"This game—and even the series as a whole—has become much less suspenseful. Now it comes down to whether the Heat can steady themselves and whether any of their players can step up to help the team. If they can win this game, and Kawhi's injury isn't serious, then they still have a chance..."
"Their chances are incredibly slim. Without Kawhi, beating the Knicks led by Chen Xi is simply too difficult."
"The main reason Chen Xi is so good at leading a team is that he has such an incredible ability to raise the floor. No matter how good his teammates are, he can always reliably provide a massive amount of firepower. That's why the Knicks—and the Thunder before them—have such a low chance of getting upset when facing weaker teams."
On the bench, Chen Xi took a sip of his drink, then turned to look at the other side of the court. Kawhi was being helped slowly toward the players' tunnel by a staff member.
"So in the end, what holds Kawhi back is still his durability..."
Chen Xi muttered under his breath, then covered his head with the white towel again and let his mind go blank, treasuring this rest period that was just as hard-won for him.
"So it looks like I was absolutely right to put all my extra points into my physique and stamina first."
Not long after, the game resumed.
The Heat brought Martin in for Kawhi and Herro in for Vincent, then returned to the court with their trademark tenacity.
The Knicks, meanwhile, kept their original lineup and continued to play steadily.
It was a very Thibodeau-style approach.
He didn't care at all about the strength of the opposing lineup. Until the lead between the two teams reached a margin he considered acceptable,