Daily Routine

The game continued, but the gap between the Pacers and the Thunder slowly widened.

Facing continuous restrictions from Butler and Roberson, George's efficiency declined. However, Butler could completely relieve the offensive pressure and intensify his defense on George at will. After all, in the first quarter, he just needed to let Chen Xi go all out on offense.

Chen Xi did not disappoint. In the first quarter, he shot 6-of-9 for 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, leading the team to a 27-19 lead over the Pacers by 8 points.

During the break between quarters, George glanced at the resting area on the other half of the court, feeling a slight hint of regret.

As the core of trade rumors, he had indeed heard from his agent that the Thunder had discussed his price with the Pacers. However, at that time, he was not willing to leave the Pacers just like that, and secondly, he still had concerns about the Thunder after losing Durant, even though Westbrook was having a phenomenal season.

But now, he had to admit that perhaps it would have been better if he had gone to the Thunder. Looking at Chen Xi, this rookie, his performance on the court was incredible.

What was his level in his rookie year? George thought back.

George, who was still a substitute for Danny Granger back then, averaged 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in his first year. Looking at Chen Xi, he was already a starter in his first year and the team's core, averaging 23.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Ten years ago, these would have been All-Star starter-level stats.

Such a promising rookie, coupled with Russell Westbrook, a super guard, the Thunder's future might be much brighter than he imagined.

Forget it! No more thinking. It's good in Indiana, at least he doesn't have to move.

After consoling himself, George took another big gulp of Gatorade.

On the other side, the Thunder were harmonious. Even without Westbrook, the team maintained good competitiveness, which was definitely a good sign.

Chen Xi sat on the bench with a smile, watching his teammates slowly take the court. Having played the entire first quarter, he could rest a little longer, as his stamina issues still existed.

Besides, he had gone all out for a quarter, and it was time for JB to have his turn.

When Chen Xi and Westbrook were on the court, Butler always served as the perimeter defensive core, responsible for the dirty work on defense. But when he led the team alone, he would unleash his offense, making opponents remember that this man was also an NBA top small forward who had been selected to the All-Star game for three consecutive years.

Compared to Donovan's ease, Pacers head coach Nate McMillan was a bit helpless. The team's offense was limited, and their defense could only restrict a few role players. They had no good solutions for Butler and Chen Xi. He could only learn from Tyronn Lue, extending George's playing time to see if they could catch up.

However, facing the Thunder's rich forward depth, George was not made of iron. After a high-efficiency first quarter, his performance began to decline significantly.

Just then, Chen Xi stepped onto the court again. Having rested sufficiently, Chen immediately hit two consecutive three-pointers, widening the score again.

And for the Pacers, apart from George, the highest scorer was actually the second-generation star on the bench, Glenn Robinson III.

In the end, the game ended early. The Thunder successfully conquered Indiana on the road, defeating the Pacers 104-91.

Paul George was repeatedly guarded by the Thunder's forward group. After continuous marking by Butler, Roberson, and Grant, his shooting touch rapidly declined. After scoring 13 points in the first quarter, he was completely lost in the next three quarters, shooting 9-of-23 for only 24 points in the entire game, tasting defeat with resentment.

The Thunder had two days of rest to adjust before facing back-to-back challenges from the Cavaliers and Warriors, the top two teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Chen Xi said, "I'm under a lot of pressure, man."

The next day, upon returning to OKC, there was no time to rest. He was picked up by Moon to shoot a newly signed endorsement advertisement.

It was an American home appliance brand, worth 6 million for three years. He just needed to shoot commercials and attend a couple of brand promotional events to earn it. Why not?

If you like this book, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

As for ANTA, although the contract wasn't long, they were truly sincere. They were already designing Chen Xi's signature shoes, and they even delivered a truckload of basketball shoes for him to use in games, which made Chen Xi very satisfied.

After finishing the shoot in the afternoon, Chen Xi drove back home. Veronica was already waiting for him in the room.

Due to the recent tight schedule, they hadn't had much quality time together for a while.

Feelings can fade over time, which is a problem most NBA players face. Constantly flying around the US fragments their time, and only during the offseason can they consolidate their relationships.

Fortunately, Veronica was completely smitten with Chen Xi. He was handsome, good at basketball, cooked well, and earned a lot of money. She was completely devoted to him.

After coaxing his girlfriend a little, Chen Xi put on an apron, intending to show the "little foreign girl" the power of a househusband.

"The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast is just a small dish~~ The Three Mountains and Five Peaks are blended into the hundred flavors of life~~~"

In a good mood, Chen Xi hummed a little tune while preparing tonight's ingredients.

Veronica sat at the dining table, resting her chin on her hands, watching Chen Xi busily moving around, momentarily mesmerized.

How could there be such a perfect man!!

Her mouth was wet.

"Darling~~ Is there anything I can help with?"

Wiping her saliva, Veronica stood up and walked over, intending to help Chen Xi.

"Uh-huh, can you use a knife? Help me chop that onion into mince."

"No problem, darling~~~"

After a satisfying meal, the two sat on the sofa, watching A. Smith's nonsensical ramblings on TV, enjoying their rare leisure time.

The famous American commentator on TV was still arguing with someone, claiming Jordan was the greatest ever, and James was still far behind.

It was an old topic. Chen Xi watched purely for entertainment, while Veronica was a loyal supporter of Kobe. She sat beside Chen Xi, indignantly saying that James hadn't surpassed Kobe yet, and now he wanted to surpass Jordan.

Chen Xi remained noncommittal. He didn't care at all. Jordan, James, Kobe – compared to geigei, they were all trash!

The reason he watched this show was mainly because basketball was a shared hobby for both of them and one of the important bonds that maintained their relationship.

But now, this bond seemed to be overshadowed by another...

"This is boring, let's do something else." Veronica nudged Chen Xi's chest with her shoulder.

"Hey! Come with me into the room!!" Chen Xi's eyes lit up at this. He picked up his "little foreign girl" and walked towards the room.

If you like this book, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.