NBA: Journey To Become Unplayable. Chapter 610 610: Interlude

On the 15th, the Knicks took the morning off before holding a light practice in the afternoon.

McGrady carried himself with noticeably more confidence during the session, especially around Chris Paul. Paul didn't say a word, but his expression spoke volus. Both he and Klay Thompson — the two most disappointing perforrs so far in the Finals — quietly resolved to step up in the remaining gas. Their pride was on the line.

Lin Yi watched the pair discussing tactics and couldn't resist a light jab. "Chris, Klay's only in his second year. You've been in the league for almost ten years now. Don't worry, we got the Yao-Mac heated."

Paul shot him a look that lacked heat. He knew Lin was joking, but also knew what he said had so truth. He needed to lock in and take so of Lin's burden.

Despite the tension for so, the overall atmosphere in the Knicks camp remained relaxed and positive. Shaquille O'Neal even stopped by for a visit during the session.

Shaq was still annoyed by all the talk comparing his past 60-point gas to Lin Yi's historic 66-point performance in the Finals. In interviews, he had been gracious, saying Lin Yi would eventually surpass him. But privately, the constant comparisons stung. He decided to drop in on his little brothers on the Knicks.

That decision backfired.

What started as playful banter quickly turned into a lighthearted wrestling match. Lin Yi slipped away from Shaq's attempted Shaq Bear Hug, which took him down, and ended up sitting on his back. The entire Knicks roster watched, laughing.

"Shaq, be honest," Lin Yi said with a grin. "Don't you think I'm stronger than you?"

Cornered in front of everyone, O'Neal finally gave in. "Alright, alright… You're much stronger than , Lin. Hell, in my book, Michael Jordan ain't even fit to carry your shoes!"

Lin Yi laughed and let him up. Shaq played along, but the competitive fire in his eyes suggested this wasn't over. Deep down, O'Neal swore he would beco Lin Yi's number one critic from now on.

. . .

After practice, the players collectively agreed: if they could close out the series on the road in Ga 5, they should do it. No one wanted to drag it back to New York — especially McGrady, who still rembered how his Magic team had blown a 3-1 lead against the Pistons years ago.

As Lin Yi was heading back to the hotel, Klay Thompson caught up with him, looking a little nervous.

"What's up?" Lin Yi asked.

Klay rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed. "How do you stay so calm? This is my first Finals… I'm nervous as hell. The critics have been on my ass since."

Lin Yi patted him on the back reassuringly. "I was nervous my first ti, too. Look, if your shot isn't falling, attack the rim. If the layups aren't dropping either, then lock in on defense. Simple as that. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Treat it like a regular-season ga. And rember — even if you miss the first thousand shots, you've still got to take the next one with confidence."

Klay nodded earnestly as he moved and listened to Lin Yi's advice.

. . .

Just as Lin Yi was about to settle in for so rest, there was a knock at his door. He sighed, half-amused. First Klay, now Paul? Do these guys think I'm their personal sports psychologist?

He opened the door to find Chris Paul standing there, looking uncharacteristically down.

"Lin… be honest with ," he said quietly. "Am I just a regular player now? Like Rajon suggested?"

After reflecting on the series, Paul ca to a sobering realization: even on nights when he played poorly with the Knicks, the team still found ways to win. That had rarely been the case during his ti in New Orleans. The thought hit him hard — was he becoming irrelevant?

Lin Yi sighed and motioned for him to sit down. He spoke like a seasoned veteran offering guidance to a younger teammate.

"Chris, you care too much about what other people think," Lin Yi said gently. "At your level, you don't need to prove anything to anyone. What you need right now is a championship."

He continued, "Look at Jason Kidd — widely considered the best point guard in the league for years, yet he never won a title. Sa with Steve Nash. Their talent was never the question. Life has its ups and downs, but in the end, it's about getting the ring."

Lin Yi placed a hand on Paul's shoulder. "And I've told you this before — your value to this team can't be asured by stats alone. Don't take my jokes too seriously. In my eyes, you've always been the Knicks' second-in-command and my most trusted partner on the court. We are the 404 duo for a reason."

For so reason, Paul felt genuinely moved. He left the room with a quiet sense of gratitude.

Joining the Knicks, he realized, had been one of the best decisions of his career.

anwhile, Lin Yi wasn't done stirring the pot. He picked up his phone and called Steph Curry.

"Stephen! You better be watching tomorrow," Lin Yi said with a laugh. "Man, my house is getting too small. I've run out of space for all these MVP trophies. Want to send you one?"

Curry nearly choked on the other end of the line. "Bro… your house is three tis the size of mine!" he shot back, half-amused, half-annoyed.

Still, if Lin Yi actually offered him one, he wouldn't say no. He could always auction it for charity later.

After hanging up, Curry shook his head with a smile.

"One day," he muttered to himself. "Maybe one day."

. . .

On the 16th, Ga 5 of the NBA Finals returned to the AT&T Center.

Despite the extra day of rest, the fatigue on the Spurs' veteran players was evident. Losing Ga 4 in such dramatic fashion had clearly taken a toll on their morale. As the old saying goes: first cos courage, then exhaustion, then despair.

Popovich understood the stakes perfectly. If the Spurs didn't get off to a strong start tonight, the series could very well end in San Antonio. With that in mind, he inserted Manu Ginóbili into the starting lineup. The Spurs were going all-in.

For the Knicks, a victory tonight would an lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy right here in the enemy's building. The championship trophy had already arrived in San Antonio under league escort.

Commissioner David Stern had rejected any suggestions of interference from league executives. In his view, this series had been too good to tamper with. Whether the Spurs forced a Ga 6 or the Knicks closed it out tonight, he wanted basketball to decide the outco.

Let them play. Let them fight.

. . .

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