The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 127 Curry: I Want to Become a Super Center

Just then, my phone rang. I saw it was Dell Curry calling. I answered and said, "Hey Dell, how are you?"

“Hey, Don, you know, my contract's over. Do you guys need anyone?” Dale Curry asked.

"What do you mean? Didn't you say last time that the Hornets were going to offer you a long-term contract?" Tang Bei asked.

Dale Curry said, "That was what Tvertzke promised. Now that he's gone, my contract is gone. Since you need people, I'll come to you."

Tang Bei thought about it and realized that the Heat's bench was very poor and lacked depth. A shooter like Dell Curry had immediate scoring ability, and although his defense was inferior, he was fine as a substitute.

“Okay, I’ll mention it to management. You wait for news,” he said.

"OK."

After finishing the important business, Dell Curry congratulated Tang Bei on advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

A little while later, Eric Fleischer called and said, "Don, your endorsement fees have gone up. I'll pick out a few top-tier brands for you."

"Aren't these brands afraid of my image as a violent person?" Tang Bei asked curiously.

Eric Fleischer said, "Top brands do pay more attention to image management, but some brands are really a good fit for your image."

I remember telling you before that these brands possess symbols of power, breakthrough, and rebellion, and can transform violence into these symbols through packaging, even actively constructing an association with violence.

"Oh, which top-tier brands have quoted prices?" Tang Bei asked.

"Aerospace Watches is a high-end luxury brand known for its aggressive yet elegant style."

"Balmain menswear is a French high-end menswear brand that is characterized by 'contrast aesthetics'."

"Saint Laurent, they will launch a high-fashion luxury brand with boxing connections."

“There are many more, such as Red Bull. Let’s talk about them another time.”

"OK."

After hanging up the phone, Tang Bei called Shaffer Lewis and recommended Dale Curry to him.

Lewis agreed immediately. The Heat had made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and their goal for next season was definitely to reach the NBA Finals. The pressure to strengthen their roster was immense, and the arrival of Dell Curry, a shooter with a 40% three-point shooting percentage, was just right.

He immediately said, "Tang, tell Dell Curry that I will give him a long-term contract, but he has no defense and can only be a substitute. He can be our sixth man."

"OK."

Tang Bei then informed Curry, "Hey Dell, you can get ready to move. There's a long-term contract waiting for you, but it's only for the sixth man position."

"That's great! I don't want to be a starter, it's easier being a substitute."

"Okay, please give my regards to your family. And little Curry, has he started learning baseball yet?"

"Uh, no, he's practicing basketball."

"Why? His bones are too thin, so he won't be very strong in combat later on."

"He said he wanted to become a tough guy like Uncle Tang, he wanted to become a super center."

"Ha ha!"

At 2 PM on the 22nd, the Heat arrived in Chicago and entered the Eastern Conference Finals.

The team didn't hold a tactical meeting either. With Tang Bei out of Game 1, they were bound to lose, so there was no need to hold a tactical meeting at all.

That evening, the decisive Game 7 between the Rockets and the SuperSonics took place as scheduled at the SuperSonics' home court.

As a result, the Rockets lost by three points, 100-103, losing the decisive Game 7 and being eliminated in the second round, while the SuperSonics advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds with a 46.7% field goal percentage, a respectable performance.

The Rockets had five players score in double figures, and their overall field goal percentage, free throw attempts, steals, and three-pointers were all better than the SuperSonics.

However, they lost out in one aspect: they only grabbed 38 rebounds in total, of which only 9 were offensive rebounds.

The SuperSonics grabbed 51 rebounds, including an impressive 24 offensive rebounds, which is why they were able to defeat the Rockets despite being inferior to them in other aspects.

The Eastern Conference Finals series kicked off on the 23rd.

Tang Bei, dressed in a suit and tie, sat in the stands next to the Heat's bench. As a suspended player, he couldn't even go to the bench.

After resting for several days, his physical strength has recovered well, and the 4-1 victory over the Knicks has bought him more time to recover.

Game 2 is the night after tomorrow, so he has two more days to recover, which is quite advantageous for him. He was really exhausted after playing the Knicks.

To his left was Irina Gabo, and to his right was Eric Fleischer. Next to the three of them were several Hollywood stars.

"Looks like the Heat still aren't attractive enough; they don't have any star players to support them," Tang Bei whispered to Jia Bao.

Jia Bao toyed with the sheathed sword in her hand and whispered in Tang Bei's ear, "Wet Tiger, the entertainment industry is rotten, don't get involved."

"How bad is it?" Tang Bei asked curiously.

Jia Bao suddenly pointed to the hanging screen in the air, which showed close-up shots of them. Tang Bei quickly sat up straight and stopped asking questions.

"Hmph, the worse the entertainment industry is, the more men like it. I'm not telling you that," Jia Bao muttered to herself.

Jordan received the grandest welcome ceremony ever for his first appearance, with thunderous cheers.

"Hey, Jordan."

After the cheers subsided, Tang Bei stood up and shouted loudly.

Pippen and Grant's hearts skipped a beat when they heard Tang Bei's roar.

Jordan looked over, took a few steps closer, and calmly asked, "Tang, what is it?"

Tang Beidao: "You know about Oakley and his group's premeditated plan, right?"

Jordan was startled; he couldn't afford to ruin his reputation. He retorted angrily, "How would I know what they're up to? Defamation! I'll sue you for defamation!"

"I was just asking, what are you afraid of? Are you feeling guilty?" Tang Bei said and sat down.

"That bastard! Who's feeling guilty?"

Jordan went to warm up, grumbling, and then missed three shots.

At 10 p.m., the game ended with the Bulls winning at home, 81-105, securing a victory in Game 1 without any surprises.

Although the Bulls won, Jordan seemed to be in poor form due to the lack of competition, with a low shooting percentage, making only 7 of 20 shots and missing a single three-pointer. He managed to reach 25 points through free throws.

In other words, without Tang Bei, the Heat were like a broken man; they simply couldn't beat the Bulls, and their offense and defense were a complete mess.

The viewership for this match was terrible, with just over ten million viewers and less than 10% household viewership.

When David Stern found out, he was glad that he had only suspended Tang Bei for one game.

The Western Conference Finals begin on the 24th.

The Suns won at home, taking the lead in Game 1.

However, Barkley's performance was subpar, with 12 points and 14 rebounds, a field goal percentage of only 42.9%, and three turnovers.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals will be held on the 25th.

After a week of recovery, Tang Bei felt like he had been fully revived, whereas he was in a state of near-death after the game against the Knicks.

The Bulls' interior defense isn't as strong as the Knicks', so their stamina should be sufficient to last until the Eastern Conference Finals.

In the afternoon, the Bulls held a tactical meeting.

After explaining the tactics, head coach Phil Jackson said very seriously:
"I have one request: there must be no on-court conflict. Even if the Heat provoke us, we must tolerate it and not give them the opportunity. Do you all understand?"

"clear."

Everyone, including Jordan, responded.

Nobody wants to take a punch from Tang Bei. The Knicks were down 1-3 and had no other choice but to resort to underhanded tactics. The Bulls had no need for that, and they couldn't afford to give the Heat the opportunity to do the same.

In fact, Phil Jackson was overthinking it. The Heat had no such ambition at all. The management was ecstatic to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and make a fortune. They had no intention of even thinking about the NBA Finals.

Tang Bei had no such thoughts. He believed that he had to strive for what he wanted openly and honestly. The teachings of his three masters, "It is better to obtain things through honest means than through crooked means," had always been his life belief.

When he couldn't make money in his hometown and was ridiculed by others, many gangs of thugs tried to recruit him to make quick money, but he was never tempted.

Chicago, West Madison Avenue, Chicago Stadium.

This historic arena, built in the 1920s, is one of the oldest arenas in the NBA and is famous for its wild home atmosphere, earning it the nickname "the Madhouse on Madison Avenue."

Tonight, the "madhouse" is overflowing with Bulls fans. In the front row, besides some Hollywood stars, there are several NBA players, such as Shaquille O'Neal, Larry Johnson, and Karl Malone.

Far away in Phoenix, Barkley gave a live television interview to NBC from his home, with the interview content projected directly onto the overhead screen of the Chicago Arena.

"Charles, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals is about to begin, and Tang is making a comeback. Who do you think will win?" the reporter asked.

Barkley said without hesitation, "I favor the Heat. Tang is an unparalleled guy; he's an All-NBA First Team member."

Yes, he can completely dismantle the Bulls' interior defense, while simultaneously preventing their offense from penetrating the paint.

At this point, he excitedly raised his fist and shouted, "Don, I support you, take down Michael Jordan!"

"Ha ha……"

At this point, he burst into laughter, looking very happy.

"Shh!"

A huge chorus of boos erupted from the Chicago stadium.

"This bastard!"

In the home team's locker room, Jordan was so enraged by Barkley's shamelessness that he laughed and swore:

"If the Suns make it to the Finals, Barkley, I'm going to beat you to a pulp and make sure you never win a championship in your life."

In the away team's locker room, Tang Bei asked in confusion, "When did I become so close to that fat pig Barkley? Isn't he friends with Jordan?"

Glen Rice said, "Because he wants you to cripple the Bulls' interior defense, and then the Suns can make it to the Finals and beat a half-crippled Bulls team."

"So, what do you think we should do?" Tang Bei asked thoughtfully.

John Selye joked, "Don, that depends on who you're closer to."

Tang Bei chuckled and said, "We are mortal enemies. The best way is for us to make it to the finals and then defeat the Suns."

The locker room staff, including the coaching staff, looked at each other in bewilderment. The idea was tempting, but the Bulls were an insurmountable mountain that the Heat couldn't climb over with their current strength.

"Damn it, that bastard Barkley got off easy." Tang Bei cursed after saying that, and then fell silent.

He wouldn't do something like intentionally crippling Bulls players to prevent them from winning a three-peat; that would be too despicable and contrary to his life beliefs.

But he won't let the Bulls advance easily. Jordan is no saint; he'll squeeze every last drop of blood out of the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And who can say for sure that the Heat have no chance of advancing? He will fight for it as long as there is even the slightest possibility.

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

Miami Heat: Tang Bei, Grant Lang, Glen Rice, Steve Smith, Bimbo Coles
Chicago Bulls: Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, BJ Armstrong

In Beijing, CCTV has begun its live broadcast.

The commentators were Sun Zhenping and Han Qiaosheng, the guest was Shan Tao, and Su Qun provided tactical analysis and data statistics support behind the scenes.

"Shan Tao, what do you think about Tang Bei joining the national team?"

After the opening remarks, Han Qiaosheng asked a question that Shan Tao didn't particularly like.

Dan Tao remained unfazed. Liu Yumin had already prepared him, saying, "This is a good thing. With him, we'll have a chance to make it into the top eight at next year's World Championships."

Sun Zhenping said, "That's great. If we make it into the top eight, we'll directly qualify for the Olympics. Most importantly, we'll have a chance to make it into the top eight at the Olympics."

In the United States, the Eastern Conference Finals were broadcast live nationwide by NBC, with Bill Russell and Bill Walton as commentators and Isaiah Thomas as a guest commentator.

Bill Walton gave an opening speech, and then said: "Both teams have very poor bench depth. The Bulls' starters accounted for 78.2% of the regular season points, and the Heat were about the same, but the Bulls are undoubtedly stronger."

However, the Bulls and Heat tied in the regular season, indicating that the Heat also had a chance to defeat the Bulls.

Bill Russell, however, countered, saying, "The Heat beat the Bulls twice because Tang attacked the Bulls' interior. Now that the Bulls have a full roster and have found the right way to beat the Heat, the Heat's chances are slim."

Isaiah Thomas said with a smile, "I support Bill's statement."

“Which Bill?” Bill Russell asked.

Isaiah Thomas laughed and said, "I support Walton, my friend."

“Tell me about it,” Bill Russell said with a smile.

Isaiah Thomas smiled and said, "Jordan is indeed very strong, but he is not invincible. I have a lot of experience in how to beat him."

The other two laughed, and Thomas continued with a smile, "The most important thing for the Heat is to prevent the Bulls' perimeter defense from cutting off their inside and outside game, and to be able to get the ball in in time."

"As long as the ball can be passed to Tang in time, he is invincible in the low post. None of the three super centers can beat him. I believe he is the best super center in the league right now."

"This guy is really not afraid of offending people!"

After a moment of reflection, Bill Walton asked, "Isaiah, are you and Don on good terms?"

Isaiah Thomas laughed and said, "Yes, we built a friendship at the All-Star Game, and we trust each other."

In the players' tunnel, Tang Bei and Jordan met.

He stared at Jordan without saying a word. Jordan felt uneasy under his gaze and asked impatiently, "Don, what are you looking at?"

Tang Bei chuckled coldly and said, "The Eastern Conference Finals only begin with this game. You snatched a victory, and you'll pay it back in the same way you snatched it."

"What do you want to do?" Jordan's heart skipped a beat.

"hey-hey……"

Tang Bei just sneered and didn't say anything.

"Psychological warfare? Hmph! Who's afraid of who? It was Oakley and his gang who plotted against you, not me," Jordan sneered after realizing what was happening.

As the away team entered the field, a terrifying chorus of boos erupted from the asylum. Glen Rice, the first to leave, had a taut expression on his face.

Last season, the Heat made it to the playoffs, faced the Bulls in the first round, and were then swept.

格伦·莱斯在这座球馆的第一场季后赛拿到了17分1篮板1助攻，命中率只有可怜的35%，第二场季后赛15分，命中率38.9%。

He has a psychological trauma from this place. The atmosphere here is one of the most terrifying home games in the entire league, if not the most terrifying. That's why it's called the "madhouse."

When it was Tang Bei's turn to play, the boos were so loud they almost ripped the roof off the arena, like a hurricane erupting.

"Damn it, you bastards, the more you boo, the more I'm going to win." He cursed as he made his entrance.

"Coach Zhang, what is Tang Bei saying?"

CCTV switched the camera to the front lines, and Han Qiaosheng asked.

"Oh……"

Zhang Heli mimicked Tang Bei's lip movements, estimating that he would be swearing, and said, "I can't hear you either!"

At this moment, Tang Bei saw the mailman and O'Neal and a few other guys, and couldn't help but tease them:
"Hey, are your playoffs over yet? You know what? I regret making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. It would be so much better if I could rest early, go fishing, have a drink, and go on vacation. Vacation days are always something to look forward to."

Karl Malone and Larry Johnson's faces grew increasingly dark, their fists clenched tighter, but they refused to leave their seats.

O'Neal, who didn't make the playoffs, muttered somewhat carefree, "Don't get too cocky. I'll definitely make the playoffs next year."

"You? I bet you'll be eliminated in the first round, maybe even swept. You might as well not go," Tang Bei said.

O'Neal was so angry that he grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it with the same ferocity as if he were eating Tang Bei's flesh.

The competition officially began at eight o'clock.

After the jump ball, the Heat went on offense.

From this point on, the boos from the home crowd resumed, as the home fans put pressure on the visiting team, attempting to dampen the Heat's morale.

The boos created immense psychological pressure, making the Heat players' hearts pound and forcing them to breathe deeper to relieve the pressure.

Tang Bei entered the restricted area, and Cartwright only used fronting and side defense, with very little physical contact, allowing him to easily enter the paint.

Outside the arc, BJ Armstrong was doing everything he could to block Bimbo Coles' passing angle towards the basket.

Meanwhile, on both flanks, Pippen and Jordan were also eyeing Coles closely, and could double-team the middle at any moment.

Michael Jordan saw Tang Bei enter the paint, but BJ, with his back to the basket, probably didn't notice, so he immediately reminded him, "BJ, lock him down."

The two-time champions had great teamwork. Upon hearing this, Armstrong immediately began to mark Bimbo Coles closely, giving him no space to pass the ball.

With nearly three seconds remaining, Tang Bei had no choice but to leave the restricted area.

(End of this chapter)