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...
In the second quarter, the Knicks rolled out a bench lineup of O'Neal, Shane Battier, Danny Green, Lou Williams, and Livingston.
The Bulls responded with Or Aşik, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng, Ronnie Brewer, and C.J. Watson.
Watching from the bench, Lin Yi couldn't help but wonder—if Shaq were just a few years younger, the Knicks' second unit might be more stacked than so starting fives in the league.
Thibodeau, still a fan of the 9- or 10-man rotation even in the regular season, seed set on keeping the energy up. anwhile, D'Antoni—who'd seen the benefits of a deep bench firsthand—wished the league would expand the roster size altogether.
That's a Capricorn for you.
Once the benches took over, the Knicks held the upper hand. Aşik had the size to bang with O'Neal, but he didn't offer much in the pick-and-roll. Solid screen setter, sure—but a classic big-bodied rim protector with little mobility. He did fine during his stint with Harden later on, but as the league sped up, Asik quietly faded from relevance.
Still, Lin Yi couldn't help but chuckle and think. Can't believe Asik landed a starting contract worth over ten million at one point... Man, the future is just full of bloated deals.
"Why don't you get out there and school him?" D'Antoni, seeing Lin's expression, teased from the sideline.
Lin Yi shook his head. "Nah, I'll pass. I already got my licks in the first quarter. Got to pace myself."
Midway through the second quarter, the starters began filtering back in—Rose and Lin Yi returned to the floor.
"Hey Charles, I think the fans have waited long enough," Kenny Smith said on the broadcast.
"Absolutely," chuckled Barkley. "Lin and Derrick are back on the court, and now we're back to the real show. United Center, 2010-2011, in the white corner: Derrick Rose and in the blue: Lin Yi!" Barkley added in his usual theatrical tone.
To be fair, both benches had played solid minutes, and Shaq even threw his weight around down low. But it didn't matter—this crowd didn't co for fundantals. They ca to watch two of the league's rising stars go at it.
That's star power for you.
The score sat at 44–39 as Lin and Rose checked back in.
The Bulls had the ball. And just like that, the red-and-white blur that was Derrick Rose ca flying down the court like he was strapped to rocket skates.
Danny Green was tasked with checking him this ti.
Green's defense was solid, but Rose stepped back and drained a three like he'd been doing it all season.
Sotis, when you're feeling it, you're just feeling it.
Lin Yi patted Green on the back. "It's all good—let him shoot. I don't believe he's turning into Ray Allen tonight."
That little nudge of confidence seed to energize Green.
Next trip down, Lin Yi slipped a slick assist to Gallinari, who managed to finish under the rim before Noah could swat it into the stands.
46–42. Knicks still up by four.
But... then Rose nailed another three.
Lin Yi blinked in disbelief. "What the...?"
Is Rose secretly sponsored by Green Arrow tonight or what? What's with this accuracy?
Knicks pushed back again. This ti, Danny Green caught Lin Yi's pass on the wing and knocked down a three of his own.
48–45. Knicks clinging to a three-point lead.
On the other end, Rose looked like he was ready to pull the trigger again. Green tightened his stance, reading the body language—but he didn't know Rose had set the trap.
The last two threes. Bait.
Now Green had that shot in the back of his mind. So when Rose gave a subtle fake and started dancing with the dribble, Green instinctively backed up a step—just in case.
But this was 2010–11 Rose. When he felt it, he could hit threes—but his real weapon? That devastating change of pace.
He snapped to the left with zero slowdown. Smooth, sudden, savage.
The United Center roared as he glided to the rim and laid it in before Lou could rotate back.
"Oh my god—he didn't slow down at all!" Kenny Smith shouted. "Danny Green's ankles are still trying to figure out what just happened!"
The place exploded. At that mont, Derrick Rose wasn't just scoring—he was owning the mont. He had the fans, the rhythm, and the floor.
This was the Rose Bulls fans had dread of.
And tonight, he was blooming under the bright lights.
Lin Yi watched the play unfold and couldn't help but shake his head, letting out a small sigh.
Wasteful.
Not in a careless way—but in the sense that Rose was spending everything he had tonight.
Still, Lin Yi didn't feel any sympathy.
Sure, tonight's Rose was dazzling—an explosion of speed, precision, and rhythm. But no matter how sharp the thorns, Lin Yi was ready to tear the petals off one by one.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Barkley leaned forward in his seat, sensing sothing was coming. "Let's see what Lin's got in store," he muttered.
Knicks possession. Lin Yi took over again—starting from low, dribbling with purpose, working his rhythm. It felt less like a basketball move and more like a solo riff, sothing straight out of a Guns N' Roses performance.
Then—bam!
An exaggerated crossover froze Boozer in place. Lin Yi burst forward, rose into the air, and twisted his body mid-flight.
Smooth wrist flick. The Limitless Range badge might as well have lit up on the Jumbotron.
Pull-up three.
Swish—!
The net barely moved.
Rose wasn't the only one owning the United Center tonight.
"This ga's starting to feel like a concert," Kenny Smith said on comntary.
Kenny continued, "Lin and Derrick just hijacked the Top 5 plays tonight."
Barkley laughed. "Forget tonight—they've taken over the whole week!"
The crowd murmured in a mix of awe and frustration. Lin Yi didn't even celebrate. No stare-down. No pounding his chest. He just turned and jogged back down the court, stone-faced.
And that quiet confidence?
It made Bulls fans even more restless.
If he'd flexed, they could've booed. If he'd talked trash, they could've yelled. But this... this silence was suffocating.
Chicago. Tonight. Uncomfortable comfortability.
But Lin Yi wasn't done yet.
Next play, Rose attacked the paint again—but this ti, Tyson stepped in to help. Rose adjusted mid-air and lobbed it up toward Noah, who was already preparing to catch and slam it down.
And then—
Smack!
A Lin Yi-style rejection, straight from the archives.
Noah had no ti to react. Before he could even feel the frustration sink in, Lin Yi had already taken off, full sprint.
One step.
Two steps.
Death steps.
No Bulls player chased. Not even Rose.
Lin Yi pald the ball, took flight just after the free throw line—and soared.
BOOM!
He thundered it ho, splitting the air like a torpedo bursting through the sea. Ti stood still.
In that mont, the United Center wasn't roaring. It was stunned.
And then... sothing strange happened.
A few scattered voices in the crowd began chanting:
"M-V-P... M-V-P..."
They weren't loud. But they were clear.
Even so fans in Bulls jerseys hesitated, then clapped. They weren't rooting for the Knicks.
They were just giving respect where it was due.
As Lin Yi landed, his eyes locked briefly with Rose's. Neither said a word. No trash talk. No gesture. Just acknowledgnt.
They passed each other like samurai on a battlefield.
And with that, tonight's episode—
"Chicago Street Showdown"
Starring: Lin Yi & Derrick Rose
Supporting Cast: Knicks, Bulls
Background Artists: United Center faithful.
...
Halfti at the United Center.
The Knicks led by four, 58–54, in a tough road ga.
Lin Yi put up 26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal in the first half.
Rose? 29 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists—and he overtook Lin in scoring right before the break.
But Lin didn't care.
He knew Rose wouldn't be able to carry the load all night.
And sure enough, when the third quarter began, the Bulls shifted gears. They went to Boozer in the post—not just to score, but to grind Lin Yi down physically, give Rose a breather, and maybe tilt the tempo.
Lin Yi couldn't help but grin.
Finally, my sumr workouts are paying off.
"I didn't bulk up for nothing," Lin muttered to himself.
Boozer had faced Lin Yi before and found success banging in the paint. But that was last season. This ti? Boozer looked confused. He couldn't move Lin like he used to.
On the Bulls' first possession of the half, Boozer tried to back Lin Yi down.
Didn't move him an inch.
Boozer didn't complain—he just tried to make a quick spin and pull-up, one of his signature post moves.
But Lin had him scouted.
Rather than absorb the shoulder contact, Lin subtly stepped back and extended his left arm right as Boozer turned for the jumper.
Smack!
Big rejection.
"Carlos doesn't stand a chance tonight," Barkley said from the booth.
Kenny Smith added, "Yeah, Boozer's in trouble. I think he underestimated Lin. People forget—he's got a nasty edge when he wants to."
To be fair, Boozer hadn't taken Lin lightly. He just didn't have an answer.
Lin was younger, taller, more mobile, and now stronger, too.
Thibodeau looked frustrated on the sideline. Boozer was giving them nothing. So, back to Plan A—hand the keys back to Rose.
The problem was, Rose was carrying too much. Deng was decent tonight, not the liability he sotis beca, but the Knicks' defense was tight. There was no room to cut or isolate.
Knicks ca right back and pushed the score to 60–54.
The Bulls were one of the Knicks' biggest rivals in the East this season. But while Rose had exceeded expectations, the rest of the Bulls roster wasn't asuring up.
After Lin blocked Boozer again, the Bulls ran a pick-and-roll with Rose, hoping to reset. Boozer slipped out and took a mid-range jumper off the pass—but it clanged off the backboard.
Tyson Chandler was already there. Clean rebound.
Lin Yi smiled. This is where we turn the screw.
He didn't plan to go all out the entire quarter. He was aiming for a triple-double tonight, not just a scoring show.
He'd noticed sothing else, too.
Despite putting up league-leading points, his assists were down this season. Why?
Simple: More teams were using the "Jordan Rule" on him. Let Lin score—just don't let him pass. They'd collapse only at the last second, and forced him into volu shooting.
It made his stat line impressive. But it also made playmaking harder.
So to open the third, the Knicks made a small but smart adjustnt: they shifted the offensive organizing to Livingston.
Livingston was no superstar, but in a half-court setup, he could facilitate.
Thibodeau had switched to a zone defense, but Lin read it instantly. He positioned himself at the top of the key and lobbed a clever entry pass to Chandler in the paint.
Noah, a future DPOY, was a good defender—but right now, Chandler had the upper hand.
Another dunk. And Chandler was loving it.
Nobody enjoys being a full-ti anchor on defense. Getting buckets brought his energy back. Lin had promised him in the sumr: Get open, I'll find you.
And he was delivering.
"Tyson Chandler is dominating the Bulls inside right now," Kenny Smith observed.
Barkley agreed. "This kind of zone doesn't work when the other team's got a big man who can pass and shoot near the top of the key."
Frustrated, Thibodeau called ti.
Coming out of the break, the Bulls ditched the zone and went back to man-to-man.
Problem was... Livingston was heating up.
Twice in a row, he took it right at Rose and scored.
Thibodeau winced. But what could he do? Rose had to stay on the floor—there was no backup plan.
And who was Rose supposed to guard?
Livingston was technically the smallest Knick on the court.
He was also 6'7".
Thibodeau, clipboard in hand, started taking ntal notes. Too many breakdowns. Too many mismatches. Even with Rose going off, we're still chasing the ga.
Late in the quarter, Korver checked in and finally gave the Bulls so breathing room, knocking down two big threes to close the gap to 84–76.
D'Antoni and Lin Yi both noticed.
"Lin," D'Antoni said, "if you were Thibodeau, how would you stop us?"
Lin didn't hesitate. "I'd play Korver more. The Bulls are stuck thinking they need to slow us down, defend every possession. But when two good defensive teams clash—it's offense that decides the outco."
He continued, "Honestly, I'd even consider sitting Noah. They've got Rose. Play fast. Match our pace. Force us into track ets instead of set plays. They've got the legs. But right now? They're crawling."
D'Antoni nodded in agreent. Lin was thinking two moves ahead.
In the future, the Warriors would build a dynasty with Green—who wasn't any taller than Boozer—anchoring their small-ball lineup.
The Bulls? They had the right tools. But not the blueprint.
So yes, Rose was magnificent tonight. But the petals were starting to fall.
And in the fourth quarter... the rose would begin to wilt.
...
Lin Yi had no idea—he hadn't said a word to Rose all night. But sohow, his every move had cut right through him.
At the end of the third quarter, Rose sat on the bench, towel draped over his head. He couldn't make sense of it. The Knicks let go of David Lee, an All-Star last sumr. The Bulls added Carlos Boozer—another All-Star. So why couldn't they beat the Knicks?
Rose wasn't the type to vent or talk things out. When sothing bothered him, he internalized it. And the more he thought about it, the more he kept circling the sa conclusion: he just wasn't as dominant as Lin Yi.
But Rose wasn't the kind to just give up either. Lin Yi knew, even from mory, that Rose would fight through injury after injury. He'd fall, and he'd get back up—again and again. And eventually, when the spiral of doubt grew too tight, he'd walk away from the ga altogether.
What hurt Rose most wasn't the loss—it was knowing he had given everything and still co up short.
He clenched his fists.
The season wasn't over. The Bulls could still find their rhythm. They could still get better.
He glanced at Lin Yi again. The thing about people who get stuck in their heads—they're either broken by it or they use it to fuel a fire no one can put out.
Rose didn't know it yet, but Lin Yi was a demon in disguise.
TN: Heart Demon in the making, lol.
Just ask Celtics fans from last season.
With 8 minutes left in the fourth, the score was 92–86. The Bulls had clawed their way back. Rose was back on the floor. So was Lin Yi.
And yet… sothing felt different.
D-Rose was still shining, but the Knicks had changed their strategy. They weren't just guarding Rose anymore—they were setting traps.
A common problem with players who overthink: when it cos down to crunch ti, they stubbornly believe they have to do it all themselves.
Rose was still deadly. But strategically? The Knicks had him in a bind.
Now guarding Rose was Stephenson, a scrappy, relentless defender who loved getting under people's skin.
Once Rose was drawn in, all fired up, he'd walk straight into the trap—Lin Yi and Tyson Chandler waiting to close the door.
Rose was electric—he could torch anyone, even soone like LeBron. But not even he could survive that kind of squeeze tonight.
Why let Rose isolate?
Sa reason the Bulls tried to isolate Lin—they didn't want the opposing star powering up his team.
But here's the thing: Rose wasn't Lin Yi.
At the pivotal mont, Thibodeau saw defense. The Knicks? They saw offense.
To tighten their defense, the Bulls pulled Korver—the only real floor-spacer they had.
The Knicks, anwhile, sent out Lin Yi, the Italian sharpshooting duo, and Stephenson—their offensive punch was still fully loaded.
The Bulls were outplayed.
Just as the ho crowd prayed for Rose to be their savior again, Lin Yi exploded—timing a perfect read, intercepting Rose's pass like it was scripted.
That's the thing with Rose—his one flaw was that he didn't draw contact enough. If it were Harden in his shoes, he'd have earned 20 points from the line alone.
But Rose? He always tried to finish clean.
Lin Yi wasn't about to let that slide.
SHOWTI.
After picking off Rose's attempt, Lin Yi pushed the break himself. From the free-throw line, he galloped forward—three long strides into the paint.
BOOM
The rim groaned as the backboard trembled.
United Center went silent.
"Another massive dunk from Lin Yi!" Kenny Smith shouted.
…
Final score: Knicks 110, Bulls 98.
The fourth quarter broke Chicago.
The United Center was full of regret and frustration—but no one blad the players. Rose had gone 15-for-31, 4-for-6 from three, and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line. A season-high 38 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal.
But it felt like his big night had been nothing more than the perfect backdrop for Lin Yi's greatness.
Lin had gone 14-for-28, 3-for-6 from deep, 10-for-10 at the line—41 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 blocks, and 2 steals.
And in the fourth quarter alone? Lin Yi dropped 11. Rose only had 4.
"The Knicks just keep getting better," Barkley said postga. "People said Lin faced a top defense this season. But against one of the league's top defenses, he shot 50% and still got 41? Co on, man. He took three fewer shots than Rose!"
"Five straight wins," Kenny added. "The last ti the Knicks started 5-0 was back in the 93–94 season. And the other ti? When they went to the Finals."
Knicks fans at ho were losing their minds.
They weren't just hyped about the win streak—Lin Yi vs. Rose had delivered a ga for the ages.
So even took to social dia
@HoopsTruth23
So y'all still think Lin's just padding stats? 😂 Man dropped 41 on the Bulls with 50% shooting!
@NYBleedsBlue
First it was "beating the Heat was luck."
Then "they only won four 'cause of a soft schedule."
Now it's five straight… and we just cooked the Bulls. What's the excuse this ti? 🤫
@MadisonSquareDreams
Knicks to the Finals, baby!! Let's talk about it! 🗽🔥💙🧡
Honestly, Lin Yi wanted to level with the fans… they made the ga of basketball beautiful.
But what Lin Yi didn't realize was that this ga didn't just lift the Knicks' morale—it crushed one of his rivals.
Rose was spiraling again after the ga.
Was it his teammates?
Was it him?
He couldn't stop thinking about it.
Lin Yi was living rent-free in Rose's head.
And across the league… another team sat quietly frustrated.
Because they were watching from the floor—flat on their backs, again.
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