The Best Point Guard

Chapter 359: Chapter 108: The Pacers’ Road Trip

The Rockets’ apparent success was exposed as a sham.

They were in no position to go toe-to-toe with the Pacers. The Pacers had only lost to the San Antonio Spurs because Su Xi was having a bit too much fun bricking shots. The Rockets couldn’t offer that same challenge. Their defensive players were utter garbage, and Su Xi had no interest in padding his stats against them.

Time to play a more tactical game, then.

The moment they did, the Rockets were done for.

In the first quarter, the Rockets scored 21 points to the Pacers’ 33.

The Rockets managed 23 in the second quarter, but the Pacers’ score had already ballooned to 68 by halftime.

By halftime, the gap had widened to 24 points.

What was the point of even playing?

Tracy McGrady had a rough night, harassed relentlessly by Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. In the first half, the Rockets’ offense relied entirely on McGrady’s scoring.

As the second half began, Yao Ming’s stamina started to wane. He was constantly worn down by the Pacers’ rotation of big men—Foster, Batty, Spola, and Harrison—and his performance suffered for it.

McGrady came alive for a few minutes, but he quickly faded back into listlessness.

Not long into the fourth quarter, Jeff Van Gundy called a timeout, effectively declaring garbage time.

It was unwinnable.

They were on a completely different level.

The Rockets had Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, but beyond them, they had nothing. Some guy named Bob Sura kept provoking Su Xi, and for his trouble, Su Xi stripped the ball from him on two straight possessions, dropped him with a crossover, and knocked him to the floor on a drive.

From start to finish, the Pacers dominated.

The Rockets fans’ hearts sank as they watched this "Chinese Derby." They couldn’t find a single silver lining.

Yao Ming posted 19 points and 11 rebounds. Tracy McGrady had 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds.

That’s it?

Su Xi, on the other hand, put up a triple-double: 18 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks. And he led his team to victory.

Who would dare say Tracy McGrady is a superstar but Su Xi isn’t?

"I understand the Rockets are eager to improve, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Tracy McGrady still lacks experience in tough, physical games. The ability he shows against high-intensity defense is far inferior to Yao’s."

Su Xi didn’t mince words after the game.

He was simply trying to prop up Yao Ming.

It was just like on the court, when he saw Yao Ming calling for the ball from Sura, only for Sura to ignore him.

Su Xi immediately went after Sura, overpowering him with aggressive defense for a steal and playing him so hard that he was quickly subbed out of the game.

Su Xi was showing Yao Ming how it’s done.

You can’t just passively wait for a key role in the offense to fall into your lap. That doesn’t fly in the NBA. Even if Jeff Van Gundy prioritizes the center position, you won’t be able to seize that opportunity if you aren’t more assertive yourself.

You have to seize the opportunities you’re given, or you’ll live to regret it.

"Of course, we have to admit it. When Tracy McGrady came over from the East to assist Yao Ming in Houston, it definitely brought about positive changes for them. I look forward to seeing McGrady integrate more into Yao’s system next time we meet. Just like how I integrated into Yao’s system on the Chinese Team."

Su Xi was giving Yao Ming the utmost respect.

His words were guaranteed to make headlines.

He had elevated Yao Ming’s status.

When you’re far from home, if a Chinese person doesn’t help another, are they even human?

While Su Xi was propping up Yao Ming...

...Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest were busy tearing down Tracy McGrady.

"I didn’t think he was all that tough. He’s very talented, and his skills are top-notch. But he’s just a little soft. He doesn’t dare to get physical with us; he doesn’t have the guts to try and destroy us. We’ve seen plenty of scorers like him."

Stephen Jackson sneered disdainfully after the game. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Ron Artest, standing beside him, nodded in agreement. They looked like a perfectly matched pair.

They mercilessly mocked Tracy McGrady. Though they had no deep-seated grudge against him, it was simple: ’You don’t respect Little Sheep Su Xi? Are you even human?’

’This is a blatant provocation to our entire state of Indiana. Since that’s the case, why should we play by any unwritten rules? Let’s all go after him.’

"I don’t think he can win in the playoffs. He just doesn’t have that killer instinct, you know?" Artest chimed in.

After the two of them had their say, all the flak was directed at Tracy McGrady.

McGrady himself was caught off guard. It was supposed to be a perfectly normal "Chinese Derby," and he hadn’t even been showing off or anything. But when it was all over, he found himself the target of a coordinated attack.

His face turned livid, and he left them with a curt, "Next time."

Then, reports from the Houston beat writers began to circulate: after the game, Tracy McGrady had pressured the front office for more help, specifically requesting some tough defenders.

Flush with victory, the Pacers headed to their next stop: Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns were soaring this season. Mike D’Antoni had infused the team with a new vitality—a surging energy that ran counter to the prevailing rhythm of the league.

Steve Nash was the orchestrator. Under his leadership, the Phoenix Suns were advancing by leaps and bounds, their record this season second only to the San Antonio Spurs.

They were ranked second in the West.

They played with a lightning-fast style. While international basketball had its "small, fast, and agile" phase and the NBA had the Lakers’ "Showtime," no team had ever played with this much speed. It was a first for the league.

The Pacers were a team built on defense and a half-court offense. Although their fast breaks were quick, thanks to Su Xi’s pace, their default mode was to lock down defensively and grind it out in the half-court.

The moment the game tipped off, Steve Nash immediately made a statement to Su Xi.

He tore into the frontcourt like a whirlwind and motioned for Stadumier to come up and set a screen. Su Xi had seen their highlight reels; he knew their pick-and-roll was devastating.

So, he instinctively took half a step back.

But who would have thought? Nash just pulled up and shot without a moment’s hesitation. His release was so quick it defied all conventional basketball logic.