Chapter Summaries

The Bucks beat the Raptors to take a 3–1 lead, while the Warriors defeated the Thunder after Draymond Green injured Davis and Chen Xi punched Green, cutting their series deficit to 2–3. Chen Xi defended his reaction after the game, and players and fans rallied around him while condemning Green’s foul.

• After the Thunder’s Game 4 win, Chen Xi said he would remain wary of the Warriors despite his team holding a 3–1 lead.
• The Bucks beat the Raptors 102–100 in Game 4, with Middleton’s late free throws securing a 3–1 series lead.
• In Game 5, Davis twisted his ankle when he landed on Green’s foot, and Chen Xi punched Green before players restrained him.
• Chen Xi and Davis were ejected, and the Warriors won 110–107 to cut the Thunder’s series lead to 3–2.
• Chen Xi said he had acted impulsively but would not tolerate dirty play, while Tracy McGrady and other players publicly supported him and condemned Green.

The League punished Chen Xi and Draymond Green after their fight injured Davis, who would miss at least two to three weeks. Chen Xi spent the day with Donovan and Odie before the Raptors beat the Bucks to force a Game 6.

• After Davis's ankle sprain was diagnosed, the League suspended Draymond Green for two games and fined him $50,000, while suspending Chen Xi for one game and fining him $35,000.
• Chen Xi complained about his fine while entertaining Donovan and Odie at home, then insisted they train together instead of watching Game 6.
• The Raptors relied on relentless double-teams and quick rotations to hold the Bucks to 87 points and win 95–87.
• Giannis scored 46 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, but the Bucks still lost, leaving the Raptors down 3–2 in the series.

After earning his first All-NBA First Team and Second Defensive Team selections, Chen Xi claimed system rewards and prepared for a possible Game 7. With Chen Xi suspended and Davis injured, the Thunder faced the Warriors in Game 6 and took an early lead behind Westbrook and Carter.

• The NBA named Chen Xi to the All-NBA First Team and Second Defensive Team, while Paul George and The Greek Freak earned First Team and Best Defensive Team selections.
• Chen Xi received badges and attribute points from the system, then practiced at his family's outdoor court ahead of a possible Game 7.
• The Thunder started Westbrook, Carter, Grant, Collins, and McGee against the Warriors' depleted lineup in Game 6.
• Westbrook attacked the Warriors' defense and Carter contributed from the start, helping the Thunder lead 29-23 after the first quarter.
• Alexander played well against Livingston during the second-quarter transition period.

The Thunder defeated the Warriors 132–130 in double overtime, winning the Western Conference Finals 4–2 as Westbrook delivered a record-setting 53-point triple-double. Watching from home during his suspension, Chen Xi congratulated Westbrook and joked that the media would blame him for hurting the team.

• Klay Thompson scored 18 points in the second quarter, but the exhausted Warriors and Thunder stayed tied through regulation and the first overtime.
• Klay strained a muscle in the second overtime and had to leave the game, leaving the Warriors without their main defender against Westbrook.
• Westbrook stole Livingston's pass and sealed the Thunder's 132–130 win with a solo fast break and a tomahawk dunk, sending the team to the Finals.
• Westbrook finished with 53 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, setting the Western Conference Finals single-game scoring record.
• Chen Xi watched the game from home during his suspension, congratulated Westbrook by message, and joked that Westbrook's performance would make the media blame him.

The Bucks defeated the Raptors in Game 7 to reach the Finals, where they would face the Thunder. In the Finals opener, McGee won the opening tip, and the Thunder ran a play to get Chen Xi the ball at the left elbow.

• Lowry hit a late three in Game 6, giving the Raptors a 108–107 win and forcing a decisive Game 7 against the Bucks.
• Middleton made seven three-pointers as the Bucks beat the Raptors 119–104 and advanced to the Finals.
• The Bucks and Thunder rested before their Finals series, and Chen Xi rejoined the Thunder for training.
• On June 1, McGee won the opening tip for the Thunder against the Bucks in Game 1.
• Westbrook signaled for an Iverson Cut, and Chen Xi used screens to reach the left elbow and post up.

Chen Xi and Westbrook opened the NBA Finals with a highlight-reel dunk, while Giannis Antetokounmpo answered with powerful drives and dunks. Chen Xi scored the Thunder’s first seven points, leaving them trading blows with the Bucks early in Game 1.

• Chen Xi passed to Westbrook, who cut through the paint and opened the game with a dunk.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo drove past Collins and finished with a finger roll.
• Chen Xi used a crossover and a fadeaway jumper over Giannis to score for the Thunder.
• Giannis caught a pick-and-roll pass, powered past Collins, and dunked over him.
• The Bucks pushed the break, and Giannis took the ball coast to coast for a euro-step dunk to make it 6–4.
• Chen Xi hit a three over Brogdon, giving him all seven of the Thunder’s opening points.

The Thunder battled the Bucks through a high-scoring game, but Milwaukee’s short rotation and Giannis’s dominant offense pushed Oklahoma City into a late deficit. With two minutes left and the score 121–127, Billy Donovan called a timeout and trusted Chris to take the shot.

• Chen Xi and Giannis led their teams’ scoring as the Thunder finished the first quarter ahead 38–31.
• Buden shortened Milwaukee’s rotation, and the Bucks cut the Thunder’s lead to two by halftime.
• The Bucks opened the second half with an 11–2 run while Alexander led the Thunder lineup.
• Chen Xi took over the ball late in the fourth quarter and helped the Thunder gradually close the gap.
• With the Thunder trailing 121–127 and two minutes remaining, Donovan told Chris to take the shot without hesitation.

Chen Xi helped the Thunder close the gap against the Bucks with a steal, an alley-oop assist to Westbrook, and a clutch three-pointer. With seven seconds left, Giannis went to the free-throw line, and Donovan trusted Chen Xi to take the decisive shot.

• Chen Xi scored over Brogdon, then drew Giannis's help defense and passed to Collins for a basket that cut the deficit to three.
• Chen Xi intercepted Giannis's pass and threw a full-court alley-oop to Westbrook, bringing the Thunder within one.
• Middleton made a three-pointer to put the Bucks ahead by four with thirty-five seconds remaining.
• Chen Xi hit a clutch step-back three over Mirotić, keeping the Thunder in the game.
• Giannis grabbed Lopez's missed three and was fouled by Collins, sending him to the line with seven seconds left as Donovan trusted Chen Xi to deliver.

Chen Xi hit a drifting deep three at the buzzer to lead the Thunder Team past the Bucks, 133–132, and win Finals G1 in Milwaukee. After the victory and postgame interview, he spoke with Kobe, who praised his performance.

• Giannis missed his second free throw, and Donovan called the Thunder Team’s final timeout.
• Chen Xi taunted the Bucks fans before taking the ball against Giannis for the final possession.
• Chen Xi made a drifting deep three at the buzzer, sealing a 133–132 Thunder Team victory over the Bucks.
• Chen Xi celebrated with his teammates, bowed to the sideline fans, and told reporters he trusted the coach’s play call and enjoyed silencing hostile fans.
• Kobe called Chen Xi at the hotel and praised his game and postgame interview.

After the Thunder lost in Milwaukee, Kobe urged Chen Xi to trust his own scoring more and traveled to Oklahoma City to train him. Their work left Chen Xi with new skills and a better sense of how to balance tough shots with team play ahead of the next game.

• Chen Xi, Westbrook, and Alexander struggled against the Bucks' twin towers, while the Greek Freak scored 43 points and led Milwaukee to victory.
• Kobe called Chen Xi and told him to be more confident and take tough shots when his teammates could not convert open looks.
• The Thunder returned to Oklahoma City, where Chen Xi promised fans he would keep the NBA Championship trophy there.
• Chen Xi picked up Kobe at the airport, and the two joked about Kobe's return to the NBA and Chen Xi's championship ambitions.
• Kobe trained Chen Xi on his footwork, finishing, shooting, and defense, then advised him to keep regular practice and use difficult shots strategically rather than play alone.

After the Thunder lost in Milwaukee, Kobe told Chen Xi to trust his shot more and traveled to Oklahoma City to train him. Chen Xi learned technical details from Kobe and prepared to apply them while staying connected to his teammates.

• Chen Xi and the Thunder's other core players struggled against Milwaukee, while the Greek Freak scored 43 points in the Bucks' win.
• Kobe called Chen Xi and urged him to shoot more confidently instead of worrying about efficiency and passing up chances.
• The Thunder returned to Oklahoma City, where Chen Xi promised waiting fans that he would keep the championship trophy there.
• Chen Xi picked up Kobe at the airport, and they joked about Kobe's comeback and Chen Xi's future championships.
• Kobe trained Chen Xi on details including footwork, layups, fadeaways, double teams, and on-ball defense.
• Kobe told Chen Xi to keep regular team practice and explained that difficult shots should serve the team rather than turn basketball into individual heroics.

The Thunder opened Game 3 of the Finals against the Bucks with an 11-0 run, powered by Westbrook's early aggression and Chen Xi's defense and playmaking. Chen Xi capped the run with a chasedown three that forced Buden to call timeout.

• Westbrook opened the scoring with a three, and Chen Xi stripped Giannis before Collins drew a foul and made both free throws.
• Westbrook pushed a fast break and assisted Chen Xi, who passed to Grant for an open three to make it 8-0.
• Giannis drew another double-team, but Brogdon airballed his three and Grant secured the rebound.
• Westbrook started another fast break, and Chen Xi hit a chasedown three to give the Thunder an 11-0 lead.
• Buden called timeout as the crowd erupted, while the commentators discussed Chen Xi's impact and his recent dinner with Kobe.

The Thunder beat the Bucks 131–120 in G3 after an explosive team shooting performance, taking the series lead. Three days later in G4, Chen Xi carried the offense against the Bucks’ double-teams, but his aggressive play left him exhausted by the end of the third quarter.

• The Thunder’s role players joined Chen Xi and Westbrook in a scoring surge, giving the Thunder a 74–60 halftime lead in G3.
• Chen Xi scored 30 points and dished 13 assists as the Thunder beat the Bucks 131–120, with Alexander adding 23 points and Giannis scoring 39 for Milwaukee.
• Three days later, Chen Xi read the Bucks’ double-teams effectively in G4 and reached halftime with 19 points, three rebounds, and six assists, while his teammates struggled to score.
• Chen Xi attacked two defenders at a time in the third quarter, hitting deep shots, breaking double-teams, and passing to McGee for a finish.
• Chen Xi’s aggressive approach helped him manipulate the Bucks’ defense, but it drained him enough to trigger his [Tireless] badge by the end of the third quarter.

The Thunder narrowly lost Game 4 to the Bucks, tying the series at 2–2, but Anthony Davis was cleared to return for Game 5. With Davis back, the Thunder built an early lead in Milwaukee by disrupting the Greek Freak and exploiting the Westbrook-Davis connection.

• Chen Xi scored 44 points and 13 assists, but the Thunder lost Game 4 to the Bucks, 118–121, and the series was tied at 2–2.
• The Thunder announced that Davis had passed his medical evaluation and was cleared to play in Game 5.
• The Bucks opened Game 5 with the Greek Freak attacking Davis, but Davis and Chen Xi disrupted his first possession and forced a missed shot.
• Westbrook scored through contact on the Thunder’s first possession, then fed Davis for a mid-range basket after drawing the Greek Freak into helping on his drive.
• Five minutes into Game 5, Westbrook and Davis’s two-man game helped the Thunder take an 18–8 lead.

The Thunder crushed the Bucks 136-110 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, then opened Game 6 in Oklahoma City with both teams trading baskets. The chapter left the Finals underway, with the Thunder and Bucks stars exchanging scores.

• Buden changed the Bucks’ defense and rotation, but Chen Xi, Westbrook, and Davis kept scoring as the Thunder led 36-25 after the first quarter.
• Alexander found his rhythm alongside Davis, and the Thunder built a 75-58 halftime lead before winning 136-110.
• Chen Xi scored 38 points, Westbrook had 24 points and 10 assists, Alexander scored 19, and Davis recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds as the Thunder took a 3-2 series lead.
• The Thunder opened Game 6 with Davis scoring off Westbrook’s screen, and Middleton answered with a three-pointer.
• Davis and Brow scored again against Giannis as the Bucks and Thunder traded baskets early in Game 6.

The Thunder built a 13-point halftime lead over the Bucks, but the game grew tense when the referees repeatedly called fouls against the Thunder. The chapter left Brow on the bench with four fouls as fans argued over whether the League was favoring Milwaukee.

• Giannis attacked Brow, but Grant stripped the ball and Chen Xi finished the fast break with a three-pointer.
• The Thunder shot 16-for-21 in the second quarter and took a 74–61 lead into halftime.
• The Bucks opened the second half with Giannis drawing a shooting foul, while Westbrook answered with a mid-range jumper and Mirotić added a three-pointer.
• Giannis repeatedly drew fouls on Brow and McGee, prompting Donovan to tell his big men to ease up defensively.
• The referees called McGee for offensive goaltending and Brow for an offensive foul, giving Brow four fouls and forcing Donovan to take him out.
• Viewers argued in the livestream chat that the League and referees were applying different standards to the Thunder and Bucks.

The Thunder and Bucks traded momentum in the Finals as Chen Xi helped rebuild Oklahoma City's lead, but repeated calls disrupted the Thunder and brought the Bucks back within reach. Westbrook earned a technical after arguing with a referee, and Donovan urged the team to stay calm and protect its lead.

• The Bucks outscored the Thunder 38–26 in the third quarter, cutting the Thunder's lead to 100–99.
• Chen Xi opened the fourth quarter with a difficult shot over three defenders, then helped force a Bucks miss and set up Westbrook's three-pointer.
• Chen Xi led the Thunder to a 110–104 lead, and Donovan sent Davis back into the game.
• Chen Xi scored nine straight points as the Thunder widened their lead to 119–108 with just over six minutes remaining.
• Repeated fouls disrupted the Thunder's offense, and Westbrook received a technical after confronting a baseline referee.
• Donovan told Westbrook to remain patient and urged the Thunder to preserve their lead.

Chen Xi injured his right hand after Giannis collided with him, but he chose to stay in the game and made three free throws left-handed. The Thunder maintained a lead late in the game as the Bucks continued to fight back.

• Chen Xi hit a clutch three and then a mid-range shot, but Giannis collided with him on the play and injured his right hand.
• Westbrook shoved Giannis, while Brow pulled Westbrook away; the referee assessed Giannis a Flagrant 1 and Westbrook a technical foul.
• The team doctor advised Chen Xi to leave the game, but Chen Xi persuaded Donovan to let him play.
• Chen Xi missed his first free throw right-handed, then made his next two left-handed; Middleton missed Westbrook's technical free throw.
• Westbrook set up a drive that led to McGee drawing a foul, and McGee made one free throw.
• Middleton answered with a three-pointer, leaving the Thunder ahead 134–129.

Chen Xi’s clutch left-handed three-pointer helped the Oklahoma Thunder defeat the Bucks and repeat as NBA champions. As the team celebrated its second title, Chen Xi and Westbrook looked ahead to winning three championships in a row.

• With 39 seconds left, Chen Xi hit a left-handed three-pointer to extend the Thunder’s lead to eight.
• The Thunder stopped the Bucks’ final attempts, and Chen Xi taunted them before the final buzzer confirmed the victory.
• The Oklahoma Thunder celebrated their second consecutive NBA championship as confetti fell and the fans cheered.
• When Adam Silver presented the trophy, Chen Xi signaled that his right hand was injured, so Westbrook lifted it with him.
• Westbrook and Chen Xi agreed that the Thunder could win more titles and set their sights on a three-peat.

Chen Xi won the 2018–2019 Finals MVP after leading the Thunder to a second straight championship, then celebrated with his teammates and Talan. As his vacation began, Oklahoma City media criticized the officiating and highlighted his left-handed game-winning shot.

• Adam Silver announced Chen Xi as Finals MVP, and Chen Xi accepted the Bill Russell Trophy from Bill Russell.
• Chen Xi received a designated Gold Badge, 50 Free Attribute Points, and three Silver Badge Upgraders from the system.
• After medical examinations and a splint for his right hand, Chen Xi celebrated with the Thunder, where Westbrook sprayed him with champagne.
• Chen Xi partied with teammates until morning, then returned home and slept in the guest room rather than wake Talan.
• Chen Xi woke to find Talan beside him, cooked a Chinese meal, and shared his first day of vacation with her.
• Oklahoma City media published posters of Chen Xi’s left-handed shot and criticized the officiating.