Knicks vs. Bulls I

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~~~(POV: Ulysses Kennedy)~~~

~~~(Date: October 22nd, 2026)~~~

~~~(Location: Madison Square Garden, New York)~~~

~~~(Time: 4:15 PM)~~~

The game is starting in 15 minutes, and Ellie is already in the front row. She's got better seats this time, and I'm excited about this game. The Bulls don't have as good a team as Boston, and they're missing a Superstar. All they've got in All-stars is Lonzo Ball and Zach Lavine.

There was a time when they had Demar Derozen, and he was a Superstar. But after crossing age 35 a couple of years ago, he's really fallen off.

Their starting lineup consists of Lonzo Ball as Point Guard and Zach Lavine as Shooting Guard. That's what makes up the backcourt. The frontcourt is Derrick Jones as Small Forward and Kostos Antetokounmpo as Power Forward.

The last position that's being filled is Center, and Tony Bradley holds that. This is the starting lineup for the Chicago Bulls, and it's not nearly as lethal as Boston.

Everyone is in a good mood as we're warming up on the court. There is nothing better than playing in front of a bunch of passionate New Yorkers. While I'm not a native here, they've taken me in as their own, and I'm more glad I was drafted here than ever.

"Ulysses!"

Tom calls me over to the bench, and I make my way over from the shoot-around. I stand in front of him, and he holds up a tablet for me. It's showing a change in today's lineup. After the last game, I proved a lot. And one of the things is I'm an elite dribbler despite my size.

At the NBA level too.

It shows that I'm being placed at Point Guard this game, and Brunson is taking my SF spot. While I like the idea, Jalen is going to be outsized on the defensive end. Then again, this is looking like it's only for the offensive end.

"The coaching staff has decided to move you to Point Guard for offensive possessions only this game. We're testing the freedom with our lineup now that we have you. What do you say?"

I have a good deal of experience in the Point Guard position. But that's not to say I prefer it over being SF. I have the most freedom in my current position. But I'll play along. If they need to test some things out, then let's do it.

"I'm perfectly fine with that coach. Just make sure you run it by Jalen too. I don't want to take the position if he's not okay with it. Even if it's on the offensive end only."

Tom nods his head and waves me off before calling over Jalen too. The game is starting in about 10 minutes. The arena is already filling up a nice size. I'm betting ticket sales are doing wonderful now that I'm here. It's a good sign for the future.

~~~(POV: Ellie)~~~

~~~(Date: October 22nd, 2026)~~~

~~~(Location: Madison Square Garden, New York)~~~

~~~(Time: 4:24 PM)~~~

The game is starting in less than 6 minutes, and I'm already nervous again. Last time, I had Hannah, Bianca, and William here to help me support Ulysses. But now it's just me. I'm wishing they were here to cheer him on.

I feel like I have to compensate for the loss in the group. My phone goes off, and I take it out of my pocket to see a message from Hannah. She's starting her gym practice, and she wants to know how Ulysses is doing.

I text her back that everything is fine and the game is just starting. And that's when I get a funny message back from her. Typical from one as young as Hannah. After all, Ulysses and Hannah are only 18 years old.

[Are there any girls trying to get his attention?]

As she gets older, she'll become more secure. That's something that almost all women go through. I reassure her and focus on the court again. Ulysses is talking to Barrett and Jericho. He looks like he's having a good laugh.

Coming off the win they had in the season opener against Boston has boosted the team's confidence. It's a great thing to see.

"I'm here for you, Ulysses... Mom is here..."

I talk to myself under my breath. Sometimes, I do wish he was a little kid again so I could take care of him. Now it's him taking care of me. It's the dream of any parent.

I wish my sister and brother-in-law were here right now.