After their game against the Timberwolves, the Warriors were set for a two-game road trip to face the New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns, two of the lowest-ranked teams in the Western Conference this season.
The Pelicans, despite having Anthony Davis, struggled with a lackluster supporting cast. Davis was regularly posting big double-doubles but had recently been demanding a trade, pushing hard to join the Lakers. The Pelicans' front office was dragging its feet, trying to get the best deal possible. They'd even started limiting Davis's playing time.
As for the Suns, their primary focus was tanking for a high draft pick. Although they had Devin Booker, a prolific scorer, their abysmal record had earned Booker a reputation as a "stat-padding" player. Both Davis and Booker had become symbols of "wasted talent" in the league.
Following these games, the Warriors would return home for two days of rest before the highly anticipated Christmas Day showdown against the 76ers—a marquee NBA event.
Two Days Later
Without resting any players, the Warriors breezed past the Pelicans on the road, winning 122-108. Even in limited minutes, Davis posted 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. The Warriors then moved on to Phoenix, where they easily handled the Suns, allowing the starters to sit out the fourth quarter. Tang Lei's double-digit scoring streak continued, and he was now leading the league with an average of 3.1 made threes per game, even surpassing Curry by 0.5.
With an eight-game winning streak, the Warriors closed the gap with the West-leading Denver Nuggets to just half a game, although they were still three games behind the league-leading team overall. Currently, the Warriors ranked fourth overall in the NBA, with strong competition in the East from the 76ers, Bucks, and Raptors—all battling for supremacy this season.
As Christmas Day approached, the media was buzzing with hype for the match-up. In China, coverage of Tang Lei was omnipresent, thanks to his sensational performances in recent games. With his growing fan base, the Warriors had effectively become "China's team," much like the Rockets had during Yao Ming's era.
December 25, 7:30 p.m.
Moments before the game, TNT's star reporter interviewed Joel Embiid.
Reporter: "Hi, Joel! Have you been surprised by Tang's performance over the last couple of weeks?"
Embiid: "Who? Who's Tang? Never heard of him."
Reporter: "Do you think Tang will pose a challenge for you and the Sixers tonight?"
Embiid: "I don't even know what he has done. A challenge? Come on, really?"
Reporter: "Alright, Joel. Good luck tonight!"
At Oracle Arena, fans had packed the stands, many sporting festive Christmas-themed outfits, hats, and accessories. Both teams had finished their warm-ups, and the announcer was calling out the starting lineups.
As Tang Lei stepped out, he couldn't resist glancing over at sections 23 and 24, where he had reserved seats for two guests. Sure enough, he saw two striking women sitting there—one with dark hair and a quiet, gentle demeanor in a white dress, and the other with blonde hair, dressed in black leather, exuding a more daring attitude. Their tall frames and beautiful faces were drawing the attention of the crowd around them.
When Tang looked over, the woman in white noticed him and smiled warmly. He nodded back with a smile before taking his place.
The woman in white was, of course, Caroline, and beside her was her American friend, Tina, who had accompanied her.
"Wow, Yi, I wasn't expecting Tang to be this tall and handsome," Tina said, impressed as she glanced over at Tang Lei. She wasn't much of a basketball fan herself—she was more into gaming, skiing, and motorbiking. Tang Lei's recent buzz hadn't really caught her attention, and she probably wouldn't have come to the game if it hadn't been for Caroline.
"Guys who play basketball usually are," Caroline replied with a smile.
Tina looked puzzled. "Wait, didn't you say this was your first time meeting him in person? He looked at you like he already knew you like you were an old friend."
"Really?" Caroline asked, slightly surprised.
"Oh yeah. I've studied facial expressions. His look had this mix of surprise, happiness, and satisfaction, like seeing someone you've known for ages," Tina replied.
Caroline chuckled, "You're always analyzing stuff like that. But no, we've never actually met before—no photos or video calls, either."
"Fine, I'll drop it," Tina said, waving it off. "The game's about to start."
….