Chapter Summaries

Spoelstra’s matchup changes helped the Heat Team create transition chances, while the Thunder relied on AD’s size and Chen Xi’s pick-and-roll threat to answer. The teams traded early baskets as the Heat continued pushing the pace and the Thunder tried to control it.

• Adebayo secured the opening rebound, but Chen Xi contested Herro’s chasedown three and Westbrook collected the miss.
• Donovan recognized that Spoelstra’s lineup changes both strengthened the Heat Team’s defense and created opportunities to attack in transition.
• Davis scored the Thunder’s first points by beating Adebayo off the dribble and finishing at the rim.
• Herro passed out of Chen Xi’s defense, and Duncan Robinson made a transition three to put the Heat Team ahead 3–2.
• Chen Xi slowed the Thunder’s next possession, then set up Davis for a basket inside with a pick-and-roll and lob.
• Dragic pushed the pace again, and Chen Xi stopped Robinson’s drive with help defense before Robinson passed the ball out.

The Thunder adjusted to the Heat’s pace by replacing Little Gasol with Alexander, improving their transition defense while looking for ways to counter the Heat’s attention on Chen Xi. The teams traded baskets, and the chapter ended with Davis securing a rebound and Westbrook starting a Thunder fast break.

• Donovan called a timeout and replaced Little Gasol with Alexander to make the Thunder smaller and faster.
• Alexander scored a mid-range jumper, and Kawhi beat SGA for a basket after the Heat’s transition attack stalled.
• Chen Xi escaped a double-team and passed to Alexander, who made an open three.
• The Heat repeatedly doubled Chen Xi, while Kawhi drew help and passed to Duncan Robinson, whose three-point attempt missed.
• Davis grabbed the rebound and sent the ball to Westbrook to launch a fast break.

The Thunder beat the Heat 121–116, using fast breaks, strong play from their rotation, and Chen Xi’s late scoring burst to complete a season sweep. The Heat’s extended minutes and focus on Chen Xi ultimately left them unable to keep pace.

• Westbrook led a Thunder fast break and sparked a 10–3 run, forcing Spo to call a timeout.
• The Heat slowed the game and Kawhi scored against the Thunder’s perimeter defense, tying the first quarter at 29 while the Heat extended their starters’ minutes.
• Alexander and Nicolas Batum led the Thunder’s second-quarter response, but the Heat’s starters helped them take a four-point lead into halftime.
• Chen Xi’s open shots and a 13–4 Thunder run in the third quarter put the Thunder ahead by seven.
• Donovan’s strategy of conceding interior twos while guarding the three helped the Thunder maintain their lead.
• Chen Xi scored three of four shots in the final four minutes, and the Thunder defeated the Heat 121–116 to complete the season sweep.

The Thunder lost a close road game to the Nuggets after Chen Xi sprained his ankle and missed nearly a quarter and a half. During a four-day break, Chen Xi returned to Los Angeles, moved his family into their renovated Newport Beach villa, and enjoyed time with them before hosting guests.

• The Thunder lost 123–121 to the Nuggets after Chen Xi sprained his ankle and missed nearly a quarter and a half of play.
• Jamal Murray hit a buzzer-beating long two-pointer to give Denver the win.
• The Thunder returned home and received four days off after their demanding schedule.
• Chen Xi returned to Los Angeles, spent a night with his family, and moved them into the Newport Beach villa.
• Chen Xi relaxed by the pool and played with Little Jin Xiao while Talan reminded him that guests were coming for dinner.

Chen Xi hosted Westbrook and Kobe with their families at a housewarming banquet before returning to Oklahoma and rejoining the Thunder. The chapter ended as the Thunder prepared to face the Warriors in San Francisco, with both teams’ usual starting lineups taking the court.

• Talan took the one-month-old baby from Chen Xi, who teased her and kissed her forehead instead.
• Westbrook arrived with his family, admired Chen Xi’s new beachfront home, and joked that he could simply stay there rather than buy a nearby house.
• Kobe and his family joined the gathering, and Chen Xi hosted his guests at a rooftop dinner featuring grilled lamb and wine.
• Chen Xi stayed at his new home for another day and a half, then returned to Oklahoma, completed his physical, and rejoined the Thunder.
• The Thunder traveled to San Francisco to face the Warriors, whose third-place standing in the West could be affected by the matchup.
• The Warriors and Thunder announced their starting lineups as the game was about to begin.

The Thunder opened against the Warriors with Jerebko and Westbrook scoring off passes from their teammates, while Curry answered with a corner three. The game remained in its early possessions as Klay missed his first shot and quickly returned to defense.

• The Thunder won the opening tip, and Jerebko made a three-pointer after Little Gasol found him open.
• Curry answered for the Warriors by hitting a corner three after Wiggins passed out of the post.
• Westbrook tried to target Curry with a screen, then passed to Chen Xi and cut toward the paint.
• Chen Xi used a bounce pass to set up Westbrook for a two-handed dunk over Green.
• Curry organized the Warriors' next attack, but Klay missed a three-pointer and retreated on defense.

Chen Xi helped the Thunder build a commanding lead over the Warriors, while Jordan Poole’s poor play hurt Golden State. The Thunder maintained control in the second half and won 119–104.

• AD scored over Looney to give the Thunder a 7–3 lead, and Chen Xi argued with the referee after being called for a foul on Wiggins.
• Chen Xi scored aggressively after Wiggins made both free throws, beating him twice and making two contested threes before handing the reins to Alexander.
• Jordan Poole went 0-for-5 in the first quarter as the Thunder extended their lead to 35–26.
• Kerr waited until the Warriors trailed by 14 in the second quarter before bringing Curry back, and Curry briefly cut into the deficit with two threes.
• The Thunder led 67–52 at halftime and beat the Warriors 119–104 despite Curry and Klay scoring 62 points combined.

Chen Xi led the Thunder through a strong April, while Marc Gasol’s fractured finger sidelined him for the rest of the Regular season. The Thunder held their position in the West and opened May with a road game against a newly healthy Grizzlies team.

• Chen Xi scored 34 points as the Thunder beat the Warriors and gained a decisive head-to-head advantage in the Western Conference race.
• Marc Gasol fractured a finger while rebounding against the Timberwolves and was ruled out for six to eight weeks.
• The Bucks beat the Warriors by nearly 20 points, leaving Golden State two wins behind the Thunder in practical terms.
• The Thunder beat the Trail Blazers, Pacers, and Jazz, then finished April with a 3–1 record in their final four games.
• On May 2, the Thunder traveled to face the Grizzlies, whose returning Zion Williams and Jaren Jackson Jr. strengthened their lineup.

The Thunder and Grizzlies opened their game with Zion Williams overpowering Little Jordan for a layup and Chen Xi drawing a shooting foul against Dillon Brooks. Chen made both free throws, then blocked Grayson Allen’s three-pointer, leaving the Grizzlies with an out-of-bounds possession.

• Zion Williams used Jaren Jackson Jr.’s screen to drive past Little Jordan and score the game’s opening basket.
• Chen Xi beat Dillon Brooks off the dribble, drew a shooting foul when Brooks grabbed his jersey, and exchanged heated words with him.
• Chen Xi made both free throws after teammates separated him and Dillon.
• Zion Williams passed to Grayson Allen, whose three-point attempt Chen Xi blocked out of bounds.

Chen Xi answered Dillon Brooks’s taunts by scoring repeatedly, while Zion and the Grizzlies’ pick-and-roll offense kept the game close. After Chen Xi’s hot start forced a timeout and a double-team adjustment, both teams settled into a close contest.

• Grayson Allen tried to shoot over Chris, but Chris blocked the attempt, and Dillon Brooks hit a three on the Grizzlies’ next possession.
• Chen Xi beat Dillon Brooks with a series of dribble moves and scored a mid-range jumper, then ignored Brooks’s continued trash talk.
• Zion finished a contested layup, and Chen Xi answered with a three-pointer to bring the score to 7–7.
• Bickerstaff called a timeout after Chen Xi scored on the Thunder’s opening possessions and told Dillon Brooks to stop provoking him.
• The Grizzlies began double-teaming Chen Xi, but their inconsistent traps gave him chances to score while Zion’s pick-and-roll offense helped keep the game close.

The Thunder widened their lead over the Grizzlies and won comfortably, but Zion and Davis both injured their ankles in a collision during the third quarter. Zion’s injury was later confirmed not to involve structural damage, though he was expected to miss two to three weeks.

• Alexander and the Thunder’s bench extended the lead after Chen Xi sat, and the Thunder entered halftime up by 16 points.
• Zion challenged Davis at the rim, lost his footing, and fell onto Davis’s ankle, injuring both players.
• The game stopped while Zion and Davis were helped to the tunnel, and both coaches substituted out their starters.
• The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies after the game continued in garbage time.
• The Grizzlies announced that Zion would miss two to three weeks but had no structural ankle damage.

After Anthony Davis’s injury, Chen Xi carried the Thunder to wins over the Lakers and through their remaining games, keeping them in contention for third place in the West. The chapter ended with the Thunder facing the Nuggets in a crucial matchup that could affect both playoff seeding and the MVP race between Chen Xi and Nikola Jokic.

• Anthony Davis was diagnosed with a sprained left ankle and ligament strain that would sideline him for at least a month, including the first round of the Playoffs.
• Chen Xi led the Thunder to a 104–100 win over the Lakers with 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists despite intense defensive pressure.
• Chen Xi, Westbrook, and Alexander powered the Thunder to wins in their next three games, while Carmelo Anthony made 13 three-pointers across them.
• The Thunder prepared to face the Nuggets on May 11, with a win potentially securing third place in the West and the matchup looming as a key moment in the MVP race between Chen Xi and Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets exploited Nikola Jokic’s shooting and playmaking to expose the Thunder’s weak interior defense and build an early lead in their decisive third matchup. After eight minutes, Denver led 25–17.

• Jamal Murray opened the scoring with a reverse layup after beating Little Jordan and evading Uncle’s block attempt.
• Shai Alexander missed a mid-range jumper, and Jokic grabbed the rebound to start another Nuggets possession.
• Chen Xi trapped Murray, but Jokic passed to Aaron Gordon, whose open three-pointer missed.
• Westbrook drove past Pope for a layup to tie the score at 2–2.
• Jokic hit a three-pointer against the Thunder’s drop coverage and helped Denver repeatedly attack the weakened interior defense.
• The Nuggets built a 25–17 lead after eight minutes of the first quarter.

Chen Xi led the Thunder’s comeback against the Nuggets’ bench, but Denver’s size and scoring kept the Thunder trailing. After the Thunder entered halftime down 62–68, Michael Porter caught fire in the third quarter, leaving the Thunder in trouble.

• Donovan sent in a spaced-out Thunder bench lineup and instructed Chen Xi to take over the offense.
• Chen Xi scored 13 straight points in under four minutes, helping the Thunder finish the first quarter trailing 34–35.
• Jamal Murray and Bol Bol exploited the Thunder’s size disadvantage in the second quarter, while Alexander and Batum helped keep the deficit manageable.
• Alexander attacked the rim and drew two fouls on Bol Bol, then Chen Xi and Westbrook returned to lead the Thunder’s offense.
• The Thunder fell behind as Denver’s starters regained control, and the first half ended with the Nuggets ahead 68–62.
• Michael Porter hit four three-pointers and a long pull-up in the third quarter, prompting Chen Xi to curse at Denver’s sudden scoring surge.

Chen Xi refused to give up on the Thunder Team’s game against the Nuggets Team, and he helped cut a fifteen-point deficit to ten early in the fourth quarter. The Thunder Team’s comeback was underway as Chen Xi prepared to keep fighting.

• Chen Xi told Donovan he would play until the final second despite the fifteen-point deficit.
• The Thunder Team opened the fourth quarter with Westbrook and Chen Xi on the floor, and Chen Xi rebounded a missed three before Westbrook set up his fast-break dunk.
• Little Jordan disrupted Harrell’s mid-range attempt, and Batum secured the rebound for the Thunder Team.
• Chen Xi drove into Aaron Gordon, absorbed contact, and made a pull-up three to reduce the Nuggets Team’s lead to ten.

Chen Xi and Westbrook sparked a Thunder comeback with a three-pointer and an alley-oop, but Jokic answered with a clutch shot to put the Nuggets up by four. With thirty seconds left, the Thunder ran their Westbrook-Chen Xi pick-and-roll, ending as Westbrook attacked the rim against Jokic.

• Chen Xi drove into the paint and passed to Jeff Green, whose three-pointer cut into the Nuggets’ lead.
• Chen Xi stole the ball from Little Porter and lobbed it to Westbrook for an alley-oop dunk, bringing the Thunder within two.
• Mike Malone called the Nuggets’ final timeout with fifty seconds remaining.
• Jokic used a screen-and-roll with Murray, then spun past Westbrook and made a mid-range shot to put the Nuggets up by four.
• Westbrook and Chen Xi ran their pick-and-roll, and Westbrook caught Chen Xi’s bounce pass before charging at Jokic at the rim.

With the Thunder down two and one final possession remaining, Chen Xi got the ball for a late isolation against Aaron Gordon. He created space with a step-back, but the chapter ended before his shot or the game’s outcome was revealed.

• Westbrook scored a layup through Jokic and made the free throw, cutting the Nuggets’ lead to one.
• Murray made his first free throw but missed the second, and Gafford grabbed the defensive rebound for the Thunder.
• Donovan called timeout and sent Westbrook, Chen Xi, Anthony, Gafford, and Little Jordan out for the final possession.
• Westbrook drove inside and passed out to Chen Xi, who used a series of moves to isolate Gordon and gather the ball after a step-back.

Chen Xi hit a game-winning 3+1 against the Nuggets, then intentionally missed his free throw so the Thunder could run out the clock and secure the victory. After the game, he credited the win to his team's effort in a sideline interview.

• Chen Xi drew Gordon into a foul and made a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded, putting the Thunder ahead by one point.
• Chen Xi deliberately missed his free throw, and Jokic's rebound and attempted heave came too late to beat the clock.
• The Thunder defeated the Nuggets, prompting an online debate about Chen Xi, Jokic, and the NBA MVP race.
• Chen Xi told a reporter that the Thunder's teamwork and persistence had helped them win.

Chen Xi praised his teammates and Coach Billy Donovan after the Thunder defeated the Nuggets, then celebrated the team’s resilience and looked ahead to the playoffs. The regular season standings were finalized, setting the Thunder to face the Lakers in the first round.

• Chen Xi credited his teammates and Billy Donovan for the Thunder’s win over the Nuggets and praised Jokic after their interview.
• The regular season ended on May 17, with the Nets finishing first in the East and the Nuggets first in the West.
• LaMelo Ball’s wrist fracture kept him out for the rest of the season, and the Pistons missed the playoffs.
• The Pelicans rested their starters in the final games and settled for second in the West behind the Nuggets.
• The Lakers finished sixth in the West after injuries to key players and were set to face the Thunder in the first round.

Chen Xi watched a video that recounted his rise from a lightly regarded college player to the Thunder’s dominant superstar and analyzed the skills behind his success. The video ended by describing how his physical attributes had improved since entering the League.

• Chen Xi enjoyed a rare day off at home after the regular season ended.
• Chen Xi watched a popular video breaking down his career and dominance.
• The blogger recounted Chen Xi’s childhood, limited college production, and selection by the Nuggets before they traded him to Oklahoma.
• The blogger described Chen Xi’s rapid rookie-season rise and his role in the Thunder’s three championships.
• The blogger credited Chen Xi’s shooting, ball-handling, and exceptional mid-range scoring for his offensive dominance.
• The blogger noted that Chen Xi had grown taller, stronger, and heavier since entering the League.