No normal team plays like this. Even the Kings’ Princeton offense isn’t this crazy.
Larry Brown criticized inwardly, ’Kids these days. They just don’t get basketball.’
On television, Barkley was full of passionate praise. "That’s our Reggie Miller! A worthy candidate for the greatest shooter of all ti. And Jack runs like a cheetah—he’s sharp and decisive. I love his clean, crisp, no-frills passes."
But Kenny Smith, sitting beside him, couldn’t bring himself to enjoy it.
Not everyone shared the sa joy. He just found Barkley to be incredibly loud.
What’s more, he was starting to develop a hatred for shades of lipstick.
Kenny Smith never in his wildest dreams imagined that Su Xi coming off the bench would actually spark a coback from the brink. And not just any coback—he single-handedly ignited an offensive explosion that left the Pistons completely powerless.
SWISH!
The Pistons finally managed a face-saving basket, courtesy of a floater from Hamilton.
But in the blink of an eye, Su Xi was already storming down the court with the ball. The Pacers’ attack was getting faster and faster.
Tony Battie set a screen for Su Xi, who then drove into the paint. Ben Wallace quickly ca over to help, fully prepared to jump and body Su Xi right out of bounds. But just then, Su Xi ca to a screeching halt. He faked a shot, shifting Ben Wallace’s center of gravity, then whipped a bounce pass out... Little O’Neal grabbed the ball and smoothly finished with a left-handed layup in the lane.
SWISH!
The Pacers’ offense was swift and relentless.
The Pistons were in disarray. They couldn’t predict the Pacers’ fast-break patterns.
"This is a whole new way to play," Barkley remarked on television, finally putting his finger on it. "Under Jack’s direction, the Pacers’ offense is moving at an incredible speed. It’s like the final push before the climax."
"Detroit is an old, worn-out Piston, maybe even a seized one. It’s only natural they can’t handle Su Xi’s furious pounding."
Barkley was getting more and more smug.
The ga continued.
Led by Su Xi, the Pacers continued to push the pace against the slow-footed Pistons. With their offense firing on all cylinders, the lead quickly ballooned to double digits.
With one minute left in the ga, the Pacers were up by 11, with two free throws yet to be shot.
Larry Brown called his last tiout.
Just before the tiout, Ben Wallace had committed his fifth personal foul on Su Xi. As Su Xi drove to the basket, Wallace had grabbed him, tearing his jersey in the process. Su Xi was awarded two free throws.
Larry Brown was ready to concede the ga. Even though he looked down on the Pacers’ fast-paced offense, the Pistons had been thoroughly dismantled by their fierce one-two punch.
"Let’s just call it a ga," Larry Brown announced calmly from the bench.
None of the players said a word. Tonight, they had been completely stunned by Su Xi. They all felt off their ga; maybe giving up wasn’t the worst idea.
But Ben Wallace, stubborn and irate, growled, "No! I’ve still got one foul to give. I want to keep playing. I’m fighting until the very end. Anyone else can surrender, but the Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t!"
Larry Brown gave him that chance. Prince then also declared his intention to fight until the very end.
Billups silently put on his warm-up jacket and asked for an ice pack.
BEEP!
The whistle blew.
The ga resud.
SWISH!
Su Xi made the first free throw, bringing his total to 26 points. He also had 16 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.
Tonight, Su Xi’s efficiency was simply unprecedented. He had successfully proven to the world why he was the leader of the Pacers.
And on this point, even Artest, back in the locker room, no longer had any doubts.
He respected the strong. He respected leaders who could carve a path to victory out of the jaws of defeat.
Su Xi was exactly that type of leader. Artest even felt he could see a shadow of Jordan in him.
CLANK!
Su Xi’s second free throw was a little short. It clanked off the front of the rim and bounced out.
A chaotic scramble erupted under the basket. In the struggle, Little O’Neal managed to tip the ball up.
Su Xi, timing it perfectly, charged toward the edge of the paint. Seeing the ball tipped into the air, he exploded upwards. His left hand caught the ball mid-air, while his right hand pressed down hard... on Ben Wallace’s shoulder.
Using that leverage, Su Xi—who wasn’t known for his vertical leap—flew over the "crowd" in the paint and viciously slamd the ball through the hoop... BOOM!
The mont Su Xi slamd the ball through the hoop was absolutely monuntal.
An absolute thunderbolt.
Barkley let out a scream on TV.
Auburn Hills Palace was dead silent.
Ben Wallace, who had been straddled by Su Xi, quickly scrambled away.
anwhile, the Pacers’ bench erupted, with even Coach Carlisle leaping to his feet and pumping his fist.
What a monster dunk!
A poster dunk, and a poster over the Defensive Player of the Year, Ben Wallace, no less.
There could be no better way to put the final nail in the coffin for this ga.
The mont Su Xi completed the thunderous dunk, a flurry of cara shutters went off from the sidelines, capturing this legendary, iconic slam from every possible angle.
"The era of the Pistons bullying the Pacers is gone, and it’s never coming back."
In front of his TV, Larry Bird clenched his fists. He’d never felt such pride for Su Xi. He was also proud of his own decision to make the trade. ’I’ve finally brought the final piece of the legendary puzzle ho.’
"THE DUNK OF DEATH!! THAT WAS THE DUNK OF DEATH!!"
Barkley was roaring on TV: "The great Su Xi has dominated this battle of Eastern Conference titans! The debate over whether he’s the Pacers’ leader is over! The discussion about whether he should be an All-Star starter is over! The argunt about whether he’s the best rookie this year? Seems like that’s over too! And of course, the most important thing... there’s no longer any doubt about who gets to cozy up to that donkey’s ass. KENNY!!!"
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