The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 119 - 103: You Guys Desperately Need Me!

Chapter 119: Chapter 103: You Guys Desperately Need Me!

LeBron began to retreat.

Slowly, McGinnis or Newell became the primary defender facing Su Wan again.

It was another way he evaded.

The live audience didn’t notice this; they just watched Su Wan with despair in their eyes.

Those Clevelanders who had crazily booed Su Wan before the game finally understood why a faint smile played on Su Wan’s lips.

That was a mocking smile, as if he were watching clowns perform in a circus.

He knew well what he would bring to this city tonight, so the sky full of boos couldn’t dampen his spirits...

This man, once their own, had worn the Cavaliers number 99 in this arena and had even stood at the scorer’s table; they remembered all this clearly, which gradually filled their eyes with regret.

Su Wan did not plan to let LeBron off, intending to score 17 points on him as he had declared.

Whoever LeBron defended, Su would pick and roll with them, creating a mismatch to play LeBron one-on-one.

The whole scene was just like the classic saying: "He runs, he chases, he can’t escape!"

Su Wan’s voice kept echoing in LeBron’s ears:

"Only 11 points left!"

"Just 9 more points!"

"7 points, LeBron, you’re almost free!"

...

With anger and helplessness, LeBron fiercely shoved Su Wan during a layup, yet he was still unable to stop the basketball from landing in the basket.

This was Su Wan’s best night playing basketball.

God had granted him such form on this night; he could forgive everything, including that shove from LeBron.

He had a more humiliating way to respond than a mere kick.

"Bzzt!"

Moreover, the referee had blown the whistle.

"Looks like it’s going to be a 4-point play, LeBron."

Confidently striding to the free throw line, at this moment, as Cavaliers fans, they should have been raining deafening jeers to disturb Su Wan’s free throw.

But 80% of the fans in the stands watched Su Wan take the court with a defiant look, finding themselves choked, unable to utter any boos.

Their expressions mirrored LeBron’s, who was standing with his hands on his hips at the right side of the free throw line.

What kind of city cultivates what kind of players and fans...

This proved the point; Cleveland fans were like LeBron: loving to be despondent, loving to give up, and...

Loving to complain!

"LeBron, what are you actually doing?"

"OMG, I can’t believe I stood up my wife to watch such a stupid game!"

"Cleveland’s number 23 is just a joke, you’ll never be the next Michael Jordan, never!"

Some Cavaliers fans began to withdraw their support.

This was not surprising:

Su Wan’s score for tonight had reached 46 points.

And LeBron?

His score was still the same as it had been five minutes earlier: 6 points.

Besides his dwindling confidence leading to a loss of offensive desire, there was another reason: Rick Carlisle had set up the "Iron Bucket Formation", with all 5 Pacers on the court positioning to deny LeBron points, and even to deny him shots.

Rick was well aware that as long as LeBron didn’t gain momentum, the Cavaliers would never crawl out of the mire.

LeBron felt targeted by the Pacers, not just by them but by the whole world, including these Cleveland fans. Listen to what they’re saying; is it really my fault we played like this tonight?

If my teammates could display an MVP level performance, how could we possibly not win?

But the reality now was...

They were all relying on me!

They couldn’t do anything!

I need stronger teammates, like those standing next to Su Wan, little O’Neal, Stephen Jackson, and Foster.

With such teammates, would I lose to Su Wan?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

"Swish!"

As LeBron internally justified himself, Su Wan continued to score, fixing his own score for this game at 51 points with 10:14 left in the third quarter.

"At age 19 years and 284 days!"

"Let’s congratulate Su Wan on becoming the youngest NBA ’50 points’ man in history!"

"OMG, this is truly an incredible night, Su Wan has made history!"

"And what’s scarier is, he can still continue to make history!"

Barkley screamed excitedly in the studio, his lips quivering like two plump sausage links. No wonder he was so thrilled; Su Wan was frightening tonight, maintaining such momentum as long as he stayed on the court, he might break the record for the youngest "60 points" man, and even the youngest "70 points" man.

"Flying Pig" believed, tonight Su Wan could do anything.

"Bzzt!"

As the third quarter ended, Su Wan’s score was fixed at 54 points, and the Pacers’ lead was nearly surpassing 30 points.

A savage slaughter.

Clevelanders’ "wall of trust" had finally completely collapsed; they began to rise from their seats, heading towards the exits.

They had to leave, otherwise the suffocating atmosphere was going to push them towards despair.

LeBron James had brought them hope in the past month, but this night, all that hope shattered—no, shattered to the uttermost, leaving despair everywhere.

What made them more despairing than the lagging score was LeBron’s performance.

Such an important game, yet such a dreadful performance...