NBA's Monster Rookie

Chapter Twenty-Three: Five Consecutive Championships

April 2001, first round of the playoffs.

The Clippers' opponent is the Houston Rockets. The Rockets only won 45 games in the regular season, barely making it into the playoffs. Their core players are aging; Hakeem Olajuwon is 38, Charles Barkley is 37, and Clyde Drexler has retired. This series is a foregone conclusion.

In three games, Arthur averaged 38.5 points, 16.3 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 6.1 blocks. The Clippers swept to advance 3-0.

Hakeem Olajuwon announced his official retirement after Game 3. This time, there were no tears, no regrets. He walked up to Arthur and said, "I'm handing my era over to you."

Arthur grasped Olajuwon's hand. "I will make it even more glorious."

May 2001, Western Conference Semifinals.

The Clippers will face the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks finished the regular season with 53 wins and boast a formidable trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Michael Finley. This will be Nowitzki's first playoff appearance against Arthur.

Before the game, Nowitzki was asked by a reporter what he thought of Arthur Thorn. He thought for a moment and said, "He's the best player in the league. But I'm not afraid of him. I'll shoot over him."

In Game 1, Nowitzki delivered on his promise. He hit two fadeaway jumpers despite Arthur's help defense, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds. But Arthur tallied 41 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 blocks. The Clippers won decisively.

In Game 2, Nowitzki scored another 30 points, but the Mavericks' defense was completely dismantled by Arthur. Arthur dunked four times over Nowitzki and two times over Shawn Bradley, who was helping on defense. The Clippers led 2-0.

The third game was in Dallas, the Mavericks' home arena. Nowitzki, buoyed by the home crowd, delivered a career-best performance with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks. But Arthur put up an even more impressive stat line: 46 points, 20 rebounds, 11 assists, and 7 blocks. In the final two minutes, Arthur scored eight consecutive points, sealing the victory.

Three to zero. The Mavericks are on the verge of elimination.

In Game 4, Nowitzki gave it his all, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. However, Arthur tallied 43 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 blocks. The Clippers won 119-111, sweeping their way to the next round.

After the game, Nowitzki sat in the locker room, covering his face with a towel. Nash walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"You're still young," Nash said. "You'll have your chance."

Nowitzki lifted the towel. "He's a year older than me. He'll always be ahead of me."

Nash opened his mouth, unsure what to say. Because Nowitzki was right.

May 2001, Western Conference Finals.

The Clippers face the Los Angeles Lakers. This is the second consecutive year the two teams have met in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers finished the regular season with 58 wins, and the chemistry between O'Neal and Kobe is even better than last season. Phil Jackson's triangle offense has been in operation for two years, and the players have a deeper understanding of the system.

Before the game, O'Neal said to his teammates in the locker room, "This year, we won't lose to him again. Because this year, I'm prepared."

O'Neal's "preparedness" refers to his 10-kilogram weight loss over the summer, which improved his speed. He also developed a hook shot, giving him more offensive options when facing Arthur in the low post.

The first game was in Los Angeles, at the Clippers' home court. O'Neal displayed a different form from the start. He moved faster, and Arthur could no longer completely block his drives with his lateral quickness. O'Neal scored fourteen points in the first quarter, including two dunks over Arthur.

But Arthur remained unstoppable on offense. He hit two mid-range jumpers over O'Neal, a three-pointer over Kobe, and dished out four assists. In the first quarter, he scored sixteen points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out four assists.

The two players traded baskets throughout the game. O'Neal scored 38 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added 32 points and 7 assists. Arthur, however, led the Clippers with 45 points, 19 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 blocks. The Clippers won 117-111, taking a 1-0 lead.

Game 2 followed the same script. O'Neal scored 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added 29 points. But Arthur Soderridge led the Clippers 2-0 with 43 points, 20 rebounds, 9 assists, and 7 blocks.

Game 3 was played at the Los Angeles Lakers' home court. The Lakers put on their best performance at home. O'Neal scored 41 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added 37 points and 6 rebounds. The two combined for 78 points, but the Lakers still lost because Arthur scored 52 points, grabbed 22 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, and blocked 6 shots. He scored 9 points in overtime to seal the victory.

Three to zero. The Lakers are on the verge of elimination.

In Game 4, the Lakers had lost their fighting spirit. O'Neal fouled out twice in the first quarter and was forced to leave the game early. Kobe carried the team single-handedly, scoring 42 points, but Arthur added 47 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 blocks. The Clippers won 121-109, sweeping the Lakers and advancing to the NBA Finals for the fifth consecutive year.

After the game, O'Neal sat in the locker room, a bottle of water in his hand, staring at the floor. Kobe sat next to him, neither of them speaking. Phil Jackson walked in, looking at his two core players.

"We did our best," Jackson said, "but he was just too strong."

O'Neal looked up. "Coach, what if he never gets old?"

Jackson remained silent for a long time. "Then let's wait until he retires."

O'Neal gave a wry smile. "He's only twenty-four. He can't wait that long."

The finals were held in June 2001.

The Clippers' opponent is the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers eliminated the Bucks in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Allen Iverson playing the greatest series of his career, averaging 35.8 points per game, including 46 points in Game 6 and 44 points in Game 7.

This was the first time Arthur and Iverson had met in the Finals. The two had faced off many times in the regular season, with each winning and losing, but this was their first time on the Finals stage.

Before the game, Iverson said to his teammates in the locker room, "Nobody believes we can win. But I don't care. I'll fight to the last drop whenever I'm on the court."

Game 1, Los Angeles. Iverson went into killer mode from the start. He used a series of crossovers, pull-ups, and jump shots against the Clippers' defenders, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Arthur responded on the other end, scoring 14 points in the quarter.

The two engaged in an epic duel throughout the game. Iverson finished with 48 points and 6 assists, while Arthur tallied 46 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 blocks. With ten seconds remaining, the score was tied, and the 76ers had possession. Iverson had the ball, and Arthur switched to defend him. Iverson drove to the right, stopped abruptly, and faded back as Arthur's long arm reached out, his fingertips touching the ball. The ball changed direction, bounced off the rim, and was caught by Arthur.

With three seconds remaining, the Clippers called a timeout. After the timeout, Arthur received the ball in the backcourt and dribbled up the court. Iverson attempted a steal at midcourt, but Arthur dribbled past him behind his back. With one second left, Arthur jumped and released a shot near the center circle.

The ball traced an incredibly long arc through the air. The whistle blew. Goal!

A last-minute winner.

The crowd erupted. Arthur stood at center court, his right hand raised in the air. Iverson stood in front of him, hands on his hips, shook his head, and then smiled.

"You're fucking unreasonable," Iverson said.

"You're unreasonable too," Arthur said, "but I'm even more unreasonable."

The two embraced. Iverson whispered in Arthur's ear, "You will be the greatest of all time. Not just one of the greatest, but the greatest."

Arthur patted Iverson on the back. "I know."

In Game 2, Iverson scored another 41 points, but no other 76ers player reached double figures. Arthur recorded 43 points, 20 rebounds, 9 assists, and 7 blocks. The Clippers led 2-0.

Game 3 was held in Philadelphia, at the home court of the 76ers. Iverson, buoyed by the home crowd, delivered his best Finals performance of 52 points and 7 assists, including 10 points in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. However, Arthur scored 8 consecutive points in overtime to seal the victory.

Three to zero. The 76ers are on the verge of elimination.

In Game 4, the 76ers had no way out. Iverson scored another 45 points, but his body had reached its limit. He injured his shoulder, broke his lip, and pricked his finger during the game. But he didn't leave the court; he refused to leave.

Watching Iverson's relentless effort on the court, Arthur did something he'd never done before: he deliberately slowed down during an offensive play, giving Iverson a chance to steal the ball. Iverson stole the ball and scored on a fast break layup, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Coach Fitch frowned on the sidelines. "What's he doing?"

Arthur offered no explanation. He simply responded with a three-pointer on the next possession to widen the gap back to ten points.

Final score: 119-111, Clippers win.

The Clippers swept the 76ers 4-0 to win their fifth consecutive championship.

Arthur accepted the Finals MVP trophy from Bill Russell, winning the honor for the fifth consecutive year.

During the awards ceremony, Arthur, holding the trophy, said to the camera, "Five consecutive championships. Tell me, what kind of dynasty is this?"

The crowd erupted in cheers. No one could answer that question, because no one in NBA history had ever won five consecutive championships. Bill Russell won eleven, but he never won five in a row. Michael Jordan won six, but he never won more than three consecutive championships.

Arthur Thorne, 25 years old, five NBA championships, five regular season MVPs, and five Finals MVPs.

That night, Arthur sat in the visiting team's locker room in Philadelphia. The championship trophy sat next to him, and the Finals MVP trophy sat on the other side. His jersey was soaked, the sweat mingling with the smell of champagne.

Stockton walked in and sat down next to him. Thirty-nine-year-old Stockton, after eighteen years in the NBA, had finally won his first championship. His eyes were red.

"Thank you," Stockton said. "Thank you for letting me get a ring before I retire."

Arthur looked at Stockton. "You shouldn't thank me. You should thank yourself. You chose to come here."

Stockton nodded. "I made the right choice."

"No," Arthur said, "I made the right choice. I chose to bring you."

Stockton paused for a moment, then laughed. He stood up, patted Arthur on the shoulder, and walked out of the locker room.

Arthur sat alone. He took out his phone and saw a message from Michael Jordan.

"Five consecutive championships. Congratulations. But you're still one short of catching up with me."

Arthur's lips curled into a slight smile. Jordan had six championships, he had five. One short.

He replied with a message: "Next year, I'll catch up with you."

Jordan replied instantly: "Then I might make a comeback."

Arthur smiled. He stood up, put the trophy in his bag, and walked out of the locker room.

The Philadelphia night was cold, but Arthur's heart was warm. He looked up at the sky and thought of one person—Jordan. Next year, if he won his sixth championship, he would tie Jordan. If he won his seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh, he would surpass everyone else.

He whispered something, so that only he could hear it.

"I'll catch up with you, Michael. And then I'll surpass you."

Then he walked into the night.

Behind him, the lights in the Philadelphia arena went out one by one.

But the era of Arthur Thorne continues to burn.

He was twenty-five years old. Five NBA championships. Five regular season MVPs. Five Finals MVPs.

But his story is far from over.