Champion Rules

Chapter 139, Section 135: As you wish, Chuck, I will answer your prayers (Seeking monthly votes!)
Chuck Hayes's mocking smile began to fade.

This short, stocky center, who was never afraid of anything, stopped provoking him.

He knew Yao Ming's personality; the Eastern giant wasn't the kind of guy who liked to take things too seriously.

So when he tells you to shut up, you'd better actually shut up.

He stepped back to Yao Ming's side and asked in a low voice, "Yao, is something wrong?"

Yao Ming remained serious: "You just need to know that I'm protecting your dignity."

In the broadcast booth, Kevin Harlan's commentary suddenly rose in volume:

"Michael was benched, and he's the Knicks' most important wing player this season. But after the argument, he was immediately substituted. Was this normal rotation or was Michael being benched? Will the guy who gave Dirk Nowitzki a hard time in last season's Finals be completely sidelined?"

Kevin Harlan's question is also everyone's question: people don't know if the Knicks will bench Pietrus because of this argument.

The live broadcast camera suddenly cut to the substitutes' bench, focusing on Michael Pietrus, who looked anxious, angry, and nervous.

He knew that countless cameras were pointed at him at that moment.

He knew he was now the center of attention.

He tried to act nonchalant, but like all men who try to appear nonchalant as they walk past bikini-clad women, his unnatural gaze betrayed him.

A commotion erupted in the stands; Houston fans love a good spectacle. Season ticket holders in the front rows raised their phones and cameras, shouting "DNP! DNP! DNP!" at Pietrus.

Mike Malone's face turned completely liver-colored. He was already annoyed by the Frenchman's disturbance, and the Houston fans' deliberate addition to the flames only made him more agitated.

This damn away game is more than just a match; it's a test of the team's cohesion and a touchstone for examining the defending champions' mental resilience.

When the cracks in the locker room are magnified by the spotlight, and when the team's chemistry faces a crisis of collapse, the Knicks, this newly crowned warship, is sailing in dangerous waters full of reefs.

The other protagonist in the camera's focus, Trevor Ariza, seemed completely unaffected by the atmosphere. He calmly tightened his shoelaces and stepped onto the court.

After coming on, he didn't comment on the incident. This forward/guard who joined the team in 2004, the same year as Lynch, simply tucked his jersey into his shorts, walked towards the team leader, and said as concisely as a tempered steel blade: "I will do my best to lock him down."

There were no superfluous words, no false promises.

Lin Qi didn't say much either; a restrained nod was worth a thousand words.

Trevor Ariza worked with Lynch throughout his career, and their trust was so deep that it didn't need words to explain it.

The game continues, and the Knicks are on offense.

The Rockets have narrowed the gap to just one point thanks to Michael Pietrus's earlier slack.

Lynch needs to score immediately to break the Rockets' momentum.

But as soon as he received the basketball, he was double-teamed by Hayes and Battier.

Michael Pietrus's continued starting position is not actually due to his defense.

Trevor Ariza's defensive skills are second to none, but his long-range shooting consistency is not as good as the Frenchman's.

Michael Pietrus has always been the team's first choice for starting small forward due to offensive spacing considerations.

No matter what tactics are used or how the formation is changed, he always occupies a starting position without fail.

It was Michael Pietrus's presence that made the Knicks' opponents wary of their multi-dimensional offense and dare not double-team Lynch without restraint.

So after he was substituted, the Rockets immediately double-teamed Lynch, and their previously open offensive space suddenly shrank.

Lynch calmly passed the ball to Ariza, his partner who had trained with him for the past two offseasons, relentlessly honing his jump shot skills.

The basketball paused briefly on Ariza's slender fingertips, and with a flick of his wrist, it traced a beautiful arc and swished through the net.

He was very decisive; he found a way to improve his accuracy: to hell with accuracy.

Don't stare at that number; take the shot whenever you have the chance. This will give him a better aim.

To this day, Trevor Ariza doesn't even know his three-point shooting percentage this season; he never looks at the stats.

In fact, his three-point shooting percentage this season is already 33%, which is not outstanding or consistent, but it is not without threat.

"Trevor did not disappoint Lynch's trust, and he seized this wide-open opportunity! But his long-range shooting will face a greater challenge today, and the Rockets will definitely continue to leave him open."

Kevin Harlan's analysis was correct; Jeff Van Gundy decided to continue double-teaming Lynch, not believing that Trevor Ariza could kill the game with three-pointers.

In an instant, the offensive and defensive dynamics shifted, and Lin Qi continued to employ a zone defense to ensure that his long arms could cover Yao Ming's receiving routes.

Seeing this, McGrady prepared to call Hayes to run a pick-and-roll again, not seeing any difference between Michael Pietrus and Trevor Ariza.

He stared at Ariza with sleepy eyes and uttered softly, "You can't break the right formula either."

McGrady pointed to the formula he had mentioned before the game to defeat the Knicks. He was 100% confident of winning the game if he could prevent Lynch from utilizing his help defense advantage.

He thought so before the match, and he thinks so even more now.

After trash-talking, McGrady started running, and as he circled to the left side of the three-point line to receive the ball, thinking about how to score over Ariza's head, he...

Ariza suddenly accelerated, aggressively taking over the position and precisely seizing the opportunity when Rafer Alston passed the ball to intercept it!
He didn't even give McGrady a chance to get the ball!
Ariza's greatest strength is intercepting passes; he can often anticipate the opponent's movement the moment they release the ball.

"Damn it!" McGrady's curse was drowned out by the gasps from the audience, after Ariza had elbowed him when he was trying to get a seat.

Ariza's slender physique often gives the impression of a "technical defender." But in reality, Ariza's defense is quite brutal.

Unwilling to give up, McGrady immediately blocked Ariza. Ariza, whose ball handling was poor, dared not dribble in front of McGrady. However, he quickly protected the ball with both hands and found an opportunity to pass it to Marbury, without committing a turnover.

Although they failed to launch a counterattack, Ariza's successful defense instantly froze the boiling red wave.

After successfully passing the ball, Ariza responded to McGrady: "Don't treat a non-existent formula as the Bible."

McGrady gently pushed Ariza away: "If I had been even slightly more serious just now, you would have been embarrassing yourself!"

Tracy McGrady is the basketball star in the world who loves to talk about "what ifs".

After he retired, the word he talked about most was "if".

"If I had better teammates."

"If Yao Ming were replaced by Shaq."

"If XXX were in my time, he would never have succeeded."

"I became lazy in training after arriving in Houston, if I hadn't been as serious in training as I was in Orlando."

All these unfulfilled ambitions became frequent words in his retirement interviews, as he tirelessly tried to convey the subtext to the world: I was actually quite awesome, and with my pure ability, I could have achieved a higher historical status.

This is essentially a form of pride and showing off.

He maintained this speaking style tonight.

But Lynch didn't buy it.

As Lin Qi passed by him, he deliberately raised his voice:

"Stop with your hypothetical arguments about Tracy. If you're so capable, then seriously and genuinely win him over!"

"Oh, so you're making your opponents go to great lengths to take me down? You're quite the teammate, Lynch," Ariza replied with a deliberately mocking smile.

"You just wait and see if the formula works!" McGrady forced a smile.

Marbury took over the offense and easily broke past his fellow countryman, Alston, who was also known for his street basketball.

Battier had to help defend, but Marbury jumped up and passed the ball behind his head to Lynch who was following up.

On the streetball court, Alston's name was more famous than Marbury's; he was a true legend of Rucker Park.

But on the basketball court, Stephon Marbury is the one who can replicate street moves in the NBA.

Marbury is known for his bold and highly entertaining passing, especially his passing.

This street-style pass allowed Lynch to drive smoothly. Since Yao Ming hadn't retreated yet, Lynch leaned on Hayes' elbow to drive into the basket, creating a sliver of space before bursting into action.

With the basket rack shaking violently, Lynch slammed a tomahawk dunk, knocking Hayes and his defensive resolve to the ground!
Hayes was lying near the baseline, and Lynch stepped over him without even looking.

With a six-point deficit, the Rockets were unable to take the lead after Michael Pietrus left the court.

This situation made Michael Pietrus even more embarrassed, as Trevor Ariza perfectly took over his job without complaining like he did.

Mike Malone glanced at the Frenchman deliberately: "I think you can get lost, you bastard."

On the court, Hayes angrily slammed his fist on the floor, knowing that the bastard number 20 was deliberately retaliating against him.

He truly regretted not possessing masterful flopping skills; he used to think flopping was the most useless skill in the world. But now, he realized it was an absolutely essential skill that every basketball player needed to master.

Yao Ming pulled him up and shrugged: "Be glad, Chuck. If you had dared to say another word, that guy would have given you an elbow first and then dunked on you."

“He’s already elbowed me!” Hayes stood up, clutching his chest.

"Are your ribs broken?"

"Shouldn't be?"

"Then it doesn't count as an elbow strike. Lynch was just messing around with you. When he really wants to elbow you, believe me, you'll feel it."

Hayes: ? ? ?
McGrady finally got another chance to attack, and he wanted to use his score to refute Lynch and Ariza.

Although he was aggressively guarded by Ariza just past half-court, McGrady eventually shook off Ariza with a back cut and a screen, and scored a long two-pointer.

“You’re like a pathetic lapdog,” Maddie laughed triumphantly. “No matter how hard you try, you won’t get a bone tonight. I told you, if I’m serious, you have no chance!”

Michael Pietrus felt a bit better and spread his hands: "Look, defending a player of Tracy's caliber isn't a matter of effort! Without help defense, it's all wishful thinking!"

“Shut up!” Mike Malone pointed at the Frenchman’s nose. “At least Tracy is actively wearing him down, which is completely different from you just spreading your legs and waiting for someone else to come and take your place!”

Chuck Hayes is also following Ariza's example, hoping to wear down Lynch with brutal pressure.

Lin Qi mainly relies on jump shots to beat him; there aren't many instances like the one where he dunks over him directly. After all, Yao Ming is usually guarding the basket, so Lin Qi doesn't easily attack the rim.

Hayes firmly believes that if Lynch's physical condition fluctuates, his shooting touch will definitely suffer as well.

But this time, after he used all his strength to fight Lin Qi, Lin Qi received the ball with his back to the goal and easily scored again with a turnaround jump shot.

"Chuck," Lynch said, his face devoid of any smile, filled with murderous intent, "Why did they have to send a piece of trash like you to guard me? Get out of here, damn it, at least send someone who can shoot free throws!"

“You’ll miss sometimes!” Hayes couldn’t help but retort to Lynch once again.

You'd better kneel down and pray that I'll miss my shots!

In the next few rounds, McGrady and Lynch turned the game into a showcase of their skills.

McGrady's clean and beautiful jump shot drove fans wild, while Lynch did whatever he wanted over Hayes' head.

The two superstars took turns showcasing their killing aesthetics in the devastated eyes of the defenders.

Although Ariza's sweat-soaked jersey clung tightly to McGrady's undulating chest, McGrady's pull-up jumper remained accurate.

Although Ariza's two consecutive three-point attempts made the Rockets more determined to double-team Lynch, Lynch always managed to seize the fleeting opportunities before the double-team could come and score.

The Knicks maintained a lead of 3-6 points, with McGrady and Lynch's offense keeping a delicate balance.

The balance was finally broken in the seventh minute of the third quarter.

Tracy McGrady's chest heaved violently; Trevor Ariza's frantic entanglement had worked.

In this offensive possession, McGrady once again had a mid-range pull-up jumper opportunity thanks to a screen. Ariza tried his best to get over the screen, stretching out his long arms, but still couldn't block the ball, only managing to interfere with McGrady's shot.

McGrady's jump shot was still impressive, and Ariza's defense was still tough, but the final result had changed.

"Bang!"

“Tracy missed,” Mark Jackson said, looking at McGrady, who was drenched in sweat. “He seems very tired. Trevor’s efforts have paid off!” Lynch grabbed the rebound, passed the ball to Cassell, and quickly ran up the court, backing down Hayes and trying to get the ball in the low post for a turnaround jump shot.

The Rockets continued their strategy of allowing Ariza to shoot, and Lynch was immediately met with Battier's help defense the moment he received the ball.

Lynch also chose to continue trusting Ariza, even though Ariza missed both of his three-point attempts.

Ariza made a decisive jump shot, but the basketball bounced off the rim.

This is a long rebound that Yao Ming is least good at, because due to his slow movement speed, Yao Ming often can't reach the long-range rebound.

Hayes and Battier both ran towards the backboard and jumped to grab the ball. But Lynch burst through them, snatching the ball with a desperate leap.

Upon landing, he smoothly lowered his shoulder to push Hayes aside, and the 198cm tall, stocky center staggered backward like a bull whose abdomen had been pierced. He then used a high, powerful shot to avoid Battier's steal and successfully scored with a hook shot!
Battier's chop shot barely grazed Lynch's elbow, only touching the remaining air.

Lynch scored with a hook shot on his second jump, extending the lead to 8 points!
Chuck Hayes had just straightened up, clutching his ribs, when he was met with Lynch's disdainful, cold smile.

“Looks like the gods of Olympus are on sick leave today,” Lynch said, backing away and tapping his temple with his index finger. “Or maybe they just can’t be bothered to listen to the prayers of a piece of trash like you.”

Chuck Haye's rough hands gripped his sweat-soaked jersey tightly. Lynch was mercilessly crushing his dignity, which even made him begin to doubt himself: "Was my previous statement too harsh?"

Tracy McGrady was also going through a crisis, and he certainly knew his tank was nearing the limit at the end of the third quarter. So this time, he drove straight to the basket, aiming to attack the rim, no longer relying on his shooting touch.

Yao Ming effectively blocked Tyson Chandler, ensuring McGrady's smooth takeoff.

Push off the ground, accelerate, and take off.

McGrady's leap trajectory resembled the final flap of a dying swan's wings, completely enveloped by a dark shadow that suddenly appeared from the side just as he was about to touch the rim. The dull thud of Lynch's massive hand slamming into the basketball was like a heavy hammer striking a drum, slamming McGrady and the ball to the floor with a thud!

Looking at McGrady curled up on the ground, Kevin Harlan grimaced, "Damn it, this is as brutal as a lion biting off a deer's neck!"

The biggest difference between this period's McGrady and the revolutionary McGrady lies in his finishing ability around the basket; his finishing ability there is far inferior to that of his Orlando era. His drives, jumping height, and finishing toughness have all declined significantly.

Therefore, Lynch was able to complete the protective frame with ease.

"Is this what you call the sure-fire formula?" Lynch looked down at McGrady, a sneer on his lips.

"Fuck you, if I were as young as you..."

“Keep living in the 'what if' shroud of self-deception, Tracy. I’m going to win now. By the way, you didn’t even make it past the first round when you were young.”

Lynch ruthlessly trampled on everyone's dignity. He knew the moment to end the game had arrived, and Caesar would not let go of any opportunity to conquer his opponent.

One possession later, Lynch circled to the three-point line to receive the ball and shoot. Chuck Hayes, his nerves on edge, lunged forward and grabbed Lynch's forearm the instant he released the ball.

Lynch fell backward to the ground, and the referee blew the whistle.

Chuck Hayes was about to shrug at the referee when he heard a sharp "whoosh" sound.

Lynch's jump shot still went in perfectly!
"What!?" Hayes' eyes widened. His defense was already reckless, but it still couldn't stop Lynch from scoring!
The sound of the net tumbling was like a desperate curse; no matter how hard he tried, that sound would linger in his ears.

At that moment, Chuck Hayes really wanted to pray to God.

Lynch immediately got up and deliberately held up four fingers one by one towards the audience, each one like a javelin aimed at the heart of Houston: "Three points, free throw, four-point play, 12-point lead—need I help you with a math problem?"

Look. Hayes covered his head with both hands. This was the first time Yao Ming had seen this tough, short, stocky center with such a broken expression.

The camera cuts to the sidelines, where Michael Pietrus looks ashen-faced, while Mike Malone roars at him.

"You think the team can't function without you?! Fuck you! Give Lynch some tough guys who want to win, and they'll crush every last man in the league! You're not important, Michael, Lynch is!"

Philip Sanders pulled Mike Malone back, trying to prevent him from escalating the conflict further.

But Mike Malone ignored him: "Don't pull me, Phil. He's completely irresponsible to our locker room, and I don't need to be polite to him! Champions don't tolerate this kind of soft parasite! He used to fight alongside us, but championships, honors, and big contracts have softened him and drained his fighting spirit! He's no longer our partner!"

Meanwhile, amidst deafening boos, Lynch slowly bent his knees, sweat dripping from his chin onto the free-throw line. The crisp sound of the basketball piercing the net was like a sharp blade being drawn; Lynch added another free throw, widening the gap to a staggering 12 points.

Tracy McGrady continued to search for scoring opportunities amidst heavy breathing, but Jeff Van Gundy did not call a timeout. He did not yet understand Tyronn Lue's ultimate tactic: calling a timeout to let the star player rest.

Alston knew McGrady was past his prime, but Lynch was keeping a close eye on his passing lanes to Yao Ming.

Cassell approached Alston, his menacing grin sending shivers down the spine of the streetball legend.

"Lynch is piercing your souls."

Cassell adapted Alston's nickname "The Leaping Soul" to satirize the Rockets' darkest moment.

Alston, like a diligent, college-trained guard, steadily passed the ball to McGrady, who was holding the ball with his back to the basket on the left.

McGrady turned and jumped to shoot. The basketball drew a pale parabola in the air, like an albatross with broken wings, and fell hastily before it even touched the rim.

Ariza's interference and poor stamina caused McGrady to shoot an airball!

"Damn, if you had just made that shot, you would have scored." Ariza said something pointless, but it ironically highlighted the absurdity of McGrady's "what if" argument.

Lin Qi and Yao Ming jumped at the same time toward the falling basketball. Yao Ming used his terrifying strength to knock Lin Qi away in mid-air, but his small hand failed to catch the basketball. Instead, Lin Qi poked the ball to the vicinity of the three-point line.

Battier and Grant Hill jumped simultaneously from beyond the three-point line to continue the scramble for the ball, but neither of them could fully control it, and the ball was poked away again, flying directly into the backcourt.

With a last spark of hope igniting in his bloodshot eyes, Tracy McGrady, yearning for redemption, sprinted with the last of his explosive power, trying to pick up the basketball.

Just as he was about to touch the basketball, a violent impact from the side caused Rockets' number 1 to stagger and lose his balance. Trevor Ariza had caught up at some point and ruined his plans again!
"Damn it!" McGrady was fed up with Ariza. That bastard Ariza had been fighting against him like a mad dog throughout the third quarter!

Just as the basketball was about to roll out of bounds, Ariza picked it up, leaped into the air, spun in mid-air, and passed the ball with the grace of a high jumper performing a Fosbury Flop. Except, his back was on a hardwood floor, not a soft mat.

"Boom!"

"Trevor bravely retrieved the ball, and Lynch, following up, received it and slammed it home with both hands! 14 points! Is the Houston Rockets going to collapse in the third quarter as usual?!" Amid Kevin Harlan's shouts, Lynch walked into the crowd against the blinding halo of the overhead lights, and the force with which he pulled Ariza up was astonishing, as if he were trying to infuse some kind of fiery power into his comrade's bones.

“Thank you for your support, Trevor.” Lynch dug his fingers deep into Ariza’s sweaty curls, pressing his palm against the back of Ariza’s head and his own forehead.

Ariza lightly punched Lynch in the chest area with his fist: "Ready to serve you anytime, Meerkat."

"Damn it, if you keep using that awful nickname, I'll have the trainer tie lead weights to your legs!"

"Okay, meerkat, I understand."

Jeff Van Gundy then paused the game, but it was clearly too late; the Rockets' morale had already been severely damaged.

After the timeout, both sides pulled their starters, and Grant Hill dominated the transition period, extending the lead to 20 points by the end of the third quarter.

The buzzer at the start of the fourth quarter sounded like the guillotine, and Chuck Hayes nervously walked onto the court.

He looked toward the Knicks' bench, praying that Lynch would never have to play again.

He didn't want his dignity to continue to be trampled on.

Lin Qi just left the court not long ago, and the Knicks are still leading by so many points, so he probably won't be back on the court so soon, right?
Even just a few minutes of respite would be helpful.

But things didn't go as he wished. Lynch threw down his towel, stepped onto the court, and went straight to Hayes.

“Damn it.” Hayes’ throat tightened; it was the first time he had ever felt such fear toward a player.

“Chuck, I forgot to tell you, if you really want to grovel at the feet of a god and pray—” Lynch made no attempt to hide the pleasure he felt in humiliating his opponent, “then you should kneel before my boots.”

"That's enough, Lynch, don't go too far, stop now!" Hayes' protest was weak, and his tone had long lost its initial arrogance.

"Enough is enough? Go tell that arrogant guy from an hour ago!"

"Shh!"

"Shh!"

"Shh!"

The crisp sound of the basketball swishing through the net echoed in Chuck Hayes' ears like a curse. Lynch's terrifying consistency eroded his will and shattered his dignity.

After Lynch was double-teamed, Ariza's resurgence in three-point shooting put the Rockets at risk of breaking up prematurely.

Tracy McGrady's pull-up jumper trajectory became increasingly erratic. The meteor that once streaked across the Orlando night sky had now turned into a block of iron under Trevor Ariza's relentless pressure. His overworked knees made it difficult for this exceptionally talented swingman to maintain even 50% of his killer instinct.
Physical ability couldn't support his talent; this was a problem that plagued McGrady throughout his entire career.

Yao Ming created a massive wave in the paint, each post-up move accompanied by a deafening roar. But under the Knicks' tight defense, Yao Ming was able to receive the ball only a handful of times.

The Knicks couldn't contain his efficiency, but they perfectly limited his output.

Just five minutes into the fourth quarter, Lynch hit another mid-range turnaround jumper, scoring his 43rd point of the game.

At this point, the Knicks had a 27-point lead, and the game was essentially over.

Chuck Hayes's forward lunge, completely abandoning his center of gravity, allowed him to land in a pilgrim-like posture, sliding to his knees in front of Lynch's boots. The King of New York looked down at his opponent with his arms crossed, resembling a war god overlooking a defeated general.

"As you wish, Chuck, I will step in, I will answer your prayers."

Chuck Hayes' eyes were lifeless, his pupils reflecting the red light from the top of the basket hoop; his soul had been harvested.

The game was paused, Lynch was substituted, and Jeff Van Gundy let the starters play for another five minutes, but the comeback was not effective and they eventually conceded defeat.

After the game, Yao Ming hugged Lin Qi, and the Eastern Giant felt both lucky and helpless.

Fortunately, unless the Rockets make it to the Finals, this will be the last time the Rockets and Knicks meet this season.

Unfortunately, an enraged Lynch was simply unbeatable. Yao Ming knew how much effort Chuck Hayes had put in, but now it was all for naught.

"Yao Ming, are you looking forward to seeing him in Houston again?" Lin Qi teased deliberately.

"It's best not to see them again, and stay away from Houston." Yao Ming shook his head with a wry smile.
-
This is Lynch's sixth 40-point game this season, the most in the league. —Mark Jackson reminded everyone after the game.

Tracy is right, Lynch is a difficult player to handle; no one can stop him from putting up those spectacular stats. But he clearly doesn't know that there's no formula for beating the Knicks. If you can't handle Lynch, you can't handle the Knicks. — Trevor Ariza on McGrady's pre-game comments.

"If we don't collapse in the third quarter, we still have a chance to win!" Tracy McGrady told reporters.

Let him stop making those damn "ifs." If he makes fewer excuses, people will respect him more! — Stephen A. Smith's post-game comments about McGrady.

"Lin Qi, how does it feel to have a tough start but a sweet finish?"

"No, the match was under our control the whole time, and there were no tough parts."

"The image of Chuck Hayes kneeling down after losing his defensive balance has sparked heated discussion. What do you think of Chuck's incredible kneeling?"

"That's nothing. If you ever see a top star make a similar move, then that's something worth discussing in more detail."

"The Rockets played strictly according to their 'winning formula' tonight, and they did limit your help defense, but why did you still lose? Did you make any different adjustments tonight?"

"There was no different setup. The Rockets lost because Tracy couldn't dominate Trevor like I dominated Chuck, it's that simple. But it's not his fault, after all, the best Tracy isn't at the Toyota Center."

"When do you consider Tracy to be at his peak? During his time in Orlando? Or during his first season with the Rockets?"

"None of that. The true peak T-Mac will always exist in the 'what if' scenario. If Tracy could play for 20 years and surpass Michael's total stats, he would be the GOAT. No one can surpass the Tracy in the 'what if' scenario."

"Since we're talking about Trevor, what's your assessment of his performance tonight?"

“Trevor is my brother, I knew he could do it. You know, I’m not like some people who have brothers everywhere. There aren’t many people I can consider brothers, and Trevor is one of them.”

"You don't mind if we talk about Michael, who was replaced by Trevor?"

"No problem, go ahead and ask."

"He was replaced by Trevor for the entire second half. How many games will Michael be DNP'd? What were he arguing about with Mike Malone? Was it related to his previous complaints about his teammates in front of reporters?"

"I don't know how long Michael will be DNP, but I know he's won enough championships. It's just a pity I haven't won enough yet, so we'll seriously consider our partnership."

"You mean there will be a deal?"

"I mean, I haven't won enough championships yet. My dictionary only contains the concept of defending a title, and all decisions will serve this ultimate goal. No one can challenge this ultimate goal, no one!"

— Lynch in an interview with ESPN.

(Thank you so much to Lin Yu and other big shots for the generous donations! I'm extremely grateful!)
(Today's update is 8200 words, 1800 words shorter than usual, I had half a day to get home. Starting tomorrow, I'll continue to write more every day.)

(End of this chapter)