During the offseason, the Red Priest showcased a series of maneuvers at the draft and free agency.
In the first round, he selected a powerful player, Bryant Shaw, capable of shooting and organizing the offense, to serve as Larry Bird’s backup;
Dug up quality inside player Ed Pinick from the Phoenix Suns, who averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per ga in the 87-88 season, greatly enhancing the depth of the interior;
Brought in veteran Jim Paxson from the Trail Blazers, who averaged over 21 points during his peak years, was selected as an All-Star twice, made the second team once, and just concluded the season with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per ga. Now you’ve got a strong backup.
Plus, in the just-concluded season, the coaching staff put a lot of effort into training and developing young players. Only one season and two offseasons were needed to reassemble a championship-contending team with a strong core lineup and excellent lineup depth.
Therefore, regarding the local fans’ opinions, you choose to restrain your emotions and vow to win over the local fans.
Regrettably, the weather is always unpredictable, and misfortune can strike unexpectedly.
Larry Bird rembered the words you said while drunk, "Don’t handle the lawn mowing yourself, the machine is unsafe and can cause injury," and hired soone to maintain the lawn, avoiding any injury.
However, when it ca to fixing the roof, he refused to pay the high-altitude fee, cursed and dismissed the repairman, climbed onto the roof himself to nail boards, and accidentally fell from the sky, severely injuring his back. He would be absent for 6-8 months, effectively missing the new season’s regular gas.
In the 88-89 season, you shifted to a solo leading mode, with your leading approach being one thing — scoring.
This season, the Celtics were not only affected by Larry Bird’s injury. The team’s sixth man, Danny Ainge, suggested during the All-Star weekend that the Red Priest use Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, two veterans over the age of 30, as bargaining chips to trade for high draft picks or young prospects to build the team around you.
After the All-Star weekend, Danny Ainge was discarded by the Red Priest to the Kings, with no substantial return sought, and you unfairly lost a favored sixth man averaging 15 points.
Before the All-Star weekend, your shot count was already high, and in the subsequent 30 gas after losing Danny Ainge, your shot count reached an average of 27 tis per ga, leading to a season average of 25 shots per ga, scoring an average of 31.2 points per ga with a 47.6% shooting rate, ranking second in the league, just behind Michael Jordan’s average of 33 points, becoming the first player in Celtics history to average 30 points per ga.
You further enriched your scoring thods this season, improved your shooting capabilities, and with a 40.6% shooting rate, averaged 2.8 three-pointers per ga, becoming the league’s Three-Point King.
Your defensive techniques also improved, making it into the second team for the third consecutive year, and defeating Joe Dumars to join Michael Jordan in the first defense team.
In the regular season, you led the team to a 51-31 record, ranking fifth in the East, and swept the Knicks Team in the first round.
In this series of three gas, with a 52% shooting rate, you averaged 35 points per ga, smashing the Knicks Team’s periter group of Mark Jackson, John Newman, Kiki Vandeweghe, and Rod Strickland.
Knicks Team fans ran to Boston after the first round holding signs saying "Jack, New York is your ho."
In the second round, you encountered last season’s runner-up Pistons, with a significant disadvantage in strength, imdiately falling behind 0-3, and you clashed severely with Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman after being fouled, successfully confronting them without losing, but your teammates feared the Bad Boys Legion’s notorious reputation and nobody stepped up to help, leaving you disappointed.
Yet, Larry Bird behind the bench saw you fighting the two villains alone, anxiously flipping over from his chair...
After the ga, Bill Laimbeer wildly mocked your teammates as a bunch of wimps, feeling it was not fair for you, urging you to join them and beco their leading star, with Isaiah Thomas agreeing, willing to give up the unlimited firepower rights.
You fought your hardest, averaging 27.2 points per ga in the series against the Pistons, but ultimately lost 1-4 to the Pistons, stopping your solo leading journey in the second round.
After the season ended, you faced even more fierce criticism locally in Boston than last year.
Predicting the situation once losing in the playoffs, you refused all managent conversations related to early renewal during the season, demanding a salary of four million when the free market opened in July and the Red Priest formally invited you for contract renewal negotiations.
The offer was far above the Red Priest’s expectations. Larry Bird’s next season’s salary was 2.75 million, Michael Jordan’s was 2.5 million, and the league’s highest-paid player Magic Johnson was 3.1 million. The Red Priest could only halt the renewal talks, stating that they would discuss with the owner and earnestly begged you to wait a little longer.
Your renewal price was leaked by the Celtics staff, leading to even fiercer criticism from Boston dia and fans, scaring off several teams’ managent initially intending to offer you a contract. However, two teams initially on the sidelines imdiately ca to your ho with offers the next day, after learning about your asking price — Lakers general manager Jerry West and Knicks Team general manager Ernie Greenfield.
They knew you were determined to leave when they heard your price.
You made an easy decision to join the Knicks Team.
The Knicks Team, located in Angel City, had the highest profitability in the league, offering you a final contract higher than your demand for the Celtics, signing a 3-year, 15 million deal, becoming the first player in NBA history to reach a 5 million annual salary.
After joining the Knicks Team, Boston people not only did not regret it but were even harsher in their criticism.
Boston dia followed you to New York, attacking you for disloyalty to the Celtics at the Knicks Team’s press conference, claiming you betrayed the Celtics’ cultivation.
You responded rcilessly: "Let the Celtics throw the 87 championship trophy into the Pacific before saying that."
After that, you traveled to Los Angeles and applied for an exhibition spot at the Los Angeles County Museum, displaying your 86-87 FMVP trophy.
The museum owner captioned on the display cabinet — "Nobody dislikes Jack, except Boston people."
At the Knicks Team, you truly felt the treatnt a young star deserves, with all dia praising you, all fans loving you, the spotlight was all on you, and you seed to encompass the whole world.
After just blowing up Mark Jackson, Kiki Vandeweghe, John Newman in the playoffs, upon joining, you were to serve as the No. 1 periter star, everyone acknowledged, willing to build around you and Patrick Ewing offensively.
Despite being in this environnt, you remained true to yourself. The various struggles faced during college tis and the Celtics period honed your mind, allowing you to view everything more calmly without losing yourself.
This season, to better collaborate with Mark Jackson and John Newman, two star teammates, you primarily played as a small forward, increasing the proportion of ball-carrying offense, turning from finish-first to launching and finishing equally proportionate.
This season, you played all 82 gas with a shooting rate of 50.7%, averaging 28.4 points, along with 6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.6 steals, and 1 block, leading the team with Patrick Ewing, who averaged 24 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, to a 60-22 record, increasing 8 wins compared to last season, and ranking from fourth in the East to first, second in the league, only trailing the 62-20 Lakers.
After the regular season ended, you overpowered Karl Malone and Larry Bird, whose performance was still comndable upon return, and joined Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing in the first team.
Simultaneously, in the best defensive lineup competition, defeated Celtics forward Buck Williams and joined Joe Dumars, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon in the first defense.
You beca the first periter player since Michael Jordan to achieve a dual first team.
In the playoffs, you averaged 29.7 points in the first round, leading the Knicks Team to a 3-0 sweep of the Pacers.
Now it’s April 24, 1990, the second day after the first round of the playoffs ended, and the two teams advancing through the sa route are the Celtics and the 76ers, you are about to possibly face your forr team in the second round...
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