Chapter Summaries

In Hangzhou, Lin Qi watched Boston overwhelm Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals and concluded the series was already decided. He set the playoffs aside and chose to enjoy his extended vacation in East Asia while David Stern's suspension order remained in effect.

• After the first playoff round ended, Lin Qi watched a recording of Boston's Game 1 matchup against Philadelphia from a tearoom beside West Lake.
• Boston's defenders, led by Ron Artest and Chauncey Billups, relentlessly pressured Allen Iverson and drained his stamina.
• Kevin Garnett and Ben Wallace stopped Iverson at the rim, while Boston turned the block into a fast-break score.
• Boston held Philadelphia to 14 first-quarter points and led 54-31 at halftime as Iverson struggled under the defensive pressure.
• Lin Qi closed his laptop, judged that Philadelphia had no chance in the series, and returned his attention to enjoying his trip through East Asia.

Lin Qi watched the New Jersey Nets beat the Orlando Magic in Game 1, impressed by Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi’s playoff performances. Their success strengthened his confidence in his youth development plan as he turned his attention to the Western Conference.

• Lin Qi watched Yao Ming help contain Jermaine O'Neal Jr. and collect rebounds against the Magic.
• Byron Scott assigned Andrei Kirilenko to guard Gilbert Arenas, and Kirilenko disrupted the Magic guard’s offense.
• Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming connected repeatedly on offense, while Wang Zhizhi also showed stronger defense than he had in the past.
• The Nets beat the Magic 108-101 as Yao Ming recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds, Wang Zhizhi added 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Kirilenko scored 14 points with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks.
• Lin Qi regretted trading Wang Zhizhi and Kirilenko to New Jersey but concluded Boston had enough depth to compete with the Nets.
• Lin Qi took the players’ success as evidence that his youth development plan could succeed and prepared to watch the Western Conference playoffs.

Lin Qi watched the Lakers defeat the SuperSonics and assessed how Gary Payton’s style shaped rookie Amar'e Stoudamire’s development. He concluded Seattle needed a stronger interior defender and a reliable backup point guard to contend with the Lakers.

• Lin Qi watched the Western Conference semifinal game, in which Seattle kept pace with the Lakers for three quarters before Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Michael Jordan took over in the fourth.
• Lin Qi considered how Gary Payton’s strict half-court approach gave Amar'e Stoudamire a stronger defensive foundation but did not unleash his athleticism as Steve Nash might have.
• Lin Qi identified Seattle’s weak center rotation as a key playoff vulnerability against dominant big men such as O'Neal and Tim Duncan.
• Lin Qi decided Seattle needed a physical, defense-first center to protect Stoudamire and a dependable backup point guard to preserve Payton’s stamina.

Lin Qi watched the Spurs defeat the Mavericks in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal, with Kwame Brown emerging as an effective defender against Dirk Nowitzki. The chapter left Lin Qi wondering whether the Lakers or Spurs would reach the NBA Finals.

• Lin Qi watched a recording of Game 1 between the Spurs and Mavericks and studied Dallas's offense built around Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.
• Gregg Popovich assigned Kwame Brown to guard Nowitzki, relying on the defensive fundamentals David Robinson had taught him.
• Kwame Brown stayed in front of Nowitzki and contested his shots without falling for fakes, allowing Tim Duncan to protect the paint.
• Tim Duncan led the Spurs' steady offense, and San Antonio comfortably won the opening game at home.
• Lin Qi predicted the Spurs would wear down the Mavericks over the series and considered a Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals matchup likely.

Lin Qi invested in a basketball-focused online forum to support his plans for the Celtics, Nets, EBA, and future sneaker business. After the conference semifinals ended, he reviewed the matchups and prepared to watch the conference finals from Asia while suspended from North American arenas.

• Lin Qi signed an angel investment agreement with young entrepreneurs to build a basketball BBS and add a video-clipping feature.
• Lin Qi planned to use the forum to promote the Celtics, Nets, overseas youth players, and affordable signature sneakers.
• Lin Qi received playoff reports showing that Boston had defeated Philadelphia 4-1 and New Jersey had beaten Orlando 4-2.
• Lin Qi learned that the Lakers had advanced past Seattle 4-2 and the Spurs had beaten Dallas 4-3.
• Lin Qi noted that the conference finals were set as the Lakers against the Spurs and the Celtics against the Nets.
• Lin Qi stayed in Asia during his suspension and settled in to watch the coming conference finals as a spectator.

The Boston Celtics used full-court pressure, interior defense, and unexpected outside shooting to beat the New Jersey Nets in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston left for New Jersey with a 2-0 series lead after dismantling the Nets’ height advantage in Game 2.

• Yao Ming scored over Ben Wallace early, but Rick Carlisle’s full-court pressure and defensive adjustments helped Boston rally to win Game 1, 89-85.
• Byron Scott increased Wang Zhizhi’s minutes in Game 2, and Yao Ming used the high post to set up Kirilenko and Joe Johnson.
• Ben Wallace forced a turnover from Yao Ming and made three consecutive midrange jumpers, pulling New Jersey’s big men away from the paint.
• Kevin Garnett hit a corner three, drawing Brand out of the paint and opening driving lanes for Boston’s guards.
• Boston controlled the second half and won Game 2, 95-86, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Lin Qi watched the New Jersey Nets use Wang Zhizhi’s floor spacing to break Boston’s defense and win Game 3, cutting Boston’s series lead to 2-1. The story left the teams facing a pivotal Game 4.

• Byron Scott placed Wang Zhizhi in the weak-side corner, forcing Kevin Garnett to choose between helping against Yao Ming and guarding Wang Zhizhi.
• Yao Ming scored repeatedly against Ben Wallace after Boston abandoned its fronting defense.
• Rick Carlisle assigned Garnett to front Yao Ming, disrupting his catches but draining Garnett’s stamina.
• With the score tied at 84 late in the game, Andre Miller found Wang Zhizhi open on the left wing after an Andrei Kirilenko screen.
• Wang Zhizhi made a three-pointer, and the Nets beat Boston 96-88 to make the series 2-1.

Dwyane Wade’s relentless drives changed Game 4, helping Boston overcome New Jersey’s early lead and win 105-93. Boston took a 3-1 series lead, leaving the Nets facing elimination.

• New Jersey opened with an 18-10 lead as Yao Ming scored over Ben Wallace and Andrei Kirilenko stifled Paul Pierce.
• Rick Carlisle sent Dwyane Wade in and told him to push the pace and attack the paint; Wade immediately scored on a fast-break dunk.
• Wade repeatedly drove through New Jersey’s defense, drawing fouls and forcing Yao Ming to the bench with his third foul in the second quarter.
• With Yao Ming sidelined, Wade dominated the paint and created opportunities for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
• Boston pulled away after halftime and won 105-93, taking a 3-1 series lead as Wade finished with 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
• Lin Qi watched Wade celebrate with Garnett and Ben Wallace on television and smiled with satisfaction.

Lin Qi watched the Celtics wear down Yao Ming and the Nets to win Game 5, close out the Eastern Conference Finals, and advance to the NBA Finals. He then waited to see whether the Lakers or Spurs would meet Boston.

• Yao Ming scored 20 first-half points as the Nets took a 48-42 lead over Boston, while Kirilenko blocked Wade at the rim.
• Rick Carlisle adjusted Boston's lineup and defense after halftime, using Artest, Billups, Garnett, and Ben Wallace to pressure New Jersey and exhaust Yao Ming.
• With the game tied at 82 in the fourth quarter, Billups hit a three to give Boston the lead, and Pierce later drew a foul on Kirilenko to complete an and-one.
• Boston defeated New Jersey 92-85, despite Yao Ming scoring 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, and won the series 4-1.
• Lin Qi turned off the television and waited for the Lakers-Spurs series to determine Boston's Finals opponent.

The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs fought through a bruising Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Michael Jordan hit the decisive late shot, and Charles Barkley secured the final rebound as the Lakers won 88-86 and eliminated the Spurs 4-3.

• The Spurs built an early lead with a layered defense against Shaquille O'Neal, but Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Jason Kidd helped the Lakers lead 45-42 at halftime.
• Bruce Bowen slid his foot into Michael Jordan's landing space, prompting Charles Oakley to seize Bowen until Jordan calmed him down and sank the free throw.
• With three minutes left and the score tied at 84, Tim Duncan scored for the Spurs, and Shaquille O'Neal answered with a dunk to tie the game again.
• Michael Jordan hit a step-back jumper with thirty seconds remaining to give the Lakers an 88-86 lead.
• Manu Ginobili missed the Spurs' final three-pointer, and Charles Barkley grabbed the rebound as the Lakers won Game 7 and the series 4-3.

As the NBA Finals approached, Chinese fans celebrated the Celtics’ Chinese-American owner Lin Qi and the breakout performances of Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade, while American media overwhelmingly favored the Lakers. The chapter ended with Boston’s offensive weaknesses and generational transition laid bare ahead of the series.

• Chinese fans admired Kevin Garnett’s defense and sportsmanship and praised rookie Dwyane Wade’s explosive drives after Boston eliminated the Nets.
• Chinese media highlighted that the Nets were owned by Wang Jialian and the Celtics by Lin Qi, framing the conference finals as a rare Chinese-owner showdown.
• American media predicted a Lakers sweep, citing Boston’s poor shooting and its young players’ limited offensive skills.
• A report described how Michael Jordan’s harsh practices pushed Jason Kidd, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, and Quentin Richardson to improve their games.
• ESPN contrasted the Lakers’ depth and shooting with Boston’s physical, underdeveloped offense as the Finals neared.

Lin Qi spoke with David Fincher about the extensive post-production work on the two-part film "Kingmaker" and then joined Beth Finneran to watch a preview of the 2003 NBA Finals. Suspended from attending games in person, Lin Qi faced the Celtics-Lakers showdown from his sofa.

• Lin Qi called David Fincher, who said principal photography on both parts of "Kingmaker" was nearly complete and described the huge amount of footage and CGI work.
• Fincher told Lin Qi he had filmed a dramatized confrontation with Rick Adelman and planned to blend archival Celtics footage with degraded live-action footage.
• Lin Qi authorized more post-production spending and asked Fincher to ensure the films met the right standard.
• Lin Qi arrived home and found Beth watching an ESPN preview of the NBA Finals.
• Lin Qi sat with Beth to watch as the 2003 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers approached, unable to attend because of David Stern's suspension order.

The Lakers’ four-out lineup let Shaquille O’Neal dominate inside and punished Boston’s double-teams with open threes, while Dwyane Wade and Patrick Ewing shaped the second quarter. At halftime, Los Angeles led 54-42, and Lin Qi realized Michael Jordan had conserved his energy for the decisive fourth quarter.

• Phil Jackson started Shawn Marion at power forward and left Charles Barkley on the bench, disrupting Rick Carlisle’s defensive plan.
• Shaquille O’Neal scored over Ben Wallace in single coverage and passed out of Boston’s double-teams to open Lakers shooters.
• The Lakers ended the first quarter ahead 32-20 as Boston struggled to contain their spacing and O’Neal’s post play.
• Dwyane Wade drove past Derek Fisher but was blocked by O’Neal, who sent the ball over the baseline.
• Patrick Ewing used a pick-and-roll with Jason Kidd to score a jumper as the Lakers extended their lead.
• At halftime, Lin Qi noted that Michael Jordan had scored only eight points on four shots and remained fresh while the Lakers led 54-42.

The Lakers used Shaquille O'Neal's post play and Michael Jordan's late-game midrange shooting to defeat Boston 92-88 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Watching Jordan take over the fourth quarter, Lin Qi recognized how a superstar's one-on-one scoring could decide a playoff game when tactics broke down.

• Rick Carlisle had Boston leave O'Neal one-on-one, then used Hack-a-Shaq fouls to disrupt the Lakers' rhythm and help Boston close the gap.
• Phil Jackson replaced Derek Fisher and Shawn Marion with Mitch Richmond and Lamar Odom, and Richmond hit a corner three to give the Lakers a 75-70 lead after the third quarter.
• With the game tied 82-82 in the fourth, Michael Jordan drew two fouls on Ron Artest while fighting for position.
• Rick Carlisle replaced the furious Artest with Gerald Wallace, and Jordan scored repeatedly against the younger defender.
• Jordan made a fourth midrange fadeaway against a double-team, and the Lakers beat Boston 92-88 in Game 1.
• Lin Qi studied Jordan's second-half statistics and realized that a superstar's midrange shooting could break a playoff deadlock.

After Boston’s Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals, Rick Carlisle struggled to control the team’s anger and find a way past Shaquille O’Neal’s defense. He left with a plan for Dwyane Wade to use a pull-up jumper against O’Neal, setting up a new adjustment for the next game.

• Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and Ron Artest argued over Carlisle’s game plan and his decision to bench Artest.
• Ben Wallace entered Rasheed’s suite with ice bags, showed his injured shoulder, and warned Artest not to lose control in the next game.
• Carlisle left the hallway after seeing Ben stabilize the players and went to the video analysis room.
• Carlisle stopped Wade’s repeated review of his blocked drive and explained that the Lakers expected him to attack the basket without shooting from midrange.
• Carlisle told Wade to pull up for a midrange jumper when Shaquille O’Neal stayed near the basket, and Wade agreed to try it.

Wade used pull-up jumpers to exploit Shaquille O'Neal's reluctance to leave the paint, briefly erasing Boston's deficit in Game 2. The Lakers adjusted to deny Wade those shots, and Michael Jordan answered with a fadeaway over Ron Artest.

• Ron Artest stayed balanced against Michael Jordan, whose opening turnaround fadeaway missed and gave Boston the rebound.
• Dwyane Wade beat Derek Fisher and made two quick pull-up jumpers near the free-throw line, prompting Phil Jackson to call a timeout.
• Jim Cleamons instructed Shawn Marion to hedge Wade's screens while Shaquille O'Neal stayed near the basket.
• Marion's hedge forced Wade back toward O'Neal, who caused Wade's shot to miss and grabbed the rebound.
• Michael Jordan used a baseline spin and fadeaway to score over Ron Artest.

Garnett’s short-roll shooting and passing helped Boston take the lead, but Jordan answered with a difficult post-up basket for the Lakers. The teams went into halftime with the Lakers ahead 48–46.

• Carlisle signaled for Garnett to short-roll as Marion hedged Wade, and Garnett made a midrange jumper.
• Garnett passed behind O'Neal to Ben Wallace, who dunked and gave Boston four straight points and the lead.
• Jordan used consecutive spins to create space against Artest and scored off the backboard.
• Boston stayed close through Garnett’s playmaking and Wade’s midrange shooting while Jordan and O'Neal powered the Lakers’ offense.
• The halftime buzzer sounded with the Lakers leading 48–46.

Boston’s relentless defense and transition offense built a ten-point lead, but the Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter behind Quentin Richardson’s unexpected three-point shooting and their veterans’ late-game execution. The Lakers won Game 2, 94-90, and took a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

• Boston used Artest’s physical defense on Jordan and its fast breaks to outscore the Lakers 31-19 in the third quarter and lead 77-67.
• Phil Jackson ordered the Lakers to foul Ben Wallace after rebounds, and Wallace missed four straight free throws as the Lakers narrowed the deficit.
• Dwyane Wade made a midrange jumper to give Boston an 87-80 lead, but Quentin Richardson answered with two three-pointers to bring the Lakers within one.
• Jordan scored through Artest’s defense to put the Lakers ahead 88-87, and Marion contested Wade’s next jumper as O’Neal secured the rebound.
• Kidd and Jordan made their free throws after Boston fouled, sealing the Lakers’ 94-90 win and a 2-0 series lead.

After two poor Finals games, Paul Pierce reviewed his struggles on the flight to Boston and heard Rick Carlisle explain how he could help by drawing defenders away and embracing unselfish, physical work. Pierce accepted Carlisle’s advice as the Lakers arrived in hostile Boston for Game 3.

• Paul Pierce watched footage of his turnovers and missed shots from Game 2 and lamented how Jason Kidd and Michael Jordan had disrupted his offense.
• Rick Carlisle told Pierce that the Lakers were concentrating their defense on him and warned that forcing shots would play into Phil Jackson’s plan.
• Carlisle urged Pierce to draw defenders away from the main action, pass to open teammates, set screens, rebound, and defend.
• Pierce accepted Carlisle’s advice and agreed to sacrifice his pride for the team.
• The Celtics landed at Logan International Airport, and the Lakers’ bus later arrived in Boston amid hostile fans as Game 3 approached.

Paul Pierce put aside scoring and pride to fuel Boston with screens, defense, rebounds, and self-sacrificing plays in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. His effort helped Boston take a 45-38 halftime lead over the Lakers.

• Pierce dove into the photographers' area to save a loose ball, setting up a Billups fast-break score despite splitting his lip.
• Pierce set a hard screen for Wade, who scored a floater, then drew an offensive foul by taking Kidd's charge.
• Pierce passed out of a double-team to find Artest open for a three-pointer that helped spark Boston's comeback.
• Pierce finished the first half with two points, seven rebounds, six assists, two charges drawn, and two dives for loose balls.
• Boston went into halftime leading 45-38, and Pierce smiled at the scoreboard as he headed toward the locker room.