After Game 1 of the Finals, Shaquille O'Neal became the target of public criticism, especially from the Los Angeles media.
The L.A. media, operating under the principle of "settle accounts promptly, don't delay," came out in full force. They intended to launch an unprecedented and grand reckoning, vowing to nail O'Neal—who scored only 3 points in a Finals game—to the pillar of shame, revealing a "truer" Shaq O'Neal to the world.
In an article for the Los Angeles Times, Jovan Buha listed O'Neal's detailed playoff statistics for each round during the "OK era," as well as his regular season absences: "I believe that in the past, people have always overestimated Shaquille O'Neal's dominance.
Because of the glory of the 'OK era,' many have forgotten what kind of team the Lakers, led by Shaq, were before Kobe Bryant truly blossomed.
Oh, let me think, twice swept in the playoffs, and once eliminated by a large margin of 1-4... Is that the dominance of the league's top center?
In the '99-'00 season, how many fans remember that if Kobe hadn't averaged nearly 28 points with close to 50% shooting in the first round of the playoffs, we would have almost been knocked out by the Kings?
I admit that year, Shaq proved with his strength that he was indeed the league's top center after 'The Dream' Hakeem Olajuwon.
But after that, once he had a taste of success, he changed. He became an arrogant and condescending king.
He constantly used statistics to emphasize his dominance and would always wait until the latter half of the playoffs, after his teammates had battled through crucial games, to then, like a king, lead the Lakers to victory and seize the crown.
The '00-'01 season, our sweep of the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, is a classic example. Shaq often brings this up, his revenge on Tim Duncan.
But in reality, in that series, if Kobe hadn't been dropping 33 points per game, Shaq, could you truly have avenged yourself against Tim Duncan?
During our three-peat, Shaq would never mention these things to you. Especially after being traded to Miami, he'd only say he was the number one contributor to the Lakers' three-peat, and that even without others (Kobe), he could have still three-peated.
He was annoyed by Kobe Bryant, who competed with him for team status, yet in Miami, he could constantly fawn over 'D-Wade.' Because he knew very well that only 'D-Wade' could preserve his false crown.
Shaq can continue to deceive future generations with his glorious achievements, but now, I just want to ask Mr. Shaquille O'Neal a few final questions.
Does the Messiah, who led the Warriors to the Finals in his rookie season, not need to wait for his teammates to grow? Mind you, he doesn't have Anfernee Hardaway and Kobe Bryant by his side.
The 37 points per game the Messiah has been averaging in these playoffs is a height Shaq is destined to never reach. Yes, this is the report card the 'overestimated' Messiah, in Shaq's eyes, delivered in the playoffs.
Shaq foolishly thought the Messiah was another rookie he could suppress with words and evaluations, just like in the past, but he never expected the Messiah to be far more outstanding than his 'senior' (Duncan).
Now, let us all quietly wait. Wait for the demise of this aging king who still lives in a dream and rests on past laurels!
Shaquille O'Neal, your 'death day is coming'! The Messiah will personally crush the lies you've told, those lies used to defend that false crown, even attacking former teammates and great opponents!
As a basketball reporter, I am relieved, because the NBA has finally welcomed its most righteous day!"
Led by Buha, with the Los Angeles media following suit one after another, there's no doubt that when the boomerang finally swung back at him, O'Neal himself probably never expected such a terrifying backlash.
After Game 1, Zack, reading these reports with a playful mindset, deeply understood the importance of playing the role of a great veteran in the NBA.
Was O'Neal really as bad as the Los Angeles media claimed?
The answer is clearly no.
However...
The public backlash was like divine punishment, destined to make O'Neal's life worse than death.
Again, in competitive sports, if you want a graceful exit, then when you start your decline, you must understand the importance of mentoring the next generation and stepping aside when it's time.
Michael Jordan, who chose to retire in 1998, was undoubtedly perfect.
Because by then, he had already found his successor in the league and had put a perfect end to his career with the Bulls' second dynasty.
It's just that this 'God of Basketball' insisted on having a flaw in his godhood, insisting on a superfluous Wizards' career to prove he had fallen back to earth.
Heroes will eventually grow old.
A dignified exit is what allows the world to forever remember your past glory.
And if he wanted to avoid being hit by the boomerang in the future, Zack also knew very well that he had to stay true to his original intentions and firmly remember every word he had spoken in front of the world.
For instance, now, he had to fulfill his declaration of leading the Warriors to this year's championship.
Two days later, Game 2 of the Finals between the Heat and Warriors continued at Oracle Arena.
Compared to his vibrant appearance before Game 1, O'Neal's mental state, while certainly not listless, was far from lively.
He now seemed like a zombie, stripped of his soul.
As the Heat's de facto "pseudo-starter" center, he numbly walked to mid-court, jumped the ball disoriented to start the game, and mechanically moved to the high post to set screens for Wade.
Although his screen quality and roll timing were even better than in Game 1.
But when Riley substituted him for Mourning with seven minutes left in the first quarter, his stat line only showed 3 rebounds.
The Warriors' strategy of suffocating the paint made this aging king, who had formally lost his crown, appear incredibly powerless.
And even more critically...
Dick Bavetta, the referee officiating this game, simply didn't care about the high-intensity confrontations between Zack and O'Neal on defense.
Without his crown, O'Neal was no longer a star player whom the referees needed to protect.
"They threw me away like a dirty rag into a forgotten corner," O'Neal thought sadly to himself.
On the court, without a stable second scoring option, Wade and the rest of the Heat's championship puzzle pieces had to do better, do more.
But after reaching the Finals, Riley felt as if his team was cursed.
Walker, Williams, Posey... these players who had previously contributed to the Heat's success still couldn't find their shooting touch in Game 2.
Riley repeatedly glanced at the bench tonight and had to risk putting in Jason Kapono in the second quarter.
A sharpshooter with precise three-point shooting...
But one whose existence you could completely ignore on defense.
"Damn it! Such a wide-open shot, why did he miss it?!"
Oracle Arena, Heat's offensive possession. After Wade drove into the Warriors' paint, he created an absolutely wide-open three-pointer for Kapono, with no one within three meters.
Clang!
Riley couldn't believe that Kapono, who usually made every shot in practice, would miss such a golden opportunity.
And the more the Heat missed their shots, the tighter the Warriors' defense would shrink.
This even forced Wade to finish with more jump shots.
After all...
Even the Flash, no matter how good he was at driving, couldn't make a miraculous shot every time.
So, the game shifted to a pace more favorable to Artest.
Wade wanted to drive, and Artest certainly couldn't stop him.
But if Wade wanted to shoot...
Then Artest would naturally make things tough for him.
Actually, compared to Game 1, Zack's tough-shot making was pretty average tonight.
This was likely his worst game since the playoffs began, shooting only 5-of-12 in the entire first half.
But at halftime, the scoreboard read 47-59, with the Warriors taking a 12-point lead into the second half.
Because the Heat couldn't consistently punish the Warriors' defense with three-pointers, Wade, facing an increasingly difficult environment, also struggled in the first half, shooting only 4-of-11.
However, the way both teams' star players broke down the defense indirectly influenced the game's direction.
Wade, who drove to create for teammates, and Zack, who orchestrated his teammates through pick-and-rolls, hand-offs, and high-post playmaking, had vastly different energy levels entering the second half.
The slower pace of the game actually allowed Zack to gradually regain his scoring touch and take over the second half with ease.
Wade, meanwhile, was deeply entangled in the Warriors' defensive web in the paint, only able to delay the Heat's collapse on the court by raining down isolated scores.
In the latter half of the third quarter, on a Warriors' offensive possession, Zack, after faking Haslem with a one-handed dribble on the perimeter, drove to the basket and threw a behind-the-back pass to Brown, assisting him on a one-handed dunk.
And this assist also allowed Zack to achieve his first career Finals triple-double.
At this point, Zack's stat line had soared to 26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 blocks.
Then, on the last offensive possession of the third quarter, Zack first executed a hand-off with Artest, then pulled up to the top of the arc to facilitate, creating a three-point opportunity for Richardson, who was lurking in the corner.
After receiving the pass, Richardson hit the three-pointer, setting the score for the Warriors at 71-91 after three quarters.
A 20-point lead pretty much took all the suspense out of this Finals game.
Especially for a Heat team that didn't dare to speed up with the Warriors.
In the final quarter, O'Neal, who had been frustrated all game, finally opened his scoring account with a free throw and a signature hook shot in the paint.
Regarding this, commentator Rick Barry sarcastically remarked, "Shaq finally made his first field goal of these Finals.
This will at least give him a few seconds for his highlight reel later."
To preserve the Heat's hope of a comeback in the 2-3-2 Finals format, Riley pulled all his starters with about 7 minutes left in the final quarter.
Upon noticing O'Neal was also subbed out, Barry quipped, "This aging king still preserved a shred of his dignity. Unlike that young king, who was still gleefully stat-padding in garbage time during the Christmas Day game before."
Clearly, Barry's jibe fully demonstrated that despite his complicated love-hate relationship with the Warriors, he still paid attention to their games.
Otherwise...
How could he have known about that young king's aggressive stat-padding in garbage time on Christmas night?
Final score: 94-116.
The Warriors won two consecutive games in the Finals, leading the Heat 2-0.
Since the next three games would be held at the Heat's home arena, this was undoubtedly the most bittersweet night for Warriors fans since the playoffs began.
Because...
This was likely their last home game of the year.
But at the same time, Warriors fans also hoped the team wouldn't bring this Finals series back to Oakland.
O'Neal, who shot 1-for-4 from the field and 4-for-8 from the free-throw line, totaling 6 points and 8 rebounds, did not speak to the media after the game for the second consecutive time.
Wade, who shot 10-of-25 from the field, 1-of-3 from three, and 11-of-16 from the free-throw line, carried the entire burden alone.
On the court, Wade, who scored 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals for the Heat with his "bursting power," said in an interview: "We disappointed our fans in the first two games, but I believe... in the next three home games, we have the ability to turn this around."
Zack didn't know if Wade would yell "This is my house!" at him when he returned home in this life.
But considering that this heavy championship ring wouldn't significantly boost Wade's historical standing in the future, Zack felt that this ring, which Wade was destined to not grasp, might as well be grasped by him instead!
As for the veterans on the Heat who wanted to fulfill their dreams, and O'Neal who hoped to prove he could win a championship without Kobe?
Who cares?!
Would Jordan have intentionally lost to Barkley in the Finals out of sympathy back in the day?
What kind of international joke is that? Jordan's response to Barkley then was that astonishing Finals average of "40+ points"!
After Game 2, Zack, who tallied 33 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal for the Warriors, said in his post-game interview: "I hope that after the next two games, I can personally lift that most valuable championship trophy for our supporters!"
On site, a reporter pressed, "Do you mean you'll sweep the Heat in Miami?"
Zack nodded, "I said it very clearly just now, there are only two games left in this Finals series."
Bold!
At Oracle Arena, as soon as Zack finished speaking, the golden tide in the arena surged.
Because after his championship declaration, their Messiah had now promised that after two more games...
He would personally bring back the championship trophy to the Warriors, a trophy that had been absent for thirty-one long years!
At this moment, wasn't Zack afraid that the NBA would prolong this Finals series for ratings?
The answer is...
Since Zack had previously acted as Stern's ally, helping the league divert public attention, how could Stern interfere with this year's Finals at such a time?
In this world, all transactions come with a price.
After Game 2, the Warriors, who immediately departed for Miami that night, received good news upon arriving in the Magic City.
Dan Crawford would be officiating the upcoming Game 3 of the Finals.
This meant that the league had declared its stance to the world.
In this Finals series, they would remain neutral, as always.
Even if the Heat were ultimately swept by the Warriors, it would only mean the Heat were simply outplayed.
Shortly after leading the team back to Miami, Pat Riley immediately demanded the entire team participate in an emergency three-point practice.
This "Godfather-like" coach, usually with his slicked-back hair, intently watched every Heat player's practice on the court.
If anyone tried to slack off, he would immediately raise his "whip" and lash everyone equally.
"Damn it! You stupid donkey, do you think I'm not watching you?! Get back there and shoot 500 more threes!"
"Antoine, if you dare use drinking water as an excuse to rest again, I'll come over and break your damn legs immediately!"
"Erik, keep an eye on James (Posey), he's had the worst shooting in the first two games, absolutely stinking like dog poop!"
Riley knew very well that the Heat had to make more three-pointers to have the offensive firepower to match the Warriors.
However...
What used to be O'Neal's most hated "Pat Riley-style devilish extra practice" had now become the most disheartening sight for O'Neal.
Because after the team returned to Miami, no one even asked him to practice.
Besides Wade, who would occasionally check on his "big brother"...
It was as if, in everyone's eyes, he had become completely worthless.
Meanwhile, on the Warriors' side, in the passionate city of Miami, Zack once again felt how mundane and boring the lives of the wealthy truly were.
Under the arrangement of his personal manager, Evans, numerous bikini-clad women with celebrity-level looks quickly became powerful "medicine," plunging everyone into a state of blissful abandon at the Warriors' relaxation party.
This was the work-life balance method that veteran Michael Jordan had shared with Zack after Game 2 of the Finals.
"Only a relaxed mindset can help you find your touch every night."
Ever since discovering Zack, Jordan's favoritism towards Zack was well-known.
Now, having relaxed and rested, the entire Warriors team would bring their hunger for a championship to their Game 3 stage against the Heat.
June 16th.
Miami, AmericanAirlines Arena.
Before the game, Wade and all the Heat players wore grim expressions.
Because being down 0-2 in the Finals, their first game back at AmericanAirlines Arena was a do-or-die situation for the Heat.
While all Heat players and fans were furious about Zack's declaration of a sweep...
It was a widely accepted fact that the Warriors' playing style inherently neutralized the Heat.
To defend AmericanAirlines Arena, every Heat player needed to perform better than in the first two games, including O'Neal, who had become "recycled waste."
At center court, head referee Dan Crawford carried the ball to the mid-circle.
In the jump ball, Brown, who had thoroughly let loose at the party the night before, won possession for the Warriors.
Then, amidst the white wave of the Heat's home crowd, Zack, right from the start, ignored the jeers and, using the Flex offense, hit an elegant and composed three-point jumper from the top of the arc.
Swish!
"Great touch."
"Are you talking about the two from last night or..."
"Shut up! Don't break my concentration!"
On the court, as he retreated on defense, bickering with Brown, Zack vaguely noticed that the faces of the Heat's championship puzzle pieces tonight seemed...
They seemed to be filled with fatigue.
Posey and Walker's low-post screen-and-roll play was surprisingly bypassed by Brown with a single step.
This was almost impossible in the first two games.
Because the Warriors' defensive priorities meant Brown usually had to observe the Heat's movement before deciding whether to go over or under the screen.
Aside from Wade and O'Neal...
Just one glance at the entire Heat team made Zack wonder, "Did the Heat also get 'it on'?"
Clearly, Riley's devilish extra practice before the game had a negative effect on this Heat team facing a do-or-die game.
On the court, unable to effectively use the court's width, Wade had to immediately force things.
The Flash, returning to AmericanAirlines Arena, seemed to have divine help. Amidst the cheers of the home crowd's white wave, he drove and finished with an incredibly acrobatic hang-time scoop shot.
"This is my house!"
And after the basket, as he retreated on defense, Wade thumped his chest and yelled at the Warriors players.
Zack hadn't expected Wade to utter this famous line, destined to be remembered by future generations, so early in Game 3.
But this only filled Zack with more motivation to win Game 3 for the Warriors.
Because only a Wade full of fighting spirit and desire deserved to be "treasured" by him!
Such a Wade would undoubtedly be a perfect war trophy!
On the Warriors' offensive possession, after cooperating with Davis at the top of the arc and testing the Heat's zone defense, Zack used a different approach to violently break the Heat's 2-3 zone.
Off-ball, he first faked a move towards the free-throw line, then quickly pulled to the right side of the court, and used Artest's screen to hit a long two-point jumper.
Although Zack, coming from the future, knew very well that such a long two-pointer was just one step away from being a three, many times, because the long two-point areas on both sides are precisely the open spots the opponent easily exposes, even if it's a two-pointer, he had to take the shot when the opportunity arose.
Swish!
Zack hit another jumper, scoring 5 quick points for the Warriors to start the game.
He could break the zone with the ball, and he could break the zone without the ball.
On the Heat's bench, Erik Spoelstra looked troubled: "If we can't find a player who can match up against him defensively... then we'll just have to let him have his way."
Riley deeply agreed.
In the regular season, this Heat team's defense had been tested by countless superstars.
But they had never, not once, felt so helpless against a particular star.
And what annoyed Riley was that even in the first quarter tonight, the Heat's championship puzzle pieces still couldn't find their damn shooting touch.
Except for Posey, who seemed somewhat normal, Walker and Williams combined for 0-of-4 shooting in the first half of the first quarter.
This season, Walker had a 36% three-point shooting percentage in the regular season, and entering the playoffs, up to the start of the Finals, his three-point percentage was 37%.
But as the most crucial three-point threat for this Heat team...
Walker's Finals three-point percentage was only 25%.
This was a very peculiar statistic.
Because in the historical 2006 NBA Finals, the Heat's other three-point shooters, besides Posey, also went cold.
In fact, if the Heat had simply capitalized on a few more open three-point opportunities back then, they wouldn't have had to rely on Wade's nightly scoring rain to defeat the Mavericks.
The Warriors truly seemed like a team blessed by destiny.
Logically, the Heat should have been able to punish their paint-clogging defensive strategy with three-pointers, yet they were completely suppressed throughout the game because their collective shooting touch abandoned them.
O'Neal wasn't subbed out by Riley until halfway through the first quarter this game.
It wasn't because he was playing particularly well; it was just...
His physical presence genuinely made things a bit easier for Wade on the court.
When he was subbed out, O'Neal, who had accumulated 1 point and 4 rebounds, had a look of desolation and sorrow on his face, which perfectly summarized the Heat's first quarter.
Wade, the lone hero, clearly pierced through the Warriors' defense repeatedly for the Heat.
His scoring rain in the game forced Brown and Artest, who each picked up two quick fouls, to exit the game early, just halfway through the first quarter.
But what did it matter?
In the first quarter, two players who had both won NCAA championships combined to shoot through the Heat's defense.
Richardson shot 4-of-7, including 3-of-5 from three, scoring 11 points and 2 rebounds in the quarter alone for the Warriors.
Zack shot 5-of-8, including 2-of-4 from three, and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, tallying 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal in the quarter for the Warriors.
On the court, in the final moments of the first quarter, Zack's three-pointer from the right 45-degree angle locked the first quarter score for the Warriors at 35-27.
During the break, the home crowd's white wave continued to cheer for their team.
Wade, who couldn't back down an inch in such a do-or-die game, also chose not to rest in the first half of the second quarter.
However...
On the court, Heat's offensive possession.
The Flash, who drove into the paint, finding himself surrounded, intended to finish with a scoop shot.
But the next second, the ball in his hands was swatted out of bounds by Zack with a slap.
Murphy had intentionally allowed Wade into the low post, precisely waiting for this moment when Zack would come over for help defense!
At that moment, the sight of Wade hunched over, hands on his knees, gasping for air, became the perfect backdrop for Zack and Murphy's high-fives!
And at AmericanAirlines Arena, this block became the turning point of the entire game.
Because from this block onward, the Warriors unleashed an offensive onslaught in the subsequent second quarter that left all fans dumbfounded at AmericanAirlines Arena!
At halftime, the scoreboard read 77-47.
The Warriors, in just one quarter, had completely turned this do-or-die game for the Heat into garbage time!
Approximately five thousand kilometers away, at Oracle Arena, during halftime, all Warriors fans were chanting, "3-0! 3-0!"
"I don't want to say this Finals series is over, but even as a Heat supporter, I must take my hat off to the Golden State Warriors...
Because they have effectively changed the series score to 3-0." On TNT, Charles Barkley commented on tonight's first half.
Beside him, watching Barkley, who was even wearing a Heat jersey while commentating, Kenny Smith couldn't help but feel...
As if the Heat's perimeter shooters had all been cursed by him.
This was destined to be a heartbreaking night for Miami fans.
Final score.
128-88.
On this night, which determined the Heat's fate, the Warriors officially changed the Finals series score to 3-0 with a bloody 40-point massacre!
In NBA history, no team has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit.
Therefore, the Warriors, leading 3-0, had basically secured the 2006 NBA championship.
Game 3 concluded.
As per tradition, the NBA's highest team honor, the championship trophy, and the highest individual honor in the NBA Finals, the FMVP trophy, had already been delivered to Miami.
"Just one more game! And we'll be this year's champions!"
After Game 3, a visibly excited Zack said in the locker room.
...