Billups finally joined up with the Knicks in Orlando, arriving mid-practice.
"Welcome to New York!" Coach Mike D'Antoni clapped him on the shoulders with a grin. Billups managed a polite smile. Even as a veteran known for his calm and leadership, joining a new squad always felt strange—especially when yesterday's opponents were suddenly today's teammates.
"Welcome," Danilo Gallinari said warmly, referring to Belinelli. The tall Italian forward gave Billups a firm handshake. "Glad to have you here, Chauncey."
Before Billups could reply, Gallinari cupped his hands and shouted across the court, "Hey! Shaq, stop bullying Lin—Chauncey's here!"
On the practice floor, Shaquille O'Neal grinned. "The last shot of the Shaq Splash!"
Lin Yi groaned dramatically. "Man, you're trying to kill me out here!"
Billups paused, watching the exchange. This… was not what he'd pictured from the so-called gritty Knicks.
Shaq lumbered over and wrapped Billups in a bear hug. "You here to grab onto the Shark for a championship ride?"
Gallo smirked. "Shaq, Lin said sharks don't have legs, remember?"
O'Neal shot him a mock glare while Gallinari walked off, hands up in surrender. "Don't mind them," Shaq said. "This team's full of big kids."
Billups nodded slowly, trying to get a read on the group.
Lin Yi jogged over, rubbing his side. "Welcome to New York, Chauncey."
"We're in Orlando," Shaq deadpanned.
Billups chuckled, but the vibe was definitely… different. Back in Detroit, even when the Pistons joked around, there was a quiet discipline. In Denver, George Karl preferred a focused, low-chatter practice. Here, the energy felt chaotic, unpredictable—almost like a pickup run with NBA-level talent.
Across the gym, Lance Stephenson and Lou Williams were trading barbs about a night out, with Lance declaring, "chilling at home is better" just before Lin cut him off with a playful elbow.
"See what I mean?" Shaq muttered. "Big. Children."
Billups exhaled, thinking, This is the number one team in the East?
Because of a flight delay, Billups had missed the first half of practice. D'Antoni didn't seem concerned. "Game's tomorrow, so no killing yourselves today. Just shake off the travel and get a feel for the guys," the coach said. "Any fitness issues? You good to start?"
"I'm good," Billups answered.
The coach split the squad into two five-man teams: Billups, Lin Yi, Gallinari, Tyson Chandler, and Tony Allen on one side; Hassan Whiteside, Shane Battier, Danny Green, Lou Williams, and Shaun Livingston on the other. Shaq and Wilson Chandler served as sideline refs and unofficial hype men.
As the whistle blew, Billups stepped into the scrimmage, already calculating angles, spacing, and how to blend his steady hand with this lively, unpredictable crew.
...
How long did it take Lin Yi to win Billups over?
To be exact—two possessions. In Knicks practice, everything ran on quick transitions and aggressive offense, so we're talking just over a minute. One minute and nine seconds, to be precise.
Wait… he's setting a pick for me?
Isn't he the focal point of this offense? The guy averaging 26.8 shots a night?
But the screen was clean, the roll sharp, and the pass came right on time. Billups slipped into the open space with ease. That's… smooth. Too smooth.
And on the other end? Billups found himself thinking, Hold on, this is the second unit? Livingston's post-ups were polished, and even Billups—priding himself on savvy defense—got tagged with a foul trying to slow him down.
He didn't want to admit it, but the thought came anyway: The Knicks' bench defense might be better than the Nuggets' starters.
It was a different world. Lin Yi wasn't racking up assists in the traditional point guard sense, but he was orchestrating everything, bending the defense, creating space.
Billups had assumed his best synergy with Lin would be as a spacing partner—Anthony-style—opening lanes for one-on-one attacks. But the real magic came in the pick-and-roll. Lin always seemed to find the open man, no matter how tight the coverage.
"Karl was right," Billups murmured under his breath. Lin's value went way beyond scoring. He was the Knicks' heartbeat.
"How's he looking?" D'Antoni asked his assistants after the session.
"Fits like he's been here all season," said Assistant Coach Dan D'Antoni, nodding. "Chauncey's court vision brings out the best in Lin. Defensively, he's still got that old-school craftiness. Mike, I'm telling you—we're loaded."
D'Antoni's grin was faint but satisfied. "Yeah… we're strong."
Then he tossed a stat sheet onto the table. "Though here's something you won't believe—Chauncey's numbers don't even top Shawn's today."
In the 20-minute scrimmage, Billups had gone 2-for-3 from deep for 6 points, with 3 assists. Livingston? Four-for-six, 8 points, 4 boards, 2 assists.
But that was the thing about Chauncey—he didn't force shots. Even if he bricked one, his attempts were efficient, never disrupting the Knicks' offensive rhythm. His real value was in the way he steadied possessions and fortified the defense.
The result? The starting group put up 47 points in the drill, the subs just 30.
Billups was impressed—and a little unnerved. He'd played with plenty of stars, but Lin Yi was something else.
Even more surprising was Livingston's attitude. Billups had essentially come to take his starting spot, yet Shaun didn't seem fazed.
"Shaun, man, congrats on the comeback," Billups said.
Livingston, fresh from bullying him in the post, just smiled. "Thanks, Chauncey. Let's both be ready to roll tomorrow."
Billups tilted his head. "You really don't mind coming off the bench?"
Livingston shrugged. "I wasn't a true starter anyway. I make more of an impact with the second unit. And honestly? If it weren't for the coaches here, I might still be out of a job."
Billups didn't have an answer for that. This Knicks team wasn't just talented—they were selfless, in a way that championship squads needed to be.
And the defense? Tony Allen, Battier, Tyson Chandler… these weren't guys leaning on cheap tricks or brute force. They defended with brains as much as muscle.
Offensively, the contrast with Billups' old championship Pistons was stark. This team attacked in transition without hesitation—if you had a shot, you took it.
And Lin Yi? On paper, a high-volume gunner. But in the entire 20-minute drill, he'd only taken 14 shots. Always picking his spots, always making the right read.
Billups exhaled slowly while staring at Lin. Yeah… it's good to be in Orla- no, New York.