svetikya Chapter 184 Why do you have my wife's phone number?
Chapter 184 Why do you have my wife's phone number?
Chapter 184 Why do you have my wife's phone number?
At the press conference after defeating the Rockets, Lin Tian looked at the reporters who were packed in front of him, eager to get something out of him, and said with a smile, "Come on, we haven't seen each other for two months, let me see what new skills you have."
Lin Tian's words immediately put the reporters into battle mode. One of them quickly stood up and asked, "Lin, how does it feel to be back on the field?"
"It's fantastic! I really love this feeling, coming back to the court, leading the team to victory, and getting cheers from the fans. That's why I do this job! So, in order to be here every day from now on and to set a good example for my fans, I swear I will never fight again! I will never get suspended again," Lin Tian said with a smile.
"Really? I don't believe it." A reporter stood up, laughing loudly in disbelief.
"Unless someone really goes too far and definitely wants to get beaten up," Lin Tian shrugged. "I would never provoke trouble or attack anyone outside of basketball. The basketball court is for playing basketball, and I hate bringing fighting techniques onto the court more than anyone else."
"I'm here to play basketball. If anyone really wants to test my skills, we can meet in the octagon or the boxing ring. If they're too cowardly, I can even let the two of them come at me at once. In the boxing ring, I'll fight them using the rules of combat sports. I know what it means to stop when it's too late."
"But on the basketball court, if anyone wants to try their luck with me there, I can only say: I'll have to use street fighting techniques to deal with you!"
"Lin, are you threatening your opponents, telling them to be careful during the match and not mess with you?"
"How can this be considered a threat?" Lin Tian shrugged and said casually, "This is a notice, and it's also to clean up the environment of the basketball court so that everyone can just play basketball on the court."
"I'm doing this for the good of the entire league!"
Lin Tian's words left the reporters below looking at each other in bewilderment.
What he said sounded outrageous, but strangely enough, it actually made a lot of sense!
At the very least, reporters believe that any team playing against the Pacers in the future will be more careful and will not resort to those annoying underhanded tactics.
Unless, of course, they think they can outplay the entire Jazz team combined!
"So, Lin, now that you're back, what are your thoughts on the Pacers' record this season?"
"We don't have any specific plans for the time being. We'll take it one game at a time during the regular season, try to build up our advantages, and work on team cohesion. But we won't push ourselves too hard or go overboard for anything like being number one in the league or the East. Health is our top priority!"
"I'm confident that no matter what seed we get into the playoffs, we'll be the most terrifying team, the one no one wants to face. The playoffs are where we'll truly show our strength!"
"So, you mean you'll appropriately forgo the regular season and focus all your efforts on preparing for the playoffs?"
"We will not give up any game. I just want to say that we will all prioritize our health."
Lin Tian continued, "Of course, we've formed this team, carrying so much hope and attention. If we were ranked too low, it would be a bit embarrassing."
"As for our final result, let's wait and see. All I can say is that I will make sure the boss gets his money's worth for every penny he spends and every ticket the fans buy!"
"So, Lin, how's it going with the new team? Are you happy?"
"Fantastic! Seriously, Indiana is fantastic! Reggie knows everyone in this city, Charles always brings you joy, and Joe isn't as aloof as he seems—his corny jokes can make you laugh all day!"
"Of course, there's Larry and Isaiah too. They argue almost every day. Listening to them argue is 100 times more exciting than watching a top-notch stand-up comedy show! I'd even pay to listen to them argue, and I could listen for a month straight without getting tired of it!"
"So, Lin, will you consider leaving Indiana after this contract ends?"
"I don't like making predictions about things too far in the future. After all, there are still seven years to go! Who knows what the world will be like in seven years? Maybe in seven years we'll be able to video chat and play online games with people all over the world?"
"But what I want to say is that I understand all too well why Reggie hasn't left, why he's stayed here! Of course, it's not as bustling as Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago, but Indiana has countless of the most unique and captivating landscapes in the entire country!"
"I love it here!"
Is clearing the stadium done with fists or strength? Lin Tian's remarks are thought-provoking!
Lin Tian stated his opposition to violence on the sports field, saying that if someone were to be violent towards him, he would become even more violent!
Lin Tian vows to make sure every penny of the fans' money is well spent, and that they will achieve a good result to enter the playoffs!
The playoffs are the main battleground. Lin Tian promises: We will enter the playoffs while ensuring everyone's health!
The Indiana Giantsword has begun to be wielded; who can stop their advance?
"Not a threat! It's a notification: Lin Tian's domineering statement stems from his past feat of taking on ten opponents single-handedly!"
Lin Tian expresses his deep affection for Indiana: Having only been here for less than six months, Lin Tian is already captivated by the city!
……
That night, Lin Tian, who had made a comeback, once again became the darling of the media, with numerous newspapers dedicating their front-page headlines to him.
However, when Lin Tian looked at the newspaper the next morning, he found that not a single newspaper had a proper headline like "Pacers defeat Houston, Lin Tian easily scores 20+10 in his comeback game".
It seems the media prefers me fighting to me playing basketball!
"Michael Jordan's emotions fluctuated, resulting in a loss of 30 experience points."
Lin Tian was eating breakfast and reading the newspaper when the system suddenly gave him a notification.
???
Three question marks immediately appeared in Lin Tian's mind.
What's going on?
It's rare that I was so serious last night, not talking about Chicago or Michael at all. How could Jordan be so emotionally affected by me this morning?
Surely it couldn't be that while I was having sex with my wife, I suddenly dreamt about myself and the clock struck 6:30.
Is this my fault?
That's going too far.
Or is this guy suffering from some kind of Stockholm syndrome, and he feels uneasy if I, Lin Da Guanren, don't torment him a bit and scold him a few times?
At that moment, at Jordan's home in Chicago, Jordan did not tear up the newspaper and throw it in the trash as he usually did when he was angry. Instead, he silently ate bread with his head down.
But everyone could tell that this guy was sulking.
Anyway, Jordan's two sons didn't dare to utter a sound at the moment, for fear that Jordan would find some excuse to scold them.
These two DeAndre Jordans were bullied by their dad a lot when they were young.
"Marcus, why don't you pray while you eat? Why are you so impious? God will be angry! He will take away everything you have now! You think you deserve everything you have? Let me tell you, nothing is yours to deserve. Everything you have now, I risked my life for!"
"If you do that again, you're not eating!"
"Jeffrey, and you too, what are you laughing at? Why did you pray for so long before eating? Do you have some secrets that only God can hear but I can't? Hmm? Do we already have so many secrets between us? Do you think you've grown up, that you can leave this house and no longer need me?"
"Very well, you can leave now. Don't come back. You want freedom, you want to support a family alone? Fine, then go! I won't stop you or try to keep you!"
"Michael." Jordan's wife, Juanita, frowned. What's going on so early in the morning? Taking her anger out on the child?
"Is it Lin again, spouting sarcastic and nonsensical things about you in the newspaper?" Juanita casually picked up the newspaper that Jordan had scattered on the table and quickly scanned it, trying to find the parts that would make Jordan angry.
then……
"No? Michael, there are a lot of reports about Lin, but he didn't mention you at all?" Juanita looked up curiously, then suddenly realized and said, "You're not angry that he didn't criticize you in front of the media, are you?"
"How could that be? Who cares about that idiot? Huh? He wants to get rid of me? Let him go! Nobody needs him, nobody wants to play with him! I'm having a blast playing backcourt with Ron now!"
"Jeffrey, Marcus, it's time for you to go to school. Uncle Avery is waiting for you." Juanita waved his hand, shooing the two young Jordans away. Upon hearing that they could leave, the two young Jordans felt as if they had been granted a pardon and ran away as fast as they could.
Even they wouldn't want to be around their father in a rage; it's terrifying!
"Alright, Michael, what happened?" Juanita gently sat in Jordan's lap, asking curiously, "Why are you so angry?"
Jordan didn't say anything, but quickly found one of the newspapers in the stack, pointed to the headline, and remained silent.
"Although it's not as big as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, Lin Tian stated frankly that he wouldn't leave Indiana if possible." Juanita looked at Jordan incredulously after reading the headline and said, "Honey, just because of this?"
"Otherwise what? He actually thinks Chicago isn't the best place? How is Chicago inferior to that rural Indiana? We have the most skyscrapers in the world, we were one of the first great cities to begin modernization! What does Indiana have? What makes it think it can compare to us?"
"That bastard, he said that to me on purpose, to provoke me! FUXX! That bastard, why can't he just die already? Why does he have to bother me every day?"
"Honey, I really think you should sit down and have a good talk with Lin. You two are best friends, aren't you? The way you are right now doesn't really look like the great Michael Jordan."
"Who's his friend? We're not friends at all! I'd rather he go back to Asia and sit down for a chat. If we sat down together, we'd be arguing within three minutes!"
……
At this moment in Indiana, Lin Tian was still completely bewildered.
The reason...
"Michael Jordan's emotions fluctuated, resulting in a loss of 50 experience points."
What's going on? Did Phil Jackson hold a Lin Tian-style commendation ceremony in front of Jordan, which provoked Jordan? Why is this guy acting like he's on fire so early in the morning? Or maybe...
Lin Tian picked up the phone, found Jordan's number, and wondered if he should call and check on him.
Yes, it's definitely out of concern, not to add fuel to the fire.
I, Lin, am only worried about my good buddy getting into trouble; I absolutely do not want to provoke Jordan any further.
Absolutely not...
Then, Lin Tian deleted the Jordan number he had already entered and instead entered another number.
Well, since Jordan is in a rage, calling him is somewhat inappropriate and could easily provoke him further.
Yes, I, Lord Lin, am just that thoughtful and sensible!
Jordan is incredibly lucky to have such a good friend like me!
"Hey Juanita, long time no see, how have you been lately?" Lin Tian's call was, of course, to the person closest to Jordan who would definitely know what state Jordan was in right now!
This way, we'll definitely get firsthand information!
"I'm fine, but Michael's acting a bit strange," Juanita's voice came through the phone, followed by a loud voice.
"Juannita, who are you talking to on the phone? Who are you talking to about me? FUXX! If you're trying to find me a therapist, I'll show you just how normal I really am right now!"
Jordan walked over as he spoke, and Lin Tian guessed that the guy must have seen the caller ID.
"Lin? Why did you call him? What? He called you? Why did he call you? Looking for me? Why didn't he call me? Huh? When did you get his phone number? Juanita, explain yourself! Why did this bastard call you so early in the morning?!"
Jordan's unreasonable behavior was getting to Juanita's breaking point. She yelled back, "Are you ever going to stop, Michael! You gave Lin my phone number when he came to our house for Christmas last year! You bastard, you should go to hell! Do you know what you sounded like just now?"
"Like an old, toothless lion trying to defend its territory! Utterly stupid! The way you looked and the tone of your voice just now were utterly stupid!" Juanita snapped, now losing her temper. "If you don't want Lin to leave Chicago, you damn bastard, you should take a pay cut and beg him to stay!"
"Instead of being paranoid every day after he left, constantly finding news about him in the newspapers, you look exactly like... exactly like... exactly like, FUXX! I don't know what you look like! But it's absolutely awful!"
"Like a lapdog, a coward and a wimp who dares to do nothing but lick people's feet and beg for a hug!"
"Great! Simp! Coward! Wimp!" Juanita thought the metaphor was perfect when she heard the voice on the phone and immediately relayed it to Jordan!
"Lin! You bastard, what are you saying? I'll tear you apart! I swear, I'll tear you apart!"
Hearing Jordan's furious roar, Lin Tian cleverly and quickly hung up the phone.
It's best for him not to get involved in other people's family conflicts, especially since the system is working overtime right now, frantically sending Lin Tian experience points!
In just one phone call, I gained over 300 experience points!
Comfortable!
Lin Tian felt that even the boiled chicken breast in front of him, which was completely unseasoned and practically inedible, suddenly tasted incredibly delicious!
What do you mean boiled chicken breast? This is Kung Pao Chicken!
To Lin Tian's surprise, about 20 minutes later, Jordan called again.
"Come to my house for dinner when you come to Chicago for an away game at Christmas." Jordan's tone was dry, and you could tell that Juanita had forced him to say it.
"Should I bring a female companion?"
"F*** you! If you have one, bring it; if you don't, don't. Why are you asking me? Do you think you can find a female companion at my house?" Jordan cursed as soon as he heard Lin Tian's words. He was feeling terrible today!
"What about their teammates? What if Charles and Reggie want to join in the fun too..."
"Those bastards, tell them to go wherever they want. If you want to be with them, then you don't need to come! I don't want to see them or talk to them!" Jordan rejected Lin Tian's idea of bringing his teammates without even thinking.
Indeed, just as Pippen certainly wouldn't sit down for Christmas dinner with Jordan and his son and daughter-in-law 30 years from now, Jordan also has absolutely no desire to eat with Lin Tian and his new teammates.
Sorry!
Well, this time, Lin Tian surprisingly didn't cause any trouble, nor did he tell Barkley and the others that he would be having dinner with Jordan on Christmas Day.
It's Chinese New Year, so let Jordan have a happy night. I, Lin, am just kind-hearted!
After Lin Tian returned to the court, the Pacers were unstoppable, winning all the way! After defeating the Rockets, they went on to defeat the Nets, Raptors and Hornets, achieving a four-game winning streak since Lin Tian's return!
这四场比赛之中，林天场均出战38.3分钟，能够拿下22.5分11.8次助攻5篮板2.5次抢断的全面数据！他的命中率更是高达55%，41%以及83%！
Definitely high efficiency and high yield!
In addition to Lin Tian's return and the team's winning streak, the happiest person on the entire Pacers team is Jalen Rose!
His cooperation with Lin Tian is becoming more and more seamless. In addition, he is the only one on the team who can keep up with Lin Tian's pace, which creates many more opportunities for fast breaks and cuts to the basket!
In these four games, Rose's stats have improved significantly, averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists! It gives the impression that he and Lin are the Pacers' backcourt duo!
Another person who benefited greatly was Barkley. Although Barkley's average stats dropped significantly in these four games, averaging only 18 points and 8 rebounds, he played very happily and efficiently! Bird gave Barkley all his playing time in the second quarter and the first few minutes of the fourth quarter!
In those few minutes, Barkley was the team's absolute core and primary offensive weapon. He could play however he wanted and do whatever he wanted, letting loose completely!
This kind of tactical treatment is something Barkley hasn't experienced since leaving the Suns! He's never really felt this kind of complete freedom and unrestrained play throughout his entire career.
Because most of the time, he is the team leader, he needs to unite the team as one, he needs to take charge of the overall situation, rather than just playing for his own enjoyment.
But now, he's having a blast!
The only one who made a sacrifice was Reggie Miller. Although Miller's three-point shooting percentage soared to 58% in these four games and his overall field goal percentage was 54%, his stats and number of shots were at a new low in recent years.
One reason is that the three-point shot wasn't as trusted in this era. Even though Miller was the NBA's undisputed best shooter, he only took six three-point attempts per game. And without having to participate in the team's organization, drive, pass, or carry the entire offensive line, Miller's attempts inside the three-point line dropped even more significantly.
In four games, Miller averaged only 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, ranking second to last among the starters in scoring, just less than 3 points higher than Schmitz.
As the team's leader who averaged 20 points per game last year, Miller's sacrifice was undoubtedly the greatest among all the players.
But Miller had no complaints about it!
After all, he was the one who found Lin Tian, and he was the one who handed the team over to Lin Tian. As long as they can win, Miller doesn't care at all about who he is or what his role is as the team's leading scorer or player!
All he wants is to win!
On December 23, the day before Christmas Eve, the Pacers will play their last game before Christmas in Indiana!
They're going to face the Philadelphia 76ers here!
This is the second time the two teams have faced off in the regular season. The last time was in the opening game, where the Pacers easily defeated the 76ers without Lin Tian, forcing Iverson to have a nightmare performance in the fourth quarter.
This time, although Iverson is currently ranked fourth in the scoring list, behind only Jordan, Malone and O'Neal, his personal data and efficiency have improved significantly compared to last season.
随着赛季的深入，他的状态也是渐入佳境，整个12月份截至目前场均能够拿下33分7次助攻，是联盟唯一一个能在12月份拿下30+7的球员！
Of course, no matter how explosive Iverson's performance was, this team still couldn't win. Iverson's stats and the team's record seemed to have no relation at all!
Currently, the 76ers are ranked last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 6 wins and 24 losses!
After this four-game winning streak, the Pacers have climbed to fifth in the Eastern Conference, only two games behind the fourth-placed Hornets, and could overtake them at any time to move into the top half of the Eastern Conference.
Logically speaking, this was a matchup between a strong team in the East and a bottom-ranked team, which shouldn't have attracted much attention. Even CBS didn't choose to broadcast the game nationwide.
However, just the day before this game, after leading his team to victory over the Pistons, Iverson made a lot of comments about Lin Tian and the Pacers when he was interviewed by the media!
"Lin is alright, but I don't think he's a superstar. All his achievements were made playing alongside Jordan. But honestly, my grandma played alongside Jordan and still won two championship rings!"
"He did put up impressive numbers of 20+10 after his comeback, but look at the people around him: Barkley, Miller, Dumars, and Rose, a very promising rookie in recent years. Even on their coaching bench are Bird and Thomas, two of the 50 greatest players in history."
"Honestly, with so many top players around him, anyone can put on a very good performance! Has Lin ever proven that he can still put on a top performance when he only has average teammates? Don't bring up the time when he won Player of the Month last year. At that time, the Bulls just didn't have Jordan."
"Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Kerr—even back in January of last year, the Bulls had a very strong and complete roster!"
"What am I trying to prove by saying all this? That I dislike my teammates? Dislike the coach? Dislike the team? No! Of course not! I didn't mean any of that at all, and I don't think Philadelphia is bad at all. I love Philadelphia! That will never change!"
"I love challenges! I'm passionate about challenging all the renowned and skilled players in the league. I want to crush them all and prove that I'm no worse than anyone else!"
Iverson's comment instantly ignited the hype surrounding the game, especially considering that many players had made similar pronouncements to Lin Tian over the past two years, including Hardaway, Rice, Stockton, Payton, and others.
These established star players have all said a lot of harsh things to Lin Tian.
As for the result...
Hardaway lost his All-Star starting position, Rice and his team were swept out of the playoffs, Stockton was sidelined and has not yet returned to the court, and Payton became the "fingerless glove".
Lin Tian eliminated all his opponents who wanted to challenge him and declare war on him. Whenever someone fired at Lin Tian, the fans were guaranteed to enjoy a perfect, exciting, and explosive match!
Moreover, both fans and the media are very clear about one thing: Lin Tian has never shied away from such mockery and provocation, and will always respond directly!
He will definitely respond to Iverson's provocation with a spectacular performance. It is foreseeable that this game will be very exciting!
At the very least, it's going to be very exciting before the game runs out of money!
Meanwhile, what fans, especially the media, are most looking forward to is Lin Tian's response.
How will this guy, who's always been sharp-tongued and retaliatory, respond to Iverson, and what interesting things will he say?
All the reporters in Indiana, like sharks smelling blood, gathered early on the afternoon of the game around City Square Arena, hoping to catch Lin Tian and interview him before the game started, adding another chapter to this game that had just become the focus of attention.
As for Lin Tian?
He certainly wouldn't disappoint the media. He didn't hide at all, but swaggered to the entrance of the arena and stood by the player tunnel. He even took the time to sign autographs for a few fans who were waiting there.
After fulfilling the fans' requests for photos, Lin Tiancai calmly addressed the reporters, saying, "I know what you want to ask, but I feel that you haven't seen the essence of the matter and the true situation."
"Then what is the essence, and what is the true situation?" A reporter, very perceptive, quickly became Lin Tian's straight man.
"Simply put, let's first think about who Allen Iverson is: unrestrained, yearning for freedom, doing things his own way, defiant but exceptionally talented, with wildness from the streets in his entire being."
"And what about Larry Brown, the head coach of the 76ers? He's meticulous, rigid, stubborn, short-tempered, hates heroism, prioritizes teamwork, and expects his players to be able to control even the number of dribbles and fakes they make in each possession."
"With these two people working together, do you think they'll like each other and see each other as their best partners?"
"And look at us here, Reggie and Charles are top trash talkers and equally rebellious stars in the league, Larry and Isaiah were once the league's trash talkers and most rebellious stars. I bet Allen dreams of playing with these guys!"
"So, do I need to explain what Allen meant by what he said last night?"
At this point, Lin Tian narrowed his eyes and stopped talking, instead looking at the reporters and waiting for them to elaborate.
"Jealousy! He's jealous that you can work with the people he desires!"
"Outrageous! He doesn't like Larry, and he hates that the management gave him the most dogmatic head coach during the prime of his life when he yearned for freedom!"
"Protest! He's conveying his thoughts to management; he doesn't like Larry!"
……
After Lin Tian and the other reporters eagerly gave their answers, he nodded in satisfaction.
Look at this! What is professionalism?
His ability to expand his thinking and make associations is top-notch!
"Well then, that's all I have to say. See you at the game!" Lin Tian waved and turned to walk into the players' tunnel.
The reporters were left looking at each other, as if they had gotten what they wanted, yet also felt like they hadn't.
It seems like they were the ones who said it? Lin Tian said a lot, but it also seemed like he said nothing at all?
"Who cares! Let's just write it!" a reporter suddenly said. "Just be careful with your wording!"
"Insinuating! Suspected! Shocking! Rumored! Hidden! Implied!" Another reporter rattled off several keywords in the blink of an eye, all of which could be used as material for Lin Tian's interview!
The group of reporters immediately burst into laughter and then quickly dispersed.
Deadline! Deadline!
Lin Tian alludes to Allen Iverson's dissatisfaction with Larry; is a coaching change imminent for the 76ers?
Allen Iverson may want to leave Philadelphia! Was the shortest number one draft pick in history only parted ways with the 76ers for two years?
Shocking! A shocking truth lies hidden behind Iverson's provocation! Behind the fog, who is right and who is wrong?
According to sources, Iverson and Brown had a serious altercation during practice!
Beneath Philadelphia's league-worst record lies a surprisingly complex story!
Lin Tian points out the implied meaning in Allen's remarks yesterday in three sentences: A storm is brewing in Philadelphia!
Although these news stories won't be released until tomorrow, the reporters are already excited!
Let's go, let's take this and ask Iverson and Brown first!
Let's have some fun first, maybe we can even write a two-part series! The first two versions are about Lin Tian's words, and the last two versions are about Iverson's response.
Perfect!
But as it turned out, Brown, this stubborn old man, disappointed the reporters somewhat.
"Get out! All of you get out!" Brown said coldly, looking at the group of reporters who were eager to dig up some juicy gossip. He didn't give them any face and slammed the locker room door shut, driving them away.
The most old-school, stubborn, and least star-studded head coach in the league is just that tough!
However, his stubbornness, irritability, and domineering nature will also lead to his rapid elimination by the times as players gain more and more influence.
In the 76ers' locker room, Iverson wore huge headphones and didn't talk much with his teammates. Instead, he closed his eyes and listened to very intense music in his headphones. This was a must-do for him before every game and one of his favorite things to do before each game.
When Larry Brown entered the locker room, he gestured towards Coleman next to Iverson with his lip. Coleman immediately nudged Iverson with his elbow, indicating that the coach had arrived. Iverson then opened his eyes, took off his headphones, and looked at Brown, saying, "Coach, you're saying that I deliberately provoked Lin to make it easier for us to win tonight, right?"
"Not bad, Allen," Brown nodded. "It's a very common off-court tactic. Before the game, provoke one of the opposing players, make him lose his temper, make him play the wrong way, and then we can take the game!"
"During the game, you need to keep provoking Lin. As long as you make him forget about passing, let him attack on his own, and keep him challenging you to one-on-one situations, our chances of winning will be much greater!"
"Actually, I still prefer playing against opponents who are at 100%," Iverson shrugged and said. "I don't like that."
"Allen, remember what I told you?" Brown looked at Iverson and said, "If you want to achieve greatness, if you want to surpass Jordan and everyone else, then you need to make some changes, even if you don't like it, you have to do it."
"I'll listen to you," Iverson nodded. "I believe you."
Then, he put on his big headphones again and returned to his own world.
The relationship between Iverson and Brown is definitely not in a state of imminent conflict or ready to explode, as speculated and rumored by the outside world.
On the contrary, for whatever reason, Iverson respected Brown very much, and Brown treated Iverson like his own son, doing his best to teach him step by step.
At least for now, the two of them have 100% trust in each other!
This is why the 76ers made a big trade less than two months after the start of the season, sending away Jerry Stackhouse, a scorer the team had high hopes for but who didn't click with Iverson, in exchange for Ratliff and Aaron McGee from the Pistons.
This trade can be seen as a statement from the 76ers: they have officially made Iverson the starting center and are rebuilding around him as the absolute core of their team!
Neither of the two players they acquired were high scorers, but Ratliff was a decent shot blocker and rebounder, while McGee was a tall, all-around guard!
Both of them can complement Iverson in terms of style and ability!
And Brown's vision of a system centered around Iverson as the absolute core, with one player on offense and four on defense, is slowly taking shape!
This is the only tactical system in Brown's mind that is suitable for Iverson and can maximize Iverson's energy!
In the Pacers' locker room, Barkley said to Lin Tiandao, "Lin, how about we teach that little rascal a lesson this game? Go all out and give him 50 points, how about that? I'll screen for you!"
"There's no need for that. He's just trying to provoke me, hoping I'll lose my temper and ignore the team to go head-to-head with him! Then he can use his vast experience of acting irrationally and ignoring the team to defeat me. I'm not falling for that!"
"Lin is right," Bird nodded. "That old guy Larry may seem old-fashioned, stubborn, and stupid, but he does have some skills, even if they're all outdated! Iverson's sudden provocation at this moment has only one purpose: to turn the game from 5-on-5 into 1-on-1!"
"Larry knows perfectly well that they're no match for us in 5-on-5, but if it's a one-on-one game, they'll at least have a better chance!"
"In a one-on-one situation, they have absolutely no hope," Lin Tian said confidently. "I will defeat everyone, but there's no need. We have an easier way!"
After saying this, Lin Tian stood up from the bench and said, "Let's go, guys, let's show the Philadelphians that their so-called little tricks and underhanded tactics won't even fool a three-year-old here!"
As Lin Tian left the locker room first, the rest of the Pacers team naturally followed suit. Although he had only played four games since his return, Lin Tian's competitive spirit and off-court personality had already won over the Pacers team, which consisted mainly of old hooligans and scoundrels.
No one was vying with Lin Tian for leadership or status, and no one was dissatisfied with their tactical role or number of shots taken.
Because everyone knows that the Pacers are on the right track, and if they continue playing like this, their chances of winning the championship are very high!
In this situation, anyone who steps forward to cause trouble is a real idiot!
As soon as they stepped into the City Square Arena, the signature, relentless shouts and cheers of Indiana fans quickly reached Lin Tian and the others' ears.
(End of this chapter)