The first half of the Nets vs. Knicks game ended with the Knicks leading 67 to 53.
Lin Yi finished the half with 26 points. Paul added 15 assists and kept the offense running on schedule.
If the Knicks closed this one out, they would open the season with a 13-game winning streak.
This version of the Knicks looked nothing like last year's team that leaned on isolation to survive. With better chemistry, they now mixed in short actions, quick reads, and layered sets. The ball moved with purpose, and the spacing made sense.
Around the league, teams had started to notice a pattern. The Knicks always seemed one step ahead. Opponents usually figured out how to deal with them only after taking a few losses first.
At home, Rondo watched the game on TV and shook his head.
"Fuck, Paul really lucked out with Lin," he muttered. "A pass only matters if the guy catching it can finish."
That was the problem.
None of his old Celtics bigs could do what Lin Yi did with the ball.
By halftime, Rondo felt even more certain of one thing. Paul's job looked easy next to Lin Yi. In Rondo's mind, if he were playing with Lin Yi, he could spoon-feed him layups until Lin Yi got tired of scoring.
An inside and outside pairing like that was hard to deal with. Even harder to ignore.
. . .
[Elizabeth POV]
As the buzzer sounded, the players headed toward the tunnel. I stood near the area, still watching the court, when Lin Yi suddenly looked at me.
He was smiling.
Then he raised his finger and pointed upward.
I understood immediately.
I turned to his parents, who were still buzzing from the first half. "Come with me," I said. "There's another surprise."
They looked genuinely confused.
"Another one?" his father asked. "We thought courtside seats were the surprise."
"No, Lin knows you will be leaving soon," I said, smiling. "So he wants your experience here to be maximised as much as possible."
With the help of security and Madison Square Garden staff, we were guided away from the court and toward a private elevator. Lin Yi's parents kept exchanging looks, clearly unsure where this was going.
The doors opened on the upper floor.
A VIP lounge.
The room sat high above the court, quiet but still close to the game. The noise of the arena faded into a steady background hum, enough to feel the energy without being overwhelming.
Inside, the space was open and comfortable. Soft lighting, clean lines, and cushioned seating made it easy to relax. A large glass wall faced the court, giving a clear, uninterrupted view of the action below.
A table in the room held food and drinks, neatly arranged and easy to reach. Everything felt calm, private, and well cared for.
It was a place where you could watch the game, talk normally, and enjoy the moment without distractions.
Wings. Brisket-short rib patties. Burger sliders. Chocolate croissants...
Small plates arranged neatly. An assortment of drinks lined the side, from sodas and juices to wine and liquor.
They stopped walking.
"Oh," his mother said, nodding her head. "This premium. Good. Now I can brag more about my son."
I laughed.
"Please. Sit. Eat."
They quickly made themselves comfortable. Plates were filled. Drinks were poured. The game continued quietly in front of us while conversation slowly took over.
After a while, Ma leaned toward me. "So," she said, smiling, "how you meet our son? I never ask."
I laughed for half a second, remembering the scenario.
"It was an accident," I said. "He spilled my ice cream."
They both burst out laughing.
"He felt terrible," I continued. "So to apologize, he bought me another one. That was how we started talking."
I told them about the small things. How we got a hamster and a dog together. How the relationship grew slowly, naturally. How I eventually realized I liked him enough that waiting felt pointless.
"So I asked him," I said. "I told him I liked him and wanted to date him."
Mr. Yi nodded immediately.
"Good," he said. "I like brave and straightforward girl. Does how this woman got me. Super fierce."
The statement got him a glare from Ma.
She then smiled at me warmly. "If you wait for my son to propose, it be plenty years. That boy, too shy like father."
We were still talking when the crowd noise suddenly swelled.
The second half had started.
The Knicks opened with possession. Chris Paul dribbled calmly, scanned the floor, then lifted the ball perfectly into the air. Lin Yi rose and finished it with force, slamming it down cleanly.
The arena exploded.
We stood up with everyone else, clapping, cheering, voices joining the roar.
"MVP!" someone shouted nearby.
Then more voices joined.
"MVP! MVP!"
I clapped alongside Ma and Pa until my hands hurt, smiling as I looked back at the court.
I bit my lips as he did his gunshot celebration.
Watching him play like that was making me feel h...
(T/N:👀)
. . .
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