After the suspension, Su Feng was replaced by Mark.
On the court, Robinson, the "Big Dog," drove past Mark to the rim and finished with a spectacular two-handed dunk despite Mark's pursuit.
Relief! Robinson felt relieved!
Robinson, after scoring, pounded his chest, while Mark looked toward his teammates in the paint with a frustrated expression, as if to say: Why don't you help me defend?
An unfair introduction!
"Because I didn't expect you to be so relaxed!" Big Ben looked at Mark and replied.
Mark: "..."
On Datianchao TV, Director Zhang whispered: "This Don Mark is not good. If the ball had gone to Su Feng, he could have stopped it."
Mark seemed destined for tragedy.
After suffering many injuries, his lateral quickness was no longer sufficient. Compared to Su Feng, a defensive maniac, Mark's weaknesses were magnified endlessly.
The 76ers went on the attack, building their offense around Weatherspoon.
Iverson, feeling a bit tired, passed the ball to Stackhouse after crossing half court.
Role player Davis had evolved again. Thanks to Su Feng's constant reminders, he had begun to understand how to use Iverson properly.
Simply put: when Iverson had enough energy, let him play freely. When his stamina declined, design plays for other teammates to take over.
Nicknamed "Big Spoon," Weatherspoon threw down a decent half-dunk. Weinbeck missed, and the strong man converted with a mid-range shot from 45 degrees.
14–20
Robinson answered immediately with another basket.
Mark, wary of Robinson's drive, tried to contest his shot using his height. But Robinson calmly turned and scored without being bothered.
16–20
On the 76ers' bench, Davis frowned: "Is Glenn really that hard to guard?"
The frontline players didn't dare respond. After all, Robinson was a Top 1. Didn't the coach know that?
Still, they thought of Su Feng's block on Robinson...
Hiss!
Su Feng, sipping Gatorade on the bench, never imagined that, compared to Mark, his defensive strength would appear invisible to his teammates.
…
20–26
After the first quarter, Davis had scored 9 points, leading the team's performance.
Before the game, most people still believed the Bucks were stronger than the 76ers.
But in the second quarter, the 76ers began to show some fight.
At present, the 76ers had no clear bench leader, and the second unit clearly lacked backbone.
Stackhouse, caught between Su Feng and Big Ben, was almost desperate...
What are these useless guys doing? Don't waste it!
Crooked shots, reckless three-pointers!
So, after five minutes in the second quarter, the Bucks overtook the score,
32–30
Meanwhile, the two veterans staggered their playing time, and Ray Allen kept firing.
Stuck with two toxic teammates, Ray Allen was suffering.
Wearing Bucks jersey No. 34, Ray Allen looked as if he held a knife in his hand. The first person he wanted to metaphorically stab was Robinson.
Because during the rest of the first quarter, Robinson had completely disrupted Ray Allen's mood.
It was all about: "All scorers, don't you understand?" — "Can a scorer's play be called nonsense?" — "Your movement didn't give me space." Ray Allen couldn't comprehend it.
At that time, the young Ray Allen was mentally shaken, so he replied: "You were shut down by a No. 13 pick and now you hate me?"
Robinson was furious when he heard this.
Unlike Kobe, who had been humbled back then, Robinson wanted to settle things with Ray Allen.
Fortunately, Vin Baker stepped in as peacemaker.
Otherwise, today's opener would have turned into a comedy show between the top pick and the rookie.
Regarding the living environment of the '96 golden generation rookies, who could compare to the duo of Iverson and Su Feng?
Well, this "volute" referred to the Celtics' spiral.
At Spectrum Arena, Philadelphia fans, after Iverson and Su Feng left the court, felt the team had returned to last season...
Not only did the team's appeal drop significantly, but anxiety also spread.
Davis couldn't sit still anymore. With a wave of his hand, the Philadelphia Iron Triangle was sent back into battle.
Originally, Stackhouse thought the coach was going to sub him out. He kept pointing at himself in front of Davis.
"Jerry, don't worry. You're our secret weapon," Davis said, looking at Stackhouse.
"..."
Secret weapon, my foot!
How foolish and naïve could this coach's talk be?
On the court, the 76ers made substitutions, and so did the Bucks.
Robinson returned, glaring at Su Feng with an expression that said: "I'm back in form, you're finished."
But Su Feng ignored him, as always.
Swish—!
On the court, Iverson had just returned and nailed a three-pointer from the top of the arc after a series of dribbles.
32–33!
At Spectrum Arena, Philadelphia fans felt their passion reignite.
Even the cheerleaders on the sidelines quickly stood up, twisting their waists to the beat of the live DJ, celebrating Iverson's basket.
The Bucks attacked. Robinson once again tried to rely on Su Feng, but unlike Mark, Su Feng never backed down...
A warrior never retreats!
Unless your strike pierces my armor, stay with me and endure!
Robinson spun and jumped for a shot.
Su Feng's defense clearly disrupted Robinson's rhythm. In Su Feng's defensive scheme, Robinson might score, but scoring easily...
That was impossible.
After Big Ben secured the rebound, Iverson pushed the fast break.
With blistering speed, unstoppable, Iverson gave the Bucks no chance to foul — a solo ride through the defense!
Butterfly through flowers, smooth as silk!
32–35
"See? With Iverson and Su Feng back, the 76ers are leading by double digits today," Director Zhang said on Datianchao TV.
"Many Chinese fans call Iverson and Su Feng the 'Sufu' combination. With one attacking and the other defending, the 76ers' rhythm looks much more comfortable," Sun Zhengping commented. (Since it's a term used by Chinese media, I'll keep the name 'Sufu'. If it's used in American media, I'll change the name of the combination.)
Beside him, Coach Zhang glanced at Sun Zhengping and thought: "Hmm, that phrasing isn't bad."
…
In the second quarter, Su Feng failed to score, and both of his turnaround jumpers missed the rim.
In the latter half of the quarter, Su Feng focused his energy on battling Robinson.
The 76ers stepped up to take control of the game, led by Iverson.
By halftime, AI had already scored 20 points.
The score was 44–50, with the 76ers leading the Bucks by 6 heading into the second half.
At the start of the third quarter, the 76ers continued to run their offense through Weatherspoon, helping him pad his stats.
After just three shot attempts all game, he felt the world was full of malice toward him.
What about second chances? Wasn't he supposed to be the fourth or fifth scoring option?
Just when Stackhouse felt abandoned, Su Feng passed to him twice in the third quarter.
When receiving Su Feng's "turtle-like" passes, Stackhouse thought to himself: although Su Feng was his "enemy"… at least he was honest!
At that moment, even without Su Feng staring him down, Stackhouse shot immediately after catching the ball.
Thus, Su Feng collected two assists.
"Who said I don't pass? Look at my playmaking — even Nash can't compare," Su Feng thought smugly.
In the third quarter, Su Feng attempted two more shots: one three-pointer that rimmed out, and one long two-pointer that went in.
Although he disliked long twos in principle, for a player like Su Feng with a quick first step, they were relatively easy looks.
Because when most players drive inside the three-point line, defenders collapse quickly. At that distance, opponents would rather concede the mid-range shot.
Su Feng's style was not as rigid as Harden's future approach; his pursuit was never a dead end.
In the third quarter, Iverson's energy dipped slightly, and his drives decreased. Fortunately, Weatherspoon was on fire, scoring 10 points in the quarter to keep the 76ers afloat.
For the Bucks, Coach Ford didn't dare let Robinson keep bricking shots, and Vin Baker stepped up in the third quarter.
As a result, after three quarters, the two teams were tied at 72.
…
In the fourth quarter, the Bucks were led by Ray Allen. Without the "cancerous big brother," Ray Allen truly became a sharp edge.
Despite the shortened season, Ray Allen's career three-point shooting had never fallen below 100 makes. At this moment, he could fly and jump, and the 76ers' bench had no way to stop him.
On the sideline, Davis grew anxious. Seeing the situation turn against them, he quickly glanced at the 76ers' bench.
In Davis's plan, Su Feng and Iverson were supposed to rest until the final eight minutes before returning.
But now, Davis couldn't wait.
At a critical moment, Su Feng nudged Stackhouse.
Stackhouse thought Su Feng was asking him to swap seats with Iverson, so he stood up...
"Jerry, you go in and replace Weatherspoon!" Davis said with a smile when he saw Stackhouse volunteering.
Stackhouse: "..."
In fact, after today's game, Su Feng realized earlier than Davis that the 76ers' bench lacked a true leader.
Stackhouse's offensive ability wasn't bad; the problem was that his role in the starting lineup was awkward.
As a disciplined rookie, Su Feng knew it was impossible to persuade the coach to restructure the rotation.
At that time, most coaches were rigid, unwilling to deviate from their pre-game plan.
Therefore, Su Feng, unable to make direct suggestions, decided it was time to give Davis a hint.
The result... Davis reacted quickly.
Although the situation was unclear, once Stackhouse entered as a substitute, he felt as if he had returned to his North Carolina glory days.
Perhaps inspired by his bench role, Stackhouse made more reasonable shot selections.
And since the Bucks' bench defense was weaker than their starters, Stackhouse suddenly looked rejuvenated!
At that moment, Davis felt like a genius.
Look at this in-game adjustment. Who dares say I'm just a rookie coach?
Recalling Larry Brown's earlier evaluation of him, Davis thought Su Feng truly understood him.
Thus, in the fourth quarter, when the 76ers' starters returned, the score was still tied at 86.
Su Feng remembered that in the previous game, the 76ers hadn't lost by much.
The reason for the loss was Iverson's emotions at the end — he argued with the referee, got a technical foul, and the Bucks seized the momentum.
This time, Su Feng made up his mind. When he saw Iverson about to confront the referee, he stepped in and pulled him away, refusing to let him make the same mistake.
…
The fourth quarter reached 7 minutes and 36 seconds, and tension at Spectrum Arena was already rising.
After all, the 76ers had lost so much in recent years.
Just as winning can become a habit, sometimes losing can too.
In the future, Jimmy Butler would look down on the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Philadelphia 76ers, because some teams had been kneeling too long to stand back up.
Iverson and Su Feng, however, were accustomed to winning.
So when the 76ers embraced this belief of "never give up," even the fans could feel it, and the entire team transformed.
On the court, the 76ers attacked. Iverson drove to the right, and Douglas couldn't stop him.
This was "The Answer."
The Bucks' defense collapsed inside. At that critical moment, Su Feng's presence made the difference.
Iverson, trapped in the crowd, caught sight of Su Feng in the corner.
Unmarked, Su Feng caught the pass and fired.
Swish—!
86–89
Spectrum Arena erupted, fans chanting in unison with the DJ:
"Su ———————— Feng!"
As they retreated, Iverson and Su Feng exchanged a quick touch.
On the sidelines, team official Pat Claus stood up, signaling the fans to keep pushing.
Many longtime Philadelphia supporters hadn't seen such a scene in years...
When the Bucks attacked again, they were met with a storm of boos!
Perhaps it was just a regular-season game, but for the 76ers, it felt like a battle of rebirth.
On the floor, even Weatherspoon fought hard against Vin Baker, while Stackhouse locked in on Ray Allen.
Big Ben clung to the rim with a fierce look, turning the paint into a restricted zone.
Douglas spun back, trying to shake Iverson.
But at the moment Douglas slipped past, Su Feng decisively abandoned Robinson on the perimeter.
Douglas had no time to pass — Su Feng had cut off the passing lane.
Afraid of Su Feng's long reach, Douglas settled for a mid-range jumper. The ball clanged off the rim. Big Ben boxed out Baker and Lang, leaping with one arm to secure the rebound against both.
This time, Big Ben didn't roar.
Instead, he launched a long outlet toward Iverson.
Charge, Sixers!
Iverson scored in stride!
86–91!
After the basket, Iverson looked toward the scorer's table and raised his arms high.
The Philadelphia Triangle — truly unstoppable, from Long Beach all the way to the NBA!
The Bucks called timeout.
In front of the TV, fans felt their hearts surge like the Hudson River tide.
When Su Feng and Iverson high-fived and pounded their chests, Zhang Weiping exclaimed with emotion: "No brother, no basketball!"
During the timeout, Davis patted Su Feng on the shoulder: "Su, if Allen can't break the Bucks' defense, you're our first offensive option!"
At that moment, Su Feng's eyes turned cold, filled with murderous intent.
Inexplicably, Davis remembered what Su Feng had once told him during practice:
"I will not pass the last shot."
…
Back on the court, the timeout ended and the game resumed.
Vin Baker was muscled by Weatherspoon but refused to fall, stretching out his long arm to drop the ball in.
88–91
The 76ers attacked, but Iverson's half-dunk attempt clanged off the rim. The Bucks countered quickly, and Robinson scored in transition.
90–91
At Spectrum Arena, the fans felt their hearts nearly leap out of their chests.
Iverson dribbled past half court.
Although Big Ben set a screen for him, Douglas managed to slip around it.
A tired Iverson remembered the coach's instructions from the timeout. Instead of forcing the shot, he swung the ball to Su Feng on the wing.
Even though Davis had entrusted two rookies with such a decisive moment, Weatherspoon stepped out of the low post to clear space for Su Feng.
No one wanted to lose.
Basketball — if you can't win, what's the point?
Friendship first? That only exists in exhibition games.
This was the NBA.
Clang—!
Su Feng's turnaround jumper missed, but Ben Wallace grabbed the offensive rebound.
Big Ben kicked the ball back outside. Su Feng didn't hesitate — he rose and fired again.
Swish—!
90–94!
Spectrum Arena erupted once more.
The golden double guns — seemingly endless bullets!
The Bucks attacked, and Vin Baker drew a foul inside.
At the free-throw line, Baker calmly sank both shots.
91–94
The 76ers had the ball again. Iverson dribbled between his legs, deceiving Douglas.
As the Bucks' defense collapsed, Iverson braked and pulled up.
Swish—!
91–96!
Dominant! Relentless!
This 76ers team was truly unstoppable!
The Bucks attacked again, but Vin Baker's layup was disrupted by Weatherspoon and missed.
Big Ben secured the rebound. The 76ers slowed the pace, Su Feng fired another shot from the golden double guns, but missed. The game entered tense crunch time.
It was Ray Allen who broke the deadlock.
With 1:14 left, Allen ran the baseline, used Lang's screen, and drilled a three-pointer from the left wing at a 45-degree angle.
94–96
The 76ers called timeout, preparing for the final offense and defense.
In truth, slowing the players down was more important than drawing up tactics.
Iverson had already played 39 minutes. Even an iron man would feel fatigue.
What surprised Davis was Su Feng's stamina...
Su Feng had logged 33 minutes — more than expected — yet his expression showed no sign of exhaustion.
In reality... Su Feng was tired.
After all, keeping the Big Dog locked down was no easy task.
But even when exhausted, he forced himself to look relaxed.
Because until the 48 minutes were up, Su Feng refused to show fatigue.
…
After the timeout, play resumed.
The 76ers attacked, and with 6 seconds left on the clock, Iverson made a surprise drive inside off Big Ben's pick-and-roll.
However...
As he prepared for the layup, Iverson once again ran into Robinson's "snatch."
Landing without a whistle from the referee, Iverson grew anxious...
Fortunately, Su Feng, already anticipating the situation, stepped in and pulled Iverson away.
At this moment, a technical foul would have been far too costly.
"Allen, calm down. We want victory."
Iverson, held back by Su Feng, nodded. Meanwhile, the Bucks capitalized on the turnover, pushing in transition as Vin Baker scored two points on the fast break.
96–96
With 40 seconds remaining, each team theoretically had one more possession.
Su Feng never imagined that the first battle of his career would be so thrilling...
After all, back in Lower Merion, neither he nor Kobe had ever faced such a decisive moment.
The 76ers didn't call timeout. Davis chose to let the players decide the game, just like the Chicago "KFC spokesperson."
Iverson dribbled, then suddenly accelerated.
Earlier, Su Feng had advised Iverson: if there's a chance, take the shot.
Because even if Iverson missed, the final possession would still belong to the 76ers.
AI shook Douglas with dazzling moves at the top of the arc. Whether his foot was on the line or not, Iverson rose and fired.
Swish—!
96–98!
"Allen ———————— Iverson!"
At Spectrum Arena, Philadelphia fans erupted as Iverson delivered a near game-winner!
This kind of hero shot could only be described as program effect off the charts.
With 28 seconds left, the balance tilted toward the 76ers.
The Bucks called timeout. Davis reminded his players to guard against the three-pointer.
Su Feng and Stackhouse requested a defensive switch, since aside from Ray Allen, the Bucks had no reliable perimeter threat.
In Su Feng's past life, Ray Allen was known as a clutch shooter. Compared to Robinson, Su Feng feared Allen far more.
Timeout over, the game resumed.
No fan at Spectrum Arena remained seated, and Chinese fans watching at home felt they needed company — because watching the NBA alone was too much for the heart!
On the court, the Bucks indeed set up a three-point play.
But the target wasn't Ray Allen...
Robinson slipped free and launched early.
Even if he missed, the Bucks would still have time to foul.
Bang—!
Robinson's three-point attempt missed, but inside, Vin Baker grabbed the rebound and prepared to go back up strong.
Big Ben, frustrated after failing to secure the rebound, desperately tried to stop Vin Baker.
Seeing Wallace's fierce presence, Baker hesitated and kicked the ball out to Douglas on the perimeter to reset the play.
Ray Allen, locked down tightly by Su Feng, didn't even bother to move — he simply stood in the corner, watching the two big men battle.
After missing his previous three-pointer, Robinson demanded the ball again. This time, instead of shooting from deep, he backed down Stackhouse in the post.
The 76ers collapsed their defense, denying Robinson any chance to turn toward the basket.
Growing anxious as the shot clock wound down, Robinson found his "escape route."
Baker received the pass and hurriedly launched a shot. Weatherspoon failed to contest — and unbelievably...
The ball went in.
98–98!
The Bucks bench erupted in celebration.
It was clear: the 76ers' lineup lacked size. At best, Wallace was a rebounder, not yet the dominant force he would become.
With only 4.1 seconds left, the 76ers called timeout.
On Datianchao TV, Director Zhang admitted he felt more nervous than when commentating an Olympic final.
At Spectrum Arena, the big screen focused on Iverson.
In moments like this, the ball almost always goes to the star.
The 76ers were no exception.
Su Feng didn't contest Iverson's role — he knew his place.
Davis drew up a play for Iverson to run off a screen and catch the ball. What Iverson did afterward would be up to him.
Davis also subbed in the reserve guard King to inbound the ball, trusting him more than anyone else for that role.
Timeout over, the game resumed.
It's worth noting: while screening for Iverson, Su Feng felt like he was being punched repeatedly... but referees rarely call fouls in such moments.
After all, everyone remembered Miller's famous shot against the Bulls — he clearly shoved Jordan, but the whistle never blew.
Fortunately, Iverson got free, and King delivered the ball cleanly.
The clock began to tick.
At Spectrum Arena, the crowd held its breath.
Go on, The Answer!
Iverson caught the ball and rose immediately. But as he passed Douglas, both Baker and Robinson rushed to trap him.
The Bucks knew the Sixers would play through Iverson. He was their top priority.
But just as Iverson seemed cornered...
A proud smile crossed his face.
Who said I'd take this shot myself?
"You guard Philadelphia, I'll cover you!"
Iverson lobbed the ball toward the rim — and a figure was waiting.
Stackhouse had set the screen for Su Feng.
While two defenders swarmed Iverson, Stackhouse caught Su Feng's glance and instinctively set another pick for him.
Robinson and Baker chased Iverson, Ray Allen was blocked by Stackhouse, leaving only Lang.
But before Lang could recover, Su Feng leapt first.
Bang—!
Su Feng's shot dropped as the buzzer sounded!
The baseline referee immediately signaled:
The basket counts!
Spectrum Arena exploded in celebration.
The live DJ roared into the mic:
"Su — he smashed the Milwaukee Bucks!"