Chapter 447: You All Have Victory in Hand

In fact, it's not only the Kings and the Clippers who are watching this game. The Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Oklahoma Thunder are also focusing on the game.

As the Clippers achieved an unprecedented regular‑season record, they, as defending champions, have become the undisputed league adversary, and everyone's eyes are on them, hoping to find a flaw in this near‑invincible team.

When they saw Tai Lei Ke Aiwensi using this half‑chase method to force Fan Xi into a mistake while effectively cutting off Fan Xi's passing motion, they were thrilled.

It became a highly feasible defensive strategy.

James Harden sat in front of the TV, his eyes shining, thinking… if Tai Lei Ke Aiwensi can do it, there's no reason I can't.

The Clippers, aside from Fan Xi, are just a bunch of country chickens and stray dogs; it seems… my moment to make a name for myself has arrived.

James Harden even let out a bubbling laugh.

Meanwhile, Kaiwen Du Lan Te and La Sai Er Wei Si Bu Lu Ke were also sitting in front of the TV; the Clippers' awkward first two possessions relaxed them. Du Lan Te said to Wei Si Bu Lu Ke, "That's why we chose to be fourth, not third."

"Kaiwen is wise," Wei Si Bu Lu Ke unusually praised Big Du. He said, "In the first round, James Harden will definitely go all out fighting Jie Ke, draining Jie Ke's energy. But with the Rockets' lineup, they're nowhere near capable of opposing the Clippers; that's the greatest significance of James Harden going to Houston for us."

The two laughed heartily.

Similarly, in the Los Angeles Lakers' strategy room, La Li Bu Lang, Jean Bas, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, De Huai Te Huo Wa De, and De An Dong Ni were all seated before the TV as Time Warner broadcast the Kings‑Clippers California civil war.

A smug smile curled at La Li Bu Lang's mouth; all of this was in his plan. Though he isn't the head coach, his standing within the Lakers already surpasses De An Dong Ni… De An Dong Ni has been proven unable to bring the Lakers a championship.

Following this trend, De An Dong Ni's resignation is already on a countdown.

After her father's death, Jean Bas took sole control, becoming the de facto Lakers owner, though she still must report to her family fund.

But she believes that with La Li Bu Lang's ten‑step calculations, crushing the Clippers this year is unquestionable.

"Look, Jie Ke hasn't truly developed the Stop-and-Go Jump Shot, so he's passive. Tai Lei's defense is smart, but not brilliant; his coordination with the team is lacking. Jie Ke Fan is easy to eliminate."

"By that logic, the Rockets' James Harden and his teammates will do a bit better. They'll give the Clippers some trouble in the first playoff round and have a chance to win two games, not just the one the outside world claims."

"After the Clippers reach the second round, the Thunder will lie in wait here. Wei Si Bu Lu Ke and Yi Ba Ka's defense is mature, and they also have excellent wing defense. I estimate the Thunder will claim three wins; they can exploit Jie Ke Fan's weakness, but they can't curb his advantage. Jie Ke's clutch ability is the world's best, unmatched. Kaiwen Du Lan Te's 'Reaper' title should be handed to him."

La Li Bu Lang analyzed, "Of course, there's also a chance for a Thunder upset; the Thunder taking down the Clippers would be better news for us."

"But whether the Thunder or the Clippers reach the Finals, we can't expend too much energy; we should settle them in five games."

La Li Bu Lang pointed to the area one foot inside the free‑throw line and said, "Right here we'll shatter the Clippers myth!"

La Li Bu Lang's words rang powerfully.

His past record gave his speech great credibility, and his forceful gestures underscored his toughness.

In contrast, De An Dong Ni, seated in the corner, was like an invisible person at a graduation ball.

Jean Bas led the applause.

Kobe and the others echoed, fully endorsing La Li Bu Lang's analysis. For a long time they'd sat before the TV watching the Clippers, their knowledge of Fan Xi was profound, and they'd constantly rehearsed how to counter Fan Xi and his teammates.

They factored many variables, such as Nowitzki's spectacular surge, Leonard's sudden breakout, Mili Xiqi's sudden rise… yet even after accounting for all that, the Lakers still held a sure win.

So now… no one anticipates the Western Finals more than the Lakers.

In fact, besides the Lakers, there are also Miami and the Bulls in the East.

All teams that beat the Clippers in the regular season are confident about the upcoming games.

"Is it possible that Jie Ke is deliberately hiding his skills?" De Huai Te Huo Wa De suddenly asked.

It's something he's wanted to say all along; he fears Fan Xi might suddenly unleash a nuclear weapon, shattering their flawless plan.

"There's absolutely no such possibility," Kobe said confidently. "That kind of shot can't be mastered overnight. Moreover, Jie Ke has improved markedly; he may need three more years to turn a dribble‑up jump shot into a lethal weapon."

Kobe said.

He knows Fan Xi well, and knows shooting; he knows a truly skilled shooter can't fake Fan Xi's mix of being able and unable to shoot, hovering at an average level.

Kobe's words put everyone at ease.

Their enjoyment of the game also became pleasant.

On TV, after the Clippers fell behind 0‑8 at the start, they revived; Fan Xi adopted a brand‑new approach, employing a full‑team press.

The Kings were unusually fierce tonight, but they couldn't solve their defensive issues.

The Clippers, with hard‑as‑iron effort, turned the Kings' lead into a deficit.

During this, Fan Xi attempted four Stop-and-Go Jump Shots, landing only one.

After falling behind in the latter half of the second quarter, the Kings lost the will to resist.

They were like ambitious middle‑aged men—hard only for a moment.

They quickly slipped down.

The Clippers used a bench lineup in the second half, and the bench played very tenaciously.

La Li Bu Lang had to admit, "The depth of the Clippers' roster has actually surpassed the Lakers. They're much like that old Pistons; Bilupusi and Mike Brown have both learned my essence."

"But today's Lakers aren't the Lakers of the past. They'll face me, the sum of that old Pistons and that old Lakers."

La Li Bu Lang was confident; victory was in his grasp.

This pleased Jean Bas; she longed to use a Western Finals win to comfort her father's spirit in heaven.

In the Lakers' long and glorious history, trading Fan Xi was undoubtedly the biggest mistake. They themselves sent away a historic figure and have cultivated on their own turf a colossal force that can rival them and is gradually eroding their foundation.

Old Bas muttered on his deathbed: "Clippers! Clippers! Clippers."

He truly couldn't swallow that feeling.

Jean Bas bears great responsibility for this; her brother has always blamed her, believing she hastened their father's death.

Thus, no one wants to crush the Clippers more than Jean Bas.

Her investment this season can almost be described as costless: the league's highest luxury tax, the most expensive coaching staff, the best training team in the league….

She made the most extravagant investment in Lakers history.

She's become hysterical about defeating Fan Xi.

But now, she feels she's nearing success.

…

123‑101。

The king had a brilliant start, and then reaped the rightful ending.

The Lakers secured their 76th win on them, and Sart Mento fans shouted MVP for Fan Xi as the fourth quarter was winding down.

This is the most successful season in Fan Xi's history, and also the greatest individual season in NBA history.

Fan Xi, as a single core, led Kuaisuan to an unprecedented 76 wins; this record will forever remain in the NBA's long history, and no one can break it. Even the most vicious experts can only say… it is not replicable.

Fan Xi himself appeared in 82 games this season, averaging 38.5 minutes per game, with per‑game stats of 25.8 points, 11.6 assists and 9.2 rebounds, and he logged a total of 48 triple‑doubles in the single season.

He surpassed everyone's historical records.

Not to mention the epoch‑shaking Madison Garden battle, where he posted a monstrous 60‑20‑10 super triple‑double.

After the game, Fan Xi was lifted by Huaiti Seda and Little Jordan, who used this human‑coronation method to proclaim Fan Xi's ascent to the top of the NBA.

Although the ceremony looked a bit awkward, the two of them thoroughly enjoyed the palanquin‑lifting act.

Fan Xi was then set down; the reporters had been prepared for a long time, they rushed over, and they congratulated Fan Xi.

"76 wins! Yes, it's a miracle, an unrepeatable miracle. Honestly, I'm still a bit incredulous; we really did it. At the start of the season we hadn't listed it as a plan. Back then everyone criticized our conservative acquisition policy and attacked us for letting go of a large championship core."

"But my teammates endured the test. Mili Xiqi became a center averaging 8.9 points and 9.1 rebounds, Leonard and Jimmy are growing rapidly, Little Jordan should be named to this year's starting lineup, as well as Hamilton, Arenas… everyone, everyone is a major contributor to today's achievement."

Fan Xi said excitedly, "We will ask the team to make commemorative gold medals for us, and we will let every teammate involved enjoy the glory of 76 wins."

"We will definitely release our documentary; we must let the whole world know that Los Angeles Kuaisuan experienced a dreamy yet great season, and our record will never be broken. Because no basketball team in the world is tougher, more resilient, or more enduring than us…"

"That's also why our Kuaisuan players are so popular with women; they share those qualities."

Fan Xi unusually discussed the Kuaisuan locker‑room gossip in public.

Moreover, he solemnly used the words tough, resilient, enduring, and asserted their commonality.

Undoubtedly, Kuaisuan players will benefit from this praise; they will certainly become top performers in the marriage market, holding a far‑ahead position compared with other NBA players.

Fan Xi concluded, "The league should give the five starting‑lineup slots to Kuaisuan, and select the most improved player and the best sixth man from among Mili Xiqi, Leonard, and Butler."

"If the 76‑win team cannot receive these honors, I don't know what right those teams with just sixty‑something wins have to brag about being the best in history."

Fan Xi has always been sharp and clear when fighting for his teammates' honors.

He puts pressure on everyone.

If you don't grant my teammates honors, that is disrespecting the 76 wins.

This forced some embarrassed reporters to change the subject; they began asking Fan Xi how he views the upcoming playoffs.

"We will, as always, deliver our spectacular performances; we will seamlessly transition our regular‑season victories into playoff wins. That's not difficult for us; we've always been a successful team," Fan Xi said proudly.

"So how do you view the Houston Rockets? And their star James Harden. Harden is the breakout super‑star of this season; he seems more suitable than the three you mentioned for the most improved player. He previously was a sixth man with the Thunder and earned the Best Sixth Man award. Now he is Houston's absolute core, improving at a meteoric pace, and he appears to have a stronger case."

The ESPN reporter responded with a somewhat confrontational tone.

He thought he could suppress Fan Xi with James Harden's performance.

However, Fan Xi simply shook his head calmly and then said, "James Harden is indeed outstanding; I'm impressed by him."

"But I don't think he's improving at a meteoric rate; he just has ample ball‑handling rights. If Leonard gets sufficient usage, he'll instantly become a 25‑5‑5 super‑star; if Jimmy Butler gets sufficient usage, hitting 25‑7‑4 wouldn't be problem either."

"Most importantly, we will defeat Houston in the playoffs; James Harden, from a winning standpoint, lacks the credentials to be compared with Leonard or Butler."

Fan Xi forcefully told the reporter.

Fan Xi may be good at everything else, but he's a coddler. He believes his little brother is the best. No matter how good others are, they can't contend with his little brother.

The reporter, unsure how to react, resorted to provocation: "Are you sure you can beat Houston? What if you get knocked out as a dark horse?"

"You could let James Harden and his team try."

Fan Xi was magnanimous, exuding a world‑spanning vigor.

…