As ti relentlessly advanced, the Christmas showdown was drawing ever closer to the fans.
This year’s Christmas battle was extraordinarily classic and could be said to be even more attention-grabbing than ever before.
The reason it was classic was that after Stern’s era repeatedly failed to create the 23 VS 24 matchups, they could only put effort into the Christmas showdown.
It could be said that during the years Jas was still with the Cavaliers, the Christmas showdown felt like it was always the Cavaliers versus the Lakers.
VS 24 was a major draw, and it made money, so there was no disappointnt there.
However, this year’s Christmas showdown was still between the Cavaliers and the Lakers, only this ti, the forr rivals 23 and 24 were on the sa team, and their opponent was now Hansen, who had beco the top player in the League.
Moreover, it was key that the ga was being played at the Cavaliers’ ho court, where Jas’s return to Cleveland was sothing fans would not miss.
However, about half a month before the Christmas showdown started, a comnt by Irving brought the already much-anticipated event into even sharper focus.
This whole affair traced back to Irving’s post-ga interview after his ga-winning shot against the Bulls.
In that interview, Irving made a statent: "If there is anyone who can lead Cleveland to ultimate success, I believe Hansen is the only one."
There was nothing wrong with these sentintal words from Irving, given he received the pass from Hansen for the ga-winner.
However, this also attracted the dissatisfaction of LeBron fans.
Or rather, they already harbored so resentnt.
This season, with Zhan Ke tead up, when they won gas, LeBron fans and Kobe fans were peaceful and united against outsiders.
But when they lost a ga, the atmosphere changed, as naturally neither LeBron fans nor Kobe fans wanted their idols to be blad.
With their large fanbases, the likelihood of extre fans was high, making it easy for sparks to ignite an argunt.
But since Jas and Kobe were on the sa team, they couldn’t really let loose and argue; it felt like a couple bickering about divorce yet unable to go through with it, filled with resentnt.
Thus, upon seeing Irving’s remarks, LeBron fans imdiately took to social dia to object.
"If LeBron were to return to the Cavaliers, the team would have a Big Three lineup with LeBron, you, and Love, the Cavaliers would now be first in The East, you all would be the favorites for the championship, unlike now, where LeBron is the only one who has taken the Cavaliers to the Finals, he is the one who could truly lead Cleveland to success."
"If" is the most provocative word in the world, especially when one is in unfortunate circumstances.
LeBron fans, being fewer in number compared to Kobe fans, were at a disadvantage in argunts, and that’s when they would think of "if" scenarios.
Moreover, if Jas did return to the Cavaliers and ultimately led Cleveland to success, it would completely restore his reputation, so they were more inclined to indulge in such thinking.
This sentint initially was just on social dia, but as it resonated with more LeBron fans, it moved from online to offline.
Irving was asked about that "if" by reporters during a public training session.
"This ’if’ does not consider what others think," Irving began, which didn’t seem significant at first.
But when pressed by the reporters, Irving displayed his usual emotional intelligence.
"I don’t want to play with LeBron; nobody wants to play alongside LeBron."
This was almost like a bomb thrown at the LeBron fans.
Irving was imdiately bombarded by LeBron fans on social dia.
"Who is Kyrie Irving? The core of the team that got the first draft pick twice in three years?"
"A player who has never played a single playoff ga, where does he get off mocking the league’s MVP?"
"Irving is the worst team leader in NBA history, he’s even the most overrated All-Star, if it weren’t for Nike, he’d be nothing."
...
Truthfully speaking, Irving’s statent indeed lacked emotional intelligence.
Though the statent was rough, it made sense, but he was one of Nike’s rising stars, and he belonged to the sa camp as Jas.
Rebelling within your own nest is truly problematic!
In late December, Hansen attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a Korean restaurant in Cleveland.
Following his return to Cleveland, several dostic businesses began investing in Cleveland.
After all, rely flashing an advertisent on an electronic rolling screen generated minimal profits.
These investnts also attracted many Chinese to Cleveland, providing so market for the Korean restaurant.
The ceremony drew many fans who ca to show their support, and a lot of reporters showed up too.
Given Irving’s recent controversial remarks, he was asked about his views on what Irving had said.
"Everyone is free to express their opinions," Hansen responded in a way that left reporters without grounds for rebuttal.
After all, this is the United States, the most dedicated promoter of "freedom"; could you really stop soone from speaking?
Of course, what Hansen didn’t say was, but you also have to be prepared for the consequences of what you’ve said.
Whether Irving was prepared or not, nobody knew, but he indeed was very firm.
Because as the controversy brewed and reporters continued to ask if he regretted what he had said, Irving’s attitude was summarized in one word:
"No."
Without a doubt, after saying that statent, Nike definitely had people talk to him, even asking him to retract his words.
But that’s just Irving’s personality, self-centered yet rebellious, the more you tell him, the more energized he becos.
And he had nothing to fear.
After all, Nike’s readily notable rising stars were only him, George, and AD, then George had just suffered a leg break putting him out for the season, and AD was a center.
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