The Knicks were naturally happy to beat the Pacers to win their ninth Eastern Conference championship in franchise history, but Pacers fans heard very bad news.

The coach of the team, the legendary superstar Larry Bird, who won the best coach trophy in his first year of coaching and led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals for three consecutive years, held a press conference to announce his resignation as the team's head coach!

"Three years ago, when I came here as head coach, I said that if I couldn't lead the team to win the championship in those three years, I would resign. Now, three years later, I can't win the championship for my hometown, and I can only regret it. Bird said.

"Larry, you can't go, we need you!" Countless Indiana reporters shouted.

Bird smiled slightly: "Indiana will have a better manager than me, I need to think about my future now,"

"Larry, what are you going to do?" A reporter asked.

Bird laughed, "Who knows? Maybe I'll be a truck driver! ”

News of Bird's resignation soon reached New York.

As soon as Li Wei led the team back to the training hall, he was interviewed by reporters.

"What? Did Larry Bird resign? Li Wei was slightly stunned.

This kind of thing had long been expected by him, but at the moment he was a little sad.

In the three years since he took office, two of his strongest opponents have been Larry Bird and Pat Riley, and he has continued to learn and grow against such formidable opponents.

If it weren't for Larry Bird, and without the constant verbal cannons between the two, maybe he wouldn't have been able to adapt to this league so quickly, and maybe he wouldn't have been able to lead the Knicks to a championship!

Three years have passed, although he can't be regarded as Bird's friend, there is still a lot of talk between the two, but in the heart, everyone appreciates each other!

Sighing softly, Li Wei said, "Larry resigned, I will be very lonely." ”

One reporter said: "Coach Bird said he could go to work as a truck driver after he retires, what do you think? ”

Li Wei thought for a while and said: "Larry is a smart person, he can definitely become an excellent truck driver, I hope he can be diligent, obey the traffic rules, and don't drive illegally." ”

With the resignation of Larry Bird, the Pacers will move towards a new chapter and the pattern of the East will also change!

Portland, West Coast of the United States.

Because June 2 is a Friday, the sixth match of the East-West finals is scheduled for the same day.

Trail Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy took over as head coach of the Lakers after the resignation of Pat Riley and led the Lakers to the Finals. At that time, his opponent was none other than Bulls coach Phil Jackson.

Now the feng shui is turning, Phil Jackson has become the head coach of the Lakers, and Dunleavy has come to the Trail Blazers.

The mighty Lakers led 3-1 in the series, and no one expected the Trail Blazers to be so tenacious!

Two hours after the end of the Eastern Conference Finals, the results of Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals were also in. The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Lakers 103-93 at home, winning two games in a row and dragging the game into a tiebreaker!

On June 4th, the Lakers returned to their home arena, Staples Center, for Game 7, which would decide their fate!

This battle attracted the attention of thousands of people, and Li Wei also organized the assistant coaching team to watch the live broadcast together in the team's training hall.

Leading 3:1, but being beaten by the Trail Blazers in two consecutive games, the Lakers' morale was obviously a little low.

The Trail Blazers center is the most legendary player in Europe, and in the annals of basketball, he is also known as the most talented center on the planet, the most legendary giant, but also the most tragic talent.

This is the No. 1 center in FIBA history, and the only idol that Da Yao admits in person. Legend has it that the ID of the first online game registered by Da Yao was called Sabonis.

It is said that before Sabonis came to report to the Trail Blazers, the Trail Blazers manager showed the team doctor an X-ray of his leg and did not tell him who it was.

The team doctor said that the person could directly apply for a handicapped parking space and would not be able to play again. The manager shrugged his shoulders and told the team doctor: This is the information I just got from Spain, and he just finished hanging his opponent.

No one can stop the peak sharks, but Sabonis, who has a half-broken knee and even a completely ruptured Achilles tendon, is still the most effective one of the center forwards in this era to stop the sharks!

In addition, this season's rules have been modified to allow strong side joint defense, and the Trail Blazers' luxury forward group has also launched a brutal package against the big shark O'Neal!

Scottie Pippen, who is familiar with the triangle offense, is a super defensive titan himself, and is almost a clip on O'Neal, and Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith and others are also All-Star level players, with outstanding talent and excellent awareness!

When Sabonis was like a rock from behind, and the Trail Blazers' lineup of unprecedented depth pounced forward and sandwiched, O'Neal was very miserably!

At the end of the third quarter, the score was 71:58, and the Lakers trailed by 13 points into the fourth quarter!

At this moment, at the Staples Arena, the faces of every Lakers fan are full of despair, and the Lakers players are also frowning.

No one expected that they would be forced to the brink of elimination, after winning 67 in the regular season!

However, the turning point of the game came with 8 minutes and 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter!

The referee gave a home whistle and blew Sabonis for a foul!

Sabonis was at a loss!

Although the rules of the NBA were changed at the beginning of the season, the hand check has not been completely canceled.

Below the free throw line, it's perfectly regular to pull your elbows up. Sabonis's defensive moves are big, but you can't defend against O'Neill with big moves, and moves like his are commonplace in this era!

Why, today's O'Neal was defended too badly by Sabonis, in the first 8 minutes of the third quarter, he even had 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists, and he didn't even make free throws!

The referee needs to take care of the emotions of the home fans and give O'Neill some chances!

So he whistled and Sabonis fouled!

Sabonis himself and Trail Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy were shouting in protest, but to no avail!

This was Sabonis's fifth foul of the game, and seeing his center's five fouls, Dunleavy had to replace him at the break.

As soon as Sabonis played, the Trail Blazers will be bad, because although their lineup is luxurious, there is no second person who can withstand the powerful O'Neal!

In the next round, O'Neal easily grabbed the rebound in the front court on the head of the Trail Blazers' bench inside line, Brian Grant, who is 2.06 meters tall, and Rashid Wallace had to make up for the defense to cut the sharks!

The referee blows the whistle, fouls, and O'Fat throws!

Although O'Neal has always been known for his inaccurate free throws, in fact, at his peak, he shot above 50% most of the time. This time he was also very steady, with two free throws and one hit!

"Bag clip, bag clip!" Dunleavy shouted from the sidelines.

Cutting the shark is not a good way, so that the shark can't catch the ball can better limit him.

Sabonis was not on the court, and the Trail Blazers had to use the bag more often, but in this way, the outside line was bound to miss a person!

The Trail Blazers chose to miss Brian Shaw, and as a result, Bryan Shaw hit consecutive three-pointers after the vacancy!

The Lakers are gaining momentum and catching up with the score!

Mike Dunleavy had no choice but to put Sabonis, who had five fouls, on the court again. As soon as Sabonis came on the court and fought against O'Neal for a round, everyone heard a whistle!

The referee blew Sabonis for six fouls!

The Lithuanians were sent off!