Free Web NovelChapter 383: Chapter 120: The Playoffs Arrive
With 29 seconds left, theoretically, each team had one more possession.
The East was currently up by one point.
The West had possession.
It was hard to say who would win.
"They’re not going to ’Hack-a-Shaq’, are they?"
Little O’Neal said from the bench, sounding a bit worried.
"They won’t. This is the All-Star Game, a prestigious event. I’m sure they wouldn’t be that shameless."
O’Neal shook his head firmly.
Everyone else agreed. After all, using Hack-a-Shaq in the All-Star Game was morally indefensible.
Just then, LeBron James suggested to Carlisle that he wanted to go in for the final moments.
He was a starter, and he’d had a great performance tonight with 25 points. If the East won, he had a chance at the MVP award. He had to at least try to contend for it.
But the moment he finished speaking, Arenas, who was sitting next to him, retorted, "Coach, our chemistry is great right now. We shouldn’t make a substitution."
O’Neal patted James’s shoulder. "LeBron, I know you really want to help me get this win. You’re a good brother. But we’re in a good rhythm right now. You just rest. There’ll be other chances."
After O’Neal said that, James couldn’t really argue his case anymore.
Su Xi didn’t say a word through it all.
It didn’t make a bit of difference to him whether James was on the court or not. He was going to play iso ball as soon as he got the ball anyway.
TWEET!
The whistle blew.
The West didn’t make any substitutions either.
Kobe Bryant received the inbound pass, crossed half-court, and brought the ball to the top of the three-point arc, where Su Xi immediately stuck to him.
The other players spread out.
Clearly, Kobe was going to take on Su Xi one-on-one.
Su Xi was defending him tightly.
Kobe drove in from the arc. One step, two steps, a quick stop, a spin, a fadeaway, and the release... The sequence of moves was masterful and crafty.
Many people say Kobe’s technical skills were even better than Jordan’s.
But many others say Jordan was a tier above Kobe, because when Jordan faced a defender, he could end the play in two dribbles or less. His physical attributes were superior, making him a greater offensive threat.
Kobe’s overall talent was excellent, but he didn’t possess many "super" talents—fewer even than Su Xi.
If Su Xi were to completely absorb Kobe’s ’super offensive techniques’, his offensive threat would be even greater than Kobe’s.
This was Kobe’s one regret; because his physical attributes were a step below that freakish, monstrous level, he had to compensate with more technique.
Even so, Kobe’s offensive prowess was among the all-time greats. In a one-on-one matchup, he might have actually been able to defeat Jordan.
But in a five-on-five, full-court game, Kobe’s offensive impact was less than Jordan’s, because he needed to rely more on technique to solve problems.
Kobe got the better of Su Xi.
Even though he played perfect defense, Kobe’s ability to make contested shots was historically elite.
The basketball sliced through the net with precision.
SWISH!
It’s good!
The Western Conference Team pulled ahead by one.
seconds left on the clock.
The fans in the Denver Arena were all on their feet, letting out a deafening roar.
This year’s All-Star game had been an absolute clash of titans.
Amid the roar of the crowd, Su Xi quickly took the inbound pass from O’Neal.
No timeout was called.
He immediately sprinted up the court with the ball.
He brought the ball into the frontcourt with Kobe in hot pursuit. Su Xi hesitated for a moment at the top of the arc, then suddenly accelerated. His combination of explosiveness and speed was already the pinnacle of the league.
Although people didn’t praise Su Xi the same way they praised Iverson or Tracy McGrady.
But Su Xi, in fact, already possessed the league’s best first and second steps.
In just two steps, Su Xi had already created a full body’s worth of separation from Kobe.
To Su Xi’s surprise, Garnett didn’t come over to double-team him at the critical moment.
Unfazed, he pulled up for a jump shot... The motion was incredibly smooth and fluid.
It was all one seamless motion.
The moment it left his hands, Su Xi knew it was going in.
Even though Kobe’s contest was timely and obstructed his line of sight,
to the current Su Xi, who possessed 87 points in ’Super Offensive Technique’, such a ’smokescreen’ was nothing.
SWISH!
The ball found the bottom of the net.
The East was back on top by one.
There were 1.6 seconds left in the game.
The Western Conference Team was out of timeouts.
Facing a full-court press from the East, the West managed to inbound the ball. Kobe heaved a prayer from the backcourt, but it didn’t touch the rim. The game was over.
The arena erupted, the cheers like a tsunami.
Even though Su Xi had been bricking one shot after another since he entered the game, making only that single basket,
the Colorado fans were chanting in unison, "MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Su Xi, without an ounce of modesty, raised both hands to accept the arena’s cheers.
"I think he only made one shot," James muttered sourly from the bench.
O’Neal had already hoisted Su Xi onto his shoulders. Arenas and the others ran over, jumping up to high-five him.
Su Xi was enjoying the hero’s treatment.
His final shot had stolen everyone’s thunder.
James was incredibly jealous.
And indignant.
’Why?’
’I played so well the entire game, and he makes one shot, and you all worship him? What about me? I’m the Chosen One!’
Anyone in his shoes would have felt it was unfair.
Dwyane Wade smiled and patted James’s shoulder. "Look at O’Neal. He’s as happy as a kid."
James was in no mood to appreciate O’Neal’s smile. He was probably even more upset than Kobe Bryant.
Afterward, David Stern announced this year’s All-Star Game MVP. With 21 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, O’Neal was named the MVP.
He hoisted the trophy high.
He ran all over the court,
and even made a point of running over to the West’s bench to shake his butt.
The comedic effect was off the charts.
As was the dramatic tension.
Naturally, the cameras zoomed in for a close-up on Kobe.
