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...
After the first quarter, the Knicks had dropped 47 points—exactly the kind of chaos Cavaliers assistant coach Presley feared. Let Lin Yi orchestrate the offense, and this Knicks team becomes a nightmare.
Presley gathered the nerve to explain the situation to head coach Byron Scott. One thing about Scott: when he's clear-headed, he can make good decisions. But he's also notorious for hesitation. Still, facing the threat of another blowout—maybe even something as embarrassing as that infamous 58-point loss—Scott nodded after weighing the risks. If Lin Yi was going to play the second quarter, they'd respond.
Lin Yi already had 7 assists in the first quarter. During the short break between quarters, he walked over to Coach D'Antoni.
"Coach, I want to stay in," Lin said calmly.
D'Antoni gave a knowing smile, then glanced at O'Neal—because the first six minutes of the second quarter were typically when the Big Fella clocked in for his veteran minutes.
O'Neal shrugged. If it were ten years ago, he'd be out there padding stats too. But now? He was at the age where just lacing up his shoes was a workout. Besides, the Knicks were already cruising.
"Go on," Shaq grinned, patting Lin's shoulder. "You've got that look tonight. Reminds me of my 60 and 20 night. Try to catch me."
Lin laughed. "If you hit free throws better, you'd have 50 and 20 every other night."
In the second quarter, Lin kept the engine running. Lou Williams was loving it. Livingston may have been the floor general on paper, but having Lin beside him made the game feel effortless.
...
To start the second, the Knicks rolled out Lin Yi, Shane Battier, Danny Green, Lou Williams, and Shaun Livingston.
D'Antoni had no intention of sending Tony Allen back in just yet—why waste a chainsaw on peeling oranges?
On the Cavaliers' side, Scott was caught off guard seeing Lin still on the floor. "Seriously? You're up 19, and he's still out there?"
But D'Antoni had his reasons. Lin was in rhythm, and the Knicks weren't just chasing wins—they were building chemistry, stat sheets, and confidence. He even told the players not to completely shut the Cavs down—gotta give them chances to create more possessions.
The Cavs' second unit was a patchwork: Varejão, Leon Powe, Jamario Moon, Daniel Gibson, and Anthony Parker.
With Hollins sidelined, Cleveland had no real size inside. Varejão had planned to coast a bit—maybe rack up some sneaky boards—but when he saw Lin standing across from him, he panicked.
"Powe, you're up," Varejão said, patting the new guy on the shoulder. "Good luck."
Powe didn't dare say no—Varejão ran the locker room.
So when the 2-centimeter-taller Leon Powe stood in front of Lin Yi, Lin gave him a nod as if to say: Welcome to the league.
This was what Lin had trained for all summer. Face-ups. Mid-range. Decision-making at game speed.
And it showed.
Scott quickly tweaked the defensive schemes, again.
Lin couldn't help but wonder: Is Coach Scott trying to recruit me or just keep switching until I mess up?
The Cavs did manage to score first in the second quarter—Gibson sank one from deep.
But the Knicks had already shifted to selective defending late in the first. If Gibson couldn't even knock down open shots, what was the point of his being there?
Since LeBron left for Miami, Gibson had gone from loyal sidekick to vocal critic. And when LeBron came back? Forgiveness came quickly.
Back on the floor, Lin crossed up Powe with a hesitation, rose, and drilled a three in his face. Scott's schemes were doing more to feed Lin's rhythm than break it.
In commentary, Barkley just threw his hands up. "He's in Reaper mode right now."
Shaq, watching courtside, was stunned. In his eyes, Lin was even better tonight than in the Bulls game.
More efficient. Less strain. It made Shaq nostalgic for Kobe—back when they still shared laughs, before things fell apart.
Shaq sighed, remembering how he once left a game with an injured Kobe, smiling and calling him his brother.
But just as quickly, the good memories twisted.
Without thinking, he reached over and smacked Danilo Gallinari on the back.
"Hey! Shaq!" Gallinari yelped. "I didn't even say anything today!"
Shaq just smiled faintly, lost in thought.
...
Meanwhile, on the court, Lin Yi was back at it again.
To be fair, Leon Powe wasn't slacking. He was hustling, contesting, doing everything the scout report said. But Lin wasn't playing by the rules.
With his rhythm dialed in, Lin was just shredding through coverages, stringing defenders along like they were AI practice bots.
At one point, Powe felt like he was watching Lin in slow motion. He knew exactly what Lin was about to do… and yet, he couldn't stop any of it.
Scott saw the warning signs and called for a soft double-team.
But Lin? He'd seen it coming before Scott even called it.
Zone? Man-to-man into a trap? Hybrid shuffle?Child's play.
And as Lin thought to himself how the Cavs never took notes from the last time they managed to beat the Knicks—like using Jamison's length to contest—they walked right into the same traps again.
Scott, pacing the sideline, looked like a man trying to find the exit in a house of mirrors.
Every adjustment he made felt like the right call—until Lin made it look wrong.
With just under 3 minutes left in the half, Powe finally got subbed out. His legs were cooked, his confidence frayed. But just as he sat, poor Hickson checked in.
And the look he shot Scott said it all.
For a brief moment, Hickson even considered pulling a Hollins—just commit a dumb foul and foul out early. But he shook the thought. No way. He'd fight through it.
Credit to him—he played tough defense.
Hickson was in the best stretch of his career during these couple of seasons… but it just didn't matter.
Because Lin was flying.
On one possession, he drove, leapt, and palmed the ball in one hand like Carter in his prime. Mid-air, he spun 180 and hammered it home with a monster one-handed jam.
The crowd lost it. The Loan Arena felt like it had just been dropped into the middle of the Slam Dunk Contest.
"Turn the lights off! That's the contest right there!" Kenny Smith stood up, nearly tripping on his mic cord. "Let's go home! Chuck, I'm telling you—my mom's already asking when All-Star Weekend starts!"
"I'm not even madanymore," said Barkley. "I just want to know what kind of line he's gonna finish with tonight."
By halftime, fans were pulling up Lin Yi's stats like they were checking their stocks.
33 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal… in just two quarters.
The Knicks were up 74–55 on the road.
TV viewers at home were texting friends, posting online, shaking their heads.
"Man," someone tweeted, "are we watching history again tonight?"
"Why does it have to be my Cavs, WHY???" another replied.
...
During the intermission, in the Knicks' locker room, Lin Yi and Tyson Chandler were deep in discussion about positioning—how Chandler could better support Lin's inside cuts and spacing.
Suddenly, O'Neal—seated nearby—shouted across the room, "Damn it! You two make me sick. Being all cozy and lovey-dovey. Aughh"
Everyone burst out laughing.
...
Out on the court, as the third quarter began, Byron Scott was pulled aside by sideline reporters.
He let out a frustrated breath. "We'll find a way to slow Lin down. He's on fire tonight."
Deep down, though, Scott couldn't help but envy D'Antoni's new squad.
...
"Another swat from Lin!" Kenny Smith shouted from the broadcast booth. "Sessions thought he had a free lane, but Lin said nope!"
As soon as the third quarter tipped off, Lin Yi delivered a monster block on Cavaliers guard Ramon Sessions.
Chandler, appreciative of all the lobs and easy dunks Lin had set up for him this season, returned the favor by boxing out hard and letting Lin grab the board.
The Knicks turned defense into offense, charging on a fast break. Lin pushed the ball into the paint, facing a collapsing three-man wall from Cleveland.
Varejao saw his chance to rise to the occasion, ready to deliver a thunderous block...
But Lin Yi danced through traffic like he was performing the tango.
A quick crossover. A euro step.
It was a breathtaking sequence—and Lin finished the layup with finesse.
76 to 55. The lead was ballooning.
"Lin Yi's footwork there reminded me of Ginobili!" Barkley shouted. "Kenny, every time this kid plays, he pulls out something new!"
Though Lin hadn't studied Ginobili's tape this offseason, he'd naturally developed a rhythm all his own—one that blended creativity with calculated balance.
And thankfully, Lin thought with a grin, I haven't lost my hair yet. If learning Ginobili's bag caused him his hairline, he'd have to seriously reconsider.
On the sideline, O'Neal leaned over and muttered, "Is Lin single? With the way he plays, I'd expect half the city to be chasing him."
Louis Williams chuckled. "According to Danilo, staying single is the secret to his powers."
O'Neal blinked. "Huh?"
Back on the floor, Lin was relentless. He kept draining jumpers, his three-point shot as smooth as ever. Even with Hickson glued to his hip, Lin was scoring with ease.
38 points.
The Quicken Loans Arena erupted.
When Scott called a timeout, the Cleveland crowd—yes, even Cavs fans—chanted Lin Yi's name.
Even the arena DJ got caught up in the moment.
"One man. One city. Can you hear us, LeBron?"
The shout brought back painful memories for Cleveland fans. Their hearts ached.
James had brought them hope. But that same hope now turned into full-throated support for Lin.
If LeBron were to come back now, would they even want him?
...
Meanwhile, in San Antonio...
The Heat had just thrashed the Spurs 108–89.
LeBron James put up an impressive 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists—a dominant triple-double.
He breathed easy in the tunnel, finally getting a statement win under his belt after all the criticism.
But as he walked past the crowd, a voice rang out from the Spurs home section:
"LeBron, you're a fraud! Look at Lin! Everything you did tonight, he's doing better!"
It was a Cavs fan, one who had flown to Texas just to heckle.
T/N: Talk about being a professional hater lol.
James ignored him outwardly—but inside, he frowned.
Lin Yi? What's that guy doing now?
...
Back in Cleveland, the broadcast cut back just in time to see Lin Yi calmly sink two free throws.
47 points.
Scott scrambled to draw up new defensive schemes. We can't let this guy score again. Not tonight.
The Cavs turned to double-teams again. But Lin didn't force anything.
Instead, he dished dimes to Gallinari, Chandler, and Belinelli—he was spreading the wealth.
Just before the third-quarter buzzer, Lin got the ball near the logo.
He let it fly—pure.
50 points.
"Logo range! My god, Kenny!" Barkley roared. "Lin's hands are on fire tonight!"
Fans inside Quicken Loans chanted his name louder than ever.
The Knicks bench erupted.
50 points, 19 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals.
It wasn't just the numbers. It was history.
"The last 50-point triple-double? You've got to go back to 1975!" Kenny Smith said, flipping through his notes.
"And Lin's only 3 points away from breaking the highest-scoring triple-double ever!"
With the Knicks leading 104 to 85 at the end of the third, Lin had a chance to play in the fourth—and the crowd knew what it meant.
Everyone sensed history in the making.
"Is this kid beefing with Wilt?" Barkley joked. "He broke one Chamberlain record last season, and now he's going after another?"
And this wasn't the modern era of Harden and Westbrook stacking stats.
This was different.
D'Antoni looked at his board, calling players around him.
"Here's how we get Lin open looks."
Scott, on the other end, was in panic mode. No more points! Clamp down!
O'Neal sat stunned.
"Yeah, there's some stat-padding," he muttered, "but hell… this kid'sbout to break a record."
The Knicks were all in. They wanted Lin to etch his name into history.
Even Cleveland fans—hurting from betrayal—were cheering Lin on now. If anyone could replace LeBron in their hearts tonight, it was him.
...
At the start of the fourth quarter in the Knicks vs. Cavaliers game, every time Lin Yi touched the ball, the crowd exploded. It was electric—and heavy. Heavy on the Cavaliers' shoulders.
No one wants to be just part of the background.
Hickson was locked in on defense, and Varejao was hovering nearby, ready to help. But the Knicks came out with a plan: set constant pick-and-rolls for Lin Yi.
They used a play that would later be known in the Golden State as the elevator doors set. Lin slipped between Chandler and Gallinari, and just as he passed through, they closed the gap like a door slamming shut. Lin caught the ball, rose, and launched.
Clank!
A groan rippled through the crowd. Cavaliers coach Byron Scott was hoping to slow the game down and limit possessions in the fourth—but there were still 12 long minutes to get through, and Lin wasn't done yet.
Sessions on the next possession bricked a shot. Lin soared for the board—his 20th of the night.
50 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists.
Unreal.
Back on offense, the Knicks ran the same elevator play. Lin slipped through, caught it, floated... splash!
53 points.
Lin Yi had just tied Wilt Chamberlain's highest-scoring triple-double record.
"Wow! We knew Lin might reach it someday, maybe even surpass it, but now that it's here... it's real," Kenny Smith said.
"The Cavs are rattled. Another board from Lin—number 21?" Barkley chimed in.
The broadcast cut to Shaquille O'Neal shaking his head on the sideline. He wasn't doubting Lin's numbers anymore. This guy was relentless.
"Shaq, didn't you tell Lin to chase your numbers before the game?" Stephenson asked with a grin.
Shaq narrowed his eyes at him. Lance shrank back into his seat.
On the floor, Hickson played Lin tough—but fouled him on a three-point attempt.
"Three free throws! And with Lin shooting over 90% from the line tonight, folks, we might be about to witness history!" Kenny exclaimed.
"Kenny, I know there's a long season ahead, but Lin's my MVP right now," Barkley said.
"You can make an argument for that," Kenny replied.
Lin took a deep breath and stepped to the line.
Tonight, it was Lin's show.
First free throw—missed. Rare.
Lin wiped his hands, took a breath, and focused.
Swish.
He just broke Wilt's triple-double scoring record.
Another swish. 55 points.
Knicks fans in Cleveland started chanting, "MVP! MVP!"
Lin flexed at Shaq, who gave him a bigger and more dramatic flex, cracking up the broadcast crew.
The Cavaliers, already shaken, kept missing. Hickson bricked again. Lin grabbed his 22nd rebound—a new personal best.
More relaxed now, Lin pulled up for three.
Splash.
58 points.
The crowd roared. Coach Scott had seen enough and called a timeout. The gap was too wide. He started pulling his starters.
But Lin? Still on the court.
Scott looked across the court and sighed.
The Cavs were fading. Anthony Parker finally hit a mid-range shot to stop the bleeding. Some dignity salvaged.
Lin missed a few next possessions. Cleveland clawed back a bit. But the energy was gone.
Scott kept slumping in frustration. Where was the poise from earlier?
Chris Paul once said in an interview that whenever the Hornets were in crisis, Scott would just freeze, mumbling, "Listen to me... listen to me..."
Tonight, the Cavs listened—but it didn't help.
With 6:57 left, Lin drilled another jumper.
Shaq's eyes went wide. Lin now had 60 points, 20 rebounds, and double-digit assists.
Pure dominance.
And yet Lin remained composed. He didn't think he was anywhere near Shaq's level of consistency yet.
"60-point triple-double, Kenny. This is crazy. CRAZY," Barkley shouted, pulling on Kenny's sleeve.
"Charles, we're not done yet. Who knows what else Lin's got in him?" Kenny's voice was hoarse.
Last time he felt this buzzed courtside? Probably during Vince Carter's legendary dunk contest.
As the clock ticked down, Coach D'Antoni decided it was time. Lin was gassed. Efficiency dropping. Knicks up by 24. Time to sit the star.
But Lin had one more shot in him.
Hesitation... pull-up... net.
His jumper was poetry.
"That's it! Lin's monster night seals the Knicks' seventh straight win!"
"63 points, 24 rebounds, 15 assists, 5 blocks, 3 steals! That's the stat line! That's the legacy!"
...
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