The flames of war were ready to erupt.
Yet before the opening tip, the battle of public opinion had already swept across North America and even spread around the world.
This game had transcended the scope of an ordinary regular-season matchup, becoming a symbolic battle over who would claim the throne of this era.
On the night before game day, TNT's flagship program, Inside the NBA, unprecedentedly aired a special two-hour panel discussion ahead of schedule, dedicated to dissecting the upcoming clash of titans.
The studio was brightly lit. On the massive screen behind them, Li Fei's back in a Knicks No. 8 jersey stood alongside the OK Duo, the image split down the middle by a blazing basketball-shaped flame.
Host Kevin Harlan sat in the center in a sharply tailored dark suit, his expression grave. He cleared his throat and opened the show in his magnetic voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's special program. As we all know, tomorrow at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a matchup hailed as the 'Battle of the Century' will take place. The 19-0 New York Knicks against the 17-2 Los Angeles Lakers. The kings of the Eastern Conference against the twin fiends of the Western Conference. Marv, Bill, I know you've prepared countless stats and opinions for this. Let's get right to it: who wins?"
Veteran commentator Marv Albert, an old hand who had witnessed half a century of NBA upheaval, adjusted his glasses and said solemnly, "Kevin, that question is like asking which is stronger: an invincible futuristic war machine, or a prehistoric beast paired with a deadly venomous snake. It's too difficult. Let's start with the Knicks. They're the defending champions, but this season, they're even more terrifying than they were last year."
"Yes, they lost Larry Johnson, a