Chapter 5 30 May

May 30th. Just as the Heat were actively preparing for the sixth Eastern Conference Finals game against the Celtics, the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery Ceremony came to an end at Madison Square Garden in New York.

As a result, right after this year's Draft Lottery Ceremony ended...

Online, many fans began to question the "fairness" of the NBA Draft Lottery Ceremony.

Because after '02 and '06...

Can you believe the Mosaic team drew the first overall pick again this year?

Although their bottom-of-the-league record did give them the highest probability of drawing the first overall pick in the lottery ceremony...

But three first overall picks in six years...

If Williams hadn't suffered that career-ending accident, Houston's starting lineup would almost be entirely composed of first overall picks, wouldn't it?

However, compared to the Mosaic team drawing the first overall pick again...

The reason this year's lottery ceremony was so heavily questioned was mainly because the Lakers, with only a 1.1% chance, managed to snag the third overall pick. (Note 1)

In addition, the SuperSonics, who used the second overall pick last year to select Roy, also drew the second overall pick again this year.

And the ownership of the fourth pick is quite interesting.

Because as early as the beginning of the 06/07 season, Su Feng announced that he would be leaving Miami in the summer of '07...

So, the Knicks, who were once again interested in Su Feng, traded Jalen Rose, one of their salary burdens, to the Hawks in order to get rid of a pile of team's salary burdens.

However, because Rose's contract, with a staggering 14 million annual salary, wouldn't expire until the 07/08 season... (Note 2)

So, the Hawks weren't idiots.

Therefore, in order to complete this trade, the Knicks were forced to include their 2007 first-round draft pick.

Only...

Under the leadership of Alridge, who was originally disliked by Knicks fans...

Who would have thought that the Knicks, who should have been tanking for the "championship", could actually finish tenth in the East this year?

Therefore, after failing to get a top-three pick from the Knicks for free, the Hawks' management had already prepared to face the consequences...

However...

On May 30th, 2007...

Although the Knicks didn't draw a top-three pick, when they drew the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft with a 2.5% probability, a miracle...

Quietly descended upon Atlanta!

"The Knicks are indeed the NBA's favorite team to rob the rich and give to the poor!

This is the fourth overall pick in the first round of 2007!"

"From now on, if anyone tells me the Knicks are a bad team, I'll be the first to get angry with them!

Without a doubt, in my heart, there's only one NBA champion forever...

And that's the New York Knicks!"

Online, after learning that the draft pick they had traded from the Knicks had turned into the fourth overall pick in the first round...

The Hawks fans also instantly boiled over.

Because Wade won the "Double First Team Guard" honor in the 06/07 season...

So, in the eyes of Atlantans, as long as the Hawks can make good use of this fourth overall pick in the first round to strengthen the team...

Then who will be the successor to Feng Huang (Emperor Feng) in the East is still unknown!

In Miami, after learning about the results of this year's draft lottery, Su Feng also knew that the reason the Lakers and Knicks were able to respectively snatch the third and fourth overall picks with such a low probability was mainly because Stern wanted to rectify the increasingly terrible trend of NBA teams becoming worse in recent years, and convened a league meeting last summer to modify the draft lottery rules.

Of course, Houston and Seattle, who ultimately drew the first and second overall picks, were exceptions.

Because the former, ever since "The Dream" retired, seemed to have been cursed.

And the latter...

After the Seattle municipal government had reached an agreement with the team to build a new arena, Stern knew that he had to show the people of Seattle a brighter future.

As for teams like the Timberwolves and the Bucks...

Damn it!

So many mid-to-upper-tier teams are willing to trade their main players this year, and you don't want them. Do you want to wait for Su Feng to join?

In short, although the result looks very "rigged."

But in Su Feng's view, this was a draft lottery ceremony that maximized the balance of interests for all parties in the NBA.

Only...

At this time, Stern didn't know that the third overall pick he had specially sent to Los Angeles this year to save the "darkest hour" of the City of Angels would actually help the Heat to rebuild faster after losing Su Feng in a certain sense?

In Los Angeles, after the draft lottery ceremony, Kupchak called Riley as soon as possible.

Because the Lakers, whose salaries were exploding this summer, could only acquire Su Feng through a sign-and-trade, so as early as the first consultation with Riley about the trade details of Su Feng, the Lakers had already promised the Heat that even if they accidentally drew the first overall pick in '07, this pick would only belong to the Heat.

After all, based on Su Feng's ability to lead the team...

It's already 2007...

No one really believes that Su Feng doesn't even have the ability to lead the Lakers into the playoffs, right?

No way, no way!

Of course, the reason the Lakers wanted to invite Su Feng to Los Angeles in such a sincere way was also related to another plan in Old Buss's mind.

"Son, do you know why I asked Mitch to show the other party our sincerity as much as possible when negotiating with Pat this time?" That day, looking at Jim Buss, Old Buss asked earnestly.

Upon hearing this...

After Little Buss said what he thought in his heart, Old Buss never expected that his son, who always seemed silly and clueless, could actually think so far ahead.

The answer is actually very simple.

Of course, if Little Buss was a shrewd businessman, then he would never have guessed it.

It's just a pity that because he isn't, he actually guessed it.

"Indeed, with Su having already announced that he will leave Miami, it would be quite worthless for us to exchange so many chips for him.

Because if it weren't for the fact that salary space cannot be cleared up for a while, then we might even be able to get Su without paying anything.

But...

That way, Su's reputation will inevitably be damaged.

My child, you must understand that from the moment Su decided to join the Lakers, he and the Lakers share weal and woe.

Therefore, in any case, this summer, we must invite him to Los Angeles with the highest sincerity."

Without a doubt.

For Old Buss at this moment, the thing he least wanted to see was that after his death, this Lakers team would become a mediocre team.

Therefore, this is also the reason why Old Buss had to give the Heat enough sincerity in this trade related to Su Feng.

Because on the surface, the Lakers are giving the Heat sincerity.

But in fact, isn't this also giving Su Feng face?

In Old Buss's eyes, Su Feng's face alone is worth this price!

Therefore...

Feng Huang (Emperor Feng) ah...

After coming to Los Angeles, please remember to play until retirement, and then retire your jersey by the way!

After all, after I die, whether my silly son can secure his position depends entirely on you!

As for Riley and the Heat who benefit from this?

Bah...

Wake up!

If it weren't for Riley's relationship with the Lakers...

In Su Feng's memory, when O'Neal was still at the tail end of his peak, how could the Lakers have sent him to Miami?

You should know that in Su Feng's previous life, in order to avoid being slapped in the face by O'Neal, the Lakers rejected all the trade proposals from the Western Conference teams at that time.

To put it bluntly, the NBA world...

Where are there so many fights?

And in this cruel and ruthless league, there is never only the Celtics system.

...

May 31st, after the draft lottery ceremony, the Heat, who had already snatched a match point, returned to their home court to welcome the sixth Eastern Conference Finals game against the Celtics.

It is said that Kevin Durant, one of the hot candidates for this year's first overall pick, also appeared on the sidelines of the American Airlines Arena tonight.

Uh...

It's just that, unlike what the Feng Mi (Feng fans) imagined...

Durant didn't come for Su Feng on this night.

On the sidelines, Durant, who was sitting next to McGrady, was as happy as if he had drunk Scarlett Johansson's bathwater.

"Alas, I never thought that my Tracy McGrady's successor is about to enter the league!" Turning his head to look at Iverson, Carter, and Kobe...

McGrady, who had long forgotten when and where he had met Durant, also said with a smug look on his face.

Although Durant hasn't become the super scoring machine in Su Feng's memory at this time...

But in the NBA, for veterans like Su Feng, McGrady, and Kobe, having a "quasi-first overall pick" little fan is a major event to prove the gold content of your reputation in this league.

Why was Jordan so "excited" to the point of almost "suffocating" when Su Feng said that his idol was himself back then?

Isn't it because this young man, Su Feng, is good enough?

"Hey, by the way, Allen, Vince, how come I haven't heard any rookies say that their idols are you this year?

Is it because the young people nowadays don't know how strong Allen Iverson and Vince Carter are?"

While patting Durant's shoulder, McGrady also said to Iverson and Carter.

Iverson, Carter: "..."

Because among the rookies in 2007, a young man named Nick Young revealed to the outside world in an interview that his idol was Kobe when he learned that his template was Kobe...

Therefore, at this moment, when showing off his "tall and mighty" successor to his brothers, McGrady deliberately only mentioned Iverson and Carter.

And now...

Iverson and Carter were immediately speechless.

As everyone knows, because Iverson's model is relatively special...

So in the league, even if there are small guards like him, most of them are destined to have a hard time making a name for themselves because of the limitations of their models.

As for Carter...

It's more special.

Because most of the time, when people mention Carter, they will think of Su Feng, who once blew up Oakland with him...

So for most young people...

In the process of liking Carter, they will gradually defect to the Su Feng camp.

Of course, since it is most...

Then there will definitely be exceptions.

For example...

The little guy from the Dell Curry family who is only focused on dunking on Su Feng's head.

It's just that, before Stephen Curry enters the league...

Carter is destined to be uncomfortable for a while.

On the court, looking at Durant who came to the sidelines tonight...

Su Feng couldn't help but feel how outrageous the thing called time is.

From Jordan back then to Durant now.

Unconsciously, Su Feng has long since transformed from a rookie who had just emerged to the "evil dragon" of today.

"Come on!

Let's end it with the Celtics tonight!

It's time for us to go to the Finals and have a few tricks with the Mavericks!"

Since the Mavericks had already eliminated the Trail Blazers with a score of 4 to 1 before the Eastern Conference Finals started, in Su Feng's eyes, tonight's game is the last game of this series against the Celtics.

On the court, the Heat's and Celtics' starting lineups for tonight are:

Heat: O'Neal, Haslem, Su Feng, Stackhouse, Ginobili.

Celtics: Duncan, Wallace, Allen, Ray Allen, Parker.

Because the air conditioning had already failed once in Game 4, Spoelstra, who knew that it was not appropriate for the Heat to play the air conditioning failure tactic again in Game 6, decisively chose to face them head-on this time.

The Heat's purpose of starting Ginobili in the starting lineup was to strengthen the offense.

And in the first quarter, Ginobili did not disappoint Spoelstra, who entrusted him with an important task.

Since entering the Eastern Conference Finals, Ginobili's condition can be described as getting better and better.

As the saying goes, a smooth-sailing sports car, a Buddha in adversity, and a goblin blade in desperation to slay gods and demons.

In this life, since becoming teammates with Ginobili, do you know why Su Feng likes Ginobili so much?

Because the more critical the moment, the more Ginobili will explode with amazing energy.

In the NBA, there are many second-in-commands who can solve problems for the boss in peacetime.

But those who can steal the boss's limelight at the decisive moment...

Are few and far between.

On the court, in the first quarter alone, Ginobili scored 14 points for the Heat, counting free throws and three-pointers, with 5 of 7 shots.

After Ginobili supported the Heat at the start, in the second quarter, although Tony Teacher once again obtained the right to use his hands when defending Su Feng...

But on this night, another general in the Heat lineup used his strength to interpret why he was worth Su Feng's personal invitation to him last summer.

Jerry Stackhouse.

A man whose career shooting percentage barely broke 40%.

A man who once relied on averaging more than a dozen missed shots per game to compete with Iverson and Su Feng for the scoring title.

On the night of the 31st...

Carrying his "SKS", he fired "17" shots at the Celtics' chest in "2 seconds".

"Amazing, really amazing!"

On CCTV, when Stackhouse continuously hit five three-pointers on the court in the second quarter...

Even Zhang guided couldn't even speak at the time.

"Is he that accurate?

I remember when I was playing against him before, I just let him go." On the sidelines, looking at Stackhouse, who was like he had a cheat, McGrady asked with a puzzled look.

Upon hearing this, Iverson smiled and said, "Maybe, the reason Jerry can play so well this season is because he has been looking forward to working with Su again since that year!"

Ten years ago, in Chicago, I could block Steve Kerr for you.

Ten years later, in Miami, I can also be your right-hand man!

I am me!

My name is Jerry Stackhouse.

A man who was once teased by two high school students, but later inexplicably became a die-hard fan of one of them.

Don't ask.

Just ask, and the Heat has a general.

Jerry is the pioneer.

American Airlines Arena, at halftime, looking at the scoreboard of 46 to 69...

Although knowing that the Celtics wouldn't give up just like that...

But in front of the TV, the Celtics fans were very clear that this year's Eastern Conference Finals were over.

Because with Ginobili and Stackhouse giving Su Feng enough rest time one after another...

No one can win against the Heat on this night!

...