Chapter 180: Silent Weeping, God's Favor

Tonight, Pau Gasol really turned it on.

He is expected today to break his own Finals, even playoff, single‑game scoring record; he already has 32 points, and with this momentum, scoring 40 tonight is no problem.

So at this moment, even if Phil Jackson doesn't want him to play, or even lets him rest, he doesn't want to sit on the bench.

Playing is always about a single burst; taking advantage of this good touch to set an unprecedented record is the right way.

As the score climbs, the Spaniard has never lacked the desire to compete for Finals MVP. Although his stats in the first three games are not as good as Fan Xi's, nor his popularity, he works diligently, his per‑game numbers are decent, and he can push aggressively in the last two Finals games.

How could Pau Gasol not win the Finals MVP?

Gasol harbors that thought.

The Finals MVP is the jewel on the crown, the ultimate affirmation of a player's career.

Winning a Finals MVP would catapult Pau Gasol's historical standing forward dramatically.

His commercial value would also skyrocket.

Who can resist such temptation?

This is Gasol's best 'peach‑picking' opportunity, because the Finals will never again feature such a lopsided paint matchup; now the Lakers' frontline opponent is Fan Xi.

Gasol is grateful to that younger brother; he knows the younger brother plays diligently and doesn't put stats first.

So what reason does he have not to fight for it? It's fine if a teammate also gets a peach.

At worst, after the Finals, he can invite him out for a meal or a trip.

"Pull yourself together!"

Gasol clapped his hands; the previously meek power forward even showed a leader's bearing tonight.

He let De Leke Fei She Er control the ball steadily and set a screen for him beyond the three‑point arc.

This is something not even in the playbook.

His aggressiveness earned Phil Jackson great praise, but also some concern; Pau seemed a bit over‑excited tonight.

De Leke Fei She Er passed the ball to the free‑throw line; Pau Gasol received it, faked a light dribble, slipped past the aging Huo Wa De, drove into the paint, faced the defense, and made a layup.

Gasol handles the ball deftly, has an unusually long wingspan, and possesses the skills and offensive moves of a small forward.

When he finds his rhythm, he presses forward, and no one on the Heat can stop him.

This is the difficulty the Heat currently faces.

They originally thought Kobe's season was over, so the Lakers would be an easy catch; even though the Lakers have an interior advantage, they are like a toothless tiger—showing teeth but lacking real fighting power.

Who could have guessed that Fan Xi, the rookie who once gave them trouble, would emerge spectacularly, not only delivering an outstanding personal performance but also fully linking the Lakers' perimeter and interior, allowing the Lakers' paint power to mercilessly hammer Miami's heart.

Pat Lai Li watched the first three quarters and even closed his eyes in despair.

He realized a frightening fact: Kobe Bryant's departure, while weakening the Lakers' offensive options and perimeter defense, actually made the Lakers more cohesive, more united, more efficient, with the interior and exterior missing a relay point.

Or rather, they lost a tough middleman.

Now Fan Xi connects the inside and outside; without a middleman taking a cut, even though the unit price drops, the profit hasn't decreased.

Is the heavens out to get me?

Pat Lai Li looked up at the ceiling of the Staples Center. The Divine Computation Element rose to power with the Lakers back then: Lai Li was an assistant coach in Los Angeles, later seized the chaos to build a good relationship with magician Johnson, then became head coach, immediately creating the famous show‑time with magician Johnson and Jia Ba'er, becoming a league champion coach at a very young age.

But the good times were short.

Because Pat Lai Li's training methods were extremely brutal and his coaching style harsh, he was eventually sidelined by the magician and driven out of Los Angeles.

Nevertheless, Pat Lai Li truly is a capable man.

After creating the dazzling show‑time fast break in Los Angeles, he built the famed defensive iron curtain in New York, the iron‑blood Knicks, which in the 1990s stirred a bloody storm in the Eastern Conference; he and You Yin constantly stood on the front line against the Bulls dynasty, producing many famous games.

Pat Lai Li's personal abilities were elevated in New York, but by then he was no longer satisfied with being just a head coach.

Then, using a covert approach, he arrived in Miami, becoming the Heat club's president and head coach; he quickly helped the Heat become an Eastern powerhouse, rivaling the Knicks, and even took down the Knicks.

Next, in the summer of 2004, he seized the chance to land Sha Ke Ao Ni Er, leading the Miami Heat to lift the championship trophy in 2006.

As Sha Ke Ao Ni Er aged, he quickly built a new galactic battleship, and the Miami Heat Big Three emerged.

Although James's choice has been questioned by some.

But for Pat Lai Li, he has unquestionably succeeded. He proved his ability to run a team.

The Miami Heat also validated his wisdom by reaching the Finals in their first rebuilding season.

However, the Heat's current passivity in the Finals deeply stings Pat Lai Li; although he wouldn't say something like "second place is the biggest loser," the fact that his efforts culminated in a single battle leaves a huge regret in his heart.

Most importantly, he never dreamed that the Finals' ultimate achiever wouldn't be the "Heaven's Chosen Son" of redemption, nor the "career's final strike" Black Mamba, but the freshly emerged Miracle Child, now probably called the Little Duke.

That nickname is truly perfect; it targets James everywhere, yet also highlights his own uniqueness.

Alas!

Pat Lai Li let out a sigh.

This veteran of the martial world, who has never even regarded dynasty coach Phil Jackson as a threat, the Divine Computation Element Pat Lai Li now feels sorrowful inside.

He realizes that often, despite all his painstaking efforts, he cannot match the luck that falls from the heavens.

The Three Giants he assembled with all his effort were ultimately dismantled and pierced by an undrafted player Phil Jackson somehow acquired.

Why is Phil Jackson's luck always this good?

With the Bulls, he had the league's number one, Michael Jordan, and the voluntarily low‑salary Scottie Pippen.

During the Lakers' first three‑peat, he had the historic dominant center Sha Ke Ao Ni Er and the freshly fierce Kobe.

Now, as he seems poised to create another three‑peat, his roster inexplicably gained a historic rookie out of nowhere, and it's an undrafted player.

How unfair fate is.

Under Pat Lai Li's dim pupils lies a bleak undertone.

The hard‑headed him even now prays to God: why can't I get just a little bit of good luck?

…

Pau Gasol is expanding his own influence; he wants to show that he can still support the Lakers without Jackson's help. This is very advantageous for the upcoming MVP race.

So, he played quite aggressively.

He not only expanded to the top of the three‑point arc to screen the aging Fisher, but also began to take the ball and attack the rim one‑on‑one.

His touch was good.

To contain him, Wade and Ke Li Si Bo Shen went all‑in at 2:36 of the fourth quarter.

The Lakers, however, held their positions.

That is the Lakers' strategic advantage.

Moreover, Gasol is playing so well now; there's no reason to change, so they watch and wait.

Phil Jackson sat calmly on the bench.

Fan Xi no longer offered counsel.

Meanwhile, Andrew Bai Na Mu muttered nearby, "I think this guy is deliberately inflating his stats; he wants the MVP."

Fan Xi ignored Xiao Sha Yu, who is always outspoken.

However, this also highlights a problem: the Lakers' confidence has peaked, and as the game steadies and improves, everyone has begun to consider post‑final rewards.

Andrew Bai Na Mu hadn't never thought about competing for Finals MVP, but after checking his stats, even his mind realized it was impossible.

"Jie Ke, you need to score more in the fourth quarter. Although your earlier numbers and performance were eye‑catching, letting the Spaniard pad his stats in the next two games would be risky for you."

Saying that, Andrew Bai Na Mu leaned toward Fan Xi's ear, lowering his voice: "Actually many people don't want you to get Finals MVP, including some from our own team."

Xiao Sha Yu thought he was whispering, but most of the bench could hear him.

But everyone pretended not to hear clearly.

Fan Xi also pretended not to hear.

During the battle, don't speak or act on anything that harms unity.

On the court, Gasol launched another drive, receiving the ball at the free‑throw line and cutting straight in.

But his move was outdated.

When he went up for the layup, Wade cut in from an angle and swatted the ball away with a single hand.

Fortunately, Lamar Odom's eyes and hands were quick; he lunged, slid his body along the floor, snatched the ball, and passed it to the perimeter Deng Liwei.

Deng Liwei hit a three‑pointer.

He widened the gap to fifteen points.

The Staples Center shivered with excitement.

At that moment, Phil Jackson stood up, glanced at Fan Xi, and wanted to put Fan Xi in the game quickly; Gasol had just had a better option.

But on second thought, the lead was still huge. Swapping Fan Xi in so hastily would seem unsympathetic to the veteran and unsupportive of Gasol's scoring.

The Zen master, an experienced Finals head coach, knew how to balance two players both capable of winning Finals MVP.

So he held back, deciding to wait two more possessions.

That way, it's good for both Gasol and Fan Xi.

Miami surged forward; Wade powerfully drove into the paint, directly knocking Pau Gasol aside in the air and slamming the ball home.

He also forced a foul on Pau Gasol.

At this point, the fourth quarter was at 4:55.

Substitutions were now possible.

Normally, the starters should have been subbed in long ago.

But Phil Jackson still held his position.

He possessed deep strategic resolve.

He wanted to eat the whole fish.

Swish!

Wade calmly sank the free throw, cutting the gap to twelve points.

Then he clapped his hands and shouted loudly: Defense! Defense! Defense!

At that moment, Wade became Miami's unquestioned leader, taking the flag for Miami as James struggled.

He truly is the soul of the Heat.

That's unlike the foreign mercenaries.

"Coach, let us play."

Andrew Bai Na Mu stood up and told Phil Jackson, "Gasol can't hold on; some things aren't solved by just a haircut."

Xiao Sha Yu's remark was crisp.

But everyone gave a strange look at his red mohawk: "You're the player in Los Angeles history who's done the most with his hair, okay?"

Phil Jackson thought for a moment, "Warm up, then go up during the stoppage."

Fan Xi and Bai Na Mu quickly rose.

Phil Jackson pulled Fan Xi aside again to discuss tactics for a while.

At that time, the Lakers launched a new offensive round.

This time Gasol didn't move to the perimeter to screen Derek Fisher; instead he posted in the paint, blocking Joel Anthony.

Fisher used Lamar Odom's screen to evade James's chase, then quickly passed the ball inside.

Gasol made a strong move to eat Joel Anthony.

The basketball landed in his hands.

He indeed used his back‑to‑basket.

However, he overestimated himself; he had post skills but weak strength. Joel Anthony, though lacking and even shorter than Gasol, held his ground against Gasol without issue.

Gasol pushed twice with no sign of movement.

At this moment, he could pass, but he didn't.

Instead, he quickly glided with smooth footwork, turned to face forward, and executed a beautiful step‑over, faking out Joel Anthony.

At that instant, the path ahead was completely open.

Gasol didn't even think; he leapt straight up and dunked with one hand.

But James and Wade, two shot‑blocking masters, jumped up simultaneously.

Kobe shouted from the bench, urging his good teammate.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

Just when you think it's too late, it's already too fast.

Kobe's shout had barely reached them when Wade already slapped Pau Gasol's basketball onto the backboard.

At the same time, Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's body, like a raging bull, slammed directly onto Gasol.

Gasol is not Fan Xi; Fan Xi could take on three opponents, with heaven, earth and people all on his side.

At this moment, Gasol was completely suppressed; after beating Joel Anthony he had spent all his tricks. Wade's press loosened him, and then James came crashing in like a tank.

At that point, it became the final straw that broke the camel.

Gasol kept falling, his massive body unable to stop its inertia; after stumbling to the ground, he, having lost his balance, tried to reach out to brace the rim.

As a result, his left ankle twisted first, then his knee took a sudden blow, forming a curved angle, and he let out a howl as he fell to the floor.

Then Gasol, beneath the hoop, wailed in pain, his hands pounding the floor.

His whole body trembled.

Clearly, he was in immense agony, and he was not a person who could endure pain.

Watching Pau Gasol collapse under the basket, screaming in such pain.

The whole Staples Center plummeted into an abyss.

Phil Jackson covered his head with his hands, full of regret, lamenting why he hadn't substituted Fan Xi with Bai Na Mu earlier.

He originally intended to give Gasol a hand, but instead ended up sending Gasol straight to hell.

The team doctor rushed up to examine Gasol.

Phil Jackson's expression turned deathly pale.

The camera swept over the Lakers fans on site; everyone clutched their heads in pain, faces terrified and frantic, as if their breath fell from heaven to hell in an instant.

Fans in front of the TV were also stunned by this huge reversal.

Reggie Miller shouted on TV: "Why did this happen? Why did this happen? Kobe is injured, Gasol is injured, he looks in terrible pain, he can hardly return to the court. It's over, Los Angeles is over, they've lost the core inside and outside of the first two championships, do they still have a chance? They have not even a sliver of a chance?"

"Le Bu Lang Zhang Si and his team should be delighted now, right? They never imagined that in such a desperate situation, Gasol would get injured, right? Gasol already scored 39 points, a new playoff scoring record for him. Yet the milestone turned into a tragic milestone…"

Mai Ke Bu Lin also said regretfully.

Of course, deep down he felt joy.

Though Gasol is pitiful, the Heat now have a chance.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si, Dwyane Wade, and all the Heat players think that way in their hearts.

Only some can show it on their faces, while players like James and Wade show nothing on theirs.

Pat Riley has always been a scheming guy, his emotions never showing on his face; few can read his true feelings.

But when he saw the details of Gasol's injury on the big screen above, his smile at the corner of his mouth couldn't be restrained.

It was a release after extreme desperation.

Before Gasol's injury, he no longer dared to dream of taking the game back to the South Coast.

But now, he thinks of a single push, winning three consecutive cities, crushing the Lakers outright.

"Thank God!"

Pat Riley said devoutly in his heart.

He drew a cross on his chest; it was the most devout moment of his life.

He is certain God heard his inner voice.

Although, the way his wish was fulfilled was so cruel.

Pau Gasol kept screaming miserably, being pushed out of the arena.

His painful cries in the hearts of Lakers fans were like the bells of hell.

How could God do such a thing?

How could God allow such a thing to happen?

Inside Staples Center, many people let out helpless sighs from deep within.

Could it be that the Lakers are destined not to win a three‑peat this year?

Could it be that Le Bu Lang Zhang Si is truly the Heaven's Chosen Son, a child of the plane, even the heavens stand by him, helping him obtain his first career championship ring?

From Kobe to Gasol.

The Lakers lost not just two ordinary starters, but absolute cores.

What does the Lakers have left now?

Rookies, veterans, and Jieke Fan.

The only player on the team with one‑on‑one ball‑handling ability is Lamar Odom.

Odom?

What can Odom do?

He now can't even one‑on‑one Cole Kardashian.

Heaven is about to destroy Los Angeles.

Staples Center feels as oppressive as if it had just been crying.

Silent crying.

Crying in despair.

…