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Chapter 294: Sleepy Basketball
On the 5th, the Knicks found themselves in the middle of a back-to-back against the Hawks.Coach D’Antoni, well aware of the grind, had been tinkering with the rotation from the Magic game—resting key guys here and there so they’d have some juice left in the tank for nights like this.That was the plan, anyway.Real...
Chapter 120: The Battle Begins
Martin Taylor (Sky Sports): “Aston Villa on the ball… they’ve over-committed! Sagna cuts it out, slides it into Kai! Ohhh… that touch with the back of the boot—classy!”Out on the pitch, Kai positioned himself just off the centre circle, scanning left and right like a radar before the pass even arrived. He a...
Chapter 119: Signing The Deal
Around 7:00 in the evening, Kai finally made his way home.Some of the lads were still buzzing from earlier and floated the idea of going clubbing, but Vermaelen and Kai had put their foot down and sent them on their way.The night sky was deepening into that dark blue glow just before full nightfall when Kai pulled into...
Chapter 293: Knicks v Magic End
Stan Van Gundy was already pacing in front of the bench, arms folded, lips pressed tight. He’d been worried about this matchup since the schedule came out. Last season, the Knicks had been dangerous—good enough to be a problem in the East. This season, though, they weren’t just dangerous; they were organized. The...
Chapter 292: Knicks vs Magic
December.Amway Arena, OrlandoThe Magic were sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference, still a respectable force, though the sheen of their Finals run had long faded. Before tip-off, Lin Yi made it a point to snap a photo with Vince Carter. Among the once-dominant Shooting Guards era, Iverson had retired, McGrady’s Pi...
Chapter 291: Sixty-Nine Seconds
Billups finally joined up with the Knicks in Orlando, arriving mid-practice.“Welcome to New York!” Coach Mike D’Antoni clapped him on the shoulders with a grin. Billups managed a polite smile. Even as a veteran known for his calm and leadership, joining a new squad always felt strange—especially when yesterday...
Chapter 290: The Negotiation Table
“Trade me,” Billups said calmly, standing in front of Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri’s desk. His voice wasn’t raised, but it carried the weight of someone who’d made up his mind.After months of watching the Nuggets unravel, he knew there was no future for him here.Ujiri flinched at first. It wasn’t eve...
Chapter 118: Tea, Talk, and Trouble Ahead
That evening, Vermaelen had gone all out — renting a spacious villa in North London for a proper team celebration.It wasn’t a title party, not yet — just three rounds into the season — but the performances had been sharp, the mood buoyant. And for that, the skipper decided the lads deserved a treat.Out in the g...
Chapter 117: Championship Mentality?
"Two straight wins! Hey! We got two straight wins! Hey!"In the passenger seat, Chamberlain was in full voice, belting out a tune that didn’t seem to exist anywhere outside his head. He swayed in place, drumming on his knees, clearly carried away by Arsenal’s strong start to the season.Kai, hands steady on t...
Chapter 289: Denver Freeze-Out
The 2010–11 season had tearing written all over it—fractures within locker rooms, fraying tempers, and egos clashing like storm fronts.Up in the thin air of Denver, the Cold War between Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony and head coach George Karl had reached a fever pitch. The origin of this teacher–student rift had b...
Chapter 288: I'm Just Here To Play Basketball
December, 2010The timeline had already shifted. In the original course of events, Stoudemire should’ve been fighting for redemption — rejecting the Suns’ non-guaranteed contract under the advice of their medical staff, much like Embiid’s limited appearances in later seasons. After the market chaos that followed...
Chapter 287: Bro Talk
"Seriously, man... I wouldn’t be calling if this wasn’t about something important," Curry grumbled into the phone. "You got the gift I sent?""Yep. Nice shirt. Thanks for that, by the way," Lin Yi replied with a small chuckle. "And Stephen? You've been playing smoothly lately. Don’t...
Chapter 116: Five Missiles, No Target
In the early hours of the morning, the skies over London were tinged with a soft, grey hue.As drizzles tapped gently against the pavement, forming shallow puddles along the roadside, a thin mist hovered above the ground, wrapping the sleeping city in a damp, quiet stillness.On an otherwise deserted street, the rhythm o...
Chapter 286: Man Of The Month
"It might be a little early to say this out loud, but Charles," Kenny Smith began, as the Knicks-Hawks postgame show went live, "I really think we're witnessing the rise of a future legend."Charles Barkley nodded, grinning. "I agree, Kenny. I just hope Lin stays healthy—he's still so early...
Chapter 285: Knicks vs Hawks
The reason Lin Yi has begun adjusting his playing style lately comes down to two main things.First, the Anti-Lin basketball has been going absolutely wild—throwing everything they have at him like it's a coordinated campaign. The constant double-teams, targeted defenses, and endless chatter have made it clear: he...
Chapter 284: Thunder vs Knicks End
At the end of the first quarter, Kevin Durant was 0-for-6 from the field, with only two points from free throws. For a scorer of his caliber, it was a frustrating start—especially considering this was the first time he’d experienced such a dry spell since becoming the Scoring Leader last season.In short, he was pis...
Chapter 115: More Like Gerrard
<<Arsenal open the season with a statement win!>><<The Gunners fire on all cylinders!>><<Suárez gets a brace, and young skipper Kai adds a goal!>>By nightfall, headlines blazed across sports pages, lighting up both print and digital outlets. Arsenal’s season had begun not with hesitation, but with a bang.In their op...
Chapter 283: Thunder vs Knicks 2
Kevin Durant and Tony Allen had met on the court 24 times by now, including some playoff clashes.In the regular season, Durant put up a solid average against Tony: 26.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, shooting 45.2% from the field. But when it came to playoff intensity, while KD’s scoring ticked up to 27.9 per gam...
Chapter 282: Thunder vs Knicks
"Kevin, tomorrow’s game day. You really think squeezing in another workout’s worth it?" Westbrook leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Durant put up jumpers from the elbow.Durant didn’t answer immediately—he sank another jumper, then nodded slightly."This one matters, Russ. We’re playin...
Chapter 114: Season Opener, This Is Our Arsenal!
August 17th, 2013 — the Premier League was back.A new season. A new beginning.With fresh transfers completed and squads reinforced, the top-flight clubs of English football were once again ready to battle for glory.Manchester United, still basking in last season’s title triumph, now faced the dawn of a post-Ferguso...
Chapter 281: Through His Records
The Knicks' road trip kept them in Los Angeles, but this time, it wasn’t the Clippers waiting on the other side—it was the Lakers. And no, this version of the Lakers wasn’t a fading memory. They were still dangerous, still competitive, and still led by Kobe Bryant.Lin Yi remembered this period of NBA history ...
Chapter 280: Knicks vs Clippers (Levels To This Game)
On the court, Blake Griffin wasn’t discouraged after being helped up by his teammates. Truth be told, after all those summer matchups against Lin Yi, he’d grown used to being shaken up now and then.The Clippers set up on offense. Willie Williams and Griffin ran a textbook pick-and-roll. Maybe it was the sting of ea...
Chapter 279: Knicks vs Clippers (Lin vs Griffin)
Staples Center, Los Angeles.The pre-game warmups were underway, with both teams going through their routines. On the sidelines, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley were already turning the broadcast into part game preview, part comedy show.“Hey, remember this summer when Sterling joked that Dolan was broke?” Kenny chuc...
Chapter 113: Pre-Season Fire
“A bit too enthusiastic for day one, isn’t it?”Pat Rice stood on the touchline, arms folded, eyeing the flurry of activity on the training pitch with a faint frown of curiosity.Pre-season had barely begun. Most players were usually sluggish at this point—still shaking off the holiday spirit, mentally and physic...
Chapter 278: Not This Timeline
Afternoon – New YorkExecutive Office, MSGDonnie Walsh wasn’t ready to back off just yet. He stepped into the office of Knicks owner James Dolan, visibly frustrated but holding his tone in check.“Jim,” Donnie said, “look, Carmelo Anthony is an All-Star. A legit scorer. Getting him here could elevate us—make ...
Chapter 277: The Wrong Piece
November 18th, 2010Madison Square Garden — Knicks vs. NuggetsBack home at MSG, the Knicks were set to host the Denver Nuggets. But behind the scenes, the real drama wasn’t just between the two teams — it was within the Nuggets’ locker room.Since returning this season, tensions had been simmering between Carmelo...
Chapter 112: Rip It Off Me!
By mid-to-late July, Arsenal had officially sent out the recall notice.Players scattered across the globe began to return in waves, and by July 25th, the Arsenal Training Center was buzzing with activity once again.After the emotional rollercoaster of the 2012/2013 campaign, Arsenal returned with a stronger backbone an...
Chapter 276: The Making Of A Duel
If three words capture Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s emotional rollercoaster over the past year, it has to be ups and downs. And that might still be underselling it.Just last season, after offloading Lin Yi in a headline-grabbing trade, Sterling was all smiles at the league’s owners' meeting; he thought he...
Chapter 111: Young Blood, Heavy Crown
The following morning, Kai drove quietly to the training ground.It was officially the off-season, and the place was almost deserted.He headed into the changing room, got into his training kit, and as he stepped out, he was surprised to see Pat standing by the entrance.“You didn’t take the day off?” Kai asked, rai...
Chapter 275: Rockets vs Knicks End
The moment Yao Ming and Shaquille O’Neal checked back into the game together, TVs all across China lit up with excitement. It wasn’t just basketball—it was nostalgia. Countless fans felt it in their hearts.Back on the floor, Lin Yi nudged Shaq with a grin. “Big fella, don’t overdo it. Yao’s trimmed down—i...
