Chapter 590 - 86: [What If I’m Also a One-in-10,000 Genius?]

"Why are we always the ones who win?"

Isaiah Thomas was bombastic at the post-game press conference. "Why are they called the strongest in the East, yet they’ve now lost to us four straight times? Is it a coincidence?"

"Why does LeBron get injured every time he plays the Knicks? Is it a mere coincidence, or is it destiny?"

"Should we really be afraid of the Cavaliers?"

Isaiah Thomas spread his arms wide at the press conference, projecting the air of the King of New York.

When he said this, the reporters present even burst into applause.

This was New York; most people supported the Knicks.

The more arrogant Isaiah Thomas acted, the more they loved it.

Thomas was so outrageous, but Mike Brown was very low-key. At his post-game press conference, he simply emphasized LeBron’s unexpected injury and his team’s lack of chemistry in transition.

As for anything else, they had no comment.

They didn’t say a word about the Knicks sweeping them for the season, either.

’What could they possibly say?’

The only thing they could say was that the Cavaliers hadn’t given it their all.

But saying something like that would just invite widespread ridicule.

So it was better to say nothing at all, to just pretend they hadn’t heard.

Lest someone throw the line back at them: "Why are you always the one getting hurt?"

Milicic became the focus of the basketball media after the game. His incredible triple-double allowed the world to see his true talent finally blossom.

No one was calling him a bust anymore.

He’d gotten that triple-double against O’Neal, and his game was incredibly versatile.

Moreover, the media widely believed he was pioneering a new way to play the center position.

Of course, some also said his success was inseparable from the Knicks’ system. Without it, they claimed, he would still be useless.

That kind of talk sounded familiar.

In the past, they said the same thing about Su Xi.

Of course, that didn’t mean Milicic would one day reach the same heights as Su Xi.

However, Milicic’s "claims" were subjected to the same level of scrutiny.

The media put this center, who had just made a strong resurgence with an incredible triple-double, under a microscope. He actually wanted to help the Knicks reclaim first place? He actually wanted to help Su Xi win a third consecutive MVP?

The media was suddenly abuzz with discussion.

Theoretically, it was possible for the Knicks to reclaim first place.

After all, there were still eight games left.

In the recent marquee matchup, the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, closing the gap in the standings.

Next up, they would face the Magic.

Could they hold off the Magic?

After all, the Magic were the most aggressive, hard-charging team out there.

It became a hot topic in the media.

This also prompted TNT to change its broadcast schedule and nationally televise this back-to-back game, a battle for the top spot in the East.

The Magic Team had risen rapidly since that trade, earning praise from across the nation.

The Knicks, on the other hand, had seen their record decline after that same trade, and many were pointing fingers.

Now, Milicic had issued a rallying cry to right the ship.

Everyone was waiting to see: could he succeed?

Could he back up his talk, just like Goat Su Xi?

BEEP!

The back-to-back game arrived.

On TNT’s national broadcast, fans watching at home saw the starters from both teams walk to center court.

The Knicks’ starting lineup tonight was: Milicic, David Lee, Stephen Jackson, Trevor Ariza, and Su Xi.

This was a brand new lineup the Knicks had tailor-made for the Magic Team.

Stephen Jackson and Trevor Ariza were tasked with guarding the two "Jordan successors."

Su Xi was matched up against Turkoglu.

David Lee and Millsap had a score to settle.

Milicic was up against Dwight Howard. He used to be Howard’s backup. Now, he wanted to prove that the number two pick from 2003 was better than the number one pick from 2004. He was aiming to be the best center in the East.

He had already defeated O’Neal. If he could now take down the rising star, Howard, he’d be more than halfway there.

TAP!

Using his height advantage, Milicic tapped the ball to Su Xi, who immediately caught it and quickly pushed the ball upcourt.

Hardaway was defending Su Xi. Su Xi shook him with a single crossover, then exploded forward, driving to the basket with incredible power and speed. Hardaway was getting old, after all.

He couldn’t keep up.

Their only hope lay in Dwight Howard’s formidable defensive abilities.

In fact, this was the Magic Team’s basic defensive strategy: let Howard help on everything. If an opponent drove inside, it was Howard’s job to stop them.

But the threat Su Xi posed was on a completely different level from the other guards Howard routinely and brutally shut down.

As Su Xi attacked the paint, Howard braced himself as if facing a formidable foe.

When Su Xi jumped, Howard quickly lunged to block him. But when they collided in mid-air, Howard didn’t get the better of the exchange, despite his formidable upper-body strength and incredible leaping ability.

Su Xi knocked him aside and threw the ball off the backboard. Milicic flew in from the side, grabbing the ball with both hands... BOOM!

The dunk was ferocious.

Su Xi could have made the layup himself, but there was no need.

Why not set Milicic up for the slam dunk?

The game continued.

The Magic Team’s offensive tempo was also fast. Hardaway played cautiously while being guarded by Ariza, whose defensive skills were improving every year. Ariza had already become an elite 3-and-D player in the league.

Meanwhile, Su Xi was sticking to Turkoglu, making it difficult for him to even get his hands on the ball.

Likewise, Stephen Jackson was locked in a physical battle with Hill.

Eventually, Hardaway passed the ball to Millsap.

Millsap took on David Lee in isolation.

Millsap made a powerful drive inside before pulling up for a jump shot.

David Lee stayed in perfect defensive position. Perhaps it was his ’hatred’ that gave his defensive abilities a major boost. He was tired of the media endlessly hyping up how great Millsap was.