LeBron's Desire to Win

By October 28, the average temperature in Memphis had already dropped close to single digits.

Yet even so, the area around FedExForum was as feverishly hot as summer.

The 2014–15 season was considered one of the most competitive NBA seasons in recent years.

The Spurs were old but still ambitious. The Thunder had gained another year of experience and grown more mature. The Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Rockets all had a chance to break into the top tier.

The Lakers welcomed Kobe back, the Bulls had finally gotten their "Rose" back, and Cleveland had also welcomed home its "King."

On paper, no team seemed to possess an overwhelming advantage. Every one of them had a chance to contend for the championship.

But Link's statement—"A champion is always a champion until it falls"—made everyone suck in a cold breath.

To say something like that amid such a chaotic landscape, Link had at least displayed the sheer dominance expected of a defending champion!

Of course, it also made fans outside Memphis even more eager for the Cavaliers to win!

A champion was always a champion until it fell? Fine, then they would bring the champions down!

As a result, five hours before tipoff that night, people were already lining up in the plaza outside FedExForum! Alongside the fans, ESPN news vans and helicopters had surrounded the NBA's most artistic arena so thoroughly that not even water could pass through.

This was the most highly anticipated NBA season opener since the 2010 opener between the Heat and Celtics, featuring the old and new Big Threes!

ESPN predicted that the ratings for this season opener might even surpass those from the debut of the Heat's Big Three in 2010. For basketball fans around the world, this was a feast!

And most bizarrely, this game