mountain top

Chapter 266 The Qin Dynasty
In competitive sports, it's never advisable to open champagne prematurely, no matter when.

But before Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Warriors began
In addition to setting up fireworks at Oracle Arena, Warriors staff also placed a custom-made gold T-shirt at every seat in the arena.

The front of this T-shirt features the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, a famous landmark in the Bay Area.

The reverse side reads "09/10 to 11/12" and features the words "Warriors Dynasty" in bold.

Although in later generations, the league had to lower the standard for defining a dynasty to two consecutive championships because it was so difficult for a team to win three consecutive NBA championships.

However, in the minds of most fans, a three-peat is still the only standard for a team to establish a dynasty.

Interestingly, before the fifth game, everyone from the media to the fans was talking about it.
The entire Bay Area is extremely pessimistic about the Warriors.

As for the reason?

Of course, to date, Qin Yue has never won a single championship at home.

That's right. So far, all four of Qin Yue's championships have been won on away games.

In the 05/06 season, they swept the Heat 4-0 in the Finals.

In the 06/07 season, they swept the Cavaliers 4-0 in the Finals.

In the 09/10 season, they crushed the Celtics 4-1 in the Finals.

In the 10/11 season, they swept the Knicks 4-0 in the Finals.

The once dashing young man has grown into a renowned overlord.

What remains unchanged is that Qin Yue, the new GOAT, has won all four of his previous championships on the road.

Actually, if this year's NBA Finals format is still "232".

There is indeed a high probability that Qin Yue will lead the Warriors to another away victory.

However, under the "22111" format, Qin Yue and the other Warriors players believe that their unexpected loss to the Knicks has actually given their soon-to-be-established dynasty the opportunity to return to their home court and enjoy the adoration of their fans.

Moreover, isn't the so-called "pessimism" from Bay Area fans and media just a form of provocation?

All the Warriors players are well aware of how much the "extremely aggrieved" Warriors fans want to witness the team win the championship at home.

Therefore, after the team returned to Oakland from New York, the entire Warriors team had already been preparing for the upcoming Game 5 as a do-or-die battle.

After all, if they can't seize the opportunity to win the championship at home in the fifth game...

If the Warriors want to lift the trophy at home again, they'll have to play a Game 7 against the Knicks.

Veterans Hill, Bell, and Ben Wallace on the Warriors roster all treated Game 5 of the Finals as the final dance of their professional careers.

This summer, Dunleavy Jr. and Jamison, whose current contracts expire, saw this match as their farewell performance in Auckland.

Little Deng Levy did not want to use his relationship with Qin Yue to pressure the management and demand a pension contract.

Feeling confident he still had some gas left in the tank, Dunleavy Jr. hoped to end his ten-season career with a perfect Warriors career, parting ways with dignity.

Dunleavy Jr. knew very well that only by maintaining a respectable relationship with the team could he return to the Warriors' management as a team legend after his retirement.

"Just wait, once I'm out there and land a big contract, I'll be your boss." Shortly after making the decision to leave the team, Little Deng Levy joked with Qin Yue like this.

In response, Qin Yue, who knew that the future Dunleavy Jr. would become the general manager of the Warriors, smiled and said, "I look forward to that day, Mike."

Of course, Qin Yue didn't know that in the future, Deng Levy would become a legend because of a deal involving "Sister Yu from Northeast China".

In the latter half of the 24/25 season, when the Warriors made that trade for Jimmy Butler, almost no one outside believed that this trade would bring about a qualitative change for the Warriors.

After all, Butler was already a 35-year-old veteran at that time.

If this trade fails, not only will Dunleavy Jr. be branded a disgrace, but the Warriors will also completely lose their future.

However, within the team, Dunleavy Jr. said to Curry and Green: "Believe me, I played with Jimmy back in the day, he's a great player, and I believe he'll fit in perfectly with us."

In the role of a team's general manager, daring to take big gambles and emerge as a winner undoubtedly requires courage and vision.

In this respect, Dunleavy Jr.'s personality and the connections he inherited from his father certainly make him qualified to become a top general manager.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Dunleavy Jr. will become Chris Mullin's perfect successor.

Unlike Dunleavy Jr., Jamison, who didn't want to leave after returning home, made the decision to stay with the team this summer by taking a pay cut.

Jamison celebrated his 36th birthday during the finals.

As a veteran who has already signed multiple big contracts, Jamison, who wants to end his career with the Warriors more than ever, said this to Warriors president Larry Riley: "Give me a minimum salary, and I want to stay here."

In addition, after four wonderful years in Oakland, former two-time MVP Steve Nash will also be leaving this dominant team this summer.

Curry's rise had already foreshadowed Nash's decline.

Therefore, Nash, who does not want to be labeled as someone who "gains championships by chance" in the future, and who does not intend to retire, longs to join a team that is willing to offer him a starting position and fully enjoy the joy that basketball brings him.

Friends come and go.

Before the start of the fifth game of the finals, Qin Yue, who had already said goodbye to several teammates in private, only realized this in a daze at this moment.
The Warriors, who had to undergo another roster overhaul this summer, have quietly entered the "3.0 era".

From Davis and Artest in the "1.0 era" to Nash and Wallace in the "2.0 era".

Qin Yue's teammates have changed wave after wave.

But one thing remains unchanged: with Qin Yue on the roster, the Warriors are always the top contender for the championship every season.

2012 6 Month 18 Day.

The 2011/12 season finals officially kicked off with Game 5 at Oracle Arena.

Oakland hopes that the fifth championship banner from the Qin Yue era can be raised tonight.

With the "Great Qin Center" in San Francisco set to open in the summer of 2013, no one knows whether this will be the last time Oaklanders witness the Warriors win a championship at Oracle Arena.

NBA Commissioner David Stern was present at the game that night.

Bill Russell, the "Lord of the Rings" who least wanted to meet Qin Yue, also became a guest of honor in Oakland as a possible FMVP award presenter.

As the stars gathered in Auckland that night.

The moment that rising sun appeared, it made the entire sports world feel the difference between gods and mortals.

No need for a live DJ to mobilize the crowd.

There's no need for the young and beautiful cheerleaders on site to remind them.

When the thunderous "GOAT" chants echoed through the dome of Oracle Arena, Qin Yue had already proven that a true GOAT doesn't need to be crowned through self-marketing.

Before the game, home fans who thought it would be difficult for the Warriors to break their away championship winning streak at home showed their unpredictable attitude, demonstrating that every Oaklander had already prepared themselves for God to bring the championship trophy back to Promised Land once again.

The golden waves began rolling almost from the very beginning.

In the center of the court, Durant, who was leading his teammates onto the court one by one, even briefly experienced tinnitus.

The visiting Knicks will face the home team Warriors in Game 5 amidst the rising cheers from Oakland.

Durant noticed that Howard, who has never had a heart condition, was even trembling in his calves when he was about to jump for the ball with Qin Yue.

This made Durant realize instantly what kind of winning culture Qin Yue had established in Oakland.

On the court, after the jump ball, the game officially begins.

Curry, who was responsible for dribbling the ball across half-court, quickly passed the ball to Qin Yue after noticing him moving up the court.

Then, Curry, who had created space for Qin Yue with a run that exceeded Iguodala's expectations and was eager to become a key contributor to the Warriors' first dynasty championship, immediately turned his attention to the man who never disappointed.

Start with a scissor step.

Sam God changes direction.

It tore a huge gash in front of Howard.

Qin Yue, who moves like the wind, not only dominated the Knicks' paint but also captivated countless fans with his dashing and handsome figure.

Bang-dang——!
On TNT, watching Qin Yue, who had already fired the first shot for the Warriors, Barkley said, "I really don't want to praise this guy anymore, because it will only make me look like a commentator who lacks vocabulary."

From questioning Da Qin to being completely won over by Qin Yue (except for the other party's refusal to forgive), O'Neal said, "His performance convinced me that I, Michael, and Hakeem were all lucky. Because if he had been born fifteen years earlier, we would all have become his background."

O'Neal's comments represent the sentiments of many fans.

After all, in this life, people will no longer call James "the chosen one" and "the king".

And isn't it also because in this era that belongs only to Qin Yue, what merit or ability does James have to be called "King" LeBron and "Chosen One" LeBron?

On the court, Durant attempted to respond to Qin Yue.

Unfortunately, the Grim Reaper's scythe struck the basketball hoop squarely on the neck.

Qin Yue secured the rebound and immediately initiated a transition offense.

On the sidelines, Nash, who was in charge of timing, exclaimed as Green made the fast break layup: "2.8 seconds, what kind of defense can stop such a fast break?"

The Warriors started this night much better than in their previous four games.

This positive performance stems from the fact that the Warriors' young players have gradually adapted to the non-basketball physicality that the Knicks always put on them during games.

This also stems from the fact that, with Qin Yue providing crucial support throughout the games, the other Warriors players, who couldn't remain sluggish indefinitely, received a morale boost from the home crowd.

This is the Warriors' winning mentality that Durant sees as unstoppable.

In the NBA, not everyone is a born winner.

But when playing alongside Qin Yue, Warriors players always seem to emerge as winners. When Butler was drafted by the Warriors last year in exchange for a pick, he said he longed to experience the feeling of being a winner on this dominant team.

On the court, Howard scored the Knicks' first two points.

Although Howard's shooting motions were quite comical under Qin Yue's intense pressure.

But at the moment Howard slammed the ball into the basket almost like throwing a discus, this humorous hook shot that could bring Ewing to tears and silence Hakeem was still a good shot.

It's the Warriors' turn to attack.

At halftime, the Knicks, who were all vying to be the Warriors that night, hit their first three-pointer of the game, thanks to Curry.

And then, Curry almost forced Harden into a dribbling turnover.

After Game 4, Curry, who was also experiencing some setbacks in his life, was asked by a reporter why his defense had improved so quickly. He said, "When you're on a team where your star player is always leading the defense, you don't need any motivation. You'll spontaneously participate in every defensive possession."

In the NBA, the attitude of the star player is the key to determining the character of a team.

After all, in a game, if your star player is a pushover who always lets the opponent do whatever they want, how can you expect your teammates to step up?

Starting from Game 2 of the Finals, it was no accident that the Knicks, who opted to DNP James, were able to transform overnight into a team capable of competing with the Warriors.

Because in Qin Yue's previous life, James, who reached the NBA Finals ten times in his career, had an astonishing plus-minus of -88.

What do these positive and negative values ​​signify?
This illustrates that behind James's impressive statistics, he makes a significant negative contribution to the team on both offense and defense.

It's important to understand that in the NBA, losing a lot is never a valid reason for a superstar to have a low plus-minus rating.

Because in the future, in many games where the Nuggets suffer heavy defeats, Jokic will use his consistently positive plus-minus to prove that the Nuggets' inability to win is not due to his incompetence, but rather to the incompetence of his teammates.

At Oracle Arena, the Warriors, displaying incredible momentum, successfully established a 9-point lead in the first quarter.

However, James, who had been hoping for a Knicks blowout every game since the second match, couldn't feel happy at all watching on TV.

When the media stops protecting LeBron James.

Qin Yue is about to win his fifth title in his professional career.

In James's opinion, his luck was absolutely terrible.

Because in this era that belonged only to Qin Yue, James, having lost the Emperor's New Clothes, saw absolutely no hope of returning to the center of the basketball world.

"Why couldn't he have been born ten years earlier or ten years later?"

At that moment, James complained about the extremely unfair fate he saw in him.

On the court, Durant and Iguodala, still fighting against fate, almost ruined what should have been a night for the Warriors.

During the regular season, Iguodala's three-point shooting percentage was only 33%.

But in the Finals, Iguodala's three-point shooting percentage was 48.5%.

During the game, Durant and Iguodala's outstanding performance in the first half of the second quarter indirectly helped Harden, who was initially disoriented, and Howard, whose legs were trembling before the game, to find their rhythm.

This allowed the Knicks to briefly take the lead over the Warriors.

Then, in order to prove that he wouldn't just rely on Qin Yue.

Warriors head coach Malone decisively substituted Curry in ahead of schedule.

And with a look of deep affection, he said to the other person, "We'll have to rely on you now, Stephen."

Nearby, Warriors assistant coach Hollins felt that Malone would one day be assassinated on the street.

Because besides Qin Yue's King, Ma Long also has Curry's Queen in his hand.

On the court, the baby-faced assassin, who returned to the court early, successfully secured enough rest time for his senior teammate Qin Yue in this quarter, amidst the cheers of the home fans and the earnest expectations of head coach Ma Long.

then
This is the script that Warriors fans are most familiar with.

In the latter part of the second quarter, Qin Yue, fully recovered, completely dominated Howard from every angle.

At halftime, the score was 57-67.

The Warriors have rebuilt a 10-point lead.

秦岳半场轰下28分8篮板5助攻3封盖1抢断。

库里半场斩获18分4篮板3助攻1封盖1抢断。

During halftime, looking at Curry's stats, Qin Yue laughed and said, "Which unlucky guy got blocked by Stephen tonight?"

Jack, standing nearby, helped Qin Yue recall: "James Harden, he tried to draw a foul but failed."

In Qin Yue's opinion, Curry's block was even more valuable than his 10 three-pointers on the court.

After all, if Curry makes 10 three-pointers, people will just say Curry is accurate.

But it was blocked by Curry.
That's something fans will likely remember for a lifetime.

The intermission is over.

Before the start of the second half, looking at Durant who was still icing his calf, Barkley couldn't help but remark, "'KD' had previously strained his right calf hamstring during a game against the Pacers, but even so, he never complained about it in front of people even once."

Whether in his past life or this one, Durant's struggle against injuries is enough to prove that he is a pure basketball player.

If Qin Yue remembers correctly, the reason Durant ruptured his Achilles tendon in the future was because he insisted on playing for the team despite his strained hamstring in his right leg, ignoring all advice to do so.

But look at someone else.

Even if his historically exceptional physical condition is perfectly healthy.

Every time he loses a playoff game, you find out that the reason he lost was simply because he strained his groin again.

In the third quarter, Qin Yue, speaking from experience, said to Durant, "I admire your spirit of playing through injury, but a hamstring strain is no small matter."

Upon hearing this, Durant countered with a question to Qin Yue: "And what about you? If it were you, what would you choose?"

"I would choose to die on the field."

"The same goes for me."

Ignoring Qin Yue's advice, Durant ultimately played through the injury in Game 5 of the Finals, a game he couldn't win.

The final score was 110 to 125.

As golden rain fell on Oracle Arena, in a deserted corner, Durant, who did not shy away from the interview, said: "I don't want to miss any opportunity to learn from him, even if the experience is painful, I will only regard it as an essential step on my future success."

On the other hand, Qin Yue, who won the championship at home for the first time in his professional career, also felt the biggest difference between winning the championship at home and winning it away.

In the center of the field, Qin Yue, whose ears were already ringing, couldn't even hear what his teammates, who were rushing towards him, were saying to him.

"We are the world champions!"

From a defenseman without a title to a defenseman of a dynasty.

Steve Nash stated frankly in an interview, "Choices are really important for everyone, because choices are indeed more important than effort."

Ben Wallace, who joined the team halfway through the journey and won his third championship trophy that night, could certainly relate.

"My biggest regret right now is that I didn't choose to join the Warriors on a minimum contract after my contract with the Pistons expired."

As for Hill, who originally thought he might be cursed with the "championship curse," he was very glad that he did not choose to retire in the season when Qin Yue was sidelined with an injury.

"Fortunately, I stayed after Messiah persuaded me to."

Hill said, "Otherwise, I would regret it for the rest of my life."

The establishment of the Warriors dynasty turned Oakland into the center of the entire basketball world that night.

Veteran player Bell, who is about to retire, said to Green, who has shone brightly this season: "Work hard, work harder, Dan. That's how role players survive in the NBA."

Remembering Bell's advice, Green nodded and said, "Thank you, Raja. Without your guidance, I wouldn't have made such great progress this season."

Accompanied by Barnes and Butler, Qin Yue personally cut off the section of the net that will be permanently treasured by the Warriors.

Meanwhile, Curry, carried on Brown's shoulders, was acting like a madman, spraying every teammate with champagne.

Wallace and Jamison were having a lively discussion on the sidelines about who could rap better.

Jamison's impromptu performance was clearly filled with his resentment towards James.

Because Jamison dissed James in almost every rap.

Dunleavy Jr. and Jack became the logistics staff responsible for distributing championship hats to their teammates.

In addition, Livingston also attended the Warriors' championship trophy presentation ceremony in a wheelchair.

"This is your fifth NBA championship with the Warriors, and your third consecutive championship with them. What are your thoughts on this?"

During the interview with the host, Qin Yue smiled and said, "This is the most wonderful thing about basketball. I like the feeling of being a winner and I aspire to always be a winner."

TNT (Television Broadcasting System)

At the awards ceremony, the moment Qin Yue officially laid the foundation for the Warriors dynasty, Barkley immediately announced to the entire North American nation: "Let's congratulate the Warriors once again! They have become world champions once again!"

……

PS: Update delivered! (Wait, the Cavaliers were leading by 5 points with over 40 seconds left, and they still got a buzzer-beater? And the Timberwolves, considering Curry only played one and a half quarters before getting injured, and they were well-rested, how could the Timberwolves still lose? To be honest, I'm really questioning my life choices today.)

(End of this chapter)