Chapter 630: James's Inevitable Retribution

Fan Xi, carrying the All-Star MVP trophy and Kevin Durant's resentful stare, left Madison Garden arena.

The second half of the regular season also began.

The Clippers kept soaring, having lost only three games, a streak that lasted until March.

The Golden State Warriors caused the Clippers to lose their fourth game; the Clippers were at full strength and hosted the match. Yet when they faced the Warriors' Splash Brothers firing en masse, they were unstoppable. Their Three-Point Shots seemed hacked, sending sparks out of the Clippers' hoops.

Unstoppable!

Thus the Clippers lost the fourth regular-season game.

A week later, the Heat also lost their third regular-season game, with the Golden State Warriors again the instigator. The Warriors used the same method, neutralizing the Heat's strong advantage with an unsolvable Three-Point Shot, causing the Heat to swallow a loss.

This year's regular season presented a clash of two super-strong teams, with the Eastern Heat aiming for the best record in history.

The Clippers, having lost only one more game than the Heat, also have a chance to challenge their franchise's best record.

Two teams vying for the best historic record in a single season sounds truly dreamy.

Even Barclay, a so-called '80s‑90s hype man', no longer stresses that teams from the 80s and 90s were stronger than today's, because the Heat and Clippers display a visibly era‑spanning fighting power.

Even the Golden State Warriors, a team that repeatedly pulls off surprise attacks, would likely be unstoppable for 80s‑90s teams. Why? Because they have turned the Three-Point Shot into an almost divine art.

Now, the NBA regular-season MVP and the strongest record are deeply linked.

Because Fan Xi and James both have dazzling statistics.

Fan Xi is about to claim an unprecedented 40+ scoring title, while Le Bu Lang Zhang Si is near a 30‑point average triple‑double.

These are epoch‑making numbers.

This season Fan Xi, spending most of his time as a scoring guard and relinquishing many ball‑handling duties, benefited Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Leonard, turning him into a pure offensive machine.

Giving this season's regular-season MVP trophy to either of them would be justified.

No one would question it.

Therefore, many have already decided: they will back the team with the higher win rate. If the two teams have identical win‑loss records, they will back Le Bu Lang Zhang Si.

Because James leads the Heat to a double‑kill over the Clippers, that is an advantage.

Fan Xi thinks this is fair.

But he has no objection.

After the games entered April, the Clippers suffered some injuries. Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo were injured in succession; although neither was severe and both could return by the first round of the playoffs, the roster reduction affected the Clippers' strength.

Thus the Clippers quickly lost their fifth and sixth games.

Losses to the Thunder and the Mavericks.

Just as everyone thought the Heat would comfortably clinch first place in the regular season and break the NBA's all‑time win record, Wade got injured… Wade has been unhealthy for years.

In fact, his injury history stretches back to his college days.

To say a harsh truth, if Wade had remained completely healthy in recent years, the Heat would have at least one championship, perhaps even two.

So, after Wade felt knee pain this time, he immediately sat out.

Between the best regular-season record and the championship, they chose the latter.

Thus, they did not collapse in April.

First they lost to the Bulls, a few games later to the Nets, and then the Spurs also secured a win over them.

They also lost six games.

The regular season was now nearing its end.

The Clippers' final three opponents were relatively easy: the Timberwolves, the 76ers, and the Trail Blazers.

None offered anything noteworthy.

In contrast, the Heat's three opponents were more interesting: the Rockets, the Mavericks, and the Cavaliers.

Now, basketball fans worldwide are focused on these two teams, because both have lost six games; whichever loses one more will forfeit the historic best record, and may also lose the regular-season MVP.

Although the Clippers lack Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, they press on, winning each game by large margins. After all, aside from the Trail Blazers, the other two teams are seed contenders in the top‑pick race, and they have no need to battle the Clippers; the whole league knows that crossing Fan Xi is terrifying.

Because Fan Xi never mercifully forgives those who offend him.

Look at those who provoked him—none meet a good end.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si is eager to break the record; he has never defeated Fan Xi in any crucial matchup.

His current situation is like Zhongguo soccer… a tie is enough to advance.

If he maintains the same record as Fan Xi, he can claim the historic best, even if tied, and will rank high thanks to the Heat's regular-season double‑kill over the Clippers. But losing any game would make his historic record vanish.

Moreover, this is tied to the regular-season MVP.

Who doesn't want to win the regular-season MVP again, break the regular-season record, and claim the championship?

If he achieves such a Grand Slam, his historic standing will soar.

Who doesn't want to earn fame both in life and after death.

Thus, in these three games, James gives his all, and his teammates follow suit.

Against the Rockets, facing James with his Three-Point Shots fully on and his bizarre offensive tricks, they were at times passive, but thanks to James's astonishing perseverance they clawed the game back and ultimately won by a large margin.

Against the Mavericks, it was the same. Nowitzki always performs excellently against the Heat, Griffin also flies energetically, and Little Jordan's habitual play makes Howard uncomfortable.

The Heat played a suffocating game, and only with a minute left did James's three‑plus‑one secure the winning edge.

They took down these two strong foes.

The Heat breathed a sigh of relief.

In comparison, the Cavaliers were much easier.

Even though it was in Cleveland.

But Cleveland fans no longer boo the Akron-born son; they forgave James's rebellion, even sympathizing with his struggles abroad, repeatedly being roughed up by Fan Xi without a chance to fight back, becoming a humiliation.

Moreover, although the Cavaliers assembled a trio of top picks this season, their results were still lottery‑bound; they failed to secure a playoff spot. Though they played fairly well in the latter half, Wiggins posted near‑superstar stats of 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.

Of course, another reason the Heat relaxed is… everyone now assumes James will return to Cleveland next season.

Cleveland doesn't need to give James trouble at this time.

Even Kyrie Irving couldn't wait to tell the media: I'm already looking forward to teaming up with LeBron James next season.

This leads many to believe the Cavaliers will adopt a non-resistant strategy, after all they have no reason to fight to the end. Not to mention their inferior strength, even considering factors beyond strength, they shouldn't do this.

But... the Cavaliers' leader is a weirdo.

Although Kyrie Irving outwardly says he can't wait to be teammates with James, he has always been fickle, and no one can figure him out. It's as if he burns sage on the court every game, he doesn't believe science, firmly believing the earth is flat. He even thinks that if an iron ball and a wooden ball of the same mass are dropped together, the iron ball will definitely hit the ground first.

In this game, Irving caught the Heat off guard right from the start.

He hit three consecutive three-pointers, expanding the lead right from the start.

Then the Cavaliers also gave all they had, especially Wiggins, who guarded James; his defense was as aggressive as a triathlon.

Many experts worried before the draft that although Wiggins had extraordinary talent, his wealthy upbringing meant he lacked the effort and fighting spirit.

In this game, he displayed an unprecedented spirit.

He wants to stand up to James.

On one hand, he doesn't want James to return to the Cavaliers, because he doesn't want to be seen as a replacement, let alone a trade chip for James.

On the other hand, he admires Fan Xi. Fan Xi's encouragement on draft night has continually motivated him; his rookie season surpassed many expectations, thanks to Fan Xi's words.

So, he wants to do something for Fan Xi.

He believes Fan Xi deserves the regular-season MVP more, and deserves a place in history more.

James clearly didn't expect this explosive-physique small forward number-one pick to entangle him so much, and his touch was off.

This caused them to constantly trail.

By the fourth quarter, they trailed by as many as 11 points.

Then James began attacking the basket, with the whistle blowing nonstop.

The Cavaliers' offense was disrupted, the Heat closed the gap, and even took the lead with three seconds left.

At this point, everyone thought the Cavaliers were done.

James finally won a game, beating not just the Cavaliers, but also Fan Xi and the Clippers.

But in this situation, with the team down by two points and only three seconds left, the Cavaliers had no timeout.

Irving passed the ball to Wiggins, who sprinted forward a step and launched the ball from a spot still three meters from midcourt; the ball arced across more than half the court as the whistle blew—swish!

It swished cleanly through the net.

At that moment, the entire Speedloan Center arena erupted.

Wiggins excitedly jumped onto the technical table; known as the "Good Temper Mouth Brother," he shouted at the crowd, roaring and venting: "This is my turf!"

He wants to take over the nest.

He wants to tell James that this is already his turf, and his mom wants him to return.

James was stunned; he never imagined he would be buzzer-beaten again.

Even worse, it happened on his home court, buzzer-beaten by a young number-one pick.

Could this be my destiny?

A wave of pessimism welled up in him—could it really be that he could never defeat Jieke Fan in his entire career?

When he saw Wiggins shouting on the technical table, the whole arena erupted in MVP chants.

His mood was very gloomy.

Especially when he heard Wiggins shouting there, "This is my turf!"

His heart felt like it would break.

These five years... what exactly am I aiming for?

I moved to Miami, bringing my talent to the South Coast just for the championship, planning to win it and then return to lead my hometown team to a title.

But now I haven't won the championship. My home has been taken over, and young people have seized the turf.

It's like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing.

Life is really too fleeting.

Jieke Fan!

James felt a surge of sorrowful anger from deep within.

But he quickly adjusted his mindset; no one in the world accepts defeat better than James, because he's truly accustomed to it.

He has also developed a spirit of persevering through defeat, and his willpower is strong.

So when reporters asked how he viewed the loss,

He replied, still full of fight: "I'm proud of the Cavaliers' young people; Wiggins played exceptionally well, excelling on both ends. Irving, I believe, is the league's best young point guard. I'm proud of the hometown team's success, and I wish them all the best."

The reporter then asked about his summer plans, whether he was considering a return to Cleveland to lead the youngsters on another push.

James said: "Right now, I'm only thinking about the playoffs."

Then he ended the interview.

He tragically failed to capture the historical best, missing it by a hair, or was backstabbed by his hometown team.

Of course, it can't be called a backstab, since he was the one who first backstabbed his hometown team.

Perhaps it's best described as "When will the cycle of revenge end?"

Kyrie Irving, known as the "European God" in Chinese basketball circles, said in an interview: "This is destiny. Destiny lets us choose to fight, destiny lets us not lose our will. We knew we would win even before the game started, so we weren't panicked at all, even though our home court's whistle still followed the son of Akron. But destiny cannot be defied. Wiggins hit a three-pointer."

Few could understand what Irving was trying to say, but this time he was clear; in short, it's just two words: karmic retribution!

Then Irving began again, speaking confusedly about how much he admires James.

He said he admires James's spirit of persevering through defeat, his ability to withstand Jieke Fan's repeated heavy blows—a rare ability in the world.

He himself doesn't know whether he's praising or being sarcastic.

He himself doesn't even know whether he's praising or being sarcastic.

What's more interesting is Wei Jin Si.

This small forward who made a miraculous buzzer-beater said: "This is indeed a lucky ball, luck is on my side. I'm very happy to have perfectly completed my first season, using such a perfect lucky ball. This foretells that my future career will be even smoother. I firmly believe what Jieke Fan told me—I will surely become a superstar."

Wei Jin Si echoed last summer's draft night.

He proved with concrete actions that Fan Xi's vision was so precise. That night, the two people whom Fan Xi took a liking to—Wei Jin Si and Yue Ji Qi—became the top contenders for this year's Rookie of the Year.

Yue Ji Qi helped Fan Xi secure the best record.

Wei Jin Si helped Fan Xi block James to secure the best record.

They all have a bright future.

…