He was truly furious.

He was already feeling suffocated after the Spurs ground the Thunder into the dirt in the opening game; that game was bad enough.

But this game wasn't just about feeling suffocated.

I show my love for Scarlett, and you turn around and film that kind of advertisement with her?

And for bath soap, no less!

This wasn't just about a woman; it was about dignity!

This wasn't even in the same league as the trash talk Tang Tian threw at him back then!

So, from the moment he saw that ad, he'd been in a constant state of rage.

Beating the Rockets up in the last game wasn't enough; only crushing the Spurs, crushing Tang Tian, would do!

The Spurs wouldn't have Tang Tian guard him? Then he'd score until they did!

The Spurs' attack on the frontcourt failed, and Durant turned around and continued to attack Leonard.

Leonard learned from the previous play and didn't give Durant room to start a breakthrough this time.

Although his speed wasn't as good as Tang Tian's, his static defensive threat was significant.

Durant was forced to stop where he was.

Westbrook saw this and wanted to come over and take the ball, but Durant waved him back.

After Westbrook returned, Durant leaned in and then directly chose a turnaround jumper.

The shooting style was simple and completely predicted by Leonard.

Leonard's block sealed Durant's line of sight.

"Swish!"

Durant's high-difficulty shot still went in!

Durant scored 4 points in a row to start the game, all high-difficulty shots. Like the last game, he was in full firepower from the start!

After five minutes of the game, Durant scored the Thunder's first 12 points with a combination of drives and shots, helping the Thunder take a 12-6 lead.

And more importantly, Leonard was forced out of the game early with two fouls!

Whether it was strength, condition, or experience, Durant overwhelmed the second-year Leonard, even though Leonard had improved a lot compared to last season.

Popovich had no choice but to bring Green in early and let Tang Tian swing to the 3-spot to match up with Durant.

"Guys, come on, a matchup of two rivals, place your bets!" Barkley was already starting his routine on the commentary booth.

"I think Tang will do what he did in the opening game. I'm betting on Tang," Kenny Smith bet on Tang Tian.

"No, no, Kenny, Durant's been terrifying lately. He can ignore defense in his current state," O'Neal bet on Durant.

As they spoke, Duncan scored a goal for the Spurs in the frontcourt, and the score on the field became 8-12.

A 4-point difference wasn't much. With Leonard already out with two fouls, the game's future depended on whether Tang Tian could contain Durant.

Durant continued to hold the ball in the frontcourt.

Tang Tian's assessment of Durant during the Olympics was correct. Although Durant was sensitive, he didn't become a superstar solely on physical talent.

After being defended to death by Tang Tian in last year's playoffs, he developed his dribbling during the offseason.

After being run ragged by Tang Tian, he also increased his physical training.

And when matching up against Tang Tian, knowing that the pick-and-roll wouldn't work, he dribbled the ball more to maximize his stamina.

Being able to continuously evolve and upgrade was the reason he gradually grew into the league's second-best small forward.

With his back to Tang Tian, he faked a turn and then shot directly backward.

Having played against Tang Tian so many times, he knew Tang Tian was quick to steal, so he created distance before shooting.

Tang Tian pounced on the block immediately. The defensive pressure he could give was even higher than Leonard!

"Swish!"

But Durant still threw the ball into the basket despite the enormous defensive pressure!

His 14th point of the quarter!

Durant held the ball outside the three-point line in the frontcourt, and he wasn't in a hurry to attack.

When the players spread out, he made a three-threat posture and suddenly pulled up for a three-pointer.

This came very suddenly.

But Tang Tian still predicted it and shot out like lightning.

"Pa!"

Tang Tian's hand hit the ball.

But he failed to steal the ball.

Durant used a lot of force on this ball, successfully protecting it.

But after the ball was hit by Tang Tian, his shooting rhythm was also disrupted.

A very awkward, even somewhat forced, shot.

But Durant still shot the ball out.

The ball drew a spinning parabola in the air.

"Swish!"

The three-pointer still went in!

"Kevin~~ Durant!"

Accompanied by the lengthened shouts of the arena DJ, the Chesapeake Energy Arena erupted into a frenzy.

Durant was unstoppable tonight!

"What did I say? Durant is in a state where he ignores defense tonight, no matter who's in front of him!" O'Neal said loudly.

He had seen Kobe like that in the Lakers, so he was so confident.

"It seems women are still the most stimulating thing," Barkley said with a smile.

"This is his battle of dignity that he must win," Smith also nodded. It seemed he had underestimated Durant before.

After Durant scored 5 points in a row, the Thunder were already leading the Spurs by 9 points, 17-8.

Parker's spinning layup in the frontcourt was blocked directly by Ibaka.

"Let's go! OKC!"

The fans shouted at the scene.

The Thunder was about to gain momentum.

Popovich crossed his arms at the sideline with a frown.

If even Tang Tian couldn't contain him, then Durant was really unstoppable tonight.

At this rate, the Thunder could build at least a double-digit lead in the first half.

The game would be difficult, and losing this kind of high-profile battle would also have a significant impact on the Spurs' confidence.

One more possession. If Tang Tian still couldn't defend him.

Then he could only call a timeout and arrange a double-teaming tactic.

Durant's passing wasn't strong, and that was the only thing he could exploit tonight.

Durant fell to the frontcourt, ready to continue holding the ball to play against Tang Tian.

But as soon as he was in position, Tang Tian put all kinds of physical confrontation on him and always half-circled to his receiving side, constantly putting pressure on him.

He had absolute confidence in his current touch, but he couldn't receive the ball.

Even if he ran towards Westbrook, Tang Tian completely cut off his receiving angle.

Tang Tian was defending like a mad dog at this moment.

Durant failed to receive the ball this round, and Westbrook's breakthrough was defended by Duncan. The Thunder's offensive momentum was finally curbed.

Popovich breathed a sigh of relief and then returned to the bench and sat down.

When he sat down, his furrowed brow relaxed, and he shook his head with a smile.

How could he underestimate Tang Tian!

Parker scored a goal for the Spurs in the frontcourt, and when he turned around, Tang Tian was still defending Durant like a mad dog.

He was completely going all out!

If he lost such a high-profile duel, then in the eyes of many fans, he would just be a weakling who relied on off-court tactics.

So, this was Durant's battle for dignity, and it was his as well!