Chapter Summaries

The Spurs entered Game 5 against the Clippers furious over their opponents’ postgame remarks and opened with a dominant performance. By the first quarter, San Antonio had built a 21-point lead, with Tim Duncan controlling the paint and Tang Tian adding key three-pointers.

• Budenholzer warned the Spurs that Popovich was in a foul mood before Popovich demanded they avoid mistakes in the crucial game.
• San Antonio’s fans filled the arena with signs targeting the Clippers, and the Spurs starters took the court with unusually serious expressions.
• Duncan won the opening tip, scored inside, blocked Griffin, and helped the Spurs take a 6-0 lead before adding more points and drawing a foul.
• The Clippers doubled Duncan, so he passed to Tang Tian, who made a three-pointer as the Spurs extended their lead; Leonard also hit from the corner.
• Popovich urged the Spurs not to go easy on the Clippers, and Ginobili and Tang Tian hit transition threes as San Antonio’s lead reached 21 points in the first quarter.

The Spurs dominated the Clippers in Game 5, winning by 58 points and eliminating them 4-1 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Tang Tian’s consecutive steals halted the Clippers’ second-half resurgence and helped spark an even wider blowout.

• The Spurs led 62-35 at halftime as the Clippers struggled to score and defend.
• Billups rallied the Clippers in the locker room, and Paul opened the second half with a mid-range fadeaway.
• Tang Tian stole the ball from Griffin and then Paul, finishing the second steal with a dunk and an and-one to push the lead to 30.
• The Spurs stretched their lead to 40 by the end of the third quarter, then surpassed a 50-point advantage in the fourth.
• Splitter hit a late three-pointer, and the Spurs won 129-71 to eliminate the Clippers 4-1 and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs crushed the Clippers by 58 points, setting up a Western Conference Finals series against the Thunder as Scarlett Johansson said she would consider Durant’s bath-water request if he won the championship. The chapter ended with the All-Rookie Teams announced, including Tang Tian and three of the Four Brothers of Hard Work on the first team.

• The Spurs defeated the Clippers by 58 points, and Paul left the court before the handshake ceremony while Popovich celebrated the win.
• The Thunder beat the Lakers and advanced to face the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, where Tang Tian and Durant’s rivalry drew attention.
• Scarlett Johansson said she would consider Durant’s request if he won the championship, and fans excitedly spread the news online.
• Durant practiced in high spirits, while Westbrook decided to contact Scarlett and send her a gift on Durant’s behalf.
• The league announced the All-Rookie Teams, with Tang Tian, Irving, Walker, and Klay Thompson among the seven players on the first team.

Tang Tian made the All-Defensive Second Team as a rookie and unexpectedly received one vote for the All-NBA Team. He celebrated his growing recognition as the awards announcements concluded.

• The league announced the All-Defensive Teams, with Tang Tian named to the Second Team alongside Rondo, Kobe, Garnett, and Chandler.
• Fans praised Tang Tian's defense, while Stern said he had supported Tang Tian's selection and received another complaint from Xiao Hua.
• Tang Tian welcomed the honor as encouragement for his 3-and-D approach.
• The league announced the All-NBA Teams, and Tang Tian unexpectedly received one vote, sparking speculation about the anonymous voter.
• Tang Tian read the fans' reactions and celebrated his All-Rookie First Team selection, All-Defensive Second Team spot, and All-NBA vote.

Tang Tian spent time with Olson during a break from the Spurs’ playoff preparations, taking her shopping and introducing her to Chinese food. After a playful chase at the hotel, Olson ended up on top of Tang Tian and slowly lowered her head toward him.

• Olson flew to San Antonio to visit Tang Tian, and he took her shopping for warmer clothes.
• Tang Tian brought Olson to a Chinese restaurant, where she enjoyed the food and asked him to take responsibility for introducing it to her.
• Back at the hotel, Tang Tian peeled apples while Olson watched him and talked about visiting his home.
• Tang Tian teased Olson by stopping halfway through a two-part question, and she chased him around the room.
• Tang Tian tripped over the bed, Olson landed on top of him, and she slowly lowered her head as they looked at each other.

Tang Tian and Olson shared their first kiss, but she hurt her neck, so he massaged her until she fell asleep; after spending the next morning together, she flew back. The Thunder arrived in San Antonio for the Western Conference Finals, where Durant bristled at questions about Tang Tian and experience, and the Spurs prepared for Game 1.

• Tang Tian kissed Olson, then helped her after she strained her neck; his massage lulled her to sleep, and he let her rest on the bed while he slept on the sofa.
• Olson woke with her neck recovered, spent the morning walking Riverside Promenade with Tang Tian, and flew back that afternoon after they kissed at the boarding gate.
• The Celtics narrowly beat the 76ers in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat.
• Durant arrived in San Antonio with the Thunder, pleased that Scarlett Johansson had agreed to meet him if he won the championship.
• Durant told reporters the Thunder would not repeat last year's Western Conference Finals loss and insisted he had playoff experience, while dismissing questions about Scarlett and Tang Tian.
• Ginobili warned Tang Tian to watch for Durant drawing fouls, and Tang Tian acknowledged the importance of guarding against playoff officiating before Game 1.

At the Western Conference Finals, Popovich started Tang Tian against Kevin Durant, who opened the game on a blistering scoring run despite Tang Tian’s tight defense. Durant had scored seven straight points by the end of the chapter, leaving the Spurs facing a major challenge.

• Before the game, Jack taunted Durant about Scarlett’s bath water, and Durant responded with an obscene gesture.
• Popovich started Tang Tian at small forward to guard Durant, while Leonard did not start.
• Durant scored on a contested fadeaway over Tang Tian, then made another difficult shot after Tang Tian denied him the ball.
• Duncan scored the Spurs’ first points with two free throws after Perkins fouled him.
• Tang Tian forced Durant to miss a three, but Ibaka grabbed the offensive rebound and Durant made another three over Tang Tian to reach seven straight points.

Kevin Durant dominated the opening quarter, but Tang Tian's relentless off-ball running wore him down and helped the Spurs cut the Thunder's lead. Brooks eventually replaced Durant, leaving the Spurs with a chance to keep closing the gap.

• Durant scored 16 points in the first quarter as the Thunder built a double-digit lead, while Tang Tian drew a shooting foul trying to defend him.
• Tang Tian ran constantly to shake Durant, caught Ginobili's pass, and hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to seven.
• Durant missed consecutive shots as Tang Tian continued running, and Ginobili's free throws helped the Spurs trim the lead to five.
• Splitter drew a foul after grabbing an offensive rebound, and Brooks replaced the exhausted Durant with Sefolosha.

Tang Tian kept running Durant ragged as the Spurs erased the Thunder’s lead and pulled ahead. Durant resumed carrying the Thunder in the fourth quarter, but while chasing Tang Tian through a screen, he threw up on him.

• Durant scored 28 points in the first half while Tang Tian’s three-pointers helped the Spurs tie the game at halftime.
• Durant asked Brooks to let Westbrook and James lead the offense so he could focus on defending Tang Tian.
• The Spurs used a 2-3 zone to disrupt the Thunder, then beat them 25-15 in the third quarter to take a 10-point lead.
• Durant refused to rest and returned as the Thunder’s primary scorer in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to single digits.
• Durant chased Tang Tian around Splitter’s screen, then threw up on him as he contested Tang Tian’s shot.

Durant vomited from overexertion and left the Thunder’s loss to the Spurs, then drew ridicule and a $20,000 fine. Afterward, Harden confronted Durant over his play, and their argument deepened the Thunder’s locker-room tension.

• Durant vomited during the game after Tang Tian ran him ragged, and he did not return after the timeout.
• With Durant out, Harden and Westbrook could not close the gap, and the Thunder lost Game 1 to the Spurs, 101–112.
• News of Durant vomiting spread, and the league fined him $20,000 for making a middle-finger gesture at fans before the game.
• Harden told Durant he should not have focused on competing with Tang Tian, but Durant snapped back and the two argued in the locker room.
• Westbrook stepped between Harden and Durant, then Brooks entered and Westbrook pulled Harden away before the dispute escalated further.

After the Thunder fell behind the Spurs 0-2, Westbrook helped Durant realize he needed to resume scoring and repair the team’s unity. The chapter ended as Westbrook, Durant, and Harden arrived together at Paycom Center for Game 3.

• Westbrook urged Harden to talk with Durant, but Harden questioned whether the problem was really his and walked away.
• In Game 2, Durant refused to shoot and focused on guarding Tang Tian, as the Thunder lost 91-109 and fell behind 0-2.
• Back in Oklahoma City, Westbrook spoke privately with Durant, who agreed to start scoring and lead the team again.
• At Paycom Center before Game 3, Westbrook came out with his arm around Durant and Harden as the home crowd cheered.

The Thunder's young stars reunited and pushed the Spurs into a fierce contest, with James Harden emerging as the game's decisive X factor. Harden's late scoring surge gave the Thunder a commanding lead as the chapter ended with him completing a three-point play.

• Durant opened the game in strong form while Parker kept the Spurs level, and the teams were tied at 21 early in the first quarter.
• Harden led the Thunder bench with fast breaks, assists, and a buzzer-beating three-pointer, helping them take a 29-23 lead.
• Popovich sent Tang Tian back to contain Harden, but Harden continued creating offense as Durant and Westbrook also returned to the floor.
• The Thunder led 90-81 after three quarters, then Harden opened the fourth with another three-pointer before Tang Tian answered with a crucial buzzer-beater.
• Harden hit another three, and Ibaka blocked Diop at the rim as the Thunder built momentum.
• Harden made a fast-break three through contact from Ginobili and earned a three-point play, extending his dominant performance.

The Thunder defeated the Spurs 112-102 to cut the series deficit to 1-2, as James Harden’s three three-pointers helped reveal a way to overcome San Antonio’s defense. Tang Tian later thanked Popovich with vintage wine and offered a tactical solution to the Thunder’s fast breaks, leaving Popovich impressed.

• Harden scored 30 points and helped the Thunder beat the Spurs 112-102, making the series score 1-2.
• Thunder fans celebrated the win and praised Harden’s performance against Ginobili.
• Popovich and Budenholzer discussed the Spurs’ difficulty containing all four of the Thunder’s young stars.
• Tang Tian stayed behind, gave Popovich 1990 Vintage Ygrec Wine, and shared dried fruit while they drank and talked.
• Tang Tian told Popovich about his past tactical advice to Cahoon and suggested using a three-wing lineup to curb the Thunder’s transition offense.
• Popovich realized Tang Tian’s analysis of the Thunder’s lack of post playmaking offered a tactical idea he had not considered.

Tang Tian persuaded Popovich to use a small-ball lineup against the Thunder, and both teams made major starting lineup changes for Game 4. The game opened with Oklahoma City scoring first, but the Spurs’ wings immediately blocked Ibaka’s outlet passes.

• Tang Tian proposed starting Parker and Duncan alongside Green, Leonard, and himself, and Popovich accepted the approach.
• Popovich and Budenholzer refined the new tactics, and the Spurs mastered them during practice.
• The Thunder started Harden in place of Sefolosha, putting all four of their young stars on the court.
• Ibaka won the opening tip, and Durant scored a mid-range jumper before Leonard missed a driving layup.
• Green, Tang Tian, and Leonard cut off Ibaka’s passing lanes and prevented the Thunder from launching a fast break.

The Spurs used disciplined defense and Manu Ginobili’s scoring to build a halftime lead over the Thunder, then held off Oklahoma City’s comeback in the fourth quarter. Ginobili drew a four-point play against James Harden to restore the Spurs’ advantage, leaving the game still underway.

• Leonard intercepted Perkins’s long pass, and Tang Tian finished the Spurs’ fast break with a three-pointer.
• Ginobili scored repeatedly against Sefolosha, helping the Spurs take a ten-point lead into halftime.
• Westbrook led the Thunder’s third-quarter rally, cutting the Spurs’ lead to seven points.
• Tang Tian blocked Harden’s drive, and Ginobili converted the rebound into a full-court layup to push the Spurs’ lead to 12.
• Harden made a clutch three-pointer, but Ginobili drew his foul and made the shot for a four-point play.

Ginobili led the Spurs to a 103-96 win over the Thunder in Game 4, giving San Antonio a 3-1 series lead. In Game 5, the Spurs built a halftime advantage, but Durant caught fire and erased it, leaving the game swinging in Oklahoma City's favor.

• Ginobili scored 33 points and helped the Spurs beat the Thunder 103-96, with Tang Tian contributing eight points and strong defense.
• The Spurs took a 3-1 series lead and prepared to host Game 5 in San Antonio.
• Brooks moved Harden to the bench for Game 5, while Ginobili and the Spurs built a 53-40 halftime lead.
• Tang Tian made Durant uncomfortable, but Durant began attacking mismatches against the other Spurs players.
• Durant scored 20 points in the third quarter to erase the deficit, and his scoring surge continued into the fourth quarter.

After Durant's 53-point game gave the Thunder a 106-101 win in Game 5, Tang Tian discussed ways to disrupt him with Popovich over wine. In Game 6 in Oklahoma City, Tang Tian taunted Durant before the opening possession, provoking him into a confrontation.

• Durant scored 53 points as the Thunder beat the Spurs 106-101 and cut the series deficit to 3-2.
• Popovich invited Tang Tian to drink wine, and Tang Tian suggested increasing his defensive intensity against Durant and using trash talk to draw him into a direct matchup.
• The Spurs traveled to Oklahoma City for Game 6 as the Thunder prepared for their final home game of the Western Conference Finals.
• As Durant called for a screen on the opening possession, Tang Tian taunted him about bath water, and Durant lunged at him before referees separated them.

The Spurs took an early lead over the Thunder as Tang Tian disrupted Kevin Durant’s offense and deliberately provoked him with claims about Scarlett. Durant’s anger unraveled his game, leaving him with a technical foul as Brooks pulled him aside for another timeout.

• Durant repeatedly attacked Tang Tian, who contested his shots as the Spurs built a 16-6 lead.
• Harden warned Westbrook that Tang Tian was baiting Durant, and Durant briefly recovered by scoring four straight points against other defenders.
• Tang Tian taunted Durant about Scarlett, claiming she had pursued him and he had rejected her, until Durant angrily demanded the ball.
• Tang Tian stripped Durant in the post, then dunked after Parker led the Spurs’ fast break.
• Durant missed another shot, fouled Tang Tian on a three-point attempt, shoved him, and grabbed a referee, earning a technical foul.
• Brooks called timeout and pulled Durant to the sideline while Popovich grinned.

Tang Tian’s trash talk helped the Spurs eliminate the Thunder, while the Heat defeated the Celtics in Game 7 to advance to the Finals. The Spurs and Heat were set to meet for the championship.

• Tang Tian taunted Durant into taking inefficient one-on-one shots, and the Spurs beat the Thunder 107-87 to win the series 4-2.
• Fans debated Tang Tian’s trash talk as attention shifted to the Heat-Celtics series.
• Tang Tian predicted the Heat would win Game 7, and Popovich gathered the Spurs to watch the game.
• The Celtics led by seven at halftime, but Bosh and the Heat rallied to tie the game in the third quarter.
• Sean Battier hit four straight three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Heat beat the Celtics 101-88.
• The Heat advanced to the Finals, setting up a series against the Spurs.

After defeating the Celtics in Game 7, the Heat prepared to face the Spurs in the Finals, with James insisting that the championship remained their goal. The Spurs focused on limiting Miami’s role players and exploiting their advantage inside as the series approached.

• James and Wade attended the postgame press conference after the Heat won Game 7, and James said the team was ready to pursue the championship.
• The Heat arrived in San Antonio and held closed-door training as Spoelstra prepared cautiously for the Spurs and Tang Tian.
• Wade and Battier praised Tang Tian’s ability and basketball IQ, unsettling James, who disliked hearing them praise him before the Finals.
• At the Heat’s open shooting practice, James dismissed the possibility that Tang Tian would cause problems, then ended his interview soon after answering a question about him.
• Popovich instructed Kawhi to defend James, Tang Tian to defend Wade, and the Spurs to contain Miami’s role players while Duncan attacked the Heat’s weak interior.