Chapter 80: Even in Defeat, Never Yield

A brilliant counterattack—Lin Fei dribbled swiftly, moving with such abandon that he seemed to disregard both the ball and his teammates. Yet, the route highlighted on the screen revealed that Lin Fei had, almost unconsciously, found the optimal path through the defense. It appeared easy enough on the broadcast, but anyone who has played knows how elusive such clarity can be in the heat of the moment. Lin Fei, however, had managed it.

On the other end, the Thunder’s offense still revolved around Durant. Clearly, the entire team was eager for Durant to secure another scoring title, but that wasn’t solely up to them—the Warriors’ Kaynes and X would have their say. Durant held the ball at the top of the arc, Kaynes standing squarely in his path, the words he’d spoken to Lin Fei echoing in his mind: I won’t let you score easily in front of me. Durant, confident against this rookie, signaled for Perkins to set a high screen. As Perkins stepped up, Durant accelerated, driving into the paint. But as he rounded Perkins, he found Kaynes already waiting—body braced, unmoving, determined not to yield an inch. Durant tried a sharp crossover, hoping to slip past, but Kaynes, having been burned before, was ready this time, matching Durant’s speed step for step. Their bodies collided—Kaynes, though slightly shorter, was sturdier. Durant forced a layup, but Kaynes seized the moment, grabbing Durant’s arm in a fierce foul. Losing his balance, Kaynes crashed hard to the floor. Durant hadn’t yet begun his shooting motion, so no free throws were awarded.

The Thunder inbounded again. This time, Kaynes stuck to Durant like glue, refusing to allow even a clean catch. Eventually, Durant got the ball via a teammate’s relay, but Kaynes was still right in his face. Durant took a step back, reorganizing the offense, then faked a shot. Kaynes didn’t bite. Durant tried again, but Kaynes remained grounded—except this time, the shot was real: a contested jumper. It was clear Durant felt the pressure; Kaynes’s relentless defense left him no room to operate.

Durant’s shot missed. X grabbed the rebound and fired a pinpoint pass upcourt to Lin Fei, already sprinting ahead. Lin Fei caught the ball without breaking stride, charging forward like a gust of wind. Westbrook hustled back, matching Lin Fei stride for stride near the three-point line, denying him the perfect look for a three. Undeterred, Lin Fei drove inside. Now, it was one-on-one. He attacked the rim directly, but Westbrook was prepared, grabbing Lin Fei’s jersey from behind as he went up. The layup missed; Lin Fei earned two free throws.

Westbrook’s intent was clear—he refused to allow an easy basket, even if it meant committing a foul.

Lin Fei calmly sank both free throws.

“Today’s defensive intensity is off the charts! I’ve never seen the Warriors defend so ferociously,” the commentator exclaimed. “If they can sustain this level of defense in the playoffs, combined with their league-best offense, their chances at a championship are very real!” The Warriors’ determination was obvious; they were out for nothing less than victory.

Thunder possession again—this time, Westbrook initiated the offense, reverting to their usual, most potent style. He drove, with Perkins pulling defenders away to open the lane. Durant hovered on the baseline, guarded tightly by Lin Fei. Westbrook stepped back, used a screen, and slashed into the paint. Durant curled along the baseline; Westbrook lobbed the ball—a clear alley-oop. Kaynes, just a beat late, left Durant unimpeded as he soared toward the rim. As the ball reached its apex, Durant snatched it one-handed, prepared for a thunderous dunk. But, just ten centimeters from the rim, someone leapt high, grabbing both Durant’s hand and the ball, wrenching it away in midair. Durant realized it was the Warriors’ small forward, X. With a decisive foul, X broke up what would have been a highlight-reel dunk. The Warriors congratulated X—an expertly chosen foul.

Durant made both free throws; he’s among the league’s top three in free throw attempts for forwards.

Yet Coach Nelson showed no signs of calling a timeout, despite the Warriors already tallying three fouls with much of the quarter remaining. Was he distracted?

The Warriors attacked again with Lin Fei at the helm. Bringing the ball to midcourt, Lin Fei, who had been mainly facilitating, found Westbrook sagging off, expecting another drive. But as soon as Westbrook left him two steps’ space, he realized his mistake—Lin Fei pulled up for a long three, just past half court, the kind that had stunned the entire league. With Westbrook two steps away, it was almost impossible to contest.

The arc of the ball was as beautiful and familiar as ever. The crowd gasped in unison.

It went in—a three-pointer from way beyond the line!

Lin Fei had now made over four hundred three-pointers, rewriting history with every shot.

Westbrook could only look helplessly at the rim, knowing he’d just made a fatal mistake. He was guarding Lin Fei, a player with extraordinary range—there was no room for even a moment’s lapse.

Lin Fei offered a faint, knowing smile.

“Other than God Himself, I don’t think anyone can stop this kid. Even if you put three Rondos on him, it wouldn’t matter,” the commentator said, referencing the league’s best defensive point guard.

Lin Fei’s scoring often came in unstoppable waves. Was he about to enter one of those legendary scoring frenzies? Many times, the Warriors’ ultimate weapon was simply letting Lin Fei go solo—a strategy sometimes more effective than their entire team offense.

Durant, too, was a little shaken. It seemed he would have to reevaluate this rising star.

Thunder Coach Scott Brooks hurriedly called timeout. In the league, aside from Nelson, no one could remain calm after watching Lin Fei routinely drain shots from midcourt. As soon as Brooks called timeout, he gave Westbrook a few urgent instructions, then gathered the whole team to adjust their tactics. Clearly, this timeout was called with Lin Fei specifically in mind.