Chapter 129: The Team Three-Point Contest

After the game, the Warriors’ top priority was naturally to quickly examine Lin Fei’s knee. The injury gave both the Warriors’ management and Coach Nelson a major scare, but thankfully, the MRI scan showed no significant damage. It was merely a minor muscle strain, which certainly would not affect Lin Fei’s availability for the next game.

Reporters swarmed around Smith. The young man’s performance had been unbelievable; with Cairns sidelined and Lin Fei injured, he had been presented with more opportunities, and he had suddenly exploded onto the scene, becoming the media’s darling. Some were even beginning to wonder if Smith could replicate Lin Fei’s level of play. When one considered that Smith’s speed was not far behind Lin Fei’s, perhaps with a bit of help from his teammates, he could truly approximate Lin Fei’s impact, even if he lacked the same elite ability to shake off defenders and create his own shot. Naturally, the reporters kept pressing Smith on how he possessed such ability.

"Although I’m older than Lin Fei, I don’t actually play as smartly as he does. I’m fast, but I’m still not as fast as him, so I have to find ways to learn from his style of play. He is the core of this team, and my role is to ensure the team continues to run smoothly when he needs a rest. Hahaha, though I have to say, those shots I hit were really great. I used to dream about hitting a few three-pointers in the playoffs, and today it finally came true. It feels amazing. Haha, I’m only just now seeing how good I really am." It felt as though the first half of Smith’s statement was something Lin Fei would say—humble and restrained, like the traditional Chinese style—while the latter half was increasingly flamboyant, more characteristic of an American. He was truly a blend of East and West, and if he could maintain this, his potential would undoubtedly be limitless.

During Rick Carlisle’s practice, the atmosphere among the Mavericks was suffocating. Some players watched the game footage between the Warriors and the Thunder over and over, feeling a growing dread that their own team might suffer the same fate as the Thunder.

When asked by a reporter if Lin Fei was the toughest player in the league to deal with, Dirk Nowitzki replied, "Indeed. Lin Fei is the fastest point guard I’ve ever seen in this league, the most accurate three-point shooter I’ve ever seen, and the most lethal scoring point guard I’ve ever encountered. His scoring ability is on the same level as players like Kobe." This was high praise indeed from Nowitzki.

Jason Kidd’s response was perhaps even more profound: "This kid is better than I was when I was his age, truly. I’m finding myself enjoying watching him play more and more." To receive such praise from one of the top five point guards in league history spoke for itself.

While Smith might have been the darling of the press, only true opponents knew that the real threat on the Warriors was Lin Fei. Smith had been the X-factor in this game, a classic wild card, but Lin Fei remained the true core, the standard-bearer, and the greatest threat to the opposition.

The sixth game between the Mavericks and the Warriors was two days away. Unlike the period before the Thunder series, the experts were no longer silent; they were vocal with their opinions, and more people were favoring the Warriors. This baffled the Mavericks’ fans; the Mavericks were a championship-caliber team filled with stars, and they could not fathom losing to a team like the Warriors.

In truth, the experts favored the Warriors for four reasons: first, the Warriors had Nelson; second, the nature of the Warriors' playing style; third, the combination of Lin Fei and the young core; and fourth, the Warriors’ demonstrated ability to pull off miraculous comebacks throughout the previous games.

During practice, teammates kept clamoring for Smith and Lin Fei to have a three-point shootout. The rules were based on the standard three-point line: five shots from each of the five spots on the arc, all within a limited time.

"Oh! I’ve been wanting to test myself against Lin Fei too. We haven’t had anyone treat us to a meal in a long time. Haha, whoever loses pays for dinner." Smith joined in, as he had also been itching to compete against Lin Fei.

Lin Fei couldn't help but shake his head and smile.

The competition began. Lin Fei started shooting from the corner. Although it wasn't his strongest spot, he went five-for-five, stunning his teammates. He moved through the remaining spots with a focused intensity, not missing a single shot. He finished 25-for-25 from five different locations in about a minute—a performance far superior to his showing at the Three-Point Contest.

When it was Smith’s turn, he held the ball and smiled, appearing less confident, but he began to shoot. He intentionally slowed his pace at the first spot, going four-for-five. There was no need to continue since he had already lost, but the Warriors players were not ones to give up easily. Smith finished 18-for-25, which was still a respectable score.

Curry, feeling the itch, also stepped up and shot 18-for-25. Then, Exum, Jobs, and Cairns joined in as well. It must be said that the Warriors’ three-point shooting ability was second to none in the league. The others generally hovered between 12 and 16 makes. In reality, they could have done better if they had slowed down, but the difficulty lay in the high-speed execution.

Perhaps through this competition, the true three-point prowess of the Warriors players was revealed. Lin Fei was, without a doubt, the most dangerous three-point threat on the team.

Perhaps because they had won the game, the spirits were high, and the shootout was lighthearted. In the end, it was unexpectedly Cairns who had to pick up the tab.

Nelson understood the current state of the Warriors perfectly. He had a solid grasp of the Mavericks’ strength; they clearly hadn't shown their best in Game 5, likely holding back some of their arsenal for a winner-take-all showdown in Game 6.

Watching his players compete in the three-point contest, Nelson gained a better understanding of their mental state. He saw that Lin Fei was the one truly worth trusting, while Smith’s explosion was undoubtedly more of a serendipitous occurrence.

Lin Fei didn't know how to articulate his feelings. As the game approached, he felt a flicker of nervousness. It was a psychological phenomenon: like a person who has only one stamp—if someone asks for it, you give it away without a second thought. But if you have two, you become reluctant to part with one. When the Warriors weren't in the playoffs, Lin Fei hadn't cared much, but now that they were in the second round, the fear of losing what he had gained made him uneasy. It wasn't an ideal mindset, but as a superstar, Lin Fei was capable of self-adjustment.