Chapter 7: The Basket Feels like an ocean
The Lakers had the final possession of the quarter. LeBron James ran the clock down and drilled a clutch three-pointer, bringing the score within seven points.
52-45.
This score, which would normally take a full half to achieve, had been reached by the end of the first quarter. It was clear how smoothly both teams' offenses were operating and how hot their shooting was. Throughout the quarter, the Warriors had held the advantage, and Tang Lei's performance was nothing short of spectacular.
In just 5 minutes on the court, Tang Lei had gone 5-for-6 from three-point range, racking up 15 points along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. His stellar play left the Staples Center crowd buzzing, remembering this young Asian player from across the ocean.
Meanwhile, the Tencent live stream back in China was going wild.
After the break between quarters, Tang Lei did not return to the court for the second quarter; Curry subbed in instead. Coach Kerr had noticed how tightly Tang Lei was being defended toward the end of the first quarter and decided to give him some time to recover, waiting for the right moment to send him back out as a secret weapon.
In the second quarter, both teams continued to score efficiently, but the defense tightened up. By the end of the quarter, the score stood at 78-71, with the Warriors still holding a seven-point lead.
Second Half:
As the third quarter began, the game's momentum shifted dramatically.
LeBron James and Brandon Ingram both exploded on offense, scoring a combined 18 points in just five minutes, leading the Lakers on an 18-5 run. The Lakers overtook the Warriors by six points, and the nearly 20,000 fans at Staples Center erupted in cheers for the home team.
For years, the third quarter had been known as the "Warriors' Fury," where they would typically dominate and break games wide open. But today, they were the ones caught off guard by the Lakers' surge.
"Beep, beep!" Coach Kerr quickly called a timeout to stop the Lakers' momentum.
"Tang, you're going in to replace Cook. We need you to spread the floor and take your shots when you get the ball!" Kerr said to Tang Lei.
"Got it, Coach," Tang Lei responded.
When the game resumed, Tang Lei returned to the court midway through the third quarter. The Warriors' lineup was now Curry, Durant, Green, Thompson, and Tang Lei. The Lakers fielded LeBron, Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Caldwell-Pope, and Caruso—both teams opting for small-ball lineups full of athleticism and versatility.
Once again, Lonzo Ball was tasked with guarding Tang Lei, sticking to him tightly and trying to prevent him from getting open. Tang Lei focused on spacing the floor to create opportunities for Curry.
It was his first time officially playing alongside Curry, and the excitement was palpable. Curry's off-ball movement was elite, and his release was lightning-fast. Within 0.4 seconds of receiving the ball, he could complete a full shooting motion.
Swish!
Curry hit another three off a screen, closing the gap to 86-89.
The Lakers had possession. Lonzo advanced the ball and delivered a beautiful no-look pass to Caruso, who had snuck behind the defense for an easy reverse layup.
At the other end, Durant drove into the paint, drawing a double-team, and kicked the ball out to Thompson on the left side. Unfortunately, Thompson's shot didn't fall, but Tang Lei was there to grab the rebound. With his peak Kobe-level jumping ability, Tang Lei thrived in the small-ball lineups.
He pulled down the board and immediately turned for a fadeaway jumper. Swish! The ball went in, keeping the deficit at just three points.
LeBron, determined to regain control, bulldozed his way into the paint and threw down a powerful dunk.
The Warriors refused to back down. Tang Lei received a pass from Curry, and despite Lonzo flying at him to contest, Tang Lei launched another three-pointer.
Swish!
On the way back down the court, Curry extended his hand for a high-five. Tang Lei, grinning, slapped hands with Curry. It was his first assisted basket from Curry, and the feeling was indescribably sweet.
Once Kerr realized Tang Lei had maintained his hot hand from the first quarter, Curry, Durant, and Thompson all began feeding him the ball. In the NBA, there was an unwritten rule: when a teammate was on fire, especially with an outrageous shooting percentage, the team would go out of their way to help him get more shots—even setting extra screens to free him up.
And so, in this environment…
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Tang Lei drilled three more consecutive three-pointers. No matter how closely Lonzo guarded him, it didn't matter—the basket seemed as wide as the ocean. Every shot he took found the bottom of the net. With Tang Lei's incredible run, scoring 14 straight points, the Warriors regained the lead 100-93 heading into the fourth quarter.
During the break, Lakers' coach Luke Walton began designing double-team strategies specifically to stop Tang Lei. He knew that if they allowed him to continue shooting, this game would be lost.
Fourth Quarter:
As the final quarter began, the Lakers implemented their double-team on Tang Lei. Every time he touched the ball, two defenders would swarm him.
It was tough for Tang Lei to handle, but even though his court vision wasn't extraordinary, he still managed to find open teammates like Curry and Durant. If he couldn't take the shot, he would simply pass to someone who could.
With that, Curry took over the game.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
The Lakers paid the price for double-teaming Tang Lei. Three more three-pointers from Curry punished them severely, and the lead quickly ballooned to 14 points.
When a team had Curry, Durant, and Thompson all on the floor, leaving anyone else open was simply asking for trouble. Yet, the Lakers had no other choice; Tang Lei's hot hand was too much of a threat.
As the game wore on, the Lakers had no answers. Durant created mismatches at will, Thompson's catch-and-shoot was unstoppable, and Curry's full offensive arsenal—driving, shooting, and playmaking—was on full display.
The lead continued to grow, eventually reaching 22 points, putting the game out of reach.
In the end, the Lakers pulled their starters, effectively surrendering. They had played well for two and a half quarters, but the difference in talent between the teams was clear. The Warriors were simply a level above the young Lakers.
Still, the Lakers' young players, particularly Ingram, performed admirably. Ingram, going head-to-head with his idol, Durant, shot 10-for-14 from the field and scored 26 points. Without him, the game would have been over much sooner. The Lakers clearly had a bright future.
As for Tang Lei, who had once only played during garbage time, he found himself being substituted out after helping to secure the game. As he walked to the bench, the coach, assistants, and his teammates lined up to congratulate him.
Tang Lei's performance in this game had earned the respect and recognition of everyone on the Warriors, including Coach Kerr and the coaching staff.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read:
Warriors 138, Lakers 119.
Tang Lei had played 19 minutes and 55 seconds, going 9-for-11 from three-point range, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block—a stat line that completely captivated the nearly 20,000 fans at Staples Center.
He had also won over Warriors fans and basketball enthusiasts back home in China.
…