บท 103: Finals – Players in the Locker Room Have Different Thoughts
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In 2004, the power of fan voices wasn't as influential as it is today due to the absence of robust internet platforms. James, despite having a large number of supporters, faced substantial controversy when he was elected as the best rookie. However, this storm quickly passed with the announcement of two other significant season awards.
The Best Defensive Player and the Regular Season MVP are two of the most important awards of the regular season, particularly the MVP, which rivals the Finals FMVP in terms of prestige.
Historically, the greatest superstars have often secured both the regular season MVP and Finals FMVP, frequently alongside multiple championships.
For the average star, it's incredibly challenging to claim even one of these accolades.
For top-tier superstars, the Best Defensive Player award is merely icing on the cake. It's a nice addition but not essential.
Take, for example, the Basketball God Michael Jordan. Discussions about Jordan usually revolve around his six championships, two dynasties, ten scoring titles, and five regular-season MVPs. Only when defense comes up do people mention his Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award to highlight his prowess on both ends of the court.
For blue-collar players, however, the Defensive Player of the Year title is the pinnacle of individual achievement.
During the 03-04 season, the DPOY went to Ron Artest of the Pacers, an outcome that surprised no one.
The Pacers had one of their best seasons, securing 60 wins. Artest also put in his best performance, averaging 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals, contributing significantly on both offense and defense.
With these stats, he edged out competitors like Ben Wallace, Bruce Bowen, Kevin Garnett, and Andrei Kirilenko to claim the Defensive Player of the Year award.
As for the Regular Season MVP, it went to Kevin Garnett as expected.
Although the Timberwolves lost their top spot in the West to the Lakers due to the presence of Wang Chong, Garnett's on-court performance and impact were undeniable.
With a well-rounded stat line of 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, Garnett was voted the season's MVP. He outpaced his rival, Tim Duncan, securing the honor.
Despite all these awards, the Lakers remained trophy-less, but it didn't bother them. Shaquille O'Neal's last regular season MVP came five years prior. Even though the Lakers had won three titles in recent years, Shaq's inconsistent regular-season attendance kept him out of serious MVP consideration.
It was a familiar story: Shaq had no shot at the MVP, and Kobe Bryant was an even longer shot.
For the Lakers, individual honors took a backseat to winning championships.
On May 25th, Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals took place at SBC Center in San Antonio, the Spurs' home court.
Possibly motivated by the MVP results, Shaq and Kobe came out with a mission, eager to prove their superiority on the court.
After all, Garnett's MVP-winning Timberwolves had already been knocked out by the Spurs in the second round. What better proof of dominance than that?
In the game, Garnett may have won the award, but Duncan bore the brunt of it.
Tim Duncan, on his home floor, struggled against Shaq, managing only 4 of 14 from the field, finishing with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 turnovers.
On the other hand, Shaq dominated, hitting 10 of 18 shots, with an astonishing 8 of 11 from the free-throw line (a rarity for him). He finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
Kobe was equally stellar, going 10 of 22 from the field, scoring 26 points, along with 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
With the OK duo firing on all cylinders, the Spurs were blown out, suffering a crushing 105-81 defeat on their home court.
The series score stood at 3-0.
Despair swept across the Spurs' fanbase as their hopes for a comeback crumbled.
Two days later, in Game 4, the Spurs, fighting to save face, started strong and quickly opened up a double-digit lead over the Lakers.
However, as the game wore on, the Lakers chipped away at the lead. Kobe was unstoppable, maintaining an impressive shooting percentage and leaving Bruce Bowen struggling.
In the fourth quarter alone, Kobe shot 6 of 10, including 3 for 3 from the free-throw line, racking up 15 of the Lakers' 21 points.
Despite Bowen's best defensive efforts, Kobe scored 42 points, with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Lakers won the game 98-90, sweeping the series 4-0 and eliminating the Spurs from the playoffs.
"Revenge is sweet! The Lakers avenged their loss to the Spurs from last season's second round!"
"Kobe has proven himself, averaging 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists over the series and outscoring defensive expert Bruce Bowen. He's the best shooting guard of the new century!"
"The OK duo remains the league's strongest combination, with Kobe and Shaq claiming the top two spots in scoring for the Western Conference Finals."
In this series, Wang Chong took on more of a supporting role. Aside from Game 1, where he stepped up as Shaq and Kobe struggled to adjust to the Spurs' tactics, he mostly played a reserved, steady role as a reliable shooter.
Despite keeping a low profile, Wang Chong still averaged 16.2 points and 4.4 rebounds with a consistent 50% shooting percentage across four games, making him one of the Lakers' most stable scoring threats.
His 16.2 points per game ranked fifth in the Western Conference Finals, behind only Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, and Tony Parker.
Even Manu Ginobili couldn't match his numbers, averaging only 14.7 points per game.
For casual fans, Wang Chong's contributions might not have been as flashy as Kobe's or Shaq's. But to the trained eye, his accurate mid-range shots gave even the defensive powerhouse Spurs fits.
Wang Chong's relatively modest point totals weren't a reflection of his limitations, but rather the Lakers' collective dominance. They simply didn't need more from him to win.
The Lakers now advanced to the Finals, riding a wave of momentum after sweeping the Spurs 4-0. Their next opponent was the Detroit Pistons, who defeated the Pacers 4-2.
This is where things get interesting.
As a time traveler, Wang Chong knew the history of the 03-04 season. Even without him, the Lakers would still have made their way through the Western Conference, knocking out the Rockets, Spurs, and Timberwolves to face the Pistons in the Finals.
When the Lakers entered the Finals, most believed they would clinch their fourth championship in five years. But in reality, the Lakers fell apart, losing to the Pistons 4-1. This loss led to the dismantling of the Lakers' F4 team.
But with Wang Chong in the mix, things could be different.
When the Lakers entered the Finals, the system prompted him with a new mission:
"Mission: Help the Lakers win the 03-04 Championship!"
Completion would grant him 1,500 points and upgrade all his badges by one level (except gold).
The stakes were high, but so were the rewards.
As June 6th, 2004, dawned at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the NBA Finals kicked off.
The media heavily favored the Lakers, and even the team was confident of victory. The locker room buzzed with laughter and light-hearted banter. O'Neal, Malone, and Payton appeared relaxed, while Kobe sat in thought, separated from the group.
Kobe, like the others, believed that defeating the Pistons was a formality, but his mind was on bigger things—he wanted the FMVP.
End of Chapter
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