A 93-point three-point attribute, boosted by the 40% Critical Strike Aura effect, can skyrocket directly to 95 points.
Lin Yu had played games like 2K or NBA Live in his previous life. A 95-point single attribute was already considered legendary-level, the kind that could rank among the all-time greats.
Unfortunately, these seemingly powerful stats felt like a waste on Legler.
His ball-handling was abysmal, and his three fundamental attributes were weak, making it impossible for him to shake his defender. When matched up against tough defenders, they could hold him down completely, leaving him unable to get a shot off.
Of course, solutions existed. Using pick-and-roll tactics to create shooting space for Legler could maximize his three-point potential.
But what style of play does Bullet employ? Even Shuxin lacks a tactical system tailored to it—would Linam bother devising plays for Legler?
Even if Linam were willing, who would set screens for Legler?
Murray certainly couldn't manage it. He's lucky if he can stand in the frontcourt for a moment—expecting him to run plays?
Shuxin, Howard, and Flying Saucer are cut from the same cloth—could they even serve as functional screens for Legler?
Lin Yu glanced at the dark circles under his eyes and sighed inwardly. What a little unlucky guy. If he were on a Jazz team that excelled at pick-and-rolls, his life would be so much easier.
"Alright, I'll give you a chance. But not now. After we get back tonight, I'll design a specific play just for you."
Lin Yu patted Leger on the shoulder and sighed.
"Ding! Tim Leger's favorability has increased. Current favorability: 60 points."
Lin Yu muttered under his breath that fringe players were so easy to fool—just a vague promise, and his favorability shot up another 20 points.
...
The first quarter was nearing its end, and Lin Yu hadn't made a single substitution, keeping the starting five on the court the entire time.
Players like Uncle Weber were young and full of stamina; playing a full quarter was no big deal. Besides, Lin Yu was sure this game would enter garbage time before the third quarter was over. Then both teams would bring in their bench squads, giving the Webers plenty of time to rest.
Ben played the entire first quarter, logging 12 minutes and single-handedly racking up 7 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal. He completely dominated his veteran counterpart, Radia, on both ends of the court.
In the second quarter, Ben maintained his first-quarter dominance, overwhelming Radia, who couldn't mount any resistance. He added another 6 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and three blocks to his stats.
After just one and a half quarters, Big Ben had already exploded for 11 points, 25 rebounds, five assists, six blocks, and one steal. Fueled by his explosive performance, the Bullets built a massive 56-31 halftime lead.
The Celtics, a team built for tanking, saw the gap widening and opted not to fight back. They pulled most starters at the start of the second half, fielding an all-bench lineup.
Lin Yu remained composed. Looking at Big Ben's stats, if he kept playing, he was sure to break the single-game rebounding record held by Hakeem Olajuwon since 1985.
The old oak's record stands at just 35 rebounds, yet Big Ben already had 25 by halftime. Given his form tonight, grabbing another 10 rebounds in the second half would be a piece of cake.
He even had a chance to challenge the quadruple-double record!
Unfortunately, the game had entered garbage time. Pushing for stats at this point wouldn't bring glory—it would only tarnish his career.
After the final buzzer, the crowd erupted in wild cheers for Big Ben.
It had been ages since they savored such a thoroughly dominant victory. Big Ben's emergence filled them with hope for the Bullets' future.
Onseld and Bolin hadn't stopped smiling since tip-off.
Onseld was thrilled by how much Big Ben resembled his younger self. Perhaps Lin Yu was right—if he could return to his prime, he'd still be that bone-crushing force in the paint that struck fear into opponents across the league.
Boling's joy stemmed from a different calculation: for the next two years, he'd only need to spend $150,000 annually to secure the league's premier blue-collar big man. With Lin Yu's promise of generating significant revenue for the team potentially coming true, Boling saw a golden opportunity.
Saving a fortune while gaining the chance to rake in even more—low investment, high returns. Any businessman would be over the moon.
"Coach, can you guarantee your job?"
After the game, Big Ben approached Lin Yu, panting slightly as he spoke.
During his entire time on the court, he dared not relax for a single second. Protecting Lin Yu became his sole purpose on the court, fighting tooth and nail in every offensive and defensive play. He was terrified that, just as Lin Yu had said, he might never see him again after tonight.
"We did it, Ben! We protected him!"
Lin Yu embraced Big Ben with a smile.
"That's good. Coach, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
Ben let out a long sigh of relief. Since the game ended, he hadn't even glanced at his stats—his entire focus had been on Lin Yu.
"Of course you'll see me. But if you're lucky, you'll see me every day until you land that max contract."
"Then I'd rather not have a max contract. I want to play under you." Ben said, sounding dazed.
If anyone else had said that, it would have sounded insincere, but coming from Ben, it felt utterly genuine.
"Hey, you two, cut the mushy stuff! Are you two putting on a Romeo and Juliet show here?"
Old Bone Crusher had crept up unnoticed. In a rare good mood, he skipped his usual threats of crushing testicles and instead teased Lin Yu and Big Ben.
"You're something else, kid! I knew I hadn't misjudged you back then!"
"Signing you down might be the smartest move I've ever made. Your talent absolutely surpasses what I had at your age!"
Old Grinder gave Big Ben extremely high praise. Lin Yu stood by, his jaw dropping. Usually, these old-timers loved to glorify the past and belittle the present—no one would admit they were inferior to modern players.
It looks like Old Grinder couldn't genuinely admire Big Ben enough.
"Lin, don't get too excited just yet. You still have two more games to go."
"Losing to the Hawks isn't the end of the world, but you have to win against the Hornets—and win big!"
"I'm going to make that old geezer Dave suffer!"
The "old geezer Dave" Onseld referred to was none other than Hall of Famer Dave Cowens.
Their careers overlapped almost entirely. Both played center, facing off countless times. Whether in win percentage or individual stats, Onseld consistently outshone Cowens.
Even more embarrassing was that when Cowens coached the Eastern Conference Hornets two years prior, their record far surpassed Onseld's Bullets.
Defeated as a player, then again in retirement, the Old Bone Crusher seethed with resentment toward Cowens.
But come the NBA's 75th anniversary in another two decades, Unseld would finally have reason to smile. Ranked 48th among the league's 75 greatest stars, he outshone his longtime rival Dave Cowens, who landed at number 61.
Following protocol, a post-match press conference was held. Onseld led Lin Yu and Daben to attend, leaving the other players behind.
No sooner had they arrived than the veteran, grabbing the microphone before any questions were asked, began to boast about himself.
"You must still be wondering why the Bullets appointed a 26-year-old as interim head coach. Tonight provided the perfect answer."
"Young talent simply outshines us old-timers. His vision and approach consistently surprise me."
"I'm confident the Bullets will achieve great results this season under Lin Yu's leadership."
No sooner had Onseld finished speaking than reporters began raising their hands to ask questions.
"Wes, how 'great' do you mean? Tonight's blowout win doesn't prove much—don't forget you just suffered four straight losses."
"The Bullets are currently tenth in the Eastern Conference with only a third of the season left. Could you miss the playoffs entirely this year?"
These blunt, cold-water questions from the reporters made Onseld and Lin Yu visibly displeased.
They'd just secured a big win, yet these journalists kept rubbing salt in the wound, bringing up topics no one wanted to hear.
If not for the public media presence, Onseld feared he'd be cursing again, threatening to kick someone's balls.
Lin Yu picked up the microphone in front of him, cleared his throat, and declared, "The playoffs? That's absolutely not our goal."
"Our goal is to reach the Finals. Only the Bulls are worthy opponents for us."
"Half a month! I only need half a month to prove my words."
Initially, Lin Yu had no intention of making a big splash. In his previous life, he too believed in quietly amassing wealth.
But the reporter's words just now struck a chord. He had already been reborn through transmigration—was he really going to keep his tail between his legs?
What fun would this life hold then?
Better to live boldly and fiercely, following his heart. With the system by his side, how bad could things possibly get?
Lin Yu's brazen declaration left the reporters speechless below the stage. The NBA had no shortage of arrogant players, but someone as audacious as Lin Yu was truly rare.
A team ranked tenth in the East dared declare that only the dynasty Bulls were worthy opponents?
Who would buy such nonsense?
Not even Onseld believed it. Yet he couldn't undermine Lin Yu. Shrugging his shoulders, he replied awkwardly, "Whether you believe it or not, I certainly do."