Durant kept shifting directions along the perimeter, but James, who had already studied him inside out, wasn't buying any of it.
Seeing he couldn't create separation, Durant burst forward, trying to beat James with pure speed.
But this was peak LeBron—there was no way he'd get past that easily. With a sharp spin and explosive step, the two collided with a heavy thud.
Forced to pick up his dribble, Durant went for a tough, contested jumper.
Shots like that rarely fall.
The Cavaliers grabbed the rebound and reset their offense.
After a few possessions, the Kings still couldn't get their rhythm, while the Cavs slowly pulled ahead.
"Timeout!"
Seeing the game slipping away, Coach Malone immediately called for one.
"Kevin, you're rushing it."
He looked at Durant, who was breathing hard, and offered a calm reminder.
But Durant's expression was dark. Under his lead, the team was falling behind. Could he really not keep up with James?
"Take a look at this."
Noticing Durant's frustration, Butler quietly said something to Tang Zhou, took a tablet from him, and handed it to Durant.
"What's this?"
Durant leaned in curiously.
"The stat sheet. Check out the Cavs' numbers."
Butler took a sip of water before continuing.
"Your stats and LeBron's are basically the same—your shooting percentages too. But do you know why we're still losing?"
"Why?"
Durant's interest was piqued.
"Because LeBron brings out the best in his teammates."
"There've been all kinds of great players in history. Some, like Jordan, could handle everything themselves—teammates just followed along and collected rings.
Others, like Tim Duncan, could take over when needed or step back to support and set up their team.
LeBron's the kind who really understands his teammates' strengths. He knows exactly when to help them shine."
Butler smiled as he spoke.
"I may not have liked his Decision, but you can't deny the guy's got a kind of magic. He can make a team move as one."
"So what are you saying?"
Durant asked, still confused.
"I'm saying—"
Before Butler could finish, the timeout ended. He stood up, heading for the court, still talking over his shoulder.
"You need to trust your teammates. You're not in this fight alone. Learning to use us—that's something you've got to master."
Durant froze for a moment.
He realized he really had been overthinking it.
Watching Butler walk away, a warm feeling rose inside him.
Back on the floor, Durant stopped forcing isolations against LeBron. Instead, he started scanning for his teammates' movements out of the corner of his eye.
Sure enough, an opening appeared.
Just as he turned his back to post up James, Iman Shumpert bit on the move and stepped forward to help.
Booker, who Shumpert had been guarding, immediately cut back to the corner.
Right as Booker got there, Durant's pass arrived perfectly.
Booker didn't hesitate—he rose and drained the jumper.
Instantly, boos erupted through Quicken Loans Arena.
To the fans, that pass meant Durant didn't dare face LeBron head-on.
But LeBron narrowed his eyes, alert now.
"This kid's grown."
If Durant kept forcing one-on-ones, LeBron figured he had an eighty percent chance to win.
But if Durant started trusting his teammates, the game's outcome was suddenly uncertain.
And just as LeBron feared, Durant finally clicked. Using his perimeter gravity, he kept creating opportunities for others.
Cavs defenders were scrambling everywhere, but they still couldn't slow down the Kings' offense.
"What the hell is happening out there?"
By halftime, Sacramento had erased the deficit—and even taken the lead.
In the locker room, LeBron sat to the side, looking frustrated.
"I'm not Thanos, man. Do they all have to gang up on me like this?"
Last year's Kings might've looked like Butler's one-man show, but LeBron knew better—every position on that team was elite.
If not for his promise to Cleveland, even he might've been tempted to join them.
When he'd heard that Durant was heading to Sacramento in the summer, the thirty-something veteran had blown up in the practice gym.
"Seriously? Is everyone out to get me now?!"
Now, what LeBron feared most was happening before his eyes—Durant had fit into the Kings perfectly.
In the second half, James and Irving led wave after wave of counterattacks, but the Kings held firm, controlling the pace until the end.
The game started fierce but ended decisive—Sacramento took the win on the road.
"This Kings team is looking unstoppable."
At the post-game press conference, LeBron admitted it candidly.
"You can tell Kevin's really happy there. I'm genuinely glad for him."
"So LeBron, are you saying this season belongs to Durant?"
A reporter tossed out a provocative question.
"Of course not!"
LeBron immediately straightened up.
"If we meet them in the Finals, my teammates and I will beat them—just like we did last year. We've faced plenty of tough opponents, and we always find a way."
After the game, headlines everywhere were dominated by the showdown.
The debate over the league's two "Kings" flared up once again.
"You're coming with us?"
On the bus back to the airport, Malone turned toward Chen Yilun, looking curious.
Since becoming president, Chen rarely traveled with the team anymore. But today, surprisingly, he'd volunteered to join them for their next road game.
"A trip to play the Pelicans really worth it? Or are you scheming something again?"
Malone quickly realized that Chen must have his eyes on someone—or something—in New Orleans.
"Hehehe, nothing gets past you."
Chen laughed from the back seat.
"There's a promising guy over there. I'm going to see if I can bring him aboard!"