Chapter 13: He just wants to win

When Andrew Bynum claimed he was injured and wouldn't play.

At the time, everyone felt the Lakers would become incredibly fragile without this interior barrier.

The Lakers' established tactics would become useless without their perimeter core and interior core.

However, an accident occurred.

When Derek Rose assisted Kyle Korver in hitting a 3-pointer, stabilizing the situation.

After the Lakers inbounded the ball again, they presented an uncharacteristic offensive rhythm.

"Run!"

When Fan Xi received the inbound pass from Lamar Odom, he immediately let out a roar and took the lead in the charge. His figure was like lightning... extremely swift. When he accelerated in a straight line, he felt even sharper than Rose.

Driven by him, the Lakers players also subconsciously quickened their pace to follow.

Just as everyone thought Fan Xi might use his superior speed to complete a solo layup, Fan Xi made an unexpected move. As he drew the double-team from Rose and Luol Deng, he quickly passed the ball to Matt Barnes, who was following on the side.

There was no defense in front of Barnes.

Moreover, he had played for the Suns and the Warriors; the conditioned reflex for fast-break attacks was carved into his soul.

He received the pass, drove straight into the paint, and slammed the ball into the rim with one hand!

Boom!

The sound of the dunk was like thunder.

The entire offensive sequence was smooth and flowing, as refreshing as mercury pouring onto the ground.

It took Fan Xi less than 6 seconds from initiating the offense to completing the assist.

Lao Wente looked surprised. He looked at Phil Jackson beside him, and Phil Jackson looked back, equally surprised: "Did you set up a run-and-gun just now?"

"No," Lao Wente muttered to himself. He said: "I told Jack to see how it goes and pay attention to controlling the rhythm."

Upon hearing this, Phil Jackson clapped his hands.

The joy on his face could no longer be hidden.

A genius! A divine talent! A blessing from heaven!

The whole world thought Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense didn't need a point guard, but only Phil Jackson knew how much he loved those smart point guards.

The run-and-gun tactic can be said to be a tactic supported by the point guard's personal tactical literacy, and it has extremely high requirements for the point guard's basketball IQ.

Because it requires the point guard to quickly find open teammates and pass the ball in an extremely short amount of time.

Looking at the current league, there are many teams that play fast breaks. But only one can play fast breaks like art, the way the Phoenix Suns did before.

Why? Steve Nash's basketball IQ is high.

Moreover, he is fast, passes in time, and most importantly... he has 3-point shooting ability.

The Fan Xi in front of him is also very fast, passes in time, and most importantly, he also has 3-point shooting ability.

In other words, Andrew Bynum's absence is, for him, actually shedding a burden, allowing him to completely release his talent.

"Wonderful!"

Phil Jackson clapped his hands and laughed.

He is a man who practices Zen; he believes in fate.

Tonight... first Steve Blake couldn't play, and then Shannon Brown and Derek Fisher couldn't stop Rose's pace.

In the last possession, Bynum took the initiative not to play.

Isn't this a stage arranged by God himself for Fan Xi? Isn't this heaven letting Fan Xi shine tonight?

Phil Jackson had a bold idea in his heart, and even when this idea popped up, he was startled himself: Could Jack Fan be the one-in-a-million Chosen One?

Instantly, he focused his attention, locking onto Fan Xi with incomparable concentration.

Kobe Bryant was even more excited; he even stood up and loudly cheered for Fan Xi.

This scene left Bynum feeling lost.

He didn't expect his act of sulking would actually gain Fan Xi such high recognition from the coaching staff and Kobe.

Isn't it just one fast break?

Bynum curled his lips.

As a center, he didn't quite understand the implications of this play.

And the instigators of this situation, Steve Blake and Shannon Brown, were already trembling; they were very depressed and super uncomfortable. They wanted to cry!

Especially Steve Blake, who previously played for the Portland Trail Blazers under Coach McMillan. During the days when team superstars Brandon Roy and top pick Greg Oden were injured one after another, the head coach asked him and All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to play run-and-gun.

However, as a point guard, he just couldn't play it.

He didn't have that ability.

Playing run-and-gun requires the point guard's brain to turn very fast; his brain's CPU couldn't keep up, so he could only play steadily and play positional offense. Once it got fast, it was easy to overheat.

"Steady, Brown. I believe that was just a coincidence."

Blake, whose hands were almost shaking, was still comforting Shannon Brown.

These two now felt a bit like they had lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet, warming each other up.

Rose in the frontcourt used a sharp and fierce change of direction to get past Fan Xi's defense. He drove into the paint and completed the offense under Odom's defense.

Rose's personal strength is still very fierce.

Comparing talent: at this time, Rose is SSS-level, and even if Fan Xi has the speed of peak Iverson, his physical talent is still at most B-level. Because in terms of coordination, explosive power, agility, strength... and other talent areas, he is weaker than Rose.

So... it is inevitable that he cannot defend Rose.

However, less than half a second after Rose scored, Fan Xi had already launched the next wave of fast offensive.

He received the ball from Odom and led the team forward.

At this time, the other four Lakers players—Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Matt Barnes—were all sprinting forward.

The Bulls' speed is also very fast.

Their mobility is very strong; they are good at playing defensive counterattacks, and of course, they also have a set of countermeasures for counter-defense.

However, Fan Xi was faster than they imagined.

He rushed to the frontcourt quickly, without even stopping, directly playing a pick-and-roll with Pau Gasol who ran to the top of the 3-point arc, and quickly cut into the paint.

Under Joakim Noah's switch, he feinted, looked back at the moon, and passed the ball to the following Pau Gasol.

Gasol caught the ball and shot... Swish!

A beautiful V-shaped pick-and-roll, the classic Nash-Stoudemire reactor.

"Good shot!"

The Zen Master applauded on the bench.

Kobe stood up again.

Although Kobe is not a run-and-gun player, he is used to playing positional isolation. However, this does not prevent him from supporting Fan Xi and Pau Gasol in developing wonderful chemistry.

Gasol is also a forward with strong mobility; he can even play fast breaks with the ball.

Lamar Odom is the same.

If the three of them establish a real fast connection, then... Kobe, who is past his peak, can get more rotation time to rest during the regular season, which will be a structural improvement for the Lakers' overall combat power.

Championship teams would have to scream when they see this scene.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, sitting in the VIP box, was still shouting excitedly the previous second, and the next second he clapped his hands and said very sadly to the team's young owner Jimbas: "It's over! To sign Jack, we have to at least come up with a lottery rookie contract."

Jimbas was stunned and asked back: "Really?"

"Yes, if we don't sign him, other teams will scramble to sign him," Kupchak said: "And we must finalize his contract as soon as possible. Other teams will definitely accelerate finding him after watching tonight's game. He is a completely free agent now."

The Lakers General Manager was very anxious.

Jimbas said: Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and have the assistant prepare the contract.

Lest there be complications.

But at this time, TNT commentator and former NBA superstar Charles Barkley, who was commentating on this game for the whole country, was still being stubborn. He said: "This guy is just a little clever, his physical fitness is still very poor. When it comes to real competitive games, he will reveal his true colors. Everyone has one or two nights where they are glorious, but after the glory, there is long-term loneliness."

Barkley was very guilty.

Kenny Smith on the side kept stimulating him: "I think the Lakers will sign a contract with him after this game. Once the contract is signed, you will have to kneel down... Charles, you'd better not make wild remarks about Chinese players next time. Last time, you commented on Yao Ming, and Yao made you kiss a donkey's butt. Now, Fan will make you kneel down and shout Basketball Emperor."

Hmph!

Charles Barkley let out a cold snort.

He was still very stubborn. He said: I believe the Lakers management will not be so short-sighted, unless they want to create a new garbage contract. Don't forget, they don't have much salary space now. Any formal contract might make them pay luxury tax. Do you think the Lakers will give such an undrafted player a formal contract and pay luxury tax for him?

"Besides, they already have three point guards."

Barkley tried to convince himself.

However, Kenny Smith told him: "With Fan, why would they need to keep the other three point guards?"

When Kenny Smith said this, the camera happened to show Steve Blake and Shannon Brown. Their appearance was very funny; the two of them sat together holding hands, their faces full of 'fear, worry, and regret'.

Obviously, for them, Fan Xi's soaring is a nightmare.

The most terrifying thing is that this nightmare was created by their own hands.

No regret can describe their mood at this moment. They directed this situation themselves to let Fan Xi die under the iron hoof of the powerful talented Derek Rose. Who knew Fan Xi would take a different path and shoot guns with Rose tonight.

In terms of straight-line speed, he was completely not inferior and even slightly better.

Most importantly, Bynum's sulking and leaving the court gave Fan Xi an excellent stage to show his run-and-gun ability.

Although not as skilled as Steve Nash, without his kind of ease and freedom.

However, he stubbornly helped the Lakers hold off the Eastern No. 1 Chicago Bulls with a crippled lineup lacking Kobe and Bynum.

This situation continued from the first half to the second half.

When there was 1 minute left in the game, the two teams were tied.

Fan Xi played a total of 32 minutes in this game, his physical strength seemed to be running out, and he often supported his knees with both hands when the ball stopped, breathing heavily.

And Derek Rose standing opposite him was still getting braver as he fought, even more fierce than at the beginning.

This is the most direct gap between the two.

However, if you open their data, you will find that the two are not much different.

Rose got a very versatile 32 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block tonight. This is regular season MVP level.

However, Fan Xi is also very strong.

He has 22 points, 20 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.

His scoring and rebounding are inferior to Rose's, but in the assist data, he is far ahead.

It has been a long, long time since a point guard with 20+ assists in a single game appeared in Lakers history.

This made the fans at Staples Center particularly happy.

If Fan Xi's first game was a miracle of a novice.

Then tonight, Fan Xi presented all-around ability.

His extremely fast straight-line speed, accurate open 3-pointers, and extreme entanglement defense.

Everything proves that he is qualified to be an excellent point guard. And, he is more qualified to be a starter than the Lakers' existing point guards.

"You're tired."

When Carlos Boozer was shooting free throws, Derek Rose walked over and said to Fan Xi.

Rose is a person with a lonely personality; he is not like other superstars who have friends all over the world. He has a solitary personality, even with a bit of an artist's shyness and introversion.

But tonight, Fan Xi, who was matched against him, won all his respect.

He took the initiative to come over and say hello: "Fan. I know you are on a short-term contract with the Lakers. When your contract ends, come to Chicago. I will let the team give you a full mid-level exception, higher than this year's top pick's salary."

This is a big fat contract.

As the core of the Bulls, Rose is willing to give Fan Xi this promise, which shows his appreciation for Fan Xi.

A smile appeared on Fan Xi's tired face. He looked at Rose and said: "If I defeat you in this game, can you let your Bulls give me a ten-million annual salary?"

Rose was stunned when he heard this.

He didn't expect Fan Xi to be so confident, actually daring to ask for a ten-million annual salary.

And, actually said he wanted to defeat me?

Heh!

Rose laughed, and then he said to Fan Xi in a very certain and firm tone: "You can't get a ten-million annual salary. No undrafted player has ever received a ten-million annual salary in their first contract. You overestimated yourself."

"Besides, you can't defeat me!"

Rose showed the strong confidence and dominance of the first person of the new generation. His momentum was like a shining sun, enveloping Fan Xi.

But Fan Xi did not dodge. He looked directly into Derek Rose's eyes and said in an even more certain tone: "Then let's try!"

Swish!

Carlos Boozer's second free throw hit.

111:110.

Chicago Bulls overtook by 1 point.

Lamar Odom passed the ball to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi did not push the fast break again, but slowly pushed forward.

At this time, Lao Wente on the bench asked Kobe with great worry: "Really don't want to substitute Fan? I see he is already very tired. Don't get injured at this time. He has performed well enough tonight, he doesn't need to work hard anymore. If Kupchak doesn't give him a contract, I will definitely kick his butt..."

Lao Wente appreciates Fan Xi very much.

He is very worried that Fan Xi will have an accident due to fatigue at the last moment. He feels that Fan Xi doesn't need to work so hard.

But Kobe told him very firmly: "Don't substitute Jack. This kid is not working hard for any formal contract at all."

"He, just, wants, to, win!"

Kobe said word by word.

There is a tiger hidden in his heart, which cannot tolerate any failure.

"He is me. We are the same kind!"

Kobe gave his highest evaluation.

... ===== CHAPTER 14 =====