Chapter 112

Jason Kidd returned to the court at the last moment.

Rick Carlisle had to admit that at the critical moment, the aging Kidd was still more trusted.

Kidd saw Fan Xi and asked him helplessly: "So, were you prepared from the beginning?"

Fan Xi smiled and asked Kidd back: "Was this also what you prepared from the beginning?"

Kidd was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

They were like an old fox and a young fox exchanging experiences in pitting people.

A point guard is the brain of the team; you can't do this job if you're not a smart person: at least before 2008... modern basketball's definition of a point guard is becoming broader and broader, and more and more physically explosive combo guards are replacing the positions of previous point guards.

Shawn Marion passed the basketball to Jason Kidd.

Fan Xi blocked in front of Kidd, following his pace closely.

Jason Kidd looked at Fan Xi's defensive pace. He first feinted to the left, then broke through inside with his head down.

Kidd's breakthrough pace is not fast, but his build is very solid. He has always been a strong type of point guard. In his prime, he was actually the one defending Kobe against the OK combination.

Although he is old and weak now, he can still push Fan Xi to the vicinity of the free-throw line.

Then, he made a stop-and-go and shot upward.

Fan Xi was fooled by his realistic movements and jumped up.

Then, Kidd pressed his wrist and passed the basketball hiddenly to the right.

Kidd's passing technique is very clever.

However, what he didn't expect was.

At the moment he passed the ball, Fan Xi, who had jumped up, landed quickly and galloped to the right with extremely precise prediction... Pop!

His long arm slapped the basketball.

At the same time, Kobe Bryant let go of his defense and rushed up quickly, snatched the basketball, and then threw it forward. Fan Xi ran wildly towards the frontcourt like a cheetah.

When Fan Xi grabbed the basketball, the Dallas Mavericks' defense was already more than three meters away from him.

He controlled the time unhurriedly for a while, killed into the paint, and then quickly retreated outside the three-point line.

Fan Xi shot the basketball when Marion flew over to defend... Swish!

The basketball fell into the net in response.

There were only 17 seconds left in the game.

The Lakers led by 6 points thanks to Fan Xi's two key balls.

Seeing this scene, the Lakers bench was excited, and cheers erupted.

But Phil Jackson narrowed his eyes slightly.

In an instant, thousands of thoughts flew through his mind. After about three seconds of silence, he said to old Winter next to him: "Is Jack the smartest player you've ever seen?"

This was a sentence without a beginning or an end.

But old Winter understood, and he nodded and replied: "Yes."

From Fan Xi easily dealing with Kobe Bryant's "probing" on the bench, to Fan Xi slapping away Jason Kidd's pass, to circling in the frontcourt, and finally choosing to shoot outside the three-point line.

All of this shows that Jack Fan is a smart person.

And he is a person with his own opinions.

Phil Jackson keenly observed: at the critical moment, Fan Xi also doesn't pass the ball.

But his handling method is clever.

In Phil Jackson's dictionary, not passing the ball at a critical moment is a good quality, meaning courage, responsibility, and leadership aura.

Kobe Bryant high-fived Fan Xi on the court.

They once again joined forces to complete a successful "robbery operation," and the two's tacit understanding made Jason Kidd, the former world's number one point guard, return with hatred.

Kobe found an unprecedented sense of tacit understanding. Sometimes, Fan Xi didn't even need eye hints. When Fan Xi made an exaggerated jumping action, he knew Fan Xi was digging a hole for someone.

Of course, when Fan Xi jumped, he gave Kobe a gesture, pointing to Marion on the right.

Kobe believes in Fan Xi's judgment.

Jason Terry brought the ball to the frontcourt. After rushing to the frontcourt, he quickly shot a three-pointer.

Kobe Bryant's defense was in his face, and the aging Jet no longer had the glory of the past.

Bang!

The basketball hit the iron.

Pau Gasol slapped the basketball out.

After Fan Xi grabbed the basketball, he didn't wait for Kidd to foul, and he threw the basketball to the frontcourt.

Kobe had already rushed up quickly, and he grabbed the basketball in the frontcourt.

Then he started circling. After Jason Terry failed to foul the first time, he gave up the next move.

It was meaningless.

They chose to admit defeat with 3 seconds left.

Jason Kidd's footsteps stopped beside Fan Xi, and he asked Fan Xi: "How did you know I would pass the ball to Marion?"

Fan Xi smiled and said: "Actually, it's very simple. When you break through to the left, your body resistance is particularly strong."

Jason Kidd also smiled.

He didn't expect Fan Xi to be able to grasp such details so keenly.

"So, you dared to bet that I would pass the ball to Marion, instead of Nowitzki?"

Jason Kidd asked Fan Xi.

"Actually, it's not a bet. I just think, if it were me, the ball is in my hands. Would I pass it to Marion, who is 3-of-4 in the past, or Nowitzki, who missed 3 shots before? The answer is very simple."

Fan Xi told Kidd calmly.

This is a way of handling things by putting oneself in another's shoes.

Kidd was shocked.

He didn't expect Fan Xi's thinking to be so close to his own.

Therefore, he originally just shook hands with Fan Xi, but now he opened his arms and hugged Fan Xi.

He said to Fan Xi: "You should strengthen your passing technique and some tactical awareness. You have a chance to become a top point guard. Come on! Don't let the league become the world of combo guards."

This is Jason Kidd's advice to Fan Xi as a senior.