Chapter Summaries

Kobe Bryant turned the Eastern All-Star Game into a fierce contest with Michael Jordan, pushing the East to compete instead of treating the game as an exhibition. With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the East led by two.

• Kobe told Rick Carlisle he wanted to beat Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal, and Allen Iverson agreed to help him win.
• Kobe guarded Jordan tightly on the opening possession, then dunked after Iverson drove and passed to him.
• Kobe kept attacking and hit a three-pointer as the Eastern players let him take the lead; Carlisle began rotating players out.
• After Jordan missed a fast-break attempt, Kobe hit a transition three, prompting Jordan to answer with a forceful post-up score and trash talk.
• Kobe and Jordan continued their duel into the second half, while Garnett scored a jumper and Kobe ordered him to get back on defense.
• Carlisle put Garnett back into the game with six minutes remaining, and the East held a two-point lead.

The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference in the All-Star Game as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson dominated the closing minutes, with Jermaine O'Neal Jr. making a decisive defensive play. Kobe won the MVP trophy, and Garnett left convinced he would become a major threat.

• Rick Carlisle substituted Kevin Garnett out for Jermaine O'Neal Jr., who entered the game intent on proving himself against the Lakers' stars.
• Jermaine O'Neal Jr. disrupted Shaquille O'Neal's post-up pass, and Kobe Bryant stole the ball before setting up O'Neal Jr. for a dunk.
• Michael Jordan scored over Kobe, but Kobe answered with a fadeaway jumper to put the Eastern Conference ahead 116-112.
• Allen Iverson scored a double-clutch layup, and Kobe forced Jordan into a bad pass before O'Neal Jr. saved the ball and Kobe finished a fast break with a dunk.
• Jordan conceded defeat to Kobe as the Eastern Conference won 125-118; Kobe scored 31 points, claimed the MVP trophy, and Garnett warned that he would become a problem.

Kobe Bryant won the All-Star MVP in Philadelphia, drawing boos for taking the game seriously and beating local favorite Allen Iverson. At the airport, Rick Carlisle reminded the Boston Celtics that the All-Star break was over and the regular season was about to resume.

• Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, won the All-Star MVP, and raised his trophy defiantly as Philadelphia fans booed him.
• Kobe told a courtside reporter that he had played his game and had not come to make friends.
• Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan criticized or showed weariness with the league's elaborate All-Star entertainment.
• Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussed the All-Star Game and the coming playoff race while waiting at Philadelphia International Airport.
• Rick Carlisle handed the Celtics their remaining February schedule and told them to focus on basketball again.

Lin Qi reviewed the Celtics’ rivals and saw that Grant Hill was adapting quickly to a new five-man lineup. He ordered Rick Carlisle to keep the lineup secret until the playoffs, when they planned to use it against Los Angeles.

• Lin Qi and Rick Carlisle discussed the crowded Western Conference standings and the Orlando Magic’s strong roster, built partly from former Celtics players.
• Lin Qi reviewed Dwyane Wade’s medical report and saw that strict load management had kept his knees healthy despite limited college playing time.
• Rick Carlisle showed Lin Qi a practice drill in which Gary Payton, Paul Pierce, Grant Hill, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace moved the ball effectively against a defensive wing squad.
• Rick Carlisle praised Hill’s basketball IQ and familiarity with the Celtics’ system, while Lin Qi approved of Rasheed Wallace’s strength and the lineup’s versatility.
• Lin Qi told Carlisle to conceal the lineup during the regular season and save it for the playoffs against Los Angeles.

Beth told Lin Qi that Patrick had bought a 49% stake in Jerry Colangelo’s sports group, with an agreement to acquire the remaining shares in 2004. Their plan relied on presenting the deal as a gradual transition while Colangelo’s financial troubles made the eventual takeover inevitable.

• Lin Qi cared for Beth, who was nearing her due date, as she told him Patrick had finalized a major deal with Jerry Colangelo.
• Beth explained that Patrick had acquired a 49% stake, giving Colangelo badly needed cash amid heavy debt and pressure from his investors.
• Beth revealed that Patrick had secured the right to compulsorily buy Colangelo’s remaining shares in 2004 at a pre-agreed valuation.
• Lin Qi and Beth discussed how Patrick would publicly act as a quiet minority shareholder while the agreement positioned him to take control of the Suns.
• Beth said Colangelo’s worsening finances would leave him unable to resist the eventual sale, then grew tired and rested against Lin Qi.

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.