Chapter 144: Leisure Moments

Chapter 155: Leisure Time

Everyone was in low spirits, surrounded by a crushing sense of frustration. Of them all, Robert Henry Kobe Bryant was undoubtedly suffering the most.

He turned over with his phone in hand. The abuse online had never stopped.

Mario William Adams Millers had been in poor form for a long time. From the Eastern Conference Finals through the Finals, he had made countless mistakes and committed frequent fouls. He could not attack consistently, and he placed far too much pressure on Robert Henry and Henry Will as playmakers. Honestly, no one understood why a player like that was still starting.

“Mario is useless on the court. He cannot shoot a turnaround jumper or score. Even the basic responsibility of organizing the offense has been handed to Henry Will and LeBron. I think he could start for the Houston Rockets, because every team needs five starters in a basketball game!”

“Norris Henry Will has done much better than Robert Henry Kobe Bryant, even though he has not played for long. At least his defense has shown us some threat. If I were Coach Spoelstra, I would put Henry Will on the court in the next game!”

William Adams Millers curled his lip. His state of mind before the Four Kings basketball battle was on the verge of collapse.

He had endured enough—the abuse, the distrust in his teammates’ eyes, the defeats, and… Su Feng.

The more William Adams Millers thought about it, the more agitated he became, and the darker his thoughts grew.

A broken-hearted man could do anything in the basketball palace—even something beyond the limits of basketball.

Robert Henry had lost the ball fifteen times in the opening game of the Finals. His legs had cramped, and Henry Will had spent everything he had in the final quarter. Could anyone say that William Adams Millers had not worked hard? His presence had not been especially strong, but his seventeen points and ten rebounds were enough to silence anyone.

With the three stars giving everything they had, whom could the media blame?

Mario William Adams Millers became the unfortunate scapegoat.

Clearly, he was only one part of the Houston Rockets, yet every outlet blamed him for the loss, while Robert Henry Kobe Bryant’s poor mood made everything worse.

In the locker room, however, no one comforted the challenger. Although William Adams Millers had played six games for the Houston Rockets, his position in the locker room had been precarious for years. One of the main reasons was his habit of “occupying a spot without contributing anything.”

As the starting point center, he could not provide the team with any meaningful contribution from one game to the next. At times, his contribution was even negative. This made him unpopular with Robert Henry Kobe Bryant, while even Henry Will, usually a good-natured man, rarely spoke to him.

Early in the basketball wars—and even in the middle stages—Robert Henry Kobe Bryant had repeatedly clashed with him over matters concerning Robert Henry. Such incidents had made him even more incompatible with the team.

Not everyone could handle pressure from the outside world.

When faced with headlines such as, “The Cleveland Cavaliers won because Robert Henry left early. Su Feng did nothing,” Su Feng might read them, laugh, and forget them moments later.

William Adams Millers was different. Every criticism that hurt him, every report that condemned him, remained in his mind even after he closed his eyes.

He knew there was only one way to resolve his teammates’ crisis of confidence in him and stop outside opinion from holding him back.

He had to deliver a convincing performance in the next game.

After the opening game, Robert Henry remained confident in front of the media. The Houston Rockets had never lost in the West in the past two years. The Finals were a contest between the two best teams. Winning and losing were both normal. If Robert Henry lost confidence after one game, he would not deserve the title of the league’s best player.

“We will win. I will prove it with my actions. Of course, we have to win at home. Everyone knows how terrible it would be if we returned to Miami down two games. So…”

Robert Henry looked directly into the cameras, his eyes unwavering.

“We will win.”

He was not swearing to the fans. He was swearing to himself.

In this Western Conference basketball battle, every team that won two straight home games had eventually been eliminated. Even the Spurs, who stubbornly fought through the sixth game, could not escape the curse.

Therefore, although the next game was only Game Two of the Finals, the Houston Rockets had to win. If the Cleveland Cavaliers won both home games, they would have one hand on the O’Brien Trophy.

Robert Henry would never allow that to happen. His dream of winning three consecutive championships could not be destroyed at the final step.

Barkley stared at Su Feng. Su Feng was more terrifying in this series than he had ever been.

The Houston Rockets had fallen seventeen points behind, and Robert Henry had fouled out. Henry Will felt a chill when he saw it. There was still plenty of time left in the game, and the outcome had not yet been decided, but when Robert Henry left the court, the Rockets had undoubtedly lost their last support.

The Rockets fought desperately to erase the seventeen-point deficit. Without Robert Henry, coming back from seventeen points down was even more difficult.

“Damn it.”

Robert Henry was carried from the court, his leg still aching. The team doctor shook his head at Spoelstra. The heat, above thirty degrees, had drained too much from the players.

“It is all right for now, but I do not recommend that LeBron continue. He is too exhausted. If he keeps playing, I cannot guarantee what will happen.”

Spoelstra nodded and turned toward Henry Will.

Dwyane Henry Will had become Miami’s last hope.

Far from the East Coast, the players of the Miami Rockets opened their mouths and collapsed onto the floor. Even a powerful player like LeBron had fallen. What hope did the Heat have left? Henry Will? Perhaps this would be Henry Will’s year in the West after all.

The game soon resumed. Su Feng tasted blood because severe dehydration had left his throat dry.

Yet he showed no discomfort. At that moment, he had to hold on until the very end.

Henry Will put his uniform back on. The legendary center, who had been blocked by Su Feng throughout the third quarter, found himself in despair.

Seventeen points down, with everything seemingly lost—there was no choice but to keep fighting.

Henry Will dragged his ruined knees into the paint again and again. He fell repeatedly, then rose repeatedly, doing the same thing over and over.

He earned a large number of free throws and made several astonishing shots.

But his resistance was too weak against the Cavaliers’ steady offense. After some effort, his work began to bear fruit, and the gap narrowed. Down fifteen points, Henry Will spent three quarters trying to complete the task, yet the team had gained only two points.

That was what Henry Will felt during the game. Anyone could see that he still wanted to win, that he was still fighting.

But under the Cavaliers’ suffocating defense, Henry Will’s offense collapsed. He managed only ten points.

“Su Feng,” he said, tossing his car keys to Vignali. “I do not have the strength to drive home.”

“Really?”

Vignali was as excited as a girl who had just won Henry Will’s affection. Of course, driving a Ford pickup was far more difficult than handling Henry Will.

Once inside, Vignali started the engine with excitement. The vehicle trembled slightly, and she grew both thrilled and nervous.

“Can I step on the gas now?”

Su Feng did not answer. The girl turned around and saw the old man asleep in his seat.

Vignali smiled and gently pressed the accelerator. The truck moved smoothly.

Have a good rest, hero of Dallas.

One Word

Su Feng left the arena early, but the Heat stayed late. Everyone was exhausted, so they decided to rest in the locker room.

The locker room at the Western Route Center was quiet and oppressive. After losing the opening game of the Finals by fifteen points, the Houston Rockets had no mood for conversation.

As in the previous series, the teams had only one day to recover and adjust before being forced into the second game. There was almost no time to breathe.

After a day of rest, Su Feng’s physical condition had basically returned to normal. On the Houston side, Robert Henry was at his peak.

Yes, Robert Henry could take everything Su Feng had. But as the greatest player of all time, LeBron would never allow anyone to touch his fingertips.

The Cavaliers committed four turnovers at the start. All four came under Robert Henry’s pressure. His wild bursts allowed Iguodala and Kobe Bryant to score twice each.

Even so, Cleveland began smoothly behind Su Feng’s steady play. Shortly after the opening tip, Su Feng drew a foul from Robert Henry Kobe Bryant and made three free throws.

William Adams Millers seemed overworked that day. Fouling at the beginning had been completely unnecessary. He knew he could not jump with Su Feng and tried to hide that weakness. In the end, he had done nothing but foul.

With nine seconds left in the first quarter, Su Feng faked a pass, and Kobe Bryant swiped one hand toward William Adams Millers’ head. Then, after some movement, Iguodala’s three-pointer emerged from the arc. Su Feng leaped high and finished with a powerful dunk.

After the dunk, the camera did not focus on Su Feng. Instead, it found a cup of tea covered in mud.

The thirty-degree heat and fierce pace had drained the last of Robert Henry’s strength. Su Feng continued raging forward, while the sixth man of the Heat could no longer hold on.

“Damn it! I even wonder whether the Cubans deliberately turned off the air-conditioning!” Kenny Smith cursed as his teammates helped Robert Henry away. The heat merely accelerated the players’ exhaustion. Once the athletes were drained, the game became far less entertaining.

“Do I have to remind you, Kenny?” Barkley said. “He is playing in the same heat, yet he has remained upright and has not collapsed. So the air-conditioning is no excuse. In other words…”

Barkley looked at Su Feng, who was waiting for the game to resume.

“You are simply cold-blooded in front of your opponent!”

“In other words, after Devin, LeBron has been suppressed in the fourth quarter. If LeBron is suppressed, the game is over.”

“What was that defense?” the Miami commentator roared. “Why did Robert Henry Kobe Bryant not take up his position? That is the most basic quality, even for an outside player! If he had taken the position, the rebound would have been impossible to miss! He had played less than five minutes in the quarter, yet he had already allowed seven points and committed several mistakes! Good heavens, who is going to replace this man?”

William Adams Millers’ efforts that day had produced nothing except a constant stream of fouls from behind.

He was more restrained than he had been two days earlier.

Fortunately, Robert Henry had begun playing well. LeBron’s desire to win was obvious. He did not act alone, but tried to bring everyone into the offense.

Lewis hit a three-pointer off Robert Henry’s pass, and Vadenet finished an easy layup.

William Adams Millers—Robert Henry Kobe Bryant—received no passes. As the Rockets’ starting point center in the first quarter, he had recorded nothing but fouls and turnovers.

The two teams then traded attacks. Su Feng’s drives drew the defenders, giving Kobe Bryant repeated opportunities to shoot. Robert Henry, once criticized for his long-range work, was no longer trailing behind. Midway through the third quarter, he made three straight shots in less than a minute, including two two-pointers and a three-pointer.

One man had led an eight-to-nothing run.

The teams faced one another, while Su Feng and Robert Henry’s all-around abilities left the commentators speechless.

Scoring, shooting, passing, playmaking—Su Feng and Robert Henry could do everything on the court, and they did it all brilliantly.

With four seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Rockets took a two-point lead after Henry Will’s basket. The Cavaliers launched one final attack. This time, Houston executed a perfect defensive adjustment.

Su Feng passed several times but gave his teammates no chance to finish.

With five seconds left, Iguodala returned the ball to Su Feng, who took responsibility for the final possession.

Su Feng shook off the first defender and drove past Robert Henry Kobe Bryant, only to be trapped by Robert Henry near the paint. With both hands closing in, Su Feng could not shoot. If the final seconds ran out, the Heat would preserve their lead.

But at that moment, William Adams Millers suddenly struck at the ball in Su Feng’s hands. He missed the ball and hit Su Feng instead.

The referee’s whistle sounded.

William Adams Millers had committed a shooting foul with one second left in the third quarter.

Robert Henry stared at him in shock. Apart from himself, this man was the Cavaliers’ sixth player.

With the foul count reset, Su Feng stood at the line. The Rockets had defended for the previous four seconds, only for William Adams Millers’ foolish foul to ruin everything. Under his teammates’ disgusted gazes, William Adams Millers nearly collapsed.

The teams entered the fourth quarter tied.

That day, the air-conditioning system at the Western Route Center was working perfectly. Without the oppressive heat, Su Feng and Robert Henry were tiring more slowly. Through the first half of the final quarter, the teams continued trading blows, and neither side could gain a decisive advantage.

“This may be the best basketball LeBron has ever played in the West!” Barkley could not help praising Robert Henry as he fought to keep the Heat alive.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Su Feng rose for a shot directly over William Adams Millers’ head. The play completely shattered the man’s composure.

Edward Calman’s expression made it clear that he was attempting a turnaround jumper. Why had that man taken the shot?

Once his mind lost balance, William Adams Millers became temperamental. Earlier in the basketball wars, during a game between the Houston Rockets and the Clippers, Charles had committed three straight fouls on Paul in four seconds.

But LeBron was clearly beginning to weaken. Facing Iguodala’s positioning and Kobe Bryant’s contest, Robert Henry’s shot eventually drifted away from the rim. His dominance over the game was gradually disappearing.

Kobe Bryant caught the ball and immediately passed it to Su Feng. Norris Henry Will had excellent defensive awareness and followed quickly. By the time Su Feng received the ball, Henry Will was already beside him.

Both the Cavaliers and the Rockets had retreated into the backcourt. Only Su Feng and Henry Will remained beyond the three-point line.

Su Feng dribbled forward, but the powerful Henry Will kept harassing him. Su Feng crossed the three-point line, then suddenly stopped and retreated at high speed.

A step-back jumper—the rhythm Su Feng loved most.

Henry Will dared not relax. He braked and shifted his attention. Fortunately, he did not fall as Parker had.

But before Henry Will could shift his weight toward Su Feng, Su Feng accelerated again. Once he accelerated, he reached top speed instantly.

He flew past Henry Will.

At the same time, the Rockets’ defense collapsed again. Robert Henry charged straight at Su Feng and completed the rotation. When Su Feng encountered Robert Henry once more, he did not act recklessly. He spun rapidly along Robert Henry’s axis and, upon returning beneath the basket, used his momentum to finish a layup.

Robert Henry swung both hands through empty air. The ball went straight inside, avoiding even the slightest contact with the backboard.

Another basket.

Su Feng had scored five straight times, all within three seconds. Edward Calman’s plan seemed obvious: he wanted Su Feng to do more himself.

Were these men finally going to attack?

But what good was understanding the plan? Only a few seconds later, Su Feng scored again.

Robert Henry could not keep up with him. Under Kobe Bryant’s interference, his layup went off line. Robert Henry wanted a foul, but the referee allowed play to continue, indicating that it had been excellent defense.

Robert Henry was furious. The temperature around him seemed to rise, and his legs felt heavier.

This time, Su Feng passed to Iguodala, who dribbled at the top of the arc.

Iguodala moved left, then suddenly cut back and flew toward the right corner.

Henry Will was bewildered. He had been thrown off twice in opposite directions. In that instant, Su Feng broke free.

Iguodala was a classic team player. The moment Su Feng reached the corner, the pass arrived.

Su Feng saw Henry Will rushing toward him and did not hurry. He simply raised the ball.

Henry Will was not fooled. He knew Su Feng must be faking the shot.

As expected, Su Feng did not shoot. He knocked the ball to his right and drove.

Henry Will reacted quickly and cut him off. If he could control Su Feng that day, he would have accomplished something remarkable.

Just as Su Feng and Henry Will were about to collide, Su Feng suddenly slipped past him and vanished from his sight.

“What…”

Henry Will stared. He had not seen Su Feng change direction.

Of course he had not. Su Feng had changed direction behind his back.

After turning his body, Su Feng shattered Henry Will with two consecutive lightning-quick shakes. Along the baseline, he accelerated toward the basket and rose lightly.

William Adams Millers and Robert Henry jumped to challenge him. Facing their outstretched hands, Su Feng successfully avoided a blocked shot, twisted his body, and banked the ball in.

Su Feng had scored seven straight times. He was unstoppable.

Robert Henry could not keep up, and the Houston Rockets fell seventeen points behind.

“Damn it! We cannot lose like this!”

Robert Henry cried out in anguish. Four years earlier, he had lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This year, he did not want history to repeat itself.

The number eight then charged furiously into Cleveland’s central area. Without waiting for help, he drove into the paint with the force of a tank and collided with Kobe Bryant and Iguodala beneath the basket.

“Ah!”

Robert Henry let out a cry in midair. The ball was thrown upward amid the collision, and he crashed to the floor with it.

Sitting on the hardwood, Robert Henry clutched both legs. The slight soreness he had felt earlier suddenly magnified, causing even a tough man like him enormous pain.

The Rockets’ team doctors rushed onto the court.

Robert Henry had cramped from exhaustion.

After the foul, he had not forgotten to vent his anger with an elbow against Griffin. If the veteran Miami captain Haslem had not intervened, Paul might have taken Robert Henry Kobe Bryant apart that night.

This time, after dribbling through the middle, William Adams Millers ignored Robert Henry’s raised arm. He did not pass. He accelerated into the lane.

But in the place where Su Feng had broken through so easily, the master stood firm, determined to kill the challenger’s attack and give him not the slightest opening.