The longest river

Chapter 198 58 Shark

With a score of 98-90, the Trail Blazers outscored the Rockets 54-36 in the second half, ultimately turning the tide and securing a victory.

杨帅得到28分6板7助攻，皮蓬20分6板4助攻4抢断，华莱士17分7板，萨博尼斯12分12板，比卢普斯9分4助攻，泰伦·卢7分3抢断。

The Trail Blazers delivered a classic team victory.

巴克利最终空砍30分23板6助攻，莫布里14分4助攻，奥拉朱旺12中5得14分6板。

What fans joked about back then has become a reality. Barkley joined the Rockets to ride on their coattails, but in the end, he became the Rockets' star player.

After the game, Yang Shuai and Barkley shared a warm hug during their handshake.

He once beat Jordan, but he didn't understand how he won.

But now he knows, and he also knows how to use it.

He was very grateful to Barkley, saying it was more valuable than winning a game or a series.

A week later, the Trail Blazers swept the Rockets 3-0.

In Game 3 in Houston, the Rockets showed a do-or-die mentality, battling the Trail Blazers to a decisive moment.

But the Trail Blazers performed exceptionally well on both offense and defense, and ultimately failed to secure a victory.

Yang Shuai shook hands with Barkley to say goodbye.

"I look forward to the day you win the championship."

As an opponent, he could sense the changes in the Trail Blazers; this Trail Blazers team is now qualified to contend for the championship.

"Don't forget what I said before."

Yang Shuai also smiled and reminded Barkley.

Barkley has already given his all for the Rockets in this year's playoffs and has also secured a big contract with them; there is no need for him to stay any longer.

Moreover, Barkley debuted in Philadelphia and reached the top in Phoenix, so Houston didn't feel like home to him.

The day after the Trail Blazers vs. Rockets game, the remaining first-round matchups also concluded.

After losing Game 1, the Wizards won three straight games to eliminate the Knicks 3-1.

Jordan averaged 38 points per game in the series, demonstrating his ageless prowess at 36 years old, and once again eliminated his old friend Ewing.

What was more surprising was the matchup between the Magic and the 76ers, with the 76ers defeating the Magic 3-1 and successfully completing a "black seventh" upset.

Iverson averaged 28.25 points per game, and Brown's tactics began to show results.

The Eastern Conference second round matches are Wizards vs. Heat, and Pacers vs. 76ers;
西部这边，马刺3比1森林狼，爵士3比1太阳，湖人3比1国王。

The Spurs will face the Jazz, while the Trail Blazers will meet the Lakers again in the second round.

Following the conclusion of the first round of competition, the league announced another batch of awards for the season.

Yang Shuai defeated Mourning and Mutombo with over 50% of the vote to be named the season's DPOY.

Carlisle beat Collins and Popovich to be named Coach of the Season.

The Portland Trail Blazers swept all the awards this time!

Moreover, both of them broke records: Yang Shuai became the youngest DPOY, and Carlisle became the youngest Coach of the Year.

This sparked a wave of heated discussions in the media.

Sean Powell's article in The New York Times entitled "The Throne of the New Era" has attracted widespread attention.

"The dynasty of the Bulls is over, and the Houston Rockets are also facing their twilight. The throne of the league is now vacant."

Shaquille O'Neal, Hansen Young, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Kevin Garnett—a new force is leading their team in a charge toward the throne.

We once thought that the Lakers, with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, would become the leaders of a new era, and we were absolutely certain of that last season.

But now, Hansen Young is leading his Trail Blazers to a comeback victory.

First in the regular season, youngest DPOY, youngest Coach of the Year, and perhaps youngest MVP.

Will Portland usher in their era? Only time will tell.

But what we can be certain of is that the end of the path of thorns and roses we see is that empty throne.

This article has ignited the passion of Portland fans, just like the questions they asked when Yang Shuai arrived; all they wanted was a new championship.

But now it's not just Yang Shuai's "more than one" promise; even well-known media figures are considering the "Portland dynasty" as a potential possibility.

As Powell said, the Trail Blazers are a young team.

Although Sabonis and Pippen are veterans, Young, Wallace, and Billups are still very young, and they really have the opportunity to create a dynasty.

However, this has drawn disdain from many people.

"The Trail Blazers haven't even won a championship yet. This isn't a halftime celebration for them, it's an opening celebration."

"Michael is just old, not retired. He will lead DC to defeat all these so-called new-age forces."

"The Lakers are the new kings, and Shaq will tear this Trail Blazers apart, just like he did last season."

On May 17, the regional semifinals officially began.

The Wizards and Heat game kicked off first.

The Wizards ultimately defeated the Heat 95-75.

After suffering a major upset in Game 1 of the first round, the Wizards clearly played more seriously in the second round.

The Lakers also flew to Portland on this day.

Because the two teams faced off in the playoffs last year, and Powell's article has made this series particularly noteworthy.

A large number of media reporters gathered at the Lakers' open practice session.

As soon as training ended, they swarmed around O'Neal.

Reporters were primarily concerned with the Lakers' internal issues. This season, the Lakers have been involved in a series of events, including a coaching change and trades, bringing these internal problems from behind the scenes to the forefront.

Especially in a place like Los Angeles, any problem will be exposed by the media very quickly.

For example, Los Angeles media previously reported that Shaquille O'Neal slapped Kobe Bryant during practice.

Although Derek Fisher, who later acted as a glue man for the Lakers, stated in the media that it was just a normal physical confrontation, it was clear that Kobe and Shaq had some tension in their relationship.

"Kobe and the team have no problems. We all love Kobe, and I am working with him to create a new era for us."

However, O'Neal presented a very close relationship with Kobe in front of the media.

"Just because we had a fight yesterday doesn't mean I can't have coffee with you today. When a new day begins, it means a new beginning."

While the reporter was still in shock, O'Neal went on to explain further.

This kind of thing might only happen with O'Neal, like the relationship between him and Yang Shuai. He once said some racist things to Yang Shuai, but then made overtures to him time and time again.

Of course, the reporter also mentioned Powell's article.

"He (Powell) underestimated us a bit, but that was exactly his goal—to attract attention with some controversial statements. I'm not going to prove anything because of what he said, but it certainly gave me a lot of motivation."

"Do you mean you'll lead the team to beat the Trail Blazers again?"

"no doubt."

O'Neal said with absolute certainty.

The Trail Blazers' locker room on game night.

The Trail Blazers players are making their final preparations for the game.

Unlike playing the Rockets, because they lost to the Lakers in the playoffs last year, the Trail Blazers players have a different level of desire to play against the Lakers.

Especially when there are no major changes to the core lineup, just like Sabonis against the Jazz last season, emotions are naturally stirred up.

Pippen is the only starter who wasn't with the team last season.

He didn't have that vengeful feeling, but he was unusually talkative before the match.

This is naturally due to the grudges and entanglements between O'Neal and the Bulls during his time with the Magic.

"That guy desperately needs a superstar point guard to save him."

Pippen's first words made Yang Shuai a little nervous.

Pippen has gone from remembering the trash talk someone used against them to remembering the trash talk someone used against others.

I don't know if it was because he had been so open and honest with him back then that Pippen paid so much attention to him.

However, from Pippen's perspective, it was not just a general statement, but a more detailed account.

In the 1995 playoffs, Jordan wasn't in top form because he had just returned from injury, but he wasn't actually that bad either. In the final Game 6, he scored 39 points on 15-of-28 shooting.

In contrast, O'Neal only scored 22 points on 7-of-20 shooting.

The Magic won because of their outside shooting.

德尼斯·斯科特三分9中5拿了22分，哈达威19分11助。

Grant, who was inside, was very accurate from mid-range, scoring 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting.

With three teammates scoring 20+ points, it would be difficult for the Magic not to win.

In fact, the same was true for Game 5. Grant wasn't playing well in that game, but Scott, Nick Anderson, and Hardaway all scored 20+ points.

So the Magic beating the Bulls that year was the same as the Pacers beating the Bulls; it wasn't that O'Neal defeated Jordan, but that the Magic were the better team.

However, after listening to the whole thing, Yang Shuai couldn't help but stroke his chin.

The Bulls' perimeter defense must have been very poor, given that the Magic's perimeter shooting was consistently on fire. Pippen, as the core of the perimeter defense, also had significant issues.

However, when people fail, they tend to exaggerate their opponents while ignoring their own problems.

"That guy only looks strong; he's actually a coward."

Pippen's next words won Yang Shuai's full approval, after all, it was something he had personally verified.

When the Bulls' revenge season arrived, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls crushed the Magic 121-83 by a whopping 38 points.

Hardaway was on fire in that game, shooting 15-for-21, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, scoring a whopping 38 points, but he still couldn't get O'Neal moving.

Although O'Neal's stats looked decent in that game—27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists—he was actually a liability on the defensive end for the Bulls.

Let alone Jordan, even Harper, Kerr, and veteran Wennington could score against O'Neal.

What truly revealed O'Neal's inner emotions was his free throws; in that game, O'Neal made only 1 of 7 free throws.

"Can you smell the poop in his pocket?"

Yang Shuai's joking remark drew a burst of laughter from everyone in the locker room.

To be honest, Pippen's words, coupled with Yang Shuai's teasing, immediately put the Trail Blazers players at ease. It turned out that the "Big Shaq" wasn't anything to be afraid of at all.

This is certainly a good thing. Facing an opponent who has defeated you before, just like when the Pacers faced the Bulls, confidence is very important.

As the Trail Blazers players emerged from the player tunnel, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from the crowd.

Fans are also eagerly anticipating this "revenge match".

Yang Shuai saw the little boy who had given him roses again at the entrance of the passage, and he gave him a victory sign.

I promised the little boy I wouldn't lose again, and tonight is the night to fulfill that promise.

After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both teams were announced.

Lakers: Harper, Kobe, Glen Rice, JR Reed, O'Neal
Trail Blazers: Billups, Young, Pippen, Wallace, Sabonis

Horry has fallen out of the starting lineup this season due to heart problems, and the Lakers also aimed to strengthen their power forward position in the previous Jones trade.

瑞德是1989年的5号秀，身高2米06，体重达到113公斤。

Sabonis passed the ball back to his half, and the home team launched the first attack.

The Lakers made a small defensive adjustment: O'Neal is guarding Wallace, and Reed is guarding Sabonis.

This is a pick-and-roll tactic to defend against Yang Shuai's strong side. Reed is relatively short as an inside player, but he has weight and strength, which gives the Lakers more tactical possibilities.

Seeing this, Billups passed the ball to Pippen.

After Pippen and Wallace executed a pick-and-roll, Pippen drove to the basket and then passed the ball back to Wallace.

After receiving the ball, Wallace backed down Jones in a mismatch and then made his signature straight-arm shot after turning around.

The Trail Blazers' intention in the opening possession was clear: just like what Pippen said in the locker room about the Bulls' tactics back then, they used O'Neal as a defensive vulnerability.

O'Neal's decline isn't just about his inability to defend mid-range shots; he also can't defend against switches, making it easy for the Trail Blazers to create mismatches.

In the transition between offense and defense, the Lakers launched an attack from the other side of Yang Shuai's defense.

Kobe lobbed the ball to O'Neal, and Pippen and Wallace simultaneously collapsed to help defend.

While Reed is physically strong, he doesn't have Horry's shooting range, which allows the Trail Blazers to execute their double-team strategy more effectively.

Instead of passing the ball to Kobe, O'Neal swung his big elbow and turned to attack the baseline.

But when he turned around, Pippen seized the opportunity and poked the ball high into the air.

Moreover, Pippen didn't give O'Neal a chance to get the ball back, and quickly jumped up to steal it.

Confidence made Pippen play more aggressively and proactively.

After Pippen made the steal, he dribbled the ball up the court and, once both teams were in position, passed it directly to Wallace.

Wallace received the ball and, without hesitation, launched a mid-range shot over O'Neal.

After gaining 20 pounds of fat, O'Neal looked like he had a car tire hanging on his back, and his reactions were noticeably slower.

"Shh!"

Wallace hit another mid-range shot, scoring 4 points in a row to start the game.

The Rose Garden Arena erupted instantly. Before Yang Shuai even started to exert himself, the Trail Blazers were already dominating the Lakers!

"Lambis made a terrible mistake by using Shaq to defend Wallace."

The commentators for this game were Ernie Johnson and Hubie Brown. Johnson identified the Trail Blazers' game strategy, and this tactical strategy was very successful.

"No matter what choice Rambis makes, Shaq will become the Trail Blazers' weak point."

Brown saw it even more clearly: O'Neal's size this season, combined with the Trail Blazers' spacing system, made him a complete liability on the defensive end.

The key for the Lakers to turn their disadvantage around lies in O'Neal's performance on offense.

If O'Neal can shut down either Sabonis or Wallace, the Trail Blazers' spacing tactics will naturally become much less effective.

Neither Cato nor "Hot Stick" Williams, the Trail Blazers' backup big men, have shooting range.

O'Neal continued to assert his position in the low post, but this time Kobe didn't pass the ball in!

After seeing that Pippen was positioned relatively close to the inside, he immediately opted for a drive and attack.

Kobe's footwork was quick, but Pippen reacted swiftly and blocked Kobe's path to the basket.

O'Neal seized the opportunity to squeeze into the three-second zone and reach out, but Kobe didn't pass him the ball. He drove hard to the basket despite Pippen's defense.

He has absolute confidence in his current abilities.

Unfortunately, Pippen was very focused, and he couldn't break through Pippen's defense. In the end, even with his body spread out in the air, he could only pass the ball to the baseline.

"Snapped!"

Yang Shuai saw through his intentions, drove to the baseline, stretched out his long arm, and directly made a steal.

Yang Shuai and Pippen, just like the Bulls' twin stars back in the day, formed an impenetrable defensive partnership.

The Trail Blazers launched a swift counter-attack, and O'Neal's massive frame simply couldn't keep up.

In a five-on-four situation in the frontcourt, Yang Shuai received an alley-oop pass from Pippen, his head level with the rim, and completed a visually stunning one-handed alley-oop dunk.

The cheers that had just subsided instantly rang out again inside the Rose Garden Arena.

6 is better than 0!

The Trail Blazers got off to a perfect start!

And that's not all. Just as Harper was dribbling the ball up the court and preparing to pass it to Kobe, Pippen suddenly rushed out and made his second steal of the night.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the remaining nine players on the court and the fans in the arena, Pippen leisurely made a fast break to the frontcourt, and then leaped up for a powerful two-handed dunk. 8-0!

The Lakers immediately called a timeout.

Pippen was really into the game; the usually introverted player waved his hands as he left the court, signaling for the fans to cheer louder.

That's not just about confidence; more importantly, his championship spirit has now been ignited.

"Last season the Lakers were able to dominate the Trail Blazers, but now they look like they have no chance against them."

Brown couldn't help but lament, just as Powell said in his article, that the Lakers had given fans endless expectations, but a season of suspension turned those expectations into huge disappointments.

"It's clear that Hansen is a better team leader than Shaq."

Ernie Johnson's daily boasting.

However, Brown smiled and nodded, agreeing with Johnson's point of view.

The Lakers' internal problems this season have been making headlines.

Although O'Neal said before the game that he and Kobe had a good relationship, Kobe's choice just now proved that it was a lie.

On the Trail Blazers' side, Pippen also had internal problems when he first joined the team. Pippen's famous statement, "I'm here to lead this team to a championship," was made at a press conference.

But look at him now, Pippen is now willingly playing second fiddle to Yang Shuai.

The difference is obvious in comparison.

After the timeout, the Lakers continued to attack O'Neal in the low post.

Rambis's timeout just now was to confirm that he wanted to get the ball to O'Neal.

Having secured his tactical role, O'Neal played more decisively than before, aggressively pressing Sabonis before the Trail Blazers could provide help defense.

Sabonis couldn't hold on, and O'Neal turned and scored off the backboard, finally breaking the Lakers' scoring drought.

Turning back, O'Neal switched back to guarding Sabonis.

Seeing the Lakers' defensive changes, Yang Shuai also started his offensive.

After receiving the ball, he immediately set a pick-and-roll with Sabonis.

After learning the puppy footwork, Kobe's defense against high pick-and-rolls improved significantly. However, just like Yang Shuai was helpless against Jordan's pick-and-rolls back then, as long as the opponent's release speed is fast enough, the pick-and-roll is unsolvable.

Especially since O'Neal retreated to the basket early on, Kobe was essentially playing two-on-one.

Yang Shuai ultimately opted for a three-pointer after the pick-and-roll.

"Shh!"

The basketball player swiftly brought down the knife.

11:2.

The Trail Blazers continued to widen the gap.

The cheers from Portland fans were deafening, interspersed with whistles.

"Defend! Defend!"

That emotion transformed into a deafening roar, which traveled through the loudspeakers on the roof of the stadium and pierced the players' eardrums.

The Rose Garden Arena's intimidating home advantage was perfectly exemplified at this moment.

O'Neal continued to receive the ball in the low post and continued to exert himself early.

However, Sabonis then showed his experience. Realizing he couldn't withstand the force, he took the hit when O'Neal swung his elbow and turned, losing his balance and falling to the ground.

The referee blew his whistle, indicating that O'Neal had committed an offensive foul.

This completely enraged the Portland fans in the stadium.

They already had a premonition that tonight would be a night of exhilarating revenge!

With about 10 minutes left in the first quarter, the score was 24-8, with the Trail Blazers having extended their lead to over 15 points.

At this point, both sides began to rotate their squads.

The cameras also promptly showed O'Neal resting after the game.

O'Neal was drenched in sweat and his eyes were glazed over.

Before the game, he confidently declared that he would beat the Trail Blazers just like last year, and said that Powell underestimated them.

But now those words seem strangely ironic.

They weren't underestimated; they were overestimated.

At this point, both teams were using their rotation lineups. The Trail Blazers were led by Pippen and Wallace, while the Lakers had Kobe Bryant remaining on the court.

Kobe and Horry executed a pick-and-roll, then Kobe drove along the baseline to the basket and, facing Cato's help defense, executed a spectacular reverse layup.

It turns out that Kobe could indeed play better when Shaq wasn't dominating the paint.

However, the Trail Blazers had already built up momentum. After Wallace missed Horry with a shot, he drove straight to the basket and slammed the ball into the hoop over Tyrese Knight with his long arms.

After completing the dunk, Wallace roared passionately at Knight.

Carlisle had previously asked Wallace why he wanted to win the championship, but Wallace didn't understand at the time.

But now he understands that he wants to win the championship not because it means much to him, but simply because of his desire to win.

When his emotions began to dominate his mind, the desires he unleashed surpassed those of everyone else.

Kobe continued to have the ball in the frontcourt, at which point Carlisle stood up and signaled for a tactical adjustment.

The Trail Blazers began to double-team Kobe.

Kobe drove straight to the basket despite being double-teamed.

It's as if O'Neal's presence on the court earlier suppressed his scoring desire, and now he's about to unleash it all at once.

However, Pippen was among those double-teaming him, and Kobe was forced to take a difficult shot from a negative angle at the baseline. The ball hit the back of the rim and bounced out of bounds.

When Yang Shuai saw this, he shouted to the field, "A Dou, you can't win the game like this."

"Negative energy from Kobe Bryant +328".

Kobe didn't respond to Yang Shuai, but he played more decisively in the next possession. He drove into the paint and drew a foul from Cato, earning two free throws.

After successfully inflicting a penalty, Kobe deliberately walked around to Yang Shuai and shrugged like Jordan.

This made Yang Shuai laugh.

He didn't say anything more, but gave Kobe a thumbs up, indicating that he did a great job.

After Kobe turned around and walked towards the free throw line with satisfaction, he shook his head as he watched Kobe's back.

Kobe Bryant perfectly embodies the development law of "the stronger he is, the more individualistic he becomes, and the more individualistic he becomes, the stronger he becomes."

However, he was very curious about how Kobe and Shaq managed to achieve a three-peat in history.

Of course, the answer to that question may have to wait until next season.

During this period, the Lakers managed to stay in the game thanks to Kobe's scoring.

Of course, we can only rely on Kobe, because the ball is always in his hands.

The key issue for the Lakers is that they couldn't stop the Trail Blazers' offense tonight.

Whether it's during the starting lineup or the current transition period as a substitute.

The Trail Blazers were on fire tonight, launching wave after wave of attacks that left the Lakers players completely overwhelmed.

At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led the Lakers by nearly 20 points, 32-13.

In the second quarter, Kobe had a personal offensive surge, scoring repeatedly against Pippen and hitting a mid-range shot despite being double-teamed.

Although he played a bit selfishly during the substitute transition, it actually helped him find his rhythm.

What Yang Shuai didn't know was that after Kobe made that mid-range shot, what came to mind was Yang Shuai's 50+ triple-double game against the Lakers in the playoffs last season.

If Yang Shuai can do it, why can't he?

Glen Rice also found his rhythm during this period, sinking two three-pointers in this quarter.

At halftime, the Trail Blazers led the Lakers 61-39 by 22 points.

"Hubi, do you think the Lakers still have a chance in the second half?"

During halftime, Johnson and Brown discussed the game's progress.

The Lakers scored 26 points in the second quarter, showing a clear improvement in their offense.

"Unless Rambis finds a way to break down the defense, it will be difficult."

Brown is, after all, a former NBA head coach, and his insights are still accurate and insightful.

The Lakers' biggest problem tonight wasn't their offense, but their defense.

In this era, allowing the Trail Blazers to score 61 points in the first half is basically like being sievened.

The downsides of Jones' trade became apparent at this point; Kobe alone couldn't carry the Lakers' perimeter defense.

Without perimeter defensive pressure, a retiring O'Neal became a cash cow for the Trail Blazers.

"Scottie, do you think we can win more tonight than you did back then?"

During halftime, the Trail Blazers' locker room was already discussing how much they would win.

The Bulls beat the Magic by 38 points in that game, and now they are only 16 points away from that score.

This drew laughter from the locker room.

The answer to the question is not important; what matters is that they finally got their revenge for last year's defeat.

"Don't underestimate our opponent; we've only just finished the first half," Xiao reminded them.

“Brian, they can’t stop us at all,” Walter Williams said with a laugh.

His words drew a chorus of whistles from the locker room.

"We cannot let our guard down until the final whistle blows."

After the whistle stopped, Yang Shuai spoke.

His words brought this topic to a close.

When Rambis returned in the third quarter, he made an adjustment, putting Horry into the starting lineup.

Rambis's purpose in doing this was obvious: to create better offensive space for O'Neal in the low post.

That did have a good effect. As long as O'Neal wasn't double-teamed too much in the low post, he had a clear advantage over Sabonis this season.

However, Carlisle responded quickly, sending Wallace to post up Horry.

Horry gave Wallace a lot of trouble on the defensive end last season, but after Wallace gained muscle and has an advantage in physical confrontations this season, Horry has clearly been unable to defend him.

Horry was repeatedly outmaneuvered in the low post, and the Lakers were still unable to effectively stop the Trail Blazers' offense.

The score went back and forth, and about five minutes into the quarter, the Lakers' defensive actions became noticeably more aggressive.

In a basketball game, if the team that is behind wants to catch up, it not only needs to keep scoring itself, but also needs to limit the opponent's scoring.

However, the Lakers clearly couldn't defend the Trail Blazers tonight, and with less and less time left in the game, they were so anxious that they resorted to more aggressive tactics.

Unfortunately, this is the Trail Blazers' home court, and the league is aiming for a Young vs. Jordan matchup this year. Even if the calls don't favor the Trail Blazers, they're unlikely to favor the Lakers.

The Lakers' key players began to run into foul trouble, which further affected their offensive performance.

As a result, the Lakers not only failed to close the gap, but the Trail Blazers widened the deficit even further.

With about 10 minutes left in the third quarter, both sides began to rotate their players, and the point difference had reached 30 points.

Carlisle did not field Pippen and Wallace this time, instead giving all the starters a rest.

Rambis also stopped playing Kobe.

Both sides called a 90-minute draw with one quarter remaining.

The fans at the scene were all beaming with joy.

Just as they had predicted in the first quarter, tonight was indeed a resounding victory.

Now they can chat and enjoy the remaining quarter of the game.

In those days, there was no "active roster," and the maximum number of players allowed on the field in a single match was 11.

So it's said that they're resting, but in reality, it's still the substitute players playing.

With the Lakers trailing by so much, their bench players were already tired of playing.

However, the Trail Blazers have a different roster.

As reflected in the players' chat in the locker room at halftime, because Pippen brought up what happened back then, they instinctively wanted to compete and try to widen the gap to more than 38 points.

Lu stands out in this regard.

From his answer when asked why he was competing for the championship, it's clear that Lu really wanted to prove himself.

However, as a rookie, his playing time in the playoffs was very limited, and Carlisle often had Pippen or Shaw fill in as point guard.

Now that he finally gets playing time, he cherishes every minute on the court and gives his all in every possession.

Under his leadership, the Trail Blazers' bench players played with increasing energy and enthusiasm.

As a result, near the end of the third quarter, the score was exactly 38 points.

As a result, the Lakers' bench players were unhappy with what they did.

Normally, in a match where the winner has already been decided, everyone should just finish the game normally. But you're playing it so hard.

The Lakers' troublesome rookie, Ruben Patterson, whom Yang Shuai had matched up against in high school, directly got into a fight with Lue.

Lu usually seems very tactful and easy to talk to, but when it comes to real trouble, he's not a coward at all. He went straight into a fight with Patterson, and as a result, they were both ejected from the game.

Portland fans immediately started booing, clearly believing the Lakers players were sore losers.

After leaving the field, Yang Shuai chatted with Billups, and he even planned to do some extra training after the game.

The game was played in three quarters, which didn't provide enough exercise.

As a result of Lue's ejection, Billups had to return to the court in the fourth quarter.

Billups was still a passionate young man, and he led the Trail Blazers' reserves to fight tooth and nail.

The point difference quickly reached over 40 points.

Just as the score reached 48 points, Yang Shuai looked up at the score and remembered the game against the Jazz in the Finals two years ago.

That game set a record for the largest point difference in an NBA Finals game, but in the playoffs, it's 58 points between the Lakers and the Hawks in 1956.

That happened 43 years ago.

The fans in the stadium were also constantly jeering, and the game was out of control, with the point difference heading straight towards 50+.

With five minutes remaining, the Lakers' substitutes had completely given up and were being trampled by the Trail Blazers.

"Shh!"

With Walter Williams sinking a long-range three-pointer, the score was 113-55 with 4 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game.

The all-time largest point difference of 58 points has been recorded again!

At that moment, the camera focused squarely on O'Neal sitting on the sidelines.

O'Neal stared blankly at the court.

Even though he was swept multiple times, such a large margin of defeat still broke through his psychological defenses.

He aspired to become the greatest center in NBA history, but he never imagined that one day he would be beaten by 58 points.

Yang Shuai looked up and saw O'Neal's expression on the big screen in conjunction with the scoreboard, and couldn't help but laugh.

Anyone who has ever been involved in basketball would find it hard not to know the connection between Paul and 58.

He never expected that his appearance as a time traveler would lead to this number being linked to O'Neal first.

(End of this chapter)