My absurd experiences in North America over the years

Beyond the Middle East situation, North America also boasts a vibrant sports scene in April.

The Pacers' mid-season dominance was ended at the end of the season, and Granger was injured, but the good thing is that it was his elbow.

He missed fourteen games due to injury, during which time the Pacers only managed a 3-11 record. They ultimately finished the season with a 40-42 record, and their ranking was overtaken by the Hawks, Knicks, and 76ers.

They dropped from fifth in the East to enter the playoffs as the eighth seed.

In the first round of the playoffs, they will face the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference.

This is a matchup with no suspense; neither Stephenson nor Granger, who has recovered from injury, can defend against this season's MVP, Derrick Rose.

The Bulls' overall team cohesion was far superior to the Pacers', and the Pacers were ultimately eliminated with a score of 1-4.

However, they did not come away empty-handed.

After Granger's injury, Stephenson gained ample experience.

This promising rookie, who fell to the second round due to off-court issues, put up a well-rounded stat line of 9.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in his first playoff appearance, showcasing his ability to play as a combo guard.

Udoh gained valuable experience in the playoffs, recording double-doubles in three of the five games, although he struggled in the first and fifth games when trying to defend Rose's drives and had a poor overall performance.

However, he is just a rookie, so we shouldn't be too harsh on him.

Overall, the outside world still sees the potential in the Pacers' two rookies, and at least there is no pressure to maintain a high-quality rotation.

Given time, it's not impossible for him to make it into the All-Star team.

For many rookies to develop, it's not always about skill, but about having opportunities to hone their skills during their development phase. Many second-round picks or undrafted players who make it big are often related to injuries to their teams.

Stephenson is far from an isolated case; if he can overcome off-court factors and temper his personality, he will undoubtedly be extremely talented.

Biedrins' playoff performance was slightly diminished, but he still managed a near double-double of 9 points and 9 rebounds. The Pacers, for the time being, clearly benefited from the preseason trade.

The 76ers' record improved after acquiring Ellis, who averaged 24 points per game. Together with veteran Ellis, along with captain Elton Brand, Jrue Holiday, and Louis Williams, they secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Although the Heat ultimately swept the 76ers 4-1, what the outside world saw was that Wade personally guarded Ellis, and he still managed to score a lot of points.

The 76ers improved from 27 wins to 42 wins last season and even made the playoffs.

With Curry sidelined for the season and Iguodala recovering from injury, the Warriors' record plummeted, dropping them to the bottom of the Western Conference.

From this perspective, Curry is physically weak, and it is uncertain whether he can stay healthy in the future. Iguodala's injuries have been recurring and are already fixed.

Perhaps only George has a promising future.

During the absence of the two core players, he increased his average points from 9 to 16 per game and showed some potential in ball handling and shooting, but this was more like an illusion of stacked ball possession.

Many insiders jokingly said they wanted to make a trade with the Warriors during the offseason to "pick up a bargain".

Li Fu reacted indifferently to this, and even hoped it would be so.

As May arrives, the Miami Heat are undoubtedly the most watched team in the sports arena.

The Heat's performance in the regular season fell far short of expectations. The growing pains of the Big Three's integration period resulted in them only finishing second in the Eastern Conference and losing many games they shouldn't have lost.

As the regular season drew to a close, voices began to emerge suggesting that perhaps they weren't as strong as they seemed.

But everything changed once the playoffs began.

In the first round against the 76ers, the Heat easily won 4-1. The only loss they suffered was more like a fluctuation in their form.

Wade personally guarded Ellis, and although the latter was still able to score high points, it was to no avail. Wade's defense cut off his connection with his other teammates.

Ellis's situation was more like a helpless solo struggle.

The Heat's overall strength completely overwhelmed the 76ers, and Ellis's average of 24 points per game seemed very weak in the face of the combined efforts of James and Wade.

In the second round against the Celtics, they were swept aside in a gentleman's sweep as well.

Game 5 of the series at American Airlines Arena, with one minute remaining.

Pierce's drive was blocked by James, who then hit a crucial mid-range jumper over Pierce on offense, helping his team win the series.

When the final buzzer sounded, James knelt down on one knee, covered his face, and wept with emotion.

He finally crossed the mountain that he hadn't been able to cross for five years.

This scene became a widely circulated NBA meme.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat faced the Bulls, and MVP Derrick Rose's first playoff run was exceptionally difficult under the relentless defense of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Wade and James continued to put pressure on Rose's driving routes, completely dismantling the Bulls' offensive system.

Still 4-1, a gentleman's sweep.

The Heat silenced all the doubts that had accumulated during the regular season with three series.

Meanwhile, in the West, another storyline is unfolding.

The Dallas Mavericks were almost universally favored before the playoffs began.

Nowitzki is already 33 years old, and the last time he reached the Finals was five years ago. I don't think he can still achieve anything.

However, the Lakers' title defense was completely ended by the Mavericks in the second round...

It was still a jaw-dropping 4-0 sweep.

In that series, Nowitzki was like a shooting god, and the Lakers, including Kobe, offered absolutely no resistance, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 72.7%.

In the Western Conference Finals against the young Oklahoma City Thunder, the Mavericks once again won 4-1.

Dirk Nowitzki averaged fewer than 18 field goal attempts per game throughout the playoffs, yet consistently contributed 28 points, leaving the signature one-legged fadeaway defender with no way to find a solution.

The Finals matchup is now set: the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, longtime rivals, will meet again.

Nowitzki's performance in the Western Conference three-round series was impeccable, as if he had returned to his peak season five years ago.

However, given the Heat's Big Three's roster strength on paper, their effortless dominance in the playoffs, and their easy defeat of the season's MVP and league-best record Bulls, it's hard for outsiders not to be optimistic about them.

The James-Wade connection and their impenetrable perimeter defense were once considered a duo that could be discussed alongside Jordan and Pippen.

As for the Mavericks and Nowitzki's performance, many people believe it was just a brief resurgence.

Almost everyone believes the Heat will win the championship without any doubt; ESPN's predictions show that over 70% of experts believe the Heat will win.

Other media outlets are even more outrageous, usually only one or two are optimistic about the Mavericks.

The odds offered by betting companies are also one-sided.

The media narrative was overwhelming, suggesting that James' first championship was on the horizon and that the era of the Big Three would begin.

When Li Fu was being interviewed by reporters at an event at MGM, a reporter asked him a question about the NBA Finals.

"Mr. Li, the NBA Finals are about to begin. As the owner of the Warriors, which team do you think will win the championship?"

"The Dallas Mavericks," Li Fu answered without hesitation.

The reporter paused, thinking he'd misheard, "You mean... the Mavericks will win the championship?"

“That’s right,” Li Fu nodded. “Nowitzki has been waiting for this day for a long time. He will get his revenge.”

The reporter gaped, somewhat incredulous.

Nowitzki is notorious for being a soft player. In the 2006 NBA Finals, after taking a 2-0 lead, he was swept in four straight games by Wade's team, squandering a winning position.

In 2007, the Mavericks had the best record in franchise history with 67 wins and 15 losses, but were upset by the Warriors in the first round.

These humiliating records are still fresh in the minds of fans and the media.

Now that Nowitzki is getting older, and the Heat have welcomed two superstars, James and Bosh, the outcome seems inevitable.

But the Warriors' owner actually favors the Mavericks!

The interview made headlines on major sports media outlets the very next day.

Some people believe that Li Fu is just trying to grab attention.

"The Warriors' owner may have a very keen eye for business, but he probably doesn't really understand basketball," one highly-rated comment read.

A lot of fans agreed, and many criticized Li Fu's decision to trade Ellis, which led to the injury of the slender Curry due to taking on too much ball possession. After the injury, the team's performance plummeted because they lacked a core point guard.

Some Warriors fans even posted on the team's forum: "Did he buy the Warriors to launder money?"

There were hundreds of replies below, most of them sarcastic and mocking, waiting to see the Warriors make a fool of themselves.

Some people believe that Li Fu may just be trying to find some sense of purpose in his failure with the Warriors.

After all, he has achieved nothing in the sports world so far.

When Li Fu saw these comments while sitting in his office, he was unmoved. The internet is a place filled with negative emotions and insults.

However, he knew in his heart that the Mavericks would eventually win the championship. The Heat were indeed stronger, but the Mavericks had one thing that the Heat didn't have—they trusted each other and shared the same beliefs.

Nowitzki, Kidd, Terry, Marion, and the rest of the team don't want a big contract...

It's not a championship.

As for the Heat, James will completely underperform due to his mental imbalance, and later fans will say that he doesn't want a championship unless he wins the Finals MVP.

There have even been performances with extremely low limits, such as scoring only 8 points in a single game.

The Heat's Big Three were thus branded with shame.

"I don't understand football?" Li Fu shook his head and smiled bitterly.

Too many people nowadays are impatient for quick success and instant benefits, and they rush to draw conclusions at the slightest sign.

Whether it's right or wrong, the final will tell.