The counterattack plan never really got off the ground.
On the 27th, the Knicks handled the Warriors at home without much drama.
Defensively, they made life miserable for Stephen Curry. Between Draymond, Klay, and Tony Allen rotating on him, there was no rhythm, no breathing room.
By the end of the night, Curry's stat line looked strange: 13 points, 11 assists… and 10 turnovers.
After the game, he didn't dodge it.
"That's on me," Curry said in the interview. "I've got to be better at taking care of the ball, especially against that kind of pressure."
Lin Yi watched from the side, then turned and casually draped an arm over Chris Paul's shoulder.
"Chris, you see that?" he said playfully. "As the fourth-best player on the team, you've got to take responsibility."
Paul shot him a look. "Fourth-best? Who are before me?"
"Me, Klay, and...hmm, Chandler." Lin thought out loud. "As I was admonishing early before the interruption, when you lose, you don't keep repeating 'I did my best.' You own it."
Paul tried to shrug him off, but Lin Yi had him locked in place.
"Let go," Paul muttered. "I have had enough of your bullshit."
"In a second," Lin Yi replied. "I'm teaching."
"Teach someone else."
…
On March 1st, the Knicks beat the Wizards on the road, pushing their record to 53–2.
After the game, Yi Jianlian invited Lin Yi over for dinner.
Yi's ankle was still bothering him from a recent sprain, but he looked relaxed at home.
"Lin," he said while setting dishes on the table, "good thing I listened to you about managing my body."
He sat down and added, "What do you think, though? Do we have a real shot at the playoffs?"
Lin Yi leaned back slightly. He knew this mattered to Yi.
"Roster-wise, you're fine," he said. "Backcourt's solid, bigs are decent, bench isn't bad. You should get in."
Yi nodded, waiting.
Lin Yi continued, tone shifting just a bit. "But if you sneak in as the eighth seed… get ready for a short series."
Yi paused mid-bite. "You mean a sweep?"
Lin Yi shrugged. "I'm saying be prepared for it."
Yi frowned. "You don't have to be that direct."
"I do," Lin Yi said. "Better you hear it now than later."
Yi sighed, half-annoyed, half-resigned. "If Yao was playing tonight, I'd have called him. We'd deal with you together."
Lin Yi laughed. "You two? I'd still be fine."
Despite the teasing, the reality wasn't harsh. The Wizards had talent, but structure was still an issue. Against elite teams, those gaps showed quickly.
Still, for Yi, just getting to the playoffs would mean something.
…
On the 3rd, the Knicks blew out the Bobcats on the road.
Michael Jordan stood courtside the entire game, expression tight.
Afterward, he didn't hold back. "We invest too much into this team for performances like that. The players need to look at themselves."
…
The next night, New York handled Cleveland in a back-to-back.
After the game, Lin Yi, with a towel over his head, caught up with Anthony Davis.
"You're improving," Lin Yi said. "Still rough in spots, but I can see it."
Davis nodded. "I'm getting there."
"You are," Lin Yi replied. "Keep going."
Even in a loss, Davis had shown flashes that were hard to ignore.
…
By the 6th, the Knicks were in Detroit.
Andre Drummond sat on the sideline in a suit, waving a towel like he had all the energy in the world.
Lin Yi watched him for a moment. "Funny how active he looks when he's not playing."
The real issue was obvious. Free throws.
Teams had started targeting Drummond hard, sending him to the line again and again.
After the game, Pistons coach Lawrence Frank sounded frustrated.
"We want to play good basketball," he said. "But if every game turns into intentional fouling, it's tough for anyone to enjoy."
Lin Yi understood the complaint, but the league worked that way.
"If there's a weakness," he said later, "teams will go at it until you fix it."
To Drummond's credit, he would eventually improve. But right now, it was rough.
…
On the 7th, Lin Yi stayed in and watched the Spurs dismantle the Lakers.
He leaned back on the couch, eyes focused.
"They're picking it up."
Under Gregg Popovich, that was never random.
Tony Parker had been sharp lately, pushing pace, finishing inside with ridiculous efficiency.
The Spurs had done this before. Build slowly, then surge when it matters.
Out West, things were tightening. The Mavericks were still dangerous. The Thunder were inconsistent. The race for the final playoff spots was getting crowded.
Lin Yi turned off the screen.
"Doesn't matter who comes out," he said to himself. "We'll be ready."
. . .
On the 8th, the news hit hard.
Jerry Buss passed away that morning.
Lin Yi sat in silence for a while after hearing it. He had always known it was coming, but knowing didn't make it any easier.
Before his passing, Buss had made his wishes clear. Basketball decisions would go to Jim Buss, and business operations to Jeanie Buss. He wanted the two of them to work together and keep the Lakers on top.
Lin Yi exhaled slowly.
"That's not going to be simple," he muttered.
Not long after, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, then picked up.
"Kobe."
On the other end, Kobe Bryant's voice was steady, but there was weight behind it.
"Lin, I'm making one more push."
Lin Yi leaned back in his chair. "I figured you would."
"I know where we stand," Kobe continued. "You guys are ahead. Spurs, Mavericks too. I'm not ignoring that."
A brief pause.
"But I'm not going out like this. I still want another ring."
Lin Yi didn't interrupt. He let him finish.
For Kobe, Buss wasn't just an owner. He was the one who backed him when it mattered most.
"Understood," Lin Yi said quietly. "So what's the plan?"
"That's what I'm working through," Kobe replied. "We've got pieces, but something's missing."
Lin Yi thought for a moment, then said, "You need defense at the point of attack."
Kobe didn't answer immediately.
"Go on," he said.
"Look at Patrick Beverley," Lin Yi said. "He's available."
Kobe let out a short breath. "We brought him in before. Didn't love what we saw."
"You're looking at the wrong things," Lin Yi replied. "He didn't win a chip with us for being a playmaker. You need someone who brings the ball up, keeps it simple, and defends like his life depends on it."
Kobe gave a dry laugh. "So basically, get it across half court and hand it to me?"
Lin Yi didn't hesitate. "That's exactly it."
"Wow," Kobe said. "You've got a lot of faith in me."
"I've got a lot of clarity," Lin Yi shot back. "You already know how you play."
There was a pause, then Kobe chuckled under his breath. "Fair enough."
Lin Yi continued, more serious now. "Beverley gives you energy, pressure defense, and he won't need the ball. Off the bench, you've still got scoring. If you and Dwight can actually commit to the pick-and-roll, you'll have something."
Kobe's tone shifted slightly. "You think that's enough?"
"Enough to make noise," Lin Yi said. "You still got to go through me."
Another pause.
"I'll think about it," Kobe said.
"Do that," Lin Yi replied. "And take care of yourself. No point pushing if your body can't hold up."
Kobe exhaled. "Yeah… I hear you."
After the call ended, Lin Yi stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"If they actually pull this off…" he murmured, then shook his head. "Let's not get ahead of things."
Still, one thought lingered.
If the Lakers made a deep run, they could complicate things for everyone else in the West.
And that wouldn't be the worst outcome.
…
On the 10th, the Knicks headed to Oklahoma City after a short break.
Around the same time, in Miami, the Miami Heat were building something of their own.
After their nineteenth straight win, LeBron James spoke to the media.
"Our goal is simple," he said. "We're going for the championship."
The statement carried weight.
While the Knicks had been dominating headlines, Miami had quietly gone unbeaten for over a month.
During that stretch, LeBron was putting up numbers that demanded attention.
Lin Yi watched the clip later that night.
"They're locked in," he said.
Veterans were fitting into their roles, rotations looked sharper, and the team had found its rhythm.
For a lot of people, the MVP race was still one-sided. LeBron took too long to heat up.
. . .
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