The American Airlines Arena in Miami can be said to be one of the city's landmark buildings. To the west is the high-rise buildings in the city center, and to the east is the endless blue sea. The cross-sea bridge leads directly to the beautiful jungle island.
Rows of palm trees are planted around the arena, waving in the summer breeze, and full of southern coastal style.
The arena was officially built and put into use in 1999. Heat owner "cruise tycoon" Mickey Arison invested more than 300 million US dollars in it. It is now one of the top five ultra-luxury arenas in the NBA.
Lin Fei has been here for nearly a month since arriving in Miami in early October, and quickly adapted to the life and climate of Miami.
The weather in Miami is the most comfortable at the end of October, with the average temperature ranging from 20 to 27 degrees.
Lin Fei's new villa is located less than 2 kilometers south of the American Airlines Arena, close to Bayfront Park and the University of Miami.
Generally speaking, Wade and O'Neal's villas are not far away, and everyone often visits each other for dinner and training.
Lin Fei stood on the third-floor balcony of the villa and could directly see the blue sea and sky not far away. Luxury cruise ships were passing by, the cross-sea bridge was busy with traffic, and the jungle island five kilometers away was vaguely visible.
At the same time, on the beach at the seaside, there are always many mixed-race beauties wearing various bikinis, with hot and sexy figures.
Lin Fei also spent several hundred dollars to buy a telescope for this purpose, so he could enjoy the beautiful women, the beach and the sea in his free time.
Qin Dongmei returned to Stanford University in California as early as the beginning of the month, and the new semester has begun.
Without his girlfriend, Lin Fei devoted more energy from bed to daily training.
The urban area of Miami is not large, but it is quite wealthy and prosperous.
Lin Fei usually runs a full marathon once a week. 42 kilometers is enough to circle around Miami and visit most of the scenic spots in the city.
With long-term endurance training and improvement, Lin Fei's best time in the marathon has reached 3 hours and 12 minutes, and he is expected to sprint to the 3-hour mark.
In the first half of the new season, in addition to daily personal training, Lin Fei will also go to the American Airlines Arena to train with his teammates for four hours every day in accordance with the team's regulations.
In order to accumulate more free attribute points, and to fully get in touch with his new teammates and practice tactics, Lin Fei naturally actively participated in all 6 preseason games of the Heat.
The Heat have made major adjustments to their lineup this offseason, with more than two-thirds of the players being new faces, so preseason running-in is crucial.
At the request of head coach Stan Van Gundy, all 13 players on the team's roster also participated in the preseason warm-up.
The Heat's starting five for the new season were also officially determined after several warm-up games.
Throughout the offseason,
Pat Riley's Heat management is actively working on the Eddie Jones trade, hoping to exchange for a potential defensive small forward or excellent point guard.
But there was no good progress, so Eddie Jones could only stay in the team temporarily and continue to serve as the starting small forward, waiting for the start of the new season to take another step.
As for the starting point guard, Pat Riley did not choose to renew the contract with Rafe Alston, but instead signed undrafted player Damon Jones with an annual salary of US$2 million.
Damon Jones played as a substitute for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, averaging 7 points and 5.8 assists per game. He showed good potential, shooting nearly 40% from three-point range, and was also very active on the defensive end.
The Heat intend to strengthen Wade in the new season, and Wade is an offensive core who needs to hold the ball. Therefore, a role point guard like Damon Jones who can dribble, assist, and open up space to shoot three-pointers is more suitable for Wade. De's partner in the backcourt.
Also a non-draft player, Udonis Haslem contributed 7.3 points and 6.3 rebounds off the bench in the 2003-04 season as a rookie. He is solid on the court and can do the dirty work.
With Odom being traded to the Lakers, and Haslem's solid performance averaging 10 rebounds per game in the preseason, he is very clear about his role in the team.
Therefore, Stan Van Gundy decided to let Haslem be the Heat's starting power forward in the new season.
Since then, the Heat's starting five for the new season are:
Point Guard (PG): Damon Jones,
Shooting Guard (SG): Dwayne Wade,
Small forward (SF): Eddie Jones,
Power forward (PF): Udonis Haslem,
Center (C): Shaquille O'Neal.
The main players on the bench are:
Guards (PG/SG): Lin Fei, Kenyon Dulin, Tony Allen.
Forwards (SF/PF): Rasual Butler, Malik Allen, roughly.
Center (C): Michael Doliak, Christian Laettner.
Relying on his excellent performance in this year's Olympics and the fact that he and Lin Fei are teammates in China, the Heat finally chose to use the basic salary of US$750,000 to sign him for another year.
Overall, the Heat's starting lineup is strong enough. After all, the 32-year-old "Shark" O'Neal is still recognized as the number one player in the league.
Eddie Jones is also one of the top ten small forwards in the league today, and Dwayne Wade is growing even more rapidly.
But on the bench, except for Lin Fei, the Heat don't have a decent scoring point, and they are basically made up of basic salaries.
Heat general manager Pat Riley and head coach Stan Van Gundy are very clear that it is very difficult to win the championship with this lineup, and the depth of the lineup is not enough.
Therefore, after the start of the new season, based on the specific record and the internal situation of the team, the Heat will still actively seek transactions to strengthen the team.
At present, except for O'Neal, Wade and Lin Fei, there is no one in the Heat who is not for sale.
After the Olympic Games and pre-season games, coupled with unremitting training every day,
Before the opening game of the 2004-05 season, Lin Fei had accumulated a total of more than 1,800 free attribute points. When added to the defensive attribute, the previous 70 points were also increased to 75 points.
[Single defense: 75]
[Supplementary defense: 75]
[Defense change: 75]
[Steals: 83]
[Blocks: 67]
In a recent body measurement, Lin Fei's height reached 1.94 meters with bare feet, 1.96 meters with shoes, and a wingspan of 2.12 meters.
Compared with June, Lin Fei has grown about 1 centimeter taller, and his height in shoes is 1.96 meters, which is quite satisfactory for Lin Fei.
At the same time, Lin Fei's weight has steadily increased to about 89.5-90 kilograms, and his body fat rate has remained around 7.5%.
Bench press strength also improved significantly, reaching 85 kilograms.
The steady growth in height and weight, coupled with the improvement in bench press strength, did not affect Lin Fei's three-point shooting feel.
At the same time, with a comprehensive defensive value of 75 points and a steal of 83 points, Lin Fei's defensive level at the guard has basically reached the average level of the current NBA league.
After 6 games in the preseason, Lin Fei averaged about 25 minutes per game. Not only did he have a stable output of 5.2 three-pointers on the offensive end, but he also contributed 1.9 steals on the defensive end, which is close to 2 per game.
Of course, the intensity of the preseason games cannot reach the level of the NBA's regular season, but Lin Fei is very serious on the defensive end, and most of his opponents are the team's backup shooting guards and rookies, so he can produce beautiful statistics.
In a preseason game between the Heat and the 76ers, Lin Fei replaced Wade and faced this year's No. 9 pick Andre Iguodala. Not only did he defend his opponent only 2 of 9 shots in the game, he also made 3. Steals.
Although he is only a second-year rookie, he has experienced the baptism of big scenes such as the NBA Finals and the Olympic knockout games. In front of the immature rookie No. 1, Lin Fei will not suffer on both offense and defense.
The time soon came to October 31st.
Under the spotlight, the NBA's 2004-05 season is finally about to kick off.
As early as a few days ago, in order to warm up and create gimmicks for the new season, ESPN announced numerous lists of teams and players.
Among them, in the new season's team's comprehensive strength and championship probability list,
The San Antonio Spurs, the veteran Western Conference powerhouse, were ranked first.
The opinions of ESPN experts are also very clear. Tony Parker and Ginobili in the Spurs have reached their peak condition, and Duncan is still a strong contender for the No. 1 power forward and regular season MVP.
Bruce Bowen's defense is also a nightmare for all offensive linemen.
Robert Horry on the bench and newly signed veteran Brent Barry are also the anchors of the team's rotation.
The Spurs' lineup and age structure during this period are the most reasonable, and the bench depth is also very deep. When the Lakers' OK combination collapsed and the Kings also began to decline,
The Spurs obviously have no opponents in the West.
The second-place team behind the Spurs is the powerful Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers retained the main lineup from last season, and players such as O'Brien and Artest continued to grow. They also signed "Martial Saint" Stephen Jackson, who averaged 18.1 points per game.
Although the old Miller is 39 years old, his mental attributes are still strong and his three-pointers are equally accurate.
The third-place team behind the Pacers is the overall runner-up Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons maintained the five-tiger lineup from last season's Finals and also introduced Antonio McDyess to enhance their bench depth.
It was the defending champion Minnesota Timberwolves' turn to place fourth.
Although the Timberwolves have just won the championship, losing Lin Fei has significantly reduced their firepower on the bench, and the Timberwolves management did not receive enough reinforcements during the offseason.
In addition, "Madman" and "Alien" are also one year older, and the overall strength of the Timberwolves has obviously dropped a lot compared to last season.
The fifth-place team is the Dallas Mavericks led by Nowitzki, and the sixth-place team is the Miami Heat.
Although O'Neal is the league's number one center, after all, the team has undergone a major overhaul compared with last season. Whether it can successfully adapt to the new season is still a huge problem.
The seventh place is the Houston Rockets who got Tracy McGrady, the eighth place is the Washington Wizards of General Arenas, the ninth place is the New Jersey Nets of Jason Kidd, and the tenth place is the Kings...
The Los Angeles Lakers ranked 15th among 30 teams.
Although they lost O'Neal, fans believe that the Lakers led by Kobe still have hope of making the playoffs.
It is worth mentioning that ESPN experts are unanimously not optimistic about Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, and the Suns are ranked 27th.
Ranked last is naturally the newly formed Charlotte Bobcats.
In addition to the team strength list, ESPN also announced the regular season MVP probability list for the new season.
Kevin Garnett continues to rank first, Tim Duncan ranks second, and O'Neal ranks third...
October 31, 2004.
The NBA's 2004-05 season has kicked off, and the league has arranged a total of three focus games on the opening day.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (American Airlines Arena),
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Los Angeles Lakers (Target Center Arena),
New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets (Madison Garden Square).
For the vast number of fans in China, the opening day of the new season is a joy. At the same time, there are two games between Lin Fei's Heat and Dayao's Rockets to watch.
And because it is the opening game, the start time of the two games is exactly 2 hours apart. After the Heat game, the Rockets game has just started, so it can be seamlessly watched.
Miami.
7pm local time.
The auditoriums on all sides of the American Airlines Arena were packed with people, and the seats were packed.
The 19,600 tickets for the opening game had been sold out half a month ago. Miami fans were so enthusiastic that they shouted the names of O'Neal and Lin Fei.
Lin Fei, who was warming up on the court at this time, glanced at the audience and found that the Heat jersey number 32 of O'Neal was the most worn by fans.
As early as early October, after the new jersey was unveiled at the press conference, O'Neal's new No. 32 Heat jersey was in short supply, and the "Shark" deserved his appeal as the number one player in the league.
Next is Wade's No. 3 jersey and Lin Fei's own No. 22 jersey.
It seems that the name of the "Heat Big Three" has spread throughout the league, and Miami fans are also very happy to accept Lin Fei, a foreign player.
The Heat jerseys of this period came in three colors, usually white for home games and red and black for away games.
Red has also become the main color of the Miami Heat. Tonight, the audience seats on all sides are a sea of fiery red.
Whether Lin Fei's incredible performance in last season's finals or his two buzzer-beaters in the Olympics, these Miami fans have a newfound admiration for Lin Fei and are even more looking forward to Lin Fei's wonderful three-pointers in the new season.
In terms of famous scenes and goals that impressed fans, Lin Fei has completely left behind Wade in the same class.
Although Lin Fei was placed on the bench, this was entirely due to his playing style and attributes and did not affect his status as the third player in the team.
As the team's starting small forward, three-time All-Star and three-time All-Defensive Team player, veteran Eddie Jones naturally has no temper for the treatment of O'Neal and Wade.
But Lin Fei was so hot and popular in the hearts of Miami fans, so he was naturally very unhappy.
After playing five seasons with the Heat, Eddie Jones has been the team's scoring leader all year round. Alonzo Mourning protected him before leaving the team, but he has never been so welcomed by the home fans!
Lin Fei also noticed Eddie Jones' unhappy expression and ignored it.
He was ostracized by the Timberwolves last season. Wherever there are people, there are gangs. Lin Fei has long been used to this.
As long as he can perform in a strong enough state, all doubts and slanders will disappear.
At present, except for the two great generals O'Neal and Wade, and roughly this fellow Chinese teammate, the other players on the Heat team are basically dissatisfied with Lin Fei.
The exception is rookie Tony Allen, who is also on the bench. This guy was a defensive maniac in college and was extremely obsessed with defense, but had little interest in scoring.
Lin Fei's defensive attributes have steadily improved, and naturally he needs more practice and learning in actual combat, so he and Tony Allen hit it off right away.
The two often exchange some defensive techniques and strategies in training, and also often discuss defense in bullfights.
It seems that in this parallel world, the Heat selected Tony Allen with the 19th pick in the first round, which was indeed a very cost-effective deal.
In the warm-up session before the game, Lin Fei performed a pretentious show of five consecutive three-pointers and five hits as usual. The funny O'Neal personally fed Lin Fei the ball.
Although the last three-pointer that retreated to the backcourt and was 20 meters away from the basket did not hit,
But that didn't stop the Heat fans at home from giving Lin Fei fierce cheers and applause.
The Pacers' veteran Reggie Miller looked at Lin Fei and sighed emotionally, as if he saw himself in his youth.
"Lin's three-pointer is destined to rewrite the history of the NBA. It is really a pity that the team failed to acquire him in the offseason!"
Artest next to him puffed out his strong chest, raised his chin and said disdainfully:
"This guy is too weak. If he dares to shoot a three-pointer over my head, I will knock him directly into the audience!"
Jermaine O'Neal, wearing a yellow Nike headband on his forehead, snorted after completing a flying dunk:
"I have known this kid's playing style for a long time. He likes to catch the ball and shoot at the top of the key and behind the center screen. Since Rashid's defense changes can limit him, it is naturally not a problem for me!"
"Martial Saint" Stephen Jackson put his hands on his hips and exuded a more mature and steady aura.
Although like Artest, he is known for his fierce defense and tough playing style, and he is also good at fighting, but Jackson is different from Artest's reckless and violent temper. He is more loyal to his friends and helps his brothers.
"I have long wanted to guard against this kid from China. Hamilton was chased by me and only took 5 shots in the whole game. This kid shouldn't be any better!"
"But tonight my task is to mainly defend Eddie Jones. I will never let this old guy score in double figures!"
Before the game started, ESPN's beautiful reporter Erin Andrews also walked onto the court with a smile and interviewed the stars of both teams.
"Reggie, as the league's current three-point champion, what do you think of Lin, a player with a similar style to yours? How high do you think his ceiling will be in the league in the future?"
Facing the interview with the beautiful reporter, Reggie Miller was calm and wise, and gave rigorous answers. At the same time, he did not hesitate to praise Lin Fei.
"Lin is an amazing player and his three-pointer amazes me too!"
"Whether it's running without the ball or shooting three-pointers, his level has reached the top level in NBA history. The most frightening thing is that he is only a sophomore and he is still improving!"
"As long as he can stay healthy, I think Lin has the ability to become a team leader in the future, and even an All-Star starter!"
"Reggie, your current number of three-pointers made in the regular season career has reached 2,461, far ahead of the second place and ranking first on the historical three-point list!"
"So in your opinion, who in the league has the potential to surpass you as the number one player in the future?"
"Ray Allen of the SuperSonics has the best chance, and if Lin maintains this state and a healthy career, he will also have the opportunity to surpass me or even Ray Allen in the future!"
"Reggie, you are playing against Lin for the first time tonight. Do you think you can guard against him?"
"I will go all out to win the game and try to reduce Lin's shooting opportunities. His three-pointers are very accurate, but he lacks sufficient confrontation ability!"
"Okay, thank you. I look forward to your wonderful performance tonight!"
After interviewing Reggie Miller, Erin Andrews asked O'Neal a few more questions, and then came to the Heat's warm-up half and was the first to interview O'Neal.
"Shaquille, as it's your first game after joining the Heat, how are you feeling now?"
O'Neal bent over, standing next to the hot Andrews like a huge black bear beast, his arms were obviously thicker than Andrews' thighs.
"I'm really looking forward to tonight's game, and I'd like to thank the Miami fans, who are really welcoming, and my teammates, Dwayne and Lin, for making me feel like home here!"
"What do you want to say about playing against Jermaine O'Neal?"
"This is a talented guy. He has strong scoring and rebounding abilities. But in front of me, he can only be a toy. I will beat him up! Then I patted him on the shoulder and said: Don't cry, kid!" "
Erin Andrews finally walked to Lin Fei's side excitedly. Although she had known for a long time that Lin Fei had a girlfriend, she still had thoughts about Lin Fei in her heart.
"Lin, I'm really happy. After waiting for a long offseason, I can finally watch you play in the NBA again!"
"I can't wait!"
Andrews wore an off-the-shoulder strapless skirt tonight, showing off her curvy figure.
Lin Fei smiled politely, and at the same time, his little eyes took the opportunity to glance at the beauty. The beauty was so close, and he couldn't look at her in vain.
"Ms. Andrews, I can't wait just like you. I hope tonight will be a perfect start for me and the team in the new season!"
"Lin, what do you want to say about Reggie Miller, a league marksman whose playing style is highly similar to yours?"
"Reggie is a star I like very much. His miracle of 9 seconds and 8 minutes is an eternal classic moment in the NBA!"
"But the waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead. Reggie is old, and the present and future of the league will belong to young people!"
"Lin, tonight is your first game with the Heat. How many three-pointers are you confident in hitting?"
Lin Fei calmly asked the question to the head coach. He always remained calm when faced with reporters' difficulties:
"I think the answer to this question depends on how many three-pointers my coach, Mr. Stan Van Gundy, can hit, and how much playing time he can give me tonight!"
The pre-match interview ended and the time quickly came to seven o'clock.
Amid the loud cheers and screams of the Miami fans at the scene, the game officially began.
The NBA's 2004-05 season also fired the first shot at the whistle.
The starting five for the Miami Heat are:
Point Guard (PG): Damon Jones,
Shooting Guard (SG): Dwayne Wade,
Small forward (SF): Eddie Jones,
Power forward (PF): Udonis Haslem,
Center (C): Shaquille O'Neal.
The starting five for the Indiana Pacers are:
Point Guard (PG): Jamal Tinsley,
Shooting Guard (SG): Reggie Miller,
Small forward (SF): Stephen Jackson,
Power forward (PF): Ron Artest,
Center (C): Jermaine O'Neal.
Lin Fei was sitting leisurely on the bench of the Heat, chatting with Tony Allen next to him.
According to Stan Van Gundy's pre-game arrangement, Lin Fei will probably play in the second half of the first quarter and the first half of the second quarter, replacing Damon Jones and Wade in the backcourt.
The Pacers player Lin Fei faces may be Tinsley, Lightning Miller or the team's sixth man Fred Jones on the bench.
Looking up at the top of the American Airlines Arena, it is indeed more luxurious and elegant than the Timberwolves' Target Center Arena.
There is also a red and blue No. 23 jersey flying on the roof. This is what Pat Riley did to lick Jordan. In Jordan's last season in 2002, when the Wizards played the Heat away game,
He took the initiative to retire Jordan's No. 23 jersey at the American Airlines Arena.
He didn't play a single game with the Heat, but he was able to have his jersey retired by the Heat. Michael Jordan was indeed Pat Riley's nightmare in the 1990s, and he really impressed this legendary coach.
Regardless of the New York Knicks led by Pat Riley in the early 1990s or the Miami Heat led by the late 1990s, they were all defeated by Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs without exception.
The Heat are also considered a relatively late team in the NBA, only one season earlier than the Timberwolves. They have now spent 16 seasons in the NBA without winning a championship.
At the same time, the team has only retired one Jordan's No. 23 jersey.
There is a high probability that Alonzo Mourning will also have his jersey retired by the Heat after he retires.
But the "Kidney Warrior" just received a kidney transplant last year and returned to the NBA this season, signing with the New Jersey Nets with an annual salary of $4.95 million.
"Bug" Tim Hardaway played for the Heat for 6 seasons. During his peak period, he teamed up with Mourning to lead the Heat to the playoffs many times. There is a high chance that he will have his jersey retired by the Heat.
Lin Fei looked at the roof of the stadium in a daze. He didn't know how many seasons he could play with the Heat, let alone whether he would have the chance to retire his Heat No. 22 jersey here.
Although Lin Fei helped the Timberwolves win the championship last season, he only played a few good games in the Western Conference Finals and Finals. It is naturally impossible for the Timberwolves to retire his jersey.
On the court at this time, two O'Neals stepped into the center circle and jumped for the ball.
"Snapped!"
As the saying goes, boxing is afraid of young people. Although O'Neal is stronger in body, O'Neal Jr.'s reactions are more sensitive.
The basketball was passed to point guard Tinsley by O'Neill, and the Pacers took the lead in attacking at the beginning.
Jamaal Tinsley brought the ball to the frontcourt and faced Damon Jones high at the top of the key.
Reggie Miller quickly moved without the ball to distract Wade's defensive attention, while O'Neal quickly brought up a strong pick-and-roll for his point guard teammates, and also took O'Neal out of the penalty area.
The Heat did not switch defenses when facing the pick-and-roll, which was also the defensive strategy developed by Stan Van Gundy before the game.
It is obvious that Ou is the first offensive core of the Pacers. His mid-range is very accurate, and he is a great threat whether he is catching the ball and attacking the basket or offensive rebounds during the pass.
O'Neal's main task on the defensive end tonight is to keep an eye on O'Neal and try to limit his catching shots and downward attacks to the basket.
Seeing that the Heat did not switch defenses and Damon Jones was obviously slower in catching up around the screen, Jamal Tinsley did not hesitate and accelerated directly into the penalty area.
"Whoosh!"
Udonis Haslem at power forward quickly made up for it, and Tinsley wanted to pass the ball to Artest who was left open.
But Haslem had predicted this a long time ago, and coupled with the timely change of defense, he directly blocked Tinsley's passing line.
Damon Jones also quickly caught up from behind. The Heat's double-team rotation was so quick that Tinsley almost made a mistake.
"Whoosh!"
At this time, Reggie Miller on the left outside borrowed a screen from O'Neal's horizontal movement, and threw Wade away and went straight into the penalty area.
Tinsley quickly separated the ball from that side, and Reggie Miller caught the ball and made an easy layup.
"Uh-huh!"
Facing Reggie Miller's sharp air cut behind the screen, Wade, who was unable to catch up, shook his head and sighed, secretly saying that he was careless.
During the team's training sessions, Wade often used chasing Lin Fei to practice his experience and ability in guarding people without the ball.
But he is used to Lin Fei never cutting to the basket, but just passing through the perimeter to catch the ball.
But players at the level of Reggie Miller and Ray Allen are different. Not only can they use various screens on the outside to run and catch the ball,
The layup and dunk from the air cut to the basket are also extremely sharp, as if a sharp blade directly penetrates the heart of the defense.
This goal was scored by Reggie Miller, and it was also related to the fact that O'Neal was dropped to the outside by O'Neal, leaving only Haslem in the penalty area.
O'Neal has a relatively accurate mid-range shot, so when he moves up the pick-and-roll, it is difficult for O'Neal to stay in the penalty area and not guard his way out.
But if Udonis Haslem at power forward is used to defend O'Brien's high pick-and-roll, Artest will also be left open. In addition to his strong defense, this guy also has strong mid-to-long-range shooting ability on the offensive end.
This season, the Pacers have moved O'Brien to the center position and Artest to the power forward position. This not only makes the team more flexible on the defensive end, but also doubles the threat of pick-and-rolls on the offensive end.
The ball is transferred and the Heat attack.
Wade received the ball from Damon Jones on the outside, changed direction and accelerated directly to get rid of the 39-year-old Miller. He watched O'Neal use his huge body to trap O'Neal on the outside of the penalty area.
"The Flash" didn't hesitate at all. He went straight into the penalty area and jumped up to deliver a tomahawk dunk.
However, Artest, who was on the right side of the penalty area, shook off Haslem and went directly down to cover. He jumped up from a diagonal stab, blocked the sky with his long arms and big hands, and slammed down the basketball that Wade raised above his head.
"Snapped!"
Artest was so powerful that he knocked Wade to the ground with the ball and the fan.
Wade was still too young and frivolous. He wanted to use his speed and explosive power to dunk directly in the opening game to boost the morale of the home team, but he ignored the bloodthirsty fangs of "The Beast" Artest.
The referee's whistle did not sound, and it was assumed that Artest was a good shot.
The first shot of the basketball was controlled by Stephen Jackson, who directly took the ball and turned over for a fast break.
Eddie Jones, who was on the opposite side, was obviously distracted when he returned to defense, and was completely shaken away by "Wu Sheng"'s forward change of direction which was not very smooth.
"Whoosh!"
Reggie Miller, who was walking down the wing, received an assist from Stephen Jackson. Wade, who was struggling to defend, overtook the ball in a corner and blocked the ball directly in front of his own penalty area.
I was also horrified in my heart.
One second, Wade was knocked to the ground by Artest's dribbling. The next second, he jumped up and quickly returned to the front of the defense. This speed, hard work and defensive enthusiasm were really terrifying.
The experienced Reggie Miller didn't panic at all. Seeing Wade blocking the penalty area, he stopped half a step outside the three-point line and jumped decisively to chase the three-pointer.
Wade's pupils were dilated. He had not yet regained his footing when he tried to rush back, but when he tried to rush forward and defended him, it was still too late.
I can only hope in my heart that Reggie Miller will miss the three-pointer.
"Uh-huh!"
The crisp sound of brushing the net suddenly sounded above his head, and Wedder suddenly felt disappointed.
The offensive end was blocked, and the defensive end was chased by Reggie Miller and he shot a three-pointer. The Pacers' opening five points were all scored by the 39-year-old Miller.
Wade's cheeks bulged with anger. He was abused at the beginning of the game at his home court. This humiliation was absolutely intolerable.
Heat (0): (5) Pacers.
Reggie Miller, who scored 5 points in a row, also shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands towards Wade while retreating. This expression seemed to say:
"Child, you are still too young after all!"
When the Heat attacked, Damon Jones wanted to pass the ball to O'Neal in the frontcourt, but the flexible O'Neal went around to complete the steal.
"Snapped!"
The Pacers once again launched a counterattack and fast break, but this time the Heat retreated in time.
Reggie Miller ran to catch the ball and then transferred it to Artest in the high post on the right.
Before O'Neal could return to defense, Artest relied on his strong body to get the ball and turned over to push Haslem away, savagely entering the penalty area and dunking.
"Boom!"
During this period, Artest can be said to be the league's top scorer at the small forward position. He has a certain target in mid-range and three-pointers. His breakthrough power with the ball is also very lethal, and he is highly similar to James.
Even at the power forward position, Artest's weight of 113 kilograms does not allow Haslem to take advantage of the matchup.
In less than 2 minutes, the Heat were beaten 7-0 by the Pacers. Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy, who was standing on the sidelines, did not hesitate and immediately called a long timeout.
Seeing the unfavorable start, the cheers of the Heat fans at home also decreased a lot.
The team obviously had no tactical coordination in the two attacks and played too simply and casually. This gave the Pacers the opportunity to continuously counterattack fast breaks.
Lin Fei, who was sitting on the bench, couldn't help but sigh. This season's Pacers are really too strong. They have strong soldiers and horses and are the absolute favorites to win the championship.
Unfortunately, in the original world, the incident at the Palace of Auburn Hills completely destroyed the Pacers' hopes of winning the championship.
But in today's parallel world, Lin Fei and the Timberwolves have already caused highly similar conflicts between Auburn Palace and Pistons fans in the finals.
The Pistons' home fans were criticized by the public for this, and the main culprits of the fans were banned from entering the NBA arena for life, and the security measures at the arena were further strengthened.
At the same time, the conflict spread throughout the league, and the Pacers players were sufficiently mentally prepared.
Taking all the circumstances into consideration, will the Walkers be able to avoid similar tragic events from happening again in this parallel world?
At least based on the current situation, Lin Fei thinks this is very possible.
Because the Pistons failed to win the championship last season, the arrogant Pistons fans also restrained their behavior a lot.
If, as Lin Fei expected, the Auburn Hills Palace incident does not happen to the Pacers again, then the Heat will be in trouble during this year's Eastern Conference playoff journey.
There must be another powerful opponent.
After the timeout, the Heat attack.
Wade held the ball in the high post and played a pick-and-roll with O'Neal, mismatching O'Neal Jr.
O'Neal deliberately shrank back into the penalty area and kept a sufficient distance from Wade who was holding the ball. This was obviously a rhythm of letting go of shots but not of surprise.
It seems that everyone in the Pacers knows very well that Wade's mid- and long-range shooting accuracy as a rookie is really not good.
Seeing that Xiao Ao had given him so much space, Wade had to shoot even if he didn't want to shoot, so he jumped up and took a decisive shot.
"Clang!"
This ball really doesn’t exist!
But O'Neal, who strode into the basket, grabbed the offensive rebound against O'Neal, got up again after landing, and delivered a powerful putback dunk.
"Boom!"
O'Neal scored his first two points with the Miami Heat with a shark dunk over O'Neal's head.
O'Neal can't stop O'Neal from dunking. Once this guy gets the ball in the low post, O'Neal will definitely not be able to take advantage.
The Pacers came to the offensive end and continued to play high pick-and-rolls, but this time Tinsley made a mistake in passing the ball and was directly intercepted by Damon Jones.
"Snapped!"
The Heat played a counterattack fast break. After receiving the ball, Wade made a sweeping move, throwing away Reggie Miller and heading straight to the frontcourt.
He jumped up in one step from the free throw line, leaped 3/4 of the penalty area, and delivered an explosive tomahawk dunk.
"Boom!"
The Heat scored 4 points in a row and quickly caught up with the score difference. The American Airlines Arena instantly erupted into cheers and screams.
Lin Fei also jumped up from his seat with the Heat bench players on the sidelines, waving towels for the explosive performance of O'Neal and Wade.
Both teams played their own tactical characteristics in the opening game. The Pacers used more pick-and-rolls to initiate offense, and the evolution of offensive tactics became more complex.
The Heat, on the other hand, made full use of the abilities of their two stars, attacking more inside to create damage, and also used active defensive steals to counterattack fast breaks.
Standing in front of the Pacers' bench, head coach Rick Carlisle crossed his arms and looked confident.
As a famous tactician, Carlisle has not yet gone to the Mavericks to coach Nowitzki during this period, but he has achieved great success with the Pistons and Pacers.
In the second row of seats behind the Pacers bench, team general manager Larry Bird also came to the away game.
Heat general manager Pat Riley was naturally sitting in the first row on the sidelines. Tonight was the Miami Heat's first official game after a major overhaul, so he was naturally very concerned.
On the court, Reggie Miller took advantage of the outside movement after the screen and missed the three-pointer.
"Clang!"
The long rebound was obtained by Eddie Jones, and a long pass was given to Wade, who had already thrown away Miller and rushed forward.
"Whoosh!"
Reggie Miller and Stephen Jackson were both frightened by Wade's counterattack speed. This guy is too fast.
"Boom!"
Seeing Wade get to the basket and deliver another explosive dunk, O'Neal also humorously pointed out the beauty of O'Neal next to him:
"Isn't my little brother very nice? I nicknamed him The Flash!"
Lin Fei, who was sitting on the bench, looked at Wade running tirelessly on the court. This scene also moved him instantly.
It's really good to be young and energetic. Now Wade is like an invincible little strongman.
The first quarter lasted for 6 minutes. The two teams went back and forth, but the score difference was never widened.
Heat (12): (15) Pacers.
The game came to the official timeout, and Stan Van Gundy also looked at Lin Fei in front of the bench.
"Lin, you go up next, replace Damon Jones, and try to partner with Dwayne in the backcourt!"
For a team like the Pacers, the defensive end of the penalty area is impregnable. Coupled with the effect of zone defense, it is difficult for O'Neal to have enough room to use his skills.
Lin Fei's three-pointer is likely to become the best weapon to defeat the Pacers' defense.
The moment Lin Fei stood up from the bench and took off his jacket, the American Airlines Arena burst into cheers and applause.
"Look, Lin is coming on!"
"Our starting five didn't have any baskets from the outside at the start of the game tonight, so the Pacers dared to shrink their defense unscrupulously. Now that Lin is here, this problem will be solved immediately!"
"After all, Lin is only a second-year rookie. He shot accurately in the Timberwolves and the national team. Can he still shoot accurately in our Heat?"
"Lin's defense has improved a lot in the preseason and he is fully qualified to start. It would be most appropriate for him to replace Damon Jones in the starting lineup!"
After returning from the timeout, Lin Fei stepped onto the court wearing the Heat's No. 22 jersey and officially began his journey with the Heat in the 2004-05 season.
The general who was still on the bench also stood up and applauded Lin Fei. He believed that gold will shine wherever it is.
And Lin Fei is such gold that will never be buried.
And he himself clearly needs greater efforts.
In a luxury box on the roof of the stadium, Mikey Arison, the owner of the Heat in his fifties, was sitting on the sofa wearing glasses, holding a brandy in his hand, looking down at the court with expectant eyes.
"Lin, I hope this Chinese player will not disappoint me and Riley!"
Mickey Arison owns the largest cruise line in the world.
On the "Forbes" world's richest list just announced at the beginning of the year, Arison's net worth is as high as 6.9 billion U.S. dollars, far more than ten times that of Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.
Among the owners of the 30 NBA teams in the league today, Mickey Arison is also ranked second in net worth, second only to Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen.
(End of chapter)
