Chapter Sixty-Three: Born for the Final Blow

Lin Fei was perplexed, and the fans were disappointed. The Jinzhou fans had been filled with confidence, expecting Lin Fei to easily secure a spot in the All-Star starting lineup, but a scoreless game had extinguished the flames of hope in their hearts.

The following day, during a scrimmage, the starting lineup faced off against the substitutes, with Lin Fei leading the reserve squad. Nelson’s strategy yesterday had merely been an idea, but it had succeeded; today was the true experiment.

Lin Fei’s spirits were low.

Should I stick to my own style, or should I try to change my approach?

Nelson assigned Keynes to guard Lin Fei out of position—a tactic Nelson often employed during games. He wanted to use the team’s most energetic, mobile, and physically gifted defender, with the best defensive awareness, to guard the team's best offensive player.

Perhaps Lin Fei and Keynes were all too familiar with each other.

At the start, the starters adopted the “the ball moves faster than the player” style used in matches, centering the offense around the ball, with no fixed movement patterns or passing routes. Their attacks were sharp, with impressive dunks one after another, and Nelson applauded vigorously from the sidelines. The substitutes were on the defensive, and though Lin Fei and his squad had often been at a disadvantage in previous practices, they had never been so passive. Nelson was gradually shifting his philosophy—not simply letting the team play freely but blending tactical execution into their play. For Nelson, the best players were those who could combine their on-court skills with tactical discipline.

“Lin Fei, you should try to organize the offense more!” Keynes said to him.

“Lin Fei, you need to learn to cooperate with your teammates!” Curry said.

“You need to pass to me more!” Jobs said.

So I’m still just a rookie, Lin Fei mused. Even if I average 29 points per game, I’m still a rookie.

The scrimmage continued.

Lin Fei was now facing a group of teammates, but anyone who stood in the way of his scoring was an opponent—no matter who they were.

Lin Fei held the ball, facing Keynes, dribbling rapidly to midcourt. Perhaps because the scrimmage was not particularly intense, Keynes did not stick closely to him. Lin Fei jumped with all his strength from the center line—a release of emotion—and his shot was as smooth as ever.

The ball swished through the net. Lin Fei landed, exhilarated—he hadn’t felt so liberated in a long time! It was like drinking several pounds of fine wine, a cathartic outpouring of all the words bottled up inside him.

The starters, after all, were the starters, relying on Jobs’ powerful inside play to score yet again.

Lin Fei held the ball once more, his footwork on the court reminiscent of a martial arts move—Light Steps—slipping between defenders and teammates.

At that moment, Lin Fei’s blood was running wild with excitement. He drove straight toward the basket, and though his teammate was open, Lin Fei had his own space to lay it up. He chose to take the shot himself, not pass to the open man. He scored, and many cheered, but Nelson alone withheld his applause.

He wasn’t sure how many shots he made—many three-pointers, in any case. The scrimmage had no winners or losers; it was just for the coach to assess the team’s condition and practice tactics.

“I made 24 shots today!” Lin Fei murmured to himself. Did this reveal some trait of his? He couldn’t quite articulate it.

The battle for All-Star votes grew fiercer, with many teams campaigning for their players.

Many experts began to question whether Lin Fei’s inclusion in the All-Star game would be another NBA tragedy. From the present circumstances, Lin Fei was so inconsistent. All superstars have slumps, but in their prime, almost none have ever had a scoreless game (except for injuries or veterans). Moreover, Lin Fei seemed to be a player who could contribute only by scoring. In basketball terms, Lin Fei was a “wild card”—a team often needed a stable leader. By that measure, Lin Fei was still not a superstar, nor an All-Star. He was a rookie; though heroes have always emerged from youth, making the All-Star team seemed a bit premature.

The training sessions and media commentary weighed heavily on Lin Fei’s mind.

“Should I talk to Nelson?” Lin Fei wondered. Despite years of schooling with little practical knowledge gained, he knew that the most basic skill for success was learning to communicate with others.

“Coach, do you think I should learn to pass more?” Lin Fei asked.

“No!” Nelson’s answer stunned Lin Fei. That “No” instantly stirred a thousand questions in his mind.

A renowned coach could certainly sense Lin Fei’s confusion. Nelson nodded and continued, “There’s no universal tactic in the world! I know you’re puzzled about why I don’t use you more. Haha!” Nelson paused, and Lin Fei felt a bit more at ease.

“I want to see how powerful my new ideas really are. From the moment you joined the starting lineup, I knew you’d have trouble fitting into the team’s system. I kept playing you because I wanted someone I could rely on in crucial moments. I know, when it comes down to the final seconds, tactics often mean nothing—the team must depend on individual ability. I always wanted you to have a killer instinct with every shot, because you were born for those moments. Now, I’ve thought of better tactics, centering the offense around the ball, maximizing ball movement. So, in most situations, if the offense is flowing well without you, there’s really no need for you! Haha, as you say, using a cannon to shoot a mosquito! You’re maturing, so I’m preparing to keep you in reserve! Haha, you Chinese have an old saying: ‘Raise an army for a thousand days, use it for a single moment.’ That’s the idea!”

Nelson’s words left Lin Fei somewhat bewildered, but he grasped a bit of the reasoning. This eccentric old man was obsessed with Chinese culture, though there were always some differences when communicating with actual Chinese people. After all, he interpreted Chinese culture through American values, and so often missed its essence.

Lin Fei’s emotional knot loosened a little, but he was still filled with questions. If the coach truly intended to use him only in a single crucial moment, what should he do then?