115 to 100, the Washington Wizards eventually secured the victory with a 15-point lead.
Link exploded for 42 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 Steals, delivering the greatest preseason performance in history.
Meanwhile, the third overall pick, Pau Gasol, was a bit lackluster tonight.
Although he recorded 17 points, 1 rebound, and 2 blocks, 8 of those points came in the first quarter, and 4 were at the start of the second...
However, once Link caught fire in the second quarter, Pau Gasol not only repeatedly became a "highlight reel backdrop" for Link on the defensive end, but this negative emotion also affected his overall defensive performance.
Players are not robots...
Performance is heavily influenced by emotions.
True superstars are "strong individuals" who can persevere through adversity and rise above negative emotions.
Because of this, many players' scouting reports will note: "When the team is trailing, they are often affected by negative emotions and lose their competitive spirit." For example: Ben Simmons.
On the other hand.
Link also completed the random system mission—"A Small Test of Skill."
"Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 1000 GOAT points and [Random Superstar sparring partner card] x1!"
Opening it up...
Link was surprised to find it was once again—Dennis Rodman's sparring partner card.
Previously, in his Hundred-Point Battle against Rodman, Link had only received a three-star reward.
But he was a completely different person now compared to then...
...
...
After winning the game and finishing his interviews with the media on the court, Link was ambushed upon returning to the locker room.
"Wow..."
"Wow..."
That old rogue Jordan had egged the others on to give him an "Ice Water Bath."
Drenched and chilled to the bone, Link started yelping and shouting.
"rookie, congratulations. You're one step closer to winning rookie of the year," Michael Jordan said with a smile.
"Oh," Link replied nonchalantly.
"rookie, it seems like you're not very interested in rookie of the year..." Michael Jordan asked curiously.
"It's not that... I just feel that rookie of the year isn't my main goal for my rookie season," Link said, putting on an act.
However, when it came to showing off... Jordan was exceptionally skilled.
"True... after all, since I entered the league, I've only had one goal, and that's to win the championship."
"Kid, you come to my house often. Which of my six championship rings do you think is the most beautiful?"
Jordan asked with a laugh.
Link rolled his eyes in exasperation and said, "Michael, I've already answered that question 23 times."
"Haha," Jordan burst out laughing.
...
...
Link's 40-plus point performance, especially right in front of his rival Pau Gasol, was quickly reported by major American media outlets.
[Washington's super rookie scored 42 points in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies, repeatedly turning the Spanish big man into a highlight reel backdrop. Clearly, Link is the superior rookie.] — The Washington Post
[number one draft pick Link was on fire tonight, shooting 7-of-9 from three-point range and exploding for 42 points. However, can this style of play really work in high-intensity games? Compared to the streaky Link, I believe the more stable Pau Gasol is the better rookie.] — USA Today
Despite winning the game and putting up massive numbers, Link did not receive unanimous praise from the media. They believed he relied too heavily on his shooting rhythm. In high-intensity games, where officiating is loose and good shooting opportunities are hard to come by, the frequent physical contact would also significantly impact shooting accuracy.
The Wizards had one preseason game left, and their opponent was the Boston Celtics.
Link played decently in this game, recording 19 points, 12 assists, 1 Steal, and 1 block in 31 minutes of play.
After the game, Michael Jordan sought out Link for a private conversation.
"Link, actually, if you switched to playing shooting guard, it might be more suitable for you," Jordan said.
Link: "How suitable?"
Jordan: "Perhaps you could become a superstar shooting guard, second only to... me. Uh... and maybe that kid on the Los Angeles Lakers."