Chapter 5

Since leaving his job at Utah Valley Community College, Lin Han had dropped out of what was arguably the worst junior college in Utah, if not the entire United States, and began working tirelessly to enter the NBA.

Although young, Lin Han's physique was still quite good, but after such an intense and relentless special job, he found himself struggling to keep up after just a few days. This job, which could make him stronger, was truly insane.

In just five days, Lin Han's happiness level increased by five points, meaning that after the night when he almost fainted from pain, he had worked hard 8 + 16 = 24 times. Five days, 24 times—on the surface, it didn't seem like much, but in practice, it was unimaginable. So, by now, Lin Han realized he had overestimated himself. Originally, he had planned to work 127 times in half a month, but now, even 10 times a day would probably be too much for him.

If he had another feasible option, Lin Han really wouldn't want to continue, but the other choices Ai Li gave him were not what he wanted.

"Lin Han, you've been increasingly sleepy lately, and you don't look well. You seem to be floating when you walk. Is there something wrong with your body?"

After finishing his reading companion job, Lin Han stayed at home. Lin Han, who was very indulgent with his younger brother, didn't think it was a problem and didn't require him to go out to work. Although Lin Han looked gentle and weak, she was a very strong woman at heart. She didn't think she needed her brother's help to support the family.

So, it was fine for Lin Han to rest at home for a while, but what she never expected was that her younger brother, who had been resting at home recently, looked even more tired than when he was working outside.

She couldn't understand it. For example, today was March 13th, a Saturday. She didn't have to work at McDonald's. In her observation, Lin Han got up at noon, ate a little lunch, yawned while watching TV for a while, and then went back to sleep in his room. He didn't come out until dinner time, looking groggy.

This state of Lin Han couldn't help but worry her.

"Sis, I know why brother has been in poor spirits lately."

Before Lin Han could answer, his younger sister Lin Yu, sitting next to him, laughed and said, "Brother has been staying up late recently. When I and my second sister go to sleep, we always hear brother doing something in his room. And yesterday, brother secretly brought out three large bags of toilet paper from his room. I..."

Before Lin Yu could finish, her second sister Lin Wei, blushing, covered the girl's mouth. She knew exactly what Lin Han was doing every night and had even seen it. Every night, when she heard the strange sounds from Lin Han's room, she would think of that stick that could spray liquid, and then she would have insomnia.

"Little sister, don't talk nonsense. Sis, Lin Han is fine, don't worry."

After giving Lin Yu a stern look, Lin Wei, blushing, shot Lin Han an annoyed glance.

Of course, although she didn't know what had happened between Lin Han, Lin Wei, and Lin Yu, Lin Han could guess that there was a big secret among the three that she shouldn't know. It was too suspicious.

However, although suspicious, Lin Han didn't press for an answer. She just glanced at Lin Han from time to time during the meal, which made him very uncomfortable.

Being discovered by his second sister and younger sister was already embarrassing enough for Lin Han. If his eldest sister, whom he respected the most, found out, he would be utterly humiliated.

"I'm done eating."

So, after eating a few bites, Lin Han quickly escaped from his eldest sister's suspicious gaze and went to the living room to turn on the TV.

At that moment, the TV was broadcasting an NBA regular season game. The defending champions, the Chicago Bulls, with a record of 41-19, were playing an away game against the Charlotte Hornets, who had a record of 32-27. Before the game, the Eastern Conference standings had the defending champions, the Chicago Bulls, in second place, just one game behind the first-place New York Knicks. The New York Knicks, led by Pat Riley, were in excellent form this season. Besides their star player, Patrick Ewing, who could still contribute an average of 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks, young players like John Starks were also having a breakout year, averaging over 17 points. Additionally, veterans like Charles Smith, Doug Rick, Anthony Mason, and Tony Campbell, who were former NBA All-Stars, made the New York Knicks a strong challenge to Chicago in the regular season.

Of course, as the defending champions and aiming for a three-peat, the Chicago Bulls were not about to give up their regular season first-place position easily. Although the Bulls' performance this season was not as good as last year, with both Jordan and Pippen's stats down, especially Pippen, who averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists last season, but this year, his scoring was below 20, and his assists were about one less per game than last year, with his shooting percentage dropping by about 4 percentage points.

Clearly, the Bulls were struggling under the pressure of a three-peat. Similarly, Jordan and Pippen's lack of summer conditioning due to their participation in the Olympics last year also affected their performance. To avoid affecting the playoffs, they had to play more conservatively in the regular season. More importantly, the NBA was becoming more competitive this year.

Whether it was Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns, the well-funded Portland Trail Blazers, the Seattle SuperSonics led by George Karl, or the Cleveland Cavaliers led by Lenny Wilkens, these teams were performing exceptionally well. With the three super centers of the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs, this year's NBA was the most competitive in recent years. Teams like the Utah Jazz, the former dominant teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Detroit Pistons, were now considered third-tier teams.

Of course, besides these teams that could directly challenge the Bulls, the Charlotte Hornets, currently in fifth place in the East, were also a strong team. Led by Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson, two 20+10 super forwards, the Hornets had excellent combat power. Although Mourning was only in his first NBA season, the young center, who averaged 20+10+3 in his rookie year, was already being called by many media outlets as the most likely to reach the level of the current three super centers. Besides these two super forwards, the Hornets' point guard, Muggsy Bogues, the shortest player in the league and a former Wake Forest legend, was at his peak. The team's two super bench players, John Newman and Dell Curry, were both strong candidates for the Sixth Man of the Year.

So, in any other year, the Hornets would have been a top-four or even top-three team in either the East or the West. But this year, the Hornets could only compete for the fifth spot, which showed how competitive the NBA was this year.

As many experts and media predicted, the NBA was entering a super golden era. If Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Isaiah Thomas brought the NBA into its golden age, then now, with players like Jordan, Olajuwon, Barkley, and Ewing, it was entering a super platinum era.

So, in such a grand era, even though the Bulls and Hornets were not the top teams in the NBA, this game still captivated Lin Han.

Lin Han rarely watched NBA games, whether live or on TV, because he had only been playing basketball for a year and had never been passionate about the sport. Even now, he didn't think he loved it, as he still saw the NBA and basketball as tools and means to earn money and achieve success.

But now, Lin Han felt he was changing.

"Is this the Jordan-style fadeaway jump shot?"

Once, twice, three times, four times. When he saw Jordan, facing the Hornets' John Newman, hit four crucial fadeaway jump shots in the final moments of the fourth quarter, Lin Han's resolve to give up, due to the pain of his recent efforts, became even stronger.

Jordan's move was too powerful, too invincible. Once he shot, everyone could only pray it wouldn't go in, as there was no way to stop it.

"Is this the move I'm about to learn?"

Excitement. At this moment, Lin Han's heart was filled with nothing but excitement and excitement.

"Congratulations to the Chicago Bulls on their 42nd win of the season. They have tied the New York Knicks in wins, but the Knicks have only lost 18 games, while the Bulls have lost 19. The Knicks are still in first place in the East, but Jordan has finally found his form again. His clutch jump shots in the final moments of the fourth quarter changed the game's outcome. With 52 points in this game, he has once again proven that when he is serious, he is still the best player in the league."

"Everyone says the NBA has entered a special era, and Michael Jordan is still the one standing at the top of this era. He is the pride of this great era to come!"

"Of course, it's a pity that Dell Curry, whose son Stephen Curry's birthday is tomorrow, said before the game that he would win the defending champions to celebrate his son's birthday. Now, it seems this wish will not come true."

After the game, the TV commentator was still excitedly summarizing the post-game, while Lin Han was completely lost in his own world.

"A special era!"

"The pride of the era!"

At this moment, Lin Han's mind was filled with the commentator's words that made him yearn.

"I want to play basketball, I want to enter the NBA, and I want to be like Jordan, a trendsetter of this era!"

Looking at the post-game scene, where the Bulls' No. 23, holding Dell Curry's son Stephen Curry, was surrounded by reporters, the focus of all the cameras and the fans' adoration.

For the first time, Lin Han found his true life goal, not just a goal to relieve the pressure of life.