The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 559 - 231 Let’s Not Harbor Grandiose Dreams Like New York in Orlando!_5

Chapter 559: Chapter 231 Let’s Not Harbor Grandiose Dreams Like New York in Orlando!_5

After three games without any power to retaliate, and on the verge of being swept 4-0 out of the playoffs...

The surge of hope was swiftly followed by a plunge into deep despair; this dramatic rise and fall almost left the fans of the Magic Team unconscious.

Tonight, the people of Orlando who came to the stadium didn’t mean anything else; they didn’t expect the team to win at home and then go to Indiana, only to be eliminated.

If the Magic Team could have pulled off such a feat, they would have done so in the third game. Why wait until the "do or die" moment?

Although a "do or die" situation can inspire fighting spirit, most of the time it only makes people more impatient.

The Magic Team tonight didn’t show fighting spirit either; instead, they were very impatient right from the start, while the Pacers patiently controlled the pace, putting effort on both offense and defense. After seeing the opposing side being so aggressive, they suddenly became less hurried.

The difference in experience between the two teams was all too apparent.

Even though the Pacers were just rebuilt last summer, most of the people on the Magic Team had been playing together for three years.

But the experience of the two sides is not on the same level at all.

Shaquille O’Neal was the one who led his team to "three consecutive championships" before Jordan.

Chauncey Billups was also the MVP of the 2004 Finals.

Let’s put it this way!

There are only two people on this Pacers team who haven’t won a Championship ring: Afflalo and Marc Gasol.

And the number of MVP trophies combined...

Almost equals the number of players on the Magic Team.

And what about the Magic Team?

They can’t muster a single Championship Trophy, let alone an MVP trophy.

It’s always "Old Aunt" teaching "Little boy", when did "Little duckling" ever take control in a bathhouse?

The Magic Team always feels like they’re punching cotton. Two words to describe their feeling on the court:

Uncomfortable!

As their offensive momentum gradually came to a halt, the Pacers started to make their move. Billups led the rhythm, Jordan focused on scoring efficiency, and with Shaquille O’Neal and Randolph dominating under the basket, the Pacers unleashed a decisive "Scoring Wave" in the third quarter of the match.

In less than 8 minutes, the Pacers scored a huge 23-8 lead.

Shaquille O’Neal directly gestured "game over" towards the stands.

This move successfully broke the defense of a large group of Magic Team fans, causing them to choose to leave early.

The players on the Magic Team were like fish caught in a net, gradually losing their struggle with a look of "waiting for death."

Stan Van Gundy was even ready to shake hands with Rick Carlisle, congratulating him!

Finally, as the buzzer signaling the end of the game sounded, the match concluded with the Pacers winning by 123 to 99, a 24-point victory over the Magic Team, and securing the fourth victory of the series.

The owner of the Magic Team was also present tonight. Seeing the score, he shook his head slightly and looked at the general manager of the Magic Team with a grim expression: "Get ready to rebuild!"

The general manager sighed and nodded, "Understood, BOSS!"

This season, the Magic Team brought surprises, eliminating the 60-win Cavaliers and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, achieving their best playoff performance in 14 years.

However, their salary issues were very serious, especially after re-signing Howard, they came to the point where they could no longer afford to re-sign Tekeglu.

"Turkish Jordan" had just started to make a name for himself in the past two years and was eager for a big contract. Without one, he would definitely leave.

With this "engine" gone, the team’s offense would have to be rebuilt.

If the Magic Team had performed better in the Eastern Conference Finals this season, he might still have the confidence to persuade the owner to wait another year.

But the 0-4 score left him with nothing to say to convince the owner to wait.

That’s how it is with small-market teams: a salary exceeding the luxury tax, if not winning the championship, cannot break even. Even if they do win the championship, paying too much luxury tax won’t break even. Especially now, with the subprime mortgage crisis affecting all industries all over the United States, except for "rich kids" like Dolan and Blazers owners who are original partners of Bill Gates and are unaffected.

Most other owners have to tighten their purse strings.

"The Pacers sure are lucky!" The owner of the Magic Team, looking at the close-up of Jordan on the big screen, was full of envy. Suddenly, he asked the general manager, "Do you think we could have a player like Jordan?"

The general manager didn’t speak.

"His contract should be up, right?"

The general manager still didn’t speak.

"I wonder if we can get him."

The general manager: "..." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

I guess he’s just talking to himself!

Thinking about getting Jordan?

Are you daydreaming?

With such strong team-leading ability, and a guy who stands by the team in critical moments, do you think he’s someone you can get just because you want him?

Let’s not have those grandiose New York dreams in Orlando!

In the stands, the Magic Team fans, who already felt terrible and wanted to cry, clearly had no idea about the kind of decision their owner had just made. Otherwise, their sadness right now would be flowing back in rivers.

Having finally eliminated the Magic Team 4-0, Shaquille O’Neal was incredibly excited after the game, exclaiming, "See that? That’s the difference between Dwight Howard and me, so stop calling him Superman. He can’t even fly!"

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