Champion Rules

Chapter 211, Section 207: A Cruel Promise That Lasted All Night (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Welcome to Lynch Hell.

This trash talk, devoid of any profanity or mockery, was the first time in Dwyane Wade's basketball career that it sent chills down his spine.

All the fear stemmed from Lynch's dominance.

Lynch convinced Wade that the upcoming games would truly be as painful as hell.

The opponent in front of us, wearing number 20 and almost unstoppable on the defensive end, is continuing to unleash the league's top level of dominance in this series.

Dwyane Wade never played against Michael Jordan.

The 03 draft class entered the league around the same time MJ completely withdrew from the competition.

But he had heard many stories about MJ.

Like most people, he learned a lot about MJ's traits from these stories.

He was a vicious tyrant who showed no mercy to either his opponents or his teammates.

Thus, a consensus emerged: one could never become Michael Jordan unless one became a ruthless villain and tyrant. Influenced by this, countless successors deliberately imitated him, demanding of themselves and others to demonstrate the "Jordan spirit," and even the protagonists of sports movies were uniformly tainted by this shadow.

They all bear a strong resemblance to Michael Jordan.

But tonight, or rather this series, made Dwyane Wade realize that people were wrong from the very beginning.

MJ's success was not due to him being a tyrant or a villain—these were part of the reason, but not the main reason.

The style of leadership is irrelevant: whether you are taciturn, approachable, or even a tyrant.

These things don't matter at all. As long as you can lead the team well, as long as you don't always run away at the last minute, or stand at attention with your hands on your hips on the defensive end, you are a good leader.

Absolute dominance on the court is the only way to get close to Michael Jordan.

Lin Qi is far from being a tyrant. Although he is equally demanding of his teammates, he is nowhere near as demanding as Jordan.

Lynch isn't entirely heartless; just a few rounds ago, he had reached out and helped Wade up. He wouldn't apply his attitude towards Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James to everyone else.

His personality is completely different from MJ's, and his way of leading the team is completely different from MJ's.

He is not a shadow of MJ, he is Lynch himself.

However, if someone were to ask Wade now, "What's it like to play against MJ?"

He would point to this night without hesitation:
"It's roughly the same as facing Lin Qi right now."

Dwyane Wade felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on his chest, and the thought of the kind of defense he had to face every possession made it hard for him to breathe.

To suppress the overwhelming feeling of suffocation, he could only force himself to recall the cigar Pat Riley had given him and the vow he had branded on it.

In this defensive possession, he was determined to disrupt Lynch's dribbling rhythm. He knew Lynch's dribbling wasn't good; he simply couldn't get going if a guard interfered.

Therefore, after he bypassed the cover, he did not continue to stick to Ben Gordon, but instead tried to help defend Lynch.

But Ben Gordon, who came off the bench, showed no fear. Seeing Wade open for a moment, he decisively pulled up for a mid-range jump shot.

"brush!"

Ben Gordon has never lacked the courage to take action, especially after gaining the approval of his biggest "enemy," Raja Bell, in the last round of the competition.

Although he was only the Knicks' sixth man, he was a true big-game player.

When it comes to clutch performances in NBA history, Isaiah Hartenstein's son is in a league of his own—he can continue sleeping in his father's arms during a noisy championship ceremony.

Superstars like MJ and Kobe are in the second tier.

The third tier probably consists of players like Ben Gordon; they aren't superstars, but they're definitely not going to hold back.

With the score at 19-9, the Knicks made a substitution and actually widened the gap to double digits.

At this moment, you can see that the effort Lynch has put into leading the team and every individual this season is finally bearing fruit.

Who would have thought that Ben Gordon, who was huddled in the corner of the G League just six months ago, would make Dwyane Wade's defense suffer on the Eastern Conference Finals stage?

The Heat's offense finally paid off. Pau Gasol fooled DeAndre Jordan this time, driving straight to the basket and scoring against Tyson Chandler's defense.

The point difference has temporarily returned to single digits, but the suffocating feeling that the Knicks' defense has given the Heat players has not eased.

Because this wasn't a chance, and points gained through forced attacks are often difficult to sustain.

In the Knicks' possession, Lynch continued to run pick-and-rolls with Ben Gordon.

Lynch continued to drive to the basket, but instead of forcing his way to the rim as he collided with Pau Gasol and Nene, he suddenly stepped back and made a close-range jump shot at the fingertips of Gasol and Nene before they could react.

Lynch's dominance stemmed not only from his unstoppable defense, but also from his formidable offense.

The Heat tried to double-team Lynch as tightly as possible, but Lynch was still able to score in some possessions.

At this point, Lynch gives the impression that you can resist, but it won't do any good.

In the first quarter of the following game, Erik Spoelstra had to let Dwyane Wade play the entire game.

But the effect was minimal.

Wade scored only 6 points in the quarter, making 2 of 7 shots.

Lynch also played the entire first quarter with Wade, and the Knicks' strategy regarding Lynch's rotation was very clear today.

Wade was there, and so was Lynch.

At the start of the second quarter, both Wade and Lynch took a break.

The Knicks maintained control during the transition period.

With Wade gone, Steve Nash's return to the court allowed him to take control on offense.

Steve Nash scored consecutive mid-range jumpers after pick-and-rolls with DeAndre Jordan.

Lynch found it hard to imagine how Steve Nash could keep pulling up for jump shots while suffering from severe back pain.

But that old man did it.

When Wade returned, the Heat were already down by 15 points.

He bears the heavy responsibility of narrowing the score gap.

However, the New York number 20, who was like a shadow of death, followed him back onto the field.

Then, the torment enters a cycle.

Whenever Dwyane Wade has the ball, the Knicks' double-teaming is relentless.

He also tried attacking without the ball, but whether he could successfully receive the ball remained to be seen.

Pau Gasol can't always find Wade's high-speed cuts precisely when double-teamed.

While Gasol is one of the best passing big men in the league, he is ultimately not Magic Johnson.

Forced into a corner, the Miami Heat had no choice but to bet everything on the defensive end, even resorting to triple teams to contain Lynch.

This extreme strategy did indeed work: Trevor Ariza was completely out of form due to the strain on the defensive end, allowing Paul Pierce to collapse the help defense without restraint and lock down Lynch.

However, the stalemate caused by both teams' offenses going cold prevented the Heat from closing the gap.

The point difference remained stubbornly stuck between 12 and 15 points, as if the country were mired in a quagmire.

The Knicks struggled to break through their bottleneck and widen their lead, while the Heat were unable to close the gap to single digits.

It wasn't until halfway through the fourth quarter that Miami finally glimpsed a faint glimmer of hope.

Although the Knicks' long rotation strategy gave their players a chance to rest, the extreme defensive approach they employed throughout the game still took its toll on the team's stamina. In the latter part of the fourth quarter, the tight defense finally began to loosen slightly.

The Heat still struggled to score consistently, but through a series of small attacks, they managed to narrow the gap to 7 points with a three-pointer by Paul Pierce with 1 minute and 33 seconds left in the game!
"The outcome is far from certain!" Mike Brin was already sweating profusely. "Both sides are nearing their limits! But to win the favor of Lady Luck, they must surpass those limits. Without a doubt, this is the cruel reality of the conference finals. To touch the championship ring, one must undergo this hellish baptism!"

Philip Sanders called another timeout to quickly adjust the lineup on the court, much like replacing engine parts.

But Lin Qi knew that his teammates' fuel tanks were almost empty, and the red light of physical exhaustion was flashing above everyone's heads.

He must now take on more responsibility.

The game continued, and the Knicks fielded their decisive lineup: Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Lynch, Trevor Ariza, and Tyson Chandler.

This is the Knicks' regular starting lineup, except that Lynch and Trevor Ariza have switched positions.

This lineup aims to maximize defensive mobility and continue to fight desperately using extreme double-teaming tactics.

Dwyane Wade dribbled across half-court and passed the ball to Mario Chalmers before Lynch could double-team him.

Chalmers didn't hesitate and lobbed the ball high to Pau Gasol in the paint before Ariza could close in.

The Heat now emphasize fast ball movement, using passing to disrupt the Knicks' defensive formation, attempting to create openings through high-speed ball movement and further deplete the opponent's already precarious stamina.

The basketball spun rapidly among the Heat players, while the Knicks players, like high-speed gears, were forced to constantly rotate positions and double-team.

Finally, when the ball was passed back to Dwyane Wade, Raja Bell, who was supposed to immediately rotate in front of Wade, was completely out of position due to fatigue.

The Heat's tight passing finally paid off. Despite the excruciating pain in his knee, Wade pushed off the ground and started moving like lightning, instantly passing the staggering Raja Bell and heading straight for the heart of the basket!

Faced with Tyson Chandler's fierce frontal defense and Lynch's lightning-fast side chase, Wade threw himself into the air without hesitation!

Four strong arms instantly formed a sky-covering blockade. Wade twisted his body to the extreme, tucking the ball tightly under his abdomen, barely managing to avoid this impenetrable air defense net, and narrowly slipped through the gaps!

Once the clouds cleared overhead, Dwyane Wade stretched out and raised the ball overhead. For safety, he calmly switched the ball to his left hand in mid-air and tossed it towards the backboard.

After this basket, the Heat will be down by only 5 points.

He still had a chance to light that cigar!
The basketball crawled towards the backboard extremely slowly in the air, the time stretched out, and the Flash was anxious. This crucial moment of being suspended in the air felt as long as a frozen eternity.

What happened in the blink of an eye felt like it had been frozen in time and space for a long time.

The basketball is about to touch the backboard and bounce into the net.

But a large hand caught Wade's eye, and he saw the familiar rubber wristband on his wrist.

This time, with time seemingly slowed down, Dwyane Wade saw the words on Lynch's wristband: "Witness Lynch surpassing Michael Jordan."

"boom!!!"

The gasps from the American Airlines Center and Mike Brown's almost ripped the microphone open at the same time:

"Terrifying hang time! Lynch was like he was waiting there! He saw through all of Dwyane's evasive moves and then slammed the ball against the backboard with a block! Dwyane's perfect layup performance only earned him a 9 out of 10—it was ultimately ended by Lynch!"

Dwyane Wade's incredible layup ultimately couldn't escape Lynch's dominance. Lynch pinned the ball to the backboard with his palm, grabbed the basketball, and almost reflexively passed it to Nash before sprinting forward at full speed.

After being blocked, Wade stayed close to Lynch, preventing him from receiving the ball.

He absolutely cannot let the Knicks launch this counterattack; as long as he can defend this possession, the hope of victory remains.

He still has a chance to light a cigar this year!

Lin Qi feigned a drive to the basket, but suddenly stopped when he reached the free-throw line. He subtly used his arm to bump Wade, disrupting his rhythm, and then, like a ghost, he made a reverse run to the top of the arc outside the three-point line.

Almost the instant Lynch made his run, Steve Nash's pass came flying like a cannonball.

This kind of top-level passing control cannot be replicated through practice and experience; Steve Nash brought out the super talent that earned him two consecutive MVP awards.

Lynch received the perfectly powerful pass in the most comfortable position and at the most opportune moment.

This pass allowed him to turn without any adjustment or hesitation. Lin Qi smoothly pushed off the ground, turned, and leaped high into the air, lightly pressing down with his wrist.

Dwyane Wade had already pounced on him, leaping high with all his might in an attempt to block the shot.

As the guard with the most blocks in NBA history, Wade's speed, jumping height, and control of the timing of his blocks brought him incredibly close to that basketball.

The basketball barely grazed the Flash's fingertips. Although he couldn't block it, Wade believed that his all-out interference was tight enough.

But the moment his feet touched the ground, a crisp sound pierced the noise.

"brush!"

"Three-pointer! With his 34th point of the night, Lynch widened the gap to double digits again in the last minute of the game! From the hope of closing the gap to just 5 points to the despair of being down by 10 points in an instant, Lynch demonstrated his 'dominance' to the fullest with just one offensive and one defensive play!"

The Heat nearly tore apart the Knicks' defense, a glimmer of hope appeared, but Lynch single-handedly held back the crumbling wall!

Compared to Mike Breen, CCTV's Yu Jia summarized Lynch's actions in a more concise way: "He turned the tide and saved the day! Lynch withstood the pressure in the final moments, and the Miami Heat had no chance left!"

After hitting the crucial three-pointer, Lynch suddenly turned around, grabbed his jersey from the front, and displayed the number "20" in the deafening American Airlines Arena.

His eyes burned with an indomitable flame, his fierce gaze seeming to continue scorching through the already pitiful Miami airtightness.

This murderous stance is the avenger venting his emotions.

He defeated the opponent who eliminated him last season, and he took down the team that made him bleed.

In a state of extreme emotion, Lin Qi shouted out his final verdict:
Goodbye, fucking Miami!

Dwyane Wade stood frozen in place. That 10-point deficit was like a heavy hammer blow, completely shattering the last glimmer of hope he had for a comeback.

Not only him, but the fire that had burned all night was now rapidly losing its courage.

They struggled, resisted, and charged, yet they seemed to remain trapped within the impenetrable fortress that Lynch had woven himself.

A glimmer of hope occasionally flashed—like in that thrilling round just now—but was always extinguished mercilessly by Lin Qi, cruelly and completely confiscating that light.

At that moment, Dwyane Wade's cold declaration from the first quarter suddenly echoed in his mind:
"I will personally torment your soul every minute you're on the field!"

Lynch's warning was not a bluff, but a brutal promise that ran throughout the night.

In the following games, the Miami Heat did not cause any further trouble.

The Heat finally crumbled before the Knicks, collapsing completely.

The scoreboard closed at 95-87, with the New York Knicks winning this crucial battle filled with grit and intensity by eight points.

With a 3-1 series lead, the Knicks have a match point. The next game will be played at Madison Square Garden.

For the Miami Heat, although the outcome of the series is not yet officially decided, their window to the NBA Finals is already incredibly narrow.

The feeling was like a cold gallows tightening around their necks, inch by inch.

Faced with dire straits, the chances of survival are slim.
-
I don't know how to describe Lynch's performance. 34 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals? That's too bland. What we need to know is that he completely controlled the game tonight. And he completely stifled the opposing team's star player. — Flip Saunders' assessment of Lynch tonight.

I bet even Michael Jordan would feel suffocated by such dominance. — Mike Malone's even more exaggerated assessment of Lynch.

"This is the kind of defense I've never encountered in my entire career," Dwyane Wade told reporters, nearly in despair.

Yes, my knee has been a bit sore since tonight. We'll get it checked out and see what happens. But I promise, even if there's only a 1% chance, I'll definitely play. — Dwyane Wade talking about his knee.

It's cruel for the Miami Heat, but the fact is, they're out of hope, and the Knicks can start selling Finals tickets. —Stephen A. Smith's show.

A career without a championship is painful. Back then, I'd rather lose than join the enemy. But now, I would definitely do what LeBron James did: join the enemy for a championship. — Chris Webber, after retiring, commenting on the summer's hottest LeBron James transfer rumors.

Chris Webber is talking nonsense. At least Kevin Durant would never betray his country. — Kevin Durant's comment on Chris Webber's remarks, but he forgot to switch to a secondary account.

Oh, before last season's Finals, everyone said the Miami Heat were very strong, but well—Kobe Bryant's answer to the question "Do you think the Knicks are very strong?"

(End of this chapter)