The longest river

Chapter 197 The Heart of a Champion
The Trail Blazers' second-highest scorer is Wallace, who averages 15 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Pippen averaged 13.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2 steals per game;

Billups averaged 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game;

Sabonis averaged 8.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.

Walter Williams also averaged 9.2 points off the bench and had a 43.8% three-point shooting percentage, ranking third in the league.

The Trail Blazers average 100 points per game, second only to the Kings in the league.

They allow an average of 88.5 points per game, ranking fifth in the league.

Their net rating of 12 points per game ranks first in the league, higher than the Wizards' 10.5 points.

The San Antonio Spurs are second in the Western Conference standings with a record of 37 wins and 13 losses.

In his second year as a rookie, Duncan averaged 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game, almost identical to his rookie season, demonstrating his consistent performance over the past two decades.

33岁的“海军上将”罗宾逊老骥伏枥，场均仍能贡献15.8分10板2.1助攻1.4抢断2.1盖帽。

Some Spurs fans felt sorry for Duncan, believing that if the Spurs had improved their record earlier and surpassed the Trail Blazers, Duncan would have had a chance to win the MVP award.

The Jazz are ranked third with a record of 36 wins and 14 losses.

Malone averaged 23.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.

Although he still ranks fifth in the league in points per game, without the support of his team's performance, he is no longer eligible for the MVP award this season, or more accurately, for the rest of his life.

The Lakers are ranked fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 30 wins and 20 losses.

If we were to choose the "most disappointing" team of the season, it would undoubtedly be the Lakers.

In ESPN's prediction list, they were second only to the Jazz in the Western Conference, but they ended up ranking fourth in the West and barely managed to get 30 wins.

There are three main reasons for this.

The first to be affected is naturally O'Neal. Although his performance of 26.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game is not much worse than last season, and his low-post dominance has even increased due to his weight gain.

However, his defensive weaknesses have been thoroughly exposed this season.

Although O'Neal also primarily played defensively last season, he could still occasionally come out to make a save and delay the game.

But this season, O'Neal is not playing at all.

It wasn't just the Jazz; other teams, including the Trail Blazers, all knew to use pick-and-rolls against O'Neal, and they were almost always successful.

Secondly, there's the issue of roster changes.

Just as Yang Shuai worried, big trades come with the need for adjustment, and adjustment takes time, which is exactly what a shortened season lacks most.

The Lakers traded Jones for Rice, who is also a former All-Star. Although his skills are a better fit for the Lakers than Jones', he also has requirements regarding shot attempts.

Finally, and perhaps the biggest problem for the Lakers, is the issue between Kobe and the Lakers players.

That's right, it's Kobe vs. the entire Lakers team (excluding Kobe).

After a series of events including West staying with the team, Harris being fired, and Jones being traded, Kobe's position with the Lakers was now rock solid.

In some ways, he is no less important than Yang Shuai is to the Trail Blazers.

But it's clear that his abilities haven't reached that level yet.

This made the other Lakers players, especially O'Neal, very unhappy.

They couldn't confront the management, so they could only say it was Kobe's selfish playing style. They believed that Kobe's selfish playing style was the cause of all the Lakers' problems this season.

Kobe, on the other hand, felt that it was the result of others' jealousy of his status on the team, his business contracts, and a series of other things.

The fifth-ranked team is unexpected: the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings have a record of 28 wins.

The Sacramento Kings had the biggest roster changes before the start of this season.

They traded Richmond for Webber, solidified McGrady's position as the core of the perimeter offense, and also acquired veteran Divac from the Nets.

With the addition of "White Chocolate" Williams, who was drafted in the draft, and veteran Vernon Maxwell, it's basically a completely different starting lineup.

This new starting lineup produced the most insane offense in the entire league.

They average 100.3 points per game, ranking first in the league.

Of course, the reason they didn't improve their record was their defense; they allowed an average of 100 points per game.

McGrady performed well on the defensive end during his rookie season, but after taking on more offensive roles in the new season, his defensive performance has visibly declined.

"T-Mac seems to be only good at either defense or offense."

This is Mike Brin's most apt assessment of McGrady.

The Suns are ranked sixth with 27 wins.

The Timberwolves, Rockets, and SuperSonics all have 25 wins. However, due to head-to-head results, the Timberwolves are ranked seventh, the Rockets are ranked eighth, and the SuperSonics are ranked ninth.

The SuperSonics, who were the top team in the Western Conference last season, have failed to make the playoffs this season, which is quite surprising.

The culprit behind all of this is Vin Baker.

胖了30斤的坎普虽然没能带领骑士队继续杀进季后赛，但场均仍能贡献20.5分9.8板（生涯首次得分超过20分），投篮命中率也有48.2%。

That physique that even Jordan envied was truly impressive.

Baker, who gained 30 pounds, was in serious trouble. He only managed to contribute 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of just 45.3%.

The suspension of the season has divided people into two different types, and Baker is arguably the ugliest of them all.

With the rankings finalized, the playoff matchups are also determined.

As in previous years, TNT analyzed the upcoming playoffs on its "NBA Insider" program.

Last season's playoffs saw many upsets in the first round, but it's unlikely that this will happen again this year.

The most competitive team in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference is the Knicks, who are ranked eighth.

They would have had a chance against other teams, but unfortunately they were facing Jordan's Wizards.

When Jordan played against New York, it was like a father beating his son; both were silent as they took on each other.

The same situation exists in the Western Conference, where the Rockets are ranked eighth, just like last season.

However, the situations of teams in the same positions are vastly different.

The Rockets finished eighth last season because of injuries; their actual strength was not bad.

However, with Drexler retiring this season and failing to acquire Pippen in free agency, they opted to spend their money on Barkley's retirement.

They finished eighth this season because their actual strength is only at the eighth level.

As for the other matchups, only the Lakers vs. Kings, a showdown between high school players Kobe and McGrady, is worth watching.

Therefore, they are more interested in discussing who will win this year's championship than in discussing the outcome of the first round.

The Trail Blazers and Wizards, as the top teams in their respective conferences, are naturally the most discussed "championship teams".

The league did a lot of publicity for the "All-Star Game" in the middle of the season, which whetted the appetite of fans. Now the performance of both teams is moving in the direction that was publicized.

If the Wizards can get past the Pacers, and the Trail Blazers can beat the Lakers, then the two teams will be a highly anticipated Finals matchup.

Before the playoffs officially began, the league announced the first batch of awards for the season.

Carter was elected Rookie of the Year with over 95% of the vote.

读完了三年大学才参选的他成熟度拉满，场均能贡献18.3分5.7板3助攻1.1抢断1.5盖帽，作为一个外线球员而言表现相当出色。

"White Chocolate" Williams, Mike Bibby, Carter, Paul Pierce, and Rashard Lewis were selected to the All-Rookie First Team.

Michael Dixon, Matt Halprin, "Old Cat" Mobley, Antoine Jamison, and Michael Olowokandi were selected to the All-Rookie Second Team.

As for Nowitzki (8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds), he had limited playing time with the Mavericks due to the adaptation issues of international players and unfortunately was not selected.

From Yang Shuai's perspective as a time traveler, the overall quality of the 1998 draft class was actually no less than that of the golden generation of 1996.

The playoffs officially began on May 8th.

The game between the Wizards and the Knicks officially kicked off the season.

The Trail Blazers' game doesn't start until the 9th, so they have a bye on that day.

The Rockets arrived in Portland that day, and there happened to be a Wizards game to watch. Yang Shuai invited Barkley to his house that evening to watch the game together.

Having been in the NBA for many years, Yang Shuai has met and gotten to know many NBA players, but the only player who makes Yang Shuai feel comfortable when communicating with him, and who he respects and even admires is Barkley.

Barkley is not a perfect person. He is not disciplined enough, likes to talk big, and like Jordan, he likes to gamble. But his strengths are enough for Yang Shuai to overlook his weaknesses.

He is very genuine.

He says what he thinks, even if he knows his words might upset you, but he still feels he should say them.

So whenever Barkley came to his city for a game, he would take the opportunity to have a meal or coffee with him.

"Not some whiskey? I know you can hold your liquor now."

Looking at the sunflower seeds, peanuts, and squid rings on the table, Barkley felt something was missing.

"You got me drunk so you could win the game tomorrow?"

Yang Shuai isn't very good at drinking.

"you caught me."

Barkley laughed and picked up a squid ring to eat.

Although this guy is a professional player, he has never skimped on his food.

The competition hadn't started yet, so the two ate and chatted about everyday things.

Yang told Barkley about his speech at his personal training camp during the lockout, which made Barkley laugh out loud.

"You know what? The thing I regret most now is that I didn't make the management vote for you without hesitation."

After laughing, Barkley couldn't help but sigh.

At that time, he and Kevin Johnson were both at the tail end of their prime, and Yang Shuai had a chance to break out of the West and then defeat Jordan.

If that were the case, he would be willing to retire from the NBA the day after winning the championship.

After that championship night, basketball no longer held any appeal for him.

“I don’t think you have that much say in management.”

Yang Shuai's words shattered Barkley's dream.

After thinking for a moment, Barkley burst out laughing.

Although Yang Shuai's words were a bit harsh, back then in that draft, apart from the Pacers, no other team had that kind of courage.

At that very moment, the game between the Wizards and the Knicks began.

Surprisingly, the Knicks started with an extremely high level of defensive intensity, which made the Wizards' offense somewhat disorienting.

This scene immediately reminded Yang Shuai of Game 6 of the Finals last season, when the Rockets also started with an unstoppable momentum.

"Last season was a real pity. I was sitting here with Kobe watching your games. I was a supporter of you."

"No, we can't win."

Barkley's answer, however, took Yang Shuai by surprise.

"That game was the most terrifying Michael I've ever seen, even more terrifying than the one I faced in the Finals in 1993."

"Is it really that exaggerated? You only lost by one point in the end." Yang Shuai watched the game.

"That's just one of many ways to lose. We gave it our all in the first three quarters, and we were exhausted in the last quarter. Even if Hakim hadn't been stripped of the ball, we still wouldn't have won."

Yang Shuai smiled and shook his head after hearing this, feeling that Barkley had over-mythologized Jordan.

"Actually, I'm curious how you guys beat Michael back then. That Pacers team really wasn't that great." Barkley really spoke his mind.

But that's the truth. Even putting Jordan aside, the Pacers' roster was much worse than the Bulls', and even worse than last season's Rockets.

"Tactics, and confidence," Yang Shuai concluded after a moment's thought.

"Is that all?"

"Isn't it enough?"

"I don't think it's enough."

"But it is what it is."

Barkley shrugged, mimicking Jordan, and the facts spoke for themselves.

At that moment, Ewing was blocked by Ben Wallace during a strong attack on the inside.

After suffering from a devastating knee injury, New York's "Gorilla" has finally lost his dominance in the paint this season.

"I'm planning to retire after this season." Barkley said this with emotion, seeing Ewing being bullied by an undrafted player.

“Actually, I think you could come to Portland next year,” Yang Shuai gave a very practical suggestion.

If Barkley hadn't already signed that massive one-year, $9 million contract with the Rockets, Yang Shuai believes that Barkley could have joined the Trail Blazers after the Pippen trade.

Because the Trail Blazers were really lacking a backup center at that time.

"Let's see, if my body can still hold up," Barkley's answer was quite honest.

He'd already tried to curry favor with Hakeem Olajuwon once, so of course he wouldn't mind doing the same for Yang Shuai.

All he wanted was a championship ring; there was nothing shameful about it.

His minimum requirement is simply to be able to play; otherwise, sitting on the bench for an entire season would be no different from being a stadium security guard.

So the key issue isn't whether he's willing or not, but whether his body can handle it.

In fact, he felt that his career was over after last season. This unexpected suspension gave him a much-needed boost, and his performance this season is actually better than last season.

They chatted, watched, and ate as they went. By the time they finished eating, the competition was already over.

The result of the competition was completely unexpected.

The Knicks won 95-85!

Ewing's dominance in the paint has indeed diminished, but Houston and Sprewell both caught fire from beyond the arc, scoring 22 points each and single-handedly carrying the Knicks' offense.

Of course, the Knicks won this game not because of their offense but because of their defense, which limited the Wizards to just 85 points.

Apart from Jordan's 31 points, the Wizards collectively lost their way under this level of defensive intensity.

The next day, the Knicks' victory over the Wizards became big news.

Last season, the Rockets pulled off a "Black Eight" upset. Will the Knicks do it again this year?
And this is Jordan!

"Black Eight" Jordan, that's something that only happens in novels.

That same evening, the first-round game between the Trail Blazers and the Rockets also took place at the Rose Garden Arena.

Before the game, the Trail Blazers players were discussing the Wizards' upset loss in the locker room.

"Michael might as well have retired last summer."

Lu remarked that he shared the same thought as Yang Shuai back then: Jordan retiring after making his "last shot" would have been the most perfect outcome.

"I think it would be interesting if Michael were upset by the eighth seed."

Walter Williams's words drew laughter from the locker room.

Although they all respect Jordan, those who create a god are often the ones who most want to see that god fall.

"Michael won't be upset in the eighth seed," Pippen suddenly said, standing up. His words silenced everyone in the locker room, though their gazes towards Pippen held a strange quality.

"Instead of focusing on others, we should take tonight's game seriously. The Wizards' loss serves as a reminder that our opponents pulled off a historic upset last year."

As the leader of the locker room, Xiao stood up and spoke up to remind them.

Later that evening, Game 1 between the Trail Blazers and the Rockets officially began.

Perhaps inspired by the Knicks' victory yesterday, the Rockets played with great momentum in the first half.

Barkley, in particular, seemed to have become five years younger, wreaking havoc in the paint, and neither Wallace nor Sabonis could do anything about him.

Moreover, he made excellent passes in the second quarter against the Trail Blazers' double-teaming, assisting Mobley to score frequently from the outside.

In the first half, Barkley grabbed 5 offensive rebounds, scoring 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, bringing back his peak form.

Under his leadership, the Rockets led the Trail Blazers 54-44 at halftime.

The Trail Blazers did not underestimate their opponent, but the first half also exposed a weakness in them: their fast breaks did not rely on speed, but on the success rate of their half-court defense. If they failed to defend, they could not get into a game and had to fight the opponent in half-court situations.

However, Barkley was incredibly aggressive on offense tonight, and the Trail Blazers couldn't gain any advantage.

During halftime, Yang Shuai went to Carlisle's coaching office.

Carlisle was discussing tactical adjustments for the second half with Dunleavy when he saw Yang Shuai arrive, which surprised him.

He gestured for Deng Liwei to go out for a moment, knowing that Yang Shuai must have something to say.

"It's fine if Mike stays."

Yang Shuai indicated that Deng Liwei could stay.

This made Dunleavy feel flattered. Ever since Yang Shuai glared at him after that training match, he had never had any interaction with Yang Shuai again.

He thought Yang Shuai had completely excluded him from the circle.

"Hansen, don't worry, Charles is getting old, his performance will decline in the second half, we can turn the game around in one fell swoop."

He also took this opportunity to showcase his insight into the game.

"Our opponent is not the Rockets."

Yang Shuai's answer not only surprised Dunleavy, but even Carlisle was taken aback.

That sounds a bit arrogant, but it's the truth.

The Rockets are in decline this season, and even if Barkley can put on a great series, the Rockets' roster won't be able to win.

This is different from the Knicks' situation. The Knicks' players were also in poor form due to the lockout. If the lockout hadn't happened, their roster would have been capable of winning 50+ games.

“Richard, I had dinner with Charles yesterday, and he asked me a question.”

Yang Shuai did not continue discussing the previous issue with Dunleavy, but instead looked at Carlisle.

"He asked me how the Pacers beat the Bulls back then."

Upon hearing this, Dunleavy also turned his gaze to Carlisle, as he was also curious about the matter.

“Our spacing tactics countered their style of play, and we played with enough confidence. Your defense on Michael was also crucial.”

Carlisle's analysis is more insightful than Yang Shuai's.

"My answer was the same as yours back then." Yang Shuai nodded.
"Charles' answer at the time was that he felt it wasn't enough, and I refuted him because facts speak louder than words."

Carlisle nodded, but he was even more puzzled. Now that the answer to the question was clear, what did Yang Shuai want to do by coming to see him now?

"But after the first half, I knew what Charles was trying to say."

Yang Shuai's words immediately piqued the curiosity of Carlisle and Dunleavy.

"We only have the look of champions, but not the heart of champions."

When he was with the Pacers, Yang Shuai played the role of the second-in-command. He needed to think about how to charge into battle, rather than how to lead a team.

In a sense, Carlisle, as an assistant coach, is the same as him; he only needs to consider tactical responses, not overall strategic planning.

However, it is clear that even after two seasons with the Trail Blazers, they have not yet fully adapted to this role change.

Yang Shuai did very little in leading the team, while Carlisle made no progress in managing the players.

That's why their answers to Barkley's question were so consistent.

But stepping outside their current situation and reflecting on this issue reveals that they completely overlooked that Pacers team's hunger for victory!

Miller constantly conveyed to his team his desire to beat Jordan and win the championship; he was willing to sacrifice stats and even risk his career for that desire.

Bird guided his team to see Jordan's statue to inspire their desire to defeat Jordan and the Bulls, and to understand the meaning of victory.

But these qualities are not present in this Trail Blazers team.

Or rather, it's only happening to Yang Shuai and Carlisle right now.

Yang Shuai needs to deliver on his promise, while Carlisle needs to prove himself.

But others didn't have it.

Winning the championship? That would be great, of course.

They didn't win the championship? That's more of a problem with Yang Shuai and Carlisle, and has little to do with them.

Dunleavy stared wide-eyed at Yang Shuai, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Even a coach like him, who has been coaching in the league for many years, hadn't grasped these things, but a 21-year-old high school student understood them.

Yang Shuai's learning speed is terrifying.

In the Trail Blazers' locker room, the players were chatting casually.

Five minutes later, they realized that the coaching staff had arrived later than usual.

Even at this point, they realized that Yang Shuai was not in the locker room.

Just as they were wondering, Carlisle, Dunleavy, and Yang Shuai entered the locker room together.

Wallace, who was closest to the door, was short-tempered but observant and quickly noticed something unusual about Carlisle. Carlisle, who usually carried a tactical board, was now empty-handed.

Once inside the locker room, Carlisle made a request to everyone:
"You have three minutes to think about why you want to win the championship."

Carlisle's question left the team members somewhat bewildered.

That feeling was like when I was in elementary school and the teacher asked us what our dreams were when we grew up.

Three minutes passed quickly, and Carlisle asked Wallace first.

"For players, a championship is the best proof of their personal value."

Wallace's answer drew nods from many teammates, and some even applauded.

Wallace is much more cultured than he appears.

However, Carlisle shook his head.

"I asked you why you want to win the championship, not what the point of winning it would be."

This left Wallace speechless.

Carlisle then looked at Lou.

“They thought I was too short to make it in the NBA. I’m here now, and I want to win a championship to prove to those who doubted me that I can do it.”

Carlisle nodded at Lou's answer and gave him a thumbs up.

But it was at this moment that he remembered that Lu hadn't gotten any playing time.

Carlisle then looked at Pippen.

However, instead of waiting for Pippen's answer, he asked Pippen a question directly:
"Scottie, you're trying to prove you can succeed without Michael, aren't you?"

Pippen was stunned. These were his inner thoughts, but he wouldn't say them aloud.

Under the watchful eyes of Carlisle and his teammates, Pippen nodded.

Carlisle didn't press further, but instead turned his gaze to the next person.

Whether waiting for the other person's answer or asking questions directly, everyone fell into their own thoughts when Carlyle had asked enough questions.

Just like that dream, whether they have it or not, they've all started thinking about it.

"Hansen, what are you doing this for?"

Carlisle finally turned his gaze to Yang Shuai.

Everyone else in the locker room paused their thoughts and turned to look at Yang Shuai.

They were very curious about what Yang Shuai's answer would be.

Yang Shuai stood up; his position was perfectly positioned to face everyone.

"I want to parade around with a truckload of Portland roses."

Billups smiled knowingly when Yang Shuai said that.

Pippen also looked up at Lue, now certain that what Lue had said back then was true.

However, Yang Shuai didn't stop there. He looked around the locker room and then finished his sentence:
"Together with you."

The locker room became incredibly quiet at that moment.

Most of the team members looked on in disbelief.

Without a doubt, Yang Shuai is the leader of this team. He led the Trail Blazers from chaos to stability and was able to take responsibility after defeats, earning the respect of his teammates.

That's all. Yang Shuai is a rather independent person, and he doesn't communicate much with his teammates in private.

However, at this moment, Yang Shuai not only revealed his reasons for wanting to win the championship, but also mentioned that they were part of those reasons.

This scene, just like when Bird said he would smash Jordan's statue and then said, "I'm going to beat Michael with you guys," immediately resonated with everyone.

Yang Shuai didn't even need to say anything more, because just like Billups and Pippen's reaction when they first heard those words, the romantic scene had already automatically appeared in their minds.

"I think you all have a reason to win the championship now, so go and make that reason a reality for yourself."

After saying his last words, Carlisle turned and left the locker room, leaving the rest of the time for the players to think.

Yang Shuai secretly gave Carlisle a thumbs up. He noticed that Carlisle's hands had been shaking uncontrollably just now, and this kind of task of motivating the team members was completely beyond his capabilities.

But to become an excellent head coach, this is a step that must be taken, and Carlisle has done a very good job.

After halftime, the Trail Blazers and Rockets are about to resume their second half game.

Tonight's commentators are Ernie Johnson and Mave Albert.

"That high schooler has never learned how to lead a team. The Trail Blazers not only lost tonight, they will lose the series just like last year's SuperSonics."

Even after so much time has passed, Albert still seizes every opportunity to attack Yang Shuai.

Ernie Johnson didn't speak, but he also looked worried.

Although he felt that even if the Trail Blazers lost tonight's game, they might not necessarily lose the series, losing such a game would be a huge blow to the morale of a championship contender.

The Rockets took the lead in the second half.

Barkley continued to hold his position in the low post.

Hakeem Olajuwon's dominance in the low post has declined to only slightly better than Ewing's, but his high post shooting ability is still good, so standing at the free-throw line can create space for Barkley.

The Trail Blazers used Sabonis to defend Barkley.

After receiving the ball, Barkley turned his back and put all his weight on Sabonis, then pounded on Sabonis's body like a club.

Although he is old and can hardly jump anymore, his strength and weight are still there, forcing Sabonis to lower his center of gravity and exert force to fight back.

Just then, Barkley suddenly used the force of his collision with Sabonis to make a sharp turn towards the free-throw line, and then put the ball into the basket with a close-range straight-arm layup.

In this round, Barkley perfectly demonstrated what it means to be as strong as a bull and as light as a swallow.

The "Flying Pig" lives up to its name.

Moreover, this skill will not disappear with age; as long as his body can still withstand it, he can still be a tactical pivot.

"Barkley will dominate tonight's game!" Marv Albert was also excited.

Barkley's condition is the best news for the Rockets.

But before he could finish speaking, Pippen turned around and cut to the weak side, receiving a pass from Yang Shuai, which drew a defensive foul from Barkley.

It's a bit of a shame that the ball had a chance to go in for a 2+1, but it rolled around the rim and went out.

This small detail offers a glimpse into Pippen's offensive form this season.

Or rather, most people overlook the impact of the surgery Pippen underwent before the start of the 1997-1998 season. Pippen was also a player who relied heavily on athletic talent.

Pippen was somewhat frustrated after seeing the ball go in, but at that moment, something he never expected happened.

Yang Shuai walked over to Pippen and gave him a high five.

"Well done."

Pippen's eyes widened, and the next second he felt the hairs on his body stand on end.

Yang Shuai is still the same Yang Shuai. He didn't comfort Pippen like Jordan did, but at this moment he exuded an aura that made Pippen willing to follow him and do something big.

Pippen made both free throws.

Looking back, when Barkley was on a one-on-one, Pippen quickly helped defend, and after Barkley passed the ball, he successfully disrupted Mobley's shot.

The basketball bounced off the rim, Sabonis blocked Barkley, and Wallace flew into the paint to grab the defensive rebound.

The Trail Blazers launched a fast break, and Yang Shuai attracted a double team during the fast break before passing the ball to Billups for a layup.

Barkley's dramatic turnaround drive to the baseline drew a foul from Sabonis.

Instead of yelling, Yang Shuai, like Reggie Miller did back then, reached out to applaud and cheer for his players' defensive performance.

Gradually, the Trail Blazers' morale changed.

The desire that Carlisle had stirred in their hearts was gradually being guided out by Yang Shuai.

The Trail Blazers began to improve their half-court offense and their defense.

The gap was gradually narrowed before it was eventually overtaken.

Barkley was still in excellent form, but in the second half he looked more like a lone general standing alone at the bridgehead, unable to stop the Trail Blazers' overwhelming momentum.

At that moment, Ernie Johnson, in the commentary booth, sensed a kind of longing from the Trail Blazers.

That desire shone through Barkley tonight, helping the Rockets gain an advantage in the first half.

But now it has affected the entire Trail Blazers team.

“Morpheus, do you remember ‘Never underestimate the heart of a champion’?” Johnson turned to look at Albert.

Albert didn't say anything; how could he not know?

Rudy Tomjanovich's famous quote, which helped the Rockets achieve the magical story of winning the championship as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, is hailed as one of the greatest championships in NBA history.

That also helped the Rockets reach the NBA Finals again last season as the eighth seed in their division.

Johnson didn't wait for Abbott's reply, but instead spoke with deep emotion:
"Now I see that championship heart in this Trail Blazers team."

-Dividing line-

①：1999年季后赛为历史中巴克利季后赛绝唱，36岁的他以52.9%的命中率，在首轮面对湖人队的比赛中场均得到23.5分13.8板3.8助攻1.5抢断。

(End of this chapter)