Chapter 53: Unstoppable Power! Pull-up, Rebound, Slam Dunk, and Block

With just over two minutes left in the first quarter and a nine-point lead, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse still kept Leonard on the bench. He clearly planned to bring Leonard in fresh for the second quarter, giving him more rest before allowing him to dominate.

Toronto took possession. Fred VanVleet advanced the ball and lobbed it into the paint to Ibaka, who used his height and length to muscle his way past Green, breaking the Raptors' scoring drought.

Back on the Warriors' end, Green passed to the on-fire Tang Lei, but Anunoby immediately closed in, shadowing Tang Lei closely to deny any three-point shots. With three triples already made, Tang Lei was clearly a threat, and Nurse's message was clear: guard the perimeter at all costs. Toronto still had Ibaka anchoring the paint, which they hoped would make it tough for Tang Lei to finish inside.

Tang Lei saw a small opening and took his first step before Anunoby could set his feet—a move so explosive it would make even peak McGrady proud. With a burst, he drove past Anunoby and into the lane, gathering for a layup as Ibaka leapt to contest. Sensing Ibaka's towering presence, Tang Lei pulled the ball back mid-air and maneuvered around him with a graceful reverse layup.

Swish!

The ball fell cleanly through the net.

"Wow, what a beautiful move!" Curry led the cheers from the bench, while Durant looked momentarily stunned. "WTF? Is that Kobe out there?" he muttered, watching Tang Lei with new eyes.

Toronto came back on offense, and Anunoby attempted a three-pointer, but Tang Lei's closeout forced a miss. In the ensuing rebound scramble, Ibaka's height gave him the edge, securing the ball and scoring on the second attempt to keep Toronto within striking distance.

29-36.

Back with possession, the Warriors had to work harder to get Tang Lei the ball as Anunoby stuck to him tightly, leaving no space for a clean pass. After a few failed attempts to shake Anunoby, the Warriors shifted the ball to Thompson, whose initial shot bounced off the rim. The rebound came right in Tang Lei and Anunoby's direction, and despite Anunoby's defense, Tang Lei's superior vertical allowed him to tip the ball back out to Thompson. This time, Thompson didn't miss, and the Warriors added another three.

29-39. With just a minute left in the first quarter, Toronto was feeling the pressure. They knew the psychological impact of a double-digit deficit—it could sink their morale before they'd even reached halftime.

In their haste to cut down the lead, however, Toronto only made things worse. VanVleet attempted to lob the ball to Ibaka in the post, but Tang Lei anticipated the play and swooped in for the steal. Grabbing the ball, he immediately launched a fast break. Two Raptors defenders tried to halt his drive, but Tang Lei, undeterred, accelerated and went airborne, rising with such power that neither defender dared to challenge him.

BOOM!

Tang Lei hammered down a ferocious dunk.

29-41. The Warriors had now pushed their lead to twelve points.

Nurse, clearly frustrated, called out to his players from the sidelines, urging them to stay composed. "Settle down! No more rushed plays!"

VanVleet slowed the pace, driving into the lane and drawing a help defender in Thompson, only to dish the ball out to Danny Green in the corner. Known for his clutch shooting, Green caught the pass and calmly sank a three-pointer.

32-41. The Raptors clawed back within nine points, with 27 seconds left in the quarter.

On the Warriors' side, Green held onto the ball, letting the clock wind down before initiating the offense. Finally, with five seconds left, he found Quinn Cook, who had been waiting for his chance. As Curry's backup, Cook rarely got opportunities in crunch moments, so he took full advantage, launching a three-pointer that swished cleanly through the net.

32-44. The warriors back up by twelve.

Only 5.6 seconds remained for Toronto. VanVleet sprinted up the court, and spotting Danny Green, passed him the ball with just enough time for a quick release. But just as Green prepared to shoot, he froze. Out of nowhere, a dark figure loomed behind him.

It was Tang Lei, swooping in from behind to swat the ball out of Green's hands just as the buzzer sounded.

The first quarter was over.

"Ayy!" Green and Iguodala rushed over to celebrate with Tang Lei, giving him high-fives. Curry leaped off the bench, meeting Tang Lei's gaze with a knowing look. The two then jumped in unison for a celebratory chest bump, a gesture that spoke volumes.

Tang Lei had once again demonstrated why he was a force to be reckoned with, leading the Warriors in an all-out assault on both ends of the floor.