Champion Rules

Chapter 269, Section 265: Even if he minds, there's nothing he can do (Seeking monthly votes!)

On the eve of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, LeBron James, the eternal god of the offseason, posted two photos on social media of himself wearing white socks and beginning his recovery training, with the caption:

"No matter where, when, or with whom, I am ready to win the championship."

The most intriguing aspect of this post isn't that Diddy was the first to like it, but rather that LeBron James' new agent, Rich Paul, had just announced that LBJ would opt out of his contract this summer.

In other words, his future with the team next season has once again been carefully crafted into a suspenseful spectacle, becoming another source of hype for him during the offseason.

And wherever he goes, he seems poised to win the championship again.

Lin Qi silently gave it a thumbs up.

LeBron is simply unbeatable! Without you in the offseason, how are all the fans in the world supposed to survive?!
They use the same trick every year, turning off-season hype into an entire industry!
While others use costume changes to attract attention, LBJ pioneered the method of changing his jersey to attract attention.

Moreover, Lynch figured it out: LeBron James's best chance of winning a championship was during the offseason!
Of course, LBJ's professional attitude is indeed beyond reproach.

No matter which team he joins, and no matter whether he wins a championship or not, at least he actually plays during the season.

When it comes to orchestrating schemes for investors, look no further than Ben Simmons. Fans buy his jerseys, but end up receiving suits instead.

As expected, LeBron James's post was met with a barrage of sarcastic and sarcastic comments.

Shaquille O'Neal's comment received the most likes and was the most insightful:
"Not bro, running away again!?"

The basketball world has lost Shaq, but it has only lost an outdated center.

But with Shaq joining the media, it's like having a supreme god.

The simple word "shark" sparked heated discussions and led LeBron James to immediately disable the comments section.

At times, Lynch felt that LBJ was a coward.

But sometimes, Lynch felt that LBJ was the most fearless warrior in the world.

If Lynch were in LeBron James's situation, he admits he would never have had the courage to post such a shameless update.

This post also suggests something else – LeBron James's five-point release strategy seems to have failed.

If, as in the original timeline, LeBron James had successfully forced Carmelo Anthony to step down, Chris Paul and LBJ would never have spoken out in this way.

This outcome did not surprise Lynch. Dwyane Wade, whose reaction speed was inversely proportional to his reaction speed, was a rare find.

You can't expect LeBron James to be this lucky every time.

In fact, in the recently concluded Eastern Conference Finals, if LeBron James had fought his hardest in every game, even if the Pistons had ultimately lost the series, Carmelo Anthony might have stepped down.

The Detroit Pistons have always had this kind of team culture. During Carmelo Anthony's second season, Chauncey Billups, the previous season's Finals MVP, never deliberately suppressed this rising star.

But after LeBron James played a passive game like Game 5, which violated the spirit of competitive sports, the current Carmelo Anthony will not give him any chance.

As a close friend of LeBron James, who shares his likes on social media, Lynch also posted a message about the matter.

"No matter where he is, no matter what jersey he wears, no matter who he plays with, I am ready to beat LeBron James."

Media narratives often compare Lynch and LBJ's relationship to that of MJ and the assassin.

In fact, this is completely wrong.

The assassin truly dominated MJ in the 80s.

And LeBron James?
No matter which team he changes to, he has absolutely no chance of doing the same thing again.
-
While LeBron James's antics have certainly provided some fodder for discussion among fans, he is destined to remain out of the spotlight for now.

Currently, the biggest suspense in the basketball world remains the showdown between the Knicks and the Lakers.

Game 2 of the Finals has begun, with Lynch and Kobe continuing their epic battle of titans.

Kobe started strong, repeatedly using fadeaway jumpers to counter Ron Artest.

Lynch retaliated in kind, responding with a barrage of non-ball fire.

Every brilliant score by either player seemed to drain the air from the stadium, constantly assaulting the psychological defenses of both sets of fans.

Lynch's shooting touch wasn't as magical as in Game 1 tonight, and with Steve Nash's playing time continuing to decrease, it became increasingly difficult for Lynch to receive the ball smoothly.

As it turned out, Phil Jackson's strategy was indeed sound.

Forcing Lynch to play one-on-one at the high post does indeed help reduce his output and efficiency.

In the final moments of the fourth quarter, Kobe Bryant made a drifting shot from the right side, scoring his 42nd point of the game.

This marks Kobe's second consecutive game scoring 40 points in the Finals.

In the original timeline, Kobe only scored 40 points in the NBA Finals once during his entire career.

But now, because of Lynch, he has pushed himself to the limit.

He has done his best and reached a point where he "couldn't have done any better."

Does pushing Kobe to his limits guarantee victory?

One possession later, Lynch hit a jump shot after a triple threat over Kobe's head, scoring his 43rd point of the game.

Indeed, Lynch's efficiency and output were not as crazy as in the previous game, and he was still very passively defended by Kobe in the last half quarter as always.

But he still managed to score 43 points, which is what makes Lynch so formidable.

His potential has no upper limit, and his lower limit is also quite solid.

This basket put the New York Knicks back in the lead by 3 points, with the Lakers having 17 seconds left on the shot clock.

Kobe Bryant made a reverse cut and used an off-ball screen to shake off Ron Artest, but his crucial three-point jump shot was deflected by Wilson Chandler's timely rotation and help defense.

This became the decisive first defense.

Sometimes, the driving force behind a new contract should not be underestimated.

At this moment, in order to get a new contract, let alone Michael Jordan, he would even dare to touch Mike Tyson, or even Mike Tyson's daughter standing in front of him.

The Knicks won 111-108, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

Kobe's performance was impeccable, but he never expected Lynch to stick to him the whole game.

At the post-match press conference, the fiercely competitive number 24 revealed his helplessness in front of reporters:

"Lynch practically snatched this victory away from us."

After two games of the Finals, New Yorkers were overjoyed.

They are already 2-0 up, and so far everything seems to be going well.

Kevin Garnett was completely unable to stop Lynch, and Kobe's explosive individual firepower was unable to break through the tough defense of the Knicks' role players. Everything seemed perfect.

Game 3 of the Finals returned to Los Angeles. Before the game began, a painful memory was played on the giant screen in the Staples Center dome—Kobe Bryant's dejected figure walking away amidst a shower of celebratory confetti after the team's home defeat in last season's Finals.

On the sidelines, commentator Reggie Miller frowned, looking bewildered: "Unbelievable. This is the Lakers' own sacred ground. Why would they show everyone this unhealed wound at a time when life and death are at stake?"

Mark Jackson, standing next to him, explained his confusion: "As far as I know, it was Kobe Bryant's insistence that this scene be played before the game."

On the court, Kobe Bryant stared at his own dejected self on the screen.

However, what burned in his eyes at this moment was no longer desolation, but a flame that wanted to burn away all the humiliation.
The images of last season's failure came to an abrupt end.

The camera instantly switched, panning across Lynch who was warming up in the away team's half. Then, as if crossing a battlefield, the camera moved over Lynch's shoulder and precisely zoomed in on the home team's half, focusing on Kobe Bryant's rock-solid face.

This stark contrast between stillness and movement, past and present, is like a silent declaration of war.

It gave everyone who watched the scene the same premonition: the Lakers might not be finished yet!
As expected, the Lakers employed a rather extreme strategy at the start of the game.

They removed Kevin Garnett to make him play a role on the defensive end.

Then, after the jump ball in the first second of the game, Kobe Bryant stood in front of Lynch and began to guard him for the entire court!
The war between kings has escalated, and now neither side has any room for maneuver.

Although Kobe lost the first two games, he at least proved that he has the ability to limit Lynch in one-on-one battles.

To ensure Kobe's offensive dynamism, Phil Jackson had previously only used Kobe to defend Lynch in the final minutes of the game.

The strategy was reasonable, but it clearly didn't work.

The hole was too big, and even when Kobe worked like a plantation worker in the final moments, he couldn't completely fill it.

So tonight, the Lakers decided to prevent Kobe from giving Lynch a chance to get into his rhythm from the very beginning.

Clearly, this approach of pitting one's own star player against the opponent's star player right from the start is unreasonable.

But the Lakers are now at a critical juncture.

Considering the age of the Big Three, you could even say that this Lakers team has reached the point where they can seize their last chance to win the championship.

Now, preserving the flame of victory is the most important thing.

So Phil Jackson couldn't care less about whether the strategy was reasonable; he could only prepare himself, put on an adult diaper, and bet on Kobe's willpower after being pushed to the limit.

This was a fierce battle. Kobe Bryant's one-on-one defense greatly limited Lynch's offensive versatility, and using his height to post up was almost the only reliable method for Lynch.

He couldn't easily break through with the ball, and his off-the-ball runs were relentlessly thwarted by those tireless legs.

Of course, Kobe Bryant himself was also incredibly cold on the offensive end.

He poured almost every last bit of energy into defending Lynch, and was unable to replicate his previous two consecutive 40+ point performances.

Kobe's most terrifying aspect on the defensive end wasn't his skills, but his extreme hunger for victory.

LeBron James theoretically possesses the same talent to limit Lynch, but he has never shown any positive performance when defending Lynch one-on-one.

The underlying reason is that investing too much in defense affects his offensive stats.

Moreover, once Lynch scores a few goals over his head, his emotions fluctuate and he may even collapse rapidly.

As a result, LBJ rarely faces Lynch directly.

Kobe and KG are very similar; they both showed a do-or-die attitude.

No matter how cold their shooting touch became due to their all-out defense, no matter how many miraculous shots Lynch made, they always had only one goal in mind—to keep this person under control at all costs!

As the game entered the fourth quarter, both teams' key players showed signs of fatigue due to extreme exertion.

The back-and-forth destruction on both offense and defense led to a stalemate where shots were constantly going cold.

The court was filled with the clash of muscles, the thud of falling to the ground, and heavy breathing. Smooth basketball offense seemed to have become a rarity; brutal struggle and battle were the main attractions in this space.

Various deadly steals and game-ending blocks emerged one after another.

It's as if wrestling and hand-to-hand combat are the main focus of the game, with basketball being merely a side event.

In the most tense and suffocating moment, no one could have predicted that the star player with the largest common area would actually step up!

Jason Kidd first delivered the fatal blow in the stalemate with a crucial open three-pointer.

Then, this experienced field commander made a crucial steal.

He showed the world that shared area is also area!

With the score at 87-84, the 20,000 Lakers fans at Staples Center erupted in cheers like a torrential downpour, pouring onto the court that witnessed the comeback.

1-2! The suspense of the Finals was reignited in Los Angeles by the Lakers' hard-fought battle!
Lynch scored only 29 points, while Kobe Bryant scored 24.

This was almost a brutal, extreme exchange, with both Kobe and Lynch pushing each other into a desperate situation.

After the game, when reporters approached Kobe, the lone warrior of Los Angeles, he was bracing his knees with both hands, his chest heaving violently, and his heavy breathing for nearly ten seconds was broadcast around the world through the live camera.

It seemed that even straightening up to give an interview was extremely difficult for Kobe, who was exhausted at the moment.

A dozen seconds later, he raised his sweat-covered face, his gaze piercing through the lens, his chest still heaving violently.

The scene replayed on the Staples Center big screen before the game flashed clearly through his mind, and a burning sense of unwillingness instantly ignited his last bit of strength.

He straightened up and, before the reporters could even ask a question, roared into the microphone:
"Who the hell wants to be a loser?!"

This game was a game-changing one for the Los Angeles Lakers. It not only gave them a victory, but also gave the Purple and Gold the confidence to keep fighting.

In Game 4, they replicated the suffocating defensive strategy of Game 3, limiting Knicks superstar Lynch to "only" 26 points—still the highest individual score of the game, but not enough to pose a fatal threat to the Lakers.

Lin Qi's dagger was still half an inch away from their hearts.

Lynch started to try to attack in the low post more tonight, but the Lakers' tight double-teaming made it difficult for him to find good opportunities.

The Knicks' tough defense wore down their shooting touch, causing their role players to miss the few easy shooting opportunities they had.

Another low-scoring defensive battle, with the Los Angeles Lakers tying the series at 87-83!
2 is better than 2!

The Los Angeles Lakers have created a home-court pivotal game!

For David Stern, this was a dream script.

Before he used his superpowers to control the referees and prolong this high-rated Finals series, Kobe had already extended it himself!

But after tonight's game, Kobe's fatigue was even more apparent.

After the press conference, he sat alone in the locker room for a long time.

Kobe didn't stand up until his wife and daughter entered the locker room.

He was so tired that he didn't even have the strength to get up.

He sacrificed his physical strength to secure two victories for the Lakers, the largest margin of victory being only 4 points.

In other words, he had pushed himself to the limits of both his physical and mental strength, and could only barely suppress Lynch's scalding gun barrel.

The tipping point seems to be right in front of us, but we need to win four games to win the series.

一旦下一战他无法再次榨取出100%的状态，哪怕仅剩90%——那个曾在G1砍下62分，G2狂轰43分的林奇，都随时可能卷土重来！

Can he keep winning two more games?
Kobe himself didn't know.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and give it a try.

He has completely lost his way out.

In the pivotal Game 5, NBA Commissioner David Stern is hoping for another miracle.

If the Los Angeles Lakers return to New York with a 3-2 series lead, this NBA Finals series, which broke viewership records again, will go to seven games.

Kobe Bryant stood in front of Lynch once again, his thick little hands not only protecting the Staples Center, but also holding up the last gap in the Los Angeles Lakers' championship window.

Kobe was 32, Kidd was 37, and Garnett was 34.

For them, it's hard to look forward to the so-called "next opportunity" like they did when they were young; that's just wishful thinking.

Every shot, every defense, every struggle could be the final battle on their professional resumes.

but.
The miracle didn't happen.

In the first quarter, Lynch scored 8 points.

He keenly noticed that Kobe's off-ball movement was much slower than in Games 3 and 4, allowing him to more easily find open spaces and make jump shots.

In the second quarter, Lynch intensified his offensive, scoring 12 points in the quarter and 20 points at halftime.

During halftime, Kobe looked up at the scoreboard, the glaring "20" points on Lynch's stat sheet burning like fire in his heart.

He scored 20 points in the first half. If he maintains this level of efficiency and output in the second half...
Kevin Garnett's untimely words echoed in his ears: "Lynch may be able to score 60 points in one night, but he can't average 40 points per game."

Kobe Bryant, the fearless warrior, felt a chill run down his spine for the first time.

"Kevin," he roared inwardly, "you better not be a jinx!"

In the third quarter, Lynch increased his ball-handling offense because Kobe no longer had a speed advantage.

He's exhausted. He needs to give 100% on defense, but he can't completely neglect defense.

He is indeed a physical freak, but a physical freak who is already 32 years old.

The man in front of him, Lynch, was a 24-year-old physical prodigy in his prime.

In the final quarter, Lynch's offensive fire continued to burn fiercely.

The deafening cheers at Staples Center gradually faded into deathly silence as home fans covered their faces, witnessing the most brutal scene in the world—

Kobe Bryant, the legendary hero of Los Angeles, is being ruthlessly crushed by the King of New York from the East.

He was completely unstoppable, and Kobe's perseverance earned the Lakers two honorable victories. But at this moment, the dam that had been built with flesh and blood and supported by Kobe's miraculous willpower finally cracked in this crucial Game 5 that would decide their fate.

Lynch's offensive was like a raging torrent, threatening to completely breach the already crumbling dam at any moment.

In the eighth minute of the fourth quarter, Kobe tried to steal the ball from Lynch, but he was too slow to shift his weight, and his tired body couldn't keep up with the commands from his brain.

He was blown past by Lynch, who scored with a jump shot. In the tenth minute of the fourth quarter, Lynch effortlessly pushed past Kobe as if crushing dry branches, turned and raised his hand, the basketball arcing perfectly into the net again.

In the 41st minute, Lynch used an off-ball screen to circle out from the baseline. Kobe stumbled while going around the screen, completely losing his position, and watched helplessly as Lynch hit the three-pointer.

These scenes, like heavy hammer blows, have coldly and deeply imprinted the word "dominance" on the hearts of every Lakers fan.

Dominance does not mean never losing a single game.

Dominance means that even if you give it your all, you might win once or twice. But eventually you'll find that his daily performance is exactly what you give your all!
The basketball went in, and Lynch scored his 41st point of the game.

Five games in the series, with 40+ points in Game 3.

This basket gave the Knicks an 11-point lead, and the Los Angeles Lakers were powerless to turn the tide.

As the final whistle blew sharply, Kobe Bryant, having burned out his last bit of energy, collapsed to his knees like a broken bowstring, the sound of sweat dripping onto the floor almost audible.

Lynch silently approached his now-burnt-out opponent. Kevin Garnett immediately stepped forward, like a fierce beast protecting its cub, blocking the path between the two and growling, "Don't touch him!"

Lynch's gaze, icy and unwavering, lingered for a few seconds on Kevin Garnett's resolute yet weary face, on the trembling shoulders of the kneeling hero, before finally settling into a profound calm.

He nodded slightly, turned around, and left.

He is willing to give respect to opponents who deserve it.

He respected the solitary hero's swan song, and respected that determination to burn everything.

But this respect does not mean he will show any mercy in the final battle at Madison Square Garden.

Lynch had no intention of giving them any decent chance.

At the post-game press conference, both Kobe and KG looked ashen-faced.

Yes, the series isn't over yet, but they're powerless to do anything about it.

This is one of the most distressing things in competitive sports.

Game 6 of the series finally returned to New York.

Just like last season, the Knicks didn't treat this as Game 6 of the series at all.

They treated it entirely as a championship celebration.

The entire city pulsed with excitement, all in anticipation of Lynch and his Knicks lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

The celebrities who came to watch the game were all dressed to the nines, their dazzling jewelry igniting the sidelines.

The young models wore the sexiest, most revealing, and most sexually suggestive clothes, their eyes burning with desire, hoping Lynch would invite them to the championship party.

The atmosphere was like a scalding hot oil pan, and the Los Angeles Lakers players, who had just stepped onto this battlefield, breathed out a rusty, desperate feeling.

The match unfolded like a nightmare replay of the decisive battle, only this time, the collapse came earlier and was more complete.

Kobe continued to fight hard on offense, every point like a nail hammered out after being tempered, but at the cost of his remaining energy on defense being rapidly drained.

In the second quarter, Lynch extended his lead to 16 points with a series of consecutive scores.

Phil Jackson was forced to double-team Lynch, but the long-dormant Steve Nash seized the opportunity to unleash a barrage of attacks.

At halftime, the Lakers were down by as many as 22 points!
At the start of the third quarter, the Lakers, relying on their substitutes, managed to keep the score difference at 9 points, narrowing it to single digits.

The dim light made everyone on the bench clench their fists tightly.

The Lakers players desperately wished they could freeze time to calm themselves down, but just two minutes later, Lynch pulled out his weapon!

He first drove to the basket with a crossover dribble, and despite Kevin Garnett's long arms and Kobe's interference, he rebounded and pulled up for a layup.

The referee then "thoughtfully" added insult to injury by calling a foul on KG.

Lin Qi gladly accepted this generous gift and correctly predicted the penalty!

Kobe then tried to respond, but his difficult fadeaway jumper was pushed off course by Ron Artest.

The Lakers' magical offensive momentum came to an abrupt end with this play.

The Lakers' offense failed, possession changed, and Lynch, standing a step beyond the three-point line, ignored Kobe's diving save and pulled up for a shot. The basketball swished through the net, and the cheers were deafening.

The Lakers tried to speed up the pace, and Kobe passed to Tayshaun Prince who was cutting to the basket, but Wilson Chandler anticipated the pass and stole the ball—the Lakers' offense failed again.

The Knicks launched a fast break, and Lynch received a pass from Shrek and easily made a layup for two more points!
After the timeout, the Lakers passed the ball to Kevin Garnett in the low post, who made two tough turns and jump shots. Lynch's long arms were right there, severely interfering, and the shot missed! In the ensuing scramble under the basket, KG grabbed the rebound and attempted a putback, only to be brutally blocked by Lynch – the Lakers' offense failed for the third time!
The ball was inbounded from the baseline, and Kobe's contested three-pointer missed again. This time, there was no scramble under the basket, and Lynch easily secured the rebound—the Lakers' offense failed for the fourth time!
Lin Qi pushed the ball up to the three-point line and, finding his rhythm, immediately pulled up for a shot.

"brush!"

In those suffocating rounds, Lynch scored 10 consecutive points over the exhausted duo of Kobe and Kevin Garnett, each one a sharp and decisive blow!

The score gap widened to a massive 19 points in an instant, and Madison Square Garden descended into madness, with shouts of "MVP" echoing endlessly.

The young models posed seductively, the Lakers called a timeout, Kobe Bryant braced himself on his knees, sweat pouring down his face like a stream, his chest heaving violently as if it were about to explode, and for the first time, his eyes revealed an undisguised emptiness and bewilderment.

KG put his hands behind his head, no longer roaring, and became eerily silent.

Phil Jackson looked at the time and score difference on the timer and sighed helplessly.

He knew that his time with the Lakers was over.

Shortly after the start of the fourth quarter, the game became garbage time.

Lynch was substituted out with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, by which time he had already scored 43 points.

The moment Lynch left the court, Mike Breen couldn't wait to announce: "If Lynch's score stops here, then his Finals average will also stop at 40.6 points! Lynch will become the first player since Michael Jordan to average more than 40 points in the Finals!"

Beside him, Bill Walton didn't forget to mention Lynch's opponents: "Although the Lakers are beyond saving, we have to give them some respect. It has to be said that these old boys brought out the best in Lynch. To be honest, they deserve more applause from the fans than the young Big Three in the Eastern Conference Finals."

Indeed, this resilient Los Angeles Lakers team brought out the best in Lynch.

When Lynch sat back down on the bench, he felt more exhausted than ever before.

If the series goes on for a few more games, he might not be able to keep going.

Kobe Bryant returned to the bench, expressionless.

He burned with all his might, exhausted everything, and fought to win two truly great victories.

But in the end, he still couldn't get past Lynch, this insurmountable peak, and crashed to his death.

He wouldn't consider "forcing out the strongest Lynch" as an honor.

All he knew was that this era was slipping away from him.

When Kobe and Phil Jackson embraced, people suddenly realized that it had been a full 10 years since the two first hugged in the NBA Finals.

After an unknown amount of time, the game ended, and the stadium was filled with a shower of golden confetti.

Kevin Garnett covered his head with his hands, looking like a walking corpse.

Jason Kidd, with a towel draped over his head, stared blankly at everything.

Kobe Bryant stood up and walked onto the court. This time, he could sincerely offer his blessings.

"Another back-to-back championship, congratulations Lynch, enjoy this moment."

Lynch patted Kobe on the head: "You're great, you know, you're an excellent opponent."

Kobe gave a wry smile and once again wandered alone through the colorful confetti.

The revelry in New York City had only just begun, while the legend of the Purple and Gold veterans had already drawn a respectful yet tragic conclusion amidst the clamor of Madison Square Garden.

It's all over. It's all over.

This isn't just the end of this year's finals; it's the end of an era.

Lakers fans know very well that this is the swan song of the 90s players against the modern monarch.

From now on, there will never be another "old team" as pure as Lynch.

Mike Breen understands the feelings of Lakers fans, but also reminded fans of other teams not to gloat:

"Lynch personally ended this old era, but in the new era, it is not certain that someone will be able to take over the rule from him."

On the court, Lynch is wearing a championship cap and embracing his teammates.

DeMar DeRozan looked at the colorful confetti flying all over the sky, feeling as if he were in a dream.

A year ago, he was still worried about his draft position.

But now, he has reached the top of the world.

Of course, he was not satisfied because his contribution in this year's finals was far too little.

This isn't a real ring yet.

He secretly resolved to become powerful quickly.

To help Lynch continue this wonderful legacy.

Then, put on a real ring.

Steve Nash lay directly on the floor, letting colorful confetti cover his face.

Another championship, his and Lynch's journey has been incredibly smooth.

There's only one year left, just one more year, and he can fulfill his promise and become a good father.

DeAndre Jordan and Patrick Ewing embraced tightly, their hard work and dedication rewarded in this moment.

The gorilla pressed his forehead against Jordan's with satisfaction: "Well done, but I believe in your potential, you can do even better!"

DeAndre Jordan nodded vigorously: "Yes, Patrick, I still want to realize my dream, I want to become a qualified NBA starting player!"

Ron Artest covered his face and twitched a few times.

Amir Johnson patted him on the shoulder, noticed two tear tracks on his face, and whistled.

"Big news! Even the tough Ron Artest can shed tears."

"Shut up, Amir, or I'll send you to be in the same hospital as LeBron James! These aren't tears, they're sweat!"

"Say what you will, congratulations, buddy. You picked the right place last summer."

At that moment, Ron Artest saw Reggie Miller standing on the sidelines, smiling and clapping.

The beast paused for a few seconds, then slowly walked towards Reggie Miller.

Reggie Miller casually patted him on the shoulder: "Congratulations, you jerk. Damn, you make me jealous."

The TNT commentator was just joking, but Ron Artest couldn't hold back any longer.

During his year in New York with Lynch, he learned how to bravely face difficulties and confront himself.

Ron Artest backed down when facing Jermaine O'Neal before.

He didn't want to be a coward again when facing Reggie Miller tonight.

He stopped trying to hide it, burst into tears on the spot, and hugged Reggie Miller tightly.

"I'm sorry, Reggie, I'm so sorry. Because of my cowardice, because of my selfishness, because of my immaturity, we lost that damn championship. We couldn't let you retire with the ring!"
I'm a coward; I'm the one who caused the whole team to fall apart.

"I'm so sorry, Reggie, I'm so sorry!"

Reggie Miller gently stroked the Beast's orange-stained head: "The past is the past, Ron, and I've never blamed you. Win or lose, the time I spent working with you guys was a precious experience in my life. Go, cheer, celebrate, this championship didn't come easily."

Ron Artest collapsed onto Reggie Miller and wept uncontrollably.

At that moment, his chaotic career was finally truly redeemed.

Lynch brought far more than just championships to the team members.

Everyone who followed Lynch received something more precious than a championship.

Twenty minutes later, Lin Qi held the gold trophy in both hands on the podium, his lips pressed tightly against the honor.

But to David Stern's surprise...

Steve Nash, this aging veteran nearing the end of his career, was shouting, "There's another Lynch, another one, and the next one!"

Immediately following was a chorus of fist pumps and shouts from the majority: "One more! One more!"

They even greedily shouted "There's one more!" during the championship trophy presentation ceremony.

This was a spectacle David Stern had never seen before.

He knew all too well how tiring it would be for a team to win the championship two years in a row, and how much it would diminish a team's desire to win.

But this New York Knicks team did not follow this pattern.

Under Lynch's leadership, veterans like Steve Nash were eager to end their careers with a dynasty.

Meanwhile, young players like DeMar DeRozan, Goran Dragic, and DeAndre Jordan, who didn't have much of a chance in this year's Finals, are eager to make their mark.

This team has broken the usual pattern.

They reached the top of the world for the second year in a row, but they are still full of energy.

David Stern suddenly felt a little scared.

Many years ago, the green shadow that swept through the league seemed to have changed color and once again enveloped the basketball world, making all competitions lose their suspense.

At that moment, David Stern finally realized what made Lynch so special.

There are many players who inspire fear in their opponents.

But there are only a handful of players who inspire fear in the league commissioner.

This isn't just a winner, this is a guy who can disrupt the balance of the league!

Just then, Lynch suddenly turned his head, stared at David Stern's face, and grinned:

"David, you wouldn't mind coming here to present me with awards often, would you?"

David Stern just laughed.

He didn't have the courage to respond.

Even if he minded, it seemed he had no way to stop the guy in front of him.
-
Lynch brought New York everything the city wanted. Listen, although Lynch himself insists that a three-peat is what constitutes a true dynasty, I think his achievement of four championships in five years has already reached the level of a dynasty! — Stephen A. Smith, delivering his dynasty theory.

An average of 40 points per game in the Finals was considered an unbreakable record for a long time. However, it turns out that it wasn't that the record couldn't be replicated, but rather that the person capable of replicating it hadn't yet emerged.

Now, we have another guy who can turn the impossible into the possible.

I completely understand Kobe Bryant's feelings; truly, I'm probably the most qualified person in the world to say that.

You tried your best and gave it your all, only to find that he still stood firm.

What I said back then still applies today: Kobe Bryant was the best basketball player on the planet. Lynch? He's an alien!

— Charles Barkley talks in the studio about Lynch's greatness and Kobe's feelings at that moment.

We'll get back on track, but congratulations Lynch, this summer belongs to them. — Kobe Bryant on the loss.

"Kevin, can we talk?"

“Damn it, John, damn it. I really didn’t expect that I would still be so weak when we meet again.”

"This isn't about being weak, KG. The whole world saw your efforts. I won't say you guys actually won, but I have to say you truly deserve respect. Hold your head high, KG. Come on, let me give you a hug."

"Thank you, John, but I'm sorry I can't answer many of your questions today. You know, it's been an extremely difficult night for us."

"I understand. I'll just ask two simple questions; it won't take up too much of your time."

"Okay, let's begin."

Who is the player you least want to guard in this Finals series?

"Lynch."

"Which player do you least want to be guarded by in this Finals series?"

"Lynch."

"Thank you for your courageous honesty, KG."

— Kevin Garnett in an exclusive interview with John Thompson, a special correspondent for TNT.

(Only one update today, because the two chapters combined have reached 10,000 words.)
(End of this chapter)