Chapter Sixty-Nine: Refusing to Dunk!

In professional sports competitions, there is always no shortage of greetings exchanged between opponents. Some are delivered with words, others with fists and feet—though the latter was more common in the last century. Since the dawn of the new millennium, and especially after 2010, verbal exchanges have become more frequent, as if society itself has grown more "refined."

The NBA stands as a vivid example. In the previous century, the league was dominated by the notorious Bad Boys, and even in the new century, the infamous Malice at the Palace was a showcase of physical confrontations between players. Now, however, physical clashes have diminished, replaced by the intensity of verbal sparring.

Trash talk has become the sharpest weapon in the struggle for dominance among players. Bismack Biyombo, a veteran in the league, knows all too well the psychological toll that the crude language of a skilled trash talker can inflict on a young rookie—especially those whose words are as cutting as their offense or defense, making them nightmares for any newcomer.

Many young players, whose early careers were spent in the gentler environment of college basketball, are ill-prepared for the "intimidation" from NBA stars. Biyombo was truly concerned that Wu Rui would be shaken by Westbrook’s trash talk.

“Trash talk? ‘Michael Wu, you’re just trash?’ No, Bismack, Russell didn’t say anything like that to me.” Though Biyombo was concerned, Wu Rui simply shook his head. “Honestly, Russell’s a good guy. He knows what’s appropriate.”

“But he also reminded me what Michael should be doing right now.” With that, Wu Rui gave Biyombo a friendly slap on the back. “Let’s go, Bismack. It’s Magic time now!”

Just as Westbrook had said, the Thunder once boasted James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Westbrook himself. At that time, the three of them carried the team on their shoulders, sharing every responsibility, with Ibaka supporting them in the rear.

After that, Harden left the Thunder, leaving the Durant-Westbrook duo—still enough to keep the Thunder competitive in the West, as they were both superstars.

But this season, with Durant gone from Oklahoma, the only pillar left was Westbrook; with everything on his shoulders, only he could take the team further.

Thus, the fate of the Thunder became inextricably tied to Westbrook’s performance. If he exploded, the Thunder would win; if he faltered, they would lose.

This was the ultimate embodiment of the phrase “one man, one city.”

“Russell, no one can fault your choice.” As Wu Rui walked up the court, he muttered to himself, “I respect you, which is why I have to beat you!”

The game continued. Due to Wu Rui’s unreliable shooting, Grant played him two steps back, giving himself some distance. If Wu Rui charged for the basket like a sprinter, Grant would have enough room to accelerate and wouldn’t be left in the dust.

This was exactly what Billy Donovan had told his players during the timeout—how to defend Wu Rui. The effect was obvious: Wu Rui wouldn’t be an outside threat for the Magic anytime soon, so D.J. Augustin had to find ways to get the ball inside for Biyombo or Aaron Gordon to finish.

Fortunately, Biyombo had one move—banking the ball off the glass under the rim—barely getting it in, finally ending the Magic’s scoring drought.

Immediately, the Thunder’s offense returned to its simplicity: spread the floor, let Westbrook go one-on-one!

“To be honest, Russell’s isolation efficiency this quarter is actually higher than their set plays!” Kenny Smith said helplessly on the sidelines. “If I were his teammate, I’d just give him the ball and clear out.”

Westbrook didn’t disappoint his teammates. With an explosive burst, he blew right past Augustin and charged into the paint. With a quick step, he took off, poised to throw down a thunderous slam!

At the very last second, an arm shot out from behind Westbrook and knocked the ball away!

Smack!

Westbrook grabbed the rim with one hand, but the ball was already gone!

Landing, he turned his head and saw Wu Rui flashing a broad, white grin at him. “You’re right—things are about to get even more exciting.”

“A chase-down block! That’s Michael Wu—Michael denies Russell’s seemingly unstoppable dunk!” On the commentary table, Shaquille O’Neal, unlike the reserved Barkley, jumped to his feet—though his bulk made it a laborious effort. “Russell’s been virtually unstoppable this quarter, but Michael wants to remind the MVP—this is his home court!”

The arena erupted. The Magic fans, who had been holding their breath, leapt to their feet. Westbrook’s performance this quarter had sent chills down their spines; they had begun to fear that no one on their team could contain this monster.

Until that block—until Wu Rui’s appearance!

By stopping the opponent from scoring, the team earned a fast-break opportunity. Aaron Gordon would not pass up a chance to shine—he dribbled, cradled the ball, took off, spun, and threw down a 360.

The superstar dunker who narrowly lost to Zach LaVine in the Slam Dunk Contest showcased his talent for all to see, drawing cheers from the arena DJ.

Yet, in the very next second, the broadcast turned its focus back to the other end of the court. Under the basket, Westbrook seemed to be speaking to Wu Rui. The two exchanged a glance and suddenly burst into laughter.

Then, Westbrook clapped Wu Rui on the shoulder and returned to his own half.

Wu Rui’s block had clearly changed the flow of the game. The Magic, who had been suffocating under Westbrook’s relentless assault, finally caught their breath. Though they still struggled to stop him on defense, they were able to answer back on offense.

Midway through the second quarter, Magic coach Frank Vogel and Thunder coach Billy Donovan seemed to share a tacit understanding, both opting to rotate their lineups. For the Thunder, Westbrook stayed on the court while the other four were subbed out, the starters returning.

On the Magic side, everyone except Biyombo and Aaron Gordon came out, and when Wu Rui left the floor, a handful of fans in the stands rose to applaud him.

The first half flew by. Neither team could stop the other in the second quarter, combining for a 35-30 period. The Thunder took the quarter, but at halftime, the Magic still led 57-48, up by nine points.

“Russell Westbrook put up 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in just one quarter. Adding in his first quarter stats, he’s nearly at a triple-double already!” With the latest numbers in hand, Charles Barkley was full of praise for Westbrook. “They’ve cut the deficit to single digits. The second half is going to be well worth watching!”