The locker room after the game was filled with the Pelicans' wild celebrations.

The Lakers were the strongest team in the league this year, and taking them down meant they had chewed through the toughest bone on their road to the championship.

Next, as long as they played normally and beat the Bucks, their four-peat would be in hand.

In this situation, it would be inappropriate for them not to celebrate.

While they were celebrating, Bucks fans on the hotline had already started a major battle with Pelicans fans.

One side was waiting for a four-peat, while the other side was clamoring that Giannis would lead the Bucks to surprise everyone.

After the Bucks cleanly swept the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks and Pelicans' Finals became the focus of fans' attention.

The Bucks had a better record than the Pelicans, so the first game of the Finals would be in Milwaukee.

The day before the game, the Pelicans team prepared to travel to Milwaukee, and Davis also traveled with the team.

After arriving in Milwaukee, the Pelicans arranged a routine training session that day, and Davis participated in all training except for full-court scrimmages.

His recovery was progressing as expected, and he was expected to be fully recovered and return in about a week.

After training that day, Stevens pulled Tang Tian aside to discuss tactics for the upcoming game against the Bucks.

As they were talking, someone knocked on the door, and it was Davis who came in.

Davis was a little surprised to see Tang Tian there, but quickly turned around and closed the door.

"Coach, I want to play in tomorrow's game."

Davis said after sitting down.

"Ad, don't rush. You'll be fully recovered in a week. There's a risk of returning now."

Stevens didn't agree after hearing that.

"Coach, I can play now. I'm fine."

As Davis spoke, he winked at Tang Tian, wanting him to speak up for him.

"Yeah, Brad's right. Your health is the most important thing, and you're only a few days away anyway, you can make the Finals."

However, Tang Tian didn't help Davis speak, but stood on Stevens' side.

This was also his consistent attitude towards his teammates' injuries.

Before, when Jokic was still on the team, he also wanted to play with an injury, but he stopped him.

"No, we've consumed too much in the previous games. We need to strike while the iron is hot. I can bring a lot of help to the team."

Davis had really been holding back for too long.

Stevens glanced at Tang Tian.

"I..."

Tang Tian was about to speak when Davis pushed him hard.

"Brad is the head coach, what he says counts."

Tang Tian said after him.

Based on his understanding of Stevens, Stevens wouldn't let Davis return.

"No."

Sure enough, Stevens still refused Davis.

He was a responsible coach.

There was no way, the head coach and the team leader both disagreed, Davis could only wait.

Davis left first, and Tang Tian and Stevens continued to analyze the tactics to play against the Bucks.

After more than half an hour, he also left the office.

But what he didn't expect was that Davis was still outside.

"I'm really fine. I've talked to the team doctor, and he said I only have a very, very small risk. You help me talk to Brad, I know he'll definitely listen to what you say."

Davis still hadn't given up.

"Do you want to be the next DeMarcus Cousins?"

Tang Tian looked at Davis's unwilling eyes and said seriously.

Cousins and Davis were alumni of Kentucky, and the two usually had some communication in private.

Tang Tian said it so seriously, Davis knew it was impossible.

Although he really wanted to play, he could only hold back like celibacy.

With a big battle imminent, TNT's pre-game warm-up program was definitely indispensable.

"Who will be this year's champion" and "What will the score of the Finals be like" were all topics discussed by the TNT Big Three.

"Everyone thinks the Pelicans will beat the Lakers and win the championship is a foregone conclusion, but I think the Bucks are being underestimated."

Kenny Smith's point of view was more novel.

"They have the young Giannis, as well as a super scorer like Kyrie Irving, and two experienced All-Stars in Hayward and Horford. More importantly, they have a very good chemical reaction. They completed sweeps in three consecutive rounds in the Eastern Conference playoffs, 12-0, a very proud record."

"So you think the Bucks will win the championship?"

O'Neal asked.

"No."

Smith's answer made Barkley and O'Neal laugh.

Smith performed a series of fierce operations, and finally told them that he was a 250?

"What I mean is that this year's Finals will be very intense. Considering Ad's absence, I expect the game to go to the sixth or even seventh game. The two teams have the same chance of winning."

Smith felt that the two teams had a 50-50 chance.

"No, the game will only go to five games at most, and four games at the fastest."

O'Neal immediately said his prediction.

"If it's not that result, then that means you watched the Western Conference Finals for nothing. Do you think the Bucks can be stronger than the Lakers? You overestimate them too much!"

Moreover, his attitude was quite firm.

"I'm standing with Shaq. The Pelicans have been beaten into shape by the Lakers. Whether there's Ad or not, the Bucks won't last long."

Barkley followed his principle of choosing Tang if there was Tang.

Smith spread his hands, it was useless for him to resist the two guys who weighed more than 500 pounds combined.

This TNT program was probably also the support rate of fans on social media.

Except for Bucks fans, all the other fans felt that the Pelicans had crossed the Lakers and achieved a four-peat was a foregone conclusion.

But whether it was pre-game predictions or fans' judgments, there were no results before the game was over.

And the Finals officially kicked off the next day.

The streets and alleys of Milwaukee were filled with enthusiastic fans.

Milwaukee was a notoriously small city. Tang Tian had heard Fagan mention his disdain for the city more than once.

That was also the reason why Fagan, as Yi Jianlian's agent, strongly opposed him coming to this city.

Facts proved that Fagan's vision was right. If Yi Jianlian had started his career in a big city with a professional team, his career might have been more successful.

The Bucks' glory could be traced back to the 1970s, when the team won its only championship led by "Skyhook" Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and "Big O" Oscar Robertson.

After entering the new century, this team was basically a weak team, including the period when Yi Jianlian was there.

In the post-Yi Jianlian era, the Bucks were lucky enough to pick up Giannis Antetokounmpo, which gave them a chance to rise again.

Especially this year, with James going west, they became the new overlords of the East.

Just like Kenny Smith said, although the East was weak, the 12-0 record could still explain a lot.

In other words, in the eyes of Bucks fans, they had a chance to beat the Pelicans and win the second championship trophy in history.

Moreover, it was more than 40 years apart, just like the Warriors back then.