The referee controversy after the Warriors-Spurs game had been raging, but by the next day, fans' attention had been drawn to another matchup.
The Pelicans and Cavaliers, opponents in last season's Finals, were set to open their respective seasons at the Pelicans' home court.
The scene of the 3-1 lead being forcibly turned into 3-3 last season was still vivid, and Tang Tian's 62 points through three quarters in Game 7 felt like yesterday.
Now, with the season just beginning, the two teams were already meeting again. The league had become highly skilled at creating rivalries.
What was more, the Cavaliers had signed Whiteside this season, the only former player who had fallen out with the Pelicans.
Right at the start of the season, the league had served fans a lavish feast.
On game day, the Cavaliers held an open practice at their Training Facility.
The players were practicing on the court, while reporters crowded around its perimeter.
For a marquee matchup packed with talking points like this, they would try every possible way to pry something out before the game.
The Cavaliers players seemed to be in excellent spirits. They chatted and laughed, while James casually practiced one-on-one offense and defense with Whiteside.
It was clear from this that the Cavaliers were determined to win the championship in the new season and fully confident about the game that was about to begin.
After practice ended, reporters swarmed forward. Head Coach Tyronn Lue and Team Core James were both surrounded by large groups of reporters.
But aside from them, there was someone else who had been surrounded three layers deep by reporters. It was neither Irving nor Love, but Whiteside.
Everyone knew Whiteside had history with the Pelicans, but his ability was undeniable. His performance with the Heat last season