Chapter 450: Fake News Has Been Circulating for Almost a Season

"Houston is a very tough team; their style is very traditional, and I enjoy competing with them."

Fan Xi said: "They will become even stronger in the future; Asik, Beverly, Lin, and Chandler have all left a deep impression on me."

In the post‑game interview, Fan Xi evaluated the Rockets like this.

In this game, Kuaisuan beat the Rockets 109–91.

Fan Xi did not mention James Harden's name.

When reporters asked why he had no comment on Harden, Fan Xi said: "He is still learning how to be a leader. His teammates performed so well; he could have done better, at least taken the suspense into the fourth quarter. Yet he didn't."

Fan Xi bluntly criticized: "He should be more focused."

Fan Xi is straightforward.

But after the media's retelling, it turned into arrogant accusations and condescending denigration, even though he was stating facts.

In the past, Kobe and James never scolded opponents the way a teacher scolds a student. Looking further back, the only names mentioned are Jordan, Bird, and Wilt Chamberlain, who truly dominated the league.

But many think Fan Xi hasn't yet ruled the league, so he shouldn't have said such things.

James Harden felt humiliated when he heard it, but he didn't speak to the media; he didn't want to be asked about Kole or his new boyfriend.

However, the matter will inevitably bother him.

After the game, Kole gave an interview; she is a flamboyant public figure. Under both cultural and family influences, she doesn't shy away from talking about her ex. She said: "James Harden is overly proud; during most of the time I spent with him, he was in an unstable state, constantly creating a powerful imaginary opponent for himself."

"I'm not sure if he left me because of inferiority. Although he is now the superstar of his dreams, with hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements, everything is just as he said when he was lying on my bed years ago. Yet I still think he's overly sensitive and overly insecure."

Kole's remarks have a great impact on Harden.

He angrily locked himself in the training facility for a long time; he may even need a psychologist's help.

…

The day after Kuaisuan beat the Rockets, in the same arena the Lakers defeated the Warriors. Larry Brown returned from the hospital to the court, proving his strong coaching ability; he used a super‑All‑Star lineup to produce an ugly game.

The Warriors, a team famed for offense, managed only 79 points under his defensive pace, and the Lakers scored just 85.

The dullness of this game was sleep‑inducing; the last time a playoff performance was this terrible was back with the Pistons.

Unfortunately, that team's head coach was also Larry Brown.

Steve Kerr said after the game: "Although they won, they did not earn our respect. History will show they are wrong; our youngsters will keep growing, and their approach will eventually be eliminated by us."

Kerr believes the Lakers' retro style goes against the tide and is an ugly form of basketball.

Larry Brown doesn't care; he emphasizes that the team's offensive‑defensive rhythm is very balanced, and he strongly praises every player for selfless contributions.

Being able to make these superstars play like blue‑collar workers, like screws working, their talent constrained by a nut, is something only Larry Brown can achieve today. Of course, Kobe, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Gasol do it because they crave the championship too much.

If they still can't win the championship, their rebellious mindset alone could cause Larry Brown to lose his job.

In fact, every Lakers fan knows… this season is the Lakers' final window of opportunity.

Kobe cannot stay like this forever.

Gasol's condition is visibly declining.

Moreover, this summer Chris Paul and Dwight Howard's contracts both expired.

If they keep failing to win a championship with the Lakers, they won't stay here any longer; they have neither need nor reason to rot with the Lakers, and jumping ship quickly is the choice that serves their interests.

Because as long as Kobe spends a day with the Lakers, they can never become the Lakers' top stars. And as long as Fan Xi spends a day in Los Angeles, in the long years ahead they also cannot become Los Angeles' top stars.

This is the stark reality.

So this season is the Lakers' last gamble.

Fan Xi sat in front of the TV, finished the boring game, and remained calm.

On the next night, Fan Xi led the Los Angeles Kuaisuan to effortlessly crush the Rockets again.

James Harden played more decisively in this game, posting a full stat line of 29 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals; he performed well and proved he can join the ranks of superstars.

However, Fan Xi had 21 points, 20 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks—more all‑round than him.

And Kuaisuan's overall roster is far superior to the Rockets', and its tactics are far richer than the Rockets imagined.

The Rockets have been harassing Fan Xi's "weakness," but in reality, they don't need to engage Fan Xi in close combat at all.

They have no clear assessment of themselves.

Failure becomes inevitable.

Kuaisuan ran a triangle offense from start to finish, and the Rockets were powerless to stop it.

They have always feared the triangle offense.

After going 2–0, basketball media turned low‑key; they no longer hype James Harden and Mike Hail's brilliance, and they clearly know some things cannot become reality.

A 76‑win team won't be so easily defeated.

At least they won't be beaten by the Western eighth seed.

Before heading to Houston, Fan Xi received two pieces of news: the first was that he was selected to the First Team and the Second Defensive Team; the second was that Megan Fox arrived in Los Angeles, where she will do the final screen test for a movie, and she and Si Jia Li have already entered a fierce rivalry.

Fan Xi temporarily set the news aside.

Making the First Team was a natural step for Fan Xi; although the regular‑season MVP hasn't been officially announced, everyone knows the trophy will bear Jieke Fan's name.

Being named to the Second Defensive Team exceeded Fan Xi's expectations; he originally thought his advanced defensive metrics weren't impressive, yet he still made the cut.

However, Fan Xi's regret is that Jimmy Butler didn't win Sixth Man of the Year nor Most Improved Player, and Milich also didn't get Most Improved Player.

The league awarded the honor to James Harden; from the league's perspective, James is the future's iconic figure and rightfully deserves the trophy.

This helps him become a better superstar.

Because the previous Rockets perimeter superstar was Tracy McGrady, who also took off after winning Most Improved Player. At that time McGrady moved from the Raptors to the Magic, quickly becoming a core thanks to Grant Hill's trade, and he was scoring champion for two consecutive years, becoming Adidas's flagship star.

Now, many coincidences hint that James Harden will follow Tracy McGrady's path, perhaps even surpassing him.

Thus, the league gave the Most Improved Player award to Harden, encouraging him to swiftly walk the predecessor's road.

The award's presentation hastened the Rockets' elimination process.

It also seems to warn that Harden, having taken the award, will forever be unable to advance past the first round as a starter, just like his predecessor McGrady.

In the third game, at Houston's home court, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard and Milicic went on a tear, scoring 24, 21 and 12 points with 15 rebounds respectively.

It can be said that this game was dominated by the three of them.

Although the home referees were a bit startling in this game, Harden drew 21 fouls; almost any time he drove in, the whistle blew, which relates to his style—he likes to deliberately grab a defender's arm while cutting to draw fouls.

It's a feigned‑injury style.

Fan Xi thinks that while this style seems clever, it is also overly clever.

If Harden follows this route, he could truly become the scoring champion and a superstar. Yet he would be a superstar who can never win a championship.

Because clever tricks can't become a great flag.

When you become accustomed to relying on odd tricks, at crucial playoff moments—especially in the Western Finals or the Championship—the defensive intensity inevitably relaxes, his feigned‑injury will be ignored, and he will fall into self‑imposed limits.

A true superstar would say, "You all go all out together, and I alone can take down ten with a single strike."

After clinching the third game, the Rockets are just one step away from a sweep.

However, in the fourth game, Houston secured the win.

On one hand, it's because Harden's feigned‑injury style was amplified.

On the other hand, Kuaisuan abandoned its consistently effective triangle offense; Fan Xi engaged in close‑quarters combat, adopting a lone‑ball‑carrying deep‑penetration style.

He deliberately exposed his own flaws.

Or rather, he was deliberately training.

Bevley defended Fan Xi excellently—unpretentious, unflustered, and iron‑hard.

He also indeed blocked two of Fan Xi's shots.

But Fan Xi prefers to execute his Stop-and-Go Jump Shot and his drives for layups.

That night Fan Xi tallied 45 points, shooting 14‑of‑29, with a flood of free throws contributing to the total; his Stop-and-Go mid‑range attempts were 11, with 4 made.

This figure is somewhat weak for a top‑tier superstar.

This is why James Harden could repeatedly draw fouls at the end to secure a win.

The Rockets declined the sweep, and their fans were thrilled. Though they knew that Houston was about to disappear forever.

This loss is acceptable for Kuaisuan.

Many basketball media even hinted there: Jieke Fan did it simply to sell an extra ticket.

There was indeed such an intention.

But that wasn't the driving factor; the driving factor was Fan Xi wanting to send a message to upcoming opponents: you can work in this direction.

Fan Xi is preparing to change lanes.

Back in Los Angeles, Megan Fox came looking for Fan Xi; although they were discreet, entering the hotel one after another, paparazzi had installed a camera in the elevator and captured photos of Fan Xi and Fox on the same floor.

This made the news explode.

Previously, the media thought Fan Xi and Fox had no connection, that Fox was unilaterally hyping it.

Now it essentially confirms the matter.

However, it still drew Si Jia Li's snarky comment.

"Megan is someone who knows exactly what she wants; she knows that releasing this news now benefits her competition for a role. She wants to tell the producers that she also has a hot topic."

Si Jia Li said privately to Anne Hathaway.

Although Si Jia Li had previously been secretly filmed 'defaming' Hathaway in a video, their relationship did not further deteriorate; Hathaway proactively repaired things with Si Jia Li, and they now often chat about many topics, finding they click.

Moreover, their styles differ; they don't overlap, making it unlikely they'd compete for the same role.

"Actually, I think you could talk privately, whether about role issues or about Jie Ke," Anne Hathaway suggested.

Then Si Jia Li got angry, stating she has nothing to discuss with Fox. She snapped at Hathaway, marking the first emotional outburst since their close interaction.

So the conversation ended there.

Unexpectedly, after the media released the news that Fan Xi and Fox were entering the same hotel on the same floor,

Jenna's intimate photo with Fan Xi surfaced on the internet.

Little Jenna is the currently buzzed‑about model and influencer, turning into a massive money‑pulling little queen.

Her popularity is surpassing her entire family.

"Actually, I also live in this hotel."

Jenna posted the news on social media.

This was seen as an act of asserting sovereignty.

Then Fox fell into a state of being unable to defend herself; some media mocked her, saying she was scheming.

That made her very sad, clearly….

However, the circumstances turned out to be that coincidental.

They indeed stayed at the same hotel, on the same floor.

…

After meeting the two Fan ladies, Fan Xi remained ferocious; he gave the Houston Rockets no respite.

He and his teammates devoured the Rockets like eating a burger, advancing easily to the second round with a 4‑1 blowout.

Meanwhile, the Lakers were still battling the Golden State Warriors.

After returning to Oakland, the Warriors secured another win. Last night, the Lakers, though they clinched the Pivotal Game at home, still have a sixth game to play.

Perhaps the seventh game is also uncertain.

This was something no one anticipated before the match.

Before the series began, everyone thought the Lakers would easily defeat the Warriors, given the huge gap and the Lakers' immense strength and tenacity.

So Kuaisuan was instead seen as likely to be crushed, eliminated by the Rockets in the first round.

So media predictions often serve as a reverse beacon.

Kuaisuan became the first team in the Western first round to advance; in fact, if it weren't for Fan Xi pulling off a move in Houston, they would have advanced even faster.

At the same time, the Oklahoma Thunder's series against the Denver Nuggets has also reached Game Five, which is the Pivotal Game.

The San Antonio Spurs, a step ahead, have already completed Game Six against their old nemesis the Memphis Grizzlies; the series now stands at 3:3.

They are about to play the only Game Seven of the first round.

The Grizzlies' breakout victory back then was the upset over the Spurs as a low seed; now returning, there is ample reason to believe they still have a chance to pull off a lower‑half comeback.

This could be good news for the Lakers.

But it could also be bad news.

Although the Grizzlies are based in the remote state of Tennessee, their style is tough and fierce; their frontcourt duo Zha Ke Lan Duo Fu and Ma Ke Jia Suo Er are the league's most formidable twin‑tower combination today.

The frontcourt is normally the Lakers' strength, but against the Grizzlies it becomes a weakness. Howard together with Pau Gasol, though more famous and senior than Zha Ke Lan Duo Fu and Ma Ke Jia Suo Er,

still holds the advantage in playoff matchups.

If the Lakers' frontcourt is heavily worn down in the Western Semifinals, then by the Western Finals they are very likely to collapse.

This is a huge boon for the Thunder.

The Thunder are among the strong teams but have a relatively weak frontcourt; although the Pa Jin Si–Yi Ba Ka pairing is like an iron gate on defense, they lack variety and proactive offense.

That is why the Thunder are so pleased.

They watched Game Four between Kuaisuan and the Rockets; Bei Fu Li's tactics against Fan Xi gave them great inspiration, and they have privately discussed that if Jieke Fan averages more than five turnovers per game, the Thunder will surely win.

The Thunder now feel like they've drunk a refreshing Sprite that lifts their spirits; they believe they have chosen the best playoff position.

Of course, they haven't announced it like the Rockets did.

They are more restrained and more confident that they will smile till the end.

The Oklahoma City youngsters are already daydreaming about soaring in the Finals.

Compared with the massive battles in the West,

the East quickly determines winners without any drag. After all, the West's eighth seed has 45 regular‑season wins, while the East's eighth has only 37; the strength contrast is stark.

The Miami Heat sweep through to advance.

The Chicago Bulls advance in five games.

The New York Knicks advance in five games.

The Indiana Pacers sweep through to advance.

The upcoming Eastern Semifinals will pit the Miami Heat against their old nemesis the Indiana Pacers.

The Chicago Bulls will face the New York up‑and‑coming Knicks.

Media predictions say the Heat will eliminate the Pacers 4:1, or perhaps 4:2.

The series will not reach a seventh game.

Many think the Bulls and Knicks series will last at least six games, possibly seven, even though most believe the Bulls are more experienced and team‑like. Yet the Knicks' roster is very strong, with many stars—Nash, Anthony, Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler. Many say this team resembles last season's Kuaisuan: many stars mean many variations, and more variation raises the chance of winning.

Moreover, Nash, who played a key role for Kuaisuan last season, is now with the Knicks, and Phil Jackson is stationed there; the Knicks are not to be underestimated.

New York City is already eager for the Eastern Semifinals, firmly believing in New York's resurgence.

Fan Xi sighs while sitting in front of the TV.

He is not watching basketball news, but an entertainment channel.

There are too many false reports; today MTV, the music channel, even exposed the nanny of Zhan Ni Fu An Ni Si Dun's household buying baby supplies.

These entertainment reporters should write novels, with a beginning and an end, and proper form; such fake news has somehow spread for almost a whole season.

Bored!

…