CHAPTER 1284: CHAPTER 519: YOU ARE DEFYING THE GODS (PART 1)

Eventually, Bird defeated his old team, the Celtics, signing McDaniel for 4 years at 8 million. There’s no other trick, just money.

Charles Dolan provided a 20-million salary budget, and Bird decisively retained Ewing with the second-highest salary in the league. Later, when renewing contracts with role players, he tightened the budget, sold nostalgia, and marketed the dynasty dream, just waiting to use it for free-agent competition.

In an era when stars earned two to three million annually, superstars generally made three to four million, with a maximum of five million, and key players earning just over a million counted as high salaries, every player sought the highest salary or better opportunities, or a balance between the two. However, hitching a ride with major teams was limited to veteran superstars who had already achieved financial freedom.

Note: In the 1991-1992 season, the Lakers’ total salaries amounted to 15.72 million, including the buyout of retired player Ervin Johnson; the Bulls had a total of 16.72 million, with Scott Pippen already signing a seven-year deal for 21 million.

Successfully snatching a player from the small forward-short Celtics, Bird won the support of New York media and was officially accepted.

Bird took the opportunity to announce that he would also serve as the team’s head coach...

After the start of the 91-92 season, the Knicks’ championship defense didn’t look as promising as the previous season’s start.

The team was turbulent. Even though Bird later performed well in the free market, and Smith and McDaniel were considered excellent signings, the coach who led the team to two consecutive championships resigned and returned to college to study management. The new Bird had only been retired for a year, without coaching experience.

However, in the new season, under your leadership, the Knicks began with an impressive 10-game winning streak, silencing critics.

Bird made considerable adjustments to the formation while continuing Stu Jackson’s offensive philosophy.

In the starting lineup centered around you and Ewing, you were teamed with Jackson, McDaniel, and Oakley, focusing on half-court offensive plays.

The rotation lineup emphasized rapid attacks with you and Greg Anthony, and Bird boldly placed Mason at the center position. Alongside him were physical swingman Gerald Wilkins, heightening the pace.

With the addition of newcomers Greg Anthony and Mason, your fast-break abilities were unleashed. In the first month across 15 games, you averaged 31.2 points, surpassing Michael Jordan’s 30.8 points, leading in scoring, and igniting fierce competition against Jordan, who had won the scoring title for five consecutive seasons.

In terms of record, your competition with Jordan was intense. By the end of March, the situation remained tight, with your average at 30.4 points, achieving a 61-12 record, while Jordan averaged 30.6 points with a 60-13 record.

Into the decisive April, Jordan had a poor start, and the Bulls lost to the Celtics. Your former substitute, Reggie Lewis, had an explosive performance, restricting Jordan to 12 out of 28 shots, leading to only 26 points on defense while scoring 31 offensively. Kevin McHale scored 20 points, and Rick Fox contributed 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. The trio collectively led their team to a shocking 117-106 victory over the Bulls.

Knowing that you were already ahead by two games against the Bulls, you were unstoppable, and went on to win all 9 games in April, concluding the regular season with a 12-game winning streak including the 3 consecutive wins at the end of March. With a total of 70 victories, the team became the first in NBA history to reach 70 wins, setting a record for the best season record.

In the regular-season finale against the Hawks, you were a solo sensation, in a showdown with ’the league’s fourth quarterback’ Dominique Wilkins. This was a league-arranged popular game to end the season. However, Wilkins suffered an Achilles tendon rupture at the end of January and was out for the season, leaving you unmatched to focus all your effort on shooting. Playing for 39 minutes, you scored on 25 out of 40 shots, including 7 out of 12 three-pointers, along with 13 out of 15 free throws, totaling 70 points, 10 rebounds, 0 assists, and 4 steals.

Thanks to scoring 70 points in a single game, your average shot up from 30.5 to 30.98 points, overtaking Jordan’s average of 30.7 points in the last game and ending Jordan’s five-year scoring title streak!

You achieved a 70-12 record for the regular season, with averages of 31 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks. With a shooting accuracy of 50.1% and a three-point shooting accuracy of 42.9%, you surpassed Jordan’s 67-15 record, averaging 30.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, winning the regular season MVP award and being selected for both the first team and the first defense.

Bird, in his first season as management and head coach, just like in his college and NBA days, immediately became a legend. He defeated Cavaliers’ general manager Wayne Embry for the best manager award and outdid Warriors’ head coach Don Nelson for the best manager award.

You and Bird were rated as—the best historical partnership from player to coach and player, no matter how you fit together, always the strongest.

Reached the playoffs, in the first round, you averaged 31 minutes and scored 25 points, leading the team to a comfortable 3-0 sweep of the already collapsed Bad Boys Legion Pistons. In the second round, you beat the Nets 4-1 steadily, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, facing the Bulls team who swept the Pacers 3-0 and defeated the Cavaliers 4-2.

In the first six matches, both you and Jordan kept the home ground secure, tying the big score at 3-3.

Now it is May 30, 1992, the day after the Eastern Conference finals Game 6...

Zhang Yang ’woke up to’ a flood of messages pouring into his mind. After receiving the message, he felt that the timeline’s ’he’ truly had a turbulent career.

Two consecutive championships, now aiming for a dynasty, future vice president leaves the job, wants a career change, runs off to college, utterly ridiculous!

But being in New York, after the shock, he felt it was quite normal.

However, to encounter a ’final battle’ right away in this experience, that was indeed a first.