Chapter 24: The Final Play

As Tang Lei raced back on defense, Curry couldn't contain his excitement.

"Tang, that was incredible! That dunk was perfect!" He knew how crucial that play had been. Without Tang's putback, the game might have been over. Fortunately, they were still in it.

The Rockets didn't call a timeout. They were leading, and Coach D'Antoni wasn't about to give the Warriors a chance to set up their defense.

With 43 seconds left and 24 on the shot clock, the Warriors need a stop to have one last shot at tying or winning.

Chris Paul, calm as always, controlled the pace. Despite the deafening noise, he stayed composed, running down the clock.

The Warriors couldn't afford to double-team or foul him. Doubling would leave someone like Tucker open for a three, and fouling Paul—one of the best free-throw shooters—would gift the Rockets two easy points.

It was up to Curry to guard Paul one-on-one. After getting beaten earlier, Curry was determined to make a stand. This was his moment to lead.

With six seconds left on the shot clock, Paul made his move, but Curry stuck with him. Paul was patient, probing for a mistake.

5 seconds. 4 seconds. 3 seconds.

Finally, Curry lost his balance for a split second, and Paul stopped on a dime to pull up for a jumper. Just as the ball left his hand, a figure came flying in—Andre Iguodala. He leaped and swatted the ball away.

Smack!

The ball ricocheted toward the sideline. Tang Lei, quick on his feet, sprinted after it. With a desperate dive, he saved the ball from going out, crashing hard into the scorer's table, scattering equipment everywhere.

Klay Thompson caught the save and raced down the court, slamming it home.

104-105.

The Warriors were down by just one with 15.8 seconds left.

"Oh my goodness! Klay Thompson with the SLAM! Set up by Tang Lei!" the arena DJ roared as the crowd erupted.

That play, fueled by sheer will, reignited hope for the Warriors.

The Rockets quickly inbounded, hoping to catch the Warriors off-guard while Tang was still down, but Thompson fouled immediately.

Curry and Iguodala rushed to help Tang Lei up.

"Tang, you good?" Curry asked.

"I'm good, brother" Tang replied, stretching to shake off the impact. He apologized to the scorers for the mess before jogging back to the court.

Meanwhile, fans in the Tencent live stream were going wild.

"Tang Lei is giving everything he's got!"

"The Rockets tried to take advantage when he was down—disgraceful!"

"They're only down by one now, but the Rockets have two free throws. One last shot for the Warriors!"

"This game is insane! So intense!"

"Tang Lei's assist was legendary. I'm a fan for life now!"

Many were skeptical of Tang after his previous game-winner was now completely won over. Tonight, they'd witnessed his three deep threes, his massive putback dunk, and his fearless dive. Tang Lei wasn't just hype—he had the big heart and skill to back it up.

Back on the court, Paul calmly sank both free throws.

104-107.

The Warriors were down three. Coach Kerr used his final timeout. As Tang Lei walked to the bench, his teammates congratulated him for his incredible save and assist.

Even Kerr nodded in approval before drawing up the final play. The situation was clear—this had to be a three.

Timeout over. The tension was palpable as both teams kept their starters on the floor. Iguodala was set to inbound. Curry fought through two screens but couldn't get open. With the five-second count nearly up, Iguodala passed to Draymond Green, who had retreated to the backcourt.

Green pushed the ball up quickly, but the Rockets were protecting the three-point line, leaving only Capela inside.

Green didn't want to take a two—it wouldn't be enough. Time was ticking, and Curry still couldn't shake free. Finally, Green passed to Tang Lei, who was cutting toward the basket.

All eyes were on Tang. As he rose for what looked like a quick two, he surprised everyone with a no-look pass to the corner.

There, waiting, was Stephen Curry, wide open for a three.

...