"Congratulations, back-to-back playoff appearances! And this year, we're even in the top half of the bracket. Yilun, your GM seat is looking more secure than ever."
"Hahaha, the pleasure's mine. It's really thanks to everyone's dedication in the organization—I only played a small part."
After hanging up yet another congratulatory call, Chen Yilun rubbed his stiff cheeks.
If last season's playoff breakthrough had earned him some recognition, then this year's moves had fully cemented his place as a top-tier executive.
Trading away franchise star DeMarcus Cousins hadn't sunk the Kings—in fact, the team soared higher, finishing with an even better record than last year.
Nikola Jokić, after two seasons of growth, had become the Kings' most dependable presence inside.
Midseason acquisition Jimmy Butler had seamlessly embraced his role as the team's leader, guiding them forward with grit and determination.
CJ and Booker continued to cash in on their immense talent. Crowder and Porter carved out their roles as essential wing defenders.
And our "Big O"—Greg Oden—finally healthy, played 67 games this season. Nearly as many appearances in one year as he'd managed in all the years before combined.
A big man who stays on the court, plays physically, can create his own shot, defends at a high level—and all for just a tick above the veteran minimum. How could anyone say no to that?
As for veterans like Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi, they maintained their form from last year. But with minutes redirected to the younger core, their shot opportunities shrank, and their stats dipped across the board.
"Hahahaha!"
Before Chen Yilun could collect his thoughts, Malone's hearty laugh rang in from outside.
"Fifty-six wins, twenty-six losses—how many years has it been since we last had a season like this?"
His excitement was justified. In most seasons, a leap like this would've made Chen Yilun the clear frontrunner for Executive of the Year. But this year? Forget it.
"Still grinning like a fool?"
Chen Yilun chuckled, extending his right hand toward Malone, palm up.
"Come on, you're still hung up on that?"
Malone's good mood took a hit at the gesture. With a reluctant sigh, he pulled out his wallet, slid two Franklins into Chen Yilun's hand, and shook his head.
"How do you always nail these predictions? Golden State actually hit 73 wins."
He pulled out a chair and dropped into it with a heavy plop. "The Warriors are flat-out unstoppable this year."
"Mm-hmm."
Chen Yilun gave a noncommittal nod, not taking the bait.
"How's the team holding up?"
"Pretty well."
Once the topic shifted to business, Malone shelved the small talk.
"I just had the team doctor run full checkups—everyone's healthy."
Hearing that, Chen Yilun finally let out a sigh of relief. Heading into the playoffs, nothing worried him more than injuries.
Even during the final stretch of the regular season, he had stressed to Malone repeatedly: it was fine to sacrifice a few wins, so long as they could rest starters in shifts and preserve energy for the playoffs.
That caution had paid off. Now, the Kings could storm into the postseason at full strength.
"Our playoff opponent's set."
Malone flipped open his notebook to report.
"With the season over, we're locked into the third seed. First round, we face the Memphis Grizzlies."
"The Grizzlies, huh…"
Chen Yilun's brow furrowed instinctively.
The Grizzlies were a true anomaly in the West. They never had quite enough to contend for a title, yet every single year they found their way into the playoffs.
They were the West's ultimate spoilers, their bruising defense leaving opponents battered and gasping for air.
The Western Conference standings:
Golden State Warriors
San Antonio Spurs
Sacramento Kings
Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies
Dallas Mavericks
Houston Rockets
Normally, 56 wins wouldn't land the Kings as high as third. But with Golden State's 73 and San Antonio's 67 towering above the rest, everyone else was fighting for scraps.
Unusually, the West's eighth seed even finished with a worse record than the East's eighth seed.
The Eastern Conference standings:
Cleveland Cavaliers
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards
Miami Heat
Boston Celtics
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Detroit Pistons
The East looked almost identical to the original timeline—except for one major difference. Thanks to Chen Yilun's hand, the Wizards had been lifted into a strong third-place finish.
"Got a game plan for the first round?"
After going over the details, Chen Yilun clasped his hands together on the desk and looked at Malone with curiosity.
"If it's the Grizzlies, we've got to push the tempo," Malone answered without hesitation.
"Their strength lies in the half-court grind. Once you let them dictate the pace, any team will stumble."
He wasn't exaggerating. The Warriors' last regular-season game had been against Memphis.
Determined not to be Golden State's stepping stone, the Grizzlies went all out, dragging them into a half-court battle.
It took until the final second, when Stevens missed a game-winner, for the Warriors to escape with a victory.
"We can't get sucked into half-court basketball with them."
Malone tapped his finger on the table, laying out his thoughts. "So our original playoff strategy won't work. Butler's tough, but stuck in the bear trap with their twin towers, even he'll struggle."
"That's why I say we stick to our regular-season identity: defense into fast break."
"Force them to run. With Memphis' pace, they'll run out of gas in a quarter or two. Then the game is ours."
Chen Yilun listened and nodded approvingly.
"Alright, let's do it your way."
He turned toward the window, eyes on the sky outside.
Everything would be decided in just one week!
...
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