In this way, under the professional team doctor's report which was almost a death sentence, Sabonis started his NBA career.

In the 1995-1996 season, this 31-year-old "rookie" with mobility infinitely close to zero embarked on what may be the most cruel basketball court on the planet.

In his first season, Sabonis only played 23 minutes per game, but averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.

This super-old "rookie" seems to have lived up to the Blazers' 9-year wait.

However, what happened next was even more dreamy.

In this year's NBA playoffs, in order to deal with the difficult duo of Utah, the Trail Blazers tried to significantly increase Sabonis' playing time. In the 2:3 series loss to the Utah Jazz, Sabonis averaged 23.6 points and 10.2 points per game.

1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The price is that his average playing time in the playoffs is a full 12 minutes longer than in the regular season.

Considering Sabonis's physical condition, it's no wonder that countless media outlets criticized him at the time: "This is a murder!"

After the end of the first NBA season, Sabonis's record of coaching was excellent. However, considering his 31-year-old age, people would rather believe that this was a flash in the pan.

If this was the season performance of the 21-year-old Sabonis, I am afraid that the outside world has already included him in the ranks of the league's super centers... It is a pity that the monster boy has long gone forever.

but,

NB’s life never disdains what if!

People still underestimate Sha Glass's love for basketball and his extremely strong will.

He joined the NBA at the age of 31 and played for 7 seasons. No one knows how he lasted 7 seasons, but it is undeniable that the arrival of Sabonis did bring a unique scenery to the entire NBA.

There are statistics.

In the first five years of his tenure with the Trail Blazers, Sabonis, the oldest player on the team, ranked first in the team in PER for 4 years. In the first 5 years, his PER was all over 20.

What makes the older generation of Trail Blazers fans even more unforgettable is actually the millennium season from 1999 to 2000.

In this year, the Trail Blazers and Lakers met in the Western Conference Finals.

The 35-year-old Sasha is still the center of the Trail Blazers. He has played in 66 and 61 games this season. In an average of 25.6 minutes of playing time, he contributed 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 block and 0.7 steals.

The overall field goal percentage still exceeded 50%, and the three-point field goal percentage also reached 36.6%. Considering the background of the era, Sabonis's three-point ability was definitely not bad at that era.

Unfortunately, before this set of Western Conference matchups began, no one had the slightest hope of winning for the Trail Blazers.

Just because, standing in front of them was the Purple and Gold Army who was about to create a dynasty.

This is also true.

The 35-year-old Sasha was unable to resist the new behemoth of the 1990s, Shaquille O'Neal, who was at the peak of his career.

But the Trail Blazers still gave the Sharks the most uncomfortable series experience. In this series, O'Neal averaged "only" 25.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, and his shooting percentage was only a "poor" 53.7%...

en, considering O'Neal's 30.0 16.2 in the previous round of the series and O'Neal's 38 16.7 in the finals, the third team and the Trail Blazers have done well enough.

How good is it?

The two sides fought fiercely to grab 7, and with 10 minutes left, the Trail Blazers led the Lakers by 15 points and were half-foot in the finals.

And then, OK, the group’s most classic collaboration shot seems to have come into being:

At that time, No. 8 Kobe, who was still wearing an afro, was double-teamed by two people and made a fake shot. The next moment...

The shark suddenly surfaced!

The suspense of the game came to a complete end after being played in this space.

The Sharks finally achieved a shocking reversal, advanced to the finals, won the championship, and established a dynasty...

As for the Blazers and Sam?

Sorry, it’s most appropriate to borrow a classic quote from an old blacksmith in Los Angeles:

"Second place is the biggest loser!"

In the sports arena, not many people care about what you have done before reaching the final destination.

Only by getting first place and taking off the laurels can we be worthy of being remembered by the fans, the media and history!

It's cruel, but very true.

If the Blazers hadn't been reversed back then...

In an interview with ESPN, Drexler said of Sabonis:

"If in 1986, after Avidas was drafted, he could immediately come to play in the Trail Blazers, would the Trail Blazers have won a championship at that time?"

"We could have won four, five or six championships together! I guarantee you, man, he was that good!"

This is actually not unreasonable.

The Trail Blazers reached the Finals in both 1990 and 1992. What if they add a Sabonis who is a few years younger?

If he was not forced by the money-bearing system and continued to fight with injuries...

If he can receive scientific sports treatment...

If he could stand in the NBA at the age of 21, represent the Trail Blazers in the league, meet the Flyers and Magicians, and meet Big Dream, General, and Orangutan...

If the top four centers become the top five...

If fans in the future can watch the video and witness that there was such a super giant in the NBA in the past who had top-notch passing skills, outstanding running and jumping, the ability to back up, and even three-point range and other skills.

This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Speaking of ifs, the Portland Trail Blazers have too many "ifs":

If Bill Walton, who led them to championships in the 1970s, had not been seriously injured;

If they selected a shooting guard named Michael Jordan with the second pick in 198-10;

If they don't have Trader, another European talent Petrovic;

If they hadn't sent away Jermaine O'Neal, who had incredible potential;

If Greg Oden doesn't naturally become the first great king because of his damn injuries;

If Brandon Roy hadn't died due to injury and turned into a high school coach with a head and a round face like Gordon;

If they hadn't been prepared to hire those unreliable vets in the first place...

What a pity!

After reading the entire resume of Sabonis’ NBA career, Wang Zelin couldn’t help but sigh:

People who are NB are NB’s after all!

Take Sabonis, for example.

He played a circle in the NBA, using his already aging body to experience the intensity of the NBA reaching the Western Conference Finals. With a series of real performances and impeccable high-level data, he confirmed people's belief in his peak health.

guess.

Incidentally, he also became the inspirational idol for Chairman Yao to choose the path of basketball, and even played against Yao Ming several times after he landed in the NBA in 2002.

It seems extremely dreamy, because in the minds of many fans, the two are not players of the same era at all.

But this is indeed what happened.

But who allowed Sabonis to continue working until May 4, 2003, when he lost in the tiebreaker of the playoffs between the Trail Blazers and the Mavericks, officially announcing his career finale.

However, after retiring from the NBA and returning to his hometown of Lithuania, Sabonis couldn't help but play for another year and give back to the fans with a season's retirement tour.

There is no doubt that his retirement tour has excited Lithuania and even the whole of Europe.

Of course, this guy is not limited to just playing around.

In the 2003~2004 season, Sabonis led the team to win the Lithuanian League Championship!

In the same year, he was crowned European League regular season champion, Top 16 MVP, and European First Team!

In the same year, he was crowned the European League regular season rebounding and shot-blocking leader!

In the twilight of his career, Sabonis once again declared to the European basketball world: Your emperor is back!

After reading all the objections about this senior's career history, Wang Zelin once again firmly believed that all encounters are destined.

Since God asked him to pick Sabonis among the 8 superstar cards, the number one center in FIBA ​​history and the former Trail Blazers star, he must not live up to the latter's huge name.

The journey that Lao Sao failed to complete in the NBA, let him help him complete it!
Chapter completed!