Chapter 1050
You're usually like a black bear, but why do you turn into a kitten when you see h
"I really didn't expect you to win MVP as soon as you came back!" Lin Tian walked to Stern's side, and Stern grasped his hand, whispering to Lin Tian, "You are the most amazing and incredible athlete I have ever seen!"
"You are also the best sports league president I have ever met." Lin Tian did not refuse Stern's request and praised him, which was quite rare for him.
Unfortunately, Stern had never heard Lin Tian praise him before, and he was caught off guard, blurting out instinctively, "How many sports league presidents have you met?"
"Just you." Lin Tian, true to his nature, hugged Stern, then opened his arms and looked at the stunned Stern, saying, "You're not going to give it to me?"
"FUXX!"
Stern cursed in a voice no one could hear, then handed the MVP trophy to Lin Tian. According to the rules, he was supposed to give him a few words of advice. The old man was a man of many experience, and he didn't lose his composure or embarrass himself. Instead, he smiled and said, "Congratulations on the return of our MVP."
“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve presented him with this award, but I’m pretty sure Lin is one of the best MVPs ever. This league is great to have him, and I hope he plays for another 10 years!”
"Fight for another 10 years! Fight for another 10 years! Fight for another 10 years!"
Upon hearing Stern's words, the fans in the stadium became so excited that they immediately started shouting and cheering for Lin Tian.
Lin Tian accepted the trophy, first raising it to the fans around him, then taking the microphone and saying, "Actually, I've forgotten how many times I've received this trophy from David."
“I’ve received trophies from him many times, but I’m sure this isn’t the last time I’ll receive a trophy from David! This isn’t the last time I’ll receive a trophy from David this year!”
"We'll see each other again in June!"
"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!"
See you in June! See you in June! See you in June!
The fans at the stadium immediately understood Lin Tian's meaning, and the atmosphere in the stadium exploded once again, with the fans roaring like madmen.
What trophies can be awarded in June?
It's just the championship and Finals MVP trophies!
Go Lakers! Go Lin!
The fans at the scene went wild, while the Grizzlies players watching the awards ceremony from the corner were clearly not in the same mood.
"What arrogance!" Gasol couldn't help but exclaim. "This guy is arrogant and annoying wherever he goes!"
Although he hadn't played against Lin Tian much in the NBA, Spain had been eliminated by the Chinese team multiple times in FIBA competitions, and he had never had a good impression of Lin Tian.
“But the boss has the right to be arrogant!” Lin Tian’s little fanboy Randolph, well, now an old fanboy, looked at Lin Tian with shining eyes and said, “He’s just that amazing.”
"Zack, I just don't understand. You're usually as scary as a black bear, but how come you turn into a cat every time you see Lin?" Conley joked with a smile, expressing his confusion.
"Because he's Godzilla." Randolph grinned widely. "A black bear facing Godzilla is like a cat, isn't it?"
"You're not afraid of him, are you?" Another young man, Mayo, looked at Randolph with curiosity.
"I'm scared, of course I'm scared," Randolph admitted earnestly. "But I also enjoy the thrill of beating him! If I can eliminate him once in the playoffs, I'll go back and throw a party with all those old geezers from my Trail Blazers days!"
"Hahaha, they've never beaten Lin, only I have! So we have to step up our game this year! We have to crush the Lakers! We'll beat them, and then I'll throw a party in the summer, everyone come, everyone come!"
Randolph's words left his teammates somewhat at a loss for words.
How to pick it up?
They win the series so they can keep winning and eventually win the championship.
Randolph, are you just going to brag and throw a party after you win?
That makes it difficult to evaluate.
But how to say it?
Those who keep shouting about fighting for the championship and for glory may just be saying it casually; they might not actually put in that much effort on the field.
But Randolph's boasting and party-making were genuine; when this guy steps onto the court, he'll give it his all.
All he wanted was for those older brothers to say: "Aren't you awesome, kid?"
Randolph is the kind of guy who would risk his life for that one sentence.
Between men, isn't it all about this one sentence?
Therefore, Grizzlies head coach Hollins did not interrupt Randolph, nor did he stop him.
Everyone has different reasons for fighting. As long as they can truly unleash their fighting power, they don't care why they are fighting.
The key question is, how do we beat the Lakers?
Hollins has been losing strands of hair these past few days, hoping to come up with a way to stop and defeat the Lakers.
"This matchup is definitely one of the most unique in the league. The gap between the two teams on paper is huge!" Van Gundy said from the commentary booth. "The Lakers have four All-Stars, three of whom are selected to the All-NBA Team, and the other two are members of the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Team."
"And what about the Grizzlies? Marc Gasol and Tony Allen were both selected to the All-Defensive Team, but that's their only honor this year."
"No All-Stars, no All-NBA teams, and nothing else, they were definitely the most grassroots playoff team this year, yet they still beat the Nuggets and advanced to the second round."
"The popularity of these two teams is worlds apart, as are the player accolades. There is a huge gap in their level of attention, market presence, and all other aspects!"
"That's not all. Their playing styles are completely different from each other." Miller continued, "The Lakers are definitely the most dazzling team in the league this year. They play fast, their offense is fierce, their passing and cutting are exquisite, and they also have the league's top one-on-one players."
"The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are definitely one of the ugliest teams in the league. They have almost no fast breaks, don't shoot many three-pointers, and don't have many variations in their half-court offense. They just play methodically and grind down their opponents bit by bit."
"Slow, heavy, defensive, physical, and muscular – that’s the Grizzlies’ signature style of play."
"Honestly, I'm not sure if they can beat the Lakers, or how many games they can last, but I'm pretty sure every game they play against the Lakers will be incredibly tough! Even if the Lakers sweep them 4-0, don't expect it to be an easy game."
"The Grizzlies are the most difficult and troublesome team in the league. Their tenacity, resilience, and never-give-up grassroots spirit will cause the Lakers a lot of trouble!"
"In fact, if you ask me, looking at the entire Western Conference, the Grizzlies are definitely the most troublesome and painful team. They might also be the team in the entire league that can bring the Lakers the most pressure and painful games."
"You mean, the Grizzlies' style is a counter to the Lakers?" Jackson asked. "No, that's not what I meant. What I meant was that the Grizzlies are absolutely the worst opponent for any team," Miller said without hesitation. "No team likes playing against a team with the Grizzlies' style."
"They're very retro. They're like the Bad Boys of the early 90s or the Pistons' starting five of the early 21st century. The players aren't that famous, but they're just so tough to deal with. Anyone who goes up against them will be in for a world of hurt!"
"Especially tonight, Lin received the MVP trophy right in front of them. This is definitely a powerful blow to the Grizzlies players, and it can inspire them with extra motivation and fighting spirit!"
“I think it’s more than that,” Van Gundy said. “The Grizzlies are indeed quite exhausted. After playing the Game 7, they only had 36 hours of rest before coming to Los Angeles to continue their road trip. In the past few days, they have traveled from Memphis to Denver and then to Los Angeles.”
"They have endured a great deal of travel, that's a fact."
"But the good news is that they are not a team dominated by veterans. The vast majority of their players are under 30. They are young and have unlimited energy and spirit, which means that playing continuously may not have any negative impact on them."
"At least not tonight."
"On the contrary, they may not have gotten out of the rhythm of the Game 7 yet. They can maintain their form and take advantage of the confidence and form they gained in the last game of the first round to catch the Lakers off guard."
"Because the Lakers had a day off, they are indeed well-rested, but they may have rested too much and might be slower to start and get into the game than the Grizzlies. So tonight, the Grizzlies must seize the initiative and take the lead!"
"Jeff means you think the Grizzlies will pull off an upset and advance?" Jackson grinned mischievously, digging another hole for Van Gundy.
“I didn’t say that, and I certainly didn’t mean it that way.” Van Gundy, being a seasoned veteran, was not going to fall for it so easily. He continued, “What I meant was, if the Grizzlies were to pull off an upset, which game would they be most likely to win?”
"That's tonight! The Grizzlies, in top form and at their peak, face the Lakers, who might be too relaxed and slow to start due to too much rest. This is the Grizzlies' best chance yet!"
Whether they can seize the opportunity depends on their own efforts.
"In short, the blow and stimulus that Lin's MVP award dealt to them, and their fighting spirit that is still in combat mode, are the two keys to their victory tonight."
"I don't know if the Grizzlies can capitalize on this opportunity, but it's definitely their best, and perhaps only, chance!"
“I think the first key to victory that Jeff mentioned is no longer valid.” As soon as Van Gundy finished speaking, Miller pointed to the court and showed it to Van Gundy.
On the field, the starting players from both sides slowly walked onto the field. Randolph took the lead and headed aggressively towards Lin Tian. The moment he saw Lin Tian, his big white teeth were revealed.
He smiled so brightly, and greeted Lin Tian with a round of catching up and congratulations.
Jackson also noticed that Randolph, a man of principle, didn't put his arm around Lin Tian's shoulder like he would with the other guys, which meant that he didn't consider Lin Tian a guy.
They're treating Lin Tian like an older brother, showing him a lot of respect.
As for why Randolph treated him like an older brother, Lin Tian was always confused.
This was the first time the two had met in the playoffs. Previously, Lin Tian was in the East and Randolph was in the West, and they would meet at most twice a year.
Just because the Trail Blazers were full of scoundrels back then, and just because Pippen taught by example, he directly cultivated a group of young fans.
If you're going to take someone out, fine, but why have you persisted all this time?
Lin Tian was genuinely surprised by this unwavering and persistent spirit of fandom.
It really all started with fighting and ended with character, appearance, personality, achievements, abilities, money, charm, ball skills, and so on, right?
Regardless of what Lin Tian thought, Randolph's servile demeanor and his transformation from an invincible black bear into an adorable Winnie the Pooh in the blink of an eye truly made Van Gundy lose face.
He had just said that winning the MVP trophy would motivate the Grizzlies, but the Grizzlies' star player turned around and acted like a little brother, practically begging for autographs and photos.
Extra power?
I can't see it at all!
"But at least, the second one is still there!" Van Gundy coughed. After all, he was a veteran commentator and wouldn't panic over such a small accident. He simply used his thick skin to indicate that the Grizzlies still had the advantage in terms of maintaining their form and excitement.
"Too much rest isn't necessarily a good thing! Let's watch the game!"
The referee saved Van Gundy's life, preventing Jackson and Miller from further harassing him.
The referee had already arrived in the middle of the court, indicating that Randolph and Lin Tian's reminiscing was about over, and both sides should quickly take their positions and not waste time, as the game was about to begin.
"I'll treat you to drinks after the match, Lin! You absolutely have to come!" Randolph wasn't giving up yet, making a 'call me' gesture to Lin Tian from afar, seemingly without any awareness that the two were about to stand in the arena and fight to the death.
It's no wonder that this guy consistently racked up 20+10 points year after year for the first ten years of his career, but his reputation got worse and worse each year, to the point that during the offseason, apart from the Grizzlies, very few teams contacted him and offered him contracts.
Before this year, Randolph was basically recognized as the number one cancer in the league.
Of course, this guy has turned things around, so what kind of performance can he deliver in this series? Will he act like a lackey, just like he did towards Lin Tian before the series started?
The starting players from both sides took their positions.
"Oh, look, the Lakers have indeed changed their starting lineup against the Grizzlies, who have a stronger interior presence! Barnes, who is better at dealing with perimeter players, is on the bench, while the team's French center, Turiaf, has become a starter. This is clearly a proactive adjustment made in response to the Grizzlies." After the starting players for both sides were finalized, Miller began to analyze the starting lineups of both teams.
"The remaining four are of course the Lakers' four regular superstars: Lin, Kobe, Durant, and Bynum. Speaking of which, the Lakers changed their starting lineup in the first round, letting Turiaf guard Garnett, but the effect was quite bad. Garnett played almost like he was in his prime in the last three games."
"So, can Turiaf hold his own against Randolph in this round?"
"The Grizzlies haven't changed their starting lineup. They clearly have a lot of faith in this lineup that will help them break their franchise record and reach the second round for the first time," Jackson added. "The 'Grizzlies' duo continues to pair up in the frontcourt, with Mayo and Conley anchoring the backcourt, and Battier, a defensive forward who has been selected to the All-Defensive Team multiple times, still playing at small forward."
"I've always felt that this lineup is the most tenacious and best defensive lineup in the league right now. Marc Gasol and Shane Battier are both top-tier defenders at the level of Defensive Player of the Year. Zach Randolph's defense has also improved a lot this year, and his ability to defend at the top is also first-class. Mike Conley is definitely one of the most underestimated defenders among the guards. When all of them are on the court at the same time, it's a nightmare for all opponents."
"But actually the Grizzlies have an even stronger lineup. They can bring on Tony Allen and take off Mayo. This way, although the team's offensive ability will decline further, their defense will be a level above! Three top-class defenders of Defensive Player of the Year caliber together would be an absolute nightmare for everyone. Even Lin wouldn't be able to get the better of them."
"Not entirely," Miller interjected with a laugh. "Have you guys forgotten about that series?" (End of Chapter)