Chapter 465: Kobe's Twilight

The Lakers were pressing the Kuaisuan for a stretch of the third quarter.

This continued until Chris Paul entered the game, which sounds absurd, but that's exactly what happened.

When Chris Paul came in, the Lakers led by 11 points.

Under Kobe's leadership and with Dwight Howard's strong resurgence, they gained a strategic buffer. Afterwards, Kobe Bryant returned to the bench to rest, and Chris Paul entered the game.

Paul is a very good player.

From any angle, he should be the best traditional point guard on the planet.

But he has a problem destined to remain unsolved. He's the kind of player who can lift a 70-point team to 80 or even 85 points, easily taking any team to the playoffs, yet he cannot take a team far in the playoffs. Give him a 95-point team to lead, and he'll still only score 85.

After he entered, his coordination with Dwight Howard increased. Just as he and Tyson Chandler had in New Orleans early in his career, Pau Gasol's cooperation with him was also excellent, just like his former sidekick David West back then.

Matt Barnes could also find his fitting spot, as could Jamison.

However.

Fan Xi easily broke his scheme; after Kobe left the court, Fan Xi suddenly intensified his powerful attacks, repeatedly driving into the paint to cause damage.

Thereafter, on defense, he displayed a posture akin to linking vertical and horizontal iron chains across the river, restricting Paul; the ball couldn't be released in time, and the Lakers' 5G signal dropped to 2G.

Three possessions.

The margin shrank to 6 points.

Kobe Bryant had to get up, even though only 55 seconds remained in the third quarter and he was already out of breath.

Kobe's gaze was somewhat helpless.

Can you say Paul's play is unreasonable? No. Although each of his offensives is slightly delayed, he still fulfills the tactical objective each time, just with low shooting accuracy.

Can you say Paul played poorly? He played well.

But he simply couldn't get past Fan Xi.

Fan Xi's play is fundamentally unreasonable; he just keeps attacking the paint, even showing a bit of individual heroism, yet he lifts the team's morale, using his fearless offense to spark a tougher defense.

Sometimes a game is like that—it needs teamwork, but also individual heroism.

Fan Xi always manages to make a perfect transition between the two; he knows exactly when to do what.

With 55 seconds left in the third quarter, Kobe Bryant entered the game, moved to the wing, and the player now guarding him was Jimmy Butler.

A fiery guy whose style can be described in one character: "fight".

Kobe loves this type of player—tireless and never backing down.

But now, he used a quick crossover step to shift direction into a stop-and-go jump shot, punishing Jimmy Butler, and told this ambitious youngster: "You just look a bit like Michael Jordan; you're still far from him."

He intended to provoke this guy's desire for one-on-one play.

But what Kobe didn't expect was that Jimmy Butler smiled at him and said: "You're also far from Jordan. Jordan went to the Finals six times and won six Finals MVPs; you've been to the Finals eight times but only got two Finals MVPs."

After so many years, Kobe's mental cultivation was quite solid, yet Butler's flippant remark still broke through his defenses.

His greatest dream in life has been to approach Jordan, to surpass Jordan.

Now he can also accept that he cannot surpass Jordan.

But now Butler's this critical hit...

While retreating on defense, Kobe took several deep breaths to calm down.

But just as he momentarily lost focus, Fan Xi swiftly broke through Chris Paul; Kobe closed out on defense, Fan Xi passed the ball, Butler caught it beyond the three-point line, and by the time Kobe gave chase, it was too late.

Butler completed his shooting motion.

Kobe's frantic block did not affect his shot.

Swish!

Three-pointer made.

The margin further narrowed to 5 points.

Butler flashed a full eight-toothed smile at Kobe and said to Kobe Bryant: "Hey, Kobe. I'm at least a bit better than Jordan in one way—my three-point shooting. What about you? Want to show off your three-point ability?"

Kobe then exploded with rage.

He took a deep breath two or three times to calm down, then smiled and told Butler: "You want to make me lose composure? Too easy, little guy."

"No, I think I've already done that."

Butler retorted tit-for-tat: "And isn't this a game you started?"

Sharp teeth.

Kobe's expression tightened.

Kobe disliked the Kuaisuan's atmosphere, especially when Fan Xi walked past him, deliberately giving Butler a thumbs-up and loudly clapping hands with him.

This feeling stabbed Kobe's heart.

Kobe felt lonely as never before.

At least Jordan still had Pippen by his side.

What about me?

Kobe looked around; although many superstars surrounded him, none shared his heart‑to‑heart connection. Or rather, there once was one, now standing opposite him.

However, Kobe has always been a lone wolf; he doesn't mind solitude, he enjoys hunting alone, and he also relishes this slaughter.

He then used his actions to prove to Jimmy Butler one thing: don't lightly provoke a superstar.

Kobe faced Butler's defense, used a quick breakthrough, stop‑and‑go step‑back, and made a three‑point shot.

After scoring, Kobe gritted his teeth and threw a fist at Butler, triggering a roar throughout the arena.

They love Kobe's answer-ball.

Over these seventeen years, Kobe has had too many such shocking moments.

Otherwise, where would the nickname Black Mamba come from?

At the moment Kobe made the three‑pointer, Butler's inner self felt somewhat shattered.

He had defended this ball to the extreme, even putting his hand on Kobe's eyebrow, but Kobe didn't even blink.

This guy is so terrifying, every pore of his body swears to the defender: I am invincible!

No wonder he once could top the league and stand out among so many talented peers, dominating the perimeter.

Fan Xi walked over and patted Butler's shoulder: "A true man should be like this; you can take his place!"

Butler instantly felt energized.

Who wouldn't want to be so glorious?

Kobe saw Fan Xi patting Butler's shoulder, and saw Butler's eyes go from scattered to invigorated, then full of fighting spirit, ambitiously looking at himself.

When it comes to doing ideological work, Kobe in his life never leans on a wall, but he obeys Fan Xi.

This can turn his setbacks into motivation!

The Clippers launched a final strong attack; Fan Xi quickly dribbled to the frontcourt, then swiftly tossed it forward, Mili Xiqi leapt to catch the basketball and smoothly tipped it toward the hoop……just like playing volleyball.

At the moment the basketball left his hand, the whistle signaling the end of the third quarter sounded.

Then.

Swish!

The basketball miraculously fell into the hoop.

The gap narrowed by 2 points.

Kobe helplessly lifted his head to look at the total score, then let out a long sigh of foul air.

After returning to the bench and sitting down, his body felt immense fatigue.

The physical exertion in this game was huge; the Clippers' three defenders took turns harassing him. The conditioning coach and team doctor came over to inquire about Kobe's physical condition.

They were worried that Kobe's excessive physical exertion would increase his injury risk.

This is common knowledge in the NBA.

Most injuries are either due to insufficient warm-up or diminished physical ability, making it impossible to better control the body.

Kobe said: "I'm fine."

He was very resolute.

Because he knows that if he leaves the court to rest, the Lakers can't handle the Clippers; the Clippers are waiting for him to rest.

In the third quarter, he had rested less than three minutes when Fan Xi led the team to nibble away at the point difference; it was as if the third quarter had been wasted.

Chris Paul glanced at Kobe.

At that moment he suddenly had a great realization.

For a long time, he had been regarded as the model of team basketball, a faithful practitioner of sound play; whereas Kobe, even at the peak of his career, was labeled with the terms "lone" and "unreasonable." But is team basketball truly correct?

Paul developed doubts.

In the recent high-intensity third-quarter exchanges, Kobe's efficiency and effect when holding the ball and going solo were actually better than his patient, careful passing… because the more the ball is passed, the higher the chance of error and the more uncontrollable factors increase.

Before, Chris Paul somewhat resented Kobe's absolute status as the team's tactical core as leader, thinking it was only because Kobe is a veteran of the Lakers that everyone indulges him.

Now he realizes that there are things he cannot do that only Kobe can accomplish.

"Chris."

Larry Brown called out to Paul, and they discussed the next defensive strategy.

Although Paul is somewhat short, a natural disadvantage, he is very strong; his anticipation on defense is precise. Larry Brown is known as an old-school conservative defensive coach, but now, in the final quarter, he must become more aggressive. He began discussing some aggressive defensive strategies with Paul.

Paul's steal ability is very strong.

But this season it hasn't been shown well.

Because Larry Brown has suppressed him, his demand for positional sense is higher than that for steal-and-fast-break offense.

However, by now Larry Brown can't worry about so much anymore.

If they get swept, his old face won't be able to hold up.

Durant's frenzied output on the internet has made the pressure on Larry Brown and Chris Paul enormous.

…

Beep!

The whistle sounded.

The fourth quarter began.

What Kobe didn't expect was that Fan Xi sat on the bench resting, yet he actually didn't go in.

Kobe and the Lakers were both surprised.

I don't know what trick Fan Xi is up to.

The current lineup is little Jordan, Nowitzki, Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Arenas.

This lineup also seems rather mismatched.

But after Arenas brought the ball past half-court, he called for a screen, and Nowitzki came up strongly.

Paul instinctively shifted his body to prevent Arenas from driving.

But just then, Arenas suddenly pulled up for a stop-and-go jump shot.

The basketball was thrown from his hand.

Swish!

It precisely fell into the hoop.

The Staples Center heard some scattered shouts, these being Clippers fans who had sneaked in.

At that moment, Kobe saw Fan Xi rise from the bench and stride toward the technical table.

Arenas shouted at Fan Xi: "Hey, Jie Ke, I've said it before. As soon as I get on the court I can sink a three-pointer; they have no idea this is just our little game. Hahaha."

Gilbert's weird shout is annoying; at least Kobe and Paul are glaring at him.

Kobe looked toward the sidelines at Fan Xi, Fan Xi crouched in front of the technical table, he seemed not in a rush to go on the court, but just by standing there he gave the Lakers players a sense of pressure.

This feeling is like: you're playing cards with someone, you've almost lost all your chips, while your opponent starts frequently glancing at the clock on the wall.

Chris Paul instinctively quickened the offensive pace, he still ran pick-and-roll with Dwight Howard, but passed the ball to Kobe while moving.

Kobe forced a drive to the basket, stopped abruptly, turned, and laid the ball in with his left hand… Leonard guarded every step, but the final result was off by a hair.

Among top experts, victory is often decided by the slimmest of margins.

Kobe remains the best scoring monster on this planet.

"Hey, Kobe. I think you're about to run out of steam—don't wear yourself out to the point you have no energy left to go home and hold your child."

Fan Xi's voice came from the sidelines.

This is a psychological tactic.

Kobe gave him a cold glance and said to Fan Xi, "I can still crush ten of you. Whether here or in your backyard gym, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, no matter when or where, you are not my opponent."

Kobe always has a captivating, powerful aura.

Such an aura usually leaves many fragile folks unable to resist.

But Fan Xi remained smiling and carefree; he is one of the few who won't be cowed by Kobe's powerful presence.

He said to Kobe, "Come on, you'll soon be bringing your talent to pushing a baby carriage."

Fan Xi and Kobe traded barbs.

He had no intention of going onto the court.

Jimmy Butler caught Arenas' pass and drove to the basket, but his layup was swatted away by Howard's slap. Howard has a strong presence in the paint.

But luck was not on his side.

Leonard followed up, grabbed the ball, and tossed it toward the paint; Xiao Qiaodan leapt, snatched it, and dunked.

Kuaisuan finished this second-chance play excellently with luck and alertness.

Paul drove to the basket, made a hidden pass to Howard, and Howard slammed it down.

Then Leonard hit a jumper.

The two sides went back and forth.

They reached equilibrium.

This exceeded everyone's expectations.

Fan Xi wasn't on the court, yet Kuaisuan could still tie the Lakers?

The Lakers had all their starters on the floor.

Just how worn out was Kobe?

If Jieke Fan were to go back in, the Lakers' slim lead would surely be erased instantly.

Lakers fans hung by a thread.

They anxiously worried whether the Lakers' future would be doomed on this miserable night.

But just then, their guardian god Kobe stole the ball from Arenas.

He charged straight ahead to steal.

Then he rushed to the frontcourt, stopped abruptly, and nailed a chasing three-pointer!

Swish!

Beep!

Fan Xi on the sideline simply called for a timeout.

…