Possession returned to the Knicks.
Hartenstein took the ball out from the baseline and passed it to Chen Xi.
Chen Xi then brought the ball across half court himself.
Chen's solid ball-handling fundamentals allowed him to stroll across the midcourt line even with Allen hounding him. He even had time to glance at the game clock along the way.
One minute and forty-five seconds remained.
A five-point deficit was no big deal!
They could absolutely make a play!
His gaze grew more and more determined.
Chen Xi came to the top of the key, then waved Grant over for a pick-and-roll before dribbling toward the right sideline.
By calling for Middleton's matchup, he reduced the possibility of the Bucks sending a preemptive double-team from the top, then initiated an isolation facing the basket.
When he reached the sideline, Chen Xi slowly performed two between-the-legs dribbles to find his rhythm, then stepped left with a hesitation move to probe.
The moment Middleton adjusted his feet to match Chen Xi's movement, Chen Xi immediately drove.
He followed with a between-the-legs crossover, then exploded with a crossover step, driving diagonally down the right lane into the paint. After absorbing contact on the move and bumping Middleton aside, he used a sideways step-back to pull back to the three-point line, then went up as if to shoot.
From the side, Giannis came up from the corner to help and was instantly sent flying by the shot fake.
Although his physical advantages meant that even after being sent airborne he could recover, Chen Xi had already picked up his dribble and still had no good shooting space.
But Toppin had been left wide open in the corner.
In the next instant, Chen's wrist flicked, and a precise, rapid pass arrived right on time.
Obi Toppin!