NBA: LeBron James wants to team up with me

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A guaranteed contract with an annual salary of $1.05 million is like manna from heaven for Jeremy Lin, and he is thrilled.

But what surprised him even more was that, after just being signed, the Bulls were already planning to make him the starting point guard in their next game.

Jeremy Lin, who had already been surprised numerous times and was a bit numb to everything, was shocked once again.

He knew the Bulls were lacking point guards, but he never expected the shortage to be so severe that someone like him—an undrafted player on a minimum salary—would immediately be thrust into the starting lineup.

After all, during the period when Curry and Billups were both injured, Thomas Jr., as the starting point guard for the Bulls, actually performed quite well. Although some games were limited by his height, experience, and skills, he still played fairly well overall, or else the Bulls wouldn't have been able to maintain the number one seed in the Eastern Conference despite the Heat's relentless pursuit.

To immediately take the starting spot from Thomas was a bold move. It would be a lie to say that Lin wasn't worried. After all, he was a newcomer, and it was difficult to dominate right out of the gate.

But Wang Chong reassured him, saying: "Do you think I asked the team to sign you for nothing? You'll be the starting point guard for the team this season. I told you, don't worry and do your best. If you don't play well, I'll pull you out just like I would for anyone else."

Jeremy Lin: "..."

He knew that Wang Chong held a transcendent status within the Bulls and could almost be considered the sole authority. But still, he underestimated just how much weight Wang Chong's voice carried within the organization. From the management to the coaching staff and even the players, everyone listened to him. This was the first time Jeremy Lin had seen the players speak with such influence.

At the same time, he realized just how important Wang Chong was to him.

Although Jeremy Lin didn't know exactly why Wang Chong had so much trust in him, he understood that, even if it was just to repay Wang Chong's belief in him, he had to perform well on the court to live up to that trust.

Who is better, Thomas or Jeremy Lin?

If it was their peak years, there's no doubt that Thomas would be the better player. He averaged around 29+3+6 per game during his prime, something no average player can achieve.

But if we're talking about the 2011-2012 season, Jeremy Lin's breakout year, then there is no suspense in the answer.

In terms of offensive ability, Thomas during that period is nowhere near the level of the future "175-point monster," and he is also incomparable to the Linsanity period.

In terms of defense, both players are on different levels.

It's true that Jeremy Lin's defense wasn't top-notch, but after all, he stood at 6'3". As long as his defensive enthusiasm improved, his defense was bound to be good enough.

But Thomas was different. Standing at 5'9", he was always out of position, no matter who he faced on the court. He was a perfect defensive black hole, constantly needing help from teammates to cover for his flaws.

From this perspective alone, Wang Chong felt Jeremy Lin was the better option compared to Thomas Jr.

Wang Chong wasn't even asking Jeremy Lin to replicate Lin Crazy's breakout performances; all he needed was for Lin to match Thomas' current average of 14+4 per game on the offensive end and not be as disastrous as Thomas on defense.

On February 16, the Bulls lost to the Celtics in an away game. After nine consecutive away games, they finally returned to Chicago to play at home. The league showed respect and acknowledged the difficulty of the Bulls' brutal road trip by scheduling a series of home games that would allow the players to stay in Chicago for nearly half a month.

Jeremy Lin's first game after joining the Bulls was their first home game against the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings were essentially a non-issue. Wang Chong had already taken Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas from the Kings, making their situation even worse. The Kings, who already had the worst record in the league, were now even weaker.

In the 2011-2012 season, Thornton was supposed to be the leading scorer for the Kings, averaging 18.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while Thomas contributed 11.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, ranking fourth on the team in scoring.

The Kings were now left with only DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans. Cousins, who averaged a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, was playing somewhat better, showing potential to be the next great center in the league. But Evans, who had averaged 20+5+5 as a rookie, had steadily declined. Now, he was only posting 16 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists.

With this lack of star power, the Kings were stuck at the bottom of the Western Conference, only slightly better than the Charlotte Bobcats, who were at the very bottom of the East.

Against such a weak opponent, the Bulls played with ease and satisfaction. Wang Chong barely exerted any effort, playing only 31 minutes, scoring 28 points and grabbing 7 rebounds before the end of the third quarter.

This was one of the rare games where Wang Chong scored under 30 points since the injuries to Curry and Billups.

In previous games, due to the team's severe scoring deficiencies, Wang Chong had to take more shots, and his scoring average soared to 34.4 points per game.

His average of 34.4 points per game was the second highest of his career, only behind the 35.6 points per game in the 2005-06 season.

In the scoring race, his numbers were even more impressive, outpacing other competitors by a wide margin.

Kevin Durant, who ranked second in points per game, was only averaging 27.8 points, James was third with 27.1 points, and Kobe was fourth with 26.8 points.

At this rate, there was little suspense about Wang Chong winning his seventh scoring title. Even Durant, who was second in scoring, was trailing by 6.6 points.

Wang Chong sat out the rest of the game, and the Bulls easily defeated the Kings 121-107.

In this game, Jeremy Lin played his first game for the Bulls. He played 28 minutes as a starter, making 8 of 12 shots, and scoring 18 points with 6 assists.

As an undrafted player on a minimum salary contract, Jeremy Lin's debut was quite impressive.

But still, the opponent was the Kings, who had the worst record in the league. The defender guarding Jeremy Lin was an unknown, and there was a lot of garbage time during the game, so it wasn't a fair benchmark for his true abilities. Some media outlets reported on his performance, but they were still skeptical about the Bulls' decision to start him.

"It's clear that the Bulls are at the end of their rope and are quickly looking for a miracle cure. They want to rely on an undrafted free agent to save their season. In the game against the Kings, the rookie gave a brief glimpse of hope, but we must remember that the Bulls' opponents are not always bottom-tier teams like the Kings. They have to face super teams like the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics."

"When Jeremy Lin faces guards like Paul, Wade, or Rajon Rondo, what kind of performance can we expect from him? Maybe it's better to stick with Thomas as the starter."

"Fortunately, we won't have to wait long to find out, as the Bulls' next game is at home against the Celtics. The Bulls, who just lost to the Celtics in their previous away game, are now returning to their home court. Will Jeremy Lin, the newly appointed starter, be able to replicate his 18+6 performance against Rondo as he did against the Kings?"

On February 16, the Bulls vs. Celtics game was about to begin at the United Center in Chicago.

Although he had already started a game for the Bulls, Jeremy Lin was still very nervous as the game began.

The pressure on him was overwhelming. Thanks to Wang Chong, the entire league was watching the Bulls, and they were also focused on Jeremy Lin, an unknown player who had suddenly been thrust into the starting lineup without any prior warning.

This only added to the pressure he felt. He also realized that if he didn't perform as expected on the court, he would likely be quickly removed from the team, no matter how influential Wang Chong was within the Bulls. It was impossible for the team to tolerate a player who couldn't help them.

So, even though he had secured a one-year guaranteed contract, he knew he wasn't stable. He was still in a situation where every game could be his last, and he had to fight with everything he had in every single one.

Wang Chong remained calm. He knew Jeremy Lin's abilities and potential, especially after his last game where Lin didn't have much ball possession but performed exactly as Wang Chong had hoped. Jeremy Lin was just like Lin Crazy during that time—his strength was the same, all he needed was the opportunity to unleash his energy.

The game against the Celtics was undoubtedly the perfect stage.

Before the game, Wang Chong approached Jeremy Lin and whispered, "In this game, I plan to give you more opportunities to act. Make the most of them."

Jeremy Lin was stunned and looked at Wang Chong in confusion. For a moment, he didn't understand what Wang Chong meant.

But soon he understood.

At the start of the game, Gasol won the tip-off and the Bulls had the ball.

After Jeremy Lin dribbled the ball past half court, he instinctively looked for Wang Chong's position to pass him the ball.

But when he saw Wang Chong, he was immediately stunned.

Wang Chong was actually moving towards the lower corner, with no intention of receiving the ball or attacking.

"Check the 16-9 book bar for the correct version!"

Seeing Jeremy Lin looking at him, Wang Chong made a gesture of "do it yourself."

Jeremy Lin's heart skipped a beat, and his heart began to race uneasily. Looking at the All-Star point guard, Rajon Rondo, standing in front of him, he finally understood what Wang Chong's words meant before the game.

Wang Chong really planned to let him take over the Bulls' offense right from the start of the game!

At that moment, Rondo, who was standing in front of Jeremy Lin, still had no idea who this guy was, the one with the same skin color as Wang Chong.

The news that Jeremy Lin had joined the Bulls wasn't something that everyone should necessarily know—at least Rondo didn't pay much attention to it.

In the final analysis, the opponent was just an undrafted player who didn't deserve much attention from Rondo. In his opinion, this guy might not be as good as Isaiah Thomas, the Bulls' previous starter.

While thinking this, Jeremy Lin in front of him had already started to make his move.

No bells, no whistles—Jeremy Lin immediately accelerated and exploded off the mark, using a lightning-fast first step to blow by Rondo in an instant.

"Wow, that's fast!"

Rondo's pupils constricted, and he reacted almost instinctively, but still, it was half a beat too slow. Jeremy Lin had already passed him and was charging toward the paint.

Fast—too fast!

Rondo never expected Jeremy Lin's initial burst to be that quick, not at all inferior to Thomas Jr.'s.

But Thomas Jr. stands at 5'9" while Jeremy Lin is 6'3". When their speeds are similar, the impact power is a completely different concept!

Against Thomas Jr., Rondo could use his height and wingspan advantages to continuously disrupt his dribbling rhythm and interrupt his offense. However, this tactic wasn't as effective against Jeremy Lin.

Rondo is 6'1" with a wingspan of 6'9", and his physical talent is almost exaggerated. In contrast, Jeremy Lin, who stands at 6'3" with a wingspan of 6'5", also has a normal static talent. The difference in wingspan, though significant, wasn't enough for Rondo to easily destroy Jeremy Lin's dribbling while Lin accelerated through.

In the blink of an eye, Jeremy Lin had already stormed into the paint and went up for a layup.

2-0.

Jeremy Lin used a brilliant drive to give the Bulls the early lead!

"Huh? This guy Wang Chong seems pretty good. He really can break through Rondo's defense."

The home crowd at the United Center was stunned, even though many of them had seen Jeremy Lin play in the Bulls' previous game.

But often, things need a reference point to be truly appreciated.

It's the same with basketball.

It's still a great drive with the ball, but Jeremy Lin breaking past the Kings' defense and now bypassing Rondo to score are completely different concepts.

You have to understand that Rondo has been selected to the All-Defensive Team for three consecutive seasons and is a known elite defensive player at the point guard position. Even now, in the 2011-12 season, it's no surprise that Rondo earned a spot in the league's best defensive lineup.

Rondo, with his outstanding defensive skills, was actually overwhelmed by Jeremy Lin's underestimated drive. How could the fans and spectators not be surprised?

Of course, many people felt Rondo had underestimated his opponent and didn't defend seriously.

That's true to some extent. Rondo wasn't taking the defense seriously at that moment. However, experts could tell right away after just one move—by the end of that possession, Rondo had gained a general understanding of the skills of the Chinese player in front of him.

"This guy's speed is exceptional, and his ability to change pace while handling the ball is really good. He's a big threat when driving to the basket."

Rondo's judgment was accurate. Without considering the finish at the rim, Jeremy Lin's initial burst of speed is on par with defenders like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, and even Dwyane Wade. It's this kind of athleticism that allowed him to become the "Linsanity" that shocked the entire league when the New York Knicks pulled off an unexpected run.

Unfortunately, while Jeremy Lin had the speed of a top defender, he didn't have the physical strength to maintain that speed. So, when he became the team's primary ball handler and had to shoulder much of the offensive load, the strain on his body, especially on his knees, increased significantly, eventually leading to a torn meniscus.

This serious injury dramatically reduced Jeremy Lin's explosive power, and his ability to drive to the basket suffered, which caused his career to become a lot more turbulent in the following years.

But at least for now, Jeremy Lin, still in excellent health, was capable of competing with players like Rose and Westbrook in his ability to attack the rim.

When the Celtics attacked, Rondo also pushed the ball up court and went straight at Jeremy Lin. He drove toward the paint, drawing Kevin Garnett's help defense. Then he passed the ball to Paul Millsap, who was positioned on the wing.

The offensive round shifted back to the Bulls.

End of this chapter

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