Wade waited on the sidelines, generously congratulating Su Wan, "Congratulations, Su, for making it to the Finals in your first professional season!"
There was envy in his eyes.
As an older rookie, he yearned for earlier success.
But what was annoying was that there was always someone who got there faster than he did.
And they were younger to boot.
Just 19 years old!
At 19, Wade didn’t have enough college credits to even play in the NCAA, yet there he was, in the NBA Finals...
Such a gap!
Su Wan was about to say you’re close too, but remembering the Pacers would still be a formidable team next season and the 06 Heat Team might not be a sure shot for the Finals, changed his mouth, "Don’t worry, Dwayne, your day in the Finals will come, and if it really doesn’t, just come to Indiana and join me!"
"Get lost!"
Wade laughed and punched Su Wan in the chest, a bit playful.
He gave the court one last look, reluctantly leaving. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
He saw this court at least a hundred days a year, and normally he wouldn’t feel this regret, but tonight was different.
Tonight, this was the stage for the Eastern Conference Finals.
And his first professional "Journey to the East" had ended in a dismal 1-4.
I will come back, definitely!
Stepping into the home team’s tunnel, the lights dimmed, but determination and resolve filled Wade’s face.
Next time, he would not leave in such a disheveled state.
Because the Pacers beat the Heat Team so soundly, the Heat Team’s staff didn’t even leave a room for an interview for the Pacers.
In the end, the Pacers received this year’s Eastern Conference Finals trophy in the corridor in front of the visiting team’s locker room.
It must have been the most makeshift Eastern Conference championship trophy presentation in NBA history.
But with the Eastern Conference Finals trophy there, that place became the spotlight of the camera flashes.
The younger O’Neal and others couldn’t let go of the Eastern trophy; the Pacers made it to the Finals in 2000, but most of this team, especially many in the main rotation, weren’t there then, and it was their first professional Eastern trophy.
"Can, can I touch it?"
Artest seemed somewhat restrained on the side.
He felt he hadn’t played a game in the playoffs and didn’t deserve to touch the trophy.
Reggie Miller was about to speak when, unexpectedly, the younger O’Neal, who usually took the least pleasure in Artest, took the initiative to pass the trophy over, "Hold it tight, don’t drop it!"
His tone was chilly, but Reggie Miller knew O’Neal was just trying to hide his own embarrassment.
"Welcome back to the Finals stage, any thoughts?" a reporter on the side asked Reggie Miller how he felt about his second trip to the Finals.
Reggie Miller’s mouth moved a few times before he smiled lightly with a hint of indifference, "I hope there will be a good outcome this time!" But he was well aware, how many people in NBA history could retire perfectly with the Championship Trophy in their hands?
Larry Bird couldn’t do it, neither could "Magic", and if Michael Jordan hadn’t whimsically chosen to come back a second time, then perhaps he really would have had a "perfect retirement."
A three-peat, with the last game ending on a kill.
The scene Reggie Miller didn’t even dare to dream about was the real picture of Michael Jordan’s second retirement.
Maybe it was too perfect, and it gave Michael the incorrect notion, "As long as I come back to the court, I can definitely cap off my career perfectly at some point," which perfectly illustrated what we call a poor sequel to a great story.
Su Wan stood aside, watching them handle the "Golden Club" as if it were their playground, touching it nonstop, while he hadn’t even approached the Eastern Conference championship trophy.
Erin noticed this, "Su, aren’t you going to feel the weight of the Eastern Conference championship trophy?"
Su Wan waved it off, "In front of the Championship Trophy, it’s nothing!"
His voice wasn’t soft, and the Pacers players who were enjoying their moment suddenly lost interest, and Tinsley gave Su Wan a thumbs up:
Still, it’s you!
The next day, news of the Pacers making it to the Finals after five years spread All over the United States.
Of course, alongside various news related to yesterday’s fifth game of the Eastern Conference Finals, which all sparked huge interest.
Everyone knew the Wade-less Heat Team was in for trouble, but no one expected them to be humiliated to such an extent.
Wasn’t this the same as stripping Shaquille O’Neal naked and parading him in the streets?
Su Wan scoring 42 points also became the headline of some news outlets.
The Indiana Media directly used the title "Indiana’s Strongest Rookie."
Then there was all the trash talk Su Wan had thrown at Shaquille during the game.
What "Trailing by 30 points, that’s your leadership?", "You’re nothing without a Superstar-level perimeter player to pair with," "With your current skills, why aren’t you content being Kobe’s second?"...
Each jab hit right where it hurt.
The Los Angeles media didn’t fail to publish it all, so much so that one might think they had all switched professions, starting magazines like "The Sayings of Su Wan," "Eternal Words of Wisdom by Su Wan," "Su Wan Teaches You to Trash Talk."
Kenny Anderson, once Shaquille O’Neal’s teammate, famously missed four consecutive free throws in the ’95 Finals and then smiled with acceptance at the free-throw line, was surprised when he saw these remarks, "I can’t believe these are the trash talks a rookie would spew at Shaquille."