Chapter 248: Chapter 52: The Magician’s Magic

Although Carlisle encouraged him to attack on his own, he always came up just short. After two or three ineffective possessions, he cut back on those attempts.

The first half ended.

The Pacers led 48-39, a 9-point advantage.

Su Xi had 7 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.

The second half began.

The Celtics were still getting swarmed. When they focused their energy on Su Xi, other Pacers players would step up. Carroll’s defensive strategy was meaningless, other than demonstrating to other teams how to defend Su Xi.

In the end, the Pacers defeated the Celtics by a large margin, 89-71.

Su Xi only played 5 minutes in the second half. His final stats were 11 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

From a rookie’s perspective, these were still very efficient numbers.

However, in terms of his contribution to the team, it was undeniably decreasing.

This made many basketball experts rejoice. They were like flies drawn to a foul stench, buzzing incessantly.

It was just disgusting.

Su Xi paid them no mind, simply rewatching game tape and doing targeted training over and over.

The second playoff game arrived quickly.

Su Xi utilized the pick-and-roll with Little O’Neal more. Right from the start, he drove into the paint, bumped Blunt out of the way, and scored forcefully.

The home crowd erupted in cheers.

Afterward, Su Xi increased his aggressive output against Atkins. He used his broad back to create space, then quickly spun using his size advantage. With his explosiveness and speed at their peak, he charged in a straight line... Su Xi’s aggression had increased.

However, with this style of play, the Pacers’ overall offensive efficiency actually declined.

This was the drawback of a super team: a super team without a superstar often operates like a well-oiled machine, with every part interconnected. When Su Xi forced a change at his position, the entire offense fell into some disarray.

With Atkins completely unable to guard Su Xi, Carroll put in the more physically imposing Marcus Banks.

Banks was fired up. He had long wanted to take out his frustrations on the now-famous Su Xi. He wanted to take back what he had lost.

He had always believed that his fortune had been crushed by Su Xi during their battle in Chicago. That was why Little Sheep Su Xi’s career was flourishing while his own had fallen into a slump.

So, he was going to take it back.

Marcus Banks was good at breaking up pick-and-rolls. Furthermore, his strong and sticky defense further restricted Su Xi. He joined forces with Pierce and Ricky Davis...

Although Su Xi had ways to beat this double-team, the overall cost to the team would be high.

So, Su Xi chose to pass the ball to Little O’Neal.

Let him feast on the weaker opponents in the paint.

Little O’Neal broke the game open from the inside, and the Pacers once again gained a commanding lead.

"Jack’s problem is that his eyes can see his teammates, but his technique is lacking. He can’t get the ball to them at the first opportunity."

"Passing, cutting, and shooting are a trinity. A superstar needs to excel at least two of the three."

"Jack’s ability to drive is definitely top-tier in the league, but his shooting off the dribble is average, and his confidence to shoot under intense defensive pressure isn’t very high. His passing in a set offense is also nothing special. Because the defense is tighter, he only knows conservative passing techniques."

Magic Johnson stood in a suite at the Pacers’ home arena, analyzing for Big Bird, "If Jack had my passing skills, the Pacers’ current problems would be solved instantly. And they’d be even stronger."

Larry Bird had invited Magic here for this very reason.

Now that Magic had brought it up himself, how could Bird not be ecstatic? "Then what are you waiting for? Magic, the league desperately needs a second Magic Johnson. You should be thrilled to find a prospect like this."

Magic Johnson smiled and said, "Larry, I think you’re saying that on purpose, trying to get me to teach Jack my passing techniques?"

"No, Magic. I’m doing this for your own good. What are you worried about? Are you worried that if Jack learns your skills, he’ll surpass you as the greatest point guard in history? Or are you worried that if Jack learns your moves, he’ll lead the Pacers to defeat your old team, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Finals?"

Big Bird said this intentionally. As the saying goes, goading a general is better than requesting their help. Big Bird truly lived up to his reputation as a master trash-talker of his era.

Magic immediately replied decisively, "How is that possible? Why would I worry about that? There will never be a second Magic Johnson in this world. Even if I taught Little Sheep Su Xi everything, he couldn’t possibly learn it all, let alone surpass me!"

"You think passing is something that can be mastered in a day?"

"It’s hard for me to discuss this topic with a scorer like you."

"As for what you said about leading the Pacers to beat the Lakers? Heh heh, Big Bird, let me make a bet with you. You can forget about beating the Lakers this season, not even in your dreams. Do you have any idea what kind of roster the Lakers have now? Do you know how incredible the OK Combination is?"

Magic Johnson said smugly. He felt no sense of crisis at all. Where would a sense of crisis even come from?

So, he said, "Have Jack come to the gym tomorrow afternoon. I’ll give him some one-on-one instruction."

"Tomorrow afternoon, he has to go to Boston. I think it’s better if you stay here and hang out for a couple more weeks. You have two weeks of work here anyway," Larry Bird added.

"No problem," Magic agreed instantly.

Big Bird raised his glass and clinked it with Magic’s.

To be honest, he wasn’t very confident that Su Xi could completely master Magic’s... well, magic. After all, every player’s signature moves are tailor-made, and God wouldn’t allow a second person to master them completely.

However, he hoped Su Xi could truly start on the path to stardom.

Su Xi’s drives were already incredible. Just as Magic had said, an all-star player needed to have an advantage in at least two of the three areas: passing, cutting, and shooting. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

This year was the Pacers’ best chance to win the championship. Indiana was stronger than ever before.

Moreover, it was also the Pacers’ best championship window.

After this year, winning a championship would likely become more and more difficult.

Because Reggie Miller was another year older.

It was hard to say if Su Xi could develop a superstar’s style of play. Plus, he only had a two-year contract. After next year... Larry Bird had no confidence he could keep Su Xi fighting for the team here... because Su Xi’s commercial value was just too great. Both he and his team could see the immense profits waiting in big cities.

Most importantly... the league had already put out feelers about changing the defensive rules.

The talk of the league encouraging offense and perimeter superstars had been around for a long time. Neither the fans nor the league executives liked the current dull, slow-paced style of basketball.

When that happened, defense-oriented players would be severely restricted, especially the brutally physical types like Su Xi and Artest.

Therefore, Larry Bird desperately wanted Su Xi to become stronger now. If Magic had said to him, "I can teach Jack, but you have to admit I’m greater than you"...

...the King of Trash Talk would have been willing to say it.

Because he really, really wanted to help his hometown team win a championship.

In 2000, he had led the team to the Finals. Unfortunately, the OK Combination swept them, heralding the beginning of the Lakers Dynasty.

This season, he wanted to end the Lakers Dynasty and break up the OK Combination.

BEEP!

The final buzzer sounded.

91-73.

The Pacers won again.

The Celtics’ dream of a number-eight seed upset remained just that—a delusion.

Their biggest success in this game was holding Su Xi to only 14 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. But beyond that, they achieved nothing.

"This shows other teams the way. Even if the Celtics lose this series, I believe other teams will find a winning opportunity from this," Kenny Smith said after the game, still wanting more.

He didn’t like seeing Su Xi in the spotlight, so naturally, he didn’t want the Pacers to keep winning.

Who would be the Pacers’ opponent in the next round?

The Miami Heat seemed very likely, and the Hornets were also a strong possibility.

Both of their rosters were stronger than the Celtics’.

’If the Celtics could back Su Xi into a corner, couldn’t they do it too?’