Carlisle looked at Su Xi, then at the court.
Su Xi was resolute.
Carlisle was helpless.
But in the end... he didn't offer any grand platitudes. He just patted Su Xi on the shoulder. "Protect yourself."
It was this late in the Finals. Who didn't want to win?
The Pacers' only path to victory was to put Su Xi on the court.
As Pacers fans watching on TV saw Su Xi walk resolutely toward the scorer's table, their hearts swelled with emotion.
An entire season had gone by; everyone knew about Su Xi's stamina issues.
"We can't do without Jack now..."
In front of his television, Larry Bird let out a long sigh. He could feel Su Xi's resolve.
He didn't say anything sentimental to the owner. He just watched the screen in silence, his gaze firm. He knew that if it were him, or if it were Jordan... they would make the exact same decision.
They were cut from the same cloth.
