GRANDMAESTA_30

Chapter 316: Spurs vs Knicks

On January 22, the Knicks hosted the Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

The heavy training load of the past few weeks was beginning to show. Lin Yi and Tyson Chandler’s endless one-on-one sessions had sharpened skills but drained legs. Their combination looked noticeably fatigued, their rhythm slightly off.

John Wall, long frustrated by the Knicks’ dominance in their previous meetings, finally seized his moment. The young guard exploded for 30 points and 12 assists, slicing thr...

Chapter 315: Badge Upgrade, Amethyst

On January 16 and 18, the Knicks took care of business, beating both the Pacers and the Bucks. That three-game winning streak had Madison Square Garden buzzing, but for Lin Yi, there was an even sweeter victory: his much-cherished Limitless Range badge finally got its long-awaited upgrade.

Of course, reality isn’t a video game. No one but Lin himself knew the countless hours, the grinding repetition, and the absurd distances he’d pushed himself to shoot fro...

Chapter 128: Red vs Black and Yellow 3

At the Emirates, the stadium was bouncing. Luis Suárez wheeled away in celebration, his trademark grin splitting across his face, before darting to the corner flag where Kai was already waiting. The two embraced tightly, the kind of hug that carried both relief and joy.

“Oi! How on earth did you end up there?” Kai asked, half laughing, half astonished.

He remembered Suárez being central only moments earlier. Yet, after Kai’s long-range strike clattered against the post, th...

Chapter 314: Lakers vs Knicks End

Final score: Lakers 104, Knicks 96.

Kobe Bryant walked out of Madison Square Garden with 46 points to his name, and the Knicks, for all their fight, had to swallow a second straight defeat.

In truth, the turning point came in the second half. The Knicks’ legs simply gave out. After grinding through their brutal schedule, their energy dropped sharply, and against Kobe in that kind of mood, there was no room for mistakes.

The silver lining? New York’s upcoming stretch offe...

Chapter 313: Lakers vs Knicks 2

Thump, Thump, Thump

Right joystick ↘ ↓ ↘ ↓ ↘ ↓ Accelerator → ← Left joystick ↖ ↑

“Lin Yi with another crossover, now shifting to his left hand!” Yu Jia’s commentary quickened in excitement on CCTV.

This time, Lin Yi made a subtle adjustment. He knew Odom well by now — a left-handed forward with plenty of skill, but when forced to shift right, his movement always lagged by half a beat. Lin Yi had picked up on this weakness...

Chapter 127: Red vs Black and Yellow 2

Emirates Stadium, North London.

The Emirates was glowing under the floodlights, every corner bathed in that crisp, almost glassy shimmer that only a big European night can produce. The midweek chill was in the air, but you wouldn’t know it from the sound. The place was roaring, trembling with anticipation, as if the stands themselves were leaning in to watch.

Champions League football always seemed to hit differently in the evenings. It wasn’t just a match; it...

Chapter 126: Red vs Black and Yellow

<<At 1 pm local time in London, Borussia Dortmund touched down at Heathrow Airport.>>

<<The Champions League runners-up, led by the ever-charismatic Jürgen Klopp, have arrived in the capital.>>

<<The stage is set: the Gunners against the Hornets. London prepares for a heavyweight clash.>>

The night before the third round of the Champions League group stage, all eyes in London were firmly ...

Chapter 312: Lakers vs Knicks

Lin Yi won the opening tip with ease, but the Knicks immediately stumbled on their first possession. Before they could even settle into their set, Kobe Bryant read the passing lane like an open book. One clean steal, one long stride down the court, and he finished the fast break with that smooth touch off the glass.

2–0, Lakers.

The Garden fell into a hush, while the Lakers’ bench rose as if they’d already landed a punch in a heavyweight fight.

New York came back with ...

Chapter 311: The Streak Ends In Dallas

Before tip-off, the general sentiment among fans and pundits was simple: Dirk Nowitzki and his Mavericks didn’t stand a chance against the Knicks’ bruising style, led by the relentless Lin Yi.

But basketball, as always, has a way of humbling expectations.

The Knicks was stunned at the American Airlines Centre, ending the Knicks’ winning streak with a 108–97 victory. For the first time in 35 days, the Knicks walked off the court with a loss.

For coach Mike D’Antoni,...

Chapter 310: Sixteen And Rising

After Carter came to Phoenix, the Suns’ starting lineup carried a kind of nostalgia with it.

Steve Nash — once “the child of the wind” — had trimmed away his long, flowing hair. Grant Hill, once hailed as the next great Jordan heir, now carried the calm and polish of a man softened by time. And Vince Carter — the high-flying “half man, half amazing” — now looked more human than myth.

If someone had to choose the most bittersweet team of the season, the Suns would...

Chapter 309: The Weight Of Ambition

Bad news arrived as the calendar turned to 2011.

The Mavericks and Warriors had pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade: Caron Butler was shipped to Golden State, while Monta Ellis packed his bags for Dallas.

Lin Yi blinked when he saw the news. This wasn’t in the script. In his memory, this deal had never happened. But now it had—and, frustratingly, it looked like Dallas might have pulled off a coup.

Although Butler had managed to stay healthy this time aroun...

Chapter 308: Popping The Champagne Into 2011

On December 27th, reality hit again. The Knicks tipped off a brutal stretch: nine games in fourteen days. That’s three back-to-backs tucked inside a schedule already loaded with Western heavyweights. Fans called it the Devil’s Road. Coaches called it a fitness test. Players just called it misery.

The first hurdle came against the Bulls. At tip-off, the two sides were separated by just a game and a half in the standings. The Eastern Conference was a pressure cooker, ...

Chapter 307: Heat vs Knicks End

Lin Yi’s thinking was straightforward. If the Heat wanted to play small, then the Knicks would simply hit them head-on.

The logic was simple: Miami couldn’t withstand New York’s relentless crashing of the boards. Every time the Knicks forced their way into the frontcourt, it wasn’t just about a chance to score — it was also about denying the Heat an opportunity on the other end. For Lin Yi, that exchange of possessions was gold.

So, as the third quarter opened, Mike D’...

Chapter 125: Bench, Thinner Than A Cracker

Premier League Round 8 – Arsenal vs Norwich City

The match had entered the 68th minute of the second half, with Arsenal holding a 2–0 lead over Norwich.

From the opening whistle, Arsenal’s attack had looked fluid and confident. With Norwich not applying too much pressure in midfield, Kai had begun to push further forward, joining the offensive movements with growing assurance.

Compared to last season, Kai’s development on the attacking side of his ga...

Chapter 306: Heat vs Knicks 2

The much-hyped Knicks–Heat Christmas clash quickly turned into an ugly slugfest.

By the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard told the story: Knicks 21, Heat 14. Both teams were throwing punches defensively, but neither could buy a rhythm on offense.

Fans who’d seen New York shut Miami down in the opener weren’t surprised. Tonight looked eerily similar—the Heat, with all their star power, managed just 14 points in twelve minutes. The Garden crowd loved ...

Chapter 305: Heat vs Knicks

In the opening jump ball, Lin Yi soared high and tapped it back cleanly, giving the Knicks the first possession of the night. Madison Square Garden was already buzzing, but the Heat wasted no time—Miami’s defense was set in an instant, snapping into formation like soldiers on command.

Pat Riley himself was courtside, expression as unreadable as ever, though the tension between him and Shaquille O’Neal—sitting on the opposite team—wasn’t exactly subtle. O’Neal’s glare tow...

Chapter 124: Homecoming Gifts

Kai returned once more to Mr. Wilson’s barber shop.

The bell above the door chimed lightly as Kai stepped inside.

Mr. Wilson, who was tidying up his counter, froze for a moment before his face lit up in surprise.

“Well, would you look at this!” the old man chuckled heartily, spreading his arms wide. “If it isn’t our squad leader himself! Welcome back, lad!”

He walked over with unexpected energy, pulling Kai into a warm, almost fatherly hug. Compared to thei...

Chapter 304: Let's Get Ready To Rumbleee!

Tijana and Olson had been enjoying their stay at Lin Yi’s villa. The place wasn’t particularly grand, but it had everything one could need — a comfortable balance between practicality and a little indulgence. Lin Yi might not have lived in a mansion, but he certainly knew how to make life enjoyable.

On the night of the 23rd, the three of them curled up in the living room for a movie. Lin Yi had initially agreed, but halfway through, he started getting restless. The women had picke...

Chapter 303: A Christmas Not Alone

Before the Heat-Knicks game.

On the 22nd, with Christmas Eve approaching, the old German coach gave the squad a rare holiday. It was a timely decision—after all, no player in December wanted to be run into the ground. If Mike D’Antoni had tried to copy Pat Riley’s infamous “training routines, the locker room would probably have staged a revolt.

And Riley really was putting his players through it. Spoelstra might have been the head coach on paper, ...

Chapter 123: First Brand Deal

<<Arsenal beat Marseille 2–0 away from home! Their first victory in this season’s Champions League group stage>>

<<The Gunners firing on all cylinders>>

<<Arsenal hold the line in Marseille! The French attack collapses!>>

Arsenal’s first group stage win didn’t just bring three crucial points—it also sparked a wave of discussion among both fans and the British media.

In trut...

Chapter 302: Celtics vs Knicks End

The Knicks came in tonight looking sharp, and from the opening tip, they had the Celtics pinned down in every phase of the game. Honestly, the only way they were losing this one was if Lin Yi suddenly forgot how to shoot and went completely cold — the dreaded “0-for-the-night” kind of cold.

But that wasn’t happening. Lin had been grinding away at his shot these past few weeks, and it showed. The man’s daily work ethic was becoming a kind of rhythm in itself.<...

Chapter 301: Celtics vs Knicks 3

The Knicks had barely played thirty seconds in the second quarter against the Celtics when a dead-ball stoppage gave Boston a chance to tweak their lineup.

Nate Robinson barely had time to get his bearings before Delonte West trotted in.

Doc Rivers, it seemed, had stumbled onto a spark — the classic blind cat catching a mouse moment.

And sure enough, West wasted no time making an impact. Almost immediately, Boston’s offense found new life. Within the opening min...

Chapter 122: Champions League Night End

“Kai… tries his luck from distance… ohhh, it’s agonisingly close! It clips the crossbar on its way over!”

In the Sky Sports commentary box, Martin Taylor gave a knowing shake of the head before smiling.
“Brilliant strike. He’s feeling confident tonight. That’s the second time he’s tested Mandanda from range, and both efforts have been right out of the top drawer. No goal yet, but the execution is spot on.”

Alan Smith, seated...

Chapter 300: Celtics vs Knicks 2

LeBron’s eyes stayed glued to the screen. He pointed toward Lin Yi on the broadcast and said to Wade, “I’m guarding him.”

Wade glanced at him, mid-sentence. “But, LeBron—”

LeBron lifted a finger, cutting him off. “Dwyane, I couldn’t have done this back in Cleveland. You know why — taking on that kind of defensive load drains you. It eats up energy, it kills your rhythm, and your offensive touch suffers for it.”

Wade nodded slowly, knowing he wasn’t wr...

Chapter 299: Celtics vs Knicks

The Miami Heat had just strung together a three-game winning streak.
LeBron leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh — the kind that carries both relief and disbelief.

When did winning three games in a row become something to celebrate?
The answer was simple: when the pressure from every corner of the basketball world had been this suffocating.

If you looked closely, you could almost count a few new wrinkles on King James' forehead. Give it another month, and people mig...

Chapter 121: Champions League Night

September.

Marseille, France.

The Mediterranean air carried a strange mix of salt, smoke, and song. The Vélodrome’s curved stands loomed like a white coliseum under the floodlights, every seat a fragment of a roaring mosaic. It was the first night of the Champions League group stage, and in Marseille, that meant the city had been building toward this moment all day — from the morning café chatter to the afternoon drum circles in the Old Port...

Chapter 298: More Winning

"I have to wonder, Steve, if Larry Brown is somewhere watching this game right now," Marv Albert mused as the final minutes ticked away in the Bobcats–Knicks matchup. His voice carried that familiar mixture of intrigue and quiet amusement.

Steve Kerr chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Speaking of Larry Brown, I remember him once saying that if he had Lin under his system, he’d turn him into a traditional, back-to-the-basket center. All low-post touches, g...