With such an outstanding primary scorer and offensive engine, along with teammates who had played together for years and understood each other perfectly, the Kings had a lot going for them.
On top of that, Wang Yi had left behind his unyielding "King's spirit"—never giving up until the very last moment. That had helped the Kings thrive in a Western Conference that now lacked superstars.
The Kings currently didn't have a single superstar.
The only player who could even be considered a star was Danny.
The Playoffs were a stage for superstars, and once the Playoffs began, the Kings' lack of one had indeed caused them considerable trouble.
For example, in the First Round, they fell behind 1–2 right out of the gate, then lost the King of the Mountain Battle.
In Game 6, Danny hit seven threes in the fourth quarter to drag the series to Game 7. Then, in Game 7, he sank 13 threes in a single game to eliminate the Thunder.
In the Second Round, they fell behind 0–2 in the series, then fought back to win two straight.
They lost the King of the Mountain Battle in Game 5, but in Game 6, Danny's three-pointer at the buzzer sent the series to a Game 7.
In Game 7, with nobody able to stop Juan, Danny kept trading threes with him, and ultimately his shots proved just a little more accurate.
With only 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Danny drained a crucial three that extended their one-point lead to four, allowing them to eke out a win in Game 7.
After Wang Yi left the Kings, nobody had given them a chance.
The Kings had only one All-Star, Danny, and he had no experience leading a team.
What's more, Danny was a pure shooter.