Chapter 482: He Himself Gave Up

The second half of the game arrived as scheduled; time is the fairest thing.

After the opening, Miami kept an all‑out offense and defense rhythm; Le Bu Lang Zhang Si was ferocious, charging straight to the rim, and, under the double‑team of Huaiti Seda and little Jordan, he forced a jump step and backhanded the ball into the basket.

Although there was a hint of traveling.

Spurred by James, the Heat's defense also showed unprecedented fighting spirit, but Fan Xi drove deep to the basket and settled the play with a floater.

When defending Fan Xi, the Heat seemed at a loss, not knowing what to do; Fan Xi's passing, cutting and shooting all posed a high threat. In their timid hesitation, no matter how aggressive their stance, it was futile.

They need time to pause, giving them ample opportunity to watch the tapes and analyze Fan Xi's techniques.

But time is fair.

Fan Xi had previously hidden with a lot of time, and now reveals his edge.

Thus, even if the Heat launched a fierce offensive in the third quarter, the Clippers still firmly controlled the pace and the lead.

During this process, Fan Xi continuously used his mid‑range threat to open up teammates—Butler, Hamilton, Leonard, Mili Xiqi and even Arenas—all benefited, gaining huge space that made their attacks relaxed.

If the Heat drives the game with passion, fighting for victory with a spirit of sacrifice.

Then the Clippers are already enjoying the game, generating intense and perfect chemistry.

As basketball analysts point out, people should not underestimate the 76 regular‑season wins; those who claim the Clippers' 76 wins are luck are downright terrible, giving opposing teams a disastrous illusion.

They have no clue what kind of chemistry and tacit understanding the Clippers have built over this long stretch; any lineup they field is like a precision instrument, each player fitting together like a screw.

How can a flesh‑and‑blood body fight a Transformer?

At the end of the third quarter, the Clippers led by five points.

The score at that moment was 81–76.

Then, the fourth quarter began.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Wade had a great burst. Though he gave up the team leader role, he and the Heat have always been inseparable. James can walk away, but Wade treats Miami as his home; if the team doesn't trade him, he will never think of leaving.

Wade hit two consecutive three‑pointers and then completed a layup after a steal.

He brought the Miami Heat level with the score.

Then, the Clippers requested a substitution at that moment.

Fan Xi moved to point guard, and his partners on the floor were Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Mili Xiqi and little Jordan.

This is currently the Clippers' theoretically strongest lineup.

When play resumed, on the first ball Fan Xi, under Wade's defense, surged to the free‑throw line and, while moving, leapt and released… Swoosh!

He hit a mid‑range jump shot, his 33rd point of the game.

After a wild first quarter, Fan Xi didn't score much in the second and third quarters; he restrained his own shooting desire and let his teammates integrate into his new system.

Then.

The Clippers' defense spread out; Butler locked down Wade, James went one‑on‑one with Leonard, spun and passed to Ke Li Si Bo Shen, who caught the ball and was about to shoot when a sharp slash cut it down… Bang!

Fan Xi stole the ball.

He sprinted forward at full speed.

Wade chased again, but Fan Xi still showed no hesitation; from beyond the three‑point line he executed a sudden‑stop jump shot with his brand‑new technique.

Swoosh!

Three‑pointer made. Read the book.

Fan Xi reached 36 points.

Beep!

The Heat called a timeout.

Fan Xi used his back‑to‑back offensive suppressions to counter the Lightning's counterattack.

He proved he is now a player above Wade.

This starkly contrasts with their first meeting, when Wade was full of resentment. Now Wade looks at Fan Xi with admiration, wondering how he might slightly curb Fan Xi's actions. In their first Finals encounter, Wade always thought Fan Xi's offense was luck, unworthy of comparison.

Time slipped silently, the vast sea turned into mulberry fields.

After the timeout, the Heat steadied themselves; James delivered a beautiful assist to Ray Allen, who made the shot—a splendid play, except the referee caught his toe stepping on the three‑point line as he released.

Switching sides, Fan Xi drove to the free‑throw line and was double‑teamed, then quickly passed to Leonard, who cut into the paint, drew the double‑team and fed Mili Xiqi, who dunked with one hand… very clean.

Fan Xi's mid‑range damage was the first domino that toppled the Heat's defense, leaving it a disaster zone.

James is still fighting.

But he can no longer close the gap, because Fan Xi has taken over the game with an even stronger stance.

James can be described as omnipotent and ubiquitous.

But Fan Xi is even more omnipotent, even more ubiquitous.

His teammates may not be as high‑profile as James's, but each is a seasoned warrior, familiar with his playing style, each sharing superb chemistry with him.

Shaquille O'Neal said on TV, "James is about to endure this loss again; he performed really well. But Karl Malone was great back then, and Charles Barkley too—Barkley once beat the Bulls twice, but when Jordan got serious, only those who experienced it knew how desperate it was."

Charles Barkley raised an eyebrow.

Although he once mocked Jordan on TV, saying, "You say Jordan is handsome because he's Jordan; if he were just a plumber, you'd never call him handsome."

Yet, when he recalls those Finals, he also thinks they were nightmarish. That's why he calls himself the best basketball player on Earth, while labeling Jordan an alien.

"Perhaps your prediction is accurate. But I must say, Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's strength is not weaker than Jieke Fan's. And I indeed can't match Jordan; Karl Malone also can't match Michael Jordan. I can't call this game Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's loss; I would only say it's a victory for Fan Xi and his team."

Charles Barkley stubbornly said.

With 3 minutes 19 seconds left, the Clippers led by nine points. Fan Xi had just reached his 45th point of the game.

He has a good chance to hit 50 points.

In fact, if he had the will from the start, he could have scored 60 points, or even more.

"I know what you want to say, but remember, Le Bu Lang Zhang Si also had a chance to build his own team back then; he could have drafted many young guys and led them to chase the championship. He gave up himself."

Kenny Smith immediately added salt to the wound, attacking James for his 2010 summer betrayal of Cleveland.

…