Chapter 349: It Doesn't Matter, Neither Do You

Fan Xi's clutch run of 11 consecutive points that eliminated the Lakers reached Chicago, and the Miami Heat Big Three, still playing an away game in Illinois, were extremely shocked.

They organized for all the players to watch the game.

When the final minute of the game replayed.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's buried memory in his heart attacked him wildly, and he muttered incoherently.

Fan Xi's toughness last season cast the biggest shadow—or disgrace—over their careers.

This season they are making a comeback, sharpening weapons and feeding horses; whether it's the coordination among the Three Giants or strengthening the roster, they are prepared.

But seeing Fan Xi's consecutive scoring in the final moments.

They still couldn't help but break out cold sweat on their backs.

"Jie Ke can always be possessed by God," Ke Li Si Bo Shen said, still trembling, "That guy is literally God's messenger walking among mortals. Why is he so fierce at crucial moments!"

Ke Li Si Bo Shen once received a harsh rebuke from Fan Xi, so when facing Fan Xi again, he actually has a mental disadvantage.

Snap!

Wade turned off the TV.

He shouted, resolutely, "What's the big deal? Everyone can go crazy; scoring 11 points in a row isn't remarkable, just a coincidence. If it were us, would we have a chance to come back? The Lakers are at a loss; they're like foolish donkeys hung on a millstone, being toyed with by that despicable guy."

"If they run into us, they're doomed!"

Wade said firmly.

He doesn't want to boost others' prestige while crushing his own morale.

His words lifted Miami's morale, especially the newly signed Ma Ku Si Kan Bi, who boasted, "Such a game is just a fluke, no discussion needed. It's just the Lakers being unlucky. When Kuaisuan faces us, the media will know who's unlucky."

When the crowd dispersed, Wade and James sat in their chairs.

They looked at each other in silence.

After a long while, James said, "I must further strengthen my defense, treating Derek Rose like Jie Ke, honing my defense on him to perfection."

Wade nodded.

Although he knows Fan Xi and Rosa differ, if James can perfect his defense on Rosa, then the Miami Heat would have a better chance should they face Kuaisuan.

"We used to hope Kuaisuan would beat the Lakers, but now that Kuaisuan has the match point, I'm actually a bit worried," Dehuai En Wade said, "That kid always brings an unexpected threat."

The Miami Heat don't want to face the Lakers, and no Eastern team wants to. The Lakers are universally the strongest team; although they lost to Kuaisuan three times in the regular season, they still amassed 68 wins.

Given both rosters and play styles, the Miami Three Giants versus the Lakers have a low chance of winning.

Therefore, they hope the Lakers' nemesis Fan Xi will defeat the Lakers in the Western Finals, letting them reap the fisherman's profit.

In fact, when Miami saw Kuaisuan ultimately secure the seventh seed in the West, everyone burst into laughter. Pa Te Lai Li, known as the Divine Computing Element, was so excited he clapped his hands repeatedly, exclaiming, "The Western internal war is simply perfect for us. Once they battle exhaustedly to determine a winner, we can rest easy."

At that time, they most hoped Kuaisuan would win the Western Finals.

Because whether it's the Spurs or the Lakers, both are seasoned teams. The Miami Three Giants are a fast‑track star powerhouse; in a seven‑game series against those teams they'd be outmatched in depth and tactical system, which is their weak point.

But if it's Kuaisuan, they'd be delighted.

Now, however, James and Wade are excited yet a bit worried.

What excites them is the possibility of facing the weakest opponent, and finally taking revenge for last season with their own hands.

What worries them is, what if Jie Ke Fan goes berserk again at a crucial moment? They truly fear Fan Xi's clutch ability, since Wade was killed by Fan Xi in the finals, and James was also eliminated by Fan Xi.

They're all haunted.

"Anyway, take Chicago. This year's championship will be within easy reach. Kobe is already injured, Kuaisuan got a bargain, and their beating the Lakers is just a matter of time."

James gave the final decisive statement.

This season, James's skill has further improved; he's evolved. His jump shot is more consistent, even extending beyond the three‑point line. His back‑to‑the‑basket one‑on‑one is solid, and the tuition he paid to Olajuwon has yielded some steady returns.

Now, he creates a big‑on‑small impact on the defensive end.

In a sense, in the Three Giants' minds they haven't moved on from last season's finals loss; they've been striving with Fan Xi as a hypothetical opponent.

Now, they finally get their wish fulfilled.

…

Magic Johnson, as general manager, confirmed the news that Kobe would play injured, and he disclosed Kobe's injury: a fractured hand bone and some soft‑tissue damage.

But he didn't guarantee that Kobe wouldn't play in the next game.

Because this matter isn't his to decide; Kobe and his team will discuss its feasibility.

But now a voice is spreading within the Lakers organization and fanbase: they want Kobe to sit out. On one hand, they think the injured Kobe could disrupt the game's chemistry, so it might be better to let Paul lead the team with a thunderous performance, perhaps achieving great things.

On the other hand, they don't want Kobe's injury to worsen; they hope he recovers fully. If the team loses, there's still a lingering hope, since the Lakers once displayed dominance, only that Fan Xi got lucky in two games, creating two last‑minute comebacks… which altered the course of the games.

Magic Johnson later mentioned his 'golden mouth' issue.

He helplessly spread his palms and said, "If I'd known this outcome, I'd have said lead by 20 points in the final minute. Yes, 20 points. Jie Ke, can you pull off a comeback when trailing by 20 points in the final minute?"

Magic Johnson was turning the tables; as long as he isn't embarrassed, the embarrassment falls on others.

20 points?

Fan Xi jumped in shock when he saw it on TV.

Isn't this ridiculous?

It makes a hard‑earned vacation feel like swallowing a fly.

After getting up, Fan Xi went to Tai Lei Si Wu Fu Te's new studio to finish the final backing vocals for that song; this time he didn't engage in any physical interaction with Tai Lei Si Wu Fu Te in the studio, probably because there was a Grammy‑winning producer present.

The song Fan Xi sang was polished to sound great.

The gold‑medal producer said Fan Xi's vocal tone is excellent; with more practice in music theory, he could become a recording artist.

Fan Xi said, "Better not."

One can't excel in every field; it leaves room for male pop singers in the Western market.

The gold‑medal producer laughed heartily; he's gay, and most artists are gay. He said, "Actually, you've already taken away many male singers' gossip partners; female pop singers in the West now want to have some wholesome interaction with you."

Fan Xi chuckled and then took his leave.

Sometimes a person's reputation is so conspicuous that it creates many misunderstandings.

Female singer?

Fan Xi, once in the car, kept thinking: the only female singers are Taylor and Selena, that's all. Everything ends up falling on my head; don't make me bear what I shouldn't.

"I hope the explosive news TMZ will release next week makes the whole world forget me; I don't want to be a playboy."

Fan Xi said to Chen Ye in the car.

Chen Ye shrugged and said, "I don't think any explosive news could mask your impact on women. I feel that any woman in the West with a bit of fame now wants to date you; you're already a pilgrimage target in their minds."

Never.

Fan Xi spread his palm, helpless as if on defense he were shaken off by a crossover and left standing still.

…

That night, the Miami Heat tried to clinch the match point at the Chicago United Center arena, just like Kuaisuan. The Three Giants started off extremely aggressively, full of offense.

However, they underestimated the Bulls' resilience; under Silver's system and Derek Rose's leadership, they were unusually tenacious. Their defense was like a meat grinder, and the offense always found opportunities.

Both sides remained locked in a stalemate.

The more intense the game became, the more it showcased their tactical literacy and team resilience.

Fan Xi sat in front of the TV, muted it, and carefully captured every detail.

He didn't listen to the commentator's chatter; he's not an ordinary fan and doesn't need a few basketball experts babbling about their understanding of the game.

From the first quarter to the fourth.

The point gap between the two teams never exceeded five points.

With 11 seconds left, the Bulls, thanks to Derek Rose's step‑back three, turned the deficit into a lead.

In the final moment, the ball went to James.

Roland stared at James; James needed just two points to win. He drove into the free‑throw lane but was surrounded by Roland and Butler.

Fan Xi thought he wasn't decisive enough.

If it were him, he would have shot already.

Moreover, James's final decision was to pass, not to draw a foul by confronting the defense.

The ball reached Wade with less than two seconds left.

Wade shot quickly, and Derek Rose lunged forward.

Fan Xi was certain Rosa's fingertips had definitely touched the ball.

Bang!

The ball hit the front rim and bounced out.

The game ended.

Wade couldn't finish the buzzer‑beater as he had in the previous game.

He couldn't, in front of the Chicago locals, say again: This is my turf.

The score was rewritten to 2–2.

They will next engage in the Tianwang Mountain contest.

The Eastern Finals look far more intense than the Western Finals.

"Chicago is really lucky,"

After the game, Fan Xi felt reflective. He thought that with the Heat's strength, they had at least seven or eight chances to take the win outright, but they failed to seize them. James is too eager to be perfect; his high basketball IQ is a recognized fact, yet sometimes basketball doesn't require such intellect—just charging head‑on can be more decisive.

Playing basketball is just putting the ball into the hoop, right?

Fan Xi's understanding is very straightforward.

He believes the Miami Heat will win this series, a view shared by veterans like Garnett and other old super‑stars, because the Heat truly have the edge.

…

Kuaisuan's fifth game against the Lakers is approaching quickly.

Although many reports before the game suggested Kobe would continue to compete, Vanessa eventually posted a photo at noon on game day of Kobe Bryant in a plaster cast.

Kobe confirmed he will not play the fifth game.

Because last night, Jean Bas personally talked to Kobe.

On the night Fan Xi staged an 11–0 comeback against the Lakers, the Lakers fell into despair. There has never been a precedent of a Western Finals comeback from a 1–3 deficit.

Moreover, once Kobe's injury is exposed, he becomes a liability on the court.

At least Jean Bas, De'Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwight Howard think so; they held an internal meeting.

They think that if Kobe stays on the court, Fan Xi will definitely seize Kobe and beat him to death, just as Fan Xi deliberately lured Kobe at the final moment that night.

Paul believes there should be a game entirely controlled by him; he dislikes being restrained.

De'Anthony and Howard stood behind him.

Jean Bas was persuaded by them; in her view, Paul is the top point guard, Howard the top center, and with the Lakers' current lineup, they might still give Kuaisuan a strong warning.

Moreover, Paul guarantees that tonight Kuaisuan will not escape so easily from the Lakers' home court.

He swore.

So, Jean Bas called Kobe and subtly expressed her thoughts.

When Kobe answered the call, he was completely stunned. In the past 24 hours he had been undergoing conservative treatment, letting a Chinese doctor fill his injury with needles, and he put his hand in an ice bucket every two hours…

He was sure his right hand was recovering more and more, and he believed that returning to the court he could still make a huge contribution. He even arranged a private doctor to give him a closed injection.

He exerted great effort to convince his wife and team.

But now…

Jean Bas politely indicated that the Lakers want Kobe to rest, prioritizing his health, and Chris and Dwight will shoulder the team's heavy responsibilities.

At that moment, Kobe was extremely downcast; he hadn't spoken for a long time.

Wanisha beside quickly answered Zhenni: "Okay, we will go to the hospital right away. Thank you, we finally have a rare holiday."

Wanisha felt heartache for her husband.

She even felt it was not worth it for her husband; she was all too aware of how hard her husband had worked over the past two days just to be able to return to the court.

Kebi remained silent for a long time.

He eventually still followed Wanisha's arrangement, went to the hospital, and put a cast on his fractured right hand… This was already 108 hours after his injury.

"Jie Ke, this match, I can finally stand on equal footing with you and engage in a life-and-death battle. No one will interfere with us anymore; you will witness the true Saint Paul."

Before the match began, as they exchanged respects, Baoluo deliberately walked up to Fan Xi and left these solemn words in Fan Xi's ear.

"This is not important."

Fan Xi told Baoluo in a bored tone: "You are not important either."

…