Champion Rules

Chapter 228, Section 224: Hey, watch your attitude! (Seeking monthly votes!)
On opening night, two things left the entire league with lingering unease.

First, of course, is Lynch's chillingly amazing performance.

林奇57分14个篮板6次助攻2次抢断4次封盖，这份近乎无瑕的全能数据单所散发出的无形威压，让所有竞争者感到脊背发凉。

It was as if the suffocating feeling of Michael Jordan looking down on the league had returned; people racked their brains but could not find a single feasible way to defeat this god.

Another thing was Stephen Curry's perfect debut performance.

Facing Derrick Rose, the 08 number one draft pick, this diminutive rising star from Davidson College delivered an even better performance under the spotlight.

Derrick Rose scored 28 points, but his efficiency was extremely poor, with a shooting percentage of 38%, making him look like he was stuck in a quagmire.

In contrast, Stephen Curry remained calm and collected on the court, steadily scoring 25 points with an efficient 56% shooting percentage.

Although Kevin Durant's 46 points were more dazzling, Stephen Curry's brilliance was still undeniable.

The league's management was all visibly shaken: what if the New York Knicks had indeed, as rumored, signed Stephen Curry on draft night?
That would break all the balance.

Praise the logo!

His bold hijacking of the deal saved the competitive landscape of the league!

After the opening game, amidst mockery of the Pistons and praise for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There was also a hint of relief at surviving the ordeal: "Thankfully, all they got was Demar DeRozan."

On the plane to Oklahoma City, DeRozan looked at this quote in ESPN magazine and turned the volume of his Beats headphones up to the maximum.

Upon arriving in Oklahoma City, Lynch saw many reporters.

This is no ordinary scene.

In the Thunder's first year, this new team in a small market received almost no attention.

It's impossible for this airport to gather so many reporters.

Even with Kevin Durant's immense talent, he has failed to translate his potential into an equal amount of media attention.

But this season, with Kevin Durant scoring 46 points in the opening game and Stephen Curry joining the team, this team has become a highly anticipated young powerhouse.

At this moment, almost all the reporters' cameras and microphones were pointed at Lin Qi.

The first question was laced with a pungent, explosive tone:

"Kevin Durant refuted your point, arguing that the Thunder are ready to beat you. How did you respond?"

"We'll know the answer tomorrow night."

The reporter persisted:
"Don't you think you've seriously underestimated the Thunder's growth and threat?"

“I don’t underestimate them. To be honest, I think they will grow into a 50-win team this season. But let me remind you, we are a 70-win team. So, I am fully entitled to maintain my current attitude.”

Wang Congrong dealt with each question in the alliance with ease, but the next sharp question still made Lin Qi stop.

Are you frustrated that the team missed out on Stephen Curry?

This question was almost humiliating for Lynch.

"Stephen is very, very good, and we've known he's very good for a long time. And yes, we did have plans to draft him."

"If we could get Stephen, that would be great; it would definitely be a huge boost to our fighting strength."

Just when the reporter thought he was about to get the answer he wanted, Lin Qi suddenly changed the subject.

"But frustration? That's not for me. Because even if things stay the same, I still have enough confidence to pursue honors, and we are still a formidable team."

I accept the regret of losing Stephen, but I will not be a coward and wallow in it.

I am not LeBron James. I never need a team that is successful enough without me to prove my success.

and,

You'd better not think that picking Demar is a stroke of luck for you.

Lynch responded firmly to the question, and an hour later, Kevin Durant saw the video of Lynch's interview online.

He scoffed.

"Brother, judging from your tone, he seems to have underestimated me."

He probably hasn't figured it out yet. I've already accumulated a whole bunch of personal accolades, big and small; I'm already a superstar.

Stephen Curry, standing to the side, looked completely bewildered.

Durant certainly has individual accolades, but his Rookie of the Year and Rookie First Team selections pale in comparison to Lynch's double First Team selection in his rookie season.

Kevin Durant caught Curry's bewildered "That's it?" expression out of the corner of his eye, so he proudly raised his chin, narrowed his eyes, and instantly exuded a strong aura.

"I've won Rookie of the Year, been named to the All-Rookie First Team, and..."
Kobe Bryant himself endorsed the awards: Most Difficult to Defend Against, Most Charismatic, Most Blockable Mid-Range Shot, and one of the Top 5 Basketball Stars Favored by Women, among others. Dude, there are so many accolades I can't even remember them all at once.

Stephen Curry opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single syllable. He could only silently pat his good buddy's shoulder forcefully.

"Then you are really outstanding."

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have been getting along very well since arriving in Oklahoma.

The only thing he didn't get along with Kevin Durant was that he thought KD was a bit too immature.

But that's okay, he will gradually instill the composure and wisdom that the team desperately needs.

The next day, Chesapeake Energy Arena.

DeMar DeRozan noticed many reporters' cameras surrounding him while warming up.

He knew that as the other protagonist in the draft stories of Stephen Curry and James Harden, he was destined to be one of the "control group" that would be the focus of attention tonight.

But these shots were quickly drawn to three young people on the other side.

When the Thunder came on to warm up, the Oklahoma City trio received applause and cheers from the entire arena.

Stephen Curry and James Harden crossed the half-court line to greet Lynch and DeRozan.

Lynch smiled and hugged Stephen Curry: "You played well in the opening game, but you're going to hit the rookie wall tonight."

Then, his gaze shifted to James Harden, whose eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if he hadn't fully woken up: "What did you do last night?"

"Me? I'll do extra training."

Seeing the disdainful look on Lynch's face that said, "Nobody believes you," Harden quickly emphasized:
"It's absolutely true! I hired three trainers who wear yoga pants to do strength training with me!"

Immediately afterwards, a slender figure crossed the midfield line with a slightly arrogant air and walked straight over.

Kevin Durant stopped in front of Lynch.

This once somewhat naive young man now has a sharp glint in his eyes that is hard to conceal, revealing an undisguised aggressiveness.

He extended his hand and shook hands with Lin Qi's, without any polite greetings or smiles:

“We don’t want to wait any longer, Lynch.”

Clearly, he was responding to Lynch's comment, "Be patient."

The young crown prince is eager to challenge for the throne.

Lynch stared into his eyes, the first time he had ever looked into his eyes like that, the first time he had included No. 35 in the list of "competitors".

The word "kid" came out of his mouth with a hint of condescending indifference.

"forever--

Don't stand in front of the King of New York.
Speak in that tone.

Beside him, James Harden's smile seemed to have been wiped away by an invisible hand, leaving only stiff lines.

He had witnessed countless times on screen how Lynch unleashed his anger on his provocateurs.

But tonight?
He was no longer a bystander in front of the television.

Instead, they are very likely to personally step into that inferno ignited by war.

Before the game started, Stephen Curry clapped his hands and deliberately lowered his voice:
"I know the opponents are strong, but guys, we've been pretty good too. Come on, relax."

Stephen Curry is ready to bring maturity to this team.

So after saying that
He suddenly jumped into the middle of everyone and, accompanied by the live music, began to wiggle his hips wildly, dramatically, and with great rhythm.

"Hey guys, relax, keep going!"

All the Thunder players stood there, stunned.

But a fire ignited in Kevin Durant's eyes.

He is the only person here who understands him.

He could barely control his body and jumped into the middle, his joints convulsing wildly as if they were electrified.

The Thunder players were stunned. Serge Ibaka was unsure whether to join or not, and his face showed visible pain and struggle.

Not joining would make me seem out of place.

However, if he joins, he will lose the right to live in this league.

Steve Nash glanced at the two players on the opposite half of the court, then turned to DeRozan: "Is your friend usually like this?"

DeRozan's tone remained calm: "Ask Lynch, I don't know them."

In the few dozen seconds that the cheers at Chesapeake Energy Arena were silenced by the two's breathtaking dance moves, Steve Curry was very happy.

KD finally grasped the maturity he brought. Although he danced like an American psychopath, he was still trying to relax his teammates in this way.

But seeing KD's focused expression, Stephen Curry felt a little worried.

He probably isn't really enjoying it, is he?

No, definitely not.

Once the whole team relaxes, this young Thunder team might be able to do what even the legendary Pistons couldn't.

The game finally began, and Serge Ibaka got possession for the Thunder.

Stephen Curry skillfully dribbled past half-court, and Serge Ibaka immediately set a screen.

In Oklahoma City Thunder, talent and opportunity collided to create a dazzling spark, allowing Stephen Curry to unleash his full potential as soon as he entered the league.

In the original timeline, the Golden State Warriors' core brilliance was focused on another "dark horse" guard, Monta Ellis.

Stephen Curry needs to adopt a style that leans towards Monta Ellis, both in terms of firing privileges and playing style.

For the first few seasons of his professional career, he actually played the shooting guard position without the ball.

His off-ball offense is certainly excellent, but what truly terrifies opponents and is his most disruptive and deadly weapon is his historic ability to pull up and shoot.

In Oklahoma, playing point guard would allow him to maximize his talent.

Ibaka's screen was outside the three-point line, a very rare screen position in this era.

Because most of the time, screens are used to facilitate breakthroughs and mid-range shots.

But in the Oklahoma City Thunder's testing ground, Serge Ibaka's screens were designed to serve the purpose of three-pointers.

After getting past Ibaka's screen, Stephen Curry got a sliver of an opportunity beyond the three-point line.

Without hesitation, he immediately took the ball and shot a three-pointer almost the instant he broke free.

"brush!"

This unconventional approach resulted in excellent offensive results.

Thunder head coach Scott Brooks was not initially a proponent of this style of play.

His view is similar to that of Min Lulei, the head coach of the Beijing men's basketball team on the other side of the ocean: "We don't need players like Curry who take unreasonable shots."

It's not that Scott Brooks and Min Lulei were short-sighted, because even Coach K, who has a history of misjudging people, misjudged Stephen Curry.

After all, even a guard with top-tier shooting ability like Steve Nash rarely chooses to shoot three-pointers with the ball.

It was Jerry West who convinced Scott Brooks to let Stephen Curry play freely.

With the No HandCheck rule being enforced more strictly, Jerry West believes that three-pointers taken with the ball are no longer considered unreasonable shots.

Since Stephen Curry has this ability, why not let him give it a try?
Why not let him completely transform the space of this stadium?
In any case, the Oklahoma City Thunder haven't had any pressing pressure to achieve good results in recent seasons, so the team can freely experiment and see how far they can go with this style of play.

As the basketball swished through the net, Stephen Curry pointed to the ceiling of Chesapeake Energy Arena and then gave KD a high five.

This attack was certainly related to KD. He knew that KD's formidable off-ball threat and ability to stretch the defense were key to his ability to create space for himself beyond the three-point line.

The Thunder showcased their talent on offense, and soon they followed suit on defense.

Serge Ibaka, the African prodigy who followed in Lynch's footsteps and made a spectacular debut in the NBA from Real Madrid, used his unparalleled physique and athleticism to relentlessly harass Lynch's off-ball movement.

This sports fanatic is seen as the next Lynch in the Real Madrid locker room because they are so similar.

To quote Real Madrid assistant coach Alberto Herreros: "He has a similar height and wingspan to 17-year-old Lynch, the same explosive athleticism, and the same ability to drive to the basket and shoot."

Rumors even circulated that the two even had remarkably similar lengths for their third leg.

But he is not Lynch after all.

When Lynch bypassed Tyson Chandler's cover but suddenly turned and ran in the opposite direction, the inexperienced Serge Ibaka immediately lost his footing and became disoriented.

He was far less cunning than Lynch.

Lynch circled to the right corner, and Kevin Durant switched to defend him.

Facing KD lunging at him with his arms raised, Lynch decisively jumped.

KD's height and wingspan are enough to disrupt most players' jump shots.

But this number 20 in front of us, his starting point is just like his, a horizon that ordinary people can hardly reach.

Even worse, the young and impetuous KD, clearly driven by adrenaline, failed to precisely control the force of his all-out tackle, crashing squarely into Lynch, who was still in mid-air.

boom!
The dull thud of a heavy object hitting the ground was accompanied by a crisp sound—

"Shh!"

The scene that played out in the opening match is playing out again.

"Four points! Once again! Lynch beat him in KD's favorite way!"

The shouts from commentator Marvin Albert suddenly escalated the tension of the match.

This is more than just a score.

This was the first time the person on the throne had lowered his head, casting a warning response at his most ambitious young pursuer!
Lynch quickly stood up, looking down at the slightly flustered Kevin Durant with eyes as cold as an ice lake: "Be patient, kid. Be patient, and never lose it."

"Stop lecturing me, Lynch! I don't need it!" KD shouted back, trying to cover up his guilty conscience.

"Oh, you don't have to listen, but you can't refuse the lesson I'm giving you."

Stepping to the free-throw line, Lin Qi calmly made the free throw.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's 4-3 lead lasted only one possession.

The Thunder continued their offense, and Stephen Curry was closely guarded by Raja Bell just past half-court.

For a rookie, such defensive treatment already signifies honor.

But this is a cruel badge of honor, meaning that the easy strikes of the first round are no more.

Stephen Curry's slender frame was not enough to handle such pressure. He barely managed to control the ball, and seized the opportunity when Raja Bell was pressing him, passing the ball to KD who was circling out beyond the three-point line.

To KD's surprise, what stood in front of him was not the mountain he had expected named Lynch, but Wilson Chandler's fierce face.

This is a stark contrast to Lynch's do-or-die attitude in his previous match against LBJ.

This represents a painful truth for KD: he is far from being considered a true opponent.

A surge of humiliation rose in his head, and KD forced his way in, attempting to tear apart Wilson Chandler's defense with a change of direction.

But Wilson Chandler held his lower body firmly, making it difficult for him to move easily.

Meanwhile, Steve Nash approached silently like an assassin and swiftly struck.

The basketball slipped out of his hands and went out of control, but Steve Nash reacted quickly, picked it up, pushed it into the paint, and smashed it against the backboard.

Almost simultaneously, Wilson Chandler arrived and slammed the ball in with both hands!

KD lost 6-3, a humiliating defeat in these two rounds.

But the young fighters were not willing to give up. In the next possession, they switched to a pick-and-roll between Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka, with a clear intention: to force Lynch to switch onto them.

The tactic worked, and Lin Qi switched onto the defense as expected!
Oklahoma City fans stood up, and countless burning eyes were focused on them.

They were wildly imagining a scene: Kevin Durant, like AI against MJ, freezing Lynch with a stunning fake and then sending that damn basketball into the basket!

Durant dribbles and changes direction, but the sluggishness in his movements is hard to hide. At this stage of his career, KD's ball-handling ability wasn't top-tier.

This weakness is perfectly normal for a tall forward; even Lynch hasn't solved his ball-handling offense problem.

Seeing that he couldn't create space, Kevin Durant leaned against Lynch, but he was no match for him.

So he stopped abruptly, turned his back, and prepared to jump shoot.

Before the ball even reached his head, Lin Qi, as if waiting for him, easily swatted it away.

"Damn it!" Durant roared as he retreated on defense.

The Knicks regained possession, and Lynch called for the ball early beyond the three-point line, calling for a screen from Wilson Chandler.

This time, Kevin Durant switched onto Lynch to guard him.

This could almost be considered a deliberate act of retaliatory naming.

Lynch used the same method as Durant had just used: start, contest, stop abruptly, and turn around.

Kevin Durant also attempted to steal the ball, but Lynch suddenly pulled the ball back, nimbly turned around again, brushed past KD, and stretched out his long arm for a layup.

The basketball grazed Serge Ibaka as he attempted to help defend, lightly brushed the top edge of the backboard, and spun as it fell into the net.

This was a humiliating mirror response. Lynch not only saw through KD's entire intentions from the previous attack, but also used the move that the opponent failed to execute to effortlessly finish the play on the opponent's home court, right in front of the opponent.

Oklahoma City fans who were hoping for KD to beat Lynch are now not only disappointed, but also worried.

Lynch should
Are they really going to crush this young man?
Durant shook his head in frustration, spread his hands toward Serge Ibaka, who had cleaned up his mess, and muttered, "Damn, you really did your best, bro."

Unexpectedly, Lin Qi caught the sound.

Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction:
"Remember your tone just now, little guy. That's how you should talk to me."

Tonight, I will make you etch this attitude deep into your bones, my dear KD.

(End of this chapter)