Chapter 59: Taking Off! 25-Game Win Streak Breaks Franchise Record
During the timeout, the big screen at the Raptors' arena repeatedly played Curry's slip and subsequent airball, turning the moment into an instant highlight. Curry sat on the bench with a towel covering his head, trying to hide any trace of his expression. The scene was undeniably comical, and Curry fans couldn't help but burst into laughter despite themselves.
The atmosphere in the Tencent live stream was equally joyful, with viewers flooding the chat with playful comments:
"Golden State LaVine strikes again!"
"Just this? I could do better!"
"The slip of a dunking dream, betrayed by the floor!"
"Curry: Shut up, or I'll dunk over you next!"
"While everyone's focused on Curry, did no one notice Tang Lei's epic blind steal?"
"Right! That was pure instinct—a blind steal! Replay's coming up… Oh my! That was a behind-the-back steal! If I remember correctly, Leonard pulled off a similar play a few months ago."
"Yeah, it was top of the week's best plays! Unbelievable precision!"
"Tang Lei, the legend in the making! If he keeps this up, he's bound to be a superstar!"
"Woohoo! Let's go, Thunder King!"
…
After the timeout, Leonard managed to stop the scoring drought, but Tang Lei responded with another three-pointer, dampening the Raptors' spirits. Though the Raptors scored a few more baskets, they couldn't fully contain the Warriors' offensive flow. Time gradually ran out.
The final score settled at 116-126, with the Warriors taking a decisive ten-point victory. This marked their 23rd consecutive win, now just one game away from tying the franchise record and two games from breaking it.
Warriors' Stats: Tang Lei had 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals; Curry scored 25 points with 6 assists; Durant added 22 points; Thompson scored 16 points.
Raptors' Stats: Leonard finished with 27 points and 3 steals; Lowry had 22 points and 7 assists; Siakam added 14 points; Ibaka contributed 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Green chipped in with 9 points.
Unsurprisingly, Tang Lei was named MVP of the game. His duel with Leonard became an instant classic, especially his behind-the-back steal, which perfectly mirrored one of Leonard's own iconic plays.
Yet, Curry unintentionally stole the spotlight with his slip and airball, dominating the media coverage post-game. Tang Lei could only smile wryly, knowing the impact Curry's star power brought.
Back in the locker room, Tang Lei heard the familiar voice of his system:
System Notification:
[Congratulations on the regular season victory! Reward: +1 attribute point, +3 system coins.]
[Congratulations! Your blind steal has been ranked as today's top play. Reward: +2 attribute points, +5 system coins.]
"Not bad! Now I've got 3 attribute points and 8 system coins," Tang Lei grinned, heading off to shower. Once ready, he boarded the team bus, waiting for Curry and others to finish their interviews before departure.
With back-to-back games, they had to set off that night. Their next opponents were the Mavericks, followed by the Knicks—teams ranked second-last in the West and last in the East, respectively, making for easy matchups.
As expected, the Warriors handled both games effortlessly, ending each by the third quarter. With these victories, they not only tied but broke the franchise record with a staggering 25-game win streak. The Warriors continued to hold first place in the West and climbed to second in the league, trailing the Bucks by just 1.5 games.
With this winning streak, Tang Lei accumulated 27 attribute points and surpassed 100 system coins. Having already claimed various records and honors, the attribute rewards had become scarcer.
"System, open the attribute panel," Tang Lei commanded.
Player Profile:
• Name: Tang Lei
• Team: Golden State Warriors (Contract: $3 million, expires end of season)
• Age: 19 years, 76 days
• Height: 2.02 meters (Upgradable by 1 cm per attribute point, max +15 cm)
• Wingspan: 2.19 meters (Maxed out)
• Weight: 95 kg
• Attributes:
• Driving: 100
• Mid-Range: 92+
• Three-Point: 100
• Vertical: 96+
• Speed: 92+
• Defense: 85+
• Block: 86+
• Ball Handling: 82+
• Stamina: 84+
• Charisma: 100
• Available Points: 27
Without hesitation, Tang Lei maxed out his vertical and block attributes—essential for defense. These adjustments left him with nine remaining points, which he allocated to ball handling.
Now, with five attributes maxed, Tang Lei was poised for even greater offensive and defensive versatility. However, his remaining weaknesses were apparent: stamina and defense. Improving these areas would be essential to fully realizing his dominance.
Though his block attribute was maxed, that alone didn't guarantee defense. After all, to block a shot, you need to be in position; if your opponent blows past you, even the best block skill can't make up the difference.
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