Chapter 101: The God of Slaughter Returns to His Throne, A Respectful Send-off to Elimination

The wolf is a totem for many nations, and today, Lin Fei is the totem of this team. In critical moments, he is the absolute soul of the squad.

Lin Fei launched another long-range fast break, charging alone across the court before pulling up for a jump shot, igniting the frenzy of the entire arena.

The crowd gasped in shock; some fans even fainted. In such an intense atmosphere, with fans so emotionally charged, a few people collapsing was perhaps within the realm of expectation.

After releasing the shot, Nelson could clearly hear Lin Fei’s heavy breathing. He had almost overlooked the fact that Lin Fei’s physical conditioning was arguably among the worst in the NBA. Having endured an entire season of games, compounded by the pressure of being the team’s "leader" heading into the playoffs, he looked increasingly burdened. Should he be subbed out for a rest? Nelson asked himself, glancing at Curry on the bench, who was watching the game with anxiety. Nelson made up his mind.

Nelson made a substitution, bringing Lin Fei off the court. As the saying goes, save the best blade for the toughest cutting; a player like Lin Fei should be reserved for the final, most crucial moments.

Seeing Nelson pull Lin Fei, Thunder coach Scott Brooks hesitated. Should he pull Durant? Perhaps Westbrook could hold the fort, but it was too risky. His team had to stabilize their defense before Lin Fei returned, or better yet, seal the game now to turn the final minutes into garbage time. After much hesitation, Scott Brooks decided not to bench Durant.

According to the commentators, the current lineup on the floor had an offensive rating of A, a defensive rating of B-, and an overall rating of A-.

With Curry handling the ball, it had to be said that he was the type of player capable of rising to the occasion. While dribbling and running, he constantly signaled his teammates to find space, making the team's offense look highly organized. As the commentators said, calling them the league’s strongest backcourt duo was no empty rumor. While Lin Fei was unrivaled in scoring, he might not yet be at the peak of the league in terms of leadership and command. However, with a player like Curry at point guard, the luxury was enough to make anyone envious.

Curry was left of center court, guarded by Westbrook. In truth, Westbrook was quite relieved, as he didn't have to face Lin Fei. With that "grim reaper" gone, the others were somewhat easier to deal with—when defending Lin Fei, nothing was really negotiable. Facing Westbrook, Curry surveyed the form on the court. Jobs came up for a pick-and-roll—the most common tactical play in set offense. Using Jobs as a screen, Curry slipped past Westbrook. However, Harden rushed over from the free-throw line, providing excellent help defense. Curry’s drive was effectively neutralized; perhaps if he had been a fraction of a second faster, he could have slipped past Harden, but he was just a hair too slow. Curry had to step back and reset the offense. As he retreated, he noticed Ex had lurked to the baseline, but Durant had cut off the passing lane. Curry took a small step back, and Harden closed in. Curry feinted to the left, and Harden followed. Durant, guarding Ex, anticipated that Curry would change direction and cut to the right, so he shifted a small step to the right. Seeing his opening, Curry jumped, feigning a shot. Harden, not expecting the jump shot, was about 0.3 seconds slow to react and jumped to contest. But Curry, in the air, knew it wasn't a shot. He adjusted his release, shifting slightly to the left. Ex understood the cue instantly, charging forward to catch the pass in mid-air. He dribbled once on the baseline and drove straight to the basket. With no one guarding the rim, Ex rose up and slammed it home.

This team wasn't just about Lin Fei! They possessed not only a luxurious backcourt but also top-tier frontcourt players! In terms of passion, aside from Lin Fei’s scoring outbursts, or perhaps even before Lin Fei, Ex was the most passionate player on the team.

Seeing this bucket, Nelson let out a soft sigh of relief. If they could just endure a few more possessions, it would be enough. Once Lin Fei recovered his stamina, and with the Thunder players showing signs of fatigue, victory would be well within his grasp.

The game remained fast-paced. Halfway through the fourth quarter, both teams had each had 12 offensive possessions. The Warriors led by 2 points in this half-quarter, giving them a 1-point lead overall.

The Thunder players were running out of gas. Over the course of 42 minutes, Durant and Westbrook had played nearly 40. They were certainly going to stay on the floor for the final half-quarter.

Nelson called a short timeout and brought Lin Fei back in.

Everyone widened their eyes, eager to see how Lin Fei would create a moment of his own in the final stretch.

Lin Fei took the ball. Aside from Westbrook defending him in the frontcourt, the rest of the Thunder gathered in the half-court, waiting for the Warriors' assault.

Lin Fei, having rested for half a quarter, was still dripping with sweat, droplets rolling from his hair down his cheeks. He dribbled to the frontcourt, stabilized the ball, and orchestrated the offense. The massive arena felt strangely quiet.

Lin Fei stood a step beyond the three-point line, protecting the ball with his body as he dribbled with his right hand. Westbrook pressed his body against him. Sweat dripped onto the floor; Lin Fei wiped his face with his left hand and flicked the sweat away. He dribbled right, forcing a drive. Westbrook used his body to block the path, following him step by step. Lin Fei executed a half-turn, dribbling to his left. Westbrook stepped forward to keep the pressure on. Lin Fei dribbled left and right, then crossed between his legs, his body moving to the left while the ball moved in the opposite direction. The dribble was so flashy that Westbrook found it dizzying. Instinctively seeing the ball, he reached to swipe at it. Lin Fei pulled the ball back with his left hand and caught it behind his back with his right. Because Westbrook had leaned forward to swipe at the ball, his center of gravity was very low, leaving him no room to retreat. Lin Fei pulled the ball back just as he was beside Westbrook. Because of the tight defense, the help defenders couldn't rotate in time. Lin Fei jumped, locked his eyes on the rim, and released. The three-pointer was good.

When he landed, Westbrook was only just getting back on his feet.

A lethal three-pointer.

The momentum shifted sharply toward the Warriors.

The previously quiet arena suddenly erupted with chants of "MVP!" Lin Fei raised his hands high, soaking in the cheers.

Scott Brooks called another timeout.

He needed to reset the situation, draw up a specific tactic against Lin Fei, and give his star players enough time to catch their breath.

When they returned to the court, Durant and Westbrook clearly had a bit more energy.

Earlier, the Warriors had run a perfect half-court offense led by Lin Fei. Now, the Thunder had the ball and had to attempt the same.

It was Durant again! He pulled up for a jumper right in front of Ex at the three-point line—swish. The game was truly miraculous. It was one thing that the Warriors had the league's most lethal three-point shooting, but today, the Thunder's shooting had caught fire too, especially Durant, who had already hit four three-pointers with his signature pull-up jumper. It really made one recall Tracy McGrady’s exaggerated remark: "To my eyes, the rim looks as big as the ocean."

Cutting the lead back down to 1 point put the pressure back on the Warriors.

Lin Fei sprinted to the frontcourt with the ball, banking on speed. The Thunder defenders hadn't even retreated to the half-court yet. The Warriors players were working exceptionally hard; by the time Lin Fei crossed the half-court line, everyone except Clouderson had already reached the frontcourt. It was a 4-on-3 situation, and with two players surrounding Lin Fei, it was essentially a 3-on-1 at the basket. In this critical moment, Scott Brooks was screaming his lungs out from the sidelines, but the defensive error couldn't be undone. Without a second thought, Lin Fei lofted the ball toward the backboard. Cairns, always one for the spotlight, leaped high for an alley-oop, slamming it home and hanging on the rim for a moment with a cheeky grin. Luckily, the referee pretended not to see it (it was the Warriors' home court), or else he might have been slapped with a technical foul. Lin Fei contributed a spectacular assist.

"He truly seems to be becoming more and more omnipotent," the commentator remarked. "I thought his scoring was decent but his playmaking was lacking, but I never imagined he would have such precise judgment of his teammates' movement."

The Warriors led by 3 again. Then, the Thunder finally missed a shot. The Warriors had a perfect opportunity to extend the lead, but Lin Fei passed to Cairns, who hoisted a three-pointer without hesitation. It missed. Not only did it miss, but in such an atmosphere, Cairns even had the nerve to stick his tongue out at Lin Fei—it was truly speechless. At that moment, Westbrook finally struck again, hitting a three-pointer to tie the game.

In the final moments, the Thunder displayed the poise of a powerhouse, tenaciously leveling the score. After Lin Fei missed a three-pointer, only 28 seconds remained. The Thunder held the final possession. Westbrook dribbled to the frontcourt to organize the attack. Lin Fei was on defense; Nelson had instructed Cairns to help Lin Fei. Cairns feigned defense on Harden but kept his eyes on Westbrook. Westbrook used his frame to force his way past Lin Fei, but Cairns rushed over and poked the ball away. As Cairns dribbled, Lin Fei sprinted ahead. Cairns passed to Lin Fei, who slowed down at the mid-court line to orchestrate the Warriors' final play.

The area between the arc and the mid-court line was Lin Fei’s favorite spot to organize an offense.

Westbrook lowered his body to defend.

The pressure on this shot was immense, yet it could be said there was no pressure at all—if it went in, the Warriors won; if it didn't, they would fight it out in overtime.

Time ticked away!

Five seconds!

Lin Fei accelerated, crossing between his legs to the left. Westbrook knew Lin Fei didn't like going left—he had studied this countless times—and took a small step to the left. As expected, Lin Fei didn't go left, instead crossing back to the right. Westbrook guessed this was a fake, and he was right! His tension mounted! Lin Fei crossed between his legs again, going left. Westbrook guessed it wasn't a real move, because Lin Fei usually preferred going right in clutch moments. But in that split second of hesitation, he realized he was already a step behind. Lin Fei drove hard to the left, nearly getting past him.

"It's over!" Westbrook thought.

Two seconds left!

Westbrook scrambled to move left, stretching his arm as far as possible to interfere with the shot, though he had no idea how much time was left. Westbrook’s hand almost touched Lin Fei’s stomach! Even if the ball wasn't there, it was a distraction. Perhaps because of the sweat Lin Fei had shed earlier, the floor was slightly slick, and Westbrook lost his balance.

It might have been just a fraction of a second! Westbrook’s mouth hung open, his eyes fixed on Lin Fei.

1.5 seconds!

If he didn't shoot now, it would be too late!

Many were watching the clock!

1.2 seconds!

Westbrook’s hand, still near Lin Fei’s stomach, couldn't be pulled back!

In reality, Lin Fei could easily have drawn a foul, but there might not have been enough time for the refs to see it clearly. The officials were likely only concerned with whether the time hit zero, if the ball had been released, and if it went in.

Lin Fei "swished"—his entire body and the ball pulled back! A rapid change of direction! He returned to the right! He jumped! Westbrook was still suspended in mid-air, looking as if he were about to crash down hard. With no one to contest the shot, Lin Fei jumped. Before the ball reached its peak, he released it; the arc was a fraction higher than usual.

Almost the exact instant the ball left his fingertips, the backboard light turned red.

About a second later, the ball settled into the net.

Fans in the stands fainted in droves! The ambulances outside were already full! Fans held up signs: "Farewell Thunder," "Goodbye Durant."

This shot was undoubtedly the most spectacular of the first round of the playoffs! The top-ten highlights played it on a loop; some even felt this shot rivaled Jordan’s game-winner in Game 6 of the Finals against the Jazz. Though this was just the first round, in terms of artistry, it was a match—or perhaps even slightly better.

Afterword: Long after the game, many recalled this shot and gave Lin Fei the nickname "King Cobra," derived from Kobe Bryant’s "Black Mamba" and Brandon Roy’s "Yellow Mamba"—all snakes—and the fame of Lin Fei’s three-pointers was enough to earn him the title of the King Cobra.