Late November, Boston, New Garden video analysis room.
While Garnett was still trash-talking the rookies on the practice court, Lin Qi and head coach Rick Carlisle had already been buried in a pile of videotapes for two hours.
Scattered on the table were statistical reports on the Western Conference teams, delivered overnight by the scouting department. On the television screen, the image was frozen on yesterday's blowout victory of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"A 12-game winning streak has certainly established our dominance in the Eastern Conference, but look at what the Western Conference is like now." Rick Carlisle pressed play on the remote, pointing at the screen with a serious expression.
On the screen, the Los Angeles Lakers are launching a counterattack. Jason Kidd grabs a long rebound in the backcourt and, without slowing down to observe, makes an extremely accurate bounce pass across half-court. Michael Jordan receives the ball on the right side, draws the defense, and then makes a behind-the-back pass, which Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal follows up with to complete a powerful two-handed dunk.
" The Lakers ' moves this summer have been absolutely insane," Rick Carlisle said, pointing to the scrolling stats at the bottom of the screen. " Kidd has completely revitalized their half-court and transition offense. Jordan and Barkley may be getting older, but their playmaking in the high and low post, coupled with their clutch isolation plays, is still among the best in the league. What's even more terrifying is their bench. Odom and Fisher are leading the way, while veterans Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley are battling it out in the paint. The depth of their roster is suffocating."
Lin Qi watched the screen as Jordan and O'Neal high-fived, saying nothing. Los Angeles, in their quest for revenge, had armed themselves to the teeth.
"However, they're not without weaknesses." Rick Carlisle picked up Mark and drew several crosses on the whiteboard. "Their average age is too high. Also, Barkley and Charles Oakley's lateral movement on defense simply can't keep up with many young stars. If we play the high-intensity, physically demanding games of the playoffs, the stamina of these veterans will be a major problem."
So they are learning from us.
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, interrupting Rick Carlisle with a serious expression. "My information is that the Lakers management not only spent a lot of money to find out our nutrition team's diet, but now O'Neal and those old guys are strictly following the Mediterranean Sea diet plus the ketogenic diet. O'Neal even lost more than ten pounds before the start of the season. More importantly, Phil Jackson is also learning from us how to do 'load management'."
"Load management?" Rick Carlisle paused, the term was still very unfamiliar in the league in 2001.
"Yes, they're no longer chasing regular season rankings; they're strategically giving those old guys a rest." Lin Qi pointed to Michael Jordan slowly retreating on defense on the screen. "Look at Michael's condition. He's 38, but his efficiency on the court is astonishing. Because Phil Jackson has found the most terrifying instruction manual for this 'retirement home lineup.'"
Lin Qi stood up, picked up a whiteboard marker, and drew two lines on the tactical board to represent the timeline of the game.
"They've developed a well-coordinated rhythm-control style of play. In the first three quarters, Kidd orchestrates the offense, O'Neal dominates the paint, and dismantles all defenders. As for Jordan... he doesn't exert much effort in the first three quarters, just drawing defenders away on the weak side, sometimes even playing only ten or twenty minutes of 'relaxed basketball'."
Lin Qi emphasized the fourth quarter. "But in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, when everyone is exhausted and their defensive moves are distorted, a fully rested and energetic Michael Jordan will step up and take over the game. This style of play maximizes the cover-up of their veteran players' lack of stamina and concentrates their offensive power in the most crucial moments."
Rick Carlisle stared at the whiteboard, his face turning grim. The first three quarters would see a shrunk O'Neal, with even more energy, battling it out in the low post, and the fourth quarter would see another fully-energetic Michael Jordan. This suffocating feeling would be difficult even for the Celtics' defensive system, with Big Ben and Garnett.
"Besides the Lakers, Dallas and Sacramento are also evolving rapidly." Rick Carlisle switched to a videotape, and footage of the Dallas Mavericks game appeared on the screen.
" Mutombo is playing like a fish in water in Dallas, look at this play..."
In the footage, Mutombo blocks an opponent's drive to the basket like a giant umbrella. Then, Steve Nash quickly advances the ball and hands it off to Dirk Nowitzki beyond the three-point line, who calmly sinks a mid-range jumper despite the defense.
"They also acquired Glen Rice in the summer. The Mavericks ' previous problem was an overemphasis on offense and a lack of defense, but now, Mutombo provides top-tier rim protection in the paint, allowing Nowitzki to focus all his energy on offense. They now have excellent spacing, a balanced inside and outside game, making them very difficult to defend," Rick Carlisle analyzed. "If we have to find a weakness, it's that Nash is still a liability on defense; once he faces a strong point guard's post-up game, their defense will be torn apart."
"And the Sacramento Kings." Rick Carlisle fast-forwarded, switching to the Kings ' screen. " Eddie Jones' scoring average has dropped slightly compared to last season, but their perimeter defense has improved a level. Rashard Lewis provides height and shooting on the wings. Combined with Mike Bibby and Webber's incredibly intelligent pick-and-roll playmaking, their Princeton offense is now running like a machine gun."
Rick Carlisle sighed. "Besides, the San Antonio Spurs, though low-key, had a rookie point guard named Tony Parker who was incredibly fast. He relieved some of the pressure on Tim Duncan. Honestly, if we had drafted Parker back then..."
"What's done is done. We have our own team-building strategy, Chauncey Billups ( Billups ) is a better fit for us." Lin Qi placed his hands on the table, his eyes fixed on the Kings' video on the screen, his mind racing.
In the past few days, he also took some time to watch a few Sacramento Kings on national television. What surprised him was not the Lakers ' star-studded roster, but the Kings ' Eddie Jones.
In Lin Qi's memories of his previous life, Eddie Jones was an All-Star caliber player, but he was too soft-hearted and couldn't handle tough games. But now, in this timeline, after playing so many playoffs and NBA Finals with the Celtics, it's as if he's unlocked his full potential. His impact on the court is much greater than before, his offensive choices are extremely confident, his defense is as excellent as ever, and he plays decisively in crucial moments.
The Kings currently sit atop the Western Conference with a 14-2 record. Looking solely at the starters' tactical execution and fluidity on both ends of the court, they even seem to rival the Celtics' starting five. The Sacramento Kings ' weaknesses may lie only in the aging feet of center Divac and their somewhat mediocre interior defense.
"The entire Western Conference is going crazy with competition because of us; they're even trying to steal our team-building philosophy." Lin Qi threw his whiteboard marker on the table, looking at the intelligence documents scattered across it.
He glanced at the calendar on the wall.
"But that's alright. We still have a trump card to play. Tell the medical team that Grant ( Hill )'s final stage of rehabilitation must be kept strictly confidential."
A hint of anticipation flashed in Lin Qi's eyes.
"When they think they've completely mastered Boston in February, we'll give them a big surprise."