The Best Point Guard

Chapter 361: Chapter 109: Two Games Against the Pistons, An Unexpected Incident

Since this summer, a rumor had been circulating around New York City: Little Sheep Su Xi would join a New York team after finishing his two-year contract.

Basketball fans in the Big Apple City were adamant and utterly convinced.

It even tempered their discontent with their team’s current dismal state.

Little Sheep Su Xi was the rookie the Knicks selected with the eighth pick in 2003. Then, two foolish, incompetent executives traded him to Cleveland, and he went on to reach his peak in Indiana.

That glory should have belonged to Madison Garden.

Many New York fans still held a grudge, but no one more so than James Dolan.

"If Little Sheep Su Xi isn’t joining the New York Knicks, why would Isaiah Thomas go to the Athens Olympics to be a consultant for the Chinese Team?"

The reasoning provided by the New York media was very compelling.

Isaiah Thomas had a triumphant summer, the only person in American basketball with a real reason to celebrate. He had finally gotten the Olympic gold medal he’d always coveted. Although it wasn’t as a player, he considered it revenge for the past.

Su Xi’s appearance in Manhattan caused a commotion. He was shopping arm-in-arm with Scarlett Johansson, and many fans rushed over to ask for his autograph. Numerous young women looked so flustered they could barely keep their legs together. If Scarlett hadn’t been right there, there’s no telling if they wouldn’t have pounced on him for a kiss.

In fact, at a luxury boutique, a saleswoman repeatedly touched Su Xi’s long, fair fingers.

On the surface, Scarlett didn’t say anything, but once they were back at the hotel...

She started being passive-aggressive. ’Jack, I have to squeeze your pillow between my legs every night just to fall asleep...’ ’Jack, your fingers are so long! They say long fingers mean...’ ’Jack, when are you coming back? We’ll give you the best discount...’ ’Jack...’

Su Xi decided to dispense some immediate justice.

He pulled a Catwoman costume out of his suitcase. "Come now, my dear Scarlett, let’s see just how wide your acting range is."

"Hey, you’re so naughty."

"In a little while, you’ll be saying it’s amazing."

Su Xi lay down on the bed. A moment later, Scarlett crawled out of the bathroom. She truly was an actress with a wide range. Her eyes were filled with a wildness, and he found the skintight suit utterly seductive.

"Now, please me."

Su Xi crooked his finger, and Scarlett crawled on top of him...

...

Madison Square Garden Arena never lacks for fans. It’s a basketball mecca. No matter how absurdly priced the tickets or how mediocre the team’s record, they always manage to draw crowds in droves.

Tonight, Madison Square Garden Arena was once again packed to the rafters.

But, to the embarrassment of Stephon Marbury and the other Knicks players, when Su Xi took the court, the entire arena started chanting, "MVP!"

The New York fans adored Su Xi far more than they did Stephon Marbury, the actual ’Son of New York’.

This made Marbury deeply resentful.

’I’ve always been the best point guard in the world,’ Marbury firmly believed. ’I don’t think Su Xi is better than me. He only won gold in FIBA because he never faced the Dream Team, and his playstyle is a perfect fit for international rules. And his NBA Finals MVP? That was only because the Pacers are a powerhouse. He was just standing on the shoulders of giants.’

’If I were the Pacers’ lead point guard, I could’ve been Finals MVP too.’

Marbury had thought this to himself more than once.

However, a look at the résumé of this self-proclaimed "best point guard in the world" told a different story. Aside from his time on the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he and Garnett had complemented each other perfectly before a falling out over salary and status led to his departure, there was a clear pattern: nearly every team he left immediately took flight.

He left the Brooklyn Nets, and they went to the Finals twice.

He left the Phoenix Suns, and their run-and-gun offense was now running roughshod over the league.

The Knicks’ starting lineup wasn’t weak. Everyone in the league knew the Knicks’ owner loved to spend money. Big-market teams usually avoided overpaying on contracts, but James Dolan didn’t just hand them out—he supplied them in bulk.

Their starting lineup was: Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Tim Thomas, Kurt Thomas, and Muhammad.

The Pacers’ starting lineup was: Su Xi, Artest, Stephen Jackson, Little O’Neal, and Jeff Foster.

Foster won the tip-off, and Su Xi brought the ball past half-court.

Marbury came up to defend, arms spread wide.

When Marbury actually felt like playing defense, he was pretty good at it.

And right now, he felt like it. Seeing Marbury’s decent defensive stance, Su Xi decided to create some space and toy with him.

After a series of jab steps, crossovers, and spins, he finished with a turnaround jumper... BANG! SWISH!

He sank it.

’Nice.’

’The defense was just right,’ Su Xi thought, looking at Marbury with satisfaction. ’A perfect match for my current offensive ability.’

Marbury took it as a provocation.

How could the Lone Wolf tolerate such a provocation? Coming right back at him, Marbury cleared everyone out for an isolation play.

His offensive game was polished. After a quick drive, he created space by bumping his body into Su Xi, then rose up for a tough, off-balance jumper and sank it.

When it came to scoring with the ball in his hands, Marbury was definitely better than Su Xi.

Su Xi switched into duel mode, clearing out to go one-on-one with Marbury again and again.

In terms of offensive efficiency, Su Xi was a little less effective than Marbury.

’But it doesn’t matter. I’m not just trying to score right now; I’m trying to rack up my misses. I need to level up that ridiculous super-offensive talent I got from Kobe as soon as possible.’

This left the fans in the arena completely baffled. ’What’s going on? Isn’t Marbury supposed to be the "Lone Wolf"? Why is Su Xi playing even more like a one-man show than him? Little Wolf Su Xi?’