Chapter 704 - 72 - s Commitment

As the Portland Trail Blazers were sweeping the Western Conference championship and entering the finals, in the Eastern, the Chicago Bulls were engaged in a tough battle with the Detroit Pistons.

This was the third postseason meeting between the two teams, following the 1987 and 1989 seasons.

The feud between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas reached its peak this year.

Jordan and the Bulls were becoming stronger each year, while Thomas and the Pistons had replaced the Boston Celtics as the new rulers of the Eastern Conference.

The NBA is like a pride of lions on the African savanna, where the struggle between rulers and challengers never ceases.

The Bulls finished the regular season with a record of 55 wins, easily defeating the aging Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

In the semifinals, Jordan faced his good friend Charles Barkley’s Washington Bullets and dispatched them in five games.

The Bullet Team, having lost Moses Malone and Dick Motta, also lost their tenacity in the playoffs.

At 32, Moncrief had completely aged and was no longer the defensive iron lock who could guard Michael Jordan alone.

After this season ended, Moncrief announced his retirement, another low-profile, legendary guard leaving the NBA.

The strength of the Bullet Team further weakened, and after their brilliant performance in the 1988 finals, Charles Barkley was headed into troubled waters.

The Detroit Pistons’ path to advancement was equally smooth, sweeping the young Indiana Pacers 3:0 and defeating the fierce New York Knicks 4:1.

The Knicks, despite having defeated the aging Boston Celtics, were helpless against the increasingly cunning and powerful Pistons.

Ewing, who had performed like a superstar center in the previous round, dropped his shooting percentage to 46% against the Pistons.

Although he averaged 27 points per game, the gap in strength between the teams was too great.

The Knicks lost all 4 games without a doubt, with a 35-point defeat in the first game.

Their postseason journey stopped abruptly this year, with Ewing, Olajuwon, and David Robinson, three of the great centers, two had left.

Some media put these three together with Ah Gan as the "four great centers," but soon there were objections, arguing that these three could not compare with Ah Gan.

Although they were excellent, representing the new era’s outstanding insiders, for both achievements and combat effectiveness, they were two levels below Ah Gan.

Let alone championships, the three combined have appeared in fewer division finals than Ah Gan alone.

ESPN reporter Wu Zhixiong said in his series review, "I believe that one day, Sabonis, the center for the Trail Blazers, could stand alongside Ewing, Olajuwon, and Robinson as one of the four great centers. As for Ah Gan, he should not be involved in nominations for joint titles."

This statement naturally stirred some controversy, but as the Western Conference finals came to a close, and David Robinson was eliminated 0:4 and sent packing, opposition voices gradually quieted down.

The three great centers disappeared from the playoff stage.

The Trail Blazers await the Finals, while the Bulls and Pistons are locked in a tense battle.

During the Eastern Conference finals, the league announced a series of honorary titles.

Jordan not only won the scoring title but was also selected for the All-NBA Team, the All-Defensive Team, and became the league’s steal leader with an average of 2.8 steals per game.

His individual skills were impeccable, unprecedented among guards, with no scoring guard in the past having such an all-around offensive and defensive impact and influence in games.

In the semifinals against the Bullets, Jordan averaged 43 points, 7.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds per game, simply unstoppable.

Based on the data alone, his performance outshined that of Ah Gan, especially since Scottie Pippen had to miss one game due to his father’s passing.

At that time, the series score was 2:1 in favor of the Bulls, but with the fourth game in Washington, if Pippen’s absence led to a Bulls loss, the series would be tied, forcing a decisive fifth game.

Jordan scored 45 points with 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals in that game, not only securing the victory but also the decisive game, avoiding a tough battle in the mountain fortress.

His hope was to focus all his energy to deal with the Detroit Pistons, and then he could meet Ah Gan in the Finals.

That was a promise they made to each other since their rookie season.

The Pistons also had a strong desire to win; they too wanted to reach the Finals.

They wanted to defend their title and "step on the heads" of the Portland Trail Blazers to claim the O’Brien Trophy.

So, just like in the 1989 season, the two teams engaged in an extremely fierce skirmish.

How fierce? Just look at Bill Laimbeer’s actions.

In the 1989 playoffs, Laimbeer targeted Pippen’s head, causing Pippen to leave the game early.

That was the crucial sixth game, and with Pippen out, the Chicago Bulls lost the match and were eliminated by the Pistons.

Over the years, Laimbeer became increasingly reckless in the paint, especially after winning the championship with his team in 1989, which boosted his confidence, proving his basketball philosophy was correct, effective, and championship-worthy.

On the other hand, another fierce Pistons player, Melvin Tipping, seemed to have achieved his life goals after 1989, suddenly turning back into a gentleman from a tough insider.

Throughout the 1989-1990 season, Melvin Tipping had not committed a single technical foul, had no physical conflicts with opponents, and even on the court, he would actively help opponents up and protect them from injuries, a surprising transformation in his style of play.