In late February, after the All-Star Weekend, the entire league's attention quickly turned to the trade deadline on February 20th.
On the desk in the study, the day's the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune were spread out. The television in the corner was muted, and ESPN was rolling out the latest power rankings for each playoff team.
Even from the sidelines, Lin Qi was able to clearly understand the entire league's trajectory in the second half of the season based solely on the overwhelming media coverage, columnist revelations, and tabloid gossip.
The television screen was showing highlights of Trail Blazers Los Angeles Lakers ' big win over the Portland Trail Blazers last night.
In the footage, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal O'Neal were already on the bench with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, chatting and laughing. Instead, the second unit built by head coach Phil Jackson this season was wreaking havoc on the court, with Jason Kidd as the point guard, alongside Derrick Fisher, Quentin Richardson, Sean Marion, and Lamar Odom.
The Los Angeles Times ' beat column dubbed this style of play "Showtime 2.0." Last summer, in Jordan's rigorous private training camp, not only was the team's discipline completely reshaped, but Kidd also honed his three-point shooting to a near 40% success rate. When Marion and Odom, two forwards with both size and ball-handling ability, spread the floor, the Lakers ' second unit displayed astonishing speed in fast breaks and resilience on defense.
This roster depth directly translated into competitiveness. After the All-Star Game, the Lakers went on a winning streak, keeping Jordan and O'Neal's average playing time under 32 minutes per game. For a championship contender aiming for revenge in June, ample physical reserves are far more threatening than regular season records.
Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Gregg Popovich was also quietly building his team.
The San Antonio Express confirmed on its front page that David Robinson is not considering retirement for the time being, as the veteran is determined to compete for the championship with the team. Even more daunting for the Western Conference powerhouses is the Spurs ' interior defense. Kwame Brown, acquired from the Chicago Bulls, has displayed a completely different spirit under Popovich's disciplined management and David Robinson's tutelage. His youthful physique combined with solid defensive positioning has made the Spurs ' paint defense more impenetrable than ever before.
The Western Conference is like a high-level arms race, while most teams in the Eastern Conference are in turmoil and growing pains.
The focus of attention for the entire American media is the United Center in Chicago.
The headline in the sports section of the Chicago Tribune was eye-catching. "The Cracks at the Berto Center: The Cost of Paranoia and Loss of Control."
The report revealed shocking details of a Chicago Bulls scrimmage a few days prior. Under immense pressure from a four-game losing streak following the All-Star Game, Kobe, during a full-court scrimmage, struck guard Jalen Rose squarely in the chin with his elbow, making dangerous lower body contact as Rose jumped to defend. Rose was immediately rushed to the hospital, bleeding profusely, and diagnosed with a minor fracture of the jaw and a sprained ankle, sidelining him for at least three weeks.
This violent conflict completely ignited the locker room. Immediately afterwards, rumors began circulating wildly on major sports radio stations that the Chicago management was tentatively trying to sell Kobe. Although management denied these rumors, Kobe's field goal attempts plummeted in the following two games, with a shooting percentage of less than 30%. A Chicago beat reporter revealed that Kobe suffered a soft tissue contusion to his right index finger during the team fight, forcing him to play with a thick bandage, which directly destroyed his shooting touch.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers are also in a mess.
Rumors of a brawl erupting in the locker room between Big Dog Robinson, Stephen Marbury, and Vin Baker over shot distribution were rampant in tabloids. The Clippers frantically tried to sell Vin Baker a contract before the deadline, but no team was willing to take on the center whose performance had plummeted.
Amidst this chaos, only Pat Riley's actions in Miami caught Lin Qi's attention.
The Heat have assembled a promising young roster over the past two seasons. Caron Butler's explosiveness, Sean Battier's top-notch defense, and the heavyweight center Eddie Stephen Curry acquired from the Chicago Bulls have made this young team a force to be reckoned with in February, displaying impressive efficiency on both ends of the court. While limited by their experience, they are not yet a threat to the league's landscape this season, but they have clearly gained a formidable opponent for the Eastern Conference in the coming years.
In the final 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline, the fax columns of major newspapers were filled with various teams probing the Boston Celtics.
The Nets and Magic in the Eastern Conference, and even the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference, have all privately inquired about Boston's chances. All the playoff contenders are studying how to limit Boston's half-court offense and are eager to find a way to counter the Celtics.
However, the final reports from various media outlets were surprisingly consistent: Boston remained completely still before the deadline and did not make any trades.
Without Lin Qi present, frankly, no one dared to make the final decision.
Lin Qi put down his newspaper and switched the TV to a recording of the previous Boston vs. Pacers game.
In the broadcast, Chauncey Billups Billups dribbled with his center of gravity low at the top of the arc, and Kevin Garnett quickly moved up to set a solid screen beyond the three-point line. The Pacers ' perimeter defenders, wary of Billups ' outside shooting, were forced to squeeze past Garnett, while the center instinctively stepped back half a step to guard against a roll to the basket.
But Billups didn't rush his drive. He used his broad back to firmly block the defender who squeezed past the screen, slowed down in the elbow area, and then passed the ball laterally to Garnett, who had bounced out to the high post. Garnett received the ball and faced the basket, completely stretching the Pacers ' defense. Then Garnett delivered a precise bounce pass, penetrating the paint to find Pierce cutting inside for an easy score.
Watching this round, Lin Qi's gaze lingered on the television screen for a moment.
The prototype of this high-post duo actually appeared briefly with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2001-02 season. At that time, Terrell Brandon was sidelined for the season due to injury, Billups was pushed into the starting point guard position. It was this unhurried and steady rhythm, the back-to-the-basket ball protection of a large guard, and the shot-cutting coordination with Garnett after pick-and-rolls that led to a stunning offensive performance in the playoffs. However, the Minnesota Timberwolves at that time did not have enough patience, nor did they have enough finishers on the wings and in the paint to stretch the defense.
Lin Qi turned off the recording and leaned back in his chair.
Boston Celtics head coach Rick Carlisle appears to have done a good job. After a major roster overhaul, with Gary Payton leaving and Billups taking over the playmaking role, Rick Carlisle has smoothly transitioned the core ball-handling responsibilities in just one season.
There was absolutely no news of any locker room conflict, and the name " Celtics " didn't even make the headlines of any tabloids.
In this alliance where everyone is on edge on the trade deadline, the fact that "nothing happened" is good news in itself.