Chapter 573: Miami Heat Indeed Bitter

Fan Xi said this remark naturally to launch a psychological offensive.

But it also indeed warned James, giving James a real threat.

If Fan Xi makes this shot, takes this victory, and then wins the series, James—who has lost five straight important battles to Fan Xi—will lose his chance to reach a top‑three or even top‑five historical standing; he will be merely a superstar of the Fan Xi era, not a dominant era‑defining superstar over Fan Xi, nor a peer of Fan Xi.

In other words, he will fall from the future ruler watched by all to a forever discarded crown prince.

His story will be tinged with tragedy.

James cannot accept this.

So he stepped forward, half a step from Fan Xi, raised his hand, and said, "I bet you can't hit a three."

James's tone was sharp. He was goading Fan Xi, thinking Fan Xi was proud and arrogant; since he himself had just made a three, Fan Xi would surely go for another three-point nser-bll to make it perfect.

He knows Fan Xi always seeks total victory.

Fan Xi was being general-ed by him.

Fan Xi's face looked somewhat 'stiff'; then James saw Fan Xi charge forward with the ball, and he stepped back half a step.

Sure enough, Fan Xi also made a sudden stop and stepped back.

But James had prepared in advance; he snorted coldly and stepped forward, having guessed Fan Xi's intention, and gave Fan Xi no chance to shoot a three.

However, just as James stepped forward, Fan Xi suddenly ducked low and darted quickly under James's ribs.

One start, one stop, one withdrawal, then a violent acceleration launch.

Fan Xi did it all in one flow; James guessed Fan Xi's withdrawal but didn't expect Fan Xi to go deep alone again.

He hurriedly turned around, and Fan Xi had already penetrated inside the three‑point line.

He hurriedly gave chase; Fan Xi entered the paint and headed straight for the basket.

He muttered inwardly, Jieke Fan would actually settle for just a two‑pointer.

When he saw Fan Xi's destined dunk posture, he instinctively shouted, "Help defense!"

Then only Chris Bosh came flying in.

In mid‑air gliding, Fan Xi fiercely laid the ball in, actually flying past Bosh.

James shouted "Oh no!", hurriedly closed in from behind, intending to block Fan Xi.

But Fan Xi collided with Bosh.

Bosh's body covered Fan Xi, the referee blew the whistle—this was a clear violation of Fan Xi's shooting cylinder.

At this moment, James extended his hand to block, intending to stop Fan Xi's shot.

But just as he extended his arm, the ball bounced off his fingertips at a strange angle… the referee raised his right hand.

The ball rattled off the backboard and then went into the basket.

Swish!

The basket counts, plus one free throw.

After landing, Fan Xi wore a full‑face smile.

He looked at James: "Who said scoring must come from beyond the three‑point line, LeBron? You're just too smart."

James's face turned ashen, he gritted his teeth, and muttered inwardly: "This guy's luck is ridiculous."

He was unwilling to accept it, but couldn't blame Chris Bosh.

Bosh's defense was just like that; he had already done his best, it wasn't that he was incapable, but Fan Xi was too sly.

James watched Fan Xi walk to the free‑throw line, then saw Tyson Chandler come over and bump fists with Fan Xi, the guy loudly saying: "Jieke, I finally know why you let me move Camby aside..."

As soon as those words were spoken, James felt as if struck by lightning.

He stood there like a wooden chicken.

It turned out that all this was in Fan Xi's calculations; he had long planned to draw a foul on Bosh, and he never even thought of shooting from beyond the three‑point line.

So was I the one who goaded him, or did he intend for me to goad him, or was it a trap from the start—beginning with his saying that to me, beginning with his feigned surprise, or beginning with his sudden breakthrough and retreat step calculation…

James felt increasingly shocked, realizing he was being played on the battlefield of hearts by Fan Xi, who was applauding him.

Swish!

Fan Xi made the free throw.

+ achieved.

James's previous points were canceled out.

Time left: minutes and seconds.

The Miami Heat still had time, but their morale seemed not to have reached the level for a ultimate skill counterattack.

James shouted loudly, encouraging the players.

Then he drove with the ball, passed to Wade. Wade went deep alone, charging into the paint like a tiger descending the mountain, aiming to inflict damage.

Tyson Chandler blocked his charge with his flesh and blood.

The referee called a foul on Chandler.

But it's okay, this is only Chandler's fourth foul.

Wade stepped up to the free‑throw line.

Fan Xi suddenly reminded him: "Dwyane, you wouldn't still be thinking about intentionally missing a free throw, would you?"

Fan Xi was referring to the time Wade, in the finals, tried to run down the clock by intentionally missing free throws despite having the advantage, only for Fan Xi to catch on and turn it into a direct counter.

For Wade, this is a painful memory.

It is a bloody memory.

Fan Xi now brought this up, not sparing to rub salt in the wound—and it was industrial salt.

Bang!

Wade missed his first free throw.

The Meihangzhongxin qiuguan was in an uproar, their hearts about to break.

There were only a few minutes left.

Swish!

Wei De steadied the rhythm and made the second free throw.

Then the Heat began full-court pressure, but the ball was passed to Fan Xi.

Fan Xi advanced steadily, consuming time; Wei De could not force him into a mistake, nor could he steal the ball from him.

Fan Xi returned to the top of the three-point arc, still dribbling back and forth to burn time.

When the game time had only seconds left, Fan Xi suddenly drove inward, causing Miami's defense to contract.

Fan Xi quickly passed the ball to JR Smith.

JR Smith shot—swish!

Another three-pointer.

Beep!

Spoelstra could only call a timeout.

The Meihangzhongxin qiuguan was in chaos, many even clutching their heads, the painful reality and painful memories hitting them from both sides.

JR Smith, however, was roaring, giving high-fives to each teammate.

Fan Xi walked toward the bench, smiling.

Only seconds remained.

The game held no further suspense; Miami had led after three quarters, but in the fourth quarter their aggressive strategy was seized by the Knicks, Fan Xi led the team to a decisive takeover, leaving the Three Giants no chance to comeback.

"Perhaps this is fate; Miami just can't beat Jie Ke!" Eer Yuehansun said on the tnt commentary desk.

"If they had beaten the Knicks in this game, they might still have built some psychological edge, but now they lost, all their psychological disadvantages surfaced. In the second game, Miami will be even harder. As for the third and fourth games, no need to say." Chasi Bakeli stood from the Heat's perspective, he even felt some sympathy.

The Miami Heat really are miserable!

…