League First

Rivers' adjustments didn't do much. Even though Paul deliberately slowed the pace, it still couldn't stop the Thunder from repeatedly attacking the rim and kicking out. The team's defensive rotations just weren't good enough.

By the end of the game, there was no turning things around. They could only swallow another loss in regret.

The Thunder crushed the Clippers 112–103, securing their fourth straight win.

After the game, Chen Xi was interviewed by a domestic reporter again.

"Chen Xi, it's great to have you. Is there anything you'd like to say to Chinese fans? Say hello to everyone back home through the camera."

"Hello everyone, I'm Chen Xi."

"The Thunder won again today, and you scored another 23 points. As a Chinese American, achieving this in the NBA is very rare. Do you have any tips to share?"

"Uh, no tips really. Just keep loving the game, put in the effort, and blend into the team. I believe the country will produce plenty of basketball players much better than me in the future."

What, was I supposed to say I have a system? Just making stuff up~~

"Well then, I'd like to ask: as a Chinese American, would you be willing to return to your homeland and dedicate yourself to its basketball cause? If the country calls you up for the Olympics, would you come back?"

"...This, I'm not good enough yet, right? And didn't the Olympics just end this year? The next one's still pretty far off. Plus, there might be some small issues like nationality to sort out. Of course, none of that's a big deal. If the country approves, I definitely wouldn't turn down the chance to return to the motherland's embrace."

Say too much and you get flamed; say too little and you get flamed too. Chen could only hem and haw, weighing his answers carefully, deflecting the topic.

Switching back to Chinese nationality? Chen Xi would jump at it without a second thought. Going back to play in the Olympics? Absolutely no hesitation. The fear was that they'd push their luck and call him back for the World Championships, the Asian Cup, and everything else. How did Yao get hurt? Wasn't that clear enough?

With his injury resistance barely scraping 70, he'd better play it safe.

Back in China, the post-game interview was being livestreamed on a domestic app. After hearing Chen Xi's answers, the internet erupted into a chaotic mess of arguments.

"Ah!!!! Chen Xi is so handsome~~~"

"Upstairs, tone it down."

"Tch, so reluctant. If you don't want to come back, then don't. Who's begging you? Making up all these excuses."

"Are you okay? When did he ever say he didn't want to come back? Don't those reasons actually exist? He just stated them, not that they can't be resolved."

"Here we go, here we go, the loyal defender, already whitewashing."

"Unbelievable. Say two true words and you're a loyal defender. Such a pro at labeling people, you must be a LeBron fan, right?"

"He's still an American. Some people are way too confident, treating everyone like idiots?"

"Keep your shorts in check."

"Exactly because he's American. Who knows if his ancestors were traitors."

"Don't be ridiculous. His parents' generation is American. It's not something he decided."

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"Six-time runner-up fans sure are cocky."

"What, the loyal defenders of the eternal second-place are barking now?"

The truth is, wherever there are idols, there are fan circles. And wherever there are fan circles, things get toxic fast.

The video's bullet comments were like a barrel of gunpowder—just a single spark and they'd explode, spiraling out of control.

Chen Xi, unable to see the domestic bullet comments, was naturally unaffected. After the interview ended, he headed back to the locker room on his own, watching the players celebrate.

Normally, a regular season win isn't much to celebrate, but hey, it was the Clippers.

They'd been holding in that frustration before the game. Now that they'd swept them, why not rub it in?

Chen Xi recorded a video of the guys clowning around and posted it on his social media with the caption: "Sharing the joy of victory."

Thanks to his recent popularity and the occasional outrageous posts from Chen, he already had over a million followers on Instagram.

Buddy was a big shot now~~

As Chen Xi adapted to his new badge, the rationality of his shot distribution improved, and his playing time increased too. It was clear the coaching staff's trust was growing day by day.

The Thunder's team chemistry was also getting smoother.

Two straight games, big wins over the Magic and the Pistons. With a 10–1 record to start the season, they even surpassed the Warriors to claim the League First spot.

For a moment, the buzz was deafening. Fair-weather fans swarmed in, pushing the Thunder's popularity to rival the red-hot Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry.

"No one expected the Thunder, after losing Durant, to put up such an unbelievable record at the start of the season. And no one expected them to sit atop the Western Conference first, even the League First throne!"

"Russell Westbrook! An astonishing player. Averaging 28.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game so far this season—nearly a triple-double average! This makes us wonder: was last season's failure really his fault, or was the problem someone else?"

"A jaw-dropping lineup rotation. Coach Donovan has proven himself this season! Even with a significantly weaker roster, he's still brought the team to an outstanding level. I think he's already a top contender for this year's Best Coach award!!"

"The Thunder management's eye for talent is undeniable. Their second-round, 26th pick, Chris Chen, is already averaging 19.5 points, standing at the forefront of the 2016 rookie class! His 54.6% three-point shooting percentage is simply unbelievable! And what's even more striking is that his salary this season is only $550,000!"

For a moment, it seemed like the whole world was praising the Thunder, like everything they did was right. But the price of sitting on the League First throne was becoming the target of every team in the league, studied as a hypothetical opponent.

At the same time, the adulation and hype began to seep into the team. Players started slacking off, half-assing practice, getting lost in the hanging gardens of praise.

Head coach Donovan saw the problem clearly, but a simple scolding didn't do much.

That's the terrifying power of the media. They control the narrative, and you unconsciously let it lead you by the nose.

Luckily, this didn't last long. The Thunder's "savior" soon arrived.

James Harden, leading the Houston Rockets, dealt a heavy blow to the overconfident Thunder.

Search Book Title not found, try searching Author instead, maybe it just changed names!

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