NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 514 2018-19 Season Opening Match

This season's Western Conference has been a battleground, a melting pot of NBA headlines. Many fans have completely forgotten about the East; in the West, the Running Man, Jia Fei, the Warriors, and the Rockets—just these four high-profile teams alone are enough to dominate 80% of the headlines. And that doesn't even include the Trail Blazers with their dynamic duo and the Thunder with Russell Westbrook!

Los Angeles fans are undoubtedly happy. After several seasons of dormancy, Lakers fans have finally seen a turning point. Former league ace "Runner" has joined the team, ending the team's long history of failing to acquire a big-name free agent. The Lakers are now versatile, capable of both offense and defense. With "Runner" as the cornerstone of the team, they can choose to trade for another star to quickly rebuild, or wait for their high-draft picks to realize their potential.

The Running Man cast brought more than just talent; it also boosted the Lakers' popularity and viewership. Back then, comparisons like "23 vs. 24" and "Blacksmith and Crab" were constantly used, with fans of both sides engaging in heated arguments that continue to this day, making them the "Coal Boss and Ronaldo" of the basketball world. The mutual dislike between the two fan groups generated massive viewership, which was incredibly lucrative for the NBA. Now, with Kobe's retirement and the Running Man cast joining the Lakers, the fans seem to have suddenly lost their reason for fighting.

Many Running Man fans don't actually want him to go to the Lakers because in their minds, the Lakers are the home of the "Blacksmith" (a nickname for a player who plays for the Lakers). The Blacksmith's fans also don't want Running Man to come. If Running Man comes and they hate him, wouldn't that be hoping the Lakers will become worse? But the Lakers are the Blacksmith's team. This "one man, one city" persona has already been established. "Once a Laker, always a Laker," this contradictory mentality is really too painful.

For Lakers fans, having a superstar willing to come is better than having no one willing to come. It gives the team hope for a successful rebuild, which is truly hard-won. These past few years have been incredibly frustrating for them, constantly dominated by the Clippers. All they can boast about is their team's glorious history. But history is history; without the present, there is no future. They can only watch others make the playoffs while their own team is eliminated early.

This season's Los Angeles basketball market is absolutely explosive. The Lakers are poised for a resurgence, the Clippers are the defending champions, and the Lakers and the Clippers are their Finals opponents. The sheer number of nationally televised games these two teams have this season is the envy of many top teams. Unfortunately, the NBA is never truly fair; it's a business league. So even though the Lakers haven't made the playoffs for many seasons, they still get tons of nationally televised opportunities, with plenty of exposure delivered to their doorstep that they can't refuse.

October 18th, the opening game of the 2018-19 season.

Clippers vs. Rockets: A clash between two Western Conference powerhouses, a true rivalry.

Rockets fans naturally envy the Clippers. After acquiring Jia Fei, the Clippers achieved a Western Conference Finals appearance and a championship in two seasons – a near-perfect run. Meanwhile, since trading for 58, the Rockets haven't made a breakthrough, instead being defeated by the Clippers and Warriors in the semifinals for two consecutive seasons. They are the only one of the three Western Conference powerhouses yet to win a championship.

That night, Staples Center was a star-studded event, with tickets selling out early and the stadium packed to capacity.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was present, as was the man behind the logo. Tonight was not only the team's season opener, but also the ceremony for awarding the championship banner for the team's first title in history.

The fact that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who is bald, was present at the event speaks volumes about the importance the league places on it.

This was Lin Ning's first time watching a game at Staples Center. Jia Fei had given her a fantastic seat, right next to the Clippers' bench, in the first row! Oh my god, given how sought-after the tickets were tonight, she couldn't even imagine the price of this one.

Amid cheers from the fans, a flag bearing the year "2018" and the Larry O'Brien Trophy was slowly raised into the sky above the arena.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer's eyes sparkled, his face beamed with a smile, and he clapped incessantly. The Clippers' players and coaches did the same, clapping along with him.

The scene turned into a sea of ​​joy, marking the end of the Clippers' decades-long championship drought.

Next, the members of the championship team will receive championship rings one by one, including the coaching staff and players.

The new players who joined this season watched enviously as their teammates went up one by one to receive their championship rings. At that moment, they really wanted them too.

Lin Ning, sitting on the sidelines, was incredibly excited. She felt so close to this historic moment in Clippers history. The atmosphere was amazing; she could barely hear herself speaking amidst the cheers.

Shortly after the ceremony, the starting players from both sides took to the field, and the opening match was about to begin.

Wearing a Rockets jersey is embarrassing for 58. He played for the Clippers for so many seasons without ever reaching the Western Conference Finals. But after he left, his former team reached the Western Conference Finals in just one season... In the second season after he left, his former team actually won the championship... and they even defeated the Warriors who had defeated them. It's like a cruel twist of fate.

The Rockets strengthened their roster this summer, continuing their pursuit of the championship. This summer, they acquired veteran Carmelo Anthony and "Nine-Finger Dunk King" Gerald Green, among other key players, significantly enhancing their strength.

The starting lineups for both teams have been announced. The Clippers' starting lineup remains the same as last season, consisting of Jia Fei, Beverley, George, Gallinari, and Olynyk.

The Rockets' starting lineup for the away game was 58, Harden, James Ennis, PJ Tucker, and Card.

Since Tucker proved effective in the paint during last season's playoffs, the Rockets have continued to have him play power forward this season, maintaining this "one big man and four small men" lineup.

After the game started, the Rockets used pick-and-rolls against the Clippers' interior defense, while the Clippers attacked the Rockets' paint, with the Flying George duo specifically targeting Harden.

Everyone is very familiar with each other's strengths, so they immediately target each other's weaknesses.

Both sides were in good form offensively, and neither side could easily contain the other, which turned the game into a tug-of-war.

The Clippers' rotation today consisted of Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Bridges, Jeff Green, and Dillon; the Rockets' rotation consisted of Harden, Carmelo Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams, and Gerald Green.

The game remained close throughout. In the final quarter, the Clippers deployed a small lineup of Jia Fei, Paul George, Jeff Green, Beverley, and Dillon, using a switch-everything defense to cut off the opponent's pick-and-rolls. They then secured the victory with Jia Fei and Paul George's isolation plays.

Ultimately, the Clippers narrowly defeated the Rockets 112-115 at home, winning this very meaningful opening game for them.

贾飞全场贡献45分10个篮板8次助攻3个抢断2个盖帽的全面数据，成为比赛的胜负手。