart. Just give him enough contact and his brain will short-circuit."
Van Gundy nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I was saying. Tactically speaking, we will never double-team Iverson. Gary ( Gary Payton ) and Bruce ( Bowen ) will guard him the entire game, wearing him down and cutting off his connection with the others."
Van Gundy drew a heavy cross on the whiteboard, directly over O'Neal Jr.'s name.
"But psychologically, we must completely destroy Jermaine O'Neal."
" Larry Bird Brown's strategy is clear: he hopes O'Neal Jr. can punish our interior players in the low post, thereby relieving pressure on Iverson on the perimeter. But what if this 'second core' collapses first?" Van Gundy looked at the " Four Villains " in the paint ( Garnett, Big Ben, Rasheed, and Artest ).
"Give him some intensity. Use your bodies, your strength, even your trash talk to deal with him." Lin Qi, sitting at the head of the conference table, calmly added, " Philadelphia's pillar of strength is Iverson, but he's only 1.83 meters tall after all. As long as we expose O'Neal Jr., our nominal second-in-command, in the paint, Philadelphia's morale will crumble from within."
Garnett grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "Leave it to us. I'll make him remember the fear of being dominated in Los Angeles last year's NBA Finals."
Two days later, at the pre-game press conference for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Bird Brown appeared both cautious and tough when facing the media. When asked by a reporter about his thoughts on Boston's league-leading defense and star-studded roster, the veteran Brown gave a curt reply.
" Boston is a great team; they have the best regular season record and an incredibly deep bench. But basketball isn't built on star players on paper. Philadelphia relies on hard work, defense, and the will that sees through every drop of sweat. We fear no one."
Meanwhile, in the Celtics' press conference room next door, Lin Qi appeared calm and composed.
When asked about his strategy for facing MVP Iverson, Lin Qi spoke into the microphone with a gentle tone that concealed a sharp edge.
" Allen Iverson is the most respected fighter in this league, and he deserves the MVP award. But basketball is a five-player sport."
Lin Qi smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over the countless cameras and microphones below the stage.
"Coach Larry Bird Brown has led Philadelphia to great resilience; they're a team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals through teamwork and willpower. We respect every opponent and are prepared for a tough battle. The rest will be decided on the court."