"Who's the second-best center in the league, then? Who's number one?"
Zack turned to Brown, his face full of curiosity.
"The top center is obviously you," Brown said with a flattering grin, "when you're playing the center spot."
Zack couldn't help but feel pleased at the comment.
Sure, anyone looking to achieve greatness needs to keep the wise close and the small-minded at a distance. But in Zack's eyes, a guy like Brown—who was smooth-talking, knew how to cater to the team's star, and genuinely looked out for him—wasn't that the definition of a wise ally? Who else could fit the bill?
On the court, the Knicks sent out a baseline pass. Li nailed a catch-and-shoot jumper to seal the play.
D'Antoni's offensive coaching with this Knicks squad was undeniably a success. The Knicks, under his guidance, had transformed into a legit small-ball team, never wasting a second—finishing attacks in seven seconds flat, never eight if they could help it.
But when it came to playing fast, the Warriors, with D'Antoni's former star pupil Nash, weren't about to let the Knicks outshine them.
On the next play, with Zack setting a screen, Nash drained a chase-down three-pointer.
Playing alongside Zack, Nash's assist numbers might get "stolen" by his teammates, but his overall game experience had skyrocketed. This boost was clear as day in Nash's stat line this season.
So far, Nash was averaging 21 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds per game, with shooting splits of 55% from the field, 45% from three, and 95% from the free-throw line.
Barring any surprises, Nash was on track to set a new personal best for single-season scoring. For a guy about to turn 36, that was nothing short of remarkable.
Thanks to Zack's gravitational pull on the court, Nash was defying age, putting up scoring numbers that seemed to reverse time.
The only thing Zack found lacking was that Nash wasn't a pure scorer by nature. Often, when a teammate was open, Nash stuck to his philosophy that passing made both the passer and the shooter happy, opting to dish the ball instead of shooting.
In that sense, Curry—who was itching to prove himself in his limited rookie minutes—was a different story.
Late in the first quarter, subbing in for Nash, Curry completed a handoff with Zack. Ignoring Zack's call for the ball, Curry confidently pulled the trigger from beyond the arc.
Swish!
For the sake of picking up an easy assist, Zack didn't gripe about Curry's shot selection.
Still, those "gimme" assists left Zack with a twinge of frustration. Compared to assists earned through orchestrating teammate movement or threading a needle with a brilliant pass, these kinds—where anyone with hands could rack one up—felt hollow. What was the point?
It was the Knicks' turn to attack.
With Curry on the floor, Harden, who'd been half-asleep, suddenly perked up.
At the top of the key, after signaling to his "big brother" and "second brother," Harden called for an iso.
Sure, bullying Curry would become a lifelong pursuit for many perimeter scorers in the future. But right now, Harden wasn't picking on Curry because he'd passed on Nash earlier in the quarter. The real reason? He and Curry had history, a bond formed before either entered the league.
Curry and Harden genuinely admired each other, almost like kindred spirits.
So, if you're that tight with a guy, why not take the chance to school your buddy? Otherwise, wouldn't you just be waiting for him to stick the knife in you?
On the court, Harden bodied Curry in a single move, leaving him in the dust.
Swish!
Zack could barely comment on Curry's defense in that moment.
"Next time he isos you, let him drive," Zack coached Curry patiently. "Me and Kwame will help with the weak-side defense."
Curry nodded quickly.
Meanwhile, Zack made a mental note: the next time the Warriors faced the Lakers, he'd suggest to Mike Malone that Curry guard Kobe. Zack knew full well that without years of getting burned, Curry's defense would never improve.
Because getting torched? That's a required course for every young player's growth.
Take Durant, for example, who once again found himself switched onto Zack after a pick-and-roll.
Watching Durant retreat almost to the restricted area to avoid contact, Zack, now with a wide-open three-point look, rose and fired.
Swish!
"KD, don't be so scared of me," Zack teased with a grin. "I'm not gonna eat you."
Clutching his still-aching chest, the rail-thin Durant thought to himself, "With my 6'6" frame, barely tipping the scales at 230 pounds now, how am I supposed to handle you barreling through me like a freight train?"
Durant's wiry build made it tough for him to pack on muscle. If Zack recalled correctly, Durant's weight in later years would hover around 240 pounds—his absolute max.
And that was the unbridgeable gap between Durant and Zack.
By halftime, Zack had racked up a near triple-double at Madison Square Garden: 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.
As for Durant? Under Zack's relentless pressure, he'd lost his way on the court, going 3-for-10 from the field, 4-for-4 from the line, for a total of 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.
In just one half, Zack had shown the world the chasm between him and Durant.
Sure, Durant was still young.
But this half made it crystal clear to those who thought Durant was nipping at Zack's heels: catching up to the new GOAT was no easy feat.
"I don't think you should put too much pressure on KD," Brown, who firmly believed Zack was the NBA's one true great, said during a halftime interview. "Messiah led the Warriors to a championship in his rookie season. In my opinion, before anyone compares KD to Messiah, he needs to prove he's the best player in the East."
After a pause, Brown added, "You all know LeBron James, the so-called best in the East, hasn't beaten Messiah even once."
As the staunchest defender of Zack's crown, Brown genuinely despised the media's constant comparisons of other players to his star. Having sparred with Zack in practice every day, Brown knew better than anyone that those so-called "chosen ones" couldn't hold a candle to him.
After the break, the game resumed.
Zack kept piling up stats, finishing the third quarter with 35 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 blocks, and 1 steal.
Under his torment, Durant's scoring became a pipe dream. The entire third quarter, KD managed just 2 points.
"Aren't you worried your little buddy's gonna hold a grudge?" Brown teased during a break. "You've been wiping the floor with him all night."
Zack, well aware of Durant's quirky mindset, chuckled. "KD's not that petty. Trust me, after the game, he'll come over and shake my hand."
Final score: 135–114.
The Warriors cruised to an easy road win over the Knicks.
And, as Zack predicted, Durant jogged over postgame. "Boss, you remember that thing you promised me last time?"
"What'd I promise you?"
"You said if I wanted Scarlett Johansson's personal items, you could make it happen."
"…"
Zack was convinced Durant was a lost cause.
"You're not worried the New York media's gonna roast you after this game?" Brown, standing nearby, asked curiously.
"Nah, I'm used to clapping back at haters online," Durant said proudly. "I've got thousands of burner accounts. I shut those trolls up all the time."
Brown: "…"
Brown realized Durant's thought process was, frankly, bizarre compared to other NBA players.
"Your buddy's definitely one of a kind," Brown later told Zack. "He's less like a pro athlete and more like a skilled internet troll with pro-level talent."
Zack nodded in agreement. "I'm seriously considering revoking his fan club membership."
---
After their easy win over the Knicks, the Warriors didn't rush to leave town. Their next opponent was the New Jersey Nets, a back-to-back matchup.
It's fair to say the Warriors' schedule this season was relatively cushy.
What makes an NBA schedule "easy"? For starters, the Warriors' remaining games followed a "strong-weak-strong-weak" pattern, deliberately set up by the league.
This meant after facing a playoff-caliber team, they'd get a softer opponent next. The benefit? If they won the tough game, they could coast a bit in the next one. If they lost, they could take out their frustrations on a weaker team.
Plus, the league had kindly scheduled most of their back-to-backs against nearby opponents. Take this stretch: after playing the Knicks in New York, they'd face the Nets without leaving the city.
Staying put meant avoiding the exhaustion of travel, which would indirectly help the Warriors post a better record this season.
Even in the season Zack remembered when the Warriors seemed invincible, they'd still drop games due to brutal schedules. Not this time.
"Mike, you think we've got a shot at challenging the Bulls' record this season?" Zack asked.
He knew the league had given the Warriors this lighter schedule because they doubted he could dominate post-injury like before. But with Zack proving his dominance was stronger than ever, this kind of schedule might never come again.
In his mind, with the Warriors' stacked roster, this was the perfect chance to chase the Chicago Bulls' legendary 72-win record.
After some careful thought, Malone replied, "Our remaining schedule is the easiest in the league. With the depth we've got, we absolutely have a chance to break the Bulls' record!"
The Warriors' 15-man roster, aside from veteran Foyle, was loaded with talent at every position. In Malone's view, strategic rest for everyone except Zack would keep the team fresh without sacrificing the focus needed to win.
Why not rest Zack? Simple: without him, how could this Warriors team, built around his brilliance, even dream of touching the Bulls' record?
Through the games so far, Malone was confident the Warriors had rediscovered their dominance. And he knew what breaking the Bulls' record would mean for him, for Zack, and for the team.
"If we pull off this miracle, I'll be a better coach than Phil Jackson, the Warriors will be better than those Bulls, and Messiah will be hailed as a greater leader than Michael Jordan!" Malone said, brimming with newfound fire.
When Zack and Malone shared their bold goal with the team, it lit a spark. The whole squad was buzzing.
"I'd rather prove myself in the playoffs," Nash said with a smile, "but if there's a chance to make history, who wouldn't want their name etched in the NBA's record books?"
"This is freaking insane!" Wallace exclaimed. "If we can top 72 wins, I'll die happy."
"Scottie Pippen never shuts up about their 72 wins on every talk show," Dunleavy said with a laugh. "But if we own that record, I'll be even worse. I'll tell every reporter about it every single day!"
For years, the Chicago Bulls' 72-win season in 1995–96 had been an untouchable myth in the eyes of fans and analysts alike. In the grueling NBA regular season, what team could match that level of relentless dominance?
But Zack, with his knowledge of the future, had seen that myth shattered once before. Though that historic Warriors team later became the backdrop to the Cavaliers' first-ever title, Zack knew this current Warriors squad was different.
Not only did they have more championship pieces, but the league's carefully crafted schedule meant they wouldn't burn out chasing history like their future counterparts did.
"For once, David Stern did something right," Zack thought, still bitter about the "Zack Rule." "Guess not all suits are total jerks."
The audacious goal set by Zack and Malone sent the Warriors' morale through the roof. When Malone laid out his rotation and rest plan, the entire team was on board—especially young guys like Curry and McRoberts, who were hungry for more minutes.
Never one to waste time, Malone planned to rest Nash and Murphy for the upcoming back-to-back against the Nets.
"Stephen, you're starting next game."
"Sweet!"
"Josh, you'll get rotation minutes next game, taking Troy's spot."
"Got it, Coach!"
---
The next day, the Warriors rolled into the Continental Airlines Arena.
That night, facing a Nets team soon to be bought by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, the Warriors—led by a fired-up Zack—demolished their lifeless opponents in just one half, handing them an embarrassing record: a 17-game losing streak to start the season.
But Zack, with his future knowledge, knew this wasn't the Nets' rock bottom. If memory served, they'd set an infamous NBA record for an 18-game losing streak to open the season.
Beyond that, the Nets nearly claimed the worst single-season win total in NBA history (outside of lockout years). Had they not scrapped for three wins in their final four games, their record would've been a pitiful 9–73—a mark that would've made the Timberwolves cry and the 76ers blush.
Funnily enough, the Warriors' final regular-season opponent was none other than the Nets. If the Nets kept tanking like this, the Warriors could end the season making history twice: setting the best record and facing the team with the worst.
In that blowout against the Nets, Curry, making his first career start, dropped 28 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Zack didn't want to say Curry was just a "bench-warmer slayer" at this stage, but on this night, Curry showed no mercy in torching the league's doormat.
Next up, the Warriors would head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies in two days. Both Zack and Malone were taking this game seriously.
Unlike recent seasons, the Grizzlies were no longer the West's punching bag. Before the season, Andrew Bynum, traded to Memphis by the Lakers, had declared in an interview, "This season, my goal is to be the undisputed best center in the West. I don't know why a guy like Kwame Brown is ranked second among Western Conference centers, but I'll show everyone I'm way better than that 'bust' of a No. 1 pick."
Thanks to his strong play this season, Brown had climbed to No. 2 behind Yao Ming in ESPN's latest Western Conference center rankings. But that ranking made him a target.
Take Bynum, for instance. Averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, the self-proclaimed "Baby Shaq" was brimming with confidence, dismissing even Yao Ming. Now at 285 pounds after a summer of bulking up, Bynum was certain he could crush the "bust" Kwame Brown.
Plus, with Serge Ibaka to handle the heavy lifting of guarding Zack, Bynum wasn't fazed by the guy who'd nearly broken him as a rookie.
"To me, Kwame Brown's just a chihuahua hiding behind his teammates," Bynum added in a follow-up interview. "It'll take me a couple of possessions to show you all how overhyped that guy is."
read my new story
Marvel FRIEZA DBZ
NBA Grind to NBA King