Chapter 28: I Will

Chapter 40: I Can Do It

"I'm going to find him, really. I'm taking this kid away right now! The top league is no place for him!" Kobe put his sunglasses back on and squeezed into the players' tunnel.

No wonder this guy managed to beat Coach K. Now, he's defeating the champions. Who's next?

Kobe couldn't help but laugh. The Spaniard—maybe this time he's really gambling!

"Man, you're still as good as you were in high school!" After the game ended, the victorious Wall rushed over to Su Feng, arms wide open.

Back in high school, people said Bradley would be Wall's greatest rival in the future. But Wall never agreed. He always felt uneasy about the unknown American.

Now, this guy is truly back. In his future pro league career, he might just be his biggest real competitor!

Though Su Feng still seemed cool and aloof, he wasn't inhuman—he responded to Wall, embraced him, but said nothing.

"I won today, but you played better than me! Hey, wait until the regular season—we'll play again then! I won't be so polite next time!" Wall laughed, patted Su Feng on the shoulder, and headed for the player corridor, where countless reporters waited for the champions.

"Blame me. I should've seized those chances." After that, William Adams Miller also came to Su Feng. The top student from Harvard felt a bit guilty—Su Feng's performance was good enough; the loss was really on their role players.

As for Sun Yue, another player of great interest to American fans, he vanished after the game—no greetings with Su Feng, no interviews with reporters. He knew his pro league career was over.

In today's game, Sun Yue went 2-for-7, scoring just five points. Under Su Feng's orchestration, William Adams Miller scored seventeen points against the pro Sun Yue.

American fans were both pleased and worried, but they were happy to see the American prospect perform so brilliantly.

The world of basketball is cruel—once Su Feng appeared, Sun Yue's name started to fade from memory. Whether he could play in the pro league or not, few cared. Survival of the fittest—this is pro basketball.

"Well done, kid, don't get discouraged—a summer league win or loss doesn't explain anything. See? Those guys are waiting for you!" Even though he lost, when Su Feng came out, Terry Stotts was all smiles.

Compared to the outcome, Su Feng's display of strength deserved more attention. The assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who led the team in the top league, pointed to the entrance of the Cavs' locker room, where a crowd of reporters waited for Su Feng, treating him like a champion.

"Su Feng! Su Feng! What do you think of John Wall's strength?" As soon as Su Feng approached the player corridor, reporters swarmed him.

"He's great. They won," Su Feng replied bluntly. After a defeat, there wasn't much else he could say.

"And you performed well in the top league. But what about another American player, Sun Yue—what's your opinion of him?" The reporters tried to dig a pit for Su Feng, hoping he'd criticize Sun Yue, whose poor performance today would make headlines if Su Feng said anything negative.

"I don't know him well," Su Feng answered coldly. The eager reporters, who had hoped for a headline, got nothing.

Su Feng pushed through the crowd, trying to squeeze into the player corridor. Sometimes, his coldness wasn't unprovoked—their questions were simply dull.

"Hey, I noticed there were two different people watching you today," Mulan suddenly appeared—the only reporter Su Feng didn't mind.

"Weren't they the same person?" Su Feng, focused on the game, had no idea Mulan was referring to Kobe and Terry.

"You'll see when you get back to the locker room. By the way, how are your relations with teammates during pro league training? Did Jason Kobe teach you anything on the court?" Mulan's questions were less trivial.

"I get along well with my teammates. They're all supportive. As for Kobe, he hasn't taught me anything."

Mulan smiled, thanked him, and let Su Feng enter the players' tunnel. So Kobe hasn't taught you anything? That's because he wasn't sure you were worth teaching. Mulan believed that after today, Kobe would be eager to help this rising star reach new heights.

With Su Feng in position, Kobe began to assess the situation. He knew the Americans would pass him the ball, just like his former partner Chris Paul. What mattered wasn't whether his partner could pass, but whether he was in the right spot.

Then, after faking inactivity for a few seconds, Kobe suddenly took off. Gerald Wallace, tasked with guarding Kobe, intended to help contain Su Feng, focusing all his attention there. Unexpectedly, the veteran suddenly struck at Elvis Presley.

Elvis Wallace had just shifted his feet to chase Kobe across the court, but suddenly spun and rushed back! Wallace tried to recover, but Tyson Chandler appeared, and the ball was in the right place!

At the same time, Su Feng's drive attracted the Blazers' defensive attention. Aside from Gerald Wallace, no one paid any mind to the open Kobe.

During the drive, Su Feng made a seamless pass—the basketball sailed across the court, beyond the three-point line. Kobe caught it securely. At that moment, every face froze; the old veteran saw only the rim.

"I've been torched—absolutely torched. Excuse my language. His shot is so damn sure! Right at the start of the game, he scored forty in a row. How am I supposed to play?" When Kobe had faced the Hornets at the start of the season, his teammate Belinelli described what it was like to compete with Kobe for threes. Belinelli witnessed Kobe in his twilight years.

Once this guy gets hot, he can't be stopped.

Kobe released the ball with ease. In truth, his shooting form was never standard—his right hand always blocked his line of sight, but it was accurate.

Kobe, as if shooting outdoors, sent the three-pointer straight through the net.

"Swish." That beautiful sound echoed around Kobe again. He smiled, pointed at Su Feng in thanks, then retreated to defend, his face lit with happiness from start to finish.

"Kobe! At thirty-four, the old veteran is still making plays! Maybe you were wrong, Charles—he's old, but not useless!"

On the next play, the Blazers tried to attack Kobe with Wallace. Though Kobe was tall with long arms, Wallace was more agile.

Wallace took Miller's pass without hesitation, showed a few triple-threat moves before bursting forward.

Kobe read Wallace's drive, but the strong-bodied Wallace powered through, continuing his advance.

"Give it your all!" Kobe recalled his pre-game conversation with Su Feng. The veteran clenched his teeth, fighting for every inch. As Wallace was about to take off for the basket, Kobe used his height and reach, swatting the ball away with an Elvis-esque flourish.

"A monster block! Kobe did it! He sent the Blazers running back in vain! Gotta love him!"

Wallace turned in surprise, seeing the European already sprinting ahead.

Even if his era was fading, greatness remains great!

"Kobe Stojakovic, this guy's defense sent the Blazers back empty-handed! Gerald Wallace looks confused—he didn't expect Kobe to block him. The Blazers wanted to extend the lead, but Kobe doused McMillan and his men with cold water. Now, the Cavaliers have a chance to counterattack!"

At thirty-four, on the playoff stage, he hit a three to tie the game, then used a block to break the opponent's attempt to regain the lead. The playoffs are a perfect stage—good actors thrive, poor ones are brutally eliminated. No doubt, the thirty-four-year-old Kobe wasn't ready to go!

After the block, Kobe handed the ball to Su Feng. A fast-break opportunity lay before him—one he wouldn't waste.

This time, Su Feng didn't keep pace—he went full throttle. As he sprinted down the hardwood of the American Airlines Center, the arena seemed to whip up a whirlwind.

No Blazer could match Su Feng's speed. Gerald Wallace tried desperately to catch up, Old Miller ran like mad, but Su Feng was first into the paint, rising without hesitation and slamming the ball home with a tomahawk dunk.

At that moment, the "Blue Sea" in the stands was turned upside down. From Kobe's block to Su Feng's dunk, the series of highlights was dazzling. Most importantly, after six minutes of being suppressed, the Cavaliers finally reclaimed the lead!

It turned out Spoelstra and William Adams Miller were racing. If they didn't leave a superstar on the court in the final minute to chase points, the Houston Rockets were in danger of falling even further behind.

Thanks to Wade's outstanding play at the end of the first quarter, the Rockets finally overtook the Cavaliers.

25-22, Cavaliers trailing. But the players' form didn't worry the fans. As time passed, the Cavaliers would surely close the gap!

At the start of the second quarter, Su Feng—masked—hit a three from beyond the arc. This time, Nowitzki drew the defense inside, and the German, like a helicopter, scored on the perimeter.

The Rockets' defense was packed in, giving Su Feng a wide-open look. When he hit the three, Hayward even heard someone in the stands shout, "Zorro!"

No wonder Su Feng's outfit was so striking today. He was like a silent swordsman, unnoticed and unseen—until the critical moment, when the blade was drawn, never a soft hand!

At first, the score was level. Wade's hard-earned lead was erased in less than three minutes.

Su Feng's basket acted as a catalyst, igniting the Cavaliers—chemistry intensified.

Twenty seconds later, Wade was embarrassed by Chandler's soaring block. Then, Su Feng led Terry for an easy fast-break layup, and for the Cavaliers, reclaiming the lead seemed almost effortless.

All the Cavaliers were warriors—anyone could step up and score. Nowitzki's tally kept climbing, and Bosh's shooting percentage kept dropping.

If not for James and Wade's individual brilliance, the Rockets might have surrendered already.

But what makes basketball so compelling is its endless variables. No advantage is permanent, nor is any disadvantage.

In the fifth minute of the third quarter, Su Feng, Nowitzki, and Terry took their regular rest as part of the rotation, leaving the court—aside from Marion—short on firepower. The Rockets, on the other hand, relentlessly targeted Marion, stifling the Cavaliers' offense.

William Adams Miller hoped Kobe could steady the team with a three, but Kobe's poor shooting in the finals continued—several attempts from beyond the arc, but none fell.

Scoring woes aside, the Cavaliers also had defensive problems. Bosh had spent the night battling Nowitzki, but now it was all about Marion!

Though Marion was tall and well-armed, he was never a traditional big man. Yet, in his matchup with Bosh, Marion held the upper hand. Bosh swung his elbow to receive, spun past, then hit a turnaround jumper—Marion could only shout inwardly.

During this stretch, under Bosh's leadership, the Rockets went on an 8-0 run, taking a four-point lead.

Did William Adams Miller choose to act immediately, bringing Dirk back in? No—Nowitzki had only just rested. Pushing him more would leave the German exhausted.

What about Su Feng? Not ideal either. Even if he returned, it would be hard to solve the interior defense. So, William Adams Miller's eyes fell to the end of the bench.

"Brian!" the coach called.

Cardinal had been watching the game closely, but was so startled that his first instinct was to grab a towel, thinking someone had spilled a drink.

"What are you doing, Brian?" William Adams Miller saw Cardinal walking over with a towel and almost burst out laughing. This guy did so many chores—had he forgotten he was a full-fledged Cavalier?

"Oh! No one spilled any drinks! You called me..."

"Brian, forget about the damn Gatorade. I want you ready for the exhausted Shawn! I'm giving you a task—to take care of Chris!"

William Adams Miller patted Cardinal's shoulder, spelling out his needs.

Cardinal's towel slipped to the floor in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure, stripped off his warm-up, and checked in at the scorer's table!

Su Feng watched Cardinal head for the table, looking forward to his performance. Don't forget—Su Feng's tough playoff defense was taught by the Red Cardinal.

"The Cavaliers are making a change, seeing Marion's weakness against Bosh. Coach William Adams Miller... he's sending in Brian Cardinal!" Watching Cardinal—the old-school white uncle—step onto the court, Barkley thought he must be seeing things.