The Best Point Guard

Chapter 434: Chapter 9: [A Roaring Start]

Eddie Curry was feeling bold.

On his first play after checking in, he posted up Stadumier and called for the ball.

Having three hundred pounds of meat pressing against his back was incredibly uncomfortable for Stadumier. He was a high-flying power forward, not one who excelled at physical confrontation.

Su Xi didn’t hesitate, throwing the ball right into the post.

Eddie Curry caught the ball, made a quick adjustment, and immediately started backing him down... His first powerful shove was like a three-hundred-pound wild boar charging down a mountain. The impact made Stadumier’s insides churn; it was agonizing.

Stadumier instinctively tried to give ground, but just then, Su Xi made a perfectly timed cut from the side. Stadumier thought Su Xi was about to take a pass from Eddie Curry for a dunk, so he shifted his stance slightly, caught in a moment of indecision.

Just then, Eddie Curry slammed into him again... WHAM!

The blow sent the indecisive Stadumier stumbling back two steps. Then Eddie Curry leaped up and viciously slammed the ball through the hoop with one hand. Although his vertical was nothing special, the force was immense. The visual of three hundred pounds of flesh hanging from the rim was powerful; the rim itself sagged under the weight.

When Eddie Curry let go and landed, the rim snapped back with a resounding TWANG.

Madison Square Garden Arena erupted in cheers.

Eddie Curry turned, glared at Stadumier, and thumped his chest. "Now tell me, whose f*cking house is this?"

Eddie Curry was radiating intensity.

He was the 4th pick in the 2001 draft; Stadumier was the 9th pick in 2002.

In terms of seniority, weight, or on-court nickname, in what way was he not superior to Stadumier?

And now Stadumier had the audacity to come onto his turf and bully his younger teammates? How could he let that stand?

As he spoke, he was about to escalate things and get even more physical with Stadumier.

The referee stepped in at the right moment and separated them.

The two ran up the court, trading curses under their breath.

Back on offense, Stadumier immediately called for the ball from Eddie House. He wanted to take on Curry one-on-one.

When Stadumier got the ball at the elbow, Eddie Curry was actually a little nervous.

His defensive skills were mediocre at best, especially against big men who could face up and play in isolation. He was basically clueless in those situations.

But he’d already talked a big game.

He couldn’t back down now.

He spread his arms and stood about a yard away from Stadumier.

Eddie Curry’s strategy was simple: even if Stadumier hit a mid-range jumper, it wouldn’t be a loss of face. He absolutely could not let him drive to the basket for a dunk—no way was he getting an "answer ball" on him.

Su Xi was also on high alert.

’It took so much effort to build up a little self-respect in this deadbeat, Eddie Curry. If he gets crushed now, it’ll be that much harder to build it back up again.’

Stadumier, indeed, had no intention of settling for a jumper. He dipped low and made a quick, smooth drive to the basket. After two steps into the lane from the left, he suddenly shifted the angle of his feet... Eddie Curry didn’t even realize Stadumier was setting up a crossover to shake him. In fact, he accelerated, trying to cut him off.

Stadumier laughed to himself. ’What a dumb pig. I don’t even need a fake; he’s biting on his own.’

But in the instant he was about to change direction, Su Xi suddenly appeared from the side, looking ready to pounce.

Stadumier immediately had second thoughts.

He didn’t want any part of Su Xi.

He’d had a run-in with Su Xi during the 2003 Rookie Challenge and still hadn’t quite gotten over it.

So, he’d rather take his chances going straight at Eddie Curry.

But by now, Eddie Curry was ready. In that moment of hesitation, Curry had already set his position.

When Stadumier exploded toward the rim, Curry met him head-on... THUD!

Stadumier was more explosive and had a better vertical.

However, Eddie Curry’s nickname was the "Little Shark," and his strength was not to be underestimated.

"Get DOWN!"

Eddie Curry roared as his right hand pressed down on Stadumier’s. While he didn’t get the ball, he completely stifled Stadumier’s ascent.

Under Eddie Curry’s overwhelming force, Stadumier’s body fell uncontrollably.

He couldn’t match Eddie Curry’s power.

He landed awkwardly.

Having just come out of the offseason, his body wasn’t yet in peak condition. On top of that, Eddie Curry had just hit him with the most powerful contact he could muster. As a result, Stadumier stumbled on the landing. It was unstable, and his knee twisted. Even though he went down with the momentum, he still felt a sharp bolt of pain.

The pain quickly faded.

But then he realized he couldn’t put any strength on his right knee.

He was an experienced player. Though his teammates came over to help him up, he didn’t move and instead called for the medical staff.

Meanwhile, Eddie Curry was on the court, flexing his muscles and roaring.

The crowd went wild.

David Lee, Channing Frye, and the others stared at him with looks of pure admiration.

’As expected of a genius who can demolish us using only forty percent of his talent.’

With just one play on offense and one on defense, the seemingly untouchable Stadumier had fallen at his feet.

"Now, that guy should know whose f*cking house this is."

Eddie Curry said arrogantly as Stadumier was carried off the court on a stretcher.

He had established his image as a rugged enforcer.

The Phoenix Suns quickly gave up the fight. Stadumier’s injury made them skittish; they didn’t want to waste their energy on a meaningless game.

Preseason games didn’t count toward their official record anyway.

Besides, what glory was there in beating the Knicks?

The Phoenix Suns gave up on the game.