Champion Rules

Chapter 253, Page 249: You know, the Big Three lineup didn't give me any advantage (Seeking monthly votes!)

Despite staying up all night, Ray Allen still appeared on time for the next day's training session, just like a precise Swiss clock.

As a 35-year-old veteran who hadn't had enough rest, Ray Allen found himself to be the most energetic player on the field.

Air is viscous.

The Orlando Magic team before us is completely different from the group of warriors who were roaring before the start of the series.

Before the series began, the entire Magic team was in high spirits.

They didn't think the New York Knicks were invincible. That real victory in the regular season, and another close battle where they lost by only 4 points, ignited a wildfire of defiance in everyone's hearts.

Everyone longs to create miracles, and the Orlando Magic have a history of such feats—the 1995 Magic were the only team in the entire 90s, besides the Pistons, to make God lose a series.

Why can't they reignite such a conflict in the 21st century?
But now, that enthusiasm has vanished.

All the firelight had been extinguished, and the air was filled with ashes.

Every single member of the Magic team looked like a high school student on vacation.

They were indifferent to everything; the only thing they thought about was where to go on vacation.

Looking at this group of people who had completely given up on the game, Ray Allen opened his mouth as if to say something.

Just like yesterday when he wanted to remind Dwight Howard, he ultimately chose to remain silent.

He was not a ruthless leader, never has been.

In Milwaukee, the leader of that team was Sam Cassell.

In Seattle, he had to assume a leadership role, but the results were less than satisfactory.

Now, at 35, it's difficult for him to step forward like a leader.

This is why the Orlando Magic have declined so quickly.

This is a team that lacks leadership; when the team encounters difficulties, no one can step up and lead the team out of the mire.

Ray Allen isn't, and Dwight Howard is even less so.

Dwight Howard's performance in the fourth quarter last night was nothing short of a battle between his left and right hemispheres, with all sorts of inexplicable, forced outbursts and awkward standing waltzes that left everyone speechless.

If DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler played the fourth quarter every day like Dwight Howard, they probably could have snatched the Defensive Player of the Year award from Lynch!

If Howard plays like he did last night every day, LeBron James will lose his dominant position in the league's waltz scene!

Dwight Howard's incredible performance in the fourth quarter last night proved that the Magic were truly hopeless.

Therefore, the entire team succumbed to despair after last night.

Ray Allen came to the realization that this team had no chance of success.

So he doesn't regret his decision last night at all—he's going to enter the free agent market this summer.

For a 35-year-old veteran, this was a decision he had no choice but to make.

Even though he can still average 18.6 points per game this season, his three-point efficiency is still among the best in the league.

However, it is foreseeable that the contract he receives this summer will probably be less than half of what he has now.

He had to accept the fact that he was no longer popular.

Ray Allen believes he is mentally prepared.

Each player has different goals.

For young players like Stephen Curry, the most desired goal is to win the Slam Dunk Contest.

For Chris Rondo, his biggest wish is for someone to lose by 59 points in the playoffs—not a point more or less.

For Ray Allen now, his only goal is the NBA championship.

This summer, he will make one last choice for victory.

He's willing to pay any price for victory, including a significant pay cut and accepting a substitute role.

But there is one thing: this sacrifice must be exchanged for commensurate respect.

With Ray Allen already giving up on the season, the Magic have essentially lost their last player who still wants to win.

The next three games proved Ray Allen's prediction correct, and the entire Orlando Magic team was completely wiped out.

In particular, Chris Rondo almost retired because of Game 4.

Because the Magic were down by 42 points at halftime!
Dwight Howard exploded for 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 fouls in the first half, putting up all-around stats that paid homage to his high school self and added a finishing touch to the Magic's stellar performance.

If they continue playing like this, the history of losing by 58 points in the playoffs will soon be over.

If the 58-point curse is truly broken, Chris Rondo would be willing to retire from basketball altogether, because he simply can't do any better!

However, in the final quarter, Flip Saunders only allowed the Knicks' starters to play for five minutes, completely abolishing the ball-dominant system.

Chris Rondo went from hopeful to desperate, and in the end, the Magic only managed a mediocre 37-point loss.

The game ended in Orlando, and Dwight Howard, who scored 12 points, didn't seem upset.

Perhaps he had already arranged for a lot of comforting things at home to heal his inner wounds, so he didn't care at all.

Ray Allen chose to hug and shake hands with Lynch to congratulate him on successfully entering the division finals.

These days, news about Ray Allen entering the free agent market has been making headlines.

So Lynch casually asked, "Where will you be going next season?"

Gentleman Lei, barely maintaining his pride, declared, "It definitely won't be New York!"

"You got fucked by a dog in New York? Otherwise, why are you so averse to this place?"

Ray Allen:
Lynch's words were even more jarring than the boos from the Orlando fans.

Ray Allen did not answer and walked straight into the players' tunnel.

Why not New York?
He believed that even if the Knicks won the championship this season, there would definitely be teams that were just a hair's breadth away from defeating the New York Knicks.

Ray Allen's target is a formidable team that is just one step away from making a comeback.

He will be closely watching the rest of the playoffs, and he will see which team can push this Knicks to the brink.

but.
What if no such team emerges?

Ray Allen had no answers in his heart; for the first time, he felt so lost.

The Knicks-Magic series has finally ended, and the league's publicity machine is immediately in full swing.

Because the highly anticipated final showdown is about to begin!
The Detroit Pistons currently lead the Miami Heat 3-1. With just one more win, the Knicks and Pistons, these two arch-rivals, will face off again in the Eastern Conference Finals after a two-year hiatus!

The Detroit Big Three versus Lynch's New York team will undoubtedly ignite another ratings frenzy.

Last season's battle between New York and the Knicks set a record for the highest number of games played since 1998.

This year, the ratings peak will arrive earlier than expected during the regional finals.

Since the start of the playoffs, the Detroit Pistons have proven that their 68 wins are no fluke.

They easily swept the Bucks in the first round, and although the second round against the Heat was a close contest, they always managed to come out on top and secure the victory.

The playoffs are the best test of the Pistons' strength and have pushed fans' expectations to a new high.

With Game 5 of the series coming back to the home crowd, the Palace of Auburn Hills was already filled with the spirit of battle.

In the stands, countless Detroit fans proudly held aloft the gold belts that symbolize victory and glory—a unique spiritual totem for Detroit basketball.

This tradition originated from the Pistons during their last two-peat championship run, when the players all wore a gold belt on the night of the championship ring presentation.

Since then, the gold belt has been deeply ingrained in the Pistons' team DNA and cultural DNA.

LeBron James looked at the excited fans, but he couldn't feel excited himself.

In Game 1 of the series, LBJ scored 24 points, Melo scored 22 points, and Deron Williams scored 17 points.

This is LeBron James' favorite scoring distribution.

In Game 2 of the series, LeBron James scored 20 points, but Carmelo Anthony scored a whopping 36 points.

These 36 points gave him a slight shock, making him wonder what Melo was up to.
In Game 3 of the series, LeBron James continued his poor shooting, scoring only 17 points. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, and in the fourth quarter, he completely took over, firing on all cylinders.

LeBron James realized that Melo had no intention of letting anyone else be the leader.

Since entering the playoffs, Carmelo Anthony has become increasingly excited, with his scoring continuing to rise.

It's as if he's trying to prove: Okay guys, I was just taking a nap during the regular season. In the playoffs, I have to put in the effort for the championship and Finals MVP.

In Game 4 of the series, Carmelo Anthony's performance finally faltered, scoring only 21 points.

But the one who dominated the game was not LBJ, but Deron Williams, who scored 33 points.

Deron Williams has been thoroughly defended by Wade in the past three games, almost leading Detroit fans to oust him from the ranks of superstars.

But in Game 4, Deron Williams was on fire, frequently hitting mid-range jumpers over Wade. Although the Pistons lost, Deron Williams' performance was impeccable.

In four games, LeBron James led the team in scoring in only one of them.

And in that game, his performance didn't show a significant difference in quality compared to Carmelo Anthony.

In other words, he was by no means the master of the game.

He realized that he was playing more and more like a senior role player.

This was a difficulty he had never encountered during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Distracted, he began to warm up by shooting hoops, appearing out of place amidst the Pistons' excited atmosphere.

Carmelo Anthony noticed his friend's unusual behavior and walked over to LeBron James' side:

"Don't be nervous, LeBron. Miami is out of options. There's absolutely no way they can take the series back to South Beach. Maybe before, the conference finals seemed a bit far away. But now, yes, it's within reach!"

Carmelo Anthony naively thought that LeBron James was distracted because he was nervous and about to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

But in reality, after hearing Melo's words, LBJ was even more confused.

What does he mean?
Is he implying that without him, I wouldn't even be able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals?
Without him, would I be just an Eastern Conference Chris Rondo?

LeBron James was still internally turmoil, but on the surface, he nodded in response to Melo.

Seeing this, Melo immediately tossed a basketball into LeBron James's arms: "Hey buddy, let's play a one-on-one game!"

After saying that, Melon spread his arms wide and lowered his center of gravity as if to make a show of it.

Some reporters on the scene noticed this and gathered around.

Soon, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were surrounded by cameras.

Carmelo Anthony wanted to get his good friend excited this way, but LeBron James had no interest in it.

However, in front of so many reporters, LBJ finally showed the expression one would expect when joking around with his good friend.

He dribbled the ball in front of Melo, who of course didn't really defend him; he just made a pose.

His intention was to excite his good brother; if he accidentally managed to thwart him, wouldn't he be even more frustrated?

As someone who never participates in one-on-one matches within the Dream Team, Carmelo Anthony knows all too well what LeBron James is worried about.

After a brief waltz in place, LeBron James collected the ball and took a shot.

Carmelo Anthony didn't even extend his hand, completely ignoring the situation.

The basketball flew towards the hoop and didn't miss.

Because it hit the side edge of the backboard before it even missed!

melon:.
At that moment, the air in the room seemed to be sucked out, and the awkwardness was suffocating.

Nobody knows what happened, nobody knows why LBJ was able to shoot the ball off the side of the backboard when he was completely unguarded.

This scene was captured on camera and broadcast around the world.

In this era where social media has already taken root, this video will go viral across the entire internet in just half an hour.

Melo's brain raced. He immediately turned to look at the backboard, then looked at LeBron James in confusion: "Wow! How did the ball get back to you?!"

reporter:
Even children's programs shouldn't be this idiotic!

Carmelo Anthony pretended to be stupid while crying inside.

What the hell am I doing?
During pre-game warm-ups, Carmelo Anthony failed to help LeBron James regain his form.

In the following games, LeBron James lived up to expectations and became the Miami Heat's fourth star.

He seemed distracted, as if this was just a meaningless regular season game.

It's as if this isn't a qualifying match at all; ultimately, it's just basketball.

But Carmelo Anthony almost completely dominated Paul Pierce.

Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony have long been mistaken for the same type of player, but their playing styles are not exactly the same, and they are practically unrelated.

Carmelo Anthony prefers to take mid-range isolation shots, while Paul Pierce's shot distribution is more like a "Moreyball" style.

Mid-range grinding is not Paul Pierce's favorite tactic.

Tonight, Paul Pierce's three-point shooting was ice-cold. As for driving to the basket, his prized size was no match for Carmelo Anthony, which directly led to a significant drop in his finishing percentage at the rim.

They're both heavy small forwards, so neither of them can dominate the other.

However, the Detroit Pistons did not gain a significant advantage as a result, because Dwyane Wade once again dominated Deron Williams, and Pau Gasol also got many opportunities.

Tonight, in more than one possession, LeBron James was like a lost child on the defensive end, spinning aimlessly in the crowd.

On several occasions, Pau Gasol had already driven into the paint, but number 6 was still standing there, frozen in place.

Reggie Miller went through all the injury reports, but couldn't find any report about LBJ's retinal detachment!

Fortunately, Richard Hamilton, the world's most accurate shooter in track and field, stepped up tonight, scoring 25 points.

He then hit a crucial shot with 38 seconds left in the game, giving the Detroit Pistons a 5-point lead and completely extinguishing the Miami Heat's hopes.

The game ended, and after Deron Williams' performance in the previous game, he immediately showed his true colors tonight, scoring only 13 points.

But to his surprise, his good friend LeBron James only scored 11 points the entire game so that he wouldn't look so bad!
LBJ's performance was disappointing; he didn't contribute much on either end of the court tonight.

At the end of the game, TNT's well-known sideline reporter Craig Sager approached LeBron James, who had the worst performance.

He had prepared a pointed question beforehand.

"LeBron, congratulations on reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in your career. There is no doubt that this is a huge step forward in your career."

But tonight, your individual performance seemed less than satisfactory.

These days, even if you don't play your best, your team can still make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, something that would never happen in Cleveland.

Do you believe that the Big Three model saved the night? Did you benefit from the Big Three model?

Craig Sager's question excited all the fans and infuriated LBJ.

He clenched his fists, trying his best to control his facial expressions, and then moved closer to the microphone:
"No, Craig, I have to say, the Big Three model has existed for a very, very long time."

Look, the Lakers, composed of Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor, are a typical Big Three team.

There are many such examples throughout history, for instance.
Oh, and Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale.

Also, Michael, Scott, and Dennis Rodman.

Look, the Big Three model has been around for a long time, so you can't say that I'm the only one who has benefited from the Big Three lineup.

You know, I didn't have any advantage over those high-profile star players.

After saying what he considered to be logically consistent statements, LeBron James left the court satisfied.

Craig Sager stared at the departing figure of number 6, frozen in place.

etc.
Wilt Chamberlain can be used like this?!
What kind of lame excuses are these?!
Immediately, the controversy surrounding LeBron James stirred up a huge wave on the internet.

John Hollinger, an ESPN writer who has always preferred data analysis to generating buzz, couldn't help but post about it:
"When Wilt joined the Lakers, he was 32 years old, Jerry was 30, and Elgin Baylor was 34."

When Robert joined the Celtics, Larry and Kevin were still rookies.

As for Dennis? A superstar? Does he even dare to call himself a superstar? He was an important member of that Chicago Bulls team, and the most popular player among women, but he definitely doesn't qualify as a superstar!

When will LeBron James dare to admit that he was one of the pioneers of the "super team" phenomenon at the peak?

Why didn't he dare admit it? Because he knew that he and the Detroit Pistons had completely failed to perform like a top-tier superteam should.

My view remains unchanged: Lynch will dominate this league.

LeBron? He can certainly prove something too.

He will prove Lynch's dominance.

Online, the topic of LBJ is causing a huge uproar.

But Lynch was completely unaware of this.

At that moment, he was in his room, holding his phone, frantically liking the All-Rookie Team list that the league had just announced.

DeMar DeRozan earned a spot on the All-Rookie First Team thanks to his hard work and outstanding individual performance.

This also means.

Lynch finally received the reward he had been longing for.

He will receive a random talent from one of five rookies: Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, DeMar DeRozan, Tyreke Evans, and Taj Gibson.

The King of New York's most loyal knight has already begun to create benefits for his lord.

(End of this chapter)