NBA: Journey To Become Unplayable.

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...

After the win in Boston, Lin Yi finally got a full night's sleep back in New York.

For once, even his biological clock couldn't shake the exhaustion. When he finally woke up, it was already 8 a.m.—practically sleeping in for someone who usually got up at 4.

He didn't bother checking the news. But when he unlocked his phone, the hundreds of unread messages told him all he needed to know—New York was losing its mind again.

Unfortunately… Steph still wasn't answering his calls.

Lin let out a low chuckle, replaying the game in his mind. There was something strangely gratifying about putting a dent in the Boston pride—he just couldn't quite explain why it felt so good.

Coach D'Antoni had given the whole team the day off. Understandable. Last night's game was a war, and Lin's 45 shots weren't exactly light work. His arms still felt like he'd eaten ten bowls of the spiciest beef noodles on the planet.

He sat on the edge of his couch, idly spinning a basketball in his hands, thinking maybe—just maybe—he'd skip the gym for once.

That thought lasted all of five seconds before—

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Barking erupted at his front door.

"…Is that—Sakazuki?"

Sure enough, his golden retriever was outside, tail wagging furiously. And perched atop Sakazuki's head was his fat hamster, looking as unimpressed as always.

And standing just behind them in the doorway, with a teasing smile and a plaid coat draped over her shoulders, was Elizabeth Olsen.

"Hey, stranger."

Lin blinked. "Liz?"

Her smile softened when he said her name. "Took you long enough to answer the door. Gonna invite me in, or…?"

He grinned faintly and stepped aside. "Of course. Come in."

She brushed past him, close enough that her hair briefly grazed his shoulder. Sakazuki barreled in like he owned the place, and the hamster stayed put like royalty on his golden throne.

Lin couldn't help watching her as she slipped her coat off, revealing bare legs under an oversized sweater.

"I didn't expect you," he admitted.

She flopped down onto the arm of his couch, crossing one leg over the other. "Yeah, well… New York's hero deserves at least a surprise visit. Couldn't just stay in LA and text you 'congrats,' now, could I?"

"Hero?" he muttered, raising an eyebrow.

She only tilted her head and smiled at him knowingly.

After corralling his pets, Lin finally pulled up his phone and scrolled through the headlines. Sure enough, his performance at TD Garden was everywhere. Fans were calling him a warrior. Some were even calling him the Reaper.

"…Oh," he murmured. "Guess I was too tired even to check before."

Elizabeth gave a little laugh. "You looked it. That game was brutal. Everyone's talking about you now. My friends said they'd rather see you take 40 shots every night than watch you pass. You made it look easy."

He gave her a look. "Easy? It was chaos."

"Yeah," she said, leaning a little closer, "but you made it your chaos. The rest of the guys didn't even show up last night. You were the Knicks."

He blinked at her, and for a second, he didn't know how to respond.

When he finally looked back down at his phone, the comments were rolling in like a flood:

@NYHoopsFan88:The rest of the Knicks owe Lin a fruit basket. Guy's a beast. Respect.

@GardenFaithful: Lin Yi. Hero. Period. Without him, we're down 0–2.

@KnicksQueen:He's the player. Missed shots? Who cares — he dropped 52 and won us the game.

@DowntownDan: Give him the ball every possession. 45 shots? Make it 50. Carry us, king.

@NYCChick23: Also… not gonna lie. He's kinda cute. Just saying.

@BlueAndOrangeForever: Lin IS the Knicks. Full stop.

Lin set the phone down and rubbed at his temple, staring out at the bright New York sky through his window.

Elizabeth was watching him, her chin resting on her hand.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

He exhaled, half-smiling. "Yeah. Just… trying not to let it go to my head, you know?"

She leaned over and bumped her shoulder against his. "Don't worry. That's what I'm here for. To keep your feet on the ground."

He glanced at her then, amused. "Oh, really?"

She grinned, leaning back. "Really. Now come on—tell me about that shot on Garnett. Everyone's calling it the Reaper's Shot already. Kinda dramatic, don't you think?"

Lin chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.

What a city.

And with Liz here now, maybe it didn't feel quite so heavy on his shoulders anymore.

…

Still, it's not like New York fans didn't have history with over-the-top worship. Patrick Ewing was once their hero, too — until a tabloid headline declared "No Ewing, No Problem," painting the legendary center as a liability rather than a cornerstone. One of the greatest big men in NBA history had somehow become a city scapegoat overnight.

Some fans, with Lin Yi now lighting up the court, have taken a step back, reflecting on how they treated Ewing and trying not to repeat history.

Then again, Lin Yi's game-winner over Garnett didn't help things. Garnett — one of the league's most respected power forwards — got put on crutches, and Lin didn't blink. That kind of cold-blooded heroism? Americans eat it up. To them, Lin's more aggressive, shoot-first style compared to usual wasn't selfish. High risk, high reward. Tumor or hero? Depends on the scoreboard.

And this time, the Knicks won.

That's the bottom line. In sports, winning forgives everything. Lose, and you're a liability. Win, and you're a king.

So it's no surprise that heading into Game 3, New York was in full-blown frenzy mode. Fans were already calling Lin Yi the Knicks' Michael Jordan.

Chants rang out in the streets and online.

One thing was clear: Lin Yi had shifted the axis of New York basketball.

Knicks owner James Dolan shut down GM Donnie Walsh's plans to pursue big names over the summer.

"We've already got our franchise guy", Dolan barked. "What we need is a Pippen! Pippen, dammit!"

Dolan probably wanted to lace up and coach the team himself. At this point, Lin Yi was the sun the Knicks revolved around.

When Javier Stanford relayed Dolan's quote to Lin, the young star didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Meanwhile, as all of New York basked in Lin-mania, the Celtics quietly arrived in town for Game 3, their heads low but intentions sharp.

The series was far from over.

Game 3 was coming. And the city was ready to erupt all over again.

...

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