The Best Point Guard

Stephon Marbury didn’t want to return to New York.

And New York didn’t welcome him back either.

Even though he wore the mantle of ’Son of New York’ and proclaimed himself the greatest player ever to come out of New York State.

But when he appeared at Madison Square Garden Arena, the entire stadium erupted in boos.

The Knicks fans treated Stephon Marbury with this deafening display of derision. It wasn’t like Marbury had done anything completely unforgivable during his time with the Knicks. He had only clashed with the coach, the fans, and the media, shirked his responsibilities, and stubbornly did whatever he wanted on the court. But hey, he was a good guy.

It was hard to deny that the boos were a response to Marbury’s interview from three days prior. In it, Marbury had said, "I feel great in Indiana; it’s already my home. I’m willing to give my all for this place. I’m going to build an immortal legacy here."

When the topic of New York came up, he didn’t forget to give Su Xi a warning: "Jack, be careful. Those guys will sling mud at you the moment you have a bad game. New York is a great city, but its basketball market is a complete cesspool."

Marbury’s words had unquestionably made him public enemy number one in the Big Apple City. The fans in the arena had every right to boo him.

"Jack, you see that? This is what happens when you play for the Knicks."

As Marbury greeted Su Xi, he couldn’t help but offer another warning.

Su Xi just smiled.

’Marbury’s emotional intelligence really isn’t that high.’

BWEEEET!

The whistle blew, and the game began.

Eddie Curry, Tony Battie, Jalen Rose, Crawford, and Su Xi took the court as the starting five.

Tony Battie’s suspension was finally over.

He was so happy to see his old friend that he voluntarily went to the center circle for the tip-off against Foster.

How could he possibly out-jump Foster?

So, he threw out some trash talk: "The way you jump for the ball, you look just like a pole dancer."

Foster’s... hobby was common knowledge.

The comment clearly threw him off.

The Pacers’ unofficial ’Dunk King’ actually lost the tip-off to Tony Battie, who tapped the ball to Su Xi.

Su Xi dribbled the ball past half-court, where Stephon Marbury was waiting for him at the top of the arc.

Just then, Madison Square Garden Arena erupted in a synchronized chant: "KILL MARBURY! KILL MARBURY!!"

Kill Marbury! Kill Marbury! Kill Marbury!

The hatred the Knicks fans had for Marbury was so palpable it felt like a physical force. The collective killing intent of over twenty thousand people converged, forming a gigantic sword hanging over his head, its tip aimed straight at Marbury’s throat.

The atmosphere was utterly terrifying.

The oppressive force reached an unprecedented, intimidating level.

Even Su Xi was taken aback.

Stephon Marbury was clearly rattled.

’He never imagined he’d be seen like this in his own hometown. That these people would actually want him dead.’

He spread his arms wide. He had to stop this play, no matter what.

When Marbury got serious, his one-on-one defense was actually pretty good.

He stood six-foot-two barefoot, was built stronger than the average point guard, and had fairly nimble footwork.

But against Su Xi, all of those strengths became weaknesses.

Su Xi’s drives had become unstoppable, much like Michael Jordan’s fadeaway jumper in his prime. No one could guard it, and it was impossible to stop him one-on-one.

Su Xi decided to make it quick for Marbury. With an incredibly low center of gravity, he executed a ridiculously exaggerated crossover, going from left to right in a flash. He was like a master swordsman suddenly drawing his blade... WHOOSH!

The air whistled past.

The two figures split apart.

Su Xi had already blown past Marbury. Like a defeated foe whose eyes remained open in death, Marbury’s gaze was lost in the distance.

Like a bolt of lightning, Su Xi charged straight for the paint.

The Pacers had only ever seen Su Xi tear through their opponents.

But as Su Xi came roaring toward him like a freight train, Little O’Neal hesitated for a split second before stepping up to challenge him.

He leaped, extending his hand to block Su Xi. It was a brave move.

It was as if he was trying to tear off the label of someone who only picked on weaker players.

But when he and Su Xi collided in mid-air... THUD!

The massive impact sent a shockwave through Little O’Neal’s entire body, making his insides churn.

He couldn’t help but let out a pained cry of regret, letting out a curse he’d picked up from Su Xi. "Fuuuck... ah!"

Su Xi often used that simple yet elegant curse to express a wide range of emotions.

In this case, Little O’Neal was using it to express grief, indignation, regret, and a healthy dose of ’I’m a fucking idiot for trying that.’

Little O’Neal was sent crashing down, but Su Xi was still rising. With one hand, he viciously slammed the basketball through the hoop... BOOM!

The sheer force of it was like the descent of Mjolnir.

It faintly echoed with the sound of clashing steel and charging cavalry.

The entire rim sagged, as if paying tribute to the invincible monarch of the Knicks, His Excellency Su Xi.

Little O’Neal clutched his chest as he stumbled to the side. He stared up at Su Xi, his eyes wide with utter shock and disbelief.

’Now he finally understood why so many other big men would just get out of the way when Su Xi drove to the basket. Back then, he’d thought they were all soft. But now he got it. This guy is a fucking monster. Getting hit by him is like getting hit by a car. It feels even worse than getting run over by James. Su Xi is dense as a rock!’

’And how did his vertical get even higher?’

’Just how far is this monster going to evolve?’

Little O’Neal felt like his mind was about to shatter. Su Xi always found new ways to shock him.

Little O’Neal’s intuition was correct. Su Xi’s leaping ability had indeed improved again. After being tempered through the last four games, his ’Super Jump’ talent had reached a rating of 90.

This allowed him to be even more dominant on the court. There were few ways left to stop him.

He was truly beginning to enter the realm of the league’s dominant players.