Stephon Marbury was experiencing an unprecedented crisis of trust.
This crisis of trust was a thousand times worse than when they had lost to the Knicks in the regular season.
Because the Pacers had dropped two home games.
As the two-time defending champions, losing to James in the first round was an unacceptable humiliation.
After all, back when Su Xi was still in Indiana, who the hell was James? They could crush him whenever they pleased. The title "The Chosen One" was nothing but a punchline in Indiana.
Now, however, the Pacers had become the joke.
With the rest of the roster completely unchanged, the only variable, Stephon Marbury, naturally became the target of public criticism.
Stephon Marbury had arrived full of ambition, hoping to stand on the shoulders of giants and build his own legacy. But now, Indiana fans were saying, "We would've been better off trading for a can of Coke. At least that can quench your thirst. Trading for Stephon Marbury just leaves you fuming."
