Chapter 5 An Unexpected Setback

On the evening of the 5th, just after celebrating his 28th birthday and determined to lead the Heat to create history, Su Feng suffered a blow in Miami.

At the American Airlines Arena, facing the Mavericks, the old rivals who had lost to him in the Finals last year, even Su Feng, who was usually so prescient...

He hadn't anticipated that Kidd would secretly log into Iverson's account.

In the first quarter, Kidd, who made 6 of 9 shots, scored 19 points for the Mavericks with free throws and three-pointers, and also successfully drew two fouls on O'Neal and Hayes.

As everyone knows, in the NBA, there are only nicknames that are right, never nicknames that are wrong.

So...

How could Su Feng have imagined that the "Magician of Steel" would transform into "Phantom Thief Kidd" that night?

To be fair, this wasn't just Su Feng's impression.

But in this life, in his past encounters with Kidd...

Kidd's average shot attempts were less than 9 times per game.

Therefore, when the 33-year-old Kidd charged into the Heat's interior with a bomb strapped to his chest time and time again...

Like Michael Jordan back in the day.

Su Feng once again felt the determination of this era's stars to resist his brutal rule on the court.

In fact, the so-called "Kidd Doesn't Attack" is more of a joke about Kidd.

After all, with Kidd's historical-level point guard build...

In many people's eyes, it should be easy for Kidd to get twenty or thirty points on the court.

But on the basketball court, if build alone could determine everything...

Then God knows how many players in the NBA's long history would have something to say.

In Su Feng's original timeline, many people only remembered Kidd's "n shots 1 made" games, but few knew that Kidd had made a total of 1988 three-pointers by the time he retired.

In addition, few people knew that Kidd had averaged 20+ points in the playoffs.

Moreover, when Kidd first retired, he was still the tenth-most three-pointers made player in NBA playoff history.

He had even scored 43 points in a regular-season game against the Mosaic in the 00/01 season.

In the later stages of his career, due to the decline in physical function and the impact of injuries, Kidd gradually transformed into the "Kidd Doesn't Attack" that people knew.

But even so, Kidd rarely hesitated when there were open opportunities on the court.

And in this life...

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate.

Because Kidd had always been healthy during his time with the Lakers, people were fortunate enough to witness the legendary "iron tree in bloom" that night.

On the court, after Kidd laid the foundation for the Mavericks in the first quarter, they never gave the Heat a chance to come back in the next three quarters.

This season, although Finley's departure had somewhat affected the Mavericks' overall strength...

But David Lee, whom the Mavericks had found in the draft last summer, gave Nowitzki a reliable substitute in the new season.

And on the court, because O'Neal and Hayes were troubled by fouls, David Lee's performance was particularly eye-catching that night.

In the entire game, David Lee grabbed 9 rebounds in just 18 minutes of playing time for the Mavericks.

In the end, 123 to 109, the Dallas Mavericks successfully defeated the Miami Heat on the road.

After losing to the Mavericks at home, the Heat's number of losses this season also reached six.

After the game, at the press conference, Su Feng didn't blame his teammates too much.

Because in this game...

The Mavericks had used up all the luck they had accumulated for n years.

In Su Feng's opinion, regardless of whether Kidd suffered a major injury in this life, if Kidd could put up 38 points in a single game for the team like tonight, then competing with himself this season

Mission Requirement 2: Lead the Chinese men's basketball team to defeat the American men's basketball team in the World Men's Basketball Championship in Japan this summer.

Mission Completion Reward: Basketball God Badge progress +5.

Mission Failure Penalty: Surely not, surely you wouldn't want to be mocked by Paul Pierce, who has crowned himself as your only successor, right?"

Su Feng: "..."

Good heavens!

Before, when this dog system issued mission requirements, Su Feng was still wondering where Pierce had gone...

Turns out...

Pierce had already been lurking in the mission failure penalty.

However...

Come to think of it...

Because he had been busy with how to defend his title recently, Su Feng seemed to have forgotten about the World Championship mission for the men's basketball team this summer.

As in Su Feng's memory, after Larry Brown led the American men's basketball team to defeat in Athens, the American Basketball Association hired Coach K, who was well-known in college basketball, to serve as the head coach of the American men's basketball team.

However, in Su Feng's original timeline, in the summer of '06, the American men's basketball team, which had gathered the '03 generation, still failed to recast the glory of the former Dream Team.

In this World Basketball Championship, it was European basketball that truly shone.

In fact, at this time, it was an indisputable fact that European basketball had surpassed American basketball in terms of tactical thinking.

As the saying goes, poverty breeds tactical innovation...

In Su Feng's memory, in this World Championship, in addition to Wang Shipeng's buzzer-beater, the flowing coordination of the Greek men's basketball team and the gorgeous offense of the Spanish men's basketball team's golden generation were truly eye-opening.

As for Coach K, who would be blown into the heavens by some achievements in the future...

In Su Feng's opinion, he wasn't that incredible.

Because before Durant, this FIBA unparalleled killer, joined the American men's basketball team...

Whether it was '06 or '08, Coach K was tactically played by European coaches.

To put it bluntly...

Even if you give me 12 Jordans, in a basketball game, the one responsible for scoring the final basket can only be one of these 12 Jordans.

Therefore, the so-called luxurious lineup, godlike lineup, can only live in people's imaginations forever.

In Su Feng's opinion, as long as the Chinese men's basketball team can resolutely focus on himself and Yao, these two unsolvable powerhouses in the FIBA arena, the Chinese men's basketball team still has a great chance of winning the championship in this World Championship.

Because unlike the American men's basketball team, which has too many stars...

In the FIBA arena, the Chinese men's basketball team, which has a clearer offensive approach, is, in Su Feng's eyes, the number one nemesis of the Greek and Spanish all-star playstyle!

Just like in DotA2, a single-core lineup counters a three-core lineup, a dual-core lineup counters a single-core lineup, and a three-core lineup counters a dual-core lineup.

At the '08 Olympics, although the Greek men's basketball team at that time was no longer what it used to be, the Chinese men's basketball team, which resolutely focused on Yao, nearly defeated Greece and Spain, which was the best proof.

"Well... after the regular season is over, I have to take some time to discuss it with Coach Zhang." This day, after receiving the mission issued by the system, Su Feng silently thought to himself.

Speaking of which, I wonder what Sun Yue is up to in this life...

Two years ago, since the Las Vegas training camp, because Su Feng had been busy building a dynasty in the NBA in the past two years, Su Feng had learned most of the domestic basketball news from chatting with Yao in the summer.

In Su Feng's eyes, no matter what, in this life, he would have to whip Sun Yue out with a leather whip.

Because by '08...

When talking about the American men's basketball team again...

It would be difficult for Su Feng to be as relaxed as he was now.

Therefore...

Su Feng knew very well that bringing out one more helper now...

Meant that he could buy himself a few more seconds in that future battle of hell.

Cough.

Su Feng turning around to ask Old Hu about Sun Yue's recent situation is a story for another time.

Online, because the Heat only needed to win three of their last four regular-season games to create a new NBA historical record, and as long as they won two games, they could ensure that they tied the NBA's best record, these two days...

God knows how worried the Maple haters and Heat haters were!

It was just regrettable that...

In the last 4 regular-season games of the 05/06 season, the Heat neither only won two games nor only won three games.

On the evening of the 19th, after defeating the Charlotte Bobcats by a score of 44 points in Miami, the Heat, who won all 4 of their last 4 regular-season games, successfully raised the NBA's best historical record to 76 games.

76 wins and 6 losses.

After the long regular season came to an end, the Heat created a new history as they wished!

American Airlines Arena...

On this night, excitement, joy, excitement...

In short, at this historic moment, no matter how you described the joy of the Heat fans, it wouldn't be an exaggeration.

As for Su Feng, who had led the Raptors to a 74-8 record in the NBA back in the day...

In this moment, filled with a sense of accomplishment, he was also very proud.

Compared to that star-studded Raptors team back then...

This time in Miami, Su Feng gained a completely different sense of accomplishment.

Because of the sanctions of the super luxury tax, even if Su Feng had the ability to foresee the future, he couldn't build another Toronto Raptors.

In Su Feng's opinion, the Heat being able to get to where they are today, besides his 99% contribution, Riley deserves at least 1% of the credit.

Although in his memory, people would think of many bad things when they thought of Riley, the fact proved that in terms of team building and coaching ability, this guy was definitely a godfather-level figure.

In the past two years, whether it was the lineup construction or the daily tactics, Su Feng had not "excessively" "interfered" with Riley.

The only thing that Su Feng regretted was probably the fact that Riley's team was not suitable for retirement.

Su Feng knew very well that even if he knew that he could play for another fifteen years, when he got older, the conflict between Riley and himself would inevitably erupt.

Because in terms of team-building ideas...

This guy Riley was simply a replica of Wenger in the basketball world.

Don't ask.

Asking means that Arsenal is short of money, so they can only sell their captains every year.

As the saying goes, it is difficult to change one's nature.

Just like in this life, even if Su Feng indirectly changed the fates of Kobe, James, and others, their personalities were still roughly similar to what he remembered.

As a man destined to become the NBA's number one player in history, Su Feng, who was already physically and mentally exhausted, didn't want to experience another Larry Brown in the later stages of his career.

So on the evening of the 19th...

When the entire Florida was immersed in joy...

Su Feng also faintly realized that after tonight, the day he left Miami was one step closer...

He came as a king.

He will leave as a legend.

Whether he was right or wrong, let future generations judge.

And today, Su Feng, who is still the King of Miami, has only one goal at the moment: the championship!

Look!

How ugly is that lonely championship banner above the dome of the American Airlines Arena...

Therefore...

Wouldn't it be great to find it two like-minded little buddies?

On the evening of the 19th, after the Lakers and Suns' regular-season finale was held later, the NBA regular season of 05/06 came to an end!

East.

In addition to the Heat, who created a new best historical record, the rankings from second to eighth were as follows:

76ers, Celtics, Pistons, Cavaliers, Hawks, Wizards, Raptors.

This season, the Nets, who traded Martin back for Camby, realized that they had been fooled a month after the start of the 05/06 season.

Therefore, they had to grit their teeth and continue to struggle, watching the Raptors steal the playoff ticket that should have belonged to them in the second half of the season.

In the second half of the season, the exhausted Francis was sidelined with a stress fracture in his right knee.

Relying on Pierce alone, the Nets could not compete with other Eastern teams.

As for the Raptors...

Interestingly, in the second half of the regular season, they also lost Marbury, but they won 16 of their last 20 games and successfully made the playoffs.

As the saying goes, winning isn't awkward, whoever is missing is awkward.

This season, Marbury, who had a falling out with Carter, had become Toronto's number one scapegoat.

Online, according to public opinion polls, more than 95% of Raptors fans supported the team trading Marbury away next season.

Some radicals even believed that the Raptors could directly choose to buy out Marbury's contract if no team was willing to take over Marbury.

From a Boston hero to being reviled by thousands today...

For a time, looking at the criticism from the outside world, Marbury, this social youth, was also confused...

As for the emerging new forces in the East in the past two years...

The Cavaliers and Hawks, who were ranked fifth and sixth in the East, were regarded as the two teams most likely to pull off an upset in this year's playoffs.

As the successor of Emperor Feng, James, who finally avoided the Big Three in the East in the first round of the playoffs this year, knew that he had ushered in the best opportunity to break through the first round of the playoffs.

In the regular season, because the Celtics had a 2-2 record against them, Wade, the jawbreaker, was also full of confidence before the start of this series.

In short, compared to Paul and Melo, James and Wade have a bright future this season.

Because next door in the West...

Paul and Melo encountered hell difficulty right from the start this year.

From one to eight, this year's Western Conference regular season rankings were as follows:

Warriors, Jazz, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Suns, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Lakers.

According to the rankings, in the first round, Paul and Garnett will encounter their tormentors from last year, the Mavericks.

As for Melo, he will face the Jazz, who swept the Nuggets in the regular season.

This season, John Davis, who learned from the painful lessons of the Raptors era like Su Feng, started a crazy rotation mode in the regular season.

As a regular-season MVP candidate this season, without having taken maternity leave like Su Feng, Dirk Nowitzki only played 70 games for the Mavericks in the regular season.

As for veterans like Kidd, they basically played two games and rested one.

Before, in the regular-season game against the Heat, Kidd's outburst was also related to his ample physical reserves.

It was just a pity that, because they didn't have a core like the Heat who could always not take a rest day except for maternity leave...

Under this almost crazy rotation mode, the Mavericks naturally couldn't maintain the same regular-season record as last season.

As for the team that has given fans the most surprises this year...

The Jazz, who were regarded as dark horses from the very beginning of the regular season, were dark horses all the way to the end in the regular season.

As the team with the youngest average age in the entire league...

Before the start of this year's playoffs, Barkley commented on the Jazz like this: "If you ask me which team is the strongest in the NBA right now, I will definitely tell you it's the Miami Heat.

But if you ask me which team has the most potential for the future, then I will definitely tell you it's the Utah Jazz."

It was just...

After being poisoned by Barkley's milk...

Su Feng always felt that this Jazz team was likely to not survive three episodes.

Because back then...

Even someone as strong as him almost couldn't carry this flying pig.

In addition, this year's ninth to fifteenth place in the East and ninth to fifteenth place in the West were as follows:

East: Nets, Magic, Pacers, Bulls, Bucks, Knicks, Bobcats.

West: Kings, Hornets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Spurs, Rockets, SuperSonics.

In the regular season this year, there was a rather interesting phenomenon: the difference in wins between the ninth and twelfth place in the West was only 2 games.

Because with the SuperSonics "leading the entire league" with a super rotten record of 8 wins and 74 losses, which team other than the Rockets would dare to compete with them for the lottery pick?

Before the start of the playoffs, in addition to discussing the summer World Championship with Coach Zhang and discussing with the Filipino handsome guy when to pop the champagne, Su Feng also unexpectedly received a call from his dear nephew Curry that day.

Well...

Don't get me wrong.

His dear nephew Curry, Su Feng, in this life...

Could never be referring to Stephen Curry.

"Speak, Seth, what do you want from me?"

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