On the night of February 2nd, the Warriors' game 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 same 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 "Supreme 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 perimeter finesse had leveled up. Time 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 moment 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 perimeter. 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 game 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 Messiah's single-game 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-game 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 timeline, only Zack knew how terrifying he could become when defenses left him open.
Curry's hot hand turned a tough game into something manageable.
As the game wore on, Zack also noticed that this Mavericks team was missing the "champion's heart" that defined their future selves.
As someone with future knowledge, Zack knew most fans who watched the Mavericks' 2010–11 playoff run remembered a team where someone always stepped up. On paper, they had just one superstar in Nowitzki, but in reality, every player could close out a game.
This current Mavericks squad didn't give off that vibe.
They were strong, no doubt, but if they met in the playoffs, Zack was confident he could lead the Warriors to a six-game 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 postgame, 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 Supreme 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 summers to hone his skills and toughen his mentality.
And that was assuming Green kept progressing.
Through Green, Zack had learned a hard lesson: not every player he remembered as a star would automatically become that guy just by giving them time. Different environments, opportunities, and life experiences all shaped a young player's growth.
Realizing he might've been too soft on Green, Zack decided it was time 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 mess. He knew being Zack's practice partner was a privilege not just anyone got—it meant 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 cement their dominance over the '90s. In an 82-game NBA season, 72 wins wasn't just a ceiling—it was a monument 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 monument 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 moment, 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 games.
"Messiah 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 me, 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 name would've only come 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 games left, it's only a matter of time 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 game.
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 postgame. "Wait till the playoffs—I'm gonna crush you!"
Zack smirked, picking at his nose. "Have you even scored 20 against me 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 comeback), 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 momentum.
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 games 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 Messiah, 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 home, 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 games.
If the Warriors won, they'd not only set a new record at 75–7 but also help the Nets cement 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 game 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 pregame warm-up of Zack's life. He'd never imagined these four women showing up to the same game—let alone sitting in the same 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 game."
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 monument! By ending the Bulls' myth and toppling their monument, they're heading into the playoffs with the historic feat of 75 regular-season wins!"
In a postgame 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 games back then?"
"I'm sick of the 'Messiah vs. Michael Jordan' debate. Messiah'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 Messiah'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?
Postgame, staring at the four "Zack Girls" all eyeing him, he could only think: In the adult world, everything comes at a cost.