The Best Point Guard

However, the game wasn’t going their way.

The referees’ whistles blew constantly, and the foul count for both teams kept rising.

Then, with one minute left in the third quarter, the Knicks took their first double-digit lead of the game. A jump shot from Zach Randolph at the free-throw line gave the Knicks a 10-point advantage.

However, on the very next play...

While spinning for a layup, Shaquille O’Neal threw a sharp elbow right at Eddie Curry.

Eddie Curry started bleeding on the spot.

Ignoring the blood, he rushed forward and threw a punch at O’Neal. Moning moved in to attack Curry, but the instant he swung his fist, a ’black tank’ crashed into him, sending him sprawling to the floor.

It was like a powerful tackle from a football player.

Zach Randolph. A man of his word.

The court erupted into chaos as the head referee frantically blew his whistle.

In the end, O’Neal, Randolph, Curry, Moning, Walker, Wade, Jalen Rose, and Nate Robinson were all ejected from the game.

"It’s over!"

"Miami’s done for."

"The Knicks are done for too!"

"As expected from two of the most heated rivals in NBA history. Their bad blood from the nineties has carried over to today. Back then, Moning was part of the brawl at Madison Garden, and now he’s part of a new one. Except this time, he got the worst of it."

Charles Barkley commented on television.

Moning was helped off the court by his teammates, completely dazed from Randolph’s hit. Randolph had been on top of him, pummeling him like a man possessed.

It was a spectacular fight.

Neutral fans watching on TV were loving it.

But the Knicks fans were heartbroken. Even though Randolph, Curry, Rose, and Nate Robinson had gotten the upper hand, if they couldn’t play in the upcoming games, how far could the Knicks really go?

The Cavaliers currently had the upper hand in the other Eastern Conference Finals. Was LeBron James about to come from behind and pull off a dark horse victory to the very end?

All sorts of terrible thoughts swirled in the minds of the Knicks fans.

In that moment, they were incredibly grateful for Isaiah Thomas. The former leader of the Bad Boys Legion had immediately grabbed Su Xi on the sideline the moment the fight broke out, while also holding back the other players on the bench who were itching to join in—all except for Nate Robinson.

Little Potato was so small that he managed to slip past and join the brawl.

The guy was a ball of energy, living up to his boxing family pedigree. With a left hook and a right hook, he lit up both Wade and Walker, leaving them bloodied.

He was the one who dragged Wade into the fray.

Otherwise, Wade wouldn’t have been ejected.

Of course, the sight of Wade and Walker chasing him all over the court afterward was pretty comical too.

It was predictable that Nate Robinson would receive the harshest penalty. He had been on the bench—at the very end of it, in fact. He never got any playing time and usually just waved towels and handed out drinks.

This fight, however, had certainly made a name for Nate Robinson.

It was worth noting that when the four starters—O’Neal, Wade, Moning, and Walker—were ejected, Pat Riley left the court with them.

It was a slick move, allowing him to make a clean getaway.

He avoided the humiliation of the loss while also appearing to be a man of principle and loyalty.

Worthy of the name ’Divine Calculator’.

The Heat Team’s foundation had been shattered.

The rest of the game was meaningless.

Throughout the entire fourth quarter, the broadcasters discussed the Knicks’ playoff outlook and the destructive impact of the brawl.

Of course, they also occasionally cut to Meghan Fox and Scarlett Johansson on the sidelines. Su Xi’s two rumored girlfriends were close enough to be chatting with each other, and they looked remarkably friendly.

BEEP!

The final buzzer sounded.

Playing with a vengeance, Su Xi finished the game with 52 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. He dropped 27 points in the fourth quarter alone. He didn’t hold back, unleashing all his fury in what became an outright slaughter.

The Miami Heat were swept, losing the final game by 32 points.

After the game, Su Xi stood on the sideline, waiting for the reporters’ questions.

He had a lot to say.

"This was an unfair game. From the very beginning, Miami wasn’t playing basketball. They were constantly testing the line, playing on the edge of violence. They kept provoking us, trying to drag us down with them in a suicide mission."

"And they succeeded. They used every foul, every dirty trick in the book."

"If this is Pat Riley’s coaching style, then it would be a good thing for the entire NBA if people like him never coached again."

"We will absolutely be filing a complaint with the league. We will compile a reel of every malicious foul that led up to the fight. The internet is a powerful tool; people will see the truth of what happened."

"I’m ashamed for Miami. They didn’t just lose a game, and they weren’t just swept on the scoreboard."

"I feel nothing but contempt for having been a part of a game like this."

Su Xi’s words were incredibly harsh, and he aimed his criticism squarely at Pat Riley and the Miami Heat.

But the reporters were more interested in the Knicks’ next series and the impending suspensions for their two big men, Eddie Curry and Zach Randolph.

"It’s normal to be suspended for making a mistake. I just hope the league handles this fairly. As for the next series... why would I be worried about the next series? We were number one in the league before Zach even got here. Does the number one team need to pick and choose its opponents?"

Su Xi’s words were full of swagger.

His statement immediately boosted the Knicks fans’ confidence.

Sure enough, a dose of reassurance from Su Xi was always the most effective medicine.

The media, however, disagreed. They believed that without their two big men, the Knicks would be significantly weaker.

Given the severity of the incident, it was unlikely that either Eddie Curry or Zach Randolph would be able to return for the next series, even if it went to a Game 7.

After the interview, Su Xi walked back, still seething with anger.

Just then, Scarlett Johansson came over and gave Su Xi a hug, and he instinctively hugged her back.

Then, Meghan Fox came over as well.

Su Xi, still hot-headed with anger, subconsciously put an arm around Meghan Fox as well.

Both women looked delighted.

Su Xi then realized his mistake, pulled his hands back, and strode toward the locker room.

But the media had already gotten their shot. They would definitely have a field day with this.

There were just too many storylines from this one game.

Isaiah Thomas stood before the media, the former leader of the Bad Boys Legion clenching his fist. "I want to protest this game’s officiating crew," he said. "They condoned what happened. I had already warned them that Miami’s defense was getting out of hand."

"I want to protest Pat Riley. He injected an ugly and dirty gene into this Miami team."

"And I want to protest Miami’s players. Tonight, they defiled the sacred sport of basketball."

Thomas delivered three consecutive protests.

His words pushed the animosity between the Knicks and Miami to a boiling point.

Meanwhile, Miami offered no response.

Pat Riley had already made his exit, and Wade, O’Neal, and Walker had accompanied Moning to the hospital.

The TNT reporters only managed to interview a few die-hard Heat fans.

"Little Sheep Su Xi has no class. It was already garbage time, but he had to keep running up the score. Isn’t he afraid we’ll be back for revenge next season?"

"We’ll definitely get our revenge. We’re going to play dirty every time we face Little Sheep Su Xi."

"Miami lost, but the Knicks didn’t win. They’re going to lose the next series. They’re going to fall to LeBron James. Just you wait! LeBron James is going to take Little Sheep Su Xi down. He’ll prove that Little Sheep Su is nothing but a false god."

"Those Knicks players should get a lifetime ban! And even though Little Sheep Su Xi wasn’t involved, he should be suspended too!"

"Long live the Cleveland Cavaliers!! Long live LeBron James!!"

Three things were clear from these fans’ interviews: the rivalry between Miami and New York was now as heated as fire and water; Miami felt zero remorse; and they knew their actions would benefit the Knicks’ next opponent—most likely, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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