Chapter 408: Dynasty (4)
“Saramento’s dismantling of Milwaukee’s resistance has been completely one-sided.”
Charles Barkley couldn’t help but vent from the studio.
“It’s been years since I’ve seen a Finals this boring. These two teams aren’t on the same level at all. Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting run in circles by Sacramento.”
The series score had already reached 3–1.
The Bucks’ only win had come after Chen Yilun quietly signaled the team to politely drop a game, just to squeeze out one more night of ticket sales.
After all, this was a chance to witness the birth of the first dynasty of a new era, and ticket prices had surged accordingly.
Sacramento might not be a major metropolis, but it was still in California. When the Finals rolled around, there was no shortage of wealthy tag-alongs coming in just to be part of the scene.
“Seriously, man, it’s not me putting on airs. Just go ask around—who even has spare tickets right now?”
Chen Yilun took the call as he strolled into his office.
“I’d believe it if anyone else said they had no tickets, but you, Chairman Chen, have none?”
The voice on the other end sounded unconvinced.
“What’s so special about me?”
Chen Yilun laughed as he sat down at his desk, idly twirling a pen.
“The Golden 1 Center only has so many seats. You think I can just conjure up an extra chair? All my tickets were given out a month ago—Hollywood celebrities, local politicians, board members. Everyone had to be accounted for. You tell me, do I still have any left?”
“I’m squeezing into the assistant coaches’ section myself tomorrow.”
Hearing that, the person on the other end finally accepted that there was no hope of getting tickets from Chen Yilun.
“Another call begging for tickets?”
Prince smiled as he watched Chen Yilun hang up.
“Pretty much everyone on the team’s been getting these lately.”
As he spoke, Prince handed over a document.
“This is the accounting department’s breakdown of the single-game revenue.”
He passed it over like a kid proudly showing off a report card.
“You can handle this stuff yourself. Why show it to me?”
Chen Yilun said as he opened the file, then his eyes lit up.
“Not bad! We made this much?”
Before Game 5 had even tipped off, ticket revenue alone had already pushed the Kings past the 30-million mark.
Keep in mind, this was only 2019. While the salary cap was rising steadily each year, it still wasn’t the era of fifty- or sixty-million-dollar contracts everywhere.
Finals ticket prices were still relatively reasonable at the time, so clearing 30 million was far beyond what Chen Yilun had expected.
“The back-row seats barely changed. It was mainly the front rows—especially courtside—that went absolutely crazy.”
Prince explained the reason behind the surge.
“With a dynasty about to be completed, everyone wants to be part of it.”
He chuckled.
“Just in the past couple of days, there’ve been way more luxury cars on Sacramento’s streets than usual.”
“When you’re poor in a busy city, no one cares. When you’re rich in the mountains, distant relatives come knocking.”
Chen Yilun closed the report and stood up.
“Right now, we’re riding high, so of course people are flocking to us. Don’t let this surface-level prosperity go to our heads. Just focus on doing our work properly.”
“Understood.”
Seeing Chen Yilun stand, Prince rose as well.
“Everything for the championship celebration is ready, right?”
Chen Yilun looked up and asked.
“All set!”
Prince reported immediately.
“The championship T-shirts and all follow-up celebration materials are prepared.”
“The fan shirts and gift bags for every seat will be laid out tonight.”
Chen Yilun nodded in satisfaction.
With a team like this, he really could afford to relax.
Starting this season, he had gradually stepped back from day-to-day team operations, no longer micromanaging everything like before.
He was very clear about his own role.
At this point, his position was essentially the ceiling of what an employee could reach.
As a board member, his responsibilities were simply to steer the team’s overall direction, serve as the public face of management, and maintain good relationships with the league and the NCAA.
So this year, Chen Yilun made almost no major moves, fully delegating authority to those below him.
“As long as everything’s ready, that’s enough.”
He let out a long breath.
“Five years passed in the blink of an eye.”
“Since the boss took over Sacramento, we’ve made the playoffs five straight years and completed a three-peat. Even across the entire history of the league, that kind of achievement is almost unheard of.”
Prince slipped in a timely bit of flattery.
“Nothing unheard of.”
Chen Yilun glanced at the row of trophies lining the bookshelf in his office.
“There are still plenty of chYilunges ahead.”
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“Durant sneaks along the baseline, shakes Middleton, catches Jokić’s pass, and hammers it home with both hands!”
“I see absolutely no fight in the Bucks tonight. They look completely crushed by the Kings!”
As the commentator finished, Durant casually flashed a celebratory gesture and jogged back on defense.
“This game really fizzled out,”
Booker said, standing at the forty-five-degree angle with his hands on his hips.
Before the game, they’d figured that with the Bucks backed into a corner, closing this one out would take some effort.
Who would’ve thought that once the game started, Milwaukee would come out so soft and lifeless? They couldn’t put together any effective counterattack at all.
Aside from Giannis Antetokounmpo showing flashes now and then, everyone else seemed invisible.
“We completely broke Milwaukee’s spirit,”
Ham said from the bench.
“Most of their guys just don’t have much big-game experience.”
Malone, who had been staring off into space in his chair, turned and joined the conversation when he heard Ham.
“This team, whether it’s the roster or the chemistry, is still a step away from being a true championship team.”
The Bucks’ run to the Finals this year owed a lot to luck.
They didn’t face any particularly strong opponents in the first two rounds, and their Eastern Conference Finals opponent was a battered Raptors squad led by Leonard, fresh off a grueling series against the Celtics.
As they talked, time kept ticking away.
By the start of the fourth quarter, the Kings were already up by twenty.
After a brief attempt at resistance, Coach Rivers pulled his starters, effectively waving the white flag.
Malone followed suit, sending in the bench.
“Bzz!”
The moment the final buzzer sounded, the Golden 1 Center exploded into a sea of celebration.
Reporters and cameramen, long lenses and short lenses alike, sprinted around trying to grab the first wave of footage.
Durant, already changed into his championship T-shirt, was about to rush forward when an exasperated voice called out from behind him.
“Wait for me—wait for me!”
Butler sat in a wheelchair, struggling to push himself forward.
“Hahahahaha!”
Seeing that, Durant couldn’t help but burst out laughing. He quickly walked over and started pushing Butler’s wheelchair.
“Come on, old buddy,”
Durant said as he pushed.
“Let’s go do the interviews together.”
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