The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 343 - 188 This is the Pacers standing at the summit waiting for the challenge_4

Chapter 343: Chapter 188 This is the Pacers standing at the summit waiting for the challenge_4

Dallas media is not merely wishfully thinking with this view, numerous outlets believe that the Mavericks will be an absolute powerhouse in the Western Conference.

As the Dallas media themselves put it, their paper strength is no weaker than any other team in the league, but they have something extra, a thirst for the championship.

They possess what others do not!

Moreover...

Nowitzki’s finals performance last season was disappointing, with many experts labeling him a "softie."

But he can’t always be a "softie," right?

History has shown that players of Nowitzki’s caliber, when faced with a career "Waterloo," come to a crossroads in life: either they experience a "Baptism of Fire" like Jordan or falter like the "Glider."

More media believe he has the ability to experience a "Baptism of Fire."

ESPN ranked the Mavericks third in their power rankings for the new season, even placing them ahead of the Lakers, who boast Kobe and Yao Ming. ƒгeewebnovёl_com

As for those ranked above the Mavericks, the Pacers, who had defeated them, were still first on the list.

As reigning champions with back-to-back titles, they deserved that spot.

Ranked second were the Cavaliers, now featuring Shaquille O’Neal.

This is what ESPN experts said, "The combination of Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James could potentially dominate completely. If it weren’t for the Pacers demonstrating last season that their style was too confining for Shaquille, the Cavaliers might even be ranked first."

However, Shaquille was dissatisfied with these rankings; this summer he had shed 20kg, returning to around 310 pounds.

"I think I could now slip into a ballet skirt and effortlessly perform the Dance of the Little Swans!"

While it was hard to picture, reporters still found themselves laughing. They agreed with Shaquille’s comments, as he indeed appeared much slimmer, reminiscent of his form in the year 2000.

They were uncertain whether the Pacers’ "Small Lineup" tactic would still effectively counter Shaquille.

LeBron James was also confident, "This is the strongest teammate I’ve ever had. I am confident that this year’s Cavaliers will match any team, and we will be among the best in the NBA season!"

Nike even shot a commercial themed "Baptism of Fire" for him.

The commercial started with his career lowlights, then the screen went black, slowly revealing the words:

You were about to give up, LeBron.

Then came a close-up of LeBron’s face. He suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a fierce and determined look, and shouted:

"No!"

What followed was a dazzling montage of his dunks.

Like most "Baptism of Fire" clips, but the American fans just eat up this style. LeBron James gave himself a new nickname, "Climber."

This new persona earned him quite a bit of attention.

As long as he succeeds this season, the tag of "inspiration" would also be affixed to him.

Past criticisms would be discarded along with his new persona.

Such is the charm of marketing!

No matter how many times you mess up, as long as there’s one successful attempt, you get to start anew, shining bright.

ESPN believed LeBron, under these circumstances, would definitely get along well with Shaquille, who was also at a point where he needed to prove himself. They imagined the two leaning on each other, returning to the peak.

This is why they ranked the Cavaliers second and the Lakers fourth:

"We respect the individual skills of Kobe and Yao Ming, but we all know what Kobe has gone through. Whether he can give up his shooting rights is a huge question mark. He has developed entirely different playing styles in the past two seasons, and his persistence in these styles, like Michael, is absolutely a double-edged sword. Additionally, what the other Lakers can bring to the team is also a massive question mark!"

However, the upheaval this summer had clearly altered the landscape of the League.

This resulted in the rankings of media outlets, which were usually similar in previous years, being completely different this year.

Open-air grandstand placed the Lakers first: "The fame of the ’OK duo’ alone is enough to rank this team first in the new season!"

Then, Sports Illustrated uniquely placed the Pacers, Cavaliers, and Lakers all in the first position.

Other media believed that the fully returning Spurs, fueled by a vengeful resolve, were also hot favorites to win the championship.

The power rankings given by a dozen sports industry giants showed four or five teams ranked first, with the rankings for the second to fourth places also varying.

New York Times reported, "When have we last seen such an intriguing new season? Without a doubt, this is the most crucial season for the Pacers in their chase for three consecutive championships and also the era of great competition throughout the entire NBA!"

New York Times believed that aside from the New York Knicks, any team had the potential to win the championship!

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.