Chapter 426: The Grim Madison Garden Encounter

For the Zen master, the Bulls dynasty is forever his proudest career achievement.

Later, although he built two dynasties with the Lakers, no matter how you look at it, humanity's first is more worth cherishing. Moreover, back in Chicago his little bro could still contribute. In the Lakers he was almost just a trinket. Now in New York even the trinket gets discounted.

Fan Xi's slam dunk made Madison Garden burst into cheers for a moment before a wave of boos spread.

Knicks owner Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan leaned back in a widened chair, looking half‑asleep and indifferent to everything.

This fits his spendthrift persona perfectly.

As a spendthrift, the team gets hammered while he remains unmoved—exactly as expected.

The game continues.

Ka Meilong Andongni finally scored, using a beautiful spin to shake off a line of defense, then completing the attack with a high‑difficulty alley‑oop.

Ka Meilong Andongni's form this season is decent; he has the strength to challenge the scoring title at any moment.

Lun Na De finds defending Ka Meilong Andongni a bit of a headache. Ka Meilong Andongni's style is similar to Ke Bi's, but he's bulkier than Ke Bi.

Turning back, Kuaisuan plays steadily.

Lu Bi Ao gave Lun Na De a split‑second pass; Lun Na De drove into the paint and scored with a reverse layup.

Then Nash's alley‑oop hit.

On Kuaisuan's side, Mili Xiqi delivered a brilliant pass to Huaiti Seda for a slam dunk.

Both teams' offensive efficiency rose.

In New York they rely on the stars' individual offensive talent; Kuaisuan, however, elegantly cuts through the Knicks' loose defense with a team‑based approach.

Ka Meilong Andongni, Si Ta De Mai Er, Si Di Fen Na Shi and JR Shi Mi Si all had good touch tonight.

So after the first quarter, the Knicks were only down 31–37, trailing by six points.

Kuaisuan's high score is due to the Knicks' abysmal defense.

Fan Xi can slip into the paint area with ease, as if strolling his own backyard.

Even Mili Xiqi can use his "no‑family" stride to make Tai Sen Qian De Le stomp and curse.

Fan Xi played conservatively in the first quarter, posting only 6 points and 6 assists.

Mili Xiqi, on the other hand, logged 8 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds and 1 block.

He drove Tai Sen Qian De Le into an emotional breakdown.

When the first quarter ended and Fan Xi headed off the bench, he inexplicably walked toward Jennifer; she stood up and walked the other way, apparently trying to avoid sharing a frame with Fan Xi.

That made Fan Xi feel a bit hurt; after finally taking the initiative, he was ignored like that.

What hurt Fan Xi more was that JR Shi Mi Si actually greeted Jennifer on the other side, saying he was a fan of Jennifer… something like that.

"Hey, Jie Ke Fan. You play like a pile of dog‑shit. You got the Olympic gold medal only through scheming, you thief! Fu‑ck…Jie Fan!"

A white fan stood up and suddenly roared at Fan Xi.

Fan Xi ignored him at first; he's seen people like this many times. They vent with these words, having no other way.

But just as Fan Xi was about to return to the bench, the guy suddenly ripped off his jacket, revealing a white T‑shirt underneath that read: Fu‑ck…Jay‑Fan!

He abbreviated Fan Xi's English name, making it easier to read and turn into a chant.

His action sparked a stir among the fans behind him.

Then Fan Xi heard another fan shout at him: "Hey, Jie Ke Fan, I' m‑your‑father!!"

Fan Xi stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on that guy.

Security rushed over and escorted the shirt‑less fan out.

Unexpectedly, this move triggered a full‑scale uproar in Madison Garden; New York fans seemed suddenly energized, each shouting at the top of their lungs.

Soon a coordinated chant formed: Fu‑ck…JayFan! Fu‑ck…JayFan! Fu‑ck…JayFan!

This slogan was shouted in unison by tens of thousands of Madison Garden fans, and it kept growing.

Their fear and anger toward Fan Xi turned into a collective roar at this moment.

They intended to crush Fan Xi with this, to pressure him.

Yet it became a new fuse.

Fan Xi's face turned ashen.

The famous Madison Garden battle thus began.

Fan Xi walked back to the bench; his teammates all stood, their looks toward him growing solemn.

"I need to make a statement."

Fan Xi told the coaching staff and his teammates.

Jimmy Butler was the first to step up: "Jie Ke, I'll stand behind you, whatever you need to do."

Then Deng Tai Qiong Si, Xiao Qiao Dan, Lun Na De, Mili Xiqi, Arenas followed.

What surprised Fan Xi was Deng Tai Qiong Si; he isn't old, he's never spent time with him, yet at this moment he showed such insight, knowing what he must do next.

Maikelbang, Bilupusi and Fan Xi discussed a new lineup.

Fan Xi noted Deng Tai Qiong Si's name, Jimmy Baret also earned playing time, and Mili Xiqi and Xiao Qiao Dan formed a twin‑tower formation.

This lineup's defensive intensity was, if anything, increased from the first quarter.

"Defense, movement, wait for Jie Ke to distribute." That was Maikelbang's tactic.

He didn't draw it on the playboard, but he had full confidence in Fan Xi's ability.

Beep!

The whistle blew.

Madison Garden still chants Fu‑ck…JayFan.

And it gets louder.

Madison Garden arena's heckling ability is top‑notch.

JR Smith had never seen such a spectacle; from the bench he boasted, "Now Jieke Fan is finished. I don't believe he can still perform normally after being sprayed by so many people."

Stephen Nash turned his head and gave JR Smith a look, his eyes full of doubt.

But Nash said nothing.

Fortunately, in the second quarter Phil Jackson put Jason Kidd in to control the pace.

Old Kidd had originally come to the New York Knicks to study coaching techniques; he hadn't even planned to play the rest of the season. Yet when Phil Jackson mentioned his name, he responded enthusiastically.

The old monk paired him with Shamport, Anthony, Stade Meyer, and Tyson Chandler.

"Watch out for Jieke Fan."

The old monk reminded the teammates.

He knew that Fan Xi, when angry, would become even more terrifying.

But what he didn't expect was that

the moment Jason Kidd just received the inbound, Fan Xi suddenly lunged forward, like a starving tiger pouncing, delivering a fierce body check on old Kidd.

Kidd's ball protection was solid; he rarely made such a mistake.

But… *snap! *

When Fan Xi collided, a swift hand‑slash sent the basketball directly chopping down.

Fan Xi forcibly snatched the ball, drove into the paint, his body soaring like a helicopter, and hammered the ball into the hoop with both hands.

The rim roared from his slam.

The whole arena's Fu‑ck…JayFan paused for a beat.

However, as Fan Xi descended from the rim, he gave a slight bow toward the sideline.

The roar in Madison Garden Arena grew even louder, as if they would grind their vocal cords together to devour Fan Xi.

Yet Fan Xi wore a cold grin.

Thinking you could crush Fan Xi that way—dream on!

Fan Xi stayed where he was; he didn't fall back on defense, but kept pressing the entire court.

He expressed his toughness through action.

Cameron Anthony hurried to the frontcourt and set a screen for Kidd.

Kidd slipped past the defense smoothly, but Fan Xi immediately pressed again.

The monk on the sideline watched in horror; he always knew Fan Xi was ruthless, but he hadn't expected him to be this ruthless.

The Knicks owner sitting nearby suddenly perked up, lifted his head, and actually smiled.

He likes this scene?

Kidd quickly passed the ball to Anthony.

Anthony initiated a one‑on‑one while Jimmy Butler defended him. Jimmy is Fan Xi's loyal little brother; his style can be described as fighting for his life. Though his defensive talent isn't as great as Leonard's, when it comes to sheer desperation, Leonard can't match him.

Anthony was tangled up and felt very uncomfortable; his final jump shot missed the rim… Little Jordan leapt, grabbed the rebound, and lofted it to Fan Xi.

The whole team surged wildly, like wind sweeping the clouds, and the Kuaisuan army descended like an invading force.

Jason Kidd originally intended to defend at the top of the three‑point arc, but Fan Xi cut a sharp change of direction and slipped past him, storming into the paint, soaring powerfully, and slamming the ball into the hoop with one hand.

At the same time, in the paint, Mili Hichi and Little Jordan stood like two gate gods, locking down Stade Meyer and Tyson Chandler.

Boom!

With a massive, forceful axe‑style dunk, Fan Xi dunked with his right hand while his left hand rested at his ear.

This is a clear retort: if you have the guts, say it again!!

Fan Xi faced off against twenty‑thousand fans in Madison Garden.

The Madison Garden crowd boiled over again, like monkeys whose tails had been prodded, each shouting more fiercely: Fu‑ck…JayFan! Fu‑ck…JayFan! Fu‑ck…JayFan!

The scene had become uncontrollable.

This surge of emotion made the Madison Garden security extremely nervous.

However, Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan grew increasingly delighted; the grin on his face could no longer be hidden. He loved this sudden showdown of hulking men, even if Fan Xi was crushing his own team, because the violent rim‑smashing gave him an intense thrill.

No wonder it's Jieke Fan.

On the sideline, Zhan Ni Fu An Ni Si Dun's eyes also glittered; she deliberately kept a poised distance, even avoiding sharing a frame with Fan Xi. But why did she come here? Was it to force whatever Fan Xi left inside her out and return it? Of course not—it was longing, a bone‑deep yearning.

Fan Xi's ferocious style, this boundless bravado, truly made her heart tremble: so MAN!

The game kept going.

Even after the dunk, Fan Xi continued to press the entire court.

Jason Kidd found his steps somewhat hindered.

He then passed the ball to Cameron Anthony, who faced another lunatic and passed to Stade Meyer. Mili Hichi spread his arms and lunged, but Stade Meyer used his graceful footwork to slip past Mili Hichi and charged into the paint for a dunk.

The Madison Garden fans were already ready to cheer and scream.

But just as Stade Meyer leapt for the dunk, Deng Taiqiong reached in and slapped the ball out of his hands.

Then he passed it to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi caught the ball and surged forward; the aging Jason Kidd couldn't keep up.

Shamport chased all the way, but Fan Xi cut a sharp change and slipped past him, then stopped beyond the three‑point line and shot… *whoosh! *

Three‑point made.

Fan Xi scored seven points in a row.

Beep!

Phil Jackson called a timeout.

He couldn't help it.

Because if they kept playing like this, Fan Xi would crush the Knicks outright.

The fans' misdeeds must not be shouldered by the players.

He also hopes the fans will use this chance to calm down and stop confronting Fan Xi like this.

Who would have known that Mili Xiqi, when entering the next play, made a shushing gesture.

The referee caught the gesture and called a technical foul on him.

The Madison Garden arena fans went even wilder, and during the timeout, the shouts of "Fu‑ck…Jieke Fan" never stopped.

"New York fans are getting a bit too heated; they shouldn't directly provoke Jieke Fan like that," the ESPN commentators said anxiously.

Although the channel's stance is to attack and smear Fan Xi.

But they know very well that angering Fan Xi leads to no good outcome.

"Jieke Fan is too arrogant; we have to give him a taste of his own medicine. When he drives past half‑court, we'll rush in to force a steal, even take the ball from him once, knock down his swagger. I can't just watch the fans get bullied at our own doorstep!" JR Smith said from the bench, indignant.

"Exactly, we need to give him a lesson; he thinks he's the basketball Satan, punishing anyone he wants. We have to make him suffer at Madison Garden, endure humiliation!" Tyson Chandler shouted loudly.

The two shared lofty ambitions.

Jason Kidd rubbed his ribs and said, "I'm old now, my stamina can't keep up; you youngsters go and battle them."

Kidd's words made JR Smith look down on him; he glared at Kidd, thinking that at his age he should retire, not keep embarrassing himself on the court.

"Raymond, you're with us!" JR Smith called out to Felton.

Raymond Felton had previously been the Knicks' starting point guard, and the team once had high hopes for him.

However, this point guard, as they say, is a bit ordinary.

Not agile enough.

In college he was excellent; his name was among the North Carolina Four. In the 2005 draft, Jordan completely ignored Deron and Paul, declaring Felton the strongest point guard of that class.

However, reality showed that Raymond Felton was only physically strong; his organizational talent lagged far behind those two.

Nevertheless, he wasn't without skill; as a near‑elite ball‑handling guard, he could start for most teams.

JR Smith mentioned his name with the swagger of an underworld boss.

Phil Jackson himself disliked players like JR Smith who meddle without clarity.

But now there's no choice; veteran Kidd doesn't want to risk his life against Fan Xi, and Stephen Nash shares that thought.

So they have no choice but to put Raymond Felton in; aside from everything, Felton is still very strong.

Felton hasn't had many chances this season, and he wants to win the crowd's favor.

In the current situation, any Knicks player who performs well can instantly become a city hero.

Although the risk is a bit high, the payoff is considerable.

After his name was called, Raymond Felton eagerly stripped off his jacket.

Phil Jackson set up a new lineup: Felton, JR Smith, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler.

They will take on the task of sniping Fan Xi.

As soon as they stepped onto the floor, they received a technical‑foul gift package from Mili Xiqi: two free throws.

Anthony walked to the free‑throw line and made both shots.

Then JR Smith passed the ball to Felton.

Fan Xi closed in tightly.

Felton is very strong, but Fan Xi's current physical resistance isn't lacking either.

When Fan Xi stretched his arms, constantly making aggressive blocks, Felton could only turn his back.

He had just turned his back when Dong Tai Qiong Si rushed in with a quick double‑team.

This mercenary, famed for his defense, was truly ruthless; he leapt in to strip the ball, like a robbery.

Ferociously fierce.

Felton quickly gathered the ball, but as he did, the basketball was forced toward JR Smith; Fan Xi lunged and stole it outright.

He then drove forward, launching a fast break.

JR Smith chased relentlessly; Fan Xi surged into the paint for a dunk, but spotting Butler sprinting from the side, he quickly passed out. Butler caught the ball, leapt, and completed a one‑handed slam.

After scoring, Butler pounded his chest and roared.

He also declared war on all the Madison Garden fans.

He's also a man who doesn't shy away from a fight.

Only he's smarter; the referees can't catch his technical fouls.

The Madison Garden arena felt a bit muffled, though they kept shouting like a tidal wave.

But that still couldn't stop Fan Xi and his teammates.

The Knicks simply couldn't withstand such a powerful blow.

"You're scared, Jieke Fan! You're terrified, you can't face my defense." At that moment, JR Smith spat trash talk at Fan Xi on the court.

To New York City, he is like a bolt of lightning in the darkness, illuminating the heavens.

Fan Xi stared at JR Smith, saying nothing.

He felt there was no need to talk to someone like that.

JR Smith, however, lingered behind him, relentless, muttering, "You only know how to hype, you only gossip with female stars; you don't understand what real love is. Jennifer could never have feelings for you; she's the idol of American men, how could she like you? Tonight you'll be disgraced because you'll lose to the great JR…"

He kept rambling.

Fan Xi completely ignored him, walked over to guard Raymond Felton.

But then, from behind his head came JR Smith's loud shout: "Do you dare to face me head‑on, coward!"

Hearing that, Fan Xi instantly flared up.

He sidestepped, clashed with Dong Tai Qiong Si, and moved forward.

Fan Xi hadn't felt such a desire to crush a concrete target in a very long time.

…