On November 21, the New York Knicks were set to take on the New Jersey Nets in an away game that was not yet dubbed the "Battle of the Boroughs."
The NBA paid close attention to this matchup. Not only was it broadcast nationally, but it was also heavily promoted across various media channels.
After the success of the Chinese Showdown between Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, the NBA had long hoped to recreate that kind of buzz. Yao's injury had left a void, but with Lin Yi's sudden breakout, league executives finally felt they had found the next great hope from China.
Lin Yi had been nothing short of phenomenal this season. As a rookie, he was leading the Knicks through a remarkable surge. His graceful and distinctive playing style had quickly earned him a large and loyal fanbase.
For this new Chinese Showdown, the Chinese media were out in full force. From national broadcasters like CCTV to digital reporters and freelance writers, the game was treated like a holiday event.
Yi Jianlian had started all 11 games so far for the Nets, averaging 12 points and 7.9 rebounds—arguably the best stretch of his NBA career.
Lin Yi, also with 11 starts for the Knicks, was averaging 21.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks.
Statistically, Lin Yi was ahead, but Yi Jianlian remained a key piece for the Nets, earning praise from head coach Lawrence Frank. Naturally, Chinese fans approached this game with a mix of nostalgia and pride.
Lin Yi's unexpected rise shifted fan expectations. While there was still love for Yi Jianlian, the spotlight was now firmly on Lin Yi. After all, when there's meat on the table, who wants to sip soup?
Still, many fans rallied behind Yi Jianlian in the lead-up to the game.
Unlike previous matchups, where Chinese fans hoped Chinese players would simply win, this time, fans were content as long as both players put up strong performances.
Winning or losing? No one cared.
...
At the Izod Center, Lin Yi and Yi Jianlian chatted while warming up.
Yi hadn't fully embraced Lin's earlier suggestion. His agency still believed he could develop into a true NBA star. Lin's advice—to become more of a 3-and-D player—felt like selling Yi's potential short.
Yi himself was unsure. But after seeing Lin's success and sensing the Nets' growing patience with him, he compromised. He started taking more threes and reducing mid-range jumpers, though he didn't give up on intensive training.
With his increased defensive energy, Coach Frank started to rely more on him, especially with Ryan Anderson struggling defensively.
Lin understood it wouldn't help to push Yi too hard. Instead, he hoped this head-to-head matchup would help Yi recognize his potential through firsthand experience.
Surviving in the NBA requires evolution.
Yi wasn't built to be a primary scorer. If he focused on defense, corner threes, and finishing at the rim, his box scores might dip, but he'd be far more valuable to teams.
Lin had already sparked a wave of interest in skilled, athletic bigs. NBA teams were now actively hunting for versatile, mobile frontcourt players—after all, the Knicks had made them pay for overlooking this profile.
...
"Zhang, do you think today's Chinese Showdown can live up to the Yao vs. Yi matchup from a few years ago?" asked commentator Yu Jia.
"Not exactly," replied Zhang reasonably, "but I do think Yi should take Lin as a model. We've seen Yi adding three-pointers this season, and that's a good sign. Bigs who can shoot are still very much in demand in the NBA."
The broadcast soon showed the starting lineups:
New York Knicks:
Lin Yi
David Lee
Al Harrington
Danilo Gallinari
Larry Hughes
New Jersey Nets:
Brook Lopez
Yi Jianlian
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Courtney Lee
Devin Harris.
A nostalgic lineup if there ever was one.
Lin Yi knew the Nets inside and out.
Yi often took criticism for his defense, but many of those issues were systemic. Brook Lopez—nicknamed Splash Mountain early on—was slow-footed and avoided pick-and-rolls. Combine that with Yi's defensive inconsistencies and Lopez's tendency to leak assignments, and you wonder what two seven-footers were even doing defensively.
To make things worse, Lopez was a poor defensive rebounder.
The best rebounding seasons of his career came when Yi was his teammate, because Yi did the dirty work, boxing out and clearing the lane..
If David Lee were paired with Lopez instead? Lin joked Lopez might only average 4 boards a game, three of them offensive.
Then there was Devin Harris, the Nets' star point guard. Lin remembered him well—he was flashy, quick, but lacked shooting consistency. Once his athleticism waned, his limitations became clear.
Ironically, Harris peaked while playing with the Nets.
Funny how that works.
Yi was always the team-first guy—setting solid screens, never complaining. With his mid-range threat, he made it easier for a driving guard like Harris to capitalize.
If Yi didn't have value, would he have stayed in the league for five seasons?
The problem wasn't effort. It was training direction. If he had honed his defense and three-point shooting earlier, Lin believed he could've landed a long-term contract in the NBA.
...
Off the court, things weren't smooth for Yi either. He had just broken up with his girlfriend, Li Yahong. Trying to refocus on basketball, Yi didn't speak poorly of her, but she wasn't exactly kind in return, speaking to the media post-breakup.
Lin didn't want to comment on relationships—he was still single and trying to set one up, after all. He just told Yi to keep his head clear.
Also worth noting: Yao Ming was in the stands for the game. Lin could tell Yao had slimmed down a lot since he last saw him during the playoffs.
Still—Yao's facial expressions? Top-tier meme material.
...
As the referee brought the ball to center court, Lin Yi snapped out of his thoughts.
This game was crucial for his scoring race.
Missing this opportunity could make it much harder to put up big numbers against the Celtics or Lakers.
Time to go to work.
...
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