NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

April 14th, the last day of the regular season. At this time of year, most NBA teams have already secured their positions. Their final regular season game has either already ended, or their positions have been determined, so they can just play casually.

Players on teams that have already won the lottery have booked their vacations well in advance, while teams that have secured playoff spots have entered a rest mode, allowing their players to wait patiently for the playoffs.

But of course, there are a very few teams that will have to play some 'do-or-die' matches on the last day!
For example, the Wizards and the 76ers both have a record of 19 wins and 62 losses, and they are tied for last place. They both hope to lose on the last day and officially become the last place.

The Wizards have a clear advantage. They have a 1-2 record against the 76ers, and if they lose their last game, they will be firmly in last place, giving them an edge in the battle for John Wall.

The 76ers are in a somewhat passive position. They not only have to lose their game, but they also need the Wizards to win so that they can finish last and compete for Wall.

Meanwhile, in the playoff zone, the Western Conference remains a chaotic mess, with nine teams continuing their epic battle royale, a phenomenon unique to the West in recent years. Who knows who will ultimately finish in the playoffs?

In the East, the Celtics remain the undisputed leader. While teams like the Cavaliers have some competitiveness, their records are far behind the Celtics, making it impossible for them to challenge the Celtics' dominance in the East.

The situation in the East is now very clear, with the top seven teams already in place.

The only remaining suspense is the battle for the eighth seed in the East!

The Charlotte Bobcats will host the Indiana Pacers, who are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference.

This match marked Lin Tian's comeback in the commentary world!
He, along with Miller and Van Gundy, arrived at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte to provide commentary on the final suspenseful game in the East!
“山猫队目前是41胜40负排在东部第八，而步行者队40胜41负排在东部第九。”范甘迪在比赛开始前，快速且专业的分析起了比赛：“但这两支球队本赛季之前的交手是步行者队2：1领先。”

"This means that if the Pacers win tonight's game, and the two teams are tied, the Pacers, who have a 3-1 head-to-head record, will use this slight advantage to edge out the Bobcats and enter the playoffs!"

"But if the Bobcats win, then there's no doubt they'll make the playoffs! Reggie, what are your thoughts on this game?"

"Of course I support my old team, my forever Pacers," Miller said without hesitation. "Honestly, the Pacers have really been in bad shape lately; they've been in pretty bad shape for the past few years."

"Ever since that bastard left, the team has been in a continuous rebuilding process. We've acquired some excellent players and made many high draft picks, but we've always been a little unlucky and have never been able to truly complete the rebuild."

"We haven't made the playoffs for five years. If we lose today, it will be the sixth consecutive time we've missed the playoffs. This would be another heavy blow to Larry, who is extremely confident."

“If we look at it from that perspective,” Lin Tian interjected, “then maybe it would be more interesting if the Pacers didn’t make the playoffs? We could go straight to Larry and give him an exclusive interview, titled: ‘How I’ve Been Up and Down in the Lottery Without Lin!’”

“You’re a real jerk, Lin.” Miller couldn’t help but laugh. “Your point is hilarious, and I’m really looking forward to this day! Consider this a consolation prize! But I think we’d better make the playoffs! Indiana fans have been waiting for this for ages.”

"Not to mention, after all these years, we've really been ready! It's our turn!"

"We drafted Oden, who is finally healthy this year, playing 50 regular season games and averaging 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks! He has already shown the potential to be the best defensive player and the number one center in the future. Granger, whom we have been developing for many years, has also matured. This year, he is averaging 25 points per game, which is a top 10 scorer in the league! In addition, with players like Tinsley, Diaw, Thomas, and second-year rookie Hansbrough, our roster is actually quite good!"

"This year, the team should make the playoffs!"

Lin Tian continued, "There's never been a question of 'should' or 'shouldn't' make the playoffs. If you insist on a question of 'should' or 'shouldn't,' then the Bobcats should definitely make the playoffs! Because they've never made the playoffs before!"

"Of course, from this perspective, the Bobcats haven't lost a single game in the playoffs so far. No team has been able to take even a single point or win against them. They are undefeated in the playoffs!"

"But I guess the Charlottes don't like this undefeated streak; they'd rather win more games."

"On the other hand, the Bobcats' failure to make the playoffs is absolutely not the players' fault for not trying hard enough. They really gave it their all, but unfortunately, the team owner always held them back, and there was really nothing they could do!"

"Oh? You mean the Bobcats' failure to make the playoffs is all Michael Jordan's fault?" Van Gundy immediately got excited when he heard there was some juicy gossip! The old man's forehead shone even brighter!
When Lin Tian turned around to look at him, he was even jolted by the head of the man, which made Lin Tian squint.

“Jeff, before I start my story, I really suggest you don’t wax your head or wear a hat next time. I really can’t communicate or make eye contact with you like that.”

Before Van Gundy protested, Lin Tian immediately continued telling his story: "Actually, back in 01 when Michael was in charge of the Wizards, I advised him to use the number one pick to select Yao Ming!"

"Yao Ming is my compatriot, I know him. We played together at the 00 Olympics, and back then we were already able to dominate the entire American team's interior! His talent is undeniable, but who knows why, maybe Kwame was just being polite?"

"Michael chose Kwame and gave up Yao Ming. The reason why his management career with the Wizards failed was, of course, because Pollin was an untrustworthy idiot, but his own actions were obviously also problematic."

"If he had beaten Yao Ming back then, they would definitely have made the playoffs. If they had made the playoffs, would Polin have been able to so easily dominate him? Would he have needed me to help him or to help him vent his anger? Obviously not."

"Then, in 04, he had just entered the league and got the number one pick. He came to me again and asked me who to choose. I told him to choose Dwight, but he refused and chose Okafor instead."

"Of course, it's not that Okafor is bad, but he's definitely not as good as Dwight, right? Dwight won the championship last year, and this year he won Defensive Player of the Year, rebounding title, and blocks title. Dwight has proven that he is the better one."

"In 05, Michael said they needed a point guard, and I recommended Chris and Deron Williams, but he chose Raymond! Again, Raymond was great, he did a good job with the Knicks, and led the team to the playoffs for two consecutive years."

"But he's clearly not as good as Deron and Chris, isn't he?"

"Then in 06, he asked me again. This time, perhaps the previous failures finally made Michael realize that without me, he was destined to achieve nothing. So he finally listened to me and chose LaMarcus."

"But what happened? He listened to me, but had no patience. He traded LaMarcus away after only one year and got Thomas in return. Thomas has now disappeared from the league, while LaMarcus has been selected to the All-Star team for two consecutive years, and in the Western Conference!"

"In addition, he also has huge problems with the team's personnel appointments and dismissals. We all know that Larry Brown is an excellent head coach. He has led the team to a championship and has countless disciples. He is one of the best head coaches in the league."

"But we also know that Larry is not good at coaching young teams. He has a generation gap with young players and they just don't click. If you let Larry coach the Pistons, he can produce a Bad Boy 2.0 for you, but if Michael lets him coach young players? Sorry, Larry can only hinder their development." "And the young guys can only damage Larry's reputation."

"Letting Larry mentor newcomers is no different from another Larry ruining his career to save a few hundred dollars on road repairs. Both are incredibly stupid!"

"In short, since Michael founded the team in 04, he hasn't made many correct choices! If I had to say, the only smart thing he did was to listen to me and choose Derrick and DeMar!"

"If he can persevere instead of rushing to dismantle the team and replace him, he will definitely succeed."

"Let me put it this way, if Michael had listened to me, his team's record would have improved a lot! Even if he had listened to me completely, it would have been impossible for him to draft so many high draft picks at the same time."

"But right now his team can at least form a two-star lineup inside and outside, or even a mature three-musketeer team, right? But Michael won't listen to me, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"All I can say is that some people are great at basketball, but they really shouldn't do other things. It's better to leave them to professionals. Don't force yourself. Find a professional manager! Otherwise, your team will never make the playoffs!"

“If what Lin said is true, then I have to say that Michael is truly the dumbest and most idiotic owner in the league!” Miller said with a smile. “But I believe Lin, I believe that what he said is 100% true! Lin has always been very knowledgeable about rookies.”

"When he was with the Pacers, he strongly advocated for the team to draft Tony and Manu, and it turned out to be two perfect choices! So what I have to say is that Michael is really the dumbest idiot owner in the league! With Lin as his guiding light, he still managed to miss the playoffs for six consecutive years, and is about to miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year."

"I've decided to call him Stupid Michael from now on!"

“You just want to swear, don’t you? This is all personal grudges!” Van Gundy retorted without hesitation. “But I suddenly remembered something else.”

“I know what Jeff is going to say.” Lin Tian said with a smile, “Reggie, since you know that I have a good eye for rookies and that my ability to judge rookies is top-notch, you still dared to make that bet with me at the All-Star Game.”

"Should I say you're just as stupid as Michael, a complete idiot? Or should I say you're even stupider than Michael, a hopeless, utterly idiotic moron?"

"I...I...Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both sides!" Miller hesitated for a few moments, then gritted his teeth and forced a change of topic.

What does it mean for karma to come quickly in this lifetime?
That's it. The more he enjoyed criticizing Jordan, the more frustrated he felt when Lin Tian retaliated.

He was helpless, truly helpless.

Meanwhile, in VIP box number one at the Spectrum Center, Jordan, cigar in hand, was secretly cheering. He glared fiercely at Miller and said, "Spray him! Spray this cripple to death! FUXX! You're an idiot yourself, and you dare call me stupid?"

What a bastard who kicks someone when they're down!
"So, Lin," Van Gundy, standing on the sidelines, was quite considerate, continuing his role as peacemaker. He didn't press Miller further, but instead changed the subject, saying, "How do you think Michael's team can make the playoffs?"

"There are two options: either Michael finds a professional manager and he goes back to working behind the scenes to be responsible for funding, or he asks for my opinion every time and chooses to obey 100% instead of asking me and then choosing to rule out the correct answer!"

"At least, he's listened to me these past two years. This year, the team is on the right track and could make the playoffs at any time, right?"

"Then why don't you just become his head coach!" Miller interjected. "You're so smart and capable. If you were Michael's head coach, you'd definitely lead the team to the playoffs!"

"Playoffs?" Lin Tian scoffed. "Who do you think you are? If he lets me lead the team and doesn't interfere with personnel management or trades, I can lead the Bobcats to the championship in no time!"

"Did you hear that, Michael! Your chance to become a champion has arrived!" Miller immediately said sarcastically to the camera, "Lin said he can lead the Bobcats to the championship, don't you want to give it a try?"

“Reggie, if I were you, I would never speak to you like that.” Lin Tian looked at Miller and said, “Isn’t your face swollen enough? Do you want to be laughed at by everyone? Don’t forget, this is being broadcast live across the entire United States! Tens of millions of people across North America can hear what you’re saying.”

"This is not some private joke."

“I trust you about everything else.” Miller said this time that he was confident he could do it again: “You might even be able to succeed as a general manager, because you’re a shameless bastard! You’re a natural little fox who can outsmart those old foxes, but being a head coach and leading a team is not an easy thing! You need enough good assistant coaches, you need experience, you need tactical reserves, and you need to really know a lot of things.”

"Even Larry had to intern and learn for many years with the Celtics before he succeeded. I believe you can become an excellent general manager and head coach, but you absolutely cannot achieve it overnight, and you absolutely cannot jump straight into it!"

"Even if you are Lin, a super genius, and omnipotent, it's still impossible!"

Seeing Miller's resolute expression, determined to stand up for himself today, Lin Tian couldn't help but say, "You mentioned Reggie? Well, I'll bet you that if Michael dares to hire me and make me his coach, then I'll show you what a true genius is! I'll let you know how big the gap is between me and you mere mortals!"

"How about we have Jeff as a witness? We can have him act as our referee then."

“I can do it.” Van Gundy laughed and fanned the flames. “Reggie, if you don’t dare, just apologize to Lin and that’ll be it. Your last bet already made you almost an idiot. There’s no need to make yourself a complete bipolar idiot.”

When has Miller ever gone soft in his entire life?

He's always been someone who's easily swayed; if you give him a way out and give in to him, he'll give in to you too.

But if you try to be sarcastic and tease him like that, then sorry, even if he knows he'll get killed, he'll still grit his teeth and go for it!

This was his strength, but now it has become his weakness.

"Let's bet! Let's see who's really talking big!" (End of Chapter)