Champion Creed

"We all know that this season, the sophomore Yao Ming has, along with rookie Dwyane Wade, led the long-struggling Knicks to the conference semifinals. If Yao's first All-Star appearance was due to the benefit of having a lot of Chinese fans, then this year, he is undoubtedly an All-Star center. The best player in the world paired with an NBA All-Star level center, do you think that's enough to shake FIBA's landscape?"

"Basketball isn't a one-man sport, nor is it a two-man sport. Yao and Roger are both exceptional players, but putting them together doesn't necessarily make a great team. No offense, but George Karl's Dream Team in 2002 had more stars, and how did that turn out?"

"So what you're saying is that you have confidence in dealing with Team China and Roger, right? We all know that due to terrorist threats and other reasons, nine of the players who participated in the Americas Cup last year have already confirmed that they will not participate in this year's Olympics, meaning you're leading an entirely new team. Despite that, do you still have confidence?"

"If we have to get past Roger to win the gold medal, to see the Star-Spangled Banner wave in Athens, yes, I will get past them. Roger is one of the greatest basketball players in the world, but even great athletes have fallen, more than once."

Larry Brown's eyes were as determined as a soldier ready to sacrifice for the nation, not allowing anyone to disrupt his divine script.

To be beaten by you in the NBA, and then beaten again in the Olympics, what's the point of being the head coach of the Dream Team?

This cannot happen!

Larry Brown's rousing interview excited the American fans and also stirred LeBron James's team.

This is the best opportunity for the Chosen One to redeem his failed rookie season.

While most star players in the League refused to serve under Larry Brown, LeBron James agreed readily.

The Nike team hyped up his patriotic image frantically, believing it could add a glorious stroke to James's career.

He needed some wins to wipe away the shadow of losing to Michael Jordan and being beaten twice by Roger.

And Larry Brown's confidence gives LeBron James a sense of assured victory.

The next day, riding the momentum of this interview, Nike quickly released more information about James, and suddenly, many media outlets began reporting that James was training actively for the Olympics.

As a player who started his vacation in April, he unexpectedly stole some spotlight in June, when the NBA is at its peak of attention.

Sometimes, you have to admire the commercial acumen of James's team, as their advertisements and news always keep up with current events.

LeBron James and Nike's actions surprisingly reminded Roger somewhat of Ben Simmons.

In an interview with reporters, Roger laughed and said, "LeBron trains very hard, but let's wait until he can play before saying anything else."

Meanwhile, the results from the East are already in.

If Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and the Admiral are the tragic figures of the West in the '90s, then Reggie Miller is the tragic figure of the East in the '90s.

Once again, his Pacers had championship potential. But once again, his team fell just short of the finals.

In Game 5 of the series, the Pistons showcased their terrifying defensive capabilities to the fullest.

The entire game, they held the Pacers to just 65 points!

Mike Breen straightforwardly remarked, "I thought I was watching a 40-minute college game!"

Since the League implemented the 24-second shot clock rule in 1954, scoring just 65 points in a game is rare in any era.

Paul Pierce was held to 4 of 15 shooting, while Reggie Miller was so closely guarded that he took only 5 shots the whole game. Little O'Neal managed only 10 shots, making 5, yielding a decent shooting percentage, but the volume was simply too low.

It's not that the Pacers didn't want to score, but the Pistons' defense was just too tight.

Artest put Paul Pierce in a battle, and Little O'Neal found himself struggling against Double Wallace.

"Human vomiting highlight" Richard Hamilton nearly ran Reggie Miller, also known for his mobility, to the point of exhaustion, leaving him with no excess energy to continue running on offense.

The last five minutes of the game were agonizing for Pacers fans because, in five minutes, the team scored only two field goals, totaling just 4 points!

The Detroit Pistons, in an era and with rules best suited for them, bulldozed through the East for the second consecutive year.

Their defense has even made David Stern start to fear.

Afraid that the finals' ratings will be dragged down again.

If Roger cannot save the ratings in the competition with the Pistons, then no one can.

The Pistons players triumphantly lifted the Eastern Conference championship trophy, but during the interview, the host asked a question that made all the Pistons players' smiles instantly disappear.

"As everyone knows, Roger defeated you in the summer of 2002. Although you won the championship last season, it wasn't against Roger. This year, Roger is back with the goal to reclaim the throne. People say the Pistons can only win the championship when they don't encounter Roger during the playoffs. What do you think about the claim that Roger's return will make the false rulers immediately abdicate?"

Ron Artest cursed under his breath, trying to grab the microphone, but Big Ben slapped his hand and took the mic.