Chapter 595 - 88: Game 7

This was his glory.

In fact, the Indiana Pacers had already forbidden players from wearing Su Xi’s jersey number.

Even though Su Xi was only a fourth-year player, there was already a consensus in Indiana to retire his jersey.

Some even said it was a surer bet than retiring Reggie Miller’s jersey.

Reggie Miller was commentating on the game, and he was torn.

But in the end, he chose to support Su Xi, believing he could lead the Knicks further. He was cheering Su Xi on in his quest for a fourth consecutive championship.

And that was exactly how the game played out.

The Knicks controlled the game from the start, maintaining their lead until the very end.

During the broadcast, Larry Brown was taciturn, rarely speaking.

He seldom offered subjective opinions on the players, limiting himself to tactical analysis.

He was incredibly terse.

But it made for great television.

The fans absolutely loved watching Larry Brown commentate on Knicks games.

Especially during halftime, when the camera cut to his face.

You could truly feel the meaning of wanting to cry but having no tears.

Larry Brown’s reputation had been utterly destroyed by Su Xi and the Knicks. Oh, and Milicic.

Milicic’s success was a fatal blow to Larry Brown.

He once worked at North Carolina. This led some to speculate whether Su Xi had been rejected by the University of North Carolina back in the day... Uh, yes. That was indeed the case. Wimms had tried to bring Little Sheep Su Xi with him to join North Carolina, but they refused.

So, conspiracy theorists claimed this was the real reason Little Sheep Su Xi considered Jordan and Larry Brown thorns in his side.

Su Xi couldn’t be bothered with such talk.

It was meaningless to him.

The Knicks defeated the Pacers in Game 3, and then did the same in Game 4.

They won the series 4-0.

They became the first team from either the East or the West to advance to the conference finals.

Meanwhile, the Magic were still locked in a fierce battle with the Cavaliers.

They had each won their home games and were now preparing for the crucial tie-breaker, Game 5.

The media had exaggeratedly described the series’ excitement, calling it the best Eastern Conference Semifinals in history.

But Su Xi had watched the games, and he didn’t quite agree.

From a technical standpoint and in terms of hype, however, it certainly had its highlights.

The battle for the best center, the clash of number one draft picks, the conflict of tactical philosophies...

Su Xi watched the pivotal Game 5 with his arms around Megan Fox and Scarlett Johansson.

Although the media now portrayed him as an irresponsible man, Su Xi was actually very responsible.

He was currently orchestrating an epic reconciliation between Scarlett and Jessica.

The opportunity had now presented itself.

Huang Xiaoman’s trip to the United States had given them a great sense of ’crisis.’ Even though they had long known of her existence, before this, she was merely a legend.

Now, they were starting to worry about their status.

Fox and Scarlett even whispered in Su Xi’s ear, saying they hoped to have a group wedding.

It sounded romantic, but Su Xi felt that if this plan were ever exposed, it would trigger a devastating media firestorm.

Although the few internet companies Su Xi had invested in were now a part of people’s daily lives in every way...

But what if?

Su Xi was unwilling to do it. He preferred to enjoy his success in private.

The Cavaliers lost the pivotal Game 5.

Hardaway eliminated them with an incredible three-point buzzer-beater.

Even Su Xi leaped off his couch at that moment.

That shot was definitely one of the top five plays of the season.

Hardaway received the ball at mid-court, quickly shook off James, then passed to Hill. Hill pump-faked, drawing James’s defense, and passed back to Hardaway. As Hardaway caught the ball and shot, only O’Neal lunged at him.

But O’Neal failed to stop his old teammate.

Hardaway hit the all-important three-pointer for the Magic.

The Cavaliers were kicked to the edge of a cliff.

This was an unexpected result for the Cavaliers and their fans; they had actually lost on a game-winner on their home court.

Now, they had to find a way to salvage the series.

If they couldn’t win in Orlando, they would lose everything.

The Cavaliers projected the air of a cornered army destined for victory.

After the game, the media also criticized and disparaged them. It was obvious the media had high hopes for them, but they hadn’t expected them to fail to even get past the Magic.

How were they supposed to beat the Knicks?

If the Magic advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, it would be like handing the Knicks a free pass to the NBA Finals.

The whole world knew that when the Knicks played the Magic, it was like a college student playing against an elementary schooler.

The last time they faced off, the Knicks had completely dominated them.

And while the Cavaliers had lost all four regular-season games, there were extenuating circumstances for each loss. James had even been absent for the last two. So, people still held onto the fantasy that a full-strength Cavaliers team could definitely defeat the Knicks.

In this atmosphere, Game 6 began.

Su Xi watched Game 6 in the arms of Jessica Alba and Megan Fox.

In this game, the Cavaliers played very well. The referees, channeling the spirit of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, successfully officiated the Amway Center into feeling like the Cavaliers’ home court.

A few of the crucial calls made Su Xi’s scalp tingle.

In the end, the Cavaliers turned the game around, tying the series 3-3.

They were going to a Game 7.

The first Game 7 of this year’s playoffs.

Of course, it was incredibly eye-catching.

The attention was maxed out.

Moreover, they were the only two teams left that hadn’t decided a winner.

The matchup for the Western Conference Finals had already been decided.

Su Xi watched the Game 7 showdown alone.

Because Megan Fox had called a three-way meeting; the three Hollywood starlets had gone to a conference.

This was caught by the media, and many entertainment outlets had already started reporting: "American girls don’t cry! They have emerged from the playboy’s shadow and are joining forces to build their careers! Let Goat Su Xi go find his Chinese girlfriend, let him cry his eyes out!"

That’s just how the entertainment media is. They felt they had been wronged.

In reality, it was a deep-seated lack of confidence. If they were more confident, they would just go and win Little Sheep Su Xi back.

They couldn’t sleep with Su Xi, so they projected themselves onto the three Hollywood actresses, essentially fantasizing about him.

But then Su Xi found a Chinese girlfriend, and they couldn’t project themselves onto her. After all, her skin color and hair were different, so naturally, they were going to freak out.

Game 7 was spectacular.

Both sides played at their highest level.

The score was incredibly tight. From the very first second, both teams had fire in their eyes.

It seemed like they both wanted to annihilate the other.

As a spectator, even Su Xi could feel the suffocating intensity.

This game was a real slugfest.

At halftime, the Magic were leading by 8 points.

This was thanks to Grant Hill and Hardaway hitting back-to-back three-pointers near the end of the half.

The two "heirs to Jordan’s throne" played a crucial role in this series, and together, they put intense pressure on James.

For a moment, Su Xi thought that if things continued this way, the Magic’s chances of winning would be much higher than the home team Cavaliers.

However, just as the second half began...

Grant Hill started bleeding.

He took an elbow to the face from James. His nose was instantly crooked, and blood gushed out.

He managed to stop the bleeding and briefly returned to the court, but after just a few steps, it started again. He had to be taken out.

As he left, everyone saw his deep-set eyes filled with tears.

For Hill, this was supposed to be the highlight of his career.

But he had to leave like this.

His entire career had been a tragedy.

To think that even now, it would still end in tragedy.

Watching Hill’s tears on TV, Su Xi was deeply moved.

He knew how painful it was to have a dream shattered.

He suddenly felt that he should try to bring Hill to the Knicks next season.

But he didn’t know if Hill would be willing.

At that moment, the Magic were still fighting, playing with discipline and maintaining their lead.

Until the fourth quarter.