Volume 4: Golden State Prosperity

Voters who cast their first-place votes for Westbrook while setting team record aside emphasized the sheer shock value of his averaging a triple-double. Those who did not give him their first-place vote often gave him their second-place vote instead, likewise praising his lone-hero performance. Fortunately, Love and Irving were both in much better form than last season, while role players such as Korver, Channing Frye, Tristan Thompson, Smith, and Shumpert delivered eye-catching performances, leaving the Cavaliers looking far better than they had last year. This time, the coalition had nothing to say. Parker, Ginobili, and Gasol were also a group of aging veterans; no matter how capable Popovich was, even the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice. But Rose could not possibly stop using high-speed change-of-direction drives to beat defenders. Speed was his greatest weapon, and without it, he would no longer be the Windy City Rose. After all, with fewer voters, there was more room to manipulate the outcome. However, their argument with Warriors fans did not last long. Paul, Crawford, and Iguodala were getting older, Griffin had been plagued by injuries, and their physical abilities had gradually declined; they were no longer nearly as strong as before. In addition, Isaiah Thomas's breakout was also crucial. Fourth in the West were the Jazz, who had also gone 51-31. The only good news was that Rose would be healthy for the playoffs, and as long as Rose stayed healthy, the Bulls had the strength to go toe-to-toe with any opponent in the East. The coalition finally scored a "victory" in front of Warriors fans. Though it had no effect whatsoever on the Warriors, they still felt they had finally held their heads high: Rose had frequently suffered leg injuries. Though none had been major, caution meant treating minor injuries