LeBron James, your house got robbed.

Chapter 137 So let's start with Cleveland's most handsome player.

In the first game of the China Games, the Cavaliers ultimately won decisively with a score of 118-82, giving the Super Team a slight shock.

Despite it being a preseason game, with only Kobe Bryant playing the entire game out of the Lakers' four stars, the Cavaliers' effortless victory still sent shivers down the spines of many other teams watching from the sidelines.

Riley made a point of watching the game.

If the first three quarters were still within his comprehension, the Cavaliers' third lineup in the last half-quarter left Riley feeling truly hopeless.

Patrick Beverly, a name I'd never heard of before.

With Riley's discerning eye, he could certainly see this guy's potential on the defensive end, and that he had the opportunity to become a top-tier defensive leader in the league.

Most importantly, this guy also has a decent three-point shot. His accuracy isn't great, but he'll shoot whenever he has the chance.

This demonstrates a player's confidence in his shooting, and at least shows that Beverley won't hinder the team's offense.

The Cavaliers' ability to discover undrafted players is the envy of all teams.

The problem is...

Everyone in the league knows that the Cavaliers' scouts are completely useless.

Even if you poach the entire Cavaliers scouting department, it wouldn't make a difference.

The only solution is to poach Chen Shuo.

Riley couldn't find any reason for Chen Shuo to leave the Knights.

To be honest, if Chen Shuo were willing to leave the Cavaliers now, it wouldn't be a bad idea to give him the position of general manager of the Heat.

There are also Parsons and Tucker.

These two fringe players from last season's Cavaliers have shown promising performances on the court.

Riley originally thought that Chen Shuo re-signed Tucker for $200 million because Tucker had sworn and contributed during the playoffs.

He himself has used this tactic many times to disrupt the rhythm of the game, so he naturally understands that you have to give benefits to people who do dirty work.

Watching this match, this round-headed guy is definitely a high-quality 3D player, and he already has decent immediate impact this season.

The Cavaliers made a killing with the 2-year, $400 million contract.

Riley frowned.

The Cavaliers have an abundance of 3D depth, from guards to forwards, which allows them to handle any offensive style and system.

Even if Ryan Anderson performs well enough to defeat the Cavaliers' twin towers, the Heat's chances of winning the series are not high.

The Los Angeles media were also paying close attention to this preseason game that was thousands of miles away.

Lakers reporter Mike Bresnahan had already come up with an excuse before the game was even over.

"Howard didn't play, and Nash and Gasol only played half the game."

"Lakers fans don't need to worry. Once the Big Four are together, all problems will be solved."

Bresnahan didn't even believe the nonsense he was writing when he was halfway through.

Having worked in the industry for many years, he can clearly see the gap between the two teams, not to mention his deep understanding of the Lakers' chaotic situation.

Bresnahan may have his thoughts, but his subordinates didn't stop at all, and these are exactly the kinds of things Los Angeles fans wanted to see.

Fragile and sensitive fans need comfort, and his reports need views and clicks.

The report did indeed soothe the nerves of Lakers fans.

Naïve Lakers fans fantasize about the Big Four teaming up to dominate the game.

Unfortunately, the placebo effect is not long-lasting.

On October 14th, the second match of the China Series will be held at the Mercedes Stadium in Shanghai.

The four stars finally teamed up and played for at least 30 minutes, but they still suffered a crushing defeat of 30 points.

In his debut, Howard frequently came to the low post to back down his opponent, attempting to become the great center that Shaq had described.

Unfortunately, he had to face the inside defense anchored by Chandler and Garnett, and Howard ultimately only scored 12 points, most of which came from free throws.

On the other side, Nash was repeatedly targeted by the Cavaliers.

With Paul, Thompson, Leonard, and Lowry, the pick-and-roll with Nash almost always resulted in a reliable two-pointer.

Mike Brown called a timeout to adjust the defense.

They tried to protect Nash from switching on him, but the result was that Thompson, Leonard, and Lowry combined to hit eight three-pointers in a single quarter.

The ability to take a three-pointer immediately after a screen is a skill that Chen Shuo values ​​most, and it has always been a key focus in the Cavaliers' training.

Now we've finally received our reward.

Three-pointers taken with the ball have a 5 percentage point lower success rate than three-pointers taken off the line.

However, the difficulty of developing and selling it is much lower.

After Paul got injured in last season's Finals, the Cavaliers had no one to open up their offense and almost lost.

This has always been a key focus for Chen Shuo.

Off-ball tactics involve a lot of forward runs and screens.

Once the referee allows the line to be raised, the defensive players can easily disrupt the tactic by pulling and tugging.

Conversely, shooting with the ball is much more straightforward.

Putting aside whether it goes in or not, at least it can be thrown out.

Throw it out, and you'll have a chance to get in.

For a team like the Cavaliers, whose defense is relatively solid, consistently developing their shooting ability is key to winning games.

This game, the first time the four superstars teamed up, ultimately became a stage for the Cavaliers to showcase their skills.

Although the Lakers have other excuses such as too short a time to gel and injury problems.

But everyone in the league understands that after a summer of development, the Cavaliers may not only be the strongest team, but also the team that has improved the most.

Barkley stated frankly on the show, "It's not hard to understand. They have many young players whose careers are just beginning."

"Keep in mind that two of the defending champions' starting lineups are only in their second season."

"They have tremendous potential for advancement."

"To be honest, this Cavaliers team will dominate the East and even the entire league for the next ten years."

"I can't think of any team that can stop them."

Barkley's remarks sparked widespread discussion.

All the media outlets and newspapers are discussing the same topic.

Who will stop this knight?!

With the Cavaliers finishing the preseason undefeated in 8 games, ESPN released its power rankings of the league's 30 teams the day before the season opener.

ESPN's power rankings are released weekly, with the only exception being the first ranking after the preseason ends.

The Cavaliers won the championship without any doubt.

As you can see, this knightly force appears unstoppable.

In the three games Paul missed due to a finger injury, Lowry perfectly orchestrated the offense. They relied more on three-pointers, often intensifying their defense in the third quarter to snowball and close out games. Few opponents have been able to contain him.

They dragged it out until the decisive moment.

Perhaps we should discuss other topics. Since Jordan's Bulls, no team in the Eastern Conference has won back-to-back championships. The defending champion has at least a 90% chance of succeeding.

The San Antonio Spurs are ranked second.

The Spurs retained Ray Allen, George Hill, and Boris Diaw with reasonable contracts, making their bench exceptionally deep. The bench unit, led by Manu Ginobili and George Hill, is second only to the Cavaliers in the league.

Last season's GDP and Ray Allen were clearly affected by the shortened season, encountering fatigue issues in the Western Conference Finals against the young Thunder. They have ample time to prepare and adjust for the new season.

If anyone could stop the Cavaliers, I would vote for the Spurs.

The Lakers are ranked third.

The idea of ​​a super team composed of four superstars—Nash, Kobe, Metta World Peace (Artest), Gasol, and Howard—has endless possibilities.

Despite some trouble they encountered in the preseason, the Lakers seem quite relaxed about it.

Howard calmly stated, "It's just the preseason, nothing more."

Metta World Peace, in his signature nonsensical style, joked, "0 wins and 8 losses is an infinitely large mark; it's meant to let Lakers fans know that our love for them is boundless."

Head coach Mike Brown focused on the recovery of injured players, stating that he was unsure whether Kobe would be able to play in the regular season opener.

The Lakers, with a full roster and smooth team cohesion, are still worth looking forward to. Theoretically, they will show even stronger performance in the playoffs, so I would rank them third.

The young Thunder team finished fourth.

The Thunder had an incredible season last year, reaching the Finals as an extremely young team.

Their offseason moves have been far from satisfactory. Trading Harden for the third overall pick, Bradley Beal, and Avery Bradley might be a decent trade in the long run.

But for teams aiming for the championship, Harden is undoubtedly the better choice.

Aside from that, their only improvement was signing Jamal Crawford using the mid-level exception.

They haven't found a suitable backup at the small forward position, and Presti has pinned his hopes on Perry Jones, a player they picked up in the second round, which is another unwise choice.

For the Thunder, their only hope lies in the improvement of Durant and Westbrook.

The rebuilt Miami Heat dominated the preseason, earning them a fifth-place ranking from ESPN expert Marc Stein.

Pat Riley has personally dismantled the much-anticipated Big Three, and so far, the strategist's strategy seems to be working quite well.

New addition Ryan Anderson has continued his excellent shooting touch from last season. No one dares to leave a 2.06-meter fast-shooting machine open, which means that against the Heat, the only option is to try a lineup with one big man and four small men.

The most surprising player was last year's rookie center, Nikola Vucevic. This center from Montenegro impressed from the start of the season, delivering an outstanding mid-range shot from above the free-throw line and even attempting a few three-pointers from the corner, trying to extend his shooting range. This reminds me of Turkish center Mehmet Okur.

The two new additions have provided ample space for James and Wade to penetrate, especially for James. The less crowded interior environment allows him to easily drive to the basket for a dunk or draw double teams and then pass the ball to shooters on the perimeter.

This trade also improved the Heat's poor bench depth, with JR Smith and JJ Redick both providing excellent scoring opportunities.

The only concern is their defense. They averaged 115.6 points per game in the preseason, while allowing 107.5 points per game, which is almost at the bottom of the league.

To be honest, I find it hard to consider the Heat as a top contender for the championship anymore.

Chen Shuo glanced at the remaining teams.

The Indiana Pacers are ranked sixth.

When ESPN reporter Marc Stein mentioned the Thunder, he did not speak highly of Presti's trades.

But in Chen Shuo's opinion, the Pacers' offseason was the worst one ever.

They only signed Gerald Green and DJ Augustin on the free agent market.

Nothing else was gained.

With Bird's keen eye, he couldn't have missed the Pacers' Achilles' heel: point guard Collison.

It hasn't been long since Paul's fancy one-on-one plays against Collison in the playoffs.

Bird had clearly pinned his bets on a mid-season trade, but even Chen Shuo couldn't immediately guess the Pacers' target.

Looking back, George Hill was almost the best solution for this Pacers team.

At this point in time, the Spurs definitely won't let him go.

The New York duo are ranked seventh and eighth.

This season, the trend of the Western Conference being stronger than the Eastern Conference in the league has finally been reversed.

The New York Knicks upgraded Stephen Jackson to Andre Iguodala in a five-team trade.

Pippen's name has spread throughout Manhattan.

Chen Shuo really didn't expect the Knicks to make such a brilliant trade.

While comparing the Anthony-Iguodala pairing to Jordan and Pippen might be a bit of an exaggeration, their roles are at least quite similar.

Iguodala can indeed play the role of Pippen alongside Anthony, a top-tier forward who can handle both playmaking and defense. If Anthony can bring the same defensive attitude he had in the 09 Western Conference Finals, there is a real chance to turn around the Knicks' weak defense.

The Knicks have also strengthened their roster with players like Felton, Kidd, and Korver, making them a worthy contender for this ranking in the new season.

The Nets have officially moved to Brooklyn, and their core of Deron Williams, Joe James, and Brook Lopez is something to look forward to.

The Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers are ranked ninth and tenth, respectively.

ESPN's level is still up to par; apart from the Lakers, all other teams should be able to play at their usual standard.

Chen Shuo specifically looked at the back before he saw that New Orleans was ranked 18th.

Marc Stein believes this number one draft pick duo has a chance to make the playoffs.

The combination of Irving and Davis was considered the 0K of this era, and everyone was optimistic about their potential.

Chen Shuo looked up at the field.

Irving casually tossed the ball to Davis, who took off and slammed it down, the rim of Quicken Loans Arena creaking loudly.

Such a combination is hard not to evoke wonderful imaginations.

This is also why the Hornets can be a worthy opponent for the Cavaliers.

Staff from the quick loan center arrived at the center of the field and began clearing it. The fans in the audience stood up, and their discussions and shouts instantly became quieter.

The lights inside the venue gradually dimmed, and Linda and Grant walked over together.

Chen Shuo subconsciously placed his hands on his suit jacket and tugged at it, trying to make himself look more serious and dignified.

"Chen, are you ready?"

Chen Shuo stood up, took the microphone from Linda, took a deep breath, and walked to the center of the venue.

I glanced at the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the table behind me, where two rows of diamond-encrusted rings were neatly arranged on a velvet mat.

When Chen Shuo looked up at the fans, the Quicken Loans Arena erupted in cheers that completely drowned out the Hornets' bench.

Irving stared intently at the Larry O'Brien Trophy, engraved with the image of the Cleveland Knights.

Chen Shuo coughed lightly, strategically speaking, and said with a smile, "It is my great honor to introduce the players who will receive their rings tonight."

"So let's start with Cleveland's most handsome player."

Chandler Parsons