The Best Point Guard

The fans in the Staples Center had mostly left. The Clippers, as expected, were still a lost cause.

But Mike Dunleavy didn’t think so. He felt his team had played the Knicks close right to the end. If the Knicks hadn’t suddenly caught fire in the final moments, he believed the game could have gone either way.

For someone so average, Dunleavy was incredibly confident.

That must be why he was the Clippers’ head coach.

Wishing him all the best for the rest of his career.

...

After an easy victory over the Clippers, the Knicks had tied the franchise record.

After the game, Su Xi was asked in an interview how it felt to tie the franchise’s all-time record. "I don’t really feel anything," he said. "It’s not like we broke it. It’s only 18 games. Back when I was in Indiana, we won 25 straight."

Su Xi was completely unfazed.

The Los Angeles reporters, however, were exasperated.

Su Xi’s humblebragging was so intense it was practically blinding.

’Besides, what was there to compare between the Knicks and the Pacers? The Knicks were a bunch of scrubs, while the Pacers were two-time defending champions.’

’But they couldn’t say that about the Knicks directly, not when their own team couldn’t even beat this supposed bunch of scrubs.’

"What do you think of the Clippers? They had a lot of great plays tonight. And they almost pulled off a comeback at the end."

"Oh, right, right, right," Su Xi said, nodding eagerly. "They’re fantastic. They’re the perfect rival for us, like we were made for each other. We’re always so in sync, it’s just a joy. I hope they just keep getting better. I wish them all the best!"

Su Xi sounded completely sincere.

This, in turn, made the reporter feel a bit awkward. He hadn’t expected Su Xi to be so magnanimous and offer such sincere blessings to his opponent. ’And here I thought people said he held a grudge over every little thing.’

Then, the reporter asked, "So, what are your thoughts on Antonio Davis’s interview?"

"I don’t read them."

Su Xi replied curtly, "Whenever a team starts moving at high speed, someone’s bound to fall behind. That’s normal. If he likes staying in Los Angeles to give interviews and talk about the Knicks he’s imagined in his head, then let him stay here. We’re moving on."

With those brief, icy words, Su Xi concluded the interview.

Those words effectively defined Antonio Davis’s situation. For the man who had fallen behind the team, the countdown to being traded had begun.

...

The Knicks’ charter flew from Los Angeles back to New York, where they would play at home for their 19th win. Everyone was thinking the same thing: when you’re standing on the doorstep of history, your first instinct is to kick the door down. You want to charge into new territory and push the record higher and higher.

They even hoped a 19-game winning streak would be just the beginning, followed by 20, 30, even 40 straight wins... breaking the all-time NBA record.

Of course, this was just wishful thinking. Most Knicks fans and the New York media knew in their hearts that it was already a miracle for the team to have gotten this far; the Knicks’ foundation was just too weak. This only served to highlight how great Su Xi was.

Especially after Antonio Davis’s exposé on how Su Xi had taken full control of the team’s tactics and unity, they felt no resentment at all. Instead, they were moved and full of admiration.

They weren’t about to paint Su Xi as a dictator. They knew just how rotten the Knicks had been before.

’As for Isaiah Thomas being stripped of his power? So what. Given his track record, who knew what kind of disaster would happen if he were left in complete control.’

On the plane, Isaiah Thomas came over to Su Xi’s seat. He started by discussing their next opponent, the New Jersey Nets, and shared his take on the team. He noted that the Nets certainly weren’t the powerhouse they’d been at the turn of the century. They had represented the East in the Finals twice, and although they had come home empty-handed both times, it was still a testament to their former dominance in the conference.

Their strength had clearly declined since they lost big man Kenyon Martin, but even a shadow of their former selves was still formidable. With their "Big Three" of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Jefferson, they were still a borderline playoff team in the East.

"The owner places a lot of importance on this game," Isaiah Thomas said to Su Xi. "He really wants the team to use this as a landmark victory, to prove that the Nets are back under the Knicks’ boot. You know how it’s been. For the past few years, the Nets have been walking all over the Knicks. The owner doesn’t say anything, but deep down, he wants to prove his leadership."

Su Xi nodded in understanding.

In truth, Westerners can be even more superstitious than people from the East. If the Knicks could break their franchise winning-streak record and crush their crosstown arch-rivals at the same time, it would symbolize a complete transformation.

"Let’s talk about Antonio," Su Xi said, changing the subject. He didn’t have much else to say about the upcoming game, as he wasn’t too concerned about beating the Nets.

"We’ve had a few teams approach us about a trade, but they’re all just trying to take advantage of the situation," Isaiah Thomas said angrily. "Take the Magic, for instance. They actually want to trade Francis for Antonio Davis’s expiring contract. They’re treating me like a total sucker. Do I look like one?"

Su Xi looked at him calmly, then silently nodded.

"..."

Isaiah Thomas was at a loss for words. He sighed.

He sighed.

"Do you want us to trade for a big man or a perimeter player?" Isaiah Thomas changed the subject, deciding not to press the issue.

Su Xi gave it some serious thought.

He had originally wanted a perimeter player, ideally a small forward. But after watching Ariza’s performance in the last game, he felt Ariza could handle more responsibility. The kid deserved ample opportunity to develop.

So, he said, "Let’s get a big man. Someone who can face the basket and create off the dribble."

"Uh..." Isaiah Thomas looked troubled.

’Antonio Davis’s expiring contract has some appeal, sure, but that’s a tall order.’

"You know how it is, Jack," Isaiah Thomas said with a pained expression. "Most bigs in the NBA these days are just bruisers. A frontcourt player who can actually face up and score one-on-one? Any team with a guy like that treats him like a crown jewel. That’s going to be very difficult."

Su Xi nodded. "Sigh. All right."

He sighed.

They then chatted for a bit about the Christmas Day game. This year’s matchup was LeBron James versus Su Xi. The game would be held in New York, although it was still some time away.

But as the team president, Isaiah Thomas had other work to do. He discussed with Su Xi whether they should incorporate some Chinese elements, like dragon and lion dances.

Su Xi asked him, "Won’t that look out of place?"

"It’s fine, it’s a fusion of East and West," Isaiah Thomas said with certainty. ’The locker room atmosphere is a great blend, isn’t it? Everyone is so positive and motivated now. It’s nothing like the toxic cesspool of last season.’

’Isaiah Thomas was confident that even if they signed the most toxic player imaginable, two weeks in this environment would have him tearfully performing criticism and self-criticism.’

’This place could turn a bad guy into a good one.’

’It was a holy temple that could turn devils into angels.’

...

During the long flight across the country, other news was breaking in the NBA.

The most explosive news came from the Portland Trail Blazers.

After storming off in the previous game, Zach Randolph had another meltdown in the game against the San Antonio Spurs.

To be honest, he was playing very well. He was even holding his own when matched up against Duncan.

But then, for some reason, tensions boiled over on the bench.

The cameras caught him and head coach Nate McMillan cursing at each other, and then McMillan was seen throwing a towel at Randolph.

Randolph leaped to his feet and shoved McMillan, sending him sprawling to the floor.

The bench erupted into chaos.

The scene shocked the entire basketball world.

There had been rumors in the past of Spree Wells choking a coach during practice. But this was different. In front of a national television audience, Randolph had just shoved his coach to the ground.

This was outright mutiny.

The incident was absolutely egregious.

The "Portland Prison Team" nickname was now thoroughly cemented!!