Chapter 453: Fan Xi Is Not a Playboy

With 1 minute left in the game, the Thunder trailed by 2 points, and Fan Xi's two consecutive high‑difficulty shots shattered their entire game plan.

Westbrook brought the ball upcourt, and he and Fan Xi formed a tense standoff.

At this moment, any tiny decision will determine the final outcome.

Westbrook's nerves were taut; he allowed himself no lapse, he no longer wanted to waste away in the position of 'first among those below the superstar,' he wanted to make a name for himself, he wanted to leave his vivid mark on this superstar's stage in the playoffs.

"You only need two more assists for a triple‑double."

Fan Xi suddenly spoke to him.

That sentence seemed to have magic; Westbrook momentarily lost focus. Fan Xi precisely seized that instant of his distraction, stepped forward to press the steal. Westbrook hurriedly turned his back… he blocked Fan Xi's steal attempt.

But he also lost the window of opportunity to launch an attack.

Fan Xi clung to him; Westbrook exerted all his strength to pivot backward half a step past Fan Xi, then hastily passed the ball to Durant.

Durant was about to reach for it when Leonard lunged forward, using his long arms to strip the ball and heave it upcourt; Arenas sprinted after it, caught the ball, and with no one defending him, this madman fired from beyond the three‑point line… swish! It went in.

Arenas enacted a heart‑stopping moment.

He toyed with the emotions of everyone in Staples Center; although over twenty thousand had curses on the tip of their tongues, the ball went in.

Arenas raised both hands high, just as his usual arrogant and domineering self.

The arena erupted in cheers.

The Thunder's head coach had to call a timeout; they were trailing by 5 points.

"You can take ten scoring titles, but I only need to steal the ball from you once in a crucial moment." Leonard never trash‑talks, but this time he told Durant: "People will forget tonight's points you scored, but they will surely sing of my steal that sealed the win."

The "malice" of an honest person is like gravel hidden in rice, inflicting unexpected harm.

Durant was extremely sensitive; he glared at Leonard: "Do you think you've already won?"

"Hmm." Leonard nodded and walked toward the bench.

Durant punched a cotton pad, feeling stifled and uneasy.

Back on the bench, Coach Scott asked if he was ready to put the game away.

He said he was always ready.

Westbrook chimed in from the side, saying he had readied every bullet for Durant and would surely wrest victory from the damned Los Angeles people.

The Thunder's interior was extremely united.

But they didn't have much time left.

Scott drew up the final tactic; this was their last timeout, they had to hit two threes within 41 seconds and stop one Clippers attack to secure the win.

Beep!

The whistle blew, and Mili Xiqi returned to the court.

Little Jordan's free‑throw shooting is too poor; the Clippers worry the Thunder will foul him intentionally.

Westbrook quickly brought the ball upcourt; Fan Xi loosened his defense by a step, even deliberately messing with his mindset: "Russell, go ahead and shoot a three. I won't guard you."

"I know you love triple‑doubles; you'll surely assist Durant, right?"

Fan Xi goaded Westbrook.

Westbrook felt awful, yet he followed the set play, setting a screen with Perkins before passing the ball to Durant.

As Westbrook passed, Fan Xi suddenly surged forward aiming for a steal; Durant stepped in early, caught the ball on the three‑point line, then rose and shot… swish!

It went in.

This was Durant's 41st point of the game, adding another 40‑plus performance to his record.

Durant is very likely to become the player with the most 40‑plus games in playoff history, especially since his career has only just begun.

Although Durant was slightly annoyed that the shot was only worth two points, he quickly clapped his hands and shouted: "Defense!"

"You're becoming more and more like a leader."

Fan Xi praised Durant.

If you knew their backgrounds, you'd find that statement a little absurd. Durant entered the league in 2007 as a big man, while Fan Xi was an undrafted rookie in 2010, breaking into the Lakers as a bench player.

But when Fan Xi said it then, even Durant himself didn't feel anything was off.

Fan Xi turned, took the inbound from Mili Xiqi, and walked toward the frontcourt, not deliberately holding back the tempo but moving in a steady, methodical rhythm.

When he stopped a step beyond the top of the three‑point arc, 28 seconds remained and the Clippers led by 3 points.

Westbrook frantically pressed, hoping Fan Xi would quickly heave that damned ball away so the Thunder players could grab the rebound, tie the score, and go to overtime.

But his pressure didn't make Fan Xi flustered; his ball‑handling had reached the pinnacle.

Fan Xi clung to him; Westbrook exerted all his strength to pivot backward half a step past Fan Xi, then hastily passed the ball to Durant.

And he then sprinted quickly toward the paint.

Fan Xi's sprint caused the Thunder's defense to misjudge.

Ibaka instinctively glanced at Fan Xi; Novak's hot hand in this game made him underestimate, subconsciously deeming Fan Xi the more dangerous threat.

But at that moment, Nowitzki rose and shot.

He was very steady.

Even if Westbrook flew in from the side to help defend.

But it was already too late.

Swish!

The ball snapped through the net.

Nowitzki gave the Clippers the two most crucial points.

There were still 19 seconds left.

The Thunder trailed by 5 points.

Staples Center erupted in cheers.

In front of the TV, La Li Brown couldn't stop saying: "Jieke Fan is terrifying; he's constantly creating tactics. His control of the court is unparalleled."

This goal is ninety percent thanks to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi shifted the defense and seized the critical opportunity.

Nowitzki seized the moment, and his decisive shot landed cleanly.

In fact, even if Nowitzki missed, Fan Xi, driving into the paint, would still have a chance to grab the front‑court rebound.

From a tactical standpoint alone, Fan Xi looks down on all rivals in every aspect.

Thunder then quickened the pace, and with Du Lan Te constantly harassed by Lun Na De, Wei Si Bu Lu Ke forced a three‑point attempt.

The shot missed.

The rebound was taken by Mili Xiqi, and Pa Jin Si immediately fouled Mili Xiqi.

It no longer mattered much.

Swish!

Swish!

Mili Xiqi made both free throws; his line for the night became 22 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal.

Those are starter‑center numbers.

Seeing Mili Xiqi's smug face on TV made Huo Wa De feel uneasy.

Since that Los Angeles derby, after Mili Xiqi snatched Eva from his hands, he seemed to have a breakthrough and played better and better. No one calls him a flop anymore. On the contrary, many are revisiting the past, asking whether Mili Xiqi might have become a dominant center if he had faced Fan Xi from the start instead of La Li Brown.

Such retroactive criticism is a serious challenge to La Li Brown's reputation.

But La Li Brown doesn't care.

He rarely appears in the media; once a Time Warner reporter pressed him, he finally said: "Everyone is their own primary responsible person. As the Pistons' head coach, my mission is to win the championship. I have fulfilled my mission."

This answer from La Li Brown is a standard one for him.

However, Fan Xi gave another answer, saying: "Today's Da Ke is the best Mili Xiqi; there is no turning back in this world, you must look forward."

Fan Xi does not agree that if Mili Xiqi kept following him, he could become a dominant center.

Mili Xiqi lacks those qualities, but if he were only 17 now, Fan Xi is confident he could turn him into a regular All‑Star. His overall strength might be slightly better than Ke Li Si Bo Shen, yet he cannot challenge a superstar.

Whether it's innate talent, mental quality, or training attitude, being a superstar is not easy, let alone a dominant center.

Bang!

La Li Brown turned off the TV after Du Lan Te missed a three‑pointer.

The game lost its suspense.

The Clippers secured their Western semifinal opening win without any drama.

The key contributor in this game was Fan Xi, who defeated Thunder on both strategic and tactical levels.

Thunder underestimated the Clippers' tactical versatility and Fan Xi's way of dominating the game.

When the final buzzer sounded, the entire Staples Center erupted in great jubilation.

Everyone shouted: MVP! MVP! MVP!

They bowed and worshipped Fan Xi.

Since Fan Xi took over, the Clippers have a new change each day, and everyone clearly knows that Fan Xi is ruling the league.

Compared with Fan Xi receiving worship from thousands, the Thunder seemed a bit forlorn when they left.

They came in confident, but ultimately fell short, a result built on Nowitzki's poor performance; had Nowitzki played better, they would have lost the win even earlier.

They must devise a good strategy, or else they can only helplessly swallow two defeats and return home to rethink.

ESPN believes this will be a tight series, even though the Clippers took the first win. They said: when Fan Xi has to constantly run to draw opponents and stretch their defense, it proves that Fan Xi knows he can no longer kill the game by holding the ball. The two crucial shots tonight were more luck than skill; if Clippers fans pin their hopes on that, they will be thoroughly defeated.

ESPN is an authoritative outlet; many trust its words and say they can shape public opinion. Even though they have long been repeatedly shut down by Fan Xi's ruthless rebuttals.

Mili Xiqi was pushed in front of the reporters.

He took over Arenas's spokesperson role.

He handled this so well that Arenas sometimes jokes that he can now retire with peace of mind.

Bilupusi said he can hardly imagine how plain‑spoken and reticent Mili Xiqi used to be.

"Jie Ke was elected regular‑season MVP—any doubts? Why did you only hear it tonight? I knew after the first regular‑season game."

Mili Xiqi said, feigning exaggeration.

"The Thunder look like a very strong team. We are much more low‑key; standing with them, just by their arrogant faces, those who haven't seen them would think they are defending champions."

"How many games it takes to deal with the Thunder, I don't know. It depends on whether the owner is satisfied with the box‑office revenue."

"I am an honest man; Pa Jin Si posed no threat to me. He looks like a top defender, but his positioning is a mess; he only pretends to be fierce. In reality, he's far off—when I first entered the league, I had real tough guys like the Wallace brothers around me. He only picked up a few tricks from Kai Wen Jia Nei Te."

"Honestly, was Kai Wen Jia Nei Te a tough guy?"

"Have you ever seen a tough guy who only shoots jumpers?"

Mili Xiqi's speech is vulgar, yet without any profane words.

If this were in the '80s or '90s, going out without a helmet would be what opponents call a civilized new trend.

"Thank you to the journalist friends for your concern; Yi Wa and I are planning our wedding. We'll settle it before the child is born. Of course, I mean… after we finish this year's finals—without a championship, I'd be embarrassed to get married."

Mili Xiqi paused, then fired at Yi Wa's ex: "I know what you're thinking? You must think Tony Parker got married after winning Finals MVP back then. But I must tell you, who have ill intentions, that Yi Wa has prepared a child for our wedding."

"Is the outcome not clear enough?"

Mili Xiqi spread his palm.

One must admit, he is a perfect interview subject, proficient in speaking, acting, joking, and singing.

Mili Xiqi is happy.

In this Clippers season, he not only cleared his former flop reputation and rediscovered his love for basketball, but also reached a new career height, found a perfect romantic partner, and began building a happy family.

Fan Xi sometimes feels a little envy toward Mili Xiqi—not because Mili Xiqi made Eva pregnant—but because his life becomes simpler, he has no worries, and his regrets are all fulfilled.

But Fan Xi, he has obtained everything; he is like a young king who possesses a perfect castle.

Yet he still has some worries, namely that minor disputes have arisen in the back garden of this perfect castle.

He must make his back garden quiet again.

Moreover, he must establish suitable rules so that everyone can coexist peacefully.

This is not an easy task.

That is also why Lai Angduona has constantly told him: you should give up those Hao lai wu female stars and date those young, beautiful girls. No girl can stay 25 forever, but there will always be a girl who is 25.

This is Lai Angduona's back‑garden principle.

He is a celibate; he never intended to have long‑term stable tenants in his back garden.

However, Fan Xi is not a rake.

…