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Chapter 129: Celtics vs Knicks: Lessons In Levels
🕑 Added 2025-05-17 15:20:53 +0000 UTCBefore the trip back to New York, Lin Yi checked his phone.
…200 unread messages from the 2009 Rookie Draft Class group.
These guys never stop talking.
James Harden@ Lin Yi: “Yo! Man! You dropped 61 in just three quarters and no response.”
Jonny Flynn@Lin Yi: “Congrats dude Jennings was running his mouth too much.”
DeMar DeRozan Lin Yi: “I feel sorry for the Nets. Total domination. It was brutal.”
Stephen Curry@Lin Yi: “Damn Lin, you were really on demon time. Congrats.”
Jrue Holiday: “Congratulations to you, Lin, for 61 points.”
Blake Griffin: “Congrats, but I easily could have done that, no biggie.”
Lin Yi sent replies to his fellow draftmates for the congratulations.
He sighed and turned off his phone.
His body ached all over. That last game took a toll.
...
November 22 – Celtics vs Knicks.
Back-to-back game. The Knicks called it a loss, waved the white flag with about six minutes left.
Lin Yi logged 32 minutes: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Not terrible on paper, but he wasn’t himself out there. Back-to-back fatigue is real.
And Boston?
Still beasts.
Watching them on TV never felt this intense. But going up against them? Lin finally understood the nickname—C-Green Smash Machine.
Paul Pierce was an offensive Swiss Army knife. Post-up game strong enough to draw fouls like clockwork.
Ray Allen’s jumper? Silky. The kind of shot that messes with your head. Now Lin understood how that one three of his helped win a title in Miami years later.
Garnett? Still a dog. But quieter than expected.
He and Perkins—a combo that worked Lin all night—weren’t too loud this time. Only 12 points and 9 rebounds combined. Kinda on par with Lin’s numbers.
The real loss came from the Knicks’ bench. Truth be told, it’s kind of a miracle this team had such a decent record. It was mostly Lin pulling defenders out of position so the shooters could hit their rhythm shots.
But tonight, Lin couldn’t stir the pot, and it showed.
...
First half highlights?
Lin and Garnett trading bricks from midrange.
Iron ringing out like church bells in TD Garden.
What weirded out the Knicks was how quiet Garnett was around Lin.
During halftime, Al Harrington asked, “Yo, Lin… you and KG related or something?”
Lin nearly choked. “Bro, does it look like we’re related?”
His best guess? Maybe Garnett was being nice ‘cause Lin was Chinese, and Garnett had an Anta deal lined up soon. Didn’t want to get roasted by the Chinese media later.
Or maybe… the Celtics just didn’t take the Knicks seriously.
Either way, one thing was clear—they were still on a different level.
Even if Lin were fully charged up, beating this version of the Celtics was a tall order.
Doc Rivers wasn’t phoning it in yet. And that bench? Tony Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels. All solid.
But Lin spotted one weak link—Rondo. Or as Lin called him in his head: Future ball-stopper Rondo.
Lin told Larry Hughes during a timeout: “Bro, sag way off Rondo. Like... five meters off.”
Hughes did exactly that.
Rondo ended the night 2-for-7. 4 points, 4 assists, 14 rebounds.
Still a stat line, sure. But Lin had a feeling—he knew fans would overhype Rondo later on.
Like that Pelicans series when they swept the Blazers. People acted like Rondo turned into Magic Johnson.
But in Lin’s eyes, Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis were the real killers in that series.
Especially Jrue. That dude unlocked Iso God mode.
Even when the Warriors crushed the Pelicans without Steph, it was obvious. They dared Rondo to shoot.
That’s how the Warriors rolled.
Lin thought, If Rondo had a jump shot, the Celtics might’ve pulled off a three-peat.
Rondo was smart. Could run an offense, dish dimes to the big three, and hustle on defense. But if you could bait him into shooting? You turned the Celtics' offense into a traffic jam.
Lin remembered: In the Finals this season, the Lakers didn’t even pretend to guard Rondo. Just let him chill on the arc like he was invisible.
If only the Celtics had someone else—someone who could actually shoot. Things might’ve ended differently.
But still, Rondo's intensity and self-awareness were admirable. He knew his limits. Didn't force it. Just played hard.
...
Post-game.
Coach D’Antoni looked like he’d lost sleep. Lin asked around—turns out the old man was a little shaken.
He was worried. “How the hell are we supposed to beat these guys in the future?”
Lin wasn’t worried at all.
“Coach,” he smiled, “I’m only getting better. They’re only getting older.”
D’Antoni blinked. Then cracked a smile.
He got the message.
This season’s about making the playoffs. Stirring up the East. The future? That belongs to the Knicks.
...
November 23– Knicks shake up the roster.
Chris Duhon → Raptors
Marco Belinelli → Knicks
Small move. Nobody cared much. But Belinelli? As long as you could shoot in New York, you’d find your place.
Then:
Knicks send Landry + 2012 Cavs 2nd-rounder → Cavaliers
Knicks get Danny Green.
Landry got cut right away. Green hadn’t even suited up this season.
Then came the surprise:
Knicks send Larry Hughes + 2012 1st-round pick → 76ers
Knicks get Lou Williams
Boom.
Experts gave it an A+.
Hughes was washed. Lou was averaging 15 a night.
But the real shock?
What were the Sixers thinking?
Lin knew the answer: Iverson.
The Sixers were already in talks to bring back AI for a farewell run. They didn’t care about winning. They just wanted ticket sales and nostalgia.
Lou Will? Just didn’t fit their plans anymore.
....
After a rest day, the Knicks packed their bags and hit the road. A brutal West Coast stretch loomed.
First stop? L.A.
The Lakers were waiting.
Comments
Ju
Now Steph !! Let's remake history (draft Draymond and Klay before the warriors too) My lakers 💜💛
