Chapter 466: Brandishing Sword, Journey to Tiger Mountain

Kobe Bryant gritted his teeth and forcefully swung his fist toward the sky.

The Lakers, thanks to this three-pointer, finally expanded their lead again to six points.

Then, the entire Staples Center went wild, they shouted MVP! MVP! MVP!

The Lakers' morale exploded.

They were boiling, they were burning wildly.

Fan Xi's timeout was called extremely precisely.

Kobe Bryant stirred up a tremendous wave of heat, he returned to the Lakers Bench, and along the way everyone reached out to give him a high-five.

This was his 37th point of the night.

This was his seventeenth season, he proved his tank was still full, he remained the Lakers' most trustworthy player, and he remained a superstar capable of deciding the outcome.

Midway through the season, many people discussed whether this Lakers team was now Paul's team or Howard's team.

But tonight, the facts told everyone.

Kobe Bryant remained the Lakers' strongest trump card.

The MVP cheers from the crowd were the most glorious coronation for this veteran who had battled the league for 17 years, and this was also the highest honor.

Kobe Bryant watched the arena tremble, watched his excited teammates on the Lakers Bench, his mood was extremely exhilarated. He knew now was the time to press the advantage.

"Win this game, counterattack to the Finals!"

Kobe Bryant shouted the loud slogan.

He received an unprecedented response.

The entire Lakers Bench was now filled with belief; they began to truly believe the Lakers could win this game and achieve a miraculous comeback from 0‑3.

A turnaround in morale often happens in an instant.

Although Kobe Bryant knew Fan Xi would surely respond next, at this moment he absolutely would not pour cold water on him; he simply kept boosting morale, telling himself he was invincible.

Beep!

The whistle sounded quickly.

The Kuaisuan made a lineup adjustment.

Fan Xi, Hamilton, Jimmy Butler, Nowitzki, and Mili Xiqi took the court.

Kobe Bryant stared at Fan Xi, not knowing what scheme Fan Xi would pull next, so he simply switched defenses with Chris Paul. Chris Paul breathed a sigh of relief; he clearly knew Fan Xi was the type who, if bitten, would immediately go berserk and bite back. He didn't want to endure Fan Xi's fury; to some extent, over the past two years with the Lakers, Paul had gone from looking down on Fan Xi as a superior point guard to considering himself inferior to Fan Xi as a guard.

There was no other reason; he was simply beaten into submission.

Kobe Bryant went to meet Fan Xi.

He said to Fan Xi, trash‑talking: "Now, our home court momentum is like a rainbow, we're still ahead by seven points—what do you have to beat me?"

Kobe Bryant was very skilled at applying mental pressure on opponents.

But Fan Xi calmly looked at Kobe Bryant, even flashing a mysterious smile. He told Kobe Bryant: "Do you believe I have at least nine ways to kill you? Nine!"

Kobe Bryant was taken aback; he hadn't expected Fan Xi to turn the tables. This guy always excelled at reversing the guest‑host role.

Kobe Bryant knew this was trash talk, yet he felt a doubt… could this guy really have a way to overtake?

Kobe Bryant was hesitating.

Fan Xi stepped out with thunder‑lightning speed, extending a sharp footwork; Kobe Bryant quickly shifted sideways to defend, but little did he know that Nowitzki had somehow positioned himself behind him, causing Kobe's body to be jerked upward, and Fan Xi instantly sliced through the defense.

Pau Gasol had no choice but to switch onto him.

But Fan Xi merely paused, then changed direction again and drove into the paint; Dwight Howard, seeing Fan Xi take two steps, smartly stepped up close to prevent him from jumping.

However, Fan Xi simply tapped the ball to the ground, and the ball was passed into the interior.

Fan Xi's passing ability in tight spaces was as precise as a scalpel.

Mili Xiqi grabbed the basketball, he didn't show off; instead he quickly put the ball in.

A very soft two‑pointer.

The Kuaisuan scored with a 'four‑ounce moves a thousand‑pound' technique.

It also broke the Lakers' blazing, fire‑like morale.

Kobe Bryant pressed his lips together.

He knew the Lakers had to keep this momentum going, otherwise it would be cut off.

Chris Paul brought the ball past half‑court and quickly passed it to Kobe Bryant.

At this moment, the person standing in front of Kobe Bryant was Fan Xi.

This matchup was so thrilling.

They were also the two peak superstars of the City of Angels, standing opposite each other at the crucial moment, about to engage in a final life‑or‑death battle.

Perhaps tonight's game is not just about winning this game or this series; more importantly, it will decide the new master of the City of Angels, and it will become the formal handoff between the top guards.

Kobe Bryant smiled.

This was something he could accept.

"Jie Ke, I need to teach you something."

Kobe Bryant said to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi, however, answered bluntly: "I only need to drain your stamina."

Kobe Bryant ignored it.

Instead, he entered his one‑on‑one mode, and Fan Xi followed his pace step for step.

Although Fan Xi's mid‑range jumper off the dribble isn't very accurate, in today's league who is the best guard at back‑to‑back post moves? Kobe Bryant's experience is richer and more seasoned, but in pure technique Fan Xi is not inferior to him.

After all, Fan Xi inherits a set from Jordan, making him more agile and versatile.

But his final release is always slightly off, which is why Fan Xi rarely uses this method to score.

However, on the defensive end, his judgment is extremely strong.

This is why, when we previously played against the New York Knicks, whenever Carmelo Anthony posted up, Fan Xi could always rush over and anticipate his turn direction and extent in advance, creating a steal and disruption.

Fan Xi accurately judged Kobe's probe this time and also cut off the space for his probe step in advance.

Kobe was also somewhat surprised, but he still made this shot.

In today's league, who most possesses the ability to make shots while ignoring defense?

Without a doubt, it's Kobe.

This is why many defensive stalwarts, when discussing whose scoring is hardest to stop, most often pick Kobe as their first choice. Other superstars might beat you with physique or other talents, but Kobe goes toe‑to‑toe with you—you may have defended him to the limit, yet he still scores.

Such shots really sap defenders' morale.

Kobe stared at Fan Xi and said to him, "If you want to become the ruler of this era, you must have the ability to score while ignoring defense. I have it, Duncan has it, Shaq has it, Jordan does too. In today's league, Rose has a bit, Durant has a bit, James has more. But you, Jie Ke, you just rely on IQ to play ball. The longer you stay in the league, the staff hiding in the film room day and night will eventually figure out some of your moves and patterns."

On his way back to half court, Kobe kept nagging Fan Xi.

This is trash talk, but also a genuine reminder.

Of course, what he said is certainly not entirely true; Fan Xi surely has moves that cannot be defended.

Fan Xi looked very calm.

He even seemed relaxed.

He dribbled forward quickly, then set another screen with Mili Xiqi at the free‑throw line; as he slipped past Mili Xiqi's side, he made a quick drive toward the basket, drawing the defense of both Kobe and Howard.

But after Fan Xi took two steps,

Howard and Kobe both stopped, realizing Fan Xi had no ball in his hands at all.

Nobody knew how he had just put the basketball into Mili Xiqi's hands.

They instinctively lunged at Mili Xiqi, who appeared to be about to shoot, acting in perfect sync.

But this telepathic understanding made Kobe shout, "Oh no!"

Sure enough, Mili Xiqi didn't shoot; he threw the ball toward the corner.

Fan Xi ran there.

He caught the ball, creating a wide‑open look. He shot easily… swish!

Three‑pointer made.

The Staples Center was filled with groans, only a few cheers mixed in.

Fan Xi held up three fingers; Hamilton excitedly ran over and gave him a high‑five.

The margin was now just four points.

Kobe lifted his head and saw a scene like a magician's.

Actually, Fan Xi, while setting a screen with Mili Xiqi, had pulled the ball back slightly on his dribble, causing its trajectory to change and sneakily pass to Mili Xiqi behind him, while he himself still faked an interior layup, fooling both Kobe and Howard.

It was as magical as a basketball vanishing act.

When Kobe and Howard simultaneously realized they'd been fooled and rushed to recover, they didn't know the real trap lay ahead—Fan Xi ran to the corner, unguarded, Mili Xiqi passed him the ball, and Fan Xi made the shot.

This style of play…

Kobe sighed inwardly.

At the same time, ESPN's broadcast studio burst with unstoppable astonishment, because their main camera lost track of the ball, and they, like Kobe and Howard, were deceived by Fan Xi's secret pass; without the later replay angle, they would have had no idea what happened.

They would only think Fan Xi wielded magic, or spatial magic.

Reggie Miller shrieked twice and yelled, "This is absolutely the best pass of the year—no, it should be the most ingenious play in the NBA over the past 20 years."

Seamless!

Even the Lakers' tight defense was left wide open by Fan Xi.

"What terrifying precision instrument is stuffed inside that head?"

Mai Ke Bu Lin muttered to himself.

The viewers in front of their TVs were all shocked.

Fan Xi always manages to give them an unexpected jolt, telling them: basketball can still be played like this.

James, in front of the TV, clutched his head and asked the person beside him, Pat Riley, "How do you defend against this?"

Pat Riley sighed and said, "Fortunately, this was just a random strike."

Kobe Bryant shouted on the court, "Make this shot!"

He used this to boost morale, because the recent boiling heat had cooled a bit… Fan Xi's maneuver was like a blade that interrupted their spellcasting.

"Hey, Kobe. Relying on IQ to play ball shouldn't be my flaw; it should be yours."

Kobe returned to half court, Fan Xi followed up, and he smiled at Kobe's side as he spoke.

Kobe glared at Fan Xi, knowing Fan Xi was mocking his low IQ. He understood; he had a high school education.

Just then, Fan Xi suddenly wrapped up, tangling with Kobe; he wouldn't let Kobe receive the ball easily, Paul tried a lob, but Fan Xi judged the distance perfectly, while Butler also moved about nearby.

Paul could only drive himself; he blew past Hamilton, stopped abruptly, stepped back, and launched a jump shot… bang!

The ball didn't go in.

The ball bounced high.

Howard, using his powerful upper‑body strength, got into a good position, leapt quickly for the ball, and as he was about to grab it, a fist came up from underneath, striking him and causing both hands to lose control of the ball instantly.

Fan Xi grabbed the ball.

He quickly pushed the fast break.

Kobe pursued relentlessly, trying hard to pressure Fan Xi to slow down.

But Fan Xi made two huge changes of direction in succession, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed.

At that moment, Fan Xi suddenly stopped, two meters from the three‑point line, and launched a jump shot; Kobe rushed to contest it.

He took his defense to the extreme.

But precisely that extreme defense ended up helping Fan Xi.

Fan Xi's thrown basketball traced an elegant arc.

Finally, it fell perfectly and precisely into the basket… swish!

Fan Xi raised both hands high, 91:92.

Only one point behind.

Beep!

D'Antoni requested a timeout. From leading by 7 points to having only a 1-point lead, their morale went from peak to rock bottom.

It was just a matter of one or two minutes.

Kobe looked at Fan Xi. "Aren't you afraid this shot will miss?"

Fan Xi answered his question: "This is one of my nine ways to defeat the Lakers. You've already been surrounded by me, lay down your arms and surrender. Don't pretend you still have plenty of stamina. If you were in peak physical condition, I could never pull off this risky jump shot."

"Moreover, Jimmy has already rushed to the three-point line; he will definitely have a better chance than Paul to grab the rebound."

Fan Xi's words made Kobe's expression turn grim.

He caught a key word.

"Surrender?"

Kobe gave a cold smile: "Jie Ke, there's no such word in my dictionary."

Fan Xi shrugged his shoulders.

He walked toward the bench.

He had an air of easy composure.

But at this moment, Kobe felt as if he were facing the greatest hurdle of his career.

The powerful feeling Fan Xi gave him was so intense that it even reminded him of his rookie season facing Jordan.

The Kuaisuan gave him too much support, and his intelligence also supported him in doing many unexpected things.

However, this did not affect Kobe's fighting spirit.

On the contrary, his fighting spirit was even more vigorous than before the last timeout.

The so-called Black Mamba has always been about advancing toward death.

Just as Kobe himself said, his dictionary absolutely does not contain the word "surrender."

"Hand over complete offensive authority to me."

Kobe returned to the bench and said in a tone so firm it allowed no refusal: "We will go all-out on both offense and defense!"

At this moment, Kobe was exactly like when he first debuted at the All-Star Game, defiantly saying: "Everyone, clear out, let me take on Jordan one-on-one."

In the blink of an eye, 17 years have passed, and Kobe's inner nature has never changed.

Seventeen years ago, dressed in fine clothes and spirited steeds, he was a white-clad swordsman as pure as snow.

Seventeen years later, with golden spears and iron horses, he is a white-haired veteran awaiting to be wrapped in horsehide and die.

Everyone knows Kobe is now burnt out, but his powerful aura sweeps over everyone, and no one would refuse his request.

After all, this isn't 17 years ago, and he is no longer that naive kid who was casually isolated by Malone and the others on the bench, clenching his fists while watching the whole game.

But, some things never change.

There is a kind of bird that has no feet.

Kobe's heart is like iron.

He still walks Tiger Mountain with his sword in hand.

…