James' face flushed red, and it was unclear whether he was angry, or annoyed after his scheme against others was exposed, or maybe his face was simply red from being hit.
Players from both teams were eventually persuaded to return to the bench, while the referees watched the replays to confirm the final decision.
"Jimmy." Xu Yong went to the bench and pulled Butler directly to him.
"Win this game." He punched Butler's chest and looked him straight in the eye.
Butler saw the ruthless look in Xu Yong's eyes and nodded vigorously.
The referee's final decision came out. James was convicted of first-degree malicious intent and Xu Yong was convicted of second-degree malicious intent and was ejected from the game.
This was the first time Xu Yong was ejected in his career, but he was cheered and applauded by Chicago fans when he left the court.
Because of the replay on the big screen just now, it was James who started the fight first, and Xu Yong was just defending himself.
After returning to the locker room, Xu Yong took a shower and then sat in front of the TV in the locker room to continue watching the live game.
Although he was expelled, he is in a good mood now.
It is difficult for bosses and players to become friends because of their different interest groups, and their relationship is generally very delicate (like Cuban and Nowitzki, who are unique in the NBA), so this kind of provocative relationship is difficult to deal with and hard to guard against.
But now that James has taken these two punches, he will not dare to do this again in the future. This solves the problem from the root.
Of course, it would be even better if Butler could lead the team to win.
After all, I scolded you and beat you, but my team still beat you. Even with James' psychological endurance, I'm afraid he would become autistic.
The game was very intense, but the Bulls, led by Butler, always kept close to the score.
This is the second time Butler has led the team alone. The last time was last season when Xu Yong missed the game due to injury. But the difference from that game is that this time both Butler and the Bulls have better physical fitness and fighting spirit.
When the game reached the third quarter, the Bulls inevitably fell behind. Xu Yong was not on the court, and there was still a gap in strength between the two teams.
However, just when the Bulls fans thought they had no chance, in the transition period between the third and fourth quarters, Stephenson and Jokic led the team to tenaciously catch up with the score.
The Cavaliers coaching staff was clearly not well prepared for the two of them tonight, especially Stephenson, who was really like the Monkey King making trouble in Heaven.
The two sides fought fiercely again in the final quarter. Butler showed his big heart 8 seconds before the end of the game, stepped back to shake off James' defense and hit a near-game-winning three-pointer.
In the last 8 seconds, James broke through and passed the ball to JR Smith on the outside. Smith's three-pointer was blocked by Stephenson and hit the rim.
The Bulls eventually defeated the Cavaliers 98-96 and won the game.
Butler scored a game-high 29 points, plus 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and was the well-deserved MVP player of the game.
In addition, Stephenson contributed 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, making a stunning debut in his Bulls career. Jokic had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. The two of them were the Bulls' bench surprise players today.
After the game, Xu Yong was still in the locker room. He sat at the door and waited for his teammates to come in. He then reached out and high-fived them one by one.
When Butler finally came in, he took the initiative to stand up and give him a hug.
"I know you can do it." Then he gave Butler a big affirmation.
Butler hugged Xu Yong tightly and seemed extremely excited. In the past, he had always been doing the job of the second-in-command, but tonight he proved that he could also be the boss, and he even defeated the Cavaliers, a favorite team to win the championship. This was a huge boost to his self-confidence.
Xu Yong and Butler attended the post-match press conference together.
Reporters did not seem surprised by Xu Yong's appearance, after all, he was present after the last conflict between Artest and Green.
The press conference started with a discussion of competition issues.
"I still say the same thing, I am not surprised by Jimmy's performance, because I know he has always been at that level, he just lacks an opportunity." Xu Yong's evaluation of Butler is exactly the same as what he said after Game 3 of the Finals last year. This is also the reason why he said that to Butler after he was ejected. Butler is the type of person who slacks off when facing weak opponents and becomes stronger when facing strong opponents.
Soon after, the reporter from TNT mentioned the conflict during the game, which caused other reporters to look at Xu Yong. They only knew that a conflict had occurred during the game, but they did not know the specific cause of the conflict.
"You know, the game was intense, we had a fierce trash talk exchange, I attacked him, he attacked me, and finally this exchange escalated to physical confrontation. I was a little impulsive at the time because I heard that LeBron wanted to come to Chicago..."
When he said this, the reporters in the audience suddenly burst into laughter.
Because Xu Yong said an extremely shocking news in a very casual way: James is going to join the Bulls.
This is simply the most explosive news this season.
"Is that true?" the reporter couldn't help but ask, "LeBron wants to join the Bulls."
"I did hear accurate information, though I cannot say where it came from."
Xu Yong's answer made the reporters even more excited, because it basically confirmed that this was the case.
This is really fucked up, because the Cavaliers are basically worshipping James now, getting him whatever teammates he wants, and even the head coach can make changes at will, but in the end, James wants to go to the Bulls?
This vividly illustrates what it means to "lick someone until you have nothing left."
And the key point is that this is still during the season. If Xu Yong's explosive news comes out, the Cavaliers will probably be in chaos.
Because of the conflict, Foreman was also at the press conference tonight.
When he heard Xu Yong say this, he was also very shocked at first.
This kind of thing generally cannot be brought to the table for discussion, because it can easily be linked to the Bulls management.
But after the shock, he deeply felt Xu Yong's skill.
Now not only will James himself be caught up in the public opinion storm, but even the Cavaliers will be caught up in turmoil.
This can be described as Zhan Gongjin's brilliant plan to bring peace to the world, but he lost both his wife and his soldiers.
And what Xu Yong said next made him feel how terrifying Xu Yong was.
"We were in winning mode, but LeBron has been in teams that have had internal issues, you know, whether it was Miami or Indiana, so I had reason to believe that his talk of wanting to come to the Bulls in the middle of the season was to disrupt us.
But I must apologize to the fans who came to the stadium tonight and watched the live broadcast on TV. Our league has always opposed violence on the court because it will have a bad influence on children and the community. I say sorry to everyone. No matter what punishment the league makes, I will accept it. "
The reporters quickly ended the conversation and it was replaced by applause.
As the number one player in the alliance, Xu Yong's words were well-reasoned, and his attitude of admitting his mistakes in the end immediately opened up the world.
Forman couldn't help but want to applaud, because after these words were spoken, any possibility of James joining the Bulls was eliminated.
…
Late night in New York, at the league office.
Silver is holding an emergency meeting with Tatum and the league's commission regarding the impact.
No one expected such a sudden situation to occur in the game between the Cavaliers and the Bulls, and the two people involved were both superstars of the league.
Especially Xu Yong, as the first person in the alliance to participate in such a vicious fight, the impact on the alliance is huge.
"My opinion is that Xu should be fined $100,000 and suspended for ten games." Silver expressed his position before the meeting began. Although Xu Yong is the league's face, everyone is equal before the rules.
Of course, this is on the surface. On a deeper level, it can be felt even before he took office that the overseas market has always been the icing on the cake in his eyes. But now an overseas player has been serving as the face of the league, which is something he has always wanted to change.
Not to mention Xu Yong's indifference towards him at the previous championship award ceremony. He would not show it openly, but when he had the chance, he would definitely not show mercy in private.
"I object." Tatum raised his objection as soon as Silver finished speaking.
Silver frowned. Since he took office, the two have been unable to reach a consensus on many issues. However, because Tatum was the vice president of the league as early as the Stern era and had a high prestige in the league committee, he could not replace him.
"Xu is now the league's face. Suspending him will have a huge negative impact on the league. In this incident, LeBron was the first to attack. Xu was at most over-defending. After that, there were no further malicious incidents between the two sides. So my suggestion is to control public opinion and downplay the matter."
After Tatum finished speaking, many people nodded subconsciously.
"Precisely because he is the face of the league, he should be more aware of the influence he brings and needs to know how to exercise restraint," Silver retorted.
His words also caused several people to nod.
Just then, someone knocked on the door and it was the president's assistant.
He went to Xiao Hua's ear and whispered some information.
After the assistant left, Xiao Hua continued to repeat exactly what Xu Yong had said at the press conference.
"Since Xu has said he is willing to accept any punishment, I think there is no need to discuss this matter anymore. Just do as I say." Xiao Hua made the decision.
"Mr. Silver, the league has always had a tough image. Although I don't agree with Xu's approach, I don't think there is a problem with his counterattack. I don't think anyone wants the league to become a soft league, so I think the safest way to decide this matter is to vote." Tatum's attitude was also firm.
To put it bluntly, Silver attaches importance to the local market, while Tatum is the successor of Stern's overseas plan, and Xu Yong is the core figure of that plan. He will definitely strive for Xu Yong's issue.
"Then let's vote anonymously." Silver said. After all, he is the commissioner and he must be fair. And precisely because he is the commissioner of the league, every time Stern voted, what he said was the truth.
Moreover, Xu Yong obviously overreacted this time, so there is no reason not to ban him.
Two people, two proposals, and anonymous voting.
After more than ten minutes, the results of a simple anonymous vote came out.
The results showed that more than 80% of people agreed with Tatum's handling of the situation.
This shocked Xiao Hua and he found it unbelievable.
However, he had already agreed to the voting results and could only act according to the results.
Tatum breathed a sigh of relief at this time.
Rules are dead, but people are alive. Jordan had conflicts with many people in his past, but he was never suspended for this.
Especially since Silver said he would be suspended for ten games, this would be a huge blow to the NBA's overseas market.
From a business perspective, his approach can minimize the losses to both the market and the alliance.
…
That night, social media was more lively than ever, as if it were a festival.
However, what fans discussed most was not the conflict on the court, but the fact that James wanted to join the Bulls.
"This is slander. Why would a king want to join his enemies?"
"This look is fake. Free agents decide whether to stay or leave in the summer. Xu wants to use this method to cause internal strife in the Cavaliers."
"It would be so exciting if this were true. It feels like the plot of a Japanese movie, a wife deeply loved by her husband, and a boss who suppresses her husband..." Comment from "KBfnas".
"I think this is true. Think about it, besides joining the Bulls, does LeBron have any other chances to win the championship? Based on what Xu said in the post-match press conference, I tend to think this might just be a private secret contact, but I don't know why Xu knew about it."
"Don't worry, the Cavaliers will definitely beat the Bulls this year!"
"Yes, the Cavaliers played well after Xu was ejected, although they lost the game in the end." Comment from "KBfnas".
"That's because LeBron was injured in the first quarter. His face was swollen after the conflict, which further affected his performance. But don't worry, none of this will happen in the playoffs, so the Cavaliers will win!"
"As a Cavaliers fan, although I love LeBron very much, the 1+1 contract really makes people feel insecure. It feels like renting a wife."
"I'm really looking forward to this summer. If the Cavaliers fail, I believe the fourth season of Where is LeBron Going will begin." Comment from "KBfnas".
…
The fans' argument had not yet ended, but early the next morning, the league had already imposed penalties for last night's conflict.
Xu Yong was fined $100,000 by the league.
And then? Nothing happened.
This wave of punishments has caused quite a stir, because Xu Yong did not receive any suspension penalty, which means that the league did not regard what happened last night as a vicious conflict.
This naturally triggered a collective protest from James fans. Did Xu Yong get fined 100,000 yuan just because James was punched twice?
Not to mention that $100,000 is almost the same as $1 for ordinary people to Xu Yong, it's really just 50 cents per fist.
However, such protests did not have any effect, as mainstream sports media unanimously downplayed the incident.
In the past few years, James' fans who have enjoyed the support of media opinion and have always said that James relies on his strength rather than Nike, this time deeply felt the feeling of losing capital.
Xu Yong learned about the league's penalty in the locker room.
To be honest, he was a little surprised. He had been prepared to be suspended for a few games.
It can only be said that the Bulls have always had the role of a thug over the years, so he has not had much chance to try out "what it means to be the best player in the league."
"Next time something like this happens, I'll do it. You don't have to do it." Artest came up to him and recommended himself. Xu Yong had helped him pay the league's fine before, and he hadn't had a chance to repay him yet.
Xu Yong smiled and nodded.
Because the league only fined 100,000, should we hit the opponent a few more times next time?
If you have that idea, you might as well just play UFC instead of basketball.
However, after the league's decision this time, I'm afraid no one will dare to cause trouble for him in the future. After all, no one wants to be tested by his "50-cent punch" on themselves.
…
After the league's punishment came out, the Cavaliers announced that James would miss the game due to a groin injury.
Considering that James had left the game in the first quarter due to a groin strain, this news is reasonable.
Cleveland, James mansion.
James has locked himself in his room for several days, and no one has entered except the servants who brought him food.
Windhorst rushed over upon hearing the news.
But he was stopped by security because James said he wouldn't see anyone these days.
Windhorst did not leave, but stayed in the security room for three days. It was not until the morning of the fourth day that he was allowed to enter James' room.
When I pushed the door open, a pungent smell of red wine hit me in the face.
The curtains of the windows were drawn. Under the dim bedside lamp, James lay decadently on the bed, with bottles of high-quality red wine on his bedside.
The room was very clean because it was cleaned by a servant, but the decadent atmosphere was still scattered in every corner of the room.
Just as Xu Yong thought, no matter how strong he was inside, he was driven into autism this time.
"King, King." Windhorst came to the bedside, calling James' name softly.
"I heard that you stayed in the security room for three days?" James' beard was tattered and his mouth reeked of alcohol, but his mind was still clear.
"I don't know where that guy Richie has run off to. Why are you here?" James continued without waiting for Windhorst to speak.
Fu Baoluo probably felt ashamed to see him and no one knew where he ran off to.
"King, I am always by your side, no matter what happens." Windhorst patted his chest.
James looked at the slightly fat face through the dim light and felt warm in his heart.
So what if you are smart or capable? In the end, loyalty is what matters most.
Because of Windhorst's loyalty, James also spoke out his true thoughts.
"Brian, do you think I still have a chance to turn the tables?"
"Now I don't have the Nike halo, my personal strength is not as good as Xu's, my team strength is not as good as the Bulls, and even my commercial value has been completely widened." Knowing that Windhorst is not that kind of smart person, he simply said it bluntly.
Windhorst scratched his head. Although he was loyal, his brain was definitely not comparable to that of Rich Paul.
"King, I believe you can do it. It took Nowitzki 16 years to succeed, and you are only in your twelfth year now."
"Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!"
James had a violent coughing fit.
Thank you for your loyal subordinate, and for reminding him that he is about to end his twelfth year of a fruitless career.
Even if you do the math, Nowitzki only took four more seasons than him to win the championship.
He was actually so close to that old guy.
"What I mean is, King, you are the chosen one, and you are destined to succeed." After seeing James' reaction, Windhorst hurriedly handed over the glass of water on the table and explained.
James sighed and motioned for Windhorst to bring the wine.
After gulping down a few gulps of wine, he burped and smiled to himself.
He must be drunk. Even Rich Paul couldn't solve the situation, but he thought Windhorst could come up with a solution.
"King, there is actually another way." Windhorst said with a red face.
James gestured to him and said, since it's already like this, just treat it as more fun, it can't be more irritating than what he just said, right?
"Migrate westward." Under the dim light, the fat Windhorst said.
James was stunned for a moment.
"King, all the bad luck you've had in the East these years was caused by your defeat by Xu. But if you can't win, can't you just hide away? When you go to the West, you'll enter a new world, where the sea is wide for fish to leap and the sky is high for birds to fly." Windhorst's face became increasingly red as he spoke.
James said nothing, but he sat up and turned up the brightness of the bedside lamp.
Although Windhorst's words are still a bit harsh, the option of going to the West has always been there. It's just that once he went to the Pacers passively, and once he planned to go home. Now, perhaps this is the only way he can go.
"King, I stayed in the security room for three days, and then I found three places that are very suitable for you." Windhorst's brain was not enough, so he just relied on thinking more.
James motioned for him to continue.
"The first place is also the place I think is most suitable for you, Los Angeles. Think about it, Kobe is about to retire, Los Angeles needs a new king, and no one is more suitable than you. Your business empire will also be rebuilt there."
“And the school district there is the best in the United States,” Windhorst added.
James lowered his head in thought, but still said nothing.
Going to Los Angeles certainly has many advantages, and he doesn't even mind having Kobe before, after all, Xu Yongdu has created glory again with the Bulls, but the problem is that the Lakers are too weak now. Although Windhorst's previous words were unpleasant, they also reminded him that if he doesn't win the championship in a few years, his historical status may even be worse than Nowitzki.
"The second place is Oklahoma." Seeing that James was unmoved, Windhorst continued.
James looked up at Windhorst, a place he had never thought of going.
"Durant has been failing over the years. This year, because James Harden is in such poor form, the Thunder will most likely not make it out of the West. If you go to Oklahoma, it's the League of Losers. If you can succeed in the end, it will be a good story in the league."
James' eyes lit up at this moment.
You know what, this is really appropriate because Howard's contract expires this summer and Capela of the Thunder has performed very well.
If he goes, his combination with Durant will definitely be the best partnership in history, and there is a high probability that they can replicate the success of Olajuwon and Drexler.
Not to mention that the Thunder still have Harden, Ibaka, and a skyrocketing salary cap in the summer, and can add some excellent rotation players.
The only problem is that the basketball market in Oklahoma City is too small, and his commercial value cannot be realized if he goes there.
However, Smart, as he is, has already come up with a perfect solution in his mind at this time, which is... to go to Los Angeles to form a team with Durant!
Yes, with the skyrocketing salary cap in the summer and Kobe's retirement, the Lakers only need to clear a little salary space to form a combination of him and Durant. As for other players, the Lakers have Okafor as a bargaining chip, and Gasol also has trading value, so that's not a problem.
After all, if they join forces to form a super team to fight against the Bulls, many people will join.
Just like everyone wanted to beat Jordan in the 90s, who wouldn't want to beat Xu Yong?
Of course, this is just a preliminary idea, and it also involves Durant's wishes, although he feels that Durant has no reason to refuse him.
However, with the experience of the Bulls as a precedent, he can only wait until the summer to start contacting them this time, but this is indeed a feasible path.
"What about the third place?" James asked proactively this time.
Seeing James' renewed fighting spirit, Windhorst was also very excited. He had been standing, but now he sat down next to James, then smiled and said:
“Golden State.”