After a moment's thought, Weber nodded in agreement, taking it upon himself to communicate with Howard and arrange for him to serve as backup for one week.
If it had been a month, Weber would never have agreed. He and Howard shared an excellent relationship, and he wouldn't want his brother to suffer such a significant setback.
But just one week? That felt manageable to Weber.
He planned to cancel his upcoming appointments to discuss things with Howard and then quickly take Jalen Rose and the other two players under his wing.
...
Watching Webber walk away, Lin Yu's impression of him shifted significantly.
A few days prior, Webber had sided with Chaney, leaving Lin Yu somewhat displeased. Yet after witnessing the brawl on the court and today's events, Lin Yu could clearly sense that Webber was a true friend.
To help his old teammate advance his career, he'd willingly sit on the bench for a month—not every star player would make such a sacrifice.
Lin Yu didn't approach Howard directly about this, mainly because he doubted Howard would agree. Instead, he decided to leverage Webber's influence to make it happen.
Howard might refuse Lin Yu, but he couldn't turn down his old brother Webber.
Before he knew it, over a week had passed since Lin Yu's arrival. Even though his start had been remarkably smooth, he still had to plan every step, racking his brain daily meticulously.
By three o'clock in the afternoon, Weber approached Lin Yu with a look of mixed emotions.
"Coach, I've convinced Ben to sit out for a week. I hope you can fulfill your promise."
"Zhu Wan actually really didn't want Jalen to come to the Bullets. Once Jalen arrives, could you help me keep an eye on him?"
Gossip-mongering flames roared in Lin Yu's heart. "Why didn't he want Jalen to come? Aren't you two good brothers?"
Webber shook his head with a wry smile. "Who knows? Juwan can be like a woman sometimes—no one can figure him out."
Lin Yu began to speculate wildly. Could this be a love triangle involving Jalen? Was Howard worried that Jalen's arrival would strain his relationship with Webber?
"Ugh, maybe I've been reading too much entertainment gossip..."
Regardless, the starting spot for the General was secured. Lin Yu was ready to cash in big....
Half an hour before tip-off, Lin Yu announced tonight's starting lineup in the locker room as usual.
Center Big Ben, Power Forward Webber, Small Forward General, Shooting Guard Legler, and Point Guard Speedster.
When the news hit that Gran—who'd been coasting by on luck—was starting tonight, the locker room fell silent. Every pair of eyes was fixed on Lin Yu with utter disbelief.
They wondered if Lin Yu had lost his mind, making Howard come off the bench for Grant?!
Fei Che's shock knew no bounds. Lately, he'd been obsessed with palace intrigue, constantly scheming to expand his locker room influence. Seeing Howard "relegated" to the bench by Lin Yu only deepened his admiration for the coach's tactics.
The shock in Howard's heart was no less than Feiche's.
Howard was the highest-paid player on the Bullets, and now he was being benched for a guy averaging 3 points and two rebounds per game?
How the hell did Lin Yu pull this off?
"Alright, everyone, snap out of it."
"The Magic aren't weak, but our Bullets aren't the same team we used to be. Beating them should be a breeze."
"I have a feeling one of our players is going to make headlines tomorrow."
Lin Yu finished speaking and glanced at the General, his eyes brimming with encouragement.
With the Affinity system activated, Lin Yu could now view the General's attributes.
[Harvey Grant] (Five-Year Time Loop State)
[Strength 78][Speed 82][Vertical 85]
[Low Post Offense 71][Perimeter Defense 81][Rebounding 79][Blocking 72][Stealing 81]
[Mid-Range 83][Three-Point 37] [Free Throw 85][Passing 57][Ball Handling 73][Driving 85]
[Current Affinity 60, Enjoying 60% Aura Effect]
At first glance, these stats aren't particularly dazzling—none break the 90-point threshold. Yet they're remarkably balanced, covering every essential skill for a small forward while showcasing athletic talent well above average.
After all, he's a starter averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per game—his stats can't be subpar.
And don't forget that Blood of the Berserker further boosts the General's combat power. For every 7% stamina lost, he gains roughly a 1.2% increase across all attributes.
Theoretically, when the General's stamina drops below 10%, he could see at least a 15% boost to all attributes. His mid-range shooting, driving, rebounding, and defense stats would all surpass 90 points.
His driving ability, in particular, could skyrocket to a terrifying 98 points—likely reaching Jordan-level prowess!
His three core attributes would also surge dramatically.
With stats like these, he'd be a 10-centimeter-shorter version of Admiral David Robinson—a true General, an unstoppable warrior!
The players began entering the court, and the crowd erupted in cheers for Big Ben.
Even after just one and a half solid games, Big Ben's popularity in Washington has skyrocketed to an astonishing level.
His dominance in the paint is unmatched—he's completely overpowered his opponents in both games he's played against them head-to-head. He plays with fierce intensity, never holding back on physicality. Even a thug like Mason Plumlee got thoroughly beaten up by him.
More crucially, fans believed Big Ben could lead the team to victory. In the Celtics and Hornets games he played, the Bullets won; in the Hawks game he missed, they got crushed.
Under these circumstances, what reason did fans have not to love Big Ben?
After entering the court, Harvey waved wildly at his wife and three sons—a far cry from his previous dazed and confused demeanor.
The referee blew the whistle, signaling the starters to take the court.
When fans saw Howard in the starting lineup, they fell silent. All they could think was: What the hell is that crazy coach Lin Yu up to now?
Sitting courtside, Onseld and Old Polin exchanged glances and blurted out in unison, "You arranged this?"
They stared at each other in disbelief. This wasn't the general manager's call, nor the owner's. Lin Yu had actually benched Howard?!
Crazy! Absolutely insane!
Lin Yu hadn't given a second thought to whether his radical move would anger the owner or the fans. He was utterly convinced that Xavi would dominate the game tonight.
Both centers tipped off, but Ben Wallace couldn't outjump Greece's towering center, Ronny Sechaly.
It was interesting how Ben's opponents in these three games all happened to be foreign white centers: Radja in the first, Divac in the second, and Scheckeli in the third.
Scheckeli, nicknamed "The Greek Giant," wasn't actually Greek but Lebanese. He'd tried to obtain Greek citizenship, but Greece wouldn't accept him. After changing his name, he somehow ended up with the moniker "The Greek Giant."
Beyond "The Greek Spire," he also carried nicknames like "The Dancer" and "The Spiral Doctor." "The Dancer" was straightforward, describing his footwork in the paint, while "The Spiral Doctor" was more peculiar. In his previous life, Lin Yu had wondered if this guy possessed the ability to make people spiral into the heavens.
The NBA often follows an unwritten rule: the more nicknames a player has, the stronger they are. This held true for Sekulovic as well.
The "Roof of the World" Sabonis was a well-rounded force, the epitome of a white center. If Radja embodied Sabonis' offensive prowess and Divac his playmaking, Sekulic inherited his rebounding dominance.
His personal rebounding record stood at 34, just one shy of the single-game record held by the "Old Oak" Oakley.
Lin Yu was a bit concerned about Ben Wallace's situation tonight. After all, Ben couldn't benefit from the random aura boost anymore, and he hadn't reached his peak yet. Whether he could hold his own against Sekulic in the paint was far from certain.
The Magic tipped off. Point guard Penny Hardaway dribbled up the court, met the fast break with a pull-up jumper, and sank it effortlessly.
No mistake—Penny was indeed a point guard.
When most people hear the name Hardaway, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly the swingman. But in reality, for the first four years of his career, his official NBA position was listed as point guard, and his on-court play was pure point guard style.
A bitter expression crossed Flycar's face. He couldn't guard him—simply couldn't guard him!
Flycar was significantly shorter than Penny and far less athletic. When Penny pulled up for a jumper, Flycar could only reach Penny's elbow at most when he jumped.
The Magic trading Shaq for Penny proved his worth—he was a dominant force at point guard in that era.
When the Bullets got the ball, Flyback still tried to run pick-and-rolls with Legler.
But he quickly realized how unrealistic that was. Penny Hardaway switched defenses lightning fast, making Flyback look like a disabled person.
Even without facing Penny's defense, Harden now faced the Magic's other athletic swingman, Nick Anderson—another powerhouse brimming with athleticism.
The two-person game that had worked so well earlier was completely ineffective tonight.
"Pass! Pass to Harden!"
Lin Yu shouted from the sidelines. Tonight—and for the next week—General Harden was the true offensive and defensive linchpin of the Bullets.
The speedy player wasted no time, immediately passing the ball to the General.
An unusual flush spread across the General's face—a sign of adrenaline surging through his veins. He couldn't recall the last time the coach had instructed a teammate to pass to him.
Giving Lin Yu a grateful glance, the General took a deep breath and charged forward.
Shouldering his defender, Dennis Scott, he drove into the paint. Before his brother Horace could rotate over to help, the General leaned against Scott, went up for a jump shot, and released the ball.
The ball bounced awkwardly into the basket. Two points counted.
"Nice shot!"
Cobra Horace clapped and cheered with a smile. He didn't know what had happened within the Bullets organization, why his wayward younger brother had replaced Howard in the starting lineup.
He only knew this was his own flesh and blood, and he was genuinely happy for his brother's basket.
"Horace, I told you I had a feeling I could drop thirty points tonight. You believe me now?"
General laughed heartily at his older brother.
Horace nodded. "I believe you. You've always been more gifted than me on offense—ever since we were kids."
Seeing Harvey perk up, Horace nearly broke down. If not for his sports goggles, anyone could have seen the redness in his eyes.