Champion Rules

Chapter 142, Section 138: The Verbal Sparring Duo (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The New York Knicks finalized the trade involving Michael Pietrus in just five days.

Sam Presti's efficiency was always impressive, and that efficiency only fueled Kobe Bryant's growing rage.

Sam Presti's decisive actions contrasted sharply with the Lakers' management's sluggishness.

The Los Angeles-based documentary series "Switch Through the League" is still airing and shows no signs of ending.

The trade rumors involving the Lakers and Jason Kidd have been going on for longer than the longest river, but there has been no real progress.

Caught in the eye of the storm, the Black Mamba desperately wants General Manager Mitch Kupchak to speed things up, whether it's facilitating Kidd's signing or initiating his own trade process. He's eager to end this soap opera that's been tormenting the players and fans as soon as possible.

So today, Kobe approached Mitch Kupchak again, taking a hard line: "Either give Jason to me, or give me my freedom. You can't just drag this out until the trade deadline! You have no right to keep me stuck in this rebuilding quagmire as a mascot!"

Mitch Kupchak glanced at his secretary: "Give our purebred race-class MJ a cappuccino."

"What!?"

"I'm praising you for being as competitive as MJ."

"Save your breath, Mickey. What exactly did the Nets say? Are they willing to make a trade?"

The Lakers' general manager opened his arms, attempting to calm Kobe down: "Relax, Kobe. You're a legend who wore the purple and gold for the Los Angeles Lakers for 10 years. You're a part of Los Angeles basketball history."

"Enough! This is competitive sports, who the hell wants to be the longest river? My goal has always been to become the highest mountain!"

The office fell into a deathly silence. Kobe's patience had run out, and the city's dazzling star power was consuming his golden years.

Jerry Buss had spoken with Kobe before, assuring him that the Lakers would provide him with support. So Kobe patiently waited, still willing to trust Jerry Buss.

So far, Kobe hasn't even seen a hint of help.

He was still putting up with Andrew Bynum’s idiotic defensive choices and Kwame Brown’s one outrageous turnover after another—God be my witness, he’d seen too many players go 4-for-5 in a game, but this was truly the first time he’d seen a player averaging 4-for-5 in a game.

Kobe only lost his grip on the ball when he was taking a bubble bath with Vanessa, but Kwame Brown didn't take a bubble bath with the basketball; his mistakes were simply incomprehensible.

"Listen, I'm not saying it has to be a historical superstar like Jason Kidd, or I'm asking you to bring me a Magic Johnson. But at least give me a few people who want to win, it's that simple!"
"Damn it, I really don't know what's so appealing about Andrew Bynum to you guys. Is it just because his low-post scoring talent is better than LeBron James'? The Nets want Andrew, so you give him Andrew! That bastard is like a giant leech in Los Angeles, sucking away at our chances of success!"

The burning obsession in Kobe's eyes was more dazzling than the most intense California sun at that moment.

Mitch Kupchak put his arm around Kobe's shoulder like a tamer calming a wild beast:

"The key isn't Andrew, it's the Nets. The reason the trade is progressing slowly is because those old guys are still clinging to their last dreams. Nets general manager Ed Stefanski stubbornly believes that Jason, Vince, and Richard can pierce the iron curtain of the East."

They are not fully ready to rebuild the team yet; they are waiting for the test of the playoffs.

When the April frenzy sweeps across New Jersey, that's when we'll reap the rewards.

Kobe's gaze softened considerably: "You mean they'll wait until the end of the season to make a decision?"

"That's exactly what we mean. We've been trying to convince the Nets that now is the best time to rebuild, but the Nets' admin doesn't think so. He's stubbornly trying for another year, but that doesn't affect our trades. Because they can't succeed. In the East, the old guys from the New Jersey Nets are destined to fall to Melo or Lynch."

Those two guys are the best barbers in the East; they might get buzz cuts, or they might be completely bald. In any case, the Nets' Big Three will definitely be eliminated in a humiliating fashion.

Kobe's emotions had calmed down considerably, but his tone remained firm: "So we're just going to sit here and wait for the Nets to be shaved bald? You have to understand, that means we have to endure another season that's destined to be fruitless."

“The last one!” Mitch Kupchak pressed hard on Kobe’s shoulder. “This is the last season we’ll go home empty-handed, I promise!”

Kobe nodded, then stared at Kupchak: "Why hasn't my cappuccino arrived yet? Am I waiting for Jerry Buss to grind the beans himself? Damn it, you guys are so slow at everything you do!"
-
The Los Angeles Lakers once again managed to calm Kobe down, but Mitch Kupchak and the Buss family knew this wasn't a long-term solution.

They'd better actually manage to acquire Jason Kidd or someone else during the offseason, otherwise Kobe's determination to leave will only grow stronger.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, Knicks fans have temporarily relieved their anxiety about the trade.

However, fans are unsure whether DeShawn Stevenson is the right piece for the championship puzzle.

While his tenacious spirit on the defensive end is admirable, his individual defensive skills are limited and his ability to lock down opponents still falls short of top-tier perimeter defenders.

While he can certainly provide spacing value with his 40.4% three-point shooting percentage, his low desire to shoot makes his shooting percentage seem inflated.

He's prone to getting into trouble on the field and is an unstable factor.

There are reasons why the Washington Wizards preferred to give the $500 million to Michael Pietrus instead of him.

DeShawn Stevenson didn't keep fans worried for long. In his first game as a Knicks player, he dispelled New York fans' doubts with a highly individualistic debut.

On January 28, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks' opponent in last season's Finals, DeShawn Stevenson received his first flagrant foul since joining the Knicks.

After coming off the bench, he immediately brought down the second-best center in the West with a flying knee in the next possession following a rough foul by Eric Dampier on Lynch.

When the referee called a flagrant foul on him, he innocently raised his arms and said, "I was just driving to the basket! It's a normal basketball move!"

The referee simply shook his head and showed the replay.

In the replay, DeShawn Stevenson jumped with the basketball but didn't even lift it, showing absolutely no intention of shooting. The referees did their best, but they couldn't find a single basketball movement in his movements!
Despite being called for a malicious foul, this "fight fire with fire" approach had an immediate effect.

Eric Dampier was less likely to commit hard fouls against Lynch in subsequent games, knowing that there was a madman who would retaliate in kind at any time.

The Knicks have always lacked someone who plays with non-basketball moves on the court.

Amir Johnson's strength lies in initiating team fights directly; however, the inexperienced player isn't adept at seamlessly combining basketball and non-basketball moves.

Tyson Chandler is tough enough, but as the team's starting center, he has extremely high strategic value and cannot easily incur fouls.

The same applies to players like Marbury.

Therefore, DeShawn Stevenson's arrival perfectly filled the strategic gap left by the defending champions in the "grey area".

Although Michael Pietrus wasn't there to guard Dirk Nowitzki, Lynch was forced to match up against him himself. Lynch's inability to help on defense allowed Josh Howard to score 22 points.

However, the Knicks still managed to defeat the Mavericks by 8 points, with DeShawn Stevenson's several successful defensive plays against Josh Howard in the fourth quarter being key to the victory.

When the match ended, DeShawn Stevenson clenched his fists and roared at the dome, like a ferocious beast that had won a battle in the arena.

With 7 points, 1 steal, 2 rebounds, and 1 flying kick, he filled the stat sheet, showcasing everything he could do for the Knicks.

Facing the reporters' cameras in the locker room, DeShawn Stevenson feigned anger: "Damn it! I can't stand this lousy team for another day! Especially Lynch, he plays as gently as a teddy bear!" The entire audience of reporters gasped, and the sound of camera shutters instantly stopped.

Does this bastard not want to stay in New York anymore? He actually publicly criticized Lynch?

"Lynch held Dirk to just 13 points tonight and limited the German to 32% shooting. Are you sure Lynch wasn't tough enough?"

“Of course not. If LeBron were on the other side, Lynch could hold him to single digits! You’ve all been fooled by him. This guy isn’t even using his full strength! Right, Lynch?” DeShawn Stevenson finished speaking and shouted Lynch’s name with a laugh.

It was only then that the reporters realized that DeShawn Stevenson was joking.

Hearing DeShawn Stevenson's shout from a distance, Lynch immediately responded: "Don't listen to that bastard! He can't even shoot a three-pointer properly, he doesn't know anything about basketball. He doesn't understand me or LeBron either, he's trying to sow discord between us!"

"Do you guys even need to be sown apart?"

"Shut up! The whole league knows LeBron is my brother, an extremely good player! If you deny that, DeShawn, we're not friends!"

The reporters burst into laughter; the chemistry between Lynch and DeShawn Stevenson was unexpectedly good. Who would have thought that LeBron James, far away in Cleveland, would become the lubricant between them?

In the following games, DeShawn Stevenson's performance remained consistent.

As Ariza's substitute, he always contributes boundless energy in his limited playing time.

His three-point shooting consistency is indeed not as good as Michael Pietrus's, and his defensive skills are also somewhat rough.

But the fighting spirit he brought was like nitroglycerin meeting a detonator; the danger was fatally aligned with the team's.

The post-game trash talk between Lynch and DeShawn Stevenson has become a highly anticipated evening program for New York media.

"What I was most unhappy about in tonight's game was DeShawn's outfit. He dragged down the overall image of our team."

"It's supposed to be ugly, because I dressed up based on the photos in Lynch's posters. I've said it before, all those huge posters of his are horribly ugly, and I dressed like this to prove it."

"DeShawn played aggressively tonight, stopping several of his jump shots, and even his own. Damn, he didn't make a single three-pointer tonight, and he was so ruthless to himself on defense."

"Lincho occupied my sweet spot outside the three-point line, so I had to drive to the basket. How was I supposed to hit threes under the basket? Ultimately, it was Lincho, this ball hog, who affected my performance."

DeShawn Stevenson hates being serious and dislikes following the rules. Compared to Grant Hill, who praises his teammates 365 days a year, DeShawn Stevenson prefers to joke around.

His personality would be a problem for most teams, since not everyone likes to be teased, especially star players who are high and mighty.

But young Lin Qi didn't see this as a problem; only those who were already weak would be hurt by jokes.

Behind this tense interaction lies a mutual respect between the two fighters.

Lynch's willingness to joke with DeShawn Stevenson shows that he approves of his attitude towards the game.

DeShawn Stevenson's willingness to take the game seriously also shows that he approves of Lynch's leadership.

The defending champions have finally found their missing piece – a tireless, dedicated, and energetic player who always ignites the locker room atmosphere.

On February 13, the Knicks defeated the New Jersey Nets. This game made Kobe, who was far away in Los Angeles, very excited because the Nets lost by a full 22 points.

He believes this loss speaks volumes. If the Nets are any more realistic, they shouldn't have any expectations for this season; they should immediately trade Jason Kidd for the young, superstar center Andrew Bynum.

This is the smartest decision, so that both sides can get out of the quagmire of the status quo.

At the post-game press conference, a reporter asked Jason Kidd, "The trade rumors about you and the Lakers have been going on for a long time. Do you think it will happen before the trade deadline?"

Kidd waved his hand, giving a firm answer: "We won't give up this season. We're not ready to empty our lockers yet. As for other things, we'll see what happens this summer."

This is arguably the most definitive answer regarding this trade so far: the Nets are not seeking a mid-season rebuild. After all, the Nets are currently in a precarious position; if they give up now, they can neither secure a high draft pick nor achieve better results.

Kidd stared blankly at the camera, his Adam's apple bobbing, each syllable sounding like a struggle against gravity: "I just feel like our time isn't over yet, we haven't been eliminated, we're still in the competition."

Kobe heard Kidd's speech on the car radio. Those stubborn words struck Kobe's eardrums through the airwaves. He remembered the night before the game against the Knicks, when he had said something similar to Lynch.

It turns out that I'm not the only one who doesn't want to be eliminated.

Kobe and Kidd had remarkably similar attitudes toward defying the tides of fate.

Kobe slowly released the accelerator and gave himself a bitter smile in the rearview mirror—since Jason Kidd was still putting up a fight just like him, what was wrong with waiting another six months?
He was willing to wait for someone who, like him, longed to fight against the world.

Compared to the somber atmosphere of the Nets' press conference, the Knicks' press conference felt like a holiday.

Because tomorrow, the Knicks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in a back-to-back game.

Lynch and LBJ are bitter rivals, which is enough to guarantee the viewership of this game.

Now, the Knicks also have another LBJ rival, DeShawn Stevenson, which undoubtedly increases the level of attention on the game.

In fact, the show had already started.

Tonight's Knicks press conference featured a lot of LeBron James.

“I’ve been telling DeShawn that he has to respect LeBron. LeBron has played against me in the playoffs, and I know how good he is.”

"Excellent? You mean you swept them all? I've had enough of your hypocritical statements, Lynch!"

"A sweep? I think it was 4-1 or 4-2?"

"It's 4-0, damn it! I told you our star player is like an old man. See? I wasn't wrong, was I? He's starting to get dementia. He just looks good on the outside, but his brain is totally rusted through!"

A burst of laughter erupted from the press box, the sound of camera shutters clicking and cheering blending together. Lynch feigned annoyance: "No, no, no, you're mistaken. If it's 4-0, why would LeBron say he's my sworn enemy?"

"Because you two are complete mirror images of each other, one pretending to be magnanimous, the other desperately trying to glorify himself. If you ask me, you should both be wearing number 23 jerseys and throwing a masquerade ball tomorrow night!"

The reporters watched the performance with laughter, and later, LBJ responded.

"You'd better not miss your chance, coming after the king!"

(End of this chapter)