On the night of February 2nd, the Warriors’ ga against the Mavericks was a grind.
Just two weeks ago, when Dirk Nowitzki was crowned AMVP at the Dallas All-Star Weekend, Mavericks coach Mike Woodson had this to say about his star: "I have no doubt that Dirk is at the absolute peak of his career."
Honestly, Zack felt the sa way.
On the court, as Nowitzki tore through the Warriors’ defense with mismatch after mismatch, the superstar power forward with historic shooting ability felt like a grim reaper—nobody could stop him.
Luckily, as the "Supre PLUS Edition LeBron" in the eyes of LeBron’s fans, Zack wasn’t as intimidated by Dallas’ interior traps as the original LeBron might’ve been.
Facing the Mavericks’ bigs—Ian Mahinmi, Brendan Haywood, and Shawn Marion, who tried to box him in—Nowitzki had his untouchable "Golden Rooster" fadeaway.
Zack? He had his signature "Big Snap Pull-Up."
Stop, gather, rise.
Under Tim Grover’s tutelage during his injury recovery, Zack’s periter finesse had leveled up. Ti and again, he drained big snap pull-ups over Marion that left the defender helpless.
On the court, Marion tried shrinking Zack’s shooting space to stop him from splashing in his face with those pull-ups. But the mont Marion switched from sagging to pressing up, Zack shifted his attack, barreling into the Mavericks’ paint.
To Marion, if it weren’t for the "Zack Rule" letting defenders use heavy contact to slow him down, Zack would’ve obliterated Dallas’ interior that night.
What Marion didn’t know was that Zack didn’t always go for the paint after blowing by on the periter. With Curry subbing in for Nash, Zack could just hit the pass button and rack up an easy assist.
Curry had another career night.
He went 10-for-14 from the field, an absurd 9-for-11 from three, and with four free throws, finished with 33 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Warriors fans, who’d ripped Curry apart after he cost them a ga in Toronto, were eating their words tonight, proving just how sweet "humble pie" can taste.
"If we gave Stephen more minutes, with the way he’s shooting tonight, I swear he could break ssiah’s single-ga three-point record!" one fan raved.
Curry’s performance was stellar.
And as much as Zack hated to admit it, he knew the NBA single-ga three-point record he’d set was just a stepping stone for Curry’s eventual rise to greatness.
With the kind of shooting opportunities Curry got in this tiline, only Zack knew how terrifying he could beco when defenses left him open.
Curry’s hot hand turned a tough ga into sothing manageable.
As the ga wore on, Zack also noticed that this Mavericks team was missing the "champion’s heart" that defined their future selves.
As soone with future knowledge, Zack knew most fans who watched the Mavericks’ 2010–11 playoff run rembered a team where soone always stepped up. On paper, they had just one superstar in Nowitzki, but in reality, every player could close out a ga.
This current Mavericks squad didn’t give off that vibe.
They were strong, no doubt, but if they t in the playoffs, Zack was confident he could lead the Warriors to a six-ga series win.
Final score: 112–127. The Warriors won the heavyweight clash, inching closer to shattering the Bulls’ mythic record.
"I think Stephen’s performance proves I’ve got an eye for talent," Zack said postga, heaping praise on Curry. "Stephen’s the best player from the ’09 draft, no question."
The Warriors’ main mission this season was clear: crush the Chicago Bulls’ 72-win record into dust.
But watching Curry grow day by day? That put Zack in an absolutely fantastic mood.
After all, if Zack was the Supre PLUS Edition LeBron, he shared one thing with LeBron: the more elite shooters around him, the better.
But then, an oblivious reporter had to poke the bear: "We know you also pushed for Danny Green in the draft. Do you think the Tar Heel captain still has a future with the Warriors?"
Green was a thorn in Zack’s side.
Sure, Green had improved noticeably over the past six months. But to earn consistent minutes on this Warriors roster, Zack figured Green needed at least two more sumrs to hone his skills and toughen his ntality.
And that was assuming Green kept progressing.
Through Green, Zack had learned a hard lesson: not every player he rembered as a star would automatically beco that guy just by giving them ti. Different environnts, opportunities, and life experiences all shaped a young player’s growth.
Realizing he might’ve been too soft on Green, Zack decided it was ti to put him through the wringer with daily extra training sessions.
"Danny, from now on, you’re my practice partner. One-on-one," Zack said in the locker room, eyeing Green, who sat alone in the corner.
As Zack walked off, Curry patted Green’s shoulder. "Hang in there, man!"
Green’s emotions were a tangled ss. He knew being Zack’s practice partner was a privilege not just anyone got—it ant the Warriors hadn’t given up on him.
But it was also the most dreaded job on the team.
Zack, who went all-out in practice, didn’t care if you were a scrub. The worse you were, the more he’d dismantle you afterward with a full-on beatdown.
Green’s miserable life had officially begun.
In March, fresh off beating the Mavericks, the Warriors kept charging toward the Bulls’ record.
"Even if they break our record, I still believe we were the better team," Scottie Pippen said in an interview, defending the Bulls’ legacy. "If we played under our era’s rules, I don’t think the Warriors could beat us."
This was, without a doubt, Pippen’s fiercest defense of the Bulls’ legacy yet.
Trash-talking Jordan on TV? That was just business. But protecting the Bulls’ image? That was Pippen’s line in the sand.
Why are myths myths?
Because for years, the Bulls’ 72 wins stood as an untouchable record in the eyes of the world.
During their second dynasty, the Bulls used those 72 wins to cent their dominance over the ’90s. In an 82-ga NBA season, 72 wins wasn’t just a ceiling—it was a monunt to the Bulls’ greatness, built by their players and etched in fans’ hearts.
But now, with that myth on the verge of being shattered and that monunt about to be toppled, Pippen felt like a martyr, standing up to defend everything the Bulls stood for.
What baffled Pippen was Jordan’s silence.
What was Michael doing?
Why, at such a critical mont, was he acting like he’d gone off the grid, ignoring the world as the Warriors threatened to eclipse his legacy?
What was Jordan doing?
Lately, he’d been stressing over how his Bobcats players were treating him.
Sure, out of respect for his owner status, players like Brandon Roy, Ron Artest, and Zach Randolph didn’t openly defy him. But after the "Dallas Incident," the Bobcats’ morale had tanked, leading to their longest losing streak in years: 11 gas.
"ssiah is the role model for our generation," Roy said in an interview. "His crown is just missing a few diamonds, but I’m sure he’ll add them himself one day."
"I’m proud to have played alongside him," Artest added. "To , he’s the greatest player in NBA history, bar none."
Since the Dallas Incident, the new generation of players had lost all reverence for Jordan, the old GOAT.
In Zack’s previous life, if not for the future "Vice-GOAT" trying to take the top spot, Jordan’s na would’ve only co up when discussing records.
Was Jordan forgotten because he’d been retired too long? Hardly.
In the first decade of the 21st century, almost no one questioned his untouchable status. But as capitalist Jordan shattered his own image among younger players, his playing days got dragged into the reckoning.
March’s brutal schedule ended, and the Warriors, with a 68–6 record, continued to lead the league, earning near-universal acclaim.
"I don’t agree with Scottie Pippen. I played against that Bulls team in the ’90s," Kevin Garnett said, weighing in. "I’m telling you now, this Warriors team’s dominance blows those Bulls out of the water."
Kobe, one of Zack’s MVP rivals, added, "There’s no debate about this year’s MVP. He’s the best player, hands down. He’s led the Warriors to the best record, and with eight gas left, it’s only a matter of ti before they break the Bulls’ 72 wins."
LeBron, another MVP contender, echoed, "You know he’s already locked up first place. The rest of us are just fighting for second."
Though Randy Mims thought LeBron shouldn’t prop up his "fake friend," LeBron saw it differently.
"Randy, I have to speak up for him," LeBron said earnestly. "He just fought for unprecedented benefits for all players. If I go against him now, I’ll be seen as a traitor."
April rolled in.
Determined to shatter the myth, Zack and the Warriors hit a snag in their first April ga.
At KeyArena, Ray Allen and Mike Bibby combined for 14 threes, making the Sonics the only team to beat the Warriors twice this season.
"We’re 2–2 against you in the regular season," Yao Ming teased Zack postga. "Wait till the playoffs—I’m gonna crush you!"
Zack smirked, picking at his nose. "Have you even scored 20 against this season?"
Yao thought hard. Thanks to Sonics coach Rick Carlisle’s strict minutes cap and the refs’ leniency toward Zack’s physical defense (a nod to his injury coback), Yao had scored just 17, 18, 18, and 19 points in their four regular-season matchups.
"Who takes the regular season seriously?" Yao shot back.
"Alright, big guy. In the playoffs, don’t let Garnett bail you out!"
"Stop yapping. Let’s settle this online!"
"..."
After their childish spat with Yao, the Warriors’ unexpected loss in Seattle didn’t slow their montum.
On April 11, they obliterated the Clippers 141–110 on the road, clinching their 73rd win and officially tossing the Bulls’ myth into the trash heap of history.
With two gas left, they had a shot to rewrite history even further.
For Jordan’s faithful and Bulls fans, it was a dark day.
"The Golden State Warriors, led by ssiah, shattered the myth!" a broadcaster declared. "They’ve ended the debate about who’s the greatest team ever, dethroning those Bulls!"
On April 13, the Warriors cruised past the Jazz at ho, setting a new NBA single-season win record.
On April 14, all eyes turned to their regular-season finale against the Nets, who’d won just eight gas.
If the Warriors won, they’d not only set a new record at 75–7 but also help the Nets cent the NBA’s worst single-season win total (outside lockout years).
The chance to witness two historic records in one night? Even though the opponent was the lowly Nets, tickets for the ga were scalped at insane prices.
That night, Oracle Arena was packed with celebrities, including several "Zack Girls" linked to Zack in tabloid rumors: Maria Sharapova, Scarlett Johansson, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit models Brooklyn Decker and Irina Shayk.
It was, hands-down, the most nerve-wracking prega warm-up of Zack’s life. He’d never imagined these four won showing up to the sa ga—let alone sitting in the sa row.
"You gonna go say hi?" Brown asked with a sly grin. "They’re here for you."
Zack took a deep breath. "I’m just trying to focus on the ga."
Was he really? Brown wasn’t sure.
What Brown did know was that Zack struggled, going 9-for-23 from the field, with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and a whopping 7 turnovers against a Nets team desperate to avoid the "worst team ever" label.
Luckily, the rest of the Warriors stepped up.
Final score: 109–130.
In front of Oracle’s roaring golden tide, the Warriors sealed the win, locking in a new NBA record of 75 wins.
"It’s over. It’s all over," Barkley said on TNT. "The Warriors created a new myth! They built a new monunt! By ending the Bulls’ myth and toppling their monunt, they’re heading into the playoffs with the historic feat of 75 regular-season wins!"
In a postga interview, Warriors coach Mike Malone couldn’t wait to gloat. "I’m not saying we’re the greatest team ever—but it’s the truth!"
"Scottie Pippen says the Bulls would beat us under their rules?" Malone scoffed. "Then why didn’t the Bulls win 75 gas back then?"
"I’m sick of the ’ssiah vs. Michael Jordan’ debate. ssiah’s only 27. Did Jordan have a ring at 27?"
"You all say this Warriors team could win with a dog on the sidelines. If that’s true, how can you not admit ssiah’s greatness?"
Malone’s fiery rant was both a push to elevate Zack’s case against Jordan and a flex that he was the coach of the greatest player ever.
As for Zack?
Postga, staring at the four "Zack Girls" all eyeing him, he could only think: In the adult world, everything cos at a cost.
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