Chapter 104: Regicide
Timeout ends. Cavaliers sideline out-of-bounds play. LeBron James uses a backdoor cut off a screen to barely receive the ball, and Jason Kidd immediately switches onto him.
1:49
LeBron James doesn’t call for a pick and roll; he waves his hand to clear out one side.
Suddenly, an extremely exaggerated crossover dribble. LeBron James uses his first step to forcefully create half a body of space from Kidd, charging toward the basket like a heavy tank at full speed!
Josh Howard and Darko Milicic have already shrunk the paint; a double team forms instantly! LeBron James is trapped in a jungle of muscle, but he shows no retreat, forcibly jumping into the air mid-flight, twisting his body to attempt a shot!
In this critical moment, just before the ball is clamped, he catches a glimpse with the corner of his eye of that fleeting opening in the left corner—Delonte West has shaken free from his defender via an inside screen, gaining open space.
Without hesitation, LeBron James, in mid-air with an awkward near-turnover posture, flings the ball viciously through the crowd, precisely delivering it into West’s hands!
West catches the ball and jumps for the shot.
Swish!!!
“Miraculous Delonte West! Corner three! Deficit back to 6 points! 1:45! Cavaliers haven’t given up!”
Grizzlies have nothing to say; by choosing to leave the Cavaliers’ inside open to clog the paint, they must be prepared for their bigs to screen on the perimeter for teammates to get open.
For the Clevelanders, this is a ray of hope lit in despair.
The frenzy grows, the roars intensify.
“Kill these damn Memphis bastards!!!”
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse falls into complete madness! The noise almost shatters the arena’s roof. From despair to hope, all it takes is one successful defensive stop and a possession!
Grizzlies baseline out-of-bounds. The do-or-die Cavaliers, like red-eyed gamblers, immediately implement a desperate full-court press.
Delonte West wraps up Kidd, who’s preparing to receive, with nearly a takedown hold; LeBron James closes in immediately, ready to double team if Kidd gets the ball.
The home court referee ignores this obvious physical contact, indulging the Cavaliers’ rough defense.
Kidd barely receives the ball amid fierce muscle collisions, but LeBron James’s long arms and West’s flailing arms completely block his passing lanes and vision.
“Bang!”
Under the two’s vicious double team, Kidd’s ball is stripped away and rolls toward the sideline!
Xu Ling dives like an arrow off the string from the other side, his body nearly parallel to the ground—but just as his fingertips are about to touch the ball, the basketball hits the sideline floor first!
Out of bounds!
Referee whistle blows, unhesitatingly awarding possession to the Cavaliers.
“Fatal turnover! LeBron and Delonte’s biting defense causes Jason’s loss of ball! The miracle is truly beckoning Cleveland!”
Final 1:36, Cavaliers possession.
Sideline ball inbound, LeBron James catches and without hesitation, two steps beyond the three-point line, forces a pull-up three! The basketball has a flat arc, smashing hard off the back rim and bouncing out.
But Lady Luck seems to stand with the Clevelanders again. Big Z uses his height advantage to swat the rebound over Milicic’s head beyond the three-point line; the ball lands perfectly in Pavlović’s hands.
Cavaliers reorganize offense; after a few passes, they put their faith in Big Z.
Big Z backs down Milicic, bulling toward the basket with his massive physique and strength. Milicic fights back hard, stance firm without losing position. Big Z forcibly spins to the baseline, tossing up an extremely awkward hook shot—the ball is clearly off!
“Beep!!!”
But the referee’s whistle shrills, calling a defensive foul on Milicic.
Not just Milicic erupts in rage; Grizzlies head coach Marc Iavaroni jumps up and down on the sideline: “What kind of foul is that? Are you just letting the game spiral out of control like this?”
Milicic, face flushed red with anger, charges toward the referee to argue—but Xu Ling yanks his jersey, forcibly holding him back.
“Enough, Darko!” Xu Ling’s voice is commanding. “The referees have been ‘taking care’ of them all night; haven’t you gotten used to it? Look at the scoreboard—we’re still leading.”
Milicic, shocked and furious, nearly blurts out: “You can get used to this?!”
Xu Ling doesn’t answer, just drags him away.
Get used to it? Why not?
Xu Ling suddenly recalls his college mentor Bob Knight; his mentor’s most meaningful quote about shitty referees was to treat them like an unavoidable rape—if you can’t fight back, just enjoy it, and with luck, you might get a massive settlement like the Eagle County protagonist.
He too thinks tonight’s officiating is atrocious, with a fire burning in his chest. But he knows better: this is the treatment the Chosen One’s team gets at home. He’s got some fame now, but far from the level where referees pay him special attention.
In moments like this, emotional protests are meaningless, only gifting opponents free throws and technical fouls.
If you really want to vent that pent-up rage, what you should do is endure.
Endure. Xu Ling tells himself. Endure calmly.
Then, wait.
Wait for an opportunity. One is enough.
Big Z then makes both free throws, cutting the deficit to 5 points.
Mike Brown claps hard on the sideline, thumbs up to his players. The Cavaliers act as if they’ve turned the game around, high-fiving each other; the Grizzlies call timeout at that moment.
“Control the clock, guys, time is still on our side!” Marc Iavaroni shouts. “Jason, you inbound, but don’t rush—run the 2 play first; if no chance, find Eli!”
That’s Iavaroni’s call.
But when timeout ends, as Xu Ling heads onto the court, he tells Kidd: “Don’t run the 2 play; pass to me if you get the chance!”
Grizzlies overcome the sideline inbound issue, Xu Ling inbounds; Kidd navigates Milicic’s solid pick and roll to receive smoothly.
Kidd controls the ball like a stabilizing anchor, letting time tick: 1 minute, 55 seconds. Then, calling no play, he leaves 8 seconds for cutting Xu Ling to receive.
Marc Iavaroni ponders on the sideline.
He doesn’t know what Kidd is thinking—no play opportunity? Or does he trust Eli too much?
He won’t blame Kidd.
Moreover, letting Xu Ling handle in this moment is the best thing that could happen to the Grizzlies.
Xu Ling takes on the weak side, facing LeBron James. He is the Chosen One, he is the king, the league’s acknowledged most promising young superstar—just like Tim Duncan’s eternal post-Finals sendoff after sweeping him: the future is yours.
This league will be his, because the future will be his; he will effortlessly dominate the Eastern Conference and completely surpass the great Michael Jordan at his peak—everyone thinks so.
But why did this guy suddenly appear?
What does the #1 on his jersey signify?
The Cleveland crowd starts counting down the Grizzlies’ final 8 seconds of shot clock, hoping to add pressure on Xu Ling.
Xu Ling lowers his center of gravity, dribbles with his right hand, eyes sharp, calmly reading James’s defense; at that moment, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse’s noise reaches a frenzied peak, utterly unbearable.
Five seconds left on the shot clock; Xu Ling explodes into motion—a hyper-realistic hesitation step, body lifting slightly upward, toes rising, making James think he’s about to pull up—yet recalling that terrifying step-back, his body freezes half-risen in stiffness.
As Xu Ling changes direction left like lightning, pulling away the dribble, planting his foot for another step-back—James, trying to accelerate after him, is trapped by poor flexibility and freezes in place; forcing the drive, his base crumbles instantly, and the king falls toward Xu Ling in an inelegant sprawl.
A dull thud echoes.
LeBron James, Cleveland’s king, the center of attention’s Chosen One, under the world’s fans’ gaze, is shaken down to the floor by Xu Ling’s perfect combo move.
“My God! Change of direction! Eli drives left! Step-back! LeBron—he loses balance! He falls!! LeBron James is shaken down!!!!” Mike Breen’s scream reverberates through the arena.
All cheers, all roars, all hope shatter completely in this instant, leaving only boundless shock and wailing!
Countless Cleveland fans cry out in agony.
Xu Ling reaches the execution spot, left 45-degree beyond the three-point line; without hesitation, not even glancing at the fallen James, calm as a killer on the ice.
Xu Ling bends his knees, jumps, fires the three.
The little basketball can shatter human hearts and pierce souls in this moment.
That shot traces tonight’s most beautiful arc, like a divine bird from the heavens kissing the Cavaliers’ rim.
“Swish!!!!!”
“UNBELIEVABLE!!! Eli Xu! He destroys the king’s castle! In front of 18,000 hearts at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse! He lands the final fatal blow!” Mike Breen’s voice burns on the edge of breaking, proclaiming this moment’s glory and cruelty to the world.
But Breen, this is not #1’s final blow.
Not at all.
Xu Ling looks at James.
This isn’t their finale, just their careers’ first clash—but this game awakens the demons in them. Xu Ling knows, James knows: every great NBA player battles in his palace; twenty-nine NBA arenas, each a little castle ruled by a different king. Every king has reason to defend his castle; once it falls, the king’s existence is questioned.
Xu Ling faces the still-rising James, adding no trash talk to his fatal blow, instead making a move that stuns the world.
“Wait! What is he doing?! Eli Xu isn’t celebrating! He turns to LeBron!”
Xu Ling, to the shocked, humiliated, dazed LeBron James propping up from the floor trying to rise, slowly and contemptuously raises his right hand in the league-banned move exclusive to Dikembe Mutombo—the finger wag.
His right index finger, under the world’s gaze, wags at LeBron James once, twice, three times, many times.
Silent, yet more insulting than any roar.
“Eli. My God! He’s wagging the finger! He’s wagging the finger at LeBron James!”
“No! No! Eli! Don’t do that! You can’t do that! This is Cleveland! This is against LeBron!” Mark Jackson’s voice spikes in horror. “My God! This is the craziest thing I’ve seen on a court!”
This final humiliating blow ignites Cleveland’s last fury!
Instantly, the arena erupts like a bomb dropped, a torrent of raging, near-tangible fury exploding!
18,000 fans’ anger merges into a destructive wave—not boos, but a terrifying chorus of pained roars, mad curses, and beastly howls of utter humiliation.
“That’s a technical foul! League-banned move!” Jeff Van Gundy analyzes calmly yet rapidly. “But the call doesn’t matter anymore! Look at this arena! The most malicious arena I’ve seen!”
Beep!!!!
Referee’s whistle shrills, pointing unhesitatingly at Xu Ling for a technical foul!
Xu Ling’s face is expressionless, as if he’d foreseen the cost. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse’s roar surges again with the call, now mixed with uneasy agitation.
Time left: final 47 seconds. Grizzlies lead by 8.
James shoots the technical free throw, but perhaps affected by the clash or bearing too much pressure, the ball clangs off the front rim.
Free throw misses!
Cavaliers get sideline inbound. James catches and drives hard, but under Xu Ling and Howard’s clamp, his spin jump shot arcs wildly off, bouncing off the backboard.
Shot clock only burns 8 seconds. 39 seconds left.
Milicic secures the defensive rebound, passes to Kidd to control tempo. Cavaliers resort to hacking, sending Kidd to the line.
The veteran sinks both free throws steadily. 110-100, 37 seconds left.
Cavaliers quick inbound; Delonte West catches and rushes a three, the ball sailing ridiculously into the stands.
Another 24-second violation ends abruptly. 13 seconds left.
Grizzlies inbound sideline; Cavaliers powerless. Final buzzer sounds, scoreboard frozen at 110-100.
Memphis Grizzlies, from this hell boiling with pain and rage, take the victory.
Yet no cheers, no salutes, not even a moment’s pause.
Greeting them: a rain of drink cups and objects cascading from the stands, plus the crowd’s most venomous curses. Out-of-control fans storm security lines, lunging at their regicide.
Normal postgame courtesy is a luxury. Masses of security form a human wall, tightly encircling the Grizzlies, shoving them through the debris and chaos toward the tunnel entrance.
Xu Ling, surrounded by teammates and security, head down expressionless, strides quickly. An unidentified liquid slides off his shoulder jersey—spilled drink or spectator spit, unknown.
He doesn’t look back at the sea of rage he’d ignited, ignoring the filthiest personal insults exploding in his ears.
Like a killer finishing his mission, coldly wading through this sea of anger.
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Postgame Reactions
LeBron James skips interviews; hip tightness from in-game physicality sends him to the hospital for treatment. He’s deeply disappointed by tonight’s events.
“Oh, that’s completely unacceptable,” Mike Brown says of Xu Ling’s final finger wag. “That’s disrespect to the game, to LeBron, to our whole team and all fans. The league has clear rules banning that move; I believe they’ll handle it. We lost a battle tonight, but we’ll learn from it.”
As LeBron’s loyal sidekick, Alexander Pavlovic fumes: “That was low. In Cleveland, on our turf, no one should be treated like that. He crossed the line.”
Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni downplays the controversy, refocusing on the game: “Emotional moment. Eli faced huge pressure all night, put on a phenomenal performance leading us to victory in adversity. As for the gesture, refs handled it—end of story. I’d rather talk about the team’s clutch toughness and how Jason steadied the ship.”
“I saw it, heard it. But you know, in that white-hot phase, anything can happen. Eli’s a competitor who craves wins. Sometimes young guys vent emotions that way. Key is we won, and everyone left healthy,” Kidd says shrewdly. “As for LeBron, one of the most talented I’ve seen—he’ll respond strongly, no doubt. That’s the beauty of competition.”
“In my broadcasting career, I’ve seen hostile moments, but tonight ranks top,” Mike Breen says on postgame Sports Center.
“Unpopular truth: everyone’s calling that finger wag ‘disrespectful.’ But was the crowd’s unified racial slurs respectful? The objects raining from stands? LeBron James and his team enjoying home whistles all second half—respecting pure competition? We demand players, especially young ones, endure like saints, then bind them with ‘sportsmanship.’ Eli Xu went overboard, but it’s an uncontrolled rebound to prior injustices. He reclaimed control his way. If you accept Cleveland’s near-‘riot’ hostility, accept a young guy’s response. Fair. Even, very basketball,” Jeff Van Gundy evaluates the finger wag postgame.
Ultimately, back to reality, as Mark Jackson said: “My God! My reaction then and now—I nearly jumped from my chair live!”
Yes, that’s most people’s reaction to that moment.
Postgame Interviews
Marc Stein, ESPN
“Eli, at game’s end you finger-wagged LeBron James—a league-banned provocative act. What were you thinking? Worried about impact on your image or future games?”
Xu Ling replies:
“Guess fans won’t mind buying the villain’s shoes.”
Rachel Nichols, TNT
“Media hyped this as your direct duel with LeBron James; you answered his drives multiple times. Does tonight prove you can hang with the league’s top stars?”
Xu Ling smirks:
“Hang? Don’t like that word. Sounds like chasing someone. Tonight I just did my job. Who the opponent is? Don’t care.”
Tom Haberstroh, Yahoo Sports
“Refs seemed to favor Cavaliers tonight, especially key moments. Your view? Did it affect your strategy?”
Xu Ling replies:
“Refs? They’re trying hard, really. P.S., my strategy’s making shots they can’t call back.”
Howard Beck, Washington Post
“Jason Kidd’s precise passes made your offense smoother tonight. How’s his arrival changed Grizzlies’ style? Feelings on playing with him?”
Xu Ling smiles genuinely for the first time:
“Playing with Jason’s like turning on full map in a game. Just run off-ball, ball magically appears. Style shift: you used to say I love iso 1v5（smiling wider）; now sometimes me and Jason 2v5—math improvement.”
Jack Ramsay, Associated Press
“Cleveland fans showed intense hostility tonight, even racial slurs. How do you handle off-court pressure? Affects your play?”
Xu Ling replies:
“Suggest they update their vocabulary.”
Chris Sheridan, feeling entitled to ask in this historic game despite being notorious “anti-Eli.”
But before he speaks, Xu Ling recognizes and cuts him off: “Shut up, won’t answer you; you’re not welcome here—leave.”
Anyway, Eli’s set to be national—no, global—hot tomorrow from these quotes and that thrilling-yet-terrifying “finger wag,” amid all his controversies—ejecting a senior reporter noteworthy?
Obviously not.
