This season is our best chance to challenge the Chicago Bulls' regular season record

"You won, Goodwin!" After the game, Yao Ming graciously admitted defeat.

"Hahahaha, thanks," Goodwin replied with a laugh.

In truth, Goodwin's performance in this game had been fairly solid and unremarkable.

He made 7 of 13 shots, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc. With his high shooting percentage and a steady 2-for-2 showing at the free-throw line, he finished with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, an eye-catching 3 steals, and 4 blocks.

It could be said that the team had cruised to victory before he had even gone all out.

Six Boston Celtics players scored in double figures, displaying tremendous collective firepower.

By comparison, only three Houston Rockets players reached double digits. With such a vast disparity, victory had practically become a pipe dream for them! The Houston Rockets had not lost this game unfairly.

Even now, the Houston Rockets still relied excessively on Yao Ming, their lone pillar, to hold things together. While that gave them a certain baseline of strength and at least guaranteed a playoff berth, just how high was their ceiling?

In the fiercely competitive Western Conference, packed with powerhouse teams, they would probably struggle even to make it past the first round.

If they wanted to make a breakthrough, it would depend on how Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons performed in crucial moments.

Unfortunately, neither of them had played particularly well in this game.

Jeremy Lin made only 4 of 11 shots and went just 1-for-4 from three-point range. Fortunately, he hit all 5 of his free throws, finishing with 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Chandler Parsons had been even worse. He made only 3 of 12 shots and failed to hit a single three-pointer. Though he made both free throws, he finished with a paltry 8 points, 2 rebounds,