Chapter 864: Chapter 45 Final Exam_2
This also turned the Bulls vs. Heat series into a defensive battle. The matches were not visually appealing, but the process was extremely intense, with frequent clashes between the two teams.
Unfortunately, though the games were heated, the results were unsurprising—the Heat were entirely outmatched by the Bulls.
After trading Glen Rice for McDaniel, the Heat’s external firepower was lackluster, which significantly increased Drexler’s scoring burden.
Yet in the faceoff against Jordan, Drexler’s scoring ability fell far short in comparison, especially during critical moments, when Drexler couldn’t use his ball-handling offense to break the deadlock.
Most of the time, Riley preferred to hand the ball to the undrafted shooting guard John Starks, letting Drexler act as a secondary scorer and passer, while Starks assumed the role of primary offensive weapon.
Meanwhile, Jordan never missed an opportunity to dominate Drexler offensively—during the regular season, Drexler managed to suppress Jordan in two games, prompting Florida’s media to boast that the Glider had outshone the Air.
The playoffs, however, were a completely different story. Jordan scored 33 points, 36 points, and 29 points across three games, effortlessly leading the Bulls to a 3:0 sweep of the Heat.
From that playoff series onwards, even if the Bulls and Heat met again in the playoffs later, no one ever brought up the rivalry for the "best shooting guard" title again.
Moreover, Drexler’s playstyle resembled that of a facilitating forward rather than a pure shooting guard; he wasn’t particularly proficient at scoring.
After the series ended, Drexler felt deeply disappointed in himself, whereas Riley did not comfort the defeated team in the locker room. Instead, he harshly criticized every single person.
Including himself.
"We have no feelings, no love, no hatred, no anger, no soul! It’s like a lifeless corpse. A corpse! How can a corpse win games? I don’t demand winning the series, but at least we should’ve won one game! Just one game!"
The locker room remained silent. In truth, Riley had been quite successful these past two years with the Heat.
With Riley, Yin Man, and other capable individuals supporting team development, the Heat were the first among the four newly established league teams to reach the playoffs.
This season already marked a successful accomplishment for the Heat, achieving a considerable level of success. Losing to the Bulls was within expectations; the players didn’t deserve too harsh criticism.
But Riley obviously held higher expectations. He was a demanding person, and though Drexler had performed well, it was still far from enough in his eyes—not even close.
After leaving the locker room, Drexler said nothing, quietly took a basketball, and went to the court for shooting practice.
Watching Drexler’s solitary figure practicing shots on the court, Riley chewed his gum and revealed a satisfied expression.
After breezing past the Heat, the Bulls faced the Washington Bullets in the semifinals.
After Charles Barkley’s departure, the Bullets’ strength declined, but they still ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference and defeated the Bucks in the first round.
Moncrief returned from retirement after a year, once again joining the Bullets and partnering with Bernard King to form a backcourt offensive and defensive duo.
In the playoff series against his old team, the Bucks, Moncrief poured the last of his professional energy into the games.
In Game 4, held in Milwaukee, the Bullets won in overtime against the Bucks, with Moncrief contributing 4 points and 2 steals during the overtime period, proving to be the decisive factor.
Moncrief understood that after this series, facing the Bulls in the next round would mean an inevitable defeat, signaling the end of his professional career.
Finishing with a series victory in the city and on the court he loved so dearly left him feeling incredibly fortunate and fulfilled.
But like Bernard King, he had no championship to his name and likely wouldn’t win one in the future. Still, they both had brilliant careers and remarkable performances on the court.
They had already scaled their personal Mount Everest. A championship may be precious, but it is not essential for a basketball legacy. After all, on their journey, they had racked up plenty of other basketball accolades.
The matchup between the Bullets and the Bulls was unsurprisingly one-sided. The Bulls swept them 4:0 with each game’s margin exceeding 10 points, as the gap in strength between the two teams was considerable.
This also reflected the diluted talent pool in the league. And of course, another reason was that the Bulls and Trail Blazers stood head and shoulders above the competition these days, far superior to other teams.
However, even during these matches, Bernard King managed to shine with one 20-point game and two 30-point games, showcasing his exceptional scoring ability and leading to renewed scrutiny of Scottie Pippen.
In the next round, they were set to face their long-lost rival, the Detroit Pistons.
Last year, in the decisive Game 7 against the Pistons, Pippen had suffered from a migraine.
At first, he even feared he might have a brain tumor and went to a Chicago hospital for a CT scan.
Before the game, sitting on the bench, Horace Grant noticed Pippen blinking excessively.
He asked Pippen if the lights were too dim, but Pippen informed him that he was having trouble focusing—his headache was severe.
In the most crucial match at the most critical moment, Pippen was unable to perform normally, shooting 1-for-10 and scoring only 2 points as the Bulls suffered a devastating loss.
Later, the team doctors conducted comprehensive examinations and found no pathological factors. The cause could have been dietary, perhaps the weather, but most likely, it was stress.
Pippen had crumbled under pressure, subjecting him to widespread criticism. Chicago’s newspapers spent an entire summer lamenting, "We could’ve met Ah Gan a little earlier."
