Champion Rules

Chapter 261, Section 257: A Mountain in Ontario (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The New York Knicks are in high spirits after winning Game 4.

On the flight back to New York, DeShawn Stevenson finally found the mood to joke around with Lynch to lighten the mood.

"In the four-game series, I played an average of 4 minutes per game, mainly filling in for a few rounds when Raga and Demar needed rest."

Although I didn't have much screen time, I discovered an amazing fact.

I can win the first game if I get 4 points.

I can win the second game if I get 3 points.

I managed to win the fourth game last night even though I only got 2 points.

I've decided to try my luck in the next game, scoring just 1 point and see if I can win!
If the Knicks need to score at least one point every night to win a game, then that means—

Lynch needs me so damn much!

Amid the laughter, Amir Johnson reminded him, "Haven't you seen the news about Ray Allen? If that guy really comes, you'd better be stuck on the bench pouring water for Lynch next season. Yes, Lynch fucking needs you to pour him water."

The Ray Allen incident inevitably spread within the Knicks.

He publicly expressed his desire to join the Knicks on his blog, sparking widespread discussion.

Back in Orlando, people thought Ray Allen was too old and no longer a threat.

But if this were Ray Allen wearing a New York Knicks jersey, his threat would be magnified infinitely!

The Knicks are, after all, a legendary team that achieved 70 wins for two consecutive seasons.

For a team that is already so good, any reinforcements would make their rivals feel even more hopeless.

Another key point that sparked heated discussion was that Ray Allen and his Magic team had just suffered a complete defeat to the Knicks in the series.

As a former member of the SuperSonics, he gave Kevin Durant, the star player of the SuperSonics' derivative team, a lesson on the ultimate truth of the basketball world: if you can't beat them, join them.

Since LBJ's decision last summer, the competitive atmosphere in the league seems to be gradually "softening".

Nemesis, irreconcilable enmity, and grudges—these things are gradually disappearing.

Teaming up, taking shortcuts, and joining new teams have become the main terms used during the off-season.

However, considering that Ray Allen is already 35 years old, the controversy he has attracted is far less intense than that of LeBron James last summer.

Ray Allen certainly knew that his public statement about wanting to join the Knicks would draw a lot of criticism and be difficult for some fans and media to accept.

In fact, when he was first eliminated by the Knicks, even he himself wanted to join a team that had a chance to challenge Lynch's throne, rather than directly joining his team.

As a star player from a tough era, he believes he should be Lynch's rival.

But this series made Ray Allen realize one thing: there simply isn't a team that can beat Lynch.

Moreover, Ray Allen also had a degree of vengefulness involved.

In Orlando, he gave his all in silence, but did not receive the respect he deserved and was isolated by the entire team.

Since that's the case, then I'll just join a team that will make you despair and trample on your dignity!

This is similar to wives who dedicate themselves to their families but do not receive respect from their partners. They often choose to reward themselves in the most extravagant and outrageous ways outside the home as a form of revenge.

Ray Allen's actions have added even more talking points to an already intense playoff series.

In a way, this also saved Carmelo Anthony; at least for now, not everyone is focused on his pitiful 7 points in a single game.

But fate didn't give Carmelo Anthony and his Pistons much of a chance to breathe.

The day after Game 3, the league also announced the All-NBA Team and All-Defensive Team for this year.

As expected, Lynch was selected to both the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive First Team, marking his sixth consecutive season making both teams, tying the record set by Michael Jordan.

With six All-NBA First Team selections in his career, Lynch became the fourth-most selected player in NBA history, after Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant.

These hard-earned honors, which cannot be accumulated simply by accumulating years of experience, are undoubtedly of high value.

Besides Lynch, Steve Nash was selected to the All-NBA Second Team. He and Lynch are the only two Knicks players to be selected to the All-NBA Team.

The Pistons' side still shines brightly.

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were both selected to the All-NBA First Team, while Deron Williams was selected to the Second Team.

The Pistons are still a truly solid team, boasting three All-NBA players in their prime.

Considering that LBJ was also selected to the All-Defensive First Team and Carmelo Anthony was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team, the Pistons' roster on paper is even more formidable.

Having so many players on the annual list should be a cause for celebration for Detroit fans.

In reality, Pistons fans unanimously believe that the timing of this honor announcement was extremely bad.

When the media and fans learned that the Pistons, with all three of their stars still making the All-NBA team and two other players making the All-Defensive Team, were still being outscored 3-1 by the Knicks this season, they were shocked.

A deluge of ridicule and controversy followed.

The day before the game, in a locker room interview with the Detroit Pistons, LeBron James unsurprisingly faced sharp questions.

"LeBron, the All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections proved that you are still among the league's top young individual players. Looking across the entire league, your teammates are a cut above the rest. If you take shortcuts and still lose the series, what impact will that have on your career trajectory?"

LeBron James was clearly angered, finding the term "taking shortcuts" absurd.

The contrast between the accusations and the criticisms he faced after Ray Allen publicly expressed his desire to join the Knicks without receiving much criticism made him feel particularly unfair.

"I don't understand why fans and commentators don't criticize Lynch for taking shortcuts. The only reason I can think of is that the NBA is Reebok's league."

After playing against Lynch, those excellent players turned around and joined Lynch's team. Isn't that taking a shortcut?
It's unfair that I'm criticized for taking shortcuts even though I didn't win a championship. Ray Allen didn't join my team, and neither did Ron Artest. This just proves that the Cavaliers' previous recruitment efforts were terrible; they didn't focus on serving me.

I'm not like Lynch, who can just sit at home and have a constant stream of great teammates come to him.

So please stop using that word; it's clearly malicious targeting.

LBJ felt wronged and voiced all his grievances.

He believed that after he said these things, some media outlets would understand him.

Speak up for me!

LBJ never expected that later that day, quite a few media outlets would speak out in his defense.

But all the messages they sent were negative!

Charles Barkley bluntly stated on the show: "Hey man, I don't know if you're watching live. But I want to ask you, are you out of your mind?"

"Let's look at the facts! You, who were known as one of the Dream Five, were the only player with a 0-0 record against the other four in the playoffs before joining the Pistons."

In the playoffs, Lynch beat you, beat Dwight, Cameron, and Dwyane.

Cameron beat you, beat Lynch and Dwayne.

Dwight beat you, he beat Cameron.

Dwayne beat you, he beat Lynch.

Why are you everywhere!
Why didn't Paul Pierce or Dwyane Wade call out to join your team after you were eliminated by the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs?
Because they won't join a loser!
You can't confuse the 'appeal of a champion leader' with your 'cowardly taking shortcuts'!
And Mr. LeBron James, which shortcut did Lynch take?

He's been in New York the whole time; he hasn't gone anywhere!

Maverick Carter turned off the TV and glanced at LBJ, whose eyes were vacant.

He couldn't imagine how much pressure he was under.

It's been almost a year since the "Decision," and LeBron James has hardly had a comfortable day.

He lost, and the media criticized him.

He won, but the media still criticizes him.

Whenever he makes a statement, mainstream media outlets immediately step forward to refute it.

This even affected his sex life with his girlfriend, Savannah Brinson. He would often suddenly lose control during sex because of it, which made him so nervous that he thought his physical functions were starting to decline.

Now, when Maverick Carter looks back at what he thought was a brilliant "Decision," he has to admit that he made the biggest misjudgment of his life.

He knew that LBJ would disappoint the fans of the team he didn't choose, but he didn't expect it to cause such a huge and lasting anger, let alone make the entire Detroit Pistons a target of public criticism.

This season, LBJ's basic stats are similar to, or even more comprehensive than, Carmelo Anthony's.

However, Carmelo Anthony is third in the MVP rankings, while LeBron James is only sixth.

This stark reality declares that LeBron James is completely losing media support.

Nike no longer has much promotional resources left for LBJ, and now only a few die-hard friends in the media are cheering for him.

But their efforts were insufficient.

Maverick Carter didn't want LeBron James to continue wallowing in these shows, so he turned off the TV and wanted to talk to him.

Perhaps the news that Under Armour was willing to sign him and make him their star player made him a little happier.

At least, not everyone in the world has given up on him. "LeBron, we..."

Before Maverick Carter could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by the other party's rude monologue:
"Lin Qi, Lin Qi, always Lin Qi, damn Lin Qi!"

LeBron James clenched his fists, his face contorted, and his eyes bloodshot.

He'd had enough of that number 20 in New York.

At this moment, he had never felt such a strong desire—a desire for Lynch to disappear from this world completely.

This idea first came to him in Game 1 of the series when Lynch made a "0" sign in front of him and said he couldn't play a good game.

At this moment, this hatred had reached its peak.

LBJ hates everything.

I hate the team that made me a senior role player.

He loathed even more his mortal enemy who repeatedly trampled on his dignity.

He decided that in the next match, he would unleash his hatred in a frenzy!

Game 5 of the series returned to Madison Square Garden, where New York fans collectively wore T-shirts with "Eastern Champions" printed on the front.

From last October until now, none of the fans who have gone to Madison Square Garden to watch the games have experienced a defeat.

Therefore, they believe that the New York Knicks will not cause any surprises tonight.

This is the execution night for the super piston.

Before the game started, Carmelo Anthony was still trying to boost morale in the locker room.

Although he was held to just 7 points in the last game due to poor defense, he did not become discouraged.

"Can you possibly be worse than me? No! So there's nothing to worry about!"
If we lose, I'll take the blame for the most shameful loss. Everyone, just go all out and give it your all!
I don't think 1-3 is the end of the game. As long as we don't give up, no one can declare us out!

This worked. While the Pistons' morale wasn't at its peak, they at least regained the courage to face this do-or-die game.

Carmelo Anthony's confidence is not unfounded. Although the Pistons lost two of their last three games, the Knicks did not win easily either.

Both sides kept the suspense until the very last moment, and the match was closely contested throughout, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

Most importantly, LBJ, whom he trusted wholeheartedly, performed flawlessly in these games.

From selfless organization to suffocating defense, they did not disappoint anyone.

As long as everyone does the right thing, and as long as everyone is more patient at crucial moments, victory will eventually come.

In the excited locker room, Carmelo Anthony failed to notice LeBron James's indifference.

They failed to notice that the tragedy predicted by Lynch was brewing.

The game started quickly, and Carmelo Anthony soon realized something was wrong.

After crossing half-court, LeBron James immediately passed the ball to Deron Williams, then stood idly at the top of the arc without making any effective runs.

Seeing no opportunity, Deron passed the ball back to LeBron James. However, LeBron James didn't even look at the basket when he received the ball and immediately passed it to Carmelo Anthony, who was still guarding Lynch.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what he did wrong, but the positive energy he displayed stood in stark contrast to the crucial nature of this do-or-die game that would determine the fate of the series.

He seemed detached from the situation, showing no desire to win whatsoever.

He just stood there like a bystander at the top of the key, passing the ball whenever he had it and issuing cards whenever he had them, completely detached from the system and making no meaningful effort on the offensive end.

Deron Williams' final pull-up jumper also bounced off the rim.

Fortunately, LBJ's enthusiasm returned on the defensive end.

He was even a bit too aggressive, because he drew an offensive foul for himself on the very first defensive play.

As Lynch leaped up to attack the basket, he grabbed Lynch's forearm hard in mid-air, causing Lynch to lose his balance and fall heavily to the ground.

Lynch stood up and shrugged dismissively: "LeBron, are you planning to use this 'toughness' to cover up your cowardice?"

These words struck a chord with LBJ, as if tearing away his facade and exposing his cowardice.

Lynch made both free throws, giving the Knicks the lead.

After one round, LBJ continued his laid-back offensive style.

Ron Artest realized that LBJ's move was simply too vicious.

Although, on his own, LeBron James was completely useless on offense tonight.

But it can also render the Knicks' key defensive asset, Ron Artest, completely useless!

What a clever move – a one-for-one trade at the last minute!

LBJ is still AFK, but thankfully, Melo finally had a sweet moment tonight.

After creating a little space, Carmelo Anthony received a pass from Deron Williams and took a jump shot, which went in this time.

He's in good form tonight, and he's confident he won't be shut down by Lynch like he was in the last game.

To put it another way, they almost won the last game even with only 6 points.

If he could just play at 60% of his usual level, wouldn't he be able to win this game without a problem?
In the next defensive possession, LBJ once again made a brutal tackle on Lynch.

Lin Qi did not back down; instead, he became even more enthusiastic.

He delivered a powerful elbow to LBJ's chest while establishing position, successfully catching the ball.

As he turned around, another elbow struck, nearly catching number 6 off guard.

Although his subsequent layup attempt failed due to Ben Wallace's timely help defense, seemingly resulting in an offensive failure.

But in reality, Lynch's attack this time was quite successful!
Lin Qi looked at the number 6 who was gritting his teeth and spread his hands: "I'll play however you want, since you can't play a single good game anyway."

LBJ was enraged. This time, instead of just standing at the top of the key dealing cards, he suddenly took the ball and went one-on-one.

Richard Hamilton ran into an opportunity, darting past LBJ, and attempted a handoff.

Ron Artest quickly switched defenses, knowing that the masked guy would cause a lot of trouble once he got his touch.

But LBJ completely ignored Carmelo Anthony, and when he saw that the person guarding him was Steve Nash, he became even more excited.

He made a strong drive, and to avoid being dispossessed, he switched to a back-to-the-basket attack when he reached the vicinity of the free-throw line.

Seeing this, everyone thought Steve Nash was doomed.

With his slender build, there's absolutely no way he could defend against LeBron James' post-up game.

LBJ awkwardly pushed backward, and indeed forced Nash to retreat.

After gaining space, he neither turned his back nor did he turn around for a jump shot; instead, he just continued to awkwardly push backward.

Does he not want to?
He cannot.

He couldn't smoothly turn around or smoothly shoot a fadeaway jumper.

If post-up moves could be won solely through strength advantage, they wouldn't be such a killer move for so many star players.

Moreover, LBJ is very impatient right now; he just wants to get close to the basket as quickly as possible and finish with a strong drive.

Therefore, all he could think about was exerting brute force; he didn't think about anything else.

Finally, just as LeBron James was about to turn around and push Nash aside once again, Nash attacked from the side and easily stole the ball from LeBron James.

His turning motion was clumsy and full of flaws.

Although Steve Nash couldn't withstand the pressure, he easily reached out and sliced ​​the ball away.

This scene even caused an instant burst of incredulous gasps from the bustling Madison Square Garden.

LeBron James can't even back down Steve Nash?

This 36-year-old veteran, widely considered to have weak defense, transformed into a towering mountain in Ontario, Canada, in front of LeBron James!
Steve Nash wasn't lying to Lynch; he really can defend LeBron James!
LBJ made a mistake, Raja Bell picked up the basketball and threw it directly to Ron Artest at the front, who easily slammed it in with one hand for a dunk.

Looking at the distraught LBJ, Lin Qi suddenly felt incredibly excited.

It seems that the guy's mentality has completely collapsed.

Now, there is only anger, hatred, and impatience.

coming.

finally come.

That was the ultimate failure that Lynch had been waiting for, and that Carmelo Anthony was unwilling to believe.

It looks like it'll happen today!

(End of this chapter)