In Oracle Arena and across the Tencent live stream, faces were painted with a collective sense of heartbreak. The Warriors had fought so hard, done so well, yet the victory seemed agonizingly out of reach.
With 0.9 seconds left, any glimmer of hope would typically hinge on a timeout, a quick chance to set up for a half-court inbound. In the NBA's storied history, some remarkable game-winners had been made in less than a second—Brandon Roy's 0.8-second shot against the Rockets, Damian Lillard's 0.9-second dagger to send Houston home in the playoffs.
And now, once again, with under a second on the clock and the Rockets as their opponent, the Warriors faced a similar situation. But this time, there was no timeout left. The inbound would have to start from their baseline, a virtual death sentence for their chances.
After Capela's powerful slam, the Rockets didn't celebrate; Paul stayed tight on Curry, and the rest of the team quickly set up on defense. They weren't taking any chances, wary of a long pass and a miracle finish by the Warriors.
Iguodala, mindful of the clock, let a few seconds tick away as he retrieved the ball, squeezing out every possible second. But with the referee handing him the ball and starting the count, Curry was still covered, unable to shake his defender. Left with no other option, Iguodala lofted the ball toward Tang Lei, who had managed to break free of Tucker, sprinting forward to receive the pass.
Even as the ball left Iguodala's hands, he wasn't hopeful. Tang Lei was practically at his own three-point line—far too distant from the basket.
Yet, Tang Lei didn't hesitate. Catching the ball, he launched it instantly. There was no time to dribble, no chance for a steadying breath. The shot clock hit zero just as the ball soared out of his hands, heading downcourt. As it spun toward the hoop, a despondent hush fell over the crowd. Few expected anything beyond another heartbreaking miss.
But then, with a loud clang, the ball banked off the backboard and, impossibly, straight through the net!
The arena erupted in an explosion of sound, as though the roof itself would be torn off by the sheer force of the crowd's reaction.
"OH MY GOD! A BEYOND-HALF-COURT GAME-WINNER BY TANG LEI!" the DJ's voice blared across the stadium, echoing the collective disbelief and jubilation.
On the court, Curry, Thompson, Green, and Iguodala dashed toward Tang Lei, joining him in a frenzy of celebration. The Warriors' bench, still reeling from the shock, swarmed the court. Dozens of people clustered around Tang Lei as photographers scrambled to capture every possible angle of this unforgettable moment.
Tencent Live Stream
The feed was engulfed by an unbroken wall of comments—"666," "Unreal," and "Unstoppable" scrolling nonstop. The sheer volume of messages was enough to slow even Tencent's robust servers, a testament to the impact of Tang Lei's unbelievable shot.
When the flood of comments finally slowed, excitement still overflowed.
"Bro, I yelled myself hoarse—this is the most insane game-winner I've ever seen!"
"Tang Lei, you beast! I almost crushed my dog in excitement, hahaha!"
"Game-winner after game-winner! The plot twists are wild—it's like the best screenwriter couldn't come up with this!"
"Two buzzer-beaters in a row… unbelievable. Tang Lei, you're officially my hero from now on!"
Final Score: 110-109.
Across the court, the Rockets players stood stunned, struggling to process the replay of the shot as it was repeatedly shown on the screen. After several replays, they finally accepted their fate, heading to the locker room in defeated silence.
Meanwhile, the Warriors' celebration continued unabated. After an eternity of cheers and high-fives, Tang Lei was ushered to center court for an interview with a TNT reporter, her expression as astonished as everyone else's.
It was no surprise; a buzzer-beater, his first career triple-double, and dazzling plays from deep threes to poster dunks—Tang Lei had delivered in every possible way.
After fielding a series of questions from the reporter, Tang Lei finally returned to the locker room, where he was greeted with yet another round of cheers and a customary water-soaked celebration.
As the excitement subsided, Coach Kerr presented Tang Lei with the game ball, offering words of congratulations and encouragement. In Kerr's eyes, Tang saw genuine acknowledgment and pride, a clear affirmation of his value to the team.
For Tang Lei, this victory was meaningful. He hadn't needed to rely on any special abilities from the system shop; he had overcome the challenges of this game through his grit and resilience, proving himself on the court. The Warriors had fought their way through adversity, ultimately emerging triumphant.