Champion Rules

Chapter 126, Section 122: I love listening to them discuss "Why we can't stop that Chinese guy" (Seeking monthly votes!)

The impact of superstars often becomes apparent during the team's most challenging moments.

When the team's tactical gears break down.

When the team's roster is depleted and like a candle flickering in the wind.

When the point difference is as insurmountable as an insurmountable chasm.

Those kings adorned with stars will tear off their team-first facade and use their devastating individual performances to declare to the world—take a good look at whose alliance this is.

In Bill Walton's view, tonight is a night where Lynch can create something great.

He was all too familiar with the atmosphere at this moment.

At the age of 28, Bill Walton overcame his stutter with the help of legendary broadcaster Marty Glickman, laying the foundation for his future career as a commentator. He made his debut as a basketball commentator on CBS during the 1990 NBA Finals. It was a star-studded era, an era of "one-man dynasties."

In that era, he witnessed too many of MJ's amazing performances.

At the end of December 1992, after several slumps and doubts, he scored 57 points in 37 minutes on the Washington Bullet, telling the world that he still dominated the place.

On January 16, 1993, facing the red-hot Shaquille O'Neal, MJ scored 64 points in a single game, showing the young Shaq who the master of the court was.

On March 28, 1995, he officially announced his return from baseball with a 55-point performance against the Knicks.

Michael Jordan created too many similar slaughtering moments in the 90s, and most of them had one thing in common: MJ had a strong desire to score at the beginning of the game and showed a good form.

Just like Lynch today.

He, who has always played a team-oriented style, took the first four shots of the game, transforming into a destroyer wielding a flaming longsword.

In that last attack, even when facing a five-man siege from the Pistons, Lynch resolutely chose to score himself.

Tonight, Lynch is like a woman constantly teasing your trouser leg with her toes; you can't help but feel that desire.

His form fueled his scoring desire, and the Knicks' depleted roster desperately needed Lynch to step up.
All of this is sending a signal of destruction.

Therefore, Bill Walton predicted that Lynch would ruin this place.

The Pistons were called off, and Tyson Chandler and Grant Hill pulled Lynch up from the floor, their palms touching, conveying a burning fighting spirit.

While trailing 4-9 isn't a serious situation, Lionel Hollins is worried about Lynch's performance. The game has only just begun, and Lynch is already playing like a madman; this is definitely not a positive sign.

"Melo!" Hollins slammed his hand on the whiteboard, pulling Anthony's attention away from the scoreboard. "You maintained that intensity just now, keep wearing him down! Remember, the key isn't whether he scores, but whether our defense can hold up! When he's shooting until his arms are numb, his legs feel like lead, when this bastard is still trying to solve problems with isolation plays in the third quarter, victory will tilt in our favor! Never give up, guys! Never give up!"

On the other side, before the timeout, Mike Malone suggested to Philip Sanders that Lynch should have more shot attempts.

“I know you don’t like extreme strategies, but we can’t waste Lynch tonight. I feel like he can score 50 points and give those Detroit bastards a good beating! Let him take over the game, Phil, this is Lynch night!”

As a head coach with overall control, Flip Saunders did not immediately agree with his assistant coach: "Mike, I know what to do. Just listen to me from now on, OK?"

Then, during the timeout, he told everyone, "Listen, give Lynch a tough screen! Make the Detroiters go through a maze they can't navigate! Lynch, I'm giving you free rein to fire today."

Mike Malone:
The game continued, and the Pistons stopped the bleeding with a 2-pointer from Billups' layup, making it 6-9.

One possession later, Lynch missed his first jump shot of the night. Billups initiated a fast break, assisting Hamilton for a layup.

At 8-9, the Pistons immediately narrowed the gap to just one point after a timeout, and their comeback attempt grew stronger.

But at this critical juncture, Lynch's jump shot was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the ever-growing flames.

After Carmelo Anthony's chase-down defense of the off-ball movement failed, Richard Hamilton immediately switched onto him.

His timing for switching defense was excellent, but his height limited him and he couldn't provide Lynch with enough effective interference, only able to watch the basketball arc through the air.

"Shh!"

The despairing sounds echoed once again in the Palace of Auburn Hills, instantly freezing the passion that had just begun to boil in the arena.

This is the second time Lynch has left Detroit fans feeling hopeless.

The first time was a few months ago in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when Lynch personally guarded Carmelo Anthony in the second half and shut out the offensive genius.

Tonight, the feeling of despair is even stronger.

Faced with Lynch's impenetrable defense, Pistons fans always looked forward to Anthony's next offensive play, their hearts always burning with the desire to fight back.

Faced with Lynch's incredibly accurate jump shot, all Pistons fans had only one thought: "Damn it, we've already done this much, how can we defend against it?"

This sense of despair never dissipated in the first quarter of the game.

With each shot piercing the net, Lynch scored 18 points in the quarter, leading the depleted Knicks to a 6-point lead.

"A great first quarter! Can Lynch keep this up?" Mark Jackson looked at the stunned Pistons fans around him. Their star player called this place hell, and it was indeed hell, but not necessarily the Knicks' hell.

Lionel Hollins wasn't intimidated by Lynch's excellent performance. He called on Stephen Jackson: "You play power forward in the second quarter, and Zach plays five. Stephen, I don't want to see him score anymore. I want to see that guy feel the most intense resistance in the entire league every time he gets the ball!"

Stephen Jackson yanked the wristband up to his elbow: "Don't worry about Melo, that guy's just a fake gangster!"

He vowed not to let his friend lose this feud.

At the start of the second quarter, Stephen Jackson closely guarded Lynch, his left hand sweeping like a steel claw along the dribbling trajectory, while his right elbow pressed precisely against the hollow of Lynch's ribs.

His defense is very tough, and because he has plenty of stamina, he is full of energy.

"I heard you like watching 'The Godfather'?" Stephen Jackson suddenly grinned coldly during a break in the confrontation. "Stop indulging in your fake gangster fantasies; you're about to be strangled by the real gangsters."

Lynch didn't respond to Stephen Jackson, but instead looked at Pistons head coach Lionel Hollins on the sidelines: "You have a lot of cards, but they're all useless."

Stephen Jackson's defense against shooting power forwards was always highly effective. Historically, the Warriors' upset of the Mavericks in 2007 was largely due to Jackson's defense against Dirk Nowitzki.

But Lynch isn't Dirk Nowitzki; he's not averse to physical contact at all.

Stephen Jackson may have a tough style of play, but he weighs less than Carmelo Anthony.

After Lynch switched to a back-to-the-basket position, his opponent was helpless against Lynch's drives to the basket.

Once the distance was right, Lynch quickly turned his back, his strong body completely separating him from Stephen Jackson.

Facing Zach Randolph guarding the basket, Lynch didn't hesitate to go straight for a layup and scored amidst the contact.

"20 points in a single game! The second quarter has just begun, and Lynch has already scored 20 points! Stephen Jackson also seems helpless against tonight's King of New York. The Pistons have already switched to half of their team to defend him, but it's still ineffective!"

Mark Jackson is completely caught up in the frenzy, and it seems Lynch's touch hasn't faded during the break. He can expect a great performance tonight.

Stephen Jackson had only defended for one possession when Lionel Hollins changed his defensive strategy.

He made several hand gestures, like a conductor's baton suddenly changing its tune, meaning to release the target but not the sudden attack.

He abandoned the habit of close-quarters combat because it made it too easy for Lynch to break through.

He'd rather gamble on Lynch's jump shot touch than have Lynch continue attacking the basket.

With such intense competition, that kid's touch will probably be affected to some extent, right?

As it turned out, it had absolutely no effect.

Lynch's jump shot remained accurate, and in the blink of an eye, he sank two balls over Stephen Jackson's head.

Lynch was on fire tonight, his best game of the season so far, and Anthony unfortunately ran into the line of fire.

Bill Walton laughed, "It feels like he's hoarded a whole bunch of (skills) and is saving them all for his old flame, Carmelo Anthony."

The old man was unaware that his words could easily lead to certain associations.

Mark Jackson, standing next to him, had already made the connection and retorted, "No, he didn't save any. He was on a date with Alexandra Daddario yesterday! Damn, this guy was busy having fun with his girlfriend in Detroit yesterday, as if to make today's game fairer!"

Lynch has been praised to the skies by the two commentators today. Considering he has already scored 26 points before halftime, he completely deserves such praise.

Mike Malone was the only guy more agitated than Lynch himself. He stared at Stephen Jackson, who had a furrowed brow, and deliberately shouted, "What else can you do, Stephen? What else can you do? Are you going to pull out your gun, buddy? Pull out your gun! Where's that 9mm pistol on your hip? Pull it out! That's all you can do, that's all you can rely on to save your life!"

Stephen Jackson swore that if he were actually on the street right now, he would have a gun to that damned teaching assistant's head!
But Mike Malone's sharp sarcasm really stung Stephen Jackson's nerves like a poisonous thorn, causing bloodshot veins to rise in the eyes of the famously aggressive swingman.

In the next possession, he fouled Lynch unnecessarily, giving Lynch two free throws.

Tyson Chandler appeared almost instantly next to Lynch and grabbed Stephen Jackson by the collar.

Zach Randolph charged toward Tyson Chandler like a tank, but was knocked aside by Nazir Muhammad midway.

The scene was chaotic, but fortunately the conflict was quickly quelled.

Both sides have a strong desire to win tonight, and rather than having a fight and then ending it hastily, they both want to actually defeat their opponent.

Lynch made both free throws, but his eyes never left Stephen Jackson; he didn't even look at the basket.

The King of New York had already scored 28 points, and a huge sense of frustration hung over Carmelo Anthony.

He never imagined that his Pistons would struggle so much against the depleted Knicks.

He had expected tonight to be a massacre, and he thought he could shatter Lynch's damn pride.

But Lin Qi managed to make up for the deficiencies in the lineup with incredible individual firepower.

Anthony deliberately shouted the slogan "an eye for an eye" during the pre-game pep talk, but at this moment, his behavior made him look like a clown.

He was reluctant to admit it, but he felt the gap between himself and Lynch was widening. Lynch's scoring spree came to an abrupt end after those two free throws. Not because he was being defended, but because he was substituted by Flip Saunders.

He decided to give Lynch a break for a while and then put on a strong performance in the second half.

Lynch didn't return until the last two minutes of the second quarter, by which time Carmelo Anthony had already taken the lead and put his team ahead by two points. This was the dawn that the Detroit team had been waiting for for the entire second half.

But their glimmer of hope vanished the moment Lynch entered the game, as his three-pointer wiped out the Pistons' lead.

With 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in the first half, Lynch's Knicks led by 1 point going into the second half.

Lionel Hollins gave a halftime interview, but he was clearly not in the mood.

"How would you rate Lynch tonight? There's nothing to say. Like Melo, he scored less than 40 points in the first half!"

这就好像是系列赛1比3落后的球队告诉系列赛3比1领先的球队，我们都是3比1一样幽默。

Of course, Hollins had no intention of showing off his sense of humor; he was more expressing his helplessness.

He was out of options, so he could only ask his assistant coach to contact the staff at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

"Make them turn down the damn air conditioning in the away team's locker room!"

In the locker room, Lin Qi was tilting his head back and chugging Gatorade.

Stephon Marbury furiously pounded on the locker at the Palace of Auburn Hills: "What the hell is wrong with the air conditioning?! Get Lynch a hot towel, give him a hot towel, cover his hands! Damn it, don't let this feeling dissipate!"

Amir Johnson leaned against the massage bed with a mischievous grin: "I think we should call that New York actress over; she has something to warm up the boss's hands."

Mike Malone is cursing Lionel Hollins's ancestors; he's convinced that the guy who ordered the air conditioning tampered with was the one who did it.

Lynch ignored them; he knew his hot streak wouldn't last 48 minutes. This mysterious feeling of being in the game was unpredictable, coming and going as it pleased.

Even JR Smith himself couldn't be accurate for 48 minutes.

Therefore, he must continue to attack while his form has not yet faded.

"Philip, I don't want to rest in the second half. Let me play the whole game," Lynch suggested.

"That's enough, Lynch. I decide the rotations, so listen to my instructions, OK? Be prepared to play the whole second half!"

Lynch:
Flip Saunders is a smart man; he always manages to maintain his authority as head coach without offending anyone.

But in fact, Philip Sanders did have a plan to let Lynch play more in the second half, otherwise he wouldn't have substituted Lynch out early in the second quarter.

The second half continued, and everything was the same as before.

Lynch's jump shot was incredibly accurate; he fired wildly before the heat of his touch faded from his fingertips.

Throughout his two-plus seasons in the professional league, Lynch has encountered numerous opponents on hot nights. And now, that privilege has finally fallen on him.

Hollins cursed and swore, proving that the damned air conditioning strategy was completely useless.

However, the Knicks' problems also began to surface, as their perimeter rotation depth was insufficient and the perimeter players' physical condition declined very quickly.

They are gradually losing their vitality on both offense and defense.

This gave the Detroit Pistons a chance to keep the score close.

Billups steals the ball from a visibly fatigued Grant Hill, and Hamilton, cutting inside under screens, further drains the Knicks' dwindling perimeter energy.

But for Detroit fans, it felt like a more deliberate form of torture: they always seemed poised to overtake the Detroit team with a little effort, but no matter how hard they tried, Lynch would always kick them off the verge of success.

Lynch scored 17 points in the first quarter, and had already racked up 48 points by the end of the third quarter!
However, in the fourth quarter, Lynch's first three jump shots all missed the basket.

Lynch knew he could no longer rely on shooting.

Lionel Hollins pumped his fist on the sidelines, and the players' tough defense throughout the game finally paid off!

But Lynch's influence on the offensive end has not diminished.

He assisted Tyson Chandler with a pass.

He continued to accumulate points with second-chance opportunities.

He used low footwork to cut through the steel defenses.

Lynch's hot shooting simply made it easier for him to score, but he was never the kind of player who relied on jump shots.

Even if his jump shot goes bad, he still has other ways to continue attacking.

With 63 seconds left in the game, Lynch received the ball beyond the three-point line. Although he didn't score a jump shot throughout the fourth quarter, the entire Pistons team was incredibly tense. Zach Randolph ignored Tyson Chandler, who was blocking his way, and tried to break through the screen to interfere with Lynch.

Yes, Randolph was getting anxious. The Pistons were down by 5 points, and if Lynch hit a three-pointer, all their efforts would be in vain.

He dared not gamble that Lynch would miss; Lynch's offense tonight had already terrified him.

The result of Zach Randolph forcing his way through the screen was that he grabbed Tyson Chandler, who instinctively spread his arms to maintain his balance upon impact. The referee blew the whistle, Zach Randolph committed a defensive foul, and possession of the ball remained with the Knicks.

"A Titanic-style pick and roll!" Mark Jackson joked about Randolph and Tyson Chandler's play.

He was relaxed and was already joking with the fans because he felt the tense game was just an illusion.

Lynch won't give the Detroit Pistons a chance.

He has already scored 57 points, breaking his career high. He did all this not to break records, but simply to beat the Detroit Pistons and Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks' incomplete roster only intensified Lynch's desire to win here.

Bill Walton was not surprised by Lynch's score; he had predicted long ago that Lynch would ruin the place.

Zach Randolph kicked the scorer's table in frustration, but no Detroit fans laughed at his earlier antics with Tyson Chandler.

At least at this crucial moment, Zach Randolph still wanted to win; at least he just showed the fighting spirit a man should have.

At least in this crucial moment, he didn't fake a fall and lie motionless after colliding with someone to gain the referee's sympathy.

The Knicks are about to inbound the ball, and Carmelo Anthony is on high alert. His stats tonight are decent: 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, though still insignificant compared to Lynch's.

He had to accept the fact that he was always outmatched by Lynch in terms of personal statistics, but at least he could console himself with victories.

The throw-in was restarted, and Lynch intended to receive the ball in the low post, but Carmelo Anthony's aggressive fronting made Grant Hill hesitant to make any rash moves.

He dribbled the ball while pressing down with one hand, signaling everyone not to rush.

Lynch switched to off-ball offense, but his stamina was severely depleted, making it difficult for him to make quick runs.

The Detroit Pistons delivered their best defense of the night, with Michael Pietrus forcing a long-range shot under Hamilton's pressure with only 6 seconds left on the shot clock.

The basketball bounced off the rim, and Zach Randolph prepared to fight for the rebound, but Lynch pushed him aside first. The King of New York had anticipated the rebound position long ago!

Before Randolph could react, Lynch had already jumped into the air and lightly tapped the basketball with his fingertip.

"Damn it!" Randolph yelled as Lynch lost his balance in mid-air and fell due to the intense struggle, but the basketball was bounced back into the hoop.

"Dudududu!"

“And one!!!” Mark Jackson roared.

Zach Randolph spread his hands, but of course, it was a completely different thing from Lynch's hand-spreading gesture in the first half.

"I didn't even touch him!" Randolph roared as he chased after the referee.

“Stay away from me, Zach, don’t make me give you a technical foul. You can say you didn’t do it on purpose, but don’t say you didn’t touch him.”

"Give it to me! Damn it, I just couldn't touch it!"

"Zach, calm down." Anthony patted Randolph on the shoulder, and the big black bear calmed down a bit.

He knew he couldn't criticize the referee anymore, but his anger was too much to bear, so he started cursing Lynch.

"Damn Chinese, damn it! What the hell!"

"You fat pig, watch your mouth." Tyson Chandler got into another verbal altercation with a Pistons player.

"That damn guy!" Stephen Jackson deliberately joined in the cursing, supporting Randolph.

The two sides were on the verge of conflict, but Lynch's words rendered the Pistons players' insults ineffective.

“Don’t be angry, Tyson. I love listening to them have heated discussions about ‘why we can’t stop that damn Chinese guy.’”

This sentence ended all the arguments, leaving all the Pistons players humiliated and speechless.

The court suddenly fell silent, and Lynch calmly made the free throw.

60 points, a new career high.

Bill Walton shrugged.

"Lynch, like MJ, let Melo know whose alliance this is now."

(Thanks to the generous donors XiangfengzongzaiLibieshi, Tiancangren, Linyu, Book Friend 20220501182750769, Aba Aba www, and others for their generous donations.)

(End of this chapter)