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Chapter 135: Triple Double In Tinseltown
🕑 Added 2025-05-20 15:26:05 +0000 UTC99 to 98 — Lin Yi’s game-winner stuns the Lakers at the buzzer.
On the road in LA, the Knicks snatched a nail-biter against the Lakers thanks to a cold-blooded buzzer-beater from Lin Yi!
In what was his first game as a starting forward, Lin Yi logged an insane 44 minutes. He dropped 30 points on 10-of-24 shooting, hit 2 of his 4 threes, and went a perfect 4-for-4 at the line. Oh, and just for good measure? He hauled in 17 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, swatted 3 shots, grabbed a steal, and walked away with a monster triple-double. Not bad for a rookie.
He wasn’t alone either — the Knicks had four players in double digits. Gallinari lit it up from deep, draining six threes for 22 points. David Lee added 14, and Al Harrington chipped in with 12.
Over on the Lakers' side, Kobe did his thing — 39 points in 40 minutes. But it wasn’t a smooth night for the Black Mamba: 13-of-37 from the field and just 3-of-14 from downtown. Pau Gasol was the most efficient Laker, going 9-for-10 and finishing with 22 points, 15 boards, and 5 assists. Outside of that? The rest of the Lakers’ squad went pretty quiet.
Still, even though he was clearly frustrated post-game, Kobe couldn’t help but give Lin Yi his props. After the game, he gave Lin a pat on the back and said:
“Good shot. You’re the leader now — gotta take those with confidence.”
Then, in true Kobe fashion, he dropped some veteran wisdom. Not just about how to shoot, but the little things — timing, spacing, how to bait a defender, even how to create rhythm when the shots aren’t falling.
Coach D’Antoni was all smiles after the win. He shared a handshake with Phil Jackson before dragging Lin to the post-game presser.
The Knicks’ West Coast swing had been rough — this was the first of a brutal stretch — but beating the Lakers on the road? That made it all worth it.
After Lin Yi’s 61-point explosion a few nights ago, this was his second career triple-double — and this one was the full package. The media conveniently forgot all about his brickfest against Boston and went all in on the Lin hype train.
David Stern was loving it.
Yao Ming was out, the NBA needed a new Chinese star, and Lin Yi was delivering with flashy plays, bold shots, and a personality fans could rally behind. Stern wanted Lin to break Yao’s rookie All-Star voting record — and that might happen with how things were going.
Meanwhile, in Orlando, the Magic weren’t looking like title contenders, and Howard wasn’t exactly evolving into a post-up monster despite Ewing’s coaching. Stern knew funny dunks alone couldn’t carry a player’s commercial value forever. Lin Yi, on the other hand? He had a story — and the league was eating it up.
At the press conference, ESPN’s sideline reporter asked the question on everyone’s mind:
“Lin, in the fourth quarter, you had a rough stretch with some missed shots, but the team still trusted you with the final possession. How did you mentally adjust in that moment?”
Lin smiled.
My teammates trusted me, so I had to take that shot.”
He wasn’t making excuses for those earlier misses — he was being honest. If he hesitated at that moment, he’d regret it forever.
And it paid off.
The Lakers locked down the other Knicks' options. It was on Lin to take the last shot — and he delivered.
...
Michael Jordan once said, “All the big shots I made were because I took them.” For every buzzer-beater that made the highlight reel, there were plenty of misses. But that’s the game. You have to believe — even when no one else does.
And Lin believed.
The internet exploded. The 2009 No. 1 pick dropped a triple-double at Staples, hitting skyhooks, throwing no-look passes, and running the show like a seasoned vet.
Chinese fans went wild.
Yi Jianlian, playing for the Nets against the Warriors, also posted a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. Chinese basketball was having a moment.
If Yao came back next season, it might be too much joy to handle. What if the Rockets, Knicks, and Nets all played on the same night? How would fans even choose?
...
Lin checked out the Nets-Warriors highlights later. Yi looked solid, but the Warriors won — thanks to a guy called Stephen Curry.
He hit six threes and finished with 25 points on just 14 shots. Not bad. Especially when Monta Ellis fired up 30 shots and missed 20 of them…
...
Next stop: Sacramento.
No rest for the Knicks. They flew straight to face the Kings — the fourth back-to-back already this season, and they were still out west.
This King's team was a bit different from what Lin remembered. They passed on Tyreke Evans in the draft and picked Ricky Rubio instead, who wasn’t even in the league yet. That made the Kings a bit weaker.
Kevin Martin led the charge — his shot looked weird as hell, but the guy could flat-out score. He was like Harden before Harden, with a knack for drawing fouls. In 08-09, he was averaging over 10 free throws a game.
Lin wondered if Martin would still end up getting traded to the Rockets later this season. If not, that might seriously shake up future trades...
But hypotheticals aside, the Knicks handled business. They beat the Kings 107–95.
The Knicks were 11-4 and sitting in fourth.
Next up? Denver.
It’s been a grueling stretch, but reinforcements were on the way. Louis Williams, Marco Belinelli, and Danny Green were waiting in Colorado.
The Knicks’ royal guard was about to assemble — and the Western trip wasn’t over yet.
