Champion Rules

Chapter 173, Page 169: Thank God, New York (Seeking monthly votes!)

In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, with 3.2 seconds remaining, the Miami Heat led by one point.

Dwyane Wade, drenched in sweat, stepped up to the free-throw line. At that moment, his team was on the verge of elimination.

His glorious season is about to vanish.

For Dwyane Wade in 2008, his resume was brilliant.

He eliminated the champions of the past two years in the Eastern Conference semifinals and won the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons.

This means that the two men who dominated the league for the past four seasons have been defeated one after another by Dwyane Wade.

This was the perfect script; he shattered the order of the old rulers, and for the first time in five years, the NBA Finals had neither the Pistons nor the New York Knicks.

Some say that Dwyane Wade simply benefited from the new rules.

Miami fans would respond: "Why is it Dwyane who benefits the most, and not LeBron, who is equally good at driving to the basket?"

But all his glory this season is at risk of collapsing at this moment.

The series score has now reached 3-1, with the Los Angeles Lakers securing a decisive match point.

Game 5, a do-or-die matchup, saw the Heat hold a four-point lead at a crucial moment, but Jason Kidd's clutch three-pointer narrowed the gap to just one point.

Wade stood at the free-throw line in the final moments. If he made both free throws, the Miami Heat would be invincible.

Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Kidd stared at him like wild beasts, as if they wanted to rip a bloody championship ring out of his chest.

This made him nervous.

At this stage of the competition, tactics and techniques are no longer the absolute deciding factor for victory; it has become a contest of courage and perseverance.

The first free throw arced perfectly, and the moment the net bounced up, the roar from the stands almost lifted the roof off.

But Wade's emotions didn't calm down; he remained very tense. He knew that if he gave the Lakers even the slightest chance, they would definitely kill the game.

The second free throw resulted in the basketball hitting the back edge of the rim.

The entire Florida coastline seemed to freeze at that moment.

Pat Riley cursed under his breath; he could already smell the blood of death.

Kevin Garnett's veined arm slammed into Pau Gasol like a battering ram, and the Spaniard staggered back, catching a glimpse of KG's ferocious face.

The game was paused the moment KG grabbed the rebound.

Kobe Bryant ripped off his mouthguard and walked toward the bench, the Staples Center's Grim Reaper seemingly hovering over the South Coast.

As Dwyane Wade walked off the court, Erik Spoelstra tried to remain calm: "Dwyane, forget about KG, forget about Jason. They're definitely going to pick Kobe, and Kobe's going to take the last shot! Keep an eye on him, we still have a chance to take the series to Los Angeles!"

Paul Pierce also pressed down on Wade's shoulder, his hand almost digging into Wade's shoulder blade: "I believe you can handle that damn bastard!"

This die-hard Lakers fan, who grew up in Inglewood, could never have imagined that one day he would be cursing the Lakers' star player during the Finals. Just as Paul George could never have imagined that he would be a VIP guest in every Finals game in 2025, no matter whose home court it was.

The timer's restart buzzer tore through the heavy air, and the game resumed.

Although Wade made one of two free throws, leading by two points with 3.2 seconds left is not a hopeless situation.

For some reason, Miami fans felt like they couldn't breathe, as if a civilized American police officer had pressed their knee against their neck in the street.

The air conditioning system in the American Airlines Arena seemed to have suddenly malfunctioned, and everyone was covered in a fine layer of sweat.

Kobe walked onto the court, glanced at Kidd and KG, and raised his fist: "The old guys' time isn't over yet."

Fourteen championship banners hanging from the Staples Center dome were fluttering three hundred miles away, and Kobe Bryant didn't want to wait any longer; he wanted to raise the fifteenth banner for Los Angeles. And, of course, the first banner without Shaq.

This is the coronation of the Black Mamba, and a moment of rebirth as he breaks free from the shadow of the shark.

The game began with the Los Angeles Lakers employing their signature Starburst offense.

KG and Kidd's perfectly timed pick-and-roll created a human wall that tore apart the defense, allowing Kobe to emerge from the tactical maze like a cheetah—thankfully, the team got him some real teammates who could actually play basketball, instead of Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom, those two guys who could get lost on the court.

In Kobe's view, the biggest difference between an ordinary player and a superstar is whether or not they can play the game.

Kobe received the ball and immediately turned to dribble laterally along the three-point line, trying to get rid of Wade.

But Dwyane Wade, who had already entered the discussion of "the league's best shooting guard," did not lose his position. He tightly guarded Kobe, not wanting this glorious season to end.

The heatwave from the south coast seemed to boil in his eyes.

Kobe leaps and launches a difficult, drifting shot. Wade fails to block it, but he effectively shuts down all shooting opportunities.

Before the basketball even flew into the net, the red light on the backboard had already lit up.

Kevin Garnett raised his arms in advance; he had a feeling this guy wouldn't let him down.

then
"Bang!!! Kobe Bryant hits the game-winning shot in the final seconds! The Los Angeles Lakers have won their fourth NBA championship of the 21st century! Kobe Bryant gave Miami no chance; he executed Dwyane in the most brutal way!"

The sound of the basketball piercing the net rang out simultaneously with the final red light, plunging American Airlines Arena into a deathly silence.

Kobe, like a medieval swordsman, charged toward the technical table, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace, his bulging muscles trembling as he roared: "Our time is not over! Our time is not over!"

The sound waves shattered the colorful ribbons in the sky, transforming into purple and golden waves along with the swarming teammates.

When all the media believed that young people had taken over the league, and everyone's attention was on Lynch, Anthony, Wade, and others.

With the tenacity of veterans, Kobe Bryant reclaimed the league's dominance.

Kevin Garnett roared with excitement, recalling how he had asked Lynch, a young man, about his future during last season's All-Star Game. At that time, he was truly lost, genuinely believing he might never have another chance to win a ring.

And now, just one year later, he has reached the top of the world.

Anything is possible in this world.

Jason Kidd, standing at the scorer's table, was already in tears. A season earlier, he had been mercilessly crushed by Lynch in a series, and people said he was already an outcast of the era.

Last summer, the New Jersey Nets traded him to Los Angeles like a used commodity. The Nets originally hoped to trade him for Andrew Bynum, but after being completely outmatched in the series, the Lakers ultimately acquired him with only Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom as the main assets, a meager trade package that made him feel ashamed.

But now, he is a world champion. And he wasn't ineffective; his defense against Dwyane Wade was incredibly successful, and his crucial three-pointer just now was the foundation for Kobe's game-winning shot.

The glimmer in his wrinkled eyes was the radiant starlight of someone who had finally reached the other shore after fourteen years of wandering.

Mike Brin looked at them, and he got goosebumps all over: "My God, look at these weary old folks. They still bravely go to the front lines and plant their royal flags in territories ruled by young men!"

Amidst a shower of confetti, three veterans who had fought in the league for decades embraced tightly, their palm lines interwoven with the snow of Minneapolis, the blazing sun of Phoenix, and the starlight of Los Angeles. Ultimately, these moments forged the fifteenth milestone in Lakers history.

When Kobe Bryant won his first Finals MVP trophy, number 24, who won both the regular season and Finals MVP awards this season, grinned broadly.

He raised two trophies and mentioned a specific name, the man who had created a Grand Slam of honors last season and was hailed as a superstar by the world's media: "Look at this league, Lynch doesn't seem to have completely dominated it yet!"

As Lin Qi watched Kobe, whom he had dominated for the past few seasons, on TV, he tightened his grip on his model girlfriend.

"Damn Kobe Bryant."

Miss Europe very sensibly straddled Lynch, tearing a suggestive slit in the collar of her silk robe: "You look very angry."

"Yes, I'm going to crush him at the Olympics, I swear."

"But the Olympics don't start for another two months, dear Tsar. Staying up for so long will ruin your health."

"Then what good ideas do you have to help me?"

The Russian woman laughed as she tied her hair up. She knew exactly how to cheer up her sullen boyfriend: "Alexandra left her mark on the car. Since you're not willing to sell it, I'll leave mine in your living room. That's fair, Lynch."
-
Lynch let Xenia Sukerinova leave so many marks on the expensive Persian carpet that he had to tell the cleaning lady, "I accidentally spilled the tea last night."

Last night's intimacy did make Lin Qi feel much better, but it didn't solve the fundamental problem.

Only men can help Lynch solve his fundamental problems.

As the morning sun painted the Hudson River red, Lynch had already arrived at the Greenburg training center.

DeAndre Jordan and Serge Ibaka will both be trying out today.

DeAndre Jordan didn't want to participate because he felt he wouldn't fall to the end of the first round.

But upon hearing that Lynch would personally come to watch the tryouts, DeAndre Jordan accepted the ticket to New York.

As for Serge Ibaka, he couldn't be happier to sign with the Knicks right now.

Of course, the NBA draft doesn't give him a choice. If he's selected by another team, he doesn't have the right to refuse.

The tryouts fully exposed DeAndre Jordan's problems.

His barefoot height is the same as Lynch's, only 208 centimeters. Meanwhile, JaVale McGee, who was drafted in the same year, has a solid 211 centimeters with a better jumping ability.

Furthermore, DeAndre Jordan's dynamic talent wasn't as good as people expected. His original model was Dwight Howard, but in reality, his dynamic performance was far inferior to Dwight Howard's.

Aside from that, he has almost no redeeming qualities.

From beginning to end, DeAndre Jordan's selling point has always been his physical attributes.

Because his skills were almost nonexistent, he did not demonstrate any ability to create his own offense, even in NCAA-level games.

Serge Ibaka's trial was very successful.

For a power forward, his body size is excellent; he's long in all the right places.

In addition to his outstanding athletic ability, his background in European leagues also gives him a better understanding of the game, just like Lynch.

However, his style is more suited to the power forward position. Although he verbally promised to "gain weight to play power forward for Lynch", Sam Presti does not believe that he can maintain his current agility after gaining weight.

Furthermore, his weight gain and playing center might not necessarily be more effective than Tyson Chandler's current form.

Of course, the biggest obstacle for Ibaka is his draft position.

The Knicks have the 26th pick in the draft, but the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the 24th pick, have also shown strong interest in Serge Ibaka.

In this historical context, because Sam Presti was working for the Knicks, the Thunder's general manager became Jerry West, the "Logo Man," who had just left Memphis last summer.

He didn't want to come back to basketball, but the dream of "leading a small-market team to a comeback" and Kevin Durant's talent attracted him, leading him to decide to continue his live-action basketball manager game.

Logo highly values ​​Serge Ibaka and has already made a draft commitment to him during previous workouts. This means that if the Knicks want to acquire him, they must find a way to get a draft pick before the 24th overall pick.

However, given the Knicks' current assets, this will be quite difficult.

After the trial ended, Lin Qi walked up to the two young men and shook hands with them.

"Gentlemen, you all performed exceptionally well. With your help, I believe the team can definitely get closer to the championship again."

Finally, I'd like to ask you one more question.

What do you think of that comment in the locker room?

Serge Ibaka answered first: "Madrid is still proud of your story of leading the team to victory in 2004. We all know how you led that team and united them. I am not afraid of sacrifice, and I am willing to give everything for victory."

DeAndre Jordan chuckled and slapped his butt: "Linch, if you guys can get a lottery pick, I'll show you just how big a fire I can set off. Look, my hips, which are comparable to Shaq's, aren't for nothing. The fat on my butt alone is enough to keep burning for a long time."

DeAndre Jordan remains proud, after all, no rookie in NBA history who has made it to the green room has ever fallen to the end of the first round, and he believes that his talent has already been recognized by the NBA.

Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction, and then invited them to his family's restaurant for a meal.

Overall, Lynch was very satisfied with both of them.

"They are all very good, but it depends on your specific actions."

Serge Ibaka possesses greater immediate combat effectiveness; his European-trained tactical skills allow him to unleash his full potential under the spotlight of Madison Square Garden.

As for the position, if a suitable power forward is available, I can try to move to small forward. This is something we discussed in the middle of this season when we were planning to bring in Pau Gasol.

DeAndre has a great personality and won't clash with anyone on the team. Furthermore, he would be an excellent role-playing center. We didn't re-sign Nazr this summer; we need a new defensive anchor.

If we draft Serge Ibaka, this year's draft will be a perfect 100, but we'll definitely have to pay a price.

If we can only select DeAndre Jordan, we can still give him an 85 out of 100, and we can also get him directly.

It depends on your actions. Sam, you can consider it a success no matter who you bring back.

Rather than the draft, I'd prefer you to get in touch with Steve Nash for me. I heard you've been in contact with him lately, but the negotiations haven't been going well.

If possible, I would like to meet him before the Olympics begin.

Sam Presti immediately knew what to do. 85 points was certainly excellent, but the temptation of a 100-point score was like the song of a siren.

On June 27, the day the NBA draft began, DeAndre Jordan sat confidently in the Green Room.

When a reporter asked him why he would try out for the Knicks, who were drafted so late, he pointed to the Omega watch he was wearing, which was endorsed by Lynch: "When you come to New York, of course you have to pay a visit to the godfather of Long Island and pay your respects. It was an honor to have dinner with him."

At that moment, in the VIP box, Sam Presti was holding his hot phone, as Magic general manager Otis Smith's reply remained stuck on "under consideration".

Just now, he made an offer to the Magic, trading the 26th pick plus Wilson Chandler for the Magic's 22nd pick in return.

Magic general manager Otis Smith didn't immediately agree; he just wanted to investigate one thing: "Who exactly are the Knicks doing this for? Going so far as to trade away rookie Wilson Chandler, who had an outstanding season last year?"

When Assassin was in charge of the Knicks, no one cared who he drafted, because the Knicks were insignificant no matter who they drafted.

But now, the whole world is afraid that it may have inadvertently contributed to the Knicks' resurgence.

They all knew that the team with Lynch only needed a little reinforcement to once again dominate everyone.

The Orlando Magic are now championship contenders, and also in the Eastern Conference, so they certainly have to be careful.

Soon, a rumor spread among the general managers that the Knicks were willing to listen to any offer to trade up the draft pick in order to acquire Serge Ibaka.

As a result, the transaction stalled.

Whether it was the Magic (22nd pick), the Cavaliers (19th pick), or the Wizards (18th pick), they all simultaneously cut off trade opportunities.

They won't make that trade; they can't let the Knicks acquire such a high-caliber rookie. Even if they don't want him, they can't let the Knicks have him.

The Knicks were targeted, forcing Sam Presti to seek offers from Western Conference teams. The Phoenix Suns, with the 15th pick, were willing to trade, but they wanted to exchange Wilson Chandler for Trevor Ariza.

Suns general manager Steve Kerr told Presti, "Sam, this is no longer the time to make a quick buck. The whole league is watching you, everyone is on your guard. You won't get anything out of this unless you pay a real price."

Sam Presti could guess who had deliberately leaked the information.

As long as the Knicks cannot trade up in the draft, the Thunder's chances of acquiring Ibaka will greatly increase.

So it must have been the Logo Man who accurately pierced the Knicks' trade intentions, dragging the battle for Serge Ibaka into a quagmire.

The draft began quickly, and Derrick Rose's name was the first to be called. He became the Chicago Bulls' next superstar after MJ.

DeAndre Jordan applauded from below, confident that he would soon be on stage himself.

He sewed a sign that read "I love New York, I love Lynch" into the inside pocket of his suit, believing it would win over New York fans.

He's a guy who tries to make everyone happy; he likes to be the life of the party.

Meanwhile, he was memorizing what he would say during the interview later.

His family were devout Christians, and his mother wrote a speech for him: "I thank God for the gifts He has given me, and I will respect, sacrifice, and dedicate myself to my talents."

The speech wasn't complicated, but because of his excitement and nervousness, he still spent a long time memorizing it.

But gradually, this cheerful person stopped laughing and lost interest in memorizing her speech.

He began to anxiously adjust his bow tie frequently.

With the Phoenix Suns, desperately needing a center, selecting Robin Lopez with the 15th overall pick, DeAndre Jordan's mood plummeted. His signature grin suddenly froze on his face, as if someone had pressed the pause button on his facial muscles.

He was predicted to be selected in the lottery, but his name has not yet been called.

Sam Presti watched the trade panel update in real time. As expected, the Phoenix Suns rejected the trade request for Wilson Chandler plus draft picks.

He realized that when Lynch's brilliance became too dazzling, the entire league would unanimously raise a red line for the Knicks.

Just like right now, at least five teams would rather forgo the opportunity to strengthen their rosters than extinguish any spark of upward trades from New York.

At this moment, what worries Sam Presti is not Serge Ibaka, but next year's draft.

The Timberwolves' 2009 first-round pick is considered key to the Knicks' dynasty, and given the Timberwolves' current form, the Knicks will almost certainly get a high lottery pick next season.

This is an opportunity for Lynch to find a reliable second-in-command.

But with so many teams targeting them, will the Knicks be able to draft the players they want?

The next trade resulted in Sam Presti losing Serge Ibaka for good.

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded their 24th overall pick and third-year French center Johan Petrol to the Charlotte Bobcats for the 20th overall pick.

God knows how the logo convinced Michael Jordan that Johan Petro was more promising than Alexis Ajinca, the player he had planned to draft.

At the end of the call, Logo didn't forget to praise, "Michael, you've always had a good eye."

It was almost impossible for the Knicks to acquire a draft pick higher than 20th overall, and so the Thunder got Serge Ibaka as they wanted.

DeAndre Jordan was being tormented by the relentless pace of time, like a lone boat tossed about in a storm, until he was finally brought back to life by the beacon of Madison Square Garden at the 26th pick.

He suddenly felt very grateful.

He was grateful to the New York Knicks for not making him fall to the second round in a more humiliating way, and he was grateful to Lynch for giving him a chance.

So when he went on stage, lifted his suit jacket, and said, "I love New York, I love Lynch," his eyes were filled with tears.

As soon as he stepped off the stage, his agent handed him a phone: "It's Lin Qi."

DeAndre Jordan was flattered as he answered the phone: "Lynch, it's nice to receive your call."

"De Andre, my dear little brother. I won't congratulate you, because I know how you feel right now. All I can tell you is to work hard with me. All the teams that missed out on you before will regret their decision tonight. Are you ready to burn?"

"I'm ready, Lynch! I'm ready to start training anytime!"

"Great, but you should rest for a while. I don't want you to look like Shaquille O'Neal next time we meet."

"No, Lynch, I promise!"

After hanging up the phone, DeAndre Jordan heard his mother calling him: "Don't forget what we said!"

Then, TNT reporters' cameras arrived as scheduled.

"De'Andrei, although things are somewhat different from what was predicted, how are you feeling now?"

DeAndre Jordan struggled to recall the line he had memorized for so long, and finally, he spoke:

“I thank God of New York for the gift he has given me, and I will respect, sacrifice, and dedicate myself to my talents. If I could, I would like to burn my entire career for the Knicks.”

"New York God?"

"Yes, I believe Lynch chose me, and I will never let him down."

Sam Presti felt much more at ease seeing DeAndre Jordan put on the Knicks' cap.

At least, he scored 85 points.

In the second round, the Knicks selected Goran Dragic as planned, thus concluding this year's draft.

Almost simultaneously, Sam Presti called Steve Nash.

Although Lynch said that either DeAndre Jordan or Serge Ibaka would be a good choice.

But Lynch also said that Serge Ibaka is the perfect choice in his mind.

Overall, he felt he had let Lynch down.

Therefore, he absolutely could not let Lynch down again in this matter.

The call was quickly connected, and Sam Presti got straight to the point.

"Steve, don't let blind loyalty hurt you."

(End of this chapter)