Chapter 58: Lin Fei, the Terminator

Defeated by a buzzer-beater from the Rockets! And it was Yao Ming who delivered a 2+1 to seal the game! It sounded incredible—after all, the Warriors boasted the league’s most lethal clutch player, yet they found themselves once again on the wrong side of a last-second heartbreak.

The media didn’t even wait for the Rockets’ engines to ignite before they inflated the team’s triumph to celestial heights. To beat the Warriors—and with a buzzer-beater, no less—was an enormous boost to the Rockets’ morale. Their most pressing issue now was securing a spot in the playoffs. With the gap between first and twelfth place in the West razor-thin, an almost unprecedented scenario, every win carried enormous weight. Unsurprisingly, the Rockets’ press conference was overflowing with excitement.

“You have Yao Ming, and today his performance was outstanding! Was your strategy centered around him before the game?” a reporter asked.

Lowry’s excitement was palpable. “We know Yao is a phenomenal player. We’ve all been waiting for his kingly return, and today he was absolutely flawless.”

“Obviously, we have the best big man in the league,” the coach added. “His offense is our main scoring weapon. Injuries have cost him so many opportunities, but I believe a healthy Yao Ming is still the finest center in the NBA.”

“That last play—was it intentionally drawn up for Yao? He hasn’t often been the closer, so why give him the ball in that moment?” another reporter pressed, a question laced with challenge. The implication was clear: was this play-calling a miscalculation? Given Yao’s limited mobility, was he truly the man for the decisive shot, or did luck simply favor him this time?

Yao Ming only chuckled. “That’s a secret!”

“What are your thoughts on Lin Fei? He’s been phenomenal—an explosive scorer, lightning fast. As a fellow Chinese player and your junior, how do you view him?” a journalist asked Yao.

“He’s incredibly hardworking, truly,” Yao replied. “I was surprised by his talent; he’s really astonishing. Facing him on the court felt almost surreal. For someone newly arrived in the league to create so many miracles—it’s remarkable, a testament to the new wave of talent.”

“Today, you seemed to contain Lin Fei rather effectively. Was that part of the coach’s plan?” the reporter continued, turning to Martin.

“We’d all watched Lin Fei’s game tape,” Martin explained. “His speed—running, dribbling, shooting—is virtually unguardable in this league. So our coach emphasized using a slightly bigger defender on him and having a second player ready to help. That’s the only way to limit him as much as possible.”

Martin was beginning to look more and more like a leader. Though always a prolific scorer, he’d never quite been a leader or entered the league’s superstar echelon. But now, communicating more with the coach, he’d become a cerebral player, and his improved game-reading was lending him an air of leadership at last.

“He once dropped 60 points in a game, yet you held him under 20 tonight. Was there another secret?” The question was repeated—journalists are nothing if not persistent.

“Ha, just like Kobe in his prime,” Martin said. “When that kid goes full throttle, no one in this league can stop his scoring. But I know no single person can shut down Lin Fei—it takes the entire Rockets team. Lin Fei likes to handle the ball and attack as much as possible. Our plan was to throw team defense at him. One man can’t beat five. So if you must name a Lin Fei stopper, it’s team defense.”

Martin’s answer was impressive—he’d elevated the concept to that of the collective.

Indeed, though Lin Fei was new to the NBA, his fame had skyrocketed. He’d bested top point guards like Harris, Paul, Rondo, and Parker, and at shooting guard, he’d gone toe-to-toe with scoring machines like Wade and Kobe. Teams around the league began experimenting with new defensive schemes to suppress him—employing more collective tactics. Lin Fei’s style was highly individualistic, so a well-coordinated team could often surprise him. The Rockets provided the perfect example: Lowry, though strong, was much slower than Lin Fei and struggled to defend him, while Martin’s defense was notoriously poor. In theory, neither should have been able to contain Lin Fei, but throughout the game, they never gave him a chance to explode. It was truly the power of the team.

Thus, the league buzzed with debate about the “Lin Fei Stopper.” While Martin’s conclusion was sound, many analysts remained skeptical. Many teams still relied on individual defensive prowess to build a formidable defense. Overemphasizing team defense against a single player could disrupt the entire defensive system. So, many coaches would keep trying to pit their best defenders one-on-one against Lin Fei.

In their next game, the Warriors would face the up-and-coming Grizzlies—a team famed for their grit. Just last season, they had pulled off a stunning first-round upset over the Spurs, who were championship favorites and renowned for their consistency. The Grizzlies’ inside game was crucial to their success, especially Randolph, who dominated his matchup with “The Big Fundamental” Duncan, delivering a godlike playoff performance. Anchored by their frontcourt and with defensive specialists like Battier and Tony Allen on the perimeter, the Grizzlies struck fear into the league with their stifling defense.

Inevitably, the topic of the “Lin Fei Stopper” would resurface. Given the Grizzlies’ style, they might assign Mayo to Lin Fei, but they were likely to deploy top defender Battier as well, or at least be ready to do so, since the Rockets’ use of Martin had produced satisfactory results. No team wanted Lin Fei to drop 60 points against them. Battier was one of the league’s most relentless defenders—though aging, his experience was invaluable. When matched against Lin Fei, his height and savvy would be significant advantages, though he’d surely be at a disadvantage in terms of speed and stamina.

The “Lin Fei Stopper” seemed to be emerging, but when asked about it, Lin Fei would only offer a gentle smile—just as he did when taking a shot.