Champion Rules

Chapter 183, Page 179: Could this be a new curse? I really hope not! (Seeking monthly votes!)
The Knicks' thrilling opening game victory was like the dawn breaking through the night, completely dispelling the gloom that had hung over Madison Square Garden last season.

Although a basketball game can never be judged by a single match, and a single game cannot define the entire season.

However, the maturity of the team's tactical system and the compatibility of the roster are enough to convince everyone that this is a season full of possibilities for the Knicks.

Lynch could often be a double-edged sword in Nash's hands, which is rare in the NBA, where individual heroism is highly valued. Not every star player is willing to give up the right to shoulder everything.

But what's even more surprising is that Steve Nash can also influence the game with off-ball offense in New York.

Lynch and Nash both made concessions to each other, yet they also helped each other.

When Lynch becomes the offensive pivot, Nash's off-ball movement can overwhelm the opponent's defense; and when the Son of the Wind takes control of the ball, Lynch can realize the tactical value with top-notch finishing efficiency.

This correct cooperative model ensured that the victory in the opening match was unrelated to form or performance.

As long as the Knicks maintain this "dual-core resonance" tactical ecosystem, they can replicate their opening game performance in every game.

Therefore, the media and fans can confidently consider the Knicks to be the biggest favorite to win the championship this season.

The Knicks did indeed continue their strong performance, delivering a thrilling offensive showdown with the Orlando Magic in their second game of the season.

Stan Van Gundy's meticulously crafted semi-circular tactical system already gave LeBron James a taste of blood last season.

Tonight, the Magic unleashed their full offensive firepower from beyond the arc, with Ray Allen scoring a whopping 33 points.

Lynch was tied up by Rashad Lewis and had difficulty covering the paint.

Dwight Howard then scored 25 points in the paint.

The Magic vs. Knicks game was intense, and LeBron James, who had no direct involvement in the game, watched it with even greater excitement.

The little emperor clenched his fists tightly in front of the television, as if every attack and defense in Warcraft was related to his honor and disgrace.

Dwight Howard can destroy him, and he can save him.

If Dwight Howard can defeat the Knicks, that will prove that LeBron James isn't as bad as he seems.

This is the strangest thing about LBJ himself and his fans: they always forcefully link other people's losses with their own value.

For example, when it's mentioned that LeBron James' accolades don't reach the GOAT level, people always say that Kobe Bryant only had one MVP award.

But this rebuttal is completely illogical.

Kobe's fewer MVP awards do not prove that LeBron James's honors reached the GOAT level.

A man being taller than an online novelist does not prove he is on par with Devin Booker.

Similarly, even if the Knicks lose to the Magic tonight, it won't erase the shame of LBJ's first-round exit last season.

Moreover, the Knicks didn't lose in the end.

In the final moments of the game, the Knicks tightened their defense on the Magic's shooters, instead allowing Dwight Howard to post up in the low post.

Howard is not a low-post monster like Shaq or Yao Ming. He is strong at finishing under the basket, but that doesn't mean he's good at back-to-the-basket offense.

The best playing style for Dwight Howard is pick-and-roll to roll to the basket, rather than backing down his opponent.

Moreover, he has a fatal flaw: free throws. If he can't be defended properly, he can be fouled early.

This strategy was a great success. In the final few possessions of the game, Howard only scored one goal from open play and made 2 of 6 free throws.

In contrast, Lynch scored crucial mid-range back-to-the-basket moves against Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, securing the victory for the Knicks.

When the timer reached zero, the two stars' ability to control the game in crucial moments revealed the fundamental difference in their star power.

In the eyes of New York fans, a star of Dwight Howard's caliber could never, ever defeat Lynch as the number one player in the playoffs.

Dwight Howard was utterly exasperated: "Lynch, I also went to Hakim Training Camp and paid the same amount of money, so why are the training results so different? This isn't fair!"

Lynch patted him on the shoulder: "Think about LeBron, and you'll feel like everything is fair. At least Hakim didn't just refund your tuition."

LeBron James had no idea what Lynch and Howard were saying on TV because he angrily cut off the power to the TV the instant the game ended.

It's as if turning off the TV can shut out all the malice in the world.

For LBJ, this season's troubles aren't limited to just this game.

Because he has not yet renewed his contract with the Cavaliers, the media has begun to speculate about LeBron James' next team.

This is nothing unusual; it's normal for unrestricted free agents whose contracts are about to expire to be linked with other players to be rumored to be interested in other players.

Many media outlets are propagating the idea that the Cavaliers' management is naively believing that finding LeBron All-Star caliber teammates will guarantee his success. No, LeBron needs superstar teammates to succeed. If Cleveland can't recruit superstars, LeBron will simply move to a city with superstars.

The "escape theory" made LeBron James a laughing stock and strained his relationship with team owner Daniel Gilbert.

Daniel Gilbert initially thought the summer's warnings about leaving the team were just a way to urge the Cavaliers to complete the trade involving Shaq.

As a result, after Shaq arrived, LBJ's team refused to give the Cavaliers a chance to negotiate.

Conversely, Leon Rose, the King's spokesperson, also frequently held secret meetings with executives from other teams during this period.

This infuriated Daniel Gilbert.

First of all, LBJ's departure statement was ridiculous: "I will not renew my contract if we don't win a championship."

But you really don't know whose fault it is that we didn't win the championship?

In any case, Daniel Gilbert has a clear conscience.

Since he took over the Cavaliers, he has been strengthening the team every year.

If LBJ feels he hasn't done enough, then he should really switch places with Yao Ming and experience how Houston "competes for the championship."

Secondly, even if you haven't decided on your options for next season and don't want to negotiate with the Cavaliers for the time being, you should treat them the same way and not negotiate with other teams.

It's like a husband who spends all his money to fulfill all his wife's demands, only to find that she's wearing expensive yoga pants and flirting with other men in a pricey gym.

No one could stand this kind of thing.

While Daniel Gilbert didn't directly lash out, he did make a thought-provoking statement in a recent interview: "A ruler who abandons his throne will eventually be buried by the fragments of his collapsing throne. I believe the intelligent LeBron understands this, and he will definitely stay."

This serves as a warning that if LBJ leaves, Daniel Gilbert and Cleveland fans will turn against him, and the city that once hailed him as the chosen one will unleash a fierce media campaign to destroy his reputation.

LeBron James is frustrated. He suffered a humiliating summer in 2008, and the summer of 2009 doesn't look promising either.

Fortunately, the Cavaliers are on a winning streak.

The victories on the field provided the emperor with a safe haven.

The Cavaliers defeated the San Antonio Spurs in their first game of the regular season last night, and the addition of Shaquille O'Neal has certainly made the Cavaliers' interior defense more solid. Crucially, when O'Neal is at his best, he can handle the shot attempts in the low post.

This relieved the pressure on LBJ to score goals.

Mo Williams' addition was more impactful than Shaq's.

The arrival of this second ball handler compensated for the Cavaliers' tactical deficiency of having only LBJ as a ball handler.

LBJ played very smoothly last night. Apart from the crowded interior space, there was almost nothing to criticize about this lineup.

Therefore, his only solace was victory.

What if the Cavaliers actually win the championship this season?

He can stay and continue being a hero.

The Cavaliers started the season with a winning streak, their defense remains among the best in the league, and their offense has been outstanding since acquiring Shaq and Mo Williams.

And aside from flattery, Brian Scott finally did something tactically beneficial for LBJ this season.

Because Shaq and LeBron James had difficulty coexisting on offense, and Shaq's defense became too poor after his physical condition declined, so he changed his strategy of using Shaq.

He would give Shaq plenty of possession in the first quarter and early in the third quarter, allowing him to play in the low post when he was full of energy, giving LBJ a chance to catch his breath.

Once the shark, which starts to weaken after a few movements, becomes sluggish, he will immediately replace it with Varejao, returning the shooting rights to LBJ.

Simply put, it's about reducing the time LeBron James and Shaq coexist.

This way, the team can maximize the offensive impact of the Shark without dragging down the defense.

After a three-game winning streak to start the season, the Cavaliers suffered a shock upset by the Chicago Bulls, but then followed up with a five-game winning streak, including a victory against last season's arch-rivals, the Magic.

After 9 games, the Cavaliers have a dream start with an 8-1 record! The young LBJ is experiencing the wonder of traveling during off-peak seasons for the first time.

The contract renewal controversy was temporarily overshadowed by the cheers of victory, and that once unattainable fantasy began to surface frequently—perhaps this tactically improved roster could truly touch the Larry O'Brien Trophy, allowing Akron's son to avoid making a cruel choice between loyalty and glory.

The joy of their winning streak was quickly overshadowed by gloom. After an 8-1 record, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced their biggest challenge of the season.

The New York Knicks arrived in Cleveland with a nine-game winning streak to start the season.

LeBron James has another chance to break his humiliating record.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks game is always worth watching.

Because the whole world knows that Lynch will ruthlessly trample on LBJ's dignity.

He's been doing this for a long time, and last season the intensity of this behavior reached a peak.

Lynch, who seemed to be venting all his anger on the Cavaliers, delivered a 53-point performance that crushed the Cavaliers by 52 points, which became the masterpiece of Lynch's series of massacres of LBJ.

But tonight, it seems LBJ might actually have a chance to wash away the shame.

In the final moments of the third quarter, Mo Williams was knocked off his feet during a tug-of-war with Raja Bell.

He took a step back to create some distance in front of him, then headed in a three-pointer over Raja Bell.

The seemingly illogical jump shot went straight into the net, sending the entire Quick Loan Center into a frenzy.

After that basket, the Knicks were down by 8 points.

Tonight, the Cavaliers were on fire, and their targeted defensive setup made things very difficult for the Knicks.

Tayshaun Prince closely guarded Steve Nash throughout the game, causing Nash to "hit a wall" for the first time this season, shooting only 4 of 12 in three quarters.

Therefore, after Mo Williams made that three-pointer, the Cavaliers had a great chance to break their four-year losing streak against the Knicks at home.

An extremely excited Mo Williams raised his head and unleashed a torrent of abuse at Raja Bell: "Steve couldn't carry a piece of trash like you, and now two MVPs still can't carry you!"

Spit mixed with sweat splattered on Raja Bell's twitching cheeks, making his body tremble.

From the opening game when Kobe said he was "a heavy burden next to number 13," he has shown extreme aversion to similar trash talk.

LeBron James was also very excited, as if he had just scored the goal himself, and chased after Lynch, yelling: "See, when I have good teammates, you can't dominate me at all."

“Of course,” Lynch replied calmly, “I certainly can’t rule you. You’ve collected all three medals. Unlike me, I only have two gold medals.”

Lynch wasn't feigning composure; he simply knew that the Cavaliers had only managed to get this far thanks to their exceptional shooting performance.

If we're talking about where the Cavaliers were tactically outmaneuvered, it's probably that when Nash was off the court, the Cavaliers' half-court defense made it quite difficult for the Knicks, who could only attack in the half-court.

The Knicks ran into trouble as soon as the fourth quarter began.

But the one causing trouble wasn't a Cavaliers player, but Raja Bell.

Raja Bell, his eyes burning with rage, suddenly turned while making an off-the-ball run and delivered a vicious shoulder tackle that sent Mo Williams sprawling to the ground.

Another vicious but unnecessary foul gave the Cavaliers possession of the ball, who were leading by 8 points.

LBJ seized the opportunity and widened the gap to double digits with a jump shot.

The floor of the quick loan center seemed to tremble from the stomping of 20,000 people.

Lynch roared at Philip Sanders to substitute Raja Bell off the court, refusing to tolerate any unruly behavior on the field.

In Phoenix, perhaps no one is tough enough to condemn his behavior, which has fostered this habit of displaying ferocity in the wrong way.

But in New York, Lynch would never tolerate him.

Flip Sanders quickly put Trevor Ariza at shooting guard and then Wilson Chandler at small forward.

This seemingly passive adjustment has yielded unexpected results.

Although Mo is fast, he has never dared to break through easily because of Lin Qi's help defense in the paint.

His magical outside jump shot tonight lost its magic when it met the size of a forward like Trevor Ariza.

Ariza is not easily out of position, and if he is not completely outmaneuvered, he only needs to raise his hand to give Mo Williams a lot of interference.

Due to physical limitations, the great white shark lost the power of its back strike.

For the Knicks, Nash's shooting touch still hasn't returned.

In the fourth quarter, the game ultimately had to be carried by LeBron James and Lynch, the two star players.

In the fourth quarter, Lynch was matched up against LBJ as usual, which made his offense very difficult.

It must be acknowledged that LeBron James has made great progress.

This season, his pull-up jump shot percentage has improved significantly.

His body is stronger, his breakthroughs are more unstoppable, and his finishing around the basket is more efficient.

It will be difficult for Lynch to lock him down as easily as he used to.

But Lynch was still able to effectively reduce LBJ's efficiency and output.

The Cavaliers' lead was gradually narrowed, and with 1 minute and 4 seconds left in the game, LeBron James, who had a one-point lead, prepared to take on Lynch one-on-one.

The Cavaliers were ecstatic; they felt that LBJ had finally become a man.

At least this time he wasn't at a loss, nor did he pass the ball.

But when his breakthroughs were all thwarted by the more agile Lynch after losing weight, he could only choose to use his back-to-the-basket offense, which he was not good at, to seek opportunities.

LBJ clumsily charged at Lynch, his body spinning sluggishly like a rusty mechanical part, his legs spread wide in mid-air like an unbalanced scale.

As expected, the basketball slammed into the side of the rim with a dull thud. LeBron James may have been braver, but the result remained unchanged.

He still can't beat Lynch in a one-on-one duel, and this has been the case for five seasons.

Tyson Chandler grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Nash, who immediately launched a long ball as he caught Lynch crossing half-court.

LeBron James chased after the ball with all his might, but Lynch's hand still managed to push it into the basket before LBJ could react!
Trailing by 10 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks regained the lead!
This boosted the morale of the entire Knicks team and demoralized the Cavaliers.

With one minute left in the game, the Cavaliers players' eyes began to glaze over.

A 10-point lead being wiped out would affect any team.

They started leaving players open on defense and making mistakes on offense.

The Knicks pulled off a successful comeback, and the fans in the Quicken Loans Arena dome fell silent, with only the continuous sound of the buzzer announcing the continuation of the curse.

末节比赛，林奇拿下15分3个篮板2次助攻，LBJ7分2个篮板3次助攻。

This gave Lynch the confidence to respond to LBJ's earlier comments at the end of the game: "No matter who your teammates are, or where you decide to run off to next summer, believe me, I'm going to beat you up in the end."

LeBron James neither responded nor lingered, but simply walked into the player tunnel.

But Rich Paul, sitting on the sidelines, felt a tightness in his chest, especially regarding the second half of Lynch's words.

It was as if the transfer was already shrouded in Lin Qi's gloom before it even began.

Will this be a new curse?

He really hoped it wasn't.
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I don't know. I love this city, and I would definitely like to end my career here. But I don't want to answer these kinds of questions right now; I just want to focus on the next game. — LeBron James answering the question, "Will you leave Cleveland?"

I didn't play well tonight. Tayshaun Prince put a lot of pressure on me; he's a very, very good defensive player.

But we held on, Lynch held on. Looking back at these ten games, we faced crises in the fourth quarter several times. But without exception, Lynch outperformed the opposing star players and helped us secure the victory.

Whether it was against Kobe, Dwight, or LeBron, he decisively defeated his opponents in the fourth quarter. So, if we had to choose the most important reason, it would be Lynch.

—Steve Nash discusses the most important reason for the Knicks' ten-game winning streak at the start of the season.

I have nothing to say, I fucking have no comment. — Raja Bell refused to discuss the entire fourth quarter being DNP's incident and the reasons for his anger.

If you're hoping to hear me criticize my teammates in public, you're in for a disappointment. — Lynch also declined to comment on Raja Bell's performance tonight.

I'm not trying to excuse Raja's impulsiveness tonight, but he's a good guy, not like you think. —Steve Nash spoke up for Raja Bell, glancing at the furious Lynch.

This isn't the end, you know it never will be. Let me put it this way, even if LeBron chooses to team up with two players who are called superstars next summer, it won't be over. — Lynch on dominating LBJ.

(End of this chapter)