Chapter 66: The All-Star Event Draws Nearer

Many people claimed that Lin Fei could only survive on the Warriors; it would be difficult for him to fit in with any other team. The Warriors’ system made assists almost effortless—their number of passes and offensive possessions led the league, so naturally, every player boasted impressive stats. In the eyes of many experts, most Warriors players were overrated; their individual abilities were far less remarkable than their numbers suggested.

On a certain sports gossip website, a selection process based on a slew of data led to a shocking conclusion: Lin Fei was, in fact, the most overrated player in the league. As soon as this statement was published, the site was bombarded by furious fans, and Lin Fei found himself thrust into the eye of the storm.

Consider this: typically, about a third of a team’s assists are provided by the point guard. Yet Lin Fei’s assist numbers fell well short of that proportion for his team. Even at his best, his assists never accounted for a third of the team’s total. From this perspective, Lin Fei was a severely underqualified point guard. Among all point guards in the league, Lin Fei ranked near the bottom in assists per minute.

Nevertheless, most people focused on Lin Fei’s scoring efficiency. He was maintaining a stunning pace, nearly scoring a point per minute—an efficiency unmatched by anyone else in the league.

Many suspected the website attacking Lin Fei was being manipulated, especially as All-Star voting was reaching a fever pitch. In the first round, Lin Fei’s votes soared above Kobe Bryant’s, which many fans of veteran stars found unacceptable; thus, some believed a website had been enlisted to publish a damning verdict and suppress Lin Fei’s popularity.

But by the second round of voting, Kobe and Lin Fei were neck and neck, both leading the Western Conference guard votes by a wide margin. Securing a starting spot in the All-Star Game seemed all but certain. Paul, Westbrook, Nash, and Kidd all lagged far behind in votes.

Meanwhile, in the list of players fans most wanted to see in the Three-Point Contest, Lin Fei led by a wide margin, followed by Ray Allen and Gibson—some of the league’s finest shooters. Clearly, Lin Fei’s signature three-point prowess had left a deep impression on the fans.

Fans also strongly advocated for Lin Fei to participate in the All-Star Skills Challenge. In terms of pure technical ability, Lin Fei might not stand out, but everyone was eager to see how his speed would manifest in the competition.

Lin Fei was a lock for the Rising Stars Challenge. Even with a talented crop of second-year rookies, Lin Fei shone the brightest. Though Ridnour’s numbers were impressive, Lin Fei’s run at the scoring title had made him irreplaceable among the sophomores.

Given the current situation, Lin Fei might participate in three, perhaps even four events, making him the league’s most anticipated player.

For most players, All-Star Weekend was eagerly awaited, a rare chance to rest after more than half a grueling season. Warriors players, however, would not allow themselves to relax completely—they knew their mission remained arduous. The Warriors had only made the playoffs once in the past decade; now that their chances were strong, there was no room for complacency.

Lin Fei himself was filled with excitement. It was his first time experiencing such grand spectacle. The All-Star Game—what kind of stage would it be?

That day, every newspaper in the Bay Area featured Lin Fei’s picture on the front page. He had become the darling of Golden State.

At the same time, Nellson harbored a lingering question. He couldn’t quite determine whether the Warriors’ rise this season was primarily due to his own tactical brilliance or Lin Fei’s explosive breakthrough. Not only he, but many experts were divided into two camps: one credited Nellson’s system as the main driver, arguing that even without Lin Fei, the Warriors’ offense remained sharp—sometimes even more fluid with Lin Fei off the court. The other side attributed the team’s resurgence to the emergence of young stars, especially Lin Fei and Keynes. Keynes, though not a huge offensive contributor, brought individual perimeter defense and relentless energy in a fast-paced system. Lin Fei, meanwhile, possessed a fearless and sometimes reckless style that could break open games when the team was in trouble, and his clutch playmaking was among the league’s best—he had already delivered several game-winners and near game-winners.

A few games remained before the All-Star break. Nellson deeply valued Lin Fei, but he was also eager to understand just how much Lin Fei truly contributed to the team. Only then could he optimize his rotations. While other franchises sought to bolster their rosters, Nellson preferred to dig deeper into the potential of his own squad. After all, if not for Lin Fei’s superhuman three-minute, twenty-eight-point explosion, he might have overlooked this rising star. Who else on his team was waiting to be discovered?

Lin Fei’s attention wasn’t fixed solely on the All-Star festivities. There was another statistic that held great meaning for him: he was averaging nearly six three-pointers made per game—an unprecedented feat. No one else in the league had ever reached this mark. For most teams, hitting six threes in a single game was a notable accomplishment; Lin Fei, however, did it with remarkable consistency, making him the Warriors’ deadliest weapon. He was on the verge of breaking every single-season three-point record. In fewer than fifty games, he had already notched 255 threes—just one shy of Ray Allen’s record of 256. And next, the Warriors were set to face the Celtics, Ray Allen’s own team. The prospect of Lin Fei breaking the record in front of Allen himself was thrilling.

In their previous meeting this season, the Warriors had caught the aging Celtics off guard, with Lin Fei famously crossing over Rondo so badly it nearly broke his ankles. The Celtics would surely be seeking revenge in the upcoming clash, making it one of the most anticipated games before All-Star Weekend. Every fan hoped their team would head into the break on a high note.