Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Battle for the Scoring King—The Gathering Storm

The contest with the Thunder was not only about the teams’ standings—it was also a direct clash between the two core figures, Lin Fei and Kevin Durant. These two were the league’s most formidable scorers, and since the beginning of the season, they had taken turns reigning atop the scoring leaderboard. Even now, Lin Fei, though ranked second, trailed Durant by a mere half-point—a gap so slim that, between such elite scorers, it could vanish in a single game.

As the media continued to fan the flames, a piece of good news arrived for the Warriors: Russell Westbrook, the Thunder’s star point guard, had suffered an injury and would be sidelined for a month. In terms of importance, Westbrook was no less vital than Durant, and his absence could very well prove fatal for the Thunder. Competing with the Warriors seemed a distant hope—in fact, even securing a playoff spot now appeared fraught with pressure. It was certain that the Thunder’s coach would double down on Durant. Without Westbrook’s attacking prowess, while their organizational play might not suffer too greatly, they had undeniably lost a crucial scoring threat. Just as significant was the blow to the Thunder’s morale.

Yet, there was another factor impossible to ignore: the schedule. The Warriors, in their upcoming games, faced four back-to-backs and several formidable opponents—the Lakers and others posed real obstacles. In contrast, the Thunder’s schedule was far lighter, with only one back-to-back. Both teams, therefore, retained reasons for optimism.

In the Warriors’ subsequent game against the Bobcats, Lin Fei started once more. Against a team with a tradition of half-court defense, he was in his element. The Bobcats’ zone defense left Lin Fei with open looks time and again, and he sank one three-pointer after another. His teammates began to trust the flow of the ball, always seeking opportunities to let Lin Fei deliver the most decisive blow after the pass. Lin Fei finished with another 40-point game, marking his eighth 40-point performance in his rookie year. Durant, whether by coincidence or design, responded with a 40-point outing against the Timberwolves, keeping Lin Fei under his shadow atop the scoring charts.

Lin Fei followed up with another 35-point game, while Durant poured in 40 once again. Their scoring duel became the NBA’s main spectacle, as riveting as any playoff battle. Their explosive performances also propelled both into the MVP conversation.

ESPN threw its weight behind Durant, valuing his years of experience and his deeper understanding of how to win games. Though Lin Fei was rapidly assuming the Warriors’ mantle, his leadership was still seen as somewhat raw. Another prominent American media outlet, however, favored Lin Fei, arguing that the Warriors were actively building around him—giving him every chance to control the team and develop his scoring. The Thunder, conversely, already had a firmly established system centered on Durant, with mature tactics that didn’t overly rely on his scoring. The Warriors, in contrast, seemed almost to encourage Lin Fei to score at will, which was invaluable for his development.

The media split into two clear camps, each championing their side. These two platforms had long been at odds. The American black market was soon offering odds on who would claim the scoring title. At first, Durant was given 2:1 odds, while Lin Fei’s were 2.5:1—figures calculated by those with some expertise. The odds shifted as the season drew on.

With Lin Fei as their focal point, the Warriors posted a 12-7 record; led by Durant, the Thunder managed 13-6. The Warriors trailed by just one game, putting the Thunder in fourth in the West and the Warriors in fifth. The difference, however, might be fleeting, as home-court advantage in the playoffs would come down to the final game. If the Thunder won, the advantage was theirs. If not, and the teams ended with identical records, division records would be the tiebreaker—and the Warriors’ was slightly superior. Thus, both teams refused to rest their star players, each unwilling to relinquish the hunt for home-court advantage.

There was another twist: during Westbrook’s absence, Durant had simply taken over, posting astonishing numbers. In those 19 games, he averaged 33 points—a staggering feat. Yet Lin Fei’s numbers were no less incredible, as he averaged a similar mark.

The scoring race was razor-thin—just sixteen points separated Lin Fei and Durant in average points per game. For Lin Fei to seize the scoring crown in the final game, there were two scenarios: either Durant would falter, or Lin Fei would perform spectacularly.

Memories returned of legendary scoring title duels. In the 1977–78 season, the Iceman, George Gervin of the Spurs, and David Thompson of the Nuggets battled furiously for the crown in the final game. Thompson played first, scoring a mind-boggling 73 points, forcing Gervin to score at least 58 in his own game. Gervin responded with 33 points in the second quarter alone—a single-quarter record—and finished with 63, edging out Thompson for the title by a razor-thin margin. Sixteen years later, on April 24, 1994, the Magic’s “Shaq” O’Neal led the league by 0.06 points per game over David Robinson heading into the final night. Robinson’s teammates conspired to feed him the ball relentlessly, and even the opposing Clippers seemed eager to help, sending him to the line 25 times. Robinson scored 71, raising his average and forcing O’Neal to score 68 in his game to reclaim the crown. Facing an impossible task, O’Neal managed only 32, falling short and losing the scoring title in humbling fashion.

Those duels, however, were indirect contests. Now, Lin Fei and Durant were about to collide head-on. On the eve of the game, the major sports papers splashed both men across their front pages, their fierce gazes locked in mutual challenge, fanning the flames of anticipation for this annual clash.

Would a miracle be born again in the contest between Lin Fei and Durant? The world could hardly wait to see.