He Was a Jerk, and I Barely Knew Him

Chase Center Arena, which had just been an ocean of joy, had once again become a silent graveyard.

One second, heaven; the next, hell.

That was exactly what it was like.

Just moments ago, they had been savoring the thrill of Curry's game-winner, relishing every second.

But now, every one of them felt like they'd just been screwed over.

Curry stood with his hands on his hips, staring blankly up at the big screen.

He'd lost games on the court more than once or twice, but to lose by such a narrow margin in this way left him deeply frustrated.

And there was nothing he could do but feel frustrated.

That was the most helpless part.

Head coach Kerr was also staring blankly at the big screen, frustration in his eyes.

Everyone from the Kings' front office rushed onto the court.

They helped Wang Yi, who was still sprawled on the floor, to his feet, then surrounded him and celebrated wildly.

All the Kings players gathered around him too.

In the utterly silent arena, they were the only ones bringing it to life.

But the life they brought was not what the Warriors fans wanted.

Set against the silence of the Warriors fans, thousands upon thousands of Kings fans were cheering with joy.

Nicole gazed at Wang Yi on the court, tears already welling in her eyes.

They'd won!

Wang Yi had won this battle all by himself!

It had been so hard for him. So, so hard.

But in the end, he'd held on.

He'd worked a miracle!

He'd led the Kings, the West's tenth-place team, into the Playoffs as the eighth seed through the play-in tournament.

Then they'd pulled off a historic eighth-seed run all the way to the Western Conference Finals, cutting through the entire West.

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