O'Neal: I'd sooner be elected president of the USA than see Sabonis reach the NBA Finals!
The media described Sabonis as the most exceptional contributor to the Knicks Dynasty.
He had willingly supported Li Fei, reined in his individual brilliance, and adapted to the team's system.
Three years side by side had forged the Knicks' unmatched three-peat legend.
Now thirty-five, he still held his ground on the court, leading his team forward against the odds.
If he could complete an eighth-seed Cinderella run all the way to the NBA Finals, it would surely be the greatest miracle of the year.
The Los Angeles media, meanwhile, took a hard line in defense of their powerhouse's pride.
<The OK Duo stood ready: the Purple-Gold Dynasty feared neither old foes nor new challenges>
The Lakers media bluntly declared that today's Lakers were nothing like the team of old.
O'Neal's dominance in the paint crushed his peers, while Kobe had grown into an elite weapon on both ends.
Their new Big Three system was more than capable of dismantling any throwback style or old-school tactics.
Even if Sabonis knew the Lakers' weaknesses inside out, he would struggle to recreate that miraculous upset from years ago.
Every media outlet had its own well-supported arguments, sending fan excitement into overdrive.
Major forums and social platforms across the United States were instantly flooded with talk of a fated NBA Finals matchup.
The voices of Knicks fans became the dominant chorus online.
Almost every New York fan agreed: they wanted the Trail Blazers to emerge from the Western Conference Finals.
More than facing the Lakers' OK Duo, they wanted to take on their former teammate, Sabonis.
"Playing the Lakers would be exciting, sure, but playing Sabonis would be the ultimate nostalgia matchup!"
"Three years building a dynasty together, then facing off in the NBA Finals—that script is perfect!"
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