aircannonsinc Chapter 309 A Decisive Strike? A Counter-Decisive Strike! Riley and Mourning's Fierce Clash
Chapter 309 A Decisive Strike? A Counter-Decisive Strike! Riley and Mourning's Fierce Clash
Chapter 309 A Decisive Strike? A Counter-Decisive Strike! Riley and Mourning's Fierce Clash!
When Lin Tian dribbled the ball to the frontcourt again, the entire American Airlines Arena in Miami erupted in a huge, unified chant.
"Defense! Defense!! Defense!!!"
"Defense! Defense!! Defense!!!"
"Defense! Defense!! Defense!!!"
The Miami Heat, the NBA's top-ranked defensive team in the regular season, will face the biggest test of their defensive system and individual defensive abilities in the next two minutes!
Fans and players alike know what those two minutes mean!
If they can stop it, they still have a chance this season!
If they can't defend and are overtaken by the Pacers, then all their efforts and expectations throughout the season will have been wasted.
Their season can be declared over prematurely!
Despite the roar of the crowd, Lin Tian remained calm and collected. Payton, standing on the three-point line, spread his arms wide, lowered his center of gravity, and shouted wildly, "Come on! Lin! Come on! Try beating me again!"
Lin Tian was once again the best player in this crazy battle of missed shots and strong defense tonight!
Although he only made 10 of 28 shots tonight, including 0 of 7 from three-point range, Lin Tian changed his playing style in the second half, knowing he wasn't shooting well. He relentlessly attacked the paint to find opportunities to shoot from the free-throw line, and he scored 32 points thanks to making all 12 of his free throws!
The highest score of the entire event!
"Give him space, Gary! Give him space! No problem!"
Riley yelled from the sidelines, "This kid's not going to make shots tonight! Let him shoot! Just don't let him drive in!"
The Pacers are in foul trouble tonight, and so are the Heat!
Mourning and Malone both have 4 fouls, while Mashburn already has 5 fouls!
Even though there are only 2 minutes left in the game, what if something happens?
What if Lin Tian draws consecutive fouls? What if the game goes into overtime?
The number of fouls absolutely cannot increase any further!
"I can't shoot? You think I can't shoot tonight?" Lin Tian glanced at Payton disdainfully, then looked up at the basket and suddenly said, "Gary, you definitely don't know my basketball philosophy!"
「我宁愿30投0中，也不会10投0中！因为只出手10次的话，就意味着我认输了！」
"I will absolutely not give up!"
After Lin Tian finished speaking, he suddenly dribbled the ball and accelerated towards the inside. However, Payton, having heard what Lin Tian had just said, was a little wary. He did not follow Lin Tian at full speed to retreat towards the inside, but instead maintained his center of gravity at all times.
really!
Lin Tianhou has retreated!
Just two steps after Lin Tian rushed into the paint, this guy suddenly stepped back out of the three-point line, then bent his knees and raised his head, as if he was about to shoot!
"I got you, Lin!" Payton shouted with delight! He knew Lin Tian would definitely prove himself and show that he could make a shot!
Lin Tian's confidence has always been so strong! This is the reason why Lin Tian has been able to succeed, but now, Payton knows that this is his biggest chance to stop Lin Tian!
Get ready to get hated!
This block carries the rage of my anger from the 96 Finals onwards, from being repeatedly crushed by you, you bastard, and even earning you the nickname "Leaky Glove"!
Eat me
Oh my god, where did everyone go?
Confident and leaping high, Payton watched in disbelief as Lin Tian lowered his center of gravity again, flashed past him, and drove straight into the paint.
be cheated!
I was completely shaken off my feet!
Payton didn't even have time to feel bad, because before he could even turn around, the referee's whistle blew!
Lin Tian drove into the three-point line, and Mashburn quickly moved to the side to block Lin Tian's offensive path. However, Lin Tian quickly turned and brushed past Mashburn, while simultaneously gathering the ball and raising it to make a shooting fake!
Even with five fouls already accumulated, Mashburn couldn't control his legs and jumped up recklessly.
The moment he jumped, Riley had already closed his eyes in pain, too tired to watch anymore.
It's so embarrassing! In just one round, our two idiots were completely outmaneuvered and jumping around. It was unbearable to watch!
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian forced his way through Marsh and made a mid-range shot, which went in at the same time as the referee blew his whistle at just the right moment!
Mashburn committed a handball foul! This was his sixth foul!
The Heat's strongest, toughest, and most ferocious perimeter player has been taken down!
"Well done, Lin!" Carter, who had been bullied by Mashburn throughout the series and hadn't been performing very well, was extremely excited and was the first to come up to Lin Tian and give him a high five.
That reckless guy finally got off the field, that was so satisfying!
"Less than two minutes left, down by two points! Guys, let's hold on!" After exchanging high-fives with Carter, Lin Tian then high-fived all the Pacers players on the court to encourage them!
The decisive moment has arrived!
This is the first time in the Pacers' playoff run this season that they have been at a disadvantage at this point!
But a whole season of victories and invincibility gave them incredibly strong confidence!
Being down by 2 points is nothing!
Even if we're down by 10 points, we can come back in 2 minutes!
"Whoosh!"
Lin Tian, standing at the free-throw line, remained incredibly steady. After sending the ball into the basket, Lin Tian made a gesture, and the rest of the Pacers quickly returned to their own half of the court, while Lin Tian stayed in the frontcourt and put Payton under full-court pressure!
When Payton saw Lin Tian coming up, he was incredibly calm and immediately passed the ball to Buford, who was unguarded and had just come on!
After his brilliant performance in the first game, Buford played 15 minutes in the second game, but went 0-for-3 and scored no points.
Buford's playing time was reduced to 7 minutes tonight, but he still went 0-for-2 and scored no points.
Buford now knows very well that these two minutes are his last chance of the season!
If his performance continues to be poor, then Riley will definitely bench him completely! At the very least, he won't get any playing time this season.
If you want to show off, you have to take action!
But if you make too many moves, you're more likely to make mistakes!
For example, after Buford dribbled the ball to the frontcourt, he found that the Pacers' defender guarding him was Carter, who had the worst perimeter defense. So instead of passing the ball or following any plays, this guy did two crossover dribbles and then forced a change of direction and accelerated, trying to make a strong attack on his own!
Having been bullied by Mashburn for almost three games, Carter was finally free, so why would he let a rookie bully him? He quickly moved his feet and blocked Buford's path, not giving him any chance to break through and shutting down all of the guy's offensive routes.
Buford felt that Carter's defense was airtight. He quickly stopped and tried to reorganize, but before he could even take a step back and breathe a sigh of relief, Carter's hand had already snatched the basketball from his hands!
"Snapped!"
With a crisp sound, the basketball slipped from my hand and rolled towards the three-point line.
Buford sprinted forward as fast as he could, trying to grab the basketball, but someone was faster than him!
Lin Tian started moving towards Buford almost the instant Carter reached for the ball, then accurately predicted the ball's landing point and grabbed it just before Buford could make a diving save. He then launched another counterattack down the court!
Payton stood in front of Lin Tian with all his might, trying to disrupt his fast attack.
Who is Ke Lintian?
The league's number one fast-break maniac and top-tier finisher!
Even though Payton was practically bursting with rage, he couldn't stop Lin Tian at all. In the end, Lin Tian drove right through him to the basket and easily made a layup!
76: 76!
It's a tie!
Lin Tian scored 5 points in less than 30 seconds, tying the score!
"Get the ball inside! Get it inside!"
Riley, sitting on the sidelines, was furious!
At this point, if you don't give the ball to Mourning and let him go all out against Webber who already has 5 fouls, are you out of your mind?
Are you only thinking about your own scoring performance?
FUXX!
Riley, sitting on the sidelines, was so angry that he kept swearing. Fortunately, his swearing did have some effect. For example, the basketball finally got to Mourning's hands. He held the basketball high, felt Webber's defense behind him, and after observing that no one was coming to help defend, he immediately started dribbling and backing down the ball!
Facing an opponent with 5 fouls, the experienced Mourning naturally chose a simple, direct, and aggressive approach, using his strength to overpower Webber, pushing him to the basket and forcing a shot!
"Bang!"
Mourning's strong drive to the basket missed, but he had already anticipated the ball's landing point, jumped up again to grab the rebound, and then got up a second time to try and put the ball in!
"Snapped!"
Webber was being pressured by Mourning, who was elbowing him and grabbing rebounds over his head. Webber was also getting hot-blooded. When Mourning was putting the ball back in, Webber finally couldn't control his temper and slapped him, hitting Mourning's arm!
"Beep beep! Foul! Mourning gets two free throws!"
The referees issued their ruling again, and after Ben Wallace left the court, another Pacers starting center, Webber, also went to the bench!
Even with only 1 minute and 10 seconds left in the game, the Pacers' interior defense was in dire need of attention!
Bird stood on the sidelines and first comforted Webber, who was walking back to the bench dejectedly. After thinking for a moment, he picked up Lewis!
The Pacers' current roster consists of Davis, Lewis, Christie, Carter, and Lin Tian!
After Buford, the surprise weapon in the Heat's first game, failed to score a single point in two consecutive games and gradually shed his magical image, it is now Lewis's turn to prove whether he is just a flash in the pan or can maintain his output and firepower!
Mourning stepped to the free-throw line, took a deep breath, and then calmly sank both free throws! The iron man withstood the pressure, putting the team back in the lead by 2 points!
In the next 40 seconds, Lin Tian made another mid-range shot, while Malone drove past Lewis into the paint and took a shot. Although he missed the shot, he drew a foul and made both free throws!
With 30 seconds left, the Heat still led by 2 points!
Bird didn't overestimate himself this time and called a timeout to set up the team's tactics.
Well, calling it an arrangement is a bit of a stretch; it would be more accurate to say it's to let the players rest and calm down.
Because at this point, the Pacers actually only have one tactic.
Pass the ball to Lin Tian!
Timeout over! Bird didn't make any more substitutions; he essentially fielded an offensive lineup of 4 shooters and 1 role player in the final 30 seconds!
Meanwhile, the Heat still have their twin towers together, plus Payton, Leonard, and Patterson! As for Buford?
It seems unlikely that he will regain the trust of others in this series!
When the referee gave Christie the ball inbounds and let him start the inbounds pass, all nine players on the field immediately began their frantic sprint!
Lin Tian sprinted from the top of the arc to the basket, from the basket to the wing, and then from the wing back to the top of the arc, using three screens along the way, before finally shaking off Payton's tenacious defense and successfully getting the ball inbounds.
After getting the basketball, Lin Tian surprisingly didn't stop walking at all, nor did he say anything about stopping to wait, steady himself, or observe the situation on the court.
He accelerated forcefully, easily getting past Payton in one step! Then he drove straight towards the basket!
Patterson quickly moved back and sideways to try and block Lin Tian. At the same time, Mourning and Malone also moved to the basket, not giving Lin Tian an easy chance to shoot. In addition, Payton was chasing frantically behind him, not giving Lin Tian any chance to rest or stop.
If Lin Tian hesitates even for a moment at this position, he will immediately be surrounded by at least three people!
The Heat's defense against Lin Tian was absolutely superb!
But this kind of defense, of course, also has countless loopholes!
First of all, there were empty seats everywhere in the stadium!
Lin Tian didn't let the Heat's open space go to waste. He went straight for Lewis, who was left out in the most exaggerated way, with not a single Heat player within 5 meters of him!
"Whoosh!"
The basketball streaked through the air, flying directly towards Lewis.
Lewis, who performed well in the first game but has not scored a single point in the second and third games so far, doesn't even consider whether the shot is reasonable or whether it can go in, nor does he consider what will happen if the shot misses.
He's a shooter!
If you're a marksman, you'll have the instincts and cold-blooded nature that come with it!
"Whoosh!"
Two seconds later, a heart-wrenching sound rang out throughout Miami as Lewis sank a game-winning three-pointer! The Pacers took a one-point lead!
Although there were still 24 seconds left in the game, and the Heat still had one more full offensive opportunity, all the Heat fans let out a sigh of near despair at this moment.
They were leading by 5 points just over a minute ago.
How did we fall behind?
The ups and downs of the game were too rapid; I simply couldn't keep up!
Just as the fans at the stadium were complaining and felt that the team was going to have a bad run of games and be on the verge of elimination, Riley's timeout came to an end!
Neither coach made any changes to their lineups. With 24 seconds left in the game, which could very well be the final round of the match, the game officially began!
81: 80!
The Pacers didn't interfere too much with or defend the Heat's outbound balls. After all, the Pacers' interior defense was completely suppressed by the Heat, and they were worried that if they defended too much, the Heat would take advantage of the gaps and easily score inside.
Therefore, the Pacers simply set up their defensive formation and waited for the Heat to attack!
Payton grabbed the basketball and quickly moved toward the wing, while the rest of the Heat team followed suit.
The Heat quickly adjusted their formation on the court, with Lin Tian, Payton, Lewis, and Malone standing on one side, and another six players on the other side!
In the final moments of the game, the most crucial possession, Riley chose to trust his players' individual abilities! Just look at the clearly defined strong and weak sides of the formation – Riley intended for Malone to dominate Lewis!
They're still targeting the Pacers' weak and vulnerable interior defense!
After everyone had moved, Payton quickly bounced the ball to Malone and started moving to the far side. If Lin Tian dared to double-team, Malone could immediately pass the ball to Payton and assist him in shooting a wide-open three-pointer!
What if Lin Tian doesn't double-team?
What makes you think Lewis can stop Malone?
It's already a favor that Malone didn't beat you to death!
"Bang!"
Just as Riley was brimming with confidence and incredibly proud of his tactic of attacking the opponent's weakest point, Malone's turnaround layup completely missed!
With his tenacious spirit, Lewis used his outstretched arms and unwavering determination to block Malone's elbow with his chest, successfully causing Malone's layup to miss!
But that's all Lewis can do!
Although Malone missed the shot, he controlled the rebound's landing point. He quickly turned around, trapping Lewis behind him, then grabbed the backboard with both hands and jumped again, trying to slam the ball directly into the basket!
"Snapped!"
But just as Ma Long jumped up, he was incredulously surprised to see that there was another person in front of him!
Lin Tian!
Lin Tian ultimately chose to double-team and help defend. He chose a near-perfect moment, the instant Malone grabbed the rebound and had no time to observe the court situation, Lin Tian left Payton behind and rushed into the paint.
He's going to block Malone's sure shot!
With perfect calculation and a sudden sneak attack, Lin Tian successfully blocked Malone's shot! He slapped the ball away!
But the moment the fan flew out, Lin Tian realized something was wrong!
He shouldn't have swatted the ball in that direction!
There's a Heat player there too!
Payton!
Payton, left wide open, easily caught the basketball. Instead of charging towards the basket, he glanced at the hoop and then calmly jumped and released the shot!
"Whoosh!"
With a crisp sound, Payton's mid-range jump shot went in!
In order to defend against Malone's strong attack under the basket, Lin Tian had no choice but to leave Payton alone, and now he could only watch Payton take an open shot.
Both cups contained deadly poison, and Lin Tian could only choose one.
There's no right or wrong in this choice, only luck!
81: 82!
There are 2.9 seconds left in the game!
After two consecutive shots were blocked, the Heat hit the game-winning shot just when the fans were almost in despair!
This allowed the team to successfully turn the score around!
"Miami! Miami! Miami! Miami!"
"Gary! Gary! Gary! Gary!"
The entire American Airlines Arena erupted in celebration after the ball went in, with everyone chanting Payton's name and calling out the name of their savior!
From heaven to hell and back to heaven again, that's the magic of basketball! That's why the NBA drives fans crazy!
Payton was equally excited, pounding his chest wildly and jumping up and down with his teammates to celebrate the near-game-winning shot!
"Gary, you were too hasty." Unlike the obvious frustration and helplessness of the other Pacers players, Lin Tian's expression was much more relaxed, as if there were 2.9 minutes left in the game instead of 29 seconds!
He walked up to Payton, who was celebrating wildly, and said casually, "You should have waited two seconds before shooting, then you would have cleanly killed the game! Ended our winning streak! But you didn't, you shot as soon as you got the ball!"
"So you're finished! You know who's going to end you next!"
After Lin Tian finished speaking, he turned around and returned to the bench, where Bird was setting up the tactics for the final attack.
Mourning excitedly hugged Payton and said, "Gary, what are you daydreaming about?"
"I have a bad feeling," Payton forced a smile. "Lin said he'd deliver the final blow."
"Don't listen to his bragging! He can't do it! You've already killed the game!" Mourning paused for a moment, then patted Payton on the shoulder.
Although he was comforting Payton, Mourning was not so relaxed inside.
Because subconsciously, he felt that Payton was right!
2.9 seconds, that does seem too long!
"Doug, you inbound the ball from the sideline. Don't rush the pass. We still have one timeout left, so if there isn't a good opportunity, you can call another one! Don't make a mistake, and definitely don't commit a five-second violation! This is our last chance!"
"Reggie, Vince, you two come up here. I want you to run along this line, and land in the left or right corners. Create space for me!"
"Sharraf, you're in the area above the free-throw line. Set screens for them, screen for every teammate who passes you, and then if they don't get space, run to the top of the key, run out to the three-point line to receive the ball!"
"Lin, you're our main scorer! Drive down this route first, then turn back and head up to receive the ball on the wing. If there's no opportunity, move towards Shaq! Give him a handoff!"
"As long as you get the ball, the rest is up to you! Three-pointers, mid-range shots, drives, or passes! 2.9 seconds, we have plenty of time, I have 100% faith in you! Okay, everyone else, any questions?"
"there is none left!"
The entire Pacers team stood up, raised their hands, and shouted a slogan again before Lin Tian, Carter, Miller, Christie, and Lewis walked onto the court!
The Heat, on the other hand, brought out their starting lineup, one by one, preparing for this crucial defensive play that would determine the success or failure of their entire season!
"Beep beep!!"
The referee blew his whistle and gave the ball to Christie. Miller and Carter immediately started sprinting from the top of the arc. They ran clockwise and counterclockwise along the three-point line towards the two corners. After reaching the corners, they screened each other and crossed paths, running towards the other corner three-point spot.
Lin Tian started a beat slower than the other two. He ran directly to the basket, but failed to get a chance to receive the ball and attack the rim. He had no choice but to turn back and run towards the left at a 45-degree angle.
At this point, the 5-second inbound pass was almost up. Instead of calling a timeout, Christie passed the ball to Lewis, who had moved up to the three-point line.
The moment Lewis got the ball, Lin Tian turned again and ran towards him!
The two players made a handoff pass from a distance of 2 meters beyond the three-point line. With the help of Lewis's screen, Lin Tian finally got rid of Payton's pursuit and stopped after only dribbling the ball once. He then took off!
When Lin Tian jumped, he wasn't even facing the basket directly! He was still sideways to the basket, but Lin Tian jumped high enough! He completed the spin in mid-air, twisting himself to face the basket directly, then tensed his whole body, flicked his wrist, and the basketball flew towards the basket like an arrow!
"Buzzing!!!"
Almost at the same time, the final whistle blew, and whether or not a game-winning shot could be scored, this was the last shot of the night!
After making his move, Lin Tian suddenly felt that time was passing very slowly, and that the whole world had become quiet.
He noticed the countless Miami fans on the sidelines closing their eyes in despair, and he also noticed that Payton tried his best to jump and block the shot, but because he jumped too hastily, his landing posture was very unnatural, and he fell directly to the floor.
But what Lin Tian could see even more was that the basketball's trajectory was perfectly straight, and he was confident that this shot would definitely go in!
So, after landing, Lin Tian didn't check if the basketball could go in. Instead, he spread his arms wide, raised them high, and turned to face the audience. Lin Tian even had time to wave his arms a little more.
"Whoosh!"
After Lin Tian finished his incredibly arrogant pre-celebration, the basketball finally fell into the hoop!
A game-winning shot! A three-pointer to seal the victory!
Lin Tian delivers a stunning counterattack!
Lin Tian sealed the game, leaving the Heat not even a second to spare. He'd done it!
Series score: 3-0!
The excited Pacers players didn't give Lin Tian another chance to show off and celebrate. Everyone rushed towards Lin Tian from all directions like madmen!
Lewis, who was closest, was the first to hug Lin Tian, followed by Miller, Carter, Christie, and then the entire Pacers team, all of them rushed over!
Lin Tian was pressed down to the very center by everyone, and the Pacers players were celebrating and cheering wildly!
84: 82!
The Pacers have won Game 3 of the series!
Just two minutes earlier, the Pacers were down by 5 points, 71-76!
But in the final two minutes, the Pacers went on a 13-6 run! Lin Tian scored 10 points, 1 assist, and 1 block in those final two minutes! He almost single-handedly defeated the Heat, almost single-handedly dragging them into the abyss!
31投14中，罚球13罚全中，3分球8投1中，全场轰下42分12篮板7助攻5抢断2盖帽！
Lin Tian once again scored half of the team's points tonight! If you add his 7 assists, he was involved in over 70% of the Pacers' points tonight!
The tournament's influence is terrifying!
Lin Tian is everywhere, Lin Tian is omnipotent!
After Lin Tian hit that three-pointer, the fans in the entire American Airlines Arena in Miami were almost in despair. They held their heads in their hands, unable to believe that their team had lost like that. Even many of the most die-hard Heat fans shed tears!
This feeling of being completely outmatched is just awful!
The feeling of seeing a glimmer of hope in despair, only to have that hope shattered completely, is incredibly painful!
At this moment, all Heat fans knew that they had lost not only this game, but also the season!
With a 0-3 deficit, their season is over.
The remaining matches are nothing more than formalities fought for dignity.
在NBA历史上7战4胜制的系列赛中，一共有111次打成3：0，这111个系列赛中，其中82次都以横扫收场，21次打成了4：1，只有6次能打到4：2！
As for teams that can win 3 games in a row, there have only been 2 instances in total!
As for those who won four consecutive games and made a direct comeback?
0!
No one in NBA history has ever done this!
Heat fans naturally found it hard to believe that their team could pull off a comeback against the behemoth that is the Pacers.
This is a monster that won 75 games in the regular season and is still undefeated in the playoffs!
Who can maintain such unrealistic self-confidence when facing them?
For the Heat, the bad news is clearly not just about Lin Tian hitting the game-winning shot.
From the moment Lin Tian made his decisive kill, Payton remained lying on the floor and did not get up!
At first, people thought Payton was just too heartbroken by the game-winning shot to get back up.
But when even Lin Tian noticed something was wrong with him, struggled out of the celebrating crowd, and waved towards the Heat's bench, everyone realized: Payton was injured!
When it rains, it pours; when the boat is late, it gets caught in a headwind!
That's just adding insult to injury!
Payton's injury has made the Pacers' celebrations much more subdued. Although many Pacers players have had conflicts with this scoundrel, they generally have a good relationship with him and admire this tough guy.
A few minutes later, several team doctors stood up with solemn expressions and shook their heads at Riley on the bench.
Clearly, Payton's situation is not good.
But as to how bad it is, the Pacers players have no idea.
Because Payton was in a wheelchair and was wheeled off the court, the Heat players also left the court.
The Pacers players, naturally, didn't linger long at the away game. They quickly left the stadium to attend a press conference and prepare to return to their hotel for a good rest.
The physical battle tonight must have taken a toll on us!
The players need to rest and recuperate properly to prepare for Game 4 of the series!
Furthermore, the Pacers players didn't even need Bird to ask them tonight, nor did they need the team to impose a curfew. They voluntarily returned to their rooms, showing no intention of going out at all.
After all, the Pacers have already won 10 straight games in the playoffs!
They want to win another game! They want to sweep their third consecutive series! They even want to sweep their opponents in four consecutive series!
Since the team has already won 75 games in the regular season, setting a historical record, why not also achieve a perfect playoff record and create another unprecedented super record, becoming the first team in NBA history to win the championship with a perfect playoff record?
We were the strongest in the regular season!
We'll be number one in the playoffs too!
This year's Pacers have goals that go beyond just the championship!
They aim to win every indirect comparison between Jesus and Odin! They want to become the strongest team in NBA history! Not necessarily the most undisputed, but they must be the team widely recognized as number one!
The Pacers will not relax at this time!
The Pacers won't let their guard down, but the Heat are having problems.
The day after the game, Riley conducted the team's training as usual.
"Gary, get some rest and recover as much as possible! We need you to play tomorrow night! We need you to contain Lin!"
Payton, who was injured last night, is sitting on the floor with an ice pack on his leg, recovering from his ankle injury.
Hearing Riley's words, Mourning frowned and said, "Coach, is it really necessary to let Gary play in Game 4? Wasn't he diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain? He needs to rest for at least 1-2 weeks! Playing him after only one day could very well aggravate his injury!"
"Alonzo, this is the Eastern Conference Finals! This is not the time for conservative treatment." Riley waved his hand, completely ignoring Mourning's words.
"Coach! But we're down 0-3!" Mourning spread his hands in disbelief. "If we had won Game 3, we wouldn't have had a problem letting Gary give it his all! But we're down 0-3! I can't see any reason why we should let Gary risk ruining his career by playing!"
"He needs rest! We can come back next year!" Mourning spread his hands and said, "But if we put him on the court for a tiny possibility and then ruin his career, I don't approve! I don't agree."
"I'm the head coach and the president of this team." Although Riley was much shorter than Mourning, he held his head high, his presence no less imposing than Mourning's. "You just need to listen to instructions; you don't need to worry about anything else!"
"I'm the leader of this team! The guys came here because they believed in me!" Mourning insisted. "I have a responsibility to them. If I say no, it means no!"
"Alonzo, I'm fine. I can wait until tomorrow night to see how it goes." Payton stood up, limped over to Mourning, and pulled him aside, saying, "It's just a grade one sprain. I've been through countless times before!"
"I know my body very well!"
"Alonzo, just shut up! At this point in the season, the team doesn't need a second voice, and no one needs to question my decisions! Here, I'm the boss, understand?" Riley ignored Payton's attempt to save face and continued to glare fiercely at Mourning, saying, "You either get out, or you obey. There's no third option."
"So, you didn't treat us as players at all, but as pawns, right? We're no different from the Lakers or the Knicks; we're just tools for you to achieve your own goals and fulfill your personal value, isn't that right?"
Mourning was now completely enraged. He couldn't understand why Riley insisted on making Payton play an injured match that was already decided.
"I told you to shut up! I told you to listen!" Riley glared at Mourning, shaking off Mashburn's hand that was grabbing him, and said firmly, "Whoever I say plays, plays! Whoever I say rests, rests! As for anything else? Hmph, Alonzo, you're just a player, you'd better learn to shut up!"
"And Alonzo, let me tell you! As my tool, you can reach the Eastern Conference Finals year after year! As yourself? You're just a loser and a pathetic wretch forever crushed by the four great centers! As long as you behave, I can give you countless honors and money!"
"So, shut up! Shut up right now!"
"I can't learn to shut up, and I can't learn to be silent!" Mourning took a step forward, his forehead almost colliding with Riley's, and said fiercely, "Anyway, if you, you damn bastard, let my guy play in this kind of game, I'm not finished with you!"
"What did you call me?" Riley's eyes widened as he looked at Mourning. "And are you going to hit me? Huh? Are you going to beat me up like that madman Sprewell? Huh?"
"Gary, let's go home and rest!" Mourning ignored Riley and turned to leave. He was really angry now, and if he stayed any longer, he was afraid he would actually hit him. "Compared to watching the guys train here, lying on the sofa at home watching TV is what you should be doing right now. Come on! I'll take you home."
Payton nodded and said no more. He knew that at this moment, it was enough for him to stand on the same side as Mourning!
Mourning helped Payton toward the locker room, while the rest of the people present looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
As for Riley, he was furious as he watched Mourning's disappearing figure. He was absolutely livid!
If you gave him a gun right now, he would probably pull it out immediately and shoot Mourning in the head to vent his anger!
"Everyone, train hard! No one is allowed to tell anyone what just happened! If I find out anyone is spreading rumors, I guarantee you won't be able to stay in this league!" Riley angrily yelled at the people around him, then handed the team over to the assistant coach and quickly left.
At that moment, Riley recalled the scene in his mind where Magic Johnson and other Lakers stars pressured Buss, demanding that he kick them out of Los Angeles.
Riley recalled how, a few years ago in New York, Ewing and others openly refused his offer to become the team's president and jointly opposed his continued role as the team's head coach.
He was kicked out by New Yorkers again.
Now, Mourning has clashed with himself again!
This time, Riley decided to strike first!
Riley is starting to have PTSD about players rebelling and getting rid of him.
He wouldn't give Mo Ning a chance to cause trouble, nor did he care what Mo Ning was thinking at the moment, whether it was a momentary impulse or he really didn't want to cooperate with him anymore.
None of that matters!
The important thing is that you can't fall into the same pit twice! Riley had already fallen twice, and he felt he was stupid enough that he didn't need to fall a third time!
Get rid of Mourning! Rebuild!
The idea slowly took shape in Riley's mind.
Anyway, this team has no chance of defeating Lin Tian's Pacers. Even if they get past the Pacers, the Lakers on the other side are still a behemoth!
Riley would rather lose to the Los Angeles Lakers and the teams he hates so much than lose to them in the Eastern Conference Finals!
Especially considering the age and injury history of the team's current three key players, the team's performance will only get worse year by year!
Rather than losing to the Pacers year after year, it would be better to trade Mourning while he still has trade value and Payton is still in the twilight of his prime and rebuild from scratch!
As for Ma Long, who had already signed a one-year contract...
Find a way to get him to leave and join another team, so that the team can legitimately rebuild!
This summer at the latest, no later than next year's trading deadline!
We must act now!
Then, after the Lakers and Pacers' run is over, we'll go for the championship!
(End of this chapter)