Chapter Four: Spreading Wings to Soar, Yet Still a Novice

At night, Lin Fei sat alone, quietly recalling his journey. He was exhausted—there was a back-to-back game tomorrow! And it was an away game! The opponent was the Hornets, who boasted the superstar point guard Chris Paul. The thought of tomorrow’s match stirred excitement and anticipation within Lin Fei; he wondered how he would make his entrance.

The next day, the team hurried to New Orleans. During player introductions, the crowd erupted in cheers when Paul was announced. When Lin Fei’s name was called, the announcer introduced him as the young man who had just created one of the greatest moments in NBA history the previous night. The entire arena was abuzz with surprise and curiosity. Everyone wanted to witness this limitless talent for themselves, as if beholding a rare phenomenon.

Yet, even at that moment, Lin Fei felt a twinge of frustration. Despite his miraculous “Tears of God” shot, the coach hadn’t altered the game plan or moved him into the starting lineup. In fact, being a starter typically guaranteed significant playing time. However, the league had seen many “sixth men” whose minutes surpassed the starters, such as Ginobili from the Spurs or Terry from the Mavericks—players who often came off the bench yet scored efficiently and played crucial roles for their teams.

Still, Lin Fei believed his playing time would increase—his coach had already discussed his plans with him before the game. Lin Fei didn’t mind his role on the team; he only cared about contributing to their victories.

As the game began, the Warriors seemed transformed after the previous night’s contest. There was a new level of trust and confidence among the players. With the season halfway through, they stood twelfth in the West, four games behind the eighth-seeded Hornets.

The game started smoothly. The Warriors’ big men—Aix, Jobs, and Keynes—were especially energetic. Eight minutes into the first quarter, the Warriors had scored 28 points, leading the Hornets by five. Lin Fei wondered anxiously when he would get his chance to play.

After a substitution, Lin Fei finally stepped onto the court. He was thrilled—even as the away team, the crowd welcomed him with applause.

Lin Fei took his position at point guard. His physique suited the role, though his scoring ability and style often resembled that of a shooting guard. His direct matchup was none other than Chris Paul. Lin Fei pushed the ball quickly past half-court, trying to initiate the offense, but Paul’s defense was intense and unyielding, leaving Lin Fei no openings. After a pick-and-roll, Lin Fei passed the ball to Keynes, but Paul, quick as a shadow, deflected the ball, changing its path and sending it straight into the hands of Collison from the Hornets. The Hornets launched a fast break—Paul assisted, West cut in, and slammed it home. Lin Fei’s turnover gifted the Hornets an easy two points. Perhaps he simply wasn’t used to the rhythm yet—it was understandable, as he still lacked enough chemistry with his teammates on the court.

The game went on, but Lin Fei felt awkward after his mistake. The anticipation from the crowd and from himself was so great that disappointment seemed inevitable. He received the ball again, sprinted up the court with his trademark speed. This time, he sensed Paul’s defense slackening a bit. From two meters beyond the three-point line, Lin Fei stopped abruptly and jumped for a shot. Paul, knowing only a little about Lin Fei’s heroics from the previous night, was unfamiliar with his style and reacted with surprise. The Hornets’ players seemed stunned by Lin Fei’s bold attempt.

Lin Fei knew the moment the ball left his hands that he had missed. He landed already preparing to run back on defense. Sure enough, the ball sailed straight past the hoop and out of bounds—a blatant airball. It was embarrassing; the Hornets’ players couldn’t help but laugh.

In this fashion, the Hornets caught up and overtook the lead, 58-52. By the end of the second quarter, Lin Fei still hadn’t scored a single point. He was frustrated: five shots, all from three-point range, and not one had gone in. Yet the coach kept him on the floor. With eight seconds left, the coach called for one final play.

Lin Fei took control of the ball, crossed half-court, and prepared to organize the offense. Paul’s defense was relentless. In terms of speed, Lin Fei didn’t have a clear advantage over Paul, and physically, he was clearly outmatched—even though Paul wasn’t considered particularly strong compared to other point guards in the league, like Deron Williams or Tyreke Evans. But Lin Fei lagged another level behind.

Gazing at the hoop, Lin Fei calmed himself. The sound of the ball echoed in his mind as he sought his focus.

A high pick-and-roll offered him a glimpse of space, but he hesitated, doubting his touch. He took a step back, crossed over, jumped, and released the ball just as the buzzer sounded—swish! The shot went in, bringing the score to 58-55. The Hornets were astonished—this kid truly had some skill. That buzzer-beater would surely make the day’s top five plays. The crowd erupted in applause.

At halftime, Coach Nelson told Lin Fei, “Your role is to score and relentlessly attack the basket. Our inside presence doesn’t match the Hornets, so use your speed to push the tempo. If you’re open, shoot without hesitation!”

The second half began with Lin Fei resting on the bench. It was clear the coach intended for him to play the role of sixth man, maintaining the energy of the second unit.

As the game entered the latter half, the score remained tight.

After a timeout, Lin Fei came back in, but things weren’t going well. His shots weren’t falling, and he stopped attempting those deep threes. Despite his speed and aggressive drives, his height limited his vision on passes. When he dished out the ball, his teammates couldn’t convert them into immediate shots, or even when they did, the shots wouldn’t fall.

Coach Nelson kept nodding from the sidelines, making it unclear what he was thinking.

By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 93-83—the Warriors were down by ten.

Looking at Lin Fei’s stats: 1 for 6 from three, zero rebounds, zero assists.

Was this really his performance? It was almost unbelievable.

The coach’s expression was grave, lost in thought about how best to use him. In the crucial fourth quarter, could Lin Fei recapture the brilliance he showed the day before, especially against Chris Paul?

Lin Fei seemed lost in thought. What was happening to him? He needed to adjust his feel for the game. This was a rare opportunity to showcase himself—he couldn’t get lost in yesterday’s achievements. The craziness of the previous night hadn’t left him tired, so why did he feel out of breath today, even with less playing time? Clearly, he still hadn’t adapted. He didn’t know if he would get another chance in the final quarter, but if he did, he was determined to seize it.