The streets of Boston still retain the fervor of the championship parade and the " World War " spirit.
David Stern's warning and the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head did not disrupt Lin Qi's rhythm. He calmly sat behind his desk and opened the thick stack of season summary reports in front of him.
2001-2002 season, Boston Celtics regular season record: 66 wins and 16 losses (first in the Eastern Conference, first in the league).
Last summer, Lin Qi packaged Michael Redd, Brad Miller, and Hedo Türkoğlu and sent them to the Orlando Magic in exchange for a future first-round pick.
This trade not only cemented Doc Rivers ' reputation as "General Manager of the Year," but also led many to believe that Boston's rotation depth had been dealt a devastating blow.
But as the season progressed, Rick Carlisle's system and the rise of new players proved the entire league wrong.
Gary Payton (No. 20), PG, 33 years old
Averages: 22.0 points / 9.0 assists / 4.2 rebounds / 1.8 steals per game
Field goal percentage: 46.5% for field goals / 35.2% for three-pointers / 78.5% for free throws
Appearances: 82
Honors: All-Star/ NBA All-Defensive First Team
He's a year older, and this season, Gary Payton has completely relinquished most of his offensive dominance, handing the stage over to the younger Pierce and Garnett. He's poured almost all his remaining energy into defense and controlling the tempo.
[ Chris Paul Pierce (No. 34) SG/SF, 24 years old]
Averages: 26.3 points / 6.2 rebounds / 3.5 assists / 1.4 steals per game
Field goal percentage: 47.1% for field goals / 39.5% for three-pointers / 84.2% for free throws
Appearances: 80
Honors: All-Star/ All-NBA First Team
A complete transformation from All-Star to Superstar.
This season, Pierce became Boston's undisputed primary offensive weapon. His solid jab step and step-back mid-range jumper became a nightmare for defenders across the league. In countless tense moments during the regular season, when the offense stalled, Rick Carlisle's most trusted tactic was "give the ball to Chris Paul."
After the mental transformation he underwent during the Battle of Tianwang Mountain, his entire demeanor underwent a subtle but undeniable change.
[ Grant Hill (No. 8) SF, 29 years old]
Averages: 14.5 points / 5.1 rebounds / 4.2 assists (played only 18 games in the regular season)
Field goal percentage: 49.5% for field goals / 35.0% for three-pointers / 82.5% for free throws
Honors: NBA Finals MVP
A miracle worthy of being recorded in the history of sports medicine and the NBA.
From the surgery in the summer of 2000 to his official comeback in March 2002.
During the regular season, his playing time was strictly limited, and his statistics were unremarkable. But in the playoffs, especially in NBA Finals Game 7 of the Finals, he shone brightly and ultimately won the NBA Finals MVP.
[ Kevin Garnett (No. 5) PF/C, 25 years old]
Averages: 23.0 points / 12.4 rebounds / 5.4 assists / 1.5 steals / 1.7 blocks per game
Field goal percentage: 51.2% for field goals / 38.0% for three-pointers / 80.5% for free throws
Appearances: 81
Honors: All-Star / All-NBA First Team / NBA All-Defensive First Team
This should have been an undisputed regular season MVP season, but he unfortunately missed out due to the team's overly even record and Pierce's scoring dominance.
But Garnett didn't care at all. He was the absolute pivot of this team on both ends of the court.
On the offensive end, his high-post playmaking is the soul of Rick Carlisle's tactical system.
On the defensive end, he used an incredibly wide sweeping area to clean up everyone's messes.
In the NBA Finals, the sight of him battling physically with O'Neal and Barkley in the paint, despite his exhaustion, changed the opinions of many casual fans.
[Ben Wallace (No. 13) C/PF, 27 years old]
Averages: 7.2 points / 12.6 rebounds / 0.9 assists / 1.1 steals / 3.3 blocks per game
Field goal percentage: 52.1% / Free throw percentage: 55.4%
Appearances: 80
Honors: Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) / NBA All-Defensive First Team
Big Ben's tactical importance in the paint was further amplified. His bench press strength of nearly 450 pounds made him one of the few players in the league who could hold his own against Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal.
The no-fly zone he created in the paint was the strongest source of confidence for Boston's perimeter players to press aggressively.
[ Chauncey Billups Billups (No. 4), PG, 25 years old]
Averages: 10.5 points / 4.5 assists / 2.2 rebounds per game
Field goal percentage: 44.8% for field goals / 40.1% for three-pointers / 89.5% for free throws
The most luxurious backup point guard in the entire league.
His court vision, accurate three-point shooting, and strong defensive lower body make him fully capable of being the starting point guard for more than half of the teams in the league.
Under his leadership, the second unit not only did not become a weakness, but often launched a scoring run in the early part of the second quarter.
[ Rasheed Wallace (No. 30) PF/C, 27 years old]
Averages: 14.2 points / 6.5 rebounds / 1.5 blocks per game
Field goal percentage: 47% for field goals / 42% for three-pointers / 77% for free throws
During the regular season, Tianzun played very casually, and his body language often revealed a lazy feeling.
But whenever he gets serious, when the opposing team's backup big men face an All-Star caliber power forward who can post up and shoot from beyond the arc, despair is their only feeling.
He remains the locker room's source of joy and a highly forgiving finisher in the Boston tactical system.
[ Stephen Jackson (No. 28) SG/SF, 23 years old]
Averages: 4.5 points / 3.1 rebounds / 1.2 steals per game
With Bruce Bowen gone, Jackson perfectly filled the void left by the defensive stalwart on the wing.
His outside shooting was quite aggressive, and his three-point shooting became increasingly consistent.
[ Andrei Kirilenko (No. 47) SF/PF, 20 years old]
Averages: 6.5 points / 4.2 rebounds / 1.5 blocks / 1.2 steals per game
A young Russia man just joining the league.
Although he still needs time to build up his physical strength, his extremely keen sense of help defense and terrifyingly long arms allow him to thrive in Rick Carlisle's defensive system. He's like a multi-functional Switzerland, plug and play.
[ Wang Zhizhi (No. 51) Center/PF, 24 years old]
Averages: 4.5 points / 2.1 rebounds / 0.5 assists per game
After two years of adaptation, he has fully caught up with the pace of the NBA. In his limited rotation time, his extremely smooth high-post playmaking and three-point shooting have made him an important surprise weapon for Rick Carlisle's tactics to create space.
[ Ron Artest (No. 37) SF/SG, 21 years old]
Averages: 6.5 points / 3.8 rebounds / 1.6 steals per game
After undergoing psychological intervention last year, he has made significant progress in controlling his emotions on the court. His imposing core strength has made him a veritable bulldozer on the defensive end.
His foul on Jordan during the NBA Finals cemented his reputation as the league's number one villain.
Gerald Wallace, Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler Chandler, Brian Scalabrine... This group of extremely talented young men are visibly absorbing the winning culture within Boston's disciplined dynasty team.
[Playoff Record]
First round: Sweep Charlotte Hornets 3-0
Second round: 4-0 sweep of the Toronto Raptors
Eastern Conference Finals: 4-0 sweep of the Orlando Magic
NBA Finals: 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers
[Annual Awards]
Regular season MVP: Tim Duncan ( San Antonio Spurs )
NBA Finals MVP: Grant Hill ( Boston Celtics )
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Wallace ( Boston Celtics )
Rookie of the Year: Chris Paul Gasol ( Washington Wizards )
Sixth Man of the Year: Corliss Williamson ( Detroit Pistons )
Most Improved Player: Brent Barry ( Seattle SuperSonics )
Coach of the Year: Rick Carlisle ( Boston Celtics )
Best General Manager: Doc Rivers ( Orlando Magic )
All-Star Game MVP: Kobe Brian ( Chicago Bulls )
All-NBA First Team: Jason Kidd, Chris Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal
All-NBA Second Team: Gary Payton, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Chris Webber, Dirk Nowitzki
All-NBA Third Team: Steve Nash, Kobe Brian, Ben Wallace, Jermaine O'Neal, Dikembe Mutombo
NBA All-Defensive First Team: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Ben Wallace
NBA All-Defensive Second Team: Bruce Bowen, Kobe Brian, Doc Doug Christie, Dikembe Mutombo, Clifford Robinson
All-Rookie First Team: Chris Paul Gasol, Sean Battier, Tony Parker, Andrei Kirilenko, Jason Richardson
All-Rookie Second Team: Nebraca Esteban, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jamal Tinsley, Richard Jefferson, Eddie Griffin
Lin Qi closed the report, a report that would make any team owner laugh in their sleep.
They've won four consecutive championships.
Lin Qi tossed the report into the drawer, glanced at the 2002 NBA draft picks on the table, and thought it was time to prepare for the draft.
At least finish what needs to be done before the penalty results are announced on July 1st.