Chapter 587: The Greatest Showdown

The referee reviewed 1.6 seconds.

He gave the Heat a final sliver of hope.

The Knicks thought the review was too long; from a purely intuitive standpoint, Fan Xi's buzzer‑beater gave them only a few tenths of a second.

Fan Xi quickly called his teammates, and they swiftly set up a defense.

Fan Xi kept pace with James, who sprinted toward the half‑court side.

Bush, who was inbounding under the basket, had no other option; he quickly tossed the ball forward.

Fan Xi and James watched the ball fly in from afar; the two leapt almost simultaneously to contest it. James, taller with longer arms, had the advantage and gave Fan Xi a subtle shove in the air. He caught the ball first, and after landing he quickly jumped again to throw the ball out, while Fan Xi was just a hair short of blocking it.

The basketball traced a huge arc.

The whistle sounded while the ball was still on its way.

As the ball drew nearer the rim, Fan Xi felt his heart rise to his throat; the entire Madison Garden Arena fell into silence.

Bang!

When the ball struck the inner rim, it bounced out forcefully.

The whole Madison Garden Arena erupted in massive cheers, everyone feeling a sense of relief.

The dust settled.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si failed to make the buzzer‑beater; his last‑second shot bounced off the rim.

In the previous game, his buzzer‑beater didn't finish within the final seconds. In this game, his shot nearly pierced the net, but the force was too great, causing it to rebound.

At this moment, Miami was full of regret; it truly was just a hair's breadth.

If James had been just a tad luckier, the Heat would be leading 2‑1 instead of trailing 0‑3.

Fan Xi turned and looked at Le Bu Lang Zhang Si; his expression remained calm, but the loss and frustration in his eyes were unmistakable.

Fan Xi extended his hand and said to James, "I have to admit, you've earned my respect. Tonight, I was just a bit luckier than you."

James reached out and gave Fan Xi a brief hug.

Then he strode toward the locker room.

New York reporters had already gathered, their floodlights trained on Fan Xi, along with a cluster of microphones.

Fan Xi was the hero of the game; he once again protected New York City's basketball pride, and the basketball Maga became even more sacred because of him.

The entire crowd shouted in unison, "MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Fan Xi smiled while answering reporters' questions; meanwhile James kept his head down as he walked into the players' tunnel, traversing the dim corridor of Madison Garden Arena alone before entering the visiting team's locker room.

Jordan rubbed his face vigorously with both hands in front of the TV.

He wondered, if he were in James's shoes, could he have done better?

James reached the pinnacle tonight; his efficiency was off the charts, his output massive, and his super 60+ triple‑double shattered the Eastern Finals record.

If that damned ball hadn't bounced out of the rim, the game would have been James's deification masterpiece, its significance comparable to Jie Ke Fan scoring 101 points in a regular‑season game.

But there are no ifs, and life offers no rewinds.

Jordan looked up; Fan Xi was commenting on James's performance on TV.

"There's no doubt we're extremely lucky tonight. Le Bu Lang Zhang Si displayed his individual abilities to the utmost; I think he's already the best small forward in history, I'm not disrespecting Larry Bird. In fact, I feel he surpassed Michael Jordan tonight. He just ran into me. Apart from me, no one in the league could take a win from Le Bu Lang Zhang Si tonight; looking across history, none have."

Fan Xi gave James a very high appraisal.

He also discussed James's final buzzer‑beater: "If it were me, I'd have gone for the backboard, but the difficulty is huge. Le Bu Lang Zhang Si's handling was fine; in a flash, over that long distance, under my crazy disruption, his ability to quickly aim at the rim was god‑like. He just had a bit too much power… but that's not his fault; if the force were a bit less, he couldn't have shot that far. Le Bu Lang Zhang Si expended too much energy throughout the game, so he didn't control his strength well."

Fan Xi analyzed it from a technical standpoint.

Then a reporter asked Fan Xi about the buzzer‑beater he made.

Fan Xi laughed and said, "It was just a reflex, a routine move."

Fan Xi described his airborne, no‑touch, drift‑catch buzzer‑beater as if it were nothing special.

Reporters were surprised, and New York media quickly asked, "But that shot was extremely difficult—how did you do it?"

If it weren't hard, how could one defeat a opponent like Le Bu Lang Zhang Si?

Fan Xi's words made sense.

It left no room for rebuttal.

Then a reporter asked, "Jie Ke, the Knicks are up 3‑0 and have a match point. That's something most people didn't anticipate before the series; they thought reaching the Eastern Conference Finals from the seventh seed was already a miracle. Now you're one step away from the Finals—do you think a miracle will happen the night after tomorrow?"

By 'miracle' they obviously mean a sweep.

Fan Xi smiled and said, "We've indeed been underestimated, both before this series began and before the playoffs. Everyone thought we couldn't beat our series opponents, yet we've come this far; as the media say, we've been creating miracles all the way."

"So, since we've already created so many miracles, why not create another?"

Fan Xi showed a confident smile.

After taking a 3‑0 match point, many things have already changed.

In terms of morale, the Heat's entire roster is inevitably dented; their hopes are dim, and thoughts of heading home early to go fishing will arise.

The Knicks, on the other hand, hope to press on and finish the series decisively.

It's as if, right now while Fan Xi is being interviewed, JR Smith jumps onto the tech table, shouting: '4‑0! We want 4‑0! There's never been a Heaven's Chosen Son; the basketball world has only one god, and that's Fan Xi, I say! 4‑0!'

His voice was loud, and the microphones here captured it.

Fan Xi subsequently answered two trivial questions, said some platitudes, and left the interview camera.

The TV screen switched back to the commentator.

Charles Barkley still looked unsettled, saying, "Miami's luck has been terrible; the second game's buzzer‑beater went overtime, the third game's buzzer‑beater clearly went in but bounced out… Does Le Bu Lang Zhang Si really have to be forever restrained by Jie Ke Fan? Even God seems to be on his side?"

"Le Bu Lang Zhang Si now has a chance to completely overtake Jie Ke," Magic Johnson said earnestly beside him. "If he can swing four games while down 0‑3, becoming the first superstar in history to reverse a 0‑3 deficit, he will completely flip the current narrative. He'll outpress Jie Ke to become the league's top figure and snatch all the 'gold coins' Jie Ke has accumulated."

Magic said that with utmost seriousness, but no one thought it was possible.

Even staunch traditionalist Charles Barkley thought Magic was spouting a correct piece of nonsense.

"Michael Jordan must be nervous now; if Jie Ke wins this game and then advances to the Finals, he'll most likely face the Houston Rockets," Kenny said. "The Rockets aren't the Knicks' opponents; they can't beat Jie Ke even in the regular season. That way, if Jie Ke secures a fourth straight championship, it's hard to say his status doesn't surpass Jordan's."

"Six is always greater than four, Kenny," Barclay shouted, a bit angry.

"But Michael never led three teams to win four consecutive championships. Isn't Jie Ke's four‑peat at least as hard as his two three‑peats? Moreover, this is only Jie Ke's fourth season."

Kenny Smith said confidently.

"Wait until he gets a four‑peat before you brag. Right now you're just doing loan hype. When the Knicks fail and go bankrupt, with stocks and bonds both crushed, you'll realize it's too late," Barclay said harshly.

He didn't want Jordan's status to be shaken by Fan Xi.

But at that moment, Jordan in front of the TV was already a bit dejected.

He turned off the TV; these boring arguments made his mind uneasy.

The Houston Rockets were considered to have a great chance to reach the Finals, because after the Thunder lost Westbrook, Kevin Durant could not hold the team alone.

The Rockets currently lead 2–1 and are about to start their fourth game at the Oklahoma home court.

If nothing unexpected happens, the Rockets will advance to the Finals with a 4–1 result.

As a result, given the Knicks' past regular‑season win rate against the Rockets and Fan Xi's previous strategic deterrence of their three big stars, a Knicks victory seems only a matter of time.

…

Fan Xi walked into the locker room, where his teammates had already surrounded him, spraying champagne on Fan Xi to celebrate the crucial victory.

Meanwhile, the whole state of New York was celebrating; 3–0 meant the win was already in the bag, just needing the zipper pulled.

This is the Knicks' first Finals appearance since the black‑eight season; they've waited too long and hope to achieve it quickly.

Fan Xi's reputation reached a new peak tonight. In the basketball world, Fan Xi has become New York City's savior.

Especially the final‑minute offense and defense, which not only became a replay cherished by New Yorkers but also a scene that basketball fans worldwide replay obsessively.

Undoubtedly, in the last four minutes, the showdown between Fan Xi and James was arguably the greatest peak duel in basketball history.

James accounted for all of the Heat's remaining points.

Fan Xi, besides one assist, also accounted for all the points and the game‑winning shot.

"It's hard to say who won between the two, but the winning side is Jie Ke. So, congratulations to Jie Ke, the best player on the planet. But don't forget Le Bu Lang Zhang Si."

"Le Bu Lang Zhang Si dominated the game tonight, but in the final moments Jie Ke dominated Le Bu Lang Zhang Si."

"No one else in the league can step onto their duel stage—Durant can't, Rosa can't, Harden can't, even the aging Kobe can't… This is a peak showdown exclusive to them."

"I've never seen how Magic and Bird matched up, but I can tell everyone I know this is the pinnacle of basketball."

"I really hope their next game is even more spectacular. Anyway, this is a treat for basketball fans. And for me, I've completely forgotten about the Western Finals. This is the Finals!"

"Game four continues!!!!"

…

There were many voices online; aside from die‑hard fans on both sides, the vast majority praised the actual content of the game. Because the Fan Xi–James duel was so spectacular, it deserves to be recorded in history.

…

"I didn't work hard enough; I'll perform better in the next game."

James gave a brief statement after the game.

Nobody blamed him, nor did anyone have the heart to criticize him now. The overwhelming majority who watched the game knew how great his performance was tonight; he gave his all, with nothing to criticize.

Everyone just thought his luck was insufficient.

Spoelstra didn't say much either; the game was a setback for him, because they had clearly done their utmost yet still lost.

This feeling isn't pleasant.

It's like giving everything, doing your best, yet still not passing.

You can say you have no regrets.

But you can't say you won't be sad.

What else can be done now?

All Miami residents are pondering this question.

Will the Miami Heat Big Three keep going? Should we just rebuild? Will we never be able to defeat Jieke Fan?

These doubtful voices have, to some extent, hurt the Heat's current motivation, but they have no choice; they must seriously consider the issue.

…

The next night, as everyone predicted, the Thunder without Westbrook couldn't stop the Rockets' three‑giant stride; Durant alone couldn't carry the team, the Thunder's second home fell, and the Rockets took a 3–1 series lead, heading back to Houston; if nothing unexpected occurs, 4–1 will be settled.

Although media outlets led by Oklahoma and Los Angeles criticized the Houston Rockets, the reason they advanced these two rounds and gained a strategic edge was because they played maliciously.

Against Kuaisuan, Kuaisuan drove them to the edge of a cliff; everyone knew Kuaisuan had a high chance of beating the so‑called Western No. 1. But at that moment, Paul used dirty tactics to take Leonard out; Leonard was injured, and the Rockets seized the opportunity, surging into the Western Finals.

In the Western Finals, it was the same person who injured Westbrook.

If Westbrook hadn't been injured, the Thunder would have had a great chance to knock out the Rockets, since they had secured an away‑court advantage in Houston at that time.

So, in a sense, Houston is an unblessed and unrespected team.

People think they should have stopped at the Western semifinals long ago.

But… these voices can't change anything.

As someone loudly declared: injuries are also part of the game.

The Rockets took advantage and played coy.

Fan Xi lay on the bed after watching the game, with Jennifer beside him. Although Jennifer had 'broken up' with Fan Xi, the underground tunnel beneath their house had never lost contact.

Even though Fan Xi was passive the first time, afterward he was very proactive, perhaps out of revenge. Or perhaps to repay Jennifer, who gave him a beautiful child.

Troy can now speak, and his linguistic talent is strong. That's one reason Jennifer is reluctant to take him to the sidelines, for fear the little guy would chatter endlessly about "My Jieke Fan Father," causing trouble.

Another reason is that Troy simply doesn't like basketball, even though he knows his father is impressive on the court, winning important games consecutively. But the cheers don't excite him; he prefers soccer, watching Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on TV.

He is patient and can endure long soccer matches.

Fan Xi sometimes thinks that's fine; he saved Chinese basketball, and now it's his son's turn to save Chinese soccer.

The matter of Troy Fan's naturalization as a Chinese citizen is being arranged, but a complication is that some agencies require them to provide the parents' marriage certificate.

Fan Xi and Jennifer, where did the marriage certificate come from?

Even the all‑powerful gossip media think they aren't together.

And the reason Fan Xi thinks it's a good thing that Troy goes to play soccer is… playing soccer requires going to Europe. Europe is far from both Asia and the Americas. That way, at least he won't "ruin his reputation" here. If he inherits the playboy's passive attribute, that would be a huge trouble.

The Fan family's generations‑long clean reputation is about to be ruined in America.

Fan Xi's parents are now meticulously caring for Liu Yifei within the country; they place special importance on the child in the goddess sister's womb. They also state that this is the legitimate grandchild passed down solely through three generations of the Fan family.

Fan Xi sometimes falls into silence during phone conversations.

The difficulty of solving this matter is far greater than the challenges Fan Xi faces on the court.

Now there's an issue: Si Jia Li has also begun promoting Zhongguo culture there. She says that even though Jennifer's child is the eldest son, according to Zhongguo customs, his child should be the most honored person, because he publicly had a relationship with Jie Ke.

That sounds… eerie, yet it is logical and well‑founded.

"Jie Ke, you should harshly deal with Houston. Our entire Kuaisuan management despises that team, especially a certain malicious player." Jennifer said beside Fan Xi.

She is one of Kuaisuan's shareholders.

That is her legal standing.

Fan Xi nodded. He had long wanted to do this; the hatred over Leonard's malicious injury must be avenged.

But now, Fan Xi thinks the more important thing is to finish the fourth game and take the victory.

Even though there is ubiquitous promotion that the Knicks will seize the Eastern Finals victory and advance to the championship, Fan Xi remains cautiously optimistic. He believes Heat is not so easily subdued, and James will never give up easily.

Only a definitive conclusion can bring relaxation.

…