Like the Knicks, the Bucks weren't the least bit surprised that Chen Xi had made a shot like that.
Perhaps people had long since grown accustomed to this monster making such shots, after nine straight games with 45-plus points had pushed his season scoring average back up to 36.6.
Milwaukee was no exception.
Brook Lopez quickly stepped out beyond the baseline and immediately inbounded the ball.
The Bucks went back on offense.
They settled into their positions in the frontcourt and began their half-court possession.
Lillard again called for a pick-and-roll at the top of the key. After accelerating around the screen, he used a Hesitation Bait Buddha to get Strus in the air, then accelerated again and drove into the paint.
When George came over to help, he kicked the ball out to Middleton on the wing.
Middleton caught it and put up a three.
A moment later, the ball swished through the net again.
8–2.
"Holy shit? They're shooting this well tonight?"
Seeing the net ripple at his own end again, Chen Xi couldn't help complaining.
"Why does everyone seem to play out of their minds against us?"
"That's what you get for being first in the league and everyone's enemy. You've had this treatment plenty of times. You should be pretty experienced by now."
George smiled as he answered beside him.
As a core player who had played for two powerhouse teams in succession, the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks, George had plenty of experience with this himself.
In fact, Paul George might have spent considerably more time atop the league in recent years than Chen had.
Everyone knew that every player who made it into the league and stayed there had been a prodigy in his own life.
Most had their own pride, along