[Ding!]

"Injuries really are demons!" Carlos mused deeply after his contemplation. After all, it wasn't too long ago that he himself experienced a minor bout of altitude sickness, which resulted in a headache during a game against Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. Just a minor headache had significantly impaired his performance, let alone serious injuries like Achilles tendon ruptures, ACL strains, or meniscus removals which are undoubtedly devastating for any athlete, even those with exceptional physical gifts.

Kobe Bryant's physical decline was apparent after his Achilles injury; in fact, his performance dropped sharply afterwards and he retired a few seasons later. "A healthy body is really important!" Despite Carlos being at an age where he is young and healthy, being conscious of the importance of maintaining that health is crucial because one never knows when an injury might strike.

"Ugh... With almost two years to go, I hope Gustavo Ayon can recover some of his form so that in the 2012 Olympics, even if the peak lineup from '08 isn't there, we can compete with strong teams like the USA, Lithuania, Argentina."

[Ding!]

As Carlos pondered, the notification sound of the system rang in his mind once more.

[Ding! A random task has been triggered: Become the All-Star vote leader and be rewarded with an Injury-Prevention Candy.]

Injury-Prevention Candy. As the name suggests...

Carlos immediately understood that this was a candy that could reduce the risk of injuries and maintain better health, which made him quite happy. Because... he had just been feeling panicked about injuries.

Now...

Carlos squinted his eyes, "Getting the All-Star vote leader, this random task, I must achieve it, I must complete it, I must get the 'Injury-Prevention Candy.' And to become the All-Star vote leader, to get more votes, it boils down to skill and popularity, and popularity usually increases with skill. That means, before the All-Star voting ends, I must play as well as possible to win over the fans."

With that thought...

A look of determination flashed in Carlos's eyes.

Furthermore...

Carlos hadn't forgotten about the 'Jordan post-up move' ability that was part of the '30+ near-quadruple-double' task. After all... his hope for Gustavo Ayon's recovery and their partnership in the 2012 Olympics stemmed in part from his own realization that he wasn't yet strong enough. While he possessed Iverson's talent, it was just that – talent. It wasn't enough to replicate all of Iverson's offensive prowess, and even with enhancements like 'Anthony's jump shot' and 'Curry's peak three-point shot,' his scoring options had increased.

But...

It still wasn't enough...

Not enough to face the strong teams from the East and West like the Heat, Magic, Lakers, Spurs, nor the All-Star 'Dream Team' lineups.

Carlos knew he needed to become stronger; the 'Jordan post-up move' ability was a must-have.

Of course...

Before that, in two days, the battle with the Celtics and the night aiming for a 23-game winning streak was Carlos's immediate goal, and it was a match he must win.

...

The next day...

[Phoenix Suns' Carlos vs Celtics All-Star Starters].

This topic became the hottest discussion of the day, and although the Suns weren't scheduled to play the Celtics that night, the fans were still wildly heating up for the matchup.

As a result...

Even Howard, who had a game that day, couldn't help but complain, "Sure, Carlos's 22-game winning streak is impressive, but is it really enough to explode in popularity like this?!"

He was frustrated...

Seeing another center, a rookie at that, overshadow him was irksome, and he was even more eager to face Carlos and solidify his status as the league's top center.

At the Miami Heat's practice facility, Wade, Bosh, and LeBron were looking at news about Carlos, all showing signs of excitement.

"Hey!"

"This rookie Carlos seems to be getting a bit too much attention," grumbled Bosh.

"Yeah..."

Wade smiled and added, "The internet is flooded with news about the Suns' 22-game winning streak and Carlos. This rookie seems to be overshadowing our 'Big Three'."

"Interesting!"

LeBron smiled faintly and said, "We thought we would be the main show of the league this season, but a rookie has stolen the spotlight. That won't do. It's a pity that Carlos was not present when we slaughtered the Suns in the first three quarters earlier this season, but we still have another regular season game against them. That game... no matter if the Suns' winning streak is still alive, we must beat them to let the league know that this is the season of the Heat's 'Big Three'."

"Of course..."

Wade nodded with a smile, and Bosh shrugged, both seemingly taking it for granted.

Despite currently being second in the Eastern Conference standings, the Heat's 'Big Three' exuded the aura of champions!

Meanwhile, at the Celtics camp...

In the locker room, Pierce, leaning back in his chair, spoke indifferently, "Carlos versus our five All-Stars? What nonsense is the outside world talking about?! We may be All-Stars, but... there's no way Carlos can take us on alone. These attention-seeking, crowd-pleasing headlines are just ridiculous."

Pierce was annoyed.

Garnett, rubbing his shiny, bald head, also looked displeased and disdainfully said, "Carlos does have remarkable talent for a rookie. But... this time back at home, we Celtics will surely win. We ended the Rockets' 22-game winning streak before, and we can end the Suns' streak just the same."

"Yes..."

"We will be the victors!"

Ray Allen's expression was calm, revealing no emotion, yet the desire to win was evident on his face.

At the Suns' practice facility...

Curry expressed concern, "Oh! I didn't realize it before, but after the first round of the All-Star voting and the media hype, the Celtics' starting All-Star five seems pretty formidable!"

"Yes..."

Nash nodded and added, "Since the Celtics formed their Big Three, they've been a powerhouse in the East, and the 'Green-Yellow Battle' has been going on for years. However... our Suns team is no pushover either. Our 22-game winning streak is proof we can stand against any opponent."

Pausing there...

He then addressed his teammates, "Hey, you must have heard, if we win against the Celtics, Carlos will surpass Gustavo Ayon to become the Mexican player with the most consecutive wins. So, whether it's for the team's 23rd consecutive win or for Carlos's personal 23-game streak, we must triumph over the Celtics. Everyone... do we have confidence?!"

"Yes!"

"We must!"

"For Carlos, I'd lay it all on the line to beat the Celtics."

The Suns were united, ready for the battle against the Celtics.