Chapter 14: A Clash of Styles – Chamberlain vs. The Celtics

"My God! Chamberlain is an absolute monster!"

"He's dominating on both ends of the court—this is incredible!"

Inside the Fuji Xun Sports Studio, the commentators were in awe.

Host Wang Meng turned to basketball analyst Yang Yi, who was watching intently.

"Mr. Yang, what do you think of Chamberlain's performance so far?"

Yang Yi didn't hesitate.

"It's beyond amazing!"

He gestured emphatically. "Chamberlain is 2.16 meters tall and weighs 125 kilograms, but look at his agility! His explosiveness is off the charts.

The Celtics have one of the most athletic teams in the NBA, yet they still can't contain him.

Coming into this game, the NBA official power rankings listed the Celtics as the No. 1 team and the Warriors at No. 6.

But with Chamberlain playing like this… who knows what will happen?"

Inside the packed Beijing Stadium, the crowd was buzzing.

During the timeout, event staff moved through the stands, handing out jerseys, team merchandise, and souvenirs.

Excitement was at an all-time high.

When the game resumed, the Celtics adjusted their strategy.

Instead of letting Chamberlain dominate the paint, they played faster, sharper, and smarter.

Led by Bob Cousy and John Havlicek, the Celtics ran a fast-paced offense, forcing the Warriors to keep up.

No matter how dominant Chamberlain was, he couldn't defend five players at once!

The score swung back and forth as the two teams traded baskets.

By the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 30-30.

As the quarter ended, the Golden State Warriors' cheerleaders took the court.

Their blonde hair and athletic performances became a highlight of the night, drawing cheers from the audience.

Even those who had never watched an NBA game before were fully engaged in the spectacle.

The second quarter started with a bang.

But this time, the Celtics took control.

They played fluid, selfless basketball, moving the ball quickly and finding the open man.

While Chamberlain continued his dominance, only Paul Arizin provided reliable scoring for the Warriors.

Without enough support, the Warriors began falling behind.

In the CCTV Sports Studio, Yang Jian turned to commentator Zhang Weiping.

"Director Zhang, the Warriors are trailing. What do you think is going wrong?"

Zhang Weiping sighed, shaking his head.

"Their offense is a mess!

The guards are rushing bad shots, and when they miss, the Celtics grab the rebounds and run.

Look at this play—instead of feeding Chamberlain inside, they're forcing low-percentage jump shots.

If the Warriors want to win, they need to play through Chamberlain!

Get the ball to him, let him draw the double-team, and pass it out for open shots.

Otherwise, they're going to lose!"

Yang Jian chuckled. "Director Zhang, maybe you should coach the Warriors instead."

Zhang Weiping waved his hands. "I'm just telling the truth! Give the ball to Chamberlain!"

A moment later, the Warriors' point guard took a deep three-pointer.

The ball somehow went in.

Zhang Weiping sighed.

"That's not a good shot! He got lucky, but that's bad basketball."

The viewers watching the broadcast burst into laughter.

Zhang Weiping's commentary had a certain magic to it—every time he criticized a shot, the player would make it!

Online forums exploded with memes:

"Zhang Weiping's curse: Say it's a bad shot, and it goes in!"

"Someone tell the Warriors to listen to Director Zhang!"

"Give the ball to Chamberlain! Give it! Give it! Oh… never mind."

Despite Chamberlain's efforts, the Celtics extended their lead.

At halftime, the Warriors trailed 54-62.

During intermission, fans were treated to a variety of entertainment:

A half-court shooting contest

Acrobatic dunk performances

A surprise musical performance from a Chinese pop star

Unfortunately, no one won the $100,000 half-court challenge prize.

As the third quarter began, Chamberlain came out firing.

Dunks

Mid-range jumpers

Blocks on defense

Chamberlain dominated both ends of the court.

By the end of the quarter, he had scored 24 points in a single quarter.

The Warriors tied the game once again.

Even with Bill Russell anchoring the Celtics' defense, Chamberlain was simply unstoppable.

The fans couldn't believe their eyes.

"This is what an NBA superstar looks like!"

"Chamberlain is an alien. That's the only explanation."

"I love this! I'm officially an NBA fan now!"

With ten minutes left, the Celtics made their final adjustment—they double-teamed Chamberlain on every possession.

Even though he was a dominant scorer, Chamberlain was also a great passer.

He found open teammates multiple times.

But there was one problem…

The Warriors' shooters were cold.

Shot after shot bounced off the rim.

The Celtics took advantage and regained the lead.

With four minutes left, Warriors coach Frank Maguire called a timeout.

During the timeout, the "Kiss Cam" segment began.

The arena big screen zoomed in on random couples in the audience.

To the surprise of Song Lixuan and Liu Lan, they appeared on the screen!

A pink heart surrounded their faces, and the crowd cheered loudly.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Liu Lan's face turned red with embarrassment.

She hesitated…

But Song Lixuan didn't.

He leaned in and kissed her gently.

The entire arena erupted in applause!

Other couples followed, each sharing their moment on the big screen.

The single fans in the crowd groaned in jealousy.

When the game resumed, Chamberlain continued his relentless attack.

But the Celtics' teamwork proved too strong.

Despite Chamberlain's heroic effort, the Celtics maintained their lead.

As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read:

Boston Celtics 118 – Golden State Warriors 106.

Chamberlain had a monstrous performance:

48 points

21 rebounds

10 blocks

A triple-double for the ages.

But the Celtics' balanced attack was too much:

Bill Russell – 18 points, 22 rebounds

Bob Cousy – 27 points

John Havlicek – 25 points

For millions of Chinese fans, tonight's game was an eye-opener.

They realized something important:

Basketball is not a one-man sport.

In three-on-three, individual talent can dominate.

But in five-on-five basketball, teamwork always wins.

Even the greatest individual talent can be beaten by a well-coordinated team.

And tonight, they had just witnessed NBA basketball at its finest.

The NBA era in China had officially begun.