The Lakers' defense was a lost cause.
Turns out, Kobe's death stare wasn't a miracle cure after all.
Honestly, Lin Yi thought it was already generous of the Lakers' veterans not to snap back at him with a "What the hell are you looking at?" every time he gave them that look.
Artest, for instance, was only a defensive enforcer by title these days. After a summer spent spreading love and peace, he'd come back nearly ten kilos heavier. Whenever he was on the floor, the Lakers actually gave up more points. If not for the occasional threat of a flying elbow, he'd easily be one of the biggest holes in their defense.
As for Nash on defense—well, the less said the better.
Then there was Gasol, another year older. Defense was never Pau's calling card anyway, so expecting him to anchor the paint now was basically asking the impossible.
On February 10th, as the Lakers visited Madison Square Garden, the Knicks jumped out to a 4–14 start.
Phil Jackson sat stone-faced, but the calm Zen Master was clearly irritated—especially since Kobe had already glanced toward the bench several times. The message was obvious: he wasn't here to bow to the Knicks tonight.
When he'd entered the Garden earlier and looked up at the third championship banner hanging high, something inside Kobe flared. Behind that banner was the shadow of Shaquille O'Neal—and that was a name that still hit a nerve.
Sometimes, Kobe could be as stubborn as a kid. And tonight, he was by far the most determined defender on either team—yes, both teams.
The Lakers were relying on his defense. So were the Knicks. It was rare to see both sides depend on the same man to stop the bleeding.
When the score reached 4–16, even the Zen Master had no choice but to call a timeout. If Phil Jackson had to interrupt his meditation, you knew things were bad.
Madison Square Garden was rocking, the crowd unified in one chant:
"MVP! MVP!"
Just before the timeout, Lin Yi had broken through Artest's half-hearted defense. The paint was wide open, and Lin Yi couldn't resist.
He lobbed the ball off the backboard—showboating, no question.
On the Knicks' bench, McGrady's eyes lit up. He knew that look. Lin Yi was going for a self-alley-oop.
But before he could finish, Artest swung that trademark iron elbow, forcing Lin Yi to abort mid-air. Quick-thinking, Lin Yi adjusted, caught the ball coming off the glass, and fed it under the rim to Tyson Chandler.
Two hands with a roar.
Slam!
Gasol didn't even bother contesting.
The Tyson-Yi combination had just pulled off a highlight-reel play, leaving the crowd on their feet.
Phil Jackson had no choice but to call another timeout. The Lakers' defense had completely fallen apart. And deep down, he knew what came next: Kobe's patience was running out.
The thing about Kobe's competitiveness—it had won the Lakers countless games. But tonight, it might turn against them.
Because when Kobe got that look in his eye, he didn't just want to win—he wanted to destroy.
Lin Yi could already feel that heat from across the court. If looks could kill, his jersey would be on fire.
After the timeout, the Lakers tried to regroup.
Kobe brought the ball up, but his fadeaway came out too forced.
"Ah, that was a rushed shot," Zhang sighed. "He should've passed it to Gasol—get one more swing for a better look. Kobe's too impatient right now."
The shot clanged off. Knicks ball.
Moments later, Lin Yi came right back down and drilled a pull-up jumper over Artest.
"See that?" Zhang said, practically glowing. "Smooth, confident, decisive—when you shoot, that's exactly how you do it!"
4-18.
The gap widened.
Lin Yi glanced at Kobe, meeting those burning eyes. His idol's competitive fire was back.
Kobe missed his fourth three-pointer of the night. Lin Yi, meanwhile, had already grabbed six rebounds in just five minutes.
Snatching another defensive board, Lin Yi immediately pushed the pace. Artest tried to ambush him with one of those sneaky elbows again, but Lin Yi spun behind his back to shake free—then whipped his signature no-look pass across the court. Chris Paul caught it clean and drilled the open three.
4–21!
"This one might turn into a blowout before the first quarter's even done," Yu Jia chuckled. "Looks like we'll have plenty of time to chat about the All-Star Game tonight, Zhang."
Zhang Heli smiled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. But look—Kobe again. I know the man has fire in his belly, but he should calm down a bit and control his shot selection ."
On the floor, Kobe bricked his fifth three-pointer. Even Lin Yi hadn't expected things to be this easy. With his two big men sealing off the paint, he secured his seventh rebound and fired a long bounce pass downcourt—Danny Green sprinted ahead, rose, and slammed home a one-handed dunk.
4–23
"Oh, that's Lin Yi's fourth assist already tonight!"
Madison Square Garden erupted. The fans were buzzing—nothing made New Yorkers happier than dismantling the Lakers.
And if there was something better? Well, it'd be dismantling them twice.
...
Please do leave a review and powerstones, helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a