Chapter 198: Knicks vs Cavaliers 2

In the first quarter, as usual, Lin Yi was subbed out halfway through.

Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown and star LeBron James let out a collective breath. Lin Yi’s shot selection had been more perimeter-based so far—two for four from beyond the arc, and a long two that clanked off the rim.

From Mike Brown’s perspective, as long as Lin Yi wasn’t breaking down the defense and creating for others, he wasn’t too worried.

Just a big man with a jumper, right?

“Go ahead, shoot me to death if you can,” Mike muttered, rubbing his smooth scalp. Coaching LeBron was a blessing—but also a pressure cooker.

By the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 24-35. The Cavaliers held an 11-point lead. LeBron’s intense game face finally relaxed a little.

Originally, Mike had planned to sit LeBron for the final two minutes of the first quarter if the Knicks started to close the gap—but with the cushion growing, that plan was shelved.

The Knicks’ bench had been a hidden weapon this season. On average, they outscored opponents by nearly 10 points in the second quarter alone. Around the league, teams had already picked up on it: watch out for the Knicks in the second.

“LeBron, take the first half of the second quarter off. I’ll bring you back around the five-minute mark,” Mike said, tapping him on the shoulder.

LeBron gave a nod. It wasn’t just about conserving energy—Mike Brown genuinely cared about managing his star's workload. As a defensive coach, he had the Cavs playing with a playoff-level intensity throughout the entire season.

With James resting, Mike gathered the bench unit and laid out the plan: smother Lin Yi. No easy looks, no rhythm. Make him win the game solo if he’s really that good.

Over on the Knicks’ bench, Coach D’Antoni wasn’t feeling quite as calm.

The Cavs had made a smart move—they didn’t even play O’Neal or Big Z, packing the paint instead and daring Lin Yi to beat them with jumpers. All the carefully prepared game plans D’Antoni had drawn up went straight out the window.

“Coach, they’re not pushovers. These are the Cavs,” Lin Yi said.

D’Antoni laughed, covering his face.

He was getting a bit carried away these days. As the Knicks improved, he sometimes found himself slipping into that Suns-era optimism. But this wasn’t 2006, and the Cavaliers weren’t a mid-tier team. They had the best record in the league—and a terrifying defense.

Lin Yi remembered clearly how this version of the Cavs steamrolled teams in the regular season with that suffocating playoff-style pressure. Their main weakness was shooting, but tonight, Mike Brown was getting the most out of LeBron’s gravity by lowering the lineup. Jamison could shoot, and while he wasn’t a star anymore, he had already nailed three shots in the first quarter.

For the second quarter, the Cavaliers sent out: JJ Hickson, Jamison, Jamario Moon, Daniel Gibson, and Delonte West.

The Knicks responded: Lin Yi, Harrington, Gallinari, Belinelli, and Lou Williams.

Mike Brown’s message was clear: trap Lin Yi. Force him to go iso. Let’s see if he really has that kind of game.

The quarter opened with the Cavs on the attack. Daniel Gibson—a man never shy about taking LeBron’s leftover shots—drained a three off the first play. The lead ballooned to 14.

On the bench, LeBron chuckled, chatting casually with Varejao. He looked relaxed, as if the night’s work was already half done.

Now it was the Knicks' turn. Lin Yi and Lou Williams ran a high pick-and-roll. The score gap made Lou hesitant, and he pulled back, not daring to go full throttle.

Seeing that hesitation, Lin Yi waved him off and took over.

Feels alright tonight, he thought.

He’d gone 2-of-5 in the first quarter—decent but not remarkable. Still, when Lin Yi saw JJ Hickson defending him—a full head shorter and a step slower—he made up his mind.

If he didn’t trust himself, who would?

He remembered something his idol Kobe Bryant once said:

“When you’re the guy, the shots you take in a crisis—those are the ones that define you.”

No more thinking.

Lin Yi jab-stepped, watched Hickson sag, and rose.

Pure form—legs locked, back straight, wrists snapping through in one fluid motion.

A perfect release.

The net barely moved as the ball dropped in.

“Lin Yi answers right back with a three!” shouted Yu Jia on CCTV Broadcast-China.

“That’s a beautiful shot,” Su Junyang added. “Honestly, a lot of our domestic players should be watching Lin Yi’s mechanics. That’s textbook.”

Lin Yi held his follow-through for a second longer than usual, then looked at his right hand.

This was the hand that had launched 200 threes a day during training since entering the league. In his little guy days, that jumper was his slingshot, his edge. He’d gone shot for shot with Curry in empty gyms until long after practice ended.

On the way back, Lin Yi patted Lou Williams on the shoulder.

“Next play, give me the ball.”

Lou froze—just for a second—then nodded quickly like a bobblehead.

It was the first time Lin Yi had ever directly asked for the ball like that since joining the team.

When the big guy calls his number, you don’t ask questions.

Back on the other end, Jamison and Delonte West tried to run a pick-and-pop, but the jumper rattled out.

Still, the Cavs had a good defensive shape in transition, already falling back before the ball was even rebounded.

Mike Brown gave a small nod on the sideline.

LeBron, seated nearby, crossed his arms, watching silently.

So far, the plan was working. Lin Yi might’ve hit that shot, but could he keep doing it without help? Could he carry the Knicks on his own?

He’s not Larry Bird, Mike thought. Right?

But on the next play, the Knicks set a fast high screen, and Lin Yi pulled out wide—three and a half steps beyond the arc.

What’s he thinking?

The bench leaned forward.

And Lin Yi—

Push off. Hang in the air. Elevate. Snap the wrist.

The basketball soared through the air in a smooth, flawless arc.

Swish—!

Another three.

Lin Yi’s second in a row.

30–38. The Knicks were inching back into the game—just an 8-point gap now.

“Oh wow! Coach Su, according to ESPN, Lin Yi’s not only leading the Knicks in scoring this season—he’s also got the most made three-pointers league-wide,” said Yu Jia, clearly energized.

“That’s right,” Su Junyang nodded. “And honestly, this is exactly the type of thinking spreading across the NBA these days. D’Antoni said it himself—if Lin Yi is shooting 37% from deep, why not let him shoot? That percentage’s better than a lot of guards in the league.”

“Makes sense,” Yu Jia agreed. “Coach D’Antoni also mentioned how long-range threes like that can do serious mental damage to the opponent. And let’s be honest, those ultra-deep threes are a lot harder to contest.”

Back on the Cavaliers’ sideline, Coach Mike Brown frowned.

He glanced toward LeBron on the bench, but James didn’t seem all that concerned about Lin Yi’s two recent makes. To him, they probably just looked like heat checks with a little luck.

And truthfully? Mike Brown felt the same.

From his view, Lin Yi wasn’t even trying to shoot initially—just pulling back for isolation space. The actual shot looked like an impulse.

But Lin Yi knew better.

The second he caught Lou Williams’ pass, something sparked.

Right here. Right now. Let it fly.

And in that split-second, something new happened.

The silver Limitless Range badge lit up.

Lin Yi had spent months grinding out his badge system, mapped across all five positions. Most of them, like Dreamshake or Ankle Breaker, had proven their worth. He could feel those at work every night.

But Limitless Range? That one felt like a joke. A flashy, impractical badge. Good for occasional showmanship, not for consistent play.

Honestly, Lin had almost written it off.

Yeah, he had a 37% clip from super-deep, but he’d had nights where he felt like he was channeling Iron Man, with how many bricks he laid from back there.

Worse still, that badge had been slowing down the upgrade path for his others. Since all badges had to level up together, Limitless Range was holding everything else back.

Why did I even choose it...?

But now, for the first time in a real NBA game, that silver badge had finally lit up—and the moment he released the ball, Lin Yi knew it was going in.

The net confirmed it.

And now?

Now, something had changed.

Wait... does this badge trigger based on in-game feel? Like a probability skill, not passive like the rest?

Was the bronze version just too weak to activate consistently? And now that I’ve synced my shooting mechanics and position stats with the badge level, this is the effect?

His mind raced.

Not now.

Think about it after the game. Right now, he had a live experiment on his hands.

Next play.

The Cavaliers missed again—this time, a mid-range jumper clanked off the iron.

Gallo grabbed the board and looked up. Lin Yi was already sprinting toward the frontcourt.

Second Battalion Commander, as Lin jokingly called Gallinari, didn’t hesitate. He fired a bullet pass up ahead.

Lin Yi caught it in stride, right at the edge of the logo.

It lit up again.

The Limitless Range badge was glowing.

No hesitation. No second-guessing. Lin Yi didn’t even glance down to check where the line was.

He was nine meters out.

From that distance, most players don’t even think about shooting. But Lin Yi was already in motion.

In the stunned silence of Quicken Loans Arena, as Hickson turned to see what Lin Yi was doing, Lin Yi rose—smooth as ever—and let it fly.

Snap.

Another pure arc. Another swish.

Boom.

LeBron’s smile vanished.

Mike Brown’s clipboard hit the floor with a thud.

More than 20,000 Cavaliers fans clutched their heads in disbelief.

“My god!” Yu Jia exploded in the commentary booth.

“He’s blowing this place up!” Su Junyang nearly shouted. “Lin Yi is on fire!”

Lin Yi? He didn’t even smile.

He just looked at his hand again. Calm. Almost in awe of himself.

So this is what it feels like when the badge activates properly.

Let’s see how long it stays lit.