The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 130 Is God possessing us tonight?
An hour later, a press conference was held.

A reporter asked, "Tang, based on lip movements, Leonardo used offensive language against you after he came on the court. Is that why you elbowed him?"

"Yes, he insulted my mother, and anyone who does that will be punished by me."

When Tang Bei said this, his face and eyes were truly radiating a fierce light, which made the reporters below feel a little cold.

"Tang, you scored 52 points tonight. Do you think it's because the Bulls didn't put up a strong fight against you?" the next reporter asked.

"That's one of the reasons. I was in good form tonight, and my teammates also scored a lot of points. They didn't lose unjustly."

The consequences of the Bulls losing Game 2 at home are very serious. The Knicks lost the initiative by losing a home game in the second round, and the Bulls may follow in their footsteps.

Many media outlets began questioning the coaching staff's tactics at the post-game press conference, with Phil Jackson being the main target of their questions.

Although Jordan's shooting percentage was average, he still scored 42 points. 42 points in the Eastern Conference Finals is not an average number, but a very high score, so he was not criticized by the media.

A reporter from The New York Times asked, "Coach Jackson, do you think avoiding high-contact tactics was the key reason why Tang scored 52 points tonight and the Bulls lost Game 2?"

"There are reasons for this."

Phil Jackson simply cannot deny the questions raised by a legendary defensive center like Bill Russell.

He continued, "But there are also many other reasons, such as our perimeter defense not being at its best, and not cutting off the Heat's inside-outside connection, etc."

"So Coach Jackson, do you think we need to increase the intensity of the matchup against Tang in Game 3?" the reporter pressed.

Phil Jackson said, "The coaching staff needs to discuss and decide on the tactics for Game 3."

The next question came from a Washington Post reporter: "Coach Jackson, when Tang easily scored 30+40+ points, if you had immediately increased the intensity of the game, you might have had a chance to turn the tide. Didn't you realize that at the time?"

Phil Jackson said with a grim expression, "Leonardo's problem disrupted our tactical plans. He was originally a key asset in our fight against Tang, but he was taken down without any effect."

"If he hadn't been suspended, would you have continued to use him?" the reporter pressed.

"As long as we address some personality issues and help him better understand the NBA style, of course," Phil Jackson nodded.

Not only did the mainstream media question the situation, but even the Bulls' management began to question it, and they questioned Phil Jackson overnight after the press conference.

The main point of contention is whether Bill Russell's strategy of avoiding intense physical contact was correct, and whether it was a major reason why Tang Bei scored 52 points with a 71% shooting percentage, thus losing Game 2.

"Phil, you have to take responsibility for the loss in Game 2. Now tell me, how do you plan to play Game 3?"

"You're the one who brought Leonardo in. He's like an idiot, treating the NBA like the NFL. If it weren't for him, we might not have lost today."

"You're pushing the responsibility onto me? My job is to bring in players; how you train them and how you use them is your responsibility, OK?"

Phil Jackson was in a bad mood after losing the game. He was overwhelmed by reporters' questions at the press conference, which made him even angrier, and he got into an argument with General Manager Jerry Krause.

“Okay, let’s stop arguing, Phil. We should solve the problem, not fight.”

"OK."

Fortunately, neither side wanted to escalate the situation, and the verbal conflict ended after only a few words.

On the 26th, the media began praising Tang Bei and criticizing the Bulls.

Seeing so many media outlets praising him, especially domestic ones, Tang Bei couldn't have been happier.

"No, I need to play in Game 3. My nose is fine, just give me a mask. I can't let that bastard get away with this..."

Meanwhile, in a private hospital in Chicago, Leonardo DiCaprio paced restlessly in his ward, his furious roars echoing throughout the floor like a raging lion.

His agent, Tom Ansels, stood at a distance in the doorway and said, "Leonardo, you just had nose surgery less than 10 hours ago. You'd better rest for a while."

"I'm going to kill him."

Leonardo turned around abruptly, staring fiercely at his agent as if he wanted to devour him.

"Fake!"

Tom Ansels cursed inwardly but didn't stop it. Anyway, Game 3 was on the 29th, and there were still a few days to rest in between.

He added, "In that case, I'll talk to the team."

At this point, he added, "Houston, do you want to see how Tang Bei made you faint?"

"How did he do that?" Leonardo asked, staring at his agent.

“I’ll go find the video, bring it back and show it to you, then you’ll understand,” Tom Ansels said.

In the afternoon, the Heat returned to Miami, where a large number of fans went to the airport to welcome them. At least several hundred cars blocked the road, and the whole way was filled with the sound of horns.

"If we win the championship, the whole of Miami will cheer for us!" Tang Bei shouted, looking out at the excited fans.

"It's the entire state of Florida."

"General Manager Lewis Shaffer said excitedly."

“Don, by that day, at least a thousand women in Miami will want to get into your bed every day,” John Selye chuckled.

"I have no interest in becoming Zhang Liangwan, that's too tiring," Tang Bei said seriously.

"Ha ha……"

Laughter erupted inside the bus.

That night, Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals began, and the Suns lost at home by four points, tying the series 1-1.

David Stern is quite satisfied with both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals this year; that's what makes them suspenseful and generates viewership.

He did not suspend Leonardo because, in his heart, only when Michael Jordan won three consecutive championships could the NBA maximize its benefits.

Moreover, Leonardo also suffered a great loss, his nose was broken by the elbow. Tang Bei hit him very hard, and he reportedly had surgery. He may not be able to play in Game 3.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals was played on the 25th, but due to some reasons, Game 3 was scheduled for the 29th, so there were no games in between for three days.

On the 28th, the Bulls arrived in Miami.

"Michael, your performance in the first two games was so-so, why?" a reporter asked at the airport.

"I'll adjust."

Jordan is a man of few words, and the home loss really annoyed him.

"Michael, are you confident you can win Game 3?" a reporter asked again.

"necessary."

After giving a brief answer, Jordan waved his hand, ending the interview.

That night, Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals kicked off, with the Suns defeating the SuperSonics on the road to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

On the evening of the 29th, the Miami Arena was already packed.

Strangely, several Hollywood stars, such as Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, and Dolph Lundgren, were sitting in the front row.

In the home team's locker room, Tang Bei was changing his clothes. For some reason, he suddenly thought of the time when Jordan led a group of people to the away team's locker room to provoke them during the first away game in Chicago during the regular season. He suddenly felt like retaliating as well.

After all, it's only polite to reciprocate. Since the Bulls are visiting his home court, he has to go and visit them to avoid being accused of being impolite.
He immediately started encouraging Glen Rice and the others, saying, "Hey guys, last time we played an away game in Chicago, Jordan came to visit our locker room, this time we..."

"Tang, that's been going on for so long, why are you only doing this now?"

Glen Rice hesitated. After all, that was Michael Jordan. Wouldn't doing this provoke him?
Tang Bei said, "That's because I forgot. As for returning the gift, it's better to be late than never. Otherwise, Jordan will say we're impolite sooner or later."

"Heh!" Glenn Rice and the others gave a wry smile.

Tang Bei added, "Moreover, the G3 match is about to begin. Going to visit them now is also a way to engage in some psychological warfare with them."

"OK."

"We do what the boss says."

"Tang, we'll go with you."

After he said that, Glenn Rice and others agreed.

After winning an away game, everyone's mindset has changed a bit. Before, they hadn't thought about winning, but now, although their confidence is still not very strong, they've started to have some ambition in mind.

Led by Tang Bei, a group of Heat players left the locker room.

"Don't cause trouble! Tang, don't lay a hand on me."

"Don't worry, Coach, it's just a visit to the set."

Head coach Kevin Longley, unable to stop Tang Bei, was so frustrated that he jumped up and down, muttering, "What kind of visit are you making? Do you think this is Hollywood?"

"Should we call them security?"

"This is their home ground."

"I heard Michael went to the visiting team's locker room last time too. Is Tang getting revenge this time?"

"Stop them."

"You go first."

Seeing a group of Heat players approaching, the leader of whom was particularly intimidating, several Bulls staff and management members swallowed hard, unsure of what to do. Tang Bei approached and said loudly, "Gentlemen, last time we went to Chicago, Michael Jordan visited the visiting team's locker room. Today we're returning the favor. You won't be unwelcome, will you?"

"Fuck! What's this guy trying to do?"

Tang Bei's voice was loud, like muffled thunder. Michael Jordan heard it in the locker room and angrily cursed.

He was about to open the door when, with a bang, the locker room door was pushed open quite roughly from the outside, and a huge beast appeared in the doorway.

"Tang, this is our territory!" he roared angrily.

Tang Bei didn't come in, but blocked the doorway, chuckling, "You visited us on set last time, and this time I'm visiting you. Don't you welcome us, Jordan?"

Jordan was so angry that his chest heaved, and he wanted to stare straight through Tang Bei.

Having been in the NBA for so long, no one had ever dared to enter his locker room. Tang Bei's behavior had truly angered him.

Pippen and his teammates stood behind Jordan, not daring to utter a sound, as if they were lackeys.

"You scum, I'm going to fuck you to death today!"

But one guy was different. He wore a transparent mask, his eyes blazing with fury, and he roared as he charged forward.

"Don't be impulsive, Houston!"

Head coach Phil Jackson, standing behind the door, shouted to stop him.

Jordan reacted quickly and grabbed Leonardo just as Leonardo was about to rush forward.

Then the others rushed forward, blocking Leonardo from behind.

"Let me go, let me teach him a lesson, I'm going to kill him..." Despite being blocked by so many people, Leonardo continued to struggle and roar.

Tang Bei's eyes flashed with coldness as he said with considerable regret, "Why are you stopping him? I really want to beat him to death too."

Hearing his words, everyone on the Heat and the Bulls felt a chill run down their spines.

Even Leonardo DiCaprio, who was furious, suddenly calmed down because of those words.

Although he is hot-tempered, impulsive, and belligerent, he is not stupid; there are no fools among those who can play in the NFL.

Last time, he was inexplicably knocked unconscious. Later, his manager showed him the video and he realized that Tang Bei had used a guillotine move in just two seconds to almost knock him out. This kind of method made him very wary.

"Unfortunately, the law won't allow me to do that."

Tang Bei stared at Leonardo as he left those words, then turned and left, with the Heat players following suit.

Phil Jackson stared at Leonardo DiCaprio, expressionless, and said with obvious displeasure:

"Houston, if you can't control your temper, I won't let you play, and even if you do, I'll take you out immediately."

"Humph."

Leonardo nodded through gritted teeth.

As a former NFL player, I still have a deep respect for head coaches, because NFL head coaches are not exactly gentle with them. Getting beaten up is commonplace, and verbal abuse is nothing unusual.

He knew one thing: if he didn't listen to the head coach, he wouldn't only be unable to play, but he would also likely be dropped by the Bulls.

Whether he can renew his one-year contract or get a bigger one depends on his performance on the court.

"Your tasks tonight are twofold: first, don't fight with Tang; second, keep him at bay and don't let him easily get close to the basket, okay?"

"OK."

"If you disobey, I'll remove you from the game immediately, OK?"

"OK."

Jerry Krause came in and said to Leonard, "Houston, remember this: if you don't play well tonight, you'll be leaving the Bulls tomorrow."

Leonardo gritted his teeth, nodded, and said nothing more.

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

Chicago Bulls: Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, BJ Armstrong

Miami Heat: Tang Bei, Grant Lang, Glen Rice, Steve Smith, Brian Shaw
In the NBC studio, Bill Russell said, "The Heat's starting point guard is Brian Shaw, who also rotated with Bimbo Coles in the starting lineup during the regular season."

Bill Walton said, "Brian Shaw is a combo guard, 198 cm tall, which adds height to the Heat's perimeter."

However, Brian Shaw's offensive efficiency is not as good as Coles', his three-point shooting is average, his rebounding is slightly better, and his assist ability is slightly worse.

Tonight's guest is still Isaiah Thomas, who didn't pick up on the topic, but instead said:
"Leonardo is still on the Bulls' 12-man roster, which means the Bulls are still prepared to use him against Tang."

Bill Russell nodded and said, "Increasing physicality, reducing Tang's scoring and lowering his offensive efficiency are all things that must be done."

Bill Walton: "Bill, Chamberlain scored 56 points in a single game back in the day, and Jordan scored 63 points, but the Celtics still won. If Tang scores 50+ points again today, can the Bulls be like the Celtics?"

Bill Russell said, "There is a chance. In terms of roster, the Bulls are indeed stronger than the Heat, much stronger. The roster is more well-matched and the offense and defense are more balanced. If they play well, the Heat have no chance of winning the Eastern Conference Finals."

Bill Walton chimed in, saying, "Before Tang was traded in, this Heat team was a complete failure at the start of the season, the worst team in the league."

Bill Russell nodded and said, "As long as the Bulls strengthen their defense against Tang Bei, reduce his efficiency, and do a good job of limiting the others, even if Tang scores 50+ again, the Bulls still have a chance to win."

At this point, he added, "This Heat team is actually just like the Philadelphia 60s and the Bulls 86."

Having only one strong player doesn't make you truly strong. That's why even with Wilt and Michael scoring 56 and 63 points respectively, they still lost.

"Is he truly enraged, as if he's being possessed by God?"

When Tang Bei ran into Jordan in the player tunnel, he noticed that the guy's eyes seemed to be radiating a murderous aura, which was frighteningly bright.

"Shh!"

Next, the visiting team came on stage, and a deafening chorus of boos was directed at the Bulls, including Michael Jordan.

"We must win this game. Anyone who doesn't try their best will have to sit down."

Jordan stared at all his teammates with gleaming eyes, his voice both icy and fiery, filled with rage.

Even Pippen and Grant, the two iron triangle, nodded repeatedly.

They knew very well that Jordan was not someone to mess with at this time.

"WOW!"

When it was the home team's turn to play, especially when Tang Bei came on, the cheers were deafening.

Zhang Heli excitedly said, "In the fifth season since the Heat were founded, we made it to the playoffs for the second time, the second round for the first time, and the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time. Tang Bei's status in Miami has risen again and again."

"Hey, Tang."

"Hello."

Several celebrities came over to greet Tang Bei.

At eight o'clock, the competition begins.

In the first three minutes, the Bulls' tactics against Tang Bei were the same as in G1 and G2: no strong confrontation, but they implemented a fouling tactic involving hacking.

Bill Cartwright's fouls were very decisive; Tang Bei was fouled twice on his shots under the basket, making 2 of 4 free throws.

But if Tang Bei is far from the basket, he won't shoot.

In addition, the Bulls' defense against the Heat, mainly Jordan against Steve Smith and Pippen against Glen Rice, reached a suffocating level.

Grant also gave Grant Long no breathing room, with BJ Armstrong doing his best to cut off Brian Shaw and Don Bei's passing angles.

Within three minutes, apart from Tang Bei scoring two points from free throws, there were no other points scored.

Smith and Brian Shaw each had a steal, and the Bulls launched two fast breaks.

8-2, Jordan made all three of his shots, including two fast break points, and the Heat were down 8-2 at home, forcing a timeout.

Bill Russell praised, "The Bulls played truly top-tier defense tonight, something we didn't see in Games 1 and 2."

But then he changed the subject, saying, "But you can't play without physicality in the paint. It will make it easy for Tang to play, he'll expend less energy, and he'll be able to focus more on offense and rebounding, getting more points and rebounds."

"Cartwright has committed too many fouls, he should go to the bench, and then..."

Bill Walton thought for a moment, then said, "Then Leonardo, the tank, will go on stage and use tank tactics against Tang Bei to engage in a strong confrontation."

"This should be."

Bill Russell nodded and said, "For the Bulls to win, they must strengthen their low-post play, wear down Tang Bei's stamina, reduce his offensive efficiency, and decrease his scoring."

If his scoring is limited to under 30 points and his shooting percentage is below 50-60%, the Heat shouldn't have any chances on the ball.

The Smiling Assassin complained, "The Heat fans are inexperienced, unlike the Bulls fans, who boo every time the visiting team gets the ball. It's really frustrating."

"Ha ha……"

Seeing the assassin's displeased expression, the other two burst into laughter.

(End of this chapter)