When resentment takes root, you never know when it'll bloom into something ugly.
Back from the timeout, the Hawks bricked a shot, and Lin Yi led the charge. Jeffries grabbed the board, and the Knicks were off on a fast break.
Lin Yi found himself open at the left 45. Catch. Rise. Release.
The net barely moved. That was smooth. Picture-perfect. Seven points in the second quarter for Lin Yi, and the Knicks were closing in fast.
But just as Lin Yi came down, a foot slipped under his left landing spot. It was Zaza Pachulia.
He had that fake innocent look on his face, like he had no clue what just happened, but the smirk gave it away. Lin Yi had stepped right on Pachulia's foot and hit the ground hard.
Referee Tony Blathers immediately stopped play.
Zaza threw up his hands, played the concerned teammate, even squatted down like he cared. Like he wasn't the one who just pulled the stunt.
So gentle. So humble. Georgia's pride, they say.
Al Harrington had seen enough. He grabbed Zaza by the jersey. "That's a dirty-ass foul!" he barked.
And yeah, Harrington used to have it out for Lin Yi. Didn't like him much at first. But Lin Yi won him over, bit by bit. And now? Now he was ready to throw hands with him.
The moment the ref turned his back, Lin Yi popped up off the floor, wanting the smoke. That's how mad he was. Dude was ready to explode.
He wasn't buying the act. No one should. Zaza had a rep. A sneaky, dirty, grinning rep.
Lin Yi had the receipts.
Back in the day, Pachulia had grabbed Yao Ming by the throat in a Rockets game. Then he pulled the same sneak attack on Westbrook. Dived into the man's knees.
And who could forget 2017? Kawhi Leonard was cooking the Warriors—Jordan-level stuff. Then Pachulia slid under him on a landing, injured his ankle, and just like that, game over.
Guy even took a shot at Iman Shumpert's manhood in the Finals. If Shump didn't have his, uh, "steel defense," he'd be walking funny for life.
Lin Yi knew every contender needed an enforcer, but there's a difference between tough and dirty.
And Pachulia? Straight-up scumbag.
A pride of Georgia? Maybe. But does the man have to stoop that low?
Lin Yi didn't buy the accident angle for one second.
He stepped into him on purpose. Period.
Thank god for Lin Yi's strong body. Although the system does not affect his physique, it affords him some protection against malicious intent. But on a normal player? That's a two-month rehab.
Two months. In this league, that's career-altering.
Lin Yi simmered. The pain didn't scare him. But being toyed with? Stepped on? That wouldn't fly.
And the league had to know: Lin Yi wasn't soft.
As Lin Yi squared up, Harrington threw an arm around him.
"No! Lin, don't. You're the franchise now. You swing, you're in trouble. You're the top pick. Don't throw it away."
"Yeah, Big Al's right!" someone echoed.
But the Knicks had their enforcers.
Earl Barron got Zaza in a hold. Then Ewing Jr came flying in with a right hook—straight to Zaza's chest. Definitely didn't take after his father in this aspect.
The Garden erupted. Commentators nearly fell out of their chairs.
Ewing wasn't done. He threw another one, same spot.
Coaches and refs poured in to break it up. Josh Smith looked like he wanted in, but the Hawks kept it cool—veterans pulling guys back.
Somewhere, David Stern watched in horror.
TNT kept rolling replays. Lin Yi's foot landed under Zaza's.
"That's a flagrant two, no question!" Barkley shouted.
Kenny Smith nodded. "Zaza had no chance to block that shot. Total hit job."
MSG was in chaos. Fans were chanting, booing, and clapping. They were out for blood. It was bedlam.
Refs tossed Ewing and Barron for flagrant twos. Harrington got a tech.
But the two enforcers? They knew what they were doing. They were here on vet minimums. Lin Yi had vouched for them. Took care of them.
They weren't gonna watch someone cheap-shot their guy and stay quiet.
Lin Yi was their brother.
Harrington didn't regret it either. He didn't connect, but man, if Zaza had smirked again, Harrington would've made it count.
Lin Yi looked around at his teammates, all fired up, standing by him.
Not because they saw a fight.
Because they saw a team.
In that moment, something shifted.
Lin Yi had arrived in New York. And New York had his back.
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