Chapter Summaries

After Lin Qi’s televised criticism of Kobe sparked furious reactions, violent fans attacked the Celtics’ arena and sent death threats. Lin Qi strengthened security for his family as the threats escalated.

• Chicago media condemned Lin Qi, while Los Angeles media mocked Kobe and praised Lin’s remarks, inflaming Kobe’s extreme fans.
• Fans vandalized the Celtics’ arena with paint, firebombs, threats, and shattered glass, then sent death threats and other disturbing packages to the team.
• Rick Carlisle ordered the police and FBI to investigate, increased arena security, and told the players to stay focused and protect themselves.
• A Chicago man threatened Lin Qi on live television, prompting Lin to activate round-the-clock protection and arrange armored vehicles for his family.
• Beth Finneran warned Lin about attacks inspired by sports fanaticism, and Lin reassured her that professional security would protect her and their children.

The Celtics faced a hostile crowd in Chicago, where a red dot on Paul Pierce’s chest triggered a panicked evacuation after Dwyane Wade tackled him to the floor. Once police confirmed the dot came from a prank laser pointer, Rick Carlisle led the team back out to play.

• Celtics veterans Rasheed Wallace, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett rebuked Dwyane Wade for criticizing Lin and told him Lin was their brother.
• Chicago fans hurled abuse and objects at the Celtics as the team arrived at the United Center and began warming up.
• Wade spotted a red dot on Pierce’s chest and tackled him down, while Garnett and other Celtics players took cover.
• Armed officers evacuated the Celtics, and Rick Carlisle later announced that police had arrested a fan who had aimed a high-powered laser pointer.
• Paul Pierce returned to his locker, and Rick Carlisle told the shaken Celtics to settle the matter on the court.

The Boston Celtics dominated the Chicago Bulls in the first half as Kevin Garnett powered Boston's teamwork and Ron Artest and Raja Bell contained Kobe Bryant. Chicago trailed 65-35 at halftime, with Kobe isolated from his teammates as the Bulls headed to the locker room.

• Kobe ignored open teammates and forced shots against Ron Artest, while Garnett scored and passed to give Boston a 32-15 first-quarter lead.
• Bill Cartwright drew up plays for Jalen Rose and Chicago's big men, but the Bulls' offense stalled whenever Kobe took possession.
• Kobe forced a shot against Artest and Ben Wallace's trap, then Garnett led a fast break that ended with Artest dunking to make it 48-22.
• Rick Carlisle sent in Raja Bell, who closely guarded Kobe, while Garnett drew double-teams and assisted Wade and Billups on consecutive three-pointers.
• Kobe missed a final three-pointer, and Boston entered halftime ahead 65-35 as the Bulls left for the locker room without speaking to him.

The Bulls fell further behind the Celtics as Kobe's isolation offense deepened the rift between him and his teammates. After Kobe and Artest fought and a fan threw cola at Artest, Boston's players protected one another while the Bulls left Kobe alone.

• At halftime, Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall, and Kobe argued over Kobe's ball-hogging, while Bill Cartwright urged the Bulls to move the ball and defend.
• The Celtics extended their lead as Garnett facilitated and Pierce and Billups hit open shots, while the Bulls' offense stalled whenever Kobe had the ball.
• Eight minutes into the third quarter, the Celtics led 88-45, and Kobe elbowed Artest during a struggle for position before the two grabbed each other's jerseys.
• Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Garnett, Pierce, and Billups rushed to protect Artest, while the Bulls stood by and left Kobe isolated.
• A fan threw a cup of cola that struck Artest, and Ben Wallace restrained him while Rasheed Wallace and Garnett shielded him from the stands.
• Security removed the fan, and the incident underscored the Celtics' unity and the Bulls' disconnection.

The Boston Celtics routed the Chicago Bulls 125-67 as Kobe Bryant kept shooting through garbage time and became increasingly isolated from his teammates. After the loss, Kobe stood alone at center court while the Bulls players congratulated Boston.

• After reviewing the altercation, the referees gave Kobe and Artest technical fouls, and Rick Carlisle replaced Artest with Raja Bell.
• The Bulls stopped competing, but Kobe refused to leave the game and spent the fourth quarter shooting repeatedly with four reserves standing idle around him.
• Kevin Garnett recorded 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists, then left the game to applause after assisting on a Dwyane Wade layup.
• The Celtics defeated the Bulls 125-67; Kobe scored 43 points on 46 shots with no assists, while the rest of Chicago scored 24.
• After the final buzzer, the Bulls players approached the Celtics to exchange congratulations, leaving Kobe alone at center court.

After Boston’s 58-point victory in Chicago, Kevin Garnett found $1,500 hidden in the United Center ceiling and recalled the 1996 Celtics’ vow to defeat Michael Jordan. He kept the money to return it to his former teammates, then treated the current Celtics to a celebration.

• Garnett climbed onto a table in the visitors’ locker room and pulled a dusty stack of bills from above the ceiling.
• Garnett explained that Lin and the 1996 Celtics had hidden the money after their playoff loss to Chicago, promising to retrieve it after defeating Jordan.
• Garnett recalled that Boston had finally beaten Jordan’s Lakers in the previous season’s NBA Finals, though his old teammates were no longer with him.
• Garnett refused Artest’s suggestion to spend the $1,500 and vowed to return each former teammate’s contribution, including Lin’s.
• Garnett offered to pay for the team’s celebration in Chicago, and the Celtics cheered for Boston.

Lin Qi reviewed the 2003 All-Star selections and considered how legends, established superstars, and rising challengers were converging amid shifting league rules. As the Celtics' stars traveled to Atlanta for All-Star Weekend, Stern's ban left Lin Qi watching from Boston.

• Lin Qi read the All-Star voting results, noting Michael Jordan led the West and Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady had formed a celebrated duo in Phoenix.
• Lin Qi noted Yao Ming had earned an Eastern Conference starting center spot and Kobe Bryant had made the starting lineup despite controversy over his play in Chicago.
• Lin Qi reviewed Boston's selections: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as starters and Ben Wallace as a reserve.
• Lin Qi reflected on the NBA's mix of generations and its uncertain officiating standards as the season approached the All-Star break.
• After Boston defeated the Pacers on February 6, Garnett, Pierce, and Wallace flew to Atlanta while Lin Qi stayed in Boston under Stern's ban.

At the Atlanta All-Star weekend, Shaquille O'Neal mocked Kobe Bryant's selfishness, and Kobe defended his belief that he had to take responsibility in clutch moments. After promising to take over if Sunday's game was close, Kobe kept practicing, while Lin Qi watched the interview from Boston.

• Shaquille O'Neal told reporters that Kobe had once replied, "there's a fucking M and E" in TEAM, and said Lin Qi was right to criticize Kobe's selfish play.
• Kobe Bryant listened to O'Neal's recording in an Atlanta gym and admitted that he had said the line.
• Kobe argued that he should take the shot when his teammates were afraid to miss, then made a fadeaway jumper during the interview.
• Kobe promised to destroy the All-Star game's lovefest if he had the ball in a close fourth quarter, then resumed practicing.
• Lin Qi watched Kobe's interview at his Boston villa and murmured, "That was definitely Kobe Bryant."

Michael Jordan announced that he would retire after the season, whether the Lakers won the championship or not. Watching from home during his suspension, Lin Qi recognized the announcement as a way to unite the Lakers for a final push against Boston, leaving the Celtics braced for a difficult second half and Finals.

• Jordan told reporters that the current season would be his last and ruled out returning even if the Lakers won the title.
• Jordan said Shaq, Jason Kidd, and the Lakers had one goal: to make a final run at the championship.
• Lin Qi watched the announcement and saw it as a move that would suppress the Lakers' internal conflicts and focus the team on Boston.
• Lin Qi anticipated that the league might favor Jordan's farewell tour and that the Celtics would face a tough challenge.

Kobe Bryant ignored the All-Star Game’s easygoing atmosphere and disrupted Michael Jordan’s apparent farewell victory by stealing the final possession and drawing a three-shot foul. He made all three free throws, won the game for the East, and accepted the MVP trophy as the arena booed.

• Kobe Bryant played selfishly in the first half while Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce treated the game casually, and Doc Rivers made little effort to intervene.
• With the game tied and 4.8 seconds left, Michael Jordan hit a turnaround fadeaway to put the West ahead.
• Kobe stole the East’s inbound pass and attempted a three-pointer, then argued until the referee called a foul.
• Kobe made all three free throws to give the East the win and received the MVP trophy amid boos.
• Lin Qi watched the game from home, laughed at the players’ antics, and turned off the television.

Lin Qi surveyed the league’s turmoil before the trade deadline, from the Lakers’ rising depth to conflicts in Chicago and Los Angeles, while Boston made no moves. Watching Boston’s offense, he concluded Rick Carlisle had smoothly handed playmaking duties to Chauncey Billups and that the team’s quiet stability was good news.

• Lin Qi read reports on the Lakers’ winning streak and their deep second unit, while the Spurs strengthened their defense around David Robinson and Kwame Brown.
• The Chicago Tribune reported that Kobe injured Jalen Rose in a scrimmage, worsening the Bulls’ locker-room tensions and fueling trade rumors.
• The Clippers struggled with a reported locker-room fight and failed to find a team willing to take Vin Baker’s contract, while Lin Qi noted Miami’s promising young roster.
• Boston received inquiries from the Nets, Magic, and Kings but made no trades before the deadline.
• Lin Qi watched Billups, Garnett, and Pierce execute a high-post play and reflected on how Carlisle had shifted Boston’s playmaking responsibilities to Billups.

Lin Qi planned to use his newly settled $500 million to acquire Converse after its IPO was postponed, then rebuild its basketball line around custom performance footwear. His discussion with Beth ended when their one-year-old twins started crying, and they went upstairs to care for them.

• Beth delivered the tax settlement documents showing that $500 million had reached Lin Qi’s account and described plans to close on a secure Brookline estate.
• Lin Qi set aside $100 million for David Fincher’s Kingmaker and told Beth about Fincher’s demanding filming methods.
• Lin Qi proposed buying Converse after its IPO was postponed amid fears of war, and Beth planned to pursue an exclusive deal with its controlling private equity fund.
• Lin Qi outlined a plan to keep Converse’s canvas sneakers while developing custom basketball shoes with specialists in biomechanics, medicine, and materials.
• Beth and Lin Qi were interrupted by their crying twins, so they went upstairs to help care for them.

Lin Qi considered using the EBA to recruit top international prospects and develop them outside the NBA, then examined evidence that David Stern was manipulating officiating and playoff rules to favor certain teams. He left the story resting after recognizing the likely advantage to the Los Angeles Lakers.

• Lin Qi read about LeBron James's Hummergate scandal and considered signing American prospects to EBA contracts, but decided against provoking the American sports industry.
• Lin Qi identified international prospects including Michael Pietrus, Carlos Delfino, Boris Diaw, and Luis Scola as targets for EBA recruitment and development.
• Lin Qi planned to use the EBA's competitive contracts and training systems to raise international players' abilities and challenge the NBA in a future EBA-NBA contest.
• Lin Qi reviewed a report showing that foul calls on defensive hand contact had increased since March and suspected Stern was deliberately disrupting game momentum.
• Lin Qi connected the tighter officiating to Stern's move to make first-round playoff series best-of-seven and concluded the changes could benefit the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics struggled with the league’s tighter officiating as Ron Artest’s outbursts brought him into conflict with Rick Carlisle and the team. Despite the chaos, Kevin Garnett and Ben Wallace anchored a suffocating defense, and Boston kept winning until New Garden became known as a brutal road venue.

• As stricter foul calls frustrated Boston, Rasheed Wallace collected technicals and Ron Artest was suspended after smashing a broadcaster’s monitor and later clashing with Miami’s coaching staff.
• After Boston’s loss to the Wizards, Artest tore down and smashed the Celtics legends’ group photograph in the locker room.
• Rick Carlisle threatened Artest with an indefinite team suspension, but Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett defended him and rejected the coach’s ultimatum.
• Throughout March, Boston’s players and coaches repeatedly argued with officials and each other, yet the team continued to win.
• Garnett and Ben Wallace averaged 13.1 and 13.5 rebounds per game, helping Boston hold opponents below eighty-six points and make New Garden a feared road arena.

Lin Qi attended the 2003 NCAA championship as NBA executives speculated about Boston’s draft plans, while he evaluated the players and sensed turmoil within Kansas. Syracuse defeated Kansas 81-78, and the story left Lin Qi departing as the executives still wondered what Boston would do.

• Lin Qi sat courtside at the championship despite his NBA suspension, prompting Kiki Vandeweghe and Joe Dumars to speculate about Boston’s four first-round picks.
• Lin Qi watched Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony excel and judged that Anthony did not fit Boston, while Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison interested him.
• Lin Qi noticed that rumors about Roy Williams leaving for North Carolina had weakened Kansas’s team cohesion.
• Kansas missed free throws and a final three-pointer as Syracuse won 81-78, leaving Kansas’s players and fans devastated.
• Lin Qi left the Superdome while NBA general managers tried to guess which Boston players he would trade and which rookies he would pursue.

Lin Qi reviewed the 2002-2003 NBA standings, noting how his changes had reshaped the playoff contenders in both conferences. The season ended with Boston facing Miami in the first round, while struggling teams jockeyed for position in a draft led by LeBron James.

• Lin Qi examined the Western standings, where the Lakers finished first, followed by the Spurs, Kings, and SuperSonics.
• Lin Qi noted that Dallas faced an uncertain future and that the Clippers had endured a season of conflict and poor play.
• Lin Qi reviewed the Eastern standings, where Boston led the conference and Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, and Andrei Kirilenko had helped the Nets reach third place.
• Lin Qi observed that Yao Ming and Amar'e Stoudamire were competing for Rookie of the Year while Boston prepared to play Miami in the first round.
• Lin Qi noted that the Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Raptors had tanked for a chance to draft prospects including LeBron James.

Lin Qi reflected on how the NBA’s commercialization had shaped Jordan’s, Kobe’s, and LeBron James’s generations, then considered how his Celtics remained rooted in the older culture of territorial loyalty and physical play. As the playoffs approached, Boston prepared to face Miami.

• Lin Qi contrasted Jordan as a pioneer of NBA commercialization, Kobe as a controversial transitional figure, and James as the product of a fully commercialized era.
• Lin Qi imagined the Bulls drafting LeBron James and pairing him with Kobe, but suspected David Stern would prevent that scenario.
• Lin Qi observed that his Celtics combined progressive tactics with the old era’s loyalty to defense and physical combat.
• Lin Qi anticipated the first-round playoff matchup, in which the Celtics were about to face the young Miami Heat.

The Celtics’ top players continued training after an 82-win? regular season that had ended with Ben Wallace and Kevin Garnett tied atop the team’s conditioning leaderboard. As ESPN debated whether Garnett or Tim Duncan would win MVP, Garnett asked how much longer Lin’s suspension would last.

• Ben Wallace and Kevin Garnett finished tied for first on the Celtics’ self-torture index, while Dwyane Wade placed third and Tyson Chandler fourth.
• Tyson Chandler practiced yoga and back-strengthening work as he built his core and developed a consistent fifteen-foot jumper.
• Dwyane Wade completed knee-stability and landing drills under Mike Boyle’s supervision, after a season of limited minutes and focused skill development.
• ESPN’s commentators framed the MVP race as a contest between Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, noting Garnett’s 25.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and Boston’s 62 wins.
• Paul Pierce told Garnett he had a strong chance at MVP, and Garnett asked how much longer Lin’s suspension would last; Pierce said it would end in August.

Lin Qi and Maurizio Gherardini met with Chinese basketball officials in Beijing to negotiate a youth development partnership between China and the EBA. They agreed on a framework for sending young players overseas while preserving domestic authorities’ interests, leaving the initiative ready to develop over time.

• Lin Qi flew to Beijing and met secretly with EBA president Maurizio Gherardini and Chinese basketball decision-makers.
• Lin Qi introduced Gherardini’s proposal to select promising teenagers for basketball schools in the United States and youth systems in Europe.
• Chinese officials worried that local sports bureaus would resist releasing players and risk losing registration rights, National Games results, and credit.
• Gherardini promised to preserve domestic registration and National Games participation, share credit for players’ achievements, and cover overseas development risks.
• Gherardini requested priority for the EBA when players pursued professional careers overseas, agency rights, official youth selection camps, and access to Chinese EBA broadcasting rights.
• Lin Qi offered overseas training for Chinese grassroots coaches and Celtics instruction in rehabilitation and strength work, and the officials accepted the partnership framework.

The Celtics swept Miami to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals while Lin Qi expanded his plans to build a global basketball and sneaker empire. After demanding better conditions for factory workers in China, he directed EBA president Maurizio Gherardini to develop talent networks across Africa and India and use British clubs as training grounds, leaving Lin Qi intent on challenging the NBA’s dominance.

• The Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat and completed a four-game sweep to reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
• Lin Qi inspected a sneaker factory in Fujian and made future orders conditional on improved workplace safety and full benefits for production-line workers.
• Lin Qi told Maurizio Gherardini to establish youth scouting networks and training camps in Africa and India and to recruit prospects for European second-tier leagues.
• Lin Qi directed Gherardini to buy inexpensive British basketball clubs and turn them into affiliated development teams for EBA prospects.
• Lin Qi envisioned the EBA offering global reach and major salaries to keep future European stars from leaving for the NBA.