Chapter Sixty-Seven: An Unexpected Delight

Lin Fei walked into the training court humming a tune, calling out as he entered. The court was unusually quiet; everyone was gathered around a single spot, seemingly a table, standing motionless. It was nothing like the usual scene where warm-ups began immediately. The fact that they were clustered around a table made it all the more peculiar. Lin Fei was utterly baffled.

"Come on!" everyone beckoned Lin Fei over, which only deepened his confusion.

With a hint of suspicion, Lin Fei approached.

"Closer!" they all wore strange, mischievous smiles.

Lin Fei edged forward cautiously, certain it was another of their pranks.

As he drew near, everyone suddenly parted, revealing a three-tiered cake placed on the table. Two teammates lifted it and hurled it straight at Lin Fei’s face.

Despite his lightning speed on the court, Lin Fei had never faced such a situation.

"Oh! My God!" he was stunned.

"Lin, congratulations on being named a starting All-Star guard! The league’s vote puts you first among Western guards. You and Kobe will be the starting backcourt for the West."

"Oh! Unbelievable!" Lin Fei was at a loss for words. His Warriors teammates had given him such a tremendous gift, and even Coach Nelson was joining in, foregoing practice to celebrate his selection as an All-Star starter. For the first time, Lin Fei felt a profound sense of family within the team.

"Your votes surpassed even Kobe’s. You really are a lucky kid!" someone said.

"It’s been ages since our team had an All-Star. Ha, today is truly wonderful!"

"Haha, looks like you won’t be joining us for beer and vacation, Lin Fei!" Keyes joked.

Lin Fei kept repeating his thanks.

The All-Star results: Western starters were Kobe and Lin Fei at guard, Durant and Duncan at forward, Yao Ming at center. Eastern All-Stars: Rose and Wade at guard, James and Anthony at forward, Howard at center.

There was much anticipation for the East-West All-Star showdown: Howard and Yao, two dominant centers, yet their duels rarely produced spectacular games. Durant and James—who truly ruled as the league’s premier small forward? Kobe and Wade, with Lin Fei needing to prove he remained the league’s top shooting guard, and Wade certainly wouldn’t concede. Now, with Rose and Lin Fei as the fresh faces, the excitement only grew. Rose, MVP and blessed with outstanding athleticism, speed, scoring, and passing, while Lin Fei specialized in speed and scoring—simple but mastered. A matchup between Rose and Lin Fei promised a feast for basketball fans.

Lin Fei and Rose had faced off in the regular season, but both underperformed, disappointing many. People often said Lin Fei could outscore Westbrook, Paul, and other guards, and Rose would be no exception. Rose, though, was the nemesis of small point guards. Some even claimed Rose didn’t need stats—only more dramatic moments in his highlight reel. What more could be said of such an assessment?

"Oh! Tomorrow we play the Celtics. Get back to training. I think Lin Fei’s All-Star selection is the greatest encouragement for our team," Nelson clapped his hands, signaling the players to return to work.

Lin Fei wiped the cake from his face and began his training. Yet nothing could dampen his joy. His shooting was exceptionally accurate, embodying the old saying: happiness brings high spirits.

He kept firing three-pointers from mid-range, obsessively focused on breaking Ray Allen’s single-season three-pointer record. He knew that three-point shooting was his signature, and if he wanted a lasting career in the NBA, he had to keep pushing that record.

Many asked Ray Allen how he felt about Lin Fei nearing his NBA single-season three-point record. Allen, always the gentleman known as the "Sword of Virtue," responded calmly: "This question has come up before—when I broke many of Miller’s three-point records. But that never diminished Miller’s brilliance, and it won’t diminish mine now. Lin Fei is constantly surpassing me, and I should be happy. Records exist to be broken." Such grace is rare in the NBA, a league dominated by muscle and rough play, where teams with elegant styles are hard to find. After over a decade in the league, Ray Allen seemed to have reached a state of calm acceptance, unmoved by glory or humiliation.

The Warriors would face the Celtics in an away game.

There was one Celtic who desperately needed to prove himself: Rondo, the league’s assist king. With Nash and Kidd aging, Rondo’s rise was a major storyline. The team’s shooting was abysmal, but Rondo had developed excellent passing skills. His aggressive defense had earned him a spot on the league’s All-Defensive Team, yet in the last game against the Warriors, he was badly shaken by someone’s explosive speed, left with a fractured bone. Perhaps it was mere chance, but even so, it was a blow the new generation superstar point guard could hardly bear. So, in this match, the one most eager to shine was undoubtedly Rondo, who dreamed of outplaying Lin Fei.

Lin Fei had been especially impressive with his assists in the previous game, fully showcasing his speed advantage in setting up plays. Many said he was unstoppable on offense. Yet everyone knew Lin Fei’s skills were open to critique; if his speed slowed even slightly, he struggled to organize the offense, particularly in half-court sets. Though he could deliver excellent passes, few believed he could consistently do so in half-court play.

When the game began, Rondo might have been disappointed, for Lin Fei was not in the starting lineup, further limiting his chance to prove himself.

Even without starting, Lin Fei was in high spirits. His All-Star selection was one thing, but he had never expected his teammates and coach to celebrate so wholeheartedly on his behalf.