NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 585 2019-20 Season Opening Match

The Clippers have a lot of young players who need to be developed, so Jia Fei chose to play less and give opportunities to the younger players.

Although he's not exactly old, compared to rookies like Mann, he's definitely a senior player. Playing for the Chinese men's basketball team in the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup during the offseason has taken a toll on him, and he needs to better manage his stamina and allocate it to more important games.

In these preseason games, the Clippers' starting lineup has barely played. They've used this lineup for two seasons already, and they're very well-integrated. They don't need to go through low-level preseason games to further refine their chemistry. It's more practical to give the younger players that time to develop.

Jia Fei no longer needs to prove himself through preseason performances, nor even through regular season performances. The number of people he needs to chase is also decreasing; the saying "the higher you climb, the colder it gets" applies here.

The Clippers' 2019-20 season opener will be held on October 22 at Staples Center, against their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

This game will be the opening game of the 2019-20 NBA season, and it couldn't be more fitting to use such a high-profile matchup as the season opener.

This kind of high-profile matchup is truly a treat for Los Angeles fans. Whether supporting the Clippers or the Lakers, there's plenty to look forward to this season.

Jia Fei's goal is clear: to win the championship. He doesn't care who his opponents are or how strong they are; his goal will not change.

Before they knew it, the opening match was about to begin. The day before, Jia Fei personally handed the opening match tickets to Lin Ning.

"Are you going to invite me to watch the game live?" Lin Ning blushed slightly, looking at Jia Fei with her big eyes.

This made Jia Fei's face flush. Being looked at like that by the girl he liked, even for someone as famous on the court as him, it was hard to remain completely calm.

Often, the reason you can truly remain calm and composed is not because you have exceptional mental fortitude, but simply because you lack interest in the person of the opposite sex in front of you.

Imagine a girl who looks like a dinosaur sitting in front of you. Would you feel shy or have your heart race? Would you?

"Yes, I always feel like something's missing when you're not here." Jia Fei met her gaze.

The two looked at each other in silence for a long time. There was no need to say "I love you" or anything like that. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and what you think and feel is sometimes more real and can be felt by the other person than words can.

"I'm going!" Lin Ning surrendered prematurely. She felt like she could hardly breathe. Jia Fei's eyes were so deep and full of affection.

"That's right!" Jia Fei's familiar smile reappeared on his face.

On the evening of the 22nd, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

That night, Staples Center was not only packed to capacity, but also filled with dazzling stars.

Renowned director Jack Nicholson, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his family, the "Nomad Dynasty" Running Man cast, the aging heartthrob David Beckham, pop stars Taylor Swift and Rihanna, Hollywood stars Tom Hex and Scarlett Johansson...

It's worth mentioning that LaVar Ball, who was known for his outspokenness at Staples Center last season, is nowhere to be seen. This is because his son, LaMelo, was traded to the Pelicans as part of the deal for Anthony Davis.

Many celebrities watching games at Staples Center don't really like LaVar Ball. They think he's too noisy and arrogant. While his son does have some talent, he's not as good as people claim. His frail physique and terrible shooting make it hard to believe he's the future of the Lakers. Now that he's been traded as trade bait, they don't have to listen to his nagging anymore.

Hart on the Clippers roster feels the most unreal. He was with the Lakers last season, was traded twice in the offseason, from the Pelicans to the Clippers, went to New Orleans, and then came back to Los Angeles. Isn't that a coincidence?

The Lakers underwent a major overhaul during the offseason. Not only were all the young talents, except for Kuzma, sent to New Orleans, but the coaching staff was also cleared out. Kerr's protégé, Walton, was fired, and former Pacers head coach Frank Vogel took over.

Vogel is a defensive coach. Back when he was with the Pacers, he made "Gao Yuanyuan" Hibbert a nightmare for running men and 9-point men, and beat Bosh into a pulp. After he left, Hibbert could no longer be "black Yao Ming" and instead completely became Gao Yuanyuan.

Staples Center was buzzing with excitement tonight, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was beaming with joy. He had every reason to be happy; his team had won two championships in the past three seasons—the three seasons since Jia Fei's arrival. That was truly a tremendous success, considering that before Jia Fei, the team had never even reached the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, the Lakers next door had a ton of championships—more than he could count on his fingers. It was a classic case of comparison, a stark contrast that only made things worse.

The power struggle among the Lakers, their crosstown rivals, has come to an end. Jeanie Buss, the daughter of Jerry Buss, has temporarily emerged victorious and will serve as the team's de facto manager for the foreseeable future.

Jenny is no longer young, but she still dresses extremely beautifully and gracefully, making people feel that she still retains her charm.

The Lakers' young players have basically been used as trade bait for Anthony Davis, except for Kuzma.

Kuzma isn't necessarily better than Ingram, but Lakers owner Jeanie Buss reportedly likes this somewhat handsome young man. Many fans are saying behind his back that Kuzma shouldn't be called Kuzma, but rather "Jenny's Horse," or simply "Jenny's Horse."

Before the game even started, the ceremony that took place first was the presentation of the championship banner and rings from last season.

Lakers fans were actually feeling uncomfortable. Watching their crosstown rivals, the Clippers, raise their championship banner at Staples Center during the opening game was a really unpleasant feeling. It's worth remembering that they used to be the ones raising the championship banner; in recent years, the tables have turned, and the Clippers have firmly suppressed them, almost suffocating them.

Fortunately, the Lakers made some excellent moves during the offseason, with General Manager Pelinka's team acquiring Anthony Davis and bringing in Faye Wong in free agency.

Whether they can reclaim their status as the top team in Los Angeles depends on this season!

Jia Fei watched as the championship banner bearing the inscription "2019" slowly rose above the arena, finally stopping next to the "2018" banner, filling him with immense excitement. But that wasn't all; he looked forward to witnessing the "2020" championship banner rise again at this time next year!

Next up is distributing the championship rings!

New additions this year, Hammer, Mann, and Gary Williams, don't have championship rings yet. Seeing their teammates wearing them naturally fills them with envy. They also want a championship ring of their own; the allure of such a thing is just too great!