The Best Point Guard

Su Xi slashed to the basket, grabbed the ball, and exploded toward the hoop. He rose up in the paint... BOOM!

Su Xi threw down a thunderous two-handed tomahawk jam.

The lead was cut to six points.

"Tighten up the defense!"

Su Xi yelled.

On the court with Su Xi were his teammates Ariza, Jackson, David Lee, and Randolph.

This was, theoretically, the Knicks’ strongest defensive lineup.

BANG!

Hill got free from Ariza with a cut to the basket, but his shot missed.

David Lee secured the rebound.

He passed to Su Xi, who quickly pushed the ball up the court. Like a bolt of lightning, he streaked into the frontcourt, leaving the Magic Team defenders in his dust. He charged powerfully into the paint and threw down another tomahawk slam.

Two consecutive dunks ignited the passion of the home crowd.

New York was in an uproar.

However, the Magic Team then showed their resilience. First, Hardaway hit a floater. Then, Howard made a successful defensive play, blocking Jackson’s layup as he drove to the paint off a pass from Su Xi. Turkoglu stripped the ball away.

The two teams traded blows, and the battle was incredibly tense.

Down to the final seconds, the Knicks were still trailing by two points.

The ball once again found its way into Su Xi’s hands.

Grant Hill was defending Su Xi, his eyes locked on him.

Su Xi controlled the tempo, calm and composed. He made a quick drive inside, but just as he crossed a step inside the three-point line, he abruptly stepped back. He pulled up for a jump shot just as Hardaway came flying over to contest.

He essentially shot the ball over a double-team from two of Jordan’s successors... SWISH!

The ball ripped through the net just as the backboard lit up red.

115-116.

The hometown Knicks had hit the game-winner.

Su Xi had killed the game. He once again dropped 51 points.

He became the greatest scorer in Knicks history, shattering a string of records.

Su Xi raised both hands high as the entire arena roared like a tsunami: "MVP! MVP! MVP!"

The two "successors to Jordan" standing beside him were reduced to mere props.

Two perfectly composed photos circulated after the game. In one, Su Xi held his hands high while the two Jordan successors hung their heads.

In the other, the two Jordan successors desperately lunged at Su Xi to stop him, but as he released the shot mid-air, the corners of his mouth were already curving into a slight smile.

Both pictures were legendary.

Even without understanding the symbolism behind them, they were perfect works of art.

This was Su Xi’s first game-winner of the season.

To be honest, he hadn’t expected it.

During his post-game interview, he said, "I never thought the game would come down to the final second, but I have to admit, Orlando’s ceiling is very high. They’re already a powerhouse in the East. They’re the biggest threat we’ve faced so far, bar none."

This affirmation from Su Xi undoubtedly boosted the Orlando Magic’s reputation.

Su Xi also praised the wing combination of Grant Hill, Hardaway, and Turkoglu. "They have incredible chemistry, and they’re very unselfish. Their skill sets blend together perfectly. We didn’t really find a way to crack them tonight. If they can stay healthy, I think they’ll only get stronger."

Su Xi continued, "I welcome the emergence of more strong teams. To me, that’s what makes this meaningful. Dwight Howard is great, too. He’s Orlando’s cornerstone. Without him, those three forwards wouldn’t be able to shine so brightly."

"Stan Van Gundy is an excellent coach. I sincerely applaud the masterpiece he’s created. At the same time, I’m glad Pat Riley fired him as head coach back in the day. Otherwise, with his ability, he would definitely be causing us a lot more trouble."

Su Xi was the type of person who held a grudge.

While praising everyone from Orlando, he didn’t forget to take a jab at Pat Riley.

After all, it was Pat Riley who had offended him in the first place.

Su Xi’s praise made the entire Orlando Magic organization happy.

Three of their members appeared at the post-game press conference.

When reporters told them what Su Xi had said, none of the three could hide the smiles on their faces.

Even though they had lost, receiving such high praise from the best player in the league today made them happier than if they had won.

Turkoglu said, "We have to admit, the GOAT is the GOAT. With the way we played tonight, no other team could have beaten us. But he single-handedly changed the course of the game, and his game-winner at the end was thrilling. I have to say, Grant and Hardaway executed our game plan. It’s just that... Jack the Goat transcended our defensive strategy."

Stan Van Gundy said, "Without a doubt, this was a great game. I’m proud of our players; they showed incredibly smooth chemistry and tactical execution. Jack is the best player in the league right now. His individual ability always surpasses the limits of our imagination. What I mean is, I’m regretting not using a triple-team on him for that final defensive possession."

Dwight Howard said, "If it weren’t for that game-winner, we would’ve won, you know? We were dominating them the whole time, but Jack made consecutive plays at the end and hit that buzzer-beater. I proved myself tonight. I had a 20-20 game; Zach Randolph’s stats weren’t as good as mine. What I mean is, if he gets selected as an All-Star, it’s not because he’s better than me. It’s because he’s Jack’s teammate. If I were Jack’s teammate, I could get even more."

At this point, a New York reporter mischievously piped up, "Dwight, would you be willing to join the Knicks, then? After your contract is up."

"Hey, you’re trying to trap me. I’m not falling for it."

Howard replied.

But his answer didn’t exactly sound all that clever.

...

The Knicks’ game-winner against the Orlando Magic may have showcased Su Xi’s invincibility.

But it also revealed the Knicks’ vulnerabilities to many other teams.

The Knicks’ aura of invincibility seemed to have been shattered.

So far this season, the Knicks’ dominant tear had left many teams feeling hopeless.

Although the Knicks had lost games before, most believed it was due to bad luck, not a lack of skill.

But in this game, Orlando had dominated the Knicks, providing a blueprint for how to defeat them.

Many teams now had a clear direction for their research.

NBA teams are highly adaptable. Once they lock onto a research direction and focus their efforts, a wave of strategies and lineups capable of countering the Knicks could quickly emerge.

Whether they would actually succeed, however, would depend on in-game adjustments.

Many teams sprang into action.

The Knicks then welcomed their next home opponent: the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors were, of course, no match for the Knicks.

The Knicks stormed through the first half, building a 15-point lead, and continued to pour it on in the second. But with three minutes left in the third quarter, Randolph fell to the ground while fighting for a rebound with Bosh. The slow-motion replay showed his left foot landing on the top of Bosh’s foot.

He left the game with an injury.

Randolph’s departure didn’t weaken the Knicks’ offensive firepower. Channing Frye and Millsap came off the bench one after another, and the offensive output became even more intense.

However, for teams paying close attention to the Knicks, this wasn’t scary at all.

They knew very well that a run-and-gun style might look impressive in the regular season, but in the playoffs, it still came down to traditional set-piece offenses and having a barrier in the paint.

Last season, when the Knicks won the championship, Zach Randolph and Eddie Curry played indispensable roles, as did Tony Battie and Jerome James.

But this season, Jerome James had retired, Battie had gone across the Pacific Ocean to find the meaning of life, Eddie Curry was out for the season, and now Zach Randolph was injured too.

Could the Knicks really witness a miracle with a group of shooting big men?

A big question mark formed in many people’s minds.

After the game, the extent of Randolph’s injury was confirmed: a torn ligament.

He would be out for at least six weeks, meaning he wouldn’t be able to return until before the All-Star break.

This was definitely not good news for the Knicks.

Some experts even said that if the Knicks’ regular-season record dropped to the bottom half of the playoff bracket, their postseason run would be tough. They might even suffer the embarrassment of a defending champion being eliminated in the first round.

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