Chapter Fifty-One: The Assault on Los Angeles

His face was fierce and wild; he could leap from a standstill and slam dunk over his opponents. His presence was dominant, almost shattering the rim with his dunks. James once said that if this man ever dunked in front of him, all he could do was step aside. In his rookie season, he claimed the Dunk King title with a leap over a car, was selected as an All-Star, and unanimously won Rookie of the Year. This rising star, the new crowd favorite, was none other than Griffin.

If we were to compare the speed of surging popularity, perhaps no one could rival Lin Fei right now. But in terms of accumulated fans, Griffin might still hold the advantage. Still, if they must be compared, each would have their own strengths and merits.

After the Warriors swept away Miami like a storm, they hurried to Los Angeles. There, they faced the Clippers, who were long seen as mere supporting acts in the city. Yet with Griffin's recent rise, there's a sense that the Clippers may soon supplant the Lakers, and Griffin himself seems poised to take the mantle from the aging master of LA, Kobe.

At this moment, the Warriors' morale was at an all-time high. In the games so far, they'd defeated the Spurs, Celtics, and Heat—formidable foes all. Especially in their most recent game, they dispatched the Heat with ease, Lin Fei pouring in a staggering 60 points. The confidence of the Warriors was now the strongest it had ever been. Though the players showed signs of fatigue, they looked poised for victory against the Clippers.

When the players took the court, the Los Angeles fans gave an unprecedented ovation to the new 60-point hero, Lin Fei. The fans here were harmonious, but they certainly hoped Lin Fei wouldn’t score so many points against their beloved team. Yet when Griffin entered, it became clear who was truly the master of this arena now.

Griffin took the initiative to greet the newcomer. “Hey, man, your speed is impressive.” Clearly, he was already familiar with Lin Fei. Lin Fei paused for a moment, then smiled and replied, “Haha, man, you really can jump.” The two laughed heartily, displaying genuine camaraderie.

Not only had the players grown familiar with Lin Fei, but many celebrities from Los Angeles had come to see him. Some wanted to witness the new favorite, others came for the 60-point sensation. Movie superstar Will Smith was among them. Why? Because many fans felt Lin Fei’s journey was almost legendary—from a player considered an outsider, to a superstar known throughout the land. His perseverance and struggle echoed the story in Will Smith’s film, “The Pursuit of Happyness.”

The commentator for this game was notable as well: former Rockets coach Van Gundy, who once led a team featuring Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to a famed ironclad defense, enjoying his own heyday in the league. Yet fate was unkind, and he fell in the first round of the playoffs several times, leading to his dismissal. Now, he was a commentator, enjoying his freedom. Today, however, he was covering the league’s most offensively potent team, the Warriors, and it was uncertain how he would assess them.

During warmups before the game, Lin Fei repeatedly practiced shots from midcourt, drawing gasps from the crowd with every attempt. Griffin, meanwhile, drilled his turn-around dunks under the basket, again and again.

As the game began, something happened that drew widespread boos. Why? The Warriors’ starting lineup did not include Lin Fei, but instead featured Curry, who had just recovered from an injury. It seemed Coach Nelson, that stubborn old man, was determined to provoke outrage. If Lin Fei played for another team, he would undoubtedly be a locked-in starter, perhaps even enjoy special privileges. Yet for the Warriors, he was relegated to the bench. Was a player capable of dropping 60 points really less valuable than a newly healed Curry? The fans’ indignation was justified!

Nelson was wary of players like Griffin. His own defense was weak, and facing such a powerful inside presence, especially with Griffin’s teammate Jordan, the combination was a luxurious one for any team’s frontcourt. The outcome was uncertain; perhaps it was best to simply let fate decide.

The tip-off: Jobs and Griffin. Though Griffin was only slightly taller than Jobs, his leap was nearly a head higher, making his reach far superior. If there were still a “King of the Tip-off” in the league, Griffin would be a strong contender. The Clippers possessed the ball.

Mo Williams held the ball. Once nicknamed “Mo Never Pass,” he had shifted his focus from scoring to feeding Griffin since joining the Clippers. Griffin called for the ball near the free-throw line, with Jobs guarding him from behind. Williams lobbed the ball up to Griffin, who caught it, turned to face the basket, with Jobs defending tightly. Griffin dribbled once, Jobs followed, then Griffin spun, turning his back again. He thrust his hips, bumping Jobs back a bit. With that space and moment, Griffin spun past Jobs, charging the basket. Crowder tried to help defend, refusing to be intimidated, sticking close, but Griffin’s leap was astonishing. As Crowder jumped and began to descend, Griffin was just reaching his peak height, slamming the ball over Crowder in a thunderous dunk to open the game.

The Warriors attacked next. Curry, freshly recovered from injury, was sluggish, and Nelson’s directive to finish the offense in eight seconds was impossible to execute. Their opponents were already well positioned. Yet, before the game, Nelson had told his players: this match wasn’t about brute force, but cleverness. His tactics required swift player rotations, exhausting their stamina, rarely allowing them to play back-to-back games after such intensity. So, against the Clippers, Nelson preached “cleverness.”

Crowder posted up in the low block, with Jordan keeping him from receiving the ball. Jobs and Axe, both agile, could even switch positions on the fly, while Keynes and Curry roamed the perimeter, seeking opportunities. Usually, the forwards, Jobs and Axe, had the most chances. After a cross-motion between Jobs and Axe, Curry quickly passed the ball to Axe, who took it to the hoop. Despite little room to shoot, Axe drew the Clippers into the paint, then passed out to Keynes on the perimeter, who hit a mid-range jumper.

“Nelson’s offense is quite something. He doesn’t rely solely on tactics; his team excels at fast breaks, and when there’s no fast break, their play is flexible and varied. Their three-point shooting is their greatest weapon. Honestly, few coaches in the league have such offensive prowess,” Van Gundy commented.

The Clippers attacked again, with Griffin calling for the ball in the low post. The Warriors’ Jobs helped defend Griffin, likely per Nelson’s plan. After Griffin’s aggressive move, he passed to Jordan in the corner. With Jobs doubling Griffin, Jordan was left wide open. He took a step and slammed it home.

“Two consecutive attacks, both dunks. It seems the Warriors’ defense has serious issues. If they could shore up their defense, they’d be a top team in the league. In my experience, they may do well in the regular season, but in the playoffs, facing balanced teams like the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks, or Thunder, they’ll suffer. Their offense is also flawed—they rely too heavily on three-pointers, and that’s not good news. No team can win consistently with threes alone; trying to play inside might be a better approach.” This was Van Gundy’s view, shared by many experts.

The Clippers, brimming with energy, opened with consecutive dunks, while the Warriors showed no signs of fatigue, their players running hard from the start.

Midway through the first quarter, the Clippers led the Warriors by three, 16–13.

At this point, Nelson made a move that excited every fan: he substituted Lin Fei into the game.

As Lin Fei entered, even some Clippers players were discussing him. It wasn’t hard to guess what they were talking about.

(The rest will be updated after 9 PM. Stay tuned.)