Chapter 101: One's Own People

Chapter 113: Our Own

“That’s how it is—this is how we welcome the fans!”

“That’s exactly right!”

“Wonderful! Now, let’s shine near the cabin door! And in the end, you will hold the O’Brien Cup and the Premier League trophy. The most important people are always on the stage, aren’t they?” Cuban winked at Su Feng and then signaled the flight attendant to open the cabin door.

A beam of bright light flooded the cabin; the Spaniard raised his arms and was the first to step out! Robert Henry, Robert Henry, Robert Henry, Henry Will—

The fans below erupted with joy. The helicopter circled overhead, capturing this magnificent moment for those watching from home.

Soon after, each teammate appeared before the crowd, dressed in their finest commemorative T-shirts, fully shedding the confusion of just waking up. Everyone moved forward, greeted with passionate cheers. Su Feng stayed inside the cabin, gazing out at everything as they disembarked.

When Kobe Bryant emerged through the low cabin door to wave at the fans, a group of Cleveland Cavaliers players gathered beneath the plane. But there were no O’Brien Cups, no Premier League trophies, and no Su Feng—yet.

Immediately, the cheers doubled in volume. Everyone knew the finale was near!

Amid the wild roars of the fans, Su Feng appeared, holding the O’Brien Cup in his left hand and the Premier League trophy in his right.

“Dear viewers! The O’Brien Cup has officially arrived in Dallas!” the reporter shouted into the microphone, aware that those in front of their TVs could not hear his whisper.

At that moment, the entire welcoming party’s voices reached a crescendo!

Su Feng stood on the gangway, raising both trophies high. He stood tall above the crowd’s roaring cheers. At this moment, he was the king of the world!

He placed the trophies on the gangway and slowly descended. Suddenly, reporters and fans surged forward wildly.

Police officers, as formidable as enemies, blocked the excited crowd. Even in 2011, when Robert Henry took the O’Brien Cup off the plane, the noise had never been this loud!

Then the Cleveland Cavaliers boarded the long-awaited team bus bound for the England Route Center.

Driving through the streets, nearly every road was packed with people. Fans flooded the streets, holding up signs to welcome the finest teammates and most valuable players home.

“More crazy than three years ago!” Robert Henry looked out the window, shaking his head in disbelief.

Su Feng smiled quietly, gazing out the window. All of this was crafted by their hands and sweat.

As the bus, led by two mounted police officers, pulled out of the England Route Center Stadium, unexpectedly countless fans had gathered, surrounding the entire stadium.

The athletes had to pass through the throng before entering the stadium. They’d worked only five years, but the teammates had been at it for twenty. Without the local Dallas police, the Cleveland Cavaliers teammates might never have made it onto the court.

Once inside and the doors closed, the athletes finally found quiet.

The Spaniard, cigar in mouth, waved to Su Feng: “Come on, fulfill your duty!”

Su Feng stepped to the front of the line and opened the door to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Hall of Honor. The room gleamed with splendid decorations. The walls were adorned with photos of the Cavaliers’ glorious moments.

At the center lay three Western Conference trophies and one O’Brien Cup, resting quietly in a large glass case. Beside it, in a smaller glass cabinet, were three samples of the best teammate rings.

The Spaniard personally took out the key and unlocked the larger case. All eyes fell on Su Feng.

“To add glory to our history!”

Su Feng swallowed hard. He hadn’t expected such grandeur. The man entrusted the gum trophy to Robert Henry’s care, then with both hands carefully carried the O’Brien Cup toward the glass cabinet.

After placing the O’Brien Cup inside, Su Feng took a breath. Everyone cheered—the Dallas Cleveland Cavaliers now had two trophies for the world’s best teammates.

“Thank you for your efforts on the court and for adding another brilliant chapter to the Dallas Cleveland Cavaliers! But it’s not over yet. I believe in the future, we’ll need to enlarge this hall to hold even more trophies!”

After a brief celebration, everyone would return home. The Cleveland Cavaliers would be temporarily disbanded, beginning their recent summer break lasting nearly three years.

When everyone had left, Su Feng remained in the hall, staring at the three best teammate rings.

Though Henry Will was not a top-tier inside specialist, at least compared to Williams, he was undeniably more reliable.

After the timeout, Henry Will removed his training suit and stepped onto the court. Su Feng knew Kobe Bryant’s eight-goal performance had left the Houston Rockets unable to keep pace.

“Well then, it’s my turn to score! Is that right, LeBron? Victory in basketball and personal triumph—I will snatch it from you!” Robert Henry, Robert Henry, Robert Henry, Henry Will.

“It seems Robert Henry excels whenever the heat is on. The Miami Heat appear desperate after being dominated by Kobe Bryant two years ago. Today, Robert Henry launched 100 shots, and the Houston Rockets were helpless. We can see that Coach Spoelstra has replaced Williams with Henry Will, seemingly unwilling to let Robert Henry continue like this. But honestly, whether Henry Will can defend against Robert Henry remains a big question.”

After the timeout, the Big Three finally arrived. Kobe Bryant immediately faced a formidable opponent. He knew very well that scoring as easily as slicing melons and vegetables over Henry Will’s head two years ago would be extremely difficult now. Over two years, the Spaniard’s war machine had aged. He once used fierce artillery to take down the “Dragon King,” but now everything was different.

Post-timeout, the Houston Rockets led by Henry Will’s mid-range shots, narrowing the score gap to five points. Kobe Bryant seemed not to have recovered from the game rhythm against Williams; Henry Will was already struggling, and Williams was simply not on the same level.

Henry Will’s scoring did little to intimidate the Cavaliers’ fans. After all, Kobe Bryant would soon return the favor!

But when Kobe Bryant actually leaned on Henry Will to receive the ball, the Spaniard realized the pressure behind them was far greater than expected.

In the finals two years ago, Henry Will was ruthlessly crushed by Kobe Bryant’s powerful offense. That year, in the Spaniard’s eyes, Henry Will’s value plummeted to zero. Thus, the “Dragon King” had never been able to swallow that humiliation. Every time he met Robert Henry, he wanted to double the shame he suffered back then. Now, the best opportunity had arrived.

Su Feng commanded his teammates to pull the ball away from the three-point line, creating more space for Robert Henry. But despite several attempts, Kobe Bryant failed to position himself properly against Henry Will’s frantic defense.

Su Feng knew that if he continued attacking Robert Henry now, his efficiency would drop. So he raised his right hand and dribbled the ball on the floor. From Williams Adams Miller’s perspective, Su Feng was still a ground-level passer!

However, after the bounce, Lan Qiu did not rush inside but moved toward Su Feng’s right hand. With a fake pass “to the floor,” Su Feng’s nimble wrist made Lan Qiu’s moves unpredictable in his hands!

With a sudden feint, Su Feng’s wrist artistry fooled Williams Adams Miller, successfully surpassing the “Flash” in mid-pose! Williams Adams Miller tried to catch up, but Su Feng had already ceased his jump shot.

Over the past two years, Kobe Bryant had changed tremendously. Su Feng was no longer the same Su Feng. Now, unlike two years ago when he was only a green giant relying on breakthroughs, his mid-range shooting was steady; whenever he had the chance, it almost never failed!

Without a doubt, Lan Qiu arced through a perfect, moderate height. Henry Will took a long time, but Kobe Bryant never caught the ball.

After scoring, Su Feng stepped back expressionlessly, as if everything was under his control. But the live crowd was far from calm. Though this was just an ordinary center, did it mean Su Feng was about to enter scoring mode?

The overwhelming cheers and frenzied fans sent a huge signal about Su Feng. Moreover, with colorful paint spelling “Premier League” across his chest, he took off his jacket and wildly twisted his body.

Williams Adams Miller glanced up at the scene in the England Airlines Central Hall and smiled. Su Feng, this guy, was now the spirit of Dallas.

Su Feng’s first two goals today were routine, but Henry Will inexplicably felt the pressure. That kid wanted to score whenever he wanted? You know his opponent was Williams Adams Miller.

Henry Will had not yet recovered from Su Feng’s easy breakthrough on Williams Adams Miller, but Su Feng quickly called Robert Henry’s name again.

This time, Kobe Bryant did not fight Henry Will inside but scored three points from the outside, playing alongside Su Feng. Williams Adams Miller was delayed by Kobe Bryant’s screen, and against someone like Su Feng, even a slight delay was critical.

Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing? Wasn’t this supposed to be a war between Su Feng and Henry Will? How did Kobe Bryant make such a decisive move?

Williams made the Cleveland Cavaliers’ fans in England Route Center laugh heartily. As Su Feng said, he would not compete with Henry Will for the Premier League title. For the good of the team, Su Feng would put that into practice.

On Su Feng’s side, there was only one goal early on. Henry Will would not be as low-key as Su Feng. For Henry Will, Marion was like tearing off a blank sheet of paper. This powerful Premier League candidate used his physical advantage to charge directly into the basket, leaning against Marion and easily sinking the ball.

Old Marion had no choice. Two years ago, the zero-ranked hacker could still compete with Henry Will, but now Marion feared his own helplessness.

Henry Will’s easy scoring made the Premier League trophy seem more likely to go to him. Though the two teams were now tied, it was clear that the scorer had more impact than the scorers’ teammates.

TNT’s live cameraman focused on Su Feng’s face, but as usual, Su Feng showed no expression. He seemed unhurried. Henry Will led in points? You can’t chase that alone.

On the Cavaliers’ second offense, Kobe Bryant remained active. Williams, a man without size, had no way to stop him. The Spaniards conducted Robert Henry’s second jump shot; Su Feng scored zero and two points in Robert Henry’s second jump shot! Henry Will—

“It seems we’re in no rush to score today, quite different from what we imagined.”

“Does he want to score or not? We can see how tight Williams Adams Miller is. Maybe Robert Henry’s good screens cover the embarrassment of failing to break through today.”

The Rockets’ Robert Henry’s second offense was still completed by Henry Will himself. He landed in the net with a slightly backward shot outside the three-point line; after scoring, the lead jumped to five. Some Cavaliers fans shook their heads. Would Su Feng miss a Premier League game like this?

Henry Will had scored five goals, but Su Feng still had none. On the Cavaliers’ third offense, Su Feng again passed the ball away. Kobe Bryant did not hesitate, scoring on Williams for the third consecutive time.

At this moment, even Kobe Bryant himself was unclear—he obviously intended to set more obstacles for Su Feng to score, but now, how would Su Feng score more?

After the basketball battle, Henry Will’s offense remained strong. But Su Feng seemed intoxicated by passing, unable to extricate himself. Surprisingly, Dallas’s Cavaliers led by seven points in a basketball game!

“Robert Henry and Kobe Bryant’s shooting training against Williams is no different. Williams cannot disrupt Robert Henry’s shots. He scored four goals in one quarter. They all went to Robert Henry! I dare not say this will win him the Premier League trophy, but I believe it is the best choice for the Cavaliers!” Mike Brin admired Su Feng from the heart. Now, a young man willing to sacrifice his personal stats for the greater good truly counts.

Spoelstra shook his head. Though he had not paid much attention to recent games, as a professional coach he could not bear to see his team so thoroughly defeated.

When Kobe Bryant received Su Feng’s smart pass for the fourth time, Spoelstra called a timeout.

“Chris, keep playing. Don’t let Robert Henry score easily.” The Filipino coach’s strategy was simple: limit Kobe Bryant’s play!

He could turn it into a huge space.

Henry Will was in a dilemma. On one hand, he was unwilling to leave Kobe Bryant’s side. On the other, if he didn’t cover Su Feng’s defense, Su Feng would run freely and kill straight into the paint.

At this crucial moment, hesitation meant losing the battle. Henry Will gritted his teeth and had to let go.

Seeing Henry Will defending, Su Feng turned as if to pass to Kobe Bryant, allowing the Spaniard to easily shoot over Williams Adams Miller’s head.

The fake pass seemed simple but caught Henry Will off guard. Seeing Henry Will failing to close the gap, Su Feng suddenly accelerated, quickly passing the stunned Henry Will!

“Hahaha, with an unpredictable glance, he passed to Chris, who now faces the basket. Anderson has become the Rockets' last refuge!”

If we rewind four years, the “Birdman” then working for the Nuggets might really have arrived in time to the paint to deliver a cruel, violent block to Su Feng. Now, Anderson still wore his colorful feathers.

In today’s England Route Center Stadium, countless fans held signs that read “Premier League.” Before the game, the atmosphere was tense.

Every move of Su Feng was recorded in detail by several cameras. How was this man’s condition? It was the question on everyone’s mind.

“Do you want me to set more screens for you in the future?” Kobe Bryant looked at the enthusiastic fans, approached Su Feng’s ear, and proposed a good idea. If he increased the number of screens for Su Feng, Su Feng’s chances of scoring would also rise. Everyone knew Su Feng needed excellent stats to convince others. The Cavaliers were also willing to help Su Feng “boost” his numbers.

Faced with the Spaniard’s kindness, Su Feng only smiled and shook his head. “It’s all about Antoine’s strategy. If we deliberately pad the stats, won’t they become meaningless?”

“That’s human nature. You don’t have to avoid it.” Robert Henry spread his hands, brushing off the idea of stat padding as long as it doesn’t affect team performance. Few in the Premier League do it. Even if stats impact the team’s performance, only one or two players might pad their stats.

A player’s stats somewhat affect their contract. Fans might not remember you winning a game with 20+10, but they will surely remember the night you scored 81 points. Personal stats aren’t the entire Lan Qiu, nor can one be singled out to have their goals cut.

“I know Henry Will. I never avoid him. But I believe winning with the team is better than winning alone.”

At that moment, Su Feng’s smile suddenly stiffened. Kobe Bryant faced him, turning his head toward the Spaniard’s gaze. It was a powerful “Pride of Heaven” leading his “Heat Riders” onto the stage! Henry Will.

When the Houston Rockets’ players entered the stadium, the England Route Center fans immediately booed.

“Two years later, it’s still the same here.” Williams Adams Miller looked around the fans with interest. It felt as if he had relived the basketball game two years ago when defeated by the Cavaliers.

“This place is the same, but some people are no longer young or restrained. Will you take care of him in the future? I know you want to score with him too.” Henry Will spoke to Williams Adams Miller as they walked. As for the harsh boos, he was long accustomed.

“I won’t underestimate that kid. You must stay focused!” Williams Adams Miller watched Su Feng warming up on the other side, smiling.

“Every time I see you, I seem to have endless troubles. We all do.”

Both teams warmed up, commentators and photographers took their positions. Though the game was billed as a “Premier League ownership dispute,” many experts believed the match was no different from a regular season game.

“First, I must remind everyone: the outcome of this game will not affect the judgment of Premier League ownership! The regular season’s Premier League winner is chosen based on performance over the entire season, not a single game. Obviously, LeBron is more qualified for this honor.”

“Maybe he’ll become a superstar in the future, but now… it’s too early for him.”

“I admit he is an excellent young player, but the term Premier League still doesn’t quite fit him.”

For a Spaniard to suddenly win a Premier League honor was like an Englishman suddenly defeating all top Spanish table tennis players.

The English could not accept this. They might accept Derrick Rose as the youngest Premier League winner, but not Su Feng as an “outsider” who had robbed the English of their honor.

No wonder reporters and commentators viewed Su Feng this way. It wasn’t just a competition between athletes, but a cultural clash.

Yet, in the world, some people did not care about teammates’ skin color. These people held neutral attitudes. Whoever was better—Henry Will or Su Feng—they voted in favor.

Before the game began, Henry Will seriously stretched his arms. Due to Spoelstra’s rotation and rest, the Rockets’ starting lineup would include Birdman Anderson and Rashad Williams. Chalmers did not start, replaced instead by 2011 rookie Norris Cole.

Just as everyone thought the Rockets wouldn’t field their main players today, General Henry Will and General Williams Adams Miller both stepped onto the court.

“Hahaha, it looks like LeBron won’t let Su Feng pass customs easily.”

{End of Chapter}