585: A Rest Before the NBA Finals 4

A Rest Before the NBA Finals 4

Eva and Jake's friends could see how much happier Jake was on the days when Kate was with him. They were certain that he was truly in love, and they knew that Kate was equally in love with Jake.0

Eva, who had seen Jake so happy, began to like Kate even more and had fully accepted her. Even though she was a singer and couldn't always be with Jake, it wasn't as serious a problem when Jake also had a life that required him to travel for most of the year.

Lily was also delighted to see Kate so happy and relaxed. Kate was a very dedicated artist who often got stressed and obsessed with her music and rehearsals. Kate was also heavily involved in organizing her shows, which added to her stress.

Even when Kate had some free time, she wasn't as happy as she appeared now. Lily knew that Kate had buried her sorrow from the loss of her parents by immersing herself in work to forget the problems of normal life. It was only after being with Jake that Kate genuinely smiled with happiness.

Lily was relieved to see Kate so happy and knew that Kate could deliver even better performances when she returned to her shows after the Los Angeles Lakers' games. After that, Kate would only have a few more shows before she went on vacation again.

Jake was enjoying his time with Kate but was also focusing on the NBA Finals game. Every day, he dedicated himself to training with his teammates. Jake also recalled some things from the NBA Finals game he had watched in his past life.

Even though the Los Angeles Lakers were the favorites to win with Jake on the team, he didn't want to lose this NBA title that would make his rookie season perfect just because he didn't concentrate enough on the NBA Finals games.

The American media was also fully focused on the NBA Finals games. Many television programs and newspapers were discussing the possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers making a comeback and winning championships after so many years without a victory.

This was something normal for the media to talk about. The Los Angeles Lakers had 11 NBA titles, and the last time they won was in 1988. All Lakers fans hoped they could surpass the Boston Celtics, but going so many years without winning an NBA title made that dream difficult to achieve.

Fortunately, with Jake's arrival, the Los Angeles Lakers became the favorite team to win the NBA title, especially because they had Jake, Kobe, and Shaquille – three great players that any team would want.

The media also discussed how the New York Knicks wanted to secure their third NBA title this season. They had defeated several stronger teams and aimed to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

The American media also talked extensively about how Jake should win various awards this season, including MVP of the season, Rookie of the Year, ALL-NBA First Team, and ALL-Rookie, among other honors.

So, the days leading up to the NBA Finals passed quickly. The day of the first game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks arrived. The city of Los Angeles was excited about this big game, and since the Lakers were the favorites, there was hope for victory.

The game would take place at the Great Western Forum, and this could be a fitting farewell for the venue after the Los Angeles Lakers had played there for many years. The Lakers could win the NBA title in this farewell season.

Jake had to leave home very early to go to the game venue and prepare. Eva, Kate, Lily, William, Zack, and Haruto were going to watch the Los Angeles Lakers game, so Jake had already prepared tickets for all the people close to him.

"Jake, my son, good luck in today's game. I know you're confident about winning, but just stay calm and do your best; that will be enough," Eva said.

"Thank you, Mom. I'll do my best. Just having you, Kate, and my friends cheering for me gives me more strength," Jake said.

"You have to win, Jake. I came here just to watch you win this NBA title. I know you're the best NBA player, so you just have to do your best," Kate said.

"I'll win. You watching the game will give me even more strength," Jake replied.

Jake's friends made jokes, but they all conveyed the message that they would be rooting for Jake in this game. They genuinely believed that at least in this game, the Los Angeles Lakers would win, given how enthusiastic Jake was to play.

Jake went to the Great Western Forum to prepare for the game. Even though the game was still a few hours away, the place was already filled with fans of the Los Angeles Lakers and some fans of the New York Knicks.

The Los Angeles Lakers' fans hoped that the team could win because they were the best and were playing at home. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks' fans hoped their team would perform another miracle in this game.

All the New York Knicks fans couldn't help but think it was a shame that Patrick Ewing had gotten injured; otherwise, it would have been more possible for the Knicks to win. Still, they were proud of the Knicks for making it to the NBA Finals without Ewing.

Soon, Jake went to the locker room to put on his uniform and prepare for the game. When he arrived, only a few players had shown up, and most would come later. Jake wanted to arrive early to better focus on the game.

The Los Angeles Lakers had plenty of time to train, and Coach Rambis had prepared the players for this game. If the New York Knicks players tried to defend Jake well, he would just pass the ball to Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal.

If the Knicks players didn't try to defend against Jake, he would make three-point plays, and the Los Angeles Lakers would still win. If Jake, Shaquille, and Kobe were well-defended, then Rick Fox and Dennis Rodman would be free to score points.

All the players of the Los Angeles Lakers were well-rested and confident in their victory in this game. They knew they just had to do their best, and they would win the game.

Jake and the other players who arrived early began warming up for the game, and soon, all the players of the Los Angeles Lakers arrived. The fans who would be watching the game were also filling up the Great Western Forum.

Jake knew that Eva, Kate, and his friends must have already arrived. This game was also important because his relationship with Kate would start to be revealed when the television broadcast cameras showed Kate alongside his mother.

Fortunately, the focus of the broadcast would be the first game of the NBA Finals, so Jake and Kate's relationship wouldn't be questioned until the NBA Finals games were over. But after that, in a few months, Jake and Kate would reveal to everyone that they were dating.

Soon, the players of the Los Angeles Lakers were ready and went onto the court to await the start of the NBA Finals game against the New York Knicks. The Los Angeles Lakers' fans were excited because they knew game time was approaching.

All the fans of both teams and basketball fans across America were tuning into the broadcast of the game, which had just begun. Everyone was eager to find out who would win the NBA title this season.

"In an NBA season filled with uncertainties, one thing was certain: with Michael Jordan's retirement, the reign of the Chicago Bulls had ended."

"With that, all the other NBA stars were vying for the NBA title that had once been so elusive. But as the playoffs unfolded, many stars failed to fulfill the dream of many years and fell by the wayside."

"But some stars managed to reach the NBA Finals this season. Dennis Rodman, who left the Chicago Bulls after winning three NBA titles, returns to the NBA Finals once again to attempt to win his sixth NBA title."

"Shaquille O'Neal, a great player who has been becoming one of the biggest NBA stars in recent seasons, is trying to win his first NBA title after the end of the Chicago Bulls' reign."

"Kobe Bryant, who also became an NBA star after debuting in the NBA without even going through college, and the new NBA star who debuted this season and became the main player of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jake Smith."

The game's broadcast narrator began to excite basketball fans who were watching on television. Millions of Americans were eagerly awaiting to see if the Los Angeles Lakers could win this season.

"Inconsistent performance in the regular season led to no one expecting the New York Knicks to advance in this season's playoffs."

"But turbulence and mediocre results gave way to spectacular achievements in the playoffs and harmony within the team, which excited New York Knicks fans. Now, the Knicks have reached the NBA Finals and will try to win the NBA title this season."

"A team filled with unusual stars that lost its leader and biggest star before the important playoff games this season. However, the players of the New York Knicks never lost their heart, and they earned a spot in these NBA Finals."

"Now, let's see which of the two teams can overcome the nervousness and pressure of the expectation to win the NBA title. Let's now follow Game 1 of these NBA Finals."

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