May 10, Toronto Air Canada Centre.
As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed 102-85. The Boston Celtics swept the Toronto Raptors 4-0, becoming the first team to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Raptors' hard-working role players, after four long and grueling games, were worn down by the Celtics ' long rotations. But at the end of the game, the Toronto fans in attendance still stood up and gave a warm round of applause to these players who, without a star player, fought until the very last moment.
" Toronto fans feel this is the purest form of team basketball." Rick Carlisle stood on the sidelines, listening to the applause from the entire arena, and turned to look at Lin Qi beside him.
"Their fighting spirit is truly respectable," Lin Qi said, watching the Raptors players embracing each other on the court. But then he added, " The Toronto media's understanding of 'team basketball' is too narrow. They think that having no star players and relying entirely on blue-collar players for rebounding constitutes team basketball."
Lin Qi pointed to Chris Paul Pierce, Garnett, and Grant Hill, who were shaking hands with the Raptors players.
"True team basketball is never about excluding star players. It's about having the league's top stars like us, but having them willingly set aside their status to share the ball, play defense, and do the dirty work that doesn't bring in stats. That's what makes a great team."
Rick Carlisle nodded in deep agreement. The reason the Celtics were able to sweep the series so easily was that they not only had the fighting spirit of blue-collar players, but also star players who could deliver the decisive blow with their individual abilities in crucial moments.
Half an hour later, in the away team's locker room, the atmosphere was very relaxed as they advanced.
"Well done, guys." Lin Qi pushed open the door and walked in, patting Big Ben and Garnett on the shoulder. "Go back and get some rest. We probably have four or five more days of vacation left."
"Lin, who are we going to play next?" Gary Payton asked loudly, while an ice pack was strapped to his knee.
Lin Qi didn't speak, but glanced at the TV screen in the corner of the locker room. The TV was showing Game 6 of the other Eastern Conference Semifinals semifinals: the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Orlando Magic.
The game had entered the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Allen Iverson, like a tireless fighter, repeatedly threw himself into the air, managing to score despite being surrounded by two or three players.
However, the scoreboard still showed the Philadelphia 76ers trailing by 9 points.
Because on the other end of the court, the Orlando Magic Team's offense was too fluid.
In the footage, Brad Miller dribbles the ball high up the post, completely pulling Philadelphia's center out of the paint. Then, O'Neal Jr. posts up deep in the low post, and Miller delivers a precise bounce pass to the inside, O'Neal Jr. easily turns and banks the ball in.
In the very next possession, Iverson missed his shot. The Orlando Magic launched a fast break, and Michael Redd received a pass at the left 45-degree angle. Facing the defense, he used his signature left-handed shooting motion to sink a three-pointer.
"Whoosh!"
That three-pointer effectively sealed the game's fate. The Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 and will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics players in the locker room fell silent, their eyes fixed on the television screen.
Michael Redd, Brad Miller, and Hedo Türkoğlu. Last season, these three were wearing green training uniforms, fighting tooth and nail for meager playing time in the Boston gym. Now, they are the Orlando Magic's starters and key rotation players, the backbone of this second- Eastern Conference team in the Eastern Conference.
The television feed cut to the sidelines, where Orlando Magic Team head coach Doc Rivers was excitedly embracing his players.
"Great, Orlando." Garnett suddenly grinned, revealing his bright white teeth, his tone brimming with competitive eagerness. "Last season in training camp, I blocked Brad Miller so badly he didn't even dare look at the rim, and Michael Redd was so crowded by Chris Paul he couldn't even dribble properly. I'm going to put some serious pressure on these young guys next week."
"With their skills, I could tell what they're going to do with my eyes closed," Pierce chimed in, sipping his Gatorade.
The next day, the entire American sports media erupted in celebration.
As soon as the Eastern Conference Finals matchup was announced, all the newspapers and television programs went wild, hyping up the rivalry in this series.
"Revenge Battle: Boston's scapegoats will prove Lin Qi's folly in the Eastern Conference Finals!"
"The Showdown for General Manager of the Year: Can Doc Rivers Break the Myth of His Former Employer?"
The media's logic is simple and highly inflammatory. In their view, Lin Qi's trade of these three highly promising young players last summer, which only resulted in a few first-round picks that haven't yet materialized, was a disastrous move. Now, Redd has become a top shooter averaging nearly 20 points per game, Brad Miller has become an All-Star caliber high-post playmaking center, O'Neal Jr. has even won the Most Improved Player award.
In the eyes of the media, the Orlando Magic are like an Avengers team coming to settle scores with Boston.
Two days later, in the training hall office.
Rick Carlisle tossed several newspapers onto Lin Qi's desk.
"Everyone outside is saying you've created the most formidable enemy for yourself." Rick Carlisle pulled out a chair and sat down. Although his tone was relaxed, as a head coach, he was very serious about any opponent. "To be honest, Doc has integrated the Magic very well. Brad Miller's high-low post playmaking, plus Redd and Türkoğlu's perimeter spacing... their offensive layering is more than a level above the Raptors and Hornets."
"You think it'll be difficult to fight?" Lin Qi looked at Rick Carlisle.
"A little troublesome, but not much," Rick Carlisle shrugged. " Doc knows Boston's defensive style well, and he'll definitely set up a lot of screens specifically for them. Besides, those young guys are eager to prove themselves to us, so they're bound to play crazy in Game 1."
Lin Qi stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the players warming up in the training hall outside.
" Rick, the outside world sees this series as a 'revenge game,' thinking the Magic know us inside and out. But they've got cause and effect backwards."
Lin Qi turned around, a sly glint in his eyes.
" Michael Redd's catch-and-shoot rhythm, Brad Miller's playmaking habits, and even Türkoğlu's tendency to pass more than shoot in crucial moments were all corrected one by one by the Boston coaching staff. Doc got useful players, but he didn't know where their 'factory settings' and 'weaknesses' lay."
"So I'm going to put some pressure on Doc." Rick Carlisle smiled knowingly and offered his tactical plan, "Have Ben ( Wallace ) go head-to-head with Brad Miller and cut off his high post play. As for Michael Redd..."
Rick Carlisle paused, a somewhat cruel smile appearing on his face. "Whom he used to be most afraid of practicing against on the team, I'd make that person guard him the whole court. Ron ( Artest ) hasn't broken a sweat in days; it's time for him to catch up with his old teammates."
After listening, Lin Qi smiled and picked up his water glass.
"That's the plan. Let Orlando's 'Avengers' experience what 'friendly condolences' from their former team means. And while we're at it, let's practice the twelve-man rotation a few more times."
While the outside world was anticipating a closely contested and grudge-filled Eastern Conference Finals, little did they know that Boston didn't take it seriously at all.
In Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle's eyes, this was merely a one-sided tactical "stress test."