Recaps

Boston swept Philadelphia and Indiana to win the Eastern Conference, then opened the NBA Finals against San Antonio. After splitting the first two games, the Celtics struggled with the Alamodome’s court and the Spurs’ defense in Game Three.

• Boston swept the Knicks, then beat Philadelphia in five games despite Allen Iverson’s determined scoring and injured ankle.
• The Pacers took a 2-1 lead over Boston, but Chauncey Billups found his confidence and Ron Harper contained Reggie Miller as the Celtics won the next three games to claim the Eastern Conference title.
• Lin Qi answered San Antonio’s dismissal of the Eastern Conference by addressing the press, then urged the Celtics to avoid the regret of failing to give their all.
• Boston opened the Finals with a 74-73 win over San Antonio as Kevin Garnett battled Tim Duncan and Gary Payton scored the winning basket late in the first quarter.
• Duncan shifted to the high post in Game Two, helping San Antonio exploit Boston’s defense and win 91-88 to tie the series 1-1.
• At the Alamodome, Boston’s players struggled with the dark background and the hard, inconsistent court before Game Three.
• San Antonio’s defense conceded open perimeter shots while stopping Boston’s drives, and the Spurs ended the first quarter ahead 25-13.

Boston overcame San Antonio to win the 1999 NBA championship, with Gary Payton named Finals MVP. Lin Qi then reshaped the roster, secured Wang Zhizhi’s move to Boston, and bought European clubs to build a talent pipeline for the Celtics.

• Doc Rivers adjusted Boston’s defense and frontcourt rotation after San Antonio took a 2-1 series lead, and the Celtics won the next three games to claim the championship.
• David Stern named Gary Payton Finals MVP, and Lin Qi rewarded the Celtics and their families with an all-expenses-paid European trip.
• Lin Qi received the third overall pick rather than the expected first pick and considered possible league interference without finding evidence.
• Lin Qi traded P.J. Brown, Bo Outlaw, and the third overall pick for Rasheed Wallace and two unprotected Portland picks, then traded Robert Horry for two first-round picks and cash compensation.
• The Boston Celtics drafted Ron Artest, Andrei Kirilenko, and Wang Zhizhi after the Spurs selected Manu Ginobili ahead of Boston.
• Lin Qi secured NBA support for a basketball exchange program and won Chinese officials’ agreement to let Wang Zhizhi join Boston while retaining his national team commitments.
• Lin Qi bought Olympia Milan, hired Sergio Scariolo and Igor Kokoškov, and recruited Dino Radja, Raja Bell, and Stephen Jackson.
• Lin Qi bought Joventut and planned to use its youth academy as another European talent outpost for the Celtics.

Lin Qi expanded the Celtics’ European partnerships, reshaped the team’s training and tactics, and helped push the NBA toward new defensive rules. Boston opened the season with strong wins, tested a new lineup, and secured Chauncey’s future with the team.

• Lin Qi arranged a ten percent, non-voting partnership between the Celtics and Panathinaikos, then won David Stern’s approval for a European tour funded by European clubs.
• Lin Qi took the Celtics on tour, where the players exchanged skills, developed their motion offense, and beat the Europe Team 108-82 before Lin Qi pressed Stern to change NBA defensive rules.
• The NBA abolished illegal defense, allowed zones, and restricted hand contact, while Lin Qi recognized that the three-second paint rule could weaken Dikembe Mutombo’s rim protection.
• Lin Qi intensified practice and role competition, while Rasheed Wallace accepted responsibility for Boston’s second unit and Wang Zhizhi and Brad Miller competed for one roster place.
• The Celtics raised their championship banner and beat the Knicks 112-81 in their opener, then defeated the Jazz 94-91 after simplifying their offense around Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett.
• Lin Qi and the coaches added a fallback offense and pursued lineup experiments, eventually identifying a closing group of Payton, Eddie Jones, Paul Pierce, Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace.
• The Celtics used their new lineup to beat Seattle 121-97, with Payton scoring 42 points and receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd.
• Lin Qi laid out Chauncey’s development plan and offered him a six-year, $24 million guaranteed contract, which Chauncey accepted.

Lin Qi guided the Celtics through a league-leading regular season, a dispute over playoff officiating, and a sweep of Detroit before Boston advanced to face Indiana. The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Reggie Miller prepared to answer back in Game 3.

• Lin Qi helped Ron Artest turn an embarrassing warehouse-job story into a community charity event, and Artest later helped Boston beat the Lakers with a last-second block.
• Lin Qi defended Eddie Jones and Dikembe Mutombo after their All-Star snubs, while four Celtics joined the Eastern team and Kevin Garnett earned All-Star MVP honors.
• Lin Qi developed Bruce Bowen and Brad Miller, directed a billion-dollar Nasdaq short, and watched Boston finish the regular season 65-17.
• Boston beat Detroit in Game 1, and Lin Qi’s investigators found evidence that Tim Donaghy and other referees had targeted Rasheed Wallace.
• After Rasheed was ejected in Game 3, the Celtics rallied from a halftime deficit to win 112-84 and sweep Detroit, while Lin Qi presented his evidence to David Stern.
• Lin Qi and Stern agreed to fairer playoff monitoring, an NBA stake in Lin Qi’s referee-monitoring company, and a Celtics equity incentive and board seat, while Stern promised an internal purge and discreet FBI involvement.
• Boston swept the Knicks and beat Indiana in the first two Eastern Conference Finals games, while Larry Bird urged a worried Reggie Miller to trust his familiar shooting routine.
• Miller practiced and prepared to face Boston in Game 3, then challenged Doc Rivers to watch him as the opening tip approached.