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Chapter 117: 6-3
🕑 Added 2025-05-11 14:14:16 +0000 UTCThe Knicks rarely opened the locker room for post-game media, but once they did, the chaos kicked in. Poor Wu Xiaolei got squeezed out again, missing her shot at interviewing Lin Yi and the team.
While Wu was still battling the crowd, the interview had already started.
“Lin, what do you think was the biggest factor in tonight’s win?” a reporter asked.
Lin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then said. “We made the game as fast as possible. Cavs couldn't live with us. Plus, we made every shot count.”
Another reporter jumped in. “How did it feel going one-on-one with a guy like LeBron James?”
Lin paused. “Honestly? Feels surreal. A year and some months ago, I was hustling in China. Now I have LeBron guarding me.”
Then a question came for Al Harrington. “You just beat the Cavaliers. Think it’s fair to say the Knicks have a chance of entering the playoffs.”
He replied. “Yeah, this win is big for our playoff hopes, but too early for that. The squad is going to take it a game at a time.”
A reporter from ESPN asked: “With such performances in the season so far, the ROTY award is looking like yours, Lin. Anything to say? ”
“Getting the award will be big, but not at the sacrifice of the team to pad stats,” Lin said seriously. “I play for something bigger—team glory.”
The locker room went quiet. Then, out of nowhere, applause broke out from his teammates.
The quote hit hard.
Who wouldn't want to win MVPs left and right?
Even beating the Cavs wasn’t a trophy. This is the NBA. Eighty-two games, plus the playoffs. Only the team standing at the very end gets to brag.
...
Still, Lin’s “I play for something bigger—team glory” exploded online.
“I feel that,” Kobe said in an interview. “Showing off? That’s for high schoolers.”
Kevin Durant chimed in, “Glory is what we chase. We train every day, not just for the fans. I like Lin. Dude’s legit.”
Celtics captain Paul Pierce added, “Don’t underestimate such a mindset. That’s why we’re here.”
“Man, he’s my friend and brother,” said Stephen Curry. “We still feel regret over not bringing the NCAA trophy to Davidson. Especially him, so Lin wanting to bring trophies to New York has a little bit of that.”
Back in New York, Knicks fans were thrilled—but also kinda annoyed. Lin’s #44 jersey was selling like crazy. Supply couldn’t keep up. Lin’s agent, Zhong Muchen, was swamped. The guy was sprinting between endorsement deals. Lin had become a walking gold mine overnight.
...
November 7, 2009
The Knicks were on the road, facing the Bucks as part of a back-to-back after the Cavs.
Both teams were cold, bricking left and right. But thanks to Lin Yi and David Lee’s slick pick-and-roll plays, the Knicks edged out an 88-80 win.
Five straight wins. They were 6-1.
Knicks fans were in tears—when was the last time this happened?
The answer: 1993–94. Fifteen years ago. Half the current fanbase wasn’t even born.
Even crazier? The Knicks were one of the league’s worst teams last season.
Now? A real playoff contender.
Lin Yi’s weekly stat line: 21 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2.5 blocks, 1 steal. He led the Knicks to a 4–0 week and earned his first Eastern Conference Player of the Week award.
Had he won it the week before, he would've matched Shaq’s rookie record. Still, not bad.
Lin was a little bummed—just one stat short of NBA history. But no worries—he had more up his sleeve. Stats were everywhere in the NBA. He’d make history sooner or later.
And he finally got a nickname to his liking.
The Showtime.
...
But glory fades fast.
November 9, 2009
Back home at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ streak ended. The Jazz beat them 105–93. The Knicks were ice cold again. And unlike the Bucks, the Jazz weren’t missing.
Lin dropped 20, but it wasn’t enough.
“If I were just a little better…” Lin muttered to himself. He knew he’d get better fast.
...
Luckily, in the November 11 game against the Hawks, Lin finally unlocked his Tough Shotmaker silver badge. That meant his off-balance jumpers and crazy fadeaways got a real boost… though he still needed to test how much it helped.
Next up: Rebounding Maniac
Once he focused on the boards more, silver was coming.
The most painful grind? Limitless Range.
To unlock that, he needed 20 deep threes. So far, he had one. And that one was wide open, a heat-check three against the Sixers.
He wasn’t Steph yet, that’s for sure.
Lin had started pulling deep shots just to try and unlock the badge, and even D’Antoni was starting to get annoyed.
Still, Lin knew he had to push. No pain, no badge. No badge, no progress.
He glanced at the schedule and let out a breath.
They’d lost two in a row now, including a tight game against the Hawks despite Lin’s 24 points.
The Knicks’ shooters were bricking again. D’Antoni’s pass-heavy, pace-and-space vision wasn’t going to work overnight.
The losing streak dropped them to fifth in the East.
But 6–3 wasn’t bad at all. ESPN bumped the Knicks up to 13th in the power rankings.
Analysts said the Knicks had real potential—if they added a bit more muscle to the lineup, maybe a solid vet or two, Lin Yi could take them to the playoffs.
Charles Barkley praised Lin’s drive, saying, “That kid’s competitive fire is exactly what the Knicks have been missing.”
Anyway, haters gonna hate. Some fans were still skeptical. “Jump-shooting teams never win rings,” they muttered online.
Lin didn’t care. He knew they were half right, for now. But if he kept growing and the Knicks kept building?
Well... let’s just say they’d all be eating their words.
And the next opponent?
The Golden State Warriors.
Perfect.
Time to end the losing streak.
