Chapter 6.15 Farewell, Miami King

June 15th, AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami.

No one knew why...

Even though the Heat were leading the Finals 3-0, just one step away from a three-peat...

When the fans entered the arena this day in Miami...

An indescribable emotion surged into everyone's hearts in an instant.

If you don't watch basketball, you'll never understand...

This summer's memories were destined to be filled with farewell.

In Miami, because the Heat had already secured match point in this Finals series...

The Larry O'Brien Trophy, symbolizing the NBA's highest team honor, had been sent to Miami overnight before Game 4 of the Finals between the Mavericks and the Heat.

In addition, NBA officials rehearsed the championship award ceremony on the morning of the 15th.

Before the game, Riley, dressed in a black suit with slicked-back hair, looked at Su Feng with a teasing expression and said, "If we can win tonight, this will be your last battle in Miami."

Hearing this, Su Feng knew Riley was hinting at something.

Because in his farewell game in Toronto, Su Feng and Nash had combined for a miraculous 62 points and 23 assists in three quarters...

So at this moment, Riley's unspoken meaning was clear:

Whatever you want to do in this game...

We will fully support you.

But...

Compared to the Su Feng of yesteryear, who was full of ambition...

In the Heat's locker room, after getting up and patting Riley on the shoulder, Su Feng said, "Pat, do you know why we've been able to terrify every opponent in the playoffs this season despite being underestimated?"

"Because this Miami Heat team is the best team in NBA history," Su Feng added, looking at Riley.

And now...

After letting out a long sigh, Riley said with emotion, "If I were the Mavericks' coach tonight, I would feel utterly hopeless."

Poor John Davis.

Do you know...

Even with a 3-0 lead...

Your former protégé doesn't have any weaknesses.

"Let's go, guys!

Let's win that damn championship trophy!" In the locker room, after his teammates finished changing their equipment, Su Feng smiled at everyone.

And at the AmericanAirlines Arena, as the two teams' players stepped onto the battlefield...

The sense of loss in the hearts of nearly 20,000 Heat fans was written all over their faces.

Especially when the highlights of Su Feng's Heat career began playing on the big screen...

Those classic moments were like sharp knives, piercing the hearts of the fans in attendance.

And on the court...

During the two teams' starting lineups introductions, the DJ spent a full 15 minutes introducing Su Feng...

But...

After that lengthy introduction...

The nearly 20,000 fans in attendance felt that time had passed far too quickly.

Paper is short, but emotions are long, not enough to tell of youthful days.

Time is long, but sorrow lingers, never-ending farewell blues.

At parting, a sigh, because the era that belonged to the Miami King was about to fade into the past.

And when the wind rises, a long roar, because those glorious days will continue to echo.

In Miami.

Some were crying.

Some were already in tears.

And some had already lost their voices.

But...

When the man wearing the Miami Heat's No. 23 jersey stepped onto the center stage...

A cheer that could shake mountains and rivers and cause the earth to collapse resounded throughout North America in an instant.

"MVP————!!"

"MVP————!!"

"MVP————!!"

Once a king.

Forever a king.

Wherever you go, Miami tonight is destined to cheer only for you.

On the court, after the starting lineups introductions, the two teams' starting lineups for tonight immediately appeared on the big screen:

Mavericks: Chandler, Nowitzki, Posey, Terry, Kidd.

Heat: O'Neal, Haslem, Su Feng, Stackhouse, Ginobili.

On the court, before the jump ball with Chandler to start the game, O'Neal looked down at Su Feng and asked, "Su, are you really not considering scoring 60 points in this game to say goodbye to the Miami fans?"

Hearing this, Su Feng's thoughts were instantly pulled back to Kobe's retirement game in his previous life.

"Shaq, if we can win this game smoothly...

It will not only be my farewell performance in the Miami era.

At the same time, it may also be the last game we work together in the NBA.

Therefore, rather than me enjoying the game alone...

Tonight, I hope that each of us can enjoy the joy that basketball brings us," Su Feng said with a smile after patting O'Neal on the shoulder.

And at this moment, looking at Su Feng...

After nodding thoughtfully, O'Neal immediately stepped towards the center of the court.

This night, Chandler was unable to stage a comeback in front of O'Neal again.

Because with a 0-3 deficit, the Mavericks' morale was no longer the same as in the previous two games.

Although the little driver, who had grown up being beaten, still had firm eyes tonight.

But before the two teams' fourth game began, most of the Mavericks players had already lost the courage to continue fighting the Heat.

Just like Dota 2...

The phrase "Come on, one more game" that someone subconsciously said during the TI7 finals.

On this night, it wasn't that the Mavericks' players chose to give up early.

But...

In the Heat's repeated torment, their spirit had already been smoothed out in the previous two games.

On the court, after the jump ball, the Heat attacked first.

Receiving Su Feng's sudden pass, Stackhouse scored the first point for the Heat on the right wing.

0-3.

How outrageous was Stackhouse's three-point percentage in this Finals series during the Heat's playoff run this year, where his confidence grew stronger and stronger?

10 out of 15.

66.7%.

In the words of Heat fans...

As long as Stackhouse raises his right hand in the Finals...

Then next, you only need to listen quietly to the sound of the basketball swishing through the net.

And back, after Nowitzki scored with a hook shot in the low post, the Heat quickly sent out a baseline pass.

Ginobili dribbled quickly and advanced rapidly into the Mavericks' restricted area.

And just at this moment when the Mavericks' defensive attention was all attracted by Ginobili...

The Argentine Manu Ginobili threw the ball behind his head in an incomprehensible way...

Immediately afterward, Su Feng, who followed up, threw the basketball into the sky the moment he got the ball.

Clang——!

In the restricted area, O'Neal completed an alley-oop dunk with both hands!

2-5.

Mom, I'm going to be on the top five plays again!

On the court, after completing the dunk, O'Neal strode back to his own half before Su Feng could come up and high-five him.

Perhaps, celebrating with the "Overlord Step" at this time would make his dunk even more memorable.

But...

O'Neal knew very well.

Only by retreating to his own half at the first moment could the Heat prevent the Mavericks from launching a transition offense.

Mavericks possession.

After settling into the half-court position, Kidd broke through with a screen and scored a layup.

4-5.

Heat offense.

O'Neal, Su Feng, and Ginobili formed the triangle offense.

And just as Su Feng was about to pass the ball to him in the high post, O'Neal, observing Haslem's run, completed a wonderful inside-outside pass with him.

In basketball, dunks are indeed exciting.

But, sometimes, ordinary layups are also very important.

Under the basket, after scoring two points for the Heat, Haslem didn't pound his chest or roar to the sky.

At this moment, Haslem was just the Heat's starting power forward tonight, nothing more.

It was the Mavericks' turn to attack.

The little driver's one-legged fadeaway failed to hit, and in the restricted area, O'Neal was responsible for boxing out, and Su Feng successfully grabbed the rebound.

Taking advantage of the Mavericks' slow retreat, Su Feng, noticing that Ginobili had already fast-breaked in advance, assisted the Manu Ginobili in completing a beautiful one-handed slam dunk.

When I was young, who wasn't an aerialist in this league? (Curry:?)

Although Ginobili's behavior of fast-breaking in advance may cause his own defense to become a four-on-five because the opponent grabs the offensive rebound...

But, if you just use the conventional to look at Manu Ginobili...

Then how could he leave so many wonderful highlights in the NBA?

I am who I am.

A different kind of firework.

Never playing by the rules.

This is Manu Ginobili.

On the sideline, on the Mavericks' bench, watching the Heat's aggressive offensive at the beginning of the game, Davis had already planned to call a timeout.

But...

The Heat this night seemed like a precisely operating machine...

Under Su Feng's orchestration, they, who were fulfilling their duties on the court, had already entered a realm that could not be described in words.

In the second half of the first quarter, the young Louis Williams, who had just come off the bench, pulled up for an unreasonable three-pointer in the face of Kidd after receiving Su Feng's pass.

Do you think this shot is reasonable?

No...

Of course this shot is unreasonable.

But in the Miami Heat, Louis Williams never needs to consider what is reasonable or unreasonable.

Because daring to let a 19-year-old young guard throw it in this way in the Finals...

This is truly unreasonable.

AmericanAirlines Arena, at the end of the first quarter, 29 to 41.

In front of the Mavericks' sharp spear...

The Miami Heat's swift and fiery offense had already burned the Mavericks to just the handle.

In the second quarter, the little driver, who was unwilling to give up, did not choose to rest.

But one second ago, Nowitzki finally used a three-pointer to bring the score difference back to within 10 points for the Mavericks...

Right back, Su Feng used a no-look pass to find Ersan Ilyasova lurking at the bottom corner.

Swish!

It is true that compared to Nowitzki, Ersan Ilyasova couldn't even be called a "low-end little driver."

However, as a big man with accurate shooting, the progress Ersan Ilyasova had made this year had given the Heat a wider offensive space.

After Game 3, in an interview with the Turkish media, the always humble Ilyasova said very frankly, "Maybe I will never be able to surpass Dirk Nowitzki in my life.

However, in the Miami Heat, I don't need to surpass Dirk.

Because I only need to seize the opportunities created for me by my teammates."

On the court, Mavericks possession.

Terry's step-back jumper failed to hit.

Chuck Hayes grabbed the rebound for the Heat.

Immediately afterward, Alonzo Mourning, who was catching up on the fast break, also scored with a dunk after receiving an assist from Su Feng.

Compared to the iron man of yesteryear...

The Mourning of today had long forgotten how to post up in the low post.

However, during the time he cooperated with Su Feng...

It was Mourning's happiest time playing on the court.

Because when he was desperately wrestling with the opponent's inside players on the court...

He never had to worry about a black shadow suddenly appearing above his head and completing a dunk over him.

And on the court, after Terry's shot missed again...

Chuck Hayes once again protected the rebound for the Heat.

As another stocky rebound monster who had cooperated with Su Feng...

Although Chuck Hayes's arms were not as thick as Ben Wallace's...

However, he, who was only 198 centimeters tall, could always grab rebounds from the opponent's seven-foot giants for the Heat.

And when defending...

Chuck Hayes never just had brute force.

Look, isn't it...

After Su Feng scored on a fast break, Mavericks offense, Chuck Hayes created a charging foul on Nowitzki.

On the sideline, as the Heat gradually widened the score difference...

Davis also called timeouts continuously in the second quarter, trying to interrupt the Heat's offensive rhythm.

However...

On the court, not only was the Heat's offensive rhythm not disrupted...

But even the Mavericks players on the court, who were playing more and more crazy, had the idea that...

No matter what, they could not defeat this Heat team.

Swish——!

Before the end of the second quarter, after receiving an assist from Su Feng, Jason Kapono made a three-pointer near the top of the arc for the Heat.

As this three-pointer went in cleanly...

At this time, the score difference between the two teams had been widened to a full 25 points.

51 to 76.

During the halftime break, commentators on major American TV stations had already begun to congratulate the Heat on achieving a three-peat.

On CCTV, Zhang指导 (Zhang's guidance) and Yu Jia were directly discussing Su Feng's historical status after leading the Heat to complete a three-peat this year.

So...

That's why Kenny Smith is "professional," isn't he?

"I say...

Haven't you guys noticed that Su has already delivered 16 assists in the first half?"

Inside the TNT TV studio, looking at Barkley and Pippen, who was a guest on TNT TV tonight, Smith asked with a puzzled look.

Hearing this, after Smith's words awakened the dreamer, Pippen, who was complaining about Jordan with Barkley, realized that...

On this night when all the Heat players were in the zone...

Su Feng was very likely to create a new NBA historical record in his farewell battle in the Miami era.

NBA Finals single-game assist record.

Created by Steve Nash in that Last Game of the 02/03 season.

And now...

Su Feng, who had delivered 16 assists in the first half...

Was already infinitely approaching this historical record!

"Tonight, he has changed his way of dominating the court."

At the AmericanAirlines Arena, after the second half of the game began, watching the "mastermind" who had put all the Heat players in the zone tonight, Kobe also said with emotion with a gratified look.

On the court, with 10 minutes and 28 seconds left in the third quarter, Su Feng passed the ball to the baseline, and Kapono made another three-pointer.

This was Su Feng's 17th assist of the game.

Immediately afterward, with 8 minutes and 48 seconds left in the third quarter, Su Feng, who once again found Kapono through a no-look pass, also successfully harvested his 18th assist of the game.

Jason Kapono.

One of the Miami Heat's water fountain managers on weekdays.

A player who can't do anything in the NBA except for three-pointers.

But, as long as he can keep shooting three-pointers on the court...

What if his defense is equivalent to air?

Swish——!

On the court, with 6 minutes and 15 seconds left in the third quarter, Trevor Ariza scored after receiving a pass from Su Feng after breaking through!

At this time, on the sideline, John Davis was completely numb.

Because if even Trevor Ariza is so accurate...

Then how do you expect the Mavericks to chase the score?

Swish——!

At the AmericanAirlines Arena, when Gary Payton, who came off the bench in the second half of the third quarter, also made a three-pointer from the baseline after receiving a pass from Su Feng...

On the court, at this moment, perhaps only O'Neal, who had been swept by Su Feng three times in the Finals in the past, could understand Nowitzki's feelings at this moment...

Because the more you persist, the more painful it will be when your dream breaks.

"Come back next year, Dirk!"

On the Mavericks' bench, with 2 minutes and 15 seconds left in the third quarter, Davis took off all of the Mavericks' main players early.

Because the score difference the Mavericks were behind at this time was close to 40 points...

So rather than continuing to stubbornly resist...

Davis, who had already decided to shoulder all the blame alone after the Finals, knew...

He needed to give the Mavericks players, who had tried their best in this Finals series, a dignified exit.

It is worth mentioning that...

After the Mavericks chose to take off all of their main players, Su Feng, who was only 1 assist away from surpassing Nash, also took the initiative to request a rest.

Perhaps, by playing one more offensive possession, Su Feng could create a new single-game assist record in the Finals.

But...

With Su Feng's current status...

Why would he need to fight for that so-called record at a time when he needed to respect his opponent?

Everyone played very happily in this game.

And in Su Feng's view, that was enough.

Moreover, he would have plenty of time to create records in the future...

Why would he be in such a hurry at this moment?

This Mavericks team deserved respect.

So on the court, after the Mavericks completed their substitution adjustments, amid the Miami fans' regretful sighs, as well as the cheers and applause that followed, with 23 assists in the Finals, tied for first in history with Nash, Su Feng also slowly walked towards the Heat's bench.

"This is the king of the NBA!"

On the sideline, when Su Feng returned to the bench, Rajon Rondo said with admiration.

Next, this game had already become a happy time for the Heat players.

In the fourth quarter, on the sideline, the Heat's bench was in a complete mess.

As the Mavericks' substitutes, who had no intention of fighting, and the Heat's substitutes, who were completely focused on how to celebrate winning the championship, perfunctorily finished the final quarter of the game...

AmericanAirlines Arena...

Looking at that man's figure...

Facts proved...

When the fireworks rose, the Miami King era that once belonged to Su Feng would not disappear with the passage of time, but would only be remembered often in the drifting of time.

Farewell can blur the eyes.

But...

Farewell cannot blur yesterday.

Farewell!

King of Miami!

…

ps: "I Really Just Want to Play Iron" Part 3 "Those Miami Affairs That Year" has officially come to an end! And next, when the update on the 28th, it will be the last part of the series, which is the plot of Part 4!