What disappointed the fans most was that this Lakers-Knicks matchup lacked the intensity and drama of their last showdown.
It was the kind of game where you feel like you were hyped up for something big… only to be let down hard.
In the end, the Lakers cruised to a comfortable 117–96 win at Madison Square Garden. From the moment the ball was tipped, it was clear they weren't here to mess around.
Many Lakers fans had long believed that Bynum was better than Lin Yi, but tonight? Bynum didn't even get a chance to prove it—Phil Jackson had him parked on the bench the whole game.
And that did not sit well with Bynum. If not for Kobe's icy glare from across the court, the big man might've stormed over and thrown hands with the Zen Master himself.
Phil's reasoning was pretty straightforward. After watching the last meeting between the two teams, he figured letting Bynum match up against Lin Yi was just asking to give Lin free points. So he didn't risk it.
In a way, Jackson was protecting Bynum's ego—maybe even shielding him from more embarrassment. But Bynum didn't see it that way. He thought it meant Coach didn't believe in him.
And once resentment like that starts to take root in a locker room? The cracks aren't far behind.
The result of the game also confirmed Jackson's read: the Knicks just aren't the Lakers' biggest threat this season. They may be good, but they're not quite built to survive the brutal Eastern grind—not yet, anyway.
For this game, Jackson went with Odom in the starting five. Between Odom and Artest, they rotated on Lin Yi constantly, never giving him any room to breathe on the perimeter.
Lin tried a couple of high-arching jumpers early, but it was clear right away—tonight just wasn't one of those nights. No player shoots the lights out every game.
So Lin Yi switched things up. He pivoted back to the fundamentals, playing more like a traditional center, working the paint.
And Jackson? He doubled down—no double teams, no help defense. He'd rather let Lin get his own than let him create opportunities for others.
The Knicks tried to respond. They brought in Louis Williams to add another scoring threat and free Lin up a bit, but Phil just had Kobe switch onto Lou. That was basically game over for him—Lou went 2-of-11 and completely vanished.
David Lee struggled against Gasol, the Knicks couldn't get their three-point game going, and with nothing falling on offense, the Lakers just walked away with the win.
"Lin doesn't look unbeatable," Kenny Smith said post-game.
"But Kenny," Barkley chimed in, "how many teams in the league got a lineup like this Lakers team?"
He wasn't wrong. Now, you'd be hard-pressed to find any squad that matched the Lakers in depth, size, and star power.
And truth be told, Lin Yi didn't play poorly at all—he finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, the best stat line on the Knicks that night.
What really sealed the game was Kobe. He was locked in, the real difference-maker. When Kobe's heating up, it's like the basket grows bigger just for him.
Tonight, he was pure poetry in motion. Fadeaways, pull-ups, you name it. Lin Yi looked over and couldn't help but sigh.
"Class is permanent indeed."
Kobe dropped 39 points on 14-of-28 shooting, nailed 4-of-8 from deep, and went 7-of-8 from the line. He also added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals—classic Kobe performance.
The Lakers shut down the Knicks' rhythm and executed their offense with machine-like precision. As long as they didn't self-destruct, this team was easily one of the most dangerous in the league.
But no one survives every game unscathed. The Western Conference was a warzone this year. The Lakers couldn't afford to slack, not even once, or they'd find themselves in a dogfight for playoff seeding.
As for Lin Yi? He wasn't sulking. He hadn't heard the back-and-forth between Kenny and Barkley. This loss didn't bother him—it was normal. Losing to the Lakers wasn't some big failure. Besides, he was just eight games away from his next upgrade.
At this stage, piling up stats and unlocking new levels was still his top priority.
Lin knew he was close to his current ceiling. Teams across the league were starting to figure him out. He wasn't unguardable —not yet.
But once that silver-level stat upgrade came through, he'd open a whole new chapter. Right now, he was just soaking in game reps, building experience, sharpening both his skill and his awareness.
He knew the future would be his.
After the game, Kobe even came over to him with a grin. "Hey, congrats on the new shoes. I'll be there for the All-Star Dunk Contest—I'm looking forward to your show. Oh, and during the game? I'm gonna guard you myself."
Lin Yi smiled politely, but he wasn't buying it.
Yeah, right. Like you're even showing up in Dallas.
Kobe was too seasoned for that now. He knew better than to chase All-Star MVPs when the real prize was the championship—and the Finals MVP.
...
Later, reporters asked Lin about the Knicks dropping three of their last four games.
He just shrugged. "Even Jordan didn't win every night. That's the beauty of basketball."
One reporter went as far as to call the Knicks a "fake contender."
Lin Yi shot back immediately. "That's not fair at all. If the Knicks are such a team, what does that make the other 12 teams in the East? Tuna?"
Losing wasn't the end of the world. The Knicks weren't falling apart. Even veterans like Harrington said they felt confident just seeing Lin Yi on the floor.
Lin's attitude was infectious—he kept the locker room steady.
And it wasn't hard to see why. Knowing history like he did, Lin Yi could hardly believe how well the Knicks were doing.
His mindset was grounded, and the Knicks embraced that underdog mentality—challengers with nothing to lose.
Because the moment they started overthinking things and carrying too much emotional weight?
That's when the losses would start to pile up.
Lin Yi had become a symbol of hope for his teammates, especially on nights when no one else was playing well.
More importantly, he'd helped bring real change to the Knicks' locker room. Ever since the team traded away Nate Robinson, the most disruptive voice in the room, Lin had naturally stepped into the role of the team's emotional anchor and quiet leader.
And the guys weren't stupid. They all knew what was at stake.
Everyone's numbers were up this season. The better the Knicks performed, the better their market value looked, whether they stayed in New York or moved on to other teams in the future.
Even if this run didn't last forever, putting up good stats on a winning team meant one thing: someone was going to pay.
...
The Knicks' next stretch of games was all at home. After noticing that the team was starting to wear down physically, Coach D'Antoni made a decision—he started rotating in Ewing Jnr and Earl Barron again, two guys who had missed time earlier in the season due to suspension.
They weren't the most naturally gifted, but they were gritty, disciplined, and determined. They knew the season was already more than halfway through, and opportunities were rare. So they doubled down on their training and work ethic.
The result? Unexpected pressure on one Danny Green.
Danny had gotten a chance to shine against the Thunder… but just as quickly, he was back to warming the bench, handing out Gatorade and waving towels like it was his job.
Which, at that point, it kinda was.
Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh.
"Danny, come on, man. You just need to focus on threes and defense. You're from North Carolina! Let Ewing be the towel guy," Lin said, half-joking, half-serious.
He didn't want to see the future man of the Spurs become a glorified cheerleader.
Danny grinned, nodding with determination. "Got it. This summer, I'm going all in—corner threes, wing threes, defense, everything."
He was dead set on earning a spot in the Knicks' rotation the hard way. The right way.
...
Meanwhile, the front office was stirring.
The Knicks were third in the East, and the trade deadline was looming. General Manager Donnie Walsh knew he had to act—or risk looking passive in front of Lin Yi. And with owner James Dolan favoring Lin, Walsh understood the stakes.
But despite a flurry of calls and proposals, Walsh couldn't pull off a deal. After several failed trade attempts, he sent Assistant GM Javier Stanford to quietly gauge Lin Yi's opinion.
Lin, to everyone's surprise, was content with the current roster.
"There's no need to shake things up now," he told Javier. "Let's talk again in the summer."
Lin didn't know if Donnie Walsh would stick around or get replaced—he honestly didn't care much. But one thing was clear: he wouldn't allow the Knicks' front office to make any foolish decisions that could derail their progress.
...
January 24th. The Knicks hosted the Dallas Mavericks at the Garden.
Before the game, Lin pulled Gallinari aside.
"Danilo, seriously. No clubs tonight," he warned.
Gallo raised an eyebrow. "Come on, man. Just a quick one?"
"Nope. I'm dead serious."
In my memory, this game was a disaster.
Lin wasn't joking. He remembered this game clearly. The loss was so humiliating, so painful, that it had etched itself into his mind.
A 50-point blowout. At home.
The Knicks had looked lifeless. Indifferent. Fans in the stands were disgusted. Online forums were ablaze. Even the local press had ripped the team to shreds.
...
Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks were more than ready.
After their pregame shootaround, Dirk and head coach Rick Carlisle sat down to watch some Knicks film together.
"What do you think, Dirk?" Carlisle asked, eyes glued to the screen. "Looks like a new monster's emerging in the league."
Dirk nodded slowly. "Yeah. He's not your typical Euro big, and he's not quite an American big either. He's versatile. Can step outside, post up, run the floor... but the jumper's still a bit inconsistent."
Carlisle chuckled. "Come on, Dirk. When it comes to shooting, you're still the gold standard for big men."
Dirk gave a small smile. He appreciated the compliment, but he knew Rick was just being polite.
Basketball was always evolving.
There was no such thing as "the strongest." Not for long.
After all Father Time is the thief of strength.
...
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