Chapter 36: Lin Tian’s Weakness Exposed! The Rookie Wall Approaches!

Throughout the month of November, the Chicago Bulls were absolutely unstoppable, moving forward with an indomitable and invincible momentum.

Carrying over from their four games in October, the Bulls opened November with an eight-game winning streak. After a cold-shooting upset loss in the Denver highlands, they immediately rattled off another nine consecutive wins. It was not until the final game of a grueling seven-game road trip on November 30th that fatigue and the rigors of a back-to-back finally caught up with them, resulting in only their second loss of the season.

As the month concluded, the Bulls stood tall at the top of the league with a terrifying 17-2 record.

The only disappointment for Lin Tian was his inability to complete the system’s quest regarding continuous playing time. First, the Bulls’ roster was so deep that opportunities had to be distributed evenly. Second, many games were decided early, leading the coaching staff to frequently utilize fringe players and benchwarmers during the fourth quarter. Lin Tian never imagined that having a team that was too strong would become a personal source of frustration.

As for the team, Michael Jordan, in his triumphant return, produced a perfect stat line of 31.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He was not only named Player of the Month and held the top spot in the MVP race, but he also continued his reign as the league’s scoring leader for the eighth consecutive season. The God of Basketball had returned to full strength.

Scottie Pippen averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 steals, maintaining his status as an elite two-way force. Combined with Dennis Rodman’s 3.1 points and 15.7 rebounds per game, the Bulls’ "Big Three" each fulfilled their roles, becoming the undisputed best trio in the league and a nightmare for every opponent.

As for Lin Tian, his brilliant performances had solidified his position as the sixth or seventh man in the rotation. He often shared the floor with Toni Kukoč, and their chemistry grew with every game; their passing, cutting, and fast-break coordination became increasingly polished. Throughout November, Lin Tian averaged an impressive 14.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals. For a rookie and a reserve, these numbers were nothing short of stunning. Furthermore, he ranked sixth among all rookies in scoring, second in assists, and first in steals. As a second-round pick, Lin Tian was proving to be an incredible bargain for the Bulls.

His statistics were even more remarkable considering they were achieved on a top-tier championship contender. This was fundamentally different from players like Damon Stoudamire or Jerry Stackhouse, who put up flashy numbers on weak teams without regard for team success; the quality of Lin Tian’s production was worlds apart. Consequently, although Stoudamire took home the Rookie of the Month award, Lin Tian debuted at fourth on the inaugural rookie rankings released in early November. He trailed only the first overall pick, Joe Smith (15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds), the premier playmaker of the class, Damon Stoudamire (19.3 points, 9.4 assists), and the new "North Carolina Flyer," Jerry Stackhouse (20.6 points). These three were the most hyped prospects of the draft class, the kind worth tanking for. Yet, Lin Tian was merely a second-round pick, selected 52nd overall.

Living in the massive Chicago market and playing for the most high-profile team in the league caused Lin Tian’s popularity to skyrocket. Countless fans took notice of the handsome, lightning-fast Asian rookie making waves in Chicago. This attention brought some benefits; despite not having an agent, Lin Tian secured several endorsement deals with local Chicago brands, earning him a tidy sum.

However, the drawbacks were more significant. More teams began studying him, breaking down his game film and identifying his strengths and weaknesses. Lin Tian’s speed was elite, his fast-break decision-making was excellent, and his mid-range and three-point shooting were serviceable. Yet, his flaws were equally apparent: despite his decent size, he was somewhat thin and struggled against heavy-set guards and crafty veterans. In half-court sets, if an opponent pressured him physically, his speed advantage was negated. While his finishing at the rim had improved, he still struggled when forced to contest with opposing centers.

Many teams began targeting Lin Tian when facing the Bulls, using physical defense, slowing the pace, and denying him open looks off screens. Under this pressure, Lin Tian’s efficiency and statistics began to fluctuate. For instance, in the November 30th loss to the Seattle SuperSonics, Lin Tian was completely neutralized by Gary Payton’s physicality and experience, turning what should have been a scoring run into an offensive surge for the Sonics.

In that game, Lin Tian shot just 2-of-8—the worst performance of his young career. However, neither Lin Tian nor the team was overly concerned by these ups and downs. Rookies are expected to have flaws; hard work and rapid improvement were the only things that mattered.

Little did the Bulls know, after falling to Jordan’s old rivals in Seattle, they would return home on December 2nd to face another of Jordan’s arch-nemeses: Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers.

During this game, Miller once again entered his legendary "Miller Time." He drained nine three-pointers throughout the night, including five in the fourth quarter alone, where he erupted for 23 points. Meanwhile, Jordan played as if he had eaten something rotten, shooting a dismal 6-of-23 for only 20 points—less than Miller’s fourth-quarter total. As everyone knows, Jordan’s trash talk is even more infuriating than Miller’s shooting. Between the relentless verbal barrage and being thoroughly outplayed, Jordan looked as sour as if he had eaten a hundred pounds of spoiled mackerel.

Lin Tian also struggled, finding himself matched up against the type of player he was least equipped to handle: Mark Jackson. Known as the "Barkley of point guards," Jackson used his massive frame to back Lin Tian down all night, leaving the rookie helpless and completely outclassed. Lin Tian had hoped to use his "Shark Power" to teach Jackson a lesson in the fourth quarter, but Jackson never gave him the chance. Since Lin Tian had shot only 1-of-6 and Jackson had put up a masterclass of 21 points and 10 assists, the Pacers naturally leaned on their veteran presence to close out the game.

With the Bulls facing a "God-Slayer" version of Reggie Miller in the final frame, they had no choice but to swallow a crushing defeat.