On the 18th, the Philadelphia 76ers faced their second opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Long Beach Summer League.
Previously, after Su Feng's bold phone call to Kobe, the results were less than expected. Kobe, not one to seek out communication, had deliberately ignored Su Feng in Long Beach. At that moment, Su Feng realized that he had overestimated Kobe's willingness to connect. Still, Su Feng had a point to prove today—he was determined to make sure everyone knew who the real Philadelphia singles champion was.
As the warm-up before the game began, Su Feng noticed some familiar faces in the stands—Xu Jicheng, Zhang Weiping, and Su Junyang, friends who had supported him deeply. Among them were also Hu Weidong and Gong Luming. Interestingly, Hu Weidong, often remembered as a killer on the court, now seemed more scholarly and civilized with his glasses on. Su Feng couldn't help but chuckle at the transformation.
"Are you going to attack today?" Iverson, ever the restless soul, tugged at Su Feng's coat, pulling him from his thoughts.
"No, just Kobe. What's the point?" Su Feng replied casually, while also messing with Iverson's small flat head.
Iverson, still half-awake, had been training with Su Feng the past couple of days, learning new breakthrough moves. "When you asked me to learn those moves, I thought you were going to use them on Kobe."
Su Feng smirked, "Allen, if Kobe scores 20 points under my defense today, I'll retire and become a truck driver."
Iverson raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Want me to give you some advice?"
Su Feng waved him off. "Let me just enjoy the spotlight for now."
On the other side of the court, Kobe, watching the two interact, grew increasingly frustrated. In his mind, he was torn between wanting to face Iverson or Su Feng. As much as Kobe admired Iverson, he wasn't about to let Su Feng off easy either. Thankfully, Fisher, the highest IQ player on the Lakers' summer league team, offered Kobe some advice before the game began.
"Kobe," Fisher said with a knowing look, "If I were you, I'd focus on defending Iverson when he has the ball. Su Feng's defense isn't bad, but if you defend both, you'll wear yourself thin."
Kobe, after some consideration, saw the logic. A smile formed on his face as he realized he could handle both offense and defense and keep his focus on Iverson. Meanwhile, Fisher, secretly relieved not to have to guard Iverson, was already preparing for the game in his usual pragmatic manner.
As the game began, the lineups were announced, and the 76ers, with players like Ben Wallace and Iverson, seemed to have the advantage in spirit, though their collective height was less imposing compared to the Lakers. But height, as they say, isn't everything in basketball.
The first tip-off came, and Ben Wallace, with his massive reach, quickly secured the ball for the 76ers. Su Feng, feeling the pressure of the moment, was determined to show Kobe what he was capable of. Iverson, as always, took the reins on offense, but when Kobe's defense focused too heavily on him, Iverson passed the ball to Su Feng, giving him a chance to showcase his skills.
Fisher, guarding Su Feng, attempted to pressure him, but Su Feng easily sidestepped, pulling off a quick dribble move—one of the new techniques Iverson had taught him. Su Feng attacked the basket, easily avoiding Fisher's defense and finishing with a layup. The scoreboard read 2-0, and the 76ers were off to a strong start.
Iverson couldn't help but flash a grin, giving Su Feng a thumbs up. Fisher was left stunned, while Kobe's frustrations grew. How could Su Feng score so easily?
Kobe's mind raced, and he was determined to take control. On the Lakers' next possession, he charged hard at Iverson, hoping to get some revenge. But Iverson, with his uncanny quickness, passed to Su Feng again, who was already on the move. Su Feng exploded to the rim for a powerful dunk, making it 6-0.
On the sidelines, Gong Luming and Hu Weidong exchanged glances. They both recognized Su Feng's natural talent, though Gong Luming couldn't help but wonder about his true potential in the NBA. Meanwhile, Kobe seethed with anger. His team was being outplayed, and it was clear that Su Feng was making his presence felt on the court.
The Lakers called a timeout to regroup, but Kobe was already stewing. As play resumed, he focused intently on his next possession. He worked to shake off Su Feng, using his signature moves to create space and pull up for a jump shot. But just as he released the ball, Su Feng, with his length and timing, contested the shot, getting a piece of the ball. Iverson, ever the opportunist, grabbed the rebound and passed it to Su Feng.
In one fluid motion, Su Feng dunked again, making it 8-0. The Lakers were on the ropes.
As the game continued, it was clear that the 76ers were dominating. Su Feng's defense was stifling, and his ability to run the floor with Iverson kept the Lakers scrambling. At one point, Su Feng picked off a pass from Kobe, stealing the ball and leading the fast break, setting up Iverson for another easy basket. The score was now 10-0, and Kobe's anger reached its peak.
Meanwhile, on the 76ers' bench, Iverson and Su Feng exchanged looks of camaraderie, with Iverson giving his rookie teammate a playful compliment. "Not bad, Su. You're really turning heads out there."
Kobe, in a fit of frustration, tried to lead his team back, but every time he tried to get something going, the 76ers thwarted him. Finally, on the next possession, Kobe shook off Su Feng with a crossover, rising for a jumper. This time, it went in—finally! The score was 10-2, but it felt like too little, too late.
The 76ers kept their lead, and with each possession, Su Feng proved that his combination of offense and defense was too much for the Lakers to handle. The game ended in a decisive victory for the 76ers, and on the sideline, Kobe was left to reflect on the reality that no one, not even him, could overcome the sheer force of a well-executed team effort and the rise of a new star in Su Feng.