Chapter 575: Both Are Outstanding Talents

Jie Ke is an old rival, the Knicks are a new team. In this game we have familiar points and unfamiliar points. But no matter how you say it, we indeed made strategic mistakes. We were cautious when we should have been aggressive, and aggressive when we should have been cautious.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si spoke sincerely at the post-game press conference. He said: "We will not make such a major mistake in the next game."

The team asked James whether he had confidence to win the next game.

He said: "Of course. Moreover, we have prepared to go the full seven games; we will fight until the final moment and then secure victory."

James displayed a tenacious and unpretentious style.

His words rekindled hope in Miami; James is their anchor, and they now believe only in James.

Although James has not brought them a championship in the past few years, his on- and off-court demeanor has already conquered Miami.

He is regarded as the guardian deity of the South Coast.

Whenever the team falls into dire straits, people think of James, and James always brings a turning point to the fans who place their hopes in him.

In fact, aside from losing to Fan Xi over these years, James has not lost to anyone else; he has dominated the Eastern Conference.

But who would have thought Fan Xi would come to the Eastern Conference?

Originally everyone thought this season the Heat would achieve revenge, and James would win his first matchup against Fan Xi.

Many people looked forward to that.

However, the first game ended.

Fan Xi remained the winner, and he also recorded a triple‑double with outstanding stats.

After the game, especially many people discussed it online.

"Winners always win; Jieke Fan is a natural nemesis of James!"

"James's path to Eastern kingship is also over, after Jie Ke blocked his championship dream for three consecutive years."

"James can dominate the league, but Jie Ke dominates James."

"This is a heart‑pounding game. Miami is like a massive ship, looking mighty and majestic. But Jie Ke is an iceberg—it looks small, yet only when the ship hits it head‑on do you realize how powerful it is."

"Miami can reflect on the decision they made this summer. Back then everyone said Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's behavior was unjust, yet it proclaimed a league‑wide finale in which the Heat would monopolize all championships. But now there is no league finale; the Three Giants are about to meet their own finale."

"Before the playoffs began, the Knicks defeated the Eastern Conference's fourth‑seed Indiana Pacers. In the first playoff round they eliminated the Eastern second‑seed Nets; in the second round they eliminated the Eastern third‑seed Bulls; now they face the Eastern first‑seed."

"Fan Xi's legend is beyond doubt; if he were Black, I guarantee all media would be praising him."

"Few people now discuss Jie Ke's scandals. Even when such gossip appears, people no longer instinctively envy him. Because we are increasingly accepting… men like Jie Ke should enjoy those wonderful women, just as we once tolerated Michael Jordan's gambling news."

"..."

These opinions have become widespread on the internet.

This game is influencing many things, such as Fan Xi's historical standing.

James returned home at night and looked over the news.

Although the news headlines are not much different from before, the media still treats Fan Xi's achievements with a spring‑and‑autumn brush, and even James's post‑game remarks are placed in a relatively prominent position.

But the comments below have plunged James into dilemma.

Because he began to notice that Fan Xi's supporters are growing, the affirmation and adulation Fan Xi receives are intensifying, Fan Xi has become the de facto league leader, with no one comparing him to James anymore. Previously many thought James was the best player, but that voice has now almost vanished.

What depresses James most is that even those who criticize and mock him are becoming fewer.

Even in Cleveland, where he once 'betrayed' them, few people now mock him.

When he lost his first championship, Cleveland beat drums and gongs; the Cavaliers' official website even posted celebratory photos implying him.

When he lost his second championship, Cavaliers fans remained highly excited.

When he lost his third championship, there were mocking voices, but far fewer.

Now he actually finds that Cleveland has begun to sympathize with this kid from Akron, feeling pity for this repeatedly failing active runner‑up.

For a competitor, the greatest sorrow is nothing more than being pitied.

Being ridiculed, mocked, and abused shows that one still possesses strong competitiveness and can still sharply harm others.

But being pitied and seen as a tragic figure often means one is no longer believed to have hope of resisting fate.

James does not want to be regarded that way.

He knows he has reached the most dangerous moment, his career entering the most critical juncture.

That night he repeatedly dreamed of Fan Xi, dreaming of the words Fan Xi said to him. He pondered whether his career was truly at a watershed, that he would never become a historic‑level superstar, only a current‑era superstar, groveling under Jieke Fan's rule.

Such a night is spent tossing and turning.

But the next morning James rose as usual, honed his body, followed a scientific diet, and practiced his skills.

He is like a wound‑up robot, constantly refining his basketball, continually defeating yesterday's self.

And his rival, Jieke Fan, is doing the same.

Although Fan Xi received worldwide cheers that night, after returning to the hotel he still carefully watched the game replay and studied the Knicks' tactics.

The next morning Fan Xi appeared in the hotel gym, refining his body and striving to make his full physical talent more compatible and perfect.

Fan Xi has never abandoned the polishing of his physical talent.

Of course, he also won't forget to go in the afternoon to a local high school gym to practice shooting, accompanied by JR Smith and Kevin Garnett.

Fan Xi's training is dull and boring.

This season his scoring has become overly stable, his ball‑hand offense rising in a straight line. This increase is not due to cheating but to the feel he has trained.

Fan Xi's pull‑up mid‑range jumper now ranks upper‑mid among league starting shooting guards; adding his one‑stage jump shot and open‑shot ability, he is already a top‑tier league scorer.

If he wanted to compete for the scoring title, he would have the chance.

But Fan Xi does not want to follow Jordan's path; he believes his legendary career does not need a scoring‑title trophy to be paved.

JR Smith wondered why Fan Xi's every shot is as precise as a machine, feeling that Fan Xi's shooting amplitude and height are always identical, along with his release form.

Fan Xi said: "This is the best way to hone muscle memory."

"The harder you work for something, the less it will betray you in crucial moments."

Fan Xi's words made JR Smith seem to grasp something; he had a hint of understanding. Yet afterward he still said: "I can't do it; I won't torture myself with such self‑correction."

Jiānèitè said at this time a very philosophical remark: "Being able to put in hard work, repeatedly and mechanically shaping oneself is a kind of bravery; honestly admitting that one cannot do it is also a kind of bravery."

Then, Jiānèitè also said: "You must absolutely not develop OCD. I once saw a shooter who, after practicing to the extreme, even fixed the placement of his own basketball shoes, tying his shoelaces to the same length each time; and if that day his towel moved position, he would feel that his shooting touch would not be good…"

Jiānèitè was talking about Léi'ānlún.

Léi'ānlún is such a mechanically rigid shooter; every shot he takes is as textbook-standard as possible, and in private he also suffers from OCD. Therefore, in the Boston locker room, his relationships with teammates are not that good; Jiānèitè, Pí'ěrsī, and Lóngduō have personalities that are more free-spirited and unrestrained.

"I'm not Léi'ānlún, I don't have OCD." Fan Xi said with a smile: "I clearly separate training and competition; training is to build muscle memory, competition is to get the basketball in."

Then he again said to Jiānèitè: "Kǎiwén, if you win a second championship before Léi'ānlún does, how will you celebrate?"

"I'll give you a pair of golden basketball shoes, I'll follow through!" Jiānèitè said boldly. The aura of not lacking money is very strong.

…