บท 111: Chapter 111: Record-Breaking Streak! Warriors Win 34 Straight Games

With the Kings in possession, Hield tried to respond to Tang Lei, but Tang's incredible wingspan helped him snatch the ball away with ease. In a swift transition, Tang Lei dazzled the court with a series of skillful dribbles, bypassing Hield and finishing with a powerful dunk.

"Oh my God!"

"Wow, wow, wow!"

The entire arena erupted into a frenzy. The scoreboard read 100-96, and the Warriors had stretched their lead to a comfortable four points.

In the next play, the Kings attempted a three-pointer to close the gap, but it rimmed out. Tang Lei brought the ball up the court, spotting Durant in a mismatch against Bagley. With a quick fake, Durant elevated and nailed a three-pointer. The score now stood at 103-96, with the Warriors leading by seven and only 3:30 remaining on the clock.

The Kings' coach promptly called a timeout, recognizing his young players needed a breather. They looked tired, and he needed to adjust their defensive strategy to contain the Warriors' new playmaker, Tang Lei.

After the first timeout ended and the Warriors took the floor, a second whistle blew. Confused, Curry and Durant looked to the refs, only to realize the Kings had called another timeout immediately afterward.

"Huh…" The Warriors players exchanged puzzled glances before heading back to the bench.

"Well, looks like we're up against a real tactical guru here," Tang Lei muttered, settling in next to Curry. This tactic was famously used by Coach Tyronn Lue back in Cleveland—calling consecutive timeouts to give LeBron James an extended rest during critical moments. The Kings coach was obviously trying a similar approach to keep his young stars fresh enough to challenge the Warriors in the final minutes.

When the players returned to the court after the double timeout, the Kings' young core was visibly energized, managing a quick drive and finish to bring the score to 103-98, shrinking the lead to just five points.

Seeing Tang Lei's success as the primary ball-handler, Kerr decided to keep him in that role. As Tang Lei crossed half-court, the Kings immediately doubled him. Anticipating this, Tang Lei executed a quick step-back pass to Iguodala, who handed it off to a trailing Curry. With a screen from Iguodala, Curry got just enough space to release a three-pointer—and sank it.

106-98.

On the next possession, the Kings missed a three-point attempt, and Curry capitalized with yet another unguarded three-pointer on the fast break.

109-98!

The Warriors had pushed their lead to 11 points, igniting the crowd into deafening cheers. The Kings used their final timeout, but even that couldn't stem the Warriors' relentless momentum.

In the end, the scoreboard read 118-108, with the Warriors securing victory by a 10-point margin. In the face of the Warriors' overwhelming blue-sea atmosphere, the Kings had put up an admirable fight, surprising many by keeping the game close and even taking a brief lead in the fourth quarter.

Post-game, Hield, Fox, and Bagley all approached the Warriors players to exchange handshakes and congratulations.

"Your handles are unreal," Hield admitted as he embraced Tang Lei. The Kings had come close to an upset, especially after the brief tension between Cousins and Green had opened up a window for them. But Tang Lei's switch to point guard quickly put them back on the defensive, disrupting their game plan entirely.

"Thanks. Your shooting is pretty impressive too," Tang Lei replied with a smile.

With the victory in hand, the Warriors' win streak had reached an unprecedented 34 games, setting a new NBA record for consecutive wins. Fans both inside and outside the arena erupted into celebrations, reveling in this monumental moment. Some were so overcome with excitement that they spontaneously hugged strangers and celebrated like family.

Across the globe, Warriors fans shared in the excitement, cheering and chanting for the team they had waited so long to see achieve such a feat. Emotions ran high, with pride, joy, and disbelief etched onto every fan's face.

As the final buzzer sounded, social media exploded, with the Warriors' historic win taking the top trending spot. Media outlets released a flood of articles, videos, and analyses—clearly prepared in advance to capture the surge of attention. Each outlet raced to publish the news, eager to engage the fans and secure a place in this historic moment.

In the arena, the Warriors players gathered at mid-court for a celebratory huddle. Even the sidelined Klay Thompson joined in, thrilled to be a part of the joyous occasion. With the longest win streak in NBA history now secured, the earlier spat between Cousins and Green seemed forgotten as the two players celebrated alongside the rest of the team.

Finally, after a lengthy on-court celebration, the Warriors headed back to the locker room, visibly relieved to have accomplished this massive feat. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Thirty-four consecutive wins—stretching over two months—had tested their endurance, having battled nearly every team in the league and come out on top.

The journey hadn't been easy; they had endured injuries to both Durant and Thompson, yet the team had persevered. With the NBA's longest win streak now shattered, the Warriors' odds of winning the championship skyrocketed, leaving rival teams like the Raptors, 76ers, Bucks, Nuggets, and Rockets trailing far behind in the predictions.

---

Back in the locker room, the celebration continued. The players released all the pent-up pressure that had accumulated over the grueling streak. Curry had prepared champagne, goggles, and cigars, creating a scene reminiscent of a championship win. Achieving the longest win streak in NBA history was no small feat; it required the same level of resilience and skill needed to clinch a championship.

The team's euphoric celebration continued for nearly half an hour, finally winding down as they took a breath to reflect on the journey.

Tang Lei's performance had been nothing short of stellar, especially in the final stretch when he stepped in as the point guard, elevating his game even further. He finished the night with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists—6 of those assists coming in the critical final minutes when the Warriors pulled ahead. Without his contributions, this victory would have been far from easy.

As the celebration calmed, Tang Lei entered the showers, grinning as he anticipated a familiar sound. "Come on, baby. I know you're coming," he muttered to himself.

Just as expected, the system's cheerful chime echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations to the Host! You've secured a win and earned +1 Attribute Point and +2 System Coins.]

[Congratulations! With your help, the Warriors have set a new NBA record for consecutive wins. You've earned a bonus of +10 Attribute Points and +20 System Coins!]

[Congratulations! You've received a special bonus: "Pass Master" ability from Jason "White Chocolate" Williams!]

....

I really do like Buddy Hield though, he's shooting skill is very good and very fit's Warriors now! What do you think?