After concluding their back-to-back games, the Cavaliers players were given a full two-day break. Mike Brown didn't even schedule any recovery training. He wanted his players to rest well, have fun, and even hit the clubs if they wished.
Moreover, their hard work paid off. The Cleveland Cavaliers were currently at the top of the league standings. Their record ranked first in the entire league.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics were second. With their Big Three, they remained formidable, trailing the Cavaliers by three wins. The third and fourth spots in the East were occupied by the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic, respectively. Although both teams had lost to the Cavaliers, their overall strength still surpassed most other teams.
In the Western Conference, the Spurs held the top position, boasting a powerful lineup with their "GDP" trio. They were only one win behind the Cavaliers. These two teams had yet to face each other, and many media outlets were predicting an earth-shattering clash!
The New Orleans Hornets were second in the West. At this time, they possessed a top-tier point guard in Chris Paul. With him leading the team, their offense was smoothly orchestrated. In addition, they had Peja Stojaković, David West, and Carlos Boozer. This was also a strong team.
The Houston Rockets ranked third in the West. The chemistry between Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady was excellent, and they were making significant progress this season. Kobe Bryant, leading the Lakers as a one-man show, was ranked fourth. Pau Gasol had not yet joined the Lakers, and Kobe was finding it somewhat difficult to carry the team alone.
Compared to these teams, media attention was more focused on the Cavaliers. Although the team had achieved the second-best record in the Eastern Conference last season, no one had expected them to be at the top of the league this season! The media even conducted a poll to guess who would be the eventual champions. At the beginning of the season, the Boston Celtics were favored with 13% of the votes, followed by the San Antonio Spurs with 11%. The Cavaliers didn't even make the top ten. Despite having LeBron James, few people outside of die-hard fans supported them. After all, there were too many stronger teams.
After the Cavaliers defeated the Pistons and the Bucks in back-to-back games, their championship support rate suddenly rose to the top three! Only the Celtics and the Spurs were still ahead of the Cavaliers, and this number was continuously soaring! After the Cavaliers defeated the New York Knicks on their home court, their support rate surpassed the Spurs, becoming number one! They were currently only 0.3 percentage points behind.
Meanwhile, the media launched another poll, predicting who could stop the Cavaliers' winning streak! After defeating the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers had reached thirteen consecutive wins. And these thirteen wins were truly impressive. They had defeated the Celtics with their Big Three, the Orlando Magic led by Dwight Howard, and the Detroit Pistons with their gritty defensive system. This thirteen-game winning streak had virtually included all the strong teams in the Eastern Conference.
Amidst the ongoing discourse of "strong West, weak East," many media outlets still held reservations about the Cavaliers' championship aspirations. In the next round, the Cavaliers would travel to the Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers. If they could defeat this team, they would essentially silence many of their critics.
Since the formation of the "OK" duo, the Lakers had won three championships in a row, becoming the only dynasty team besides the Bulls. Kobe Bryant was hailed as Jordan's successor and had become one of the league's top shooting guards. As Allen Iverson's competitiveness waned and Kobe continued to improve, no one would question Kobe's fearsome dominance as the league's premier shooting guard. Currently, Shaquille O'Neal was aging, LeBron James was developing further, Kevin Durant was still leveling up with the SuperSonics, and Stephen Curry had yet to enter the NBA. Kobe was undoubtedly the league's number one player. A team with Kobe Bryant could never be considered weak. Coupled with their fourth-place ranking in the league with him as the sole star, the Lakers were still a formidable opponent. Especially in their previous game against the Spurs, Kobe had posted a near triple-double with 43 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, proving that no one could doubt the caliber of the Lakers! Kobe Bryant, whose scoring ability was unparalleled in the league, was coming to Cleveland to test the Cavaliers' winning streak.
As the Lakers' starting point guard was Derek Fisher. His offense was not particularly strong, but his stout physique gave him incredible strength, making him a matchup almost all point guards dreaded. His quick feet and powerful arms would constantly disrupt opponents' dribble penetration, often leading to steals. On offense, he also possessed a better-than-average three-point shot, with a 40% accuracy this season. Most importantly, he was adept at motivating his teammates, often delivering speeches when the team's morale was low, rallying them to fight for victory! This was precisely the type of backcourt partner Kobe preferred.
The small forward was Luke Walton. His physical talent was average, and his shooting and strength were also somewhat lacking. However, his passing and court vision were commendable. He could always observe the positioning of all the players on the court and deliver very comfortable passes, often thinking one step ahead of the coach. As the team's lubricant, he could effectively unite the team. After all, Fisher's playmaking ability was somewhat weak, and Walton often had to shoulder that responsibility.
The power forward was Lamar Odom, known as the "Magician with the Left Hand!" Offensively, he was a renowned all-around player, excelling in everything from shooting to post-ups. Except for three-pointers, his shooting was better than most sharpshooters. His excellent height and agile footwork allowed him to cope with any defender. Against stronger opponents, Odom used his speed and shooting; against faster ones, he relied on his physicality. Offensively, he was a good partner for Kobe. Before LeBron James broke his records, Odom held the record for the youngest player to achieve a triple-double. However, defensively, he was somewhat weaker. His physique was not yet robust enough, making him vulnerable to strong post-ups from many power forwards.
The center was Andrew Bynum, who possessed excellent physical attributes and was a top-tier rebounder and shot-blocker in the league. However, his temper was volatile, and he often lost control of himself. He was also a player many fans had high hopes for as the next great center, but unfortunately, he couldn't fully realize his potential.
The shooting guard was Kobe Bryant. Last year, he had shed his number 8 jersey for number 24. Now, Kobe's physical condition and experience were at their peak, entering his personal golden prime! His career total points had reached 19,873, and with just 27 more points, he would become the youngest player to reach 20,000 points! This season, he was destined to become the regular season MVP. At this time, Kobe was the strongest Kobe! Unlike the teams they had faced before, the Cavaliers were now up against the league's number one player!
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