The Best Point Guard

If this were Indiana, he wouldn’t be worried at all.

But this was the Knicks, and the Knicks didn’t have any good help defenders.

But this time, Eddie Curry impressed him greatly.

When James ferociously leaped up and charged straight for the basket, Eddie Curry didn’t back down one bit. He jumped brazenly, using his thick, strong body to block James.

James was forced to adjust in mid-air.

But the moment he did,

Su Xi flew in from behind, capitalizing on the perfect timing difference.

James switched to his left hand and guided the ball toward the rim. This should have been a highlight-reel play of him evading the defense in the air.

But as Su Xi lunged forward, his huge hand viciously slapped the ball... SMACK!

The ball slammed hard against the backboard and ricocheted away.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

The ball flew out of the paint. Hardaway, with his quick eyes and hands, snatched it and immediately threw a fast-break pass upcourt, showcasing the genius that once made him Jordan’s heir apparent. The ball landed in the hands of a streaking Crawford, who finished with a layup.

The lead widened further.

The Cavaliers had no choice but to call another timeout.

They also pleaded with the head referee to rule it a goaltend.

But the referee had a clear view. How could he not tell the ball was still rising?

What did you expect, trying a damn underhand layup after adjusting in the air, tossing the ball upward like that?

Coming back from the timeout, Mike Brown had no choice but to put Ilgauskas back in.

But Big Z’s stamina was already at rock bottom. The Knicks’ frantic pace earlier had drained him, and he could only play about 30 minutes a game anyway. It’s the same for all giants; their massive bodies give them a unique competitive advantage but also cause them to burn energy far faster than normal.

Ilgauskas came in and hit a mid-range jumper.

The Cavaliers only managed to score twice in the final two minutes.

The other score came from James, who drove into the paint, drew a foul, and went one for two from the free-throw line.

On the Knicks’ side, Su Xi went straight to the post for a one-on-one, then passed to his teammates, who hit shot after shot.

The difference between Su Xi and James became apparent in this crucial moment.

Su Xi wasn’t as tall, as strong, or as athletic as James.

But Su Xi’s ball-handling was more solid than James’, his defense was stronger than James’, and he had more offensive moves than James.

Moreover, he had the experience of winning two consecutive championships.

He was better at playing in tough games.

Even while leading a team as rotten as the Knicks, he still found a way to handle it.

The final score was 143-128.

The Knicks won by 15 points.

In 2005, this score was earth-shattering. Not every team ran a frantic run-and-gun offense like the Phoenix Suns, nor did they live and die by the three-pointer like the Golden State Warriors.

In this game, Su Xi had 35 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.

LeBron James had 36 points, 11 assists, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

Statistically, it seemed like the two were evenly matched.

Both posted massive 30-point triple-doubles. But looking at the result, the Knicks won by a landslide, and in the final moments, Su Xi completely shut James down.

"See? What did I tell you about my prediction?"

Reggie Miller said smugly at the end of the game, "Across the entire world of commentary, no one understands Little Sheep Su Xi’s thinking better than me."

Mike Breen asked humbly, "Reggie, how did you guess? Is Little Sheep Su Xi really that skilled in the post now?"

"Because I know him. He’s an incredibly proud person. If he can win by a landslide, he’ll never settle for a narrow victory. His skills were already well-rounded back when he was with the Pacers, but his shooting percentage wasn’t high. Don’t be fooled by the daily rumors about him and various starlets; I guarantee you, out of all the active players in the NBA, he’s in the top three for hardest working."

"I even suspect that after sleeping with a starlet, he’d go out to his backyard and put up another 100 sets of shots,"

Reggie Miller said.

"Is he really that incredible?" Tom couldn’t help but ask.

"Just wait. The starlets of New York will give you your answer. With his appeal to women, I’m sure that in less than three months, you’ll see new women on TV fighting over him,"

Reggie Miller said with great confidence.

"Is that your prediction, too?" Mike Breen couldn’t resist teasing.

"That’s not a prediction. It’s just respecting the basic facts."

"So, do you think the Knicks can make the playoffs this season?" Tom asked.

"That shouldn’t even be a question. You should be asking if the Knicks can win the championship this season," Reggie Miller said, dropping a bombshell.

At that moment, every fan watching ESPN was stunned.

How could Su Xi’s former teammate be so bold?

The Knicks looked like they didn’t even have a hope of making the playoffs, yet he dared to bring up the topic of a championship. Does this Knicks roster look even remotely like a championship contender?

If the Knicks win the championship this season, I’ll eat shit!

Many fans in front of their TVs swore oaths, because this defied all basic basketball logic.

Su Xi is a man, not a god.

He’s only ranked in the top five among active players; he hasn’t reached the level where he can single-handedly carry a terrible team to dominate the league.

Mike Breen and Tom also looked extremely surprised. Mike Breen’s vocal cords were even trembling. "Do you know what you’re saying? Reggie, you’re actually predicting the Knicks can win the championship? And not the Indiana Pacers getting a three-peat? Where does that put teams like the Heat and the San Antonio Spurs?"

"I’m just saying it’s a possibility. Knowing Jack, there’s definitely a possibility," Reggie Miller said. "You have to believe—he is a miracle in and of himself."

"No, Reggie. He may have set a lot of unbelievable records, but you want me to believe the Knicks will win the championship this season? Not unless the Knicks can perform some magic trick and turn the Little Shark into the Big Shark, turn Quentin Richardson into Jason Richardson, and turn Jamal Crawford into Jason Kidd..." Tom said.

"Is the Knicks’ roster really that weak?" Reggie Miller suddenly asked.

"You think it’s not weak?" Mike Breen retorted.

"Maybe. But I have faith in Jack. Since he chose to join New York, he must have prepared for everything. Who knows, maybe he really can trade the Little Shark for the Big Shark," Miller said with a shrug. "Anything is possible."

"Alright, I’ll just assume you’re joking."

Mike Breen ended the conversation with that line.

This was also what the viewers at home were thinking. Reggie Miller had to be joking.

The TV cameras cut to the court, where Su Xi was being interviewed by a sideline reporter.

The reporter asked for his thoughts on the season opener and how he felt after the win.

"It feels great. We played our style of basketball and got the win," Su Xi said.

"What is the Knicks’ style? This season, will you be focusing more on offense or defense?" the reporter asked.

"Our style is for everyone to become a better version of themselves," Su Xi replied.

Huh?

The reporter was stunned.

What kind of style was that?

Su Xi repeated earnestly, "Our style is to make everyone become a better version of themselves."

This time, the reporter understood.

The viewers at home understood, too.

"So, as you’re all becoming better versions of yourselves, what kind of heights do you think you can lead the team to?"

Su Xi said, "I think everyone’s goal is the championship, right? A Knicks player who doesn’t want to be a champion isn’t a good Knicks player."

Su Xi was just speaking in platitudes.

He had the reporter completely confused.

He decided to stop beating around the bush and asked directly, "Tonight, both you and LeBron had great stats; you both got massive 30-point triple-doubles. The media and fans have always liked to compare you two. So, what kind of player do you think LeBron is? What do you think is the biggest similarity, and the biggest difference, between you?"

"You ask too many questions and watch too few games. Go back and watch this game properly. All the answers you’re looking for are in this game. And they’re the only correct, standard answers."

Su Xi waved to the camera and ended the interview.

And with that, he left the reporter and the audience confused all over again.