Chapter 291 Old friends reunite, heartbroken Blazers fans!
Two days later, the Rockets generals returned to Houston to face the challenge of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Shen Fei also arrived at his exclusive box early in the morning, ready to watch the battle.
The Rockets have now won 12 consecutive games and are in full swing.
Moreover, since the last time he redeemed the [Holy Light Healing] card for Oden, Shen Fei has accumulated another 80 reputation points.
In other words, if he wins two more games, he can buy [Dead Tree Renewed] to help Daben return to the top.
This matter is very important, and it is one of the reasons why Shen Fei came here specifically to watch the game today.
In addition, Asian young people also want to see whether the alliance headed by Stern will curb its targeting of the Rockets after the last "clear-brand" attack.
[Don’t look for trouble, let the Rockets build a dynasty smoothly, and the NBA can make more money from the Chinese market.]
[If you continue to target me, I will still have means to punish you...]
Shen Fei thought to himself.
Of course, Asian young people also know very well that behind Stern is the huge Nike Group.
Otherwise, from Stern's own standpoint, he has no reason to suppress the Rockets.
The rise of the Rockets has done no harm to the NBA.
The energy of the Chinese market is enough to take the NBA's influence around the world to a higher level.
Stern knows this.
It was he who used a few video tapes to successfully open up the Chinese market.
Without him, the time for Chinese fans to get to know people like Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Bird might have been delayed for a very long time.
But Nike is different. They want to become an oligarch in the sports world.
For a league like the NBA that has been basically controlled, Nike cannot allow other brands to rise.
Even Adidas has fallen behind in the competition, and its influence in the NBA is far less than before!
However, Under Armor emerged at this time with a clear goal of becoming the strongest brand.
This clearly hits Nike's bottom line.
Shen Fei knew that to untie the bell, one must tie the bell.
If you want the Rockets to get fair treatment, you need to solve Nike's problem.
But the best way to defeat Nike is to have Under Armor replace it.
And this takes time!
Under Armor needs enough time to achieve explosive growth.
Before Under Armor "stands up", all Shen Fei can do is to nip all Nike's schemes in the cradle and prevent them from affecting the Rockets' championship cause.
The previous press conference was equivalent to the first fire.
After that day, many fans have realized that Nike is suspected of manipulating the NBA.
"Come on, let's see what else you can do..."
Shen Fei murmured to himself, with a disdainful curve at the corner of his mouth.
At this thought, the Asian young man stopped thinking and turned his attention to the court again.
............
Speaking of which, the two sides in this game have a lot of ties.
In the middle of the season, Shenfei acquired Roy and Oden from the Trail Blazers for Courtney Lee and Chuck Hayes.
Now it seems that the Trail Blazers are completely taken advantage of.
Their general manager, oh no, it should be the former general manager-Kevin Pritchard, has been nailed to the pillar of shame in history by Trail Blazers fans!
Roy and Oden, two extremely talented players inside and outside, were originally the hope for the Blazers' revival.
But Pritchard regarded them as "trash" and kicked them out.
They only exchanged mediocre people like Courtney Lee and the short blue-collar guy in the Blazers' rotation - Chuck Hayes.
What angered Trail Blazers fans the most was that after the deal ended, Pritchard was still complacent in an interview.
His original words were: "If you don't break, you can't establish. A qualified businessman must know how to stop losses in time. Some fans may not agree with my approach, but they will definitely understand me in the future!"
This interview was dug out by the "Luoyang Shovel" before today's game, and it dramatically became a trending topic on Twitter.
The comments below the video can be roughly divided into two categories - the frustration and heartbreak of Trail Blazers fans, and the gloating of fans of other teams.
"I don't have any patience, even if I wait half a season, everything will be different!"
"Our ultimate lineup was supposed to be Roy, Matthews, Batum, Aldridge, and Oden. All of this was ruined by Pritchard!"
"Damn it, why are our Blazers in such decline? Are they really cursed? Why did Oden and Roy get healthy as soon as they arrived in the Rockets?!"
...
"I think with Roy and Oden as the cornerstone of the team, and supplemented by some good role players, this team will be a strong team for many years to come, and may even compete for the championship."
"Those are Oden and Roy! If they both reach their peak, will they have the effect of an 'ok' combination? It's hard to imagine that the Trail Blazers gave them both to the Rockets."
"Forget it by sending away two treasure players, look what they got...Courtney Lee and Hayes! Oh my god, this deal can't be successful in 2K without a forced trade!"
...
The discussion among the fans became more and more intense, and in the end there was a lot of accusations and abuse against Pritchard.
The person involved couldn't bear it anymore and simply made a video in response.
"First of all, I want to apologize to the majority of Trail Blazers fans."
"I'm sorry, this is all my fault! I sent Greg and Brandon away without letting them shine their true light in the City of Torn."
"But what I want to say is...if you knew all the circumstances and were in the position I was in at the time, it would be difficult for you to refuse Shen Fei's proposal."
"On the one hand, Courtney Lee played well at the time and was like a rising star. He is now lost in Portland. Not only did I not expect it, but many people must not have expected it either."
"On the other hand, Roy and Oden both experienced career-threatening injuries at that time. The conclusion I got from the team doctor is that it will be difficult for them to get healthy again!"
"All developments are counterproductive. I have taken the blame and resigned, and the Blazers' team doctor has also undergone a major change. I hope everyone will be merciful."
Pritchard spoke sincerely, which calmed the fans' anger to a certain extent.
The veterinarian made a mistake, and Shen Fei has the courage to take over such two "hot potatoes". The Rockets deserve to gain two generals.
However, the fans' emotions eventually affected the Blazers' players.
They all want to pass a victory to prove that the team is still competitive without Roy and Oden.
Before the game, Trail Blazers core player Aldridge said bluntly that he was happy to see Roy back on the court, but the victory would be taken away by himself.
Courtney Lee, who transferred from the Rockets, also said that his previous performance did not meet expectations and hoped that this game could be a turning point.
Trail Blazers head coach Mike Millan looked at the generals who were full of fighting spirit and felt proud in his heart.
In the interview before the game, he confidently said: "The Trail Blazers will show the terrifying firepower of the tearing city and end the Rockets' winning streak!"
In this atmosphere, the competition officially begins!