Capítulo 181: Knicks vs. Bucks II

{If you want to read ahead go to my https://www.(p)-(a)-(t)-(r)-(e)-(o)-(n).com/easyread}

~~~(POV: Ulysses Kennedy)~~~

~~~(Date: October 25th, 2026)~~~

~~~(Location: Fiserv Forum Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)~~~

~~~(Time: 3:34 PM)~~~

We shift back on defense after Brunson's bucket, and Holiday is running the floor like a pro. I can respect a good Point Guard. The best Pure Point Guard I've ever seen in my lifetime was Chris Paul, but he's retired now.

Giannis and I are clashing in the post again, and he doesn't even have the ball. We get so tangled up the refs call a technical foul on both of us.

That doesn't go over well with the crowd, given how much I'm already affecting the game. And I don't like it either. One more technical foul, and I'm ejected. It was the first one of my career too. Didn't do anything to deserve it.

Except for not backing down from Giannis. Due to the technical foul being called on both of us, per the rules of the NBA. The Bucks get the ball back. Middleton passes it into the corner where Giannis and I are, and I'm smothering The Greek Freak.

He's pivoting and trying to create space, and I give it to him. In fact, I back off about two full steps. Giannis has one crippling weakness in his game.

He can't shoot to save his life.

The insult I'm giving doesn't go unnoticed as the crowd starts to boo me. But Giannis knowing he can't shoot is another part of his game I'll be taking advantage of. He starts driving into the basket, right at me.

But I sidestep and strip the ball from him. Getting a clean steal and throwing it down the court for Barrett. He gets an easy layup, and that defensive play causes the Bucks to call a timeout since it's their possession again.

I make my way back to the bench. Taking a seat and relaxing a little. Boos from behind me make it hard for Tom to speak.

The score is 11 to 2 in our favor. My eyes drift over to Buck's bench, and they're all in a huddle looking at the play being written up. They're trying to find some way to contain me. But if you double-team me, I'll be passing it to the open teammate.

Soon, the timeout ends, and we make it to the defensive end of the court. We're spreading the floor with long bodies and arms. When the statistics come out for the first ten games, I wouldn't doubt we'd be rated number 3 or higher in terms of defense.

Giannis is bringing the ball down the court now, and I meet him at the halfcourt line. Covering him and forcing him to pass it out. He creates a screen for Holiday, and I shift onto the Point Guard. The height difference will make it hard for him to shoot over me.

So he tries to beat me with speed. But as he starts to rush past me, I put on the brakes. He can't get past the inside key; his back is to me.

He passes it back to Giannis, who has Brunson guarding him, and they take advantage. Giannis slams the ball into the hoop, and Jericho fouls him as he does it. The crowd goes crazy, and I can't help sighing just a bit.

They don't intend to stop me on defense. They'll be freeing up Giannis on smaller defenders. It's a good plan and one that might work. No one on my team except for me is good enough to stop Giannis. And if I'm switching on the pick and rolls all the time, that leaves him open.

He heads for the free throw line and barely gets the ball to drop. Making the score 11 to 5 in our favor. The Bucks aren't planning to lose on their home court. I'm not leaving Milwaukee without a W tonight.

This time, I bring the ball down the court, and we're a bit over 3 minutes into the first quarter. As I cross the halfcourt line, Giannis comes up to guard me. But he's not as fast as me or as good a dribbler. I spin free and wait for him to recover.

As he does, I cross in the opposite direction and head in the other direction. Causing him to go one way and me the other. I elevate from behind the 3-point line. No one guarding me.

I knock down the shot and cause the crowd to shut up.

"Eat that, bitch."

I can't hold the competitive fire back. The score is now 14 to 5 in our favor. But I know in the back of my head the score will close when I'm benched.