The longest river

Chapter 205: The Trail Blazers win the championship!
The last pause was a short one, lasting only 20 seconds.

"Hansen, how are you?"

The first thing Carlisle did after coming down was to ask about Yang Shuai's situation.

Yang Shuai had mentioned that state of mind at a previous press conference, and at that time he thought Yang Shuai was just showing off.

But he was certain that it did exist during tonight's game, and that Yang Shuai should have already recovered from that state.

Yang Shuai didn't speak. He took a breath and then looked at Pippen.

Given Collins' coaching ability, the Wizards will definitely double-team him relentlessly in the final defensive possession.

He is currently exhausted and it is difficult for him to get good opportunities to shoot.

Jordan could change the defense by adjusting the officiating, but he couldn't, because although the referees wouldn't eject him, they certainly wouldn't call a foul in the end.

In contrast, it would be a better option for him to use his individual offensive skills to draw the defense and then pass the ball to his teammates.

Pippen has a high basketball IQ, and he quickly understood Yang Shuai's intention after seeing Yang Shuai's look.

He was somewhat excited, but that excitement quickly subsided, and he even subconsciously turned his head away.

Yang Shuai also shifted his gaze away from him.

Pippen has changed a lot this season, but as the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature." You can't expect Pippen, who couldn't handle clutch shots in the first ten years of his career, to suddenly become capable this season.

Moreover, Pippen's reaction shows that he has not yet recovered from the shadow of missing both free throws in the final moments against the Pacers years ago.

Yang Shuai then turned his gaze to Billups.

"Changxi, do you remember what I said?"

When Yang Shuai spoke, Billups paused for a moment, but then immediately understood what Yang Shuai was referring to.

When the timeout ended, almost all the DC fans in the stadium stood up, their faces filled with tension.

The Trail Blazers will definitely run down the clock in the end, and even if the Wizards get a limited amount of offensive time, it will be quite limited.

Their more realistic idea now is to hope that the Trail Blazers miss their final shot, and then the game goes into overtime.

Billups dribbled the ball forward and then began to back down Strickland to run down the clock.

His ability to control the game is sufficient to do this.

As time ticked by, the tension among DC fans grew stronger.

The feeling of having your fate in your opponent's hands is absolutely awful.

With only 10 seconds left on the clock, the Trail Blazers launched their attack.

Yang Shuai cuts out to receive the ball using Sabonis's screen.

Collins had arranged for someone to come and cut off the passing lanes in advance.

But at that moment, Billups passed the ball to Sabonis, who had just finished the pick-and-roll.

Then, a classic handoff tactic was employed, and Yang Shuai successfully received the ball.

The Pacers executed a brilliant play.

After receiving the ball, Yang Shuai drove towards the basket, looking like he was preparing to force his way to the basket, just like Jordan had done before.

In that instant, he seemed to transform into a giant black hole, sucking all the Wizards players into it.

Yang Shuai was right; Collins's strategy in the final defensive possession was to prevent him from taking a shot.

In the eyes of the fans, Yang Shuai was like a ferocious fish, diving headfirst into the defensive net set up for him by the Wizards.

Albert's face began to light up with excitement. If Yang Shuai had shot immediately after the pick-and-roll, he would have been a little nervous, since Yang Shuai was very good at clutch shots.

However, if they make that kind of breakthrough, the referees won't call it tonight, and the Wizards players know that too; there's no way the ball will go in.

For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if Yang Shuai had done it intentionally.

Yang Shuai has already scored 55 points, and he only needs to score one more point to surpass Jordan.

If that's the goal, then even if the shot doesn't go in, and the game goes into overtime, Yang Shuai still has a chance to achieve that.

However, just as the Wizards' pocket formation closed in, Yang Shuai made a sudden stop, turned around, and threw the ball towards the top of the arc.

At this point, the Trail Blazers had only 3 seconds left on the shot clock, and Yang Shuai chose to pass the ball!
The fans at the scene were all stunned.

Including James in the stands.

No one expected that Yang Shuai, who always liked to solve problems with his own abilities, would choose to pass the ball in the final moments!

Jordan didn't expect this either.

Because of Yang Shuai's emergence, the 1997 NBA Finals were no longer a Bulls vs. Jazz game, and the classic play where Jordan assisted Kerr for the game-winning shot was no longer possible.

Not to mention that Yang Shuai passed the ball to Billups.

Billups received the ball and was in a wide-open position.

Albert, however, couldn't help but burst into laughter after regaining his senses.

Although Pippen isn't great at clutch shots, he and Yang Shuai have developed a very good chemistry.

However, Billups's performance last season, where his failed offensive attempt against the Jazz nearly led to the Trail Blazers' elimination, remains fresh in people's minds.

Although Billups has improved this season, he is far from being a player we can be confident in.

To put it in terms of statistics, Billups has never made a clutch shot this season.

But now, Yang Shuai has given him this opportunity.

He never did anything in the regular season, and you expect him to do it in the finals?
This is completely shifting the blame!
Billups received the ball and had no time to hesitate; he quickly launched a three-pointer.

It was at this moment that Albert's heart suddenly tightened.

DC fans were on tenterhooks.

Because Billups' shot didn't feel rushed; it seemed like he had prepared for it, and he didn't appear nervous at all. On the contrary, it looked like he had been waiting for this opportunity.

As the basketball climbed past its highest point and began to fall, a commotion erupted in the arena.

The ball's trajectory looks very straight!

"beep!"

The red lights on the sidelines came on before the basketball even touched the rim.

"Shh!"

The next second, the crisp sound of the basketball going through the net was transmitted to everyone's ears through the loudspeaker.

Billups hit that game-winning three-pointer!

Having a big heart is not something you're born with, but whether you can have a big heart is something you're born with!

The Trail Blazers' bench erupted in cheers as they charged onto the court.

The Trail Blazers players on the court quickly rushed towards Billups.

The Trail Blazers began their celebration!
"The Trail Blazers are the champions!"

Johnson was stunned for a moment before he reacted.

Albert stood there, stunned; he simply couldn't accept this outcome.

In the stands, a large number of DC fans held their heads in their hands, unable to believe what was happening before their eyes.

With the Finals at this stage, they were well aware that the Wizards were no match for the Trail Blazers, but they still clung to a sliver of hope.

So they could accept being defeated by Yang Shuai in the final moments, since Yang Shuai now looks just like a young Jordan.

But now, they've been defeated by Billups, a "flop," and it feels like being killed by a lowly soldier—it's really hard to accept.

Stern also looked helpless. The referee had done his best tonight, but things didn't turn out the way he hoped.

But then he smiled with relief.

Yang Shuai's 55-point performance, Billups' game-winning three-pointer, and Yang Shuai's spectacular basket in Game 1 of the Finals have made this year's Finals a hot topic.

Playing one less game doesn't seem to be such a big loss.

After all, there's the China Open this year, and if Yang Shuai plays even better, the China Open will have a greater influence.

At that moment, there was another person in the stands who was also stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.

James was predicting how Yang would win the game against the Wizards, but he never expected that Yang would choose to pass the ball, and more importantly, he succeeded.

In that instant, he seemed to have grasped something very crucial.

On the field at that moment, Billups excitedly jumped up and bumped chests with Yang Shuai when he saw him coming over, then hugged him tightly and kept saying thank you.

A player's career is often accompanied by some legendary moments, those moments that make a player famous overnight.

For example, Jordan rose to fame with his game-winning shot in his freshman year of college NCAA.
For example, Yang Shuai, that's the moment he brought Jordan down;
Billups' three-pointer in the Finals that brought the Trail Blazers their first championship was his legendary moment.

This could even change his entire career, because "If I can hit the three-pointer that wins the championship in the Finals, what can't I do?" is a very normal logic.

He was able to do all of this because of Yang Shuai's trust.

At this moment, the Trail Blazers players around them were all acting like madmen.

Although Yang Shuai's performance in Game 1 had convinced them that they could beat Jordan, when it actually happened, they still felt a bit like they were in a dream, and then lost control after the dream.

Beating Jordan in the NBA Finals is even more incredible than beating him in the Conference Finals!

Since Jordan was able to lead his team to the Finals, it meant that team had the ability to win the championship, and Jordan led them all to achieve that. This is the main reason for Jordan's legendary status.

But now, that myth has been shattered.

Even if Jordan continued to win championships afterward, the title of "God of Basketball" would no longer exist.

This truly turned Jordan from a god into a human, and he could never regain his godlike status.

"Jordan won't play a Game 7 in the Finals," because this time there wasn't even a Game 7.

The camera lingered on the Trail Blazers players celebrating wildly for a long time before turning to the Wizards' bench and focusing on Jordan.

Jordan's eyes were fixed on what was ahead.

His face was expressionless, making it impossible to tell whether he was angry or frustrated.

That feeling was like emptying my mind.

This reaction was unexpected by everyone. Theoretically speaking, it was just like Jordan's frightening expression after losing to the Pacers back then.

But at that moment, no one knew what Jordan was thinking.

This state of affairs even makes people wonder if Jordan might retire.

The Wizards players around him sat quietly, not daring to utter a sound.

Just like Jordan said, this group of people would never have reached the NBA Finals without him.

After a brief celebration, the two teams shook hands in a final gesture.

When Pippen shook hands with Jordan, he hugged him and said some words of comfort to Jordan.

However, when the camera focused on his face, his smile was absolutely unmistakable.

It turns out that no matter how great Jordan was, he couldn't win a championship without him!
Moreover, he currently has one more championship title than Jordan.

Yang Shuai only noticed Jordan's condition when they shook hands.

See you next season.

He didn't know if Jordan would retire because Johnson had retired after losing to Jordan.

This is an expectation from the opponent.

He hopes to beat Jordan again.

After the handshake ceremony, the Trail Blazers players prepared to return to the locker room to celebrate.

Just as they entered the players' tunnel, something completely unexpected happened.

Paul Allen was waiting there, and when Yang Shuai walked in, he immediately bowed down to Yang Shuai in worship.

This scene startled the other team members, who quickly moved away.

Yang Shuai didn't expect Allen to actually keep his promise; he thought Allen was just saying it casually.

He quickly went over and helped the other person up.

After standing up, Allen immediately gave Yang Shuai a big hug, and then excitedly pulled Yang Shuai's hand towards the camera, saying:
"This is the new basketball god!"

He was genuinely excited.

Watching Jordan dominate Drexler from the sidelines back then, and even saying afterwards, "If I didn't beat him, you'd think he was on the same level as me," deeply stung him.

Now the tables have turned, and it's finally his turn to enjoy himself.

Moreover, this is the 21-year-old new Jordan, and Portland will have far more than just this one championship.

When the team members came out after changing into their championship T-shirts, the excitement on their faces was still undiminished.

Apart from Yang Shuai and Pippen, everyone else on this team was playing for the first time, and the experience was incredibly new and exciting for them.

Not to mention that this was after beating Jordan, it felt like hitting on Marilyn Monroe on your first date.

Yang Shuai was also very excited. Although this season was short, he had grown a lot.

Moreover, winning this championship brought his confidence to its peak.

If he can defeat Jordan head-on, what is there that he can't beat?

The scene was quite interesting at this point. The loyal DC fans had already left, but many fans who had originally been watching the game outside the arena had poured in.

The Wizards are unlike the Bulls or the Jazz; they've been in disarray, lacking a deep team culture, which means their enthusiasm for their home team is limited.

Against this backdrop, rather than feeling sad about the Wizards' loss, what they wanted to do was witness the birth of a new basketball god.

So even though they won the trophy away from home, the atmosphere wasn't much worse than when they won at home.

The media in DC were already in place, and the winner-takes-all mentality was vividly displayed in this political city.

Stern also shook hands with Yang Shuai and congratulated him when he came over.

"Can the ruling be fairer next time?"

Yang Shuai spoke as he shook hands.

Stern was taken aback by these words, but he immediately smiled and nodded.

For the league, Yang Shuai's victory over Jordan was equivalent to breaking through the last barrier and becoming the new face of the league. Stern had no reason to continue targeting him.

Even when the next season starts, it will be Yang Shuai's turn to enjoy the superstar refereeing.

"It was a tough season, but we witnessed the birth of a great champion. They beat one great team after another. Congratulations to the Portland Trail Blazers, the 1999 NBA champions." Stern's words brought the entire arena to a boil.

They swept the Rockets led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley in the first round, swept the Lakers led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in the second round, eliminated the Spurs' twin towers 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals, and defeated the Wizards led by Michael Jordan 4-1 in the NBA Finals.

This was truly a series of victories against great teams, a truly legendary feat.

Allen's face lit up with joy as he received the championship trophy from Stern.

He lifted the enormous trophy above his head with both hands and then made a pushing motion.

When he finally received the trophy, he kissed it passionately.

He seemed more excited than the team members; perhaps that's the damn sense of identification a veteran has.

The trophy was then passed to Carlisle.

Carlisle also seemed very excited at this moment.

Although he still has many shortcomings, he has grown along with the team.

The tactical domination of Popovich in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, and the brilliant defensive counter-attack with one big man and four small men after Wallace was ejected tonight.

He proved his title as "Coach of the Best" was well-deserved in the playoffs.

Then, when the trophy was passed to Yang Shuai, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.

The so-called transfer of royal power is just a polite way of saying it; the fact is that the old king is dead and a new king must be established!
Yang Shuai held the championship trophy in one hand and placed the other behind his ear, making his listening at that moment particularly moving.

The votes for FMVP were still being tallied, and the reporter began his interviews, with Allen being his first interviewee.

"Two years ago, they said I would definitely regret that signing, and I did regret it. I regret not signing Hansen earlier."

Allen is a big shot in the business world, but on the basketball court, he is just an ordinary fan who cheers for the team and also gets angry with other fans.

However, his words drew cheers from the audience.

Who wouldn't like a down-to-earth boss?
The microphone was then passed to Carlisle.

"Hansen, Scottie, Rashid, Arvidas, Chauncey... This was an incredible team, I was just lucky to coach them."

Carlisle is much more low-key in comparison, and after experiencing the playoffs this year, he has clearly grown a lot.

The microphone was then handed to Billups.

"What were you thinking when Hansen finally passed the ball to you?"

"He passed it to me, I think, Hansen passed the ball to me!"

Billups then made a funny shout, which drew laughter from the audience.

The microphone was then handed to Yang Shuai.

Before the reporter could even speak, the stadium was already filled with cheers from the fans once again.

"Hansen! Hansen!"

The shouts from the crowd lasted for half a minute.

Yang Shuai didn't have a chance to speak until the cheers subsided.

"It's not that I haven't passed the ball to Chauncey."

His first words, which were tinged with "complaint," drew a burst of laughter from the audience.

Yang Shuai has a good sense of humor.

"This is just the beginning."

Then, when a reporter asked what this championship meant, Yang Shuai's answer was simple yet powerful.

When he first came to Portland, he said "more than one," and in just two years, he got his first one.

This is just the beginning, really just the beginning.

The envelope containing the FMVP results was delivered to Stern.

Although it hasn't been opened yet, everyone already knows the answer.

If the Pacers' Finals MVP award is more of a team honor and lacks real value...

So this year's gold medal is truly of high quality.

G2的44分，还有今晚的55分，杨帅今年总决赛5场比赛场均38.4分6板6助攻2.4抢断1.4盖帽，投篮命中率高达51%。

Perhaps only the Jordan of 1993 could rival this year's Finals.

"Yang Shuai won the 1999 FMVP award."

The result was a foregone conclusion, and Stern announced it directly.

The only reason Yang Shuai didn't get a unanimous vote is probably because the opposing team had Jordan.

Jordan also averaged 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in the Finals.

The topic returned to Yang Shuai, and this time the fans in the stadium quickly quieted down.

"We are the better team in the Finals."

His first words then drew laughter and whistles from the audience.

Because of a single comment Popovich made, Yang Shuai turned it into a running joke.

After making some jokes, Yang Shuai then began his serious acceptance speech.

“I am very grateful to Mr. Allen. He gave me an opportunity, an opportunity to prove that I can lead a team.”

If Allen hadn't spent a fortune, Yang Shuai might not have been able to leave the Pacers, and even if he hadn't left, it would have taken him a long time to become the team's leader.

"I am very grateful to the Portland fans. They were blocking my bus when I entered the league."

This serious speech was quickly interrupted by another burst of laughter from the audience.

If you were to ask whether Yang Shuai chose the Trail Blazers because of the fans, the answer would definitely be yes.

"I want to thank my opponents, Charles Barkley, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan. Great opponents help you grow, and I couldn't have done it without them."

Yang Shuai's honest words drew applause and cheers from the audience.

As for why Shaquille O'Neal isn't included, everyone knows that racists usually censor their faces.

Yang Shuai then thanked his teammates, family, and everyone who had helped him along the way.

At the end of his remarks, he mentioned Bill Walton.

“Mr. Walton taught me what true team trust is, and I will invite him to join us for the championship parade.”

Yang Shuai speaks his mind, and without Walton's reminder, the Trail Blazers might have lost to the Spurs.

Looking back, the Spurs were indeed the team that caused the Trail Blazers the most trouble.

"Glory belongs to the Trail Blazers!"

As Yang Shuai finished his final slogan, the stadium was filled with cheers from the fans.

Just like the 1991 Bulls, with the championship settled, Yang Shuai and the Trail Blazers have become the hottest team in the league.

Of course, the price of becoming the champion is that other strong teams will study and target you, and defending the title will be much more difficult than winning it.

Of course, those are not things to consider right now.

After the awards ceremony, Yang Shuai treated the whole team to a party at DC's most upscale nightclub.

At this moment, he can finally drink to his heart's content.

Come to think of it, this was the first time he had ever drunk alcohol since he and Pierce and Garnett had a secret drink together years ago.

After playing ball for so long, it's time to relax and enjoy myself.

Yang Shuai didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt that he was already half drunk.

He was just a high school student in his past life, and he spends every day playing basketball in this life, so he really can't hold his liquor.

It was at this moment that he felt the urge to urinate, so he got up to go to the toilet.

He was a little unsteady on his feet due to being drunk.

Lu had an unexpectedly high alcohol tolerance; upon seeing this, he immediately went over to help Yang Shuai.

With Lu's help, Yang Shuai reached the door. Lu was about to continue supporting him, but Yang Shuai pushed him away.

If someone sees someone needing help to go to the toilet, they'll be laughed at.

Yang Shuai went to the restroom alone.

Because it was a private room on the second floor, there weren't many people there.

He forced himself to stay awake and went inside, then entered a cubicle.

This is his habit; even when no one is around, being in a cubicle always makes people feel safer.

After he finished using the restroom, he went to the sink to wash his hands and also prepared to wash his face to refresh himself.

But when he looked at the glass, he suddenly froze.

Because there was a woman standing next to him, and she was staring at him with wide eyes as if she couldn't believe it.

Yang Shuai turned around abruptly and realized that the room was full of cubicles.

He went into the wrong restroom!
What's even more awkward is that Yang Shuai knows the woman next to him.

He hurriedly turned around and left, but in his drunken stupor, he was in a state of "anti-zone." His brain had given instructions, but his hands and feet couldn't keep up, and his body lost its composure as he walked too fast.

When Ivanka saw Yang Shuai about to fall, she immediately reacted and went to help him up.

However, Yang Shuai's large physique caused him to press her down to the ground along with him.

However, thanks to Ivanka's intervention, Yang Shuai only fell to the ground instead of actually crashing.

Moreover, when he landed, he braced himself with one hand and then put his other arm around Ivanka.

If Ivanka were injured in the women's restroom, not only would it become big news, but Trump would probably come after him.

This tiny waist she got... Ivanova must have been only eighteen at this time?

Still dazed, Yang Shuai was helped to his feet by Ivaca.

However, the alcohol was starting to take effect, and he heard Ivanka asking him something in a daze, but he was already somewhat disoriented.

Fortunately, this is DC, and this nightclub also has rooms on the top floor for customers to rest.

Yang Shuai vaguely felt himself being taken to his room, and then lay down to rest.

He felt like he was having a dream in which he embarked on a difficult journey.

He was sitting on a bus when a torrential downpour began. The muddy road caused the bus to stall, so he had to get off and push it. The bus was stuck deep in the mud, and it took him a long time to finally get it out.

Then the bus arrived at a ferry crossing, and he got off the bus and boarded the ferry. However, the thunderstorm continued, and the waves on the river were very large. He was tossed about with the boat, and he could almost see the surging waves in front of him.
Finally, he arrived at his destination, a grassland full of spring colors. He mounted a wild horse, waved the reins, and galloped freely across the grassland.

Yang Shuai thought that he probably had a weird dream because he had watched "Lost in Thailand" in his previous life.

He woke up the next day.

When he woke up, he felt a sharp pain in his head.

People who don't drink much will have this reaction if they drink too much at once.

It took him a while to recover, but then he felt a numbness in his arm.

He turned his head and froze.

Iva was lying naked on his arm.

No, what is going on?
He blacked out from drinking last night and has no recollection of what happened.

It took him a while to recall that he had bumped into Ivaka while going to the toilet.

But he only remembered that he accidentally bumped into the other person, and then he couldn't remember anything else.

It wasn't that he didn't remember at all; some images gradually came back to him, making him slowly realize that he wasn't dreaming last night, but rather doing some things he loved.

If it were right after he transmigrated, Yang Shuai would definitely be so shocked that he would sit up right now.

However, while he was somewhat surprised, he wasn't entirely astonished.

He even looked down to admire Ivaca.

Although he had seen the other party on the sidelines before, he was focused on the court and didn't really take a good look at him.

After observing this up close, he came to the conclusion that the prime of life for women in Europe and America is around eighteen years old.

Yang Shuai pulled his numb arm out, and it was at this moment that Ivaka woke up.

There was no verbal exchange; Ivaca simply moved even closer to Yang Shuai.

It's clear that last night's experience was a very good memory for her.

Yang Shuai always manages to satisfy women in this regard.

That afternoon, the entire Trail Blazers team returned to Portland on a Marques Airlines plane, this time paid for by Allen.

Tens of thousands of people lined the airport in Portland to welcome their heroes home.

It's crazy, but as Yang Shuai said, the fans in this city filled with basketball are incredibly enthusiastic.

Of course, it wasn't just Portland fans who were going crazy; NBA fans across the US, and even the world, were buzzing about the Trail Blazers' championship last night.

Not only Yang Shuai, but everyone on this team is gaining popularity rapidly.

Even rookies like Lue have had their past stories dug up, including the ejection of Ruben Patterson from a game against the Lakers.

Just like what the Trail Blazers said in their locker room back then, they became famous and the subject of everyone's discussion after defeating Jordan.

A few days later, the Trail Blazers' championship parade took place in Portland.

The weather was perfect; it was a rare sunny day, and approximately one million people participated in the champion's parade.

Those weren't just Portland fans, but Trail Blazers fans from all over the United States and even around the world.

Amidst the eager anticipation of fans, the Trail Blazers' parade bus slowly drove out of the underground parking garage at the Rose Garden Arena.

When buses laden with roses of every color appeared one after another, the fans who had been waiting at the entrance for a long time instantly erupted in cheers.

These roses did not all come from the experimental garden; many were donated by fans, and the donated bouquets even had postcards of the fans attached to them.

Walton appeared just as Yang Shuai had predicted. He rode in the same car as Yang Shuai, holding an MVP trophy from over twenty years ago. The two MVP trophies in Yang Shuai's hands complemented each other, as if they were communicating across time.

A romantic atmosphere permeated the entire "City of Roses".

(End of this chapter)