Li Fei rose to his feet and swept his gaze across the faces burning with fighting spirit.
He did not deliver any impassioned speech. He merely said calmly, "Tonight, let the whole world see who the true master of this league is. Crush them, then go home and enjoy Christmas dinner with your families."
Simple and direct, yet filled with unmatched dominance.
"Roar!"
The players roared in unison, extending their hands and stacking them together.
"1, 2, 3..."
"Knicks! Let's go!"
Amid deafening cheers, the Knicks players filed out one after another and stepped onto the familiar Madison Square Garden court, soon to be set ablaze by war.
Inside the arena, thunderous cheers had already sounded the most magnificent opening to this clash of the century.
And before they took the court, the eyes of all America had long been drawn to the basketball feast unfolding on this special day.
For the 1999 Christmas Day Game, the league had meticulously arranged four blockbuster matchups, carrying the holiday atmosphere from one climax to the next, from morning until late at night.
The first game began at noon Eastern Time at Chicago's United Center.
It was a showdown dubbed by every media outlet as the Battle of "Inheritance and Challenge."
The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers were on the road against the reborn Chicago Bulls.
On one side stood the OK Duo—Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant—the league's most dominant new-generation inside-outside pairing. Young and energetic, they represented the future of the NBA.
On the other side were the God of Basketball, Michael Jordan, and his new partner, one half of the Utah Duo, "The Mailman" Karl Malone.
This was not merely a contest between two teams, but a collision between two eras.
Jordan was the totem of the basketball world, the man