Chapter 22: Best! Best!

In the third game, the Warriors easily dispatched the Western Conference underdog, the Timberwolves. Lin Fei performed effortlessly, pouring in 40 points. Over the course of three games, his stat line read 40, 35, and 40 points, with a staggering field goal percentage of 66.7% and a three-point shooting percentage of 60%. He currently sat atop the scoring leaderboard while also contributing 4 assists and 4 rebounds per game. Led by Nelson and Lin Fei, the Warriors marched triumphantly forward, claiming a three-game winning streak. Notably, their first two victories came against formidable opponents like the Thunder and the Bulls. The Warriors averaged 129 points per game, shooting an impressive 56% from the field and 49% from beyond the arc. Lin Fei was unanimously named the Western Conference Player of the Week, while LeBron James claimed the honor in the East. The Warriors were rightfully regarded as the best team in the West, exactly as the pundits had anticipated.

In truth, many players had secured three-game winning streaks to start the season, but never before had any team in the current league possessed such an overwhelming aura of dominance as the Warriors. This included the Heat and the Lakers, teams universally favored by experts, because their victories lacked the explosive, unstoppable nature of the Warriors' wins. Against the Warriors, any powerhouse team seemed ephemeral; their true rivals existed only in legends—such as the 2000 Lakers team that went 16-1 in the playoffs, the Celtics' legendary 33-game winning streak, or the 72-win Bulls of the regular season. Every single game, the arena echoed with chants for the MVP.

Lin Fei’s performances were undeniably god-tier, prompting wild daydreams among numerous franchises.

The Hornets offered up Chris Paul, and the Magic even put Dwight Howard on the table.

Panic began to ripple through various front offices, not least among the Lakers. The aging point guard, Derek Fisher, was destined to be completely exposed when matched up against Lin Fei; they desperately needed an elite, speed-driven point guard merely to attempt to contain him.

Before long, people across the league began to fantasize about Lin Fei joining forces with a megastar—speculating on combinations with Kobe Bryant, or even rumors of the Heat proposing a trade involving Dwyane Wade...

Consequently, many of the league's top-tier players began to fret about being traded. Numerous individuals scrambled to prove their worth to the team, knowing that failure to do so could easily land them on the trading block.

Merchants and sponsors began calculating how to secure Lin Fei’s endorsement contracts. He was, without a doubt, a cash cow.

Overnight, authentic Lin Fei jerseys completely sold out.

Simultaneously, reporters began digging into Lin Fei’s lineage going back three generations, investigating his personal connections and relationships.

As for his romantic life, a slew of rumored partners, tall tales about how many women he had slept with—true or false—all surfaced at once, impossible to stem. None of this had been visible during the offseason; the moment the games began, it all came rushing in.

Scouts began to re-evaluate world basketball, and basketball analysts even started analyzing Lin Fei’s cellular makeup to trace the origins of his astonishing basketball prowess.

Everything was utter chaos.

Yet, this was the nature of the game.

This chain reaction was nothing short of a butterfly effect.

Experts began to jest that a single glance from Lin Fei might cause tremors throughout the entire league.

The darling of the heavens, Lin Fei, bore that title deservedly.

However, as the old saying goes, the higher one climbs, the harder one falls, and the more painful the injury. Having reached such towering heights, should Lin Fei ever have an off night, it would inevitably invite mockery from detractors. While these critics represented only a tiny fraction compared to Lin Fei’s massive fan base, they were undoubtedly a force that could not be ignored. Some even began nitpicking flaws in his personality, arguing that a lack of on-court ruthlessness and his gentle, gentlemanly demeanor rendered him unsuited to be a team's alpha. Just think about it: if you are an elite player, failing to win a championship will forever make you a target for endless attacks. Looking further back, there was Karl Malone and Charles Barkley; looking closer to the present, there was LeBron James. LeBron had led his teams to the finals multiple times—which, to many, might be enough—yet he was LeBron. Much like Allen Iverson back in the day, who carried a lackluster Eastern Conference team to the Finals in his lone appearance, Iverson was met with universal praise from the outside world, whereas LeBron received nothing but cynical jeers and mockery. If LeBron wished to salvage his reputation, winning a championship ring was his sole path forward.

Perhaps this adage struck the deepest chord: If you desire to be the leader, the very first thing you must learn is how to face criticism with equanimity. Everyone must forge their path through the fire of criticism.

Game four brought a matchup against the Bucks. Many might recall how, last season, people frequently compared Lin Fei to the Bucks' rookie sensation who dropped 55 points, Brandon Jennings. Yet this season, everyone had entirely forgotten that comparison, because it was now glaringly obvious that the two were simply not in the same stratosphere. Facing Jennings once more, Lin Fei orchestrated another epic performance, racking up an astonishing 45 points—his highest scoring output of the young season. This performance elevated his season scoring average to a staggering 40 points per game, firmly entrenching him at the summit of the scoring charts. He left the league's current "second-leading scorer," Carmelo Anthony, nearly 8 points behind, and distanced himself from last season's toughest rival, Kevin Durant, by a full 10 points—a truly unbelievable feat. In the history of the league, aside from Wilt Chamberlain, no one had ever delivered such breathtaking displays. Initially, many had compared Lin Fei to Allen Iverson or Michael Jordan, perhaps views held solely by die-hard fans of those legends. Now, however, an increasing number of people grew convinced that Lin Fei’s career would never mirror the tragic, tumultuous simplicity of Iverson's trajectory.

Game five pitted them against the Hornets. Over the past three seasons, Chris Paul could arguably be considered Lin Fei’s nemesis. Even when facing elite perimeter defenders like Rajon Rondo, Lin Fei treated scoring like taking candy from a baby—he could practically break Rondo’s ankles with his crossovers—yet against Paul, his usual offensive wizardry was difficult to deploy. In this game, Lin Fei managed "only" 30 points, marking his lowest scoring output of the new season, yet he still comfortably maintained the top spot on the scoring leaderboard.

Fueled by Lin Fei’s erratic, storm-like performances averaging 38 points per game, the Warriors extended their winning streak to five to start the season, matching the predictions of many astute analysts.

The official MVP ladder was released, with Lin Fei surpassing Dwight Howard and LeBron James to claim the number one spot, conquering all before him.

It was only at this moment that people truly began to form a new understanding of Lin Fei. A player capable of rewriting endless statistical limits possessed the absolute power to alter the course of a game; he was undeniably destined to rule the hardwood.

Rarely in league history had a point guard achieved absolute dominance over the game. Analysts were accustomed to seeing players like Dwight Howard or LeBron James exert overwhelming force, showcasing immense value on both ends of the floor. Yet now, upon witnessing Lin Fei, people began to realize that if you are exceptional enough, you can completely rule the court by mastering the offensive end alone. Many might find it hard to believe, but Lin Fei made it a reality. In truth, numerous floor generals in league history could orchestrate the offense—such as multi-time MVP Steve Nash or Magic Johnson of yesteryear—yet none of them had ever attempted to dominate a game purely through scoring. It was almost unimaginable, as it essentially upended the foundational laws of basketball.

Of course, for Lin Fei and the Warriors, it was far too early to speak of "victory." The next game promised to be another grueling battle as the Warriors prepared to accept the challenge of the storied Celtics. In the eyes of many experts, the primary narrative of the matchup boiled down to a duel between two elite point guards, but Lin Fei appeared entirely unconcerned with such storylines.