Chapter 99: Five Fouls and Fading Hope

After the timeout, the Warriors lineup consisted of Durant, Tang Lei, Livingston, Green, and Looney, while the Nuggets countered with Jokic, Murray, Millsap, Craig, and Barton. With only 8:23 left on the clock, the Warriors were still trailing by a daunting 15 points, at 93-78.

The deficit itself wasn't the problem; it was the team's lack of momentum and hope for a comeback that seemed to weigh down on them. The Warriors started with possession, and Green brought the ball past half-court. Having rested, Tang Lei emerged from the wing to receive the ball, appearing refreshed and ready. The team needed him to step up and score if they wanted any chance of closing the gap.

Tang Lei was assigned to the shooting guard position, and matched against Denver's "wild card," Torrey Craig. Known for his relentless energy, Craig had been a disruptive force all game, playing as if he had boundless reserves. The moment Tang Lei caught the ball, Craig was all over him, applying suffocating pressure.

Struggling to find an opening to pass or shoot, Tang Lei decided to drive inside. Leveraging his explosive first step, he managed to slip past Craig and head toward the paint. However, this was precisely what Denver coach Malone had anticipated – forcing Tang Lei into the waiting arms of Jokic under the basket.

As Tang Lei powered into the lane, he took off for what looked like a dunk attempt. Jokic met him mid-air, prepared to block the shot and perhaps reclaim some pride after an earlier rejection by Tang Lei. But, just as Jokic rose to meet him, Tang Lei pulled the ball back down in a mid-air adjustment, and with a quick pass, he sent the ball through Jokic's arms to a wide-open Looney, who slammed it home.

The bench erupted as the score narrowed to 93-80, boosted by Tang Lei's clever assist and Looney's emphatic dunk. Denver responded by returning to their primary weapon, Jokic, who overpowered Looney for an easy score, pushing the lead back to 95-80.

On the following two possessions, the Nuggets missed their shots, while Tang Lei answered by nailing back-to-back three-pointers. Suddenly, the gap was cut to single digits, at 95-86, and the Warriors' spirits soared.

Sensing Tang Lei's renewed energy, the Nuggets made it their priority to target him on defense, aiming to exploit his four fouls. Any attempt to draw an additional foul on him, potentially forcing him out of the game, would be a massive gain for Denver.

Craig took the ball at the perimeter and tried to bait Tang Lei into committing another foul. Tang Lei, however, kept his composure, refraining from any risky swipes. Seeing no opening, Craig reluctantly passed the ball to Jokic in the post. Jokic immediately attracted Green's help defense, as per the Warriors' game plan.

Jokic didn't force a shot, instead kicking it out to Barton, left open on the perimeter. Barton launched a three-pointer that bounced high off the rim, only to somehow fall in. The Nuggets' lead grew back to 12 points, 98-86, as the arena erupted in thunderous applause.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, disheartened by the lucky shot, called another timeout. Kerr substituted Curry back in, opting for a small-ball lineup for the final push. With only five minutes left, they needed to mount a comeback quickly, and small-ball seemed their only option.

Kerr's strategy was clear: speed up the game, dictate the pace, and force Denver to adapt to the Warriors' tempo. The small-ball lineup would aim to generate fast-paced, high-energy plays and hope Denver would falter under the pressure.

As the game resumed, the Nuggets crowd buzzed with anticipation. Denver's players, well aware of the Warriors' notorious "small-ball death lineup," braced themselves. Although they respected the lineup, they remained confident, with Jokic's presence posing a significant advantage against a center-less Warriors lineup.

The Warriors set their offense in motion, all five players moving constantly, with Green initiating the play. He found Livingston with a crisp bounce pass, and Livingston executed a picture-perfect turnaround jumper. Unfortunately, the shot bounced off the rim, and Jokic easily grabbed the uncontested rebound.

In a swift, trademark outlet pass, Jokic launched the ball downcourt, where Barton, already in stride, caught it and dunked with authority. The scoreboard showed 100-86, restoring a 14-point lead as the crowd erupted in celebration. Warriors fans around the world felt their fleeting hope doused in cold reality.

The Warriors tried to answer quickly, but Durant's three-pointer clanked off the rim. Tang Lei managed to grab the offensive rebound, but his put-back attempt was thwarted as Jokic stepped in, drawing an offensive foul call against Tang Lei. This marked his fifth foul.

Tang Lei bit back his frustration, knowing another technical foul would mean an immediate ejection. Still, Curry and Durant voiced their disapproval of the call, but the referee dismissed their protests, refusing even to review the play.

Denver seized the opportunity, inbounding the ball quickly. Craig, seizing his moment, charged toward Tang Lei, seeking to bait him into a sixth foul and clinch the game for the Nuggets. Tang Lei momentarily hesitated, shifting slightly aside to avoid the risk, which allowed Craig to dash past and execute a smooth layup over Green's outstretched arm.

With the score now at 102-86, the Nuggets' lead ballooned to 16, and the crowd's jubilant roar filled the arena. Kerr called the Warriors' last timeout, gathering his exhausted players for one final push.

It was clear that the game had been an uphill battle from the start, but facing a now-insurmountable lead, even the usually resilient Warriors were losing hope. Despite throwing everything they had at Denver, the Nuggets' relentless performance seemed destined to bring an end to the Warriors' historic streak.

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Big Chapter~