Moreover, it's different now from the 60s—back then the league had fewer than 10 teams, players weren't the best in the world, and it only took two rounds in the playoffs to reach the championship.
The NBA's influence hadn't even expanded nationwide, mostly just impacting the Northeast and a small part of the West Coast.
Now, the NBA has nearly 30 teams, encompassing the best players globally, with its fame spreading worldwide as the top basketball league.
Portland's championship definitely carries a different weight.
In the eyes of Portland fans, whether it's the Knicks or the Pacers reaching the finals from the East, they wouldn't be a match for the Trail Blazers.
The Bulls and Jordan are gone, leaving no one to threaten the Trail Blazers and Ah Gan.
When the buzzer sounded, the score was frozen at 110:101, with both sides letting loose at the end, the points surging upward.
