"Chris Paul rushed in! Go to the right! Danny Green can't keep up at all! Duncan is coming to help! There's no time left!"
"Forced shot over Duncan? The ball is in!!!!!!"
"Great St. Paul! He's done it! He killed the Spurs!"
With Staples Center as the epicenter, a massive wave of sound spread outward like a roaring sea. Jake sat in the audience, wearing a mask, silently witnessing a play that would go down in history. Without greeting his former colleagues, he slipped in quietly to watch the game alone and left just as silently. The silver and black king who had once sat atop the throne, looking down on the rest of the league, had been pulled down. Even the NBA commentators couldn't help but shout, "It's over! This year's finals are over!"
Everyone assumed that after defeating the Spurs, the Clippers were destined to win the championship. But in San Francisco, unnoticed by most, a blue-and-gold giant began stretching, eyeing the now-vacant throne.
"It's been such a dramatic year, with so many iconic playoff moments," Malone, already on vacation, dragged Jake out for breakfast as he read the basketball news with great interest.
"You woke me up this early just for that?" Jake yawned, weakly stirring the coffee in front of him. He was clearly still tired.
"Take a look. The Clippers blew it again." Malone passed the newspaper to Jake with a sigh. "I thought after they beat the Spurs, the championship was theirs. But this is embarrassing."
Jake squinted at the paper. "What a twist," he said, though his eyes were half-closed. Despite that, history's wheels kept turning as expected. After eliminating the Spurs, the Clippers faced the Rockets in the second round, who had knocked out the Kings. Leading 3-1, Paul got injured again, and the Clippers were overturned by the Rockets in three straight games. This became the ninth time in NBA history that a team lost after leading 3-1. Poor Coach Rivers also made history by becoming the first coach ever to blow a 3-1 lead twice.
"Why does Coach Rivers still get hired?" Jake finally asked the question that had puzzled many fans after reading the article.
Malone looked at Jake like he'd gone crazy. "You're in the business, and you're asking such a basic question?"
"I don't know Coach Rivers well; I'm just curious," Jake replied.
Malone, seeing Jake was serious, sighed and explained. "First, Rivers has a solid resume—1,000 career wins, and not just from hanging around. His win percentage is over 50%. Only Popovich and Spoelstra can really stand on that level with him. He's not just for show—he understands the game and has his own tactical approach.
"Second, he's exceptional at managing locker rooms. Every team he's coached respects him. Sometimes, managing players is more important than the tactics themselves."
"Those two things alone keep him in demand in the league," Malone finished.
Jake nodded quickly. "Got it."
"Who do you think will win the championship this year?" Malone asked suddenly. The Eastern and Western Conference Finals were about to begin: the Hawks against the Cavaliers in the East, and the Warriors against the Rockets in the West.
"Golden State, no question," Jake responded immediately. An easy question, after all.
Malone chuckled. "So sure? Not rooting for your fellow Spurs alumnus?"
Two of the remaining four head coaches were connected to the Spurs, including Steve Kerr of the Warriors and Mike Budenholzer of the Hawks, who had been Popovich's assistant for nearly 20 years.
"The Hawks won't get past LeBron," Jake said confidently, adding more sugar to his coffee.
"I think Cleveland's got a good chance this year too," Malone agreed. "James is just too dominant."
"How about we make a bet?" Jake grinned.
"What are the stakes?" Malone asked, clearly intrigued.
"The last time I was at your place, I saw a bottle of nearly 30-year-old whiskey in your cabinet. I'll bet on that!" Jake's proposal made Malone laugh out loud.
"I knew you were eyeing that bottle! Sure, let's bet. But if you lose, you owe me a bottle of the same quality," Malone agreed with a grin.
"It's a deal!" Jake said confidently.
"Fxxxxxk!" In Malone's apartment, the usually composed coach was now shouting gleefully at the TV screen as Curry and the Warriors celebrated with the O'Brien Trophy. Golden State had won their first championship in 40 years.
"You have to accept the loss! Don't try to back out!" Jake's voice rang out from across the room. Malone turned to see Jake already fiddling with the glass cover on the wine cabinet.
"Stop it! Do you even have the key? Keep trying!" Malone laughed as Jake struggled.
"Hehehe!" Jake hugged the precious bottle, grinning like a fool as he plopped down on Malone's sofa.
"Of all the things you could want," Malone shook his head, amused. He couldn't understand why Jake, who made decent money, was so eager to take advantage of him.
After their playful back-and-forth, Jake grabbed the bottle and made his way to the door.
"Aren't you staying for dinner?" Malone asked.
"No, no!" Jake waved him off. "My vacation's over. I'm going to get some rest tonight—back to work tomorrow!"