Champion Rules

Chapter 150, Section 146: In Madison Square Garden, Lynch is Superman! (Seeking monthly votes!)

Trevor Ariza stands before his brother Taji's gravestone.

He offered flowers glistening with morning dew, knelt on one knee, and placed his championship ring in front of the tombstone.

“Dear Taj, this is my third season in the league. You would never guess that I’m about to step onto the Eastern Conference Finals battlefield for the third time in a row.”

This is incredible. You know, LeBron James, the super genius who made me lose face in high school, has never even reached the conference finals.

Few players are as fortunate as me to enjoy the brightest spotlight in the biggest football market.

This is all because of Grant and Lynch, especially Lynch.

I entered the league in the same year as him, and I'm a year older than him, but this Real Madrid superstar acted like a leader on his very first day with the team.

I remember after we lost to the Pistons in our rookie season, Lynch asked me what I planned to do in the summer. I said I planned to meet up with family and friends, travel, and relax.

But he interrupted me: No, you have to train with me.

Since then, I've attended his training camp every summer; it's become a habit. He taught me that to go further in this league, you have to put in the effort at all times.

Although I'm not an All-Star yet, although my scoring average hasn't broken double digits, and although I haven't signed a big contract, everything is coming slowly, but thankfully it's all on its way.

Now, I'm going to play in the Eastern Conference Finals again as a starter.

This was special for me. In my first year as a professional, the team went through a series of injuries, and I became a starter thanks to the trust of Lynch and Grant. But that year in the Eastern Conference Finals, I disappointed everyone.

I was helpless against Cameron Anthony, and I made Lynch run back and forth between Melo and Rasheed.

I couldn't provide quality defense, and I couldn't make those damn open threes. The only thing I could do on the court seemed to be keep the Knicks' starting five together.

Last season we got our revenge against the Pistons, but I only got a few minutes of playing time. Michael Pietrus did a much better job as a starter than I did.”

The wind swept through the pine forest of the cemetery, and Ariza stood up and put the ring back on.

"This year, I'll be starting again against Carmelo Anthony. Three years have passed, and I believe many things have changed."

I will not let Lynch and Grant down, and I will not let Cameron Anthony do whatever he wants over my head again.

When I come to see you again, there will be two championship rings in front of you.

Trevor Ariza turned and left, the tree-lined paths of the cemetery winding in the morning sun.

Ariza knew that at the end of this road lay the roaring blue-collar fans of Motor City, the vengeful gaze of Carmelo Anthony grinding his teeth, and the moment of redemption he had been waiting for for two years.

Being put in the starting lineup again in this war after two years means a lot to him.

He knew the Pistons' strategy: Zach Randolph would launch a frenzied offensive attack to keep Lynch firmly by his side.

Lynch doesn't have much energy to spare for dealing with Carmelo Anthony, so Ariza has to take on that responsibility.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons' plane had landed in New York, and Carmelo Anthony returned to his hometown where he had lived since he was eight years old.

He held the latest issue of Sports Illustrated in his hand, with a family photo of the Detroit Pistons on the cover and the headline: Redemption of the Bad Boys.

Both Zach Randolph and Stephen Jackson have far exceeded expectations this season.

Last summer, after the Detroit Pistons' championship roster fell apart, everyone thought the Pistons were doomed.

The leadership of Carmelo Anthony and Lionel Hollins has kept this team, which should have collapsed, at a high level.

Their career trajectory is like that of Yang Hansen, who participated in the joint training program, advancing rapidly all the way.

Finally, they stood here, defeating the highly anticipated Cleveland Cavaliers and the "Emperor of All Time," and once again launched their assault on the championship.

Zach Randolph leaned his round head against the car window, holding another newspaper in his hand: "Stephen, you owe me $500."

"why?"

"Forgot our bet? I told you the Cleveland media would pin all the blame for the loss on Jermaine O'Neal, and you didn't believe me. Look at this damn headline, 'The Cavaliers lost, but LeBron didn't.' Damn, isn't LeBron a member of the Cavaliers? If his team lost, how did he win?"

Richard Hamilton laughed and waved his phone at David McMenamin's column.

"Brothers, this is even more outrageous. Guess what the Cavaliers' beat reporter said? It's like something out of a fantasy novel!"

David McMenamin believes that Eastern Conference teams have been champions for the past three years, and the core of these strong teams is young players. The East could field a starting lineup capable of dominating the league: LeBron James at point guard, Dwyane Wade at shooting guard, Carmelo Anthony at small forward, Lynch at power forward, and Dwight Howard at center. This would be the five strongest players in the league's future, which he would call the Fantasy Five.

As you can see, LeBron James would be number one on any list. He would have won if it weren't for Jermaine's game-criticizing performance in Game 6.

At present, it seems a bit of a stretch to include Dwight Howard in this discussion, given that he has only played in the first round of the playoffs, but he will prove himself eventually.

Next time they meet, Lynch might not defeat Dwight so easily. I have a feeling that Lynch will be the stepping stone for Dwight to prove himself.

Even the masked man felt embarrassed after recounting the article's content: "Look at this, what makes anyone else worthy of being compared to Melo and Lynch? And why is it that every time LeBron loses a series, there are always a bunch of news articles praising him?"

Stephen Jackson incredulously grabbed the newspaper and leaned over to Hamilton to look at the news on his phone: "God, tell me this isn't LeBron's team's idea, this is fucking shameless! Putting him at number one just to make him number one on the list? And every time this kind of article comes out, it seems like it's written by this Mr. David McMenamin, he's more loyal than LeBron's dog."

Zach Randolph slammed his thick hand on the newspaper: "I bet another 500 that Jermaine O'Neal and Larry Brown will be out of business this summer. Melo, you really should teach your friend how to run himself. He's talented, but this damn publicity is just backfiring."

Carmelo Anthony waved his hand, not wanting to get involved in these personal woes: "That's LeBron's business, I'm not his agent. Okay guys, let's not look back at the opponents we've already defeated. We're in the eye of the storm, and we're about to face an even bigger challenge!"

“That’s right,” Randolph closed the newspaper. “Don’t look back. Melo is right. The Knicks are the bigger challenge.”

At this point, the big black bear paused, then grinned sheepishly: "But facing the New York Knicks isn't always as difficult as facing the Cavaliers. At least, Lynch won't be complaining to the referees for no reason all the time."

All the Pistons players on the bus laughed. LeBron James has that kind of magic, making every opponent who defeats him talk about him endlessly.

Amidst the burst of laughter in the carriage, Cameron Anthony stared out the window at the steel jungle of New York. Suddenly, he turned and slammed his fist into the back of the seat, the dull thud silencing everyone instantly.

He wasn't in the mood for jokes or teasing LeBron James.

For him and Lynch, the Eastern Conference semifinals are the beginning of determining whether their season has been a success.

"We're about to face the guy who destroyed our dynasty last season, and he's smugly waiting for us wearing a Superman cape, while you guys are talking about some guy who hasn't even licked the floor in the conference finals?"

Randolph stopped joking and crumpled the newspaper into a ball with his thick fingers: "You're right, Melo, forget about LeBron, even though he's unforgettable."

“Zach!” Cameron Anthony yelled, “Tomorrow night I want to see Lynch smelling the stench of your armpits all night long. Tell Lynch to leave me alone!”

Randolph licked his lips, as if he could already smell the blood in the paint shop: "As you wish, Melo."

Stephen Jackson likes Carmelo Anthony like this.

He had just called his friend LBJ "the guy who didn't even lick the floor in the conference finals," after he broke off relations with him because of Lynch's victory.

In Carmelo Anthony's mind, LBJ was just an accessory, and Lynch had to be an accessory as well.

Carmelo Anthony's early success in his basketball career made him incredibly greedy for honors.

This man who tramples on brotherhood may be a bit heartless, but he is the kind of leader Stephen Jackson is willing to follow.

He always thinks about winning the championship, not about finding brothers around.

Carmelo Anthony sat back down. If Zach Randolph succeeded in keeping Lynch from escaping, who else on the Knicks could stop him?

Tomorrow night, they can do whatever they want.

The next day, Madison Square Garden.

The chant of "Fack Melo" demonstrated the passion of New York fans.

The city where Cameron Anthony lived before he was eight years old is now "welcoming" his return in the most New York way.

Some New York fans dressed up as Superman, while others donned red capes, all holding up signs that read: "Lynch is Superman!"

Carmelo Anthony thought these people were absolutely crazy. People say that Cleveland fans tend to over-mythologize LeBron James, but New York fans have mythologized Lynch even more.

Before the game, veteran sideline reporter David Aldridge interviewed Anthony: "Why did Lynch's self-proclaimed Superman comments anger you?"

"Enrage? I just find it laughable," Anthony pointed to the fans in the stands dressed as Superman. "Those idiots in those ridiculous capes know that if Lynch is Superman, then I'm fucking Kryptonite!"

Carmelo Anthony's vulgar remarks on national television enraged New York fans.

He wasn't afraid of offending New York fans, because that's what rivals are all about. They'd met in the headquarters finals for three consecutive years, and there was no need for any pretense of politeness between them.

The competition began amidst a tense atmosphere.

Lynch won possession over the Roaring King, and the Detroit Pistons immediately displayed their fierce defense.

Chauncey Billups put twice the pressure on Marbury compared to the regular season, but Jason Kidd's defense in the previous round had already made Marbury accustomed to this intensity.

He used one hand to create space from Billups, waiting for Eddie Jones to come out and receive the ball.

However, Eddie Jones, who had been run over to the point of vomiting by the masked man, failed to break free. His lost explosiveness and speed made his off-ball skills seem pale.

Marbury could only pass the ball to Lynch, who received it with his back to the basket and immediately turned and drove to the basket.

However, Zach Randolph's strong physique and Rasheed Wallace's timely help and rim protection caused Lynch's first attempt to attack the rim to end in failure.

The Detroit Pistons started strong with their defense, making their interior defense virtually impenetrable. Lionel Hollins even asked Rasheed Wallace to gain weight this season to match his needs at the center position.

Two heavyweight big men filled the paint, turning the paint into a black hole that swallowed up all players attacking the rim.

In Lynch's opinion, this team should be called the Detroit Grizzlies.

Rasheed Wallace grabbed the rebound, and Carmelo Anthony quickly ran up the court.

Kryptonite is ready to play its role.

After using Rasheed Wallace's off-ball screen, Carmelo Anthony circled to the right side beyond the three-point line and received a pass from Billups.

Facing the pursuing Trevor Ariza, Anthony glanced at Lynch's position.

Lynch was indeed putting all his effort into defending Zach Randolph, which gave Melo unprecedented confidence.

"It's you again. Tell that self-proclaimed Superman guy," Anthony suddenly lowered his weight, "40 points tonight!"

Stephen Jackson, on the bench, heard Anthony's trash talk and started gesturing wildly on the sidelines: "I'll keep track of your score, Melo."

Anthony used a triple threat to feign a drive to the left, but actually pulled up for a jump shot.

Stephen Jackson stood up, raising his arms: "3 to!"

"Snapped!"

Stephen Jackson's roar suddenly caught in his throat as Trevor Ariza precisely stole the basketball from Anthony's hands!

Anthony made a mistake, Ariza got the ball and passed it to Marbury, who scored on a fast break layup.

Stephen Jackson remained frozen in his comical celebration pose, like a statue petrified by Medusa.

Carmelo Anthony grumbled and cursed, but of course he didn't complain about Ariza's thugs.

Trevor Ariza met Carmelo Anthony's gaze without flinching: "You just said, 'Take the young one'?"

Trevor Ariza stuck to Anthony again, determined not to let the nightmare of two years ago repeat itself!

Lynch had seen Ariza's defensive performance firsthand.

At that moment, he felt that sense of confidence again, thinking, "With this kind of support, I can beat anyone."

The game continued, and Chauncey Billups broke through after a screen, then passed the ball to Richard Hamilton. The Masked Man, who had previously called out Eddie Jones, took the shot. He had completely shaken off Jones, and whether this attack would score depended entirely on his own shooting touch.

But at the very moment the attack was launched, an X factor changed the outcome of the offensive.

Trevor Ariza managed to break away from Carmelo Anthony and immediately disrupt the masked man's jump shot!

Although the block wasn't completed, the masked man's shooting rhythm had already been disrupted, and the basketball hit the back of the rim with a sound.

The crisp sound of the rim hitting the basket was the best affirmation of Trevor Ariza's hard work on defense.

Mike Breen was pleased with Ariza's performance. If Tyson Chandler was Lynch's shield, then this tall, skinny forward, who was devoured by Carmelo Anthony in the summer of 2005, was Caesar's armor.

"His defense is very intelligent. He knows at what distance he can try to help defend and at what distance he should stay in front of Melo. Trevor is a completely different defender now."

Lynch blocked the big bear to protect the rebound. The big bear tried to press, but was scared off by Lynch's swinging elbows, and the Pistons' attack was completely ended.

Carmelo Anthony was very unhappy, even though the game had just begun and the Knicks were not yet in a dominant position.

But in his mind, this match shouldn't have been like this.

When Lynch chose not to help defend him, he should have dominated the game, just as all the media and he himself expected.

In the previous round, former teammate Tayshaun Prince's defense actually caused Anthony a lot of trouble.

He wasn't the Pistons' top scorer in the previous round; that title went to Zach Randolph, whose formidable size made it difficult for Jermaine O'Neal to handle.

The facts have proven that Carmelo Anthony is not incapable of defense.

However, the difficulty on offense in the last round did not surprise Anthony, as he knew how excellent the little prince's defense was.

Moreover, Tayshaun Prince left Detroit precisely because he complained that "Melo prevented me from getting a starting position," so he will definitely give it his all in the matchup against Melo.

But tonight was different. Trevor Ariza's resilience far exceeded Anthony's expectations, and his excellent defense made the Pistons' perimeter offense sluggish.

Mike Breen voiced everyone's expectations: "It turns out that even without Lynch extending his defense to the perimeter, the Pistons couldn't do whatever they wanted. So, can the Pistons' twin towers do the same?"

Lynch felt he could definitely do it.

With his teammates giving their all on defense, he has no reason to falter on offense.

Lynch cut out from mid-range to receive the ball and drove to the basket while Zach Randolph rushed out to defend.

Facing the rim protection of the Roaring God, Lynch successfully scored with an Olajuwon-style "feint followed by a turnaround hook shot".

He played with great confidence and did not become timid or hesitant because of the failed attack in the first round.

With the score at 4-0, the Knicks played the classic Superman theme music at the stadium.

One possession later, Trevor Ariza blocked Anthony's fadeaway jumper, which missed again.

Lynch sneered as he ran forward: "Melo, you didn't just say you'd only get 40 points in the whole series, did you?"

"Shut up, the competition has only just begun!"

Anthony was still struggling to break his scoring drought, while Lynch had started scoring in a row. Instead of attacking the paint, he received the ball beyond the three-point line and sank a long-range shot over Zach Randolph's outstretched arms.

"Bang! Lynch was so decisive, it was as if he knew he was going to get in!"

Mike Breen’s signature shouts thrilled New York fans and terrified Detroit fans.

They recalled Lynch's 60-point performance against the Pistons early in the season.

In that game, Lynch delivered an incredible performance, leading a depleted Knicks team to victory against the Pistons.

Apart from Lynch, the other Knicks players also delivered outstanding performances.

They provided Lynch with tremendous help through their tenacious defense and unwavering determination for 48 minutes.

Lynch then rewarded his teammates with a magical 60-point performance, leading the team to victory.

Tonight, Trevor Ariza showed a do-or-die determination from the start, which made Lynch play with great confidence on several offensive possessions.

Mike Breen seems to have found a pattern between the two games: the harder the New York Kings' teammates play, the better Lynch performs.

His teammates' efforts greatly inspired him, making him feel invincible surrounded by such a group. This mindset gave him absolute confidence, enabling him to deliver some incredible performances.

This probably explains why Lynch said, "I don't have superpowers, but my teammates make me feel like Superman."

Will Lynch transform into Superman again tonight?

The 7-0 run had Lionel Hollins yelling himself hoarse: "Tougher! We've let those damn Knicks get off to a bad start. Don't let those New Yorkers waltz under our defense!!"

Zach Randolph responded to his coach by driving hard to the basket, using his weight to carry Lynch to the rim. After a fake, he scored with a clever hook shot.

Zach Randolph's basket failed to stop the Knicks' bleeding, as Lynch scored again. He drove hard to the basket, forcing the ball through the combined defense of Zach Randolph and Rasheed Wallace. He missed, but immediately grabbed the offensive rebound. Randolph hastily grabbed Lynch, but still couldn't stop him from jumping again for a layup.

The Pistons were tough as Hollins had asked, but Lynch was even tougher.

The whistle blew, and Rashid Wallace's furious roar finally erupted: "Damn home-field advantage!"

Lynch clapped and taunted, "Rasheed, playing a series against LeBron must have taught you a lot. Just a reminder, you forgot to shrug."

After saying that, Lynch turned around and scolded Ariza: "Trevor, look what you've done! Did you eat the Detroit people's kryptonite for breakfast? How are they supposed to fight now?"

Lynch's continuous taunts prompted Rasheed Wallace to give the King of New York a push, but embarrassingly, he couldn't budge Lynch, and the two ended up glaring at each other, forehead to forehead.

The situation became tense, and Wu Lan, who was watching the game from the sidelines, shouted along with the fans: "That bastard should be sent off!"

The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was incredibly tense. This was a game between the Pistons and the Knicks. You couldn't expect two teams that had met in the conference finals for three consecutive years to play peacefully.

Lin Qi, who had been pulled away, looked at the Roaring God who had just shoved him and sneered as he imitated his most famous slogan: "Ball doesn't lie! If you can't defend me, you can't defend me. Your actions only prove that you are powerless against me!"

After saying that, Lin Qi stepped to the free throw line and made the extra free throw.

10-2, Lynch has already scored 7 points.

Lionel Hollins had to pause the game, and Carmelo Anthony left the court amidst a chorus of chants that "Kryptonite is useless."

Lionel Hollins is a coach who emphasizes defense, but in that last possession, Zach Randolph and the "Greek King" had raised the defensive intensity to the level of fouls, yet Lynch was still able to squeeze out scoring opportunities from the forest of muscles.

Clearly, defense alone cannot defeat Lynch.

Therefore, he unusually emphasized the offense: "Melo, take care of Trevor! Don't tell me you can't handle that bastard! We need to score, we can't keep being on the defensive! Take advantage of Lynch's inability to extend his defense, use God's weapon, use off-ball offense to kill the game!"

Carmelo Anthony nodded and glanced at Chauncey Billups: "Pass me the ball. I don't want to get bogged down in inefficient isolation plays!"

The game restarted, and on the first offensive possession after the restart, Carmelo Anthony used an off-ball movement to shake off Ariza and launched a three-pointer.

Carmelo Anthony possesses all the qualities to play an efficient off-ball game, and his efficiency remained very high even in the later stages of his career.

In the past, the two times when Carmelo Anthony went the furthest in the playoffs, his point guard partners were Chauncey Billups and Jason Kidd, respectively.

Both of these guys can use their passing and ball-handling skills to help Anthony integrate into the off-ball system and help him avoid those bad shots.

However, in the original history, he was too obsessed with singles and rarely developed this technique in depth. After leaving the top point guard position, he will revert to a ball-handling style of play.

In this context, Carmelo Anthony, having partnered with Chauncey Billups from the very beginning of his career, did not shy away from off-ball offense and even made significant progress in this area.

Anthony repeatedly attacked the Knicks' defense with his skillful off-ball movement and excellent mid-range jump shot.

His mid-range shooting is impeccable, combining both aesthetics and accuracy.

Anthony's overall offensive efficiency isn't particularly high, but when it comes to mid-range shooting alone, his efficiency is absolutely top-tier in the league.

The reason for his low overall efficiency is not because he takes too many mid-range shots, but because he attacks the basket too much.

For someone of Anthony's caliber, he is a very incompetent rim-attacking player; the closer he gets to the basket, the worse he plays.

His less-than-top-tier explosiveness and poor nose for the basket meant he was always getting blocked.

People often jokingly refer to Tim Duncan as the GOAT in terms of shot-blocking, but easily overlook Carmelo Anthony as the secondary GOAT on this track.

His and his good friend LeBron James have the exact opposite skill sets; one is a shooting genius, and the other is a rim-attacking genius.

Therefore, when Anthony decides to take more shots off the ball in the mid-range and beyond the three-point line, his offensive efficiency will actually be very high.

The score became close, and Kryptonite finally began to utilize his skills to burn the Knicks.

He repeatedly scored despite Trevor Ariza's relentless defense, but New York is never short of heroic narratives, and Trevor Ariza's pursuit never faltered. This is the most terrifying aspect of this Knicks team: you can never break the spirit of their role players.

Ariza's relentless attacks severely limited Carmelo Anthony's output, making his pre-game declaration of "40 points tonight" seem incredibly awkward.

While Carmelo Anthony was scoring relentlessly with his artistic mid-range jumpers, Lynch was also putting on a godlike performance against the Pistons' twin towers.

He used his dreamlike footwork to dunk over the big black bear, hit an unconventional three-pointer in transition, and found Eddie Jones, who was 36 years old but still had amazing fast break speed, with a bounce pass across half the court.

Mike Breen exclaimed, "There will never be a player over 36 years old on this planet who can run a fast break better than Eddie!"

Compared to Anthony's off-ball mid-range shots, Lynch's offensive impact is all-encompassing.

He's everywhere – passing, off-ball, low post, three-pointers, mid-range shots.

Previously, the media perceived Carmelo Anthony as the highest offensive player of his generation, while Lynch's greatest strength was his defense.

But now, this preconceived notion is being shattered.

The duel between the two superstars made the game fly by, and with two and a half minutes left in the game, the score was 81-88, with the New York Knicks leading by 7 points.

Lynch scored 33 points, and Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points.

Lynch completely shut down Zach Randolph, while Carmelo Anthony's offensive output was insufficient, which caused the Pistons to struggle to catch up.

From the start of the match until now, they haven't gained a lead for even a single second.

The Knicks called a timeout, as Flip Saunders intended to close out the game.

Mike Malone squatted down in front of Ariza, who had been resting for five minutes, and frantically pounded on the whiteboard: "Close the defense! Close the defense! Don't be afraid of Carmelo Anthony's drives, his rim protection is nothing to worry about! Stick to him as much as you can, don't let him shoot!"

On the other side, Cameron Anthony wiped his sweat and swallowed bitterly.

Countless Pistons fans share the same bitter feeling as Carmelo Anthony at this moment.

They watched as Carmelo Anthony unleashed his full offensive firepower without Lynch's help defense, yet still couldn't catch up.

This tells a fact that no Detroit fan wants to admit—Carmelo Anthony is not as good as Lynch in his best offensive game.

Of course, Anthony and Pistons fans still have hope.

The game is not over yet, the outcome is still undecided, and anything is possible.

Both sides entered the decisive stage. In the crucial moment, Lynch stopped playing off-ball and directly called for the ball outside the three-point line, then drove hard to Zach Randolph.

Of course, Lynch's ball-handling skills weren't enough for him to get past the big bear directly.

But Lynch's real goal was to switch to a back-to-the-basket game in the mid-range and make a turnaround jump shot before the double team could close in!

"35 points! Lynch is about to close out the game! Superman's form is still phenomenal!"

In crucial moments, you can't rely on being off the ball. Lynch knew this well, and Carmelo Anthony certainly did too.

But when Carmelo Anthony tried to attack with the ball, he found that Trevor Ariza chose to defend him directly, showing no fear of Anthony's breakthrough and not giving Anthony any space to make a triple threat move.

Anthony had no choice but to play along, driving past Ariza with his strong physique and heading straight for the basket.
"Tyson Chandler blocked for the fourth time tonight, and Carmelo Anthony missed. That's why Lynch fought so hard; his teammates maintained a very high level of defensive focus in the final moments!"

Anthony's technical shortcomings were on full display. At this moment, he desperately wished for a player who could carry the offensive volume and provide him with the necessary resources to fight alongside him.

Cassell sprinted with the ball, but his job was only to get the ball across half-court before quickly passing it to Lynch.

Lynch used the same tactic again. During his drive, Anthony came to help defend, but Lynch gathered the ball in time and found Ariza on the weak side.

Ariza received the basketball, and once again, he was left wide open, basking alone in the spotlight.

He was very familiar with this feeling. Throughout the 2005 Eastern Conference Finals, he was left wide open by Carmelo Anthony and then watched helplessly as Lynch struggled under double teams.

Now, none of that will happen.

"Trevor, can his three-pointers hold up? Yes! The Knicks are up by 12! It's 2007 now, you can't keep leaving Trevor Ariza open like that anymore, he'll make you pay a heavy price!"

Ariza maintained his shooting form as he retreated to defend, his fingertips aimed directly at Anthony.

"Damn it!" Carmelo Anthony cursed, his offensive and defensive plays in the decisive moment had plunged his team into a deep abyss.

Chauncey Billups wanted to reassure the team: "Don't rush to take the ball and go one-on-one, let's continue with the strategy we just used!"

But it was all in vain. The energetic Trevor Ariza shut down all of Billups' passing angles to Anthony. The helplessness of off-ball offense in crucial moments was spreading in the hearts of every Pistons player.

You can play off the ball in crucial moments, but you can't only play off the ball.

Chauncey Billups had to change his plans and pass the ball to Zach Randolph.

Randolph received the ball in the mid-range and slowly faced the basket, raising his hand to shoot, but actually lowering his center of gravity and using his greater weight to break through Lynch.

The paint was already too crowded, and Zach Randolph missed his shot under Tyson Chandler's strong rim protection.

Lynch grabbed the rebound, handed the ball over, and continued to provoke Carmelo Anthony: "What's wrong, Melo? Why didn't Chauncey pass you the ball? You're not even the first offensive option in crucial moments?"

"I'll catch up!"

"You also said you wanted to shame me for my words, and you said you wanted to score 40 points. You talk too much and do too little. I think that's probably why you can talk to LeBron James like the same person."

Lynch ran across half-court amidst trash talk and continued his offensive run with the ball.

The Pistons no longer dare to double-team, as Stephon Marbury, Eddie Jones, and Trevor Ariza all pose a spot-up three-point threat. While they are far from the sharpshooters of the small-ball era, the Pistons cannot afford another gamble.

If they sink another three-pointer, the deficit will be 15 points.

Lynch was able to take on Randolph one-on-one, but he turned his back halfway through the drive, and Lionel Hollins watched the court nervously.

Lynch couldn't reach a very deep position, and even a rural O'Neal is still O'Neal; you can't ignore the immense power of the Big Black Bear.

Seeing that he could not advance, Lin Qi quickly turned his back.

But Zach Randolph had already anticipated this old trick. He followed the movement flawlessly, using his mountain-like body to completely block the attack route, giving Lynch no room to break through, and instead forcing Lynch into the corner.

Left with no other option, Lynch turned in the opposite direction, hoping to use a turnaround jump shot fake to fool Zach Randolph before taking a step forward for a layup.

Zach Randolph didn't budge an inch, completely unfazed!

He simply raised his arms high to press Lynch, while Lionel Hollins cheered from the sidelines.

"Unless Lynch is really Superman, there's no way he could have made the shot!"

"Go to hell!" Randolph roared as Lynch forced his way out while nearly losing his balance and leaning back.

Lynch's movements became slightly distorted during the confrontation, and Zach Randolph's long arms also greatly interfered with Lynch's movements.

From anyone's perspective, this was not a good move.

But the sound of the net rolling left Coach Lionel Hollins on the sidelines dumbfounded, his celebratory gesture frozen into a ridiculous sculpture.

Despite being completely shut down by Zach Randolph, Lynch still managed to hit a crucial shot!

"Superman! Superman! Superman! You can't deny it, at Madison Square Garden, Lynch is Superman! If Kryptonite really existed in this world, Lynch would crush it!"

Lynch roared to the sky. His one-on-one skills were very different from those in 2006, and even more so from those when he was eliminated by the Pistons in 2005.

Carmelo Anthony is no longer able to outperform Lynch on offense.

The Pistons fought back fiercely, and Carmelo Anthony continued to move around actively. When he created a sliver of space and saw Billups pass the ball to him immediately, Anthony was already ready to shoot.

But then a long arm appeared in his field of vision, extinguishing all his fantasies.

The limitations of their off-ball offense and Carmelo Anthony's lack of ability to penetrate and attack the basket sealed the fate of the Detroit Pistons.

"Trevor Ariza makes the steal! Melo can't even reach the ball! Trevor counter-attacks, a beautiful back dunk! It's over, the game is over! Trevor is no longer Cameron's stepping stone, he is Caesar's armor! He is no longer vulnerable!"

After that dunk, the entire Pistons team hung their heads.

Carmelo Anthony was defended twice by Ariza.

Lynch, however, was not stopped by the Pistons' defense.

The result is very clear: the New York thugs that Detroiters hate have destroyed them.

Previously, they believed that Carmelo Anthony could compete with Lynch. But now, they have nothing left to believe in; they are filled only with fear.

It's likely that the Detroit Pistons will end up with the same result in the next few games.
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Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James battled for six games before a winner was decided, while Lynch could easily sweep LeBron James. Before the game even started, they were already on different levels. — DeShawn Stevenson boasting about his star player after the game.

Carmelo Anthony said he was going to score 40 points tonight, but clearly he underestimated me. I can't shut him down, but he can't destroy me either. — Trevor Ariza's assessment of his performance tonight.

I don't need to expend energy dealing with Melo; my teammates will handle him. Yes, I'm not afraid to lose, and I have an excuse if I do. I'll say it's Trevor Ariza who messed everything up; it's all his fault for not being able to stop Melo. Yeah, that's something I learned from LeBron. — Lynch joked with all the reporters; he never forgets his arch-rival.

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(End of this chapter)