Yao Ming and the All-Star Game

And after this month of games, fans of other teams had begun to change their mindset as well.

The Lakers had even beaten the Warriors and gone undefeated for an entire month. Didn't that mean they had practically booked the championship in advance?

Maybe, just maybe, the Lakers were about to begin another new dynasty only five years after the last one?

It wasn't that people didn't dare imagine it—they just couldn't stop themselves from imagining boldly.

The Lakers' performance gave people plenty to think about.

And among those thoughts, some were far from kind.

People were selfish by nature. Most could stand seeing others do well, but they couldn't stand seeing others do far better than themselves.

When Sun Hao returned to the Lakers, people had mostly been moved, because he had done something that showed great character.

But after Yao Ming joined them, with the Lakers once again becoming the shadow hanging over everyone's heads, people were more annoyed than anything else.

That annoyance was even stronger than when the Warriors had completed their dynasty.

After all, the Lakers had already completed two dynasties over the past decade!

Some people began complaining that Stern had not stopped Yao Ming from joining the Lakers, simply watching the greatest player in history team up with the greatest center.

Of course, those people were in the minority. The topic had already been discussed before the season, and Stern truly had no way to interfere with a free agent's signing.

What there was more of, however, was slander aimed at Yao Ming.

Because they realized Yao Ming was the only outlet through which they could vent.

"A three-time runner-up that even Jordan couldn't carry? A 'Super Center'?"

"Yao is nowhere near Shaq's level. In the end, he can only cling to Sun's