Free Web NovelChapter 408: Chapter 133: Flattery Backfired
Watching Su Xi’s actions, Jordan nodded slightly.
He didn’t think Su Xi had gone too far.
In fact, he thought Su Xi showed great courage.
He used to pressure head referees and the league the same way back in his day. Otherwise, those thugs would have tried to take him out every night. It was a way to protect himself from unfair treatment.
Besides, Su Xi was a superstar now. His power deserved to be protected.
He even deserved to have privileges.
Su Xi’s influence was immense, and his commercial value was among the best in the league. He was backed not only by numerous corporate giants but also by billions of fans in Asia.
David Stern’s gaze shifted from Su Xi to the head referee.
Even if the head referee had wanted to blow a favorable whistle for the home team, he didn’t dare give Su Xi a second technical foul now.
If Su Xi were ejected from this game, it would undoubtedly become a stain on the referee’s career. In fact, it already was.
The TNT television channel replayed Bruce Bowen’s two fouls. Both were malicious, and the one that took down Miller was, without a doubt, an attempt to injure.
Even Kenny Smith, who disliked Su Xi the most, spoke fairly at this moment: "If Little Sheep Su Xi got a technical just for demanding a replay review, then Bruce Bowen’s action should get him ejected immediately."
After he said that, the head referee walked "naturally" over to the scorer’s table and requested a video review.
Su Xi took the opportunity to back down.
Some boos rose from the San Antonio Spurs’ home crowd. All they cared about was their team winning and building a lead, so they couldn’t tell right from wrong.
The head referee issued an additional technical foul to Bruce Bowen, but he didn’t eject him from the game because he only reviewed the malicious foul on Miller.
This made the Pacers extremely unhappy.
They continued to protest loudly.
But they couldn’t get anything more out of it.
The entire Pacers bench was filled with anger.
Reggie Miller was helped back to the bench. He refused the team doctor’s suggestion to go to the hospital. He told everyone, "I’m staying right here tonight to watch us win the championship! This is the last game of my career, and unless I’m carrying the championship trophy, no one is making me leave empty-handed."
Reggie Miller didn’t even let the team doctor cut his shoelaces. He just iced his ankle, hissing and grimacing in pain. He only said the ice was too cold; he never said how much it hurt.
He was getting ready to go back into the game.
The skinny Miller; the Miller who pushed off Jordan to hit a game-winner; the Miller who made the choke sign at the Mecca of basketball; the Miller who, despite a worn-out body, would still try to take on three women... all of these versions of him now collapsed into the Miller sitting on the bench, grimacing in pain but with determination in his eyes.
His nineteen-year career was now condensed into this single moment.
Everyone could see Miller’s determination and willpower.
Every single person was moved by him.
Bruce Bowen’s dirty plays could injure Miller, but they could never break Miller’s formidable will.
That will would continue to fight on the court.
TWEET!
The whistle blew, and the game resumed.
The final showdown had arrived.
Neither side would hold back.
Su Xi drove into the paint with the ball, barreling straight into Bruce Bowen who was attempting a block, knocking him over in mid-air as he released the ball.
He unleashed the full force of his body without holding anything back.
He was venting his fury.
When the head referee blew the whistle, he walked to the free-throw line without any hesitation.
Jordan watched from a distance, seeing a perfect reflection of his younger self.
’Although,’ he thought, ’if it were my younger self, I would have had ten thousand ways to make it an and-one.’
’But he also had to admit that while his own layup skills and aerial abilities were several times better than Su Xi’s, Su Xi’s core strength was genuinely greater than his.’
Jordan’s core strength was already considered freakish for a guard.
But Su Xi was practically inhuman; his strength was on the level of an inside center. If he put on more weight, he could even transition to playing exclusively in the paint.
Charles Barkley could deeply relate to that.
Charles Barkley was at most 6’5" tall, though he claimed to be 6’8". Back in his day, he made a living in the paint relying on his god-given strength, massive rear end, and incredible leaping ability, even winning several rebounding titles.
SWISH!
SWISH!
Su Xi made both free throws.
The entire arena booed him as he took the shots, wondering why Bowen was called for the foul when Su Xi was the one who knocked him over. But it was Bowen’s foul. His fault for being too weak.
The game continued.
Duncan took over the game. He powered his way against Tony Battie in the post. Su Xi rushed in to help on defense but was a step too slow, and Duncan spun around and scored with a hook shot.
Duncan was incredibly steady.
He could always steady his team’s nerve at critical moments.
Back on offense, Su Xi passed the ball to Little O’Neal, who was calling for it.
As Little O’Neal caught the ball, the Spurs switched defenders, putting Duncan on him.
Duncan’s defensive prowess made Su Xi sweat for Little O’Neal; Little O’Neal had a reputation for being strong against the weak but folding against the strong.
But this time, he didn’t choose to pass.
Instead, he created space for a one-on-one and executed a nearly perfect Great Dream Step. He drove in on his left foot, stopped on a dime, and pivoted on his right foot. He used a fadeaway fake to get Duncan off balance, then smoothly spun past him. Stepping with his left foot, he jumped, dodged Horry’s contest, and finished with a reverse layup to score.
It was smooth. Very skillful.
