Chapter 551: Seeing It Through to the End

The Brooklyn Nets were unwilling to be dealt with so easily; they didn't expect the Knicks to suddenly erupt with such astonishing toughness and energy, even though they had previously beaten the Knicks.

At the Nets' home arena, cheers for Fan Xi were already ringing out; some fans began to switch sides, and they weren't die-hard Nets supporters to begin with. Most fans simply back whoever is strong, for worshipping strength is ingrained in human nature.

TNT television cameras caught the Nets' bench scratching their heads during the timeout, as their coaching staff held a brainstorming session and their superstars actively offered suggestions.

It was obvious that this was not the result they wanted.

But this was of their own making.

Their heads were clouded; their Russian owner, eager to win, eager to establish an advantage once and for all in New York, could not wait to destroy Fan Xi and sink the Knicks' influence.

So they simply didn't care about the Knicks' true strength.

If they calmed down, they would notice the signs the Knicks had shown in the regular season.

Miami could see it, Chicago could see it, even Indiana noticed after just one game… if they were attentive enough, how could they miss this?

Jason Kidd is a smart man; he jumped ship at just the right time.

This guy has now taken away the Nets' honor of second place in the regular season, becoming the head coach with the highest winning percentage in his first season ever.

He lay in his hospital bed eating fruit and humming a song, lamenting the cruelty of this world and sighing at Jieke Fan's deceitfulness.

The camera panned to the Knicks' bench, where Fan Xi was also eating an apple; basketball players usually replenish energy during timeouts or halftime, and the energy expended in an NBA game is enormous, yet few people normally eat fruit to refuel.

Dwyane Wade once said in an interview that he often loses two to three pounds after a game.

Larry Brown chatted and laughed, saying, "We should let them see our offense next, since they think their offense is invincible."

"Otherwise, they'd still think they lost because of defense."

Larry Brown also showed a bit of humor. He was no longer as stiff as before; his composure and humor rested on his confidence in the team.

He set up the following lineup: Stoudemire at center, Josh Smith moved to power forward, Bargnani at small forward, JR Smith at shooting guard, and Fan Xi as point guard.

This is a purely offensive lineup.

The two Smiths handle running and scrambling, Bargnani and Stoudemire take care of short- and long-range shooting, while Fan Xi acts as commander, simultaneously fulfilling the role of chief of pass, cut, and shoot.

Beep!

The whistle blew.

The game continued.

When fans and commentators saw the Knicks' new lineup, they were somewhat surprised. Barkley even asked, "Why isn't Jieke Fan using the previous successful lineup? They could keep extending the lead."

Kenny Smith chuckled beside him, saying, "This precisely shows the Knicks' high confidence. Don't you forget how Jieke Fan used to play with the Clippers? He was also known there for his imaginative lineups."

Earl Johnson, sitting in the middle, exclaimed in surprise, "The Knicks can already be mentioned in the same breath as the Clippers?"

"You need to see this lineup's offensive quality to answer that." Kenny Smith said, "However, one thing is certain: the Knicks' current roster depth is already on par with last season's Clippers. Their bench still has Monta Ellis, Hamilton, Prince…"

After Kenny Smith said that, people finally realized intuitively that the Knicks had unknowingly expanded their roster this season to such an astonishing extent.

At the same time, the Nets completed an offensive play—still Carmelo Anthony, who used his individual ability to finish a turnaround jumper.

But at the moment he scored, the Knicks had already launched a fast break.

Stoudemire quickly passed the ball to Fan Xi, and the Knicks surged forward like untamed wild horses.

The speed was fierce, and the formation was orderly.

Fan Xi instantly shook off his defender at the top of the arc, thrusting like a dagger straight at the Nets' heart; the Nets could only contract their defense passively, as Fan Xi passed to the cutting Josh Smith, who leapt up and slammed the ball into the basket with his dominant left hand.

As he dunked violently, his defender Blatche didn't even make it into the free-throw lane.

The Knicks displayed a ferocious, swift posture; this mercurial offensive onslaught left the Nets powerless, like a heap of small dirt mounds unable to hold back a surging flood.

However, after returning to offense, the Nets seized on the Knicks' weakness in defense, with Lopez posting up and scoring over Stoudemire.

However, the Knicks are no longer competing with the Nets on defense.

They launched a counterattack the very second Lopez scored.

Steve Nash on the sidelines stood up, eagerly watching the charging run-and-gun unit on the court.

He had once imagined winning the championship through offense; the title he won with the Clippers had some run-and-gun flavor. But he thought run-and-gun could do even more. Now, the Knicks' lineup gives him hope… because the Knicks' lineup has no defense at all, so it must rely on the best offense as defense.

In their mad dash, Nash saw youth.

Fan Xi pierced the defense at the top of the three-point arc and passed straight to the corner; Bargnani received the ball and released a quick shot before the defender even got into position.

He threw it out very quickly and hit the mark precisely.

That is his ability.

In the following minutes, people saw Stoudemire's mid-range jumper and his drive inward after a screen; JR Smith's wild scramble, Josh Smith's aggressive destruction of the paint, and Bargnani's accurate three-point shooting.

Even without defense, the Knicks still outweighed the Nets.

Pure firepower suppression.

The margin continued to widen.

The Nets, as the Eastern Conference's second seed, had no way to curb the Knicks; they were like pigs scalded by boiling water, ready for slaughter!

Their head coach constantly shuffled the lineup, which not only failed to solve their problems but created new ones; amid the frequent changes, they actually lost their own offensive rhythm.

After the second quarter, the Nets trailed by 29 points.

Following this trend, the Nets would lose by 58 points for the whole game.

Deron Williams and Chris Paul were dubbed the 2005 draft's twin stars; Chris Paul is a firsthand witness to the NBA playoffs' biggest disaster, and this wave also counts as being on par with Paul.

Fan Xi also contributed to fulfilling their reputation.

During halftime, as Fan Xi walked to the locker room, he heard fans on both sides cheering him, with many shouting "MVP! MVP! MVP!"

At halftime, the Barclays Center became Fan Xi's home court.

This is the cruelty of the cross-town derby; fans switch allegiance all too naturally.

The Russian oligarch Prokhorov left his box, fuming and wanting to draw his gun.

This had originally been his carefully designed scene; he hoped to deliver an irreversible blow to the Knicks and Fan Xi in the playoffs.

But what he got was… Fan Xi delivering a resounding slap to him and the Nets; they had no power to withstand it, and the all-offensive lineup they prided themselves on turned out so feeble that it couldn't even handle the Knicks' second unit.

Now it can be confirmed, the Nets are not the Knicks' opponent. The result of this series has already emerged. Originally I projected that the Knicks would pull off a black seven, and the Nets would at most win two home games. But now, I must tell the fans that the result is a 4‑0 sweep.

In NBA history there have been some upsets, but they are rare. However, a clear‑cut, no‑suspense upset like tonight's, I have never seen before.

I can't believe the Nets are actually second in the Eastern Conference; their tactical level is too low. Perhaps it has to do with Jia Sen Ji De being sick, but even if Jia Sen Ji De returns, I still don't think the Nets can stop the Knicks' march.

We all know the Knicks were training during the regular season, hiding their strength. But who could have imagined they concealed so much power? I think the Knicks should be second in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets ran into their muzzle.

Cha Er Si Ba Ke Li kept rambling about it during halftime.

He was surprised; his shock wasn't theatrical exaggeration but genuine unexpectedness.

So, he warned the Knicks about their next opponent… the Chicago Bulls.

Even though the Bulls' first‑round opening game hasn't finished, he is already eager to declare that the Bulls will win.

Derek Rose, Jieke Fan, and Du Lan Te are widely recognized as the new generation's three biggest stars, although the list will soon expand to include James Harden, Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook. Yet in fans' minds, these three still lead the pack. Jieke Fan has faced Du Lan Te in the Western Conference, but he has never met Derek Rose in the playoffs.

It is said that they get along well privately.

For a long time, Eastern fans argued that Derek Rose was a better two‑way guard than Fan Xi. Now, Rosa finally has a chance to prove herself in person.

Can the Bulls block Jieke Fan's path? If the Bulls fail, Jieke Fan is very likely to meet Le Bu Lang Zhang Si in the Eastern Conference Finals, a showdown like a meteor striking Earth. Could Le Bu Lang Zhang Si, who has never lost an Eastern Conference Final, be defeated by his destined opponent…

Cha Er Si Ba Ke Li grew increasingly excited the more he spoke, the more he looked forward.

And the fans in front of the TV began to excitedly imagine that if everything went as Barkley predicted, how wonderful it would be.

The Knicks first eliminate their city rival, then clash with the Bulls at the peak, and finally face the Miami Heat Big Three—Jie Ke's destiny battle!

That would make countless fans scream with joy.

…

Fan Xi believes the meal should be eaten bite by bite, and you shouldn't take steps too large, or you'll easily pull your egg.

Fan Xi clearly told JR Smith in the locker room: "Tonight don't try that damned Three‑Point Shot; your touch is stiff, and every arc you launch is flat. In your precise games, your Three‑Point Shot arc is smooth and fluid."

JR Smith isn't someone who can take advice, but Fan Xi's words still made him nod.

Similarly, Monta Ellis is also discussing penetration with Fan Xi.

Fan Xi advises that when facing Pierce's help defense, a left turn is appropriate. If it's Blatche, just a quick step over him. As for Brook Lopez, a single passing fake can make his eyes spin.

During halftime, Fan Xi likes to discuss game details with these offensive players.

Fan Xi's observations are meticulous and unique, providing them great help.

After chatting for a while, Larry Brown came over and said, "Kids, do you think we still need to practice that set of tactics in the second half?"

Larry Brown has become open‑minded; ten years ago this would have been unimaginable.

If Allen Iverson were sitting here, he would yank his own eyeballs out, jam them into Larry Brown's occiput, and see what massive change occurs in his thought process.

The reason Larry Brown changed this way is that his job became easy; Fan Xi can handle most of it, and he only needs to give a rough idea, and Fan Xi can sketch a perfect blueprint.

Moreover, the most important thing is: when he was the head coach of Philadelphia and of the Pistons, he was the team's primary person in charge and had to shoulder those responsibilities.

But now, with the Knicks, Fan Xi is the primary responsible person. Even if the team loses miserably, the media won't blame Larry Brown; everyone will only trouble Fan Xi, and people automatically treat the Knicks as Fan Xi's team.

Therefore, when a person is comfortable and not accountable, they naturally show a relaxed side.

The players each voiced their opinions.

It was finally decided that Monta Ellis would lead the team at the start of the third quarter.

Stephen Nash, Monta Ellis, Baliani, Josh Smith, Tyson Chandler.

Fan Xi jokingly calls this lineup a copy of the Iverson '76 body system.

Ellis was used as an Iverson.

Of course, Ellis's offensive ability is far inferior to Iverson's; Iverson's offense is historic, his scoring titles were earned outright, and in this era, with his driving and mid‑range finishing, averaging thirty‑five to thirty‑six points per game is easy.

However, although Ellis is not as good as Iverson, with Stephen Nash's help the other players' quality actually surpasses that of the original '76ers.

Fan Xi believes this lineup can match the Nets.

The Knicks especially need to polish the new lineup.

Fan Xi and Larry Brown discussed that if this lineup gets broken by the Nets, they should use your Detroit Pistons lineup.

Larry Brown readily agreed, smiling, "It's kind of like giving me a lifetime achievement award, a touring showcase."

The so‑called Detroit Pistons lineup is: Fan Xi, Hamilton, Prince, Kevin Garnett, and… Ben Wallace.

Since we want retro, we have to see it through to the end.

…