Time Will Tell

Chris, who was already prepared to shoot, stood there!

He caught the ball, jumped, and shot in one fluid motion. Facing the charging figure, Chen Xi completed a standard shot as if it were part of his daily training.

"Game-winner!!!! Chris Chen!!! He's game-winner against the Golden State Warriors!!!!!" the commentator excitedly stood up from the scorer's table and roared at the top of his lungs.

The young man in the center of the court remained in his post-shot pose, his right hand raised high, his wrist flicking down gently. In front of him, the Warriors players looked on in disbelief.

"Fk!!! You're fking amazing!!!!!" Butler, closest to Chen Xi, rushed forward first and hugged him tightly. Then, a wave of teammates swarmed him, turning the scene into a pile of men.

After expending a great deal of effort to break free from his teammates' embrace, Chen Xi stood in the center of the court, his right fist raised high, announcing to the world that a new star was rising.

"You played great, really impressive. I'm looking forward to our next matchup," Curry walked over and shared a brief hug with Chen Xi.

"Thank you, I'm looking forward to it too. Next time you visit OKC."

While things were harmonious here, the situation was different on the other side.

Not a single player on the Thunder Team went to talk to Durant. They simply celebrated their victory and slowly walked towards the player tunnel.

No one knew what Durant was thinking at that moment. He just glanced silently in the direction of the Thunder Team, then turned and walked towards the Warriors' locker room.

From the moment he made that decision, he knew his time with the Thunder was over. He also knew the criticism he might face, but none of that mattered. Time would prove to the world whether his decision was right or wrong.

The O'Brien Trophy would once again illuminate his career. Durant believed this firmly.

After the game, Chen Xi experienced the treatment of a star for the first time as he was surrounded by a large number of reporters.

"Chris, you shot an efficient 13-of-21 for 39 points in this game, and in the crucial final moments, you hit two three-pointers, including a game-winner. How are you feeling right now?"

"Uh, very excited, very happy."

"In the final moments, did you expect Westbrook to pass you the ball?"

"Yes, it wasn't just me; all of us were ready to take the shot. It just happened to be me today."

"You're too humble. You're the player with the highest three-point percentage on the team. I think you must be the team's first option."

"No, Russell is always the first option. But as you saw, KD defended him well, so he chose to pass."

"Speaking of KD, what are your thoughts on this senior who was on the Thunder last season?"

"Emm... I respect him. He's an MVP. What opinions could I have about him?" Chen Xi looked at the female reporter speechlessly. Does she think I'm an idiot, trying to trick me into saying something?

"Okay, so do you consider yourself the team's second core player right now?"

"My salary this year is $550,000, brother. JB's is $18 million, and Russell's is $26 million. Who do you think is the team's core?"

Damn it, these reporters at Oracle Arena all have bad intentions. I should leave!

Chen Xi hastily brushed off a few more questions before turning and heading towards the player tunnel.

As soon as he entered the locker room, he was doused head-to-toe with ice water.

"Shit!!!!!"

Chen Xi yelled and jumped, curling up uncomfortably. Damn this tradition of showering hot players with ice water after a game! What kind of sick joke is this!!!!

The atmosphere within the Thunder Team remained excellent. The thrill of victory had everyone immersed in their celebration.

In addition to Chen Xi's 39 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, Westbrook had 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists, and Butler had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Thunder's new "Big Three" combined for 90 points to help the team win.

Conversely, the Warriors had Durant's 40 points and 12 rebounds, Curry's 22 points and 8 assists, and Green's 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. Klay Thompson, however, had a poor performance with only 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, becoming a major reason for the team's loss.

The next game was an away game against the Jazz on the 23rd.

To help the players adapt to the high-altitude environment, the team flew to Utah five days in advance. During this period, the players had ample time to rest, considered a small perk during their six-game road trip.

In their hotel in Salt Lake City, Chen Xi, who was enjoying a rare day off, lay on his bed, browsing the buzzing online discussions among fans.

The Warriors being defeated by a game-winner while playing at full strength was undoubtedly major news and a powerful statement. This was likely the first time this season the Warriors had been defeated head-on with their full roster playing.

Due to last season's failure, the Golden State Warriors had been implementing minor rest days to maintain team health, relying on their strong foundation. Even so, they remained firmly in first place in the Western Conference, unshakeable. Many teams were toyed with for two quarters and blown out in three, their strength almost despair-inducing.

The Thunder's victory undoubtedly gave these people confidence.

The Tsunami Brothers aren't so unbeatable after all? Look, they were beaten by a rookie from next door...

"Damn it, I won against the Warriors with my own skill, you damn marketing accounts!!!" Chen Xi became furious watching articles that deliberately belittled him. He desperately wanted to log into his alternate account and argue with them, but he feared it would satisfy them and give them traffic, which would be worse than killing him.

He then switched to several domestic short video apps.

"Ahhh!!! I really want to eat barbecue! I really want to eat hot pot!!!"

He regretted it as soon as he finished watching.

He rarely saw these things normally, and now all the videos were about food. Yet, he was gaining a little weight and his diet was strictly controlled. He couldn't even have a piece of fried chicken to satisfy his craving.

"This is so damn unfair!!!!"

Fine, I'll go practice with JB!

Tossing and turning on the bed with nothing to do, he finally decided to go back to the court.

This was Chen Xi's second time in Salt Lake City, and he had finally adapted somewhat to the strenuous exercise in the high-altitude environment. However, the effects were still present, especially given his still-low constitution stats.

In the game against the Jazz, he shot 7-of-16 for 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Compared to his usual performance, it was considered sluggish. Fortunately, Westbrook and Butler played exceptionally well, combining for 55 points to help the team win again.

The advantage of having two veteran leaders gradually became apparent as the games continued.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.