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Chapter 153: Knicks vs Hornets End
🕑 Added 2025-05-29 12:51:24 +0000 UTCWhile Paul and Scott were going at it on the Hornets’ bench, the Knicks players couldn’t help but sneak a few glances.
It was hard not to watch the chaos unfolding.
Then Lin Yi spoke up, his voice calm but firm.
“Eyes front. Let them deal with their drama. Even if Chris pulls a gun and shoots Byron Scott right there, that’s their business, not ours.”
The guys chuckled and nodded, quickly turning their focus back to the game.
D’Antoni gave Lin a small pat on the back, clearly pleased.
That’s what a leader sounds like.
Stay locked in. Don’t get caught up in other people’s mess.
Looks like the Hornets imploded a little ahead of schedule, Lin thought.
Which only meant one thing: the Knicks had to capitalize and close this game out.
In the NBA, every win mattered. And Lin Yi, like Paul, hated to lose.
...
Back from the timeout, the broadcast kept cutting to Paul and Scott.
Scott looked like he was chewing on lemons.
Paul? Stone-faced and locked in.
Lin glanced across the court and noticed something new—David West was now guarding him.
Ah. That had Paul’s fingerprints all over it.
West didn’t want to guard Lin, but Paul knew that if Okafor stayed on Lin any longer, the Hornets might as well forfeit.
Scott, of course, refused to make a single substitution.
So the game played out weirdly: Okafor stayed on the floor way too long, until the poor guy was totally gassed and asked to be subbed out himself.
Only then, deep into the fourth quarter, did Scott finally make a change.
It felt less like coaching and more like a passive-aggressive tantrum.
You see, Paul? I’m the coach. I call the shots.
But Paul wasn’t having it. He dug in and played one of the most inspired games Lin had ever witnessed.
He was everywhere—controlling the tempo, making insane passes, hitting tough shots.
Even with Scott’s circus act on the sidelines, Paul kept the Hornets within striking distance.
That’s the CP3 I remember, Lin thought.
The one who once said, “In everything I've done, I always just hated to lose more than I like to win.”
Paul was ruthless in pursuit of victory—tricky with the refs, crafty with his hands, full of small moves and unspoken tactics.
Because in the NBA, saints don’t survive—only the real ones do.
...
Late in the fourth, Paul drilled a huge three that brought the Hornets back within five.
And for a second, Lin Yi was hit with a flashback to the 2018 Finals.
This guy… never quits.
But tonight, the Knicks were just too sharp. Their ball movement was cleaner, their offense more balanced.
Every time the Hornets punched, the Knicks punched back harder.
Final score: 117–108.
When the buzzer sounded, Paul had nothing left in the tank. He bent over, hands on knees, drenched in sweat.
But he didn’t drop. He stood tall.
The crowd rose to their feet, giving their captain a standing ovation.
Sure, the Hornets had lost. And yeah, the internet was probably already roasting Okafor for getting cooked.
But the fans saw heart. They saw a leader give everything.
No one was clapping for Scott.
And Scott? Well, he didn’t seem to get it.
In the postgame interview, he only said one thing:
“I’m the head coach. If the players just follow my plan, we’ll make the playoffs.”
Lin wasn’t so sure about that.
One thing he was sure of?
Scott wasn’t making it to the playoffs with them.
Paul finished with a monster stat line: 43 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists. Tied his career high.
After the game, he came over and called out to Lin.
“Hell of a game,” Lin said, looking down slightly at the shorter point guard.
“Thanks. Not everyone sees it that way,” Paul replied, half-smiling. “Good luck the rest of the way.”
“You too.”
...
The Knicks had a three-day break after that. Much needed.
On December 13, a CCTV crew visited to help Lin record a 30-second All-Star promo video.
The voting had officially started, and back in China, fans were hoping Lin could make it in as a rookie, just like Yao once did.
After the quick shoot, Lin sat down for a short exclusive interview.
CCTV was smart—they kept it light, saving the deeper questions for later coverage.
They were building hype gradually, making sure Lin’s rise didn’t burn out too fast.
...
December 13.
With no practice scheduled, Lin hit the private court at his villa for some solo work.
Ball-handling, shooting drills—focused and intense.
His recently upgraded Ankle Breaker badge was showing results. His feel for the ball was smoother than ever.
Solid foundation, higher ceiling. That was the mission.
...
“Yo Lin!”
“Yo Eli!”
That afternoon, Lin had a casual hoops session lined up with none other than New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
The two had become fast friends, believing that all great athletes could learn from each other.
Eli, ever the technician, showed Lin a few tricks about throwing mechanics.
Even with a basketball, his accuracy on long passes was wild.
But Eli brought more than just arm talent. He shared tips on reading defenses, protecting your body, and using angles—lessons every NBA player could benefit from.
“Quarterbacks aren’t the toughest guys on the field,” Eli said with a smirk. “But we’re the smartest. And we always stay upright.”
He also promised to rally the Giants fanbase to vote Lin into the All-Star game.
“I got your back,” Eli said. “New York sticks together.”
“I swear, man, I need to see you in the All-Star Game,” Eli Manning said as he tossed Lin a towel. “Hey, Lin—real talk—if you get the invite, are you gonna do the dunk contest?”
They were both still cooling off after a light workout, and Eli had just spent the past hour watching Lin throw down a series of ridiculous dunks—windmills, reverses, even one off the side of the backboard.
Eli grinned. “Dude, some of those dunks? Straight up art. Like… you make it look too easy.”
Lin laughed, drying his face.
“The dunk contest, huh…?” He hadn’t actually thought that far ahead.
But now that Eli brought it up…
If he got the shot, Lin did want to give it a go.
Not just for the hype—he had ideas.
Crazy ones. Stuff inspired by future dunk battles like Zach LaVine vs. Aaron Gordon. They were both dunking aliens, and Lin remembered how iconic that showdown became.
But what if—just what if—he pulled out their moves before they ever did?
What would LaVine and Gordon come up with if he raised the bar early?
Eli could tell Lin was thinking. “C’mon, man. If you’re trying to make history, you have to check the dunk champ box. No one remembers the first guy who almost did it.”
Lin nodded slowly, then smirked.
“You know what? You’re right. Gotta go all in.”
And just like that, the decision was made.
The next morning, before anyone noticed, Lin quietly slipped out and headed to a scheduled media interview, already working behind the scenes to get his name in the dunk contest conversation.
Because if he was gonna show up to All-Star Weekend, he wasn’t planning to just sit on the bench.
Comments
Matt
Would be wild if there was a potential lineup including MC, CP3 and Curry. Add in a solid overlooked draft pick (Jokic) or defense first big man that moves well (Ibaka) and a solid guy sized large enough to cover anywhere from 2-4 and that team could absolutely light anyone up
