Chapter 119: Kissing the Donkey's Ass

Without a doubt, the momentum of a single game was enough for Lin Fei to bask in the dazzling glory of being called the "Heir to Jordan." In terms of current influence, Lin Fei might have a case, backed by a powerful group: the Chinese. However, when one regains composure and looks at it from a basketball perspective, one realizes that Lin Fei still has a long road ahead.

After all, among the many touted successors, no one has truly inherited Jordan’s mantle; they have only come infinitely close.

In truth, is there only one young talent in the league today? Look at the newly crowned MVP, Derrick Rose. The "Windy City Rose" has bloomed brilliantly in Chicago, but he still seems far from reaching Jordan’s heights. Then consider Kevin Durant, a back-to-back scoring champion who led the Thunder to the playoffs, only to fall at the feet of the Warriors this season. To be honest, the brilliance of these players is no less than Lin Fei’s. If you believe Lin Fei is the closest to Jordan among these young talents, you might be mistaken. If Lin Fei intends to chase Jordan, he must first leave these other young stars far behind. In scoring, perhaps no one can match him, but in terms of on-court dominance, Lin Fei has yet to surpass superstars of the caliber of Rose or Durant.

The praise for Lin Fei could fill a month, but the most pressing issue remains the playoffs.

After losing two games, the Warriors played as if divinely inspired in the third, with Lin Fei dropping 64 points—a performance that shocked the league and the entire sports world—to dismantle the Mavericks by a humiliating margin. Now, for Game 4, no one knows who will emerge victorious.

If you are a fan of the Warriors, or of Lin Fei, you might already see the team’s hidden flaws.

While Lin Fei is invincible, his presence often overshadows the offensive contributions of his teammates. Once he goes full throttle, his teammates can easily lose their way. Lin Fei was truly exhausted; if it weren't for the adrenaline sustaining him after hitting that 64th point, he might have collapsed. Furthermore, many still doubt the Warriors’ over-reliance on the three-point shot; under intense perimeter defensive pressure, it is difficult to maintain a comprehensive attack. At least historically speaking, it is hard to succeed without a strong interior presence. The Warriors won, yes, but is their offensive firepower perhaps too flashy?

The Mavericks’ players have been battle-hardened in the league for years. Their experience is immense; it is hard to find a team in the league with better adjustment capabilities. Having lost by 30 points in the first game, they would certainly adjust to their best form for the next.

For the Warriors, adjusting is slightly more difficult. While no one questions Don Nelson’s ability, many doubt the execution of his players. If you look closely, you might find several players, such as Lin Fei and Cairns, who operate outside the traditional tactical system.

"Oh! Boys! I know we are all great! You could say we played the best game of our season (referring to the recent win over the Mavericks), but boys, you must know, this is not the end. I think we need to drop the 'we are title contenders' slogan from early in the season; we must believe that the championship is not far from us! Haha! This old man doesn't have many years left, and I want to snag a ring! I’m counting on all of you!" Nelson said, his spirits high and his demeanor vibrant. In truth, the old man knew better than anyone. When it came to the Mavericks, aside from those within the organization, no one understood their strength better than Nelson. And when it came to the Warriors, he was the absolute authority. He knew that after this loss, the Mavericks would surely bounce back with a vengeance. His own team had already created unprecedented history, and since the regular season, the Warriors had shown signs of arrogance. But to build cohesion and pride, he had always encouraged them. He knew that with their current strength, getting past the Mavericks was no easy task, and talking about a championship might just be a way to quench thirst with the sight of plums.

Two days later, the media was still buzzing, but the focus remained on the Warriors-Mavericks matchup.

The highlight of the game was undoubtedly how the Mavericks would defend Lin Fei, and how Dirk Nowitzki would reverse his team’s passive situation. After all, Nowitzki was the pillar of his team and one of the most unsolvable players in the league. How these two "unsolvable" players would stage their final confrontation was the question of the day.

The Warriors’ home arena was packed to the brim, resembling a crowded Chinese train station.

"Lin Fei! Lin Fei!" From outside the arena to the inside, the fans began to chant his name incessantly. A "Song of Lin" began to circulate among the fans, undoubtedly a continuation of the "Song of Yao" for the other Chinese heavyweight, Yao Ming.

The commentator for this game was the infamous loudmouth Charles Barkley, brought in by ESPN for this broadcast. There was no choice; Lin Fei’s popularity had ignited the entire market. No one wanted to miss the chance to cash in.

"This kid is my favorite guard!" was Barkley’s opening line. "But he is not the player I think most highly of."

"Who is the player you think most highly of?" the other commentator asked.

"Rose, because he is more physical. Real NBA basketball is often a brawl. This doesn't suit a player who dislikes physical contact; this isn't a gentleman's sport. Besides, his build is too thin; he will surely suffer many injuries." With that big mouth of his, I imagine many people had the urge to punch him.

At the start, Lin Fei’s form was staggering—he missed his first three shots.

"Looks like the kid used up all his strength yesterday!" Barkley said.

"Are you saying his 64-point game was just luck? Oh! My dear Sir Charles! I don't want to see you licking a donkey's rear end again!" Licking a donkey's rear end was a legendary joke in the NBA. Back then, Barkley looked down on Yao Ming, considering him a "bust" of a first-round pick. He bet that Yao wouldn't score more than 20 points in a game, or he would lick a donkey's rear end. As it turned out, in the very game Barkley was calling, Yao went 9-for-9 against the Shaq-led Lakers, scoring 20 points and forcing Barkley to face the music.

"Do you want to bet that Lin Fei only scores 20 points today?" the other commentator asked Barkley.

"No, no, no. 20 points is definitely not happening. That was for Yao. For a scoring machine like Lin Fei, it has to be at least 30. If you want to bet on 30, I might consider it."

"30 points? Haha! My dear Sir Charles, do you know what Lin Fei’s scoring average is this season? Do you know what he’s been averaging in these playoffs? 30 points is just an average! For him, scoring 30 is as simple as eating a snack."

"YES! 30 points! If he can keep his touch and his stamina, 30 points is possible, but right now he isn't. Didn't you see him miss three in a row? Besides, he’s a player who relies on his jump shot and doesn't attack the paint. If his touch is off, he’s nothing. He can’t rely on free throws to help his team like other superstars, and his passing isn't that great either!"

"Oh! So, are we betting on the donkey's rear end again?"

"Yeah! Hahaha, of course, no problem. I’m rarely wrong." As he was speaking, Lin Fei caught a pass from Jobs near the perimeter, darted into the paint, and hit a layup.

Everyone burst into laughter; it was a slap in the face to Barkley.

"He won't attack the paint? Oh! His speed is right there. I think as long as the timing is right, this kid could score dozens on the fast break alone! Let alone 30 for the whole game!" the other commentator said.

Sir Charles truly had nothing to say. He could only mutter, "We shall see!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than the Warriors grabbed a rebound, launched a three-man fast break, and Lin Fei finished with a hook shot.

"Hahaha! Sir Charles, you say you’re a fan of Lin Fei, but he’s really targeting you today! You said he couldn't attack, so he rushed to the rim to score. You said he could only shoot, so he showed you a fast-break bucket!"

Barkley grinned, unable to help but applaud Lin Fei in his heart. This kid really had a future.