The Spurs might have been shameless, but Chen Xi showed them no mercy, easily putting up 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead his team to victory.
After the game, Chen Xi went over to embrace and chat with the tearful relic of a bygone era: the forty-year-old Demon Blade, Ginobili. In the original timeline, this would be the second-to-last season of his career.
Born in 1977, Ginobili was no longer the Pampas Eagle—or "Twenty-Minute Jordan"—he'd once been. Now he was even older than Dirk over in Dallas. The sharp decline in his physical abilities had been especially apparent this season.
The Demon Blade was averaging just 7.5 points and 2.7 assists. It wouldn't be long before he hung up his sword for good.
Just look at the Spurs now: they were a team weighed down by age. Their starters, Parker and Pau Gasol, were both veterans who'd spent over a decade in the League. Only Leonard, who'd entered the League in 2011, was still young—and unfortunately, he probably wouldn't be a Spur much longer.
Wait? Who was I feeling sorry for? Those old guys were, damn it, in second place in the Western Conference!!! What was I even doing???
Chen Xi suddenly snapped out of his reverie, realizing he'd been feeling sorry for a powerhouse with the League's second-best record. It was ridiculous.
On March 11, against the Utah Jazz, Westbrook and Butler both sat out. Chen Xi seized the opportunity, shooting 16-for-27 from the field, 8-for-15 from three, and 6-for-7 from the line. He exploded for 46 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead his team to victory.
Thanks to his outstanding performance, his stats for the week rose to 34.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. With James Harden going through a