In the world of basketball, winning a championship has always been a matter of luck. Even strong teams will inevitably encounter some unexpected situations that will affect their eventual championship dreams. Recently, NBA legend LeBron James put forward such an interesting point in his podcast - the Nuggets were able to win the championship in large part thanks to some luck. He used the Nuggets' selection of Porter Jr. as an example to tell everyone.
What happened to Porter Jr
We have to admit that the addition of Porter Jr. was indeed a huge blessing for the Nuggets. Before entering the NBA, Porter Jr. was a high-profile potential star and was seen as a favorite for the future No. 1 pick. His physical condition was greatly affected by an unfortunate back surgery, which eventually led to a significant drop in his ranking in the draft.
It was at this juncture that the Nuggets seized the golden opportunity and selected Porter Jr. with a relatively low pick. At first, there were doubts about the move, believing that Porter Jr.'s injury would seriously affect his prospects in the NBA. But no one could have imagined that Porter Jr. would not only quickly regain his peak form, but also form a perfect inside and outside combination with the other two leading stars of the Nuggets, Jokic and Murray, and become a key factor in the team's victory.
Luck in the Grand Final
In addition to the addition of Porter Jr., James also gave another example of the importance of luck in winning championships. That is, in the recently concluded Finals, although the Nuggets made a pretty good defense against the Lakers, the Lakers' star Murray still hit two killer shots in a row at a critical moment, putting the Nuggets in a crisis of being equalized.
From this example, we can see that even a strong team can inevitably suffer from some luck when it comes to crunch time. There are so many variables on the basketball court that any small accident can change the direction of the game. On the road to winning the championship, luck is indispensable.
Coalition manipulation of the game?
In addition to luck, there have also been some who have questioned whether the NBA is suspected of manipulating the game. Former NBA star Arenas has publicly accused that in the Lakers' game against the Nuggets, the bookmaker's odds changed dramatically, and the referee's blowing penalty also changed, which ultimately led to the Lakers being knocked out. This undoubtedly casts doubt on the impartiality of the Alliance.
Considerations of the commercial interests of the Alliance
Arenas believes that the NBA is more of an entertainment business than pure basketball. When making decisions, leagues often take into account commercial interests, such as promoting star players to attract more attention. From this point of view, it is not unreasonable to question whether the league will manipulate some game results to cater to popular preferences.
It is not easy to confirm this, and more evidence is needed to support it. At present, the NBA is still relatively cautious in dealing with this aspect of the problem, after all, if it is caught manipulating the game, it will bring a devastating blow to the league. Let's go back to James's words, the importance of luck in winning the championship is undeniable.
Through James's words, it is not difficult to find that luck is indispensable on the road to pursuing the dream of a championship. Whether it's the addition of Porter Jr., or some key balls in the finals, it confirms this. Of course, we can't make a conclusion about whether the league is suspected of manipulating the game for the time being, and more evidence is needed to support it. But it is undeniable that luck is irreplaceable in winning the championship, as has been proven by countless examples throughout history. I believe that luck will continue to be an important factor in the direction of the game.