The Nets didn't expect Hill to save the team; Hill was just one piece of the puzzle for the Nets' championship run.

It's just a comeback from injury...

Hill needs to regain his form, and with only two months left until the playoffs, his impact will be felt in the playoffs.

Gentry trusts the Chinese doctor and is not being malicious in his speculation about Hill, but Hill has indeed been labeled as injury-prone. When the team has available players, limiting Hill's playing time is the best way to protect him.

......

Once the Pelicans fall behind, it's very difficult for them to regain their form!

After Wei Guo entered the game, Davis started shooting wildly from three-point range. When Davis missed all four of his three-point attempts, Wei Guo hit five consecutive three-pointers, directly extending the lead to 25 points.

"Losing to the Nets is not shameful!"

Tim consoled himself, "My goal is to lead the Pelicans to the playoffs, and making it to the second round would be great."

......

In the second half, Wei Guo only played for 6 minutes before sitting back on the field.

Then...

Mourning, Hill, and Stockton all went to the bench for a rest.

Led by Cummings, the Nets had Kiddles, Jefferson, Kenyon, and Collins continue to score.

Tim refused to let the starters rest.

Davis and his teammates played until the end of the fourth quarter.

Match statistics:

Wei Guo: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Hill: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Davis: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Davis' triple-double is something to celebrate, but they lost the game, and Davis got it against Wei Guo. Compared to Wei Guo, Davis felt he should be more modest.

This is...

He's a formidable player who has achieved a quintuple-double once and a quadruple-double seven times. Moreover, he holds all the league's single-game records except for assists: single-game points, single-game rebounds, single-game blocks, and single-game steals.

......

The 2003-04 season was gradually coming to an end.

Wei Guo's averages: 39.7 points, 15.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 3.1 steals, and 5.7 blocks per game

Aside from assists, the Nets lead the league in the other four categories, and they have one more game left against the Timberwolves.

68 wins and 13 losses!!!

This is also the best record in the league!

As expected...

The regular season MVP is Wei Guo again. Currently, Wei Guo is ranked first in the MVP rankings, and second is Garnett of the Timberwolves!

Garnett has always been unconvinced by Wei Guo!

He felt that Wei Guo was a player similar to himself, tall, athletic, and technically well-rounded with no weaknesses. However, Wei Guo was better than him in every aspect, and Garnett often had the illusion that "why did fate create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?"

This is their first meeting this season!

The Timberwolves and the Nets were evenly matched, with the game going down to the wire in the final minute, but that was at the Nets' home court!

This is the last game of the regular season!

Before the match...

Garnett then made a bold statement, saying he wanted to go head-to-head with Wei Guo and teach Wei Guo a lesson.

Starting lineup for this match:

Timberwolves: Cassell, Hassell, Johnson, Sprewell, Garnett

Brooklyn Nets: Stockton, Hill, Jefferson, Wei Guo, Mourning

The Nets frequently adjust their starting lineup towards the end of the regular season. Apart from Wei Guo, no player is guaranteed a starting position. However, Wei Guo played the power forward position in this game, which was a big favor to Garnett.

......

The away game's locker room was rather simple.

The Nets players were preparing for the game, and since they were facing the Timberwolves, who were the top seed in the Western Conference, they inevitably talked about their Finals opponents.

Yes...

From Wei Guo to Rogers, no one on the Nets team believed they couldn't make it to the Finals.

It's really hard to say which team in the West will make it to the Finals. The Timberwolves are ranked first in the West, that's for sure... Garnett is also at the peak of his career, averaging 24.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game, all five of which rank in the top 20 in the league.

This also shows Garnett's courage to challenge Wei Guo.

only...

Wei Guo ranks first in the league in four statistical categories, and even his worst assists rank fourth in the league. Only Kidd, Marbury, and Nash are ahead of him. If Wei Guo wanted to, he could even rank first in the league in assists.

Stockton said, "I still don't think the Timberwolves can make it to the NBA Finals!"

"Either..."

Gentry chuckled and said, "I'll set up a betting pool. Let's bet on which Western Conference team will make it to the Finals?"

Many NBA players are gamblers, and upon hearing this, several people gathered around, asking, "Are there any odds?"

Gentry said, "There are no odds... Our game is very simple. Everyone who participates takes $100,000 and bets on the team they think will make it to the finals. The winner takes all the money."

"Just 100,000?"

Wei Guo, uninterested, said, "Then you guys play..."

Gentry pulled Wei Guo over, "Wei-ge, you have to set an example. Let's just treat this as a game. You tell us which team you're betting on."

"Rocket!"

Wei Guo said it casually.

Gentry found a piece of paper and wrote neatly: "Brother Wei bets on the Rockets!"

"Anyone else want to place a bet?"

Gentry looked up and asked.

One hundred thousand US dollars isn't a lot, but it's not a small amount either. However, most people are eager to try, and everyone is calculating the strength of these Western Conference teams.

Currently, it seems...

All six teams have a chance, but the highest probability is among the top three teams: Timberwolves, Lakers, and Spurs.

There are no odds, so it's just for fun.

Gentry originally wanted Wei Guo to be the bookmaker and set the odds, so that even if the bookmaker lost, Wei Guo could afford to pay out. But if Gentry were to be the bookmaker, the odds of the Rockets making it to the Finals would be at least 3.6. Wei Guo bet ten million on the Rockets to make it to the Finals. If they lost, Wei Guo would get ten million, but if they won, Gentry would lose everything.

all...

This is just for the teams to have some fun.

Those who guessed correctly took all the prize money in the prize pool, and the Nets all followed suit. Even Wei Dong, who had just signed a one-year, $1.7 million contract with the Nets two months ago, put down $100,000 to bet on the Lakers. Only two benchwarmers on the Nets did not follow suit.

Lakers: Stockton, Hill, Kenyon, Wei Dong, Tyronn Lue

Timberwolves: Kiddles

Spurs: Mourning, Armstrong, Jefferson, Scott

Rockets: Wei Guo, Gentry, Cummings

Kings: Collins

Dallas Mavericks: Rogers

The bravest of them all are Kiddles, Collins, and Rodgers. They're trying to win big with a small investment. If these three teams make it to the finals, they can take all the prize pool.