The episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! featuring Lin Yi and Kobe was scheduled to air on February 14. Right after the recording ended, Lin Yi pulled out his phone and sent a message to Shaquille O'Neal.
"Shaq," he wrote teasingly, "make sure you watch the show on the 14th. I gave you a lot of praise. Called you the greatest center in history."
That message immediately caught Shaq's attention.
Lin Yi deliberately left out one small detail. He never mentioned that Kobe had been sitting next to him during the recording.
Lin Yi had a feeling that if O'Neal watched the entire episode without knowing, the moment would hit much harder.
People often realize what something means only after it's gone.
Take Tracy McGrady as an example. Yao Ming once sighed during a private conversation and said, "If only Tracy had pushed himself a little more back then."
Back then, McGrady could train harder but did not feel the need to. Now he wanted to train, but his body would not allow it.
You only had to watch the crowd during McGrady's games this season to understand the feeling. Every time he stepped on the court, the fans looked emotional.
It was the kind of reaction that made people realize how fast time moves.
. . .
On February 12, after seeing Kobe and Vanessa off, the Knicks returned to work.
The team held its final practice before their next game.
On the 13th, they would host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder currently sat at the top of the Western Conference standings. Their young guard core had developed into one of the most explosive groups in the league, and many analysts believed they had the best chance of stopping the Knicks' 25-game winning streak.
There was another interesting detail.
During the 2012–2013 season, only two players in the league were averaging over thirty points per game while maintaining 180 Club shooting efficiency.
One was Lin Yi of the Knicks.
The other was Kevin Durant of the Thunder.
Durant had become the league's Silent Scorer. Night after night, he dropped thirty points, yet the headlines somehow belonged to someone else.
No matter how well he played, it somehow felt like people kept overlooking him.
When the Thunder arrived in New York for this game, many fans finally glanced at Durant's numbers and reacted with surprise.
"Wait… Durant's been this good all season?"
The reality was simple. Oklahoma City and New York did not carry the same level of media attention.
The Knicks had forty-three nationally televised games this season. The Thunder had twenty-four.
Add Lin Yi's constant record-breaking performances, and Durant's brilliance often slipped under the radar.
Still, anyone paying close attention could see the progress Durant had made. His ball handling and passing have both improved this year.
If Lin Yi had not exploded onto the scene this season, Durant would have been a serious MVP candidate.
Durant was averaging 30.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
And if anyone asked him, he would probably admit that Lin Yi's dominance had pushed him to another level.
ESPN labeled the upcoming matchup a Finals Preview.
On paper, the two teams mirrored each other in many ways.
Lin Yi against Durant.
Chris Paul against Russell Westbrook.
Klay Thompson against Kevin Martin.
Inside, the Knicks had their defensive anchor, while the Thunder countered with Serge Ibaka.
The timing of the game added even more excitement. It would be the final game for both teams before the Houston All-Star Weekend.
Fans were watching for one particular reason.
If Lin Yi scored forty points again, he would reach ten consecutive 40-point games and set a brand-new record.
Many analysts believed it was very possible.
Charles Barkley offered a simple explanation during a segment on television.
"The Thunder are good enough to keep the game close. If this goes to the fourth quarter, Lin's going to have the chance."
While the media and fans debated the outcome, the Thunder in New York were holding their own practice.
Swish.
Swish.
Swish.
Durant barely missed a shot.
Over the last ten games, he had scored forty or more points five times. After each game, he would check the headlines, expecting to see his name everywhere.
Instead, the front pages always belonged to one person.
Lin Yi.
Durant shook his head during a shooting drill.
If we beat the Knicks tomorrow, he thought to himself, people won't be able to ignore me anymore.
The idea alone seemed to fuel him. His movements grew sharper, his shots quicker.
There was another reason he felt motivated.
Westbrook watched Durant shoot for another ten minutes after practice ended.
Finally, he walked over.
"Kevin," he said casually, "you want to grab something to eat? Maybe a cake?"
Durant paused for a moment, thinking.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
He picked up another ball and returned to the three-point line.
Right now, he had only one thing on his mind.
Tomorrow's game.
For Durant, beating Lin Yi had become the most important goal in the world.
Westbrook didn't push the matter and left the gym with his bag over his shoulder.
But after he walked out, Durant felt a little regret.
Training alone could get pretty dull. The longer he stayed on the court, the more his mind drifted. At first, it was just a passing thought. Then suddenly, he could almost see the cakes Westbrook had mentioned.
Chocolate cake. Strawberry cake. Cheesecake.
Durant sighed, pulled out his phone, and called Westbrook.
"Hey, Russell," he said once the call connected. "I've been thinking… even if I keep practicing, I should probably eat something first. Where are you right now?"
Westbrook answered casually on the other end. "I'm in Long Island. At Lin's villa."
Durant froze.
Westbrook continued, "You want to come? I'll send you the address."
The line went silent for a moment.
Then Durant hung up.
"Man…"
He stared at his phone.
Lin again.
Durant shook his head, turned around, and walked straight back to the court.
Forget the cake. Training came first.
Meanwhile, inside Lin Yi's villa on Long Island, Westbrook was enjoying a slice of strawberry cake.
Across the table, Lin Yi watched him with an amused expression.
"Hey, Lin," Westbrook said between bites, "you better be careful tomorrow. Kevin's been talking about beating you for days."
Lin Yi leaned back slightly in his chair and smiled.
"Russell," he replied calmly, "is this your version of betrayal?"
Of course, Lin Yi knew Westbrook wasn't actually betraying his teammate over dessert. The tone made it obvious. It was just friendly trash talk.
The real message behind Westbrook's words was clear.
The Thunder were ready.
Tomorrow, they planned to end the Knicks' 25-game winning streak.
These days, relationships between NBA stars weren't as hostile as they were back in the 90s. Players could talk trash on the court and still hang out off the court like friends who had gone through the same battles.
The Thunder had been playing well recently, but Lin Yi wasn't too worried.
After the All-Star break, Gregg Popovich would wake up the sleeping trio in San Antonio. The Spurs had been extremely quiet this season, slowly building momentum.
Compared with that team, this Thunder squad still had weaknesses.
Since James Harden left, their offensive depth had clearly dropped. And coach Scott Brooks' system was simple. When games got tight, the strategy usually came down to two options.
Westbrook attacks.
Durant attacks.
Lin Yi wasn't intimidated by that kind of approach.
He smiled at Westbrook.
"Relax," Lin Yi said. "We're ready too. Kevin doesn't need special treatment."
Westbrook looked up at him with curiosity.
Lin Yi pointed directly at him.
"We're focusing on you, Russell."
"Me?" Westbrook blinked.
Lin Yi nodded seriously.
"In my opinion, you're the best defensive guard in the league."
Westbrook straightened in his seat.
During the 2012–2013 season, Durant averaged over thirty points a game on about twenty shots. Westbrook averaged twenty-four points, but he also took nearly nineteen shots a night.
Lin Yi understood the math.
If you played the Thunder, the solution wasn't complicated.
Double-team Durant.
And encourage Westbrook to keep shooting.
Westbrook, however, took Lin Yi's words completely at face value.
After all, Lin Yi was a two-time MVP.
"I mean… yeah," Westbrook said, nodding confidently. "My playmaking might not be on Chris's level yet, but if we're talking defense, I'm definitely up there."
Lin Yi kept a straight face.
What Westbrook didn't know was that one reason Gregg Popovich appreciated Lin Yi so much was simple.
Lin Yi had a remarkable talent for saying things that made people feel great… while quietly leading them exactly where he wanted them to go.
. . .
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