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"Wang Chong scored 43 points and led the Bulls to a surprising victory over the Pistons."
"How strong are the Bulls? Can they even compete with the Pistons, who are ranked number one in the Eastern Conference?"
"In the next home game, can the Pistons take the opportunity to exact their revenge?"
With Wang Chong's efficient scoring of 43 points in a single game, the Bulls vs. Pistons game once again became the most-watched event in the league's four playoff matchups.
The showdown between Wang Chong (No. 24) and James (No. 23) in the first round was filled with highlights. Now, the narrative of Wang Chong challenging the Pistons' Five Tigers one-on-one had reignited interest, making the other three matchups seem somewhat lackluster.
In fact, by the second round of the playoffs, the intensity of the games had already reached a high level.
The Heat vs. Nets series in the East was decent, but the two Western Conference matchups were anything but simple.
The Spurs, the number one seed in the West, faced off against the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks. Both teams had occupied the second spot in the regular season's standings, but due to being in the same division, it was the same scenario as the Bulls finishing fourth in the West.
When these two teams clashed, it was like Mars colliding with Earth. In the first game, they played at an incredibly high level. In the end, the Spurs narrowly defeated the Mavericks by two points, 87-85, to secure the first victory.
The other Western Conference matchup was between the Suns and the Lakers.
Although the Lakers had a poor record, finishing sixth in the West due to Kobe Bryant's struggles in the second half of the season, they competed with Wang Chong for the scoring title. It ended up being a blessing in disguise. With only 43 wins, the Denver Nuggets were the third seed in the West.
During the regular season, Carmelo Anthony showcased his superstar potential, earning a spot on the All-NBA Third Team with averages of 26.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He finally managed to keep pace with Wang Chong, James, and Wade.
However, this didn't mean Anthony could truly keep up with these three standout players from the 2003 draft class.
In the first round of the playoffs against the Lakers, Anthony reverted to his previous form.
Throughout the series, Anthony was repeatedly outmatched by Kobe Bryant in one-on-one situations. The Nuggets ended up losing to the Lakers 1-4, becoming the only team from the upper half of the league standings to be eliminated in the first round.
In the five games, Anthony averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, but his shooting percentage was a mere 33.3%, a disappointing performance.
On the other hand, Kobe Bryant dominated Anthony, averaging 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists over the five games, proving his supremacy as the league's top shooting guard.
After advancing to the second round, the Lakers faced the Suns, and the two teams were locked in a tight battle.
Originally, based on the Suns' strength, they should have been able to defeat the Lakers. However, this season, the Suns' main scorer, Amare Stoudemire, was sidelined due to injury, which severely impacted the Suns' overall strength.
Conversely, the Lakers, boosted by Wang Chong, were performing much better than their original 2005-06 selves. With both sides facing ups and downs, the Suns lost to the Lakers in the first game.
However, with Steve Nash leading the Suns, their ability to compete is still one of the strongest in the league. A fierce battle was anticipated between these two teams.
But whether it was the Texas showdown between the Spurs and the Mavericks or the neck-and-neck fight between the Suns and the Lakers, neither could compare to the Bulls vs. Pistons in terms of attention. Everyone wanted to know if the young Bulls team, led by Wang Chong, could topple the powerhouse Pistons.
If the Bulls really managed to come out as the winners of this series, it could mean the complete collapse of the Pistons after this season.
After all, since Larry Brown's departure, the new head coach, Flip Saunders, had failed to win over the team and had some on-court philosophical conflicts with the star player, Ben Wallace.
If the Pistons, who held the league's best record during the regular season, were to be defeated by a young team like the Bulls, it wouldn't be surprising if the team's management decided to opt for a rebuild.
Of course, the Pistons didn't want this to happen, so in the second game on May 9, they showed their dominance as the top team in the Eastern Conference by defeating the Bulls 97-91 at home, tying the series.
In this game, Wang Chong made 10 of 21 shots, 2 of 5 three-pointers, and 11 of 12 free throws. He scored 33 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists. Although it was a solid performance, it didn't quite measure up to his 43 points from the first game, which was one of the reasons why the Bulls lost.
Wang Chong isn't Kobe after all, nor is he a physical monster like LeBron James who can consistently churn out ultra-high output every game.
And in this game, the Pistons adjusted their defensive strategy against Wang Chong.
They abandoned the double-teaming tactic and switched to a man-to-man defense. However, they rotated defenders on Wang Chong each quarter. At one point, even Ben Wallace left the paint to defend Wang Chong on the perimeter in a one-on-one situation.
This familiar scene immediately made Wang Chong realize what the Pistons were planning.
The Jordan Rules.
This was a set of defensive tactics created by the Pistons in the 1980s to specifically target Michael Jordan. It consisted of nearly a hundred details, all aimed at defending Jordan.
The Pistons' strategy was to avoid double-teaming Jordan and instead focus on cutting off his connection with the rest of the team. Even if Jordan scored 50 points, as long as his teammates underperformed, the team would still lose.
Furthermore, the Pistons wouldn't allow Jordan to score freely. They would assign their best individual defenders to shadow him throughout the game, employing various methods to limit and wear him down. They rotated defenders frequently, ensuring they had fresh legs to maintain their defensive effort.
This entire set of Jordan Rules frustrated the young Jordan during his early years, as the Bulls were eliminated by the Pistons in the playoffs three years in a row. It wasn't until the arrival of strong reinforcements like Scottie Pippen, combined with the Pistons' aging lineup and decline in strength, that Jordan and the Bulls finally emerged from the shadow of the Bad Boy Pistons and entered their peak era.
These tactics originated with the original Pistons, so it wasn't surprising that today's Pistons were able to implement them.
While the two teams were completely different, their playing styles were quite similar, both excelling in defense. The Pistons' current roster wasn't as notorious as the Bad Boy era, but they still played with a physical, tough style.
Players like Rasheed Wallace, known for his technical fouls and aggressive play, embodied the Pistons' rough edge, though he didn't match the Bad Boy Pistons' notorious reputation. During the game, Wang Chong personally experienced this rough play, leaving him bruised and sore afterward.
However, the Pistons paid a price for their aggression. Rasheed Wallace fouled out with six fouls early in the fourth quarter and also received a technical foul during the game.
Still, the Pistons won the game, tying the series 1-1. Their defensive strategy against Wang Chong had proven more effective than their initial double-teaming in Game 1.
Securing a home win was crucial for the Pistons, as it boosted their morale. Though the team had underlying issues, including internal disagreements, winning helped paper over the cracks. As long as they kept winning, the Pistons could maintain their status quo and display their dominance as the league's top team.
Fortunately, the next game would be held in Chicago, at the Bulls' home court. Home-court advantage could significantly change the intensity of the game.
In particular, the Pistons' victory in Game 2 wasn't exactly clean, especially their defense on Wang Chong, which crossed the line at times. Wang Chong knew that facing such aggressive tactics was part of the road to stardom, and he wouldn't complain just because of a few bruises.
But Wang Chong wasn't someone who would take things lying down. If the Pistons wanted to play rough, he'd return the favor when they came to his home court. The Bulls had some enforcers of their own, like Tyson Chandler.
The future Defensive Player of the Year and a fierce competitor, Chandler wasn't one to shy away from dirty work. His reputation as a physical presence on the court was well-earned.
On May 13, in Game 3 of the series, the scene shifted to Chicago, the Bulls' home court.
Playing in front of their home crowd, the Bulls were much more confident. Tyson Chandler, in particular, cleared the path with his iron elbows, catching several Pistons players off guard, including Ben Wallace, who was on the receiving end of a Chandler elbow.
Though Chandler fouled out early, leaving the game, the Bulls still managed to win Game 3.
It wasn't just Chandler's physical play that helped. The referees were also calling a much tighter game, especially on the Pistons' defense against Wang Chong.
In Game 2, the Pistons committed several hard fouls on Wang Chong, which the referees had let go. However, in Game 3, such fouls resulted in immediate whistles.
It didn't take long for the Pistons to realize they couldn't play as rough as before, and without their physical edge, they struggled.
End of this chapter
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