In early December, Boston was blanketed in a seemingly endless, wet snowfall.
In his rented private office in the Back Bay, Lin Qi held a freshly brewed black coffee, with sports newspapers and tabloids collected by his analysis team from all over the United States scattered on the table.
The Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Seattle Times, and a few still-smelling ESPN reports.
Lin Qi opened the monthly summary table of Western Conference results that his assistant had just compiled.
In the current Eastern Conference standings, the Boston Celtics sit atop the table with a 19-3 record. This dynasty team, fresh off their fourth consecutive championship, has maintained its dominance even after a major roster overhaul. The starting five of Billups, Pierce, Artest, Garnett, and Big Ben, along with the bench players Rasheed Wallace, Wade, and Prince, are virtually unchallenged in the Eastern Conference.
But under the Celtics, the ecosystem of the Eastern Conference underwent a major reshuffle.
The Orlando Magic followed closely in second place with a 16-6 record. The New Jersey Nets were third with a 15-7 record. The Philadelphia 76ers, with Iverson carrying the team, were fourth. The Indiana Pacers, who had undergone a minor roster overhaul, held onto fifth place.
As for the Chicago Bulls, who made a huge fuss in the summer and had their star player personally oversee a major overhaul, their current record is a dismal 7 wins and 15 losses, not even reaching the top eight in the Eastern Conference.
Lin Qi picked up a copy of the Chicago Tribune, and the headline on the front page was eye-catching.
"The Roar at Berto Center: Kobe and Rose Engage in a Heated Argument!"
The report detailed the chaotic situation within the Chicago Bulls. After a close overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Kobe, in front of all the reporters in the locker room, kicked over a bucket of ice water in front of his locker and taunted Jalen Rose, saying, "If you're going to dribble the ball five times just to prove you can't get past a lamppost, then please just hand the ball over in the first place!"
Jalen Rose, known for his outspokenness and sharp tongue, didn't back down either, responding sarcastically in a post-game interview. "Some people think this is a personal show where you have to shoot thirty times a game to prove you're there. But unfortunately, basketball is a team sport, and at least in Indiana, we knew how to respect veterans."
Lin Qi looked at the inflammatory newspaper clippings and shook his head.
The media and fans like to attribute this conflict to a clash of personalities between the two, but in Lin Qi's view, it was purely a conflict of playing styles and tactical ball possession.
Jalen Rose, a 2.03-meter-tall " Left-Handed Magic," was the Pacers ' second-in-command, averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. His playing style relied entirely on having the ball in his hands, and he was adept at using rhythm, crossovers, and his tall stature to slowly grind down opponents in the mid-range, looking for finishing opportunities.
The problem is that Rose is not a competent off-ball scorer. His catch-and-shoot consistency is mediocre, his cuts lack explosiveness, and he is a defensive liability for years.
Kobe was a superb wing player who needed a high usage rate. Although his off-ball ability was severely underestimated, his most natural way of breaking the deadlock was still through one-on-one play with the ball.
When both of the Bulls' key perimeter players, who both need to hold the ball and find their rhythm, are on the court at the same time, the Chicago Bulls ' half-court offense completely degenerates into a series of one-on-one duels where "you take one shot, I take one shot."
Furthermore, with Brian Grant and Malik Rose having virtually no shooting range in the paint, opposing defenses against the Chicago Bulls became much easier. The entire team collapsed below the free-throw line, watching Kobe and Rose take turns shooting despite difficult double-teams. And if they missed, Rose was easily beaten on defense, leaving Grant and Malik Rose with no choice but to commit malicious fouls to cover for the missed shots, resulting in the team having the highest number of fouls in the league.
They thought they could quickly create a fighting force by assembling a few tough guys and veterans, but they completely ignored the distribution of space and ball possession.
In contrast to the chaotic situation in Chicago, the Magic and Nets, who ranked second and third in the Eastern Conference, demonstrated a healthy tactical environment.
The Orlando Sentinel named the Magic "the most well-rounded young team in the league." Jermaine O'Neal has become a well-rounded interior player, Brad Miller is increasingly adept at high-post playmaking and mid-range shooting, Michael Redd and Mike Miller are incredibly accurate from beyond the arc, and with the unpredictable Gilbert Arenas on the court, this Magic has shown the confidence to challenge Boston.
The third-ranked Nets, with Andrei Miller orchestrating the offense, saw Yao Ming and Brand dominate the paint in the paint, coupled with Kirilenko's relentless defensive net that covered the entire court, making New Jersey one of the most troublesome teams for other teams.
Lin Qi flipped through the newspaper, his gaze shifting to the battle reports from the Western Conference.
The Western Conference standings are even wilder.
First place: Los Angeles Lakers. Second place: San Antonio Spurs. Third place: Sacramento Kings. Fourth place: Seattle SuperSonics. Fifth place: Phoenix Suns.
The Los Angeles Times ' sports column has been quite successful lately.
This Lakers, boasting a star-studded roster dubbed "Ragnarok," firmly holds the top spot in the Western Conference winning percentage. Even more surprising is Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal's form.
In the original timeline, O'Neal had already become complacent and overweight after winning consecutive championships. But in this timeline, because Boston dominated the O'Brien Trophy for four consecutive years, the Lakers didn't even manage to win a ring. The frustration of repeatedly falling short of the NBA Finals, coupled with the Lakers' management adopting the Boston Celtics ' strict diet and body fat management system two years prior, forced O'Neal to be unusually disciplined.
In the official photos published in the newspaper, O'Neal's body fat percentage was remarkably well-controlled. Even as he wreaked havoc in the paint, his combination of size and speed still left all opponents feeling hopeless.
However, the veterans in the locker room still had their share of complaints. Charles Barkley had just complained on camera last week about Phil Jackson: "I'm 39 years old, and my knees are full of fluid. That Phil guy still makes me eat boiled chicken breast and oatmeal with Shaq, and sweat it out at 8 a. m. sharp? If it weren't for getting rid of those Boston bastards, I'd be comfortably sitting on a golf course in Atlanta drinking bourbon right now!"
Amid Barkley's complaints, Michael Jordan dominated the game with his unstoppable mid-range shots, and Jason Kidd led a young lineup playing a completely different style of basketball. Even in the regular season, the Lakers began to show terrifying dominance.
But in the fierce competition in the Western Conference, the information that surprised and impressed Lin Qi the most came from the fourth-ranked Seattle SuperSonics.
This summer, Gary Payton, who was one of the core players in Boston and won four championship rings with the team, was traded back to Seattle. The veteran " The Glove's " return to KeyArena not only ignited the basketball market but also catalyzed amazing chemistry on the court.
The Seattle Times devoted three full pages to the pick-and-roll plays between Gary Payton and high school rookie Amar'e Stoudamire.
On Lin Qi's desk, the advanced defensive data report from an independent scout was what truly caught his eye.
"Averaging 1.6 blocks per game, his defensive rotation turnover rate is far below the average for high school rookies." Lin Qi pointed to Stoudamire's name with the tip of his pen.
In Lin Qi's memory, Stoudamire has always been a defensive liability. This is not because he lacks talent, but because once he lacks systematic defensive training and relies solely on his physical instincts to block shots, he will be easily exploited by experienced guards through pick-and-rolls.
But in this timeline, Stoudamire encounters Seattle's head coach, Nate McMillan.
This is a tough coach who demands a high level of defense and discipline.
McMillan's rule was simple and brutal: if you're not going to play defense, go back to the bench.
Faced with this demanding defensive culture, coupled with Gary Payton's constant trash talk on the court, the young Stoudamire displayed a surprisingly positive attitude. In the video replay, although Little Stoudemire occasionally lost his position when defending pick-and-rolls, he performed very diligently in both one-on-one and help defense rotations.
Stoudamire is unlikely to become a defensive stalwart like Garnett in his lifetime.
However, under the constraints of clear tactical discipline, and with the Seattle SuperSonics having a standard drop-and-shoot center like Carl Booth to cover for him in the paint, Stoudamire's defensive impact wasn't as negative as it seemed.
"Although his defensive instincts and positioning are still mediocre, preventing him from becoming a true defensive anchor, he is developing into a passable system defender."
Just when Lin Qi thought he would continue to live out his suspension as a bystander,
Trouble soon came knocking.