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In comparison to Tim Duncan, Wang Chong naturally lacks an advantage in terms of skill value. The Bulls' lineup has a clear upper hand against Eastern Conference teams, but the same can't be said when facing the Spurs.While Wang Chong has a high opinion of Billups, one of the top guards currently and consistently rated among the best in terms of skill, Tony Parker aims to surpass him. If you look at their careers side-by-side, they are nearly identical. Both players have averaged around 15 points and 5.5 assists per game. They each hold a Finals MVP award. Billups was selected for the All-NBA team three times and the All-Defensive team twice. Tony Parker, with four All-NBA selections, is close to matching that accomplishment. However, championships are another story—Billups can't quite compare to Parker's four championships with the Spurs. Despite Billups's one Finals MVP, comparing one championship to four just doesn't seem fair.
Analyzing all these factors, it's hard to see a clear winner between them. Parker's defense might fall slightly short of Billups's, but it's not a weakness, and he has speed and mobility that Billups lacks. And this is where the distinction truly lies. Parker excels as a speed-based defender and focuses heavily on driving with the ball, whereas Billups is slower laterally for a guard. He does well against stronger players or when guarding an opponent's main ball-handler.
These two players met in the 2004-05 Finals. At that time, Parker was just four years into his NBA career and was still seen as Duncan's younger teammate. Parker played impressively in the playoffs, averaging 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. Yet in the Finals, Billups handled him with ease, and Parker's stats dropped to 13.9 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 turnovers per game. Billups, on the other hand, averaged 20.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, proving to be the offensive core for the Pistons and a headache for the Spurs.
But that was two years ago. At that time, Billups was 28 and in his prime, while Parker was 22 and still relatively inexperienced. Now, Parker is 24, has developed into the core of the Spurs' offense, and is no longer the naive player Billups once controlled with ease. Wang Chong believes that they'll likely be an even 50-50 match on the court, with Billups using his physical strength to push past Parker while struggling with Parker's speed.
On the other hand, Wang Chong doubts that Bell can hold his own against Manu Ginobili. Despite being selected for the All-Defensive team and known as the league's top perimeter defender, Ginobili is part of the Spurs' famed trio, the "GDP," and comes off the bench with explosive scoring power in limited minutes. Ginobili's offensive firepower, especially with his ability to maintain high energy, will be a challenge for Bell.
But basketball isn't a one-on-one game; the Bulls must contend with the entire Spurs team—from head coach Popovich to their role players. As the playoffs reached the Finals, Wang Chong felt the pressure for the first time. He wants to lead his team to beat the Spurs and claim the championship this season, completing the system upgrade quest and unlocking the next level of skill development. However, he knows that even if he can maintain a 30-point scoring average against the Spurs' defense, it won't be enough. The performances of his Bulls teammates will be crucial to victory.
On June 7, 2007, at the United Center, the NBA Finals opened with the Bulls facing the Spurs. The Bulls' starting lineup consisted of Billups, Bell, Luol Deng, Wang Chong, and Chandler, while the Spurs countered with Parker, Bowen, Finley, Duncan, and Oberto.
Just by looking at the starting lineup, the teams seemed evenly matched. The Bulls had regular-season MVP Wang Chong, Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, and third-team All-NBA Billups. But the Spurs had Ginobili, Robert Horry, and other key players on the bench, while the Bulls relied heavily on rookie Paul Millsap, who was unlikely to make a major impact.
When the game tipped off, Wang Chong's concerns quickly materialized. The Spurs' defense was on par with the Bulls', especially as playoff intensity ramped up. The Bulls' offensive strategy was relatively straightforward, revolving around Wang Chong's isolation plays, Billups's pick-and-rolls, and the off-ball movement of Deng and Bell. Against most teams, this approach was more than sufficient. But against the Spurs, it fell short.
Popovich's strategy was to prioritize the containment of Billups, believing his performance would be pivotal in determining the game's outcome. This didn't mean that Wang Chong wasn't crucial; rather, Popovich recognized that, even with their best efforts, they couldn't entirely neutralize Wang Chong's scoring ability. Instead, the Spurs focused on shutting down the rest of the Bulls. This move proved to be extremely effective.
In the first quarter, the Bulls lacked offensive rhythm, relying almost solely on Wang Chong's solo efforts to keep them in the game. At the end of the quarter, the Spurs led 26-21, with Wang Chong scoring 14 of the Bulls' points. However, the rest of the team only managed to combine for seven points. Not only were the Bulls struggling offensively, but their defensive structure was also showing cracks.
During the regular season, the Bulls had held opponents to the league's lowest points per game, even fewer than the Spurs. However, their defensive system was actually a near replica of the Spurs' own system, recommended by Wang Chong and carefully studied through game tapes. Chandler modeled his defense on Duncan, while Deng and Bell emulated Bowen and Finley.
Scott Skiles, the Bulls' head coach, lacked innovative tactical ideas and leaned on a mechanical, step-by-step approach to coaching. Although the Bulls' defense was highly effective, the fact that it was based on the Spurs' tactics became problematic when facing the originators. Popovich, understanding his own defensive system intimately, knew how to counter it. The Spurs' offensive schemes easily exploited the Bulls' predictable defensive patterns, exposing their weaknesses in the process.
The first quarter break offered a chance for Skiles to adjust tactics. Instead, he gave a long-winded pep talk, but it boiled down to simply encouraging the players to "work hard." Wang Chong was left speechless. It was clear that Skiles lacked the insight to counter Popovich's tactical mastery, which led Wang Chong to realize the necessity of a skilled coach to guide the team through critical moments.
Moving forward, the Bulls' offense became increasingly stagnant. With Wang Chong on the court, they would hand him the ball for isolations. When he rested, Billups would attempt pick-and-rolls, but neither option was sustainable, and their offensive efficiency continued to suffer. The final score spoke volumes: the Spurs won 94-88, handing the Bulls their first home playoff loss.
Wang Chong scored 37 points on 14-of-24 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Billups, the only other Bulls player in double figures, had a disappointing 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting. In contrast, Duncan easily dominated the paint, putting up 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, while Parker and Ginobili added 21 and 19 points, respectively.
The game highlighted not a gap in individual talent but a gap in tactical execution and adaptability. Wang Chong realized that winning required not just hard work from the players but also an excellent coach with strategic expertise.
A winning team needs three essential qualities: a solid lineup, a coach with tactical intelligence, and a core player who can deliver when it matters most. The Bulls dynasty that won two sets of three consecutive championships exemplified this perfectly.
Reflecting on the loss, Wang Chong recognized the limitations of his coach and the need for a more experienced tactical mind to lead the team. While he could continue guiding the team's overall development, he lacked the in-game expertise that could only come from years of professional coaching experience. He considered the possibility of taking a more active role in directing plays, as LeBron James famously did years later. However, Wang Chong knew that his true strength lay in his forward-thinking concepts and his knowledge of future player development rather than orchestrating complex game tactics on the spot.
As he walked off the court, Wang Chong couldn't help but feel the weight of the loss. The Spurs' tactical superiority had exposed the Bulls' weaknesses, and he knew that, without a strong game plan and leadership on the sidelines, the team's chances of claiming the championship would remain slim. This game had shown him that a winning team requires a combination of strategy, player development, and adaptability—qualities that went beyond individual talent and grit.
With this insight, Wang Chong resolved to work on ways to bridge these gaps in the Bulls' system, hoping to one day bring the team the title that they, and he, so deeply desired.
End of this chapter
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