Champion Rules

Chapter 130, Section 126: You dare compare yourself to me? (Seeking monthly votes!)
"The connection between Stephen and Lynch is a work of art!"

Watching the replay on the giant screen, Hubie Brown was still marveling at the shot he had just made.

For Eddie Jones and Stephon Marbury, time may have rusted their bones and muscles, but their talent, experience, and championship spirit will never fade.

At this moment, the two veterans, though no longer young, radiated a youthful vigor.

Lynch could feel the veterans' determination; they were doing their best not to let their age become a weakness for the team.

It wasn't just the two of them; Sam Cassell was waving a towel, Amir Johnson's roar even drowned out the boos from 20,000 people, and Grant Hill was clapping incessantly on the sidelines—every vein in this team was surging with the same fiery passion, a resonance belonging to the fighters.

The support from his teammates gave Lynch tremendous confidence.

He felt that he could do anything in a team where everyone supported him.

Deron Williams' anger was burning fiercely; these old guys not only refused to surrender, but dared to fight back.

He completely ignored Lynch's warning and continued to organize the attack.

Deron Williams passed the ball to Andrei Kirilenko, who suddenly cut to the basket. Tyson Chandler immediately covered the rim, and AK47 reacted quickly, finding Mehmet Okur who was left open in the mid-range.

But Michael Pietrus quickly rotated in to help, disrupting Okur's jump shot.

"Damn it!" The Turk's hasty shot slammed heavily against the front of the rim; he had thought he had just gotten a wide-open shot.

Defensive attitude is something that spreads like a virus. If one player on a team plays aggressively on defense, the entire team's morale will be boosted. Conversely, if one player slacks off while their teammates are making a desperate defensive run, the team's overall defensive effort will be affected.

Eddie Jones and Stephon Marbury's defensive attitude not only influenced Lynch, but also raised the defensive level of Tyson Chandler and Michael Pietrus tonight.

Deron Williams grumbled in dissatisfaction as Stephon Marbury walked up to him with the ball again.

In this play, Marbury and Lynch ran a pick-and-roll. Deron Williams' overly strong physique became a hindrance, preventing him from easily getting around the screen and allowing Marbury to drive straight into the paint.

Boozer had to switch on defense, but Marbury made a behind-the-back pass that found Lynch at the top of the arc outside the three-point line.

Lynch fired a wide-open shot, and the basketball swished through the net.

Jerry Sloan yelled from the sidelines, "Idiots! Don't switch! Mehmet can protect the rim himself!"

Jerry Sloan believed that Marbury's mid-range pull-up jumper was nothing to fear, and even if he broke through the paint, he couldn't escape Mehmet Okur's ironclad defense; there was absolutely no need for help defense.

Compared to his offense, Carlos Boozer's defense is indeed not very good.

On the one hand, he is not big enough, and on the other hand, his defensive choices and judgments are very problematic.

The point difference has unknowingly reached 8 points, and the Jazz need to stop the bleeding immediately.

But Deron Williams' attack failed once again.

In this play, he used a screen to prepare to drive, but Eddie Jones stuck to Deron's side like a mad dog and stole the ball the moment Deron was about to make a layup.

The ball was intercepted, but Deron Williams reacted quickly and caught it back with both hands.

Eddie Jones did not back down, raising his arms to press close to her.

Deron Williams' assistant pushed Eddie Jones aside and then turned and shot a fadeaway jumper.

In mid-air, Lynch's shadow suddenly loomed over the entire field of vision. Deron's pupils contracted sharply, and he forcibly reversed his shooting motion to a pass, but the hastily thrown ball grazed Boozer's flustered fingertips and flew straight out of bounds.

Another mistake; Deron Williams failed to deliver the dominant performance expected.

The Knicks' defense may not be able to completely shut him down, but it certainly won't let him do whatever he wants.

The throw-in was taken, and Lynch dropped into the low post, ready to overpower Boozer.

This time, AK47 didn't dare to double-team too much. He was somewhat wary of Michael Pietrus's excellent long-range shooting tonight, so he could only switch between help defense and man-to-man defense.

This gave Lynch room to maneuver. The moment he received the ball, he turned towards the center, and Mehmet Okur raised his arms to meet him, joining Boozer in stopping Lynch.

But Lynch turned halfway and then suddenly turned in the opposite direction with agile footwork, avoiding Okur who was double-teaming him, and made a turnaround jump shot despite Boozer's lack of height.

"This is how LeBron imagines himself playing in the low post," Hubie Brown praised.

Lynch continued to score, and the Utah Jazz couldn't contain him at all.

For Chinese fans, it was an extremely exciting night, as Lin Qi vented all the frustration they had felt against Yao Ming in the past.

What trash Carlos Boozer, what trash Mehmet Okur, do they even deserve to be called the nightmare of Chinese players?

The point difference was quickly widened to double digits, and the Jazz's defense looked weak and vulnerable in front of Lynch.

From the moment Eddie Jones and Stephon Marbury brought passion to the game, Lynch didn't think the Jazz could defend him, so he made very decisive moves.

Lin Qi glanced at Delong, his eyes filled with disdain for the rookie.

Deron tried to sound tougher with his words: "They can't stop you, but your old guys can't stop me forever either!"

Lynch didn't answer, but just gave a Tim Duncan-esque smile.

At that moment, Deron Williams recalled what Lynch had just said to him.

"May your soul, like theirs, withstand the trials to come."

The young star point guard gritted his teeth and thought, "Those bastards are testing me."
In the following game, Deron Williams started scoring again.

Eddie Jones is aggressive, but if aggressiveness alone could make up for everything, then Steve Nash should be on the All-Defensive Team.

And as the game progressed, Deron Williams could feel Eddie Jones' breathing becoming increasingly heavy.

"That old bastard's lungs must be about to explode," Deron thought to himself.

In the final two minutes of the first quarter, after Deron Williams easily faked out Eddie Jones, who was unable to move quickly to the side, and made a mid-range jumper, he turned to Lynch and spread his hands: "I can score easily too, Lynch."

As the game entered the second quarter, Deron Williams found himself guarded by Sam Cassell, the man who terrified all the kids in Salt Lake City so much that they turned off their TVs.

Flip Saunders can't use Ariza or Grant Hill to match up against Deron Williams; the speed difference between them is too great. Furthermore, Williams' physique means he won't be at a disadvantage in physical duels even against small forwards.

To deal with him, we need to use a defender.

Cassell's defense wasn't any better than Eddie Jones', and he also allowed Deron Williams to score a lot of points.

But there's one thing Cassell does just as well as Eddie Jones: no matter how many times he fails, his ugly face will always appear before Deron Williams.

As the game progressed, the point difference gradually widened.

The Knicks' aging backcourt's relentless defense was driving him crazy. No matter how he scored, those damn guys would come back with full force for the next possession. If one faltered, they'd just switch to another and keep Deron Williams glued to the court.

This prevented Deron Williams from truly dominating the offense, as he always encountered resistance on offense.

In contrast, Lynch's scoring became increasingly easier.

Because Carlos Boozer's mentality had already begun to break down.

Lynch's tight defense left Boozer with little offensive impact tonight. His signature fast break was completely shut down, and his speed and agility were no match for Lynch.

And each time he failed to score, Lynch continued to frustrate him on the defensive end. In the sixth minute of the third quarter, a confident Lynch continued to operate in the low post.

Carlos Boozer was fed up with being outmaneuvered by Lynch in the low post. The biggest difference between Lynch and Yao Ming in the low post was their agility. Yao Ming, who had gained too much weight, no longer had any agile footwork in the low post, relying purely on strength and height. However, this clumsy strength was ineffective against the Jazz's double-teaming.

Lynch is different; he's not as strong as Yao Ming, but he's more than capable of dealing with Boozer.

At the same time, he also has agile footwork that Yao Ming does not possess, and he can always find scoring gaps in double teams, either with a hook shot or a brilliant pass, tearing apart the Jazz's carefully arranged defense and always leaving Carlos Boozer spinning around.

In this round, Lynch received the ball with his back to goal on the right side of the penalty area, and then immediately broke through with his back to goal along the baseline, not giving AK47 a chance to double-team him.

Enraged, Boozer was powerless to stop the back turn and breakthrough, so he deliberately rammed into Lynch, knocking him out of bounds.

Lynch jumped before his foot went out of bounds, and the referee had already blown the whistle. Logically, he should have just calmly taken his free throw.

But Lynch confidently aimed at the basket and launched the ball behind the backboard. The basketball sailed over the top of the backboard and miraculously swished through the net!
"And one! Lynch practically tore Carlos to pieces!" Hubie Brown shook his head, while Carlos Boozer began to complain to the referee.

"Are you blind? I didn't push anyone!"

The referee simply gestured for him to shut up and replied coldly, "I will make my own judgment."

Lynch stepped to the free-throw line, and the boos pouring down from the steep stands of the Energy Solutions Arena did not affect the King of New York in the slightest. His free throws were as consistent as Steven Adams' in the 2025 semi-final playoffs—although the latter consistently made 1 of 2 free throws.

The Jazz made the free throw, bringing them within 15 points.

Jerry Sloan, unable to contain himself any longer, paused the game, not because of the huge point difference, but because of Boozer's completely avoidable foul.

"Carlos, your foolish defense has brought shame upon us! Look at you, so pathetic! If you defend with this kind of negative attitude, you'll lose games you could win!"

Boozer is different from Deron Williams; he has more respect for the veteran coach Sloan, so he doesn't intend to contradict Sloan.

But he still said to himself, "What can I do? I just can't stop him! I simply can't! He's a monster!"

This statement signifies the complete collapse of Carlos Boozer's psychological defenses.

This also thoroughly enraged Jerry Sloan.

He wouldn't allow any of his tough players to have such weak thoughts.

In a fit of anger, Sloan benched Boozer and replaced him with a rookie, Paul Millsap, who had been favored by Sam Presti.

Sloan's demands on Millsap were simple: "Play like a man!"

Deron Williams sat silently on the edge of the bench, oblivious to the fact that his nails were digging deep into his palms.

The glaring 15-point deficit on the scoreboard was like a heavy hammer, shattering his pre-game arrogance.

Before the game, he believed that his Jazz team was already a top team in the league and was fully capable of competing with the Knicks.

He thought he could easily dominate the Knicks' aging backcourt.

But the huge gap at this point dealt a heavy blow to his confidence.

Deron Williams was completely unable to dominate the Knicks' backcourt, while Lynch was able to score at will against the Jazz.

Unbeknownst to Delong, even worse news was just around the corner.

On the first possession after the Jazz timeout, Deron Williams blew past Sam Cassell and prepared for a pull-up jumper.

Sam Cassell's knee was nearly torn apart when Deron Williams changed direction, but just as Williams pulled up for his jump shot—

"boom!"

The basketball was slapped out of bounds by Lin Qi.

Jerry Sloan's decision to replace Carlos Boozer unleashed Lynch's potential in help defense.

He could finally stop playing cat and mouse with that damn bald guy.

Paul Millsap's biggest selling point in his rookie season is his defense, but he has almost no scoring ability. Lynch can let him go without worry.

Finally, after that Duncan-esque smile, Lynch spoke to Deron Williams: "You stupid rookie, you think you can compare to me?"

That tone, that disdainful look, that nonchalant demeanor, and the huge point difference at that moment made Deron Williams feel as insignificant as a wild dog in front of a lion.

The game continued, and Sam Cassell, who had just been faked out, continued to cause trouble for Deron Williams on the defensive end, putting constant pressure on him, like a monster who didn't feel pain.

Cassel opened his mouth, revealing sharp teeth, which made his face look even more terrifying.

"Keep going, newbie! Even if I become a dead dog, I'll still leave my teeth marks on you! Let me taste what the blood flowing in your veins tastes like!"

Deron Williams panicked; he felt that the group of guys in front of him was simply invincible.

Like the tyrant in the Resident Evil game, no matter how much ammunition you throw at it, it will relentlessly pursue you.

And the guy behind them is someone he can't challenge right now.

"Attack! Attack!" Jerry Sloan's roar came from the bench, and Deron Williams realized that he had been standing still outside the three-point line for a full seven seconds.

Deron Williams called for a pick-and-roll, and the moment Lynch switched onto the defense, he lost the courage to challenge for last season's Finals MVP and passed the ball to Paul Millsap.

His soul was completely unprepared to be tested.

Millsap drove to the basket, but was blocked by Lynch just as he was about to dunk.

Deron Williams retreated helplessly on defense, and Lynch received the ball at the right corner of the three-point line. He faked a shot and then drove past the inexperienced Millsap.

AK47 and Mehmet Okur immediately retreated, but Lynch did not slow down. The confidence his teammates instilled in him was overflowing at this moment, and he firmly believed that he could do anything.

Driven by an intense desire to destroy, Lin Qi jumped directly towards the two men, retrieved the basketball in mid-air, and extended it through the gap between their bodies to score a layup!
"Lynch has broken down the Jazz's collapse in an incredible way! A 17-point deficit! Charles said tonight isn't a good time for the veterans to return. No, there's no better time than tonight!" Hubie Brown shouted, pumping his fist, while the Jazz players were already dejected.

After scoring, Lynch gave Deron Williams a friendly smile and said, "Rookie, are you alright?"

His soul was utterly shattered.

In the following games, Deron Williams' efficiency declined under the Knicks' tough defense, while Lynch dominated the game.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the game entered garbage time.

Ultimately, the New York Knicks easily defeated the Western Conference-leading Jazz 106-81, and the close game predicted by the media did not materialize.

林奇全场35分13个篮板7次助攻3次封盖2次抢断，他完全统治全场。

Deron Williams scored 22 points and had 7 assists, but his field goal percentage was only 38%, and he was powerless to help the game.
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I feel fantastic. Their return solves the team's rotation problem, and this is our complete team. — Flip Saunders commenting on tonight's big win.

Don't want physical contact? Then go play tennis. — Eddie Jones' answer to the question, "Dronn complained that the contact you gave him was practically a foul."

Yes, we let that kid score a lot of points, but we weren't trampled by him! This season, no one can trample on us! We won't be the ones holding Lynch back! —Stephen Marbury on his performance tonight.

The Utah Jazz are like a latte, more foam than substance. — Lynch's assessment of the top Western Jazz.

Their enthusiasm energized me and made me feel invincible. It made me think, "Damn, with them supporting me, how could I possibly lose? I'm confident I can defend my title, I'm confident I can beat anyone." — Lynch on the impact of his returning teammates on the team.

(End of this chapter)