This time, Steph really caught heat.
When Lin Yi exploded onto the scene as a rookie, plenty of former players lined up to question him, too, but as Lin Yi's achievements accumulated, many of them started to seriously consider the consequences before criticizing him.
Plus, after a few of them got roasted by millions of fans, they learned to choose their words more carefully.
Public opinion has a long memory.
Lin Yi understood something most people ignored. A lot of retired players did not earn today's contracts. Media appearances and strong takes kept them relevant. Controversy paid the bills. When Michael Jordan first entered the league, critics circled him as well. That cycle never changes.
And it was not unique to basketball. In soccer, debates about Messi and Maradona still split fans down the middle. Nostalgia always has a loud voice.
So Lin Yi told Curry.
"Stephen, take a breath," he said evenly. "You're a starting All-Star guard in the West. That part is real. The rest is just noise."
Curry let out a quiet laugh. "Doesn't feel like noise when everyone's tagging you."
"It will pass," Lin replied. "Just don't go chasing every comment section like Durant."
This drew a laugh from both of them.
That part was important. Lin never understood why Kevin Durant would jump onto alternate accounts to argue with strangers online. From Lin's perspective, it only diminished the aura.
Arguing with trolls was a losing game. They spent two seconds typing something reckless. If you respond, you give it weight.
Jordan had dealt with this differently. During his peak years, streetball players constantly tried to challenge him. He declined every time.
People asked if he was avoiding competition. He explained it simply. "If I beat you, that's expected. If I slip once and lose, you're famous. And there will always be another challenger."
It was about protecting value. There was only one of him. He could not be everywhere at once.
Under Lin Yi's steady tone, Curry relaxed. Years ago, he had wondered how Lin handled constant criticism. Now he was starting to understand. The higher you climb, the more divided the crowd becomes.
For every fan cheering, another waits for you to stumble. Kobe's career proved that in real time. Miss enough big shots, and people forget how many you made.
Lin also remembered how brutal the conversation had been during Curry's unanimous MVP season in the original timeline. Several all-time greats publicly argued that he did not deserve it. Some claimed he would never survive in the 1990s.
That argument always sounded neat on the surface. The league was more physical then.
But here was the flaw. Michael Jordan did not score over thirty thousand points solely by soaring to the rim. His mid-range pull-up, his fadeaway, his footwork in the post, those were the real weapons. Athleticism opened the door. Skill closed it.
Shooting travels across eras. It always has.
If pure shooting could not survive physical defense, then Larry Bird would have struggled, too, which clearly was not the case.
Some people even argued that players in the past avoided three-pointers because of hand-checking.
That take sounded confident, but it skipped history. The three-point line did not even originate in the NBA. It began in the ABA, and when the leagues merged, the NBA adopted it cautiously. Coaches were skeptical at first.
Think about it this way. If the league suddenly introduced a four-point line tomorrow, would every coach immediately redesign the offense around it? Of course not. It would take time, experimentation, and the right personnel.
When the NBA temporarily shortened the three-point line in the 1990s, even Michael Jordan increased his attempts from deep. The environment matters. Strategy adapts.
The game evolves in stages. That is what some critics refuse to see. They talk as if eras exist in isolation, as if skill development freezes in time.
Future shooters are not operating in a vacuum. They train against better scouting, faster closeouts, and more complex schemes.
Look at the shots J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving take. Many of them are tightly contested, off movement, off balance.
Hand checking certainly influenced perimeter play. No one denies that. But it affected slashers even more. Once the league emphasized no hand-checking, driving lanes opened up. Penetration became cleaner.
So could Curry have survived in the 1990s?
Lin Yi never claimed to know. But the debate usually runs one way. Few people ask what would happen if Shaquille O'Neal played in an era without offensive three seconds and defensive three seconds.
Picture that for a moment. Space cleared out. No zone restrictions. A young Shaq posting up against thinner centers who weighed far less than modern big men. That would not have been gentle basketball.
Sometimes the debate was less about basketball and more about identity. Older generations are protecting their era. Younger fans defending theirs.
It all boiled down to it being a dick-measuring competition.
"Just keep playing," Lin said. "When you win, it quiets things down. Not forever, but long enough."
Curry exhaled. "Alright. I'll let the game talk."
"That's the only response that lasts," Lin replied.
After talking Curry through the noise, Lin Yi shifted back to work. On the 17th and the 21st, the Knicks beat the Nets and the Pistons, one at home, one on the road.
Klay and Tyson Chandler were on a roll after earning All-Star reserve spots. Klay dropped over thirty in back-to-back games. Tyson followed with two straight double-doubles, even with him anchoring the paint.
Lin Yi almost felt sidelined by his own teammates' momentum.
Still, he was not frustrated. The real issue was minutes. He often sat for longer stretches while the team handled business. Hard to pile up numbers when you are watching from the bench.
. . .
On the 22nd, during an off day, he knocked on D'Antoni's office door.
"You've got something on your mind," D'Antoni said, leaning back.
"I do," Lin replied calmly. "I want to play the full first three quarters consistently."
D'Antoni raised an eyebrow. "All three?"
"Yes. My goal is a third straight MVP. To do that, I need the scoring title. I'm aiming at 37.1."
He did not dress it up. It was about numbers.
D'Antoni studied him for a moment. Honesty made the conversation easier. "You're sure your legs can handle that?"
"I'll manage," Lin said. "I've prepared for it."
The coach nodded slowly. "Here's what we'll do. You play heavy minutes in the first three. If the game's tight, you start the fourth for a few minutes. If it's a blowout, we adjust early. No garbage time stat chasing. We keep it clean."
That was D'Antoni's strength. He understood optics as well as tactics.
Lin's average sat at 34.6. Within reach. The difference between impressive and historic often came down to small adjustments in rotation.
In a league that measured greatness through numbers, production mattered.
Somewhere else in the league office, preparations for the Houston All-Star Game were moving smoothly. David Stern was looking ahead, thinking about milestones and legacies.
He did not yet realize that another shift in the balance of the league was quietly building momentum.
. . .
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