The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 401 - 200: The Tortured LeBron, The Impact of Shaquille’s Absence. _2

Chapter 401: Chapter 200: The Tortured LeBron, The Impact of Shaquille’s Absence. _2

LeBron James felt like the sky had fallen when he heard the news.

During this period of intense discussion, the League announced the "Best Defensive Player Award" for the season.

Ultimately, Jermaine O’Neal was the winner!

He became the second player from the Pacers to receive the "Best Defensive Player of the Season Award."

The Pacers also became the first team in NBA history to have different players win the "Best Defensive Player of the Season Award" in two consecutive years.

Indiana called this season "Jermaine O’Neal’s Harvest Year."

Apart from the "Best Defensive Player Award," Jermaine O’Neal was also selected for the "Best First Team" alongside Su Wan this season.

Although he had frequently appeared on the "Best List" since 2003,

this was his first time on the "Best First Team."

With averages of 23.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, along with the team tying the Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 wins and 10 losses, he made it!

Additionally, he was selected for this year’s "Best Defensive First Team."

He was the only interior player in the NBA this year to achieve both "First Team" and "Defensive First Team."

Aside from him and Su Wan, the other three on the "Best First Team" were:

Kobe, Nowitzki, and Yao Ming;

Yao averaged 24.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks this season.

With the Lakers finishing third in the Western Conference with 58 wins, he surpassed Shaquille O’Neal to become the "Best First Team Center."

He was also selected for the "First Team" for the first time.

"Yao’s team" was once again grateful:

The trade really paid off!

That broken place in Houston, he shouldn’t have stayed there so long.

The "Best Second Team" members were: Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O’Neal;

The "Best Third Team" members were: Arenas, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire;

The other four members of the "Best Defensive First Team" were: Kobe, Artest, Tim Duncan, Kirilenko;

The "Best Defensive Second Team": Su Wan, Little Entai Prince, Marcus Camby, Kevin Garnett, Raja Bell;

After the "Best Defensive Player Award," the final major award for the season was left, the "Regular Season MVP."

But there was really no suspense about this award, as Barkley put it, it was an award already engraved with Su Wan’s name. If it was the Dallas media, they would have already begun celebrating with fireworks. Only the Indiana media, being cautious, did not engage in such premature celebrations.

In the Eastern Conference, the Eastern Finals lineup had been decided, in the West, the Spurs were leading the Warriors 3-1 in the series by the fourth game.

There was no helping it, the Warriors lacked pure strength, being a team that relied on the three-point shot.

And the three-point shot...

demands far too much in terms of shooting touch.

On the playoff stage, three-point shooting often becomes a "double-edged sword," used well it can slay the opponent, used poorly, it’s self-destructive.

The Spurs had ’stolen’ "sweeping defense," which had some restraining effect on outside shooting.

In the only game the Warriors won, the team’s three-point shooting percentage exceeded 40%; in the remaining three games, their three-point shooting was all below 30%.

To say Donnie was unlucky would be an understatement.

In ancient times, he firmly believed defense could win championships, only to be smashed by offensive tactics.

Then he fell into the "offensive tactics," and just as the NBA changed the rules, defense became the winning strategy for championships again.

In this playoff series, his team was once again crushed by the defense.

Losing the fifth game of the series, his face carried a look of resignation.

But he had achieved his ultimate goal for the season...

He had eliminated the Mavericks and Cuban, avenging the "Nash no-renewal grudge" from three years ago.

He had proven that Cuban was just a boss, just a fan; he knew nothing about building a team!

On the Lakers’ side, they also secured a 3-1 lead after four games.

How to put it!

The original Lakers team with only Kobe had managed 3-1 before being reversed three games in a row.

Now, with Yao stationed beside Kobe, flourishing both inside and outside, the diminutive Suns were just a handy catch, right?

Yao was more comfortable now!

In the past, he could always match Little Si evenly, but he wasn’t the one to have the last laugh in those matches.

Now...

He finally was the last one laughing!

Roles reversed, one word: exhilarating!

Eventually, the Lakers also eliminated the Suns 4-1 and were set to meet the Spurs in the Western Finals.

Domestic fans became excited to see the Lakers also enter the Western Finals.

Su Wan and Yao were just one round away from taking down both the Cavaliers and the Spurs...

Domestic fans would witness the "Huaxia Derby" ascend to the NBA Finals stage!

Just thinking about it was thrilling!

Su Wan and the Pacers were not worried.

Playing against the Cavaliers and LeBron was like playing against a son; there wasn’t much difference.

Lakers vs. Spurs was the more concerning match. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

While Kobe’s mid-range was always a Spurs’ restraint,

If the Spurs couldn’t win tactically, they would play dirty, and that was what domestic fans worried about.

Now they could only pray that Su Wan had already cast such a deep shadow on the Spurs they dared not strike rashly anymore.

What domestic fans didn’t know was that David Stern, through others in the League, had already issued a warning to the Spurs.

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