Chapter 155: Battle of the New and Old Kings

Oklahoma is a new basketball city; the fans here strongly support this young Thunder team. They feel immensely proud and honored that Kevin Durant and Westbrook have led the team into the Western Conference Finals; this is a rare achievement worth boasting about for this small city in so many years.

Therefore, the Thunder's home court atmosphere was very intense.

The Thunder made changes for this game; Coach Scott Brooks put the team's sixth man, the 2009 third overall pick James Harden, into the starting lineup.

James Harden possessed a mature face inconsistent with his age, and his playing style was also very seasoned, possessing his own unique sense of rhythm.

This was probably the reason why the Thunder had always used him as a substitute.

Westbrook appeared exceptionally 'passive' tonight, probably because the media had been criticizing his brain for not being as calm as Fan Xi's for the past two days; he seemed to have suddenly lost interest in 'controlling everything' and handed the basketball to James Harden.

James Harden's draft template was Manu Ginobili; although their current playing styles were vastly different, there must have been a reason for such an 'arrangement'.

Harden had organizational ability.

He and Kevin Durant were a perfect match from the start, with great chemistry.

Westbrook's role became the third pole; he would attack the rim whenever he received the ball.

After he automatically reduced his ball possession, the Thunder's talent burst forth.

In the first quarter, the Thunder led the Lakers by 5 points.

This had not happened in the previous two games.

And the reason for this result also had to do with the Lakers' collective cold shooting touch.

With their cold shooting touch, the Lakers tried their best to press their defense, hoping to drag the Thunder down to their own level of brick-laying. But tonight, Westbrook resisted shooting, and this plan did not work. Kevin Durant and James Harden's shots were too difficult to defend.

Kobe Bryant sat on the bench, wiping sweat vigorously, and complained persistently to Bynum: "Feed the ball to the paint, even a dog could throw it in, why can't you?"

Bynum used to bow his head and endure it, but now he felt that with Fan Xi passing from the perimeter, he could stand tall, so he answered righteously: "Didn't you miss it too? You took 9 shots in the first quarter. Only hit 2."

The two were at loggerheads.

The teammates were accustomed to it.

Phil Jackson also ignored them, just picking up the tactical board: "We can't continue like this; we must find a scoring point first."

Then, his gaze naturally moved to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi was locked in by Phil Jackson's eager gaze, and the other players' gazes also subconsciously gathered over; this was a feeling of being the hope of the people.

In the past, when the Lakers had a collective cold shooting touch, they would either drag the game into a bloody defensive battle, using their rich experience in brick-laying to finish off the opponent. Or they would keep betting on Kobe and Gasol, betting on them finding their touch.

Now, there was a more reliable answer.

Let Jack Fan go up.

This was probably the charm of the Second Route Marshal.

In fact, Fan Xi's ball-handling offense level was very ordinary, but Fan Xi had already established trust in everyone's hearts; as long as the task was handed to him, he would definitely be able to return a miracle.

Beep!

The whistle blew, and the game continued.

Fan Xi received the inbound pass from Deng Liwei and stepped toward the frontcourt. Fan Xi's stride was large, steady yet nimble, like a beast ready to pounce and bite at any moment.

Westbrook blocked Fan Xi's path.

In terms of comprehensive physical quality, Westbrook was definitely stronger than Fan Xi; after all, Westbrook's physical quality could enter the NBA history ladder.

It's just that Fan Xi was no longer the same person he was before.

When he bent down and slowly made a 'careless' change of direction in front of his body, Westbrook realized a hint of crisis.

Just at this moment... Pfft! Fan Xi suddenly stepped out with his right foot, and the powerful grip of the fanx-one rubbed against the floor, making a fierce and ear-piercing sound.

The powerful inertia made Westbrook subconsciously retreat to the left rear. But just at this moment, Fan Xi suddenly changed direction... he drew his saber like lightning, from left to right, instantly cutting open Westbrook's defensive line.

No complex probing, no cumbersome fakes.

When masters clash, one move is fatal!

Fan Xi flashed away.

In the current league, there was no one who could surpass Fan Xi in explosive power, speed, and change-of-direction skills... No such person. But in the same tier, one could find Rose and Paul; Westbrook's technique was slightly worse.

Fan Xi killed into the paint like lightning.

Like a bolt of lightning, splitting Oklahoma's defensive line.

When Fan Xi leaped into the air, his amazing bounce gave him the feeling of flying through the air. Ibaka tried hard to chase and block, but was a beat slow... Boom!

Fan Xi dunked the basketball into the rim with one hand, and he only then chased up from behind.

The Lakers' bench was stirred, and everyone stood up.

Fan Xi, who had struck the heart of the enemy, injected new energy into the Purple and Gold Legion.

"Now we can announce that Jack Fan has filled the last short board for Los Angeles. Perhaps those picky critics can find this or that shortcoming in Jack, but you cannot deny that when he puts on the Purple and Gold Legion's jersey and integrates into the Los Angeles system, he is the only Miracle Child in the NBA!"

Kenny Smith said sincerely.

"Jack Fan and the Los Angeles Lakers achieve each other; it is impossible for anyone to replicate such a miracle as him. He is a unique rookie. In NBA history, such a person has never appeared."

This was a fact.

When Fan Xi broke through the Thunder's defensive line with a personal charge, the Thunder head coach immediately fell into a panic; he hurriedly reminded Westbrook to pay more attention.

Westbrook did indeed pay more attention; he was a player with a very strong desire to win. When Fan Xi sped past his side and completed a violent dunk, he felt he had lost face.

Therefore, he wanted to get his own back.

He did not pass the ball to James Harden.

After 'calming down' for a quarter, he became competitive again.

He confirmed the outside 'rumors' with his actual actions; his brain was indeed not as clear as Fan Xi's.

Young Master West broke through Fan Xi with his head down, but did not shake him off; Fan Xi followed closely behind him until he flew into the air, preparing for a violent dunk.

Fan Xi completed a double-team with Bynum in the air.

Bynum swatted away Westbrook's sure-fire dunk.

Fan Xi picked up the basketball.

Then, the situation changed.

Because Westbrook began to go wild, he yelled at the head referee in a rage: You're not calling a foul for this?

The head referee had an expression of being unable to help: I really can't call that.

While he was questioning, Fan Xi had already accelerated to charge into the frontcourt. With large strides, he was as fast as thunder, quickly arriving at the frontcourt, and then facing Durant's help defense, he did a quick spin, leaving Durant behind; he had long since mastered Isaiah Thomas's technical essentials.

Durant defending small with big was a disadvantage anyway.

Fan Xi killed into the paint, facing Ibaka's aggressive defense, he did a stop-and-go, and then made a motion to throw the ball to the left corner; the Thunder's defense pressed toward the corner like puppets on strings.

But the basketball was not passed out; Fan Xi turned and threw it behind his head. Kobe Bryant leaped over, grabbed the basketball, and smashed it fiercely toward the rim... Boom!

The cooperation between Fan Xi and Kobe was seamless.

The skillful chemistry made Phil Jackson unable to stop thinking about Jordan and Pippen back in the day.

Fan Xi's assault and lethality gave the Lakers' previously troubled situation a brand-new look.

Moreover, it also triggered a temporary reward: Westbrook's going over the top.

After Westbrook was frustrated on both ends of the offense and defense, he no longer wanted to pass the basketball out; he forcefully broke through Fan Xi's shot and came for a stop-and-go jump shot... Swish!

The basketball hit!

Turning back, Fan Xi still broke through quickly, but he used a screen and then assisted Gasol; Gasol broke his cold shooting touch first, and he hit a floater.

After Gasol found his touch, it was Bynum; Bynum hit a skyhook.

Fan Xi was like a magician who could turn stones into gold; he used his own breakthrough lethality to help Lakers players find their touch one by one.

From the inside to the outside, and finally Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers' chemical reaction was getting better and better.

The Thunder, on the other hand, were fighting more and more on their own; after Westbrook went over the top, he stopped passing the ball. The consequence of this was that after Kevin Durant received the basketball, he also only wanted to help the team achieve success quickly, and James Harden was the same.

Young talented teams are always like this; they are easily thrown into chaos.

Brooks called various timeouts, but failed to stop this trend.

The Lakers took the lead from the second quarter, and entering the third quarter, the point difference expanded to double digits.

The fourth quarter maintained this score until the end.

108:99.

Another bloodless victory.

Before the series started, the Thunder did a lot of analysis on the Lakers, and many were very reasonable.

For example, the infighting between Kobe and Bynum could give them an opportunity.

Fan Xi's physical fitness could be exploited.

And the weakening of the Lakers' wing defensive power could also be utilized.

However, under the huge gap in strength and experience, their pre-game preparation could not be used at all.

Scott Brooks said regretfully in front of the media: "It has nothing to do with the kids; it's my responsibility, it's that I didn't work hard enough."

Brooks was a very good head coach; he always protected the young geniuses like an old hen, shielding them from the wind and rain, not letting public opinion hurt them. Because he knew that when these three kids grew up, the entire league wouldn't be enough for them to kill.

Brooks had very strong confidence in Durant, Westbrook, James Harden, and Ibaka; he felt that time was on their side.

The Lakers would eventually grow old, while the Thunder were still the sun at eight or nine in the morning.

In the fourth game, the eventually aging Lakers achieved the final victory with 89:81.

Eliminating the Thunder with a sweep.

This was a result within reason but beyond expectations; everyone originally thought the Thunder should at least win one game.

In fact, the officiating in this game was also very biased toward the Thunder; Bynum picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter.

Kobe Bryant's offensive rhythm was also frequently disrupted.

However, the Lakers erupted with tenacious resilience, and under the leadership of Kobe and Fan Xi, they played a defensive battle where every punch hit flesh.

In the end, the young Thunder did not persist to the end, although their defensive talent was better, and they were younger and more energetic.

However, Fan Xi's steal, Kobe's three-pointer, and Fan Xi's 4-point play removed the suspense from the series 2 minutes before the end of the game.

The Lakers ate the Thunder as if they were eating an ice cream.

After the game, Oklahoma media reported: "We will remember this number; in the future, we will definitely fight back. Time is on our side."

This report was widely reported, having the omen of 'Chu may have three households, but Chu will surely destroy Qin'.

They had already asserted that the team to end the Lakers dynasty must be the Thunder.

Their confidence lay in the fact that they possessed three or four cornerstone players, and they were still unscrupulously evaluating the Lakers' core players.

Kobe Bryant, old and frail, would become more and more of a brick-layer with age, turning from the Lakers' glory into the Lakers' tumor.

Andrew Bynum, he had never shown the psychological quality to become a superstar; fragile, emotionally volatile, weak-willed, and he had not a shred of dominance on the court.

Pau Gasol, a white forward who couldn't play tough games.

Jack Fan, a Miracle Child who looked promising but was actually just a system player. He was more mature and clear-headed than other rookies, which meant he couldn't achieve higher achievements; he was at his peak from the start.

When Oklahoma issued such a summary with certainty, Fan Xi was sitting on the plane, his back of the head numb.

He was even a bit dazed: Was it the Lakers who were swept? Did the Thunder enter the Finals??

Fan Xi really didn't want to hear more of these losers' grand words.

However, the media liked to report these.

Because this made for better topics.

This was already the fourth consecutive year the Lakers had entered the Finals; starting from '08, if the Lakers really won the championship this time, it would undoubtedly become the public enemy of the entire league.

'Beat' would resound through the other 28 arenas.

Kobe Bryant appeared very happy; this was the true peak of his career.

He had won a three-peat before, but at that time he was only the deputy, the second-in-command of the Shaq dynasty.

Then, his personal strength entered its peak, and a series of scoring miracles made even Jordan unable to help but say: The only person in the world who might beat me in a one-on-one is Kobe, because he stole all my techniques.

However, personal honors couldn't explain anything.

Subsequently, he entered the Finals three times in a row and won two championship trophies; this was a new peak in his career, but he was still a breath short.

Now, this breath had been continued.

He had the opportunity to win the second three-peat of his career.

Once he accomplished this, the gap between him and Michael Jordan would narrow a bit.

Once he won the third Finals MVP of his career, he would be the number one person in the league in the true sense; he would surpass Shaq O'Neal, who was still playing soy sauce, and Tim Duncan, who had been holding down the fort in San Antonio.

Most importantly, this year's Finals was likely the one the world's fans and the entire NBA were looking forward to the most: Kobe vs. James.

No. 24 vs. No. 6.

This would definitely be called the Battle of the Generations.

Battle of the New and Old Kings.

... ===== CHAPTER 156 =====