Chapter 437: You Made Our Friendship Spoil

The media in fact just bluster about the Clippers; the Clippers obviously have the right to be among the five All‑Star candidates. The Clippers have not suffered a single loss up to January, so those sour remarks are merely the croak of a lame duck, affecting nothing.

The votes for the Clippers' selected players have risen very quickly.

Why is that?

A large group of female celebrities are waving flags and cheering for them.

Even though Mili Xiqi didn't make the list, Eva is still campaigning for the Clippers' players. She appears passionate, and now she already has the bearing of the Clippers' wives' group leader; she is mobilizing that force, hoping to make the Clippers a more united entity.

Eva's slogan is even "Make the Clippers great again".

?

When Fan Xi heard this slogan in the media, he even thought Eva was subtly targeting the Spurs. Has the Clippers ever been strong? The Clippers have only had two good seasons.

The Clippers' winning‑streak record keeps climbing.

When they reached the 28th game, it was broken in the 29th by the Chicago Bulls.

At the United Center, Derek Rose displayed unprecedented power; when this guy kept hitting pull‑up threes, honestly… the Clippers were a bit stunned.

Throughout the game, Rosa kept punishing the Clippers' backcourt. Lu Bi'ao was shredded by him, Barrett's chase defense was cleanly bypassed. Even Fan Xi was thrown off balance by his stop-and-go jump shot.

Clearly, Derek Rose evolved into a super monster in his fourth professional season.

The Chicago Tribune even claimed Derek Rose's strength could be compared to Michael Jordan in his fourth season.

That sounds somewhat absurd.

But if you watch the game, you won't think the gap between Rosa and Jordan is as big as imagined.

Rosa scored 47 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 1 block in this game. He single‑handedly drove the whole team; Chicago relied on him as a single core, and in this multi‑core era, Rosa's performance was astonishing.

No wonder Allen Iverson, two weeks earlier, enthusiastically declared in the media: "Among active players, Derek Rose's speed is the most like mine."

However, the usually proud Allen Iverson modestly said when commenting on Derek Rose: "Derek shouldn't be compared to me; he should chase the greatest point guard in history."

Iverson's appraisal of Rosa was too high.

And at the United Center, the Bulls fans' roar was a mountain‑wave of worship toward this Illinois‑born point guard. People couldn't wait to put the title 'Illinois' first guard' on Rosa's head.

They completely ignored the feelings of the smiling assassin Isaiah Thomas and the Flash Dwight Wade.

118–123 loss; the Clippers' winning streak began with the Chicago Bulls and also ended with the Chicago Bulls.

After the game, Fan Xi helplessly faced Chicago reporters and said: "I now regret letting my good friend treat him; if I had known he would evolve into such a terrifying monster."

"He is omnipotent, he strikes like lightning. He jumps like Iverson; tonight he even went 5‑for‑7 from three. This guy is so terrifying, I think he's unwilling to let Michael Jordan's name appear as the Bulls' number one in history."

Fan Xi praised Derek Rose without reservation.

His relationship with Rosa has long been proven by time. Although he said on the surface that he regretted letting Chen Ye treat Rosa, deep down he never thought that way.

Rosa also praised Fan Xi after the game; that night Fan Xi posted a super stat of 24 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 steals. "If Derek hadn't been hampered by the flu, if Mili Xiqi hadn't been mired in foul trouble, I believe Jie Ke would have made the game even tougher. But we would still win."

"In my heart, Jie Ke is this season's top star, I am the second star. The third place doesn't concern me."

Derek Rose is an introverted person, but sometimes when he speaks, he indeed makes a group of people feel uncomfortable.

Fan Xi and Rosa ended the game with a friendly hug.

They have completed both of their regular‑season battles this season.

If they are to meet again this season, it must be in the finals.

Fan Xi extended this invitation to Rosa.

Rosa gladly accepted.

Afterwards, Fan Xi and his teammates flew overnight to Miami.

This is a back‑to‑back game.

The entire league is watching this East‑West top‑seed showdown, and it is also Fan Xi's first clash with Le Bu Lang Zhang Si since the Olympic gold‑medal match. Everyone is anticipating this earth‑shattering matchup.

Nowitzki still hasn't recovered from the flu.

Yet the game was fought extremely fiercely.

The offensive‑defensive tempo was unusually slow.

After acquiring Kenyon Martin, the Heat's interior defense stepped up, and on the perimeter they increased firepower, bolstered by Ray Allen.

It can be said the Heat have improved across the board this season.

The biggest improvement is Le Bu Lang Zhang Si.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si has made great strides on offense; his post play is no longer clumsy. After adding Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby as defensive bigs, he trimmed his weight. This lets him keep strength while adding skill; his back‑to‑back post moves are polished, and although his fadeaway jump shot looks awkward, its efficiency steadily rises.

Wei De's ability has slipped compared to last year, but his running threat is greater; Ke Li Si Bo Shen remains as ever.

The final score was 86–83.

The Heat won by a three‑point margin.

Losing Nowitzki and playing back‑to‑back within 24 hours, the Clippers' performance was already rare.

This game displayed the toughness of both teams; both sides fought punch‑for‑punch. The Heat penalized three players, and the Clippers also penalized three.

If Arenas hadn't missed an open‑space three at the final moment, it would have forced overtime.

This victory set Meihangzhongxin qiuguan ablaze, the wave of excitement unable to subside for a long time.

For them, Fan Xi has been a thorn in their hearts for three years; countless midnight dreams left them breathless.

Now, finally they can pull it out and take a breath.

Fan Xi has already ended their championship hopes twice in the finals; counting the London Olympics, Jieke Fan has taken Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's two readily attainable championship trophies and an Olympic gold medal.

If the two retired together, people would surely say Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's life was ruled by Jieke Fan.

James scored 25 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks tonight.

Fan Xi logged 22 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks that night.

Both have their own strengths in the stats, and their contributions to the team are comparable.

For Fan Xi, James has improved enormously this season; his clutch‑ball ability has risen sharply, and it is a technical improvement.

For James, Fan Xi is also improving; his perception of the court is steadily rising. Moreover, because Nowitzki did not play, he dares not conclude that this is Kuaisuan's final combat power. If the Finals face Kuaisuan again, he still thinks there is risk.

Although in this game they held back, they did not employ targeted defense against Fan Xi.

After two straight losses in Miami, Kuaisuan feels the journey continues sailing.

In Detroit, they effortlessly took the Pistons. And starting from this game, Kuaisuan began rotating.

Although the media impatiently claim Kuaisuan is a fake strong team, being Western first yet consecutively losing to the Eastern top two, they still confidently predict that as long as Kuaisuan breaks through the West, the team that wins will be an Eastern team.

And more people are eager to crown Le Bu Lang Zhang Si; they hope Heaven's Chosen Son will officially ascend, raise the scepter and declare domination over the NBA.

Compared to the media's frenzy, James is actually much calmer. He finally learned to be low‑key; in front of the media he said that before he wins a championship, he will not discuss any labels. He considers himself a chaser now.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si saying this is unquestionably a huge change for him; his mindset has undergone a fundamental shift.

This form of James is absolutely the most terrifying.

In Indiana, Kuaisuan encountered the third round of the Eastern tour's shock; the Pacers possess a low‑key but powerful fighting ability, with height, strength, and wing talent.

With the full roster, Kuaisuan still played until the final three minutes before the result was decided. If Fan Xi had not stolen the ball from Grant and completed a three‑pointer, the suspense would have lingered until the last moment.

After leaving Indiana, Fan Xi said the Eastern playoffs this year will definitely be more intense than the West, because their top three are mutually antagonistic.

In contrast, Fan Xi thinks the West will have fewer uncertainties.

The schedule continues.

Kuachuan quickly entered a stable winning mode.

After losing two games in January, they continued their winning streak.

When February arrived, the media began to discuss: can Kuaisuan break the Chicago Bulls' record of 72 wins this season?

If Kuaisuan breaks the historic regular‑season win record.

Then the regular‑season MVP need not consider anyone else; this season Fan Xi's per‑game stats are already near a triple‑double, a groundbreaking achievement that rivals Oscar's at the time. One should know that Oscar then earned a season triple‑double because of a data explosion, and his team was non‑competitive that season, essentially a relic.

Yet Fan Xi, under such terrifying team performance, posted equally terrifying personal stats; unless every basketball fan worldwide went blind, no one would question the legitimacy of Fan Xi winning regular‑season MVP.

And anyone trying to compete with Fan Xi for this MVP would appear ridiculous.

Even though this season James, Rosa, and Du Lan Te are having their best seasons.

But what does that matter?

Fan Xi decided at the season's start to suppress everyone; he wants all dissent to become submission.

Of course, the season is not yet halfway; this is only a discussion of hypothetical matters.

And now a more urgent matter is the All‑Star thing.

Fan Xi becoming the voting king is undeniable.

At the same time, Jimmy Butler and Nowitzki occupy the two Western starting forward slots.

Lu Biao and Jimmy Butler also rank high among guards, with only Kobe Bryant above them.

Thus this year's All‑Star is likely to have Kuaisuan taking three starter spots, while the Lakers take the other two.

The Los Angeles All‑Star team will become a reality again.

Los Angeles itself is the media's focus, a big city that draws attention away from other teams. If they are allowed to run wild again on the All‑Star stage, other teams will certainly feel uneasy.

Kevin Durant's per‑game scoring this season has already surpassed 31 points; he is about to clinch his third scoring title, and such performance losing the vote to Leonard makes many uncomfortable.

Not only the media, but also many fans.

Nowitzki's position is also questioned, because he often rests this season, and his per‑game stats have dropped sharply from last season.

This debate chattered incessantly in the media.

It even affected Kuaisuan internally; even Leonard himself came over to ask Fan Xi: "Do you think me taking the starting spot is unfair to Kevin Durant?"

Leonard is an introverted person.

Fan Xi replied to Leonard: "Kowai, don't let those doubts affect you. Popularity is also part of strength, and besides, I don't think you're worse than Kevin Durant at all. Trust me, you'll earn Finals MVP before him."

Fan Xi encouraged Leonard.

At the same time he emphasized in the media: "Nowitzki is the best power forward on the planet, Leonard is the league's highest‑level small forward on both ends. No one can doubt them."

Fan Xi backed up his teammate.

His remarks did not stop the debate.

On the contrary, they caused more people to doubt.

It has a somewhat world‑conquering flavor.

Kuaisuan did not halt its stride amid this storm; they kept winning.

Soon, the All‑Star weekend will arrive.

Kuaisuan's final opponent is the Oklahoma Thunder.

The Thunder currently rank third in the West.

Their record is good, just a bit behind Kuaisuan.

Du Lan Te also thinks it's absurd that the league's highest per‑game scorer cannot make the All‑Star starting lineup.

He has posted many complaints on the media and his social platforms.

His mind is very sensitive.

So, before the game, he even deliberately did not greet Fan Xi.

When Westbrook greeted Fan Xi he said: "Jie Ke, this guy is definitely going on a killing spree tonight."

Fan Xi smiled.

Then the game began.

Du Lan Te's first possession was a one‑on‑one against Leonard; he set up, aiming to score over Leonard's head.

Leonard's defense was excellent; although Du Lan Te's shot was unstoppable, he prevented Du Lan Te from taking his first step.

And as Du Lan Te performed a Stop-and-Go Jump Shot, Fan Xi slapped the ball away from behind.

This action made Durant even more uncomfortable.

He chased up to Fan Xi, constantly muttering: "You've always been helping your teammates, you only look after your teammates, you've put your teammates in positions they don't belong, you've corrupted our friendship…"