The Whip of the God of Basketball

When Larry Bird got off the plane and arrived at the Boston Airport with the players, he could feel the cool night breeze blowing on his neck. It was already May, and Boston on the Atlantic coast was still a little cold at night. Bird put on the woolen jacket he brought with him, followed the team members into the VIP channel, boarded the bus waiting at the door, and headed to the four-day destination. hotel for residence.

Sitting on the bus and looking at the night outside the window, the sweet memories of more than ten years ago are still vivid in my mind. In this magical and crazy city, Larry Bird is back again, but with the attitude of an enemy, leading the people from Indiana's bad boys challenge the hegemony the Celtics are gradually establishing this season. Just like the Detroit Pistons 17 years ago, they have now gone home and are waiting for new opportunities next year.

After arriving at the hotel, the boy at the door took the initiative to carry Bird's luggage. Not every player who goes to an away game can enjoy such treatment, especially in Boston. The hotel is small, located in the North District, and it is clean and tidy. In the elevator, the players saw the black-and-white poster of the 1981 Celtics championship. Larry Bird was in the center of the poster. Tens of thousands of fans crowded into the Boston Square Garden Arena, surrounding Bird, and Bird had a look on his face. of silence.

"How does it feel to win the championship?" Jermaine O'Neal, standing next to Bird, asked. Obviously this is a hotel with a strong basketball atmosphere. It is estimated that you will see a lot of things related to Larry Bird. s things.

"I don't know, I think you should ask yourself." Bird said calmly, as calmly as he appeared on the poster.

I got off the elevator and went to the corridor. Sure enough, the corridor was filled with things related to the Boston Celtics, including posters, photos, and signatures. It seemed that the owner of this hotel was a crazy Celtics fan, so he would decorate the hotel. So much Celtic stuff.

Looking at all these familiar things, Bird didn't hesitate at all. He found his room, asked the waiter to put things away, gave him a tip, and then told head coach O'Brien that he was going to rest and would train tomorrow. Ask him to make arrangements. After saying that, Bird closed the door.

"Actually, he doesn't have to come... If it were me, I wouldn't come." Artest couldn't help but said to Stephen Jackson when he saw Bird's appearance.

"No, it's me. I will definitely come. There is nothing more exciting than this. Hey, Reggie, what would you think if you go back to Indiana like this in the future?" Jackson asked Reggie Miller.

"I don't know how to be a coach, and neither can a general manager!" After saying that, Miller also entered his room.

This is not the first time Bird has come to Boston as an enemy. After he left here to become the head coach of the Pacers, he has to lead the team to this place at least twice a year. But those were all regular seasons, coming and going in a hurry, and this was the first time in the playoffs.

Of course, Bird is no longer the Pacers' coach, and as the team's general manager, he doesn't necessarily have to come to Boston, but he still chose to come because his heart is magnanimous and sincere, and he just wants to bring the Pacers with him. He defeated the Celtics, defeated the team he had played for all his life and won brilliant honors, but in the end they pushed him away.

Bird is very vindictive.

I entered the room and lay on the bed for a while. I didn't feel sleepy. It was still a bit early. The phone next to him lit up, and it was a text message from Danny Ainge, inviting him to have dinner with him that night and eat Boston lobster.

Bird hesitated for a while, but still wrote back and refused. Even if there was no direct confrontation on the court, he did not want to get too close to the opponent's manager before the series started.

For things like reminiscing about old times, you can pretend to come over and drink a few words of comfort after defeating your opponent, but you will feel so happy in your heart. Anyway, Bird feels that if he wants to defeat the Celtics, he must first return to Indiana and then return to Boston. He didn't believe that the Celtics had the strength to sweep the Pacers, especially after the Pacers went through hell in the semifinals and came back from behind 2:3. Bird knew that the Pacers had been reborn and became something different from the regular season. Same team.

From the moment Jermaine O'Neal asked that question in the elevator, Bird could sense that this Pacer began to reveal a sense of confidence from top to bottom, an expectation for the championship and an extreme belief in his own strength. Great recognition.

Although the Pacers failed to defeat the Celtics in the regular season, the playoffs are completely different from the regular season. The regular season is about integration, while the playoffs are often accompanied by growth. A championship-level team often loses its blood. The final evolution was completed in the playoff confrontation with Fire. The Eastern Conference semifinals were a springboard that pushed the Pacers closer to the throne.

Looking back on the summer operations, Bird still admires his decision to acquire Stephen Jackson and replace Brad Miller. If it weren't for Stephen Jackson's suppression of the Pistons' backcourt in the second two games of the semifinals, and With the life-extending firepower provided by the offensive end, the Pacers are likely to fall in front of the Pistons.

Thinking of tomorrow's game, Bird was even more tossing and turning and had trouble falling asleep. If he were a player, he would have fallen asleep long ago. If he were a coach, he would sleep soundly. However, after becoming a manager, he is always prone to insomnia the night before the game.

Since he couldn't sleep, Bird got up from the bed, took out his mobile phone, thought for a long time, and sent a text message to Angie, "Has Arnold come to Boston? His phone number?"

Five minutes later, Angie's reply came, and he sent Bird a phone number, which seemed to be the hotel's phone number. After hesitating for a while, Bird dialed the number.

After five rings, the call was connected, and Auerbach's hoarse voice came from the other end, looking a little sleepy.

"I'm Larry."

After a moment or two of silence, Auerbach's voice came again on the other end of the phone. This time it was much cooler and said, "You've lost, Larry...and your Pacers."

"Can't we talk about something else?" Bird said helplessly.

"What should we talk about? Is this a good time to reminisce about the past? I don't think reminiscing should be done after you have completely defeated your opponent, while chatting and comforting each other. It couldn't be more satisfying."

Bird didn't know what to say, so he briefly chatted with Auerbach. Finally, he said: "I hope you are healthy, but I advise you not to watch the game live."

As a result, there was no angry counterattack from Auerbach on the other end of the phone. On the contrary, Auerbach's voice was steady and powerful, and he said: "Larry, do you still remember Bill Fitch?"

Fitch was Larry Bird's first coach in the NBA, and he led the Celtics to win the championship in his second year. Fitch was Bird's first mentor in his career and has always been Bird's ideal team coach. However, in the end he left Kyle due to disagreements with the team, especially with Auerbach. Special person, eventually KC Jones, Auerbach's old subordinate, became the team coach.

"Of course, your question is funny."

"I know you remember him, and I also know that you think he is the most suitable head coach for the Celtics, even though he is a coach with a thousand defeats. But I tell you, the current Celtics are like that Bill Fitch The Celtics led by the Celtics are selfless, united, and strong. I think you can definitely understand what I mean. Even the current Boston Celtics are stronger than you and I could imagine. I don’t know how. That's the way to describe them. So, I want to tell you, if you lose the series, don't be too disappointed. In my heart, you will always be the best, kid."

"Thank you, Arnold, I'm not a child anymore." After Bird finished speaking, he hung up the phone.

He regretted making this call. Auerbach's words hit him. If he was still a player, he would go on the court and score 50 points tomorrow to prove that Auerbach was wrong. But now, he can't, he can only put his hope in these boys under his command.

The 1981 Celtics may not have been the strongest Celtics during the Bird era, but Bird can remember the taste of that time. In 1981, the vision and selfless dedication when there was no championship were better than the perfect team in 1986. Be more sincere and enthusiastic. Can the Pacers achieve such emotions?