Chương 122: Chapter 122: “I’m Gonna Shoot Right Here!”

Tang Lei simply brushed off Beverley's taunt with a quiet, dismissive glance. He knew the veteran's tactics well—constant physical jabs, sneaky, borderline fouls, and an endless stream of trash talk designed to rattle and throw opponents off rhythm. It was a mind game meant to stir up anger, forcing players into careless mistakes. But Tang wasn't about to fall for it.

Securing the ball, Tang took a quick jab step, then executed a sharp, sweeping crossover that instantly shook off Beverley. With the opening created, he jumped, lifted his arms, and released a smooth shot, his form flawless and fluid. Beverley, though trailing behind, still lunged toward him with full force, crashing into Tang in mid-air.

They both went down hard as the arena echoed with the referee's whistle, signaling a foul on Beverley—three free throws for Tang.

"Oh, so this is your plan to stop me from scoring?" Tang quipped, meeting Beverley's intense gaze as he picked himself up. He was visibly irritated by Beverley's recklessness but held his composure.

"Free throws doesn't count!" Beverley sneered with a smug grin, seeming as if he had somehow won the exchange despite the foul.

Taking a deep breath, Tang lined up for the first free throw but missed, still feeling the residual ache from the hard fall. After a quick shake-off, he regained his focus. The second shot bounced on the rim before sinking in, and the third swished cleanly.

The scoreboard flashed 38–28, restoring the Warriors' double-digit lead. As Tang jogged back on defense, he pointed to his sweet spot at the left 45-degree angle beyond the arc and looked Beverley straight in the eye. "I'm going to drain every shot from that spot," he said with cool determination.

"Oh yeah? You miss once, you'll be calling me Papa!" Beverley shot back, smiling as if he were already anticipating victory. For him, seeing Tang take the bait for a one-on-one challenge was exactly the reaction he wanted.

The Clippers had possession next, and Gallinari's three-pointer missed its mark, sparking a rebound scramble. Harrell managed to snag the board, but a quick push from behind on Looney earned him an offensive foul. Unfazed, Harrell protested to the referee, questioning whether even playoff-level contact was off-limits tonight. But the call stood, and the Warriors took possession.

Tang called for the ball, waving off Beverley's relentless defensive swipes and demanding a high lob. Looney obliged, sending a precise pass Tang's way. Beverley, frustrated after two failed attempts to snatch the ball, backed off into his own half, opting to keep his defensive positioning tight.

Tang crossed mid-court, gesturing for his teammates to clear the lane. This was his moment—an open floor for a showdown with Beverley.

"Come on! Let's see what you've got!" Beverley shouted, clapping his hands in a challenge, his focus intense as he tracked Tang's every move.

Tang responded by closing in slowly, measuring each step with calculated precision. Beverley instinctively retreated slightly, bracing for a possible drive. But Tang had no intention of blowing by him; instead, he maintained a steady back-dribble, edging closer to his sweet spot at the left 45-degree mark.

Then, just as Beverley thought he had him figured out, Tang spun, leaping backward into a jump shot with his body twisting mid-air. Caught off guard, Beverley hesitated, barely raising his arm as Tang released the ball with fluid ease.

Swish!

The shot hit nothing but net, an effortless three-pointer that ignited the Oracle Arena. The Warriors now led 41–28, with Tang scoring five consecutive points and increasing the gap to 13.

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