Before the game, more than half of people predicted that the Lakers would beat the Kings, either 4–3 or 4–2.
Of course, some also predicted that the Kings would beat the Lakers, either 4–3 or 4–2, but only 42 percent thought the Kings would win.
In the eyes of the commentators and authoritative media outlets, the Kings were now missing Danny, and it would be difficult for them to compete with the Lakers, who had King Arthur.
Nicholas Zhao Si said as much on his television show:
"Arthur's growth this year has been obvious to everyone. He can average 34.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. He's unquestionably the league's top star."
"Thick Eyebrows is still going strong, averaging 22 points and 12.5 rebounds per game."
"General Barton has improved a lot since last year. He can average 20 points per game. Those three alone can combine for 76 points a game."
"By contrast, Wang Yi averages fewer than 30 points per game, and Wiggins averages 18. Other than those two, the team has no reliable third scoring option. Westbrook played pretty well in the previous round, but are you really going to count on a 42-year-old veteran to produce consistently every game?"
"So no matter how you look at it, the Lakers will ultimately win this series."
Nicholas Zhao Si wasn't the only one who thought so. Pierce, Pippen, and many other former stars shared his view, as did numerous authoritative media outlets.
Even some Chinese basketball personalities agreed.
The TikTok influencer Bearded Bro said:
"I also hope the Kings can win in the end, but anyone who's watched basketball for a few years and thinks it through a little will know the Kings don't have much of a chance."
Another influencer, Guizhou Province O'Neal, said:
"As