Chapter Seven: A Minor Outbreak

The gathering was very enjoyable. Lin Fei had started to feel the effects of the alcohol; it seemed he hadn’t drunk in a long time. He had returned home with the chance to meet up with his old brothers, share drinks, and chat, but he immediately reported to the national team, leaving no time to catch up with his old friends. Now, with his teammates all together, it was the perfect opportunity for a proper celebration.

Often, drinking is a way to drown sorrow. At least now, the drinking carried a certain melancholy.

The Chinese team’s losing streak had become unbearable to watch. The upper echelons of the national team management had started to lose their patience, pointing fingers directly at Coach Howard. It was made clear: if there were no improvements soon, he would be dismissed. Fans blamed Howard’s player selections, unable to understand why a player of Lin Fei’s caliber was not being fully utilized.

“Bring it on! Let them all criticize me—I will bear the pressure and keep moving forward!” Howard’s response was typical of a headstrong coach. Look at the past NBA coaches like Van Gundy, Adelman, and Nelson—they were all notoriously stubborn.

The Chinese players began to show signs of improvement in training, clearly working harder than before. They had started to hear the comparisons being made—that the Chinese basketball team was beginning to resemble the Chinese football team. This was the greatest insult imaginable. There was a joke that went: two kids were arguing; one lost and said, “Your brother is the Chinese football team.” The other immediately burst into tears, shouting back, “Your brother is the Chinese football team! Your parents are the Chinese football team! Your whole family is the Chinese football team!” That illustrated just how dire the situation with Chinese football was—reaching a level of disgrace that bordered on personal humiliation. The Chinese men’s basketball team could not accept such a fate and thus pushed themselves even harder.

At this time, Yi Jianlian also began to assert himself. Many said that after Yao Ming’s departure, Yi should have naturally taken the leadership of the Chinese team. However, Lin Fei’s arrival somewhat stole the spotlight, and Yi never fully claimed the “leader” role. With the team’s situation deteriorating and Lin Fei’s presence not turning things around as hoped, Yi finally spoke out: “Get your attitude right and play properly.”

Lin Fei understood the national team’s recent struggles; there was a sense of determination but also a feeling of helplessness in turning things around.

On the third day, China faced Russia—a strong team with a full lineup. Their star player, AK-47 Kirilenko, had returned, making victory seem unlikely.

In this match, Howard finally showed his boldness: he replaced the veteran point guard Liu Wei from the starting lineup. Targeting a top-tier player first was a clear sign Howard was serious. Lin Fei stepped in to fill the spot, earning unanimous praise from experts, though the outcome remained uncertain.

The entire guard lineup was reshuffled, with Sun Yue and Lin Fei leading, pushing Wang Shipeng to the bench. This lineup hadn’t even been practiced but was debuted in the game. Howard’s strategy was clearly to leverage Lin Fei’s powerful offense. On offense, Lin Fei played as a combo guard, shifting between shooting guard and point guard, complementing Sun Yue’s playmaking. On defense, Sun Yue was tasked with guarding the opposing shooting guard, and possibly even the small forward—Kirilenko, Russia’s key player.

The game began with China gaining possession. The ball went to Sun Yue, who initiated the offense. Lin Fei felt disappointed—he was the kind of player who only felt at ease with the ball in his hands. Yet he fully trusted Sun Yue, who, standing over two meters tall, had broad passing vision as a point guard. Lin Fei took on the role of a shooter, moving swiftly between the three-point line and midcourt. The Russian defenders couldn’t keep up. Sun Yue initially aimed to pass inside to Yi Jianlian, but Russia’s zone defense blocked the lane. Sun Yue passed back to Lin Fei. By then, over ten seconds had elapsed, all spent maneuvering. When Lin Fei finally got the ball, China’s offense truly began to flow.

Lin Fei held the ball for a moment.

One Russian player appeared to know Lin Fei well—Kirilenko. Balanced in offense and defense, with versatile skills, Kirilenko could guard multiple positions. Although somewhat slight in build, which put him at a disadvantage against stronger NBA players in one-on-one defense, his help defense was formidable. His blocks were often spectacular. Yet during clashes between the Warriors and Jazz, Kirilenko had mostly watched helplessly as Lin Fei scored, unable to contain him.

Kirilenko hurried to position himself just behind the guard defending Lin Fei, ready to counter a drive or shot.

Perhaps the guard marking Lin Fei did not fully understand him, for near midcourt he allowed Lin Fei a two-step lead. Lin Fei dribbled low, then launched a shot. The defender rushed to close out but was too late. Lin Fei’s lightning-fast dribble, jump, and release were untouchable—even NBA’s top defenders would struggle against such speed; a regular guard had no chance. Yi Jianlian held his position under the basket, ready to rebound, but it proved unnecessary. The ball swished cleanly through the net. The crowd erupted in cheers; all the Chinese players rose to their feet. Such a commanding opening shot was truly impressive.

The Russian coach might have studied China’s previous lineup featuring Wang Shipeng and Liu Wei but was clearly unprepared for the new starting lineup with Lin Fei and Sun Yue. Kirilenko had even warned his coach to watch out for this smaller player, but evidently, Russia failed to adapt.

Following Lin Fei’s opening three-pointer, the Chinese team felt an invisible surge of momentum.

Russia responded with Kirilenko scoring two points, but it made little difference. Lin Fei then swiftly brought the ball upcourt again. His teammates were still trailing behind as he sprinted far ahead—his speed so great that several Russian players rushed to slow him down. Lin Fei eased off after crossing midcourt. Within two seconds, all Chinese players had crossed the half-court line. This time, Lin Fei chose not to pass to Sun Yue.

He eyed the basket. Yi Jianlian was positioned with his back to the hoop, Sun Yue waited at the three-point line at a 45-degree angle, and Ding Jinhui stood near the free-throw line. Lin Fei did not hastily pass the ball—this slightly defied Coach Howard’s instructions. His idea was to prove through action that China might have an alternative style of play. Howard had once evaluated Lin Fei as the fastest player he had ever seen, and one of the few truly intelligent players on the court. Yet Howard had restrained Lin Fei, wanting him to conform to his tactical vision.

However, an old Chinese saying goes: “When on the battlefield, a general may disobey orders.” Players on the court can adapt their style to the situation, especially playmakers and particularly clever players like Lin Fei.

Lin Fei accelerated, facing the defender head-on, driving aggressively to the right. The defender’s attempts to stop him were futile. Lin Fei charged to the basket’s 45-degree angle, about three meters out. Most guards might have attempted a floater here, but Lin Fei lacked that skill. Instead, he abruptly halted, spun, and jumped facing the hoop. Kirilenko, anticipating Lin Fei’s move, had already formed a defensive shield between Lin Fei and the basket. Lin Fei smiled faintly—Kirilenko had misread him again. Lin Fei flicked the ball left to Sun Yue at the three-point line, 45 degrees out. Sun Yue seized the moment and easily sank the shot.

The stats registered one assist from Lin Fei. On defense, Yi Jianlian patted Lin Fei on the head, clearly impressed with his young teammate.

Russia was an internationally strong team, yet in this game, they struggled, especially against China’s dazzling new tactics—a brilliance that was almost blinding.

China triumphed over Russia decisively. Lin Fei scored 15 points and 10 assists for a double-double, Yi Jianlian contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds for another double-double, as China won 86-76.

Many began to envision a dual-core formation for China’s team—one interior, one exterior—building the core of the national squad.