Champion Rules

Chapter 124: A Different Detroit (Seeking monthly votes!)

Tyson Chandler initially thought Amir Johnson was just joking during the interview; he never even dared to dream of being called the best center in the East.

But the next day, when he saw the headline in the sports section of The New York Times, he was completely flustered and nearly dropped his coffee cup.

Why we say Tyson Chandler is the best center in the Eastern Conference.

Chandler: ? ? ?

He stared in disbelief as he repeatedly checked the printed title, confirming that he did not have a reading disorder.

He knew the New York media was wild, but he didn't expect it to be so wild as to be a super shark.

This also allowed him to see another side of the New York media.

Yes, they are demanding, and they don't hold back when criticizing you.

But it also has the ability to praise you to the skies.

At that moment, Tyson Chandler truly understood the meaning of that sentence.

"If you love him, send him to New York, because it's heaven. If you hate him, send him to New York, because it's hell."

The spotlights at Madison Square Garden can either dry out your soul or transform mortals into immortal gods.

The knob that controls the fate of these two extremes is forever in their own hands.

In any case, Tyson Chandler rediscovered himself in the opening game.

This afternoon, when Tyson Chandler arrived at the underground parking lot of the Greenburg training center, he happened to run into Philip Sanders walking towards him from a distance.

Normally, players and coaching staff members have dedicated parking spaces closer to the entrance at the training center and Madison Square Garden.

But Flip Saunders refused the privilege on his first day with the team, telling management, "Leave the best parking spaces for the players and staff. I can lose weight by walking a little more."

So he has to go around most of the parking lot to get to the training center every day.

Upon seeing Chandler park his car, Flip Sanders flashed his most approachable smile: "Good afternoon, the best center in the East."

Tyson Chandler scratched his head sheepishly: "Don't do that, Coach."

"After the first game," Flip Saunders' smile slowly faded, "do you want to go back to the bench?"

Tyson Chandler, recalling his own cowardly past, stared firmly at Flip Saunders: "I'm sorry, Coach, I let you down before. I can feel your enthusiasm, I can feel your concern. I promise, I won't let anyone down this season."

Chandler recalled the scene yesterday where Lynch and he repeatedly surrounded Tim Duncan under the spotlight; the feeling was like the touch of the hem of the goddess of victory's skirt.

He was no longer afraid of anything.

“It’s not about us, Tyson,” Philip Sanders pulled an old Sports Illustrated magazine from his briefcase, the cover featuring Tyson Chandler in high school. “The important thing is not to let yourself down. This magazine is a gift to you to celebrate your first win with the Knicks.”

Tyson Chandler took the magazine, and his younger self looked up through the ink, his youthful face yet to be etched with the furrows of doubt by fate.

He gently touched his own image on the cover, then jogged a couple of steps to catch up with Philip Sanders, who was already walking ahead.

His Chicago Bulls career seemed like a mistake from the very beginning.

He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers, but his agent frantically pulled him out of the bathroom, only to find out that he had been immediately traded to the Bulls.

After reaping the benefits of being arguably the greatest shooting guard in history for so many years, Jerry Krause suddenly and inexplicably began to blindly believe in the inside game, forming the doomed twin towers of Tyson Chandler and Eddie Curry.

This was all a mistake.

Now, following in Flip Saunders' footsteps, Tyson Chandler feels he has finally found the right coach, the right leader, and the right team.

In the following matches, Tyson Chandler continued to perform well.

The New York Knicks also deployed an extremely formidable defense.

In their first five games of the season, they set a new NBA record—limiting their opponents to under 80 points for five consecutive games.

NBA总会出现一些令人难以相信但切实存在的事情，比如，贾马尔.穆雷在2025年季后赛第一轮天王山之战的43分，等于詹姆斯.哈登21年、22年、23年和24年天王山之战的得分总和。

The Knicks' five consecutive games limiting opponents to under 80 points also fall into the category of "unbelievable but real".

In NBA games, even during the dark era of defense, it's not easy to keep the opponent's score below 80.

The Knicks have done this for five consecutive games.

This achievement, which even the Detroit Pistons during their two-peat era could not attain, is now etched on the Wall of Fame at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks became the league's most defensively efficient team, but after just five games, the New York Knicks' weaknesses began to surface this season.

In Game 6, 37-year-old Sam Cassell strained his thigh.

In the eighth game, 35-year-old Eddie Jones twisted his knee.

Halfway through Game 10, the Knicks' injury list already had a third name: Stephon Marbury, suffering from back spasms and expected to miss two games. Marbury had to increase his playing time due to injuries to Eddie Jones and Sam Cassell, but this ironically led to his own injury.

The Knicks players didn't suffer any major injuries, but the numerous absences due to injuries still affected the team's fighting ability.

After a five-game winning streak at the start of the season, the team went 3-2 due to injuries.

Although their overall record of 8 wins and 2 losses is still impressive, the defending champions have exposed some problems.

Compared to their youthful frontcourt, the Knicks' perimeter rotation is too old.

Among the main perimeter rotation players, only Trevor Ariza and Michael Pietrus are under 25 years old.

Injuries are something every team has to go through, especially for the defending champions who have an older average age.

The Knicks proved in their first five games that a fully fit roster is an unparalleled force.

The next five games served as a warning – the Knicks might not be able to maintain a full roster throughout the season.

Despite losing the season's tenth game to the Phoenix Suns with Amar'e Stoudemire back, Lynch maintained a positive attitude at the press conference.

“We faced some difficulties, and we knew from the beginning that defending a title is often more difficult than winning your first. So, there’s nothing to say about it. If you’re hoping to hear discouraging words like ‘I really can’t do anything about injuries’ from me, then I’m sorry, you won’t get your wish.”

A reporter from the Detroit Free Press raised his hand and asked, "In the next game, the team will be missing three key rotation players against the Detroit Pistons, who are also 8-2. Are you confident of winning at the Palace of Auburn Hills? Melo said that the Palace of Auburn Hills this season is a real hell."

Carmelo Anthony has the right to say that, and it's no exaggeration.

Even Joe Dumars probably didn't expect the Detroit Pistons to become so good; it was a classic case of an unexpected stroke of luck.

When he brought in Stephen Jackson and Zach Randolph, the whole world thought the Pistons were sitting on a powder keg.

If you're not careful, your butt will be blown off and stuck to a tree.

However, the Detroit Pistons have put on a strong performance so far in the regular season.

It must be admitted that the Detroit Pistons' defense is not as strong as it was last season.

No team has ever maintained its defensive level after losing a prime Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince.

However, the Pistons' defensive decline wasn't as significant as people imagined, while their offense improved by more than one level.

After Larry Brown left for Cleveland, new head coach Lionel Hollins built a Detroit Pistons team that was equally tenacious on defense and much more flexible on offense.

He cleverly embedded offensive gears into the Pistons' steel structure. They no longer used defense to strangle opponents as they did in the Larry Brown era, but instead transformed into a more lethal double-edged sword.

Most importantly, this Pistons team is more united than last season.

Those who harbored resentment have left, and those who remain are willing to defend the glory of Motor City with their blue-collar spirit. Their 8-2 start to the season surprised everyone; the Detroit Pistons have not collapsed and remain a major challenge for all teams in the league.

The Ironblood Legion never truly fell; instead, they grew even sharper fangs.

Lynch certainly knew how difficult it would be to face the Detroit Pistons with a depleted roster.

He told the Detroit Free Press reporter, "You know, Melo is my brother, an extremely good player. He certainly has the ability to turn the Palace of Auburn Hills into hell, and when I face him, I just want to play a great game."

The reporters were all amazed by Lynch's high emotional intelligence in his remarks.

For a moment, the reporters felt as if they were in Cleveland, and the person on stage was the little emperor whose words were always watertight but had no real meaning.

Lin Qi looked at the reporters' surprised expressions with a smug grin: "Yeah, right! Last season, I celebrated my victory in hell, and I'll do it again this season!"

Facing his arch-rivals who had met in the Eastern Conference Finals for two consecutive seasons, no matter how strong they were, Lynch would never back down!
Beside Lynch, Grant Hill chuckled and spread his hands: "Hey, we have a terrible LeBron James impersonator here."
-
When Stephen Jackson was 16, fate tore open a bloody wound before his eyes.

His half-brother, Donald Buckner, suffered a fractured skull in a street attack, his life frozen at the age of 25 under the harsh white lights of the emergency room.

The survival principle of using violence to combat violence was deeply ingrained in the boy's eyes. He gripped his brother's cold palm and vowed that he would never expose himself, his loved ones, or his friends to danger in this lifetime.

So when he and his teammates faced mortal danger in a nightclub in Indianapolis, he didn't hesitate to draw his gun in self-defense—a survival instinct he had developed since he was 16.

Stephen Jackson believed in America, and America made him rich.

He also believes in American law.

As a result, U.S. law sentenced him to one year of probation, ordered him to pay a $5000 fine, and perform 100 hours of community service.

He became a sinner and was unhesitatingly thrown to Detroit by the Pacers—after losing Ron Artest last season, he was the Pacers' second-most-wanted player to win after Jermaine O'Neal.

He had a clear conscience towards the Pacers, but simply because he protected his own life, he was abandoned by the team and condemned by everyone.

His reputation plummeted to its lowest point. Everyone thought he was a nuisance, a terrifying pink-purple who would pick up a bomb and blow up the locker room. All teams avoided him.

So, at this moment, facing a barrage of cameras from reporters, Stephen Jackson expressed his feelings.

“I never expected a player like Melo to vouch for me. I’m very touched and I want to do my part for his team.”

During media day, Carmelo Anthony assured the nation that Captain Jack Sparrow and Zach Randolph were not the problem, but the answer.

This simple sentence convinced Stephen Jackson to go through fire and water for Motor City.

Zach Randolph nodded in agreement: "I found a sense of honor in Detroit. Kids don't care about my past; they idolize me. Tonight, a kid with Down syndrome was cheering in my number 50 jersey, his smile brighter than the lights on the Auburn Hills Palace. I can be a hero too. This city loves me, and I love this city."

Five minutes earlier, when a reporter asked them "how these transformations happened," Captain Jack Sparrow and Randolph had a lot to say.

This press conference seemed to have become a confession session for Stephen Jackson and Zach Randolph, a window for the two prodigal sons to vent their emotions.

Every change has a reason, and as a man of honor, Stephen Jackson admired Anthony's street style and loyalty.

Zach Randolph had previously spent time in a team with no winning culture and where there were only 17 days a season in which no teammates were taken away by the police.

His teammate Ruben Paterson would even bring a gun to team parties because they were always at risk of serious conflict.

You can't expect Zach Randolph to play well on a team like that.

If he doesn't play well, the fans will hate him.

This made Randolph even more unwilling to fight for them.

Everything started to go into a vicious cycle.

But in Detroit, everything changed.

The players here are united, selfless, and driven to victory.

The fans here don't care if their players are bad kids, because they have too many bad kids in their team history. They'll just point at Randolph and say to the kid, "This is our fighter."

Carmelo Anthony sat between the two, looking pleased.

He felt he had handled everything perfectly, and he felt he was ready for revenge.

It wasn't just because of Randolph and Jackson, but also because Coach Lionel Horace brought the "Grit and Grind" spirit to the team.

He encouraged the team to play disruptive defense by putting intense pressure on the ball handler, and to play with a spirit of unity and rebellion.

Before every match, he would shout: "Everyone thinks we're a garbage dump, screw them, let's fight this world that looks down on us!"

You could call it an imitation of Georgetown University head coach John Thompson, but it really worked.

Carmelo Anthony has rediscovered the form of the 03-04 Pistons; the spirit of that iron-blooded Pistons is awakening.

Everyone gave selflessly, and everyone craved victory. The complacency and greed left over from the consecutive championships have been completely eradicated from the locker room.

Therefore, when a reporter asked him what he thought of Lynch's "I'm celebrating my victory in hell" comment, Cameron Anthony arrogantly raised his chin.

"Let him say whatever he wants now. When he gets to the Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit basketball will make him as quiet as a dead man."

Lynch and the depleted Knicks arrived in Detroit the following afternoon. Sam Cassell, Eddie Jones, and Stephon Marbury had all confirmed they would not play.

But they still stayed with the team, and no matter what, they would go through every battle with their teammates. This is the stubbornness of a warrior.

This is definitely going to be a tough battle; the Detroit Pistons might be even more difficult to deal with than last season.

Lynch was under a lot of pressure. He really didn't want to lose in Detroit, but the difficulty of the team's incomplete roster was a real problem.

Fortunately, Daddario accompanied Lynch this time as well.

She became Lynch's sanctuary where he could confide his stress.

Reporters photographed them going to Belle Isle Park, the Detroit Museum of Art, and the Detroit River together. In the evening, they went to the Fox Theatre and then walked into the hotel together, being affectionate.

Although the reporter was unable to film what happened next, a reporter from the Detroit Free Press swore: "They must have done something pure and noble in the room."

Before the game, Lynch tried to relax as much as possible and not think about the strength of the Detroit Pistons or the current difficulties.

To Detroiters, Lynch was too arrogant and too relaxed.

"Perhaps he had already given up on this game. In LeBron's words, this is just a regular season game. Besides, the Knicks are out of roster, so even if they lose, no one will blame Lynch," Mark Jackson said before the game.

But Bill Walton shook his head: "Lynch is Lynch, and LeBron is LeBron. He doesn't play so that fans won't blame him. Relaxing before the game might help him find his best form."

Bill Walton was right.

During his warm-up today, Lin Qi discovered that his shooting touch was unusually good.

His hands felt like they had been implanted with heating wires; they were burning hot.

He knew that JR Smith's hot streak might have found him, one of the talents he had acquired this summer.

When JR Smith hit the ball, he himself didn't know what position he could use to make the shot.

Just like Lynch didn't know what kind of performance he would deliver today.

But he still told Grant Hill, who started as the playmaker tonight, "Grant, I want to play more off the ball at the start."

"I thought you were going to strangle Melo with your defense right from the start, and then have me guard that fat pig Zach." Since joining the Knicks, Grant Hill's speaking style has gradually become more vulgar.

Lin Qi looked at the melon with a relaxed expression: "No need, I have a hundred ways to strangle him. Let's try a different one tonight."

(End of this chapter)