The Knicks Hit The Wall

After their statement win over the Thunder, the Knicks continued their February hot streak.

With a record now standing at 40 wins and 14 losses, they sat second in the Eastern Conference standings.

Next up: a home game against the Bucks, followed immediately by a road trip to TD Garden for a showdown with Boston.

For most of the season, Boston head coach Doc Rivers hadn't considered the Knicks serious contenders. In his mind, their real challenge came from teams like Cleveland or Orlando.

But now? With Lin Yi leading a surging New York side, even the Celtics couldn't ignore them anymore.

Despite a supposedly easier schedule, Boston found itself in a sprint. Rest plans were shelved, rotations tightened.

...

February 22

Knicks vs. Bucks – Madison Square Garden

Let's just say… no one's framing this one.

The Knicks and Bucks put on arguably the ugliest offensive performance of the season, combining for 108 missed shots.

It was like both teams were forging iron rather than scoring buckets.

Madison Square Garden's rims probably filed a union complaint by halftime.

But in the end, it was the Knicks who made fewer mistakes, grinding out a 79–73 win.

Thanks to that, they nudged ahead of Cleveland in the standings, temporarily taking first in the East.

And of course, that was more than enough for some fans to get carried away.

"Knicks to the Finals!"

"Last year we were bottom of the East, now look at us!"

"Lin Yi is better than LeBron!"

Yeah, the hype train was running full steam.

Never mind the fact that the East was having a down year. For Knicks fans, it didn't matter.

Among the more passionate corners of the fanbase were those making bold proclamations.

"LeBron didn't even make the playoffs his rookie year. Lin's already leading a top-two team in the East!"

And when reporters mentioned this to LeBron James, he simply smiled and replied:

"That's the beauty of competition. We need more players like Lin. It gets boring when you're the only one talked about."

Classy. And carefully worded.

Meanwhile, Cavaliers fans were feeling themselves, too.

Despite being swept by the Knicks 2–0 so far this season, they kept jawing.

"Let them come," one Cleveland fan posted online.

"They play no defense. They'll fold in the playoffs."

Lin Yi had no comment on that.

But in his mind?

You think we're not making it far? Wait till you guys meet Boston.

...

The Knicks vs. Celtics showdown was broadcast live across the country.

Plenty of fans had their snacks ready, expecting a real battle.

And then... the Knicks caught everyone off guard again.

The hyped-up clash? It fizzled out. Lin Yi and Garnett traded some jumpers, sure, but the fireworks never really came.

Ray Allen was cool and collected, striking like a dragon with that silky jumper. And Gallinari? Barely showed up.

So much for an epic second-seed vs third-seed showdown in the East—this one ended before it even began.

Final score: 108–81. Even Doc Rivers looked a bit surprised. "Wait, we won that easily?"

Why?

"I don't get this Knicks team," Barkley muttered. "I didn't even jinx them this time—why'd they fall apart like that?"

But the collapse didn't stop there. After a two-day break, on February 26, the Knicks lost again—this time to the Wizards on the road.

Then, on February 27, back at home, they dropped another one to the Grizzlies. Lin Yi did manage to knock down Marc Gasol, but honestly, the whole team looked cursed. Brick after brick—no rhythm at all.

And just like that, February came to a miserable end for New York.

Lin Yi had been the favorite for Eastern Conference Player of the Month. He had the numbers. The momentum. Everything. But the Knicks' late collapse gave the edge to LeBron James, who had been more consistent throughout the month.

Out West, Darren Collison took Rookie of the Month honors. With Chris Paul out, Collison stepped up big—18 points and 9 assists a night. Solid numbers, but leadership-wise? He's no CP3 just yet.

Carlos Boozer earned Western Conference Player of the Month, putting up 13 points and 13 boards per game. More importantly, he helped the Jazz quietly climb back into the playoff mix.

Honestly, is there a more forgettable good team than Utah?

Lin Yi used to watch playoff games with friends and be like: "Wait... when did the Jazz make the postseason?"

That team always sneaks in when you least expect it.

Still, Lin thought Deron Williams deserved more credit. During that stretch, D-Will was practically living to torch Chris Paul. Without Deron running those pick-and-rolls, Boozer probably wouldn't have looked half as good.

…

As February ended and March began, playoff pressure was heating up.

Out West? Chaos. Even the Spurs, with a 60% win rate, were barely clinging to 5th.

The East? A little less fierce. The Pacers, somehow still in the mix with just a 40% win rate, were proof of that.

For the Knicks, March started as rough as February ended.

March 1: Cleveland. Knicks lose 97–110. LeBron looked fired up, finally getting revenge. After the game, he told reporters he believed in the Cavs roster and felt they could win it all.

March 3: Back home. Another loss—this time to the Pistons. That made it five straight losses for New York.

And the bad luck seemed contagious. Ever since the Celtics beat them down, Boston hadn't won a game either. Four straight losses. Eastern Conference #2 and #3 both tumbling—it was chaos in the standings.

March 5: The Knicks went up to Toronto and dropped their sixth straight. Meanwhile, the Bulls quietly moved up in the East.

Was it all because starting point guard Tony Douglas was out?

Not really. Pat, filling in, wasn't even playing badly. It's hard to pin this slump on one guy being out.

Thankfully, on March 6, the Knicks finally caught a break. They hosted the Nets and snapped the streak with a 25-point blowout win.

Knicks: 42-20

The Nets were in bad shape. Brook Lopez didn't play, and he had Lin Yi on his mind. Rumor has it, Lopez is planning to drop weight and start working on his three-point shot this summer—he's that spooked by Lin.

In a strange twist, Lin was influencing league trends ahead of schedule.

On a side note, Lin remembered that in the original timeline, Yi Jianlian was supposed to suffer an injury this season. But now? That never happened. The butterfly effect was real.

Yi's scoring dropped to 9.7 points per game in February, but his shooting was improving, and his rebounding and passing were getting better, too. The points weren't flashy, but his impact? Noticeable. Even the Nets seemed convinced he deserved a long-term deal.

And let's be real—what contending team wouldn't want a guy who can contribute without demanding touches?

March 8—International Women's Day—the Knicks lost again. This time to the Hawks. Seven losses in eight games. Their grip on the 2nd seed in the East? Gone. They dropped to 3rd.

March 10: Spurs. Another loss.

The Knicks just couldn't catch a break.

A lot of Lin Yi's critics were starting to poke their heads out again, as if they'd been waiting for this moment to breathe fresh air.

But that narrative didn't hold up for long. Anyone with eyes could see the Knicks were battling through a brutal schedule. Even the professional haters had to admit—dismissing them like that wasn't just lazy, it was downright insulting to people's intelligence.

Plus, the Knicks from the last season were now in a way better position, largely part to Lin Yi.

Some pointed fingers at Lin Yi, saying he'd hit the dreaded rookie wall. But that argument didn't land either—Lin's numbers were still solid. If anything, he was one of the few bright spots during the slump.

So… what was going on with the Knicks?

That question turned half the fanbase into armchair analysts. Forums, social media, barbershops—everyone was suddenly an expert. Eight losses in nine games? People were scrambling for answers.

But Lin Yi and Coach D'Antoni? They knew exactly what was happening.

First of all, after the All-Star break, teams around the league had started treating Lin like a top-tier threat. Defenses keyed in on him, doubled him more aggressively, and scouted the Knicks' sets like they were prepping for a playoff series.

And for the Knicks fans, they shouldn't be discouraged by that. They should be proud. It took NBA teams more than half a season to finally figure out how to contain New York's wild, Lin Yi-powered attack.

Because with Lin on the floor, the Knicks' playbook was chaos. Organized chaos, yes—but chaos nonetheless. Sometimes they looked like they were just running and gunning, but underneath that surface were clever misdirections, off-ball reads, and some real-deal tactical black magic.

Second, the Knicks weren't dealing with any devastating injuries, but nagging ones were piling up. Fatigue was catching up to them. Legs were heavy. And with a thin rotation, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Bottom line? Lin Yi didn't hit the rookie wall—the Knicks did.

And it showed. They were still generating open shots... but when the once-reliable unit started clanking everything like a bunch of apprentice bricklayers, the losses began to pile up.

Lin couldn't save them every night. Even a star needs a little help sometimes.

Strangely enough, both Lin and Coach D'Antoni weren't panicking. They even saw the slump as a good thing. Sitting third in the East, maybe even sliding to fourth wouldn't be the worst outcome.

Because in the long run? This team was being built to last.

Coach D had seen the bigger picture. The Knicks' system was coming together. The next step? Finding better role players to complement Lin Yi, forming a tighter unit, and laying the foundation for a real championship run.

And if there was one thing D'Antoni didn't waver on, it was trust. If you followed the system, he had your back, no matter the box score.

Take Belinelli, for example. The Italian sniper had hit a cold streak in March. Against his former team, the Raptors, he went 0-for-5 from deep. Then came the Nets game—1-for-6. Brutal.

Belinelli braced for the backlash. Maybe less playing time. Maybe a benching. Instead, D'Antoni patted him on the back and said, "Keep shooting. You're doing fine."

Marco looked up at the ceiling like the sky had cracked open. His whole worldview was being rewritten.

And he wasn't alone. Whether it was anyone on the squad, D'Antoni gave them the same treatment. Didn't matter if you went 2-for-12—as long as you ran the offense, took your shots, and followed the plan, he was good with it.

Because shooters? Shooters live and die by confidence.

If you tear into a guy after a couple of bad nights, it's easy to shatter that confidence. And D'Antoni understood that better than most. The Knicks were still in a safe playoff spot. Even if they dropped the next few games, they weren't falling out of contention.

So what if they lost?

Stubborn? Maybe. But that trust gave his players room to grow. Confidence isn't built on sunshine—it's forged in missed shots and long nights.

There's a world of difference between practice rhythm and game rhythm.

…

Meanwhile, the media didn't know what to do.

Should they hype the Knicks up? Or tear them down?

It was a tightrope walk. The team was still standing, but vulnerable. And Lin Yi? He was proving to be the league's ultimate face-slapper. One moment, the press doubted him; the next, he was cutting deep—surgically, like a paper cut to the ego.

So most media outlets just went neutral, waiting to see which direction the story would go. Sure, Lin's hype had cooled a little during the slump, but deep down, everyone knew—if he decided to turn it on again, a lot of people would be eating their words.

On March 11, the Knicks boarded a flight to Memphis, gearing up for their second matchup of the season with the Grizzlies.

Coincidentally, Lin Yi's agent, Zhong, flew in around the same time for a separate matter. They met up over dinner, swapped a few stories, and somewhere in that conversation, Zhong Muchen unintentionally sparked something in Lin's brain.

"You're my lucky charm!" Lin grinned, eyes lighting up.

Xiao Zhong froze mid-bite. "Huh? What did I do this time?"

But the way Lin was smiling—clearly, he was already plotting something.

Something big.

...

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