Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 596 - 199 - : Back on Top! World Champion! (2nd Update, Kneeling for Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets!)

After the first four games, the Celtics' chances of winning the championship were only theoretical.

In this era, no team leading 3-1 in the Finals had ever been overturned.

Moreover, after the third game, even if David Stern wanted to keep selling tickets, he had to consider whether Bay Area fans would blow up the NBA headquarters in New York afterward.

Currently, there is no conclusion from the internal investigation of Joey Crawford.

Although Stern knows that this internal investigation is doomed to fizzle out in the end.

But after that openly biased game, the league's officiating has become the target of public criticism.

In the first four games, anyone with eyes could see that the Warriors, with Qin Yue, attacked the basket more frequently, yet they had nearly 30 fewer free throws than the Celtics.

They can no longer favor the Celtics.

Stern knows very well...

No matter how much attention this Finals series gets, the league can no longer overtly favor the Celtics as they did in the third game.

A day later, the fifth game of the Finals between the Warriors and the Celtics continued at the North Shore Garden Arena.

As the NBA formally renamed the Finals Most Valuable Player Award to the "Bill Russell Finals Most Valuable Player Award" for the second year...

No one knows what mood the "Ring King" Russell, who awarded this honor to Kobe, the star of the rival team last year at the Staples Center, was in before this game.

When Russell might personally hand the FMVP trophy to Qin Yue this night, and when the O'Brien Cup, symbolizing the NBA's highest team honor, had already been conventionally delivered to Boston...

On this night, even the most die-hard Celtics fans wore a sorrowful expression in the stands.

Because if the Warriors win the championship this year, it means the Green Army will become the biggest loser for the third consecutive year—they will successfully create their own dynasty of second place.

"What's wrong with being runners-up?"

During the pre-game warm-up, Qin Yue said to Duncan, "Being runners-up for three consecutive years is also a display of dominance, plus you're still young. I believe the future is yours, my dear senior."

Hearing this, Duncan smirked and said, "You're right, I still have a lot of potential to tap."

Qin Yue didn't expect his irony couldn't break through Duncan's defense.

This made Qin Yue very frustrated.

Because he couldn't imagine...

If he were runners-up for three consecutive years and someone said that to him, whether he could maintain a calm mind like Duncan.

On the court, after the warm-up, the head referee Bennett Salvatore walked to the center circle holding the ball to officiate the game.

In the fifth game, the Celtics maintained their starting lineup from the first four games.

The Warriors, however, replaced Curry with Nash, who had been coming off the bench for several games.

"Don't be nervous, Steve."

Watching Nash tremble as if playing his career debut, Brown laughed as he prepared to jump ball for the Warriors: "What's the big deal about a championship? I imagine you'll get used to all this in the future."

Nash, who was about to win his first career championship that night, had mixed feelings.

From Phoenix to Dallas, then back to Phoenix and Oakland, Nash considered the soon-to-be-earned championship ring as "God's" best reward for the ups and downs he'd endured along the way.

"God, this won't be my only championship, right?" Looking up at Qin Yue, Nash, gradually relaxing, joked.

"Of course."

At the jump ball, the unstoppable second-best center in history, Kwame Brown, won possession for the Warriors with ease.

Nash brought the ball past half-court, Qin Yue took over, and Brown scored the first points for the Warriors in this game.

As the once ridiculed young Brown soared into the sky, under the heavy burden of expectations, he showed a bright smile after the gloom.

Bang—!

"Remember this shot!"

After landing from the dunk, an arrogant Brown told the Celtics players: "You almost stopped the great Kwame Brown!"

For Brown's petty pride, the Green Army players on the court were furious.

Especially noticing their coach Gentry on the sidelines, Mike Malone, once again paced back and forth with his hands in his pockets.

"How do they manage to be so nauseating?"

Gentry couldn't help but think: "They completely lack the aura of winners!"

What is the aura of winners?

On the court, when Qin Yue helped defend and blocked Horford's turning hook shot out of bounds, a more excited Brown immediately rushed to Qin Yue: "I knew you'd block that dude! He dared to challenge our guarded paint without checks!"

Seeing this, Qin Yue laughed: "It's mainly because of you, you know my job is just to assist you."

It is known that the aura of winners can only be defined by winners.

Therefore, under the emotional value provided by the top winner Qin Yue...

Brown couldn't possibly live like a humble gentleman, appearing hesitant in bragging.

The Celtics inbound the ball.

With little time left on the shot clock, watching Pierce pass the ball to Carter, Wallace questioned him again: "Truth, you shouldn't pass the ball to teammates at times like this."

"Shut up!" Pierce snapped, "Don't fucking question my way of playing!"