Chapter Thirty-six: Double Control – The Stag’s Play

As the new season dawned, the Warriors were primed and ready, their roster complete. When ESPN commented on the team, they said it was impossible to envision just how much room for improvement the Warriors had this year. The rise of Lin Fei and Keynes, the presence of center Crowder and power forward Jobs anchoring the paint, the versatile swingman Ax, and the playmaking point guard Curry—along with Coach Nelson—made for a formidable squad that would strike fear into their opponents. They were the most likely disruptors in the West; even the powerhouse Lakers, Mavericks, and Spurs could be dethroned by the Warriors.

Lin Fei, entering his second season, was the consensus favorite to break out. He had emerged as a superstar rookie late in the previous year, coming tantalizingly close to claiming both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man honors—especially impressive in a draft class as strong as that, with fierce rivals like Ridnour. Lin Fei was truly a rare talent.

He never wasted the opportunities earned through hard work. Training was never abandoned, not even when others believed his form had become ghostlike and his shooting had reached an otherworldly level. Lin Fei understood that only relentless practice could keep a player in peak condition. Many claimed his shooting precision was innate, but only he knew how much effort he had invested.

The season opener pitted the Warriors against the Bucks, a team whose recent seasons had been middling at best. Often, their woes were due to injuries—especially their pillar, center and former first overall pick Bogut, whose defensive prowess had grown significantly. They also had the once-superb youngster Brandon Jennings, and Redd, a player who once dominated headlines and routinely drained five or six threes in a game, plus other talented athletes like Gooden.

Lin Fei knew that after his incredible three-minute, twenty-eight-point performance, many had compared him to Jennings, as both had achieved miracles.

Coach Nelson, after a long offseason, seemed to have developed new ideas for his run-and-gun strategy. Previously, Nelson had sought to cultivate a super point guard—someone like Nash, who could organize the offense flawlessly. Now, he seemed intent on making every player capable of running the offense, orchestrating plays, and attacking with the ball in hand.

Nelson was now experimenting with Jobs, Ax, Keynes, and others initiating offense, focusing on honing their fast-break abilities, turning the game into an attacker’s paradise.

When reporters asked Lin Fei about his ambitions for the season, he simply replied that he hoped to help the Warriors reach the playoffs. Golden State fans had tasted postseason only once in over a decade, and the playoffs were the NBA’s most thrilling stage—a realm reserved for the superstars.

Would Lin Fei continue as the premier Sixth Man this season? Many wanted to know. When the players were announced, the answer was revealed: Lin Fei remained a substitute. Since it was an away game, the boos were especially loud when he entered; many wanted to see how this young man, nearly on par with their city’s own star, would perform.

Many Warriors fans and Lin Fei’s own supporters were disappointed—he was still coming off the bench.

The game began with both teams sticking to their familiar lineups. Curry matched up against Jennings, and after a season of refinement, both had become more skilled. Curry, perhaps pushed by Lin Fei’s meteoric rise, had also trained hard to retain his starting spot. Jennings had matured into a true team leader; his progress directly determined the Bucks’ prospects.

Coach Nelson's methods worked wonders—the Warriors’ offense flowed like water. Every player was passing, organizing, shooting, and scoring on the move, grabbing offensive boards in stride. It seemed every possession was a fast break. The Bucks’ defense was solid by league standards, but no matter how they adjusted, they had no answer to the Warriors' style. No team in league history had ever played in such a frenzied manner. To many, it appeared they were simply chasing speed, disregarding accuracy, likely leading to numerous turnovers and raising concerns about the players’ stamina.

Jennings’ playmaking had improved markedly. He aspired to be a point guard in the mold of Nash and was working tirelessly in that direction. His scoring, too, was formidable—though streaky. When cold, he couldn’t score even if left unguarded; when hot, he could drop thirty points in a single quarter, slaying any foe. Tonight, it seemed Jennings was on fire. At the start, Curry and Jennings traded baskets, but overall, Jennings’ scoring outmatched Curry’s, and Bogut’s defense proved formidable, leaving Crowder and Jobs with little recourse inside. In the opening quarter, the Warriors’ players, full of energy, overwhelmed their opponents, but by the end, fatigue began to set in from their relentless pace. The Bucks started to recover from their early deficit. Lin Fei remained sidelined as the first quarter ended.

At the start of the second quarter, Coach Nelson subbed Keynes out for Lin Fei, putting Lin Fei at shooting guard alongside Curry in a dual-point guard setup, clearly aiming to keep the offensive barrage going. With Lin Fei entering, Curry took on Redd defensively, and Lin Fei directly matched up against Jennings. Jennings, facing Lin Fei, immediately launched a crisp three-pointer from the forty-five-degree angle, catching Lin Fei seemingly distracted on defense.

When it was Lin Fei’s turn to attack, he organized at midcourt, broke through to the same forty-five-degree spot, rose, and sank a shot in the same manner as Jennings.

Was this a provocation?

The Bucks pressed forward; Jennings controlled the ball and drove, but Lin Fei’s quick footwork and solid frame blocked his path. Jennings then passed to Redd, stationed at the corner three. Curry rushed to contest, but Redd, still exuding the aura of his prime, fired away. The ball arced high and dropped cleanly through the net.

No sooner had the ball hit the net than the Warriors inbounded, passing to the running Curry. Curry and Lin Fei executed a two-on-one fast break, penetrating the Bucks’ paint. Curry fed Lin Fei a bank shot, and Lin Fei, energized, leapt high and slammed the ball viciously into the hoop.

It seemed this game was only getting more interesting.