As March arrived, the snow in Boston began to melt.
In early March, the Boston Celtics, who had been on a winning streak with a 12-game winning streak and held the best record in the league, experienced an unusual 3-4 run. They not only lost to the Western Conference powerhouse Sacramento Kings, but also suffered a shock defeat on the road to the Atlanta Hawks, who were not even close to making the playoffs.
The media and fans outside the country were instantly in an uproar. And there was only one core reason that triggered this turmoil...
Grant Hill, the "successor to Jordan " who had been on a 7-year, $93 million max contract and spent nearly two years in Boston on the sidelines, has finally made his comeback.
Late Night, in the backup training room of the New Garden.
Most players had already finished their daytime training and gone home to rest, but the monotonous sound of basketballs hitting the ground still echoed in the arena.
Grant Hill, wearing a sweat-soaked gray training vest, stood beyond the three-point line. He was being guarded by the team's assistant coach, who was holding a foam pad to contest the shot.
"Call..."
Hill let out a long breath and lowered his center of gravity.
He recalled his highlights from his time with the Detroit Pistons: facing the defense, his left foot would spring off the ground like a spring, his whole body would fly like a bomber skimming the ground, and with that first step that was considered by the entire league to be comparable to Jordan's "historic level", he would instantly tear apart the defense and leave his opponent far behind.
Hill gritted his teeth, pushed off the ground with all his might, and tried to recreate that devastating breakthrough.
But at the very moment he exerted force with his left foot, deep within his body... or perhaps in his brain, he subconsciously slammed on the brakes.
His core muscles and glutes contracted instantly, automatically taking over his balance. This prevented him from putting all his explosive power on his operated ankle, but it also caused a slight "sluggishness" in his initial movement.
It was this slight hesitation that caused his breakthrough to lose its original magic. Even though the assistant coach wasn't fast, he used a sponge pad to block his path.
Hill stopped, slammed the ball heavily onto the floor, braced himself on his knees, and gasped for breath.
His ankle didn't hurt at all; in fact, it felt stronger than it had been in college. But he just felt like there was a "speed limiter" installed inside his body, preventing him from going any faster.
"Don't waste your energy, Grant, you're fighting against your body's instincts."
A stern voice came from the sidelines.
Hill straightened up and turned to look. Strength and conditioning expert Mark Verstegen walked over. Behind him were head coach Rick Carlisle and team owner Lin Qi.
Seeing the owner and head coach appear at the training facility Late Night, Hill's eyes flashed with barely concealed frustration. " Mark... Coach... Boss... Is it really impossible for me to go back?"
In the past few games, Hill has struggled immensely. He seemed out of place on the court, unsure whether to pass or drive when he had the ball. Especially in the game against the Hawks, in the final minute of the game, he hesitated after receiving the ball at the top of the key and facing a switched defender, ultimately leading to a 24-second violation that cost them the game.
To help him find his form, Rick Carlisle deliberately increased his ball-handling time, but this directly disrupted the smooth rhythm of Gary Payton and Chris Paul Pierce. Boston media began writing articles mocking the Celtics for spending nearly $100 million to sign a "corner shooter who dares not drive," and even accusing him of ruining the team's originally perfect chemistry.
"You think you're getting off to a slow start, right?" Verstegen walked onto the court and patted Hill on the shoulder.
Hill gave a wry smile, "Before, once I got going, no one in the league could keep up with me. But now, my body is resisting that way of generating power. You reshaped my biomechanics, and now when I break through, the power comes from my hips and core, and my ankles are protected, but the speed... it's not as fast as it used to be."
" Grant, you have to accept a medical reality." Verstegen adjusted his glasses, his tone highly professional and direct. "That first step you took was a draining, almost suicidal way of exerting yourself. It's a good thing it's gone."
Upon hearing these words, Hill's fingers gripped the creases of the basketball tightly, and his eyes dimmed.
" Mark's right, you've lost that explosiveness that's unmatched in the league." Coach Rick Carlisle chimed in, striding over to Hill and grabbing the clipboard. "But as head coach, I have to correct a serious misconception of yours... Do you have some misunderstanding about the word 'slow'?"
Hill paused for a moment, then looked up at Rick Carlisle.
"You feel slow now because your brain is still using old standards to judge you." Rick Carlisle tapped the whiteboard twice with a marker. "Because of the involvement of your core and hips, the pressure on your ankles has been cushioned, and your first-step explosiveness has indeed decreased somewhat. But do you think this first step is at any level in this league?"
Rick Carlisle looked at Hill and rattled off a list of names. " Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers, Steve Francis of the Rockets, Baron Davis of the Hornets, and Stephen Marbury of the Nets. These guards have top-notch reflexes and explosive athleticism; their first step is definitely faster than yours now."
"But what about the rest?" Rick Carlisle raised his voice. "Your first step speed is actually on par with the Suns ' Tracy McGrady! It's still slightly better than the Chicago Bulls ' Kobe Brian, and definitely much smoother than Toronto's Vince Carter!"
Hill was completely stunned.
Iverson, McGrady, Kobe, Vince Carter... these names represent the league's top perimeter scorers. And yet, despite his "speed-limited" physique, his first step is still among the top five in the league, even a bit faster than Kobe's?
"It's not just about speed." Rick Carlisle flipped over the whiteboard and sketched a half-court offense. "Before, if you could blow past someone in one step, and then get into the paint and get help defense, you could only force a jump layup because your center of gravity was too high. But now, Mark has lowered your center of gravity on your drives, making your core extremely stable. What does that mean?"
As a superstar with extremely high basketball IQ, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Hill.
"It means... during my breakthroughs, I have the ability to stop abruptly, change direction, and seek physical contact at any time," Hill muttered to himself.
"Perfect." Rick Carlisle snapped his fingers. "From number one in the league to top five. You sacrificed that little bit of speed you used to show off, but in return, you gained ultimate body control. Your ball-handling options in half-court sets are infinitely more varied than during your time with the Pistons. That's what you call an elite first step, understand?"
Lin Qi, who had been standing silently on the sidelines, felt a complex mix of emotions as he watched the scene unfold before him.
In this timeline of 2002, Grant Hill is frustrated because he missed his historic first step.
What he didn't know was that in the real timeline of Lin Qi's memory, Hill only played a mere 14 games in the 2001-2002 season. His already battered ankle fractured again, followed by endless surgeries and a deadly staphylococcal infection. The once-promising " Jordan successor" not only lost his first step but almost lost the right to run on the court, completely becoming a pitiful "glass man."
And now?
Standing here, Grant Hill may no longer be the high-flying successor to Jordan, but his ankle has been completely healed. His power generation habits have been scientifically reshaped, and he now possesses solid core strength. More importantly, during the nearly two years he couldn't run, Hill made at least 500 three-pointers every day in the gym. His shooting form has been completely reshaped, transforming him from a penetrator who wasn't good at three-pointers into a shooter who is extremely threatening from both three-point range and mid-range.
A heavyweight point forward with a top-five first step in the league, who knows how to stop and slow down in physical situations, and has developed an accurate three-point shot.
This isn't a fall from grace; it's clearly a deadly weapon on the wing, perfectly suited to the modern basketball system, developed more than a decade ahead of its time.
He changed Hill's destiny.
" Rick has been under a lot of pressure these past few days," Lin Qi finally spoke. He put down his coffee cup, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable confidence. "To help you get back into form, Rick deliberately increased your ball-handling time, even sacrificing Chris Paul and Gary's original rhythm. This is indeed the reason for the team's fluctuating performance."
Lin Qi looked into Hill's eyes. "But... you're healthy now. Grant, forget Detroit that version of yourself in Detroit who charged in carrying a bomb. Play with your current physique, punish your opponents with your newly developed three-pointer. Strive to integrate into the team's tactical system. Let the whole league see just how terrifying a Boston Celtics version of Hill can be."
After Lin Qi finished speaking, the training hall fell into a brief silence.
Hill looked down at his strong, powerful legs. He took a deep breath and turned to look at the teaching assistant.
"One more time."
Hill stepped back to the three-point line, lowering his center of gravity as he faced the defense.
This time, he didn't try to find that electric burst of power, nor did he pursue that speed that was long gone.
His thigh muscles tensed, his core muscles engaged, and with incredible acceleration, he instantly brushed past the defender's side!
"Bang!"
A powerful one-handed slam dunk crashed into the basket!
Hill landed steadily on the floor, feeling no excessive impact on her ankles, but instead a sense of solidity from her hips and core muscles.