NBA: Built to Dominate

Kevin Garnett Believes He's the Answer

Kevin Garnett saw nothing wrong with what he said.

When comparing himself to Alex Mo, he saw no reason to believe he was at a disadvantage.

Both were 6'11" (2.11m).

Both had elite wingspans and athleticism.

And defensively?

KG believed he was already one of the league's best two-way players in just his second season.

Through two games, he had 4 steals and 5 blocks—an average of:

2 steals per game2.5 blocks per game

If he kept that up for the season, he would be one of the few players in NBA history to average those numbers.

Only David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon had done it before.

So, as far as Garnett was concerned, when he and Alex Mo finally faced off, he wouldn't struggle with the same "impossible choice" as other big men:

Do you guard the three or defend the drive?

For KG, the answer was simple:

If Alex shot a three, he'd block it.If Alex drove inside, he'd stop him cold.

"I'm not worried about him," Garnett said.

"I know what he can do, but he can't overpower me—on either end."

Ray Allen's Warning

Sitting nearby, Ray Allen—a fellow rookie from the '96 class—overheard the conversation.

"Kevin," he said, shaking his head. "I think you should be careful."

Garnett turned. "Why's that?"

Allen sighed.

"I played against Georgetown when I was at UConn. I've gone head-to-head with Alex Mo before."

"And?"

"And if it was that easy to stop him… Connecticut would've been the Big East champions, not Georgetown."

Garnett scoffed.

"I respect him. I know he's the No. 1 pick."

"But that doesn't mean I fear him."

"I know exactly how to beat him."

Ray Allen didn't argue further.

Talking didn't matter.

In mid-November, when the Lakers and Timberwolves finally met, they'd settle it on the court.

Media Hype: The League's Next Great Rivalry?

The NBA media exploded.

Sports outlets loved rivalries, and this one was perfect:

Alex Mo: The first Chinese No. 1 pick in history.Kevin Garnett: The first high school superstar of the modern NBA.

Both were 6'11" big men, but their games were far from traditional.

Both had elite athleticism, could shoot from mid-range, and had skills that defied their size.

Alex Mo had taken it one step further, proving he could dominate from the three-point line.

The only question was:

Could Kevin Garnett stop him?

That game was now the most anticipated matchup of the month.

Lakers' Training Center – Iverson Reacts

At the Lakers' practice facility, Allen Iverson tossed down a newspaper in front of Alex Mo.

"Bro, did you see this?" he asked.

"That guy in Minnesota is talking crazy."

Alex glanced at the headline:

"Garnett Confident He Can Shut Down Lakers' Rookie Star"

He smirked.

"He's just running his mouth."

Iverson frowned.

"I dunno, man… he looked pretty serious."

Alex chuckled.

"Allen, just wait 'til we play them."

Chamberlain Wants Permanent Front-Row Seats

Iverson flipped through the paper and paused.

"Wait… check this out."

He pointed at another article.

Wilt Chamberlain had made a special request to the Lakers' front office:

He wanted them to reserve a permanent courtside seat for him.

Anytime he wanted, he'd have a front-row view of Alex Mo.

"No way… he's coming again?" Alex said, genuinely surprised.

Iverson grinned.

"Dude, Wilt straight-up said he wants to watch every game you play."

Alex laughed.

"Man… he must really be interested in 'basketball' now, huh?"

He shook his head.

Of all the things Wilt Chamberlain was known for, watching basketball wasn't high on the list.

Still… if the NBA's greatest center thought Alex's game was worth watching, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

November 5 – Lakers vs. Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets had lost Mutombo in free agency, but they had signed Ervin Johnson, another 7-foot defensive center.

Before the game, reporters asked Nuggets head coach Bernie Bickerstaff a familiar question:

Would he defend Alex Mo's three-point shot or his drives?

Bickerstaff shrugged.

"I don't believe a 6'11" center can win a game with three-pointers."

He explained his strategy:

Ervin Johnson would play drop coverage, staying inside to guard the paint.If Alex Mo wanted to shoot threes, he was welcome to try.

"If he can beat us with threes, so be it."

The reporters smiled—but not for the reason Bickerstaff thought.

They were just grateful.

Because tonight, they'd get their answer.

Was Alex Mo's three-point shooting real?

Or was it just a lucky streak?

The Answer Came Quickly

First quarter.

Alex Mo attempted four three-pointers.

He made all four.

12 points.

No hesitation. No luck.

Just pure confidence.

By the fifth attempt, Bickerstaff was screaming from the sidelines:

"SOMEONE GUARD HIM! DO NOT LET HIM SHOOT!"

But it was too late.

When Ervin Johnson stepped out to contest, Alex took one step inside the arc, drove into the open lane, and threw down an uncontested dunk.

By the end of the game, Alex had:

Played only three quarters, Shot 7-for-9 from three, and scored 21 points just from deep

Bickerstaff, who had once laughed at the idea of a center winning with threes, was now having nightmares about it.

Wilt Chamberlain: "I Love Watching This Kid"

After the Lakers' third straight win, Wilt Chamberlain turned to Jerry West with a big grin.

"I like this kid more and more," he said.

West raised an eyebrow.

"You still won't tell me what you two talked about?"

Chamberlain smirked.

"I didn't say anything."

West rolled his eyes.

"I don't believe you."

Post-Game Debate: Should Centers Play Like This?

At the post-game press conference, Coach Bickerstaff refused to accept the loss.

"I still think centers shouldn't play this way," he argued.

"Alex Mo is dominant inside. He should be focusing on the paint."

"Three-point shooting? That's for guards and wings."

His frustration sparked heated debates across the NBA.

Was it right for a 6'11" player to shoot like a guard?

Or was Alex Mo changing the game itself?

Coach Harris Asks Alex to Adjust His Role

At the Lakers' training facility, Coach Del Harris approached Alex.

"Look, Alex… I have no issue with you shooting from deep.

"But I'm concerned that if you play too much on the perimeter, we'll lose offensive rebounds and put ourselves at a disadvantage."

Alex nodded.

"I get it."

Harris exhaled.

"So… I was thinking—maybe you should cut back on threes a little bit?"

Alex smirked.

"I already have a better solution."

Harris raised an eyebrow.

Alex leaned forward.

"Let me start at small forward."