Meanwhile, on the court.
After taking the shot, Chen Xi was knocked to the floor when Giannis's side collided with him.
But the instant he saw the ball go through the hoop, Chen was so fired up that he burst with astonishing strength.
He sprang up from the floor in a single motion, then turned around and flashed the crowd his signature celebration.
Ice In My Veins!! (When I hit a game-winner, I'm as cool as ice!)
The fans answered Chen with an even louder roar.
The game was over!
The image froze on the moment.
Standing in front of the stands, Chen Xi interacted with the fans using his classic celebratory gesture.
Before him was a sea of wildly excited fans.
Behind him, Knicks players swarmed over, eager to join in the celebration, along with a few Bucks players who looked utterly dejected, as if they had just received news of a death in the family.
Getting walked off on felt awful. Nobody liked it.
Especially Giannis.
Having an opponent hit a game-winner over his defense was excruciating.
And what made it even worse was that this wasn't the first time he'd experienced it...
The game officially ended, and the final score was set at 127–128.
The New York Knicks had defeated the Bucks, successfully defending their home court once again.
Chen Xi played 40 minutes, shooting 19-for-26 from the field, 8-for-12 from three, and 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. He finished with 59 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, and in the final moments, he hit a three over Giannis's defense to end the game.
By the numbers and by his performance on the court, it was a display of pure individual heroism.
New York fans were clearly thrilled.
For starters, sales of the