The 2004-2005 regular season has officially concluded, and the second round of the playoffs is igniting!
The Celtics' semifinal opponent is the Pistons, who were worn down by the Pacers!
The Pistons' starting lineup this season features the twin Wallaces in the frontcourt, with Hamilton and Billups on the perimeter, consistent with the original Pistons team. Only at the small forward position, due to Prince's absence, has the Pistons' ironclad defense struggled to fully solidify.
Prince, in the original Pistons lineup, primarily played a 3&D role, capable of driving to the basket and shooting three-pointers. He was a crucial link connecting the interior and perimeter on both offense and defense for the Pistons.
Currently, DuPree, as a replacement at small forward, has consistently failed to gel with the other four players.
Larry Brown has also experimented with Hamilton playing small forward and veteran Lindsey Hunter taking over as point guard, but the results have been less than ideal.
In this matchup against the Celtics, wary of He Xi Meng and Carter's dual-guard combination, Coach Larry Brown has opted to start DuPree, who possesses greater defensive capabilities.
The Celtics, having a slightly better regular season record than the Pistons, hold the home-court advantage.
On their home court, Michael Jordan cordially greets his two younger "brothers" from the league: Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton!
The four men, in unspoken agreement, deliberately avoid any basketball-related topics, conversing only about life, not work!
Meanwhile, He Xi Meng is catching up with Billups on the side!
"What's going on? How did the Pacers give you guys such a hard time? By skill level, that shouldn't have happened?"
"You have no idea! That old guy Miller is truly something else! When he gets going, no one can stop him! And Stephen Jackson is a madman, playing outside the box, impossible to predict with normal logic! Anyway, anyone who faces them knows... you guys wouldn't necessarily have an easy time either!"
"I believe you! The fact that they could push you guys to the brink shows this Pacers team is genuinely tenacious... a shame though..."
"A shame about what? What do you mean? You're not hoping we lost, are you?"
"Heh heh! If you guys lost, I'd certainly be happy! I'd much rather play you guys than them! But what's a shame is Artest! If he hadn't been suspended, I suspect this Pacers team would have achieved something!"
"Let's not even go there! If that lunatic Artest hadn't been suspended, I can't guarantee we wouldn't have seen a repeat of the Malice at the Palace..."
"No way? Haven't they learned their lesson after one incident?"
"Hard to say! The Pacers have too many wild cards, they're naturally incompatible with us!"
"Too bad for 'what ifs,' you won, the Pacers lost, that's the reality! There are so many unpredictable things in this world, for example, without me, perhaps you guys would have been champions last season?"
Billups stares at He Xi Meng with a complex expression: "Are you perhaps overestimating yourself? Without you, perhaps the Spurs could still have defeated us! After all, the Spurs last season were incredibly strong!"
Thinking about the transcendent Spurs of last season, a sense of despair inevitably surfaces in Billups' eyes.
"But have you considered one possibility? Is it precisely because of me that the Spurs became so formidable? Setting aside my individual abilities, the Spurs' ability to assemble last season's roster wouldn't have been possible without my efforts?"
"Are you referring to Yao Ming?" Billups can only think of Yao Ming, a player He Xi Meng could potentially recruit based on his personal influence, given they are both Chinese.
"Yao Ming is just one of them!"
"Besides Yao Ming, who else?"
"There's also... I'm sorry, I can't reveal more information to you..."
With that, He Xi Meng abruptly ends the casual chat with Billups.
Billups, whose interest had just been piqued, is suddenly cut off by He Xi Meng, leaving him feeling extremely frustrated.
"If you can't say it, then why start telling me? Giving me a hint and then saying you can't reveal it, are you playing with me?"
"I didn't mean it that way... if you insist on thinking so, then I can't help it..."
Billups finds this conversation truly exasperating!
What's more frustrating for Billups is the game that follows!
As the game begins, Ben Wallace uses a pump fake to disrupt Yao Ming's jump rhythm and seizes the opportunity to tip the ball to Billups.
Big Ben is quite pleased with his cleverness.
After posting up Yao Ming, he immediately calls for the ball from Billups.
Billups doesn't hesitate; he hadn't even anticipated getting the first offensive possession.
Once he receives the ball, Big Ben intends to execute his signature pump fake! He dribbles with his back to Yao Ming, fakes a shot, and then turns around, stepping through for a two-handed dunk!
Big Ben's plan is well-executed, but he underestimates Yao Ming's defensive ability.
Still a little annoyed from being slightly out-jumped by the 20-centimeter shorter Big Ben, Yao Ming isn't happy.
And now Big Ben tries the same move again, playing fancy footwork in front of him... does he not know the Chinese idiom, "never show off your blade in front of Guan Gong"...
As Big Ben turns and rises for the dunk, Yao Ming's palm arrives as expected! He swats the ball out of Big Ben's hands and, with a follow-up jump, snatches the ball himself!
Holding the ball high, Yao Ming turns and scans his teammates' positions.
He Xi Meng is already accelerating on the right flank. Yao Ming immediately throws a two-handed overhead pass, swiftly delivering the ball to the streaking He Xi Meng!
Billups fails to catch up to He Xi Meng immediately. By the time he tries to recover, He Xi Meng gives him no chance, pushing the ball rapidly up the court!
Piston players frantically chase after He Xi Meng, but he abruptly stops near the three-point line, causing all the defenders to halt with him. He then leisurely dishes a bounce pass to Carter, who is driving hard down the middle!
Carter catches the ball and takes flight, immediately throwing down a graceful, one-handed tomahawk dunk, scoring two points for the Celtics!
The Boston crowd erupts in cheers! Even Michael Jordan, watching from the sidelines, enthusiastically applauds and shouts his support!
Facing the Celtics' unstoppable fast-break offense, not only the Pistons are helpless, but even the Spurs couldn't contain He Xi Meng and Carter!
One possesses speed in his drive and precision in his passes!
The other has speed in his follow-up and an unguardable dunk!
The Pistons can only sigh in admiration at Carter; even the most formidable defense can only watch as Carter soars through the air!
The Celtics ignite with a thunderous start!