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Chapter 368: Champions Of The East
🕑 Added 2025-09-29 14:39:22 +0000 UTCThe Heat’s fire finally cooled.
Plenty of people predicted Miami’s downfall, but when the Knicks closed them out 4–1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the was much more cruel.
For Lin Yi, it was the dream he’d been building toward since last summer, when he methodically shaped a tough, defense-first Knicks roster with one goal in mind—take down LeBron James.
Fans might point to Game 3 as the toughest battle, but every matchup had been a grind. Stopping James and Wade is easy to talk about, almost impossible to do. Most teams never come close.
In the Heat locker room, advisors traded uneasy looks. Even trailing 0–3, they believed James could engineer a miracle comeback. That belief finally cracked.
After the handshake line, Lin embraced LeBron, whispering some words of encouragement. He caught a glimpse of the superstar’s slumped shoulders. He felt a flicker of sympathy but knew bigger challenges were waiting.
The road ahead is long, Lin thought.
Madison Square Garden rocked well past midnight. Not since the Ewing years had New York tasted the Finals. For Knicks fans, sleep was optional.
Reporters crowded Lin as he donned his new Eastern Conference champion cap while holding the trophy.
“What’s the secret behind this run?” one asked.
Lin paused, then smiled. “I said it back in the regular season: if the heart is there, dreams can come through.”
The reporter raised an eyebrow but scribbled it down anyway.
…
Across the league, players from the 2009 draft class marveled. In only his second season, Lin had dragged New York to the Finals. Out West, a certain bearded guard could only shake his head as his Thunder squad barely escaped the Mavericks.
Online, the flood of congratulations was relentless—former classmates, old neighbors, everyone chiming in.
The few analysts who once doubted the Knicks' playoff credibility and predicted a choke now flipped their opinions faster than a fast break. If Lin believed half their postgame takes, he might think the Larry O’Brien trophy was already his.
League commissioner David Stern was grinning like a kid in every interview. Lin had praised the NBA’s management, a bit of flattery Stern happily accepted. Lin didn’t mind—Stern wanted global growth, and a New York Finals run was perfect for the brand.
Ratings were through the roof. If Stern regretted anything, it was that LeBron wouldn’t be part of the Finals spotlight.
…
The Mavericks’ and Knicks’ success rattled front offices around the league. General managers of struggling teams were asking themselves: if one true franchise cornerstone can carry a roster, why overspend on a collection of stars?
The Heat had become the cautionary tale. When O’Neal and Kobe ruled, everyone believed a dominant inside-outside duo was the blueprint. Now, with Dallas and New York on a collision course, the league was reconsidering: maybe a single alpha, properly supported, could work just as well.
LeBron, meanwhile, avoided the chatter. Friends said he barely touched social media unless there was Wi-Fi. He planned a quiet vacation before summer training, no burner accounts required.
…
While New York celebrated, other teams were already shifting to offseason mode. The 2011 draft order was set, a class deep with potential. Everyone knew Kyrie Irving was the clear No. 1, but Lin found it amusing that scouts still pretended the pick wasn’t a lock.
The Cavaliers, by way of the Clippers’ traded pick, landed that top slot—fate’s small apology to Cleveland for losing its hometown star. Utah unexpectedly snagged the third pick, and conspiracy theories about lottery luck filled the air.
Lin just shook his head. “Sure, totally fair and open,” he joked to himself.
The Clippers, on the other hand, were left shaking their heads. First, they’d swapped Blake Griffin for Lin, now their own high pick had become New York’s No. 8. Only Griffin’s highlight-reel dunks softened the blow.
Cleveland, meanwhile, was rumored to be dangling that top pick for an established All-Star. Denver’s Carmelo Anthony was mentioned, though the Nuggets would need a third team and a contract extension to make anything real.
All of it was background noise to Lin. A looming lockout meant the rumor mill could spin all summer. For now, he cared about one thing: the Finals.
The Knicks had earned their shot.
The Garden was ready.
