Of course, O’Neal’s performance on the court this season was unquestionably exceptional.
But Riley knows that once the Lakers are exposed in the playoffs, especially if they get blown out by Gan again, the Lakers will surely implode internally.
Calculating Riley is once again ready to feast on the carcass of a whale.
The lineup he previously built with Rashid Wallace, PJ Brown, Rice, and Marley has aged quickly.
Wallace is impressive, but he’s not an MVP-level superstar like Olajuwon or Drexler.
What Riley needs is a superstar, one that can change the league’s landscape; he doesn’t care for ordinary All-Stars.
Moreover, Riley holds the Memphis Grizzlies’ 2003 draft pick in his hand, which was a benefit obtained during the 2000 off-season trade involving Marshon and Tim Hardaway from the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies couldn’t help it; due to insufficient attendance, they couldn’t stay in Vancouver and moved to Memphis.
They had no choice but to sacrifice the future and quickly bring in a few star players, even if they’re past their prime, just to hold up the team’s face.
Aside from the draft pick, the Heat also got guard Damon Jones and took on Brian Rivers’ big contract from the countryside.
Riley is someone who would never lose in a trade.
The Grizzlies would soon find out that although Marshon is only 28, at the peak of his career,
his body has been heavily overworked, and shortly after turning 30, he won’t be able to hold on and will retire.
And 33-year-old Tim Hardaway’s tank is empty, only fit for playing as a substitute, no longer that invincible Beetle.
In short, Riley is truly remarkable at utilizing people; he shows no mercy in trades, using them up and tossing them aside, just as soldiers come and go in a stable camp, always waiting for the next one.
His sights are already set on the bountiful draft land of 2003.
He speculates that after Gan finishes this season and carries through the 2002-2003 season, he should soon be unable to continue and truly retire.
At that time, the Heat can rise again and strive for the team’s second championship in history.
Gan Guoyang actually senses Riley’s cunning plots; although the NBA has changed in appearance, human nature and destiny don’t easily change, and Riley’s approach of snatching people remains consistent.
But he doesn’t really care; he just wants to see what kind of waves this guy can stir up.
By April 17, the last game day, the Eastern Conference remained calm.
While the Western Conference was unable to determine the final matchups until the last game ended.
On that day, the Los Angeles Lakers played at home against the Boston Celtics.
Both teams rested their main players; the Celtics already secured the league’s first spot with a 62-19 record, the outcome didn’t matter. Losing was preferable, which would ensure the Lakers’ Western Conference first-place finish.
The Las Vegas Radiance faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the last matchup, while the Spurs faced the Kings.
The Radiance and Spurs had the same record, but due to the win rate against Western teams, the Radiance ranked eighth.
If the Spurs lose, and the Radiance wins, the Radiance will be seventh, leaving the unlucky second-ranked Portland Trail Blazers.
But Gan Guoyang doesn’t want to face the Trail Blazers, yet he doesn’t want to rest, so he still participated in the game against Philadelphia.
They started first, and the Kings would surely take advantage; once the Radiance showed signs of losing, they would immediately slack off, and the Pacific Division games are always last.
If the Kings lose their last matchup, they would be fourth; if they win, and the Lakers lose, they would go to first, which is absolutely not acceptable, so the Kings are highly likely to give away the game.
As for the Trail Blazers, Mavericks, and Kings, they obviously hope to maintain their position and not go to first.
The current standings indicate that losing the last game definitely won’t result in first place; if they win and the other teams lose, whoever wins will be first.
The Lakers are in the worst position because they lead in win-loss relationships and win rates against Western teams.
Therefore, their chance of taking first is the greatest, especially since their final matchup is against their sworn enemy Celtics who are likely to throw the game. It feels like they’ve been set up; it’s impossible not to take first!
Of course, taking first and if the Radiance goes to seventh isn’t bad either; but that depends on whether the Philadelphia 76ers are willing to throw the game.
What are the odds? The Philadelphia 76ers just battled the Lakers in last season’s finals, and historically they are foes, definitely not inclined to benefit the Lakers.
Moreover, it’s highly unlikely the 76ers can make a comeback to the finals for revenge this season.
After miraculously reaching the final round last season, the fragile system built around the frail Allen Iverson collapsed swiftly within a few months.
The 2001-2002 season was supposed to belong to Philadelphia in many people’s eyes; Iverson was still so young, the All-Star game was held in Philadelphia, his popularity incredibly high, and his playing style could be sustained for years, it shouldn’t have fallen so quickly.
Yet its rise was sudden, and its fall abrupt.
The 76ers’ management faced some issues, and Larry-Brown considered retiring directly without chasing another championship.
However, Brown stayed; he didn’t leave, but the team’s top executive Pat Cross chose to resign due to conflicts with the owner.
He was the soul of the management; he had the ear of Iverson and facilitated a series of trades to assemble this lineup.
With the soul gone, the 76ers fell into confusion in team building; they lacked direction and clear thinking.
Mutombo declined, and previously outstanding players were gradually traded away, and morale scattered. After shining for a season together, they went their separate ways.
This is common in NBA history; some teams from top to bottom don’t even know how they succeeded.
They just achieved quite decent results, but the next season, everything changes abruptly, and the situation crumbles irreversibly.
Continuous stability and consistently reaching finals and winning championships are very rare.
Of course, constant changes are one of the charms of the NBA.
Allen Iverson, after experiencing an MVP season of his own, entered the next phase of his life.
Shortly after the end of the 2001 finals, he stepped into the hall of marriage, his reputation at an all-time high.
He had just signed a multimillion-dollar contract with the 76ers, and Reebok was about to offer him an unprecedented lifetime deal; he was set to become one of the most famous and wealthy figures in sports.
So, before the wedding, Iverson’s fiancée received a call from Iverson’s lawyer to discuss and sign a prenuptial agreement.
This is something many celebrities do to protect their existing and forthcoming wealth before marriage, preventing marriage from becoming a tool for the other party to seize wealth.
The agreement was drafted; Iverson brought it that night before the wedding and met his fiancée Tawana, then when she was about to sign it, he took out a lighter and burned the agreement to ashes, then took out another one and burned it as well, and they watched the flames as they completed the wedding the next day.
This is Iverson’s attitude towards wealth and life, not rational, not rigorous, following his heart and chasing fleeting glory.
There’s no saying right or wrong; in the end, one’s destiny is self-determined, and Reebok’s 10-year contract worth 50 million dollars, as well as the lifetime pension fund, will be proven correct in the future.
During the April 17 game in Philadelphia, Gan Guoyang didn’t rest and didn’t leave early to rest either.
As always, he went all out, led the team in Philadelphia, and defeated the 76ers to win the regular season’s last game.
Since that’s the case, other teams won’t be polite; the Kings, Celtics, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers all pulled out their main players and lost the games.
The Spurs also didn’t want to drop to eighth and face the Lakers; seventh against the Mavericks or Trail Blazers sounded better.
People can decide their own destiny, but the team’s destiny may not be; the Lakers’ fate they couldn’t decide themselves.
In the end, the Lakers steeled their hearts, gritted their teeth, and crushed the shameless Celtics at home; what does our Western matter have to do with you Eastern teams!
Thus, the Lakers concluded the 2001-2002 season with an excellent 60-22 record, facing the Radiance in the first round.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Kings, all with a 59-23 record, ranked second to third, successfully avoiding Gan.
The biggest setup in NBA regular season history, thus, was accomplished.