Champion Rules

Chapter 151, Section 147: You guys are the real MVPs! (Seeking monthly votes!)

Superman Returns.

This was the headline on the front page of The New York Times the day after the game, with a cover featuring a photo of Lynch wearing a red and blue jersey suspended above the Metropolitan skyline.

Wu Lan called her son early in the morning: "Next time, have them change their look. These posters with underwear on the outside are really ugly. They have a Sam-esque abstract feel to them!"

Lynch shook his head helplessly: "Mom, they photoshopped this. I could never take a picture like this. Besides, Sam isn't abstract. If you get used to it, he's actually quite anthropomorphic."

This is indeed the ugliest media cover photo Lynch has ever taken since he entered the industry.

Even girls who love to mine Lynch's photos would never choose to hang this picture in their room.

However, the result of last night's game was gratifying.

林奇在东部半决赛第一场轰下37分15个篮板6次助攻3次封盖2次抢断。

This is far more impressive than Carmelo Anthony's 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.

As the basic data shows, in terms of overall impact on the game, Anthony has never been as good as Lynch.

He's an excellent defender, but Lynch is a Defensive Player of the Year.

He's an aggressive rebounder, but Lynch is already a two-time rebounding champion.

He can't move the team around with passing, while Lynch was already able to orchestrate play with his back to the basket last season.

But all of that is tolerable. What Pistons fans find most unacceptable is that even without Lynch's defense, Carmelo Anthony was no better than Lynch in terms of pure scoring last night.

Lynch is not a perfect offensive player. He relies on off-ball movement and cannot develop offense directly from the top of the key like stars such as Kobe, Nash, and LeBron James.

Lynch's ball-handling offense in the crucial moments last night was essentially back-to-the-basket play. If it weren't for the Knicks' role players' excellent three-point shooting in the final moments, which prevented the Pistons from double-teaming him, Lynch wouldn't have had so many opportunities to play against Zach Randolph.

But thanks to his superior finishing efficiency around the basket and more consistent post-up offense, Lynch still won the match.

Carmelo Anthony was outmaneuvered by Lynch in his area of ​​expertise.

Pistons fans live in misery, yet the most frenzied cheers do not come from New York.

Yahoo Sports Cavaliers beat reporter Chris Fedor published an article overnight titled "Melo won, but he's not better than LeBron."

He believes, "Don't be surprised by Melo's complete defeat. If you look closely at the last series, you'll see that LBJ's impact on the game was actually more comprehensive than Melo's. Ultimately, we were ruined by Zach Randolph. If Jermaine could have limited Zach to only 11 points like Lynch did, the Kings wouldn't be in this situation!"

No matter how dominant Lynch is, LeBron James will win again.

Cleveland is like India, where a fighter jet is shot down but the whole country celebrates for 10 days; a magical realism frenzy spreads in that decaying industrial city.

This was the summer of 2007, when the media spotlight was completely dominated by the young players from the 03 and 04 draft classes.

The series of stories generated by their three consecutive years of competition in the Eastern Conference have made them the protagonists of the league.

The wheels of time are turning rapidly forward.

Those old guys who are already past their prime are destined to be crushed under the wheels of time if they don't do something.

Kevin Garnett is undoubtedly the player who can best understand the pain of the passing of the torch from superstar to superstar.

Since Lynch entered the NBA in 2004, the Wolf King has been like someone standing on a beach where the tide is receding, watching helplessly as his MVP aura is washed away by the waves of the new era.

This wasn't entirely Lynch's fault; it's just that the timing of Lynch's entry into the league coincided with the beginning of his decline from his peak.

After 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed to make the playoffs for three consecutive seasons.

Over the years, Kevin Garnett has filmed many Adidas "No Brothers, No Basketball" series of advertisements. The Adidas Five Tigers was a successful marketing campaign for Adidas under the dual pressure of Reebok and Nike.

This series of advertisements has consistently emphasized that the competition is a five-person affair.

But he himself could never gather five people to bring himself closer to victory.

At the beginning of this season, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor could no longer tolerate carrying KG's huge contract while failing to win, and he finally publicly stated: "We can discuss trading KG."

At this point, KG felt uncertain about the future. He knew the Timberwolves would definitely initiate trade proceedings this summer, but he wasn't entirely passive; he held a no-trade clause. This meant he could, to some extent, designate his next team.

But KG didn't know whether he should take that step. This was an era where even someone like Ron Artest, who wasn't even a superstar, would say, "I want to compete with people like Kobe, Tracy, and Lynch, so I can't go to any eventuality."

This is an era where pride still matters.

But he was already 31 years old, and he knew that if he didn't change anything, he would most likely end his career empty-handed.

The son of the U.S. Air Force welder was also deeply troubled by the tides of the times.

With the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the 06-07 season second to last in the Western Conference, Ray Allen was already 32 years old.

He thought he was still at his peak, scoring a career-high 54 points in January and making 269 three-pointers in a single season at the age of 31, setting an NBA record.

He's still in good shape, and most importantly, the stingy coffee king Howard Schultz has finally sold the team.

Schultz's stinginess is well-known, to the point of being repulsive.

There's never anything to eat at the SuperSonics' training center; if the players get hungry, they have to order takeout themselves.

Every team in the league provides its players with two suitcases each so they can carry their luggage when playing away games. The only exception is the SuperSonics. Schultz thinks his players have the money to buy their own suitcases, so the SuperSonics' away game kit is a large black plastic bag.

Howard Schultz never thinks about spending money on the team. He treats his players like the manager of a Starbucks store, which makes it impossible for any top free agent to want to play for such a stingy owner.

Therefore, Ray Allen was very happy when he didn't want to spend money upgrading the arena, which would lead to the sale of the team.

He felt he was in good shape and thought that breaking free from Howard Schultz's control would give him a new lease on life.

He hasn't come close to a championship in far too long since 2001, and he's desperately eager to win the title.

But two days ago they told him, "Dear Ray, we need to trade you. I hope you can understand our decision. We need Kevin, and we need to create a good enough environment for him to grow."

After all, this is an alliance that believes in passion and guts.

Ray Allen, a guy who constantly sends books to his teammates and invites them to art galleries, seems ill-suited to be a successful leader in an era where strong people are often seen as bad kids.

He is undoubtedly a good person, but such good people are always one step short when it comes to pursuing fame and fortune.

The Seattle SuperSonics have their sights set on that skinny kid who looks malnourished. They heard he couldn't even do a bench press during his physical tests. And he has absolutely no superstar quality; although he has a unique charisma, he looks like a fool who would drink women's foot bath water.

Regardless, they were determined to rebuild around him. Ray Allen then realized that he was no longer at his peak. His meticulously maintained jump shot and repeatedly refined running routes ultimately couldn't compete with people's thirst for fresh talent.

He didn't know what his fate would be; he only hoped that 2001 wouldn't be the closest he ever came to winning a championship in his career.

While the Portlanders and Seattleites celebrated their draft pick, fans across Boston thought they were clowns.

The years 2006 and 2007 were undoubtedly the darkest period for this traditional powerhouse.

Two days before the start of the new season, the passing of Arnold Auerbach, one of the most important figures in Celtics history, forever extinguished the glow of a cigar in the dome of TD Garden. The fall of this 89-year-old legend seemed to foreshadow the complete fading of the dynasty's twilight.

After the season began, injuries quickly tore the team apart. Paul Pierce was sidelined with only 47 games due to injury, and Tony Allen, nicknamed "Little Wade," tore his knee ligaments during a dunk. From Christmas 2006 to Valentine's Day the following year, an 18-game losing streak tightened like a noose around Boston's throat.

But none of this was the most desperate situation. Danny Ainge and all Boston fans pinned their hopes on the 07 NBA Draft Lottery. They believed that if they could acquire Greg Oden, they would essentially have the next Bill Russell.

As fate would have it, Celtics fans were once again dealt a cruel blow since 1997. As the worst team in the Eastern Conference, they only managed to get the fifth pick, rendering Danny Ainge's rebuilding plan utterly useless.

Yesterday, at the team's season-ending meeting, Paul Pierce officially requested a trade.

At 30, he has been labeled a "bottom-feeder" for too long, and people have no idea how much he craves victory.

He didn't want to waste any more time in Boston; he used to think he had plenty of time and a long career ahead of him.

But the fact that he was 30 years old and Lynch's success at 21 reminded him that he could no longer waste time.

The New Jersey Nets have officially announced that they will put 34-year-old Jason Kidd on the trading block.

The crushing defeat in the Eastern Conference semifinals completely ended Jason Kidd's peak. While other superstars may not have directly felt the pressure from the younger generation, Jason Kidd was personally sent to his twilight by Lynch.

Minnesota's Wolf King sat alone at home, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the lines of his 2004 MVP trophy; Seattle's Gentleman Ray wandered alone in the gallery corridor, his face, bearing the undeniable marks of time, reflected in the shop windows; Boston's Truth folded his jersey at the bottom of his suitcase, the championship banners on the dome of TD Garden casting dappled shadows behind him; Jason Kidd had decided to divorce his wife, bidding a final farewell to the past.

Those star players over 30 are struggling to find their place in the new era.

The continuous rumors about the transactions told the world that this was destined to be no ordinary summer.

Lin Qi, who was on the training field, was flipping through the newspaper, feeling curious about the summer that was coming up.

He recalled his conversation with Kevin Garnett, and he realized that the trajectory of fate in this time and space had long since deviated from its predetermined course.

For example, right now, the team closest to Ray Allen isn't the Boston Celtics, but the Orlando Magic. Who knows if the Boston Big Three will even exist, and if not, what will become of them?
The summer of 2007 seemed to be a significant historical turning point.

Lynch was eager to know the answers to all the mysteries, but he quickly put them aside for the time being.

He has his own battles to fight.

After their first crushing defeat, the Detroit Pistons will definitely make adjustments for the second game.

Their roster has both strength and depth, and Lynch doesn't think this round will be as easy as the previous ones.

Just as Lynch put down his newspaper to prepare for training, Sam Presti burst through the training field gate like a startled deer.

The general manager, who is known for his British gentlemanly demeanor, now had his tie askew on his collarbone, and only his left shoe remained on his custom-made leather shoes; his right shoe had long since disappeared while he was running.

DeShawn Stevenson's first thought upon seeing the general manager's expression was: "You got caught by your wife cheating on you with a cheerleader? Damn it, why does the NBA have rules against players having contact with cheerleaders, but not against the general manager! Tell me, was it Lucy? Or Linda!?"

Sam Presti ignored him, simply clutching his knees and breathing heavily. He was clearly exhausted, but his eyes behind his glasses shone with an alarming intensity.

After catching his breath, he suddenly straightened up, his disheveled shirt trembling with the rise and fall of his chest.

"Listen! I just got a call from the league office. I reckon ESPN's broadcast truck is already stuck on Seventh Avenue. They're rushing here like madmen."

At this point, Presti's voice suddenly rose: "21 years and 58 days! Lynch! The youngest MVP in history!"

Eddie Jones, who was practicing his jump shot, froze in place as the basketball bounced off the floor with a hollow echo.

Tyson Chandler's scream came from the power zone, followed by the sound of a whole case of Gatorade being overturned.

As Lynch was overwhelmed by his teammates, Stephon Marbury walked in carrying a shoe: "Whose shoe fell on the corner of the stairs? Damn it, why are you guys lifting Lynch up?"
-
James Dolan said he would give Lynch a grand MVP award ceremony.

Lynch didn't think much of it. Before 2017, the NBA didn't have an official awards ceremony. And because regular season awards were announced during the playoffs, when players were most concerned about the next game, the NBA regular season awards ceremony was never considered a grand affair.

Typically, the team holds a press conference at the training center, the players give a brief speech, and then the spotlight immediately shifts back to the next match.

But James Dolan and Reebok refused to let their greatest stars be buried in mediocrity.

So tonight, Lynch appeared in Times Square.

The New York City government fully cooperated by temporarily closing Times Square and setting it up as a temporary stage.

The distinguished guests who were invited to attend the event were already seated below the stage.

FMP first-team head coach Bosko Jokic wore a wig to cover his bald head. He looked at the brightly lit screens around him and tried to confirm that he was not in an absurd dream by pinching his thigh.

He thought he must be dreaming, because after pinching it hard, he found that he couldn't feel anything at all.

Beside him, Vlad Durovic, who had been promoted to general manager of the FMP club, yelled in a strange Balkan accent, "Boshko! What the hell are you doing?"

"what?"

Why did you pinch my thigh?!

In the row behind them, Julio Lamas, who had returned from Real Madrid to coach his local Argentine club Libertad, stared at the helicopter circling overhead, unable to believe he was in the eye of the storm in the basketball world.

Prior to this, the night he lifted the Champions League trophy in Finland in 2004 was the biggest moment of his career.

But after today, the top spot on the "biggest event" list will have to go to New York.

Real Madrid assistant coach Alberto Herreros sat in one of the middle seats in the front row, clutching the invitation in his hand, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the embossed word "MVP" on the invitation.

This is a very important position, representing his special status.

But American fans and reporters know very little about him, and there are hardly any cameras filming him.

When the broadcast camera panned across the VIP section, the ESPN commentator's half-second pause revealed the North American basketball world's unfamiliarity with this European basketball legend.

Alberto Herreros, however, maintained a calm smile, his deeply wrinkled eyes filled with the serenity of someone who had seen it all.

He didn't feel embarrassed or awkward; he didn't care whether Americans knew him or not.

He's here today to congratulate his friend, the guy who swept across Europe at 18 and became the NBA's Most Valuable Player at 21.

Two days ago, on the day the league announced Lynch as the new season's MVP, James Dolan asked Lynch for a list.

"Write down the names of all the people you would like to attend your MVP and DPOY award ceremonies."

Lin Qi did as he was told, but he never expected that those names etched deep in his basketball memories would gather here in such a tangible way—of course, not all of them could be there, given the time constraints. But seeing so many familiar faces already made Lin Qi very satisfied.

At this moment, Lin Qi, who was preparing backstage, was extremely excited.

He knew that the guys who played a pivotal role in his basketball journey were waiting for him outside.

The staff signaled that Lynch was ready, and his agent, Misco Raznatovic, straightened Lynch's collar one last time and said the exact same thing he said during the draft: "It's our turn to step into this world."

Spike Lee, as the special guest host, picked up the microphone, his deep voice piercing the neon lights of New York: "Let's welcome the youngest Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player in history, the King of New York, Lynch!!!"

All the giant LED screens in Times Square simultaneously projected close-ups of Lynch, while the helicopter's spotlights cleaved the darkness like a divine pronouncement, paving a path of stars for him. The moment the King of New York strode forward, flashes of light exploded in a silvery-white nebula around him.

Lin Qi glanced at the audience below the stage, where the VIP seats seemed to have transformed into a time tunnel.

Alberto Herreros waved gently to Lynch; Bosko Jokic jumped up excitedly, the wind from the helicopter rotor whipping up his wig, his bare scalp glowing an excited red under the searchlight; Julio Lamas smiled and clapped, his decision to defy public opinion and make a kid a Real Madrid starter was the beginning of everything; Vladimir Durovic muttered to himself, "Thank goodness we didn't give up on him back then."

The teammates applauded for Lin Qi, while Wu Lan, dressed in a gorgeous dress, kept covering her mouth with her hands in excitement.

Standing in the center of the stage, Lin Qi's fingers trembled slightly as he held the two trophies, his gaze sweeping over the faces of those who had traveled from afar to attend:
"Wow, thank you so much everyone. I'm so happy to win both the DPOY and MVP awards in the same season."

When I first arrived in Madrid four years ago, I always fantasized about standing in the spotlight. But now I realize that what truly illuminates me is not the spotlight, but the people who reflect that light onto me.

Alberto, thank you for taking me to Peña Lala after my first playoff loss. To be honest, I have no memory of the scenery there; all I remember is you telling me, 'Don't envy others' easy success; it's worthless to you. Accept your difficult journey, and that will make your victory shine even brighter.'

You're right, I enjoy every victory now, even though we're constantly facing challenges.

Coach Boshko, the coach who supervised my extra lateral movement practice in the Belgrade downpour back then, is now guarding the Knicks' paint at Madison Square Garden. Those demanding requirements and training sessions have now become muscle memory in every defensive possession.

Julio, when you put a 17-year-old's name into Real Madrid's starting lineup, you were risking more than just your career. From Madrid to New York, you gave me not only an opportunity, but also the courage to tear down all prejudices.

Vlad, the medical report from FMP youth academy showed my knee was beyond the limits of professional basketball, and you were the one who crossed out that damn risk assessment. Look, the defective product who was almost discarded back then is now holding the highest individual honor in the NBA!
Milos, even though you couldn't be here in person, I know you were watching on TV. Thank you for being with me during those amazing times in Europe. If I could, I really hope we could continue creating miracles together in the NBA.

Stephen, Grant, Trevor, thank you for always standing with me against this world. You've suffered so much unfair criticism—he's old, he's overpaid and incompetent, he doesn't deserve to be a starter. Ignore those voices; I only know that you'll always be there for me.

I love you guys, brothers, I love everyone on the Knicks.

Willis, the eternal captain of the New York Knicks, the steely will you brought flows in our veins. We will carry on the tough spirit of New York, and most importantly, we will become the defending champions!

Thank you to all the fans who support me, and thank you to my opponent and good teammate Yao Ming. I'm glad you came instead of going fishing.

Finally, my mom, even Superman needs his mother's support. Thank you for teaching me what dignity is, thank you for those years of "champion's nutrition meals," thank you for supporting my dreams. No matter how badly I played, you always told me I could do it.

Lynch looked at the two trophies beside him, took three steps back, and bowed to the entire audience. Then he suddenly opened his arms wide, the neon lights of Times Square behind him resembling a galaxy:

"This trophy belongs to everyone who held the torch for me in the darkness. Tonight, it's not just Lynch who receives this award, but all of you here—"

Lin Qi paused, looked at the people who had led him to this point, and said from the bottom of his heart, "You are the real MVPs!"

Amidst the applause of everyone in the audience, Lynch looked around at the most dazzling awards ceremony in NBA history.

This dreamlike theater, built around the clock, is forging scattered basketball memories from around the world into diamonds on a crown.

These are far more valuable than the trophy itself.

Lynch returned backstage and handed the two trophies to his agent, Misco Raznatovic, whose hand suddenly sank: "They're really heavy!"

“Of course it’s heavy,” Lynch said, gazing at the trophy with a proud smile. “It encapsulates a glorious journey of eight thousand kilometers, from the morning mist along the Sava River to the lights of countless homes reflected in the Hudson River.”
-
Lynch, the youngest MVP in history! The youngest DPOY in history! The youngest NBA ruler in history! —Slam Dunk.

Since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994, Lynch has the opportunity to have another great individual Grand Slam season! — Sports Illustrated.

"Those guys down there aren't the real MVPs, Dirk is! Those bastards who voted should all be fired!" — Mark Cuban angrily retorted during an interview.

Oh, the Dallas Mavericks better pray they don't make it to the Finals. Believe me, Lynch will ruin them; he and Mark are now completely at odds. — Charles Barkley's comments on Cuban's remarks on a show.

James Dolan hosted the biggest MVP award ceremony in history for Lynch, but will such a lavish celebration the day before Game 2 of the playoffs dilute the defending champions' fighting spirit? The game results will punish everyone who starts celebrating before the battle is over. — Cleveland Plain Dealer

I can understand Lynch wanting to celebrate winning MVP, but such a grand celebration? This is the playoffs, buddy. Never get too excited, and don't let your friends come to New York to laugh at you. — Carmelo Anthony in an interview.

Go tell Melo that if he's not satisfied, he'll beat me in the next game. If I lose, I'll personally deliver the trophy to his house. Don't change that line, just tell him that! — Lynch responding to Carmelo Anthony's comments.

(Thanks so much to readers 20240731094914346 and others for their generous donations!)
(End of this chapter)