Chapter 104: The Maverick Slayer

In truth, Lin Fei did not have a girlfriend. So why did he display such intense anger when Terry mentioned his supposed girlfriend—an anger so fierce that even Lin Fei, the alliance’s most outstanding assassin and one of the most mentally resilient individuals, found it hard to bear?

Every time he left the court, Lin Fei would glare furiously at Terry, his rage unmistakable and uncontrollable.

Could it be that Lin Fei harbored the idea of a girlfriend deep within his heart? Or perhaps he did have one all along, just hidden from public view?

No one knew.

The situation on the court was grim for the Warriors. Back when Lin Fei was still the sixth man, it might have been a different story—both teams had strong sixth men, crucial scorers in their squads. The Warriors then had a mature starting lineup whose offense was comparable to whichever lineup Lin Fei led, and their defense was even superior. But now, Lin Fei was the Warriors’ primary scorer, their undisputed core, the one who stepped up in critical moments. Terry, by comparison, no longer held such significance. Overall, the Warriors were at a disadvantage.

Nielsen felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, momentarily stunned. Lin Fei had already been ejected from the game—what now? His plans were nearly half disrupted.

But Nielsen was no novice—he had been in the league for years, even spent time with the Mavericks. The Mavericks’ tactical system still bore his influence, and even Dirk Nowitzki was once favored by Nielsen. He knew their style inside and out. It was this familiarity that made the Mavericks’ upset loss to the Warriors so painful, a scar that could not be erased.

With Lin Fei off the court and Curry stepping in, the Warriors continued to emphasize speed. Against the Mavericks’ veteran lineup, the Warriors held a clear advantage in stamina and explosiveness.

Curry held the ball, matched up against Kidd. Kidd was a seasoned veteran, truly a master of the league. Once, during a game between the Mavericks and the Hawks, in a crucial moment when the Hawks’ coach ran onto the court to instruct players, Kidd charged directly at him with the ball. The referee caught it and promptly issued a technical foul to the Hawks coach, allowing the Mavericks to take free throws and secure the win. Kidd’s cunning was undeniable.

Curry pushed the ball forward with lightning speed, and Kidd couldn’t keep up—after all, one was in his twenties, the other nearing forty. There was almost no comparison. It took Kidd considerable effort to catch up near midcourt and guard Curry at the top. Back in his prime, Kidd was the league’s best defensive point guard.

Curry dribbled with his left hand while signaling his teammates to move with his right. Clawson and Jobs tangled near the free throw line with Nowitzki, while X and Kains positioned themselves—one near the left baseline corner, the other at the right 45-degree three-point line, waiting for the opportunity.

Jobs set a high screen; Curry drove in, creating a mismatch with Nowitzki defending him. Curry spun and passed the ball back to Jobs, who faced tight coverage from Kidd. Jobs quickly passed to Kains at the right 45-degree angle; Kains caught the ball and sank a three-pointer.

Tactically, the Warriors had no specific play against the Mavericks—just one principle: speed. Whenever a shooter was open, they took the shot, no matter who it was. This relentless pace perplexed the Mavericks, leaving their defense in chaos. Though their defense ranked among the league’s best, they struggled to contain the Warriors’ outside shooting.

Mavericks coach Carlisle knew the situation was dire. Even with the Warriors’ top scorer off the court, the remaining players were all offensive threats. If properly organized, their attack could rival when Lin Fei was playing. This was the Warriors’ strength: if one star left, others stepped up. Yet losing one offensive anchor made it difficult to maintain offensive rhythm, forcing reliance on a few key players.

Carlisle quickly called a timeout to adjust his lineup. Without Terry, who should take the shooting opportunities? Undoubtedly, it was the versatile Marion. Marion’s abilities were well-known—when in form, he could even overpower LeBron James. He was capable of playing the 2, 3, and 4 positions. However, like the Mavericks’ center Chandler, Marion’s offense depended heavily on an elite point guard to set him up. His rise was thanks to Nash’s influence, and now with Kidd, the Mavericks remained formidable. In truth, the Mavericks’ roster depth was filled with players carrying their own tales—Marion, Haywood, Butler.

Offense resumed. Kidd swiftly dribbled to midcourt and passed to Barea, who faced Kains. Kains felt confident—“You’re small, kid. I’ve got speed and height; let’s see how you score against me.” Barea made a move, but Kains easily kept pace, blocking Barea’s path and denying any scoring chance. Barea passed back to Kidd. Alas, Kains could defend shots and drives but couldn’t stop passes. Kidd quickly relayed the ball to Marion, who was near the basket.

Marion caught the pass and surged forward from the left baseline to center. He leapt, releasing a powerful shot—a blend of a hook and floater—that found the net. X had no answer.

Most Warriors players were offensively strong but defensively weak. Kains was one of the more balanced. Admittedly, despite the Warriors having the league’s poorest defense, their defensive effort was perhaps the best. They relied heavily on individual ability, leveraging their speed advantage and facilitating rapid counterattacks.

After Marion’s basket, the score was tied.

Looking at the current state, the game was truly even. But moving forward, the outcome was uncertain. The Warriors had youth and speed; the Mavericks had experience and solid defense.

With 40 seconds left in the first half, the score was knotted at 58. Both teams still had one possession remaining.

The Warriors had the ball. Curry controlled it.