Chapter 618: [Pursuing the Cornered Enemy with Divine Prowess]

Chapter 618: Chapter 100: [Pursuing the Cornered Enemy with Divine Prowess]

When the Knicks took a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The entire basketball world already knew one thing for certain: the NBA had fallen into a state of fear, dominated by Su Xi.

If even Kobe plus Yao Ming, or Shaq plus LeBron James, couldn’t limit him in the slightest.

Then… was the league going to have to change the rules?

It wouldn’t be the first time.

When a player becomes so powerful that they transcend the league’s entire system, the league changes the rules.

For example, they’d done it to limit Shaquille O’Neal.

Of course, if a dominant star promoted by the league wasn’t strong enough, the league would also change the rules—modifying them in his favor.

But… how could they possibly limit Su Xi?

There was no obvious weakness to exploit.

All of Su Xi’s skills were top-tier, as were his physical gifts. Unless you tied his hands and feet, he was a weapon of mass destruction the moment he stepped onto the court.

This made many championship-contending teams rethink their strategies: since a dual-core, inside-out approach couldn’t beat the Knicks, they would have to build superteams with three or four superstars…

It seemed like stacking talent was the only path left.

Even though the season wasn’t officially over, many teams had already started making moves. The free-agent market had a lot of big fish swimming around, and more importantly… this year’s draft was also shaping up to be very lively.

Before Game 4, Isaiah Thomas suddenly approached Su Xi. He told Su Xi, “Kevin Garnett wants to join the Knicks…”

Kevin Garnett?

Su Xi was caught completely off guard.

Kevin Garnett was one of the league’s superstars. Since entering the NBA, he had already signed two massive nine-figure contracts with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the first of which directly led to a league lockout.

He was deeply tied to the Timberwolves, the epitome of a “one-team man.”

And now he actually wanted to leave Minnesota?

Su Xi was extremely surprised.

“But what would he do here in New York?”

Su Xi asked Isaiah Thomas in return.

Isaiah Thomas was taken aback as well. As the general manager, he naturally wanted as many superstars as possible. It guaranteed firepower and helped sell tickets.

But right now, the Knicks were already champions, and their tickets were selling at exorbitant prices. A nosebleed seat for Game 4 of the Finals cost more than a front-row VIP ticket for another team’s regular-season game, and they were still in short supply, with scalpers jacking up the price even further.

‘Right, what *would* Garnett do on the Knicks?’

Isaiah Thomas had a sudden realization.

“However, if Garnett doesn’t come to the Knicks, he might go to another team. What if he goes to the Lakers? Kobe plus Yao Ming, plus Garnett… that would be terrifying!”

Isaiah Thomas continued, “The whole league is gearing up to build superteams right now, and I think the Lakers are definitely one of them.”

Su Xi smiled and said, “That’s a good thing. It just keeps increasing the value of a championship!”

Su Xi possessed a magnanimity born from an accumulation of deep-seated, unshakable confidence.

Isaiah Thomas got it.

‘Goat Su Xi is no ordinary person.’

‘He really is the man who’s destined to be the greatest of all time.’

He was different from Jordan. Although Jordan never left his team, he only won championships after Pippen developed. And for the second three-peat, he had the strong support of Dennis Rodman.

But Su Xi had never once thought about getting any outside help. He even hoped his opponents would become stronger.

‘What kind of mindset is that?’

‘The mindset to vanquish all demons and monsters.’

‘Only with a mindset like that can one become the greatest in history.’

As Isaiah Thomas thought this, he began to scheme. ‘How can I publicize this for Goat Su Xi? What kind of story can I spin to highlight Goat Su Xi’s greatness?’

Isaiah Thomas felt the weight of his task growing heavier.

After the last game, his remarks had created a huge public reaction.

The image of Little Sheep Su Xi as a loyal, honorable, and immensely powerful figure was instantly established.

This actually made Kobe Bryant a little embarrassed. He even reflected on his own aggressive attitude. After Su Xi’s rampage in Game 3, he knew very well that Su Xi had definitely held back in the first two games.

No one could improve that much in such a short amount of time.

Although Kobe was a proud man, he had feelings too.

Before the start of Game 4, he said to Su Xi with a “cold” expression, “The greatest respect you can show me is to go all out. Listen, Jack, if you want to be the GOAT, you shouldn’t have any unnecessary emotions.”

Uh…

It took Su Xi a couple of seconds to process that.

‘This must be a chain reaction from Isaiah Thomas’s little ‘story time’. ‘

So, he just nodded. “Alright.”

Huh?

Su Xi’s answer was so clean and direct that it caught Kobe off guard again. ‘Normally, shouldn’t he say something polite and noncommittal?’

‘He’s getting into character this quickly?’

‘As expected of the man aiming to be the greatest in history.’

‘His mental fortitude is too strong, his ability to adjust his mindset is incredible.’

BEEP!

The whistle blew soon after, and the game began amidst a tsunami of “MVP” chants.

The Knicks fans’ excitement reached an unprecedented peak. They had come expecting a championship, and they believed there was no doubt they would clinch it tonight.

James Dolan had arrived early to mingle with the fans. He basked in their adoration, loudly telling them that a grand celebration was planned for tonight.

Many of the Knicks’ legendary former players had also come—Ewing, Fraser, Johnson… a whole group of them.

Their faces were filled with excitement. For them, seeing their old team achieve the dream they couldn’t fulfill in their own careers, again and again, brought a sense of completion.