Chapters One, Two, and Three: Waiting and Preparing

"Big Brother Yao!" Lin Fei exclaimed with great excitement.

"Yes! Haha, I assume you've heard the news about my retirement?"

"Of course! Almost the entire sports world is talking about your retirement right now."

"Haha, I thought it over and over, and finally decided to retire. Sigh! After playing for so many years, I've realized I'm tired."

"Haha, indeed. Many people are at their peak at your age, yet you've chosen to retire! Haha, but I still want to wish you well."

"Oh, truly. I’m now all about my wife, my kids, and a warm hearth. Haha! Tell me about yourself. Your skills are really improving more and more! Haha, I was truly amazed watching you play in the playoffs. I remember the most regrettable moment for me was that series against the Mavericks. We had already secured two road wins, but we still ended up losing. How time flies! It all passed in the blink of an eye. But honestly, you seem even more exceptional than I was back then. The Chinese market will have to rely on you."

"How could that be? Big Brother Yao, you are irreplaceable. Haha, I grew up watching you play; you are truly a national icon."

"I'm serious. I've slogged through the NBA for all these years, and I’m still empty-handed. Haha, Mengke Bateer and Sun Yue both managed to get rings, but I haven't. Isn't that a tragedy?"

"Haha, it's alright. If you’re willing, Big Brother Yao, when you want to win a championship, just come back and join my team. I think if I keep at it for a few more years, I might be able to snag a ring. Haha, you can join me then! Or I could just give you one, hahaha!"

"Haha, if you make it to the Finals, I’ll come be your cheerleader!"

"Really? I’d be very happy to see that."

"By the way, what kind of plans do you have? Regarding your own career path?"

"Nothing much! I haven't really thought about it."

"Haha, actually, I’ve been through your stage, so I understand exactly how you’re feeling. But I think when you have time, you really need to think about your development."

The two of them talked for quite a while.

Lin Fei felt very happy. He didn't know why, but just talking made him feel so much better, as if many knots in his heart had been untied. Sometimes people are like that; they feel repressed, but a few words are all it takes to shift the mood.

Three days later, he would need to visit Dallas again.

Although many Mavericks players feared Lin Fei and the Warriors' explosive offensive power, there were still those on the Mavericks team clamoring that they would never have to return to the Warriors' home court. Such is the world; there will always be people shouting nonsense without considering what they are actually doing.

Nelson was calm. After failing to lead the Warriors to the playoffs for years, he could be satisfied with the astonishing results achieved this season. Even if they didn't make it past the second round, pushing the Mavericks to this point was surely enough to break them out in a cold sweat. Come to think of it, it would be a pity if Nelson, the Mavericks' nemesis, actually lost to them.

After finishing his call with Yao Ming, Lin Fei took advantage of the late night to shoot another 200 three-pointers. For Lin Fei, shooting the ball was something he could do without much difficulty. Perhaps it was only at this moment that many people began to notice what a diligent player Lin Fei was. What many didn't see was that even after returning home every day, he would still put up hundreds of shots. One could imagine that legends like Jordan and Kobe had done the same back in their day.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn, Lin Fei went for a run around his neighborhood. Everything was bright; there was no trace of the mood from the previous night's game or the depression that followed the loss. Perhaps that was the merit of the long phone conversation with Yao Ming.

Afterward, he went to the arena for a group practice. Because of yesterday's loss, the atmosphere in the Warriors' camp felt a bit heavy, with only Lin Fei looking slightly out of sync.

"Hey! Guys, yesterday's game was all my fault—my garbage touch! Haha, I’ve never shot so poorly in my life!" Lin Fei said, trying to lighten the mood.

"No kidding! You should wear mittens; your hands were so bad they were unspeakable!" Cairns was the first to chime in.

"Haha, Lin Fei, don't you have a saying in China about being lucky in love but unlucky in games, or something like that? I've heard it in so many Chinese movies!" Everyone was taken aback; they hadn't expected the second person to pick up the thread to be Nelson.

What kind of team was this? No strict training, no cutthroat competition; Nelson sometimes seemed like an older brother to the players. With Nelson as the leader, this group of young brothers had been sailing through the season. Now, only the Mavericks stood in their way. The Warriors' goal was the championship; getting past the Mavericks shouldn't be a big deal.

Nelson began analyzing the Mavericks' style of play. The Mavericks' primary tactic was Jason Kidd holding the ball at the high post, then Dirk Nowitzki moving up for a pick-and-roll. After Kidd drove to find an opportunity, he would look to pass to Nowitzki, who would then choose to pass or shoot. The second tactic involved Kidd initiating, clearing out the interior space, and letting the wing players attack directly—primarily Shawn Marion and Jason Terry, who posed the greatest threats. At the same time, the key to breaking the Mavericks' defense was to strengthen their perimeter attack. Tyson Chandler’s interior defense was touted as second only to Dwight Howard’s, serving as the Mavericks' solid backbone; often, the Warriors found it difficult to break through this final barrier. However, the Mavericks' perimeter defense appeared somewhat weak. Kidd was aging, and whether it was Lin Fei, Curry, or Cairns, whenever they shot from the outside, Kidd could basically only watch. Additionally, David Lee’s mid-range jumper posed a significant threat to Nowitzki, and as for Acie Law, he was matched up against Marion; while it might be difficult to initiate a drive, Law still held a significant advantage in terms of agility and shooting. Therefore, shooting opportunities were there for the Warriors, but whether they could capitalize on them depended on the team's performance. If the team played like they did in the last game—where Lin Fei shot 3-of-15 for 7 points—combined with the Warriors' inherently weak defense, winning would be nearly impossible. Another point to emphasize was speed. The Mavericks were aging, and few of them could keep running constantly; they relied on player rotation and managing the game's tempo. But if the Warriors could avoid giving them that chance and seize the pace, it would be fatal for the Mavericks.

During the team scrimmage, Nelson specifically drilled this speed, clearly designed for the Mavericks.

Waiting. Lin Fei was waiting. For a chance. To redeem himself.