The locker room after Ga 6 was exceptionally somber.
Losing was a bitter taste, and at a ti like this, no one could manage a smile.
This was especially true for veterans like Ilgauskas, whose eyes were red.
This season, he had returned to the Cavaliers, bearing much disdain, but in the end, this was the outco.
Not just Ilgauskas, but all the players who had been with the Cavaliers since last season looked incredibly dejected.
For two years in a row, to lose with the sa score to the sa opponent, you could picture the anecdote of "King Goujian of Yue lying on brambles and tasting bile, only to be killed by King Fuchai of Wu."
Brown entered the locker room, calling Jas and O’Neal to get ready for the post-ga press conference.
"I’ll go too."
At this mont, Hansen voluntarily stood up.
Brown looked puzzled, and Jas also turned to look at Hansen.
The press conference was for facing criticism, which most would avoid if they could, yet Hansen was volunteering?
"I want to face this defeat with the team," said Hansen with a resolved expression.
Hearing this, Brown couldn’t help but show a touched look on his face as he ca over and gave Hansen a big hug.
Watching the departing group, Conningham subconsciously touched his chin.
Based on his understanding of Hansen, as well as the relation with Jas, why did he feel like Hansen wasn’t just there to share the burden, but to stir up trouble?
At the press conference venue, the place was packed with journalists.
There were so many questions they wanted to ask following the Cavaliers’ defeat.
The first to be questioned was Brown, since they had lost tonight’s ga. If they had won, the Cavaliers could have returned to Cleveland for a decisive Ga 7.
Playing on the ho court, the Cavaliers had a chance for a major coback from 1-3.
"Our opponents perford very well, and their performance is respectable. LeBron did everything he could, we need to do better, and the coaching staff as well, but I don’t think this is the end of the world."
Acknowledging the opponent’s strength and Jas’ performance, then sharing the bla with all of the Cavaliers including himself, Brown’s answer was the standard response and entirely expected.
Then, the journalists turned their questions to Jas.
"The team’s roster has improved a lot compared to last year, but you still lost to the sa opponent, what would you like to say about that?"
Following a loss, even Jas couldn’t expect the questions to be very polite.
Jas took the microphone, deeply inhaled, showed a face of regret, and then, as if he had prepared his answer in advance, he blurted out:
"You know, it’s not just us who are getting stronger, our opponents are too, and they got VC. We all know how formidable a player VC is.
Moreover, you know, our team has gone through a lot of injuries. I suffered a serious right elbow injury in the first round and it wasn’t until half a month ago, during the third ga of the second round, that all of us were able to play together.
Then you know, we encountered injuries again, and my elbow injury has been bothering . It’s prevented from shooting as usual."
When he said this, Jas paused, turned his head to look at Hansen next to him,
"Hansen’s absence also greatly affected us; he’s our team’s best defensive player. If he had been on the court, VC’s performance would have been limited."
As Jas said this, he was observing Hansen’s expression and, after seeing that Hansen didn’t seem to show any anger, he turned his head back and stopped answering.
Similarly acknowledging the opponent’s strength and precisely shifting the bla to injuries, particularly Hansen’s, yet utterly avoiding any ntion of their performance on the court.
Indeed, this was the Jas Team’s usual style.
"Will you leave Cleveland?"
The next one to be called out was Carrell, his expression grim as he tackled the question.
The room instantly beca restless with this question, which could be considered out of line.
At that mont, Hansen turned his head to glance at Jas’ expression, seeing no signs of discomfort and realizing that Jas’ team must have been prepared.
"I have a goal, a very ambitious goal, which is to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland. I won’t stop until I achieve it."
Upon hearing this, Hansen couldn’t help but smirk slightly.
This must be the legendary statent from Jas about "I will not leave Cleveland."
Honestly, the dia reports were sowhat distorted, as Jas never directly said he wouldn’t leave Cleveland.
But, in essence, there’s no real difference because any rational person could interpret that Jas was expressing his determination to win a championship for Cleveland.
After all, could the goal of "winning a championship for Cleveland" possibly be achieved after leaving the city?
However, this also worried Hansen.
For, as a transmigrator, his very presence had already caused a butterfly effect in this parallel world.
Without ntioning anything else, even the opponent for the Lakers in the championship had changed from the Celtics to the Magic; there was no Lakers-Celtics rivalry anymore.
Especially after Jas made the sa statent.
After all, Jas’ performance against the Celtics team was eye-catching, and his trade value had soared once more.
If the Cavaliers really traded him for another All-Star, and Jas renewed a short contract for another shot, truly not letting down Cleveland...
So, because of his arrival, the possibility of Jas choosing to stay was not entirely out of the question.
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