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Chapter 284 Resurrection, Best Deputy

After a full week of rest following the first round of the playoffs, the Warriors finally faced their next opponent in the Western Conference semifinals:

Seattle Supersonics.

Last summer, when Duncan chose to join the SuperSonics, Qin Yue questioned whether he had made a wrong decision.

After all, the SuperSonics at that time were a team in ruins, with Ray Allen leaving and many veterans retiring one after another.

However.
Rick Carlisle, a master of team building with an academic background, earned Howard Schultz's complete trust in Seattle and completed the team's rebuilding work in the shortest possible time.

So the question is, how did Carlisle manage to "bring this supersonic car back to life"?
The answer is that it is similar to the era of the young calf in Qin Yue's memory and the era of the Pacers in later generations.

After signing Duncan to a very cost-effective contract from the free agent market
Carlisle, who has always enjoyed discovering the potential of role players and developing non-first-team stars, rebuilt a highly competitive roster for the SuperSonics last summer through several signings and two trades.

The first is the point guard position that the Supersonics urgently need to strengthen.

Carlisle has his eye on Goran Dragic, who plays for the Suns.

Although many SuperSonics fans were disappointed with the trade when Carlisle traded two future first-round draft picks from the Suns for Dragic.

Because, as a potential guard who still needs time to develop, Dragic's current reputation is incomparable to that of the super guards on the market.

However, this trade allowed the SuperSonics to acquire a calm, experienced player with excellent shooting skills and a masterful control of the game at minimal cost.

As is widely known, Carlisle is one of the most outstanding tactical masters in the NBA today.

Therefore, if Carlisle wants to fully utilize his coaching talent, what he needs most is a point guard who can grasp the essence of his tactics.

Perhaps Dragic is not well-known at the moment.

However, Carlisle, who valued Dragic's tactical awareness, demonstrated the significant progress Dragic made under his guidance in the recently concluded 12/13 season.

He averaged 11 points and 5 assists per game in the 11/12 season.

He averaged 16 points and 8 assists per game in the 12/13 season.

Looking back at the trade between the SuperSonics and the Suns, SuperSonics fans even feel that they robbed the Suns.

In addition to Dragic, to increase the team's tactical diversity, Carlisle also signed Jeremy Lin last summer, who had been overlooked by everyone because he didn't have that "Linsanity" experience.

This is a contract with extremely high cost-effectiveness.

Similar to Qin Yue's memory, Jeremy Lin currently lacks only an opportunity to showcase himself.

In fact, if the Warriors hadn't been overcrowded with guards, Jeremy Lin would have been one of Qin Yue's backup options last summer.

In addition, on the front line, Carlisle also made an exceptionally decisive move by offering Trevor Ariza, who had become a free agent, a five-year, high-salary contract worth nearly forty million dollars.

This was the biggest contract Ariza could have gotten last summer.

Although SuperSonics fans also don't understand why Carlisle would offer a 3-and-D player such an exorbitant contract.

However, judging from the results, Ariza's addition to the team has indeed greatly enhanced the SuperSonics' wing defense and athleticism.

Then came Carlisle's last signing and deal last summer.

In the free agent market, Carlisle signed Kevin Martin, who had requested the Rockets to waive him because he didn't want to continue tanking with the team.

Among the many potential trade targets, Carlisle received another defensive 3-and-D player, Sapo Soflosa, in exchange for the SuperSonics.

With this, the brand-new supersonic vehicle was officially completed under Carlisle's meticulous construction.

Although, in terms of fame, neither Garnett, who took a pay cut to renew his contract with the team, nor Duncan, who chose to bring his experience to Seattle, can be considered a superstar.
Currently, Yao Ming is the only All-Star player on this SuperSonics team who can be considered to be in his prime.

But as long as he has enough players who can play, Carlisle can always cook up a good dish for you. His expertise in team building is so great that even Qin Yue, a time traveler, has to admit it.

In the regular season, the SuperSonics finished fourth in the Western Conference with 54 wins.

In the first round of the playoffs, they defeated the Grizzlies, a rising Western Conference team with many talented young players such as Ibaka, Gay, and Conley, in a decisive Game 7.

And now, the SuperSonics have entered the Western Conference semifinals.

Qin Yue's senior, Duncan, and his older brother, Yao Ming, also made some tough statements before the game started.

"I know everyone else is afraid of Lao Qin, but I'm not," Yao Ming said with a smile during an interview. "Because I have General Kevin, who can take down Lao Qin!"

"After we beat the Grizzlies in Game 7, Kevin told me that he would definitely be able to guard Messiah one-on-one in the upcoming series against the Warriors." On the other hand, Duncan said, "You know, I've always had great faith in Kevin's abilities, so I believe he can do it."

Qin Yue's old rival Garnett never expected that Yao Ming and Duncan, those two damned old guys, would put him on the hot seat before the Western Conference semifinals even began.

But now that things have come to this.

Garnett, of course, could only stand tall and face the "little devil" who would exhaust him every time they played against him.

"I'll guard him one-on-one." Garnett said with a wry smile before the SuperSonics headed toward Oakland. "If I fail, it just proves that 'Big-Yao' and Tim have thought too highly of me."

Do the SuperSonics really expect Garnett, who will soon turn 37, to be able to defend Qin Yue one-on-one in the upcoming Western Conference semifinals?

The answer is obviously no.

On May 1st, just one day before Carlisle was about to reveal how the SuperSonics would limit Qin Yue in the upcoming Western Conference semifinals, the NBA officially announced the winners of the 2012/13 regular season awards.

Qin Yue became the first player in NBA history to be named the regular season MVP for four consecutive years.

He was also named this year's best defensive player.

MVP plus DPOY.

This is both the judges' recognition of Qin Yue's ancient statistics in the regular season.

This is also the most undisputed selection in the league in recent years.

It's worth mentioning that on the day Qin Yue was selected as MVP for the sixth time in his career, the fourth consecutive time, and the fourth time as DPOY, ESPN commented on Qin Yue's award, saying, "GOAT, well-deserved."

In addition, this year's Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year awards were won by Lillard, JR Smith, Dragic, and Carlisle, respectively.

The results of the 12/13 season's All-Team and All-Defensive Team selections are as follows:
All-NBA First Team: Yao Ming, Qin Yue, Durant, Kobe, Paul.

All-NBA Second Team: Howard, Nowitzki, Anthony, Wade, Westbrook.

All-NBA Third Team: Marc Gasol, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Tony Parker.

All-Defensive First Team: Howard, Qin Yue, Ibaka, Allen, Paul.

All-Defensive Second Team: Chandler, Noah, Wallace, Kobe, Conley.

With the announcement of the award results, some are happy while others are sad.

For example, shortly after Qin Yue time-traveled, LeBron James, despite having a regular season plus-minus of -54, was still able to make the All-NBA team in the 24/25 season thanks to his commercial marketing.

This season, he officially became an outcast without a team, losing not only a historic record of consecutive All-NBA selections that speaks volumes about his greatness.

Furthermore, during negotiations with the Timberwolves' management at the end of the season, James learned some news that drove him absolutely crazy.

That is, if the Timberwolves manage to get the number one draft pick and select the top prospect, Anthony Bennett, nicknamed "Qin Yue Nth Generation," the Timberwolves management hopes that LeBron James can recognize his own limitations and assist Bennett in becoming the new Timberwolves king next season.

James couldn't believe that in the Timberwolves' management's eyes, a young player who could potentially become the team's new core was considered far superior to himself.

Even more unbelievable is that during this negotiation, the Wolves were less seeking to negotiate with him and more giving him orders.

However.
For James right now.

He doesn't even have a way to get out of his current predicament.

Without a doubt, this is the fact that makes James feel utterly hopeless.

In contrast to James, whose life is becoming increasingly unsatisfactory, his former teammates have become the biggest winners in this year's All-NBA Team selection.

If Westbrook is included, James has a total of four former teammates selected to this season's All-NBA teams.

Of course, besides the 5 Shaqtin' a Fool MVP award he already has, James has not been empty-handed in this year's award selections.

Because in ESPN's "Most Disappointing Player of the Season" award, LeBron James was voted the most disappointing player of the season by a large margin.

What? You're saying this award has absolutely no value?
What do you mean?
So this means that the "honors" that James earned through his own abilities are not "honors"?

"Brown, what should we do now?"

"Stop talking, let me calm down first."

When that marketing myth known as "The Chosen One" came to a complete end.

The helpless and confused Chosen One truly needs some time to calm down.

5 month 2 day.

The Warriors, playing at home in Oracle Arena, welcomed the SuperSonics in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Before the game, to celebrate Qin Yue's fourth consecutive MVP award, the Warriors not only prepared a 30-minute tribute video, but also had the home fans uniformly wear gold T-shirts with "GOAT" printed on the front.

Although Qin Yue still insists that he will only admit that he can be compared to Jordan if he wins the championship this year.

But in his heart, Qin Yue was already overjoyed with everything the Warriors had done for him.

The tribute video has ended.

At the scene in Auckland, Qin Yue walked onto the field to the center amidst the deafening cheers of the home crowd. His feelings at that moment were undoubtedly excited and surging.

However, despite his excitement, Qin Yue remained rational and clear-headed.

After all, before achieving his fourth consecutive championship, Qin Yue knew better than anyone that everything he currently enjoyed could only be considered as "piggybacking" on Jordan's success.

Only the champion.

Only a series of championships could allow him, the new GOAT, to ascend to the well-deserved throne, far surpassing the old GOATs.

"I am very happy to be named MVP again."

"But as you know, I am a man who always keeps his word."

"Therefore, in order to live up to everyone's expectations of me, I can only repay you with the championship."

Oracle Arena.

When Qin Yue announced his victory, the entire stadium erupted in a frenzy.

On the commentary booth, Rick Barry remarked, "God has promised the land, and he assures us that we will greet the new arena with yet another championship banner!"

Adornal Foyle said, "For the past decade, people have been saying that LeBron James is the 'Chosen One,' but now I think no one would doubt that 'Da Qin' is the real Chosen One, and the only one!"

After the MVP award ceremony, the Warriors players, in high spirits, were ready to follow the Kings to further expand the Warriors dynasty.

The starting lineups for the home team, the Warriors, and the visiting team, the SuperSonics, were displayed on the big screen at the stadium as follows:

Warriors: Brown, Qin Yue, Wallace, Green, Curry.

Supersonics: Yao Ming, Garnett, Ariza, Soflosa, Dragic.

This season, in using Yao Ming, Garnett, and Duncan, Carlisle prefers to choose the "back-to-back" playing style of these three big men based on the opponent.

Sometimes, Yao Ming and Duncan would play together for even longer periods.

Sometimes, Duncan would team up with Garnett more often.

As for tonight?

Right from the start of the game, the SuperSonics, who actively created opportunities for Yao Ming to back down Qin Yue in the low post through inside screen and inside pick-and-roll plays, immediately demonstrated Carlisle's determination to wear down Qin Yue on the offensive end.

In the low post, facing Qin Yue, Yao Ming's offense was resolute and aggressive.

First, they exerted force and squeezed hard.

Then withdraw the force and turn around.

Although there is not a single fancy technique involved.

But the moment Yao Ming made that seemingly ordinary side hook shot, this traditional center back-to-the-basket move brought tears to the eyes of Shaquille O'Neal on TNT.

"This is a real center!" O'Neal said, his eyes filled with tears. "How long has it been since we've seen a proper center backing down like this?"

On the other hand, whenever Qin Yue received the ball, the Supersonics' wing would execute a half-double-team strategy against him, which fully demonstrated Carlisle's protection of the veteran Garnett.

However, what troubled Carlisle was...
There was one difficult problem that he hadn't been able to solve until the start of this Western Conference semifinal.

At the top of the arc, the moment Qin Yue and Curry completed their pick-and-roll, the Supersonics' wing was immediately caught in a predicament where they could no longer execute their half-double-team strategy against Qin Yue.

Seeing this, Curry promptly passed the ball.

Qin Yue received the ball and quickly broke into the Supersonics' penalty area.

This is the scene of "Qin Gravity" and "Kuyou Gravity" mutually influencing each other.

At Oracle Arena, Qin Yue soared into the air the next second, firing the first shot for the Warriors in this Western Conference semifinal with a powerful dunk.

On the court, during Qin Yue's retreat defense, he and Curry exchanged blows, and Carlisle, who had been frowning the whole time, exclaimed, "Stephen Curry has completely turned Messiah into an unsolvable world problem."

That's right, that's exactly Curry's value to this Warriors team.

As a pitcher of all time, Curry has never been perfect.

But as Qin's partner, he was undoubtedly the best deputy.

……

PS: Update is late but it's here. (Today, Hua Zi finally showed some backbone, but then again, as long as the referees call the calls fairly, the Thunder don't seem as strong as A Qiao imagined. So, Hua Zi and the Timberwolves still have a lot of potential. As for tomorrow? I'll say it again: Pacers for the championship!)

(End of this chapter)