Chapter 619: Pursuing the Routed Enemy with Divine Valor

Reggie Miller was boasting on TV, saying the Knicks’ championship was a foregone conclusion. The Lakers had no morale left. They seemed to accept defeat more easily than anyone had imagined. Perhaps only Kobe still believed he could pull off a miracle.

BEEP!

The whistle blew.

The game resumed.

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

This lineup made it perfectly clear: the Knicks were going on the offensive, and Su Xi was going to attack relentlessly.

The Lakers’ starting lineup was: Farmar, Kobe, Odom, Kwame Brown, and Yao Ming.

At this point in the series, the Lakers had no new tricks up their sleeve.

Just as Reggie Miller said, they were mentally prepared to be crushed.

SWAT!

Milicic won the tip-off against Yao Ming.

Su Xi brought the ball up the court. Stopping a few feet behind the three-point line, he pulled up and shot.

SWISH!

The three-pointer sank through the net.

It was all about building unstoppable momentum!

Madison Square Garden Arena instantly erupted!

A deafening roar of “MVP! MVP!” echoed throughout the arena.

After the shot, Su Xi held up three fingers.

An incredibly dominant gesture.

Su Xi never went easy on anyone. He was known for pressing his advantage, never showing mercy.

On the other end, Su Xi immediately locked onto Farmar.

Farmar struggled to bring the ball past half-court before quickly passing it to Kobe.

But the pass was too telegraphed. Su Xi leaped up and snatched the ball right out of the air.

He charged downcourt and, before Kobe could catch up, fired off another three-pointer from the wide-open floor!

SWISH!

The three-pointer was good.

With two consecutive threes, Su Xi had ignited the momentum right from the start.

The entire crowd howled with excitement.

It was like being at a rock star’s concert.

The ESPN camera cut to David Stern, who was sitting courtside.

He wore a professional smile.

It was obvious that he was proud and pleased with the current situation.

Su Xi hadn’t been his intended project at first; he had planned to build up James as the future ruler of the league. But then Su Xi burst onto the scene. As Su Xi’s influence grew, the NBA’s global map was completely redrawn. His standing in Asia reached incredible heights, and he became a massive draw in North America as well.

A league needs both competitive balance and a strong standard-bearer.

It needs a ruler.

When these two elements complement each other, the league can reach its commercial peak.

That’s how it was during the Jordan era.

Now, he believed the Su Xi era had begun.

Although Su Xi was fearsome, winning four consecutive championships right off the bat and thoroughly dominating all the existing powerhouses, David Stern wasn’t worried at all. He believed the league could definitely build new powerhouses to rival Su Xi and the Knicks. In fact, he was already taking action. He needed to build a golden age.

At the very least, he had to establish a few strong top-tier teams.

As for the rest… they could just follow the 80/20 rule.

The game continued.

Su Xi’s back-to-back three-pointers were a rude awakening for the Lakers. What little fighting spirit the less determined Lakers players had managed to muster was already being depleted.

Kobe personally took control of the ball.

However, Su Xi wasn’t guarding him anymore.

He left him to Stephen Jackson and Ariza.

Kobe went one-on-one against Jackson. He made a quick decision, drawing the double-team, and the moment he saw Yao Ming get open, he passed the ball.

But the pass was a little too low.

In the instant Yao Ming bent down to pick it up, Su Xi shot in like a bolt of lightning and forcibly snatched the ball right out of his hands.

He then launched a fast break.

When Su Xi reached the three-point line and faked a shot, the entire Lakers defense instinctively lunged at him.

Su Xi just flicked his wrist, and the ball flew into the paint.

Ariza caught the ball, leaped up, and threw down a two-handed dunk!

8-0.

The ESPN camera cut to Phil Jackson’s face. He looked helpless and frustrated, but at the same time, there was a strange sense of calm. It was as if he had completely given up.

And so, he didn’t call a timeout, letting the game continue.

Kobe went one-on-one against Jackson and hit a turnaround jumper.

On the other end, with Kobe guarding him, Su Xi drove straight into the paint. He leaped into the air and glided, evading the pursuing Kobe and Yao Ming. He floated from one side of the rim to the other, then elegantly flicked the ball in with a reverse layup… by then, all the defenders had already come down.

SWISH!

The ball dropped gracefully through the hoop.

Su Xi’s performance, executed with such effortless grace, captivated all the viewers watching at home. During the slow-motion replay, many even jumped to their feet and applauded.

So awesome!

That move from Su Xi was the perfect embodiment of style and grace.

Sitting at the ESPN commentary desk, even Larry Brown couldn’t help but say, “His individual skill has truly reached the pinnacle of basketball history.”

That wasn’t a jinx.

It was a heartfelt sentiment, spoken in that very moment.

Beside him, Reggie Miller just smiled.

He said to Larry Brown, “So, between Jack’s move just now and Jordan, who do you think is more impressive?”

Larry Brown fell silent. He didn’t say a word.

But in reality, his silence was an answer in itself.

‘What’s there to hesitate about? As a member of the North Carolina System, can’t you just unequivocally say that Michael Jordan is better?’ At least, Michael Jordan was not happy watching this on TV. He thought Larry Brown had changed, had gone soft.

Just then, the slow-motion replay was shown again.

Jordan thought about it seriously. ‘At best, he’s on my level.’

Madison Square Garden Arena was in an uproar, with all the fans screaming.

Amidst the screams, Su Xi smiled and gave a wave.

He was calm and composed.

But that dominant aura was already deeply etched into everyone’s minds.

The game continued.

The Lakers did not create their so-called miracle.

The deficit they faced was growing, not shrinking.

Kobe was fighting hard, and Yao Ming was trying his best too.

But their teammates were already thinking about fishing in the Pacific Ocean and the girls at the nightclubs.

They felt there was no need to keep fighting.

They were going to lose anyway, so why drag it out for another game?

Everyone knows how to do the math.

In contrast, the Knicks were fired up. They were thinking about similar things, but with the addition of a championship, flowers, and glory. So, they played even harder, more eager to finish the job in one fell swoop.

By the end of the first half, the Knicks led 62-46, a 16-point advantage.

This result sent the home crowd into an even greater frenzy, and the atmosphere became electric.

During an interview, Isaiah Thomas could confidently say, “We haven’t made preparations for a Game 5, nor have we booked any flights to Los Angeles.”

“We’re ending this tonight.”

“In fact, it’s no secret. You can ask any fan in Madison Square Garden Arena; they all know our plan.”

“I’m very satisfied with all the players’ performances. I just feel like Jack didn’t quite maintain his excitement. He only scored 31 points in the first half.”

“I thought he was going for 80 in this game. But now it looks like the second half will turn into garbage time soon, and Jack will have to end his season with a mere fifty-something points.”

“This game pretty much settles a lot of debates. We have to accept the fact that Goat Su Xi is now a legend. He has surpassed Michael Jordan.”

At this point, Isaiah Thomas turned to the reporter and asked, “What do you think? What’s your take on this matter?”

The reporter hemmed and hawed, saying he didn’t know much about basketball.

Isaiah Thomas sneered, “No wonder ESPN is always nitpicking Jack.”

With that, he walked away.

The viewers at home were laughing their heads off.

It was an awkward moment in the ESPN broadcast booth as well.

It goes without saying who Isaiah Thomas was mocking.

Truly befitting the Smiling Assassin.

After a moment, only Reggie Miller spoke up: “Okay, let’s go to a commercial break. More exciting action coming right up, so don’t go away. We’ve also got the championship trophy presentation tonight.”