Chapter 543

Western team gained the final victory, Kevin Durant hit three consecutive three-pointers in the final moments, rendering the Miami Heat Big Three's efforts futile.

Kyrie Irving's face also instantly fell; he originally had a good chance to win this year's MVP if the Eastern team had won. His chemistry with the Three Giants was excellent, especially with Le Bu Lang Zhang Si, showing some unprecedented chemistry.

Some media commentators even said, if Le Bu Lang Zhang Si had not left Cleveland, he and Irving could still have achieved success.

But, if James didn't leave, the Cavaliers' obtained number-one pick.

This is a paradox.

Kevin Durant scored 49 points in this game, his All-Star MVP was well-deserved. He is sprinting toward Jordan's scoring record; many say if he stays healthy and plays every game, he has a chance to become the highest-scoring player in NBA history.

James's chances are somewhat greater.

As for Fan Xi, it depends on how many seasons Fan Xi is willing to play in the NBA.

Thanks to Fan Xi winning three championships in his first three seasons and becoming a team owner, while also achieving huge off-court commercial success, many believe Fan Xi may not finish his career like other superstars.

As strong as Michael Jordan, he also retired twice; will Jieke Fan do the same?

When the media learned that the Fairy Sister was pregnant, some people's worries became more apparent. They worried Fan Xi would return to family life, and it seemed Fan Xi's emotional issues to handle were not just the Fairy Sister on the other side of the Pacific.

After winning the All-Star MVP, Kevin Durant said something meaningful: "Now is the best era in the NBA; we have the most historic superstars, and we are making this era shine."

"This will not be anyone's era; no one can dominate the league, and certainly no one can dominate me."

"This trophy will motivate me to keep moving forward; I will leave my name in history in my own way. The Thunder's goal this year is the championship!"

Kevin Durant spoke loudly.

During the half-season when Westbrook was nursing his injuries, he carried the Thunder, keeping them always in the upper half. And when Westbrook returns, everyone knows the Thunder will have a burst.

Analysts predict this year's Western Conference Finals will be a showdown between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma.

The Western situation is very clear and distinct.

In the East, because of Fan Xi's presence, no one dares to guarantee anything.

Moreover, as the Knicks signed two strong reinforcements in a row before the All-Star Game, the Knicks' strength surged, and talk of the Knicks winning the championship began to stir.

Fan Xi did not eat chicken wings in New Orleans; he quickly left here, he will meet up with the team in Detroit, and then continue the rest of the season.

In the game against the Pistons, Fan Xi did not start. The Knicks' explanation was that Fan Xi was still dealing with jet lag, which sounds somewhat absurd.

But at least the Knicks gave a reason.

Compared to the Chicago Bulls issuing a weekly injury update on Derrick Rose, the result was that Derrick Rose was spotted doing crazy training in New York, which is much better.

In fact, not only Derrick Rose is receiving training from Dr. Lace and Chen Ye, but also Russell Westbrook.

This pair of 2008's twin talents have found the NBA's most famous and most expensive physical recovery specialist; they have introduced various high-tech equipment and professional personnel, and their income supports these endeavors.

If the first time giving Rose treatment had some luck involved, it was a makeshift crew; now they are a top-tier sports recovery center armed to the teeth.

Their clients are not only top NBA players, but also football, soccer, tennis players, etc.

Without a doubt, after meeting Fan Xi, Chen Ye's life has undergone a tremendous change.

He not only married a wife, but also achieved financial freedom, in one leap breaking free from class constraints to become a socialite.

Fan Xi is very happy that the people around him have undergone positive changes because of him.

He is someone who is willing to help others.

In Detroit, although he only played 18 minutes, he gave Josh Smith five assists; Smith went wild on the Pistons' basket, Smith exulted, extremely excited.

Wiping away the humiliation he previously suffered with the Pistons.

Another newly added player, Monta Ellis, also received ample shooting rights; he came off the bench as the sixth man, he had Unlimited Shooting Right, and he and JR Smith fired away indiscriminately. Although JR's shooting percentage is low, Monta continually drove to the basket, creating astonishing damage; the Pistons' lax defense gave him a perfect stage.

Finally, the Knicks defeated the Pistons 133-111, winning a victory.

This victory moved them up to sixth in the East.

This made Fan Xi a bit disappointed; he said they must fall back to seventh in the East, a strict order, even if the next game is a showdown with the Nets.

The Nets' record is very stable; they are about to become second in the East. The Chicago Bulls also can't say exactly what injury Derrick Rose has or when he will return.

They are now basically extra training to develop the second perimeter unit; for them, this is a rare drill opportunity.

Moreover, as long as they think about avoiding meeting the Knicks in the first round, their mindset is very steady.

Only a lunatic would want to face the Knicks in the first round, especially after Monta Ellis and Josh Smith joined.

The addition of these two has given the basketball world great expectations for the Knicks.

Including inside the Nets, there are some worries. The improvement in their record has brought them much attention, but next door the Knicks, after acquiring two strong reinforcements, are feeling uneasy, wondering if they can win.

In this anxious mood, the game arrived.

Fan Xi started, alongside JR Smith, Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.

This lineup is very strong.

But after the game began, the atmosphere was unusual.

Fan Xi rarely broke through the defense; instead, he passed the ball to Stoudemire, letting Stoudemire go one-on-one.

During Stoudemire's isolation, it was Joe Johnson's isolation; then Monta Ellis came in for isolation; then Fan Xi, with JR Smith, Josh Smith, and Tyson Chandler, played alley-oop.

The Knicks played lively, appearing strong and combative, but actually there was not a hint of technical skill; it was purely to let Stoudemire pad his stats and let the two newly joined players have fun.

However, even if the Knicks played like that, Fan Xi abolished his martial arts, and the Nets did not gain an absolute advantage before the final seconds.

They won 'with great difficulty'.

Clearly it was a throwaway game, yet it became evenly matched; ultimately the Nets won thanks to Carmelo Anthony's godlike jump shot and extraordinary willpower.

After winning, the Nets had a spirited celebration.

Anthony raised his head and let out a long cry; the feeling was like that of a serf who has stood up and begun to sing.

He also roared at Stoudemire.

Tonight, although Stoudemire scored 37 points, Anthony completed a near-game-winning shot; he is the victor.

Stoudemire looked at him with the gaze of someone looking at an idiot.

But such profound emotion, Carmelo Anthony surely cannot interpret it; or rather, the excited him at this moment does not want to interpret any complex feelings.

This is the team's victory.

Anthony, when accepting the interview, praised his teammates in a leader's manner: 'This victory means a lot to us; it not only made us second in the Eastern Conference, but also gave us confidence. We have finally returned to the position we should be in!'

The Knicks are very strong; they created many difficulties for us tonight, and under their offensive impact, we almost felt suffocated.

But we withstood the pressure, we proved ourselves.

Carmelo Anthony again sighed: 'I am proud of the Nets.'

His inner pride could not be hidden.

For him and the Nets players, this victory is more important than any other win this season.

Their owner Prokhorov also said, exultantly: 'This is a game to right the wrongs; from this game we officially embark on an immortal journey.'

The Nets were so excited, so thrilled.

The Knicks side was very calm.

No one responded.

Only Larry Brown said at the post-game press conference: 'I regret it.'

When asked about the reason for the loss, his answer was very short: 'Maybe it's because we weren't focused enough. Or maybe there's some other reason, but it doesn't matter.'

Larry Brown's 'indifferent' attitude let reporters sense arrogance, which drew much criticism toward him.

But Larry Brown doesn't care; he has been through too much, this negative feedback is hardly a challenge. In fact, on this night, the only thing he found difficult was… having to hold back his laughter at the press conference.

After the game against the Nets ended, the Knicks' schedule continued.

After that, the Knicks' games were mostly a replay of that night, relying heavily on isolation on offense. Stoudemire was the first shot option, because Fan Xi needed to help him win the scoring title, then Joe Johnson, then Monta Ellis, then JR Smith.

In this isolation-heavy style, Fan Xi's presence was not much; when his teammates went one-on-one, he would often make alert runs to create space for them.

However, the Knicks were far from only doing these things.

They would, during breaks in each game, find time to practice the speed of defensive counterattacks, as well as drills for full-court full-defense frequency.

If Monta Ellis's addition let the Knicks solve part of the rotation time's offensive aggressiveness, then Josh Smith's addition elevated the Knicks' defensive mobility to another level.

When Larry Brown fielded the lineup of Fan Xi, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Kevin Garnett, and Tyson Chandler.

This lineup could even form a 'switch-everything' setup; the defensive layers were so tight that even Larry Brown marveled. He never expected the Knicks' defensive depth to suddenly rise to this extent.

But he decided to conceal this.

He won't make a big fuss; he has already determined that this year's championship is very possible.

Because the Knicks are truly becoming a strong team visible to the naked eye.

This training effect is unprecedented; offensive players' confidence, skill, and experience are surging. Defensive players' level, chemistry, and cohesion are also skyrocketing.

Moreover, the two are not segregated; they can coexist and jointly promote prosperity.

…

As Fan Xi and his Knicks stabilized at seventh in the Eastern Conference, the positions of other Eastern teams also stabilized.

Derek Rose finally returned to the team in March; his 'band-aid injury' finally healed. He returned to the court with no trace of injury, even more composed than before his injury, and his skills were even better.

During the time the Bulls were without him, other players' levels also increased greatly. So, in their second game after combining, they crushed the Miami Heat.

This is what they had been longing for.

After winning, they were very excited; they finally saw the dawn of breaking through the East.

They were certain that as long as the Knicks and Nets, this pair of rivals, face off in the first round, whoever advances to the second round, the Bulls can reap the benefits of the fisherman.

At the same time, the Miami Heat will also meet in the second round the team they least want to face: the Indiana Pacers.

As everyone knows, the team whose style most counters the Heat is the Pacers.

If the Pacers can overturn the Heat, then the Bulls will automatically become the biggest winner.

All of Chicago was extremely excited; they thought… such a huge fisherman's gain finally landed on the Bulls' heads.

The Bulls have been knocked out by the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals for two consecutive seasons; it's about time they represented the East.

But Derek Rose couldn't understand; he thought that given Fan Xi's intelligence, he had no reason to do something that lets others reap the benefits.

…

Stoudemire surpassed Kevin Durant at the end of March, even though in February Durant had led him by over a point. However, as Westbrook returned to the Thunder in March, Durant's scoring dropped.

If Durant wants to win the scoring title, it's still easy for him.

But now, he wants to win the championship.

He knows this year is the best opportunity; next year Fan Xi returning to the Clippers is not certain.

So, he tightened his time and coordination with Westbrook, feeling that time waits for no one.

Durant very, very, very much wants to fill the void left by Fan Xi's departure from the West.

Likewise seeking to seize the opportunity are the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors.

After Fan Xi recorded a five-five, the Rockets' Three Giants were renewed; their coordination grew more in sync, they grew more resilient, and they took on more of a strong team's demeanor. Before April arrived, they had already become first in the West.

Western Conference second is the Thunder, third is the Spurs. Fourth is… Los Angeles Kuaisuan, fifth is the Golden State Warriors.

But in fact, the win differences among these five teams are very small.

Among them, the most surprising is the Clippers; who would have thought that after Fan Xi's departure, Leonard could lead a ragtag group and still lock in a top-four spot?

It can be said that Fan Xi's eastern journey stirred up the whole league.

All ambitious superstars, and thus the superpowerful teams aiming for the championship, now regard this season as the best window of opportunity to win the title.

Only Fan Xi in New York seems somewhat like a salted fish.

When people predict the championship, they also rarely talk about the Knicks.

Who let the Knicks perform this well during this time?

…