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Chapter 144: Magic vs Knicks End
🕑 Added 2025-05-24 15:03:47 +0000 UTCThe Knicks managed to hold off the Magic at home, winning 80-88.
Lin Yi logged 32 minutes, shot 7-for-21 (a rough night from deep at just 1-for-8), but nailed all 5 free throws. He still finished with a game-high 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks.
On the other side, Dwight Howard played 31 minutes, went 5-for-13 from the field... and a painful 4-for-21 from the free-throw line. Yep, you read that right. He ended the night with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
After the final buzzer, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy let loose during the postgame interview.
“They weren’t even trying to play basketball. They just came out here to foul! It’s a joke!”
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t miss a beat. Grinning, he fired back:
“They can always try the same tactic on us. We don’t mind being chopped. Just make sure it’s Lin at the line.”
That one had the media cracking up. I mean, fouling Lin Yi? The guy shoots 94% from the line. That’s giving away points.
But jokes aside, D’Antoni was playing the long game — building the spotlight for his rising star. All-Star voting hadn’t started yet, and the Lin vs. Dwight debate for Eastern Conference starting center was heating up online.
With Lin’s breakout season, Howard’s All-Star spot wasn’t looking so secure anymore. After all, it’s one center per starting lineup, and tonight’s head-to-head? Knicks got the dub.
Sure, Lin’s efficiency wasn’t great — fans might nitpick the shooting percentages — but that was overshadowed by Dwight’s legendary free-throw meltdown.
One bold reporter even cornered Patrick Ewing postgame:
“You’ve been coaching Dwight for years now... has he made any progress?”
Ewing sighed.
“I wish I knew what was going on.”
Poor Pat. He had it rough enough back in his center days. Now, even in retirement, he’s still getting dragged by Dwight’s technical apocalypse.
Then came Lin Yi’s turn at the mic.
“Lin, you’re so solid at the line. Got any advice for Dwight?”
Lin shrugged. “Nah, I don’t think he needs to focus too hard on free throws. When God closes one door... sometimes He adds a titanium deadbolt just for fun.”
“Wait, are you saying there’s no hope for Dwight at the line?” another reporter asked, half-laughing.
Lin leaned in, totally deadpan.
“Sometimes you don’t truly understand despair… until you try and try and... still nothing.”
Yeah. That one went viral.
Word has it, before the Magic left town, a certain 7-footer was spotted storming through half the Knicks fan shops in Manhattan — reportedly buying out every Lin Yi jersey he could find.
All you could hear was the faint hum of:
“Burning... burning... my grievances...”
...
The Knicks’ win over the Magic had people buzzing. On paper, this team didn’t exactly scream playoff contender.
Outside of Lin Yi — their summer gem — the roster looked like a patchwork of spare parts.
Harrington? Just a big expiring contract.
Gallinari? Played softer than boiled pasta last year.
Douglas and Jeffries? Let’s be real, they’re rotation guys at best.
David Lee? Sure, his stats were All-Star level, but people still called him an empty-calorie guy — just a stat-padder.
And the three newcomers?
Lou Williams was barely clinging to relevance in his former team. Belinelli was getting benched for a rookie, DeRozan up in Toronto. Danny Green? Mostly stayed busy handing out water.
Oh, and they still had Darko Milicic…
So, how was this Knicks team pulling off wins over the Lakers, Nuggets, Heat, and now the Magic?
Sure, they’d dropped games to teams like the Bobcats and Celtics, but even their losses were to solid opponents.
When the season started with five straight wins, Knicks fans didn’t dare dream too big.
But now?
With the Knicks being 13-4.
Now it felt like they could start to imagine the playoffs a little again.
...
On a ESPN broadcast, former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy broke down for fans just why the Knicks were suddenly looking like a real threat.
“They play fast,” Van Gundy said. “Sure, they’re giving up a lot of points per game — but that’s just the pace. If you look at their defensive efficiency per 100 possessions, they’re top five in the league.”
Now, back when he was coaching, Van Gundy was all about defense — rigid, slow-paced, grind-it-out defense. But after years of watching games from the sidelines and analyzing teams, even he’s had a change of heart.
“The Knicks' offense focuses on getting shots at the rim and from three. Their true shooting percentage is up there. Honestly, the only one still taking mid-range jumpers is Lin. And when the drive-and-kick game stalls, they just give Lin the ball and let him go to work one-on-one. It’s smart.”
He went on, “Their turnover rate’s down too, and that’s a huge reason why their overall efficiency’s jumped.”
As Van Gundy broke things down, he also gave props to New York’s bench unit, crediting Coach D’Antoni’s bold player rotations.
“That second unit isn’t just surviving — they’re winning those minutes. That’s D’Antoni trusting his guys. A lot of coaches wouldn’t.”
The host smiled and asked the question on everyone's mind:
“Okay, but what does all this have to do with Lin — New York’s breakout rookie?”
Van Gundy didn’t hesitate.
“Lin changed the way we look at matchups. He looks like a center, but he moves like a wing. If you guard him with a forward, he’ll take you down low and punish you in the post. Guard him with a big one, and he’ll face up and cook you.”
He paused for effect, then added, “The guy creates infinite mismatches.”
That phrase — infinite mismatches — stuck. Van Gundy explained that Lin’s presence forces other teams to adjust in ways that open up scoring chances for the rest of the team. His playmaking scrambles defenses, and his reads are getting sharper every week.
But Van Gundy wasn’t done.
“Here’s the scary part,” he said. “Lin’s not even close to his ceiling. His body, his footwork, his skills — he’s still raw. If he stays healthy and keeps developing? Give him five years. He’ll be the most terrifying player in the league.”
Lin Yi happened to catch the show. He couldn’t help but smile at the praise, even coming from a former defense-first guy like Van Gundy.
But he wasn’t exactly thrilled that Van Gundy also casually laid out his weaknesses and exposed the Knicks’ tactical blind spots on national TV.
But at the end of the day, it is what it is.
And five years?
Nah. That was too long.
Lin knew deep down — he didn’t have five years to climb the mountain. Not before the league changed again. Not before those super teams started forming.
He had maybe two seasons. Two years to max out his game. To push his limits. To go after those championships while the window was still cracked open.
By now, November had come and gone. Lin Yi had officially become one of the most talked-about names in the NBA.
And then, on December 1st, the league dropped their monthly awards…
And Twitter? Exploded.
