ABC TV station gave its own data and believed that the Sonics only have a 21% chance of completing three consecutive championships.
The TV station also made prediction data for the Bulls' championship probability, which was 38%, far exceeding the defending champion SuperSonics.
Such predictions are the attitude of most media.
In other words, facing the Bulls' strong lineup, most media are not optimistic about the SuperSonics completing three consecutive championships, and are more optimistic about the Bulls winning the championship.
Magic Johnson said in an interview with the media: "Although the SuperSonics have strengthened Drexler, the glider is no longer as strong as it was back then, and his efficiency has dropped significantly.
And Laettner's style of play is also very soft. He can never beat Mutombo in the low post. As a center, he can only serve as a fort on the outside and cannot provide high-quality low post and basket offense for the Sonics. .
Everyone knows that the reason why the Sonics lost to the Bulls in the 1994 Finals was because they did not have high-quality low-post and basket offense, so they traded Sam Perkins.
But now, they not only got back Perkins, but also introduced another big "Perkins". I don't understand what kind of team building idea this is. Does the management think that Laettner and Perkins can play well? Mutombo?
This behavior is a kind of self-denial. They denied the construction ideas of the interior line in the previous two seasons, but on the contrary, the first two seasons allowed the Sonics to win two championships.
But now they have overturned their correct thinking and chosen to return to the wrong thinking of the past. This is the most important reason why I am not optimistic about the SuperSonics defending their title. "
On the 25th, the CCTV team arrived in Seattle.
It's still Zhang Lili and Xu Jicheng, as well as three newcomers, statistics assistant Wang Dong, cameraman Zhang Wu and assistant Qi Bin.
On the 27th, the league held a press conference to announce the national live broadcasts of several major television broadcasters.
Following last season, the SuperSonics continued to maintain their first place. Like last season, they had 41 live broadcasts across the United States, exactly half of them.
The Bulls have 40 games, one more than last season.
The two teams are still the most popular teams in the league and are also the most optimistic by TV broadcasters.
David Stern said at the press conference: "I don't think this regular season, the SuperSonics will have the super hot ratings that they had at the beginning of last season.
But I am also sure that the ratings for Supersonics will be very good. The successful defense of Iron Fist's world boxing championship will continue to attract the attention of many people, and some of them will choose to watch Supersonics games.
I just hope that these people will not focus all their attention on the SuperSonics and Iron Fist King. The entire NBA deserves their attention. "
It has also won the league's number one national live broadcast game, which means huge exposure opportunities. The team management, players and sponsors are very happy.
For publicity, his sponsors hung his large advertising photos in large and medium-sized cities around the world, and countless TV stations broadcast his advertisements.
In Seattle, no matter where you go on the street, you can see his large advertising photos.
October 28, 1996, was the Sonics' new season media day.
All the players arrived early in the morning, and the team hired a professional photographer to take publicity photos, which took a full two hours to complete. It was almost 11 o'clock before the media session began.
There are a lot of media coming. Over 60% of the overseas media came to watch King of Iron Fist. There were more than 30 domestic media reporters, which was a significant increase from last year. The total number of media was more than 200. Including photographers, there were 350. There were more than ten people, and the press hall, which can accommodate hundreds of people, was packed to the brim.
"Crack, click, click..."
After Zhou Quan and others came out, the shutter sound kept ringing and the flash lights lit up.
When it came time for the media to ask questions, the host first chose the local media Seattle Times, who was also a reporter with the SuperSonics team.
The reporter asked: "Tekken King, Mosaic has strengthened the No. 1 position. Do you think the addition of All-Star point guard Tim Hardaway can make Mosaic our strongest opponent in the Western Conference?"
Zhou Quan smiled and said: "In the new season, the Jazz and Mosaic should be our strongest opponents in the Western Conference, followed by the Lakers with the Sharks. As for the strongest opponent, the most likely one is Mosaic."
The reporter immediately asked: "So is it possible that Mosaic will prevent us from entering the finals?"
Zhou Quan said: "Mosaic's strength has definitely increased significantly, and the addition of Xiaochong can provide the team with stable scoring, organization and breakthrough capabilities.
Of course, if Mosaic faces us, I personally don't think it can. I believe that I can restrain Xiaochong. Mosaic's strength has not been strengthened enough to kill us. "
The next reporter who asked the question was from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, asking: "Iron Fist King, the Bulls have strengthened Mutombo. Do you think Mutombo is the last piece of the puzzle for the Bulls to win the championship?"
Zhou Quan's attitude was more cautious, the smile on his face faded a little, and he said seriously: "At least that's what the Bulls think. The Bulls have been lacking a strong center for so many years, and Mutombo is what they need most. that person.
Mutombo and I were drafted in the same year. He is a very strong guy. I remember there was a series in which he averaged more than six blocks per game. That was a terrifying ability to protect the basket. "
"So do you think we can beat the Bulls again?" the reporter asked again.
Zhou Quan said: “The management has made targeted reinforcements because of the Bulls’ reinforcements, but the specific results will depend on the actual results.
But we are still confident about the future. Mutombo also has weaknesses, and the Bulls with him also have their weaknesses.
Our own lineup is also good, with rebounding, defense, offense, organization, very average, and almost no shortcomings.
If we insist on having a shortcoming, then we do not have strong offensive capabilities in the low post and at the basket. This is our shortcoming.
But we also had the same shortcomings last season, but we swept away the mosaic of super insiders such as Dameng and Barkley. This shows that we can cope with teams with strong insides, so our shortcomings are not so easy to grasp. , we have experience in this area. "
The third questioner was Zhang Lili, who asked cheerfully: "Zhou Quan, you don't have time for additional basketball training during the offseason. It hasn't been long since you resume training. Is it okay in the regular season?"
Zhou Quan smiled and said: "There is no big problem, but I still need some time to recover."
"Will it affect the regular season record?" Zhang Lili asked again.
"It's possible, but our only goal this season is to defend the title. As long as it doesn't affect this goal, there will be no problem." Zhou Quan said.
The fourth questioner was the New York Times, and the host couldn't always let local media ask questions.
After taking the microphone, the reporter immediately asked: "King of Iron Fist, your second defense of the world boxing title should be in the next offseason, so will your opponent be Michael Tyson?"
Amid the media taking photos, Zhou Quan blinked under the flash, and then replied: "Let me explain first, this is SuperSonics media day, not my personal press conference, so I will only answer this question. A question that has nothing to do with the SuperSonics or the NBA. Sorry, I have not determined who my opponent will be in the second defense of the title."
The third reporter who asked the question was a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He asked: "Iron Fist, do you think it will be more difficult for the Sonics to complete three consecutive championships than to defend the title last season?"
Zhou Quan nodded and said: "That's for sure. Both the Bulls and Mosaic are stronger than last season. Even in the Western Conference, except for Mosaic, the Jazz and Lakers will also be stronger than last season, and the resistance we will face will also be greater. "
"At present, most media are not optimistic about the SuperSonics defending their third consecutive championship. What do you think?" the reporter asked.
Zhou Quan pondered for a moment and then said: "I understand the media's view. After all, the Bulls have strengthened the center position they have been lacking.
But as I said just now, our lineup is not weak, otherwise we would not be able to complete two consecutive championships, so we are full of confidence in the future. We are still full of desire and pursuit for the championship, and we are still full of fighting spirit.
If the Bulls become the biggest obstacle on our way to three consecutive championships, then we have only one way, which is to knock them down, kill them, and then ascend to the throne of the championship. "
"Pa bang bang..."
All local media and some foreign media applauded.
This day is also the Bulls' media day. The media hall at the Bulls headquarters is also packed with people. Although not as many as the Sonics, there are still hundreds of people.
"Crack, click, click..."
Jordan stood in the middle, with Pippen on the left and Mutombo on the right. The media were taking pictures. It was obvious that he was in a very good mood because there was a smile on his face.
Entering the question-and-answer session, the first person to ask a question was the local media Chicago Daily, asking: "Michael, with Dikembe Mutombo, do you think the chance of winning the championship this season is higher than last season?"
"We are full of confidence in the future." Without any hesitation, Jordan immediately said with a smile.
"Do you think you can beat the Sonics?" the reporter asked.
"Of course, the addition of Dikembe has made up for our biggest shortcoming. We will become a nightmare for the Sonics." Jordan said.
The next reporter to ask a question was the Washington Post, who asked: "Michael, the SuperSonics brought in Laettner, your teammate on the Dream Team, and got back Sam Perkins. The SuperSonics obviously want to play inside and out. Fa, do you think this configuration is targeted for the Bulls and Mutombo?"
The smile on Jordan's face faded a little, but he still smiled and said: "If the SuperSonics pull out the inside, I believe our outside defense can lock them down."
Phil Jackson nodded. If Laettner wants to pull Mutombo out, the Bulls have Pippen, Jordan, and Ron Harper, three major defenders on the outside, coupled with a strong rotation speed and defensive system, they can solve it. this problem.
"Dikembe, I heard that the Sonics also recruited you. Why did you reject them?" asked the next reporter.
"Oh, they did contact my agent, but the conversation didn't go forward," Mutombo said.
"Are you not satisfied with the contract?" the reporter asked.
"They have no space at all. I heard that several of their main players have renewed their contracts with annual salaries of several million. If they want to sign me, they must at least trade out one main player and one or two important rotation players. Their management chose A more balanced lineup has stopped contacting me," Muttoboom said.
"Dikembe, do you think you can help the Bulls defeat the Sonics and win the championship?" the next reporter asked.
Mutombo hesitated and then said: "I think it's okay, we should have that kind of strength. Michael, Scottie, they are all people worthy of relying on, they are all superstars."
"Then do you think the Bulls belong to a superstar group?" The reporter's eyes lit up when he heard this and he immediately asked.
Mutombo immediately shook his head and said: "Scottie grew up in the Bulls, and I am a free agent. The Bulls offered me a satisfactory contract, and I am also optimistic about the future of the Bulls, so this is not a grouping.
None of us forced our original team to trade us to the Bulls. That would be teamwork, and we are not. "
"Michael, now the Bulls have formed a real Big Three lineup, do you admit it?" the next reporter asked.
Of course Jordan would not object. The objection only shows that he thinks Mutombo is not a superstar, so he said: "You can say that, but we only agree with the Iron Triangle's statement."
"Scotty, do you think you are the second or third boss of the team now? In terms of annual salary and contract, Mutombo is more like the second boss." The reporter who asked the next question asked.
Pippen's old face turned a little dark, and he cursed in his heart that the reporter who asked the question would find another man lying on his bed when he returned home.
Mutombo is an honest man. Seeing Pippen's ugly face, he quickly said: "In the Bulls locker room, Michael and Scottie are the leaders."
This sentence made Pippen's complexion immediately improve, and Mutombo became more pleasing to the eye.
It's just that other Bulls players are complaining in their hearts. Mutombo is really good at talking, but when did the Bulls have two leaders? Jordan can make Pippen shut up with a look.
On the morning of the 29th, Houston, Mosaic’s media day.
"Hakeem, are you satisfied with the lineup now?" a Houston Chronicle reporter asked.
"Our second and third positions should continue to strengthen. We still have room. After Clyde left, we have a lot of room." Dameng said immediately.
As far as he knew, the damn boss Alexander didn't want to use the middle-class regulations at all, and he didn't even want to fill the existing space. This made him very dissatisfied. He wanted to save money everywhere, and even said that it was to reserve space for Barkley to renew his contract. .
"Then do you think you can beat the SuperSonics in the new season?" the reporter asked.
Dameng said excitedly: "I know they found Laettner, but that's useless, that's the configuration to deal with Mutombo.
If the Sonics want to rely on Laettner to deal with us, Charles can knock him over with one butt. He did that during the Dream Team training, and Laettner was knocked upside down. And Barkley can also guard him, and it's useless if he pulls him out. He doesn't have an arm like O'Neal.
And now we have Xiaochong at position one. He is great. His speed is even faster than Tekken. His breakthrough is very fast. I don’t believe Tekken can guard him. His record against Tekken has always been pretty good.
As long as the little bug is not locked up, our offense can be played, and our inside lineup can restrain the Sonics, and we will definitely win this season. "
"Charles, Hakeem, Glider left you and chose to join the SuperSonics. Who do you think among the three of you has a chance to win the championship earlier?" the next reporter asked.
"Ha ha……"
Many reporters were happy when they heard this question.
(End of chapter)
