The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 115 First Round
By evening, the Miami Arena was packed, with an occupancy rate of up to 108%.

For the Heat, who have only been in the NBA for five seasons, making the playoffs for two consecutive seasons is already a great success.

Owner Mickey Arison brought his family to watch the game, and many prominent figures from Miami were also present at the arena.

Eric Fleischer was sitting next to Elena Gabor. She wasn't a basketball fan, and this was her first time watching a Tangbei game.

TNT's photographers quickly captured Garbo's image, giving her close-ups from time to time.

"I forgot to buy popcorn," Jia Bao muttered.

Upon hearing this, Eric Fleischer immediately stood up and said, "Miss Garbo, I'll go buy it. Would you like some other drinks?"

"Thank you, I'd like a glass of Grasse's hot chocolate and a serving of their almond milk," Garbo said after thinking for a moment.

"OK."

Eric Fleischer went there immediately.

He treated Jia Bao even better than he did Tang Bei, because this aunt could help him a lot, and for free.

In the home team's locker room, although they made it to the playoffs last season, the players were still a little nervous.

There are exceptions, like John Salley, who has two championship rings, let alone playoff rings.

This old geezer also brought two rings with him today, and he's showing them off everywhere:
"Look, back then, our Bad Boys team trampled Larry Bird's Celtics, Michael Jordan's Bulls, and Patrick Ewing's Knicks to win two championships."

"If it weren't for the unexpected injury to Isiah Thomas in the Finals, Magic Johnson would never have been able to beat us that year, and we would definitely have won the first three-peat dynasty in modern NBA history."

While listening to John Selye's glorious history, Tang Bei took out the wrist guards, knee pads, and waist support belts he had obtained from the treasure chest.

With the addition of insoles, these four items were a great help to him. The difference between using these four items and not using them was very noticeable.

"Tang, can I borrow it for a few days?"

At this moment, John Selye spread his right hand wide, placed the two rings in front of Tang Bei, and laughed triumphantly.

"John, do you think I'll never get this thing?"

Tang Bei glanced at the two rings, then suddenly looked up at John Salley and uttered those words through clenched teeth.

"NONONO..."

John Selye was startled when he saw the murderous glint in Tang Bei's eyes and heard those murderous words. He quickly hid his right hand behind his back.

"Ha ha……"

Seeing John Salley's disheveled state, a burst of laughter erupted in the locker room, and the tension dissipated considerably.

Tang Bei laughed along with him and then started putting on his sneakers.

This was the first game for the signature shoes. Eric Fleischer told him that Fila USA didn't really care about the sales of the Tang 1, but was more interested in the sales of the other sneakers in China. However, he felt that the sales of the Tang 1 couldn't be too bad, at least not worse than Shaquille O'Neal, and not worse than the three super centers.

So he needs to perform well in the upcoming playoffs and at the same time find an opportunity to promote his Tang Generation shoes.

At 7:30, both sides announced their starting lineups.

Celtics: Robert Parish, Alara Abdulabi, Kevin Jamber, Reggie Lewis, Sherman Douglas

Miami Heat: Tang Bei, Grant Lang, Glen Rice, Steve Smith, Brian Shaw
This series was broadcast live across the United States by TNT, with Hubie Brown, Bob Neal, and guest commentators Larry Bird, a Celtics legend.

After the opening remarks, Hubie Brown asked, "The Heat and Celtics played four regular season games, with a record of two wins and two losses. The two wins were after Tang joined the team."

Larry Bird said, "The Heat made a brilliant turnaround after acquiring Tang. Without Tang, the Heat would not have had a chance to make the playoffs."

Bob Neal nodded and said, "Don brought a dominant low-post offense, strong defense, and top-notch rebounding to the Heat."

Hubie Brown said, "Larry, most media outlets currently believe the Heat have a 60% chance of advancing, while the Celtics only have a 40%. Do you think the Celtics have a greater than 40% chance of advancing?"

Larry Bird shrugged and said, "Why not? The Heat aren't that great at any of their positions except for Tang."

Then he analyzed in a serious tone: "The second scoring option, Glen Rice, is an inconsistent pitcher with average mental fortitude."

Last season, the Heat were swept by the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Although he averaged 19 points per game in the series, his field goal percentage was only 37.5% and his three-point percentage was only 25%, which was very inefficient.

His efficiency in the playoffs was significantly lower than in the regular season. Not only did he fail to help Tang, he also dragged down the Heat's offensive efficiency.

The Heat's other players couldn't help Tang either; they were powerless on offense, full of holes on defense, and couldn't even grab rebounds.

Tang not only has to work hard on offense, but also cover for them on defense, and he has to grab the rebounds. His stamina won't last the entire series.

Hubie Brown and Bob Neil both felt that what they heard made sense.

Bob Neal said, "Larry, from what you've said, I feel like the Celtics' chances of advancing in this series might be more than 40%, at least 61%."

"Pfft!" Hubie Brown burst out laughing.

Larry Bird chuckled, but didn't pursue the topic further.

But Hubie Brown didn't let Larry Bird off the hook, continuing, "Larry, the intensity of the playoffs is much greater. Have you considered Don's offensive capabilities?"

At this point, Larry Bird's forehead twitched, and he said, "Whether it's Robert or the others, they are all experienced veterans, and I think they can handle it."

"veteran?"

Hubie Brown smiled and didn't provoke Larry Bird any further. Instead, he said, "Many media outlets are saying that the playoffs will be another test for Tang. Only by putting on a stellar performance in the playoffs can he become a true superstar."

Bob Neal continued, "Tang will be the biggest focus of this series, let's look forward to his performance."

"Ladies and gentlemen, let us now welcome the Eastern Conference All-Star starting center, the unstoppable tornado in the low post, the fearsome Bone Crusher that strikes fear into the entire league, the starting center of the Heat..."

"Tang...Bei!"

The passionate shouts of MC Wensco Thomas echoed throughout the Miami Arena as Tang Bei jogged out of the player tunnel.

"WOW!"

The shouts echoing through the stadium were thunderous and lingered for a long time.

The majority of the fans in the stadium were wearing jerseys with the number 88, and they were all fans of Tangbei.

When he ran out, he was surprised to see some fans wearing the No. 88 jersey of the Seaweed team. These were definitely his die-hard fans. He quickly waved to them and received a very enthusiastic response.

After greeting the others, he hugged Eric and Garbo one by one, and then TNT gave Garbo a close-up shot.

When the TNT and other TV cameras came over, he deliberately squatted down to tie his shoelaces, showing his shoes to the live broadcast camera.

CCTV cameras focused on Tang Bei, giving his shoes a ten-second close-up. Then Zhang Heli appeared in the corner of the frame, excitedly saying:
"Dear viewers, Tang Bei has become the most popular basketball star in this city in just a few months."

"His jersey sales skyrocketed after the All-Star break, with 70% of his jersey sales occurring after the All-Star game."

"Currently, his jersey sales with the Heat have exceeded 95, ranking second in jersey sales in the NBA this season, second only to Jordan."

"If this continues, as long as Tang Bei performs exceptionally well during the playoffs, sales might have a chance to break one million."

"His jersey sales demonstrate his popularity and influence in the United States, surpassing his rivals, including Shaquille O'Neal, the 92 number one draft pick, and also surpassing his Hornets rival Larry Johnson."

"From what I understand, Larry Johnson's jersey sales this season are currently 33, ranking 12th in the entire league. The Hornets have made one of the dumbest trades ever."

"Haha, it seems Coach Zhang is still holding a grudge about the Hornets trading Tang Bei!" Xu Jicheng laughed in the CCTV live broadcast studio in Beijing.

Sun Zhenping nodded and smiled, "Today, Tang Bei's commercial value and influence have long surpassed Larry Johnson's."

"Clap clap clap..."

After warming up, NBA officials presented Tang Bei with the Rookie of the Year trophy, his first major honor. When he raised the trophy, a wave of applause erupted in the Miami Arena.

"Congratulations, host, for completing the NBA league's only achievement of 'Rookie of the Year' and obtaining two treasures: a pair of ankle braces and a pair of elbow braces."

"Ankle brace: a key support point in the anti-torsion system."

"Function 1: Preventing sprains. When the host lands after a dunk, the ankle is subjected to a shear force of up to 3500 Newtons, which can easily lead to sprains. This protective gear reduces the risk of sprains by 87% through a three-dimensional support structure (top ankle braces on the market can reduce it by up to 67%)."

"Function 2, semi-rigid support. TPU strips with adjustable stiffness are implanted in the inner and outer ankles, which can trigger a locking mechanism within 0.05 seconds when abnormal torsion is detected (top ankle braces on the market can trigger a locking mechanism within 0.1 seconds)."

"Function 3: Dynamic fit. Breathable." "Function 4: Synergizes with high-top sneakers. Establishes a dual anti-torsion system, improving lateral stability by 35% (top-tier ankle braces + top-tier sneakers can improve lateral stability by 19%)."

"Elbow brace: can absorb 60% of lateral impact when locking up (top elbow braces on the market can absorb 40% of lateral impact)."

After reviewing the information, Tang Bei felt that ankle braces were just as important as knee braces, while elbow braces were of average importance.

"I've got a complete set of protective gear, but even these will show signs of wear and tear. And my insoles, I've worn them for a year and they're starting to wear out. Aren't you going to give me a new pair?"

After he sat back on the bench, he quietly reached into his training clothes and took out his ankle and elbow braces before putting them on.

Glenn Rice, who was standing nearby, noticed this and asked curiously, "Don, why didn't you bring all your protective gear at once?"

Tang Bei explained, "Isn't the playoffs more competitive? There wasn't that need before."

Thinking of Tang Bei's strength, Glenn Rice nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

At eight o'clock, the competition begins.

Tang Bei stood in the center circle, preparing for the jump ball with 40-year-old Robert Parish.

He was still very excited. It was his first time playing in the NBA playoffs, and many media outlets thought his performance in the playoffs would be worse than in the regular season, but he refused to believe it.

"Snapped!"

The referee tossed the ball high into the air. Parish barely jumped; he was too exhausted to jump any further. Tang Bei easily deflected the ball away.

CCTV's Xu Jicheng said, "Parish is indeed experienced. He moved in advance and blocked Tang Bei's path, preventing Tang Bei from quickly entering the low position after the jump ball."

Tang Bei moved to the left low post, and Parish used a fronting and side defense. He immediately entered the paint and went directly to the basket to establish position.

Brian Shaw's ability is average. This is his fifth season. He has played in the playoffs twice with the Celtics and once with the Heat last season. This is his fourth time playing in the playoffs, so he has a fair amount of experience.

Seeing that Parish was not guarding him, Tang Bei entered the paint and, from two steps away at the top of the arc, immediately lobbed the ball high to the left of the basket.

Is there a free moment to pick me up?

Sun Zhenping shouted excitedly.

Tang Bei braced himself against Parish with his right hand, and as the ball slid down from its peak, he seized the opportunity to leap into the air.

Robert Parish tried to hook his arm around Tang Bei's arm, but Tang Bei's explosive power was too great, and he couldn't hook it at all.

"boom!"

The next instant, with a loud thud, Tang Bei scored his first playoff basket of his career with an alley-oop dunk.

"WOW!"

The Miami Arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

"Mmm, Wet Tiger is awesome!"

Gerber, who was drinking almond milk, gave a mock cheer and then continued drinking.

"Beautiful! Alley-oop dunk! Tang Bei completes a one-handed slam dunk!" Sun Zhenping exclaimed excitedly.

Xu Jicheng said happily, "The Celtics' interior players are too old. They rely on experience to play and can't defend against Tang Bei. One touch and he'll either fall or fly away."

Sun Zhenping said, "They probably wouldn't dare to draw offensive fouls from Tang Bei, for fear of getting injured."

"Correct."

Xu Jicheng nodded and said, "Parish is 40 years old. The chance of him getting injured is too high. It's not worth committing an offensive foul."

"Alara, where is your backup defense?"

On the court, Celtics head coach Chris Ford was yelling at power forward Abdulabi.

He assigned the power forward to help defend the weak side; Abdulabi was a blue-collar worker, doing the dirty work.

He is 208 cm tall and weighs 115 kg. He is heavy and strong, and has the potential to be a human shield. Although he is still not heavy enough, he can barely block Tang Bei.

Abdulabi nodded silently, knowing his role was to be the Celtics' meat shield against Tang.

However, Tang's destructive power is too great, so only meat shields can fill the gaps.

The meat shields all trade their bodies for money, earning at least a million a year, while he, who earns a salary of 500,000 US dollars a year, is asked to do the work of a million-dollar salary. To be honest, he is very resistant and has no motivation.

Moreover, his weight of only 115 kilograms is not enough, and he is also afraid of getting injured. If he suffers an irreparable serious injury, his career will be over.

Reggie Lewis received the ball on the right wing. He felt he wasn't feeling well today; he had a tightness in his chest, as if he couldn't breathe, and he was also a little dizzy.

"It's probably due to too much pressure during the competition."

He shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions and focusing his attention on the game.

"brush!"

The offense began, he faked a shot and then drove past Steve Smith before pulling up for a jump shot and hitting a long two-pointer.

On the left wing three-point line, Glen Rice receives the ball and goes one-on-one against Kevin Jamber.

He has a height and wingspan advantage, being 6 centimeters taller than his opponent. He fakes a drive and then shoots a three-pointer after shaking off his opponent.

"Bang!"

The ball was a little short; after hitting the rim, it bounced to the left front.

Tang Bei anticipated the play, moved into position, and blocked Robert Parish, securing the offensive rebound.

At this point, Parish was positioned behind, primarily defending the lower side, specifically Tang Bei's right shoulder, to prevent his downward turn and slide to the bottom.

Abdulabi, who was responsible for the help defense, immediately rushed over from the right front side of the basket to cover Tang Bei's upper side according to the defensive tactics, and to defend his spin move. He would be in position in two steps.

The Celtics' double-team is about to take shape. Half a second later, or even a third of a second later, as Abdulabi's double-team arrives, Tang Bei will lose his chance to post up. If he forces a back-to-the-basket move, he is very likely to make a mistake and lose the ball.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Tang Bei didn't hesitate and immediately launched a second attack.

"squeak!"

With the sharp screech of his sneakers, he suddenly turned around, executing a Tai Chi turn, the fierce power of which erupted like a volcano.

"What a powerful force!"

Robert Parish was shocked. His arms were almost wrapped around Tang Bei's waist, but Tang Bei still managed to break free from this unusually fierce force.

The moment Tang Bei turned around, he smoothly made a bridge hand with his right hand, blocking Parish's movement, and then strode into the penalty area.

Robert Parish was specifically guarding Tang Bei's right shoulder. His defensive positioning was low, and he only needed to move a small step to the left towards the baseline to block Tang Bei's turn.

However, just as he was about to move, he was blocked by Tang Bei's bridge hand. After only a slight delay, Tang Bei rushed into the restricted area right in front of him.

"Oh!"

As the two passed each other, Parishna's 111-kilogram old body was grazed by Tang Bei, and the powerful impact knocked him to the ground.

"boom!"

The unguarded rim was blasted apart by Tang Bei once again.

"WOW!"

A huge wave of cheers swept through Miami Stadium, creating a tsunami-like atmosphere that lasted for a long time.

Hubie Brown excitedly said, "Tang used his tornado spin attack to break the Celtics' weak-side help defense double-teaming tactics, which shows that the help defense speed is still not fast enough."

Bob Neal said, "Going even faster wouldn't be impossible, but then we'd just have to play a close-quarters game against the ball, skirting the edge of the box."

Larry Bird said helplessly, "Don's turning speed is just too fast, comparable to that of a top attacking guard, which greatly increases the difficulty of double-teaming him."

(End of this chapter)