"Beep!"
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the end of the game. The final score was fixed at—
96 to 108!
The Washington Wizards secured the victory with a 12-point lead.
Before the game, the Boston Celtics' Twin Stars, who had been mocking Link, now looked at each other.
The two brothers couldn't really say who was worse off.
After all... under the defense of Paul Pierce, Link achieved a career-high of 51 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 Steals, an 'astonishing performance'.
Scoring 50+ in 2001 was no easy feat; many popular NBA players, such as Kevin Garnett and Paul George, had never achieved it.
As for the other Twin Star, Fat Head Monk Antoine Walker, although he scored 15 points tonight, his field goal percentage was exactly 30%. What was most, most, most... unacceptable to Boston Celtics fans watching on TV was that, as an 'all-around power forward', he was unable to punish Link in the low post.
Of course, there were many power forwards who couldn't punish Link.
...
...
"Ding, congratulations, Host, for achieving your first 50+ in your NBA regular season career. Reward: [Badge Experience Gift Pack] x1; 500 Goat points!"
The system's voice echoed in Link's mind.
Badge Experience Gift Pack?
In an instant, Link opened it and found that it included 500 experience points for [Ankle Breaker], 500 experience points for [Double Team Master], and 500 experience points for [Ball-Handling Steal Master].
To advance to a Gold Badge requires 500 badge experience points.
Honestly, for shooting-type badges, it's easier to grind, but for Ankle Breaker, Double Team Master, and the like, it's really difficult to grind.
The Badge Experience Gift Pack instantly granted 50 experience points.
This directly promoted [Double Team Master] and [Ball-Handling Steal Master] to 'Gold'. Ankle Breaker still needed 769 experience points to be promoted.
[Goat Value: 3,051/34,781]
...
...
After the game!
Link, Haywood, and Laettner attended the team's media conference.
"Paul Pierce is a very tenacious player; his defense is very tough."
"Emm... as for Antoine Walker, he is a very versatile forward."
Link 'repaid evil with good' after the game, not criticizing the Boston Celtics' Twin Stars.
However...
For the two players who were crushed by Link, this was worse than death.
WTF!
My defense is tough? Then what about your 51 points?
My skills are versatile? Why was I only 2-for-7 in the low post against you?
At the same time...
On the night the game ended, the American media also thoroughly mocked the Boston Celtics' Twin Stars.
[Link, I'm not sure if he qualifies for an All-Star starter. But under your defense, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50+. If Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker are qualified for the All-Star, then Link... undoubtedly is too.] — Sports Illustrated
[Link becomes the first player since Allen Iverson to score 50+ in his rookie season, and also the 8th player in NBA history to score 50+ in his rookie season. The previous 6 were Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Earl Monroe, Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Allen Iverson.] — ESPN
[Paul Pierce was fined $500 and given 1 hour of community service by the league for verbally abusing a referee on the court.] — The Washington Post
The next day.
The NBA officially announced the Eastern and Western Conference player of the month and rookie of the month lists for December.
[player of the month]
Western Conference: Tim Duncan.
Eastern Conference: Link.
[rookie of the month]
Western Conference: Pau Gasol
Eastern Conference: Link
After the results were announced, just as David Stern expected, it indeed caused a tsunami of discussion online.
There was no controversy over Link becoming the NBA Eastern Conference rookie of the month.
Eastern Conference player of the month...
This made many media outlets unable to resist criticizing.
After all, Link had already won player of the month once last month. A rookie, winning player of the month for two consecutive months?
What does he want to do?
Is David Stern planning to let Link win the regular season mvp in his rookie season?
Please...
What kind of international joke is this?
This is not a novel or a film; it's impossible for a rookie to win the regular season mvp. As for FMVP, there's a certain possibility, after all, Magic Johnson has done it.
By the way...
Link found that the [Personal Career Honors] section in his attribute panel had been updated again:
1. player of the week (4 times)
2. rookie of the month (2 times)
3. player of the month (2 times)
...
...
The outside world was buzzing with discussion.
Link, however, continued his individual training.
Uh...
To be honest, if every NBA team had a 'Paul' or 'George', it wouldn't be impossible for him to win MVP in his rookie season.
Two days later.
Link and his team traveled to Atlanta. Michael Jordan, who had been recovering from an injury for a week, also returned tonight to play against the Hawks.
On the plane, Link looked at the pre-game analysis in the newspaper and couldn't help but frown slightly.
"What's wrong, Link?" Michael Jordan, sitting next to Link, asked with a smile.
"Michael, it's strange..." Link's brows furrowed into a 'river' shape, and he asked, puzzled, "Michael, that Shareef Abdur-Rahim kept attacking me online a few days ago, but now that the game is about to start... he's suddenly quieted down."
"Is he sick?"
Michael Jordan's mouth twitched, but he didn't answer immediately.
Connet Alexander, a teammate sitting in front of Link, quickly interjected, "Link... Shareef probably saw you score 51 points against Paul Pierce, and now he's a bit scared. After all, that's something Shareef (Abdur-Rahim) couldn't do."
Rahim was the Hawks' star player, forming an inside-outside duo with Jet Terry.
However, he truly couldn't score 51 points against Pierce's defense.
Hearing this answer, a faint smile appeared on Link's lips.
Michael Jordan, meanwhile, rolled his eyes.
How could this damned rookie, Link, not know this? He was just deliberately waiting for his teammates to say it.
...
...
On the night of the game, Shareef Abdur-Rahim was indeed very quiet.
Even when he was repeatedly beaten off the dribble by Link after a pick-and-roll switch, he would silently retreat on defense.
Even...
When Link was guarding him on a mismatch, he hit his arm, and the referee didn't see it and didn't blow the whistle. But even then, Shareef Abdur-Rahim remained exceptionally quiet.
In the game against the Hawks, Link's shooting touch wasn't as good as against Boston, but Michael Jordan's return allowed Link to better penetrate the paint, and the team's offense became smoother.
The only regret was...
His rebounding luck was a bit off tonight; the rebounds just wouldn't fly his way.
At the end of the game, Link easily recorded 23 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 Steals.