Chapter 866: Chapter 46 The Source
Mark Aguirre hit a three-pointer during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
It was a corner three-pointer, and in the past three minutes, Aguirre scored 8 consecutive points, helping the Pistons take the lead.
59:58—the first showdown between the Bulls and Pistons was fiercely competitive, and their series kicked off before the Trail Blazers and Suns.
"Send someone to defend me! You need to double-team me!"
After making the three-pointer, Aguirre shouted loudly. Tonight, his touch was on fire, and he had already scored 21 points before the end of the third quarter.
During the regular season, this former scoring machine had seen his average points per game drop to 14.
In this era, when an athlete passes the age of 30, their form begins to decline.
Physical health and competitive form are one thing, but mindset is an even more crucial aspect.
For Aguirre, ever since his trade to the Detroit Pistons and bowing down to secure a championship, he had lost his ambition.
That’s how it is in the NBA. Ambitious players often struggle to fit into a team, while team-oriented players often stagnate due to a lack of ambition.
The two are rarely seen together.
Aguirre is only 31 years old this year—in theory, if healthy and determined to compete, he could have fully taken on the role of the Pistons’ offensive leader this season.
This is because Isiah Thomas missed many games this season. That elbow from Ah Gan during the 1990 Finals had led to a deterioration in Thomas’s health—primarily his mental health.
Never underestimate a person’s mental state. If they’re constantly depressed and unhappy, their physical state will likely suffer as well.
Though Thomas continued to lead the team after returning, it was evident from interviews that his smiles had become fewer and his mood often seemed low.
He no longer boasted to the media, and on the court, his temper had grown more volatile, lacking the calm composure he once had. This season, he had multiple on-court altercations, which increased his risk of injury.
Under these circumstances, Joe Dumars stepped up, becoming the team’s new offensive and defensive leader.
As for Thomas’s close friend, the fellow Chicago native Mark Aguirre, he followed his brother’s lead in coasting, content to play second fiddle, staying on the bench, and scoring only when needed.
When it comes to leading the offense, Aguirre might still have the ability, but he no longer had the heart for it.
However, tonight was different. In Chicago’s Game 1, the Pistons were still brimming with confidence to beat the Bulls once again.
With Thomas and Dumars struggling offensively, Aguirre stepped up, using his exceptional offensive skills to turn the tide for the team.
The entire arena fell much quieter; the Bulls had lost to the Pistons far too many times.
Near the end of the regular season, the Pistons had crushed the Bulls once again, boosting their team’s confidence to defeat Chicago in the playoffs.
After the score was flipped, Phil Jackson called for a timeout.
John Paxson looked dejected—it had been him defending Aguirre in the last matchup.
With Pippen and Jordan focused on Thomas and Dumars, Paxson occasionally had to switch to guarding Aguirre.
Against Aguirre, Paxson had no way to contain him; the difference in their physiques and skills was too significant.
On the bench, Phil Jackson said to Paxson, "Don’t be afraid. If he backs you down in the post, hit him."
"What?"
"Hit him! Play him like Michael does!"
Jackson said bluntly.
At the start of tonight’s game, Michael Jordan had already elbowed Joe Dumars to the ground.
Dumars fell right in front of the Pistons’ bench, and the Pistons players were furious, but no one stepped forward.
Because if a fight broke out, everyone on the bench would be ejected, and suspensions would follow in the next game.
The referee only gave Jordan an ordinary foul, not a flagrant foul.
At that moment, Phil Jackson realized that the league was indulging the Bulls, allowing them to engage in "retaliation" within reason.
Indeed, the Bulls had suffered immensely at the hands of the Pistons over the years—starting from being battered badly to gradually being able to stand up and compete.
Now, the Bulls had finally matured. Despite team locker room conflicts throughout an entire season and constant disputes between Jordan and management, victory and a strong opponent had united them.
Phil Jackson was different from the team’s prior coach, Collins. When facing the Pistons’ dirty tactics, Collins would often erupt with rage, even clashing with Chuck Daly.
But when players saw their coach losing control emotionally, it destabilized their own emotions, playing right into the Pistons’ objectives—causing the Bulls’ players to lose their composure.
Jackson would never argue with Daly or the Pistons players. In fact, his face showed no sign of emotional fluctuation as he steadily commanded the game from the sideline.
But during timeouts, he’d tell his team not to fear the Pistons and to hit back when given the chance.
"Ah Gan was the one who beat the Pistons to death—why should we fear them? The Pistons are just paper tigers, all bluff," Jackson said, using Gan Guoyang as an example.
Indeed, Gan Guoyang had repeatedly dismantled the Pistons. If the Bulls couldn’t understand this by now, they truly deserved to lose.
After the timeout ended, back on the court, John Paxson shoved Mark Aguirre during an offensive play. Aguirre looked at Paxson in disbelief, but Paxson stood fearlessly, completely unshaken.
