NBA: Journey To Become Unplayable. Chapter 280: Knicks vs Clippers (Levels To This Game)

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...

On the court, Blake Griffin wasn't discouraged after being helped up by his teammates. Truth be told, after all those sumr matchups against Lin Yi, he'd grown used to being shaken up now and then.

The Clippers set up on offense. Willie Williams and Griffin ran a textbook pick-and-roll. Maybe it was the sting of earlier possessions, or maybe Griffin just wanted to make the right read—either way, he kicked the ball out again.

And then, surprisingly, Griffin pulled up from deep.

A three-pointer and bricked.

Griffin trotted back, visibly annoyed with himself.

Lin Yi didn't bother offering advice—this wasn't a sumr scrimmage anymore. They were opponents now.

As the Knicks ca down the court, Lin caught the ball at the top of the arc and felt it right away—his Limitless Range badge flickering in his mind like a neon sign. He'd learned by now: when it lights up, it's green light ti. As long as he's unbothered and deep, let it fly.

He glanced over at Blake and said with the seriousness of a heart attack, "Blake, let show you how to really hit a three."

Griffin blinked. "Wait, what?"

Lin stepped back two ters behind the arc—deep, NBA logo range. Blake lunged, trying to close out, but his wingspan wasn't enough.

Splash.

"See that? That's a three," Lin said casually, patting Griffin on the shoulder on his way back down the court.

Griffin: "..."

9000 Resentnt from Blake Griffin

The Knick fans erupted, and a group of Clippers diehards had their hands on their heads.

On the TNT broadcast, Barkley couldn't help but laugh. "That was just plain rude. Blake left a crack in coverage, and Lin hit him with a heat check from way downtown."

"My god, that range is just unfair," Kenny Smith shook his head. "Lin sotis shoots like he thinks he's Kobe. I don't even bet on Lin's gas anymore—I learned my lesson last season."

The Clippers tried running another high pick-and-roll. This ti, the ball swung to Eric Gordon on the periter, and he let it fly.

Nothing but net

Future Three-Point Contest winner or not, Gordon's shot was either cash or concrete.

On the next play, Lin Yi saw that Blake was still guarding him, so he called for the ball in the post. Backed him down, gave him two power dribbles to fake a left move, then spun right into a graceful hook shot. Blake went for the fake. Lin didn't even flinch—clean footwork, smooth finish.

This wasn't college anymore. Lin's experience showed. And if Blake kept throwing himself around like this, he was going to gas out fast.

"Dreamshake into a Skyhook!" Kenny shouted. "Haven't seen Lin go to that in a minute."

"Man's balance is outrageous," Barkley added. "People forget—Hakeem and Kareem's moves look easy until soone leans on you and your feet start sliding."

Blake was starting to feel the heat. He needed to do sothing.

Go one-on-one with Tyson Chandler?

Even Lin didn't want that smoke. After that early poster dunk, Chandler had figured Blake out, clogging the paint and cutting off his drives. With Wilson Chandler also checking in off the bench, the Knicks were firing on all cylinders.

Griffin looked around.

The whole Knicks squad was locked in. Aggressive. Energized.

Adrenaline was the new Red Bull.

And it surely gave the Knicks wings.

The scoreboard wasn't kind. As the quarter ended, Lin jogged over for more shithousery and clapped Griffin on the back.

"Blake, man, looks like I'm clocking out early tonight."

Griffin glared.

Second quarter, Blake tried leading the second unit in a coback push—only to get stripped by Tony Allen.

"Every big man wants to dribble like Lin now," Barkley added fuel to the fla. "Just 'cause you watch mixtapes doesn't an you got the handles for it."

Whatever people expected from this clash, it was looking more like a one-sided sparring session. The Knicks had prepared a full defensive sche for Blake, and it was working.

His final line? 12 points on 3-of-9 shooting, 2-of-3 from deep, 4-of-4 from the stripe. 8 boards. 3 assists.

Respectable—but far from ga-changing.

anwhile, Lin Yi? He sat the fourth. Handled business in three quarters: 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting, 2-of-5 from three, 8-of-8 free throws. Toss in 7 rebounds, 4 dis, 4 blocks, and 2 steals for good asure.

Griffin sat on the bench, towel over his head.

He wasn't supposed to feel this far behind.

Talent-wise, he believed he was right there with Lin Yi. But tonight told a different story.

After the buzzer, Lin approached, grinning. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. I got a year's head start."

Griffin almost smiled. Almost.

But Lin had to open his big mouth.

Then Lin added, "Oh, by the way—how many blocks do you have this season? Three right? I think I had four just tonight!"

Griffin: "…"

Lin's lucky the Staples Center didn't sell torches and pitchforks.

...

Postga, the Knicks had only one thing in mind—montum.

Beating the Clippers was a strong start to their Western road trip, but the schedule ahead was brutal. Lin Yi, now Eastern Conference Player of the Week for four weeks running, wasn't celebrating yet.

anwhile, in Miami…

The Heat were finally starting to click.

"We're figuring it out," LeBron said after their win.

The dia nodded.

Then the Heat lost to the Wizards.

Yes, those Wizards—still rebuilding, still erratic. But with Wall and Yi Jianlian forming an unlikely duo, things looked different. Yi was having a quietly efficient season: 7 points, 8.4 boards, nearly 50% from the field, and a surprising 37.5% from three.

No surprise, LeBron skipped postga interviews.

However, on Chinese forums, the s took off.

...

Another showdown was brewing—this ti between Lin Yi and Kobe.

Shaq made sure the tension hit full volu.

"Who's taking more shots tonight?" he asked.

He even opened a betting pool with the Knicks squad.

"Doesn't matter who wins," Shaq smirked, nudging Lin, "as long as you shoot like a madman. I get half your cut if you win this one."

Lin nodded, already grinning.

...

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