Chapter 75: The Indomitable Tang Lei, Who Sees Through Everything

What a Dunk!!

"Holy Shiiiiiiii!!!"

"Oh my God! Where did this guy even come from?"

"This is unbelievable! That play was unreal!"

Around the stadium, audiences couldn't help but gasp, hands on their heads in sheer astonishment. The rebound that Embiid seemed to have securely grabbed had been ripped from his grasp by Tang Lei in a raw display of strength and agility.

No, this wasn't an ordinary rebound—it was a power play, snatching two points from Embiid's hands.

The scoreboard read 183-179, with the West still trailing by four points. Normally, this kind of deficit would take at least two possessions to catch up, putting the East in a relatively safe position with only a few seconds remaining.

Embiid quickly pushed aside the sting of losing that previous play. His focus now was singular: secure possession and run out the clock to seal the game.

However, as soon as he caught the inbound pass, Tang Lei dashed forward and fouled him, barely allowing 0.7 seconds to tick away. With just 10.8 seconds left, the West knew they couldn't afford to let much time pass.

As Embiid stepped up to the free throw line, a wave of murmurs and shouts filled the arena. Far more fans were cheering for the West, and even some East fans had begun to root for the underdog, hoping for a miracle.

Under that intense pressure, Embiid made one of his two free throws, putting the East up 184-179. Ten seconds remained, with the East holding a five-point lead.

For most, the game seemed nearly decided. But Tang Lei, as always, refused to back down. Sprinting forward to receive the ball, he took off immediately toward the frontcourt. Despite two defenders reaching up to block him, he didn't hesitate. Though barely balanced, he sprang up, sending the ball arcing perfectly through the net.

Score: 184-182, with only 6.7 seconds left.

"Da Fuk…" Embiid exhaled heavily, staring at Tang Lei as though looking at a superhuman. He couldn't fathom how this young player from China—someone with yellow skin and black eyes—could possess such relentless energy.

Tang Lei had not only defeated LeBron in the All-Star voting, taking the fan-favorite title but had also swept both the Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest. And even in the final seconds of an impossible game, facing two defenders and shooting off-balance, Tang Lei still hit his mark with precision.

It was beyond belief.

And perhaps the most mind-boggling thing of all? This seemingly superhuman figure was an undrafted rookie. Who would believe that?

Harden prepared to inbound the ball but found the East's players tightly guarded. Sensing the growing pressure, the West's players saw their slim chance to turn things around and locked down every possible route.

Unable to find an opening, Harden called a timeout—the East's last. With 6.7 seconds remaining, they would have just enough time to set up one final, carefully planned play. They knew that a careless turnover or blocked pass could undo all of their hard-fought progress.

…

In the Tencent live chat, the screen exploded with messages:

"Oh my gosh! No way, no way!"

"Our boy Tang Lei is incredible, pulling us back into the game at the last second!"

"Did you see Embiid's face? He looked like he'd seen a ghost."

"That's right, never underestimate us Chinese! Tang Lei just taught them a lesson!"

After the short break, both teams returned to the court. The East would inbound the ball in the frontcourt. Although inbounding under pressure is never easy, their two-point lead gave them some comfort.

Embiid took the role of inbounder. His height and wingspan offered a bit more security, reducing the risk of interference. The West focused all their energy on marking the East's four remaining players, choosing not to pressure Embiid directly.

In the frontcourt, East players scrambled to get open, but none could shake free from their defenders. Suddenly, Irving bolted toward his own basket, clearly aiming to receive the pass and kill time.

Tang Lei noticed immediately and quickly caught on to Irving's strategy. He had already seen through their tactics, predicting the move and sprinting forward with all his might.

At that exact moment, Embiid threw the ball toward his own basket. This wasn't a spontaneous decision—it was part of the play that the East's coach had meticulously planned, anticipating the West's likely 5-on-4 approach to force a turnover or foul.

The East had seemingly thought of everything. But the one thing they hadn't counted on was that Tang Lei had seen through it all…

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