Everyone was happy.

Afterward, Su Xi continued to hound Stoudemire on the defensive end.

After Su Xi’s explosiveness rating increased to 99, his abilities had taken another great leap forward, on both offense and defense. Explosiveness was a talent that amplified every other skill.

Stoudemire was incredibly uncomfortable being hounded like this, so he took the initiative to run out and set a screen for Ginobili.

Ginobili dribbled inside the free-throw line. Su Xi accelerated to block his path, and just then, James closed in perfectly. The two of them locked Ginobili down with impeccable chemistry.

Ginobili was very nimble; he twisted and turned, trying to pass the ball. But... SMACK! Su Xi saw his chance and slapped the ball right out of his hands.

Su Xi secured the ball and sprinted downcourt.

Once inside the three-point line, he drew the help defense and passed the ball directly to Dwyane Wade. Wade took the pass in stride, charged into the paint, and threw down a one-handed slam.

The Freshman team’s talent was on full display during the fast break.

Just now, Su Xi, Wade, and James had advanced in three lanes, with Cameron even trailing behind as air support.

Who could possibly stop such a fearsome formation?

The deficit was down to one point. Su Xi, +1 assist.

Then, Dunleavy hit a three-pointer from the perimeter.

This stabilized the situation for the Sophomore team.

But on the other end, James and Carmelo Anthony worked together. James passed the ball to Anthony and cut to the inside, hoping for a return pass.

Su Xi quickly ran from the free-throw line out to the three-point arc, and Anthony passed him the ball out of pure reflex.

This was a play they had perfected back in college.

Su Xi caught the ball and shot... SWISH!

The three-pointer was good.

That was Su Xi’s 20th point.

The deficit was back to one point.

Stoudemire finally got the ball this time and was extremely decisive. He jumped straight up for the shot. As he went up, Su Xi jumped even faster. Although Su Xi’s vertical wasn’t high enough, his takeoff speed was ferocious thanks to his explosiveness, and he had long arms.

Su Xi’s hand covered Stoudemire’s eyes.

WHOOSH!

Stoudemire shot a complete airball—it didn’t touch rim, net, or backboard.

The Staples Center erupted in derisive laughter.

Everyone was mocking Stoudemire’s incompetence in front of Su Xi.

Before the game, he’d even claimed he would take Su Xi’s starting spot in the All-Star game. Looking at him now, he and Su Xi weren’t even in the same league. He was being completely and utterly dominated by Su Xi.

James brought the ball past half-court and powerfully attacked the paint, but his layup attempt missed the mark.

Just as the ball was falling off the rim, Su Xi leaped up from the middle of the lane, grabbed the ball right over Nene’s head, and slammed it into the hoop... BOOM!

"It’s like Jack knew LeBron was going to miss that shot. What great chemistry he and LeBron have."

Charles Barkley offered serious-sounding praise on TV, but to James’s fans, it was dripping with sarcasm.

That was Su Xi’s 22nd point and 7th rebound, and it helped his team take the lead.

James now realized something was wrong.

But the game wasn’t secure yet, and the Chosen One still needed to rely on Su Xi.

On the very next play, Stoudemire showed his true colors.

He revealed his ugliest side.

Furious and desperate, he elbowed Su Xi while fighting for position. While Su Xi was reeling from the pain, he got the ball from Ginobili.

Then, he drove hard to the paint. During his drive, he threw another elbow at Su Xi, who was right beside him, intending to shove him away.

Su Xi shifted half a step aside, avoiding the vicious blow.

This movement left Stoudemire’s dangerous action completely exposed.

Everyone saw how dirty and malicious he was.

He, however, used the space Su Xi gave him to leap explosively, heading straight for the rim to throw down a vicious dunk.

But just then, Carmelo Anthony came over to help.

He wasn’t an elite defender, but he met force with force.

He met Stoudemire in the air, blocking his sure-thing dunk and forcing Stoudemire to pull up and switch hands for a layup.

But just as he switched hands and released the ball, Su Xi leaped up explosively from the side and viciously slapped the ball... THWACK!

The ball slammed violently against the backboard and ricocheted off.

It then smashed hard off Stoudemire’s head before flying out of bounds.

Stoudemire’s head went numb from the impact.

This domineering yet comical block sent the crowd into another round of derisive laughter.

Stoudemire finally couldn’t take the immense humiliation. After landing, he viciously swung his elbows and charged at Su Xi... but his elbow landed squarely on the ribs of Anthony, who was beside him. Anthony cried out in pain.

Anthony was no pushover; he immediately rushed forward and shoved Stoudemire.

The shove sent Stoudemire stumbling faster towards Su Xi. Without any hesitation, Su Xi quickly turned to his side. He made a gesture as if to steady Stoudemire, but in reality, he subtly stuck out his left foot. As Stoudemire tripped on his shoe and staggered, Su Xi struck him with an Inch Fist, right in his soft ribs.

Stoudemire instantly felt a piercing pain shoot straight to his brain. His body staggered, and he crashed to the floor.

THUD!

Stoudemire fell in a pathetic heap, flat on his face.

He let out a pained groan.

Then, he scrambled back to his feet, his mouth already full of blood. He charged over, looking for trouble with Su Xi and Anthony.

But everyone surrounded him. James spoke up at just the right time, "Calm down, Amare. You don’t want to cause a scene at a fun event like the All-Star game, do you? You don’t want this to be your last All-Star Game, do you?"

James kept his voice low, and his words gradually brought clarity back to the eyes of the raging beast that was Stoudemire.

He took two deep breaths, shot a venomous glare at Su Xi and Anthony, and then swallowed the bitter pill that had practically broken his teeth. He walked back to the bench to have the team doctor clean out his mouth.

Stoudemire was subbed out.

He was like a clown.

The Los Angeles fans showered him with boos, taunts, and roaring, side-splitting laughter.

In front of their TVs, no one sympathized with Stoudemire either. Everyone thought he deserved it!

Charles Barkley even said, "He should have been ejected long ago. Look at the dirty moves he used on that last possession. He threw three elbows, hit Jack, hit Anthony, and ending up falling like that was his own damn fault."

"The All-Star atmosphere saved him."

"In any other game, he would have been suspended."

"Still, he’s already become the biggest joke of this year’s All-Star Weekend."

"Su Xi really is the toughest guy in the 2003 class. Anyone who pisses him off is taking a risk."

"Stoudemire brought it on himself, lost all face, and acted like a despicable villain for nothing!"

Barkley used a string of insults to describe Stoudemire, but even that wasn’t enough to capture how detestable he was.

Stoudemire’s trial by public opinion had only just begun. The Asian community was already in an uproar on the internet, calling for a strong boycott against the racist bastard.

After this incident, if Stoudemire didn’t have a good PR team and a reasonable explanation, getting into another All-Star game would be harder than climbing to heaven.

He shouldn’t have arrogantly mocked Su Xi before the game, and he shouldn’t have so brazenly provoked Su Xi during it, especially with racist gestures. Now, the All-Star status he coveted most was rapidly slipping away.

Just like his broken front tooth.

From this night on, a thick shadow was cast over the once-promising power forward’s future. It would follow him for his entire career, like a shadow itself.

"Nice one, Jack."

Carmelo Anthony extended a hand to Su Xi. He had seen Su Xi’s ’little move.’ ’He’d known for a long time that Su Xi was a ruthless person.’

’How could someone so hard on himself be a punching bag for others to bully?’

Su Xi pretended he didn’t know what Anthony was talking about.

The whistle blew, and the game continued.

The player who replaced Stoudemire for the Sophomore team was Carlos Boozer, Su Xi’s former teammate.

With Stoudemire off the court, James’s mood shifted. Su Xi’s ever-climbing stats made him feel threatened.

He stopped passing to Su Xi and no longer ran plays with him. He forced a drive, pulled up for a jumper... CLANG!

No good.

Nene grabbed the rebound.

At this moment, Anthony, Wade, and Bosh were all a bit confused. ’Why would James do that? Shouldn’t we be playing smart and building on our lead?’

Only Su Xi understood perfectly.

’James’s old habits are flaring up again.’

’For James, if he can’t win the MVP himself, he’ll be damned if he lets someone else get it.’

"Go, Jack!"

As Su Xi ran back on defense, he heard cheers from the sidelines. It was Hilary Duff shouting for him.

Su Xi remembered his promise to her.

Instantly, he made a decision.

’I have to fight for this MVP, no matter what.’

...

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