Recaps

The Celtics crushed the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, holding them to 57 points in a 44-point blowout. James Dolan left furious and threatened Jeff Van Gundy’s future if New York suffered another public beating.

• Jeff Van Gundy instructed the Knicks to slow the game down and keep the score low, but Boston led 22-12 after the first quarter.
• Rick Carlisle sent out a five-out lineup, and the Celtics scored 36 points in the second quarter to take a 58-28 halftime lead.
• Lin Qi told Carlisle to help James Dolan make history by holding the Knicks below their record-low score.
• The Celtics maintained their defensive pressure through the second half and won 101-57, setting a new Knicks franchise low.
• James Dolan ordered Scott Layden to give Jeff Van Gundy an ultimatum and warned that he could be barred from Madison Square Garden if the Knicks lost badly again.

After James Dolan ordered Jeff Van Gundy to make the Knicks play faster, Boston exploited their aging lineup and built a decisive lead in Game 2. Van Gundy watched the rout unfold, knowing his time in New York was ending.

• James Dolan berated Scott Layden over the Knicks' 57-point performance and ordered Van Gundy to speed up the offense or risk being fired.
• Layden relayed Dolan's order, and Van Gundy reluctantly agreed despite believing the Knicks could not outscore Boston.
• In Game 2, the Knicks pushed the pace, and Lin Qi recognized Dolan's influence and told Rick Carlisle to let them run.
• Carlisle brought on Artest, Pierce, and Michael Redd, and Boston punished the Knicks' turnovers and missed shots with fast-break baskets.
• Boston led 68-45 at halftime, and after Billups stretched the lead to 30 in the third quarter, Van Gundy accepted that the game and his New York tenure were ending.

After James Dolan fired Jeff Van Gundy, Lin Qi invited him to join the Celtics as a senior consultant. Van Gundy accepted, agreeing to fly to Boston and help the team prepare for the NBA Finals.

• Jeff Van Gundy resigned after clashing with James Dolan, who tore up the letter and announced that the Knicks had fired him.
• Don Chaney was appointed to take over as the Knicks' head coach before Game 3.
• Jeff Van Gundy watched the firing announcement at a Manhattan pub and received a call from Lin Qi.
• Lin Qi offered Jeff Van Gundy a senior consultant role with the Celtics, promising him a chance to focus on tactics without coaching pressure.
• Jeff Van Gundy accepted the invitation and asked Lin Qi to have a high-capacity espresso machine ready in the film room.

After James Dolan accused Boston of tampering over Jeff Van Gundy’s move to the Celtics, Lin Qi publicly mocked Dolan and defended the hiring. The Celtics then swept the Knicks in Game 4, ending the series 4-0.

• After the Knicks lost Game 3 by 118-72, James Dolan accused the Celtics of tampering and demanded an investigation.
• Lin Qi rejected Rick Carlisle’s suggestion to downplay the accusation and sent a mocking statement to The Boston Globe and ESPN.
• Lin Qi’s statement invoked Bill Belichick’s infamous napkin resignation, and David Stern dismissed Dolan’s complaint for insufficient evidence.
• After reading the coverage, Dolan smashed his laptop and urged the Knicks to take revenge in Game 4.
• The Celtics overwhelmed the Knicks 128-79 to complete a 4-0 sweep, while Madison Square Garden fans applauded Boston and booed the Knicks’ management.

The Celtics studied Philadelphia’s Game 7 win over Toronto and planned to wear down Allen Iverson while targeting Jermaine O’Neal’s confidence. Before the Eastern Conference Finals, Larry Brown and Lin Qi voiced confidence in their teams, leaving the matchup ready to begin.

• Paul Pierce, Gary Payton, and Ron Artest laughed about Vince Carter attending his college graduation on the morning of Game 7 and missing the decisive shot.
• Lin Qi praised Carter for keeping his promise, then warned the Celtics that off-court distractions could cost them in the playoffs.
• Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Carlisle analyzed Philadelphia’s offense, identifying Iverson and Jermaine O’Neal as its main options.
• Van Gundy told the Celtics not to double-team Iverson and to pressure O’Neal physically and psychologically, while Lin Qi predicted Philadelphia’s morale would falter if O’Neal broke down.
• Larry Brown declared Philadelphia unafraid of Boston, while Lin Qi praised Iverson and said the Celtics would settle the series on the court.

Lin Qi proposed an NBA-versus-EBA series to David Stern as a new source of revenue and a genuine international championship. Stern and Maurizio agreed to pursue the plan, while the first series remained contingent on approvals and was tentatively set for after the 2002 NBA Finals.

• David Stern called Lin Qi to warn that Boston’s quick playoff wins had left broadcasters with empty prime-time slots and threatened playoff revenue.
• Lin Qi proposed that the NBA champion play the European champion in an alternating-host, best-of-three series under the host league’s rules.
• Lin Qi connected Stern with EBA president Maurizio Gherardini, and the three reached a strategic consensus on the proposed series.
• Stern said the NBA needed team-owner approval and new labor negotiations with the NBPA, so the first series could not happen until after the 2002 NBA Finals.
• Maurizio agreed to visit New York during the next month’s NBA Finals to sign a strategic memorandum, and Lin Qi returned to Philadelphia’s scouting report.

The Boston Celtics used relentless one-on-one defense to isolate Allen Iverson and defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-89 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Iverson scored 42 points but managed only one assist as Boston’s lead grew and the game ended with Philadelphia’s offense unable to keep pace.

• Before Game 1, Rick Carlisle and Jeff Van Gundy instructed Boston to avoid double-teaming Iverson and instead deny his passing lanes with Gary Payton, Bruce Bowen, and Ron Artest taking turns guarding him.
• Payton pressured Iverson from the backcourt, but Iverson opened the game by hitting a difficult fadeaway jumper against Boston’s set defense.
• Bowen and Ben Wallace continued the physical pressure in the first half, while Iverson drew a foul and made both free throws after colliding with Wallace.
• Artest guarded Iverson in the second half as Iverson kept scoring, but Boston’s defense contained Philadelphia’s other players and gradually extended its lead.
• With four minutes left, Boston led 98-82 while Iverson was exhausted after 43 minutes and 34 shot attempts.
• The Celtics won 104-89, as Iverson finished with 42 points on 16-for-36 shooting and one assist while Philadelphia’s other four starters combined for 25 points.

The Boston Celtics overwhelmed the Philadelphia 76ers’ interior attack in Game 2, defeating them 108-91 to take a 2-0 series lead. Jermaine O'Neal fought hard but was repeatedly stopped by Ben Wallace, while Allen Iverson’s scoring again could not prevent a loss.

• Larry Brown demanded that Jermaine O'Neal respond after Allen Iverson’s 42-point effort had ended in a Game 1 loss.
• Philadelphia shifted its offense toward O'Neal Jr. in the post, but Boston’s Wallace Duo stifled him throughout the game.
• Ben Wallace blocked O'Neal Jr.’s dunk attempt, and O'Neal Jr. continued fighting through physical play and a flagrant foul.
• Late in the fourth quarter, Ben Wallace ripped the ball from O'Neal Jr. during an up-and-under attempt as Philadelphia trailed by 17.
• Boston won 108-91, taking a 2-0 series lead as Iverson scored 38 points and O'Neal Jr. shot 5-for-15 with four blocked shots and six turnovers.
• Iverson saw O'Neal Jr. leave the court in silence and recognized that he had given his best despite Boston’s superior defense.

With Philadelphia facing elimination after falling behind 0-2, Allen Iverson led the 76ers to a 105-100 Game 3 victory over Boston, cutting the series deficit to 1-2. His game-clinching shot over Ron Artest left Philadelphia with renewed hope.

• Allen Iverson changed his approach, using off-ball cuts and disguised passes to help O'Neal Jr. score against Boston.
• O'Neal Jr. scored 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds by halftime while Iverson hit difficult shots against Boston's defense.
• With 50 seconds left and Philadelphia ahead 101-99, Boston sent Ron Artest in to guard Iverson.
• Iverson faked Artest off balance, made a fadeaway three-pointer, and stepped over him after the shot went in.
• The 76ers won 105-100 as Iverson finished with 48 points, 9 assists, and 5 steals, bringing the series to 1-2.

Boston defeated Philadelphia in Game 4 and Game 5 to win their series 4-1, while Allen Iverson kept playing through exhaustion and injury until the final whistle. After Boston advanced, Iverson accepted Gary Payton’s jersey and left the court alone.

• Rick Carlisle’s defensive scheme shut down Iverson and Philadelphia’s offense as Boston won Game 4, giving the 76ers a 1-3 series deficit.
• Iverson entered Game 5 with a bandaged knee and ribs, but Boston’s offense widened the lead while Philadelphia struggled to score.
• With Philadelphia trailing by more than twenty points late in Game 5, Larry Brown signaled to substitute Iverson, but Iverson refused and stayed on the court.
• With forty seconds left, Iverson dove for a loose ball, stole it from Chauncey Billups, and scored a final layup before Boston won 108-88 and advanced.
• Gary Payton gave Iverson his jersey and praised his effort, while Ben Wallace hugged him before Iverson limped alone toward the tunnel.

After Boston eliminated Philadelphia, Lin Qi reflected on Allen Iverson’s injuries and promoted the Brighton Sports Science and Medical Center before declaring he would see everyone at the NBA Finals. Iverson and the battered 76ers headed home in silence, leaving the story with Iverson enduring pain on the bus.

• Iverson admitted he had refused to leave the game and credited Boston’s defense, Garnett, and Artest for Philadelphia’s loss.
• Lin Qi watched Iverson leave with difficulty, then told reporters that his injuries showed the need for better sports medicine.
• Lin Qi defended the Brighton Sports Science and Medical Center and said the era of relying on tape, painkillers, and endurance would soon end.
• Lin Qi entered the elevator and told reporters, “See you at the NBA Finals, everyone.”
• Iverson and the injured 76ers boarded their bus for Philadelphia, and Iverson silently pressed his hand against his aching ribs as it drove onto the interstate.

Phil Jackson recognized that Boston had spent the summer helping Dallas and Sacramento assemble players and strategies that drained the Lakers during the Western Conference playoffs. With Boston rested and the Lakers still facing a possible Game 7, Jackson marked Lin Qi as the target of the Celtics’ scouting report.

• Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Kidd, and the Lakers' other injured players recovered after their Game 5 win while Boston’s 4-1 Eastern Conference Finals victory played on television.
• Phil Jackson reviewed the Lakers’ grueling series against Dallas and Sacramento and saw how their lineups had repeatedly countered the Lakers’ fast breaks, forwards, and O'Neal in the post.
• Jackson traced Dallas’s acquisition of Dikembe Mutombo and Sacramento’s roster moves to Boston’s front office and concluded the Celtics had orchestrated a summer-long encirclement of the Lakers.
• Jackson compared Boston’s week of rest with the Lakers’ upcoming Game 6 in Dallas and possible Game 7, then circled Lin Qi’s name on the scouting report.

Rick Carlisle and Jeff Van Gundy studied how Dallas’s tactics wore down the Lakers and assessed Boston’s matchups against both Western Conference finalists. With Boston healthy and prepared, Carlisle ordered contact practice to resume before the Finals.

• Rick Carlisle and Jeff Van Gundy reviewed footage of Shaquille O'Neal struggling to score against Dikembe Mutombo without drawing a double-team.
• Rick Carlisle and Van Gundy analyzed how Dallas stopped Jason Kidd’s transition offense and forced the Lakers into difficult half-court shots.
• Rick Carlisle examined Dallas’s spacing, which pulled O'Neal away from the rim and opened the paint for cuts.
• Van Gundy outlined how Boston could switch against Dallas, while Carlisle described Boston’s options for tiring O'Neal if the Lakers advanced.
• Rick Carlisle confirmed that Boston’s roster was healthy and ordered the team to resume contact practice at nine the next morning.

After surviving a seven-game series against Dallas, the exhausted Lakers flew to Boston with less than two days to prepare for the NBA Finals. Phil Jackson and Jason Kidd worried that Boston’s three-point-shooting big men would exploit Shaquille O'Neal’s injured foot and limited mobility, while the chapter ended sixteen hours before Game 1.

• The Lakers defeated Dallas 98-96 to win the Western Conference title, while Jason Kidd and Shaquille O'Neal struggled with exhaustion and injuries.
• On the flight to Boston, Phil Jackson showed Jason Kidd Boston’s statistics and warned that its big men’s three-point shooting would force O'Neal into difficult defensive choices.
• Sports coverage contrasted Boston’s seven days of rest with the Lakers’ one day after two grueling seven-game series.
• At media day, Jason Kidd dismissed questions about fatigue, while Shaquille O'Neal said Boston’s double-teams would not stop him.
• O'Neal left the interview limping on his injured right foot as Phil Jackson watched, with sixteen hours remaining before Game 1.

On the flight to Boston, Shaquille O'Neal confronted doubts about the Lakers' trade and his own ability to lead them to a championship. Phil Jackson learned that injuries had left O'Neal and Jason Kidd physically compromised, and ordered Shaq's knee—or toe—fluid drained after landing so he could play in the Finals.

• Shaquille O'Neal read a newspaper column comparing his championship struggles to Wilt Chamberlain's and worried that his injured toe might prevent him from fulfilling his promise.
• Phil Jackson reflected that the Lakers' sound offense lacked Kobe Bryant's ability to score when the system broke down, leaving O'Neal to shoulder the burden.
• Gary Vitti told Jackson that O'Neal's toe arthritis and plantar fasciitis had worsened, while losing weight had also caused widespread aches.
• Vitti explained that Jason Kidd had synovitis in both knees after the Lakers' demanding playoff run.
• Vitti said he would drain fluid from O'Neal's joint after the plane landed and fit him with rigid inserts, though they would reduce his explosiveness.
• Jackson instructed Vitti to drain the fluid from Shaq after they landed.

Boston’s defense and deeper bench wore down the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, turning an early contest into a lopsided loss. With the score 109-85 and the game in garbage time, Jason Kidd reflected on how his physical limits had undermined his ability to control the game.

• O'Neal scored the opening basket and Kidd hit a pull-up jumper, but Gary Payton’s pressure soon slowed Kidd and disrupted the Lakers’ offense.
• Ben Wallace held his ground against O'Neal, then Garnett and Pierce helped force a turnover that Pierce turned into a fast-break layup.
• After the Lakers sent O'Neal to rest, Artest shut down Odom and Rasheed Wallace hit a three-pointer and finished a backdoor cut, fueling Boston’s 15-2 run.
• Jackson sent O'Neal and Kidd back in early, but O'Neal’s exertion left him struggling to keep up as Boston repeatedly created five-on-four situations.
• With 8:12 remaining and Boston ahead 109-85, Jackson substituted his entire bench lineup, and Kidd sat silently as he considered how his sore legs had limited him.

After the Lakers’ crushing Game 1 loss, public debate split over whether their roster needed time to develop or had been built around Shaq at the expense of mobility and long-term success. Phil Jackson recognized the Lakers’ lack of a player who could score through Boston’s defense, while Lin Qi prepared to press Boston’s advantage in Game 2.

• Critics attacked Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, and the Lakers’ roster construction after Boston’s Game 1 victory.
• Rational commentators defended the Lakers’ direction, arguing that Boston’s team had taken seven years to build while the Lakers’ lineup had played together for only one.
• Phil Jackson reviewed the teams’ statistics and admitted that the Lakers had rushed their rebuild and lacked a go-to scorer who could break Boston’s defense.
• Rick Carlisle told Lin Qi that the media was divided over whether the Lakers deserved more time, and Lin Qi replied that winning in the present was what mattered.
• Lin Qi warned that the Lakers had chosen a shortcut and would have to face Boston’s determination to crush them in Game 2.

The Lakers opened Game Two of the NBA Finals with a four-man fast break that let Shaquille O’Neal trail and attack Boston’s unsettled defense, building an early lead. Rick Carlisle then ordered Boston to disrupt the Lakers before they could accelerate, and the chapter ended as the Celtics restored their half-court defense.

• Phil Jackson told Jason Kidd, Sean Marion, Lamar Odom, and Quentin Richardson to sprint on rebounds while O’Neal trailed the fast breaks.
• Lamar Odom grabbed a rebound, Kidd fed Marion for an early basket, and O’Neal returned to defend without crossing half court.
• When Boston stopped a later break, Kidd found O’Neal against Paul Pierce, and O’Neal slammed the ball through the basket.
• The Lakers’ transition attack helped them take a 21-12 lead seven minutes into the first quarter.
• Rick Carlisle told Gary Payton and Artest to get physical and stop the Lakers before they gained speed.
• Payton checked Kidd’s momentum and Artest slowed Odom, forcing the Lakers back into Boston’s set defense.

The Lakers’ plan to preserve Shaquille O'Neal for a third-quarter assault faltered when exhausted perimeter players missed open shots, allowing Boston to exploit the resulting defensive gaps. Boston won Game 2 by 109-88 to take a 2-0 series lead, and Rick Carlisle prepared to see what Phil Jackson would try in Los Angeles.

• Phil Jackson told Shaquille O'Neal to attack inside in the third quarter, and O'Neal scored five straight points while drawing Boston’s defense inward.
• O'Neal passed out of a triple-team to Shawn Marion, but Marion missed an open corner three with heavy legs.
• Jason Kidd also missed an open three, and Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle discussed how the Lakers’ exhausted starters and weak bench limited their options.
• Boston left O'Neal open to shoot and made threes through Brad Miller and Rasheed Wallace, widening the lead as the Lakers’ perimeter shots continued to miss.
• Boston outscored the Lakers 26-16 in the third quarter and won Game 2 by 109-88, taking a 2-0 lead in the Finals.
• Rick Carlisle said Boston would go to Los Angeles to see what cards Phil Jackson had left to play.

After the Celtics took a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, Lin Qi dismissed the Los Angeles media’s attacks on Phil Jackson and Jason Kidd and prepared for the series’ three games in Los Angeles. He invited Beth Finneran to Game 6 if the series returned to Boston, offering the VIP suite as both a respite and a show of political support for her Brighton land project.

• Lin Qi read Los Angeles clippings blaming Phil Jackson and Jason Kidd for the Lakers’ 0-2 deficit, then set them aside.
• Beth Finneran told Lin Qi that Jim Davis’s allies were using environmental complaints and petitions to obstruct the Brighton parcel’s rezoning.
• Lin Qi warned Beth that the Celtics could not count on their lead, since Shaquille O’Neal and the Lakers would fight back at home.
• Lin Qi invited Beth to watch Game 6 in Boston if the Lakers extended the series, promising her an owner’s VIP suite and Bordeaux.
• Lin Qi explained that Beth’s presence beside him would signal the Celtics owner’s support to Boston’s political and business community, and Beth agreed on the condition that the series returned to Boston.

The Lakers, facing an 0-2 Finals deficit, responded to Phil Jackson’s provocation with a furious first-half performance in Game 3. They led Boston 56-42 at halftime, leaving Lin Qi to reckon with how much luck and momentum could shape the game.

• Phil Jackson taunted the Lakers in the locker room, and Shaquille O’Neal vowed to dominate Boston.
• Bruce Bowen tripped and elbowed Quentin Richardson, sparking a confrontation that drew Jack Nicholson’s angry protest.
• O’Neal forced Ben Wallace into early foul trouble, and Rick Carlisle had to take Wallace out of the game.
• Jason Kidd and Quentin Richardson hit difficult three-pointers as Boston’s double-teams on O’Neal opened up the perimeter.
• The Lakers went into halftime ahead 56-42, while Lin Qi watched and considered the role of luck in their shooting surge.

The Lakers overcame a fourteen-point deficit and beat the Celtics 102-98 in a grueling Game 3, cutting Boston’s series lead to 2-1. As the Lakers celebrated, Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle left the arena calm, convinced the team had reached its limit.

• Rick Carlisle told the Celtics that the Lakers’ first-half energy would fade, and Boston cut the fourteen-point deficit to four by the end of the third quarter.
• The teams battled through a tied fourth quarter, and Shaquille O'Neal drew Ben Wallace’s fifth foul before making both free throws.
• Paul Pierce tied the game at 98 with a pull-up jumper, but Shaquille O'Neal later scored on a roll to put the Lakers ahead 100-98.
• Shawn Marion stripped Paul Pierce near the basket, and the officials awarded the ball to the Lakers with six seconds remaining.
• Jason Kidd made two free throws, and Billups missed a half-court three as the Lakers won 102-98 and made the series 2-1.
• Lin Qi asked Rick Carlisle whether the Lakers could repeat the performance, and Carlisle said they had already reached their limit.

On the morning of Game 4, Lin Qi and the Celtics learned that Lakers fans had triggered a hotel fire alarm to disrupt the team’s sleep. Lin Qi reframed the dirty trick as proof that Los Angeles feared them and sent his players into the game determined to win.

• Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle watched Los Angeles media celebrate the Lakers’ Game 3 victory and predict they would win the Finals.
• Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ron Artest arrived exhausted after a smoke bomb had set off the Peninsula hotel’s fire alarm at 3:30 a.m.
• Lakers fans had taunted the displaced Celtics outside the hotel while firefighters investigated the alarm.
• Lin Qi told the angry players that the stunt showed Los Angeles feared Boston, then urged them to use their anger in Game 4.
• Artest promised Lin Qi that he would make the Lakers’ perimeter players feel what real sleeplessness was like.

The Celtics turned the Lakers’ fire-alarm prank and the previous night’s lost sleep into motivation, dominating the first half of Game 4 with suffocating defense and efficient offense. Boston entered halftime ahead 54-41, while Lin Qi suspected the league would make the second half a much harder test.

• Gary Payton pressured Jason Kidd full court, and Ron Artest forced Quentin Richardson into an air-ball shot-clock violation on the Lakers’ opening possession.
• Paul Pierce scored a fadeaway jumper as Boston began its decisive offensive response.
• Ben Wallace stopped Shaquille O’Neal’s post move, secured the rebound, and passed ahead to Chauncey Billups, who made a three-pointer to give Boston a 28-19 first-quarter lead.
• Boston’s reserves maintained control in the second quarter, and Kevin Garnett completed an and-one play before halftime.
• The Celtics went to the locker room leading 54-41 as the Staples Center crowd fell silent.
• Lin Qi watched Phil Jackson head toward the officials’ table and anticipated that the league would make the second half more difficult.

The Celtics lost Game 4 to the Lakers after controversial refereeing erased their lead and fouled out Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, tying the series at 2-2. Lin Qi rejected a formal appeal and said he would call the league headquarters in New York the next morning.

• Rick Carlisle warned the Celtics at halftime that the Lakers might get favorable whistles, but Ben Wallace was called for an early defensive foul on Shaquille O'Neal.
• The referees repeatedly called fouls against Boston while overlooking Lakers contact, helping the Lakers erase the Celtics' 13-point lead and tie the game at 78-78.
• With 1 minute and 12 seconds left, Ben Wallace was called for a blocking foul on O'Neal and fouled out; Rasheed Wallace protested, received two technicals, and was ejected.
• O'Neal missed his and-one free throw, and Rasheed Wallace shouted, “BALL DON'T LIE!!!” from the tunnel entrance.
• The Lakers beat the Celtics 106-101, tying the series at 2-2, as the Boston players left without congratulating their opponents.
• Lin Qi refused to submit an appeal and told the public relations manager he would call the league headquarters in New York the next morning.