NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 312 A New King Will Eventually Be Born

The Hawks' only championship in franchise history was back in the 1957-58 season, a time when the new China Southern Tigers hadn't been established for long. The current Hawks players have no memory of that distant championship.

Even the last time the Hawks made it to the NBA Finals was in the 1960-61 season, so long ago that many people don't even remember it from watching basketball.

The Warriors have a history of championships, but their last title was a long time ago, in the 1974-75 season, a full 40 years ago.

Therefore, in this final, one of the two teams will definitely end their decades-long championship drought and win their first championship in the 21st century.

In his fourth season in the NBA, Jia Fei had the opportunity to compete for the championship as the team's number one star.

Many star players never get such an opportunity throughout their entire careers, but Jia Fei feels lucky to have gotten it at the age of 23.

Of course he didn't want to miss out!

Kemba Walker said to Jia Fei with envy, "Brother, I really envy you. I also want to play in the Finals, but I obviously don't have the chance yet. It'll be the same if you win the championship. Let me see your championship ring then, and I can borrow it for a couple of days!"

"No problem, you can borrow it for two months!" Jia Fei said with a smile.

"Jay, be careful of Klay Thompson, he's a dangerous shooter. Don't focus all your defensive attention on Steve Curry!" Kemba Walker warned.

"Okay, sure!" Jia Fei nodded. He certainly wouldn't underestimate Klay Thompson; he was the Buddha, the man who scored 37 points in a single quarter, the famous Game 6 Klay. If you looked down on him, he'd not only blow you out of the game, but he'd also hold up four fingers to you…

Kemba Walker then hugged Art Mayork's neck again: "Art, I never expected you to have a chance to win a championship ring before me. It seems that when it comes to luck, I'm really not as good as you!"

Art Mayork flashed a bright white grin: "Kemba, I suggest you join us. Wouldn't it be better to play brotherhood basketball? I heard Ja say that if you join us, you'll have a chance to compete for the championship! Staying in Charlotte is just like fishing in a hole. MJ is an idol, that's true, but I have to admit one thing: he wasn't a good owner, not a qualified team manager. Besides being good at basketball, everything else he's a complete mess. Gambling, gambling, drafting busts, and now he's an owner. I don't see any hope for your team!"

“Uh…” Kemba Walker wanted to refute, but he couldn’t find the words, because Art Mayok seemed to be telling the truth.

"Brotherhood basketball, that's not a new term!" Kemba Walker smiled slightly. He suddenly remembered Running Man, which had been eliminated by Jia Fei. Wasn't "brotherhood basketball" the first thing this guy came up with?

If they can play, why can't we?

"But Kemba, if you want to play bro basketball, you can't go to Charlotte. Come play with us!" Art Mayork joked.

"This..." Kemba Walker was speechless for a moment. Indeed, in terms of team record and city size, the Hornets and Charlotte could not compare with the Hawks and Atlanta.

Even if Kemba Walker is a bigger star than Art Mayok in terms of player ability and fame, he can't compare to Jia Fei.

"Alright, playing 'brotherhood basketball' isn't something we can just do this season, and the team isn't entirely up to us!" Jia Fei laughed. It's true, the Hawks could sign an average player in no time, but if they wanted to sign Kemba Walker, one of Teague and Schroder would have to leave, or even both. The problem is, Kemba Walker isn't a level above Teague in terms of skill, and he's more expensive. Even if Jordan were willing to let him go, it's uncertain whether the Hawks would be willing to give up assets in exchange.

Jia Fei feels that the most important thing for him right now is to win the championship. Only in this way can he have enough leverage to gain some say in the team's affairs.

The right to speak is never something you beg for, but something you fight for!

The first game of the NBA Finals will be held on June 5th at the Hawks' home arena. Tickets for the first two games of the Finals have already sold out, and even scalpers have run out of tickets, which gives you an idea of ​​how popular the games are. Hawks fans have been waiting for the Finals for far too long; most of the fans who watched the Finals last time are no longer alive, showing just how incredibly long it has been.

The Hawks are training diligently. Having faced the Warriors twice in the regular season, they won't underestimate the Warriors' strength. This team's Western Conference lead isn't solely due to their three-point shooting. Their defense and tactics are also of a very high standard.

On June 2nd, the Hawks were holding their routine practice. Unexpectedly, Kyle Korver, wearing protective gear, also appeared on site, and his arrival was met with a warm welcome from the players. Everyone was happy that he could come to watch the game.

"I'm so sorry I can't play in the Finals, but I'll be there to cheer you on. You have to win the championship!" Korver said sincerely.

Jia Fei also felt it was a pity. Having Korver would have greatly improved the team's tactical options and ensured a more reliable offensive firepower. The Warriors have a very strong offensive firepower, and Korver could have matched that firepower to some extent. But unfortunately, injuries are unpredictable.

After training that day, head coach Budenholzer approached Jia Fei to discuss some matters related to the finals.

Since the communication during the Eastern Conference Finals, Coach Buden has increasingly felt that Jia Fei possesses very strong technical and tactical skills and the ability to read the game, which makes him very willing to communicate with him about the game.

"Jay, my plan is to double-team Stephen and strengthen the rotation, what do you think?" Coach Buden asked.

Jia Fei nodded: "A pincer attack is certainly possible, and rotation is indeed necessary. The strategy is sound!"

With Jia Fei's affirmation, Coach Buden's confidence grew even stronger.

"Klay needs you to defend him personally!" Coach Buden instructed.

"Okay, leave it to me!" Jia Fei said confidently. Compared to Curry, Klay was clearly easier to contain. In the NBA playoffs, players who can handle the ball and play off-ball are obviously harder to contain than those who are more off-ball.

Among the Splash Brothers, Klay Thompson has the worst ball-handling ability. The reason he seems unstoppable is because Curry draws a lot of defense to him. Of course, if you really want to become Buddha, you need to have that ability to defend against a top perimeter defender like Jia Fei.

As sharpshooters, Klein is naturally stronger than Korver. In terms of off-ball three-point shooting ability alone, they are neck and neck, and Korver might even be better at capitalizing on open looks.