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Chapter 204: Bulls vs Knicks
🕑 Added 2025-06-29 15:55:28 +0000 UTCBack in New York, the Knicks were hit with a bit of bad luck.
During morning shootaround, starting point guard Tony Douglas went down with a sprained ankle. It wasn’t catastrophic, but still, a blow.
Lin Yi had warned him before.
“Tony, take it easy. You don’t have to go full throttle every day.”
But Douglas had his reasons. Since Chris Duhon’s departure, he’d stepped into the starting role—even though Lou Williams shared some of the burden, Douglas saw this as his shot. His big break. He didn’t want to waste it.
And didn’t Lin Yi train like a man possessed every day? Didn’t the whole team push like they had something to prove?
Douglas didn’t want to be the weak link, so he worked. And worked. And overdid it.
He knew his physical ceiling wasn’t high, so he made up for it by hustling on both ends. He wasn’t flashy, but he was solid. His minutes may have been short, but his effort was full throttle.
The Knicks had managed to stay healthy all season—an incredible stroke of fortune. But now, with Douglas expected to miss 4–6 weeks, Coach D’Antoni had to reshuffle the deck.
After morning practice, D’Antoni huddled with his assistants. Lou Williams was better as a sixth man. The bench spark plug. They needed someone else to step up.
“Ewing, you’re starting tonight,” D’Antoni said casually.
Pat Ewing Jnr froze.
He pointed to himself. “Wait—me? Coach, you serious?”
Once it sunk in, he nearly sprinted out of the facility, phone in hand.
“I’m starting! I’m STARTING!” he yelled, immediately calling his father, then texting every friend and relative in his contact list.
The basketball gods dropped a pie out of the sky.
But after the high wore off, he went straight to the person he trusted most.
“Bro,” he said, tracking down Lin Yi in the locker room, “how should I play tonight?”
Even though Pat was six years older, he saw Lin as his leader.
He owed a lot to Lin. After bouncing around summer league rosters and the NBDL for years, it was Lin who had pushed for the Knicks to take a chance on him. That base-salary contract? That shot at the NBA? It was Lin’s recommendation that cracked open the door.
And Pat listened. All summer, he worked on his defense and three-point shooting. slacked off.
When he got the contract, he felt like Lin had hit the reset button on his career.
And when Lin took a hard fall in preseason? Pat didn’t hesitate. He threw hands for his teammate. That got him suspended for 30 games, and honestly, he thought he was done.
But not only did the Knicks keep him, Lin Yi even paid his fine.
So now, as the unlikely starter, he didn’t want to mess it up.
“This is your first start,” Lin said calmly. “You’ve got speed. You move well in drills. Against Derrick Rose, your job’s not to shut him down—just stay in his face. Be a nuisance. Stick to him like gum on a hot sidewalk.”
“Don’t try to block every shot,” Lin continued. “Rose isn’t a great shooter. Just don’t give him anything easy. Stay low, move your feet, and make life uncomfortable.”
That’s the D’Antoni style Lin remembered. The man might be known for burning out starters, but he was also bold, unafraid to tap into the unknown.
Same in Phoenix. When Stoudemire got hurt, D’Antoni didn’t panic—he just plugged in Boris Diaw, and the Suns barely missed a beat.
For D’Antoni, the best players weren’t always the most obvious ones. They were often already in the locker room.
Sure, Lou Williams was more skilled, but he was perfect off the bench. Pat? Maybe raw. But motivated. Hard-nosed. And with Lin Yi running the offense, all the guards had to do was get the ball past half court without tripping.
Pat took every word to heart. He knew Douglas would be out for a while. If he could hold his ground, this might be his shot at a more secure role. A longer contract. Something stable.
The NBA looks glamorous, but for guys on the fringes, it’s a daily fight just to stay employed. While the stars sign max deals, most players are clawing for a vet minimum and some guaranteed time.
...
Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks were set to face the Bulls again.
The last meeting had bruised Chicago’s ego. Especially Derrick Rose’s. He’d dropped 26 points and still come up short. Tonight? He wasn’t settling. 30, maybe 40—he was ready to empty the tank.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, Lin Yi spotted a trio of well-known figures.
Elizabeth Olsen. Taylor Swift. Scarlett Johansson.
“New York does draw everyone,” Lin muttered, jogging over as some of his teammates looked on, half amused, half teasing.
“Lin, I’ve been thinking of visiting more often during the offseason,” Scarlett said with a warm smile. “Maybe you could show me a bit of the game sometime after this game?”
Lin gave a polite nod. “Of course—happy to help.”
“I wouldn’t mind picking up a few pointers either,” Taylor added, her tone casual but genuine.
Lin chuckled, glancing back at his teammates who were now clearly whispering behind his back.
“All in a day’s work,” he said under his breath, trying not to laugh.
From the Knicks' bench, Danilo Gallinari watched the scene unfold with a half-smile.
“Maybe I finally understand why Lin’s still single,” Gallinari mused.
David Lee raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? Why’s that?”
Gallinari reasoned. “Guy’s got the looks, the game, the calm. But he moves at his own speed. Can’t see him chasing anyone. He’s the type people catch up to—if they can.”
"The only thing that might work against him is his height—he’s 216 cm, and around 221 cm in basketball shoes. But then again, plenty of girls like tall guys. So hey, you never know."
Meanwhile, in the crowd, Elizabeth Olsen casually glanced between Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson, both chatting easily with Lin.
She smiled to herself.
Sure, Lin Yi’s popularity was off the charts these days—NBA star, headlines everywhere, fans screaming his name. But that didn’t faze her.
Let them shine. She had her own light, and more importantly, her own way in.
She thought back to the little things—the time she told Lin about her hamster, his laugh when she mentioned walking her dog in the rain, how they’d once talked for half an hour about which ice cream flavor matched a person’s personality.
Those were her lanes.
And she wasn’t about to let them close.
“Lin, hit me up when you’re free! Let’s walk the dog sometime,” she called out, voice bright and playful.
A small edge tugged at her smile. They don’t have that card, she thought.
Lin Yi: “…”
...
On TNT’s broadcast,
Barkley laughed, “Man, Lin Yi is popular with the ladies. You think Durant’s gonna challenge him to a one-on-one just out of jealousy?”
Kenny Smith cracked up. “Nah, Chuck. If Lin bottled Scarlett’s bath water, Durant would probably line up with a Sharpie and a handshake.”
The Knicks’ starting lineup had been adjusted due to Douglas’ injury.
“Big change tonight,” Barkley noted. “Let’s see if young Ewing Jr. can handle the pressure under the lights.”
...
Ewing Jr. was nervous.
This wasn’t just any arena. This was The Garden. His father's house for years.
He glanced at Lin Yi beside him, calm, composed, the crowd roaring just from his warm-up. He’s out here doing this every night?
Ewing felt his pulse race.
Then, a large hand ruffled his hair.
“Relax,” Lin said with a grin. “Just like practice. If there’s no look for you, swing it to me. If there is—take it.”
In that moment, Ewing swore he saw a halo above Lin’s head.
“Got it,” he said, fists clenched with determination.
“Let’s go!” Gallinari slapped his back.
“You can put Lin on his ass, no worries,” David Lee added with a grin.
“If you lose your man, I’ll cover the gap. I can defend two now,” Chandler chimed in, already walking deeper down his 3-and-D path.
On the sidelines, Coach D’Antoni simply nodded at Ewing with a kind, knowing smile.
Ewing felt his eyes sting.
Being part of this team… it’s something special.
Taking a breath, he walked onto the court with his teammates.
And then he saw him.
Derrick Rose.
Chicago’s golden boy.
Ewing thought. Man, this is gonna be something.
He smiled wryly to himself. “Heaven and earth, huh?”
But he didn’t back down.
Because he wasn’t alone out here.
...
Whistle!
Lin Yi won the jump, tipping the ball to Ewing Jr., who charged forward and gripped the ball like it was a treasure.
Rose was pressing. Not the best defender, but he carried that presence—a kind of quiet, explosive pressure.
And tonight, Rose looked locked in.
Lin Yi came up to set a high screen.
Ewing felt like the noise disappeared. He couldn’t hear anything but the ball and his breath.
He drove left. Lin’s screen was perfect. Rose was late. Pat stepped out, but a second slower.
Now or never.
Before the game, Ewing had asked Lin Yi, “When did you know you were peaking? Was it the 61 points in three quarters? The quadruple-double? All-Star MVP?”
Lin just smiled.
And now, as Ewing released the ball—his form not picture-perfect, but quick and sharp from summer drills—he held his breath.
I may not be Lin Yi.
But today, I’m starting in the NBA.
And one day, I’ll tell my kids: I shared the court with a great.
Swish—!
“Nice one!” Lin said, giving him a quick nod as teammates clapped his back.
The Garden erupted.
Ewing Jr. looked at Rose again.
Maybe I’m not on your level yet.
But I have something worth fighting for, too.
I love this game.
And I’m willing to give everything for it.
