Chapter 87: The Basketball Arena

Chapter 99: The Basketball Arena

The fierce competition for the Best Player award continued to provide endless conversation for fans every day, as well as classic moments in the basketball world. Every year, the selection for Best Player was the most competitive time for teams and the stage where stars made their names. This year, the name mentioned most frequently in the Best Player race was, without question, Su Feng.

Today, Su Feng was spotted by fans after he drove out. Every photo of this man could fetch a good price now. Eager fans had even rushed into Su Feng’s home, snapping a photo of him in the shower.

Yet, in the face of the fans’ cameras and the praise from the outside world, Su Feng seemed not the least bit excited, even after ten baskets. He trained as usual, put in extra practice, and returned home early to rest.

After spending a day with him, fans were surprised by how “boring” his life was. A celebrity player like Su Feng, wandering the streets of Dallas, could easily have brought a few beautiful women home for the night, or perhaps gone to White Rock Lake to rent a boat and fish.

But the fans never captured such images. Su Feng’s life resembled that of a worker: extremely ordinary, not mixed up in anything else.

Though he was immersed in the glitz of the top league, his extraordinary self-discipline still amazed the fans. No wonder he was always so steady in games; it was inseparable from his relentless effort behind the scenes.

Until this season’s drama ended, Su Feng would not allow anything to interfere with his work. He even politely declined invitations from Stevens and Hayward. Call it wooden, call it lacking in warmth, but you could also see it as his way of taking his job seriously.

Naturally, Su Feng’s sincerity would bring him greater rewards. On April 25th, in the first round of the Western Best Player competition, the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Houston Rockets officially moved to FedEx Forum. Amid the cheers of 15,000 Houston Rockets fans, Su Feng racked up 32 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals, with a spectacular individual performance. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers suffered their first defeat in two years in the opening round of the series.

The Houston Rockets were desperate today; every player performed well. They knew full well that if the series went to 3-0, a whole season’s effort would be wasted.

Today, the Rockets were all warriors, with everyone who appeared making their contributions.

Randolph showed tremendous dominance in the face of Robert Henry, avenging himself with a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds. Marc Gasol refused to be overshadowed, posting 18 points and 8 rebounds; the “black and white bears” moved in lockstep, neutralizing Robert Henry and Kaman, the German national team’s inside pairing.

Of course, the scoring from the black and white bears was not the only reason for the Rockets’ win. Their victory was even more reliant on relentless offense.

Aside from Su Feng, no one on the Cavaliers broke into double digits today. Even Robert Henry managed only 9 points on 4-for-11 shooting.

Basketball has always been a five-man game. No matter how strong Su Feng was, he couldn’t topple the Rockets’ defense on his own. With a score of 98–87, the Rockets, once on the verge of despair, dragged the city’s hopes back home, cutting the series to 2–1 and seeing a glimmer of hope once more.

For the Rockets, good things seemed to come in clusters. Just before the fourth game, the top league and the Rockets officially announced that Spanish center Gasol had won this season’s Best Offensive Player award. This news greatly boosted the morale of the team.

Kobe Bryant really wanted to protest to the top league; regular season awards would be given out just one day after the season ended. Facing an opponent who had just won an award in the playoffs was an unfair blow to morale.

Inspired by his “Best Offensive Player” honor, Marc Gasol shone in the fourth game. With his soft touch and solid basketball rhythm, the Spaniard showed everyone that centers were not yet extinct in basketball—prehistoric beasts still had the power to control games.

Marc Gasol hit 11 of 17 shots, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, dominating the paint with Randolph as they combined for a 48+22 double-double, maximizing the Rockets’ inside advantage.

The Cavaliers repeatedly tried to break the Rockets’ tight interior defense with three-pointers, but failed every time. Neither Dirk, Carter, Collison, nor Yi Jianlian could provide consistent three-point firepower for Cleveland.

Without three-point shooting, there was no hope of catching up. They could only watch as the Rockets scored again and again in the way they knew best.

The Cavaliers suffered a heavy blow; they had a chance to clinch the first series today but now found themselves tied 2–2, having lost two games in a row.

With Kobe Bryant back from suspension, Su Feng followed his tactical plan, pulling the ball out of the crowd and receiving the sideline pass. But when he looked up, he was stunned.

This time, Su Feng wasn’t facing Chalmers or Wade, but rather the determined gaze of the top team’s number 6, Henry Will Williams Adams Miller!

“Coach Spoelstra is letting Henry Will take the direct assignment. That’s a bold move!” Mike Breen stared intently. Tony Allen’s negligible three-point ability made it safe to have Chalmers attack. Wade taking Iguodala had its risks. But sending Iguodala to shoot the game-winner was a gamble in itself.

If Kobe Bryant dared to make a move and let Iguodala go for the kill, Spoelstra would recognize it. But the problem was, Kobe still hesitated—he wanted to test Su Feng.

So, at the last moment, Henry Will was forced to face Henry Will. Four years ago, Williams Adams Miller could only stand in front of Robert Henry. Four years later, number 6 was back on defense.

Su Feng wasn’t afraid. He let the clock wind down to the final five seconds before making his move. With help from Robert Henry and Gobert, he took a step from beyond the arc and launched a shot!

But to Su Feng’s surprise, Williams Adams Miller suddenly closed in, arms outstretched, smothering the shot. Su Feng hadn’t expected him to recover so quickly after being delayed.

Normally, Su Feng would use his height advantage when shooting, but today, against Williams Adams Miller, that advantage evaporated.

Williams Adams Miller’s palm was almost right in Su Feng’s face. Su Feng was sure the ball wasn’t blocked, but whether it would go in was another matter.

The ball arced toward the basket; as its trajectory flattened, Kobe Bryant felt a “click” in his heart. Su Feng’s shot usually had a higher arc.

Sure enough, the ball hit the front of the rim just as the red light on the backboard lit up. The Chinese guard, almost invincible all night, failed to win the game.

“Damn!” Su Feng buried his head in his hands in regret. The least wanted loss of the season had come at his hands.

Watching the Rockets celebrate wildly, Su Feng had no mood for it. This defeat also meant that the Cavaliers had lost the regular season victory to the Rockets!

Frustrated, Su Feng clenched his teeth. He knew that in the finals, he would have to overcome the mountain that was Williams Adams Miller. The talk of championship rings was meaningless otherwise!

Four years ago, Dirk had conquered Henry Will with his magical performance. Now, four years later, Su Feng wanted to climb over number 6’s shoulders, but it wasn’t as easy as he’d imagined.

After their seven-game winning streak, the Cavaliers had lost six. But at this point, that no longer mattered.

What weighed on Su Feng’s mind was not the number of wins, but a single name: Henry Will Williams Adams Miller!

Su Feng had failed in the final battle, watching as Henry Will Williams Adams Miller seized victory at the Spanish Route Center. On the last possession, facing Williams Adams Miller’s defense, Su Feng was helpless. The loss meant that the Rockets had twice beaten the Dallas Cavaliers this season, both times in the regular season.

So far this season, the Cavaliers had only lost six games, and to be beaten twice by one team spoke volumes about the strength of the top squad.

After the game, Su Feng refused all interviews and skipped the fan reception. He was deeply dejected, having let his team lose to their least favorite opponent because of his failure. If this had been the finals, the Cavaliers would be down 2–0. And what does a 2–0 deficit mean? It means the trophy is all but in the opponents’ hands!

On the other side, Williams Adams Miller was in high spirits. The experience of back-to-back wins in the regular season told him that if everyone worked hard, beating the Cavaliers was not a problem. One win might be a fluke, but two in a row was enough to show the difference in strength.

Now, even if the Rockets faced the Cavaliers again in the finals, they would not be afraid. In contrast, the San Antonio Spurs seemed to trouble Williams Adams Miller even more...

Losing a game right after the All-Star break left everyone on the Cavaliers uneasy.

Su Feng was frustrated. In the playoffs, if you lost a game, you got a quick shot at revenge. However unwilling you were, you could vent your frustrations immediately.

But if you lost in the regular season, you might have to carry that weight for a long time. Su Feng wanted nothing more than to face a strong team to prove himself and his squad.

But the regular season schedule of the Best Player competition would not change for anyone’s mood.

That year, the top team, the Houston Rockets, had been stunned by the Dallas Cavaliers’ stacked lineup, unable to compete, and had to watch as Dallas completed their revenge and captured the O’Brien Trophy.

Coincidentally, in that year’s finals, another young guard’s name became famous—Su Feng.

By this season, the Cavaliers and Rockets were both widely predicted by the media to reach the finals again. Though the odds of such a prediction were slim, it was undeniable that both teams regarded each other as their imagined enemy. Every encounter was a pitched battle. They tested each other in the regular season to hone their strategies for the playoffs.

Therefore, after the last loss to the Rockets, the Cavaliers took the matchup after the All-Star break very seriously.

No matter where you were or what you were doing, the afternoon practice on the 17th was mandatory—no absences or lateness. Kobe Bryant wasn’t in the finals, and the regular season Rockets game was blocked. Under such circumstances, team morale would be low even before the game began.

Whether or not the Cavaliers and Rockets would meet in the finals, as coaches, they had to be ready for any eventuality.

So, at 4:00 p.m. on the 17th, Kobe Bryant entered the gym to find the Cavaliers players warming up as usual. The tension of the regular season snapped back in an instant, as if All-Star Weekend had never happened.

Kobe was pleased with their condition—the team had not been lulled by victory. They knew success was still far off.

Amidst this intense preparation, on February 18th, the most anticipated regular season game since the Best Player competition resumed finally began at the Spanish Route Center!

Although the Clippers and Spurs clashed fiercely in the West today, ESPN still paid a hefty price for exclusive national broadcast rights to this game. They believed the intensity surpassed even that of Spurs vs. Clippers.

Before the game, Williams Adams Miller, fresh from the All-Star festivities, looked energetic. He told fans solemnly that he would give it his all in this Best Player matchup, without holding back!

It seemed that both the Cavaliers and the Rockets were taking this game extremely seriously. Since Su Feng had propelled Williams Adams Miller to the Best Player trophy last year, Williams Adams Miller had always feared Su Feng and the Cavaliers.

Before the game, Williams Adams Miller even gathered his teammates for a pep talk—something rarely seen in the regular season.

After tip-off, the Rockets quickly displayed their formidable side.

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