Chapter 578: What Is Anti‑Consumption?

"We should go all out against them!!"

Wei De said in the locker room, "At least keep tonight's win; there's no need to devote all our energy to defensive consumption. Jieke Fan is the most cunning person in the world; he's too good at making bench players produce surprising effects, we can't wear them down!"

Wei De was the first to step forward and voice his thoughts. The first‑half situation was already clear, and in fact it wasn't just Wei De—other players had also stopped doubting that the pre‑game strategy was flawed.

But James pursed his lips.

He believed his strategy was not wrong.

Four years of peak matchups have given him an intimate understanding of Fan Xi; he might now know Fan Xi's thoughts better than Kobe does.

He thought Fan Xi was gambling, only that Fan Xi won the first‑half bet. The Ben Wallace and Montaeilis he employed both produced results. But… such effects are one‑time and random. Who can guarantee Ben Wallace will work the same in the next game?

"No, we should stick with the first‑half strategy; we're still ahead. We still have the advantage," James insisted.

Wei De had countless times stood behind James, yielding the leader's spot and wholeheartedly accepting James's leadership. But tonight his view changed. He said, "LeBron, we can't keep losing in Miami. If we lose tonight, how heart‑broken the fans would be…"

"We won't lose. Moreover, in the second half we need to sap the stamina of Garnett, Tyson Chandler, and Josh Smith. Once their energy is drained, we'll have the edge in the next game, and an even bigger edge in the following one," James said. "We must think long term. And, based on your idea, we might not…"

"No, LeBron." Wei De shook his head, looking at James: "We have no way back; we must win! Whether tonight or the night after tomorrow, we have to win."

Wei De was resolute; he'd never been so firm.

James glanced at Spoelstra, whose Filipino eyes flickered evasively.

James understood; he saw his teammates' gazes turn toward Wei De.

Their meaning was clear: they were prepared for a do‑or‑die fight, to relentlessly press the Knicks.

They didn't want futile physical collisions, nor to waste stamina on defense. In the first half they'd watched many chances slip away; now they intended to seize them and win back victory.

Fighting spirit is ready.

The combat atmosphere is fierce.

James thought for a moment and agreed with Wei De's idea.

Even though he knew he was right.

He even guessed that Fan Xi had already guessed what would happen in the Heat locker room.

His perception of Fan Xi bordered on fear; he saw Fan Xi as a demon of human calculation. Even before his skills became severe, he mastered scheming, setting traps for others. Most of his miracles were built on those pits and traps.

When he steps onto the court, he's truly a brainy player.

However, at this moment in the Knicks locker room, Fan Xi wasn't guessing; he was relaxed. He teased Joe Johnson, saying, "Joe! You're about to make history as Eastern champion, yet it seems you haven't played a single game—doesn't that feel regretful?"

Joe Johnson smiled and said, "The doctor says I'll be back by the fifth game."

"But why do we have to play the fifth game?" JR Smith interjected.

That upset Joe Johnson; he said, "Do I really have to lie down and become Eastern champion while I still can't touch the Eastern finals floor?"

Hahaha!

The Knicks locker room burst into laughter, everyone rolling on the floor.

Josh Smith, the mischievous friend, offered a suggestion: "I think you could help the ball kids clean the floor in the second half; you'll definitely get to touch the Eastern finals floor."

The visiting team's locker room atmosphere was relaxed.

No serious mood.

In the first half Fan Xi's gamble paid off; Ben Wallace played a key role, the two starters of the old Pistons were also surprise weapons, along with Montaeilis.

That gave the Knicks more room to operate in the second half.

Moreover, they'd already secured an away win, so their mental pressure was low.

Although Fan Xi verbally vowed to sweep the Heat, at this moment few players truly believed they could; even head coach Larry Brown doubted it.

Their mindset was completely relaxed.

Before returning to the court, Fan Xi and Larry Brown discussed the second‑half starting lineup.

Fan Xi took a risk, but Larry Brown backed him.

Stephen Nash, Fan Xi, Bariani, Stade Mayer, and Kevin Garnett were the Knicks' second‑half starters.

Offensively, this lineup was an absolute trump card, a trump card among trump cards.

But defensively, Nash is a leaky bucket, Bariani half a bucket, Stade Mayer at least 0.8 of a bucket. Garnett's defensive experience remains, yet he's no longer the all‑powerful octopus of his prime. So strictly speaking, Fan Xi is the strongest defender in this lineup.

Fan Xi's defense does have a tiny flaw—his lateral movement and rapid spin‑turn chase are a bit lacking—but his restriction on attackers is solid, and his defensive anticipation is precise.

Thus, Fan Xi guards James, while Bariani guards Wei De.

When James saw the Knicks' lineup, an image of Fan Xi's sinister grin instantly flashed in his mind. Sure enough, Jieke Fan had anticipated our internal split; he truly is a flawless strategist and manipulator of hearts.

Mario Chalmers dribbled past half‑court, quickly handed to Wei De, who surged into the paint and made a successful floater.

The battle was resolved easily.

He bit his cheek, exuding a do‑or‑die, back‑to‑the‑wall aura.

His momentum also rallied the Heat players, even the home atmosphere.

Everyone could feel his determination.

This is a case of breaking to succeed.

After his basket, the Knicks quickly inbounded. Nash advanced the ball, quickening the pace, reached the frontcourt swiftly, and under James's lead, the defensive intensity remained high.

But it was no longer the pure consumption of the first half.

Nash and Stade Mayer set quick screens, forming a classic V‑shape.

The ball was passed to the opposite‑side runner Fan Xi, who then fed it into the paint to the cutting Stade Mayer… the assist even had an artistic flair.

Stade Mayer dunked successfully.

The two passes weren't redundant; they confused the defense, giving Stade Mayer an open lane.

After Stade Mayer's thunderous dunk,

the Heat's offense remained raging.

Wei De assisted Bosh for a made jump shot.

Next, Nash passed the ball to Garnett, and Garnett executed a turn‑around jump shot.

The game went back and forth.

The Knicks had no answer to the Heat's attack.

But likewise, the Heat had little to do against the Knicks' attack.

Both sides' scores were rising quickly.

The third quarter finished quickly.

The score became:.

The Heat were in the lead.

Nash, as point guard, played the entire quarter; Stoudemire went off to rest for a while, and Josh Smith came in to fill in at power forward for a bit.

At this point in the game, the commentators at the broadcast table were hesitant to predict the outcome.

"It's hard to evaluate. The Heat's condition tonight is still excellent, especially DeVane, whose touch is scorching. But the New York Knicks always have someone step up; the first quarter was Hamilton and Prince, the second quarter was Ben Wallace and Monta Ellis, and the third quarter turned to Nash and Garnett."

Bill Walton said, "I feel the Knicks might have a chance to take this game... It sounds absurd, but I really think the Knicks can snatch two away wins in Miami. My God, I feel I'm going crazy; only a madman would say that."

"If I had said before the series began that the Knicks could take two home games, they'd surely think I'm talking nonsense."

Bill Walton himself found it unbelievable.

Beside him, Barkley said, "No, the Three Giants are still ahead. They won't let victory slip away again. With the crowd's morale so high, how could they allow themselves to lose to Jieke Fan again and again?"

"I think Miami will win."

Barkley firmly stood on the Heat's side.

Kenny chuckled and said, "I'm already thinking about a sweep. A 4‑0 sweep, crazy and bold—no one dared imagine that before. A seventh seed in the Eastern, a frail, weak team, sweeping the Eastern's top seed, a team with the Three Giants and a Super Platinum Generation lineup—doesn't that sound unbelievable?"

Kenny's words set the blood of the viewers in front of the TV on fire.

Before the series, the vast majority thought the Knicks would be beaten mercilessly. Yet if the final result is that the Knicks not only overcome the odds but defeat the Heat in a sweep.

Then the legend would reach its ultimate.

Michael Jordan, sitting in front of the TV, felt a chill despite it being summer, and threw a jacket over himself. He stared at the screen, muttering: "Kenny, damn Kenny, do you even hear yourself? A sweep—how could the Heat still be leading? LeBron will definitely turn the score around! They'll claim the final victory! If the Knicks lose even one game, they'll be toppled like a chain of dominoes."

Jordan gritted his teeth.

But only he would believe what he said.

…

Meanwhile, Fan Xi said something on the bench that made the Knicks think it was crazy.

"I think we can engage them in a five‑minute war of attrition!!"

Fan Xi stared at his incredulous teammates: "Listen to me, have you noticed that Miami's scoring tonight is concentrated, with the Three Giants accounting for seventy percent? If we launch an attrition battle now, we can wear down their teammates. They'll suddenly become passive. Meanwhile, our scoring tonight is so balanced, everyone's touch is excellent."

"We have a chance to leave them clueless."

Fan Xi said.

It was a bold plan.

A team lacking stamina suddenly has to go up and clash bayonet‑style with them.

Larry Brown furrowed his eyebrows.

But he chose to believe.

After all, he had once been Fan Xi's defeated subordinate. Any of Fan Xi's outlandish ideas, he would carry out, including this one.

Larry Brown gave Fan Xi JR Smith, Josh Smith, Kevin Garnett, and Aldridge, totaling five players.

Ding!

The whistle blew, and the game continued.

At this moment, Miami's Heat also switched a lineup. It was a rotation led by James: Ray Allen, Battil, Haslem, and Cambi.

The other two giants of the Three Giants had to seize time to rest; they performed well in the third quarter and needed a brief buffer.

James shouldered the burden of the rotation time.

"LeBron, let's give them…"

When Fan Xi entered the game, he said this to James. He beamed: "You wanted to have an attrition battle with us, right? Consider it satisfied."

Fan Xi wasn't joking.

Even though James felt quite puzzled inside.

Fan Xi slowly dribbled across half‑court; his method of playing a set‑piece battle was very classic.

He directed his teammates to move, then passed the ball to Garnett. Garnett went one‑on‑one against Haslem, who is an excellent blue‑collar and also a Super Platinum Generation player.

He worked diligently, grabbing every defensive rebound and also taking mid‑range jump shots.

But he was a head shorter than Garnett; Garnett backed him, pushed him inside twice, spun quickly, and under intense defense completed a jump shot... swish!

It went in.

The point gap was tied.

Then Fan Xi pressed James all over the court.

The other players chased the Heat players like mad dogs.

This scene left the Miami bench stunned.

What's going on, are the Knicks going to turn the attrition on us?

Wei De looked dubious, staring at Spoelstra: "Could all our pre‑game forecasts have been wrong!!"

Both of them were shocked.

James saw this and thought only four big characters in his heart: "Kill and punish the heart."

"Jieke Fan is a demon; he's destroying the foundation of my trust. He not only saw through my scheme, but also split me from Wei De, and now makes it impossible for me to pick up this tactic again... Terrible! Too terrible!!"

James thought this in his mind.

Under Fan Xi's full-court press, he came to the frontcourt.

He had Haslem set a screen for him, he drove straight in, facing Garnett's defense, he quickly broke through, but upon entering the paint, Aldridge came over, so he hurriedly passed the ball to Camby.

Camby caught the ball and shot; Fan Xi flew at him from behind, directly pressing the ball against the backboard with both hands.

Fan Xi anticipated James's passing lane in advance.

This made Spoelstra especially nervous; he quickly sent Wade to the bench, preparing to enter the game.

Fan Xi brought the ball across half-court, with James defending him.

Garnett came to the top of the key to set a screen for him; James instinctively shifted sideways, and Fan Xi immediately jumped and shot… swish!

Fan Xi made the three-pointer.

The arena filled with wails.

The Knicks took the lead.

In the fourth quarter, at the X second.

It seemed as if the script of the previous game was repeating.

At the Meihangzhongxin qiuguan, winds sounded like cranes crying; many people covered their heads with both hands. They seemed to see the demon's shadow reappear in the world.

Spoelstra quickly put Wade on the court to replace Battier.

And he urged them to play steadily!

…