Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 118 Mysterious Figures
As the game ended, the Grizzlies' bench erupted in celebration. Playoff rivalries are always crucial, especially for teams chasing behind.

If you lose, the deficit in wins will widen, and the psychological impact will be even heavier.

However, the Grizzlies won.

"We will make the playoffs, that's why I'm here!"

Josh Howard, who scored 16 points in the game, has that famous face. He can overwhelm his opponents with his aura even without saying a word, let alone now that he is speaking loudly.

Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony had to answer some questions that annoyed him.

"Melo, how do you feel about this match?"

The press conference began with a mild opening, with local Denver media asking questions first.

"This was a disappointing game," Anthony said in a low voice into the microphone. "We missed a lot of opportunities. My touch came too late, but that doesn't mean anything. The season is still long, we're still in playoff contention, and I believe we'll be the ones who have the last laugh."

However, not all reporters are as mild-mannered as the local media. Anyone who watched the game knows the tension between Anthony and Xu Ling.

An out-of-town reporter ignited the fire: "Cameron, how would you rate Eli Xu's performance tonight? Judging from the matchups, he seemed to have the upper hand."

You know, some flamboyant Japanese actresses scream like pigs being slaughtered while filming, but 99% of them are simply part of the essential training of the new generation of artists, though there are also some who are naturally sensitive.

Carmelo Anthony is a rare exception. He is not a sensitive person; in fact, he may be the kind of person who doesn't care whether the team wins or loses as long as he is happy.

But Xu Ling really angered him tonight.

In the mind of this tough guy from the streets, the basketball court is an extension of the streets. If you show disrespect on the court, you are my enemy. There is no such thing as "what happens on the court stays on the court."

Now Anthony understands why someone as shrewd as James would have such a falling out with Xu Ling.

As the latest victim, Anthony believes that Xu Ling is the source of all the chaos.

So, hearing this question, which was practically a tickle on his sensitive spots, made Carmelo visibly angry. Perhaps calling him "Bitter Melon" would be more fitting now: "He played a good game, and I'll give him the respect he deserves. You know, young guys always have lucky nights. He made some shots tonight, that's all. I've seen too many flashes of brilliance in this league. In the first half, I was just helping the team in another way, drawing the defense and creating opportunities for my teammates. I can score anytime I want. Tonight wasn't our night, but next time we meet, the story will be completely different."

No one mentioned the first half, no one talked about Anthony scoring zero points in the first half tonight, no one brought up anything else. The reporter just implied that he was outmatched in the matchup, and then he couldn't take it anymore.

That's precisely where the reporter's brilliance lies.

With just a few words, a player can be driven to self-destruct in a moment of desperation.

"There's a view that Eli is the second-best young player in the league after LeBron James. What's your opinion on that view?"

This question can basically be understood as: Someone says that Mr. Xu is more awesome than you, so please show off your linguistic charm.

Anthony, as if jolted awake, sat bolt upright, glaring intently at the reporter who seemed to be fishing with a hook: "I don't care how much others praise that rookie. In my eyes, he's just a newcomer who hasn't proven himself yet. I've played in this league for so many years and seen too many so-called talents come and go. I respect his victory tonight, but as for anything else, let's wait until he leads his team to a playoff victory!"

The reason this press conference didn't get out of control was because no clueless reporter asked, "But Mr. Gua, you never made it to the second round either."

Unlike Anthony, Iverson gave Xu Ling high praise.

“He reminds me of myself,” Iverson said. “We’ve all been misunderstood, but I think Eli has been misunderstood more, and sooner or later, everyone who misunderstood him will apologize to him.”

As for Xu Ling's victory over Anthony and the subsequent argument between the two?
“That’s normal. Melo had a tough night,” Iverson laughed. “I’m sure he’ll come back next time.”

Iverson showed the demeanor of a senior player. Of course, that could also be interpreted as him being the MVP of the losing team tonight, so he could naturally let it go in a nonchalant manner. If he were to experience what Anthony went through, he might just hate him even more than the latter.

However, since Iverson chose to let the matter rest, the media naturally focused on the previous conflict between Xu Ling and Anthony.

When Xu Ling and head coach Marc Jafaroni entered the media interview room, the cameras of the reporters below the stage flashed instantly.

Most of the time, Jaffaroni, who was next to Xu Ling, was practically invisible.

Typically, after Xu Ling has answered a large number of questions, reporters from Memphis will take the opportunity to ask Jaffaroni a few questions, giving Xu Ling a chance to catch his breath.

The same is true today.

“Eli, congratulations on a crucial victory! How would you rate your performance tonight, especially your complete dominance over Carmelo Anthony?”

The questioner was Marc Stein, a senior reporter from ESPN.

Xu Ling dislikes most ESPN reporters because they have close ties with Nike, but Stein is a well-known reporter who can be trusted.

Therefore, Xu Ling's answer was quite formal: "Thank you, we achieved a team victory. Everyone contributed at the right moment. I was just executing the coach's instructions on the field. Just like I always do, read the game and make the right judgments."

There was nothing wrong with this answer, and even if reporters wanted to use their traditional skill of taking things out of context, they would have no way to do so.

Each sentence, taken individually, is flawless.

Then came David Winslow from the Memphis Business Journal: "Eli, you blocked Allen Iverson in the last quarter and then scored over him with a really great fake and jump shot, a play reminiscent of his classic game against Michael Jordan. What were you thinking at that moment?"

A hint of reminiscence crossed Xu Ling's face, which quickly turned into a faint smile: "There was no time to think too much at that moment. AI is a legend, and it's an honor to face a player like him on the field. In that round... I was just trying to seize the opportunity to win the game."

Tonight's Kingslayer reminds me of Allen Iverson's words: He was misunderstood.

He is not the villain portrayed in the media.

See, he has great respect for his opponents and seniors, and remains humble even after a complete victory.

Perhaps the media is really wrong.

Then came the next question, from a reporter from The New York Times, which effectively ended the relaxed atmosphere: "Carmelo said in an interview that the outcome would have been different in the playoffs, and that he thinks you were just 'lucky' and haven't yet experienced the true brutality of the NBA. What's your response to that?"

The entire stadium fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on Xu Ling's face. Coach Jaffaroni glanced at him with some concern.

Xu Ling was somewhat displeased.

He really doesn't understand why some people like to bring their on-court issues off the court. What does he expect to get when Anthony trash-talks him?

He could only retaliate, and when they finished the game with a big win, that chapter was closed. It was just one game, one of the long and tedious 82 regular season games. Why would anyone want to turn tonight's farce into a soap opera?
Xu Ling showed no sign of being provoked. His gaze swept over the reporter who asked the question. "I understand Carmelo's feelings. Losing an important game at home is definitely not a pleasant experience. But to say it was luck? Well, if he thinks that all our team's efforts throughout the night—every single one of my drives, every crucial defensive play by Josh, every exquisite assist by Jason, and every scramble for rebounds in the paint by Darko and Hakeem—can be simply summarized as 'luck,' then I can only say that this is his most unique understanding of basketball."

Some people in the audience burst out laughing.

"And then there's the so-called cruelty of the NBA," Xu Ling said calmly. "To be honest, tonight's game wasn't cruel at all. The real cruelty is that at the beginning of the season, we were in the headlines every day, facing all sorts of doubts and interference, yet we still had to play our best in every game. We've been through that, but we never complain."

Xu Ling finally looked at the reporter who had asked the question and said seriously, "We won, they lost, that's the whole truth. If Cameron needs an excuse for his defeat—he's found one now."

Then it was Jaffaroni's turn to answer questions, before returning to Xu Ling. They stayed in the media interview room for more than half an hour, and when they finally left, the reporters, still eager for more, held up their recording pens and were reluctant to leave.

Jaffaroni silently followed Xu Ling, and a tacit understanding had developed between them. The head coach knew better than anyone that this young man was not only the absolute core of his tactics, but also the most solid guarantee for his coaching career in Memphis.

He longed to truly understand Xu Ling and decipher the thought process behind each of his decisions.

However, the longer Jaffaroni spent with Xu Ling, the more confused he became—this young man was like an elaborately designed puzzle. On the court, he was confident to the point of arrogance, never backing down from any provocation; but off the court, he never challenged any teammate other than Gay. He completely obeyed Kidd's tactical instructions, was willing to share the one-on-one opportunity with Josh Howard, and never showed contempt even for an insignificant substitute like Lowry.

The media portrayed him as a locker room bully, but everyone who has worked with Xu Ling, except Rudy Gay, will tell you that he is surprisingly approachable in private.

This extreme contrast often made Yafaloni wonder which one was the real Xu Ling.
Is he the ruthless killer who can embarrass his opponents with just a few words on the field, or the young man who laughs so hard he can't stand up straight in the locker room because of a teammate's lame joke?
While Yafaloni was still pondering the answer, they ran into Allen Iverson in the hallway, who had also just finished an interview.

Iverson appeared to be in a good mood and was completely unaffected by the loss.

This is understandable, because even after losing this game, the Nuggets are still in the playoff picture.

However, their record is now neck and neck with the Grizzlies, so every game from now on is crucial. A loss or a win could drastically change their ranking.

"Eli, you really got Melo pissed off tonight," Iverson chuckled. "So? Any plans later? Want to grab a drink?"

Despite his notorious private life, Iverson was known for his chivalrous and righteous leadership qualities on the outside.

Xu Ling declined, saying, "Maybe next time, AI. I have plans with other people."

"Okay, kid, you played well tonight," Iverson said. "Goodbye, and hopefully we can both make the playoffs."

Xu Ling simply said goodbye. At the end of the corridor, Iverson's friends had been waiting for a long time. The group of people were obviously not related to the Nuggets. They all surrounded Iverson, saying things like, "Allen did his best, it's not his fault for losing."

Iverson was enjoying himself. They left, and everything went according to plan. Tonight would cost a lot of money and he would have to pay a lot of bills, but it didn't matter. His annual salary was close to 20 million dollars, and his endorsement fees were also tens of millions of dollars every year. He had more money than he could spend and would never be reduced to receiving welfare because of these vampires.

“I heard he didn’t sleep last night,” Xu Ling suddenly said to Jaffaroni. “He didn’t participate in practice either, and then he became the Nuggets’ best player tonight. How is that possible?”

Jaffaroni asked, "Are you envious?"

“I’m just curious,” Xu Ling said.

“AI is not an ordinary person,” Jafaroni said. “He has been living this kind of life for many years.”

Has it been like this for so many years? If he hadn't lived this kind of life, maybe he could have played even better?
Xu Ling couldn't make such a conclusion because a short, super-scoring player like Iverson relies on his youth; once he reaches a certain age, his prime is over.

They walked outside the locker room, and Roderick Craig walked directly towards Xu Ling with his phone in hand.

But Xu Ling absolutely did not want his peak to end so abruptly. It should be a predictable, slow decline, like... like urination.

At first, it was unstoppable; in the mid-game, it provided stable output; in the late game, it became intermittent; and finally, you had to shake it hard to find that there wasn't a drop left.

This is an acceptable ending.

However, Iverson may never know when to stop.

Then, Xu Ling's best friend, Roderick Craig, hurried over.

“Eli,” Craig said, “Yao Ming just called you.”

(End of this chapter)