While Lin Yi was on a tear in February, his old college roommate, Stephen Curry, wasn't exactly having the best of times.
Under Mark Jackson's guidance, Curry had finally begun to mature as a player during the 2011–12 season. He was on track to make his first All-Star appearance… until that damned ankle betrayed him again.
Three weeks of rest didn't sound too bad on paper, but Lin Yi couldn't help thinking that Curry should count himself lucky. In Lin Yi's previous life, that same injury had cost Curry the rest of his season.
Of course, Curry didn't know any of that.
All he could think was: All-Star? Gone. Just like that.
Still, Lin Yi knew Curry wasn't the kind to sulk forever. After all, being around him, Stephen had toughened up mentally a lot.
And sure enough, Curry quickly reset his mindset. Maybe this was just God's way of saying, You're not All-Star level yet. Keep working.
But just as Curry was getting back into rehab mode, something rather awkward happened…
The Warriors' plan that season was to tank. Not subtly, either. Even with Curry healthy, Golden State wasn't exactly built to win. Their record before his injury? Six wins, fifteen losses. Perfect for player development—and even more perfect for the draft lottery.
That's why people say tanking is a skill.
If Mark Jackson had gone all out, sure, the Warriors might have scraped together a few more wins. But what would be the point? Winning just enough to miss the playoffs but too much to get a good draft pick—that would've been the worst outcome.
Right now, it wasn't that the Warriors didn't want to win; they just couldn't.
As head coach, Jackson understood the front office's grand plan perfectly. His job was to make sure the team stayed competitive enough to keep morale up—but not too competitive to ruin their draft odds.
That's the art of tanking.
Many coaches dislike doing it, but those who master it? They always find jobs in the NBA.
Lin Yi remembered how Rick Adelman, back in his previous life, kept the Rockets hovering around ninth place in the West even after Yao and McGrady were gone. Every Rockets fan wanted to scream: "Is finishing ninth fun for you, coach?"
If Houston hadn't lucked into Harden, that forever-mid record might've buried them for years.
In contrast, the 76ers' shameless, full-send tanking almost seemed respectable. At least they committed.
To Jackson's credit, he was doing a good job. The Warriors still had decent morale—guys were putting up good numbers, nobody was complaining, and everyone believed the process was working.
Jackson was genuinely sorry about Curry's injury… but at the same time, he knew this was the perfect window to tank even harder. Once Curry came back, the win-crazy kid might ruin everything by trying too hard.
So Jackson stayed the course. Until—
On February 4th, the Warriors beat the Nets. Two days later, they beat the Wizards.
Two straight wins.
Mark Jackson: "…"
Winning wasn't the problem—it was when they chose to start winning.
While Jackson was busy worrying about the tank, and Curry was resting up, something completely unexpected happened.
Jeremy Lin—Curry's backup—suddenly went nuclear.
...
On February 4th, facing All-Star guard Deron Williams, Lin dropped 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading the Warriors past the Nets. Two days later, he torched John Wall and the Wizards with 28 points and 8 assists.
Just like that, Golden State had a mini winning streak—and Lin had his breakout moment.
Jackson couldn't even bench him if he wanted to. The Warriors didn't have another true point guard available.
The fans in San Francisco went crazy—especially the Chinese fans, who were over the moon seeing Jeremy Lin shine.
But then the internet started doing what it does best.
"Why can the Warriors win now that Curry's injured?" someone asked.
And just like that, the "Curry is baggage" narrative was born.
Lin Yi wasn't surprised. He remembered this from his past life, except back then, Jeremy Lin's breakout had happened in New York, not Oakland.
Maybe this was destiny.
Curry, on the other hand, was fuming—not out of jealousy, but disbelief. He wasn't that kind of player.
Still, he couldn't help but think, Seriously? I get injured for a few weeks, and suddenly we're winning? Am I really the problem?
For the first time, the baby-faced assassin started to doubt himself.
...
On February 8th, just after the Knicks beat the Wizards, the Warriors shocked everyone by taking down the Lakers at Staples Center.
Jeremy Lin dropped 34 points that night—against Kobe, no less.
Curry: "…"
With that win, the Warriors had suddenly strung together three straight victories, jumping from the bottom three in the West all the way up to tenth.
Later that night, Curry called Lin Yi, sounding frustrated.
"Lin, be honest with me—do you think there's something wrong with how I play? Am I holding the ball too much?"
Lin Yi was a little stunned by the question. How was he supposed to explain this? To him, Jeremy Lin's breakout was a mix of fate and timing—something that was bound to happen eventually, just not like this.
The inevitable part was simple: Jeremy Lin already had the tools. He was quick, decisive, and played perfectly in a fast-paced, run-and-gun system. And Mark Jackson—just like D'Antoni—loved guards who could push the tempo.
The accidental part was Curry's injury. It opened a door that Jeremy Lin simply ran through.
Right now, Lin Yi figured the one who had the biggest headache wasn't Curry—it was Mark Jackson.
Jeremy Lin's explosion had completely thrown off the Warriors' tanking plan. This wasn't New York; Golden State had been built to lose.
But Jackson had no choice. Who else could he play at point guard?
Meanwhile, Lin's performances had the Bay Area buzzing. Chinese fans in San Francisco started calling him Lil Linsanity.
Well, because the real Linsanity was still in New York. Out of respect for the original, the fans decided to give their guy a slightly smaller title.
Lin Yi: "…"
Either way, the Warriors' script was completely flipped. If they kept winning like this, forget a top pick—they might not even make the lottery.
It wasn't like the roster was weak, either. With David Lee, Cousins, and Curry healthy, this team could easily dominate half the league's weaker defenses. And now, thanks to Jeremy Lin's spark, Golden State was on fire—a fire that not even Logo Man or Mark Jackson could put out in time.
Then, on February 10th, as Jeremy Lin was sweeping the Bay, the original Linsanity—Lin Yi—got ready for their next opponents.
That night, the Knicks were hosting the Lakers at Madison Square Garden.
...
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