Chapter 345

Fan Xi had already thought of the Lakers as very strong, but he didn't expect the Lakers to be even stronger than he expected.

So-called knowing shame is close to courage.

When Kobe cut off Paul and Howard's retreat and made them members of the system. The Lakers' true combat power exploded.

When Howard was willing to become a blue-collar worker, he took rim protection and help defense to the extreme.

When Paul conscientiously created value within his range of activity, the Lakers' offensive momentum suddenly increased by several levels.

Many times, attitude is the biggest deciding factor.

The Lakers kept chasing points back; they created great difficulties for the Clippers on the defensive end, and the Clippers once didn't score for two minutes.

The Lakers pressed the tempo very slowly; the two teams were like rolling in a meat grinder.

The third quarter ended quickly; the Clippers only got 12 points in the single quarter, and the Lakers gained 22 points.

They chased back 10 points in a single quarter.

And it was obtained in a slow, decisive, and irresistible way.

"The Lakers are like a slowly driving road roller; no matter how agile and impactful the Clippers play, they seem unable to stop the Lakers' forward pace."

Charles Barkley sighed: "I think this Lakers team is more powerful than the OK combination; they have no shortcomings."

Earl Johnson also believes: "If the Lakers play like this, they will easily defeat the Clippers, and they will also easily defeat the Eastern Conference champion, whether it is the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls who win."

The Lakers proved their strength with the performance of a single quarter. They finally played the dominance that all Lakers fans expected.

The Clippers fans on the scene were silent and depressed.

The Lakers' performance was like pulling up an iron curtain, covering the world in darkness, making them unable to breathe.

Beep!

The fourth quarter arrived quickly.

The Clippers replaced with a brand-new lineup: Fan Xi, Butler, Leonard, Kwame Brown, DeAndre Jordan.

Nowitzki is temporarily resting on the bench.

Fan Xi has decided to officially start the pick-and-roll tactic with Nowitzki in three minutes, and let all teammates join in.

The whistle blew.

Fan Xi rushed to the front court under Chris Paul's full-court gaze; Paul's defense was very good, and his brain was very smart; he played with his brain, and the brilliance of his defense lies in... he can always capture the connection points of his opponents and then destroy them.

Fan Xi forcibly accelerated into the free-throw line against Paul's defense, then he made a stop-and-go movement; Paul subconsciously stuck to him, but Fan Xi didn't collect the ball, but instead rotated around Paul's body, changing angles to enter the restricted area.

Gasol helped defend, and Fan Xi jumped up and picked the basketball into the basket while pressing him.

Fan Xi has been using his breakthrough to create damage.

The super-god stabilizer obtained from Michael Jordan made his layups and floaters under high-intensity defense extremely accurate, even under Howard's pressure, he could accurately hit them.

This challenged the Lakers' interior defense.

Changing sides to fight again, the Clippers also set up a defensive iron bucket formation. This is the Clippers' strongest defensive system.

Paul held the ball and entered his sweet spot; under Fan Xi's pressure, he could not trick opportunities into the paint through lateral movement; he only had to pass the basketball to Kobe.

Kobe backed down against Leonard, but at the moment Kobe shot, Butler flew over; he slapped Kobe's basketball out of bounds, and at the same time pulled Kobe to the ground.

Beep!

The head referee gave Butler a foul.

Butler raised his hands innocently; he thought it was a beautiful defense.

This ball is between a foul and a block.

If it were Kobe slapping Butler, the head referee might ignore it.

But now, the offense and defense have changed.

Kobe walked to the free-throw line; he rubbed his wrist; Butler slapped this ball too hard.

Butler is a wolf-like player; he has always gone all out.

Bang!

Kobe's first free throw missed; after a slight adjustment, the second free throw steadily pierced the basket.

The game continued to move forward.

Fan Xi still assaulted the paint; when he attracted a double team in the paint, Butler ran to the bottom corner of the three-point line through Leonard's screen, and Fan Xi quickly threw the basketball out... it was a dangerous large diagonal pass.

Swish!

Butler hit a 3-pointer.

Jimmy made a contribution!

One offense and one defense.

The Clippers players on the sidelines jumped up excitedly, as did the fans in the arena.

The point difference widened.

But soon, the Lakers returned the favor; Kobe and Gasol cooperated, and Gasol bypassed DeAndre Jordan to hit a floater.

Both sides engaged in a burning duel.

The Lakers once again mastered the slow advantage.

However, this time, their pace of narrowing the point difference was very slow.

Therefore, Coach Mike Brown stood still; he never let Nowitzki come on.

He is a defensive coach; he likes this defensive lineup; he likes this feeling of fist-to-flesh. Moreover, he believes that only under this high-intensity training can young players grow rapidly.

The game quickly progressed to the final moment.

When there was 1 minute and 11 seconds left.

The Clippers led by 4 points, 89:85.

Kobe Bryant killed into the paint; he drew a foul. Two free throws, one hit.

The Clippers led by 3 points.

"The Clippers need to request a timeout; they have been chased back by so many points, and now the momentum is not on their side. They should have put Nowitzki on the court; in fact, they should have done so five minutes ago."

"Nowitzki is the Clippers' strongest attacking player."

Earl Johnson analyzed it this way.

But his analysis has always been wrong; he couldn't guess what the Clippers were thinking.

The Clippers did not request a timeout.

Fan Xi quickly dribbled the ball across the half-court, and then he passed the basketball to Leonard; Leonard backed down against Kobe.

He backed down calmly.

His technique is very solid, although the movement doesn't have much beauty.

Afterward, he made a feint.

The fake move is also very rough.

But after he poked his head to the left, he quickly turned backward, and then took a fadeaway jump shot... he bet right; Kobe misjudged; although he flew over quickly, the basketball had already flown out of his hands... Swish!

Leonard hit 2 points.

The Clippers re-expanded the lead to 5 points at such a critical moment.

There were 55 seconds left.

Beep!

The Lakers couldn't hold back; they requested a timeout.

Their coaching staff arranged tactics.

When the whistle blew again, the game continued.

What people didn't expect was that Nowitzki still didn't come on.

The Clippers were too calm.

Although Nowitzki stood up at this time, he took off his coat and was warming up.

It seems that the Clippers want to defend this wave of offense before letting Nowitzki on.

Chris Paul got the basketball under Fan Xi's pressure; he quickly broke into the three-point line, and then he passed the basketball to Kobe.

Kobe backed down against Leonard, and he also feinted, but the movement was much more fluent and smooth.

And just when Kobe turned around and tricked Leonard away, Fan Xi flew over.

Fan Xi wanted to complete a steal.

But he was a beat slow, and he was caught off guard.

Kobe actually passed the ball; Kobe passed the basketball to the bottom corner; Chris Paul arrived on horseback; Butler helped defend; Paul had already taken a jump shot... Swish!

3 points hit.

With 37 seconds left in the game, the Lakers narrowed the point difference to 2 points.

Fan Xi asked Kwame Brown to pass the basketball to him quickly.

He grabbed the basketball, and without waiting for the Lakers to react, he immediately launched a fast break; Fan Xi assaulted the front court like lightning; the Lakers hurriedly retreated; their retreat speed was very fast.

However, it was not faster than Fan Xi's snatching chestnuts from the fire.

Fan Xi flashed into the paint, then jumped up violently; he chopped the basketball into the basket with his left hand.

There were 32 seconds left in the game.

Fan Xi expanded the point difference to 4 points with a shocking dunk.

This goal put the Lakers in a strategic passive position.

They must attack one ball.

They originally wanted to hit this 3-pointer, grind the Clippers well on the defensive end, and then complete a buzzer-beater on the last attack.

However, Fan Xi didn't give them this opportunity. He directly established a 4-point lead with a quick counterattack.

The Lakers' wishful thinking failed.

Chris Paul accelerated forward; Fan Xi followed closely, and he entangled Paul.

Paul hurriedly passed the basketball to Kobe.

Kobe still backed down against Leonard, and Paul also took the same route as the previous round.

When Kobe bypassed Leonard's defense from a back turn again.

Fan Xi flew over again; he performed a double team.

Kobe still wanted to pass the ball, but at the moment he raised his hand, Fan Xi was like a long-armed gibbon on Emei... he arrived in front of Kobe in a swoosh... all martial arts in the world, only speed cannot be broken, nothing is indestructible.

Fan Xi directly grabbed Kobe's basketball.

Kobe just let go, and Fan Xi pulled it back hard.

Suddenly, the basketball was taken away.

There were 26 seconds left.

After Fan Xi got the basketball, he went straight to the front court without stopping.

Kobe hurriedly chased to foul.

But Fan Xi's speed dodged his pursuit and quickly crossed the half-court.

The entire Staples Center was already boiling.

Fan Xi's fast break and steal at the last moment once again proved his energy at critical moments.

He moved like a spirit monkey with the basketball; Kobe didn't catch up to foul; Chris Paul rushed over, and the first pull was also dodged by Fan Xi.

The second pull made Fan Xi perform a beautiful 'landing back turn' dribble.

Fan Xi killed into the paint; Pau Gasol and Howard flew over to foul at the same time.

Fan Xi jumped up in their double team; he threw the basketball out against Howard's pull... Swish!

Beep!

At the same time the whistle blew, the basketball pierced the net.

The goal is valid, plus one free throw.

When Fan Xi walked to the free-throw line, there were only 11.8 seconds left.

Swish!

When Fan Xi hit this free throw.

The point difference expanded to 7 points.

Nowitzki on the sidelines put on his coat with a full face of smiles.

Victory was put into his pocket; he didn't need to come on again.

"Jack's ability at critical moments is historical level; he is too good at capturing combat opportunities."

Nowitzki said to a group of old guys like Yao, Nash, and Hill.

Everyone nodded one after another.

Although they are all people who have seen the world, Fan Xi's critical ability is really the strongest they have ever seen.

Chris Paul rushed to the front court under Fan Xi's full-court pressure, and then, he passed the basketball to Kobe; Kobe passed the ball outside the three-point line and threw an airball.

The basketball was thrown directly out of bounds.

The Lakers' trend is gone.

Fan Xi sealed the coffin.

When DeAndre Jordan passed the ball to Fan Xi again, the Lakers didn't play, because there were only 5.7 seconds left, and there was no point in playing anymore.

What's more, it's not certain that they can catch Fan Xi.

Fan Xi dribbled quickly across the half-court, and the players of both sides began to pull their jerseys out of their long johns.

Beep!

Fan Xi consumed the last time.

The game is over.

Fan Xi and his Clippers won this thrilling victory.

The Lakers played true dominance; after experiencing a dreamlike first half, they were suddenly reborn in the second half, devouring the point difference like a bulldozer.

It once again proves Kobe's sharpness and wisdom on the tactical side.

If it weren't for Fan Xi's performance like God descending at a critical moment, the person who laughed last might not be the Lakers.

"This series will play all seven games, my intuition tells me." Earl Johnson said on TV.

Charles Barkley agreed with his opinion: "The Clippers will win 1 more game, but the Lakers will win three more."

Barkley firmly believes in the Lakers, because the Lakers in the second half were too terrifying.

Kenny Smith said: "I think the Clippers will win two consecutive victories; the Lakers cannot win; their physical fitness cannot keep up. And, don't forget, the Los Angeles Clippers gave up a Nowitzki tonight."

Kenny is a firm believer in Fan Xi; he always firmly believes in Fan Xi; he always stands behind Fan Xi.

At this time, Fan Xi is being interviewed by the media.

He told the camera loudly: "I said long ago that Leonard and Butler are the strongest players in the 2011 class; they have a bright future and will all become superstars in the top five of the league. I said long ago that DeAndre Jordan is the most underrated center; he will definitely enter the best lineup. I said long ago that Kwame Brown's talent can still be developed; he will easily become an elite player, even if he has been delayed for so many years."

"Look at their performance tonight. Everyone should take off their hats and salute them; they held off the Lakers; the Lakers' tenacious offensive was held off by them. And this season, it's even just their first season, the first time playing in the playoffs."

"I am full of confidence. The Clippers will move from tonight's victory to the next victory, until complete victory!"

It is rare for Fan Xi to give a long speech in front of the camera.

But he is really very excited; in the face of the Lakers' such powerful offensive in the second half, in the face of the Lakers' such amazing dominance, the Clippers did not collapse. Their rookies and water goods did not have a mental breakdown, but instead resisted stubbornly. Until Fan Xi sealed the throat with a sword at a critical moment.

Fan Xi scored 35 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks tonight, incomparably comprehensive, which is a superstar performance.

"We lost too many points in the first half, but fortunately we found our state in the second half and found how to play correctly. I am full of confidence in the next game; now it's only 1:2 behind."

Magic Johnson was interviewed by the media behind the Lakers bench; he was full of smiles, and he even congratulated Fan Xi: "Jack's critical ball ability once again made me dumbfounded. The only way to stop him is... to lead them by 10 points 1 minute before the end of the game."

"In the next game, we will do it."