The last four or five days might have been the toughest stretch of LeBron James' career.
Even back in the summer of 2010—when his move to Miami drew criticism from every corner of the league—he hadn't felt this uneasy. He came to the Heat to win titles. But right now?
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals summed it up. When Dwyane Wade hit that near–game-winner, LeBron felt like a man dying of thirst who suddenly spots an oasis. Three seconds later, Lin Yi drilled that impossible long-range three, and the oasis dissolved into a mirage.
Reporters couldn't resist needling him afterward: "LeBron, were those tears or just sweat?"
He ignored the question. He'd worked too hard this year to entertain cheap shots. In Miami, he'd trained like a soldier under Pat Riley, convinced this was the season he'd silence every doubter.
Wade and Bosh got his frustration, but they weren't in his shoes. The only comfort was that the Heat weren't finished yet. Win in New York, and the series would come back to Miami.
No team had ever erased a 0–3 deficit, but LeBron kept asking himself: Why not me? Why not the heat?
"I can do it. I can do it," he whispered like a mantra.
Even Riley eased up on the legendary workouts—everyone knew the roster was running on fumes.
…
Meanwhile, the Knicks were enjoying the ride.
"Shaq, you still owe me hot pot," Lin Yi joked during practice, the team laughing along.
His Game 3 buzzer-beater had gone viral, clipped and replayed across YouTube. Stars have signature moments; Lin was stacking his highlight reel fast. Before the series began, even the Knicks had wondered if they could hang with a lineup of James, Wade, and Bosh, with playoffs being different from the regular season.
Now?
Confidence came naturally.
Fans worldwide were buzzing about a Knicks Finals run. That outrageous three had already been framed as destiny's shot. The new MVP had quieted those who claimed his numbers were empty.
..
Coach Mike D'Antoni pored over film from the Miami games. The closer they got to the Finals, the more he told himself: stay calm, don't overthink.
"Lin, how's the body holding up?" he asked during the final practice before Game 5.
Lin clapped him on the shoulder. "Coach, the tactics are solid, everyone's healthy, and we've got the mental edge. Enjoy it. We're going to the Finals."
D'Antoni blinked, then chuckled, stroking his beard. "You're right. I'm worrying for nothing."
…
New York itself felt like one big street party. Every Knicks home game turned the city into a carnival. Tourists snapped photos outside Madison Square Garden, vendors hawked blue-and-orange gear, and even visiting tour groups got caught up in the hype.
To capture the crazy scenes, ESPN sent a reporter to the streets of New York to conduct interviews.
[Street Interview – Outside Madison Square Garden]
The camera jitters slightly as a handheld mic swings into view. Behind it, the Garden glows under a neon-blue dusk. Horns blare from passing cabs, and the crowd noise is a constant roar.
A beautiful Hispanic woman, smartly dressed, was weaving through the crowd, looking for her interviewees with a cameraman.
"My name is Samantha Hernandez from ESPN. We're live outside Madison Square Garden, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals! Knicks up 3–1 on the Heat. New York, how are we feeling tonight?"
A wave of cheers erupts. Someone blows an air horn. A group of college kids draped in orange-and-blue scarves nearly drowns out the mic.
Fan #1 – young woman in a vintage Ewing jersey:
"Feeling? I'm electric right now! This city's about to send LeBron packing. Knicks in five, baby!"
Her friend spins a foam finger like a baton, yelling, "Beat Miami down!"
Samantha:
"Confident crowd! Sir, what's the score prediction?"
Fan #2 – middle-aged man with a Knicks cap backwards:
"Knicks by twenty. Twenty! We're about to cook 'em like Sunday dinner. Miami can take that South Beach stuff back home."
Behind him, a kid on his dad's shoulders shouts cutely, "Lin for threeee!" while banging a plastic thunder stick on the man's hat.
Samantha (laughing):
"Alright, the next Knicks generation is ready too. How about you guys over here?"
A trio of tourists in face paint—one has half his beard dyed orange—jump into the frame.
Fan #3:
"We flew in from Chicago just to see history. Madison Square Garden's gonna be louder than the subway at rush hour. Heat doesn't know what's coming!"
The crowd behind them starts a spontaneous chant: "Knicks in five! Knicks in five!" Someone lets loose a confetti cannon early, showering the camera in blue paper.
Samantha (trying to talk over the noise):
"You heard it here. The Garden is already rocking, and the ball hasn't even tipped. New York is ready to send Miami home!"
The mic dips as the interviewer gets swallowed by a surge of fans, the chant echoing: "Beat Miami! Beat Miami!"
…
Inside the Garden, every seat held two T-shirts—one a special edition, the other stamped We Are the Eastern Conference Champions—plus a commemorative cap. The message was obvious: tonight could seal it.
LeBron bristled at the sight. They haven't even worn the crown yet, and they're already throwing a coronation.
Exhausted or not, the Heat came in defiant. No one waves a white flag in the Conference Finals.
But once the ball went up, the Knicks made their statement. Lin opened with a ruthless three-step drive, then shifted into facilitator mode as teammates lit it up. Billups and Gallinari rained threes. Tyson Chandler swatted everything in sight.
The scoreboard read 43–15 after the first quarter—nine threes, six Chandler blocks. The Garden roared.
LeBron and Wade kept swinging, refusing to sit, but the Knicks' bench matched every run. By halftime, fans were already pulling on their Eastern Conference Champions shirts and caps.
As LeBron scanned the stands, he knew. The Heat's 2010-11 season had ended long before the final buzzer.
Lin, resting midway through the third with just ten quiet points, didn't care about the stat sheet. He only had one thought:
"Tonight, we advance."
...
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