LeBron James, your house got robbed.

Multimedia room, quick loan center.

As Chen Shuo appeared, the previously restless reporters gradually quieted down, and their cameras were pointed at the stage to capture footage.

The league selected this game for a nationally televised broadcast, naturally because of the long-standing feud between the Cavaliers and LeBron James.

But the reporters in the audience all understood that this would be a one-sided massacre.

With Varejao and Jamison absent, the Cavaliers face a Heat team with its Big Three at full strength. On paper, it's a game with no suspense.

Moreover, James will definitely step up his game and sweep the Cavaliers this season in order to change his public image.

So if you want exciting material, you can only hope for something outside the venue.

The Chinese general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, whether it's his dramatic rise to power or his various statements about LeBron James, always manages to make headlines.

Chen Shuo naturally understood what the reporters were thinking, and with a smile, he pulled over the microphone and said:

"Guys, we can begin."

The Black female reporter with neat, short hair cut to her ears was the first to ask a question:

"Chen, what's your opinion on the outcome of this match?"

Information about this reporter surfaced in Chen Shuo's memory.

Alva Fields, senior reporter for the Cleveland Plain News.

After Windhorst left with James, Alva became one of the Cavaliers' regular reporters, or team reporters in common parlance.

Generally, interviews with the home team begin with the team reporter asking some standard questions.

A short time ago, Amy gave Chen Shuo a document containing a standard answer to this question, which was obviously communicated in advance by the public relations department.

Chen Shuo only glanced at it casually at the time, but with his photographic memory, he could still remember the general meaning.

However, such a standard answer cannot guarantee a good position.

That's a good question.

"I'm here today to answer this question."

Professional instincts and a keen sense of smell put the reporters on high alert, with flashbulbs going off incessantly.

Linda, the head of public relations, looked puzzled. Something seemed off about her tone. She turned her gaze to Amy on the other side.

The confusion in Amy's eyes was no less than Linda's.

"Linda, I swear, I brought him that document."

"At that time..."

Before Amy could finish speaking, she heard a familiar voice from the media room, calm yet firm:

"We will definitely win this game."

"I promise"

Alva was taken aback, not expecting Chen Shuo to answer in such an unconventional way.

The follow-up questions that I had prepared were unable to be asked in time.

Another reporter quickly seized the opportunity.

Jason Forman, *The Boston Herald*

Chen Shuo smiled and gestured for the other person to ask a question.

"If I'm not mistaken, you used the word 'definitely' in your previous answer."

Chen Shuo didn't rush to speak, giving the audience a brief pause before continuing:

"I don't deny any of the words in my answer. Should I repeat them?"

Jason quickly pressed on, asking:

"As we all know, there is a huge gap between the two teams' rosters, and the Cavaliers have lost all three of their previous games."

"As the team's general manager, you must know these facts."

Chen Shuo gently rubbed his fingers. The stage was set up; it was time to perform.

"I acknowledge that there is a gap between the two teams' rosters, after all, there is an Akron-born local player who previously fled to the South Coast."

"But basketball is never just a contest of roster numbers on paper, otherwise we wouldn't need to have players flying around."

"We only need to compare the lineups to determine the winner of the match, right?"

Just as Jason was about to explain, Chen Shuo interrupted him and continued:

"The Cavaliers are bound to win because they have every reason to win."

"Fans started gathering outside the stadium three hours ago. Most of them didn't even have tickets; they just came to support the team today."

"The players will give their all for this city tonight. This is about Cleveland's honor; there's no turning back."

Jason finally got his chance to speak.

"I don't deny what you said, and I have great respect for Cleveland fans, but perhaps you should watch more game footage."

"What you said, just like Gilbert's letter, stirred up the fans' emotions, only to disappoint them time and time again."

"By the way, Gilbert also told the residents of Cleveland in that letter that James wouldn't win a championship before the Cavaliers."

"However, in ESPN's latest predictions, the Heat have the best chance of winning the championship, and James will soon get what he wants."

"The Cavaliers are having their worst season in franchise history."

Time will tell the truth to the fans.

This statement implies that Chen Shuo completely misunderstands football and intends to drag Gilbert down with him, clearly leaving no room for compromise.

Generally speaking, when reporters press for answers, they will stop once they have gathered enough material; this is a tacit understanding that has been agreed upon.

Chen Shuo carefully examined Jason's appearance.

With deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and a slender build, he was a typical white man from New England, a descendant of the Anglo-Puritans.

This is not hard to understand.

Chen Shuo's stereotypes about this group of people are that they are conservative, mean, and racist; perhaps this person has also received a lot of PR bribes.

Unexpectedly, discrimination and malice can turn into a good thing at the right time.

Jason's aggressive words gave Chen Shuo a platform to continue his performance.

Although Jason did indeed harbor malicious intentions, everything he said was true.

Gilbert's curse in that letter was later proven to be a joke, as the Heat won the championship in 12.

Chen Shuo shouted various slogans, but they were all unoriginal and lacked any power. No matter how hard the fans tried, it was still the players on the court who were playing.

Jason never expected, nor could he have imagined, that Chen Shuo knew the outcome of the match in advance.

The matchup between the Heat and the Cavaliers in the 10-11 season attracted much attention. Although Chen Shuo did not watch the games that year, he still remembers that the two sides had wins and losses against each other.

In other words, the Cavaliers won at least one game, and the Heat won the previous three games, so today's result was no surprise.

Therefore, Chen Shuo's definitive declaration of victory at the press conference was merely an attempt to gain more leverage in front of Cleveland fans and Gilbert.

Unexpectedly, Jason actually gave himself the opportunity to expand his gains.

To the reporters, Chen Shuo's thoughtful expression suggested that Jason had hit a nerve, leaving him awkwardly speechless, while most of them were gloating.

He even overheard people whispering and betting on when he would step down.

This gave Chen Shuo some inspiration.

He looked down at Jason, who was beaming with pride and was quite satisfied with his performance that day.

The fact that the NBA has a Black management team is bad enough, but Gilbert, that idiot, actually appointed a Chinese person as general manager. Today, I'll set things right.

"Jason, I believe in the Cavaliers players, and I believe even more in the power of the Cleveland fans. Tonight, we stand together through thick and thin."

When he said this, Chen Shuo's expression was devout and fanatical, which was captured by countless cameras.

"Before that, I'd like to make a bet with you."

Jason was clearly a little confused, looking at Chen Shuo on the stage.

If I heard correctly, you were just questioning my professionalism.

"Now I'm giving you a chance."

"If the Cavaliers lose this game today, I will resign and leave the team."

"As for you, I expect to pay the same price."

……

The main venue, Quick Loan Center.

"From Akron St. Vincent-Marie High School—6-foot-9 forward—LeBron James—"

A chorus of boos erupted and continued, directed at the first away player to take the field under the flashing lights.

Nearly 20,000 Cleveland fans are on high alert, ready to receive this special treatment whenever James touches the ball in the upcoming game.

Boos are not as deafening as cheers, but they are more penetrating, provocative, and insulting, making people extremely irritable.

The VIP boxes in the stadium are usually soundproofed, but you can still feel the resentment and anger of the fans at this moment.

Gilbert sat on the velvet sofa, watching the visiting team players take the stage one by one, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

Chen Shuo also looked towards the stadium, but his peripheral vision kept glancing at Gilbert.

His hair was combed back into a slicked-back style, his face was square and serious, his eyes were sharp, and he was wearing a well-fitting leather jacket.

He is capable and shrewd, with a somewhat old-fashioned air.

As far as I remember, Gilbert preferred watching from the sidelines, where he could better experience the atmosphere of competitive sports and also put on a show for the fans.

It's no exaggeration to say that the lives of capitalists at this level are like a play; they put on a show at almost every public appearance.

The political realities of the United States, determined by voters, are an essential foundation for American elites, whether they are running for Congress, Governor, President, or running a business.

This match was unusual; the players stayed in the VIP box to watch, clearly indicating they didn't think their team could win and were therefore avoiding direct confrontation.

When Gilbert turned to look at him, Chen Shuo knew that the other man was about to speak.

"Chen, perhaps you need to give me some reasons."

"The position of general manager should not be your gamble."

Chen Shuo could feel Gilbert's deliberate pressure. His sharp eyes narrowed as he stared directly at Chen Shuo, and the wrinkles on his forehead tightened as if he were exerting force.

"Of course, my boss."

Chen Shuo paused briefly, not in a hurry to answer.

Those platitudes to fool reporters and the media were clearly not the answer Gilbert wanted.

Based on previous rumors, it's a foregone conclusion that Chen Shuo will be fired at the end of this season.

Even if Gilbert were to leave early because of this bet, it wouldn't be a loss for him; in fact, it would be more natural.

At this moment, Gilbert's apparent pressure seems more like a helpless act driven to a desperate situation.

Gilbert probably desperately hoped that he had some unknown reason for daring to cause trouble in front of the media.

Grant remained silent on the other side, showing no intention of speaking.

In his view, all of this was just Chen Shuo's struggle before being dismissed from his post.

Everything will get back on track, and the mistakes will be corrected.

Although Gilbert had not said it explicitly before, many of his actions had indirectly suggested that he was the obvious choice for general manager next season, and he had repeatedly affirmed his own actions.

Just as Gilbert was losing his composure, Chen Shuo's voice finally appeared slowly.

"First of all, this is a nationally televised game, and it's also the last game of the season for both teams."

"The league has put a lot of effort into promoting this series of matches, so the refereeing might be somewhat biased."

Gilbert nodded slightly; even the fans knew this.

Chen Shuo spread his arms wide and boldly presented his conclusion:

"Therefore, this game won't be a one-sided affair; at least until the fourth quarter, we won't fall too far behind."

By working backward from the results, although it is difficult to obtain specific details, it is not hard to infer some general content.

If the Heat have a large lead after the first three quarters, it will be very difficult for the Cavaliers to come back and win the game given their current roster.

Gilbert stared intently, pondering to himself, before looking at Chen Shuo and pressing him for an answer:

"While Stern may instruct the referees to control the game, he won't do it in a particularly deliberate or obvious way."

"With our current lineup, even if the referee were willing to help us, there's no guarantee we could keep the score close, right?"

Following Gilbert's gaze, Chen Shuo glanced at the Cavaliers' bench, where Varejao and Jamison were sitting on the sidelines.

After the two teams lost their first match of the season, many players refused to be interviewed, and Varejao even teared up when facing the camera.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury early in the season and was sidelined for the rest of the season, so he could only watch from the sidelines in this game.

The current Cavaliers' starting lineup wouldn't even qualify for a rotation spot on a top team.

But Chen Shuo had to make amends for this statement.

"Dan, your considerations are not without merit."

"But when our beloved Son of Akron is on the field, everything changes."

Chen Shuo's words were full of sarcasm, and the Cavaliers executives in the private room almost simultaneously cast strange glances at him.

Grant's eyes flashed with disdain; this guy had risen to power by attacking James.

He simply didn't believe the Cavaliers could win this game.

After whetting everyone's appetite, Chen Shuo finally revealed his reason.

"It is well known that LeBron possesses historic physical gifts, but his ball-handling skills have obvious flaws."

"He frequently commits traveling violations on the court, sometimes even taking seven or eight steps."

"In most cases, the referee will turn a blind eye."

"But today, the situation may be different."

As soon as Chen Shuo finished speaking, a cheer erupted from the audience.

Everyone in the private room looked up at the replay.

James launched a fast break early, received a long pass from Wade, took the lead, and slammed a one-handed dunk towards the home team's basket.

Next came his signature domineering celebration, but unfortunately the referee had already blown the whistle, and he spun his arms around, making a traveling violation gesture.

James looked puzzled, spread his hands, and chased after the referee, asking questions repeatedly.

"Why?"