Su Xi's steps grew increasingly slow and heavy, but he kept on running.
He drew Kobe's defense with him, acting like a lighthouse guiding his teammates' offensive path.
Kobe Bryant stuck to him like glue. He wasn't showing any mercy, but inwardly, he deeply respected Su Xi. 'Su Xi is a true warrior.'
He did something incredibly professional: as Su Xi cut to the inside, Kobe saw Carl Malone stick out an iron elbow. Following right behind, Kobe reached out and gave Malone a little shove.
It looked like an unintentional move.
But Malone thought Kobe had done it on purpose.
He even shot Kobe a look of displeasure.
The second quarter quickly came to an end.
53-56.
The Lakers were up by 3.
It didn't seem like much.
But everyone knew the Lakers had the win in the bag.
The Pacers without Su Xi were like a warrior stripped of his armor. Su Xi wasn't just the Pacers' sharpest spear; he was also their toughest armor.
