As the final buzzer sounded, the Thunder crushed the Lakers 112–91, earning their first win since the All-Star break.
After the game, Chen Xi found the two Chinese fans again, took a photo with each of them, and offered them a few words of encouragement.
Watching the two walk away, their faces alight with excitement, Chen Xi felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
Chen Xi was kind of a star now, after all.
A day later, the Thunder remained at home to welcome their visitors from New Orleans.
The Pelicans had made a big-money trade not long ago, sending Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2017 second-round pick to the Kings for DeMarcus Cousins. The all-around center would join Anthony Davis to form a twin-tower combination.
What made the pairing especially dangerous was that the two big men not only had the size to score and protect the rim, but could also shoot from mid-range and beyond. Add Jrue Holiday to the backcourt, and they made a particularly troublesome matchup for a team like the Thunder.
Before the game, Brow, fresh off winning the All-Star MVP, came over to greet Chen Xi warmly. They'd spent some time talking in New Orleans, so they knew each other fairly well.
Surprisingly, Davis even seemed to be recruiting him. Chen Xi laughed it off.
And who would turn down a superstar scorer averaging 23 points a game on a $550,000 salary? If the Pelicans could also bring in Chen Xi at a relatively low price, then pair him with Brother Zhu and their twin towers, their roster could even go toe-to-toe with the Warriors.
Who wouldn't be tempted?
Unfortunately, Chen Xi had the benefit of hindsight. He already knew the twin-tower experiment would ultimately come to nothing.