Didn't I Just Strike Gold?

"Perkins, set a screen for me in a second."

"No problem!"

"Beep! Beep!" The whistle sounded, and the game officially began.

The starters got the ball first, and their opening play went to Paul Pierce. Pierce showed no mercy, using a string of fakes to fool his defender before calmly putting the ball in the basket.

0:2

The starters scored first.

Next, it was the reserves' turn. Kendrick Perkins kept glancing toward Goodwin in the corner, waiting for him to give the signal, but Goodwin made no move.

He stood quietly in the left corner, as if the offense had nothing to do with him.

It wasn't that Goodwin didn't want to attack. He wanted to study the starters' defense first.

The seconds ticked away, and the reserves still couldn't find a good shot. Delonte West had no choice but to force one.

"Clang!" The shot was contested and bounced off the rim.

"Fast break!"

The starters immediately launched a defensive counterattack. They passed the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt and found Jiri Welsch. The whole sequence took less than five seconds, and Welsch easily finished the layup.

0:4

Goodwin went over to Delonte West and said, "West, watch my cuts next time."

"Got it!" Delonte West's lips curled slightly. He'd played alongside Goodwin during an earlier team scrimmage, and Goodwin was an absolute assist machine for a point guard.

The reserves inbounded again, and the ball went to Delonte West. He quickly dribbled across half court.

A moment later, he was over the line, his eyes fixed on Goodwin.

Goodwin still ran toward the left corner, making a gesture as he went.

Kendrick Perkins noticed at once and immediately left the paint to come over.

Skrrt... Goodwin came to a sudden stop in the corner, his shoes squealing against the floor.

He pivoted on his left foot, pushed off hard with his right, and darted toward the perimeter.

Paul Pierce, who was guarding him, hurried after him. Goodwin, you're not getting an easy shot.

Just then, a wall suddenly appeared in Pierce's way.

What? A screen!

Damn, he couldn't let Goodwin get an open shot. Pierce immediately shouted, "Mark, help!"

Mark Blount heard Pierce and rushed toward Goodwin right away, but he was a step too late.

Goodwin used the screen to shake his defender and reached the three-point line on the left wing.

The ball arrived right on time! Delonte West passed it to him immediately.

The moment Goodwin caught it, he didn't need to adjust at all. He jumped, hung in the air, and released the ball.

The motion was seamless, his shot smooth and sharp!

"Beautiful!" Doc Rivers couldn't help exclaiming from the sideline. It was hard to tell whether he was praising the reserves' play or Goodwin's shot.

The ball traced a graceful arc through the air.

Swish. It dropped cleanly through the hoop, as if guided by GPS.

Goodwin scored, opening the reserves' account.

3:4

"Beautiful, Goodwin!" "What a shot!" "Good!"... The other four reserves all praised him.

Goodwin himself showed no emotion, as if it had been the easiest thing in the world. Once he saw the ball go in, he turned and got back on defense.

"Sorry, Paul!" Mark Blount hurriedly apologized. Pierce had warned him, but he still hadn't managed to stop Goodwin's shot.

"It's fine. Watch out next time." Pierce wasn't saying that only to Mark Blount. He was reminding himself, too.

He hadn't noticed Kendrick Perkins coming over to set the screen. If he had, he could've reacted right away.

"Paul, I'll get there next time," Mark Blount promised.

Pierce nodded.

The starters got the ball again. This time, they ran a screen from the middle. Mike James used it to drive inside and draw the defense's attention, but instead of passing the ball out, he tried to finish himself, forcing his way to the basket.

"Clang!" Mike James's layup was disrupted.

Kendrick Perkins secured the defensive rebound and passed the ball to Delonte West.

"West, the ball!" Goodwin shouted as he sprinted upcourt.

West glanced over. Even with Paul Pierce beside Goodwin, he didn't hesitate to pass.

The ball flew upcourt toward Goodwin.

Pierce tried to jump and intercept it, but the pass was a little too high. In an instant, he gave up on it.

Goodwin caught the ball.

The moment he did, Pierce overtook him and got in front of him, settling into a defensive stance.

"Goodwin, you'll get past me in your next life," Pierce taunted.

Pierce was famous around the league for talking trash, but he was still pretty gentle with his younger teammate.

Goodwin faked a drive to the right. Pierce immediately reacted, shifting his body in that direction.

But in the next instant, Goodwin pulled the ball back and jumped straight up from where he stood.

Fuck! He'd been fooled!

Pierce immediately stopped his momentum, pushed off hard with his left foot, and reached up to contest Goodwin's shot.

Even though Goodwin was a full meter behind the three-point line, Pierce believed he could make it. Nobody on the Boston Celtics knew Goodwin's abilities better than he did.

That was why he'd been so anxious when Coach John kept Goodwin glued to the bench. He'd lost count of how many times he'd cursed John Carroll in his head. The idiot was hopeless. What on earth had Danny Ainge seen in him...

Midair, Goodwin seemed to know Pierce would rush at him. He leaned back slightly to avoid the contest and released the ball.

"Fuck..." Doc Rivers swore from the sideline. That had been a good fast break. Why take a three when there wasn't even anyone under the basket to rebound?

Swish. The ball went in. Rivers's words caught in his throat, and he couldn't make a sound. How... how...

Beside him, Assistant Coach Jack said, "That's Goodwin's shooting for you. In practice, he makes an incredible 91 percent of his open threes, and an incredible 95 percent of his open midrange shots!"

Doc Rivers stared at Jack in shock, as if to ask, Are you serious?

91 percent? 95 percent?

"In a day?" Rivers held up one finger.

"Of course not. Those are Goodwin's shooting percentages from the two months he's been with the Boston Celtics."

"OMG! Did I just strike gold?"

"That's right, Coach Doc. I hope you'll develop Goodwin properly and try to get him some playing time," Assistant Coach Jack pleaded.

He'd watched Goodwin train tirelessly over the past few days. Goodwin clearly had the ability, but he still hadn't gotten a chance.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll turn him into Boston's Reggie Miller."

If Goodwin had heard Doc Rivers say that, he would've grabbed his size-49 shoe, smashed Rivers in the face with it, and shouted, "Who wants to be the uncrowned king? I'm going to climb to the highest peak in the NBA!"