The longest river

Chapter 203 The first experience of birthday night

After the official press conference, Yang Shuai also gave an exclusive interview to CCTV.

The person who conducted the interview with him was Zhang Weiping.

Yang Shuai had heard of Coach Zhang before; his classmate listed him as Kobe's number one fan and called him the worst domestic commentator.

At this time, Zhang Weiping was only in his forties, which was still very young for a media professional.

However, when he saw Yang Shuai, he took the initiative to shake hands and greet him warmly, giving people a very capable feeling.

Just like Yao Ming once said that his dream was to play in the CBA and join the national team, those who can go abroad and broaden their horizons in this era must have extraordinary abilities.

The interview didn't focus much on questions related to the finals; it was mostly about his personal interests and hobbies, as well as his thoughts on the summer China Games.

The purpose of this interview was primarily to help the Chinese public better understand him and to lay the groundwork for the upcoming China tournament.

In the interview, Yang Shuai also thanked domestic fans for their support.

His selection for the All-Star team may not have been due to domestic fans, but his status as the All-Star vote leader certainly owes a great deal to their support.

At the end of the interview, Zhang Weiping asked a very sensitive question.

"If you have the opportunity in the future, would you represent the Chinese team in a competition?"

If it were an interview with Sun Zhengping, he would absolutely not ask such a question in this day and age.

"meeting."

Yang Shuai's answer was also straightforward.

Yang Shuai's excitement after seeing that national team in the summer league that year was the most genuine reflection of his feelings.

How could a Chinese person not yearn to wear the national team jersey?
Especially since he is not a player within the system, he is not bound by so many rules and regulations.

But in fact, both Zhang Weiping, who asked the question, and Yang Shuai, who answered, knew that it was something that was very far away.

Because of his current status, he is not eligible for the men's basketball team to be drafted; the only way for him to join is through naturalization.

But as far as Yang Shuai knows, the Chinese men's basketball team didn't have this policy until 2019, which is quite a long time ago.

This question is more about attitude, showing that Yang Shuai yearns for China.

This would be a huge news story for domestic media, and would certainly help Yang Shuai gain more popularity and support in China.

As for the reaction from the United States, Yang Shuai didn't care. He's not the kind of person who always considers the big picture.

Only by acting spontaneously can one live up to their identity as a time traveler.

The next day, the shot by Yang Shuai that broke through Jordan's defense and changed his dunk attempt to a layup against Ben Wallace went viral on television and in newspapers.

"Defeat Jordan the way Jordan did" is just as romantic as Yang Shuai's idea of ​​parading a car full of roses to win the championship.

Even the NBA's official website, which hasn't been updated in a long time, turned this play into a promotional image and text.

The "transfer of royal power" also became a focus of media reports.

Although it's just a game, people seem to be already impatient.

After all, no one in this league had ever defeated Jordan so decisively before.

Moreover, while Yang Shuai also likes to criticize people, he is much easier to get along with than Jordan, both in terms of the league and the media.

However, amidst the cheers, there were still many voices supporting Jordan.

"In 1991, the Bulls lost Game 1, but then they won four straight games, defeating the Lakers 4-1 to win the championship."

Albert's words from the commentary booth have become a new creed for Jordan's supporters.

Even though Yang Shuai defeated Jordan in the most hardcore way, they still believed that Jordan could eventually make a comeback.

On the day of the G2 match, Yang Shuai finished his morning training, took a shower, and then went to have breakfast.

I ran into Pippen while I was eating.

Pippen sat down next to him and started chatting with him.

Pippen is usually introverted and doesn't talk much, but today he was unusually talkative.

The two talked about the public opinion.

“Those guys have completely forgotten why we were able to win back then. Without my defense against Magic Johnson, everything would still be a big unknown.”

Yang Shuai couldn't help but laugh when he heard that.

Now that Pippen has beaten Jordan, he feels more confident and can boast a bit more.

"However, tonight's game will be even tougher. Michael is not the kind of person who gives up easily."

Yang Shuai nodded when he heard this.

Jordan is not Shaq; he certainly won't be defeated so easily.

What puzzled Yang Shuai was that he hadn't seen Jordan enter the "zone" during Game 1.

He had seen it before when watching the Wizards play the Pacers.

Without bringing out Jordan's form, there's still a long way to go before winning a championship.

While they were talking, Pippen received a phone call.

After hanging up, he said it was Carlisle calling and asked the two of them to go to the coach's office.

After they finished eating, they went to the coach's office, only to find that no one was inside.

Yang Shuai wanted to go back to the locker room first, but Pippen suggested they wait.

After ten minutes passed and Carlisle still hadn't arrived, Yang Shuai and Pippen had no choice but to return to the locker room.

Upon returning to the locker room, Yang Shuai discovered that the door was closed and he could hear Carlisle's voice coming from inside.

He couldn't help but turn to look at Pippen. Was Carlisle already inside, setting up tactics?

Pippen shook his head, indicating that he didn't know either.

Yang Shuai was a little puzzled, but he didn't think much of it and just pushed the door open and went in.

"Crack! Crack!"

Just after he pushed the door open, with a few loud noises, he was greeted by a shower of colorful ribbons spraying everywhere.

Then came a cheer. Carlisle and his teammates were all inside, but not to discuss tactics; they were all holding spray canisters.

Looking at Pippen again, he had already turned around and pushed the cake cart that was placed there from the locker room door.

Needless to say, this was a meticulously planned arrangement to celebrate his birthday.

Yang Shuai's birthday is June 18th. In previous years, the season would have ended by this time, and he would spend it with his family, including Rondo's family.

However, due to the shortened season and postponement this year, his birthday falls within the season.

This was the first time his teammates had celebrated his birthday together, and with such thoughtfulness, which touched him deeply.

His teammates offered him their blessings one by one, and finally sang a birthday song for him in unison.

Yang Shuai made a wish while looking at the cake, but unlike before, he spoke his wish aloud.

"Hopefully we can lift the championship trophy this month."

The most appropriate words, spoken in the most appropriate setting, instantly drew applause from his teammates.

"Let's get on that champion parade bus loaded with roses!"

Lu shouted excitedly.

The locker room was instantly filled with cheers from the team members.

That evening, Game 2 of the Finals continued at the Rose Garden Arena.

Winning Game 1, coupled with media hype, made Portland fans even more enthusiastic this night than they were during Game 1.

Especially when Yang Shuai appeared at the opening ceremony, the cheers were so loud they seemed to lift the entire roof off.

Not only did the other Trail Blazers players know it was Yang Shuai's birthday today, but the fans did too.

With Sabonis tipping the ball back into the Trail Blazers' half, Game 2 officially began.

Perhaps inspired by Yang Shuai's birthday wish in the locker room, the Trail Blazers players started the game with great enthusiasm.

Pippen's layup attempt missed, but Wallace followed up with a putback and scored.

In the first quarter alone, the Trail Blazers grabbed 6 offensive rebounds, dominating the Wizards' rebounding.

This gave the Trail Blazers a double-digit lead over the Wizards, 30-18, at the end of the first quarter.

If the Wizards hadn't had better roster depth, the point difference would have been close to 15 points.

At the start of the second quarter, the camera focused on Jordan resting on the Wizards' bench.

The photo shows Jordan covered in sweat, giving the impression of a hero's downfall.

No one knows what Jordan was thinking at that moment.

But everyone knows what it would mean if Jordan lost this year's Finals.

Defeating Yang Shuai would certainly be a perfect ending, but losing to Yang Shuai for the second time, especially in a head-on defeat, would cause all those titles like "God of Basketball" and "GOAT" to vanish.

In the second quarter, both teams' starters returned, and the score difference was 40-26, with the Wizards showing signs of collapsing in the first half.

It was at this moment that Jordan finally entered that familiar state.

Pippen was quickly overwhelmed.

Because he was familiar with Jordan, he naturally knew that Jordan in that state was undefendable.

While Yang Shuai only dared to resist Jordan when pushed to the brink, his mentality was far less resolute than Yang Shuai's.

Jordan scored 18 points in 8 minutes on the court in this quarter, leading the Wizards to tie the game at 53 before halftime.

"This is Michael Jordan! This is the god of basketball!"

Albert was incredibly excited during the halftime.

Both sides entered the halftime break.

After Carlisle finished explaining the tactics and left the locker room, Yang Shuai kept his eyes closed to rest.

He was recalling the details of how Jordan got into the zone.

Unlike watching from the sidelines, he was now observing from the court, and from a third-person perspective, stepping outside of his matchup. This allowed him to observe the details of Jordan entering that state much more clearly.

Gradually, he seemed to lose the ability to hear his teammates' conversations, yet he also seemed to grasp at something vague and intangible.

Just then, he was woken up by someone pushing him.

Yang Shuai opened his eyes and found it was Lu.

And it was at this moment that he realized most of his teammates had already left, leaving only Lu and Pippen waiting for him.

It turned out that Lu had called him twice, but found that he didn't respond. Since time was running out, he had no choice but to nudge Yang Shuai.

“You know what? I’ve only ever seen you like this on Michael before,” Pippen added.

When Phil Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls, he loved to use his Zen philosophy, an important part of which was meditation.

But most players messed around in that stage, just like in school when many people were sleeping during self-study sessions.

After all, it's not easy to expect a group of millionaires, or even multi-millionaires, who are full of hormones and go out to party every day after a game, to sit there with their heads blank and daydream.

From Pippen's perspective, the biggest benefit of that thing was that it allowed them to take some time to rest each day.

However, Jordan is an exception.

Jordan seemed to really enjoy Jackson's approach, and just like Yang Shuai did just now, he seemed to be in a deep meditation.

Yang Shuai smiled. He didn't believe in meditation at all; he was just too engrossed in it.

After halftime, the match resumed.

The Wizards made changes to their starting lineup, with Rodman replacing Ben Wallace in the starting lineup.

At the start of the second half, Jordan received the ball in the low post, but unlike in the first half, he used the defensive pressure he had created in the first half to create opportunities for his teammates.

Collins didn't know the triangle offense, but Jordan and Rodman did.

Under their guidance, this Wizards team vaguely resembles the Bulls.

Carlisle didn't pay much attention and directly signaled the new tactical gesture, and Sabonis immediately positioned himself in the low post for a one-on-one attack.

Besides injuries, another reason Rodman couldn't start for the Wizards was that his size couldn't defend opposing centers, especially heavy centers like Sabonis.

Although Sabonis' form has declined this season, he still has a significant advantage over Rodman.

His turnaround layup after receiving the ball was strongly contested by Rodman, but Rodman could only watch as his putback went in.

It wasn't just injuries that limited his explosiveness, but also the fact that Sabonis's weight made him virtually undefendable without a heavy heart.

It seems Collins made a decision that resulted in heavy losses for both sides.

However, as the game progressed, Carlisle gradually sensed that something was amiss.

After five minutes, the Trail Blazers were unable to establish a lead like they had in the first half.

Although Sabonis has an advantage over Rodman, his form has declined this season, and his success rate is not as high as expected.

If this stalemate continues, it will definitely not be good news for the Trail Blazers.

Because if the game goes to a decisive moment, and Jordan has another explosive performance like he did in the second quarter, then the outcome will be uncertain.

Yang Shuai also sensed it.

He wasn't sure if Jordan could get back into that form, but he knew it was time for him to step up and help the team pull away.

However, as soon as he got the ball, the Wizards double-teamed him.

Collins can let Sabonis play one-on-one, but he will never give Yang Shuai such an opportunity.

Yang Shuai attempted a three-pointer, but failed to make it.

The Wizards' strategy, similar to the Trail Blazers' previous "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic, is subtly cooling down Yang Shuai's shooting touch.

And Jordan also started to exert his strength at this time.

After forcing the Trail Blazers to hesitate to double-team him with several successful plays, he then launched a series of strong attacks on Pippen.

With his signature turnaround fadeaway jumper after backing down Pippen, the Wizards took a commanding 66-60 lead over the Trail Blazers.

The crowd erupted into agitation, and the fans sensed that something was amiss.

The Finals are still in a 2-3-2 format. If the Wizards win a home game, they will not only lose home-court advantage, but also face three away games, instantly putting the Trail Blazers' favorable situation in jeopardy.

Yang Shuai was obviously aware of this as well.

Go, Trail Blazers!

It was at this moment that Portland fans began to chant in unison, cheering for their home team. He had witnessed the Trail Blazers' growth and progress over the past two seasons.

Fans don't just cheer when their team is winning; they also cheer for their team when they are losing.

The deafening cheers were amplified through the loudspeakers and reverberated throughout the court, reaching the ears of the Trail Blazers players.

Yang Shuai turned his gaze away from the scoreboard, his eyes becoming more determined than ever before.

So-called birthday wishes are what people make to God on their birthdays, hoping that God will grant them.

But this time, Yang Shuai decided to take charge himself, to be the one to decide, and to fulfill this wish with his own hands.

The moment Yang Shuai made up his mind, he once again grasped that fleeting feeling from halftime, which was unexpectedly interrupted by Lu.

When he got to the frontcourt and received the ball, ready to break through, he had a magical feeling.

That feeling made him realize that his previous understanding was wrong.

His movements didn't get faster, nor did his opponent's movements get slower; rather, his reactions became faster.

If we had to make an analogy, it's like the brain's CPU suddenly upgraded, able to capture all the information it sees, analyze and make judgments in a very short time, and then quickly issue instructions to the body.

For example, the moment Yang Shuai broke through with the ball, he saw Richmond follow up with a rightward movement, and then almost instantly changed direction to the left.

The fans at the scene were completely stunned.

Although Richmond couldn't stop Yang Shuai before, they could at least put some pressure on him.

But in the last round, it felt like he was playing like an amateur player. He saw Yang Shuai break through and rushed at him, only to be completely outmaneuvered. Even after being beaten, he was still in a daze.

Even Rodman, who came up to help defend him from behind, was stunned because he was beaten so quickly.

However, with his extensive defensive experience, he knew he couldn't possibly mismatch Yang Shuai, so he immediately braked to prepare to defend against Yang Shuai's breakthrough.

But the instant he braked, Yang Shuai had already made a sudden stop and launched a mid-range shot.

At 14 feet, with no one guarding him, even if his shooting touch isn't great, this position is too easy for Yang Shuai.

"Shh!"

With a crisp sound as the ball went into the net, Yang Shuai's mid-range shot found its mark.

A cheer erupted from the crowd, but it quickly turned into a frenzy of cheers.

When Yang Shuai retreated to defend after scoring the basket, he made a move that fans couldn't understand, but which was impressive: he spread one hand to cover his face and pointed the other hand at the spectators on the sidelines.

Amaterasu.jpg!

At the moment he hit the mid-range shot, Yang Shuai felt an unprecedented sense of pleasure, a feeling that even surpassed the game-winning shots he had previously made.

He didn't just break through his defender; he dominated his opponent.

He knew he had entered Jordan's state, the feeling Jordan called the "zone".

Or, in Chinese terms, flow.

Or perhaps it's Tim Grover's definition of a ruler in "Savage Evolution": everything is under one's control.

After retreating to their own half, Yang Shuai and Pippen switched defensive positions.

Jordan clearly realized something as well.

He knew what state Yang Shuai was in, and that Yang Shuai in this state was invincible.

Of course, he also knew that Yang Shuai would eventually break free from this state.

He didn't intend to confront him head-on at this time, but Yang Shuai seemed to have anticipated his choice and spoke to him directly: "You're afraid of me."

Yang Shuai certainly couldn't read minds, but he deduced Jordan's intentions from Jordan's subtle actions.

Jordan glared sharply at Yang Shuai; this was the first time he had ever heard anyone speak to him like that on the court.

"You're using your eyes to hide your fear."

However, that only seemed to confirm Yang Shuai's judgment.

Jordan had no other choice, even though he knew he would have a hard time getting the better of Yang Shuai in a flow state, but being able to and daring to are two different things.

Just like when he faced the Pistons, he may fall on the road to victory, but he will never be intimidated by his opponents.

After seeing Jordan go one-on-one against Yang Shuai, Portland fans had already started booing.

In the last game, they witnessed the classic scene of Yang Shuai playing against Jordan one-on-one, but they did not see the scene of Jordan playing against Yang Shuai one-on-one.

Jordan initiated his offense, employing his signature low-center-of-gravity drive after a back-to-the-basket turn.

It's still Jordan's signature style of combining talent and skill, and his extremely low center of gravity penetration also prevents Yang Shuai from stealing the ball.

He broke through to the mid-range position, but could no longer advance further because Yang Shuai had completely blocked his path.

Yang Shuai understood his choice, and his speed gave him an absolute advantage.

Jordan reacted quickly, jumping and leaning back the moment he was forced to stop.

For most defenders, this situation would leave them with little recourse but to stand still and watch.

However, Yang Shuai jumped up almost at the same time as Jordan, and his outstretched arms formed a huge blocking net.

Jordan attempted a dramatic fadeaway jump shot to avoid a block.

The ball barely passed Yang Shuai's fingertips, but it was clearly too short.

The ball did not ultimately hit the rim.

Sabonis got the rebound.

Rodman reacted quickly and fouled Sabonis directly because he had already seen Yang Shuai coming down the court.

The sound of whistles from Portland fans filled the stadium.

Back then, Yang Shuai relied on wearing down Jordan to stop him, but now he can defend Jordan head-on and make him miss three shots!

Both sides moved to the forward positions.

This time, Collins shouted anxiously from the sidelines, and Yang Shuai was surrounded and blocked by the Wizards before he could even receive the ball.

But at this moment, he was like a dragon weaving through the air on the court, skillfully dodging the Wizards' various pursuit and defenses. Finally, he made a beautiful reverse run, shaking off everyone and driving straight to the basket.

Billups delivered a solid pass, and Yang Shuai easily scored two more points with a graceful reverse layup.

64:65.

The Wizards still lead by one point, but at this moment, that one-point lead is just a flickering number on the scoreboard: visible, but it could be rewritten at any time.

"Defend! Defend!"

Portland fans began chanting in unison to cheer for their home team.

Jordan had the ball again and called for Rodman to set a screen.

At the moment the pick-and-roll occurred, he quickly changed direction with a low center of gravity, followed by a sudden stop and mid-range shot.

It has to be said that even at 36 years old, Jordan is still the most aesthetically pleasing basketball player in the league.

However, this aesthetic appeal did not help him score points.

Rodman's screen was bypassed by Yang Shuai almost instantly, and at the same time Jordan jumped, Yang Shuai had already leaped high from his side and behind.

Unlike before, this time the ball didn't even reach its highest point before Yang Shuai grabbed it with his right hand.

Everyone present was stunned.

Jordan wasn't immune to being blocked, and he wasn't even immune to being blocked by Yang Shuai.

But at this moment it was more than just a block, because as Yang Shuai fell, he used his strength to catch the ball in mid-air.

This is a hat-grabbing moment!
Jordan had never experienced anything like this in his entire career.

Jordan was stunned even in mid-air.

He certainly knew how much energy a person could unleash in that state, but Yang Shuai completely exceeded his expectations.

Perhaps only someone in their prime, when young, could have accomplished what Yang Shuai just did.

But Yang Shuai is only 21 years old and is far from reaching his peak.

Moreover, before the ball landed, Yang Shuai had already thrown it towards Sabonis.

Because he saw Rodman coming to cover him.

Rodman originally intended to foul Yang Shuai directly, but Yang Shuai suddenly went from having the ball to not having the ball.

Before he could make a further move, Yang Shuai leaped past him as if he had stepped on a clutch.

Amidst belated gasps of amazement from the crowd, Yang Shuai had already pulled away from everyone and run past the three-point line in the blink of an eye.

It was only at this moment that Sabonis reacted first, and then threw the ball out with a long pass like a quarterback.

Then, it's performance time.

Yang Shuai ran while looking back, and after slowing down in the frontcourt, he leaped up and swung the ball in a wide arc for a powerful windmill dunk.

"Oh!"

The Trail Blazers have taken the lead, 66-65!
The Rose Garden Arena, which had just calmed down a bit, was once again engulfed in a sea of ​​excitement.

At this moment, they fully felt the difference in Yang Shuai.

The most direct comparison was that they seemed to see Jordan in the second quarter!

Collins reached out and called a timeout.

Perhaps only a timeout could ease the coach's tension a little.

The big screen at the stadium was replaying Yang Shuai's goal.

Jordan looked up at the screen and never looked down.

In a daze, he felt that the figure on the screen was like his younger self, manipulating his opponents at will on the field.

Memories kept flooding his mind until the whistle blew, signaling the end of the pause.

He finally lowered his head.

After the timeout, Jordan did not attack with the ball again.

He ultimately succumbed to reality; continuing to target Yang Shuai one-on-one would not help the Wizards.

Richmond's off-ball mid-range shot on the weak side helped the Wizards continue their scoring run.

The Wizards' run to the Finals wasn't solely due to Jordan.

However, Yang Shuai immediately used a sharp crossover to shake off Richmond and hit a three-pointer from the outside.

His consecutive points have helped him regain his form in the game.

Then, as if Pandora's box had been opened, Yang Shuai began to hit three-pointers one after another from the outside.

99 three-pointers, flow state, touch – when all of this happened at the same time, the figure who once shot down 6 three-pointers in a single quarter against the Knicks reappeared.

At this point, Richmond's or Howard's sporadic two-pointers were simply not enough.

The Wizards' defense kept expanding outwards, but they still couldn't stop Yang Shuai from scoring.

Throughout the third quarter, Yang Shuai made 9 of 10 field goals and 6 of 7 three-pointers, scoring 24 points in the quarter!
Next to this number is the word "new record". Yang Shuai has set a new NBA playoff single-quarter scoring record!
By the end of the third quarter, the Trail Blazers had a commanding 16-point lead over the Wizards, 88-72.

In one quarter, no, more accurately, half a quarter, Yang Shuai completely crushed the Wizards, who had Jordan on their team!

In the final quarter, the Wizards failed to mount an effective comeback, and the Trail Blazers ultimately defeated the Wizards 113-96, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Yang Shuai barely played in the final quarter and only scored 44 points.

"Hansen! Hansen!"

When the final whistle blew, the fans couldn't contain their excitement and stood up to cheer for Yang Shuai.

They are celebrating Yang Shuai's birthday in the most unique way.

After the game ended and he returned to the locker room, Yang Shuai was treated to a champagne bath by his teammates.

Don't ask why there's this thing in the locker room. They prepared it after they made it to the finals so they could celebrate when they won the championship.

Because of the celebrations, Yang Shuai arrived at the press conference later than expected.

"Happy birthday."

After the press conference began, the first reporter to be called out gave Yang Shuai a birthday greeting.

"Thank you."

Yang Shuai noted down the other person's name; he was a young reporter named Brian Windhorst.

"You played a great quarter, can you tell us how you did it?"

"I entered a state in which I could manipulate my opponent at will."

Yang Shuai's main strength is sincerity.

At this point, Jordan had not yet introduced the concept of "zone," so Yang Shuai's answer naturally caused a stir among the audience.

The reporters were hearing this for the first time, and it would be a huge source of news material for them later.

"How did you get in?" Windhorst pressed.

"I don't know." Yang Shuai's answer caused another stir in the room.

However, Yang Shuai really didn't know.

After experiencing that exhilarating feeling in the third quarter, he tried to get in again in the fourth quarter, but he ultimately failed to succeed using the same method.

So although he had experienced that state, he was still some distance away from finding a way to enter it.

"But I think anyone who trains hard has a chance to get into that state."

Yang Shuai also shared his thoughts.

This prompted the reporters to take notes rapidly. Yang Shuai only shared his thoughts, but what the reporters heard was a spirit of basketball.

"The Trail Blazers are now up 2-0. Do you think the team can sweep their opponents like they did against Los Angeles?" That was the next question from an ESPN reporter.

This also drew the attention of all the reporters.

Shaving Jordan's head—this is a question that probably no one dared to think of before.

"No, we all know that for a series, winning on the road is just the beginning."

There are many NBA series in which teams have come back from a 2-0 lead to lose. The next three games will be played in Washington, and that will be the beginning of the real challenge for the Trail Blazers.

Moreover, as Yang Shuai said, he has not mastered the method of entering flow, nor will he place his hopes on such uncertain factors.

Most importantly, he felt that comparing O'Neal to Jordan was a huge insult to Jordan.

(End of this chapter)