On May 5, 2004, at 8:30 p.m., after Meng Xu's regular season MVP celebration, the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Pacers and the Nets officially began. When Jermaine O'Neale and Kenyon Martin, who represented the Pacers and Nets respectively, walked into the center circle, the atmosphere on the court instantly became tense, and the corners of Kenyon Martin's mouth turned slightly up and looked at Jermaine O'Neal with a look of contempt, and Jermaine O'Neal's eyes were also full of anger when he looked at Kenyon Martin.

This year is Kenyon Martin's contract year, so for the big contract in the summer, Kenyon Martin has played very hard this season, it can be said that the emperor has lived up to his wishes, relying on his excellent performance this season, Kenyon Martin has successfully become one of the league's first-line power forwards, and even selected as a substitute for this season's Eastern All-Star, in addition to the excellent performance in the first round of the playoffs and the Hornets series, Kenyon Martin is now fluttering, and striking while the iron is hot is Kenyon Martin's only plan at present.

For Kenyon Martin, Jermaine O'Neal is undoubtedly a very good stepping stone, and now Jermaine O'Neal is already the fifth largest forward in the league after Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, and Webb, and the first big forward in the East, so as long as you can suppress Jermaine O'Neal in the series with the Pacers, or explode with Jermaine O'Neal in the series, then Kenyon Martin's value will definitely continue to rise, although limited by the number of years he has played. Kenyon Martin can't get a contract of hundreds of millions this summer, but there is still no problem with a six-year, $80 million cap salary. It is also in this context that after the first round of the playoffs, Kenyon Martin, who has been empty, can't wait to challenge the current No. 1 forward in the East, Jermaine O'Neal.

As for Jermaine O'Neal, who was challenged, after seeing Kenyon Martin in front of him, he is now also very angry when he meets the enemy. Originally, Jermaine O'Neal wanted to laugh at Kenyon Martin's aerial challenge, after all, everyone has a secondary school and a young age, even Jermaine O'Neal himself had the dream of punching Duncan and kicking O'Neal back then, and with Jermaine O'Neal's current identity and status, if he and Kenyon Martin go to a war of words, it will undoubtedly be a matter of self-surrender, but Jermaine O'Neal's ignorance made Kenyon Martin more and more arrogant, even thought that Jermaine O'Neal was afraid of him, and in interviews with those reporters who deliberately provoked trouble, Kenyon Martin's tone became louder and louder, and even mixed with some personal attacks, which also made Jermaine O'Neal hold back his anger.

"Old guy, I'm going to beat you up in this game!" Just after Jermaine O'Neal and Kenyon Martin were ready to jump the ball at the referee's signal, Kenyon Martin added fuel to the fire and provoked Jermaine O'Neal again.

"Bastard!" After hearing Kenyon Martin's provocation, Jermaine O'Neal almost couldn't control his temper and wanted to rush up to give Kenyon Martin two old punches. This season is Jermaine O'Neal's eighth season after entering the NBA, and the old players are naturally well-deserved, but Jermaine O'Neal is only 26 years old this year, and at this age, he is called an old guy, and it is estimated that everyone will be angry.

Seeing that Jermaine O'Neal had already had mood swings under his own provocation, Kenyon Martin also looked like he had succeeded in his tricks, and at the same time, his gaze at Jermaine O'Neal was even more contemptuous. Hmph, when this game is over, the number one forward in the East will be mine!

"Huh!" Just when the referee on duty threw the basketball in his hand into the air, and the players on both sides were also retreating and attacking the movement according to the pre-game arrangement, a surprising scene appeared, Kenyon Martin actually defeated Jermaine O'Neal, who has the title of "Jump Ball Finisher", when he jumped the ball. You must know that in the game between the two sides, Jermaine O'Neal won all the games when he jumped the ball, whether it was Kenyon Martin or Lorenzen White never won Jermaine O'Neal once, so in the arrangement before the start of this game, whether it was the Pacers or the Nets, it was arranged according to the Pacers winning the jump ball, and now everything is disrupted.

Jason Kidd, who had already begun to retreat, saw this dramatic scene, and his face was immediately ecstatic, because not only did they not expect Kenyon Martin to win, but the opposite Pacers also obviously did not expect Jermaine O'Neal to lose the jump ball, and the current running positions of both sides are based on the result of Jermaine O'Neal winning the jump ball, so as long as the time difference between the Pacers to adjust is grasped, this round will definitely catch the Pacers off guard.

"Richard!" After receiving the basketball that was dialed to the backcourt by Kenyon Martin, Jason Kidd immediately shouted at Richard Jefferson, who was originally running to defend Meng Xu, and made a fast-break gesture to him, and at the same time, Jason Kidd also began to run towards the front court with the basketball.

"Stand out!" Faced with this sudden change, assistant coach Lester Connell, who was standing on the sidelines, reacted first and began to give instructions to the Pacers players on the court.

Just when the Pacers players who reacted began to retreat, Jason Kidd, who was still some distance away from the center circle, made a long pass directly and found Richard Jefferson who was running wildly in the front court very accurately. This scalpel-like long pass directly tore through the defense of the Pacers, who were still a little chaotic, and Meng Xu, who was standing behind, immediately pounced towards Richard Jefferson, while the rest of the Pacers players retreated to the basket at their fastest speed.

Richard Jefferson, who received Kidd's pass, originally wanted to rush directly to the basket, but due to Meng Xu's very timely defense, excellent prediction and card positioning ability, Richard Jefferson not only failed to approach the basket, but was forced by Meng Xu to get farther and farther away from the basket, and Richard Jefferson, who knew that he could not break through Meng Xu's blockade, had to pass the basketball in his hand back to Corey Kidders, who had already run through the middle circle.

"Corey, here!" After completing the jump ball, Kenyon Martin accelerated directly from the center circle to the basket, and after crossing the free throw line, reached for the ball to his teammate with the ball.

"Beautiful!" After Kenyon Martin won the jump ball, he got up from his seat and walked to the sideline of the Nets head coach Lawrence Frank, after seeing the next scene, it was difficult to hide the excitement in his heart, whether it was Kidd's long pass and command on the court, or Richard Jefferson and Corey Kidders' running, or even Kenyon Martin's cut after the jump ball, it was so good. And once this goal is scored, it is not as simple as two points, in the face of a strong Pacers, what does the Nets, which are obviously in a slight position, need most now? Naturally, it is courage and confidence, and once this fast break is scored after the opening, then there is no doubt that the Nets will build confidence and courage against the Pacers in a short period of time.

And Corey Kidders and Kenyon Martin did not disappoint Lawrence Frank, after Kenyon Martin reached out for the ball, Corey Kidders immediately threw the basketball towards the top of the basket, with a loud bang, Kenyon Martin was already hanging on the basket, and the Nets completed an aerial relay on the first offense after the opening.

"Old guy, I'm the number one forward in the East!" Kenyon Martin, who came down from the hoop, slapped his chest and roared, when he saw Jermaine O'Neal who had stepped back.