Sunset Safi: The Intro

[MexicanMamba]

A once black screen comes to life.  Split down the center by a bold white line.  On both sides are similar images.  Screaming fans, all standing on their feet with great anticipation.   Basketball courts, the left decked in purple and gold, the right with vibrant red and white.  Block lettering shows up on each side. 

5/26/2058
Los Angeles, CA
League Finals
Game 1
4th Quarter

5/30/2058
Houston, TX
League Finals
Game 4
4th Quarter

First the screens are silent, but sound softly filters in at first, getting louder with each passing moment.  On both sides, though the jersey colors differ, it is side out, Lakers ball.  Thomas Walker holds the ball from out of bounds and waits for the referee to get play started again.  The Crowd is alive, the players are exhausted, and the announce team sounds as if they are on pins and needles. 

"Side out, Lakers, with only seconds to go in this tense Finals matchup. Rockets up by 1, trying to steal game 1 from Los Angeles."

"A familiar scene, with a tie game, and the Lakers preparing to come up with a play to win it."

"This is what basketball is all about!"

The last line is nearly in unison from both sides. 

The whistle blows and the balls are inbounded.  The passes are crisp and fly from side to side until they hit the hands of the Johnny Davis doppelgangers.  The Davises waste no time at the the point of attack when the ball finds them.  They blow by a pair of Sion Jameses to the right before hitting a quick crossover left and head down the lane.  Two Rockets collapse and The Johnny's smirk through the tension.  Off one foot then shifting their bodies midair.  The final passes are smooth and well placed. 

Safi pulls the trigger almost instantaneously.

The balls linger in the air for what seems like an eternity. 

The net makes the most beautiful sound that any basketball player can hear as the balls SWISH through. 


On the left, an eruption of elation. On the right, the sight of oxygen being forcefully sucked out of 18,000 people at once. 

"SAFI DOES IT/AGAIN!"

"LAKERS WIN!"
"LAKERS WIN!"
"LAKERS WIN!"

The sounds and sights fade away again momentarily.  When they come back it's an image of Safi Fino-A-Laself, Playoff MVP, holding both the MVP Finals and Championship trophies tight, tears streaming down his face and a smile plastered to it. 

To Black Again. 

A voice over.



Thirteen.

That's a number of seasons with one organization that isn't typical in this league.  In a world where players are more commodity than person, it's a rarity.  The Los Angeles organization, in particular with this management group, has been especially fluid with all of their youth and players, flipping and swapping on a whim. 

Safi has been different. 

He initially did not come into this league or this organization with expectations that he'd reach the heights that he has.  Though a first round pick, a lottery pick at that, he wasn't in the top 5 and definitely wasn't looked at as a future franchise changer. 

The road to becoming one wasn't easy.  There were seasons of sitting in street clothes, asked to do nothing but learn the game, learn his teammates, work out, and practice, practice, practice.  There were plenty of frustrating moments as he waited for his time. 

It came in his 4th season.  He went at everyone on the roster every single day at practice and was ready to unleash all of that pent-up aggression on someone else.  And that he did.  He was averaging 18 points per game, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and cruising towards a rookie of the year award.  The first of many awards he planned to get. 

Then injuries got in the way.  A disappointing end to a promising season.

A phrase that Safi's Lakers would become uncomfortably familiar with. 

After watching his teammates miss the postseason that first season in the league, Safi has never again missed the tournament.  He's seen the conference finals 8 times.  He's seen the Finals 5 times.  He's collected his trophy case: All-Defense, All-League, All-Star, and MVP. 

But the ring continued to allude him. 

The black screen comes to life again, showing the purple and gold confetti dropping all around Safi as he hugs fellow long time Laker, Paolo Banchero.  Championship hats sitting on both of their heads as they wave out into a crowd of Lakers fans who made the trip to Houston for the clinching game. 

"WOOOOOÒOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Safi's voice echoes and fades away.  The scene shifts.  He's now in street clothes, sitting in the backseat of a moving vehicle, the city of Los Angeles flying past the window beside him.  Championship trophy safely tucked away next to him in the car. 

"This league, man.  This journey, too." He shakes his head. "It's Fryeing tough. People say this kind of tired stuff a lot, but, looking back at it all? It sure does make this especially sweet."

Quick flashes of moments during this run. 

Draft night. #8 overall. A Clippers jersey held up during the photo. 

The Rookie season injury.

Losing to the Bucks in 6 games.

Getting swept by the Grizzlies after winning 71 games.

Karlo Pearson and Evan Mobley watching in street clothes as the Nets move past them and the Warriors win the championship. 

Coming back and losing at home to the Warriors the next season in Game 7 in the Finals. 

Losing to the Bucks in 6 again, this time as a 1 seed.

Getting smoked by the Rockets in the Finals.

Paolo Banchero staring into space as the Lakers lose to the Bulls on the way to another championship for the most dominant franchise. 

Black.

The sound of a flatline.  The long beep. 

A pause. 

Then one beep.

Another. 

Another
Another
Another

New life. 

Safi holding Johnny up as they celebrate toppling the Bulls in game 7.

Safi hitting a game winner in Game 1 over MVP Herb Jones vs the Pacers to set the tone.

Two Safi game winners in games 1 and 4 vs Houston. Again. 

Confetti.
Champagne.
Cigars.
Parade.
Rings.

Safi's voice.

"Nah, man. I wouldn't change a damn thing."


Now.

What's next?

Safi's Lakers are still his, but the expectations and the players are looking vastly different.  Hub, Davis, Harper, all gone, taking opportunities to play out their careers in other cities, hoping for instant gratification.  Banchero still around but the subject of constant trade chatter and rumors.  An influx of youth. 

What will these Lakers look like? And how will the reigning Playoff MVP handle all of these changes?

That's what we're here to find out.  Join us during this brand new world of a season as we follow Safi Fino-A-Laself as he navigates a youth movement in Los Angeles, tries to embrace his new mentor role, and the lack of championship expectations. 

Practice
Meetings
Locker rooms
Hotels
Media sessions
Games

We'll bring it to you as the season unfolds.

"Could this be the end of my time in Los Angeles? It could.  But not yet.  And if it is? It was one hell of a way to wind things down."

Stay Tuned.

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[greepleairport]

~1200 words, +5pts