Chapter 99: Disrespecting The Kings Is The Greatest Sin
Undoubtedly, the attention this game has received has already surpassed the competition itself.
Because if looking at competitiveness, the Grizzlies are currently 28 wins and 24 losses, ranking tenth in the Western Conference, while the Cavaliers are 29 wins and 23 losses, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Rankings can explain some issues, but they cannot represent everything.
However, people can indeed see the gap in competitiveness between the Western Conference and Eastern Conference from the rankings.
In the current Western Conference, to enter the top eight, at least 33 wins are needed.
In other words, the Grizzlies are currently five wins behind the Western Conference top eight.
While the Eastern Conference is easy mode; if the Grizzlies were placed in the Eastern Conference, the playoffs would not even be a consideration.
Inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, eighteen thousand spectators flooded in. When the visiting Grizzlies took the court, intense boos erupted from all directions.
Those blue-collar workers drinking beer and getting emotional roared directly at Xu Ling.
“Go back to China, you damn idiot!”
“You’ll never measure up to LeBron!”
“Get ready to be judged by LeBron tonight, bastard!”
Since the season started, Xu Ling has faced this kind of treatment plenty of times on the road, so he is used to it. His heart didn’t fluctuate at all; instead, he felt sorry for the Americans’ limited vocabulary.
It was always just those few lines, too little variety.
Moreover, Xu Ling instinctively knew how to block out these voices.
He focused on his warm-up.
In contrast, LeBron James at the other end of the court was much more flamboyant. He chatted and laughed with his teammates, occasionally completing a casual slam dunk that drew thunderous cheers from the crowd. He enjoyed everything here: the spotlight, the deafening “MVP” chants, and the hostility his opponents were enduring.
The King’s gaze occasionally swept seemingly casually over the opposite half-court, with a confidence deep in his eyes that everything was under control.
And in the center of the court, the broadcast teams from major television networks were already ready.
“Welcome viewers across the United States to watch the NBA regular season spotlight game brought to you by ESPN! I’m Mike Breen, joined by Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson!” Mike Breen’s signature high-pitched voice came through the microphone, trying to overpower the arena noise. “What an unbelievable scene! The atmosphere at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse tonight is like a playoffs Game 7!”
“Crazy, too crazy!” Mark Jackson excitedly chimed in. “But I love this feeling! This is what basketball should be! Hatred, confrontation, superstar showdown! Ever since Eli’s Twitter post, everyone has been waiting for this game!”
Jeff Van Gundy, as always, calmly analyzed: “I’m more interested in the tactical side. The Grizzlies’ new lineup has just gelled, Kidd’s performance is stunning, but the Cleveland Cavaliers were last season’s runner-up. Eli will face the league’s top team tonight and an MVP-level player determined to school him.”
Breen smoothly steered the topic to the pre-game drama: “Jeff, speaking of ‘schooling,’ LeBron’s comments a few days ago about ‘Eli still needing to learn how to be a professional player’ have undoubtedly added tons of fireworks to this game. Jeff, what do you think?”
Van Gundy immediately replied: “I think it was a very clever, but very LeBron-style public opinion play. LeBron positioned himself as the senior and mentor; no matter the win or loss, he seems invincible. If they win, it proves he was right, the rookie still needs to learn; if they lose? Then it’s just the young guy winning on youthful momentum, still unable to shake his narrative. But to me, the NBA has only one classroom, and that’s this court. All the talk ultimately gets tested here.”
The background and prelude to this game were disseminated to originally unaware fans through the commentary teams’ narration.
Now, as Van Gundy said, there was only one test left.
The arena lights suddenly dimmed.
The Cavaliers’ home DJ immediately roared out the Cavaliers’ starting lineup. Undoubtedly, James would be the last one introduced, and when the DJ shouted “Number 23,” the fans in the arena went wild.
When the arena DJ drew out “From St. Vincent~~~St. Mary High School. 6-foot-8 forward LeBron————James!!!” in a prolonged, ceremonial tone, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse completely lost its mind.
James came onto the court, high-fiving his teammates one by one. Then, the arena DJ listlessly announced the Grizzlies’ starting lineup, and with that, both teams’ starters were on the court.
Before the game started, James still had something to do. He stood near center court, habitually tossing magnesium powder high into the air. The white powder fluttered under the lights like confetti at a coronation ceremony. The crowd gave him an excited response, and he basked in the glory of the coronation.
Finally, all the bullshit pre-game ceremonies were over.
James brushed past Xu Ling, suddenly stopped, and said, “Welcome to Cleveland, brother. I look forward to a great game.”
Xu Ling wanted to laugh. After everything that had happened, James was still calling him “brother.” Was he serious?
It’s just that not everyone is like James, who has known how to pretend since childhood.
Xu Ling had no intention of sugarcoating the situation.
“Of course.” Xu Ling certainly wouldn’t respond with hypocritical words like calling him brother. “I hope what you teach me tonight is more useful than what you said off the court.”
James’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second, a flicker of barely perceptible coldness flashing in his eyes, but he immediately covered it with an even brighter smile: “Haha, you’ll see. Good luck.”
With the height advantage, “Big Z” Ilgauskas won the tip-off for the Cavaliers.
LeBron James didn’t take over the offense right away, or even call for the ball. Cavaliers starting guard Daniel Gibson steadily dribble pushed forward, while James leisurely strolled to the left corner, looking as relaxed as a bystander.
Xu Ling was matching up against Larry Hughes at the time.
The next moment, the basketball went to Big Z at the right elbow. And in that instant, James suddenly accelerated, like a supercar slamming into high gear, cutting along the baseline like lightning, instantly shaking off Josh Howard’s defense.
Ilgauskas’s bounce pass was perfect. James caught the ball, facing help defense from Darko Milicic. He didn’t even jump, just a light reverse layup off the baseline.
The ball kissed the glass and in.
2-0.
Even though Xu Ling wasn’t the one matching up against him, James said to Xu Ling before retreating on defense: “Keep up, rookie, the game’s on.”
Good, less than half a minute into the game, Mr. Zhan’s address for Xu had devolved from “brother” to “rookie.”
At this rate, how long until it devolved to “son of the beach”?
Kidd originally wanted to organize a bit, but as soon as he crossed half-court, he saw Xu Ling raise his hand for the ball. Given tonight’s atmosphere built up to this point, would it be right not to pass?
Kidd got the message, firing a cross-court pass to Xu Ling on the right wing. Facing Hughes’s tight defense, Xu Ling quickly twice with crossover dribbles to shift the center of gravity, then unhesitatingly rose for a jump shot.
“Swish!”
2-2
After the make, Xu Ling didn’t celebrate. Instead, on the way back on defense, he met James’s gaze and coolly said: “Your turn to keep up, ‘King.'”
The Cavaliers inbounded quickly. Gibson caught the ball and pushed forward rapidly. James received at the top, facing Howard’s defense. With a shoulder drop and acceleration, using explosive power, he bulldozed into the paint, drawing help defense from Milicic, then calmly kicked it to the open Daniel Gibson on the right.
Gibson caught the ball with a prime open look and didn’t hesitate, rising for the jump shot.
At that moment, Xu Ling, who had positioned to cut off the passing lane after James’s drive, was the only one who could stop Gibson. He sprinted full speed, arriving like a phantom in front of him, blocking out the sky, with a ferocious block that swatted the ball flying!
“Fast break!”
Xu Ling roared the instant he landed, and the Grizzlies instantly transitioned.
Kidd secured possession and quickly passed to Xu Ling breaking ahead.
Xu Ling charged to the frontcourt for the dunk and the score, grabbing 4 points right out of the gate.
After the Cavaliers inbounded and pushed, James tried to answer with the same, but his forced drive rimmed out under joint interference from Howard and Milicic. Kidd grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Grizzlies got another transition chance.
This time, Josh Howard shot to the frontcourt like an arrow from a bow, receiving Kidd’s long pass across half-court. With only the empty basket ahead, as he prepared for the easy layup, a deep red figure rapidly chased from behind—LeBron James!
At the moment Howard jumped, James soared from behind like an eagle spreading its wings, delivering a thunderous chase-down block that slammed the ball hard off the backboard!
After the block, James didn’t stop, immediately turning to offense. He took the ball like a tank pushing forward, forcing past Howard’s defense to draw a foul on help defender Milicic.
James went to the free throw line, two shots one made. 3-4.
On the offensive transition, Kidd steadily dribble pushed over half-court and raised his hand to call the play. But in the instant before the play started, he keenly spotted Xu Ling’s sudden backdoor cut, instantly shaking off the tight Larry Hughes.
Kidd’s pass synced perfectly with Xu Ling’s movement, man and ball arriving together.
Xu Ling caught a step inside the free throw line, but the Cavaliers’ twin towers inside—Ilgauskas and Gooden—had rapidly contracted. Two tall walls instantly surrounded him in the paint, the situation dire.
However, in the split-second before the clampdown, Xu Ling rose without forcing a shot. Instead, with a flick of the wrist, a light dish pass sailed over Gooden’s fingertips, perfectly finding the unguarded Milicic. The Serbian didn’t hold back, rising for a two-handed slam dunk!
“Eli toys with the Cavaliers’ defense again with a flashy pass!”
On the Cavaliers’ offensive possession, James was clearly angered.
This was his home court, his kingdom. Xu Ling actually wanted to assert dominance in his territory?
James received from the backcourt, rejecting his teammates’ screen, lining up directly against Xu Ling’s defense.
In an instant, James dropped his center of gravity, like a cannonball firing out of the barrel. With absolute strength and speed, he blew by Xu Ling, forcing to the basket!
Though Xu Ling was pushed off on the first step, his amazing recovery speed let him stick again. Both leaped together. James, after in-air contact, tried a pull-up layup to avoid the block. But Xu Ling’s long arms had already blanketed his shooting space!
Smack!
A crisp sound! Xu Ling’s fingertips solidly got on the ball, completing a clean chase-down block.
“Beep!!!”
The referee’s shrill whistle blew at the same time, calling a defensive foul on Xu Ling!
This seemed understandable.
Cavaliers’ home court, James’s drive, and Xu Ling this rookie from across the ocean who’s a person of color—to not call it on you, who?
But
After landing, James spread his hands at Xu Ling, mockingly trash-talking: “Your defense is too green, rookie.”
Xu Ling didn’t look at the referee, eyes locked on James. Ignoring the cameras focused on them, he fired back without restraint: “Save it. What you should do most is thank the referee, then go see what row of the stands your layup got sent to by my block.”
“@#%@%”
Boos.
Boos everywhere.
Curses, of course from the whole crowd.
Disrespecting the king is a capital offense, let alone a foreign yellow man with precedent?
Clevelanders hated the Grizzlies’ number 1 to death. That hatred grew stronger, and James’s face finally lost all the deliberately maintained friendliness.
“What a shame.” LeBron James said with a straight face. “I wanted to be friends, but you insist on making it about winning and losing!”
