Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Triple-Double Legacy
The Warriors’ first East Coast road trip of the new season ended with a 4-1 record. The revamped Miami Heat were the ones who gave the Warriors trouble on this trip. Their younger lineup gave them the ability to push the pace against the Warriors. Jermaine O’Neal and "The Flash" Dwyane Wade’s combined 70 points at American Airlines Arena turned Zack’s 39 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks into a wasted effort that night.
Wade, who suffered a sweep at the hands of the Warriors in last year’s Finals, finally defended his "turf" this time. And Shaquille O’Neal, who was at home but still caught strays, unfortunately became the most awkward person. Winning isn’t scary, but Shaq, who becomes awkward when he’s not there, was instantly "trending" on social media in Los Angeles and Miami the night the Warriors lost.
Without that championship where he scored just 5 points in a Finals game, and without that "fig leaf," O’Neal now faced not just losing his dignity and face in this massive reckoning by Los Angeles and Miami, but also his historical standing and past glorious achievements were all being scrutinized.
In the 1990s, "The Dream" Hakeem Olajuwon, who once dominated as the best of the four great centers, did indeed encounter "ominous signs" in the twilight of his career. But unlike O’Neal, since Olajuwon had "roots," the Houston media, feeling they had to help out in this large-scale activity to re-evaluate O’Neal’s historical status, immediately brought up the 1995 Finals where the Rockets swept the Magic 4-0, and questioned: "How can a player who has been swept six times in his career, and twice in the Finals, shamelessly claim his dominance can rival Michael Jordan?"
In his prime, O’Neal never took anyone seriously, not even Michael Jordan. In O’Neal’s view, since Jordan’s successor, Kobe, was only fit to tie his shoes, then that old man Jordan just took advantage of him being young back then. In Zack’s previous life, O’Neal was able to use his charisma to secure a graceful exit, relying on the fourth championship he won by riding on Wade’s coattails and building a "hero in decline" persona in his later years.
But now, O’Neal’s situation has the momentum of "when a wall falls, everyone pushes." In competitive sports, this is also something people love to see.
However, compared to enjoying the news reports dissecting O’Neal, through the first seven games of the 2006-07 season, Zack had already deeply felt the difference between this season and the last. If the 2005-06 season was the strictest season for enforcing the rules after the NBA abolished the Hand-Check rule, then the 2006-07 season is a season where offense and defense coexist.
Before the regular season began, the league specifically held a referee meeting to discuss the officiating standards for the new season. This routine referee meeting originally didn’t attract much attention, but as Zack’s long-dead memories were gradually awakened by the officiating standards... if Zack remembered correctly, in the 2006-07 season, the NBA would tacitly allow teams to use stronger, more intense, and more physical defense in certain games. These games included key matchups for each team and the playoffs.
Current NBA Commissioner David Stern lived through the wild 80s. He knows better than anyone how ugly the NBA was back then when it was just offense for offense’s sake. In Stern’s view, offense certainly wins more fans, but if the competitive intensity brought by defense is lost, the NBA will eventually lose its competitiveness.
So, how can we describe the league’s adjustment to officiating standards before the regular season? The most direct impact is that historically, among the 11 teams that consecutively made the playoffs in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, 7 of them saw a significant drop in their average free throws compared to the 2005-06 season. As for the other 4 teams, besides the special case of the Suns (1: Historically, Amar’e Stoudemire only played 3 regular season games in 2005-06, leading to the Suns lacking an inside scoring threat), 2 of them saw a decrease in their star players’ average free throws compared to 2005-06.
In Zack’s memory, only the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James in the 2006-07 playoffs managed to not only avoid a decrease in their team’s and star player’s average free throws, but even saw a slight increase.
In short, in some games of the 2006-07 season, with the tacit approval of the NBA’s "director," more aggressive physicality and tougher defense are bound to have a certain impact on shooting-heavy teams like the Warriors. Additionally, the reduction of "star calls" will also accelerate the offensive burden on star players on the court.
Although Zack knew very well that the league would make these adjustments even without him, among the public, as people scrambled to notice the significantly different officiating standards compared to last season, many still believed that the league’s move was entirely aimed at Zack, the legendary rookie.
On a certain forum, a post titled "I Only Used One Season to Force the League to Change Rules for Me" instantly sparked heated discussion among domestic fans about the NBA’s officiating standards. This post analyzed the Warriors’ seven games from multiple angles and pointed out that Zack had been robbed of 11 "and-one" opportunities by referees in the new season alone.
"The NBA is clearly targeting my Brother Zack!"
"Exactly, why can Big Yao frequently go to the free-throw line on the same plays, while my Brother Zack just gets beaten up?"
"Brother, the key is that Brother Zack isn’t as accurate from the free-throw line as Big Yao! The NBA deducting so many free throws from him, isn’t that just plain bullying?" (Zack: ?)
Zack never expected that the NBA’s adjustment, which was purely to improve the overall viewing experience of the games, would indirectly help him gain more popularity. Besides Asia, a large number of fans in the United States also felt sorry for him.
"How much does the NBA dislike an Asian player being the face of the league?"
"Last season, they sent that damned thief Steve Nash to steal the Messiah’s regular season MVP trophy, and now they’re doing this blatant targeting?"
"Looking at it from another angle, doesn’t this fully prove that the Messiah is currently the most dominant player in the NBA?"
Is Zack the most dominant player in the current NBA? Even the notoriously confident individual himself believes his dominance still needs time to be proven.
However, in the Warriors’ first month of the new season, under the new framework built by Mike Malone, Zack allowed the fans of this era to experience what it means to be a ball-dominant, do-it-all player ahead of time.
In 15 regular season games, he averaged 30.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 9.4 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals. He leads the league in scoring. He ranks first in rebounds per game. He’s second only to Steve Nash in assists per game. He’s at the top of the list in blocks per game.
Compared to the future Nikola Jokic, Zack is undoubtedly lucky. Because in the current era, fans are far from desensitized to Zack’s stats, which are incredibly close to averaging a "30+ triple-double."
Oscar Robertson, who achieved an average of "30+ triple-double" in the 1961-62 season, said in an interview: "I’ve watched him play in person, his playing style is extremely tough, and I believe he would succeed in any era. The only minor flaw is that this kid never worries about stats, otherwise his post-game box scores would definitely be even more impressive."
Golden State Warriors, wearing jersey number 30, receiving praise from "The Triple-Double King" Oscar Robertson... Is this reasonable? This is highly unreasonable! In Zack’s previous life, Robertson had publicly criticized the Warriors’ star player, Stephen Curry, more than once.
But actually, if you just think about it for a moment, it becomes clear why Robertson praises Zack and criticizes Curry. Because Zack’s repeated triple-doubles in games are bound to remind people of Robertson. Therefore, if Robertson publicly criticized Zack, wouldn’t he be discrediting himself?
Furthermore, the NBA of the current era continues the playing style of the 1990s. Coupled with O’Neal’s previous example, Robertson is destined to only praise and laud Zack. As for the Curry in Zack’s memory? With Curry’s not-dark-enough skin tone, how else could he integrate into the predominantly Black community that also considers skin color if he wasn’t criticized a bit?
Of course, in Zack’s memory, there were many other reasons why Robertson didn’t like Curry. But this doesn’t stop Robertson from becoming Zack’s fan. Especially in the NBA, which always emphasizes "legacy."
Robertson, overjoyed to witness a young player on the court achieve statistics close to averaging a "30+ triple-double" after more than forty years, even publicly stated, "If this kid doesn’t win this season’s regular season MVP, I’d be very surprised."
It’s worth mentioning... Zack, who attracted Robertson’s attention through his stats, also unlocked a hidden quest on this day.
"Legendary Quest [Triple-Double King] has been triggered. Oscar Robertson, who wishes to pass the torch to you, eagerly anticipates you achieving an average of ’30+ triple-double’ this season. Please fulfill this elder’s earnest expectation.
Quest Completion Condition: Host’s 2006-07 season average stats cannot be lower than ’30+10+10’ (Points + Rebounds + Assists).
Quest Completion Reward: [Triple-Double King] Badge.
[Triple-Double King]: This badge will grant the host additional improvements in vision, observation, anticipation, reaction, and defensive rebounding attributes."
Originally, before receiving this quest, Zack didn’t have any particular fondness for Oscar Robertson, this ancient elder. The day after receiving the quest, he "accidentally" ran into reporters and said, "You know, Oscar Robertson has always been a role model for us young players. In his second season, he created the myth of averaging ’30+ triple-double.’ And I’m also in my second season, so if I can replicate this myth this season, I think that would undoubtedly be my best tribute to this role model."
A role model for young players. If you don’t know, just ask: for Robertson, who had been out of the league for many years at this point, what could make him happier than receiving additional validation from the NBA’s new generation of stars?
So, to facilitate this joyous occasion, this incredibly coincidental "triple-double legacy" spanning over forty years and both in their second seasons, Robertson once again stated a day later, "I’m very happy that there are still young players in the NBA who remember us elders. I will always carry my affection for him, pray for him, and wish him a triple-double every night."
In December, Zack, receiving the oral and practical teachings from Robertson, who could also be called "Master Splinter" (2: Splinter, the sensei of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), had already donned that thick turtle shell and officially moved into the sewers.
Before the Christmas Day game, Zack, who had already recorded 13 triple-doubles, even tied his rookie season’s single-season triple-double count in less than two months. Furthermore, Zack’s assist-to-turnover ratio this season reached an astonishing 3.5:1. It’s well-known that in the NBA, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.5:1 is considered excellent. Therefore, this assist-to-turnover ratio fully proves the quality of Zack’s assist numbers.
According to the schedule, the Warriors will face the SuperSonics in a "Asia Derby" on Christmas Day this year. As of Christmas Day, the Warriors are 23-6, ranking second in the Western Conference, while the SuperSonics are 22-7, ranking fourth in the Western Conference.
This is the first regular season matchup between two Western Conference powerhouses with distinct styles. The Warriors are the fastest-paced team in the NBA this season, averaging nearly 86 possessions per game. The SuperSonics are a typical half-court offense team, averaging only 75 possessions per game. Although SuperSonics head coach Rick Carlisle isn’t a defensive coach, with Yao Ming and Kevin Garnett in the half-court set, Carlisle clearly wouldn’t actively seek to speed up the game.
The SuperSonics’ offense primarily relies on their high success rate. Just as in Zack’s memory, Yao Ming has officially entered his career prime this season. Historically, the 2006-07 Yao Ming averaged 25 points with over 60% true shooting percentage. This is an incredibly impressive statistic. And in this life, with Garnett by his side, Yao Ming will only be more terrifying.
Because Garnett has always been associated with various mocking labels like "fighting and retreating while shooting" and "tough pull-up jumper," many people have misunderstood his actual strength. But in reality, besides a slightly weaker ability to score against tough defense, Garnett in his prime was an absolute six-tool player. With his height and long arms, he possessed lateral quickness that typical power forwards couldn’t match, and when necessary, he could even switch to guard opposing guards on the perimeter. Furthermore, on offense, Garnett, who consistently put up "20+10+5" stat lines, was also a power forward with excellent playmaking ability. His height and vision allowed him to easily pass the ball to Yao Ming in half-court sets. Even on defense, Garnett before gaining weight could use his sweeping ability to form a despair-inducing "Wall of Sighs" with Yao Ming.
In early December, the SuperSonics’ dominant 98-67 road win over the Cavaliers was a classic example. On the court at that time... no matter how hard LeBron James tried, he couldn’t get past them. James shot just 4-for-21 in the entire game, barely reaching double-digits in points thanks to free throws. As for his teammate, Shaquille O’Neal? True, O’Neal still put up "16+8" this regular season. But given his severely regressed athleticism at this point, do you know how desperate it is for him to face Yao Ming and Garnett simultaneously?
This season, the fantastic chemistry between Yao Ming and Kevin Garnett is so good that even SuperSonics fans can’t believe it. And Ray Allen, the divine three-point shooter Zack "saluted" with a throat-slash gesture in his rookie season, has been taking out all his frustrations from last season on the court under Carlisle’s "pistol offense." Having an unguardable strong point in the paint is definitely the greatest blessing for perimeter players. This new season, Ray Allen is attempting 9 three-pointers per game, making 4 of them, with an unbelievably ridiculous 45% three-point percentage—it’s so absurd, it’s like "ridiculous’s mom opened the door for ridiculous to come home to."
As ESPN described, this is a team that is nearly perfect in all aspects except for the point guard position. It’s also a team that Zack had already marked as a "deadly threat."
Oracle Arena.
As one of the most anticipated games on Christmas night, this Christmas Day matchup was both a "Asia Derby" and a direct confrontation between Western Conference powerhouses. So, even during the pre-game warm-up, players from both teams sensed the extraordinary nature of this game.
Due to the influence of Yao Ming, Ray Allen, who had to give face to fans even if he didn’t want to give it to Zack, didn’t cast his chilling gaze towards the Warriors’ half-court during warm-ups. However, Zack, who always treats everyone equally, clearly hadn’t forgotten what Ray Allen said last year. During warm-ups, whenever Zack made eye contact with Ray Allen
, he would point to the championship banner hanging from the rafters.However... what Zack didn’t know was that this action of his, which was merely to remind Ray Allen that he was now a champion player, had inadvertently broken the composure of both Yao Ming and Kevin Garnett.
Yes, Ray Allen hadn’t touched the Finals floor. But... had Yao Ming and Kevin Garnett? Seeing Zack’s self-satisfied expression on the opposite half of the court, the SuperSonics’ Big Three all simultaneously made a silent vow.
Normally, in this situation, Garnett would have actively approached Zack to exchange some trash talk. But alas... Zack’s identity as a player made Garnett always treat him differently. As early as last season, Garnett had already shown how much he wanted to play the role of a kind senior in front of Zack. And what’s more, Garnett’s inside partner this season is Yao Ming?
Even so, Garnett couldn’t tolerate Zack constantly humiliating him with the championship.
"Hey, Yao, can you teach me a few phrases to cuss people out?"
English trash talk is indeed crude. But if I unleash elegant , how would you respond, sir?
At center court, just as the starting players from both teams took their positions, Garnett, who had been practicing for nearly thirty minutes, suddenly jabbered and roared at Zack for a while. Confused, Zack could only turn his gaze to Yao Ming.
Seeing this, Yao Ming translated, "He means he’s going to use his handsome basketball shoes to kick your foolish groundhog self to death later."
Zack: "..."
Honestly, Yao Ming is indeed a player with a great sense of humor. No wonder Garnett spent thirty minutes and still couldn’t learn that phrase properly.
On the court, after the jump ball, it was Warriors’ possession. Although Garnett didn’t respond to Zack with his usual trash talk before the game, Zack quickly experienced firsthand the difference between Kevin Garnett in full-power mode and the Kevin Garnett he faced last season.
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