Chapter Sixty-Four: The Icy Touch of the Mighty Guardian Turtle

“Even more exciting?” Bjorn Borg was clearly startled by Wu Rui’s words. Wu Rui’s ability to predict Westbrook’s actions was already impressive, but was there something even more thrilling to come?

“Of course. Do you think Russell is such a hard-to-read player?” Wu Rui replied, utterly unfazed, and pointed to the large screen above the court. “Take a look at the stats up there, man.”

“If the assists don’t reach a certain number, Russell won’t go for the shot himself.”

“Is...is that true?” This time, even DJ Augustin, who had previously just been a spectator, leaned in. “Michael, are you sure about that?”

“Just wait and see,” Wu Rui stretched his body, refusing to give a definite answer. “You won’t be disappointed.”

Sure enough, the following possessions unfolded just as Wu Rui predicted. Westbrook once again pushed the ball forward, charged into the paint, and chose to pass. This time, Steven Adams flicked his wrist and gently hooked the ball into the basket.

He scored the first point for the Thunder tonight, and it was also Westbrook’s first assist of the game.

But the home team, the Orlando Magic, remained unfazed by Westbrook’s initial assist. Returning to offense, they kept up their high-level play. Elfrid Payton assisted Evan Fournier for two points, and so far, the Magic had made all three of their first shots!

Meanwhile, for the Thunder, their leader Russell Westbrook seemed possessed. He kept barreling into the paint but stubbornly refused to finish himself, always opting to dish out instead. Some chances were genuinely good, but his teammates struggled to find their rhythm, and the Thunder couldn’t break through!

By the time Westbrook assisted Adams again for another two points, the Magic were already ahead 12:4 at home!

“Russell needs to focus on his own offense. This isn’t the time to pass.”

On the sidelines, the legendary Shaquille O’Neal expressed his dissatisfaction with Westbrook’s lack of aggression. “When your teammates are cold, the leader has to step up and drive the team forward with his own scoring!”

But before Shaq had finished, the Magic widened the gap as Fournier, using a teammate’s screen, nailed a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 15:4. The home team was now ahead by eleven points.

Nikola Vucevic’s wall of defense left Andre Roberson, tasked with guarding Fournier, shaking his head in frustration, his eyes wandering unconsciously toward his team’s superstar.

So far, Roberson had missed all three of his three-point attempts, two of which were excellent chances created by Westbrook’s penetration and dish. Unable to convert, Roberson glanced at Westbrook with growing unease.

Yet Westbrook paid no attention to his 3&D teammate. Taking the baseline inbound from Domantas Sabonis, he pushed the ball forward, raising his right arm high and extending his index finger.

“Looks like he’s hit his quota for the first quarter,” Wu Rui, legs crossed on the Magic bench, straightened up at Westbrook’s gesture. “Bismack, now you’ll see the real Russell Westbrook.”

“What?” Bjorn Borg, beside Wu Rui, was bewildered. Had the Thunder’s number zero been playing with a stand-in all this while?

“Michael means Russell will ramp up his personal offense from now on,” Magic head coach Frank Vogel said, approaching before Wu Rui could explain. He pointed at Bjorn Borg, “Bismack, warm up, get ready to go in.”

“Yes, coach!” Vogel’s explanation didn’t register for Bjorn Borg, but the substitution did. He hurriedly shed his jacket and moved to the sideline to prepare.

“Coach Frank, you noticed it too?” Wu Rui looked up at his coach as Borg prepared to enter.

Vogel shook his head, eyeing the young player. “Michael, don’t forget, I’m a professional coach. I’ve studied player habits on the court long before you’re even awake.”

He paused, looking at Wu Rui with interest. “But you... I never expected you’d know Russell’s routines on the court.”

“Start with assists, then points, grab some rebounds in the process, and finally check what’s missing in the stats and fill it in,” Wu Rui rattled off, as if reciting from memory. “Coach Frank, I had it memorized while everyone else was asleep.”

“Wow, you really have done your homework,” Vogel was startled by Wu Rui’s thorough analysis.

Naturally.

On the court, Westbrook once again relied on his explosive power to charge into the paint. This time, he didn’t pass. He leaped high toward the rim. The shot didn’t go in, but he drew a foul from Vucevic and earned a trip to the free-throw line.

Perhaps it was all the passing, but Westbrook’s shooting touch seemed cold—he missed the first free throw. Taking advantage, Bismack Biyombo subbed in for Vucevic. Westbrook’s second shot, however, was good.

That free throw seemed to encapsulate Westbrook’s entire first quarter. With his focus shifted away from his teammates, his first instinct upon receiving the ball was to look at the hoop, hunting for a scoring opportunity.

Unfortunately, his touch was off—a pull-up jumper for two and another for three both bounced off, rejected by the rim. If not for Adams grabbing an offensive rebound and putting it back, the Thunder’s latter half of the first quarter would have been a disaster.

But Westbrook didn’t change his approach. He kept forcing his own offense, to little effect. Biyombo dominated the boards, and the Magic ran a fast break—Jeff Green soared for a layup, and with ninety seconds left in the first quarter, the Magic led 23:11, up by twelve.

“Michael, had enough of sitting?” On the sideline, with his team’s first-quarter advantage clear, Vogel stood beside Wu Rui watching. “Your job in the second quarter is crucial.”

“I understand, Mr. Frank. I’ll deliver on everything I promised before the game,” Wu Rui flexed his arms, his long limbs rippling with muscle. “As long as Russell stays on the court, he won’t get a single rebound!”

While Wu Rui and Vogel were talking on the sideline, Thunder head coach Billy Donovan responded with a substitution as well. A disgruntled Westbrook was replaced by Semaj Christon.

Westbrook finished the first quarter with 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, his touch not at its best. The team seemed affected by their MVP candidate’s cold hand, managing only 13 points in the first quarter, with a pitiful 24% shooting percentage.