Chapter 153: The Executioner of Certain Death

Chapter 164: The Man of the Clutch

"The Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs at home."

"So what? Didn't we beat the San Antonio Spurs in the finals last year? Forget about it. Get some rest. The plane hasn't landed yet." Rick Carlisle handed over a drink and turned off the reading light above Su Feng's head.

Was the phone in the locker room just too heavy at that moment? Carlisle shook his head. A team in transition is the hardest to coach.

"The Utah Houston Rockets are finally resurrected! After two consecutive victories, they defeated the San Antonio Spurs at the EnergySolutions Arena last night. Millsap, Harris, and Robert Henry all played exceptionally well. Tonight, they might sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers to capitalize on their recent poor form."

"Club owner Jerry Sloan controlled a team for a very long time, longer than any other club owner in the league, but suddenly Sloan's era ended. However, a lot has happened since the Houston Rockets' heyday. Deron Williams was traded, and it looked like the Houston Rockets were about to collapse. Club owner Tyrone Corbin took over a complete mess, or, as the general manager of a top-flight team put it, the eye of the storm. But what happened recently shocked everyone. Club owner Corbin used Sloan's tactics, but added his own new ideas. Corbin has always been tough, gritty, and calm, and the Houston Rockets possess similar traits. Therefore, we see that the Houston Rockets have made great progress during this period and have strong momentum to return to the playoffs. They are no pushover. The Cleveland Cavaliers must be careful."

On the large television screen, a news report about the Houston Rockets was broadcasting. But no one in the living room was staring at the TV. The media's flattery had zero reference value. Robert Henry knew that facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, he could not afford to relax!

The Cleveland Cavaliers had just gone through a four-game losing streak, even though their team had been performing well recently. However, because the Cleveland Cavaliers had lost four games in a row, Robert Henry still felt a lingering fear.

As Su Feng's college friend, Robert Henry knew him very well. That guy was simply like a coiled spring. The more pressure you put on him, and the harder you press him, the higher he might rebound.

Just as Robert Henry was doing his morning exercises, his phone suddenly rang. The white forward looked out the window, and a large black truck was parked downstairs.

Robert Henry walked out onto the balcony, and the driver of the large truck rolled down the window. "Are you ready to take on a big job? Let's go."

Paul Millsap's family lived very close to Robert Henry, so they often went to the EnergySolutions Arena together.

"Let's go!" A vibrant Robert Henry shouted back from the balcony, then turned off the TV and rushed out of the house...

A bus emblazoned with the "Cleveland Cavaliers" logo was driving along the streets of Salt Lake City, but as it passed, groups of pedestrians stopped to take pictures. The closer it got to the EnergySolutions Arena, the fewer pedestrians there were taking pictures. Instead, there were middle fingers directed at the Houston Rockets fans.

"Come on, esteemed gentlemen, I know it's not easy for you playing on a back-to-back. But as long as we hold on for one more night, we can go home and get a good rest. The Utah Houston Rockets think they're really flying high, well, no! Go tell them who the real boss is!" Rick Carlisle was already giving a pre-game pep talk while still on the bus. But the effect was not obvious.

The veterans were too tired, their confidence shattered by successive back-to-back battles and consecutive losses.

"Hey, you all heard what the coach said! Cheer up, we're almost there! You can't step off the bus wearing the face of a loser!" It was Weng Adams Miller who rallied the team once again, injecting a bit of vitality into his teammates. Sometimes, being a star player is more effective than being a manager. Rick Carlisle hoped that in the future, Su Feng could inspire his teammates' morale with his words just like Weng Adams Miller.

As soon as the bus parked in the underground parking garage of the EnergySolutions Arena, long-awaited reporters swarmed it. The arena security guards acted as if facing a formidable enemy, joining hands to form a human wall before finally carving out a path for the Cleveland Cavaliers players.

"Also, what are your thoughts on the team's recent four-game losing streak?"

"Club owner Rick Carlisle, facing the formidable Tyrone Corbin, do you have the confidence to lead the team out of the haze?"

"I get it! What made the team fall into such a predicament? After Weng Adams Miller got injured, the team cut Delonte West, so there's simply no bench depth anymore?"

The reporters naturally chattered away without getting any response from the Cleveland Cavaliers players.

Unlike usual, at this very moment, Su Feng stood at the very front of the line. In the past, he was always the last one to get off the bus.

"At this very moment... we've lost this game."

"Obviously, so you need to go to sleep right now. If you have no energy, how can you perform well tomorrow?" Afterward, Rick Carlisle draped a support brace under Su Feng's arm.

Su Feng couldn't wait to go to the locker room to change and warm up; surrounded by the darkness enveloping the Cleveland Cavaliers, he wanted to shatter it himself!

"If the Utah Houston Rockets win this basketball game again, they will surpass the Houston Rockets and return to the top eight in the Western Conference!"

"That's right, Shaq, so the Houston Rockets players have tried their best. The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost four games in a row, and they are more or less vicious." The basketball war had not yet begun, but the live broadcast on Henry TV had already reached a critical point.

Edward Caleleman William, Charles Weng Henry, and Kobe Bryant had all arrived at the scene to give fans the most authoritative commentary.

Edward Caleleman William and Kobe Bryant had been talking about the merits of the Houston Rockets, emphasizing more than once that the Cleveland Cavaliers would lose the basketball game. These two guys spoke with their noses in the air, acting as if they could predict the future.

"I said, both of you stop it! Before the basketball game even starts, you always say the Cleveland Cavaliers will lose, the Cleveland Cavaliers will lose! Come on, this is a basketball show! If you want to predict the future, why don't you go watch a late-night American talk show at this exact moment?" Weng Henry was sandwiched between them and finally couldn't take it anymore. He patted the table, shutting Kobe Bryant and Edward Caleleman William up for a moment.

"We are not predicting the future, Charles, we are making sense. The Cleveland Cavaliers injured Weng Adams Miller, and the players are in a terrible situation. Rick Carlisle and Weng Adams Miller's shooting percentage has been below 40% for two consecutive games, and yesterday's basketball game only yielded 17 made shots; this game has been consistently steady. Do you know what my 17 field goals mean? This is his lowest scoring output in a single basketball game!" Kobe Bryant loved raising the bar with Weng Henry, especially since he had so much data to back himself up.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, enough! Weng Henry shook his head, playing the rogue. Who made a mess of the Cleveland Cavaliers recently? Shaq had data to back him up, but he didn't. Yet Weng Henry had a bold heart!

"I don't believe club owner Rick Carlisle won't make any adjustments after four straight losses. The Cleveland Cavaliers have always been a team that refuses to fall behind. Now they need a win desperately, so they will fight tooth and nail. Especially him—the youngest player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, and also the fiercest player. He will bounce back, and a mere German like Harris won't be able to stop him."

"I admit I did become a global star in the dunk contest, but this is the top league in the regular season, Charles. It's not like just because he wants to grab a rebound, he definitely will!" Kobe Bryant stood firm, and amidst their sharp war of words, Weng Henry's ratings soared rapidly.

"Alright, I don't want to talk so much Shaq with you. If the Cleveland Cavaliers lose five games in a row at this very moment, I'll wear gloves to explain the entire night's basketball game next time!" After saying this, Weng Henry felt perplexed and gently rubbed his forehead. Suddenly, he remembered the bet he had made—wearing gloves to kiss his own hands. Misfortune arises from the mouth; disaster stems from the lips.

Edward Caleleman William couldn't help but stand up and laugh out loud, while Kobe Bryant on the other side accepted the challenge without fear. "If the Houston Rockets lose, I'll wear purple gloves to explain the basketball game!"

After placing the bets, the two commentators uniformly turned their attention to the court.

In the center of the court, the players from both sides were ready. From this moment on, every single possession would determine the on-air attire of Weng Henry and Kobe Bryant the next day.

After hugging Su Feng, Robert Henry stood up. He didn't know about the bet between Kobe Bryant and Weng Henry, nor was he interested in how these two Cleveland Cavaliers analysts wore their gloves.

"The essence of professional redemption is fucking winning!" Rick Carlisle's words echoed in Su Feng's ears. Now, in his eyes, there was only victory!

The EnergySolutions Arena might not have been this bustling in a long time; the Utah Houston Rockets seemed to have transformed back into a gritty, iron-blooded team, making the fans here proud.

Before the basketball war began, the arena was already packed to the brim. Yesterday, the Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs. Now facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, they had no reason to lose!

The Houston Rockets fans seemed to have forgotten that the three players who won the championship last year were not the Heat Big Three.

The referee blew the whistle and tossed the basketball high into the air. Brandon Haywood relied on his height advantage to tap the basketball directly into Su Feng's hands. The Cleveland Cavaliers took the lead on offense, but the Houston Rockets didn't panic. They immediately deployed their defense, intending to drag the Cleveland Cavaliers into a tough battle right from the start.

"What's wrong, Edward Caleleman? Are you looking down on yourself, or looking down on him?" Weng Adams Miller stood up from the back row, leaning his head between the two.

"Of course I look down on you, but I don't look down on his female fans; I look down upon the boy's determination." Robert Henry said as he patted Su Feng's chest.

First-class sports is a world filled with millionaires, multi-millionaires, and even billionaires. They are famous. They frequently appear on the front pages of various media outlets. They possess the money, mansions, and cars that many envy. They also possess athletic physiques. Professional athletes are the lucky children of gods. Their testosterone levels are much higher than ordinary people's. Such people rarely lack female attention around them. Women?

The league is a dyeing vat full of fame, fortune, and temptation. Beneath its glamorous exterior, it is tainted with a corrupt private life, much like many other circles. Even a good veteran like Robert Henry wouldn't dare pat his chest and claim his personal life was impeccably orderly. Even a decent man like Edward Caleleman had scandals involving infidelity. But Su Feng was unusually clean compared to professional peers. Most of his news revolved around basketball. Gossip? Even the most professional paparazzi couldn't dig up any substantial dirt.

"Come on, Edward Caleleman, they already have a villain in their hearts. I'm right too. Yesterday, after the basketball game ended, I heard you and Weng Adams Miller on the phone. Weng Adams Miller was laughing so fiercely." "Even though you and Weng Adams Miller haven't seen each other in a long time, we don't have a basketball game tomorrow anyway. Still, we should exercise some restraint."

Su Feng shook his head. Off the court, these veterans really lacked the sobriety of retired athletes. But Rick Carlisle was right; he and Weng Adams Miller really hadn't seen each other in a long time.

Upon returning to the arena, Rick Carlisle casually gave the players a couple of instructions, and the team was immediately dismissed for a day off. Formal training would resume the next day, and the day after, the Western Conference semifinals would continue.

Yet at this exact moment, once dismissed, Su Feng didn't go straight home, nor did he stay behind to practice. Instead, he drove the "cheap" pickup truck he had bought three years ago straight to the airport.

When Su Feng appeared at the airport exit again, the reporters and fans had already dispersed, and Su Feng was glad for the quiet. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. Weng Adams Miller's plane should be landing very soon.

Sunglasses, a face mask, and a baseball cap—Su Feng tightly covered his face so that no distinct features could be seen. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches in the United States, he wasn't overwhelmingly conspicuous.

Usually, this big star just had to wave to attract cheers from crowds, but now, mingling among the ordinary passengers, he went completely unnoticed.

Su Feng didn't know how she would react when she came out. Should he greet her with a smile? Or prepare a gift for her first? Or go straight in for a hug? Su Feng was a brilliant offensive orchestrator on the basketball court, but his proficiency in matters of the heart was practically zero.

When Weng Adams Miller walked out of the arrival gate dragging a suitcase and wearing a black top, Su Feng was completely stunned for a second. Weng Adams Miller spotted Su Feng in the crowd at a glance and waved at him.

The usually composed "Su Feng" couldn't help but smile. Weng Adams Miller ran all the way in her high heels. Su Feng opened his arms and pulled the Spanish girl into a tight embrace.

He didn't care about any messy protocols. Smiles and hugs were the natural reactions of Su Feng and Weng Adams Miller after such a long time apart. Perhaps love is inherently irrational. It's not like playing basketball, where you need tactical analysis to keep a clear head. Emotion relies entirely on the heart.

"I rushed straight here the moment business was done! Congratulations, you're truly the best player now!" Weng Adams Miller excitedly kissed Su Feng's cheek, as if the Spanish athlete herself had won the MVP trophy.

The intimate actions of the two immediately attracted the attention of people around them. Perhaps if Su Feng had been standing alone in the crowd, no one would have recognized him. But without any disguise, Weng Adams Miller couldn't escape the keen eyes of fans.

As a female basketball player of immense popularity, Weng Adams Miller enjoyed a stellar reputation. Coupled with her relationship with Su Feng, it was practically common knowledge in Dallas.

Consequently, people in the airport immediately screamed and pulled out their phones to take pictures of the pair.

And Su Feng and Weng Adams Miller? They didn't seem to care at all. They walked hand in hand out of the airport, completely unfazed by the surrounding screams.

At this very moment, nothing could disturb their rare and precious date, not even reporters or fans.

Ever since they met, the time Weng Adams Miller and Su Feng spent together each year had always been terribly short.