Heart-Pounding! Sowing Discord!

Before long.

Halftime ended.

The players from both teams returned to the court. At the entrance to the players' tunnel, the cheerleaders stood in rows on either side.

They wore revealing cheerleading uniforms that showed off their slender waists and figures, waving pom-poms and colorful balls.

With professional smiles on their faces, they welcomed the Warriors players back onto the court.

This was official.

However... when the Knicks players came out, they did not wave the colorful balls or hold any welcome ceremony.

The contrast was deliberate, making full use of the home-court advantage.

But... the instant they saw Su Yan, none of them could look away. They were completely drawn in by his handsome appearance and flawless skin.

Su Yan radiated an intense masculine charm that left any woman who came close to him utterly captivated.

Even if he was the enemy.

Even if he did nothing, merely keeping a straight face and walking onto the court while ignoring everything around him.

His stunning profile alone made the beautiful visiting cheerleaders feel their hearts skip a beat, as though they were about to fall in love.

They instinctively began to fantasize.

One cheerleader who could no longer hold herself back took several steps forward, wanting to invite Su Yan to watch a movie at a private theater.

Luckily.

The girls beside her pulled her back in time.

Otherwise... if she expressed her love for Su Yan at a moment like this, whether Su Yan accepted it or not was one thing.

But there was a good chance she would lose her job.

After all... there was an unwritten rule among NBA cheerleaders: cheerleading squad members were not allowed to date the team's players.

Before this unwritten rule appeared, attractive cheerleaders were often involved in dating rumors with NBA players.

There was nothing inherently wrong with that.

But... an NBA player might not have dated only one cheerleader. There could have been group activities.

Not only would that distract them from basketball, it would also cause a whole heap of trouble.

There was no helping it.

When people spent too much time together, accidents were bound to happen.

This also affected the NBA as a whole to some extent. When President David Stern saw that things were going south.

He gave the order.

And this unwritten rule came into being.

You could choose not to follow it, but once something happened, the NBA management would very likely make you disappear from the league or make life extremely difficult for you.

There was no helping it.

If you wanted to ruin the NBA, then the NBA could only ruin you first.

The game continued.

The sides switched for the second half.

Warriors possession.

Curry brought the ball up, shifted left and accelerated as if to drive, then suddenly used a behind-the-back crossover to shake Wilson Chandler loose.

He took another hard step to the right and saw that the help defender had not rotated over in time.

He decisively came to a sudden stop and gathered the ball.

He rose and launched a three-point shot.

This was Curry's off-the-dribble three-point shot, his opportunity shot.

Clang!

Unfortunately... his cold shooting touch kept him from capitalizing on the opportunity, and the ball clanked off the rim.

David Lee established position and secured the rebound.

"Be more patient."

Monta Ellis walked back toward midcourt and approached Curry, scolding him. "There was no need to be so fixated on the three-pointer.

"If you had moved the ball one more time just now, or driven into the paint, you might have found a better opportunity."

Why?

Three-pointers were what I did best. That really had been a rare, excellent opportunity for me.

I just missed it. That was all.

And I got criticized for that?!

Curry, who had been taking bailout shots all this time, had finally taken a normal shot and still got scolded. He was deeply dissatisfied.

But he knew Ellis's standing on the team.

He also understood that, as someone like Ellis's little brother and seemingly his backup, he had no right to argue with the team leader.

"My mistake."

Curry lowered his head slightly like a child admitting fault. "I'll play more patiently from now on."

"That's good."

Ellis nodded indifferently.

But seeing Curry act so humble gave his pride as the team leader immense satisfaction.

This was exactly how he wanted to assert his authority, to tell Curry that he could only ever follow behind him and should not dream of stealing the spotlight.

D'Antoni saw the whole scene clearly. He had been watching Curry the entire time.

He did not know what Ellis had said, but judging from their expressions and demeanor, it was obvious... Ellis had reprimanded Curry.

That was enough.

After Ellis finished speaking and went to guard Wilson Chandler, D'Antoni quickly walked over when Curry took up his spot near the sideline.

"Hey, Stephen, you got scolded, didn't you? Why? That shot you took just now was a great look.

"If it were me.

"Even if you missed, I'd still encourage you."

Coach D'Antoni was speaking up for Curry.

Yeah.

I didn't know why, either.

It was like he was deliberately targeting me. He could not stand seeing me attack, and he wanted me sitting on the cold bench forever.

Only then would he be satisfied.

Curry nodded inwardly, strongly agreeing with D'Antoni.

But he did not say it. He could not say it.

This was the opposing coach. Curry could not exactly say, 'You're right, I'm really sick of Monta Ellis.'

That would not be appropriate.

Yet, full of resentment, he did not know what to say. A thousand words ultimately turned into a sigh.

Silence spoke louder than words.

D'Antoni was extremely good at reading Curry's thoughts, and immediately followed up, "Your three-pointers are clearly this accurate, yet you barely have any plays designed for you.

"Why should such an incredible shooter have to trail behind a reckless, self-centered guy like Monta?!

"I really don't understand what Don Nelson is thinking.

"If you were under me, I'd do everything in my power to create three-point opportunities for a shooter as great as you!!!"

It sounded as though he were talking to himself.

But the speaker had an agenda, and the listener took it to heart.

Curry's heart stirred. The Knicks management had already contacted him before, and he had met with Coach D'Antoni.

They had said he would go to the Knicks.

But then the Warriors snatched him away. Fine, they had snatched him away. Wherever he played, he had planned to settle down for his first few years and hone his skills.

But they still would not treat him properly. How could that not make him angry?

Now Curry was furious. His dissatisfaction with the Warriors was about to reach its peak.

This was exactly the situation Coach D'Antoni wanted to see.

Immediately afterward... he found Don Nelson standing near the sideline and said with a grin, "Don, I really have to thank you for snatching Stephen away.

"I thought very highly of him back then.

"But if he had really come to the Knicks and turned out like this, I would have regretted it so much I'd vomit blood!

"Thank you so much!!!"

No thanks.

Don Nelson had already been conflicted and somewhat dissatisfied with Curry. After D'Antoni said that.

He instantly exploded.

What the hell?

Stephen was just like the scouting reports said. He could only play in a low-level league like the NCAA.

He simply could not adapt to the intensity of the NBA.

I must have been fucking blind to choose him.

Originally... Don Nelson had firmly chosen Curry, giving him time to adapt. To make Curry the centerpiece, he had even been willing to trade away Monta Ellis while Ellis was in his prime.

That was a crazy decision.

But his resolve had proven his gamble right.

But now.

After Coach D'Antoni's instigation, Don Nelson changed his mind about Curry!!!