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Chapter 93: Srimmage
🕑 Added 2025-04-29 12:56:42 +0000 UTCAfter locking in the lineups, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, brows raised.
“How the hell are we supposed to lose this scrimmage?” he muttered.
Chris Duhon could defend decently, sure, but Tony Douglas only had a jump shot to his name.
Wilson Chandler? Built like a truck with springs for legs. Ewing Jr? Good, but only got his father's name going for him. D’Antoni didn’t see how Ewing was gonna stop Chandler.
At the forward spot, Harrington had the vet savvy. Gallinari was promising, but this matchup? D’Antoni already saw the ‘L’ coming for him in that battle.
And inside? D'Antoni scoffed mentally.
They only got Lin Yi, although he was a very good rookie was against a vet.
He glanced at his older brother, who’d been hyping Lin. He wanted see the talent that warranted such praise.
....
On the practice court, Lin Yi stepped up to the jump ball with Jeffries.
Jeffries stood 6'11", but next to Lin Yi, he looked... little small.
Lin Yi tapped the ball cleanly. Tony Douglas brought it up across half court.
The white team kept it simple: Earl Barron parked himself in the corner—decent shooter. Gallinari floated out to the 45-degree spot, ready to launch.
Tony Douglas gave it up early. No pick, no roll—just fed Lin Yi, who waved them off. He wanted the iso.
The spacing? Wide open.
Blue team center Jared Jeffries hesitated. Wait... one-on-one?
This couldn’t be real. He was already slow for a big man, and Lin Yi was faster and taller.
Lin Yi knew what this scrimmage meant—it was his first shot to make a statement, to grab some power and respect.
He couldn’t half-ass this. He had to go full throttle.
Bang, bang, bang.
He dribbled at the top of the arc. Jeffries braced himself—he knew Lin Yi could handle the ball well. That alone had him nervous.
Then Lin exploded.
Quick left-handed crossover—Jeffries shuffled hard to his right.
But Lin planted his right foot, slid sideways, and gently nudged the ball across with his right hand.
That move—smooth, sudden—it had a name.
“Shammgod!” someone on the sideline gasped.
New York fans and staff lit up in awe.
And while everyone was still processing the move, Lin Yi was already in the lane. Jeffries was chasing shadows.
Harrington and David Lee collapsed in.
They weren’t just gonna let this rookie score, not on the first play.
Lin took one more step. Eyes locked on the rim.
Is he going up? Both defenders thought it at the same time.
Harrington lunged—he wasn’t about to get dunked on.
But then... the ball disappeared.
In mid-air, Lin wrapped the ball behind his back, swung his right elbow—and with a flick, fired a pass out to Gallinari on the wing.
A no-look elbow pass.
Gallinari caught it in rhythm, rose up, and nailed it.
Splash.
3–0
White team leads.
Knicks coaches looked at each other, jaws slack.
Even Coach D'Antoni had to clap. “Alright, that was clean.”
“No look back pass? From a center?” one assistant muttered.
“Magical,” another whispered. “A 7’2” magician.”
Fans around the court were stunned.
Centers can do that?
Even in a scrimmage, Lin Yi had just pulled out a move he’d picked up from Flynn over the summer. And the effect?
Perfect.
Fans were hyped, coaches were smiling, teammates were buzzing. Lin Yi just smirked. This was exactly the energy he wanted.
...
The game rolled on. Harrington nailed a midrange jumper for the Blue team.
3–2.
Next possession, Lin Yi again faced Jeffries.
This time, no hesitation. After a quick dish, he got the ball back and squared up.
Jeffries was already doubting himself. Lin Yi had speed, handle, height—and that jumper? Nasty work.
Just then, Ewing Jr looped behind Lin Yi. Jeffries and Chandler instinctively shifted, expecting a handoff.
But Lin never gave it up.
The ball was suddenly back in his hands. He backed down, then spun—fadeaway jumper, high arc, clean form.
A work of art.
Jeffries assumed it was off. Gotta miss that, right?
Swish.
Bucket.
5–2.
Lin didn’t celebrate. He just grinned, raised an arm, and pointed to the fans.
The crowd erupted.
In the stands, GM Donnie Walsh was already doing math in his head.
“We could lose every game next season,” he muttered, “but if Lin’s can have such plays on the court always, the Garden’s gonna be packed.”
Javier Stanford, the assistant GM, nodded. “No slow, boring post-ups. You never know what he’s gonna do next. He’s a show.”
Fans were chanting his name now—not perfectly, but loud enough to feel it.
On the court, Blue team’s Chandler hit a shot.
5–4.
But the vibe?
New York had picked their star.
Chandler’s bucket was effective—but compared to Lin’s flair?
No contest.
Blue team players started to feel it too. The fan shift.
Lin Yi brought the ball up again, this time from the backcourt.
Jeffries stared him down. Wait… you playing point guard now?
Lin Yi didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.
He was just getting started.
It was time to claim the throne. New York was about to become his city.
