"Lin, your daughter is really cute. Riley is going to like her," Curry said as he carefully held Olivia, grinning as he had just been handed a championship trophy.
Lin Yi looked at him.
No response.
Just a long, quiet stare.
"Put her down before you start scouting playdates," Lin Yi finally said.
After seeing off Paul George, who was still in his not-injured-yet phase of life, the Knicks turned their attention to their next opponent, the Golden State Warriors.
And this was not just another game.
DeRozan and Harden had already taken turns beating Lin Yi earlier in the season. For Curry, that alone felt like a personal challenge.
The self-appointed "Lin Yi Terminator" had clearly taken it seriously.
Everywhere he looked, people were talking about the Knicks like they were an unstoppable force carving through the league.
Public enemy number one. Heavy favorites. League overlords.
At the height of hype, every dominant team eventually becomes the target.
The Lakers had lived it. The Celtics would live it. The Knicks were simply next in line.
. . .
A few hours ago.
After the Warriors landed in New York, Lin Yi personally went to pick up Curry.
Curry stepped into the house like he belonged there, immediately distracted by everything, especially Olivia.
Olsen, cooking in the kitchen, paused when she saw Lin Yi laughing with Curry in the living room.
Something about it made her pause longer than expected before giggling.
Boys and their bromance.
Curry, meanwhile, had no idea he was causing any disturbance at all.
He was too busy talking.
"Bro, I swear, this season feels different. We're really coming for everybody."
Lin Yi glanced at him. "You've won a few games, and you're already speaking like a veteran coach. You got no rings. You have to walk the talk first."
"Hey! That is a low blow. I don't expect that from you," Curry looked hurt. "Just you wait. We are coming in full confidence."
"Overconfidence is also key to getting exposed," Lin Yi replied.
Curry nodded quickly. "Noted. But still… I think I can get you this time."
That made Lin Yi pause.
Lin Yi gave Curry a light pat on the shoulder, the kind that felt more like a reminder than encouragement.
"Don't get carried away," he said. "Reaching the top is the easy part. Staying there is the hard part."
Then, as if it were a casual afterthought, he shared a few things about the league, how attention shifts, how quickly expectations change, and how quickly people forget what they were excited about last week.
Curry nodded along seriously, like he was taking notes in a lecture.
"You might not believe this," Curry said, leaning back on the sofa, "but when I first came into the league, I used to think about hitting 10,000 points one day."
Lin Yi glanced at him.
Curry continued anyway.
"Now you're the first guy from our draft class to do it. I thought I'd feel jealous, but honestly… lately I just feel like you're not that far ahead."
He said it casually.
Lin Yi paused.
That sounded like confidence.
Or trouble.
The league itself had also shifted. People were suddenly talking about the Warriors like they were a future problem that had already arrived early. Young core, spacing, shooting depth, everything pointed upward.
Lin Yi listened to it all and gave a small sigh.
"Someone in the league office is going to get promoted just for helping you guys look this good," he said.
Curry laughed. "We're just hooping."
Lin Yi looked at him for a second. "That's the exact sentence dangerous teams always say."
Later, the two of them ended up on the couch with a controller, revisiting old habits. Curry was still competitive in a way that never fully matched his relaxed personality.
In the newest 2K14 roster update, Curry had climbed to an 89 overall.
Respectable.
Still below Lin Yi's 99.
Curry shook his head after a few possessions.
"This game is biased," he said.
Lin Yi leaned back. "It only feels biased when you lose. Suck it."
"That's so gay." Curry laughed.
"Hahaha, very funny. Your jokes aren't saving you."
They played a few more games. Curry tried different lineups, different shot selections, different strategies.
Nothing worked.
At one point, Curry dropped the controller and stared at the screen.
"Next time," he said, "you're not allowed to control yourself."
Lin Yi didn't even look up. "That's not a feature I can turn off."
Curry groaned. "Then I can't win."
Lin Yi finally smiled. "Correct."
Dinner came later in the evening. The house was louder than usual, but in a good way. Curry's presence made it feel less like a private NBA household and more like a normal gathering.
Lin Yi's parents liked him immediately. Polite, cheerful, easy to talk to. His Chinese was broken, but the effort was simple enough to feel genuine.
Compared to some overly polished translations they had heard before, this felt more natural.
Curry ate happily, talking between bites, occasionally switching between English and basic Chinese phrases he had picked up over time.
When it was time to leave, he stood at the door, pausing for a moment.
"Lin," he said, a bit more serious now, "you told me before that we'd meet in the Finals one day."
Lin Yi seriously nodded.
"At the time I didn't think it was real," Curry continued. "But now I think it's possible."
Then he pointed at Lin Yi.
"And when it happens, we're not losing."
Lin Yi looked at him, then gave a short nod.
"That depends on you."
Curry smiled. "It always does."
After he left, the house quieted again.
Lin Yi returned to his room, holding his daughter as she slowly settled in his arms.
He looked down at her.
"You heard that?" he said softly. "Your Uncle Steph is coming for your Pops."
The baby responded by crying louder.
Lin Yi exhaled.
"Yeah. The reaction I expected."
. . .
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