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...
Even though he'd already seen Lin Yi push himself all summer, Knicks strength coach Mark Duber still couldn't help but mutter under his breath as he checked the numbers during Lin's physical test.
After a brutal offseason of training, Lin reported at 118.9 kg with 10.8% body fat. And more impressive to Duber? Lin's explosiveness somehow looked even better than before.
On the sidelines, Gallinari, always one for jokes, leaned in to the rookies and said knowingly,
"Take my advice — don't bother looking at Lin's numbers. It'll just ruin your day. After all… the guy's been single all his life!"
The new guys looked confused. Single?
Before Gallo could even explain, he caught a sharp, merciless elbow from Lin, who didn't even look up from the bench press bar.
Even Shaq couldn't help but shake his head after glancing over Lin's medical sheet.
The big man waddled back and grinned at Lin.
"What do you say? You and me, bench press contest?"
Lin just smiled, gave Shaq's massive shoulder a friendly slap, and replied:
"Shaq, I got something better. Why don't we just race up and down the court instead? Or hey — we could have a three-point shootout. Better yet, free throws! You can take two for every one I take. Deal?"
Shaq just stood there, speechless.
...
Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni, meanwhile, had been a little worried about how Lin's added muscle might slow him down. But after watching the team's first five-on-five scrimmage that day, he was ready to pop a bottle of champagne.
Not only did Lin look quicker than ever, but Livingston also turned heads. The same Livingston who'd once resisted working on his shot was now knocking down jumper after jumper, just as Lin had encouraged him to all summer. He still wasn't the model of consistency, but even on day one, he was already shaping up to be an integral part of the Knicks' arsenal.
Not everyone was happy, though. Shaq, in particular, didn't love coming off the bench — and it showed. In scrimmage after scrimmage, Lin wore him down.
Breathing hard, Shaq finally barked,
"Man… if I were ten years younger, I'd put you on a poster!"
The locker room burst into laughter.
Lin just grinned and shot back:
"Shaq, don't kid yourself. At 27, you were already pushing 300 pounds."
Shaq: "…whatever."
...
After practice, D'Antoni sat in his office jotting down notes. He was particularly impressed with Danny Green, who seemed to have finally found his shooting touch. His defense on the wing was just as reliable as ever. D'Antoni made a mental note: if Gallinari started getting complacent again this season, Green would be ready to step in and light a fire under him.
The more D'Antoni looked at the depth chart, the more he admitted it: this year's Knicks were a stronger team than last year's — deeper, tougher, and more versatile.
Because media day was tomorrow, D'Antoni didn't want to overwork the players. But before wrapping up for the day, he pulled Lin aside.
"Lin, looks like you've been thinking a lot about how this roster fits together," D'Antoni said.
"Yeah, Coach," Lin admitted.
D'Antoni leaned back in his chair. "Only thing… the battle at the two and three spots looks crowded. Not sure yet who's earned what."
Lin smiled faintly.
"That's not too hard to fix. We can slide Battier to the four when needed. Coach, we need to use our depth more this year. Last season, we got lucky staying healthy, but this year, we're playing faster, defending harder. That's gonna lead to more injuries and fatigue. If our energy dips, so does our defense."
Lin continued,
"We've got the bodies. Spread out the minutes. Keep everyone fresh. We're deeper than people realize, Coach — everyone on this team can step in and play."
He wasn't wrong. The Knicks' rotation was stacked. Lin had even convinced Shaq to accept a bench role — and while the big man was well past his prime, he could still throw his weight around in limited minutes. Meanwhile, the younger players had the legs to cover defensively when Shaq was on the floor.
D'Antoni nodded thoughtfully. As long as Lin was on the floor and healthy, this Knicks team could be scary good.
...
Day Two.
Media Day
During the official photoshoot, D'Antoni had Lin Yi front and center.
The team's new slogan? One man, one city.
Knicks owner James Dolan wanted to spend big to rebuild the brand, but Lin Yi kept things simple, both on the court and off. And this year, the spotlight was undeniably his.
No one in the locker room minded. Lin had handed out personalized gifts to every teammate on day one, and anyone watching could tell — Lin Yi wasn't about to isolate himself from the group. He was going all-in this season, and the team respected that.
The press, however, wasn't convinced.
At the open training scrimmage, the Knicks looked… average. The guys looked out of rhythm. Sloppy at times. Reporters quietly scribbled down their doubts.
What they didn't realize was that the Knicks weren't going all-out — not yet.
This was a brand-new roster. And these guys were defenders by nature. No one wanted to go 100% and risk clattering into a teammate just for a show.
That restraint? It just gave the media more reason to doubt them.
Which, in Lin Yi's eyes, was perfect.
The more they looked, the more they'd underestimate. And the more they underestimated… the bigger the surprise when the real Knicks showed up.
...
During the media session, Lin Yi faced a familiar crowd — many of the same reporters who'd tried to trip him up the season before. But this time, they approached more cautiously.
"Lin, what do you think the Knicks are capable of achieving this season?" one asked.
They were ready with follow-up questions. Ready to dissect whatever answer he gave.
Lin Yi didn't blink.
"Championship," he said flatly.
The room buzzed for a second. But before they could jump in, Lin continued:
"Aim for the stars and land on the moon. That is the motto the Knicks are abiding by this season."
The reporters paused, looking at each other.
Still, someone tried to stir things up.
"Lin, the new slogan — 'One man, one city' — is that a shot at LeBron?"
Lin put on a mock-wounded face.
"Come on now, that's a stretch. What, if I say I want to take 30 shots a game, does that mean I'm coming for Kobe?"
"If I mention I want to enter the dunk contest, am I telling the rest of the league to pack up and go home because I've already won?"
He grinned, paused, then added,
"Next, you'll say I'm breathing just to spite someone."
The room cracked a few laughs. The reporter in question gave a sheepish shrug.
Lin kept the upper hand without missing a beat.
Behind the jokes and the headlines, most of the media still believed the Knicks might squeeze into the playoffs — but anything beyond that? Unlikely.
But that was fine.
The Knicks weren't built to please reporters.
They were built to win.
...
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