The NBA's Absolute Dominance

Chapter 197 I Don't Have Time to Wait
On the court, Tang Bei said to Jordan, "Hey, Air Jordan, if I score 50 points with an 80% shooting percentage, how can you beat me with 34 points? You need to score at least 70 points efficiently to have a chance to beat us, understand?"

Hearing these words, which were both offensive and morally damaging, Jordan was so angry that his stomach ached. But he had lost, and he had no choice but to accept it. He snorted and turned to leave.

"How rude of you, not even a handshake before you leave?" Tang Bei muttered.

Jordan's face twitched, but he still turned back and coldly extended his right hand to Tang Bei.

Tang Bei shook hands and said with a smile, "That's more like it. I've already discriminated against you in terms of intelligence and civilization. Don't give me another chance to discriminate against you in terms of etiquette and other trivial matters."

"Damn middle school student, do you think your educational background is a secret?"

Jordan was so angry at Tang Bei's trash talk that he shook off Tang Bei's hand, cursed, and turned to leave again.

Tang Bei was about to throw in another trash talk to provoke Jordan when an NBC reporter arrived, forcing him to give up.

"Don, Michael seems very angry. Did you say anything to him?" the reporter asked curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing. Can't we expect him to be happy even if he loses the game? Haha!" Tang Bei laughed.

"Tang, what are your expectations for this series?" the reporter asked.

This question made Tang Bei's spirits lift, and the smile on his face disappeared. He said seriously, "Sweep, what else could it be? I hope to advance by sweeping."

Tang Bei's words had spread throughout the world before the post-match press conference, and naturally reached the away team's locker room as well.

Jordan looked at the game stats as he walked back to the locker room.

5:63?

When he saw the scoring statistics for both teams' inside players, he broke down. His hands were trembling, and his walking became uncoordinated, showing signs similar to a stroke.

Just as he returned to the locker room, Tang Bei was on TV saying he hoped to sweep the competition and advance, which made him so angry that he slammed his hand hard on the TV screen.

He has been swept in the series quite a few times, being swept in the first round by Larry Bird's Celtics for two consecutive years, and swept by Barkley's Suns in the Finals in 93, making it three times already. But that doesn't mean he can get used to being swept. Every sweep has left him with a deep and unforgettable pain.

"Phil?"

He glared fiercely at Phil Jackson.

Phil Jackson avoided Jordan's gaze and said, "Michael, it's a roster problem that tactics can't fix."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the locker room changed completely.

Jordan gritted his teeth and sat back down in front of the wardrobe.

Phil Jackson's words hurt him somewhat, because he interpreted it as Phil Jackson thinking he was inferior to Tang Bei.

A hint of joy flashed in General Manager Jack Krause's eyes. After failing to win three consecutive championships in 93, he no longer cared much about whether this Bulls team could win a championship.

Even if you win another championship, it's still just one more title. The value of three championships is far less than that of a three-peat dynasty.

With a three-peat no longer an option, he desperately wants to acquire enough rebuilding assets for the Bulls before Jordan and Pippen's rookie contracts expire.

Rebuilding is not suitable at this stage; it's a bit too early. He wants to reorganize the team through trades, and the owner supports him, but neither Jordan nor Phil Jackson do. If the Heat sweep the team this time, it would be most advantageous for him.

Regarding the threat posed by this Heat team, his view is that the team's starting lineup is unstable, and Kendall Gill and Kevin Willis, who only signed one-year short-term contracts, will definitely choose to leave after this season.

With Tang Bei's current strength, having him means having a chance to compete for the championship. How many teams would like to have him?
How high will his next contract be? At his age, it's definitely worth over a hundred million. But the Miami Heat's basketball market isn't that great. Can they keep him?
He has spoken with the management of some teams, such as the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, who are willing to offer Tang Bei a super contract with an annual salary of tens of millions of dollars.

The Lakers are now pushing the league to introduce a luxury tax rule, and their owner is cooperating, as are many other smaller teams.

Once this rule is implemented, it will severely restrict teams that have Tang Bei, significantly limiting the strength of the teams he plays for.

Of course, the introduction of this policy involves issues between labor and management, so it must be resolved in the next round of labor-management negotiations, which could be as early as 99.

Before 99, Tang Bei's team was still one of the strongest teams in the league.

The New York Times reported: "Severe Fear: I will sweep the Sprinters to advance to the Finals."

The Los Angeles Times reported: "Following his 41-point average in the 94 Finals, Tang Bei scored 50 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, making him the most terrifying offensive weapon in the league's playoff history."

The Miami Herald reported: "The Bulls only led once at the start of Game 1 and trailed for the rest of the game, which shows that this Bulls team is no longer in the same league as the Heat."

Asahi Shimbun reported: "Tang Bei, who suffers from severe phobia, has one foot in the finals."

TNT reports: "With the Heat having home-court advantage, we believe the Bulls' chances of advancing are only 10%."

"If the Bulls lose Game 2, their chances of a comeback will be down to 1%, and the Heat will be set to advance to the Finals."

ESPN reports: "The situation in the Eastern Conference Finals is extremely unfavorable for the Bulls. Their offense is inferior to the Heat, and their perimeter defensive advantage is not enough to make up for their inferiority in the paint. In terms of roster fit, the Bulls no longer have the potential to compete with the Heat."

The next day, the whole world was filled with pessimism about the Bulls and Michael Jordan, and praise for the Heat and Tang Bei.

That night, Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals began.

The Spurs played at home, but they didn't have much of an advantage against the Rockets, a resilient team. The two teams were evenly matched, and the game was decided in the last second.

Spurs' leading scorer, Shawn Elliott, has already scored 24 points. With the Spurs leading by one point in the final moments and having two free throws, the victory is practically assured.

However, a nervous Sean Elliott missed both free throws, giving the Rockets 6.4 seconds left. Ultimately, Robert Horry received a pass from Hakeem Olajuwon and hit a wide-open mid-range jumper from the left corner, completing the Rockets' comeback victory on the road.

The score was 94-93, with the Spurs losing by only one point.

两位超级中锋对决，笑到最后的大梦轰下27分8篮板6助攻1抢断6盖帽5失误5犯规，命中率50%。

而海军上将17投5中，16罚11中，砍下21分9篮板2助攻2盖帽7失误4犯规，命中率只有可怜的29.4%。

"With these two playing like this, if I don't sweep them to win the championship when we get to the Finals, I'll be letting Michael Jordan down."

After watching these two matches, Tang Bei felt relieved; his title defense should be fine.

On the 26th, during breakfast, a reporter from the Houston Chronicle called to interview me, asking:

"Tang, if it had been the Heat in last night's game, were you confident you could have withstood the Rockets' comeback in the final moments?"

Tang Bei said in a nonchalant tone, "No, sir, you overestimate the Rockets. They won't have a chance to hold on until the very end. The last moment is garbage time."

"Uh……"

The Houston Chronicle reporter was taken aback by this remark and exclaimed, "Severe fear? You're incredibly arrogant!"

"Haha, as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, sir, you should understand that I have a lot of experience and confidence in how to crush Hakeem Olajuwon."

Tang Bei put down the microphone and said to Jia Bao, who was still slowly eating Goubuli steamed buns:

“Wife, look at society now. Even telling the truth is considered arrogant. I will never dare to tell the truth again.”

Jia Bao suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "Wet Tiger, since the media thinks your words are arrogant, then you should satisfy their ideas. Just be a little more arrogant in the future. It's not like you don't have the ability."

"I can consider it," Tang Bei nodded.

That evening, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals took place as scheduled.

Tang Bei led the Heat to a steady and solid performance, focusing on interior defense and offense, and defeated the Bulls again with a score of 78-105, achieving their second consecutive home win.

他个人砍下44分15篮板4助攻1抢断8盖帽2失误1犯规的数据，命中率高达75%。

乔丹砍下37分7篮板7助攻4抢断2盖帽5失误4犯规，命中率只有41.5%，也无力挽回败局。

NBC's commentator, Isaiah the Smiling Assassin, said after the match:

"The offensive capabilities of the two teams' starting lineups are quite different. Tonight, the Heat's five main players contributed 92 points, with four scoring in double figures. Their two main inside players combined for 62 points, which was the fundamental factor in the Heat's victory."

"The Chicago Bulls' five key players only contributed 63 points, Michael 37 points, Pippen only 15 points, and Armstrong only 11 points."

Rodman went scoreless for the second consecutive night, and Luke Longley also went scoreless tonight, with the two of them getting a total of 5 blocks from Tang Bei.

The two teams were separated by a 62-point difference in interior scoring, a massive gap that would have driven Michael Jordan to despair.

"With Tang Bei's defense, the Bulls' interior offense is practically paralyzed. With this lineup, the chance of beating the Heat is practically zero."

In the Heat's press conference room, a reporter asked, "Don, what do you think are the Heat's chances of advancing right now?"

Tang Bei said, "I think the Bulls have completely lost any chance of advancing. There's no need for you to give them even a symbolic 1%."

"Tang, you're too arrogant!"

"Severe fear, we've only played two games so far, the next games will be our home games."

A group of Chicago reporters, unable to contain their anger, began shouting loudly, disregarding the rules.

Tang Bei ignored them and asked the next reporter, "Tang, you've rarely used Tornado this season and rarely injured your opponents. Is that due to the rules?"

He smiled and said, "That's part of the reason, but now I've adapted to the new rules, so my opponents need to be careful."

Please remember, when I'm attacking the basket, don't make any futile struggles; just accept your fate of being crushed.

"I love Tang Bei's cocky and arrogant attitude, haha!"

"I would also like."

A large group of Chinese journalists were chuckling and laughing quietly below.

"Mr. Krause, will the management make any changes to the roster during the offseason?" a reporter from the Chicago Tribune asked in the Bulls' press room.

"Judging from this issue, Chicagoans have lost faith in the Bulls."

"They lost by another 27 points, and the losses are only getting bigger. What confidence do they have left?" "The Heat's starting lineup is indeed too powerful. Apart from the point guard, the other three are all holding their own."

"It's because Tang Bei's offensive efficiency is too high. If we let the three of them be the main attackers, they'll just be taking wild shots and they'll never beat Jordan."

Upon hearing this question, several Chinese journalists huddled together and whispered among themselves.

Jerry Krause then said, "Management will make its own judgment on whether to take action against this lineup, but it's not convenient to say at the moment."

He didn't deny the reporter's words; he was testing Jordan's attitude. If Jordan's opposition wasn't strong, then he would start rebuilding the Bulls.

But after he said that, Jordan's reaction was not intense; he simply twisted his hands on the table.

The reporters below reacted strongly, and a great deal of discussion immediately broke out.

"It looks like the Bulls need to rebuild."

"The core shouldn't be affected, right?"

"The core will still be Michael Jordan, unless they find a second serious fear."

"Pippen might be traded. The Bulls don't have any good assets besides future draft picks."

A reporter asked, "Michael, the 'Smiling Assassin' just said that the Bulls' interior defense is completely paralyzed. Do you agree with him?"

"Damn guy!"

After muttering a curse under his breath, Jordan said, "Sorry, I have no interest in commenting on what he said."

At this point, a reporter took the microphone and asked, "Michael, do you think it's time to make a trade?"

After a few seconds of silence, Jordan said, "This is a matter for management. As a player, it's not appropriate for me to get involved in such matters."

It was already quite difficult for him to say that, and the subtext of his statement was that he wouldn't stop management from making a deal.

His dismal performance in the paint, down 0-63, has made it very clear to him that without strengthening the paint, defeating the Heat is nothing short of a pipe dream.

But after he said it, he regretted it, because he knew that saying it would definitely damage the team's morale, and it would be very serious.

It's just that these are no longer the years when he challenged the Bad Boys. Back then, he was young enough to afford to lose and had enough patience to wait for Pippen and other young players to grow.

Now 32 years old, if he wants to win another championship and defeat Tang Bei, he can no longer wait a few more years.

He wished the Bulls would immediately have the ability to defeat the Heat and Tang Bei.

Upon hearing this, Jerry Krause's face immediately lit up with a smile.

The reporters understood Jordan's meaning, and the murmurs below immediately rose again.

So, with only two games played in the Eastern Conference Finals, news of the Bulls' rebuilding immediately spread throughout the league, the United States, and even the world.

The Bulls, a championship-caliber team, have become a player marketplace in the eyes of other teams.

The team with the most attention is Michael Jordan. Although Jordan can't beat Tang Bei, he is still a highly coveted flying man.

With Jordan, any team could instantly become a championship contender, gaining media and fan attention, as well as the favor of sponsors and television broadcasters.

So, after the press conference, when Tang Bei just learned that the Bulls were going to rebuild, Jerry Krause had already received an offer from the Knicks.

Three unprotected future first-round picks from the Knicks plus John Starks—the package looked good, but he only glanced at it before tossing it to his assistant.

Chris Webber is worth three first-round picks, so is Michael Jordan only worth one Chris Webber?

“Don’t tell me if there aren’t six offers for the first round of signings,” he told his assistant.

After two consecutive away losses, the Bulls' chances of advancing have plummeted.

ESPN gave only a 15% chance of advancing, TNT only 10%, NBC 18%, and no mainstream media outlet gave more than 20%.

While the Bulls were embroiled in rebuilding turmoil, the Miami Heat arrived in Chicago at 1 p.m. on the 27th.

That night, Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals began.

After losing the first game at home, the Spurs launched a counterattack. David Robinson, spurred by his defeat, scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 55.6%.

However, only three Spurs players scored in double figures, and they only made 4 of 18 three-point attempts, indicating a poor home performance.

However, three Rockets players scored 20+ points, and they made 9 of 19 three-pointers, achieving a terrifying 47.4% shooting percentage. The team's overall shooting percentage was an impressive 52.5%, demonstrating their remarkable form.

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 41 points and grabbed 16 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 58.1%, leading his team to another away victory against the Spurs.

The score was 106-96, with the Rockets winning by 10 points and securing their second consecutive victory on the road.

After this game, both the Rockets and Olajuwon received praise from the media and fans.

The Rockets have the highest chance of advancing, at 70%, while the Spurs have the lowest, at 30%.

Michael Jordan noticed that the Spurs, who had also lost two straight games, had a higher chance of advancing than the Bulls, and he was initially a little resentful.

The Bulls have lost two straight away games, while the Spurs have lost two straight home games. Why is the Bulls' chance of winning lower?

But he immediately realized that it was because of the different opponents: the Bulls were facing the Heat, and the Spurs were facing the Rockets.

"Ugh!"

He sighed. The Bulls are now caught in a rebuilding crisis, their morale is low, and how are they going to play their next two home games?
At this point, he deeply regretted making that statement at the press conference.

On the morning of the 28th, Tang Bei accepted a scheduled live television interview with NBC in the hotel's business conference room.

Before the interview, NBC ran advertisements to boost ratings, so many NBA stars started watching the program after the live broadcast began.

The reporter asked, "Tang, the Rockets have won consecutive away games against the Spurs. What are your thoughts on this team and its leader, Hakeem Olajuwon?"

Tang Bei said, "How else can we see? Of course, we can see with our eyes."

"Ha ha……"

The reporter laughed a few times and then asked, "Do you still think the final moments of the game against the Rockets will be garbage time?"

Tang Bei smiled and said, "To be modest, the first half shouldn't be garbage time."

"Fuck you!"

After securing two consecutive away wins, Hakeem Olajuwon was brimming with confidence. Upon hearing Tang Bei's words, he angrily raised his middle finger.

"You call this humility? You probably don't even know how to spell the word arrogance, do you?"

After muttering a thought to himself, the reporter changed the subject and asked again, "Tang, what do you think the chances are of sweeping the Bulls?"

Tang Bei said seriously, "Before the Bulls announced their rebuild, I thought the chances of a sweep were around 70-80%."

He then added, "Without being arrogant, I now believe it's 100% true; Michael Jordan can't escape my grasp."

"Shet!"

Jordan was so angry that he jumped up from the sofa, and his two-year-old daughter Jamie Jordan, who was sitting on his lap, fell directly to the floor, screaming in pain.

"Oh, damn it!"

He was startled, glanced at Juanita in the kitchen, and quickly picked up his daughter.

The reporter's eye twitched, and he changed the subject again, asking, "Tang, what do you think the chances are of the Bulls rebuilding?"

Tang Bei thought for a moment and said, "From a competitive point of view, the Bulls' current roster has lost its competitiveness in the East. They must bring in a superstar center to have a chance to compete with the Heat, so rebuilding is imperative."

"But from other perspectives, such as operations, the Bulls are still very profitable, and Michael Jordan remains a superstar at the box office."

"If the Bulls have no further ambition for the championship before his contract expires, there is not much need for a rebuild."

"So whether the Bulls rebuild or not depends entirely on the management's current positioning of the team. As an outsider, I'm not very clear about that."

Juanita took her daughter from her arms and asked, "Michael, will the Bulls really rebuild?"

"I don't know," Jordan said irritably.

"what's your plan?"

Juanita put her daughter down to play by herself and sat down next to Jordan to ask.

Jordan thought for a moment and said, "I haven't talked to the management yet, but the team I'm on must be able to compete for the championship."

"you……"

Juanita was very surprised because Michael's words meant that he was not opposed to being traded away from the team.

She couldn't help but sigh. Even the idea of ​​one person defending one city had to be abandoned. One can imagine how much pressure Michael was under now.

"I don't have time to wait, and I don't want to see Tang Bei continue to poop and pee on my head," Jordan explained.

"Does management have any intention of trading you?"

Jordan said irritably, "I don't know, who knows what that fat guy is thinking? Ever since the '93 Finals, he's been trying to make changes to the roster."

Juanita nodded and said, "One failure is tolerable, but if there are consecutive failures, the management might really take action."

(End of this chapter)