The Best Point Guard

"Just like the New York Media has been saying, James might really not be in the same league as Su Xi anymore."

Barkley’s words were sharp.

Just like the Knicks’ offense on the court.

The Cavaliers’ morale sank lower and lower as the game went on.

While James’s drives were still aggressive, they were inefficient.

Ultimately, the Cavaliers lost yet again.

It was no surprise.

After the game, Isaiah Thomas didn’t even bother with a scathing remark.

He simply said, "We’re already thinking about our opponents in the next round."

And that was indeed what the Knicks should have been considering.

Because while they were up 3-0, the Dallas Mavericks had taken a 2-1 lead in their own series.

The San Antonio Spurs were ambitious, and Popovich had schemed for every possibility. But the Mavericks’ army of jump-shooters was just too ferocious. Nowitzki was like a power forward version of Kobe, burying the Spurs alive from mid-to-long range.

Besides, the Mavericks’ roster was nothing like the Lakers’.

This season, the Mavericks were stacked.

If they made it to the Finals, could the Knicks stop them?

Mark Cuban said, "If the Knicks sweep the Cavaliers, then as long as we make it to the Finals, we’re guaranteed to win. Goat Su Xi can lock down James, but he can’t lock down Nowitzki."

"We’ll shoot them out of the gym."

Mark Cuban was blunt and brutally honest.

He was also speaking the truth.

So, a powerful narrative began to emerge: since the Knicks could easily finish off the Cavaliers, why not drag out the series for a few more games and let Eddie Curry and Zach Randolph’s suspensions end?

They were well within their rights to do so, it was completely within the rules, and it perfectly aligned with their interests.

They could sell more tickets and have their team at full strength for Game 1 of the Finals.

So, in the time after going up 3-0, many in the media began to speculate that the Knicks would most likely do just that.

They even interviewed staff from the Knicks Club.

The staff couldn’t say for sure either.

Because, logically speaking, it was the best way to maximize their advantages.

Thus, for a time, speculation ran rampant.

This included the media and fans in Cleveland.

Even James himself.

They all hoped the Knicks would drag the series to seven games before finishing them off.

That way, everyone would think it was an even matchup, that they were equally matched. The loss wouldn’t look so humiliating.

Most importantly, years from now, people would only look at the box scores, not the game tapes.

They would see that James fought valiantly, launching a furious comeback after being down 0-3, only to fall short in a legendary final showdown against the Knicks.

However, Mark Cuban, who had started this discussion, wasn’t worried at all, even when the Texas media accused him of tipping off the Knicks and alerting them to the strategy.

"Right now, Little Sheep Su Xi is obviously aiming to be the greatest of all time. Why would he do something that cheapens his own legacy? I’d sooner believe Kobe would do something like that than Su Xi."

Cuban told his people.

But his people didn’t believe him.

They didn’t think anyone would be that foolish.

After all, the New York Media was buzzing with these rumors.

The New York fans were fully in support of the plan.

But Popovich sided with his rival on this. He also believed Su Xi would never do it.

If Su Xi did something like that, he would just be another run-of-the-mill, all-time great.

But if he insisted on the sweep, he would be taking a step toward becoming a truly dominant superstar. More than that, he was likely taking aim at Jordan’s throne.

All questions were answered on the very first possession of Game 4.

On his first offensive play, Su Xi drove hard into the paint, knocked Gooden to the floor, and slammed the ball through the hoop.

He beat his chest ferociously, his eyes filled with a killer instinct. He completely ignored the chorus of boos from the home crowd.

He made his stance clear: I’m here for the sweep.

I’m here to finish you.

No Randolph, no Eddie Curry, I’ll still play in the Finals.

’You think I’m some conniving schemer chasing petty advantages?’

The moment Su Xi made his attitude clear, Reggie Miller immediately began gushing on television: "What is a God of Basketball? That! Right there!"

"In my opinion, Jordan never had the guts to do something like this. Jordan was never this arrogant. At the end of the day, Jordan’s two three-peats were won when he had all the momentum. If the Knicks win the championship this year, then I’ll say it: Goat Su Xi’s individual three-peat surpasses both of Jordan’s!"

Reggie Miller had just made a statement that sent shivers down the spine of the entire basketball world.

Beside him, Larry Brown shot Miller a "how-dare-you" look.

Miller was completely unfazed.

He stood firm in his conviction.

It was just as James Dolan had told Su Xi before the game: "Jack, I know what you want to do. Go do it. I’m not short on cash."

James Dolan was just that resolute.

He wasn’t about to lose sleep over a bit of pocket change.

The Knicks players all stood behind Su Xi, including Zach Randolph and Eddie Curry. They all told him, "Jack, go do what you have to do. It’s time to put an end to all this pointless debate."

Su Xi’s ferocious dunk seemed to have awakened James’s sense of shame.

He, the Chosen One, had been reduced to meat on the chopping block, practically begging for his opponent’s pity. The thought made his already shattered pride incredibly fragile.

So, with the help of an uncalled travel, he launched a violent assault on the rim. He charged into the paint, barreled past Jerome, and forced the ball into the basket.

Then he let out a roar.

He challenged Su Xi, believing he could still compete on the same stage.

He refused to be defeated like this.

He refused to be pushed off this historic stage so easily.

However, reality did not bend to his will.

In the half-court, Su Xi singled him out for punishment, sinking a pull-up jumper right over him. James’s powerful physique was simply not enough to contain Su Xi.

After that, James tried to drive again, but Su Xi stood his ground and absorbed the contact.

Though he drew a foul, the force of James’s drive was neutralized.

As the game went on, James’s fury waned with each powerful collision.

Meanwhile, Su Xi’s technical skill only shone brighter.

No matter how you looked at it, Su Xi was simply the perfect counter to James.

It was as if he was born to stop him.

Larry Brown switched to a new topic. He said the Cavaliers’ roster was just too poor. A destructive force like James should be surrounded by a couple of three-point shooters, not two defensive-minded veterans like Snow and Hughes who also needed the ball in their hands.

Everything Larry Brown said was correct.

But his words couldn’t stop the Knicks from extending their lead.

The Knicks surged ahead.

The Cavaliers continued their march toward defeat.

The fans in the arena began to leave.

Those who remained had hearts full of despair, their faces gaunt.

What was most devastating was when the ESPN cameras panned across the crowd and spotted a few fans wearing Su Xi’s Cavaliers jersey.

These people were quiet, sitting there in silence.

Their presence was a mockery in itself.

It was a protest.

Their very presence was a powerful declaration: the Cavaliers had made the wrong choice back then. They should have kept Su Xi.

This was the final, fatal blow to James.

As the Son of Akron, the pride of Ohio.

He had lost the hearts of his own home crowd. The decision made three years ago was like a bullet fired through the back of his skull, shattering his false godhood.

From this moment on, James was no longer worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Su Xi.

Because in his own arena, in Cleveland, there were still people who believed he was the one who should have been traded all those years ago.

When the final buzzer sounded,

Su Xi raised his arms high, and a few cheers even erupted in Quicken Loans Arena.

They were cheers of derision, aimed at the Cavaliers and at James.

Meanwhile, outside the arena, James Dolan began setting off fireworks—an activity he had gotten a permit for. He was letting the joy of the Knicks clinching the conference title erupt in Cleveland.

Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought the Cavaliers had just advanced.

"The Knicks are the Eastern Conference Champions for the first time in a long time! Next up, they march on to the NBA Finals!"