the rest, only noise

Chapter 1422
The Lakers once again entered the playoffs with the first record in the league at the fault level. The first opponent to challenge them was the Dallas Mavericks, which had finally succeeded after many years of reconstruction.

The Mavericks did two things last summer.

One is to select Dirk Nowitzki, and the other is to sign the 3-year-old Hakeem Olajuwon with a three-year $4000 million contract.

Olajuwon played 64 games this season, averaging 18.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He is indeed old, but it is completely sufficient to be the top insider of the eighth in the West and guide the young Dirk forward.

However, the rise of the Mavericks is certainly gratifying, but they are destined not to be the opponents of the Lakers.

In the first round of G1, Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in a single game with excellent touch. The Lakers blossomed across the board. Seven players scored in double figures and scored 7 points to give a vivid education lesson to the newcomers from Dallas.

"They have No. 1 in the league." Mavericks coach Don Nelson knew how outrageous the team was after he became the opponent of the Lakers. "If Tim Duncan was a center, he would be the league's No. It's an asymmetrical competition."

The asymmetry between the Lakers and other teams has been said for several years.

This is a rare era in the history of the NBA.

Even the Knicks dynasty in its heyday and the short-lived Super Heat team had no shortage of opponents who hindered them while they were rising, but today's Lakers can look down on all teams, and only personal selfishness can stop them.

But these selfishness, under the suppression of Legend Lu, it is almost impossible to affect the Lakers.

G2
本杰明·威尔逊在30分钟内轰下41分，博迪洛加在25分钟内便取下18分12篮板11助攻的三双，加内特清清爽爽地拿下20分8篮板5助攻，邓肯的15分12篮板看起来根本不起眼，科比在最后一节单节爽刷16分，全场27分。

The Mavericks were crushed again.

The game has become a show for the Lakers, and the Mavericks can't even make themselves lose decently.

Louie said matter-of-factly: "I'm already looking at my opponent in the next round."

Such arrogance does not leave a good impression on people, but Louie is just saying the fact that their series with the Mavericks really does not need to pay more attention.

Before the G3 game, a reporter asked Louis what he wanted to do most after finishing this round of the series.

Louie said: "I want to watch "The Mummy" with my family. Of course, I also pay attention to the first prequel of "Star Wars".

G3
Just like Louie said, the Lakers, who don't feel the pressure, play easily.

Duncan, who was an outsider in two games, also enjoyed the fun of the game. He sent away the Dallas people with a performance of 25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks.

After the game, Duncan used a Versailles way to talk about his feelings as the best player in the game: "It's not good at all. It will make me face a hundred cameras at the same time when I walk outside. I don't like it."

After a few days of rest, the Lakers waited for their semifinal opponent.

They are the Portland Trail Blazers ranked fourth in the Western Conference during the regular season.

In the first round, the Blazers and the Rockets ranked fifth in the Western Conference fought five games.

36岁半的乔丹场均出场40分钟，拿下32分8篮板7助攻，并在抢五战中投进杀死比赛的准绝杀。

The young and unlimited Rockets were repelled, but the Trail Blazers' plight was not alleviated.

They still have to solve the problem, that is, who can share the pressure for Jordan as he gets older?
Kidd should have been that guy, but he's not capable enough to attack. As a core guard, he has the intangible assets of driving his teammates and making those around him better. However, the playoffs are a very realistic place.

If you can only make the people around you better, but not yourself, it will look very weak.

In the first round against the Rockets, Kidd faced the duo of Marbury and Bibby, averaging only 11 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists per game in an economical quasi-triple-double, while Marbury averaged 21 points per game and Bibby averaged 17 points per game. Although not as comprehensive as Kidd, his personal offense was full.

Now encountering the ultimate boss, the Blazers need a more aggressive Kidd.

Unfortunately, the head coach of the Lakers is a pragmatic person. Even if he has an overwhelming advantage, he must plan for the opponent's weakness.

So in the first game of the semifinals, Kidd was embarrassed to find that he was completely emptied.

The Lakers double-teamed Jordan at any cost, and without the ball, Jordan was in a high-pressure state anytime and anywhere, but Kidd had a unique view at the top of the arc.

The defender closest to him stands three meters away.

If he rushes in with the ball, everyone will defend it symbolically, and Kidd is well versed in the principles of the shallow and the deep.

It's a lack of aggression.

And Jordan was restrained by the Lakers' unreasonable defense. The Blazers looked around and the only reliable offensive point was Isiah Ryder, who was known for his strong nanny off the court.

129 is better than 81
In the first game of the semifinals, the Lakers defeated the Blazers by a huge advantage of 48 points.

Kidd scored 8 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Today, he still made his teammates better. Under his support, Ryder scored a team-high 26 points.

Poor Jordan did not get the help and support of his teammates. He fought alone all the way and scored 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists under extremely difficult circumstances.

The next day, "Sports Illustrated" described the battle with the headline "MJ Choking".

In the second game of the semifinals, Louie decided to lower the pressure on the Blazers and no longer adopt the strong targeting tactics like the first game.

Jordan's shackles were untied, and he dived into the abyss, scoring 44 points in a single game.

For the Lakers, Wilson returned Jordan's 44 points.

And Kobe scored 25 points.

Bodi Loga contributed a large triple-double of 22+15+12.

What about the Blazers?Kidd finally made up his mind, and he began to take the initiative to seize the open opportunities given to him by the Lakers.

But the feel didn't support his decision.

基德全场17中3，单场怒砍8分12篮板12助攻。

However, the great quality of making teammates better made him feed Ryder 27 points again.

"It's hard for me to imagine another player missing a triple-double in two consecutive games because he didn't score as much as Jason Kidd."

"Portland's first priority is to fire their shooting coach!"

G3
Kidd's touch finally rebounded, scored 20 points in the first game of the semifinals, and sent 8 rebounds and 13 assists.

Jordan also had a 35+7+7 performance, while Ryder was always fed by Kidd, scoring 20 points in three consecutive games.

This was the closest game the Blazers had to the Lakers, but the dominance of Duncan and Garnett in the interior caused the Blazers to collapse in the fourth quarter.

Before the fourth game of the semifinals, the league announced the ownership of the major awards in the regular season.

This year is a bumper year for the Lakers.

Best lineup: Penny Hardaway, Michael Jordan, Benjamin Wilson, Hank Gaithers, Tim Duncan.

All-NBA Second Team: John Stockton, Reggie Miller, Dejan Bodiloga, Chris Webber, Shaquille O'Neal.

All-NBA Third Team: Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill, Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning.

Best Defensive Team: Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Benjamin Wilson, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan.

All-Defensive Second Team: Mookie Blaylock, Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, Hank Gaithers, Dikembe Mutombo.

Sixth Man of the Year: Charles Barkley.

Defensive Player of the Year: Tim Duncan.

Rookie of the Year: Vince Carter.

Head Coach of the Year: Louie.

General Manager of the Year: RC Buford.

The starting five Tigers of the Lakers were all selected to the best team. In addition, three people were selected to the best defensive team, which reflects their strength to some extent.

The strongest offense and the strongest defense are assembled in the same team, which is why they have won 77 consecutive victories and 76 victories.

In the fourth game of the semifinals, the exhausted Trail Blazers lost their fighting spirit and put the game into garbage time before halftime. After the whole game was over, the season ended with a huge gap of 36 points.

After the game that night, Jordan, with a towel slung over his shoulder, silently shook hands with Wilson before walking into the tunnel alone.

It seems that he has become numb to failure.

Louis, who was thinking about another thing, couldn't help canvassing for Wilson, "Anyone who says that only 76 wins this year means the Lakers have regressed, so Benj shouldn't be the MVP is a troll. If the best player on the 76-win team can't get the MVP, just because his test results this year scored 1 point less than last year, then there is no need for the MVP to exist."

Winning this year's MVP means that Benj will become the only four consecutive MVP winners in NBA history. At the same time, it will also make his number of MVPs surpass Bird.

Then, the hot new GOAT surpassed the old GOAT in all aspects in all aspects.

This will be a perfect coronation ceremony. The judges can feel fatigued next year, but not this year, because the four consecutive MVPs are not only unprecedented, but will also be unprecedented, and Wilson is very suitable to be the selected new god no matter his record or personal ability.

At this historic juncture, it is unforgivable to vote wrong for the damn reason of aesthetic fatigue.

(End of this chapter)