The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 117 Sweeping Through Advancement, Giving Away Money
"boom!"

Five minutes into the first quarter, Tang Bei once again received the ball under the basket and completed a powerful dunk.

Robert Parish was knocked down by Tang Bei for the third time. His old injuries were too much for him to handle, and his body felt like it was falling apart. He asked to leave the field to rest.

The score was 12-6 at this point. The Celtics called a timeout and then brought in 36-year-old veteran McHale to partner with Abdulabi in the paint.

However, head coach Chris Ford was somewhat hesitant about who should primarily defend Tang Bei, and ultimately chose to have the quasi-physical defender defend him, with McHale providing help defense.

The reason for this choice is that Tang Bei occupied a lot of positions under the basket today, which did not cause too much damage to the help defenders. Abdulabi was only knocked down once, and the center position suffered more damage.

He wasn't unaware that Tang Bei could change his attack methods, but he only had these men at his disposal, so he had to make do and had no better options.

"Alala, you block the bottom, I'll help defend the top."

"OK."

Before going on the court, Kevin McHale and Abdulabi exchanged a few words, mainly discussing help defense.

After the timeout, Celtics shooting guard Dee Brown missed a shot, Tang Bei grabbed the rebound, and it was the Heat's turn to attack.

On offense, Tang Bei saw McHale helping on defense and immediately changed his offensive approach, starting to call for the ball in the low post on the left wing.

He wanted to use the force of the tornado to knock McHale off the court; once the Celtics veteran was off the court, it would be time for the Celtics to surrender.

Glen Rice lobbed the ball down from the left three-point line.

On the right side, McHale immediately began to provide defensive support, with the support aimed at blocking Tang Bei's upper side.

However, his defensive support was not entirely effective.

He knew his help defense was slow, so his goal was to get into position halfway through the defense, draw an offensive foul from Tang Bei, or force Tang Bei to shoot.

Abdulabi, acting as a defensive midfielder, guarded Tang Bei's right shoulder and blocked the baseline, resulting in a slightly low defensive position.

From Abdulabi's defensive positioning, Tang Bei, whose game experience was becoming increasingly rich, immediately understood the Celtics' help defense strategy.

As soon as the ball arrived, he immediately turned around, performing a Tai Chi turn.

However, Abdulabi's foul-inducing pulling motion slowed down his turn and reduced the impact.

Abdulabi's foul was not called.

"not good!"

The next moment, Tang Bei saw McHale standing on the left side of the basket, blocking his offensive path.

"Is the old guy trying to draw an offensive foul on me?"

Because of Abdulabi's pulling, his turning speed was not as fast. He braked suddenly, took a second step, and threw a ball over McHale.

Instead of blocking the shot, Kevin McHale immediately turned around to box out Tang Bei and try to grab the defensive rebound.

"A two-point floater?"

Hubie Brown shouted.

"Bang!"

The ball went slightly off course and bounced directly in front of the basket.

McHale jumped up immediately.

But at that moment, Tang Bei leaped high behind him, his right arm reaching over McHale's head, and lobbed the basketball high into the air.

After landing, he jumped again and grabbed the offensive rebound over the heads of Abdulaziz and McHale.

In the next instant, he sprang up and delivered a powerful two-handed dunk over the basket.

"boom!"

With a violent bang, Abdulabi and Kevin McHale fell simultaneously at Tang Bei's feet.

"How is this guy so strong?"

"How do we defend against it?"

Watching the behemoth wreaking havoc in their own penalty area, not only were the Celtics' coaching staff and players helpless, but the home fans were also filled with pressure.

When Tang Bei once again flashed a bright smile, the home fans, who had already been thoroughly defeated, could no longer boo.

"Ha ha……"

He laughed triumphantly at the helpless home fans.

"That damn guy!"

Countless Celtics fans hate Tang Bei to the core.

Hubie Brown stated with certainty, "With Reggie Lewis out for the season, the Celtics are already half-defeated. Their strength is equivalent to the Heat without Tang. Now that the Heat have Tang, it's almost impossible for them to come back."

Larry Bird wanted to retort, but lacked the confidence, and said dejectedly, "We can also use foul tactics against him."

"A slashing tactic?"

Bob Neal immediately flipped through the data and said, "Tang's free throw percentage in the last ten regular season games was close to 70%, which is much higher than O'Neal's."

"Seventy percent?" Larry Bird was taken aback.

Hubie Brown said, "A 70% shooting percentage, the cost of shutting him down is very high, and the Celtics absolutely cannot afford it."

Bob Neal said, "Right now, Tang is the most dominant center in the low post. If even the 'Hack-a-Maw' tactic doesn't work for him, then he'll be really hard to deal with."

Larry Bird said with a strange expression, "The Celtics have just entered a rebuilding phase. Tang isn't really a threat to the Celtics right now. The teams he really threatens are..."

Hubie Brown chimed in, "Knicks, Bulls."

"Yes."

Larry Bird felt a sense of satisfaction at the thought of Ewing and Jordan facing the behemoth that was Tang Bei in the series.

Especially for the Bulls, whose interior strength is even weaker, it would be a tough matchup if they faced the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jordan would definitely have a headache.

The game continued, and Tang Bei was unstoppable in his low-post attacks.

In the 9th minute of the second quarter, during a Tornado spin attack, the 95-kilogram McHale was knocked over by him while helping to defend.

It wasn't a head-on collision. McHale didn't dare to block Tang Bei's flying dunk head-on at all; he was just unable to dodge in time and was grazed, spinning and knocked over.

This legendary veteran's physical strength was not as good as that of 40-year-old Parish. Not only did his old back injury recur, but he also twisted his knee and had to be helped back to the bench by his teammates.

Hubie Brown said, "McHale's injury once again proves that Don's lethality is primarily borne by the help defenders."

"puff……"

Bob Neil almost burst out laughing, but managed to suppress it when he saw Larry Bird's overly serious expression.

Hubie Brown continued, "Abdulabi has played three games and hasn't been injured yet, which proves that the chance of injury for the primary defender against Tang is lower than that for the help defender."

Larry Bird glared at Hubie Brown and said helplessly, "Abdulabi also worked very hard. I went to the locker room before the game and he was covered in swelling and bruises. He was just persevering."

Parish returned to the court, but the veteran was no longer willing to confront Tang Bei and even avoided physical contact with him. With such defensive intensity, Tang Bei was able to attack from the low post with impunity.

At halftime, the Heat led by 21 points, 41-62.

唐北打了20分钟，12投10中，9罚6中，一个人就轰下了26分。

The Celtics put up a fight in the third quarter, but as the lead widened to 30 points, they had no choice but to give up in the final quarter.

When the competition ended, Tang Bei was somewhat disappointed. He had made it to the second round, but the treasure chest hadn't given him any rewards.

"Congratulations to the Heat, congratulations to Tang Bei, a 3-0 sweep to advance!" Zhang Heli said excitedly.

In the CCTV live broadcast studio, Xu Jicheng, holding up the data compiled by his assistant, said, "Tang Bei played for 35 minutes, scoring 38 points and grabbing 12 rebounds."

"What about the average stats for the three games?" Sun Zhenping asked.

Xu Jicheng laughed and said, "37 points and 15 rebounds per game, super impressive stats."

Sun Zhenping said excitedly, "To put up such impressive stats in his first NBA playoff appearance, Tang Bei truly deserves to be called a super center who reached his peak right from the start."

Xu Jicheng said expectantly, "Yes, I really want to see Tang Bei wearing the national team uniform and fighting for the country at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics."

In a conference room of the Second Division of the Sports Commission, Yang Boyong, Liu Yumin, and a group of people were watching the game. Among them were men's basketball head coach Jiang Xinquan and Zhang Faqiang, chairman of a certain association.

Liu Yumin stepped forward and turned off the TV. He glanced at Yang Boyong and said, "Director Yang, Chairman Zhang, Coach Jiang, I think we should think of a way. The team is lacking a super center."

Jiang Xinquan took a deep breath and then said, "From the head coach's perspective, I think Tang Bei should be called up."

At this point, he sighed again and said, "But if he only plays in the Olympics, we definitely won't be able to explain it to the others."

Zhang Faqiang suddenly said, "There's another problem. Current regulations don't allow us to collect training fees from him..." *Bang!*

Just as Yang Boyong picked up his teacup to take a sip, he heard this and slammed the cup down on the table, splashing tea all over it.

He was a little angry. "I'm trying to figure out how to get Tang Bei into the national team, and you still want to take his money? Isn't that just making things worse?"

"lead……"

Zhang Faqiang was startled.

Yang Boyong frowned and said, "Let's not talk about this. He's not registered with the Basketball Association, and he's never joined a local team or a local sports school. He's not part of the system, so there's no question of training him."

Zhang Faqiang nodded regretfully and said nothing more.

The funds allocated for basketball development were far too little, and he was simply trying to seize this opportunity to obtain some funds from Tang Bei, all out of altruism.

To be fair, he did have some personal motives. He increased the revenue for the department and the basketball association, which was his positive achievement. Even if he didn't get a promotion, he might get a raise or some extra funds.

Liu Yumin said, "In the 94 World Championships, we could only qualify for the 96 Olympics if we made it into the top eight. Alternatively, we could qualify for the Olympics by winning the Asian Cup in 95."

At this point, she said to Yang Boyong, "How about, leader, we try to persuade him to participate in the World Championships? The World Championships are a major international competition, after all."

Jiang Xinquan hurriedly said, "We are currently lacking a super center. It's not that I lack confidence, but whether we can make it into the top eight of the World Championships is really hard to say."

Yang Boyong nodded without saying anything.

He's no novice; he's a veteran basketball player who knows very well how difficult it is for the men's basketball team to reach the top eight in the World Championships. Since his generation started playing, the men's basketball team has never reached the top eight in the World Championships. In previous Olympic Games, they always ranked first in Asia.

Liu Yumin nodded and said, "If he helps the men's basketball team reach the top eight in the World Championships, that would be a big breakthrough. If he also gets Olympic qualification, then no one can say anything against him."

She then added, "His branded shoes are being sold in China, which shows that he values ​​the domestic market. Participating in major international competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics is also very beneficial for him."

Yang Boyong nodded silently and said, "Yumin, contact Zhang Heli, who is with him, and ask him to find an opportunity to have a good talk with him."

"Row."

Liu Yumin said happily.

Jiang Xinquan was also very happy. The current domestic centers are considered top-notch in Asia, but they are not good enough in world competitions. If Tang Bei can participate in the men's basketball team, he is really confident that they can make it into the top eight in the World Championship.

On the afternoon of the 4th, the Heat returned to Miami.

Boss Mickey Arison personally picked Tang Bei up from the airport, and upon seeing him, he greeted him with great enthusiasm:

"Tang, I promised you that if you can lead your team into the second round, I'll give you a custom Ferrari. You'll receive it in the new season."

"That would be great."

Tang Bei was overjoyed. He had never driven a sports car before, and now he could finally have some fun.

After the team bus returned to headquarters, the team was not disbanded immediately, but instead bonuses were distributed.

There is no salary for the playoffs, but there are bonuses to incentivize players. However, these bonuses are distributed per player, not among starters or substitutes.

Of the after-tax revenue from regular season ticket sales, 6% goes to the league, and the remainder goes to the home team.

The 6% that is handed over will be distributed among all teams after the league deducts operating costs, but not equally. Teams with good management will receive less, while teams with poor management will receive more.

45% of the after-tax revenue from playoff ticket sales goes to the league, far more than that from the regular season.

The portion handed over, after deducting operating costs, will not be distributed to the team, since there are no salaries for playoffs. Instead, this money will be distributed to the players, referees, and other staff involved in the playoffs, based on the rounds in which they participate.

The Heat played in the first round, and based on last season's standards, the league should allocate around $500,000, half of which would go to the players.

The bonuses were distributed regardless of whether the players were starters or substitutes; they were awarded per person, based on a 15-man roster. The total bonus was 300,000 US dollars, with Tang Bei and others each receiving a cash check for 16,000 US dollars.

The league's bonuses will be settled after the playoffs. The money is being advanced by the teams to boost morale, and any overpayment will be refunded or any underpayment will be collected later.

Sixteen thousand US dollars is nothing to a key player like Tang Bei, but it is quite considerable for a player with a minimum salary of over ten thousand US dollars per year.

Furthermore, the prize money for the next round of the series will be even higher. If a team makes it to the Eastern Conference Finals, each participating team can receive a prize of two to three million US dollars.

"The World Championships, Director Liu, I can talk to him about it, but I can't guarantee he'll agree. Wait for my news."

Zhang Heli had just returned to his residence in Miami when he received a call from Liu Yumin. He decided to find a suitable opportunity to talk to Tang Bei again.

"Old Zhang, you should have a good talk with Tang Bei. We understand his difficulties. He does have a lot of matches, but the national team really needs his strength."

"Okay, don't worry, I will talk to him properly."

That night, the Bulls swept the Hornets, advancing to the second round.

On the evening of the 5th, the Knicks defeated the Nets 3-1 to advance to the second round.

At the post-game press conference, a reporter from Miami asked, "Mr. Oakley, what would you like to say about the Knicks' second-round series against the Heat?"

Oakley scoffed, "This is a very good opportunity against the Heat."

"Mr. Oakley, what are you trying to say? Revenge on Don?" a Miami reporter immediately asked loudly.

Oakley scoffed and said, "I just want to say that what I've lost, I will take back with my own hands."

"What did you lose?" the reporter pressed.

"Fuck you!"

Oakley cursed inwardly, "My broken bones still hurt, and I've lost my dignity and face."

The reporter didn't let Oakley off the hook; seeing that he didn't answer, he immediately pressed on:
"Mr. Oakley, how do you plan to get back what you lost from Don, um, what exactly is that thing? Is it the basketball hoop you threw away?"

"Ha ha……"

Some reporters from other places laughed when they heard this joke.

"Fuck you!"

Oakley's forehead veins throbbed instantly, and his fierce eyes stared at the reporter until the reporter looked away.

The other series are not yet finished, but the second round match between the Heat and the Knicks has been scheduled for May 9th.

On the 6th, Tang Bei stayed in his martial arts gym, mainly practicing throw-ins, hook shots, and free throws.

He didn't hire a sparring partner, so the amount of exercise was relatively small, focusing on relaxation and maintaining his touch.

"Wet Tiger, I'm back."

Around 11 o'clock, Jia Bao skipped in, brandishing a sword in her hand; it seemed she even carried a sword to school.

"Aren't you going to class today?"

Tang Bei stopped shooting and asked.

Jia Bao excitedly said, "Classes are suspended today, final exams start the day after tomorrow, and we'll have a holiday on the 12th. It'll be a summer vacation of more than two months! Haha, I can play! I want to travel the world!"

"Wet Tiger, your playoffs are almost over, how about we go hang out? We can play and practice our swordsmanship at the same time, wouldn't that be great!"

"Nonsense, my playoffs have only just begun," Tang Bei said unhappily.

"Hmph, Wet Tiger, the media all say your teammates are unreliable, and the Heat can't beat the Knicks," Gabo said seriously.

"We won two games in the regular season," Tang Bei said.

“The media said that it was Wet Tiger you injured, and the Bull too,” Garbo retorted without holding back.

"Jiabao, which side are you on?" Tang Bei asked angrily, his face dark with embarrassment.

"Wet Tiger, playing basketball isn't fun at all. How about we open a kendo dojo together?"

Jia Bao shook Tang Bei's arm, her face beaming with excitement, and said, "Let's open kendo dojos all over the world, and practice swordsmanship every day, how cool would that be!"

"Get out of here! I don't have a fortune to inherit," Tang Bei said irritably.

"Master, running a kendo dojo is very profitable. You don't know that? Otherwise, why would the Japanese and Koreans open dojos all over the world? Hmph, you don't know any of this? Your IQ of 145 must be a lie to me," Jia Bao said angrily.

"Oh, haha, no, I really am 145."

Tang Bei quickly changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Jia Bao, it's time to go have lunch."

"Mmm, I'm hungry too. I'll go change my clothes first."

As Jia Bao turned to leave, she suddenly grabbed Tang Bei's arm and said, "Wet Tiger, you haven't been to my house yet. Why don't we have lunch at home today, and then I'll take you to see my little Monica and little Elena?"

"I don't care about the location, any free place is fine," Tang Bei said nonchalantly.

Jia Bao made a face at Tang Bei from behind. "Wet Tiger, what's free is the most expensive. Sooner or later I'll swindle all your money."

(End of this chapter)