On the 24th, the Knicks wrapped up their preseason with a loss to the Nets. Lin Yi and Paul were both rested, and D'Antoni used the game to give the rest of the roster extended minutes. Wins and losses didn't matter much at this stage—what mattered was letting everyone find their rhythm.
Draymond Green had a rough night. He managed to pick up six fouls in just fifteen minutes, a clear reminder that his learning curve in the league was still a steep one.
The Morris twins, on the other hand, were the bright spot. Marcus Morris, who'd struggled to find consistent minutes last season, looked far more comfortable—handling the ball, knocking down open shots, and playing with real edge on defense.
When Marcus and Markieff were on the floor together, even the Nets players seemed confused at times. To be fair, their jersey numbers didn't help much—Markieff wore 78, Marcus 79. Blink, and you'd miss the difference.
Wilson Chandler also stood out, finishing with 16 points and 5 rebounds in just 18 minutes. He was the kind of player who rarely complained, never demanded touches, and somehow raised the team's energy the moment he stepped onto the court.
Privately, Chandler had deep respect for Lin Yi. He once told him that even if the Knicks offered only the minimum, he'd still want to stay. Lin Yi, in turn, made a point of including Chandler in his off-court investments—he'd seen too many former players struggle after retirement, bouncing between odd jobs or streetball just to get by.
By the end of preseason, including the two China Games, the Knicks sat at 6–1. ESPN's power rankings still placed them fourth heading into the season.
Opening night was set for November 2nd.
Opponent: the Miami Heat.
When Lin Yi saw the schedule, he seriously considered calling the league office.
"Can we… maybe switch that?" he joked.
Somewhere in the background, Commissioner Stern was already smiling.
"Sorry," the imaginary reply went. "This season's headline is 23 versus 44."
After last season's nonstop debate over Lin Yi versus LeBron James, Stern banked on marketing potential. Rivalry sold tickets. Rivalry drove ratings.
The league's new slogan—Greatness Is Coming—said it all. In the promotional video, LeBron opened it. Lin Yi closed it. After the lockout-shortened season, the NBA's momentum was finally back, fueled in no small part by endless online battles between their fans.
Around the league, many people treated the Knicks–Heat opener as an early preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami had re-signed Carter and added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. Confidence was high.
In Miami, LeBron was training with car tires, grinding daily, telling reporters he'd never wanted a championship more than he did this year.
If Lin Yi had heard that, he might've pointed out—politely—that LeBron had said something similar the year before. And the year before that.
Still, the numbers were impossible to ignore. LeBron entered the season at around 120 kilograms, built like a tank. Even Lin Yi had to admit that, in pure muscle density, his own was still a step behind.
During one interview, LeBron added calmly,
"In today's NBA, three-point shooting is crucial. This season, we'll run more sets for our shooters."
Standing beside him, Spoelstra nodded.
When the microphone finally reached Coach Spo, he paused, searched for something insightful, and eventually settled on:
"We're going to work hard this year."
Lin Yi watched the clip later and smiled.
Some things, no matter the rivalry, never really changed.
. . .
On the 26th, Lin Yi and Olsen officially moved into their new home on Long Island. Compared to Manhattan, it was quieter and more relaxed, with better schools and far fewer distractions.
By this point, Lin Yi and Olsen had become close confidants. After returning to the U.S., the two had a long, honest conversation—one that turned into a serious debate before ending with a shared decision. They would move forward together on something much bigger than either of them had originally planned.
The house itself was enormous—over 1,000 square meters, with sixteen bedrooms, eighteen bathrooms, a swimming pool, and a spacious garden. Lin Yi had a basketball hoop installed in the yard almost immediately, turning it into his private practice space.
Olsen, meanwhile, was immersed in her side gig– a cake business. With Lin Yi's support, she opened her own cake shop. After Lin Yi posted photos on Twitter, Westbrook was quick to respond.
"So when I come to New York, cake's on you, right?"
The comment instantly went viral.
. . .
On the 27th, BodyArmor's new commercial shot to the top of YouTube's trending list within hours of release. Chinese fans were especially enthusiastic about Kobe's portrayal of the legendary blacksmith, Black Mamba.
One fan commented, "Our king isn't the guy who challenges everyone anymore. He is the one who can laugh at himself, which is even better."
...
On the 28th, Nike officially released the Grim Reaper V and Glory II signature shoes. Behind the scenes, Nike had already reached a new agreement with Lin Yi: once his current contract expired, his share of shoe sales would increase significantly— just below par with Jordan-level partnerships—and his own personal brand would be launched.
Over the past year alone, Lin Yi's shoe sales had left Nike executives shaking their heads in disbelief. They knew one thing for certain now—Lin Yi wasn't just a star, he was a long-term goldmine.
. . .
On the 29th, as the Knicks prepared for their season opener, the Heat arrived in New York three days early.
The early arrival spoke volumes about how seriously Miami was taking the game. To keep the players sharp—and burn off excess energy—Spoelstra scheduled an extremely intense training session, following Pat Riley's instructions to the letter.
"LeBron, you're still doing extra work?" Wade asked, nearly bent over from exhaustion. He looked at his longtime teammate with a mix of disbelief and respect.
"Lin's probably training right now, too," LeBron replied calmly. "We beat the Knicks last year, but that doesn't mean anything anymore. This season starts from zero."
Wade exhaled. "Yeah… we can't afford to slip again."
"This year," another teammate said firmly, "we have to win it all."
LeBron understood the pressure better than anyone. Being at the top wasn't comfortable—especially after two championship-less seasons and a noticeable drop in public favor.
What LeBron didn't know was that Lin Yi wasn't training at all.
Lin Yi was sprawled comfortably at home.
The Knicks had two days off on the 29th and 30th. Lin Yi invited the entire team to his new villa for a barbecue setup. He had flown in grill masters for this event.
It had become a tradition—every year before the season began, Lin Yi gave his teammates gifts. This year, everyone received a customized iPhone 5.
Paul, still chewing and clearly unsatisfied, muttered, "Honestly, fried chicken's still better."
Unfortunately for him, Lin Yi heard that.
A moment later, Paul quietly transferred $1,000 to Lin Yi without saying a word.
Klay watched the exchange with interest. "This whole salary-for-food thing is pretty childish."
Paul turned immediately. "Lin—knee strike!"
Lin Yi followed up without hesitation. "Overlord combo punch ultra falcon etc."
Klay didn't stand a chance, getting ganged up on in seconds.
Paul shook his head afterward, "Kids these days are getting way too arrogant."
"Exactly," Lin Yi added casually. "Klay, even if you're second-in-command now, you still have to respect Chris—the third-in-command. You've got to respect your subordinates."
This earned a slap across the back of Lin by Paul, but was swiftly dodged. It evolved into a cat-and-mouse chase with the teammates and Olsen amusingly watching.
As Miami pushed itself through punishing training sessions, the Knicks prepared with laughter, food, and easy confidence.
When opening night arrived, only one question remained—
Which approach would have the final laugh?
. . .
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