Chapter 146: Who Can Stop a Warrior's Determination to Die

Kenny Smith, as a fan of Fan Xi, didn't dare to say such things, because such a situation had never appeared in NBA history.

The last person to win the Finals MVP in his rookie season was Magic Johnson, who was also a Lakers point guard. However, he was a number one pick. He had been highly regarded since his debut.

Fan Xi's background was far from "noble" compared to Magic Johnson. He was an undrafted player. Along the way, he had created countless miracles and achieved too many unprecedented things. And if he won the Finals MVP, even God wouldn't dare to think so.

"This is unrealistic."

ESPN live host Mike Breen said very seriously: "There is no possibility at all for Jack Fan to win the Finals MVP. Not to mention that his absolute strength has not reached the Lakers' number one, his current data is very good. But, no one will vote for a rookie. If the Lakers win the championship, the Finals MVP can only be Kobe Bryant."

Mike Breen was talking about reality, and Reggie Miller had no more basis to refute.

The Mavericks fell into a fierce battle. After their lineup depth was divided into two lineups by the Lakers to consume, they no longer had any extra advantages.

In the end, the Lakers, holding the home court, took the game 111:101 without a fight.

In this game, Kobe Bryant played 31 minutes, scoring 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Andrew Bynum played 29 minutes, scoring 21 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 assist.

Fan Xi played 32 minutes, scoring 18 points, 15 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block.

If you only look at the data, you would think that Kobe, Bynum, and Fan Xi formed a new Big Three.

But in fact, the time Bynum and Kobe were on the court at the same time was less than 8 minutes, and they played without any interaction, all relying on Fan Xi to thread the needle.

After this game, the public opinion in the basketball media generally no longer believed that the Dallas Mavericks could defeat the Lakers to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

The Mavericks played very tough in the third game, and every player was gritting their teeth and charging, especially Nowitzki. Many people said he was soft, but this time, he rushed into the paint against the defense every time, creating physical damage.

However, the gap in strength was visible to the naked eye.

The Lakers' lineup was too strong, and their luxury tax was not paid in vain. Currently, the Lakers have the most ten-million-dollar annual salaries in the league: Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Deng Liwei, Fan Xi, and Odom. The total annual salary of the six people is close to 85 million US dollars. The luxury tax paid by the Lakers this year is the highest in the league.

Money is not paid in vain.

Therefore, in the fourth game, the Lakers still easily defeated the Mavericks.

Changing the big score to 3:1.

The Mavericks were gone.

When Nowitzki left the court, his face was full of sadness. He clearly tried his best, but fell before the high wall of fate again.

Fan Xi only scored 12 points in the fourth game, but the number of assists reached an astonishing 26, breaking the playoff assist record again. Before this, the NBA assist record was held by Stockton and Magic Johnson, which was 24.

And Fan Xi was the first player in history to break the single-game assist record in his rookie playoff season.

Under Ma Chen's operation, this matter was rendered for a while in the media. Ma Chen and Lu Yuan, the two core members of the Fan Team, were trying their best to create a superstar persona for Fan Xi.

Moreover, as Fan Xi's performance in the playoffs got better and better, Fan Xi's signature shoe advertisements were also launched on major TV channels around the world.

The slogan was very simple: The place where miracles are born!

This concept commercial with great connotation set off a brainwashing effect.

More and more people were looking forward to the official release of Fan Xi's sneakers.

"When your team has Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, Deng Liwei, Fisher... these genius attackers, getting 26 assists to break the record is not a difficult thing."

Chris Paul, who was eliminated early, commented on Fan Xi's record-breaking data indifferently while holding a training camp in New York.

"If this is defined as his success, or if he is blatantly called the best point guard in the league, I think this is a bias."

"Rajon Rondo is the same."

Chris Paul talked eloquently: "Neither of them has proven themselves while leading the team alone."

The two point guards Paul hated most were Fan Xi first, and Rondo second.

Rondo and Paul had clashed on the court more than once, physical clashes. They hadn't looked at each other for a long time. Paul always believed that Rondo became an elite player by relying on the Big Three.

The reason why Fan Xi performed so well was also because he was backed by the mountain of the Lakers.

Fan Xi ignored Paul.

Rajon Rondo had a violent temper. Like Fan Xi, he was playing in the playoff semifinals, but the result was the opposite of Fan Xi's.

The Lakers were leading the Dallas Mavericks 3:1 in the Western Conference Semifinals, with a match point in hand and advancing in sight.

The Boston Celtics were trailing the Miami Heat 1:3, making it difficult to turn the tables.

"Chris Paul, a person who hasn't even touched the floor of the Western Conference Finals, what qualifications does he have to comment on others?"

"Not all point guards can coexist with strong teammates. Anyone can pull a group of younger brothers to be the boss. Wait until Paul becomes a winner before talking to us."

Rajon Rondo fired at full power, belittling Paul to a mess.

But at this time, LeBron James appeared.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul had a very good relationship. Paul was the godfather of James' children, and James was the godfather of Paul's children, equivalent to a dry father.

"In my opinion, Rajon Rondo and Jack Fan are not superstars. They are just elite players or star players. And Chris is a superstar. Modern basketball has changed. If point guards only take on the job of passing the basketball to their opponents, they can never become superstars."

LeBron James talked about modern basketball.

By the way, he also talked about the sales figures of his sneakers: "I think Nike can give me a lifetime contract, and it must be the kind with dividends."

James' sneaker sales figures were very astonishing in North America, and the unit price of his signature shoes was the highest in the league. He was the well-deserved top card of Nike.

He was very resentful of the new cooperation method between Nike and Fan Xi. The media had reported many times that he demanded to change the contract, and even exposed the news that James wanted to build a sneaker factory himself to cooperate with Nike.

Nike had been appeasing James, and at the same time, they were also looking forward to the sales figures of the Fan Xi brand. If the sales figures of the Fan Xi brand were 70% or 80% of LeBron James', they would dare to negotiate further with James. But if the Fan Xi sales figures were very bad, they would have to admit their failure in investment and agree to a series of requirements from James' team.

This was a game.

This was also why the Nike team increased the volume of advertising.

Many people were waiting for the final result.

Fan Xi sat in Lu Yuan's office. Before going to Dallas, he had to listen to the plans of Lu Yuan and Ma Chen.

Lu Yuan had recently suspended all other commercial cooperation, and he and Ma Chen put all their thoughts on the listing of Fan Xi's signature shoes.

The current plan was next Monday, which was after the fifth game between the Lakers and the Mavericks.

"We hope the Lakers will advance in the fifth game. If you can perform exceptionally well in the fifth game, it would be even better."

Ma Chen analyzed very seriously: "Because, as long as the Lakers enter the Western Conference Finals. No matter whether they face the Thunder or the Grizzlies next, it will be a very easy situation, which will be of great help to opening up sales and maintaining heat for the sneakers."

Fan Xi didn't know much about commercial promotion, but judging from the current situation, the Grizzlies, who knocked out the Western Conference number one Spurs in the first round, were in a bad situation. They were a steady positional offensive style, but when they encountered the Thunder, who were dominated by talent, they immediately collapsed.

The Thunder knocking out the Grizzlies to advance to the Western Conference Finals was almost a foregone conclusion.

And in the regular season, the Lakers' winning percentage against the Thunder was 75%, losing only one of the four games. Therefore, the Lakers would rather face the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals than the Grizzlies.

"Boss, we should find some celebrities to help promote." Lu Yuan looked at Fan Xi cautiously at this time, and said with "measure": "For example... your female confidante."

Huh?

Fan Xi frowned.

"I don't mean anything else. I know the boss is a person who keeps himself clean. However, we are a new brand, and the North American basketball shoe field is actually very saturated. There are too many superstars in the NBA occupying the market. If we want to succeed, we may need the blessing of some pop fashion elements, and in these aspects, you have an advantage." Lu Yuan said with a smile on his face.

Compared to the cautious Lu Yuan, Ma Chen's personality was more direct. He said: "Our sneakers may not sell as well as James and the others in the basketball fan field, but we can sell them to those young boys and girls who chase gossip on campus. You are so handsome, and you have so many scandal objects. In fact, we paid special attention to this aspect when designing the sneakers. Look, even if you don't play basketball, this pair of shoes won't be abrupt for daily travel. This is a low-top... and this pink color scheme..."

Fan Xi finally understood.

Sigh.

He stood up.

Fan Xi was already the number one basketball player in the Asian region, but in the United States, in the face of American basketball with stars, he was still not an authority.

At Los Angeles International Airport, Bynum's staff and Kobe's team staff had a small dispute. They were arguing when checking in luggage.

This shouldn't have happened.

As the team's top card and the most senior player, Kobe's luggage should have received special "care."

It had always been like this in the past.

Including the last time they went to Dallas.

However, Bynum's attitude affected his staff. Bynum had made many achievements in the last three victories. He often bragged to his staff that he was at least on an equal footing with Kobe, and as time went on, Kobe was aging day by day, and he would become the Lakers' new ace.

The staff's quarrel ended under the mediation of the team leader, but the competition between Kobe and Bynum was far from over.

When Fan Xi boarded the plane, Bynum gave Fan Xi a gift, a platinum necklace inlaid with diamonds, which looked expensive at first glance. Bynum had been constantly approaching and showing favor to Fan Xi during this period, and he also told Fan Xi that as long as he was there, the Lakers' tactical initiative would never fall into the hands of others. He also expressed that he wanted to get closer to Fan Xi off the court and wanted to participate in various activities with Fan Xi.

When giving this expensive platinum necklace, he also hoped that Fan Xi would do more for him in the next game.

Fan Xi nodded and agreed to cooperate more with him. However, he did not accept this custom-made necklace worth tens of thousands of dollars. He put the necklace on Bynum's neck and told him: "Thank you for your gift, but it obviously suits you better."

After returning to his seat, Kobe, who was sitting next to Fan Xi, raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. He scoffed at Bynum's behavior of recruiting Fan Xi.

"Jack, that guy Andrew thinks you are a person who sees money and opens his eyes. In fact, you are much richer than him."

Kobe Bryant patted Fan Xi on the shoulder: "Your new sneakers are about to be released. Why don't you prepare a few pairs for me and my family in advance?"

"Vanessa is going to attend a Hollywood banquet tomorrow. If she wears your sneakers, I think it will definitely explode the public opinion in Los Angeles."

Kobe said to Fan Xi.

This sentence really surprised Fan Xi.

In essence, Kobe and Fan Xi were competitors. The pricing of Fan Xi's signature shoes in North America was not much different from Kobe's signature shoes, slightly higher, but cheaper than James' signature shoes.

In essence, it was impossible for Kobe and his family to wear other stars' signature shoes. As Kobe said, this would definitely explode the public opinion in the sneaker market.

This was an act of "strengthening commercial competitors."

But Kobe actually did it. The value of this matter was far greater than that platinum necklace, more than a hundred times.

"What are you surprised about? Jack, I don't want you to pass the ball to me more. I don't need you to do anything for me."

Kobe said: "We should make the cake of the sneaker market the biggest. Maybe our two sneakers can be co-branded in the future."

Kobe opened the pattern all at once.

The plane landed at Dallas Airport again, and when the Lakers players took the bus from the airport to the city.

The advertisements on the side of the highway were quietly changed.

But it was still Nowitzki's huge back, with tragic words written behind it: If this is fate...

Fan Xi saw these words, and he suddenly had a strong sense of unease.

He was Chinese, and all Chinese knew an idiom: The mourning army will win.

When your opponent stands in front of you with his head held high, it is easy for you to find his loopholes.

And when your opponent stands in front of you with a face of grief and indignation, clutching his weapon tightly, without saying a word.

You know,

He is going to fight for his life.

He is prepared to die.

Who can stop a warrior's heart to die?

... ===== CHAPTER 147 =====