Chapter 458: You Don't Need a Secret Weapon to Beat the Lakers

Ke Bi's words indeed made Fan Xi a little nervous.

But then he thought it impossible, since he had never shown his One-stage jump shot in a game; where did Ke Bi get that information?

Fan Xi relaxed his mood, but then recalled: So what is the secret weapon Ke Bi mentioned? What secret weapon do I still have?

While pondering, Fan Xi increased his training load; he must ensure that once he uses his One-stage Stop-and-Go Jump Shot in a game, opponents have no way to defend.

Si Difen Ku Li arrived in Los Angeles; when he saw Fan Xi's jump shot, his mouth could not close in astonishment.

He exclaimed, "Jie Ke, you really are a monster. You've been training this for such a long time, right? My god, do you still have any flaws? You're literally a killing machine; I sense you've reached Michael Jordan's level."

Si Difen Ku Li, gesturing with his fingers, said that he firmly believes that after Fan Xi's One-stage jump shot meets the lethal standard, he has become the league's strongest perimeter player today, since Fan Xi's driving, playmaking, and attacking the rim are already top‑tier, and he also possesses elite off‑ball ability.

This unsettled Si Difen Ku Li's many prior notions: "Jie Ke, you monster, can you keep the team at 76 wins while mastering my self‑invented shooting style to this level? God, Ke Bi must be very sad—no, he might be very happy; the post‑Jordan era he led will be ended in this series."

When Si Difen Ku Li said this, his hands covered his head the whole time. For him, the matter was profoundly shocking and of great significance.

But Fan Xi told him, "This thing must remain secret for now. I only let you know."

Si Difen Ku Li understood Fan Xi's thoughts, but he said with certainty, "Even if the Lakers find out, they cannot trap you. Of course, I will never let a third person know this."

Si Difen Ku Li and Fan Xi's friendship is as solid as rock.

Si Difen Ku Li then gave Fan Xi some technical guidance, which proved highly effective. Fan Xi is very confident that before the season ends he will raise his on‑ball jump‑shot level to 85% of Si Difen Ku Li's current standard.

That is already extremely intimidating.

This is also why Si Difen Ku Li thinks Fan Xi is today's number‑one perimeter player in the league. In Si Difen Ku Li's mind, Ke Bi's god‑like status has receded, a matter of time, caused by Fan Xi's strength.

Fan Xi, however, said he still has many areas to improve, such as his back‑to‑the‑basket one‑on‑one shooting percentage and his classic on‑ball jump‑shot percentage.

Si Difen Ku Li looked at Fan Xi with a "fear" gaze. He and Fan Xi had been friends since college, but now he was utterly shocked to discover that the friend who once slept in the adjacent bunk was now about to do something that would overturn an entire era.

This huge gap caught him off guard; he could not believe it.

"Do you want to surpass Jordan? Do you want to become the greatest basketball player in history?" Si Difen Ku Li asked cautiously.

Fan Xi did not hide anything in front of his close friend; he nodded and said, "Yes. That's exactly what I think."

"I will stop you. Jie Ke, I will definitely snipe you; I don't want to live in your shadow. Back at Davis Academy, I was the top guy," Si Difen Ku Li said half‑joking, half‑serious.

Fan Xi, however, seriously patted Si Difen Ku Li's shoulder and said, "If I eliminate Ke Bi in this series, then you will become my number‑one opponent."

Si Difen Ku Li showed no hesitation and answered firmly, "No problem, I will definitely end your beautiful dream."

"Then give it your all!"

Fan Xi patted Si Difen Ku Li's shoulder.

Then they continued to study shooting.

Si Difen Ku Li had no reservations, and Fan Xi would also share all his experience; although both harbored strong competitive awareness, off the court they were close friends.

Fan Xi believes Si Difen Ku Li has the strength to replace Ke Bi as his top opponent; the Golden State Warriors were eliminated early, yet their new vibe already shows a trend of swallowing the entire league.

The Golden State Warriors are guiding the future direction of the basketball world.

But now, the basketball world is still dominated by traditional powerhouses like Kuaisuan, the Lakers, the Heat, and the Bulls.

…

From the day Fan Xi was ruthlessly sold by Jean Bas to Kuaisuan, the feud between Kuaisuan and the Lakers, the same‑city teams, spread throughout the entire basketball world.

At any time, whenever the two teams face each other, the whole Angel City pays attention.

Because of Kuaisuan and the Lakers, Angel City has formed a new split.

Last season Kuaisuan marched to the Finals atop the Lakers' heads and won the championship. This gave Kuaisuan fans the upper hand and they mocked the Lakers wildly.

This season the two teams met again in the Western Finals, and the lively scene was even more spectacular than last year.

Lakers fans shouted for revenge, while Kuaisuan fans yelled to keep the pressure on.

The supporters' disputes spread from the arena to every aspect of daily life, and the city's public safety faced severe tests.

Their intensity even surpassed the rivalry between UCLA and the University of Southern California on the football field.

The first game of the Western Finals kicked off a day before the Eastern Finals.

Staples Center was brightly lit, and from the afternoon crowds of noisy fans gathered outside the arena, their rivalry extending from outside the court into the venue.

Of course, tonight Kuaisuan held absolute advantage inside the arena.

This is Kuaisuan's home court; more Kuaisuan fans secured tickets than Lakers fans.

But outside the arena, loud cheers from Lakers fans could still be heard, and the nearby bars were packed with fans… because of fear of brawls, many bars even displayed clear signs allowing only Kuaisuan fans or only Lakers fans inside.

This segregation still made bar and restaurant business boom.

When the Lakers‑Kuaisuan rivalry becomes a societal issue, both sides benefit.

Because their competition enlarges the whole cake.

That is why this season the Lakers paid the most expensive luxury tax in NBA history yet still turned a profit.

Of course, their profit cannot compare with Kuaisuan's. Kuaisuan's profit this season will undoubtedly be league‑first, and many even predict that if Kuaisuan wins the championship, their direct revenue will exceed one‑third of what Fan Xi originally spent to acquire the team.

In any case, this deal is a 'heist' that will go down in history.

Si Telin has been shrewd all his life; he never dreamed that the timeless promise he once wrote would ultimately leave others penniless.

Of course, this also thanks his unfiltered mouth and the timely assists from Lakers' Jean Bas and Magic Johnson.

Fan Xi, like the clueless yet ultra‑lucky protagonists of all Hao lai wu movies, suddenly acquired billions of dollars in wealth… and that's only the rise in the team's valuation.

But that's merely a business‑level matter.

On the basketball side, Kuaisuan's locker room remains furious about the Lakers' original betrayal of Fan Xi, and everyone stands united behind Fan Xi. They are not satisfied with last season's Western Finals crushing the Lakers; they vow to destroy the Lakers in every encounter to repay the betrayal when they kicked champion Jie Ke out.

Thus, this is a match that requires no mobilization.

Maikelbang and Bilupusi even emphasized before the game that everyone should stay calmer and not be reckless tactically.

For the Lakers, this revenge battle also needs no mobilization. Because they are already on the edge of a cliff, as Durant mocked, everyone knows that if the Lakers fail to capture the Western championship this time…

Then La Li Bu Lang's reputation will be ruined, and the Lakers' roster will fall apart.

Chris Paul might even delete his tweet, act as if nothing happened, then pat his butt and leave Los Angeles, the city that saddens him. Anywhere is fine, as long as he can get away from Fan Xi.

Beep!

The whistle sounded precisely at 7:30.

The Lakers' starting lineup was Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul.

The Clippers' starting lineup was Da Ke Mili Xiqi, De Ke Novitski, Kawhi Leonard, Fan Xi, and Li Ji Lu Bi Ao.

This lineup was decided by Mili Xiqi and Xiao Qiaodan playing rock‑paper‑scissors; Mili Xiqi won that round, became a starter, and promised to help Xiao Qiaodan and his wife's close friend find romance.

Beep!

Mili Xiqi and Howard jumped at the same time.

Howard despised Mili Xiqi, and Mili Xiqi now had a very successful air. Although Eva was not a particularly attractive woman for Howard, he indeed lost the contest of masculine charm against Mili Xiqi. Now Eva is pregnant with Mili Xiqi's child.

They enjoyed the lights of Hao lai wu, often traveling to various places for flamboyant commercial activities.

Howard always played a supporting role in their story, and it made him uncomfortable.

He was eager to destroy Mili Xiqi.

But haste makes waste.

His forceful swing missed the basketball by a hair, allowing the slightly slower‑jumping Mili Xiqi to swat the ball away… just like their competition over Eva.

Lu Bi Ao secured the ball, advanced steadily, and reached the top of the three‑point arc.

Fan Xi immediately sprinted to one side of the three‑point line, reached for the ball, and prepared to display his prowess from the first shot, forcing the Lakers into a defensive dilemma.

Fan Xi did not intend a long war with the Lakers; his goal was to eliminate them within five games… Since the Rockets and Thunder operate that way, the Lakers need no special treatment.

But Lu Bi Ao passed the ball to the free‑throw line.

Leonard quickly slipped past Artest.

Artest was once Defensive Player of the Year, but his lateral movement now can only be described as poor.

What the renamed 'Charity World Peace' Artest did not expect was that Leonard would not attack him with a drive, but instead turn his back and showcase a back‑down one‑on‑one.

Artest had once made a great contribution defending Pierce; the Lakers' ten‑year championship owes a large part to him… thanks to his restriction of Pierce.

Defending the classic power forward is Artest's strong suit.

Just as Artest's mouth curved into a smile, Leonard used his solid footwork to execute a back turn; Artest lunged with hard defense, but Leonard swiftly spun half‑body, then released a fade‑away jump shot… Swish!

Leonard easily punished Artest.

Artest's defense appeared completely unstructured.

He was already old, becoming a weak spot in the Lakers' lineup.

Larry Brown had already decided to replace him soon with Barnes.

Turning back, Kobe Bryant dribbled one‑on‑one against Fan Xi; his offense remained seasoned, but Fan Xi could feel the marks of age on him.

Kobe used a fluid back turn to get past Fan Xi, but when he stepped back and took a fade‑away jump shot, Fan Xi lunged from the side to contest.

It was an extreme defense.

In many cases, Kobe could easily ignore such high‑intensity defense.

Only his touch could affect him.

Bang!

Kobe's touch was off; he missed the first shot.

Mili Xiqi grabbed the rebound. He had already secured a favorable spot. Upon getting the ball, he deliberately raised his elbow to scare Howard away.

Then he made a long pass to Lu Bi Ao.

Lu Bi Ao caught the ball and instantly launched another long pass.

It turned out that when Lu Bi Ao received the ball, Nowitzki had already retreated quickly from the high post.

Nowitzki caught the ball at the top of the three‑point arc, faked a shot, shook off Gasol's trailing defense, then drove to the rim and finished with a three‑step layup… Paul rushed in for a steal but returned empty‑handed.

After the Clippers eliminated the Thunder in Game Five of the Western semifinals, their team momentum was scorching, and everyone delivered strong performances.

This made Pat Riley and Le Bu Lang Zhang Si, sitting in front of the TV, very nervous.

This kind of egalitarianism is very hard to defend against.

"It looks like the Clippers have elite level at every position; they are very balanced, each excelling in their own domain, making defenders hesitant to double‑team. This could even be called a pentagonal offense."

Pat Riley, as a renowned coach, said bluntly.

"Hard to defend." James sighed, then said, "Fortunately, the Lakers can help us accumulate defensive experience."

"Do you mean the Lakers still can't beat the Clippers this season?" Ke Li Si Bo Shen, sitting behind, asked surprised, "The Lakers have already prepared so much."

"Only we can defeat the Clippers in a series across the league," Le Bu Lang Zhang Si told Ke Li Si Bo Shen firmly.

This view aligns with Kevin Durant's.

Durant sat in front of the TV, feeling like watching the excitement. His banter with Chris Paul made him wish the Lakers would lose right away; he was eager to punch Paul in the face.

Moreover, Paul said something correct. Durant would rather lose to a championship team than to a Western‑finalist team.

Besides, Durant never gave the Lakers any consideration. If he truly respected the Lakers, would he deliberately lose to drop to fourth? That's just playing into the plan: eliminate the Clippers and reach the Finals.

As for the Spurs, the Western third that couldn't even get past the Grizzlies, he took it lightly.

Now, he grills fish and sips water while sitting in front of the TV, feeling content.

"Anyway the Lakers are going to lose; their era ended the day they traded Jie Ke. They're just a bunch of old‑smelling guys struggling in a fishing net."

Durant told his close friend.

Then he said, "How about I post this on Twitter?"

Hm?

His close friend was still hesitating, while he already pulled out his phone and typed rapidly.

He let himself go.

His manager, after his direct clash with Paul, stopped caring about him.

Actually, his sponsors also did not take any further action.

Since Durant wants to gossip, we might as well go all the way. This is also a way to keep the offseason heated.

The showdown on the court continues.

After Nowitzki scored a layup, the Lakers ran a triangle offense, with Kobe turning and driving deep into the paint, passing the ball to the well-coordinated Pau Gasol, who followed up for a layup.

After switching sides, Fan Xi still wanted to go one-on-one.

But Rubio passed the ball to Milicic.

Milicic showed off his Serbian dance steps, using a beautiful spin move to get around Howard and finishing with a reverse layup.

Howard was like a piece of wind-dried cured meat left hanging there by him.

After scoring, Milicic teased him: "I heard you spent hundreds of thousands to learn footwork like Olajuwon's."

"This is probably the step you dreamed of."

Milicic said to Howard: "Why don't you give me twenty thousand dollars, and I'll teach you two moves. Maybe you could attract some girls' attention that way—even though you're ugly, you could play with more flair."

Milicic was beaming with joy.

During the defensive recovery, he kept messing with Howard's mindset.

This made Howard extremely uncomfortable.

Howard felt uneasy whenever he saw Milicic.

So he and Chris Paul actively ran a pick-and-roll.

Their coordination was very smooth, often producing brilliant scores.

They split at the free-throw line, then both moved down. After Paul drew Milicic's defense, he lofted the ball to Howard, who caught it and leapt up, grabbing the ball with both hands, about to dunk.

Milicic suddenly surged forward, punching the ball just like the Mount Lu Ascending Dragon Tyrant.

The ball slipped from Howard's control.

Howard had his hands on the rim, but the ball flew off behind his head.

Fan Xi, quick-eyed and quick-handed, darted to the basket to gain control, then lofted a long pass to Rubio.

Milicic also quickly joined the attack.

He and Rubio set a pick-and-roll at the top of the three-point arc, both rolling down, using a European pick-and-roll.

The Lakers' Howard was slow to get back on defense.

Rubio slammed the ball against the rim, it bounced out, Milicic exploded upward, grabbed it with one hand and softly laid it in—very gentle… swish!

The Kuaisuan fans in the arena were loud, their cheers thunderous.

After scoring, Milicic scratched his head and said to Paul, who was about to inbound: "Playing you guys is no different from playing the Thunder."

That remark instantly turned Paul's face ashen.

But Milicic's sharp tongue was aimed not at him but at Howard; he ran over and said: "Hey, Dwight. Saw our pick-and-roll? If you want to learn, I can teach you."

"Your positioning is too rigid. You need to change your habit of relying on brute force. Don't just charge blindly; think of it like driving a manual transmission: ease off the gas, shift into first, creep slowly, let the engine revs and sound rise, then clutch into second, wait until everything runs smoothly, then shift into high gear… Do you get these principles?"

Milicic spoke earnestly and patiently.

In front of Howard, his shadow was a head taller.

Fan Xi watched his domineering teammates and had an absurd thought: beating the Lakers doesn't even require a secret weapon.

…