The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!-Chapter 725 - 265: Regular Season MVP is Different from Regular Season MVP

Chapter 725: Chapter 265: Regular Season MVP is Different from Regular Season MVP

Heat Team is a strong attacking team.

Whether it’s Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh, their deadliest weapon is definitely the breakthrough to the basket.

Then other methods come into play.

The same goes for LeBron sitting on the bench.

Such an "aggressive" play style was a key reason they swept through the entire league...

No other teams had a strong enough interior duo.

That was also a major reason they originally swept the Eastern Conference.

The decline of traditional centers along with the advancement of the "Small Ball Era" left the league’s interiors in a period of transition; most teams in the League were looking for more mobile interiors. The only "old-school" interior duo that managed to pull off a "Black Eight" against the Spurs in the chaotic Western, but they couldn’t reach a higher level due to a lack of talent.

But now, such a team had emerged in the Eastern.

And compared to the original Grizzlies, the Pacers’ interior line was deeper and their style was more versatile:

Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Ben O’Neal, Millsap...

There were those who defended the top, protected the basket, attacked aggressively, and shot long range!

You could say they had it all.

Not only was LeBron restricted, but Chris Bosh was limited as well.

More importantly, the Pacers’ wing Afflalo had grown into a very decent wing defender; although he couldn’t stop Wade’s onslaught, causing some obstruction wasn’t a problem.

As the first line of defense could be effective, the interior could provide more timely help defense.

Furthermore, Rick Carlisle was now a "super meritorious coach" of the "Pacers Dynasty" with 6 championships in 5 years. There was no coach with more rings in the 00s, and his coaching abilities had surpassed his peers of the same period inspired by Su Wan.

Facing him, Spoelstra, who was still somewhat green, clearly wasn’t up to par.

In the end, the game concluded with the Heat Team losing the first match of the semifinals at their home court.

Done for...

The somewhat ominous premonition had come true.

The Miami media panicked even more.

Chris Webber, who had just taken his position at the commentary desk, joked, "It seems that the Pacers’ dominance over LeBron hasn’t disappeared with Su Wan’s departure!"

The next morning, Su Wan learned of Webber’s jest from a reporter and said, "I look forward to facing the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it would be a very interesting scene."

This remark made a nearby Bulls reporter very unhappy, and he reminded, "Su, our current scores are tied at 1-1, you should respect us!"

Su Wan responded, "I’ve always respected the Bulls, and I consider them competitors, but it doesn’t mean I lack confidence in reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. You can bring Michael here, and I still believe that the team that will ultimately get to the Eastern Conference Finals is the New York Knicks!"

The Bulls reporter had nothing to say.

Another reporter added, "Su, if the Pacers really do beat the Heat Team, would you feel embarrassed? Because it would mean that it wasn’t you, but the Pacers’ roster that dominated LeBron over all those years."

"That’s a good question!" Su Wan glanced at that reporter, "But your memory doesn’t seem very good. Let me ask you, who was the only team to sweep the Heat Team in the regular season this season?"

That reporter fell silent.

The only team to sweep the Heat Team this season was the New York Knicks.

Even the Pacers had lost one game to the Heat Team in the regular season.

This interview quickly reached Joakim Noah’s ears, and his reaction was more intense than that of the Bulls reporter: "Su Wan will soon realize that he’s not in Indiana, without so many strong teammates to support him, he no longer has the right to talk big anymore!"

Erin was also present. Hearing Joakim Noah’s words, she emphasized, "Are you saying that Su Wan mainly relied on his teammates in the Pacers?"

"Isn’t that right? Jermaine and Ron were the best forwards of that era, no other team had such a line-up!" Noah, feeling belittled by the Bulls, deliberately started downplaying Su Wan’s achievements of the past 6 years.

Erin could tell that Noah was being evasive.

His nervousness caused his hands to flail helplessly.

Provoking Su Wan was not an easy task.

But Erin wasn’t going to let it go – it was rare for someone to try provoking Su Wan in this era, and she continued to press, "Joakim, would you challenge Su Wan to his face?"

...

With a single sentence, Noah clammed up.

In 2007, as a rookie entering the league, which coincided with the fourth season of Su Wan’s career, a common saying went around the league:

"Never trash talk him!"

Although not many mentioned it these years, it was like an unwritten rule in the league, a warning every rookie heard from the veterans before their first game against Su Wan.

Noah could be sure, if he dared to challenge Su Wan, Thibodeau would undoubtedly rip him apart.

"It looks like, Joakim, you don’t have the guts either!"

Although Erin had tried and failed to score with Su Wan multiple times, as the "Western beauty" she had a fatal attraction for players like Noah.

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