Chapter Sixty-Two: Fei's Doubt

Speed, speed, and more speed—this was the first thing Nelson remembered from earlier, speed. Human speed had reached its limit, but the speed of the ball held no bounds.

From this moment on, the Warriors abandoned the pure point guard on the court. Everything revolved around the ball; all players moved in harmony with it. The sole objective was to send the ball into the basket.

The first attempt—Curry dribbled, someone blocked his way, so he passed to the moving Ax. Ax dribbled two steps and passed to the sprinting Jobs, who dashed straight to the rim and finished with a layup.

It was simply breathtaking. Five seconds! And it was a brilliant cooperation!

With the shot made, Nelson was even more convinced of the breakthrough his new tactic offered.

“Go on!” Nelson shouted.

This epiphany was enough to transform the entire team.

In the Nets’ subsequent attack, the Warriors’ players combined their defense with the Nets’ offensive routes, coordinating their movement with the defensive lineup. The Nets’ offense was clear: Lopez dominated inside, Deron Williams outside. For the Warriors, this approach was full of vulnerabilities.

The Warriors pressed on with another attack—again, four consecutive passes! The ball went directly under the basket, and Crowdison, in a post-up, executed a hook shot and scored. Still five seconds!

Few in the league could turn speed into a tactical weapon. Nelson was one of them!

The sudden shift in play unsettled the Nets, as was evident from their movement on the court.

The Warriors then managed another successful defense. On offense, however, a pass was intercepted, and Nelson was jolted—he’d overlooked a significant issue. Increasing the number of passes inevitably increased the chances for opponents to steal, and turnovers were often fatal in games.

What to do? In this moment, Nelson had to weigh the pros and cons of this “ball faster than man” strategy.

In truth, Nelson’s insistence on “the ball faster than the man” perfectly matched his philosophy in training, where he emphasized that everyone should learn to handle the ball. Yet, for a long time, even Nelson, bold as he was, had never dared to experiment with removing the point guard entirely. Now, in such a passive situation, he had gained a higher understanding, found the perfect convergence between his usual training and on-court tactics.

The Warriors played with the wind at their backs, but Lin Fei, sitting on the bench, was lost in thought. Why? The ball moved so quickly—even at his full speed, he could not keep up. With more passing required, his speed advantage and exceptional ball-handling seemed to have no place.

The Warriors’ fast-paced rhythm gradually caught up in points, while Lin Fei remained unused on the bench.

Players tired on the court; substitutions followed. Strangely, Nelson did not put Lin Fei in as he usually would.

Was the scoring king really being abandoned? Unimaginable! He was the scoring king! Did Nelson realize that? Yet for the Warriors, Nelson was the absolute authority—he had been for years. Even without a championship ring, no one dared question him.

Many were stunned. This was normally Lin Fei’s playing time, but Nelson kept him firmly on the bench.

Lin Fei hoped he would be used at a critical moment, but the Warriors, riding their momentum, won the game outright. Lin Fei, apart from a few minutes, saw no other time on the court.

Zero points! The scoring king ended with zero! It was glaring.

With this game, Lin Fei’s title was overtaken by Durant!

With this game, Lin Fei’s streak of consecutive three-pointers was broken!

Leaving the court, he was met with a wave of boos. Even in previous losses, fans would give this “Son of the Wind” of Golden State the warmest applause, but today the contrast was stark.

In an instant, Lin Fei recalled many things. His fierce pride made him remember how he had performed miracles time and again, from college to the present. He hadn’t even had time to reflect on why he played so poorly today—he was instead enveloped by a pessimistic mood.

After the game, Nelson found Lin Fei. “We need victory. You bring a lot to Golden State, but too often, you can’t bring victory.” These words branded themselves deeply in Lin Fei’s heart.

Nelson understood well that Lin Fei’s playing style was already set—it couldn’t change overnight. The new tactic, so fluid, risked falling apart if Lin Fei played, jeopardizing the team’s offense.

Late at night, Lin Fei went to the riverside. It had been so long since he’d had a moment of quiet.

What to do? What to do?

Since his rise, he had rarely been still. He was someone who loved quiet, yet lately had no time for it.

In the past, someone might have accompanied him, spoken to him, but now, in a foreign land, only he understood his own loneliness. Call a friend? At this hour, who knew if they were busy? Even if the call went through, what could he say? Now, he truly had no one with whom to share his inner anguish.

It’s said—the higher you climb, the harder you fall. Lin Fei, once the scoring king, in a single game, ended with nothing. He understood this deeply.

How could he integrate himself into the team? The team now ran so smoothly, and his speed could never surpass the ball’s. What should he do? If he tried to fit in, he could be a shooter, but he was one who needed to attack with the ball—just being a shooter would never satisfy him. Besides, he excelled at clutch moments; his ability in crucial situations was invaluable. Yet, how many clutch players have been buried, how many never made a name for themselves in the NBA? Should he change himself? But—

Calm! Calm!

He used to love being alone in the dark night, dribbling, shooting, his heartbeat, his breath, all at a steady rhythm, but now that feeling was rare.

Was it the fierce competition that made him forget the feeling for the ball? Or had the noise of this place disturbed his mind? He always pursued peace, but now it was so lacking.

Confusion! Confusion!