Chapter 461: Tragic Lakers

113–98.

Kuaisuan won.

It seemed effortless, or perhaps the whole squad fought with their lives.

The Kuaisuan fans at the venue were ecstatic to the extreme, for them this was a strategically significant victory, and nothing makes Kuaisuan fans happier than beating the Lakers. Especially… they won so easily tonight.

The Lakers have been bragging all season, and they prepared an entire season for tonight's game. Yet the result was that Fan Xi didn't exert any effort, and they fell.

Durant's words are spot on: the Lakers have no essential difference from the Rockets or the Thunder.

That sounds very hurtful.

But it is a fact.

Even though the Lakers have a famed coach like Larry Brown, the team also has several superstars.

But they lost, to a group of elite Kuaisuan players.

Larry Brown once led the "Five Tigers of the Commoners" to defeat the Lakers; today his role has become that of the Lakers who once possessed the F4, rotating lineups. The current Lakers are more luxurious than those of the past. Could… Larry Brown be about to stage a destined revenge kill.

The dragon‑slaying youth has become the old dragon being slain.

"I feel I shouldn't take interviews; my teammates performed far better than I did."

Fan Xi humbly said after the game that he only had 11 points tonight, but he recorded 19 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block.

Tonight, Fan Xi provided something called "Fan's Gravity"; when he moves, the opponent's defense is pulled along with him, and his teammates naturally get many easy shooting opportunities.

Tonight Kuaisuan's top scorer was Nowitzki with 28 points; Leonard had 17, Mili Xiqi 15, Butler 12… fairly balanced.

The Lakers are undoubtedly a top‑tier team; their strength has not diminished since last season, and they could not have performed like tonight against any opponent. Even against the Heat, they could have matched them.

But against Kuaisuan, their performance tonight was extremely abnormal.

First, Howard failed to protect the paint; Mili Xiqi broke through his defense at the start, and later in the matchups with Little Jordan and Huaiti Seda, he lacked his usual dominance.

Secondly, the Lakers are fixated on studying Fan Xi, thereby somewhat overlooking the talented players around him.

A team with 76 wins is far from the media's portrayal of being vulnerable, and certainly not the kind of team they claim has obvious flaws.

It's as if… every team sees Fan Xi's "weakness", yet they cannot exploit it.

The Rockets thought they could, but they lost easily.

The Thunder also believed they could, yet they still lost decisively.

Now it's the Lakers' turn; the Lakers also consider themselves Heaven's Chosen Son, a revenge master, and in both strength and spirit should not lose to Kuaisuan.

But the result is starkly naked.

The Lakers players refused interview requests and walked back to the locker room with heads down.

For them, the only good news is that this was just the first game, and they still have a chance to adjust.

But… how should they adjust?

Should they focus on Larry Brown or on D'Antoni… this wasn't an issue before, but now it has become a pressing question.

"I won't predict the direction of this series; I just want to tell everyone: we have no reason to lose this series."

Fan Xi told the reporters at the end.

This sentence gave Kuaisuan fans great confidence; since Jie Ke Fan said there is no reason to lose the series, Kuaisuan will certainly not lose the series.

Fan Xi has long built a tough image in fans' minds, and everyone knows he possesses the ability of "words become law".

Kuaisuan fans are in an indescribable exhilaration, whereas Lakers fans are somewhat listless; although their loud arguments can still be seen online, those voices do not prove their strength, but rather highlight their weakness and lack of confidence.

D'Antoni said at the post‑game press conference that the team needs to adjust some tactics; the offense cannot use a static, pillar‑like approach against Kuaisuan because Kuaisuan is agile, like flowing water. He quoted a Bruce Lee saying: "Water has no constant shape, water has no constant form."

Bruce Lee was the most famous Chinese person before Fan Xi; of course now Fan Xi's influence has completely surpassed Bruce Lee.

This happened unconsciously.

D'Antoni's remarks reveal another thing: at this critical moment, the Lakers' tactical system is not balanced.

Sharp observers clearly know that the Lakers' internal instability has resurfaced.

They are like a super‑luxury mercenary unit; the coaching staff includes one of the league's best offensive coaches, and the defense has the NBA's top defensive coach. The player roster even has three number‑ones.

Such a team, from any angle, should easily win the championship, because their lineup is extremely well‑matched and immensely powerful.

But such a rational combination often breeds problems.

Durant has become the spearhead against the Lakers; on his personal page he sharply wrote: "The Lakers will be swept! If Los Angeles must have an overhyped team, it's the Lakers."

He directly confronted the Lakers head‑on.

However, until the second game began, no one from the Lakers responded to his statement.

At this moment, the Lakers feel a looming storm, wind filling the building.

Those basketball media outlets also kept a strange silence; they didn't denigrate Kuaisuan or elevate the Lakers after the game.

According to rumor, Jean Bas went to the locker room before the second game and shed tears.

The release of this news is not good for her, who strives to project a strong‑woman image, but it also indirectly shows that Jean Bas has reached a desperate point.

They cannot afford another loss.

Another rumor is that the Lakers' management leans toward letting Jimbas take over the club next season; they have already given Jean too many chances. Jean failed to seize them; her aggressive style has only caused the Lakers to pay a hefty luxury tax without yielding real benefits, while Kuaisuan has grown stronger in the City of Angels.

Therefore, they believe the mild Jimbas can improve everything, at least the relationship with Fan Xi.

Jean called this a surrender, a showing of weakness to Fan Xi and Kuaisuan.

Jean cannot accept it, but she has only one final chance to prove herself.

That's probably why she would go into the locker room before the game and shed tears.

…

This game is not much different from the previous one; it is still broadcast live across the U. S. and worldwide. It remains Kuaisuan's home court, with a massive crowd of Kuaisuan fans shouting loudly.

Both sides also did not change their starting lineups.

But as soon as the game started, Fan Xi hit a three‑pointer.

Fan Xi and Nowitzki set a cross screen, receiving the basketball from Lu Bi Ao's hands, and shot extremely quickly... Although his original shooting was inherited from Lei Ji Mi Le, this time he used a fast one-stage jump shot.

Kobe's defense simply couldn't keep up.

Although he struggled hard to shake off Nowitzki's screen.

Fan Xi hit a three-pointer.

Kobe retaliated on the wing; he is the Lakers' veteran, he is the Lakers' mainstay, everyone can be abandoned, but he cannot.

Of course, his teammates also displayed morale and fighting spirit beyond the norm.

But on the next possession, despite their desperate defense, Fan Xi still slipped into their paint, received Lu Bi Ao's through pass, then handed it off to Mili Xiqi, who scored with a one-handed dunk.

La Li Bu Lang's defense was very good.

It was like a tough forest built of stubborn stones, but Fan Xi was too swift and agile.

He appeared like lightning.

It gave people an unexpected feeling.

Lun Na De continued to perform well afterward, and Nowitzki and Mili Xiqi were still able to contain Huo Wa De as always.

The Lakers held on in the first quarter.

They withstood the Kuaisuan's infiltration with tenacious will.

In the second quarter, they also held up.

D'Antoni adopted a more distinct offensive style; Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Jia Mi Sen, and Huo Wa De all benefited, and Kobe also got rest.

But upon entering the second half.

Fan Xi frequently attacked the paint, causing Pau Gasol to pick up his fourth foul early, then Qiao Dan Xi Er and Jia Mi Sen took turns, but they appeared too fragile against Kuaisuan's interior.

The domino effect started with the interior collapsing, then spread further to the perimeter.

After Fan Xi consecutively blocked Chris Paul's jump shots twice, the Lakers were as if struck by a curse, unable to proceed further.

The point difference opened up at this time.

Kobe tried to avert disaster in the fourth quarter, but he was like a diligent fisherman unable to plug all the holes in a leaky ship at once.

The Clippers were like Pacific waves continually crashing into the Lakers' hull.

They soon sank.

This was an outcome they never anticipated.

This was a scene they never dreamed of, not even Fan Xi himself had imagined.

The Lakers have always been Fan Xi's archrival in the West; they possess so much talent, so much experience, and such a good tactical system.

But they still couldn't hold themselves back; their performance was not much better than the Thunder's.

Mili Xiqi said after the game: They just look strong, that's all.

That is a mocking remark.

But it is also a statement of fact.

The 123:98 score highlighted the huge gap between them.

Fan Xi seriously thought about this problem.

The Lakers are indeed strong; the only reason they lost so easily is innate mutual restraint.

The answer is just that simple.

Simple to the point of being cruel.

The Lakers had painstakingly prepared all season, but when they finally took the court, everything they had prepared was useless; instead, every move the Clippers made hit their weak point.

This caused the Lakers great pain, and Lakers fans even more pain.

Amid this painful sentiment, many began to claim they were die-hard Clippers fans.

Faced with this situation, Time Warner was obviously the happiest.

They made a wise decision, choosing the Clippers over the Lakers last season, and the Clippers have now brought them abundant returns.

With the Western Conference finals showing a one-sided situation, the Eastern Conference finals became a focal point of concern for many.

Because they will determine the ultimate player who will face the Clippers in the championship showdown.

The Bulls and the Heat are another old rivalry.

The Heat won their first game narrowly at the Miami American Airlines Center, and the second game went into two overtimes.

In the end, the Heat still won.

Fan Xi watched these two games in front of the TV. Sitting beside him, Bilupusi and Maikelbang appeared somewhat optimistic, saying: "It seems this year's Miami Heat isn't as formidable as imagined."

"No."

Fan Xi shook his head solemnly, he said seriously: "The Heat are even stronger than we imagined; they have more toughness, more physical reserves. Moreover, they have hidden their strength. They have conducted genuine research on us, and they will play a more balanced average-ism than us at that time."

"Will James do that? His improvement this season is so obvious; he is not the type willing to sacrifice statistics." Maikelbang said.

He knows James very well.

But Fan Xi shook his head, Fan Xi told him: "Don't underestimate the current James. He is the best basketball player on this planet." Maikelbang said.

Bilupusi asked: "What about you?"

"I can defeat the best basketball player on this planet." Fan Xi revealed a faint smile, he was very confident.

Bilupusi and Maikelbang instantly gained confidence.

They firmly believed in Fan Xi.

But they still had some doubts: Since the Heat are already so strong and have hidden their strength, how should we defeat them?

They had no answer.

Fan Xi had in mind: the Lakers' way.

After losing Fan Xi, the Lakers became a tragic figure. Their former glory could no longer illuminate their future; Fan Xi repeatedly caught them and beat them up, and after losing their morality, they also lost victory. Moreover, no one sympathized with them.

They only mock them, saying they should have known better than to act as they did. If they had kept Jieke Fan, the Lakers would have had at least a ten-year dynasty, with no need to worry about the Kuaisuan, and most importantly, they wouldn't have to pay so much luxury tax each year, only to draw water with a bamboo basket.

The third game against the Lakers arrived.

In this game, the Kuaisuan fell into foul trouble.

But in the end, the Lakers still lost the game, being defeated by Nowitzki's buzzer-beater.

This game was Nowitzki's masterpiece; he scored a total of 52 points, while Leonard's hands were cold, and when Mili Xiqi and Huaiti Seda early fell into foul trouble, he single-handedly carried the Kuaisuan. Of course, Fan Xi's assistance from the sidelines was indispensable.

3:0

This score left Paul dejected, the camera gave him many close-ups after the game ended.

Everyone recalled Durant's prophecy, Durant saying Paul would definitely not stay with the Lakers.

Now, only one loss remains before he leaves the Lakers.

Paul's joining the Lakers was previously considered a win-win, but now it's just drawing water with a bamboo basket for nothing.

He lost his reputation as the starting point guard, betrayed his home team, and still hasn't won a championship.

…