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Chapter 114: Cavaliers vs Knicks
🕑 Added 2025-05-09 15:53:40 +0000 UTCThe Yao vs. Shaq duels?
Yeah, absolute classics—etched deep in every Chinese fan’s memory.
A lot of people, including some seasoned analysts, even believe Yao Ming packed on all that weight just to go toe-to-toe with the Big Diesel himself.
Back in those days, almost every team had their walking brick wall—big-bodied centers whose whole job was to deal with Shaq’s dominance.
Let’s be real, those guys owe Shaq a thank-you card. Without him, half of them wouldn’t have had a job in the league.
Of course, Father Time spares no one. Shaq's not the unstoppable force he once was.
But still, even at 37, the man’s putting up 12 points, 6.7 boards, and 1.2 blocks in just 23.4 minutes a night. That’s... kind of ridiculous.
He might not be flying around like he did at 20, but Shaq’s still here to remind all the young bucks: the OGs still got it.
...
November 6th.
Madison Square Garden.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks.
D’Antoni’s squad was about to face its first real test.
MSG was electric. Fans wanted to see if Lin Yi, the number one pick, could keep the magic going.
Could his face-off with Shaq rekindle the fire of those legendary Yao vs. Shaq battles?
Could Lin do what even the King himself—LeBron James—couldn’t pull off in his rookie year: drag a struggling Knicks squad into the playoffs?
If you had to describe the energy in the building, buzzing wouldn’t even cut it. The place was booming.
...
In Lin Yi’s memory, the 2009–10 Cavaliers pulled out all the stops to keep LeBron around. Bringing in Shaq was a big swing. Midseason, they’d even fleece the Wizards for Antoine Jamison—still a 20-point scorer at the time.
On paper, that Cavs team looked like an All-Star squad.
They rolled through the regular season, locking in 61 wins thanks to playoff-level defense every night.
But once the actual playoffs hit and opponents cranked up their defense?
Flaws were exposed.
They couldn’t shoot. Like, really couldn’t shoot.
But to be fair, that wasn’t on the front office. At the time, everyone believed the winning formula was a dominant wing paired with an elite big man. I mean, look at Kobe and Shaq. Wade and Shaq. Yao and T-Mac. It made sense.
It’s just—history would eventually show that what LeBron needed was just a bunch of snipers spaced around him.
And hey, it’s not like Cavs management was asleep at the wheel. Gilbert, their troll-in-chief of an owner, paid luxury tax like it was a subscription fee. They tried.
When the superstar glow outshines the entire roster, maybe we should give the guys behind the curtain a bit more credit.
Cleveland may be a small market, but they swung big in 09–10. At that point, Jamison still had some serious juice.
...
During warmups, Lin Yi couldn’t help but notice—LeBron’s athleticism was wild. Way more explosive than he remembered. The dude was flying.
Back then, LeBron didn’t have the old-man game yet. No slow, calculated steps. He was all rapid-fire footwork and pure burst.
Honestly, Lin Yi couldn’t even track the last few steps of his drive.
The NBA’s official stance? LeBron moved too fluidly for the refs to tell if he traveled... so they just let it slide.
... whatever. One thing’s clear: this Cavs team was stacked.
This was peak LeBron. No debate.
...
“Director Zhang, tonight Lin Yi’s matched up with none other than Shaquille O’Neal,” Yu Jia said on the pregame broadcast. “Some fans are nervous. Given Lin Yi’s frame and playstyle, do you think he can handle the Big Diesel?”
“Oh, I think fans are overthinking it,” Zhang replied with a chuckle. “Honestly, with Lin Yi’s pace and skill set, I’m more worried about whether Shaq can even keep up with him.”
“Fair point,” Yu Jia nodded. “And today, the American media’s been buzzing about Lin Yi and LeBron James. Do you think Lin can do something even LeBron couldn’t do in his rookie year?”
“Let’s not compare them directly,” Zhang said. “They’re very different players. But yes, Lin does have a real shot at leading the Knicks to the playoffs as a rookie. The versatility of Lin is what will help in that process."
Yu Jia smiled. “Can’t argue with that. Makes sense.”
....
Out on the court, Shaq and LeBron were chatting with Lin during warmups.
“You knocked out the 76ers’ center? That’s cold,” LeBron laughed.
Lin just smiled and nodded.
After spending so much time with Curry, Lin didn’t feel the pressure anymore, even playing against the league’s MVP frontrunner.
This was his element.
Big game? Big stage? Lin Yi lived for it.
LeBron’s compliment was nice, but Lin knew it was just small talk. He remembered when LeBron once teased Curry at the All-Star Game for breaking a defender’s ankles. Back then, Curry still idolized LeBron. Later? Well… times changed.
Shaq was also friendly. Lin knew it wasn’t just about the game—it was about business. The Chinese market was huge, and Shaq knew it. He used to hype up Yao all the time, too.
That’s the game. Smile, shake hands, keep it moving.
...
But tonight had a funny twist.
When LeBron tossed his trademark chalk in the air… Madison Square Garden didn’t explode with cheers.
Instead, the crowd yelled:
“I CALL FLOP!”
History had shifted—thanks to Lin Yi.
They had their guy now. No more hoping he’d come to New York.
....
NBA commissioner David Stern flicked on the TV, satisfied.
Lin vs. LeBron? The ratings were gonna soar. The league had struck gold again.
Back at MSG, the ref brought the ball to the circle.
Knicks starting five:
Lin Yi
David Lee
Wilson Chandler
Gallinari
Larry Hughes.
Cavs starters:
Shaq
Anderson Varejao
LeBron
Mo Williams
Anthony Parker.
Lin Yi didn’t care about pleasantries—he destroyed Shaq on the jump.
Larry Hughes scooped it up. The Knicks had the first possession.
MSG was roaring.
Hughes immediately handed the ball to Lin Yi.
And then—wait, Varejao was guarding him?
Really, Mike Brown? This is the matchup?
Lin glanced at David Lee, who instantly came over for a pick.
Shaq’s worst nightmare? Guarding a pick-and-roll.
Brown tried to hide him on defense by sticking Varejao on Lin, but the Knicks' inside-outside P&R combo was lethal.
Lin Yi casually palmed the ball near the top of the arc. As Shaq switched onto him, Lin gave David Lee a satisfied nod.
Let’s go, Shark. Showtime.
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Matt
Li about to feed Leeshark a big contract somewhere
