The finals between the Spurs and the Pacers are over, and when the game ends, watching the Spurs players in the stadium celebrate with emotion, the Pacers players who are also standing on the court are also very embarrassed, and can only watch the Spurs celebrate the victory on their home court.

Similarly, because the Pacers lost their star Reggie Miller, the game was considered a must-lose game before it even began, so many Pacers fans gave up the opportunity to watch the game because they couldn't tolerate someone celebrating the championship on their home court. Because of this, the Bankers Living Arena, the home of the Pacers, was occupied by Spurs fans today.

"Greg, congratulations." As a person with a transcendent position in the league, Larry Bird, who once had a time of his own, although he was a little regretful at this moment, still maintained his legendary demeanor, walked in front of Popovich, and congratulated his opponent.

"Thank you, Larry, and your team is great too." Popovich, who was excited because of the defending championship, immediately regained his composure when he saw Larry Bird walking towards him. In Popovich's heart, he still has a lot of respect for Larry Bird, not to mention Larry Bird's career as a player, just the changes that have occurred in the Pacers after Larry Bird took over the Pacers are enough to be respected.

Before Larry Bird took over the Pacers, the Pacers' best record was the season when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals in '9394 and were eliminated by the Knicks. And since that season, the Pacers have fallen into a sink, stopping in the first round of the playoffs for many years, and the 9697 season has not even been able to enter the playoffs, and since Bird came to the Pacers, for 3 consecutive seasons, the Pacers' worst regular season record is 2nd in the East, and the playoffs are guaranteed to enter the Eastern Conference Finals. Larry Bird has been good enough throughout the series.

"Greg, have you thought about my suggestion?" Patting each other on the shoulder, Larry Bird looked at Popovich with a sincere expression.

"Larry, it's impossible, I'm not going to let either Meng and Tim out of the Spurs." Similarly, Popovich replied to Larry Bird with a serious face.

"Greg, don't kid yourself, Meng and Thiem can't do what Irvin and Karim do, and the Spurs' salary space won't allow for two superstars on the team." Larry Bird paused slightly: "Maybe by the end of next season, you'll be in even more pain." ”

Looking at Larry Bird, who turned to leave, Popovich also looked incredible, that feeling as if all the thoughts in his heart had been seen through, how did Larry Bird know that he wanted to make Meng Xu and Duncan into a combination like Magician and Abdul-Jabbar?

Timing Duncan's contract expires this season, and the Spurs will offer a maximum salary to keep him at the current salary level, Duncan's second contract will average an annual salary of at least 12 million, and Avery Johnson's contract will expire this season, and he will also need a contract with an average salary of about 5 million. And next season, Sean Elliott's annual salary is 5.3 million, David Robinson's annual salary is 14.7 million, and Mario Elie's annual salary is 3 million. Originally, Popovich's plan was to trade one of Mario Elie and Sean Elliott after the end of the season to free up salary space, but the outstanding performance of these two veterans in the playoffs made Popovich a little reluctant. Wait until Meng Xu's contract expires next season, according to Meng Xu's performance this season, he needs at least 8 million annual salary, but where does the Spurs have the money to renew him? Similarly, if Meng Xu's contract is really renewed, just Meng Xu, Duncan and David Robinson will account for more than half of the salary cap, and the remaining 12 players can only sign the base salary, thinking of this, Popovich couldn't help but scratch his thinning hair, why didn't he sign a 3-year contract with Meng Xu in the first place, even if it was a 2+1 contract.

"Even if it is pain, I will achieve the most brilliant cause before the pain." Thinking of the brilliant future that the team may face, Popovich let go of his inner entanglement, and it is a big deal to persuade David Robinson to sign a base salary next season, although the current thinking of the team management is that as the banner of the Spurs, even if it is David Robinson's last contract, the Spurs must retain the dignity he deserves, at least a contract with an annual salary of 10 million, but now for the future of the team, Popovich has reason to believe that David Robinson will choose to take a salary cut. And the rest of the team's high-paid players, once the Spurs achieve three consecutive championships next season, trade them out in exchange for draft picks, the team began to rebuild around this Duncan and Meng Xu in advance, Popovich has reason to believe that even if there are difficulties, it is only temporary, and there is no shortage of players in this league who hold their thighs for championship rings.

And at this moment, Reggie Miller, who was lying on the hospital bed, was in a different mood, his first trip to the finals ended like this? Watching Tim Duncan lift the championship trophy on the Pacers' home court, the trophy he dreamed of, Reggie Miller couldn't control his emotions anymore, and tears rolled down his face. "Is this the end of it?" Reggie Miller once fantasized countless times about what his first Finals and first championship would look like, but when such a bitter result was in front of him, Reggie Miller, who had always been strong, was a little unbearable.

"Congratulations to the San Antonio Spurs, congratulations to them for defending the NBA championship this season, becoming another team in the history of the entire NBA league to win two championships, which is a miracle for the entire American professional league, and the San Antonio Spurs and their players will also go down in the history of the entire American professional league."

When the Spurs players, after the unbridled celebrations, put on the costumes that symbolize the championship, and stood in the center of the banker's living arena, the current president of the NBA league after the Spurs' championship declaration, Larry ? The O'Brien Cup was handed over to Tim Duncan, who won the championship trophy and held the trophy high above his head.

What followed was a tsunami of applause and cheers from the entire gymnasium, and Meng Xu, who won the championship with the team as the main player in his rookie season, shouted the slogan that we are the champion with great excitement after receiving the championship trophy passed from his teammates, and then raised the trophy above his head surrounded by his teammates.