Chapter 315: General Arenas

Griffin certainly wouldn't care about these details.

Although he once competed with Fan Xi for "who is the only Haonan of the new generation in Los Angeles," he failed later, and he was willing to accept it. Regarding Fan Xi sending him to Dallas, he had completely accepted and was grateful, because he got more in Dallas, and he already had the new nickname of Texas Griffin.

Fan Xi repeated as All-Star MVP.

He returned to Los Angeles that night.

He didn't continue to create so-called scandals with Nicki Minaj. He clearly expressed when accepting the media: "I don't mind what she said. I am indifferent to this, I don't have any thoughts of developing feelings with her. However, I like her rhythm, she is a singer with rhythm and pace who makes people can't help but wiggle along with her."

Of course, Fan Xi didn't just talk about Nicki Minaj, he also talked about the Miami and Chicago coalition. "I don't know if they used their full strength, but if they are only at this level, this year's championship should still stay in the West."

Fan Xi rarely released a sarcasm.

Because with the closing of the trading window, other teams made targeted reinforcements, only the Clippers, only signed a troublemaker, the gun-toting General Arenas.

Miami got Marcus Camby. Even though he wasn't young now, he was still a quasi-first-class rim protector in the league.

It could be said that the Heat's only weakness was made up by him.

The Lakers also strengthened their weak links. They got a quasi-elite point guard backup like Sessions. When Paul wasn't on the court, he also maintained competitiveness. At the same time, they also got a satisfactory shooter, and their third position would be more aggressive.

Fan Xi didn't like this comparison.

However, on the plane back to Los Angeles, he saw the rating given by the media for the Clippers' signing: D grade.

They believed Arenas's arrival would destroy the Clippers' original chemistry.

Because before this, although the Clippers signed many former big-name players, whether it was Nash, Hill, Carter, Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Billups, or Hamilton, they were all very kind people, and they wouldn't destroy the chemistry.

However, Arenas was different. This was a bad guy who brought a gun into the locker room, and he had always been known for being outspoken and unscrupulous.

Fan Xi decided to meet Arenas.

Arenas also wanted to see Fan Xi in Los Angeles.

On the morning of the second day after arriving in Los Angeles, the only active player to repeat as All-Star MVP met Arenas at the Clippers training gym.

Arenas was as described by Kupchak, his weight loss was very successful. He was at least 30 pounds lighter than last season, he looked very lean, and even his muscles were a circle thinner... In his peak period, his upper body strength could be said to be the strongest among guards, even forwards could be pushed away.

Arenas was as flamboyant as the rumors. When he saw Fan Xi, he ran over to shake hands and bump chests very boldly, and then chattered endlessly like a street gangster: "... Hey, Jack, I watched your game last night. The three-pointer you used to kill the game was too cool. Dwyane was a baby in front of you, he was completely helpless, he could only cry. I especially love the momentum when you raised your hands high after throwing the three-pointer... I don't mean you are imitating me, but you know, I also completed such a game-winner once... I was crazy at the time, I was simply too cool, even if God stood in front of me with a sniper rifle, he couldn't defeat me..."

Arenas's style of doing things was indeed completely different from other old players on the team.

Fan Xi looked at him calmly.

Until he stopped.

Arenas read the power of calmness from Fan Xi.

He looked at Fan Xi.

He realized this was Fan Xi's territory.

He began to wait for Fan Xi to speak.

After Fan Xi paused for a while, he said: "We need a three-point shooter. The management evaluated and believed that there is still oil in your tank."

"Originally I had some worries, but after seeing your body shape, I realized you realized this point earlier than me."

"You are no longer the superstar with super fast speed, super strong strength, and super accurate shooting in the NBA. Although the injury is a pity, you need to accept it."

"If you are ready, let's do it together."

"There will be a championship. You should also be looking forward to that thing."

"I heard your story when I was very young. I watched your advertisement on TV. At that time, I was still a junior high school student in China. I heard the story of you choosing number 0. It inspired me many times. You and Iverson are both fighters."

Fan Xi looked at Gilbert's eyes very seriously when speaking. He wasn't putting on a pose; he was expressing his respect.

Gilbert Arenas was still grinning at first, but in Fan Xi's words, the smile on his face converged, and he became solemn.

In the face of sincerity, people are hard to resist, even if his protective color is very thick.

Arenas was a troublemaker. His personality was flamboyant, outspoken, bossy, always saying some messy things, commenting on this and that, and even bullying others.

But at the same time, he wasn't without advantages. He was hardworking, diligent, he fought from the bottom to the peak of the league, his shooting was completely trained, and his terrifying upper body strength was also exercised in the gym.

He had lost his speed and explosiveness now, but as long as his perseverance was still there, and he was willing to follow the tactics to run, with his shooting level, he could still find a meal in the league.

It was just that his personality problem was too serious, making people shrink back.

The Clippers took this hot potato, and everyone was waiting to see the joke.

Fan Xi didn't continue to talk at length with Arenas; he walked over to train.

Fan Xi's training was equally boring.

Shuttle runs.

Cone runs.

Then it was ball-handling shooting training.

Fan Xi shot again and again, stopped at any time, and discussed the shooting angle with the shooting coach.

He polished his skills with great patience.

This made Arenas dumbfounded. He originally thought Fan Xi just came over to put on a show.

To build a diligent persona.

But didn't expect, Fan Xi was just training so simply and crazily.

Arenas asked himself, if it were himself who had just repeated as All-Star MVP, he would definitely call friends to celebrate, let everyone feel his happiness, and reward his hard work.

However, Fan Xi didn't have this thought at all.

He was just training seriously.

Arenas had more understanding of Fan Xi. He realized that Fan Xi's rapid rise was by no means from thin air. A self-disciplined and diligent star could always win more respect, even if others couldn't do it.

In the afternoon, the Clippers' young players came to train.

Then, some conflicts broke out.

Arenas habitually let Butler carry his bag. This was an unwritten rule in the NBA; rookies had to carry bags for old players.

However, this season on the Clippers, there was no such thing at all. The old players on the Clippers were very nice, and Fan Xi had just come from a rookie. So, there was no such "culture."

Arenas was still careless, with a gang boss style.

At that time, Butler threw his bag aside, the two topped their heads, and almost didn't fight, if not for Leonard going over to separate them.

Arenas broke out a small conflict on the first day of joining.

Fan Xi subsequently conducted ideological work. He told Butler about Arenas's point of view. The NBA had always had this tradition, and Butler had also heard of it.

Afterwards, he told Arenas about the working atmosphere on the Clippers, saying that old and new people were treated equally, there was no habit of carrying bags, and pranks were not encouraged.

Although both accepted Fan Xi's explanation, they still had some knots in their hearts and didn't shake hands and make peace.

This matter was also spread out. An insider who didn't want to reveal his name exposed this news to the media.

Naturally, public opinion was in an uproar.

The voices of looking down on the Clippers were even more pervasive.

Moreover, there were media public gambling disks, saying that Arenas would definitely not last until the playoffs before being swept out by the Clippers, because the Clippers' harmonious ecology would be destroyed by him.

These voices brought great pressure to the Clippers and Arenas.

So much so that Arenas fired on social media: "F*** the media, you are always talking nonsense, always wanting to break people up, you have never done a good thing. Despise! Despise!"

Arenas's anger had never been restrained.

How could someone like him who fired directly at the media get a fair evaluation from the uncrowned king?

For a time, personal attacks on Arenas increased again.

Even the Los Angeles media close to the Clippers were swaying, and Clippers fans were even more worried. In their view, originally a harmonious team added such an explosive bomb, why bother? Was it necessary?

In contrast, the Sessions and Webster brought by the Lakers were seamless as soon as they came up, low-key, honest, sincere, and obedient.

Fan Xi didn't express any opinion on this matter.

He was even different from what the outside world said. He agreed with Arenas firing at the media; the Clippers seemed to need such a thorn.

Just like the Bulls dynasty had a Rodman.

The key was that the blade of Arenas's knife had to be outward, not inward.

The Lakers played a home game before the Clippers.

The newly joined Sessions and Webster performed perfectly. They easily defeated the New York Knicks 139:111.

The New York Knicks' next back-to-back opponent was the Los Angeles Clippers.

This made many media have a heart of comparison.

Even Arenas was howling in the locker room before the game, saying: "We are going to kill the Knicks, sink the Knicks directly, and slaughter them even more than the Lakers!"

His style was indeed different from other old players on the Clippers. For example, other big brothers were drinking tea to maintain health, while this one was the kind who directly took vodka and slammed it into his mouth.

If it were his peak period, with strength as a bottom line, this would definitely be a hero, and the team could be led by his boldness and banditry to be very combative.

The key was that he was now a player with a non-guaranteed contract, and his strength had also declined significantly.

It just seemed a bit "noisy."

Fan Xi still respected him very much.

Specifically explained to him: "Our policy now is to cultivate newcomers, not to pursue big wins. However, tonight, we will let you play more, but the key is to play off-ball."

Arenas listened.

Fan Xi was fishing for big fish with a long line, strategically giving up the regular season directly, just need to make the playoffs.

"Then I understand." Arenas nodded.

The game started.

Fan Xi, Arenas, Butler, Kwame Brown, and DeAndre Jordan started.

This lineup was something Arenas didn't expect.

He had already prepared to be a substitute, but he started.

Fan Xi could really give people surprises.

Arenas immediately had the idea of bowing down and dying for the team.

However, when the game arrived, he found it was not quite the same as he imagined. He wasn't entrusted with important tasks.

The one entrusted with important tasks was Butler.

Fan Xi transferred a lot of ball rights to Butler. Butler brought the ball to charge. He was very relaxed against the New York without Anthony, but he rarely passed the ball out to Arenas.

Arenas played for 8 minutes in the first quarter and touched the ball four times.

Three times were passed to him by Fan Xi.

He seized 2 opportunities, hit 1 three-pointer, and 1 two-pointer.

The efficiency was not bad.

But he thought he could do more. When he went off the court, he couldn't help but say to Butler: "Can't you pass that damn ball to me more?"

Butler also topped him: "You f***ing run to the tactical position."

"How did I not stand in the tactical position? I tell you, young man, the position is floating, don't be conservative, you pass the ball out, give it to me, and I can score."

"I f***ing won't give it, if it hasn't reached the designated tactical position, absolutely won't give it."

The two had a communication full of "mother-containing" content, and they broke up unhappily.

The Clippers playing the Knicks was not a big problem, even if Nowitzki wasn't there.

However, it also played to the last 3 minutes to decide the outcome.

Jeremy Lin didn't play against Fan Xi in the All-Star Game, but in this game, Fan Xi gave him a nail-board block at the last moment and pointed out directly: "Your left-hand dribbling breakthrough ability is too poor."

This block, plus the subsequent breakthrough 2+1 layup, was the key to the Clippers locking in the victory.

In the end, the Clippers defeated the Knicks 118:112 and achieved victory.

This victory brought the Clippers' record to sixth in the West.

But it didn't block the comparison on the media. After all, the Lakers had slaughtered by nearly 30 points before, and the Knicks played back-to-back, but you only won by 6 points?

Arenas and Butler also exploded with profanity on the court. Arenas only hit 3 out of 9 shots in the whole game, which was terrible.

Did the Clippers intend to use him as an outside shooter to open up space?

Questions arose everywhere.

Fan Xi used a special way to break the doubts.

He arranged for Arenas to attend the post-game media meeting.

Arenas fired at full power, sweeping wildly.

If he could say a good word, it would count as his loss.

... ===== CHAPTER 316 =====