Raw Intimidation, Two Ways.

San Antonio

Texas

USA

After their easy victory over Arlington, courtesy of each and every member showcasing their new skills, the Houston Spacewalkers had qualified for the playoffs after years and years of failures and disappointments. Their fans were ecstatic. But, where there was excitement, there was apprehensiveness.

The playoffs were an entirely different deal.

Each and every NBA player who had been to the playoffs was aware of this.

Danny Reynolds included.

Practice times were doubled. Drills were made harder. And each and every player was pushed out of their comfort zones in practice.

The playoffs weren’t just going to be a test of a player’s basketball skills. They were going to be a test of teamwork, focus, resolve, and a player’s sheer commitment and willpower to play the game. They would test ever man’s endurance, stamina, strength, and integrity with his team.

Because, a loss here meant elimination.

And sixteen teams, eight from the east, and eight from the west, trained with the sheer fear of elimination.

And the desire for a championship.

*

“Gather around!” said Danny Reynolds after an hour of continuous drills.

The exhausted team collapsed around Dan in a circle. They noticed that he looked grim. Something was off.

“The team we’ll be facing is San Antonio,” he said. “They’re the best team in the west, and they’re an interstate rival. This match-up probably means a lot to the fans and to the organization.”

The team was silent.

“If we don’t win,” said Dan. “We’ll probably get lambasted by the entire city!”

*

Lokesh instantly felt the coach of San Antonio’s team x-raying him and boring into his deepest thoughts. He now knew, that he was being closely watched by one of the smartest coaches in the league.

The game began with Keon Jordan Jr easily winning the opening tip. Kobayashi recovered the ball and passed it to Lokesh. Lokesh thought of shaking off his defender and dunking the ball as per his usual routine. He began his plan by spinning past his defender and making a run.

CRASH.

Lokesh found that he’d crashed into a screener and sent him reeling to the ground. “Where’d he come from?” he thought.

“Offensive foul! Houston, number 64! San Antonio Ball!” yelled the referee.

“Shake it off!” shouted Kobayashi to Lokesh. “Back on defense!”

Lokesh went back on defense and picked up the opponent’s best player. The guy received a pass and stared down Lokesh, who went closer to try and get a steal.

Big mistake.

The guy faked a shot so quickly that he made contact with Lokesh’s arm of his own violation. “Ref!” he yelled.

“Foul! Houston, number 64! San Antonio gets three free throws!” yelled the referee.

“WHAT?” shouted Lokesh. “HE MADE CONTACT WITH ME! NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND!”

But his arguments were in vain.

Steven Walker called a time-out. He wasn’t upset, but he did seem slightly worried.

“I get their plan,” he said. “Lokesh, they plan to foul you out, and take the game!”

*

“Are you crazy?” asked Odai Beckham Jr.

It was the beginning of the fourth quarter. San Antonio led Houston 87-70, a massive lead. Lokesh had four fouls and was benched for a long time.

“No,” said Lokesh firmly. “Put me back in the game!”

“But your fouls…”

“I know,” said Lokesh. “But I can’t let them get away with pretending that I fouled them! I’ve got to make them pay!”

“There’s always next game! It’s a seven game series!”

Lokesh looked up at his teammates, who were taken aback by how intensely focused and angry his face was.

“No,” he breathed. “They pay here, and they pay now!”

Lokesh re-entered the game, and San Antonio immediately knew it was a gamble. Either he would foul out, or destroy them single-handedly.

Lokesh caught a pass and eyed down his defenders. He then ran at them, bumped off their chests, and shot a mid-range fadeaway shot.

SWISH.

“Foul! San Antonio number 7! Basket counts! One free throw!”

“But he hit me!” bellowed the defender, waving his arms at the ref.

PHWEEE.

“Technical foul! San Antonio number seven! One additional free throw!”

“WHAT?”

SWISH, and again, SWISH, went the net as Lokesh hit both free throws effortlessly.

Another unfortunate player tried to score at the rim, ignoring Lokesh.

ÓH! REJECTED! REJECTED BY KUMAR! HE TAKES IT AND RUNS THE OTHER WAY! THERE’S NO BEATING HIM IN A FOOTRACE! AND OH! HE DUNKS IT! HE DUNKS IT FROM THE INNER FREE THROW CIRCLE! WHAT A DISPLAY OF ATHLETISICM!”

With Lokesh’s scoring spree never seeming to end, Houston crept back up to within two. This was with twelve seconds left. Odai passed to Keon, who tried spinning and pivoting past his defender. But, the man was smart and stayed with him. With no more moves left, Keon jumped up for a dunk, intending to muscle his way past the block.

“NO!” howled Kobayashi. “PASS THE BALL!”

Keon had no intention of passing.

As he went into the air, he felt a vibe more terrifying yet more comfortable than anything he had known. Looking back to see the source of it, Keon was amazed to see Lokesh, only he didn’t look like Lokesh. He looked like some otherworldly being, billowing flames of pure intensity and confidence. His entire aspect and aura seemed to order Keon. “Pass the ball!”

Keon didn’t want to pass the ball.

He didn’t want to pass. He wanted to dunk. But at exactly that moment, his body disobeyed him, acting independently of his mind. His arm swung and flung the ball to Lokesh, who was outside the three point line. In one swift, fluid, motion, Lokesh shot a high-arcing three pointer. It sailed gaily in the air and then.

SPLASH.

The crowd groaned. With five seconds left, Lokesh had taken the lead for Houston.

But it wasn’t over.

Lokesh raced to stop the opponent player who was about to get an easy layup. The guy looked at Lokesh and froze. Lokesh’s entire aspect now looked like a demon of folklore giving him a death-stare. Cold flames of intensity poured out of him.

CLUNK.

“OH NO! HE MISSES THE LAYUP! HOUSTON WIN BY ONE POINT! Lokesh KUMAR MAGNIFICENT! KEON JORDAN JR THE STAR OF THE GAME WITH 35 POINTS! 10 REBOUNDS, AND THE GAME-WINNING ASSIST!”

Nobody could believe it.

“Keon Jordan Jr passed the ball?”

Danny Reynolds laughed.

“So he’s learned to use it both ways!”

“Use what?” asked Chad Brown.

Dan smiled.

“A Franchise Player’s Raw Intimidation!”

“He’s learned to use it on teammates and opponents!”

*

The San Antonio Rodeo could never recover from that blow.

They went down 4-0 in a seven game series to Houston.

The best team in the west was eliminated.