Recaps

Lin Qi learned that the struggling New Jersey Nets were up for sale and weighed the competing bids. He decided to meet Charles Wang on Long Island to discuss helping him acquire the team.

• Lin Qi reviewed the Nets' last-place record and learned from Harvey that the team's owners planned to sell it after financial losses and poor attendance.
• Harvey described three potential buyers: Bruce Ratner, a consortium led by Charles Kushner and Corzine, and Charles Wang.
• Lin Qi judged that Wang was a better partner than Ratner, whose bid would move the Nets to Brooklyn as part of a real estate project.
• Lin Qi considered financing Wang through a real estate investment and offering him help finding a capable basketball executive.
• Lin Qi told Harvey to arrange a private jet and clear his schedule so he could meet Wang on Long Island.

Lin Qi met Computer Associates founder Charles Wang on Long Island and offered to help him buy the struggling New Jersey Nets by bringing NBA support, partners, and real estate development resources. Wang agreed to pursue the acquisition with Lin Qi’s backing.

• Lin Qi told Charles Wang that YankeeNets was preparing to sell the financially troubled Nets and that developer Ratner was competing to buy the team.
• Lin Qi warned Wang that Ratner’s arena and real estate plans gave him an advantage, then offered league support and development resources to strengthen Wang’s bid.
• Wang asked Lin Qi what he would gain, and Lin Qi said he wanted to change the NBA’s power structure and establish a Chinese ally in the Eastern Conference.
• Wang accepted Lin Qi’s offer and declared that he would buy the Nets if Lin Qi delivered the promised real estate resources and league support.
• Wang and Lin Qi shook hands, and Wang invited Lin Qi to Long Island for Maotai after the acquisition was complete.

After meeting Wang Jialian, Lin Qi arranged political support and a property-development partnership to help him buy the New Jersey Nets. He left Harvey to mobilize a European real-estate group, using the venture to provide Wang Jialian with legitimate acquisition funds while securing arena development for Lin Qi.

• Lin Qi told Harvey that Wang Jialian had chosen to pursue the Nets bid for his own interests and that Lin Qi had to fulfill his promises.
• Lin Qi called Patrick and persuaded him to use his relationship with Jerry Colangelo to argue that Ratner cared about land rather than the Nets, while Wang Jialian was a genuine sportsman.
• Lin Qi instructed Harvey to send a delegation from the Europe Sports Real Estate Group to discuss jointly developing a New Jersey or Long Island arena with Wang Jialian.
• Lin Qi explained that investment from the European company would boost Wang Jialian's cash flow and let him buy the Nets with funds on his own company's books, while Lin Qi gained a stake in future arena development.
• Harvey contacted Europe to arrange the delegation and prepare professional arena designs for Wang Jialian.

After Boston’s losses exposed Grant Hill’s uncertain play, Mark Verstegen, Rick Carlisle, and Lin Qi helped him understand how his rehabilitated body had changed his game. Hill accepted his new strengths and ended the chapter by driving past a defender for a powerful dunk.

• Grant Hill struggled to regain his old first step during a late-night practice, while Mark Verstegen explained that his body was protecting his repaired ankle.
• Rick Carlisle told Hill that his first step remained among the league’s best and that his improved balance gave him more options when driving.
• Lin Qi reminded Hill that he was healthy, had developed a dangerous outside shot, and needed to fit into Boston’s system.
• Hill stopped chasing his former explosiveness, drove past the assistant coach, and finished with a one-handed tomahawk dunk.

After Beth safely gave birth to twin boys, she and Lin Qi chose English and Chinese names for them. The family celebrated the healthy delivery, though Beth remained suspicious of Lin Qi’s hastily devised Chinese names.

• Beth teased Lin Qi for sneaking away to watch Hill's contact drills during her hospital stay, and Lin Qi admitted Margaret had exposed him.
• Beth forgave Lin Qi after the smooth delivery of their healthy twin sons.
• Beth named the older boy Benjamin Finneran Lynch and the younger boy Jonathan Finneran Lynch, calling them Ben and Jon.
• Lin Qi named the twins Lin Mingjie and Lin Senna, claiming he had carefully consulted a dictionary.
• Beth doubted Lin Qi’s explanation but accepted the Chinese names, and the new parents shared a smile.

Lin Qi settled into caring for his newborn twins at home while Beth insisted on returning to work and earning partnership at her law firm through her own ability. The chapter ended with Lin Qi supporting her ambition and promising to celebrate when she made partner.

• Lin Qi cared for Senna and Mingjie at their new Brookline home while Beth reminded him not to watch basketball during his leave.
• Lin Qi and Beth discussed the Arthur Andersen indictment and how Wall Street turmoil was helping Wang Jialian's acquisition of the New Jersey Nets.
• Lin Qi offered to fund a law firm for Beth, but she refused because she wanted to earn partnership at her current firm herself.
• Beth explained that she valued her independence and the professional challenge between them, and Lin Qi agreed to support her pursuit of partnership.

Lin Qi reviewed Grant Hill’s recovery with Mark Verstegen and learned that Hill’s ankle was healthy enough for the playoffs but had permanently lost some explosiveness. Hill remained an elite point forward and a valuable Celtics contributor, so Lin Qi ordered his playoff minutes kept under 30 per game.

• Lin Qi examined Hill’s statistics and asked Mark Verstegen for an honest assessment of his condition.
• Mark reported that Hill’s ankle had healed well and showed no signs of strain after a month of play.
• Mark explained that Hill’s old ankle injury had left irreversible damage, reducing his peak power and initial explosiveness by about five percent.
• Lin Qi concluded that Hill remained among the league’s best forwards and was good enough to support Boston’s championship push.
• Lin Qi told Mark to monitor Hill closely and keep his playoff playing time under 30 minutes.

Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle finalized the Boston Celtics’ twelve-man roster for the 2002 playoffs, choosing Ron Artest over Andrei Kirilenko for his strength against powerful wings. With the roster set, they prepared to pursue a fourth straight championship.

• Carlisle placed eight core players and Wang Zhizhi on the active roster, then ruled Brian Scalabrine and Tyson Chandler inactive.
• Lin Qi and Carlisle discussed Stephen Jackson’s shooting and Gerald Wallace’s recent three-point improvement, and kept both active.
• Lin Qi argued that Kirilenko’s help defense overlapped with Kevin Garnett and Ben Wallace, while Artest could handle physical matchups against heavyweight wings.
• Carlisle moved Kirilenko to the inactive list and added Artest, completing the Celtics’ twelve-man playoff roster.
• Carlisle told Lin Qi they were ready, and Lin Qi said they were going for their fourth straight championship.

The Celtics discussed the NBA awards and expected their star players to lose out because their strong team diluted their individual votes. The NBA then released the DPOY results early, naming Ben Wallace the winner, before Rick Carlisle refocused the team on the playoffs.

• Paul Pierce showed Lin Qi an Orlando Sentinel headline calling Doc Rivers the favorite for Executive of the Year, and the Celtics discussed how his Orlando trades had paid off.
• Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Gary Payton, and Grant Hill discussed Kobe Bryant’s scoring outburst and Tracy McGrady’s season before Rick Carlisle warned that the Celtics might win no major awards.
• Carlisle explained that Pierce and Garnett were splitting MVP votes, prompting Garnett to joke about his teammates easing up on defense so he could pad his statistics.
• The NBA and its data center announced the DPOY voting results less than a day after the regular season ended, and Ben Wallace topped the voting.
• Carlisle ordered the Celtics to stop studying the report and warned that anyone who slacked off in practice would sit out the playoffs.

With the playoffs two days away, Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle planned to use a twelve-man rotation against the Eastern Conference to prepare the Celtics to wear down the veteran-heavy Lakers in a possible NBA Finals matchup. Lin Qi approved the plan, which Carlisle intended to disguise as resting starters during blowouts.

• Lin Qi found Rick Carlisle studying the Lakers' roster and discussing the threat posed by their veteran stars.
• Carlisle proposed a twelve-man playoff rotation to exploit the Lakers' aging players with the Celtics' young bench.
• Carlisle argued that Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, and Gerald Wallace could use pressure defense and fast breaks to exhaust the Lakers.
• Lin Qi questioned using the rotation before the Finals, and Carlisle explained that the Eastern Conference playoffs would let the Celtics rehearse it without risking their title chances.
• Lin Qi approved Carlisle's plan, which would make Phil Jackson mistake the bench's playing time for garbage time.

The Boston Celtics swept the Charlotte Hornets in a first-round series played amid the Hornets’ impending move from Charlotte. Grant Hill showed that he had fully recovered from his injury, and Lin Qi looked ahead to the Celtics’ next opponent.

• The Celtics entered Game 3 in Charlotte with a 2-0 lead as fans mourned the team’s final season in North Carolina.
• Gary Payton disrupted Baron Davis, while Ron Artest’s defense forced Jamal Mashburn into turnovers.
• P.J. Brown dragged Grant Hill down in midair, but Hill got up, made both free throws, and hit a three-pointer on the next possession.
• The Celtics won 106-82 to complete a 3-0 sweep of the Hornets.
• Margaret told Lin Qi that the Celtics would likely face either the Detroit Pistons or the Toronto Raptors, and Lin Qi said they would wait for the series to end.

Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle studied the Lakers' series against the Jazz and identified Phil Jackson's slow in-game adjustments and the Triangle Offense's rigidity as vulnerabilities. They planned to exploit those weaknesses with Boston's deep rotation and high-pressure defense, leaving the Lakers' internal conflict as a potential opening in a Finals matchup.

• Lin Qi paused footage of the Lakers' Game 3 against the Jazz and asked Carlisle to assess Phil Jackson's response to Utah's run.
• Carlisle criticized Jackson for letting the Lakers' deficit grow, and Lin Qi explained that Jackson expected players to solve problems within the Triangle Offense rather than adjust quickly.
• Lin Qi and Carlisle identified a clash between the Triangle Offense and Jason Kidd's fast-break strengths, as well as the stamina demands it placed on 38-year-old Jordan and Barkley.
• Lin Qi proposed using Boston's deep rotation, physical defense, and sustained counterattacks to pressure the Lakers into abandoning their system.
• Lin Qi warned that if the Lakers fell behind, disagreements between players seeking to take over and Jackson insisting on his system could deepen, even though the Lakers won Game 3 on Jordan's last-second shot.

The Celtics overwhelmed the Raptors in Game 3, taking a 3-0 series lead as Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle used the matchup to prepare for the Lakers. Lin Qi left the story expecting the media and Phil Jackson to mistake Boston’s deliberate tactical rehearsal for evidence of arrogance and an easy Eastern Conference run.

• Lin Qi watched Toronto fans and newspapers celebrate the Raptors’ success without Vince Carter, while Carter sat courtside recovering from knee surgery.
• Lin Qi said he admired Toronto’s blue-collar players but believed superior talent would defeat their approach.
• Rick Carlisle sent Boston’s reserves into the first quarter, and their physicality and deep rotation wore down the Raptors.
• The Raptors went scoreless from the field for fourteen straight attempts, and the Celtics won 112-78 to take a 3-0 lead.
• Carlisle told reporters that resting his starters was practical and that Boston needed energy for the Eastern Conference Finals.
• On a flight to Los Angeles, Lin Qi read the press conference transcript and anticipated that Phil Jackson would underestimate Boston’s preparation.

The Boston Celtics swept the Toronto Raptors and learned that the Orlando Magic had eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers, setting up an Eastern Conference Finals against former Celtics players. Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle prepared to exploit the Magic players’ weaknesses, treating the matchup as a tactical stress test.

• The Celtics defeated the Raptors 102-85 to complete a 4-0 sweep and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
• Lin Qi told Rick Carlisle that true team basketball combined star talent with players willing to share the ball and do unglamorous work.
• The Celtics watched the Orlando Magic beat the 76ers 4-2, with Michael Redd’s late three sealing the series.
• Garnett and Pierce welcomed the chance to face former teammates, while the media framed the series as revenge against Lin Qi for trading them.
• Carlisle described the Magic’s offensive strengths, and Lin Qi argued that Boston knew the former players’ weaknesses better than Doc Rivers did.
• Lin Qi and Carlisle planned to use Ben Wallace against Brad Miller and Ron Artest to guard Michael Redd as Boston prepared its twelve-man rotation.

The Celtics overcame an early Magic lead in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals by using Ron Artest to disrupt Michael Redd and targeting Brad Miller in pick-and-rolls. By halftime, Boston had built a fourteen-point lead, while Lin Qi explained why the Magic’s offense lacked the defensive support needed to survive the playoffs.

• Michael Redd and O'Neal Jr. helped the Magic take an eight-point lead over Boston in the first quarter.
• Rick Carlisle sent Ron Artest in to guard Redd, and Artest disrupted his movement and shooting with relentless physical defense.
• The Celtics repeatedly targeted Brad Miller in pick-and-rolls, as Paul Pierce and Garnett scored against him and forced turnovers.
• Lin Qi told Margaret that the Magic’s high-post offense depended on defense Miller lacked and that O'Neal Jr. was poorly suited to protect him in pick-and-rolls.
• Boston’s defensive pressure and attacks on Miller helped the Celtics take a fourteen-point lead by halftime.

The Boston Celtics swept the Orlando Magic 4-0 to reach the NBA Finals, while Lin Qi assessed Doc Rivers’ coaching and the Magic’s inability to counter Boston’s depth. After their eleventh straight playoff win, Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle turned their attention to the hard-fought Western Conference Finals and prepared to head west.

• O'Neal Jr. scored through contact to open the third quarter, but Gary Payton and Ben Wallace answered with a screen-and-roll dunk that killed the Magic’s momentum.
• As Orlando’s starters tired, Rick Carlisle sent in his deep bench, and Boston stretched its lead while Doc Rivers failed to call a timeout or adjust.
• Lin Qi explained to Margaret that Rivers excelled at motivating players but struggled to make tactical changes, and Boston went on to win Game 1 by 118-92.
• The Celtics won Games 2 and 3 with physical defense and fresh reserves, then beat the Magic 105-98 in Game 4 to complete a 4-0 sweep and advance to the Finals.
• After the sweep, Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle watched the Lakers and Kings battle in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, and Lin Qi proposed heading to the West Coast.

The Lakers defeated the Kings in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, setting up a Finals matchup with Boston. After Phil Jackson dismissed Boston’s deep rotation, Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle remained confident in their plan, while Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett prepared to face Michael Jordan again after four years.

• The Lakers beat the Kings 112-106 in Game 7, with Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O'Neal visibly exhausted.
• Phil Jackson said Boston’s twelve-man rotation would fail under Finals pressure and predicted he would rely on his core stars.
• Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle agreed that Phil had misunderstood why Boston used a deep rotation and planned to expose the Lakers’ stamina problems in Game 1.
• Lin Qi found Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett watching a replay of Jordan’s decisive fadeaway and recalling how Rick Pitino’s conflict with Payton had ruined their 1998 season.
• Gary Payton and Garnett vowed that Boston would face the Lakers without internal discord and would challenge Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Charles Barkley in the Finals.

As the NBA Finals approached, Phil Jackson trusted the Lakers’ star power to overcome Boston’s disciplined rotation, while Jason Kidd worried about the veterans’ stamina. In Boston, Lin Qi’s media campaign over biased officiating pressured David Stern to demand consistent calls, clearing the way for the Celtics to use their full rotation in Game 1.

• Jason Kidd warned Phil Jackson that Boston’s twelve-man rotation maintained intense, disciplined defense and could wear down the Lakers.
• Phil Jackson insisted the Lakers would rely on Shaq, Michael, and the Triangle Offense, while Jordan and Barkley agreed with his confidence.
• Lin Qi used media connections, public relations spending, and official data to publicize claims that the Lakers had received favorable calls against the Kings.
• David Stern, concerned about the NBA’s credibility, ordered the referees’ committee to enforce consistent standards and avoid calling normal contact.
• Margaret told Lin Qi that broadcasters would include real-time free-throw comparisons in their NBA Finals coverage, and Lin Qi prepared for Game 1.

David Stern ordered fair officiating in the NBA Finals after Lin Qi publicly highlighted the Lakers’ favorable calls, while acknowledging that the league wanted a long, suspenseful series. Lin Qi anticipated that the referees might try to keep games close, but told Rick Carlisle that Boston could counter by building a large lead with its deep rotation.

• Adam Silver told David Stern that Lin Qi’s press conference had prompted broadcasters to prepare live comparisons of the Finals officiating.
• Stern concluded that either a Lakers or Celtics championship would benefit the league and instructed the referees’ committee to officiate fairly while preserving suspense.
• Rick Carlisle worried that the league might use the referees to extend the series and disrupt Boston’s rotation.
• Lin Qi told Carlisle that Stern would not permit blatant favoritism but would prefer close games and a seven-game series.
• Lin Qi told Carlisle to make no tactical adjustments and focus on using Boston’s deep rotation to build as large a lead as possible in Game 1.

The Celtics planned how to defend Michael Jordan in the 1996 NBA Finals, choosing Gary Payton as the primary defender with Ron Artest as backup and Kevin Garnett or Ben Wallace providing help. With the strategy and rotation finalized, Lin Qi sent the team to rest before the Finals began.

• Rick Carlisle analyzed Jordan’s half-court scoring and discussed who could defend him without exhausting Chris Paul.
• Gary Payton volunteered to guard Jordan, recalling how his defense had reduced Jordan’s scoring and shooting in the final three games of the 1996 Finals.
• Payton argued that his experience and Jordan’s reduced speed made him the right choice to defend him again.
• Carlisle assigned Payton as the primary defender, Artest as the backup, and Garnett or Ben Wallace to provide help defense.
• Lin Qi approved the plan and told the Celtics to rest as night fell over Boston before the Finals.

The Boston Celtics opened the 2002 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, whose veterans took a narrow first-quarter lead despite stricter officiating. Lin Qi recognized that Boston’s physical defense was draining the Lakers, and Rick Carlisle’s second-quarter adjustments sparked a fast break before Boston’s rested starters returned to the court.

• The referees allowed more physical play on the opening possessions, while the Lakers led 24-22 after the first quarter.
• Lin Qi observed that Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley were already showing signs of fatigue from Boston’s defensive pressure.
• Rick Carlisle sent Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson to pressure Jordan, and Boston forced a miss that led to Gerald Wallace’s fast-break dunk.
• The Lakers’ half-court offense slowed as their veterans tired, and Jordan struggled to escape Boston’s defenders.
• Rick Carlisle returned Pierce, Garnett, Payton, and the other rested starters to the floor.

Boston’s deep rotation overwhelmed the Lakers with relentless defense and fresh players, sending the Celtics into halftime ahead 58-42. The Lakers’ veterans were exhausted, while Gary Payton warned them that Boston would raise the intensity in the second half.

• Gary Payton harassed Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett stripped Shaquille O'Neal, and Payton scored as Boston began an 8-0 run.
• Paul Pierce stole Jordan’s pass, pushing Boston’s lead to eight and forcing Phil Jackson to call timeout.
• Jason Kidd warned Phil Jackson that Boston was wearing down the Lakers through waves of fresh players.
• Rick Carlisle rotated in Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson, and Artest knocked the ball from Jordan before dunking on a fast break.
• Boston outscored the Lakers 36-18 in the second quarter to take a 58-42 halftime lead, and Payton taunted the exhausted Lakers.

Boston exposed the Lakers’ fading stamina by having Ben Wallace hold Shaquille O'Neal in check and relentless reserves wear down the veterans. After Gerald Wallace cramped from his intense effort, Boston ended the third quarter ahead 85-62, and Phil Jackson opened the fourth with the Lakers’ reserves.

• Shaquille O'Neal failed to back Ben Wallace down and missed a hook shot, revealing that Ben Wallace could defend him without a double-team.
• Rick Carlisle and Casey realized that O'Neal’s weight loss had reduced his upper-body strength while Ben Wallace had become stronger.
• Pierce stole a Lakers pass and started a fast break, during which Gerald Wallace cramped and collapsed after Kidd fouled him.
• The team doctor confirmed Gerald Wallace had a severe muscle spasm, and teammates helped him off the court after stretching eased it.
• Boston’s reserves kept up their punishing pace as the third quarter ended with Boston leading 85-62.
• Phil Jackson substituted the Lakers’ entire starting lineup at the start of the fourth quarter.

Boston’s reserves maintained relentless defensive pressure in the fourth quarter and helped secure a 110-85 win over the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. After the game, Phil Jackson admitted that the Lakers had underestimated Boston’s defense and physicality.

• Chauncey Billups dove for a loose ball and wrestled it away from Derek Fisher, then warned him that Boston would not coast despite its lead.
• Stephen Jackson, Rasheed Wallace, Raja Bell, and Wang Zhizhi each made intense defensive or hustle plays as Boston’s reserves kept the Lakers from finding a rhythm.
• Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson watched Boston’s reserves play with an intensity that reminded them of Dennis Rodman.
• Rick Carlisle told his assistants that Boston needed to set the tone in Game 1 and keep up its defensive pressure until the final whistle.
• Boston defeated the Lakers 110-85, winning the first game of the NBA Finals by 25 points.
• Phil Jackson said the Lakers had underestimated Boston’s defensive discipline and physical strength, and attributed their fourth-quarter collapse to Boston’s bench playing as if its lives depended on it.

Jason Kidd proposed using a younger, faster Lakers lineup to counter Boston’s tough bench defense, but Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan rejected the change. The chapter ended with reporters witnessing the Lakers’ veterans undergoing extensive treatment while Boston’s players remained energetic.

• Phil Jackson reviewed Game 1 and blamed the Lakers’ struggles on abandoning their tactics under Boston’s defensive pressure.
• Kidd argued that the Lakers needed two distinct approaches and proposed playing with Marion, Odom, Quentin Richardson, and Fisher while the veterans rested.
• Jordan rejected Kidd’s proposal, and Phil Jackson kept the Lakers’ lineup and system unchanged for Game 2, intending only to feed O’Neal more often.
• Kidd felt powerless after Phil erased his lineup plans and made clear that Kidd had little influence over Jordan and the coach.
• Reporters saw Barkley, Jordan, and O’Neal receiving treatment for their physical wear, while Boston’s players played games and continued working out.