LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 398 My name is Michael Jordan!
Chapter 398 My name is Michael Jordan!
"We win! We win!"
All the players on the bench, including McMillan and the assistant coaches, cheered, rushed onto the court frantically waving towels, and hugged everyone.
Payton was extremely excited. Although he knew this was only G1, winning this G1 at the Wizards' home court in the first game was too important for the SuperSonics and even the trend of the entire finals.
If we can win, we can win! You can definitely win!
At this moment, Payton felt tears welling up uncontrollably.
Eight years...eight years! How many eight years are there in life?
Ever since he lost to that old gangster in the 1996 Finals, that series has been haunting him like a nightmare, constantly appearing in his nightmares.
He always fantasizes again and again, imagining that one day he can pull off the old gangster's bright coat and pull him off the throne. But in the past eight years, from the old guy's glory to retirement, retirement and comeback, He never had that opportunity again.
His own existence seemed to be just to set off the old guy. Not only was he a backdrop for that guy, but he was also just a passer-by in that guy's glory. He couldn't even be called his real destined opponent.
Geniuses know what unscrupulous media reporters are suffering when they use a defeat to promote the nickname Glove.
It seemed like it was his greatest honor to be able to look at that man in the eyes. Damn it!
Only McMillan, who is also a teammate and has even experienced that series, understands all of this.
The two old men hugged each other and cried, but McMillan patted his head. In fact, he couldn't help but shed tears: "It's only G1! I'm so excited, we still have to win three games!"
"Three fucking games!" Payton cried and laughed at the same time: "I want to win thirty games!"
"Three hundred games is no problem!"
The two old men laughed again.
The other young people were jumping around, releasing all the pressure they had endured before this round of finals.
The reporters and camera lenses nearby gathered together, showing every smiling face and cheering in front of the entire audience.
"Hahaha! Boss Gloves, stop crying there and get up!"
"You are crying MB, Fake Squid, do I look like a man who can cry? Also, don't call me Gloves, please call me my new nickname: God Killer!"
"Slay the God! Kill the God! Kill the God!"
"Come on, come on! Lin! Lin! Lin!"
"Don't forget Sakuragi, this kid is really awesome this time!"
“What does awesome mean?”
"Haven't you heard Lin say it? It means super cool!"
"Oh, hahaha, Eastern words with mysterious power! Awesome! Awesome! Sakuragi is awesome!"
Iguodala and the other newcomers were laughing and pulling Sakuragi, and the camera was also focused on Sakuragi Hanamichi. Only then did he see that the 19-year-old guy was already crying and laughing with tears streaming down his face.
calm? Calm?
That belongs to the game, and when the game is over, it also needs to be released to the fullest.
Seeing the camera pointed at him, he smiled excitedly and shed tears. Then he pulled Iguodala and others away, leaned towards the camera lens held by the reporter, and spoke in Japanese to the camera. He yelled crazily: "Dad! Did you see it, dad? I promised you, I will definitely get the championship ring! I will do it even if I work hard, it is yours!"
At this moment, Japan is far away.
In that villa, Coach Anxi laughed heartily, and his eyes became moist without even realizing it.
At this moment, Sakuragi was thinking of him.
What could be a more touching reward than this?
"This child really likes you." Keiko next to her also laughed. She knew how much her husband had paid for that child.
Money is only the most secondary, it really doesn't matter.
But her husband’s physical condition is no longer strong enough to support him in basketball anymore, even as a coach.
According to the doctor, he needs to rest and he doesn't need to work at all.
But for those two children, he not only started coaching seriously and took them around the world, but even risked his life to accompany one of them to climb Mount Fuji. He even agreed to join the Japan Basketball Association, running around and working every day. Piles piled up.
Not for fame, not for profit, just for the two children.
This has made her husband's physical condition deteriorate in the past two years. He originally wanted to go to the United States for this finals, but Keiko forcibly stopped him. He is really not suitable for running around anymore.
Frankly speaking, Keiko once disagreed with her husband's choices, and even disliked the two children because of it.
Nothing is more important than her husband's health, but at this moment, when she saw the child crying on the TV screen, expressing love and gratitude to her husband in front of the world's cameras, Keiko suddenly understood.
"Anyway, we don't have any children. When Sakuragi returns to Japan, let's adopt him as our adopted son." Keiko said with a smile, "I'll take care of it for you and make it lively!"
Coach Anxi was startled, and then he smiled with relief.
"Hahaha!" He held his wife's hand and smiled happily: "Why wait for him to come back? Come with me to the United States to watch the finals. I really want to go."
Keiko was slightly startled and hesitated, but looking at her husband's eyes that seemed to have become pure again, as if he had returned to youth again, she finally made up her mind and said with a smile: "...Okay!"
...At this moment, there was silence in the MCI center for more than ten seconds.
G1, their home court, has one of the strongest centers in the league and the god of the league!
They have swept all the way from the playoffs, and are still burdened with the mission of the God of Basketball to dominate the league for the third time.
But the opponent is a pure 'cute' team of Payton and Brent with three first-year rookies!
Frankly speaking, no one thought the Wizards would lose in G1.
Whether it is the fans at the scene, the football commentators from all parties, or even the league itself, the Wizards have an advantage in analyzing the strength of the two teams, the analysis of each other's experience and ability, home and away advantages, psychological advantages, etc. But……
Some fans at the scene made angry sounds and some yelled, but after all, they were only a handful.
This is just G1.
The Wizards' performance in this game was actually exciting enough. The 40-year-old Jordan scored 44 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Yao Ming, known as the league's top center, also scored 33 points and 17 rebounds. A super double-double, these two alone scored 77 points together!
This was in 2003, not in the NBA scoring league where small balls and body hair whistles were prevalent 15 years later. To be able to get such data is really amazing and impeccable.
It’s just that the opponent performed better...
Glove Payton, the 34-year-old veteran, seemed to have average statistics in this game, but his plus-minus value when he was on the court reached an astonishing +18. The old guy used his defense to defend the Wizards from the 1st position to 4 The number is worthy of the reputation of the gloves.
The 204-centimeter No. 10 rookie tired center Yao Ming, who had already reached the league's super-class level, to the point of collapse and was unable to play in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, it would be a fantasy for the Sonics to defeat the Wizards!
As for Lin Dong, the mysterious Oriental magician and away silencer, this first-year rookie actually scored a terrifying 69 points, including 12 3-pointers with an 80% shooting rate, and 15 free throws with a 100% shooting rate. !
He also has comprehensive data on both offense and defense with 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
Frankly speaking, when this set of data came out, not only the fans and reporters at the scene, but also the national football commentators and the entire league were silent.
This is the finals... not the regular season!
In terms of individual scoring records in NBA history, the top four in the Finals are Jerry West's 53 points against the Celtics in 1969, and Rick Barry's 53 points against the 76ers in 1967. The 55 points scored by Michael Jordan against the Suns during the first three consecutive championships, and the 61 points scored by Elgin Baylor against the Celtics in 1962.
Baylor's 61 points were the only game in NBA history in which an individual scored more than 60 points in the Finals, and this record has been dusty for 40 years!
But now, this first-year rookie has broken this achievement in his first NBA Finals, and his opponent is Michael Jordan!
This... what kind of monster is this? What kind of basketball genius is this?
And this is not the only historical record he broke.
12 three-pointers, 80% 3-point shooting rate!
15 free throws, 100% free throw shooting rate!
He made 21 of 32 shots from the field, and his shooting percentage reached an astonishing 65.6%!
Each of these is the first record in the history of the finals...
Before this game, the entire league, including all basketball players in the world, thought that Lin Dong was just a super rookie, a guy qualified to challenge God.
Now, people may have to change their evaluation and perception of this rookie.
Breaking all records right away.
This guy doesn't really seem to be here to challenge the gods... This guy is not a fierce dragon who can cross the river, he is here directly to ascend the altar!
Looking at the SuperSonics cheering in the field, some applause finally broke out from the stadium stands after a long time.
Facing such an opponent, facing the Wizards who have tried their best, facing such a wonderful game that broke various records and was evenly matched until the last moment, you can't help but applaud.
What's more, the finals are not over yet.
This was just G1, and the Wizards only lost the last ball, and all of this was based on the fact that the Wizards had already lost a defensive general early on.
The Wizards are still the same Wizards. If they are complete, their strength must still be above the SuperSonics. There are still six games left!
——Win the next game, Michael!
——It doesn’t matter, we’ll call back when we wait for G2, I believe you guys can do it!
——Come on, Michael! Come on Yao!
Unfortunately, some of the comfort and attitudes of the fans at the scene obviously do not represent the views of the entire world.
After the game, at the Wizards' press conference...
——Michael, everyone is very curious about your choice of 3 points in the last 11 seconds. You chose to pass the ball. Does this mean that you feel that you have lost control of the game? Are you already old?
——Michael, your restriction on Lin Dong on the defensive end became the most criticized point of this game. The God of Basketball couldn't guard a first-year rookie. This has never happened in your career. Are you still absolutely confident that you can win the seventh championship?
——Yao, you were entangled by a 204cm little man and even exhausted your energy. Many fans think you are a softie. What do you think about this?
——Coach Doug, why did you not call for a substitution to delay the serving violation in the last 6 seconds? You have had the God of Basketball twice in your career, but you have not had a championship trophy. If you lose this series, will you consider ending your coaching career?
——Michael, I heard that before Ron Artest had that impulsive moment, he had a few simple exchanges with you, and you scolded him severely. This may have caused his psychological imbalance. The reason why you made the impulsive move in the end is that people say you are not a truly good and rational leader. Do you think this will be a stain on your career?
Countless tricky, even extremely offensive and insulting questions made the wizards sitting in the interview positions extremely embarrassed.
Yao Ming lowered his head and said nothing. His speaking skills were pretty good now, but this was obviously not the right time to quibble.
In the end, Jordan grabbed the microphone from Collins's hand and ended the interview with two cold words to all the reporters: "Have I ever lost in the finals even once in my career?"
One sentence left all the reporters speechless.
Jordan said coldly: "So you clowns, please listen to me clearly. Shut your mouth completely before the end of the series. You just need to remember my name. My name is Michael Jordan!"