Chapter 561: Still Stubborn Larri Brown

The Bulls earned free throws and possession after Garnett's technical foul; they made the shots, then Rosa kept driving into the paint, but as he jumped, Fan Xi came from the side, pressed down with one hand, they collided in midair, Rosa attempted a dodge, yet Fan Xi's hang time surpassed Rosa's.

Fan Xi's huge hand pressed down on Rosa's basketball, and Fan Xi snatched the ball straight out of the air.

Rosa displayed terrifying core strength in this offense.

But in this head‑to‑head clash, Fan Xi proved his innate physical talent already surpassed Rosa's—his explosiveness, leaping, and strength were not inferior to Rosa's, and his hang time was even better.

Fan Xi stole the ball.

The referee did not blow the whistle.

The overhead screen replayed this classic moment, which resembled the classic dunk highlight.

It later became a classic image of this series.

But at this moment, it was merely an instant in the game.

If it must have any meaning, it signifies that Fan Xi began to go on a rampage.

Fan Xi dribbled forward and charged, Rosa doggedly pursued, trying to retrieve the situation on defense, but when Fan Xi accelerated and reached a meter outside the three‑point line, he suddenly stopped and rose into a shooting stance, causing Rosa to again involuntarily shift his weight upward.

At the moment Rosa shifted his weight, Fan Xi lowered his body like lightning slicing through the defense, surged into the paint with unstoppable force, then leapt upward, launching like a jet‑powered explosion, so that Taj Gibson standing beside him even heard the wind whistling past his ears.

His inner fear made him a step slow.

When Fan Xi, nearly level with the rim, slammed the ball down with both hands, the whole hoop bent.

Taj Gibson felt relieved inside.

That was a brutal dunk.

He knew that even if he jumped, it would be useless except to serve as a human shield for Fan Xi.

After landing, Fan Xi raised both hands, nodded to all around, like a top musician beating an invisible rhythm—though that rhythm didn't really exist, it ran wild in the Bulls fans' hearts.

One defense, one offense.

Fan Xi disrupted the breathing rhythm of many on‑court fans, giving a sensation as if someone were choking their throat and mocking them.

"Overbearing aura exposed."

Dennis Rodman said coldly.

Sitting beside him, Jordan said nothing, but his blood boiled. He is a top‑tier powerhouse, he sensed Fan Xi's fighting spirit, he wished he were twenty years younger, he wished he could face Fan Xi in the same era for a peak showdown.

Rather than now, clenching his fists on the sidelines, watching Fan Xi go berserk.

Fan Xi's dunk ignited Rosa's competitive fire.

But Rosa is not of Russell Westbrook's temperament; his edge over Westbrook by half a step also comes from his steadier emotions.

He rushed to the frontcourt, he and Fan Xi engaged in a tussle, relying on his superb explosiveness and control to gain a step ahead, he slipped into the free‑throw line.

Then, when he saw Joakim Noah and Luol Deng finish a nice screen, he quickly passed the ball to Joakim Noah.

Joakim Noah received the ball.

He has a good habit of holding the ball high and shooting high.

He raised the ball with both hands, about to look for an open teammate, but Fan Xi sprinted past from his side, leapt high, and snatched the ball straight from behind his head with both hands.

This scene was beyond Rosa's expectation.

Fan Xi's whole motion had no hesitation, filled with the ruthless vigor of a cheetah pouncing on prey.

After stealing the ball, Fan Xi launched a fast break.

Rosa still doggedly pursued; when Fan Xi again stopped abruptly outside the three‑point line, Rosa had wised up, not wanting to be faked out again, and kept his weight planted.

But this time, Fan Xi was playing for real.

Fan Xi released the ball with a one‑stage jump shot; Rosa couldn't react in time, and a block was no longer possible.

Swish!

This ultra‑long three‑pointer went in, and Thibodeau turned pale on the sideline.

He hurriedly called a timeout.

He had to stop Fan Xi's frenzied onslaught; countless past experiences told him never to let Fan Xi go crazy, for once Fan Xi went crazy, nobody could stop him—not even God.

The United Center was also filled with wails; painful sounds leaked out involuntarily, even though they would later try to drown them with boos.

But this was merely a show of outward strength with inner weakness.

Jordan could hardly stay seated.

Having witnessed Fan Xi's madness firsthand, he desperately wanted to take off his coat and rush onto the court. But he was old, his suit lacked a superhero cape, and he was no longer the guardian god of basketball at the United Center.

Time stripped away his identity; now he is merely a spectator.

Fans awaited the Bulls' number one, awaiting a response from the Bulls' young players.

Jordan's palms were sweating.

Dennis Rodman said: "This guy is indeed tough to handle—he can play inside and out; back in our day we had no player who would launch a defensive counter‑attack from two meters beyond the three‑point line."

This was a private conversation; Dennis Rodman didn't need to say that 1990s defense was stronger, or that Fan Xi would be squashed into a patty if he played that era.

In fact, the scientific training system keeps improving; today's players may rely more on the perimeter, but physical confrontation is definitely stronger overall than in the 1990s, although some extraordinary freaks cannot be generalized.

The ESPN live room fell silent during the timeout.

Jeff Van Gundy shouted at the moment Fan Xi released the shot: "This three‑pointer is unreasonable…" but the torn net quickly told him: "Go to hell with your reason." This is a Jieke moment.

Mai Ke Bu Lin's throat felt like he'd eaten a cockroach; he felt awful and didn't want to make a sound.

The current situation shows he is in danger.

All his previous preparations now lack theoretical basis, because Jieke Fan has started to run wild.

Everyone knows that the first law of today's NBA is: when Jieke Fan starts scoring, it's over.

Thibodeau was actively discussing on TV how to deal with Fan Xi.

But the viewers in front of the TV had already begun to put a period on the Bulls' loss.

In the first three quarters the Knicks used many tricks, simulating many lineups. Ultimately the solution was still this simple: give the ball to Jieke Fan.

Beep!

The whistle sounded.

The Bulls put Bu Ze Er back in.

The Knicks made no adjustments.

Rosa steadied the pace and ran a pick-and-roll with Bu Ze Er, then he finished with a floater.

Afterwards, Luo Er Deng gave Fan Xi a full-court press.

Fan Xi handled it very calmly, and he quickly moved to the frontcourt.

Deng himself also knew very well that all he could do was delay Fan Xi's offensive speed.

And try as much as possible to disrupt Fan Xi's offensive rhythm, putting him in an uncomfortable shooting position.

After Fan Xi reached the frontcourt, he accelerated straight in, driving inside. Luo Er Deng had no better option; he could only follow along.

But, at the free-throw line, Fan Xi used a smooth sudden stop plus a spin move to get past him, then he drove deep into the paint, jumped up, and under the fierce defensive help of Qiao Jin Nuo A, he effortlessly laid the ball in with his left hand.

Very easy.

Fan Xi's offensive level has reached perfection.

"The Bulls' defense is too terrible; they should have delayed earlier. Before Jieke Fan enters the restricted area, they could have drawn his offensive foul," Dennis Rodman said anxiously, wishing he could get on the court himself.

What he pointed out is correct, but he is after all an NBA all-time great defender.

If the Bulls now had a Rodman, the Knicks wouldn't even need to play.

Fan Xi scored seven points in a row.

The crisis is spilling over at the United Center Arena.

Rosa tried his best to steady the pace, but his Stop-and-Go Jump Shot missed the basket. When Qiao Jin Nuo A and Tai Sen Qian De Le were desperately battling for the ball, he barely managed to tip it out, and as he was about to go for a second chance, Pu Lin Si darted over, jumped up, and tipped the ball to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi dribbled and sprinted to the frontcourt; the Bulls' tight defense showed a lapse under the Knicks' fast counterattack, and their defensive focus was all on Fan Xi.

When Fan Xi drove to the free-throw line, Ba Li Ya Ni got another chance in the corner of the three-point line.

Fan Xi quickly passed the ball over.

Swish!

Made it.

He found his touch.

Xi Bo Du threw up his hands on the sidelines, loudly criticizing Luo Ni Bu Lu Er for what he was doing, wondering why he missed this defense.

Bu Lu Er also threw up his hands; he was also very frustrated.

"La Li, do you now understand what a superstar does? If you went back to 2001, would you still treat A Lun Ai Fu Sen the same way?" Ben Hua Lai Shi joked with La Li Bu Lang on the sidelines.

La Li Bu Lang raised his eyebrows and said: "I would still do that. You need to know, superstars and superstars are different. Jieke Fan is two levels above Ai Fu Sen; I am not belittling Ai Fu Sen. You need to know, the vast majority of superstars are even lower than Jie Ke by two and a half levels."

…