Chapter 542: All‑Stars Watching the Fire from Across the River, Three Years!

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si had previously never wanted to be labeled a dunker; he is the Heaven's Chosen Son who reigns over the world, and he ought to keep his distance from the waning dunk contest.

But this year his mindset changed.

He let go of some airs and began to be willing to join more events.

Among them is the dunk contest.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si performed exceptionally well in this year's dunk contest, although many say his dunks lean toward real‑game style with little showmanship.

However, his opponents are Paul- Qiao Zhi, John Wall, Terrence Rosa, Damian Lillard, and Ben McLemore.

He won easily; the only one who posed even a hint of threat was Paul Qiao Zhi.

When Le Bu Lang Zhang Si lifted the dunk king trophy, his face was full of smiles. Fan Xi sat in front of the TV, happy for him. Yet the Kenny Smith on the screen was tone‑deaf, saying, "Look, Le Bu Lang is grinning so happily. He finally has a trophy that belongs solely to him."

Charles Barkley thought Kenny Smith's words were murderous and vicious.

The host seated in the middle said, "Actually, if there were an Eastern Finals MVP trophy, Le Bu Lang would already have three. He's the Eastern Conference's best player."

"But this year he's not, and he won't get the Eastern Finals MVP trophy either," Kenny Smith added, his tone a bit sharp.

Fan Xi, hearing that, thought it was a bit 'over the line.'

That's part of the game.

The NBA's games spread so widely and become so popular because of these guys' hype.

Otherwise, how would the buzz climb?

Stephen Curry claimed the three‑point king title, which seemed unsurprising; the guy is already regarded as the most disruptive shooter in history. Reggie Miller has long shouted that the best active three‑point shooter is no longer Ray Allen but Stephen Curry.

This kind of feud feels like a cross‑generational kinship.

It's like Kobe would rather see Fan Xi take over the league than have James rule the NBA.

Reggie Miller is the old three‑point king, Ray Allen the current three‑point king, and Curry the new‑generation three‑point king.

It's like a grandmother favoring the granddaughter‑in‑law and disliking the daughter‑in‑law.

Fan Xi watched a whole night of live TV; he rarely watches basketball on television, and it gave him a different feeling.

Live TV may lack the immersion of watching the game in person, but it has its own charm. For example, the commentators are quite interesting.

…

After Fan Xi joined the Eastern All‑Star team, he looked a bit awkward during the official portrait shoot.

Because in the past the Eastern team always placed Le Bu Lang Zhang Si at the center C‑spot on the court.

But now, Fan Xi is here.

Who should get the ball?

It went to Fan Xi.

Although the Eastern side selected three All‑Stars, when Irving passed the ball to Fan Xi, the atmosphere was somewhat calm.

No one thought anything was amiss.

If a single game of 101 points and a once‑in‑history super‑five‑double can't earn a flashy ball, who else would dare take this hot‑potato?

This year's Eastern starting lineup is: Fan Xi, Wade, James, Anthony, Paul Qiao Zhi… Yes, the Eastern starters have no interior players.

Originally Wade's spot belonged to Derek Rose.

But Derek Rose was "out with injury"; he always acts the full part. Moreover, his introverted nature makes him dislike being in the spotlight; he has no interest in the All‑Star, and even dislikes performing earth‑shaking dunks on the All‑Star stage, finding it meaningless.

He is silent.

The Eastern team's other seven substitutes are: Kyrie Irving, Joakim Noah, Bosh, Hebert, John Wall, Deron Williams, DeRozan.

Over here in the East… the new generation rises quickly.

The Western side's starters are: Durant, Griffin, Kobe, Harden, Curry.

The bench consists of Leonard, Paul, Howard, Nowitzki, Anthony Davis, Aldridge, Jimmy Butler.

The two small forwards under Fan Xi both made the All‑Star roster, and they were voted in by the coaches, underscoring their value.

In the past half‑season, they performed superbly, each shouldering the team's burden. Leonard led Kuaisuan to stay in the Western top five, and Jimmy Butler, though he didn't get Mountain Cat into the top eight, posted explosive stats; Jordan praised him endlessly, and Charlotte called him the new leader.

Fan Xi was delighted to see this situation; it was what he hoped for.

Rather than having the two cancel each other out together, it's better for each to climb to his own peak.

Only Jimmy Butler still can't let go; he still wonders why he left Kuaisuan and not Leonard.

He thinks it's because Leonard luckily made that Finals game‑winning shot.

But in fact it isn't; the real reason Fan Xi doesn't want to tell him would hurt his heart.

Fan Xi believes Leonard's development outlook is better; although Butler will certainly become a superstar, Leonard can become a two‑way super‑star and the best perimeter man‑to‑man defender in history.

Compared with the East's emerging talents, the West still sees Kobe and Nowitzki active on the main stage. If Tim Duncan were a bit more 'ambitious' and cared less about load‑management, he could also continue making the All‑Star list.

…

Chris Paul heard boos in New Orleans; he was deemed to have betrayed the city. As the former leader of that team, he jumped ship first without helping the squad reach the Western Finals floor.

Moreover, he hasn't found success; in Los Angeles he was suppressed by Fan Xi, leaving two miserable seasons. Now heading to Houston, he is still being taught a lesson by Fan Xi.

This is what they are happy to see.

That's why when Fan Xi appears, the cheers he receives are second only to those for their current leader, Anthony Davis.

This treatment made Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's expression somewhat solemn.

He recalled some things.

Irving stood behind him; Irving is a mysterious fellow. He turned to John Wall and said, "Look, this is the fate of betraying the team. If this year's All‑Star were held in Cleveland, Le Bu Lang would also be booed."

His comment made James very sad, a sore point that couldn't be ignored.

This also made James resolve to return to Cleveland after winning the championship in Miami. After all, Cleveland's roster is actually decent now; they've consecutively secured the top draft picks, so once he goes back, they can immediately contend for the title.

The game begins.

Fan Xi, with a 'just along for the ride' attitude, dribbled past half‑court and then passed to Wade.

He himself then ran to the side, and Kobe Bryant chatted with him.

"Congratulations, Jie Ke. I can guarantee your first child will definitely be a daughter." Kobe Bryant said to Fan Xi: "Having a son is not an easy thing."

Fan Xi looked at Kobe Bryant with a full-face smile, knowing what Kobe Bryant was showing off. Kobe Bryant periodically posts videos on social media of his son holding a toy basketball and rolling around.

He subtly tells fans: Keep your expectations high. My son, Kobe Bryant's, will soon return to center stage and dominate the NBA.

Fan Xi will give him a like.

Sometimes he also leaves a comment: "Perfect ball sense." He possesses an ability his father lacks... passing vision!

Fan Xi can always write some sentences that embarrass Kobe Bryant, but Kobe Bryant won't delete them; he is not the sensitive Durant. He will also reply: "You're right. Wishing you an early marriage and a child."

Compared to the leisure of Fan Xi and Kobe Bryant, Durant and James are a bit competitive.

After Fan Xi left them in the dust, the league's current hot topic is whether Durant or James is the league's top small forward.

This comment somewhat disregards Carmelo Anthony.

But indeed, there's no real need to include him in this discussion list.

After all, even Stoudemire is unconvinced by Carmelo Anthony.

Stoudemire not being selected for this year's All-Star is practically an injustice. He is currently second on the scoring list, only behind Durant, and 0.8 points higher than James and Harden.

But he simply wasn't selected. His popularity hasn't surged, and in the reserve selections he also wasn't called up.

This made him angrily fire off in the media, saying Carmelo Anthony is all show and has no qualification to appear in the All-Star game...

Then the two started arguing.

Carmelo Anthony posted online Stoudemire's points allowed when matched up against him.

Stoudemire posted Carmelo Anthony's blocked shot rate in the paint.

Two former teammates now tear at each other's faces, attacking each other, making it seem like best friends falling out.

Fan Xi never intervened in their dispute, nor intended to mediate.

He pays more attention to the competition between Durant and James; they truly have a matchup.

Durant's strength is also advancing by leaps and bounds; he has become an all‑mighty offensive weapon, and his passing and drives are rapidly improving, while his defensive impact has risen to the level of a defensive stalwart.

His rate of improvement is not much slower than James's.

One could say, Fan Xi has made all the top superstars go crazy with internal competition.

Over the past two years, the NBA has had no record of any superstar causing scandalous gossip, not even vacation photos during the offseason have been taken; everyone stays in training camps relentlessly honing their skills.

This is the best of times.

And the worst of times.

"Kobe Bryant, if you were ten years younger, could you enter today's super‑god club?" Fan Xi chatted with Kobe Bryant on and off.

During their chat, Durant, James, Harden and others each displayed their supernatural abilities.

Kobe Bryant gave Fan Xi an annoyed glance and said: "If I were ten years younger, all of you would be under my rule! I would surpass Jordan!"

Kobe Bryant never loses his lofty ambition, no matter when.

This point, young players need to learn from him.

Fan Xi played only five minutes, basically just warming the bench, and was replaced by Kyrie Irving.

Irving is Fan Xi's junior, although their ages are about the same.

But now, Irving hasn't entered the realm of superstars; he's just a regular star, on the same level as Leonard and Jimmy Butler under Fan Xi.

Sitting beside Fan Xi is John Wall.

John Wall once outperformed Fan Xi; that year, he had his hands in his pockets, wanting to show Fan Xi what it means to have no rival, but Fan Xi screwed him over twice.

At that time, he was very unconvinced, including after Fan Xi won Finals MVP in his rookie season, he still felt resentful, thinking Fan Xi was just lucky and rode the Lakers' coattails.

But as Fan Xi won two more consecutive championships with Kuaisuan, and after moving to the New York Knicks he kept breaking phenomenal league records, he has become humble.

"Jie Ke brother, why aren't you in the mood to play tonight? Is it those scandals bothering you?" John Wall asked Fan Xi with a smile.

Fan Xi didn't hold a grudge about the minor spat with John Wall back then; it's all in the past.

He said: "No, I just feel it's meaningless; winning MVP doesn't increase my fame."

Others say such words carry a bit of pretentiousness, but when Fan Xi said this, John Wall nodded repeatedly, wholeheartedly convinced.

Fan Xi turned aside and started chatting with Paul George.

Paul George is a youngster Fan Xi admires… although their ages are hardly different. But in terms of stature, if Fan Xi were seated on the throne of the Great Horse Golden Blade, Paul George could at most sit on half a buttock.

That's why Shaquille O'Neal came to the sidelines to commentate; when Paul George greeted him, he merely lifted his head and extended a hand; when Le Bu Lang Zhang Si greeted him, he stood up and gave Le Bu Lang Zhang Si a fist bump; when Kobe Bryant walked over, he stood up to shake hands and hug him.

But when Fan Xi walked onto the court, he came over on his own initiative and chatted with Fan Xi about his views on basketball and his past experience dominating the league.

O'Neal once dominated the league; although he is lazy and slack, he is also among the few super‑monsters who got the league to change its rules.

Fan Xi wonders, if a shark appeared in today's league, how exciting would that be?

Currently, the American‑born center expected to shine is Anthony Davis.

A highly mobile interior player.

Fan Xi prefers to call him a power forward, being somewhat like a blend of David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, with excellent athleticism, both tending to stay a bit away from the basket, and both having strong defensive skills.

He would be extremely, extremely, extremely suited to small‑ball play.

However, his ability to create offense independently will become a problem, and his dominance will be greatly reduced, even though he can put up superstar numbers every night.

Fan Xi sat on the bench, idly watching; the Eastern head coach, who is also the Heat head coach Spoelstra, came over every now and then to ask if Fan Xi wanted to play, but Fan Xi kept shaking his head and refusing, saying it's good to let the youngsters show off.

Noble integrity.

Spoelstra also chatted with Fan Xi about tactical arrangements; as a head coach whom Fan Xi has defeated many times, he hopes to understand Fan Xi better through this.

Fan Xi does not conceal anything; he openly shares his game observations with this Asian coach without reservation.

Spoelstra has had many new perspectives opened, and he increasingly admires Fan Xi.

But Fan Xi told him: "Actually, tactics are secondary. Truly brilliant tactics are to let each player stay in his most comfortable rhythm and to stretch the team system to its maximum—then it becomes hard to lose."

Spoelstra thought for a moment, feeling it made a lot of sense.

But he still had some reservations about Fan Xi, and he said to Fan Xi: "Jie Ke, you wouldn't be deliberately setting a trap for me, would you?"

Fan Xi said with a smile: "Defeating you doesn't require using such a move."

This remark made Ke Li Si Bo Shen's long face, sitting beside him, drop.

He thought: "Three years have passed!! Can't we still break through? How many more three-year periods do we have!"

…