Chapter 40: The Global Shock Caused by Mad Li!

Subsequently, the Zen Master addressed the remarks suggesting that the Lakers should capitalize on Li Rui's stellar performances to trade him for a bigger-name superstar.

"Li is definitely one of the greatest point guards in Lakers history."

"He is a part of the Lakers' future."

"He will absolutely not be traded. We will not use him as a chip to acquire an All-Star, because he will become an All-Star himself in the future."

"His shooting will become the nightmare of the entire league."

"I know Li has tremendous scoring ability, which is why I put him in the starting lineup."

The Zen Master spoke with such absolute conviction that reporters were left wondering whether he genuinely intended to nurture Li Rui or was simply driving up his trade value.

Li Rui himself was not worried about being traded by the Lakers at the moment.

He had only played four good games in total, leaving a very small sample size. Even if a team were willing to gamble on a trade, the return package wouldn't be very high.

If the trade package wasn't high, the Lakers wouldn't even consider it. Instead, the Lakers needed his shooting right now, and Kobe needed him.

Besides, his ability would translate to any team he went to.

As a Lakers player, he had to get used to being perpetually caught up in trade whirlpools. News stories about the Lakers being interested in this player or trading half the roster were a daily occurrence.

However, with the Zen Master praising him so extravagantly right to his face, Li Rui felt a bit awkward.

Anyone listening would genuinely think he was the next Magic Johnson of the Lakers and the cornerstone of the franchise's future.

After finally finishing his praise, the Zen Master, Kobe, and Li Rui headed out, boarded the team bus, and set off for their next destination.

On the plane.

Li Rui was still sitting next to Kobe.

"Li, we must win the next game," Kobe said, looking directly into Li Rui's eyes with utmost seriousness.

"Of course, I'll do my absolute best," Li Rui nodded.

After saying that, Kobe immediately began leafing through the scouting report.

Li Rui could sense the unique emotion Kobe held regarding the upcoming matchup against the Miami Heat.

It wasn't because of Dwyane Wade; it was because of Shaquille O'Neal.

The history and grievances between Kobe and O'Neal were far too numerous. Both of them constantly wanted to outshine each other, and even in the regular season, neither wanted to lose.

O'Neal's championship victory last season had pushed Kobe into the absolute spotlight, and the league had purposefully scheduled a Christmas Day matchup, sending the Lakers on the road to challenge the Heat, further fueling this burning narrative.

If they lost the Christmas Day showdown against O'Neal, Kobe would likely make the entire team feel his wrath.

Li Rui also opened his own scouting report.

Early in the season, relying on the lingering momentum of their championship run and the stellar form of their core players, the Heat had gotten off to a strong start.

In November, the Heat posted a 9-3 record, with Dwyane Wade averaging 30.8 points per game, and Shaquille O'Neal contributing 17.1 points and 9.4 rebounds.

However, as the season progressed, injuries began to plague the Heat. Due to leg and foot ailments, O'Neal missed numerous games.

It was only in the past few games that O'Neal had returned to the lineup, though his condition was a cause for concern.

Additionally, the roster featured experienced veterans like Antoine Walker and Jason Williams, alongside young players such as Dwyane Jones and Marcus Banks, who had also delivered eye-catching performances.

The Heat possessed a relatively balanced overall strength. With O'Neal anchoring the paint, they boasted formidable rebounding protection and interior scoring prowess. On the perimeter, Wade served as the team's primary scoring weapon and offensive orchestrator, capable of tearing through opponent defenses with his exceptional penetration and scoring ability.

The veterans brought a wealth of game experience, while the young players injected vitality and potential into the squad...

Li Rui's direct matchup was the veteran Jason Williams, nicknamed "White Chocolate."

Standing at 1.85 meters, Jason Williams's greatest asset wasn't his ball-handling, dunking, or three-point shooting, but rather his mind-boggling passes.

In the NBA, a league towering with giants, he was renowned for his unconventional passing. He excelled at no-look passes, pinpoint bounce passes, and imaginative deliveries that defied defensive alignments. He was particularly lethal at distributing the ball accurately in fast breaks or feeding the interior with high-difficulty assists, serving as the primary conductor of the Heat's offensive rhythm.

Although White Chocolate's average of 5.3 assists per game wasn't elite, the quality of his passes and his timing carried immense threat.

Naturally, his weaknesses were also glaring. Standing 1.85 meters tall and weighing 86 kilograms, his lateral movement had slowed as his athletic ability declined. When facing speed-oriented point guards, he was easily targeted in isolation. His defensive positioning and physical resilience were lacking, making him a weak link on the defensive end. The Heat's ranking as the eighteenth defense in the league was partly due to this clear vulnerability on his part.

Unless deliberately targeted, Li Rui would not face excessive pressure offensively when matched up against him.

After reviewing the scouting report, Li Rui knew this Heat team would be difficult to crack. They possessed both experience and strength; their only true opponent was injuries.

........

"The Asian Jordan, the 60th Overall Pick Continues Writing Insanity!"

"Exploding for 37 Points in a Single Game, 'Linsanity' Breaks the Rookie Scoring Record for the Season."

"Yellow Men Can Fly Too, Li Rui Pens Sports' Coolest Underdog Story!"

"Letting the Whole World See the Chinese Dream!"

"Away Game Turns into Home Game, Madison Square Garden Chants MVP!"

"Averaging 27 Points, Li Rui Crowned Western Conference Player of the Week!"

As the entire Lakers team flew toward Miami, reports regarding the match spread like wildfire, and the coverage by the New York Times propelled the "Linsanity" phenomenon onto a global scale.

Media outlets worldwide eagerly hyped up news series surrounding "Linsanity."

Li Rui lived up to expectations, continuously delivering stellar performances on the court that kept this magical run alive.

Back home in China, user traffic on both JRs and Hupu surged dramatically, as they leveraged the heat of the Linsanity phenomenon to elevate their influence.

Before Christmas, the Lakers had a two-day rest and adjustment period.

To ensure the Lakers had sufficient stamina for their road trip, the league had certainly gone to great lengths in scheduling.

"Li, this is for you."

During a training session, Li Rui received a certificate of honor handed directly to him by a league official.

Players who won Player of the Week did not receive a trophy, but they were awarded a certificate of honor issued by the league alongside an official league-wide press release.

Li Rui examined the text on the certificate himself.

It primarily detailed the week for which the player was selected, with Li Rui's award covering the third week of December 2006.

It also featured the season year, the player's team, and a commendation statement: "In recognition of outstanding performance during the week's games."

It included statistical records, concluding with the signature of the NBA Commissioner...

The names of Players of the Week would be permanently inscribed into NBA history, with their relevant statistics and performances archived forever as part of their professional career honors.

This could be considered Li Rui's very first official honor.

"Congratulations, Li, your performance last week was well-deserved," Odom said as he walked over to Li Rui.

Odom's admiration for Li Rui was growing stronger by the day. Li Rui's scoring was exceptionally consistent, elevating the Lakers' overall strength to a whole new level.

This meant he no longer had to constantly stress over how to help share Kobe's scoring burden on the court.

"I thought Kobe would get it," Li Rui said, smiling as he waved the certificate.

Although Li Rui knew he had been brilliant, Kobe's numbers were even better than his, making it somewhat surprising that the award was given to him.

"The league needs new faces and new storylines; it doesn't always go to the player with the best stats. Anyway, you're a fantastic choice," Walton remarked from the side.

In the eyes of some fans, Li Rui winning this award was still somewhat controversial because, as he himself acknowledged, Li Rui's statistics lagged behind Kobe's.

However, with "Linsanity" currently serving as a mainstream global hot topic, this minor controversy amounted to nothing—especially since Kobe himself hadn't uttered a single word about it.

Kobe's mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of going after O'Neal; where would he find the time to care about such trivialities?