Chapter 63

**Note: The following is a translation of the provided text, maintaining the original structure and formatting.**

---

**Chapter Note:**

（In the previous chapter, a reader mentioned that the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in the 1960s, so why did the fisherman say that the act was not completely repealed until 1993? Well, the Chinese Exclusion Act was indeed legally repealed in the 1960s, but the complete repeal of such a racially discriminatory law involves more than just legal changes. It also requires the U.S. government to truly recognize and apologize for the act, similar to how the U.S. government has apologized to African Americans, Native Americans, Hawaiians, and Latinos for similar discriminatory laws. The U.S. government has not formally apologized to Chinese Americans for the Chinese Exclusion Act, even though it is no longer legally enforceable. Modern society would not tolerate such a law, but the U.S. government has never acknowledged that the Chinese Exclusion Act was wrong. The fisherman believes that only when the U.S. government truly apologizes will the most shameful and discriminatory clause in Chinese history be considered truly and completely ended. Of course, this was not the focus of the previous chapter. The fisherman was simply highlighting the difficulties and challenges faced by Chinese people in a foreign land, with no other intention.）

"Jerry, are you still worried about tonight's game against the New York Knicks?"

After the Utah Jazz arrived in New York early in the morning from Philadelphia, head coach Jerry Sloan had been frowning all day. Today's opponent was particularly special. Although the Jazz had an incredible start to the new season, winning all seven of their games and becoming one of the only two teams in the NBA with a perfect record, this was still a significant challenge.

The other team with a perfect record was the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference. After Michael Jordan announced his retirement, the Rockets seemed to be on steroids, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, who dominated every opponent. Whether it was the Portland Trail Blazers, led by Clyde Drexler, or the Phoenix Suns, led by last season's MVP Charles Barkley, they all suffered heavy defeats against the Rockets.

Apart from the Rockets and the Jazz, who both had seven wins, there was another team that had seven wins but was stopped in the eighth game. That team was the New York Knicks. Two days ago, the Knicks, with a seven-game winning streak, traveled to the West to face the San Antonio Spurs. In the battle of the three centers, David Robinson taught Patrick Ewing a lesson, and the Knicks suffered a heavy defeat. Although the Spurs' performance at the beginning of the season was not impressive, they were still a team led by one of the three centers, and the outcome of such a battle was unpredictable. Clearly, in the previous game, Admiral Robinson was in better form than the Big E.

While the Spurs managed to stop the Knicks' winning streak, Jerry Sloan did not think his team could do the same. In his mind, the Jazz, despite their seven-game winning streak, were not a truly strong team.

After the Jazz were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season and the team's star center, one of the best defensive centers in the league, Mark Eaton, retired, Sloan had been preparing to rebuild the team. Only Stockton and the two Malone players would remain, while the rest of the players would be replaced. This is why Lin Han, Brian Russell, and Aaron Williams had so many opportunities to showcase themselves on the team. In other NBA teams, even lottery teams, it was unimaginable for three rookies to be in the rotation, especially low-drafted rookies.

In Sloan's mind, the Jazz's roster had significant flaws.

Take the current league-leading Rockets as an example. In Sloan's view, the Rockets were a highly mature team. They had a superstar who could change the course of games and the playoffs, Hakeem Olajuwon. They also had an All-Star frontcourt partner, Otis Thorpe. Besides a strong frontcourt, their backcourt was also excellent, with players like Kenny Smith, Maxwell, and Robert Horry. Although they were not All-Stars, they were among the best role players in the league. The Rockets' starting lineup was well-rounded, with strong defense, offense, mid-range shooting, and three-point shooting. With Olajuwon, they were also one of the best teams in the league in terms of scoring in the paint. The Rockets were nearly perfect, and their bench was also strong, with players like Mario Elie, Scott Brooks, and Carl Herrera, as well as the promising rookie Sam Cassell. Although the Rockets did not have a true sixth man, they had a group of tough players who could score.

A truly mature team, one with a chance to compete for the championship, is one without significant flaws. In the NBA, there are many theories about winning championships, such as defense wins championships or offense wins championships. Many people have different opinions, but one thing is clear: a championship team must have as few flaws as possible. The playoffs are all about exploiting an opponent's weaknesses, and a team with fatal flaws will not go far.

The Jazz, on the other hand, had several fatal flaws. For example, after Mark Eaton left, the Jazz's interior defense collapsed. Karl Malone was not a defensive liability, but his height and role as the team's primary scorer made it impossible for him to be the team's defensive anchor. Neither Spencer nor Aaron Williams, the two young centers, could shoulder the responsibility of interior defense. Spencer, the 6th pick in the 1990 draft, had good physical attributes and height, but he lacked the mental and basketball IQ to be a championship-level player. As for Aaron Williams, he had decent mental and basketball IQ, but his physical attributes were poor. A 2.06-meter center would be easily dominated by Olajuwon and Admiral Robinson. Moreover, Aaron Williams, while versatile, was mediocre in every aspect, making it impossible for him to be a pillar of a championship team.

The team's veteran, Charles Chambers, who was once a star for the Suns and the Supersonics, had become a player who could only rely on mid-range shooting and experience. The team's most promising young frontcourt player, Isaac Austin, nicknamed "Karl Malone II," was known for his excellent mid-range shooting but lacked the defensive capabilities to be a defensive anchor. Therefore, the Jazz's frontcourt lacked a true defensive pillar, which would be a significant disadvantage in the playoffs.

Moreover, Sloan was frustrated that the team's frontcourt players were all excellent at mid-range shooting, and Stockton's pick-and-roll plays with them led to a lot of assists. However, the team's backcourt was also filled with "mid-range shooting specialists."

The team's third star, Jeff Malone, was one of the best mid-range shooters in the league. His excellent physicality, shooting, and basketball IQ made him an All-Star-level scorer. Scoring 20 points a game was not a big deal for him. Even Michael Jordan, the best player in the NBA, once said that Jeff Malone was one of his toughest opponents. Jordan described Jeff Malone as: "No matter how I defended him, he always managed to score in front of me." Jordan's words, though understated, clearly showed Jeff Malone's strength.

If it weren't for Lin Han, Jeff Malone would have been a key player for Sloan, especially in crucial moments when neither Malone nor Stockton could deliver. However, Lin Han's style was similar to Jeff Malone's, and Lin Han's mid-range shooting was even more unstoppable. This made Jeff Malone somewhat redundant, which is why he felt his position on the team was at risk. If Lin Han were a突破型的超级得分后卫, Jeff Malone wouldn't feel such a threat, but the two were too similar, and Lin Han was clearly better and more promising. In this situation, it was clear who the team would choose.

Among the Jazz's backcourt players, not only were Jeff Malone and Lin Han similar, but other players like John Humphries and Tyrone Corbin also had the same style. They could score, but their scoring methods were very limited, mostly relying on mid-range shooting.

In important games or the playoffs, a team full of mid-range shooters is easy to defend. Opponents could simply collapse into the paint, which is why the Jazz were eliminated by the Supersonics in the first round of the playoffs last season. It also explains why many players who could score in regular games struggled in crucial moments.

Therefore, the Jazz's small forwards and shooting guards were all cut from the same mold, with no tactical variation. Sloan couldn't adjust the tactics by substituting players, as they were all essentially "mid-range shooter 1," "mid-range shooter 2," and so on.

However, the Jazz's perimeter defense was decent. Brian Russell, the rookie, was a pleasant surprise, fitting Sloan's requirements. The team's former starting small forward, Benoit, also had similar defensive qualities, but their offensive styles were still limited, lacking three-point shooting.

This is why Sloan and Stockton were so excited when Lin Han showed his three-point shooting ability in the previous game. Regardless of his three-point shooting percentage, the team now had a tactical variation, and the offense wouldn't always rely on mid-range shooting. This is why Sloan didn't bench Lin Han even when he was missing three-point shots.

In the Jazz, Lin Han was not irreplaceable. If he only played mid-range jump shots, any poor performance could be covered by Jeff Malone, Humphries, or Corbin. However, when Lin Han demonstrated his three-point shooting, he became an indispensable player, as he was the only one on the team who could shoot threes from the two and three positions.

Although Sloan is known for his mid-range pick-and-roll tactics, having a team full of mid-range shooters is a problem. This is why Sloan is planning significant changes this season.

He realized the Jazz couldn't always rely on mid-range pick-and-rolls, which is why he was so troubled in New York.

He was worried about Lin Han's role in the team's tactics. If Lin Han only played mid-range jump shots, Sloan wouldn't be concerned, as Lin Han's style fit the team's mainstream. However, now that Lin Han showed his three-point shooting, it was a different story. Sloan couldn't ignore Lin Han's three-point ability, as it was rare and valuable.

Designing a three-point shooting strategy for a coach who had never used it before was a challenge, which is why Sloan was so troubled.

"Trouble, real trouble."

Sloan sighed as he looked at his assistant, Phil Johnson, who had just entered the room.

If Lin Han knew Sloan's thoughts, he would be overjoyed.

Why was Lin Han always worried about his position, even though he was scoring high? Why was he afraid that Jeff Malone, Humphries, or Corbin would take his spot?

Because, despite his high scoring, his tactical importance in the team was not high, not higher than Jeff Malone, Humphries, or Corbin. Everyone played the same style, mid-range shooting, and no one could claim to be better than the others. This is why Humphries often said that Lin Han's high scores were due to luck and high shot volume, as he believed that if he had a good mid-range shooting night, he could also score 50 or 60 points.

In the NBA, a player's status in the team depends not only on his statistics but also on his tactical importance. This is why, after the previous game, Stockton and Malone were more enthusiastic towards Lin Han, while Humphries and others were less pleased.

From now on, Lin Han would be a key player in the Jazz's core tactical system, and his position would be secure.

---

**End of Chapter**