章節 55: Chapter 55: Are You Kidding Me? You Call This a Rookie?

Before landing, Tang Lei flicked his wrist, releasing the ball. Momentum took him down to the floor as the shot sailed through the air.

"Swish!"

The ball went through the hoop.

54-57!

Once again, Tang Lei steadied the game for the Warriors.

"Is that even possible?"

Both Raptors fans and players were stunned. That fadeaway shot was so extreme—it was practically parallel to the ground! The core strength and control that must have taken…

On the sidelines, Raptors' head coach Nick Nurse held his head in disbelief, crouching down in shock.

The Raptors had possession. Noticing Tang Lei still on the floor, they attempted a fast break. Tang Lei pressed his hands against the floor and performed a quick kip-up, drawing cheers from nearly 20,000 spectators.

Seeing that their fast-break attempt failed, the Raptors opted for a more measured offense, handing the ball to Kawhi Leonard. This time, however, he missed the shot under Iguodala's pressure.

The play shifted. Fired up, Tang Lei called for the ball against Anunoby. As team leader, Curry, known for his open-mindedness, happily passed to Tang Lei, wanting to give him the spotlight. After all, the more the Raptors focused on Tang Lei, the less pressure Curry would face—and he was glad to see teammates step up.

Anunoby, tense and focused, locked all attention on Tang Lei. Tang Lei smirked, then feinted left, followed by a quick pullback and pump fake. Anunoby took the bait, jumping to contest the shot. Tang Lei immediately stepped forward, drawing contact as he released the ball.

"Whistle!" The ref's whistle blew right on cue.

The ball soared like a cannonball, aiming for the backboard…

Bang!

Swish!

Another three-point play!

The arena fell silent. The fans knew the Warriors had a promising rookie who was making waves across the NBA. But they hadn't thought much of it—after all, they'd seen plenty of players with brief flashes of brilliance, only to fade away.

But this rookie? This guy kept delivering, again and again.

Two three-point plays. Steals, blocks, pull-ups, dunks, fadeaways—he could do it all. He even pulled off an insane block that looked impossible.

Are you kidding? You call this a rookie? And an undrafted one at that?

At this rate, if someone called him the next Kobe, they might believe it!

"DAMMMM!"

"Tang, that was insane!" Curry came over with a big grin, high-fiving Tang Lei.

"That shot was sick," Durant chuckled, patting him on the back.

"Drawing the foul was perfectly timed, you are too dam good man." Iguodala laughed, joining in the celebration.

Tang Lei smiled. The foul-drawing rule hadn't changed yet, so this technique was entirely within NBA guidelines. Players like Harden, Luka, and Trae Young had perfected this craft, often racking up ten or more free throws per game.

While drawing fouls might seem a bit unsportsmanlike, competition is inherently ruthless. Using the rules to score and help the team win is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, it's only through exploiting these moments that rules get refined, improving the game.

Anunoby, meanwhile, was visibly frustrated, looking defeated. He'd defended plenty of top players before, but he never expected to struggle against an undrafted rookie. He was beginning to understand why Siakam's morale had shattered.

This guy was simply too hard to guard.

Just as Tang Lei was about to step up for the free throw, the referee's whistle blew. Raptors' head coach Nick Nurse had called a timeout.

Calling a timeout before the free throw was a tactic to cool down the shooter's rhythm and slow the momentum the Warriors were building. It's a small but strategic detail, a smart use of a timeout.

Beyond cooling Tang Lei's touch and the Warriors' energy, Nurse also needed to adjust tactics. He knew that if Tang Lei continued like this, he'd wreak havoc.

He'd underestimated this Warriors rookie. It was time to adjust.

They had to stop him.