Larry Bird arrived in Los Angeles before the start of Game 5 of the Finals.

When he saw Su Xi, he gave him a big hug. He hadn’t been this excited in a very, very long time.

The Pacers reaching match point meant that Bird had achieved the most perfect and complete accomplishment of his career. Many people are invincible as players, but mediocre as head coaches, and a complete mess as executives. But now, Bird had proven himself in all three areas.

As a player, he was a champion. As a head coach, he led his team to the Finals. Now, as an executive, he had acquired Su Xi through a trade, brought the team to the Finals again, and was just one step away from the championship.

Su Xi was also very happy. Bird’s arrival brought him just one step away from the ’Super Sense of Distance Talent’.

Right now, Su Xi already possessed Isaiah Thomas’s ’Super Low Center of Gravity Dribbling Rhythm Talent’, Gary Payton’s ’Super Clinging Defense Talent’, and Magic Johnson’s ’Super Spatial Awareness Talent’. If he could also obtain Bird’s talent, Su Xi felt that if he didn’t aim to become the greatest of all time, he would be letting down these ancient gods once surpassed by Jordan, as well as the elite guards Jordan had suppressed his entire career.

Of course, he had to take things one step at a time. It was good to aim for the stars, but being overly ambitious and taking too big a step could lead to pulling a groin.

It wasn’t just Larry Bird who had come to Los Angeles; David Stern and the championship trophy had also been brought over. With the Pacers at match point, they could win the title in any of the upcoming games.

Rick Carlisle and the coaching staff didn’t want to drag out the series. Delays breed trouble, so it was best to end the fight in Los Angeles.

...

「June 15, 2004.」

The highly anticipated Game 5 of the Finals had arrived.

Staples Center was packed to the rafters, and the TV media broadcast had already gone live.

The frenzy wasn’t limited to North America; it was just as wild in Asia.

Su Xi’s immense success in the NBA had Asian fans, especially those in China, particularly excited, filling them with a spontaneous sense of pride.

Yao Ming even walked into the CCTV broadcast booth today. He, along with two other commentators, would be calling the game for the national audience.

Yao Ming showcased his eloquence, his professional basketball knowledge, and some of his personal experiences.

"If the NBA is a pyramid, Su Xi’s on-court ability is nearing the very top tier, and his influence has already reached it. He’s not just popular in China; he has a massive, massive, massive following in the United States. He’s very charismatic, and you see him on TV all the time."

"If the Pacers win the championship under his leadership, he’ll become the first Asian guard in history to win a title, the first Asian guard in history to win Finals MVP, and only the second player in history to win Finals MVP in his rookie season—the other one was Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson and Su Xi have a great relationship. The last time we met, he told me he’d taught Su Xi a lot of passing techniques. He probably never imagined back then that Su Xi would become an opponent of his former team, the Lakers."

"The Pacers were already a strong team, and Su Xi’s arrival was like adding wings to a tiger. People in the United States are also saying it now: Su Xi gave wings to the tiger, and the Pacers have become invincible."

"Su Xi’s physical strength is incredible. We players say amongst ourselves that he’s the strongest guard in the NBA when it comes to physical matchups."

"Last game, he played nearly the entire time. As long as he can maintain that level of playing time in this game, I’m generally optimistic about their chances of winning."

Finally, Yao Ming added, "If Su Xi could join our national team, we would have a huge chance this year."

"Su Xi’s physicality, on the international stage, would be a nightmare for any player matched up against him. The FIBA system is even better suited to his style of play."

"He really wants to play for his country. I’ve talked to him about it."

"I’d also love to fight alongside him..."

Yao Ming had wanted to continue on this topic, but CCTV, being what it is, had their director cut the discussion short through his earpiece, telling them to focus on commentating on the game itself.

Then, they began to discuss the game’s starting lineups.

But for the fans and viewers watching on TV, they wanted to hear more. ’Why would someone stop Su Xi from joining the national team if he wants to? Could there really be a more badass guard than him back home? Su Xi is about to win an NBA championship! If he wants to come back, they should invite him to join the team immediately!’

’When will the men’s national team ever make it to the semifinals? Stop just getting in and out of the group stage. The quarterfinals shouldn’t be the goal; a medal should be the destination.’

"The Laker fans are booing a lot right from the start."

"That’s pretty rare. When we play in Los Angeles, the Laker fans are usually laid-back, laughing and talking. They’re very proud and don’t typically take their opponents seriously, thinking the OK Combination can handle anything. Plus, they have such a glorious history. What storms haven’t they weathered?"

"There are a lot of celebrities and stars courtside. Watching a Lakers game is a pretty fashionable thing to do in Hollywood. There’s a saying in the NBA: Staples Center is a branch of the Walk of Fame."

"However, Su Xi is very famous in that regard. My teammates often ask me why I haven’t learned a single thing..." Yao Ming chattered on. Strictly speaking, although there was a significant age difference, he was only one year ahead of Su Xi and could be considered part of the same generation of stars.