The television screen in the apartment was frozen on a single frame.
Link rising up against a double team, drilling his fifth three-pointer against the Grizzlies.
The crowd was erupting; the noise from Staples Center seemed ready to blow out the speakers.
Andrew John pressed the remote, replaying the highlight for the third time.
"Look at this shot," he said, turning to Amy, who was organizing files at the dining table. "ESPN ranked it number seven in their Top 10 Plays of the Month!"
Link didn't even look up. "It's just a regular three-pointer. That's all."
"That's all?" Andrew sprang from the sofa, waving his tablet in the air.
He pulled up another set of stats. "Over the last 9 games, you're averaging 20.3 points and shooting 43.7% from three!"
"Look at these headlines!!!"
"'LA's New Darling: Linsanity Sweeps the League.' They made up a new word for you: Linsanity!"
Link paused for a split second.
Linsanity...
The word stirred a subtle ripple in his mind.
Fragments of memories from his past life surfaced.
Eleven years from now, another yellow-skinned guard would ignite a global phenomenon called "Linsanity" in New York. That would be in 2012—a brief but brilliant story, burning like a meteor.
But now, in the late autumn of 2006, the term had been prematurely crowned upon his head.
The butterfly wings he flapped had pushed history off its original track.
"What's wrong?" Andrew noticed Link's pause.
"Nothing," Link shook his head, suppressing the strange sense of historical dislocation.
"Just think... it's an interesting word."
Amy walked over carrying a glass of freshly juiced fruits and vegetables. She was dressed simply today in a UCLA hoodie, her hair tied in a neat ponytail.
"Andrew, you've been replaying these clips since yesterday." Amy took a sip of juice.
Andrew pointed at the TV. "This highlight reel is spreading all over the country. Link, do you know how many Instagram followers you gained yesterday? One hundred and twenty thousand in a single day!"
"Media hype comes fast and goes fast," Link said, shaking his head.
"If I go 0-for-10 next game, those headlines will change to 'Slump? Linsanity Might Just Be a Flash in the Pan.'"
With that, Link grabbed his backpack and headed for the gym.
Today was a rest day—no games, no scheduled team practice.
But Link didn't want to be idle. He had new training to start.
In the first 9 games of the new season, the Lakers had gone 6-3. Aside from Kobe, the primary architect of their success, Link was one of the most crucial factors.
In these nine games, besides continuing to provide precise perimeter firepower, Link showed massive improvement in his backdoor cuts and fast-break finishing. He had become an irreplaceable tactical option for the Lakers.
On some nights, during the minutes when Kobe sat, he even became the Lakers' most reliable perimeter defender.
Meanwhile, the landscape of the league was undergoing startling changes.
The Mavericks, led by Nowitzki, were running away with the West. Nash's Suns and the rock-solid Spurs followed closely behind.
On the distant East Coast, LeBron James continued to lead his young Cavaliers into new territory.
The NBA was a battlefield of warlords, each vying for supremacy.
Link's explosion was like a pebble thrown into a lake—noticeable, but far from stirring the entire body of water.
In the first month's awards, although Kobe maintained a furious output of nearly 32 points per game, the Western Conference Player of the Month went to Dirk, whose team had the better record.
In the East, it was LeBron James. The King edged out Chauncey Billups with averages of 28.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists.
Brandon Roy and Andrea Bargnani took home Rookie of the Month honors. The "Yellow Mamba" was already showing his fangs.
Undercurrents of trades were also surging beneath the calm surface.
Philadelphia's "The Answer," Allen Iverson, the lone hero who had served the 76ers for a decade, finally broke with the team. He headed to the high altitudes of Denver to form the "Golden Double Guns" with Carmelo Anthony.
This seismic trade instantly shocked the entire league.
Anthony was a rising star forward. Iverson was an MVP-level guard who, in his prime, had even rivaled Kobe.
Although history would prove that this duo failed to meet expectations, at the time, the trade sparked endless imagination.
The Eastern Conference landscape was also reshaping.
Without Ben Wallace, the Pistons' "Starting Five" lost their interior anchor and began their decline.
The defending champion Miami Heat struggled under the shadow of injuries to Wade and O'Neal. Pat Riley had already begun preparing for roster adjustments.
Phones in GM offices rang incessantly; trade rumors were everywhere.
---
Link, however, had no time to care about any of this.
He was sweating buckets in the training facility.
System notifications kept ringing in his mind.
[Training Mission: Defense (Intermediate)]
He was using the non-game days to frantically improve his defensive capabilities.
As the progress bar inched closer to completion, the system notification rang out again.
[Congratulations, Host. Mission Complete. Rewards: Steal +15%, Block +15%, Shot Contest +15%, Help Defense +15%]
[Defense Ratings — Steal: B+, Block: B-, Shot Contest: A-, Help Defense: B+. Unlocked Skill: Defensive Specialist Lv2]
[Defensive Specialist Lv2: Significantly improves reaction speed and interference ability during isolation and help defense. Bonus Effect: Gain a bonus to fighting through screens when defending the pick-and-roll.]
[Unlocked New Training: Defense (Advanced)]
Sweat dripped from his brow. Link rested his hands on his knees, gasping for air.
Unlike offense, defensive training was a much bigger drain on his stamina.
On the other side of the court, Brian Shaw was organizing a team scrimmage.
The Lakers were tense, daring not to slack off even a little.
Their next opponent: the Utah Jazz.
One of the most terrifying home courts in the league. The physical challenge of the high altitude, combined with Coach Jerry Sloan's tough-as-nails system.
Names floated through Link's mind.
Deron Williams. The sophomore had rapidly grown into one of the league's peskiest point guards. His physical play and ability to change direction without losing speed were a nightmare for many defenders.
Carlos Boozer. His mid-range jumper was sublime, and his pick-and-roll chemistry with Deron was the Jazz's signature opening gambit.
beyond the two stars, there was the defensive ace Andrei Kirilenko, the bench mob enforcer Matt Harpring, and the spacing center Mehmet Okur.
This team's strength could not be underestimated. They had suppressed the Yao-McGrady Rockets in the first round for years—a painful memory for all fans.
"Run! They won't give you any easy looks!" Brian Shaw clapped his hands and shouted.
The intensity of the scrimmage suddenly ramped up. No one dared to relax.
Infinite switching, hard physical contact, frantic harassment of passing lanes.
The Utah Jazz excelled at off-ball defense.
This was a challenge Link had to face. He had to hit those tough shots over Kirilenko's long arms.
---
After practice, Link stayed behind for extra work as usual.
"How are you feeling?" Kobe hadn't left yet; he was unwrapping ice packs from his ankles.
"The Jazz are tough," Link said honestly. "They're extremely disciplined."
Kobe grunted, whether in agreement or something else was unclear.
"First time I played in the playoffs, they beat the hell out of us."
"But don't worry," Kobe paused. "You've been in great form lately. Keep it up!"
Link nodded.
When he walked out of the arena, Andrew's car was waiting at the door.
Link leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.
Next game: The Utah Jazz!