Chapter 163 "Hiss!"

After taking a deep breath, even though Su Feng wasn't the best at math, this time...

His smithing points really had reached 1 billion!

In this series against the Bulls, due to the double smithing points, Su Feng had gained a total of 205 million smithing points in the four games.

In addition, after completing the third stage of the [Challenge Michael Jordan] task, Su Feng also received a reward of 300 million smithing points.

Adding in the 395 million smithing points that Su Feng had worked so hard to accumulate before, Su Feng felt... from this moment on, Pippen had completely lost his qualification as a unit of measurement!

Unit of measurement, Pippen, out!

Not counting the odd change, 30 Jordans worth of smithing points, Su Feng never expected that the 1.5 billion smithing points required for the 1999 upgrade would be completed so quickly... well, a large part of it anyway.

"Next, during summer training, I can use the smithing points to upgrade my potential without any worries," Su Feng thought to himself after reviewing his smithing points.

Su Feng's potential value, apart from relying on some opportunities to directly increase it, such as if Su Feng continued to gain weight, then according to the previous system settings, a plus sign would appear behind the strength attribute again.

Of course, Su Feng's speed potential, which was as high as 120, might be affected as a result.

However, this negligible impact didn't matter to Su Feng, because as long as he didn't switch to sprinting, then the 120 speed potential would always just be potential.

Previously, Su Feng's biggest worry was that he didn't have enough smithing points, but now...

"What's with this sudden feeling of loneliness?" Su Feng sighed sentimentally.

And apart from the smithing points, Su Feng's biggest gain this time after completing the black eight was the acquisition of the [God Slayer] badge.

"Exclusive Badge [God Slayer]:

This badge is dedicated to commemorating the fact that on May 2, 1997, Chinese high school genius Su Feng led the 76ers to complete a black eight in the first round of the playoffs, eliminating the Bulls 3-1.

Passive Bonus: This badge does not occupy a badge slot and is automatically equipped.

After equipping, it increases the host's daily one-on-one smithing points acquisition speed by 50%.

Active Skill: [I Come From Hell], increases the offensive stamina consumption of the player guarding the host, slightly improves the host's lateral movement ability when defending one-on-one, and slightly improves the host's ability to defend around screens.

Skill Activation Condition: When the host encounters 'taunt', it will be automatically activated, with the time limit depending on the host's stamina."

This is too much...

Isn't this just a brawler?

"[Rock Solid] reduces my stamina consumption when defending... and the active skill of this badge, it's forcing me to grind my opponent to death!"

Moreover, the name of this skill, [I Come From Hell], is too targeted at the "old rogue's" [Descent of the Gods], isn't it?

As for the activation condition of this skill, in Su Feng's opinion, it couldn't be simpler...

Because the system didn't say that he wasn't allowed to taunt his opponent first, and then provoke the opponent to taunt himself to activate the skill.

So, he's going to walk the "Shadow Grinder King" path all the way to the end?

Su Feng felt...

If he couldn't get a Defensive Player of the Year award in this life, then the future NBA would definitely be blasted to death by the "lost souls" under his hands.

"Hmm... it seems I need to further digest and improve my defensive ability in the summer," Su Feng, who felt his defense was a little lacking, thought to himself.

"A badge that doesn't occupy an equipment slot, in two words: reasonable."

In addition, because the [God Slayer] badge didn't occupy a badge equipment slot, Su Feng could even continue to equip the [Daredevil] badge that had never been triggered.

He's getting "rich," he's really getting "rich" now.

Although Brother Feng was still under a lot of pressure, in Su Feng's opinion, the current situation wasn't just a little good, but a great one!

...

On the afternoon of the 3rd, Su Feng, still immersed in the joy of eliminating the Bulls, went to the team's training facility for recovery training.

The 76ers, who had successfully advanced to the next round, still had to wait for the Hawks and Pistons to determine the winner tomorrow before they could confirm their opponent in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

And when he arrived at the team's training facility, Su Feng found that these teammates of his each had three newspapers in their hands...

Ahem, in this era without social networks, currently holding newspapers, the diligent and studious Ben and Ratliff...

Were just like the teenagers in Su Feng's previous life who were glued to Weibo and Twitter.

Seriously, based on Su Feng's understanding of Ben and Ratliff, if there were some obscure words in the news reports, they might not even recognize them...

The joy of eliminating the Bulls would accompany the 76ers for a while, but before the afternoon training began, team coach Davis first announced a sad result to the players.

Although Berlinberger had already given the players a heads-up yesterday, reality was still twisted, and since they could create miracles and eliminate the Bulls in four games, maybe Iverson...

What if he could come back?

Unfortunately, even if Iverson wanted to return by taking painkillers, his injury wouldn't allow it.

Because Hardaway next door had already confirmed today that the "Penny" would be sidelined for a full 11 months, including surgery and recovery time.

In other words, "Penny" was out for next season as well.

Faced with a bright future and Hardaway's example, the 76ers management chose the future this time.

There was no way around it, as twisted as reality was, it was just as cruel when it wanted to be.

And in addition to Iverson being out for the rest of the playoffs, the 76ers also faced their poor physical condition after playing against the Bulls.

If Hill hadn't been divinely inspired to drag the Hawks into a Game 5, giving the 76ers precious rest time, then the 76ers might not have even had a one in ten thousand chance in the upcoming Eastern Conference Semifinals.

From the second round onwards, the NBA's format was the best-of-seven series that Su Feng was familiar with.

Of course, no matter what, just like playing against the Bulls, what was the point of playing basketball if you didn't even try to fight when you were outmatched?

Therefore, the 76ers' morale and fighting spirit remained high.

For them, who had successfully entered the Eastern Conference Semifinals, there was nothing to fear next.

Those with bare feet aren't afraid of those wearing shoes. If you want to pass us, you have to leave a toll first!

...

On the 4th, just before the three Game 5 battles between the Hawks and Pistons, Heat and Magic, and Supersonics and Suns began, Nike headquarters, Nike's boss Phil Knight was on the verge of collapse...

After the Chicago Bulls were eliminated, Jordan's A-Cone series naturally suffered a huge impact.

"Saving Private Michael Jordan" was an urgent matter in Knight's view.

He had to find a way to save the "old rogue," otherwise, once Jordan's godhood dissipated, the losses would be more than just a drop in the bucket.

But, in this vast Nike headquarters, was there not even a warrior who dared to come forward and give him advice?

In the conference room, just as Knight was about to collapse, senior shoe designer Maurice suddenly raised his right hand.

Under the gaze of a group of big shots, in Knight's expectant eyes, Maurice said, "Can we...

Think of a way to make Su and Michael complete each other?"

"Complete each other?" Knight felt that his curiosity was piqued by Maurice.

"Yes... what I mean is, change our previous cooperation plan with Su..."

After Maurice's 58-minute proposal, a large debate immediately took place throughout Nike headquarters.

Because Maurice's idea was incredibly crazy, but after careful consideration, almost everyone quickly reached a consensus.

"I agree with William's proposal!"

"I agree too!"

"I second it!"

After pondering for a while, Knight looked at the executives and said, "Come up with a concrete plan, bring our sincerity...

Contact Su's agent!

William is right, at this critical moment, it's not Su who needs Michael, but Michael who needs Su."

...

How Nike would save the "old rogue" would be put aside for now. On the morning of the 4th, Su Feng, in the training facility's locker room, watched the Game 5 battle between the Hawks and Pistons with his teammates.

Another "Jordan successor" who had unleashed his primordial power had fallen.

Because "Mount Mutombo" used 6 blocks to defend Atlanta's honor.

The Hawks successfully advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and faced with this opponent who had swept them in the regular season, the 76ers' players, at this moment, all turned their gaze towards Su Feng...

"Don't panic! Basketball games are played one game at a time."

Peak Mutombo was just that terrifying.

Seriously, Mutombo, who had multiple triple-doubles with blocks in his career, just didn't know how to work the system, otherwise, he would have had a good chance of getting a quadruple-double.

This Hawks team was well-balanced, and even if the 76ers had Iverson, this series wouldn't be easy.

After all, in the Beast Chess League, in Su Feng's previous life, the Bulls were able to successfully win the second three-peat, and Riley really deserved some credit.

Because the Knicks, who often defeated the Bulls in the regular season at that time, had their mentality broken by the Heat in the playoffs for two consecutive years.

And as in Su Feng's memory, the Supersonics defeated the Suns in Game 5.

George Karl, who had once coveted Su Feng, suddenly felt...

Maybe Su Feng going to the 76ers was pretty good after all?

Because from the results, the Bulls were gone, so if the Supersonics could break out of the West, George Karl felt that the Supersonics had more than a 90% chance of winning the championship.

And in another game, after sending Hardaway to the sidelines for nearly 11 months, the Heat, led by the real Hardaway, Tim Hardaway, successfully met the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

At this point, the NBA's first-round games were all over.

In the next round, the Lakers would face the Jazz, the Supersonics would face the Rockets, the 76ers would face the Hawks, and the Heat would face the Knicks.

And unlike the first round, almost all the experts didn't dare to make wild promises like they did in the first round.

Because these four matchups...

Apart from the fact that everyone unanimously believed that the Hawks had a higher chance of advancing, the other three matchups, in Su Feng's memory, two of them went to Game 7.

As for why the experts only dared to think that in their hearts this time?

Because could you dare to predict the 76ers?

They had even knocked the Bulls out.

It should be known that public opinion even believed that this year's Finals were already over.

Because after the Bulls were eliminated, unless the 76ers won the championship this year, any other team winning the championship wouldn't have any "gold content."

To be fair... regardless of whether such a view was right or wrong, after the NBA games these past two days, more and more people were starting to support this view.

Thus, before the Eastern Conference Semifinals even started, American fans first put a "uncrowned king" hat on the 76ers.

Su Feng knew that there was definitely a certain big shot's shadow behind such public opinion.

Because this was saving Jordan's godhood!

The more awesome the 76ers were touted, the more the Bulls would benefit.

The more tragic the series between the 76ers and the Bulls was exaggerated, the more people would feel that the Bulls' failure wasn't a failure, but that they had just encountered a major tribulation in their fate.

So-called mutual achievement, that's all it was.

In Su Feng's previous life, whether it was 23 vs 24 or the OK duo reunited, no one was better than Stern at using public opinion to mobilize fans' emotions.

The Bulls being defeated would inevitably make this year's playoffs even more bloody and cruel, but while increasing the enthusiasm of the NBA teams, Michael Jordan's godhood... was also something Stern had to protect.

In Su Feng's opinion, if there was anyone in the NBA who could win a gold medal in the Olympics, it would be Stern in women's clothing.

Because who could play the balance beam better than Stern?

On May 5th, before the NBA Playoffs Semifinals started, Stern used a "fair, open, and just" selection to blind Su Feng, the time-traveler!

Michael Jordan...

After the 90/91 and 91/92 seasons, he won the NBA regular season MVP for the second time in his career...

Ben, Rasheed, Su Feng, Iverson, Marbury.

The Second Team was:

Camby, Walker, Kittles, Ray Allen, Kobe.

In addition, Su Feng's name also appeared in the NBA's All-Defensive Team.

In the 96/97 season, the NBA's All-Defensive First Team was:

Mutombo, Malone, Su Feng, Jordan, Payton.

The Second Team was:

Olajuwon, Anthony Mason, Pippen, Blaylock, Stockton.

And in the All-NBA Team, the "Ai-Feng" duo both appeared.

In the 96/97 season, the NBA's All-NBA First Team was:

Olajuwon, Malone, Hill, Jordan, Iverson.

The Second Team was:

Ewing, Pippen, Su Feng, Rice, Payton.

The Third Team was:

O'Neal, Vin Baker, Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway, Stockton.

Rookie season, All-Defensive First Team, All-NBA Second Team...

Su Feng felt that he was playing out Duncan's script from the future.

In this season's All-NBA Team selection, many players were ranked lower due to missing too many games due to injuries, and if Su Feng remembered correctly, Duncan got All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team in his rookie season.

Although it seemed that Iverson getting into the First Team was more impressive, All-Defensive First Team, All-NBA Second Team meant that the NBA... had recognized Su Feng's achievements this season!

After all the NBA awards were announced, public opinion even joked:

Do you think Su Feng can be traded for O'Neal straight up?

Ahem...

Because Su Feng's complaint about O'Neal after Game 4 made many American reporters who didn't mind a bit of excitement want to start a war between Su Feng and O'Neal.

It's a pity that Su Feng didn't know what these people were thinking, otherwise, he, who was preparing his acceptance speech, would definitely tell these American reporters...

With his and O'Neal's EQ, how could a "war" happen?

Who knows, the two of them might "turn enemies into friends" while chatting...

...

ps: After updating this afternoon, I ate too many popsicles and got diarrhea and a slight fever! I'll update a short 10,000 words first, take a break, and try to update 20,000 words tomorrow!

ps2: Congratulations to 111411 for being crowned Grand Alliance! I owe another chapter for the Alliance Leader update! =.=