Chapter 83: Tying the Longest Winning Streak in Team History—Alex Mo Named Player of the Week

The news that Big Ben was about to return didn't cause much excitement among fans.

Why? Because all eyes were on the upcoming battle between Alex Mo and Kevin Garnett—the next-generation face-off between two of the league's rising stars.

Since Alex Mo was registered as a center at the start of the season, he hadn't had the chance to compete directly with Garnett, who played power forward. But now, with Alex officially listed as a forward, the media was billing their clash as a "fateful matchup."

When Alex read the hype in the newspapers, he nearly burst out laughing.

It reminded him of his NCAA rivalry with Marcus Camby. Back then, the media hyped that Alex and Camby would be lifelong rivals once they entered the NBA.

But when Georgetown faced Camby's University of Massachusetts, Camby got completely dominated.

A Look at Camby and Others

Speaking of Camby, Alex checked on the performance of his fellow 1996 draftees. Despite being the No. 4 pick, Camby had struggled in his first few games, scoring 5, 4, and 7 points.

But Camby had rebounded recently, dropping 26 points and 7 rebounds against the Nuggets, then following it up with 23 and 29 points in consecutive games. His 29-point game came in New York against Patrick Ewing—a clear sign that Camby was starting to find his rhythm.

Besides Camby, Tim Duncan had also been pegged as one of Alex's "lifelong rivals."

Meanwhile, Shaquille O'Neal—now leading the Vancouver Grizzlies—had returned to form after a rough start, posting 35 points and 19 rebounds in one game. Though the Grizzlies were struggling, O'Neal remained a dominant force.

Now Enter Kevin Garnett

The media was quick to frame Garnett as Alex Mo's newest "rival."

In truth, Alex found the word "rival" overused. The NBA loved to create stories of head-to-head battles between rising stars to boost ticket sales and TV ratings.

David Stern, the NBA commissioner, knew this well.

"Duncan and Alex on the same team?" Alex thought. "No way. Duncan vs. Alex sells better."

The Nationally Televised Showdown

ESPN quickly picked up the Lakers vs. Timberwolves game for a national broadcast. Kevin Garnett's bold comments had drawn attention, giving the otherwise overlooked Timberwolves a rare spotlight.

Both teams still had one game to play before their matchup.

On November 16, the Timberwolves faced the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Patrick Ewing, eager to help his fellow Georgetown alum, shut down Garnett, holding him to a miserable 4-for-17 shooting night. Despite Ray Allen scoring 21 points, the Timberwolves fell 79–82.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles…

The Lakers cruised to an easy victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs had chosen to tank the season after David Robinson suffered a minor injury. Their strategy was clear—get the No. 1 pick in 1997 and draft Tim Duncan.

With Robinson out, Alex Mo dominated the Spurs' backup center, Will Perdue, fouling him out in just three quarters.

The Lakers' win brought their record to 8–0, tying the 1987-88 Showtime Lakers for the best start in team history.

"Mo, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!" Iverson said, showing Alex a newspaper headline. "We can make history!"

Alex nodded. "We're not losing these next two games, Aaron. Not a chance."

Unlike a personal scoring record, a perfect start to the season couldn't be redone the next game. This was their moment.

Player of the Week

On November 18, the NBA announced its Player of the Week. While the Bulls and Rockets remained undefeated, it was clear that Alex Mo had delivered the most dominant performance.

Michael Jordan averaged a "quiet" 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists for the week.

Hakeem Olajuwon's stats were dragged down by a 10-point, 5-rebound game, even though he only played 18 minutes.

Charles Barkley had a solid week, especially with his 18-rebound game against the Jazz, but his scoring was less impressive.

Then there was Alex Mo's week:

35 points, 18 rebounds, and 6 blocks against the Kings.Career-high 49 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 blocks in a hard-fought battle with the Heat's Alonzo Mourning.37 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks against the Spurs, sending Will Perdue home early.

It wasn't even close.

The Player of the Week for the second week of the 1996-97 NBA season was none other than Alex Mo of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Stage Is Set

With an 8-0 record, the Lakers were one win away from breaking the team's all-time best start and two wins away from a perfect 10-0 record.

The next stop? Minnesota, where Alex Mo and Kevin Garnett would face off in a game the whole league would be watching.