Courtesy Demands Reciprocity

The second half of the game began, and both teams continued their battle of wits and courage. Alongside testing their physical prowess, constant tactical adjustments were made. Often, when one side substituted a player, the other would immediately follow suit.

Due to differences in technical skills and physical gifts, certain players naturally countered others. During this period, Xinghui He refrained from trash-talking the Nets players. Any taunt now would be ineffective and likely invite ridicule. If the opponent brought up Carter’s recent slam dunk, it would only embarrass Xinghui himself.

So, he patiently waited for his moment.

It wasn’t until the latter part of the third quarter that the opportunity arose. After the Clippers completed a defensive transition, Jefferson from the Nets inbounded from the baseline. Backcourt players Carter and Kidd were still present, and Xinghui He lingered close to Kidd, ready to seize any chance to gain an advantage amid the chaos.

Jefferson initially intended to pass to an open Carter, but Kidd suddenly reached out, signaling for the ball. Without hesitation, Jefferson passed to Kidd, trusting his reputation for low turnover and reliability.

At that instant, Xinghui accelerated, intercepting the pass. He subtly nudged Kidd, causing him to stagger. Seizing the moment, Xinghui snatched the ball and charged toward the basket, launching himself into the air.

Only Carter remained under the hoop. Not only did Carter not dodge, but he leapt as well, aiming to block Xinghui midair. This was a legal defensive move within the contact zone.

Confident in his weight and strength, Carter believed he could stop Xinghui. What he didn't realize was that Xinghui had just activated a powerful dunk ability, enhancing his success rate and boosting hidden attributes like vertical leap and strength.

The two collided midair. Carter was knocked over, while Xinghui glided forward, delivering a thunderous dunk. Hanging from the rim, he left Carter sprawled on the floor, bewildered.

Carter couldn’t fathom where Xinghui’s sudden surge of strength came from. Neither could the other players or the audience. Yet, it had happened—Carter was genuinely brought down.

At that moment, understanding was irrelevant; applause and cheers erupted.

The arena roared in excitement, and commentators across networks were left speechless. Landing, Xinghui shot a contemptuous glance at Carter.

Cassell and Kaman, recalling Xinghui's earlier instruction, rushed over to celebrate with a shoulder bump. But as they neared, Xinghui raised a hand to stop them.

In a calm tone, he said, “It’s just a dunk. What’s there to celebrate?”

At that moment, both Cassell and Kaman wanted to give him a good shake. He had summoned them over, only to downplay the moment and make them look like inexperienced rookies tagging along for his show.

Nonetheless, Xinghui’s demeanor dealt a severe blow to the Nets’ morale. Carter had celebrated his dunk for half a minute as if it were a rare feat, while Xinghui completed an even more spectacular dunk without a hint of celebration—truly the mark of a master.

The contrast between them was stark.

While fans continued to cheer, Kidd approached the referee, complaining that Xinghui had pushed him. But the goal stood firm—no reversal was possible.

Seizing the moment, Xinghui taunted, “If you can’t handle this kind of physicality, go play in the WNBA. Though, even there, you might still get bullied.”

[From Kidd: 50 points of anger.]

The system’s prompt sounded delightfully. Xinghui happily transitioned back to defense. The game went on.

The Nets, already trailing and now dispirited, quickly fell out of contention against the Clippers. Mobley, Cassell, and Brand erupted in a series of attacks, sparking a small scoring run. Meanwhile, the Nets’ shooting went cold, repeatedly missing shots.

As momentum shifted, the gap quickly stretched to 15 points.

With six minutes remaining, the margin hit 20, prompting both teams to rest their starters. Six minutes and 20 points down was still not an impossible comeback, but it was more practical to conserve energy for the next game. The regular season was a marathon; one loss wasn’t decisive.

Starters leaving the court signaled the game’s early conclusion. Some impatient fans began to leave early to avoid traffic jams.

Meanwhile, Johnson prepared to exit as well, unwilling to cover a Clippers victory and risk being singled out by Xinghui’s disdain.

“Johnson, where are you going? There’s an interview coming up,” Lucy called after him.

Other reporters stifled their laughter, quietly watching the unfolding drama. This was a clash between Xinghui’s fans and detractors.

“I’m going to the restroom,” Johnson replied.

“The restroom is that way,” Lucy pointed, showing no mercy.

Johnson was furious. If Lucy weren’t a woman, he might have lost his temper right then and there. Embarrassed to reveal his true intention to escape, he had no choice but to follow her direction and actually head to the restroom.

As soon as he left, the other reporters burst into laughter. Watching someone else’s misfortune was always a crowd-pleaser.

A few minutes later, the game ended.

The final score was 117 to 99, a resounding 18-point victory for the Clippers.

The Clippers’ scoring was remarkably balanced; all five starters scored in double digits. Brand led with 19 points, while Kaman had the lowest at 11. Xinghui shot 6-for-13 from the field, adding three-pointers and free throws to total 17 points. Cassell contributed 13, and Maggette 15. Bench players Mobley and Livingston added 14 and 8 points respectively, with the rest combining for 10.

This even distribution of scoring made every player a threat, leaving the Nets unable to focus their defense effectively—this was the true reason for their defeat.

On the Nets’ side, the star players had much higher individual scores. Carter tallied 32 points, Jefferson 25, and Kidd 17. Together, they accounted for 74 of the team’s 99 points, with the remaining seven players combining for only 25.

After watching the game, Barkley couldn’t help but remark, “At the start of the season, no one would have guessed the Clippers would improve this much.”

“Looking at the roster changes, it’s not that big a shift. Sure, Cassell joined, but he’s past his prime. Ultimately, it’s because of the addition of He.”

Smith seized the chance to praise He once more.

Of course, there was undeniable truth in his words.