Finally, the Mavericks took the ga with a score of 127 to 117.
But this was just the last blaze of glory for the people of Dallas.
In Ga 4, Roger, facing the Mavericks’ weak defense, shot 20 out of 28, achieving an incredible 71% shooting rate, and racked up 52 points with 5 assists, shattering Dallas’s dream of equalizing the score.
The 04-05 season of the Dallas Cowboys has co to an end, and the collapse of the money empire is imminent.
Ted Turner’s success made everyone believe that money could buy a championship, but the experiences of Paul Allen and Mark Cuban put a stop to the spread of this misconception.
Vince Carter rested his hands on his knees at the end of the ga, feeling exhausted.
The second round was like a towering mountain; he failed to surmount it in 2001, and even in 2005, among a brilliant team, he still couldn’t overco it.
His mind was filled with Roger’s words, "This year is no good either," as if it had beco a curse.
Mark Cuban, sitting in the front row of the stands, looked desolate. He didn’t know what more he could do, having assembled such an expensive lineup but unable to even touch the Finals.
anwhile, Cavaliers owner Daniel Gilbert’s mood was akin to Mark Cuban’s; he didn’t know what more he could do.
His investnt in the Cleveland Cavaliers was no less than Mark Cuban’s in the Dallas Mavericks.
In team building, Daniel Gilbert, to cater to the Chosen One’s pursuit of greatness, didn’t hesitate to spend a fortune to bring in the planned Andrei Kirilenko, while also renewing with All-Star center Big Z. Moreover, due to so discord, the Cavaliers decided to trade Michael Reed and acquire the offensively and defensively adept Larry Hughes.
He and the managent were doing their utmost to build an Eastern powerhouse centered around Jas.
Aside from recruiting, the Cavaliers’ new owner also spent 12 million US Dollars of his own money to install a new scoreboard and seats in the team’s ho stadium and completely renovate the team locker room, installing TVs in each locker, with LeBron Jas’s locker having two TVs and equipped with a PS2 and a stereo system.
Imdiately after, Daniel Gilbert invested 20 million US Dollars to build a new training center in the Cleveland suburb, providing a better training environnt for the players.
His goal was to provide the Chosen One with peace of mind while playing, and make Cleveland’s facilities no worse than those of big-market teams.
After doing all this, he even took full-page ads in Cleveland’s largest two newspapers, "Cleveland Plain Dealer" and "Akron Beacon Journal". Aside from thanking the fans for their support and expressing hopes for further progress next season, Daniel Gilbert wrote in special font: "Our most important task this sumr is to renew with our most valuable player, and I believe everyone knows his na."
He did everything within his power, believing that reaching a five-year early renewal with LeBron Jas wouldn’t be a problem.
After all, beyond a boss-employee relationship, he thought he and LeBron Jas were friends.
Six months ago, on December 30th, the Chosen One had planned a birthday party at a bar. Unfortunately, the party conflicted with the Cavaliers’ pre-set training schedule.
Knowing this, Daniel Gilbert even personally ordered the training schedule changed and attended the party himself.
He wanted to tell LeBron: Here, you are also a privileged player like Roger.
As a result, when Daniel Gilbert confidently initiated early renewal talks with the Chosen One, number 23 told him, "My team and I are willing to renew, but we prefer to sign a 1 1 contract."
Daniel Gilbert’s heart was broken.
After doing so much, he thought they were brothers.
A five-year contract and a 1 1 contract are not the sa.
A five-year contract ans a secure long-term collaboration, while a 1 1 contract ans the player holds all the power.
If the team does anything unsatisfactory, the player can leave at any ti, and as an unrestricted free agent, leaving the team with no protection.
To prevent stars from leaving small markets, David Stern had made many efforts, and the restricted free agent rule was one such effort.
This rule is quite ruthless; no matter how much other teams offer, and regardless of the player’s agreent with another team, the original team can unconditionally match the contract.
But LeBron Jas’s team found a bold way to solve this problem, which was to sign for only 1 year.
After 1 year, the Cavaliers’ privilege to match contracts would lapse.
Most players wouldn’t sign for just one year after their rookie contracts because it’s too risky. Long-term contracts offer security; in the 80s and 90s, contracts longer than 10 years were common.
But Jas’s team went the opposite way, believing that controlling their own destiny was the real security.
They were emulating the contract re-signing strategy of so of the best current players.
Although the Cavaliers and Jas still had two years left on their contract, Daniel Gilbert need not fret.
But LeBron Jas was the main reason he bought the Cavaliers; if he couldn’t hold onto Jas long-term, what was the point of buying the Cavaliers at the highest price in history?
Hadn’t LeBron repeatedly emphasized he would never leave Cleveland? So why was he only willing to sign a 1 1 contract?
The renewal gridlocked, and Daniel Gilbert’s mood was not much better than Mark Cuban’s on the verge of elimination.
anwhile, LeBron Jas was vacationing in Las Vegas with his close friends.
After a night of playing cards, LeBron Jas went alone to the terrace to get so fresh air and smoke a cigar.
Soon after, Rich Paul also ca up.
The two nodded at each other and leaned over the terrace railing.
Rich Paul, looking at the glittering lights of Las Vegas, talked about a topic far from vacation: "LeBron, Ga 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals ended ten minutes ago in Mission Bay, 4 to 1."
"Is that so?"
"Unbelievable, right? The Dallas Mavericks’ lineup couldn’t be better, but they only managed to snatch one victory from the Warriors."
Jas wanted to say, "Poor Vince stumbled again in the second round," but recalling that he hadn’t even passed the first round, he closed his mouth.
Rich Paul seed to know what Jas wanted to say, patting him on the back.
"That’s why we all agreed on the 1 1 contract. I know leaving ho is tough, but it’s better than living in Roger’s shadow.
The current situation is that whoever beats Roger to win the championship will beco the league’s new face. We can’t miss this opportunity, you can’t miss this opportunity.
We’ll see what Daniel Gilbert will do for you, and if he can’t, we’ll find soone who can help you achieve your goals. Rest assured, we’ll take care of everything.
Sooner or later, LeBron, you will face Roger in the playoffs and beat him, marking a turning point in NBA history, the start of a power shift."
LeBron Jas didn’t utter another word of "I won’t leave Cleveland."
Even though he had promised countless tis.
But...
No one rembers, right?
anwhile, at Oracle Arena, Vince Carter shed tears as he walked through the player tunnel.
He had done everything he could in today’s ga, yet the Mavericks still lost the final battle by 5 points.
Before this, Vince Carter’s vengeance was always successful.
Except the Kings couldn’t be challenged.
The second round was no longer Carter’s curse, but Roger was.
Shaquille didn’t rush to leave; instead, he greeted Roger at midcourt: "Congratulations, you dog bastard."
"Goodbye, you fat pig."
"Promise , don’t let that beast Kobe win."
"Promise , pay back the money this year."
"What money?"
"The Ferrari rims! Damn it, why do you think I sent you a Christmas card? To remind you!"
Shaquille O’Neal’s expression suddenly turned serious as he placed his hand on Roger’s shoulder.
"I rember; I rember everything."
Shaquille turned and left, mories of his years in Orlando quickly flashing through his mind.
Those mories beca imnsely precious.
Stoudemire walked over to Roger: "You and Shaq are okay now?"
"I don’t know, but it seems Shaq has started living on good mories."
Roger still didn’t need to live on mories.
Because he was still filled with confidence and hope for the future.
Three days later, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4 to 2 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Roger still had plenty to do looking forward.
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