Champion Rules

Chapter 279, Section 275: He is no longer my opponent (Seeking monthly votes!)

Reebok heavily promoted the Lynch-slaying bobcat contest, with multiple Reebok media outlets using "Goat Lynch" as the headline for their newspapers and articles.

Reebok has fully absorbed Nike's core experience in media hype over the years—don't be complacent about small wins.

If LeBron James was already the chosen one before even entering the league, then my Lynch beating the Bobcats to the GOAT title is perfectly justified!
The difference is that Lynch has the ability to pay off the loan.

And LeBron James is now completely naked!

Michael Jordan was in a bad mood after seeing the "Lincia surpasses MJ" theory in various media outlets.

Lynch and his war were special.

Because MJ could no longer earn any more honors for himself.

For many years, this has not been a problem.

All he needs to do is stand at the top, smoking a cigar and playing with models, watching the current players fight tooth and nail for the position, and then laugh at how no one can ever climb to the top.

But now, another man, also smoking a cigar and playing with younger models, emerges from the pool of blood and quickly heads towards the mountaintop.

He could only watch helplessly as Lin Qi approached, unable to climb any further.

Fortunately, Lynch still has a long and arduous journey to the summit.

He is indeed the challenger who has come closest to the throne so far, but on this journey, he still risks being shot down by other pursuers.

The delicate relationship between the two became a central theme in media narratives during this period.

Nike Media and Reebok Media each used their own methods, but only Shaquille O'Neal, who belonged to neither Nike nor Reebok, discovered the real key.

"Want to become a GOAT? You'll have to be a model!"

After defeating the Bobcats, the New York Knicks went on to beat the Rockets, Hawks, and Pistons, achieving a five-game winning streak to start the season.

The game against the Detroit Pistons was more difficult than expected.

This summer, the Pistons, who were badly let down by LeBron James, missed out on all the big-name free agents because they failed to strengthen their roster in time.

Before facing the Knicks, the Pistons had won all four of their previous games.

Their offseason moves weren't particularly significant.

They signed third-year undrafted player Anthony Morrow and acquired Caron Butler, whose contract was expiring but who had no intention of re-signing with the Wizards, at a minimal cost.

They acquired JR Smith and Chris Anderson from the rebuilding Denver Nuggets in a trade using draft picks and some additional assets.

They weren't stars, and everyone thought the Pistons were doomed.

To paraphrase Pistons head coach Lionel Hollins: "I think we're better than last season, and I think we're more like a real team."

In their game against the Knicks, the Pistons proved Lionel Hollins right.

This was the Knicks' first tough game of the season.

The two sides fought until the very last moment before a winner was decided.

The changes to this piston are obvious.

Because they have more salary cap space available for role players, they have actually become stronger in every aspect.

First and foremost, the interior defense is no longer so weak; Chris Anderson has brought a level of rim protection to the Pistons that they didn't have last season.

Secondly, the perimeter defense did not decline significantly due to LeBron James' absence.

The combination of Deron Williams, Carmelo Anthony, and Caron Butler is even more consistent defensively than last season—last season, you never knew which night LBJ would suddenly lose his defensive focus.

The rotation depth is no longer meager; Anthony Morrow and JR Smith can bring defense and scoring to the Pistons' rotation.

The Pistons' bench is finally no longer a case of four players scoring 6 points each, averaging 1.5 points per player – a tribute to Kevin Durant.

Most importantly, the team has become united again.

Last season, there was irreconcilable friction between Deron Williams and LeBron James. Although he was dissatisfied with LeBron's status, he had to maintain a facade of obedience.

LeBron James wants to be the core of the team, so he always struggles in crucial games.

This season, everything has fallen into place.

The Pistons seem to have rediscovered their true colors as a steel team—united, tough, and indestructible.

They fought until the final 44 seconds of the game, trailing the Knicks by only one point.

But Lynch didn't let them have their way.

In the two crucial possessions, Lynch secured the victory for the Knicks with a crossover dribble followed by a pull-up jumper and a turnaround fadeaway.

Carmelo Anthony had tried everything he could, but he was helpless against Lynch, who had undergone ultimate evolution.

In the end, the Knicks only won against the Pistons by 3 points.

At the post-game press conference, Carmelo Anthony appeared quite frustrated.

His spirit is being worn down little by little.

He seemed to replicate the fate of the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers in the 90s—their strength was undeniable, their success was evident, yet they were unable to overcome the insurmountable barrier in front of them, the one wearing the number 20 jersey.

In just a few years, the Detroit Pistons have undergone several changes.

From the Pistons' "Big Five" era to the Carmelo Anthony and Zach era.

From the Carmelo Anthony and Zach era to the Big Three model, and then back to the traditional team-building approach.

Each shift in leadership was aimed directly at New York, in an effort to find a way to defeat Lynch.

But apart from Lynch's rookie season, Carmelo Anthony has never beaten him again.

Five years have passed since his last championship win, and he has transformed from a baby-faced boy into a mustachioed colonel.

For Carmelo Anthony, who will soon turn 27, he has come to realize one thing—his ceiling is not as high as he thought.

When he first entered the league and won two championships and an Finals MVP, he felt like he was the modern-day MJ.

But now he no longer thinks that way.

Just like most ordinary people who, as they get older and are toughened up by society, realize their own ordinariness, Cameron Anthony also had this feeling at this time.

Reporters caught the disappointment on Carmelo Anthony's face, but they felt no pity for him.

All the reporters at that moment had a rather explosive question that would surely enrage Carmelo Anthony.

Just half an hour ago, the Thunder finished their game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles fans were all in an uproar. They never expected that the Lakers, who were battling it out in the Finals last season, would lose to the young Thunder team by a full 26 points!
The injuries to Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins are certainly one of the reasons, which caused the Lakers' defense to drop from the top of the league to the middle level.

However, this lopsided scoreline is still a bitter pill to swallow for the proud Los Angeles fans.

LeBron James was very excited after the game.

Facing the camera, he put his arm around Kevin Durant, who scored 35 points that night: "This is a real super team, and this is my real super teammate!"

This statement is somewhat sarcastic towards Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams.

Reporters didn't hold back in telling Carmelo Anthony this question: "What do you think your friend LeBron meant?"

Carmelo Anthony, already frustrated, was now enraged.

He did not answer the question itself, but instead told the reporter:
He is no longer my friend!
-
Before this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the least visible teams in the league's 30 teams.

Although they were transformed from the Seattle SuperSonics, the Thunder were essentially treated as a completely new and unfamiliar team because Seattleites retained the SuperSonics' name and history.

When a team that people thought was a bottom-tier team suddenly started the season with a 4-1 record and then crushed the defending runner-up Los Angeles Lakers by 26 points.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have officially become a force to be reckoned with in the league.

LeBron James, who has become the focus of attention alongside the Thunder, spoke candidly at the press conference:

"You know, I always trust my teammates in crucial moments. James Harden didn't make those shots in the fourth quarter, but that doesn't diminish my faith in him. He still has a lot to learn, but he'll definitely get better."

"Kevin played really well today. When my teammates are on fire like tonight, I don't mind passing the ball a few more times. After all, I'm not the kind of person who cares about stats." "Stephen's defense has improved a lot. I've always said he's a guy with unlimited potential."

"Yes, I'm leading this team to be better. I've always had leadership qualities, and whenever I'm given leadership, or someone comes to me and says, 'We need you to lead the team,' I step up."

I have a lot of knowledge that I can offer to my teammates and the team I play for. Leadership isn't something you learn overnight; it's something you demonstrate every day, both on and off the field, and that's what I'm doing in Oklahoma City.

Kevin Durant sat to the side, wearing a plaid shirt and carrying a backpack, listening silently.

He was puzzled: When did LeBron James become the leader of this team?
He does not deny LBJ's role.

He brought an offensive intensity to the basket that the Thunder didn't have last season, and he also brought better help defense than last season.

But he and the Thunder are at best complementary.

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant's shooting abilities have opened up unprecedented spaces for LeBron James throughout his career.

He put up the best numbers of his career because he could score and assist more easily in this environment.

The Thunder have indeed won a lot of games this season, but KD doesn't think LeBron James is leading anything.

To quote James Harden privately:
"He kept passing me the ball in crucial moments and then said he was a leader? I never expected to receive the ball because my older brother always said that as the star player, one of your responsibilities is to put that damn basketball into that damn basket in crucial moments. Of course you can trust your teammates in crucial moments, but trusting your teammates doesn't mean shirking responsibility."

Kevin Durant couldn't stand the performance of this number 23 player—yes, the guy who called for the entire league to retire the number 23 jersey last season seems to have forgotten what he said and has put the number 23 back on himself.

He believes that LeBron James has no right to put him in a leadership position and treat them with condescension.

If there's anyone on this team who's the true locker room leader, it's Coach Scott Brooks.

What kind of leader is he?
The leader will shift the blame for the loss to his teammates and then say that his plus-minus is +7?

At that moment, a reporter's question was thrown at KD, bringing him back to reality.

"Kevin, do you think LeBron's leadership is the key to the team's transformation this season?"

Kevin Durant really wants to speak his mind.

But this sensitive, argumentative, and somewhat weak-willed star, who only dared to think about a woman's bathwater, reluctantly nodded: "Of course, LeBron is crucial to us."

He doesn't yet have the courage to stand up and fight against all of this.

LeBron James looked at Kevin Durant, enjoying the moment.

It's true that you can't find anything even if you wear iron shoes, and it takes no effort to get it.

If every team's star player were like Kevin Durant, why would he have resorted to such a self-destructive tactic last season, which resulted in zero casualties for the enemy but 1000 casualties for himself?

Soon, the reporters' focus returned to LeBron James.

"In your next game, you will face the defending champions in Oklahoma City in two days. Will playing two consecutive games against teams that participated in last season's Finals make you and your team feel tired?"

"Oh, of course not. I feel like Wolverine, quick to recover and full of power. Maybe these lads will feel tired, but I'll lead by example."

Do you think the next game will be a preview of the finals?

“Of course not,” LBJ shook his head without hesitation. “Don’t get me wrong, what I mean is that we will most likely dominate the West, but New York may not be able to continue dominating the East.”

LBJ seems to have forgotten the humiliation of last season. His excellent start to the regular season this year and tonight's crushing victory over the defending runner-up have given him the courage to face Lynch again.

He is extremely eager to win the next game.

It is known that the Pistons lost to the Knicks without him.

If the Thunder had him, they would have beaten the Knicks.

That proves that making him the core member was the right choice!

At this point, Lynch was also asked the question, "What do you think of LeBron's leadership?"

Lin Qi suddenly froze.

Where did this come from for me?

During this period, he was constantly compared to Michael Jordan, and suddenly he was compared to LeBron James.

This gave Lynch the feeling that he had suddenly become poor again!

After a moment's reaction, Lynch approached the microphone with a smile.

Ray Allen knew that bastard Lynch was about to show up.

"I don't want to answer any questions about LeBron James personally because my next opponent is the Oklahoma City Thunder."

After his failed attempt to take a shortcut last season, and then his subsequent attempt to take another shortcut this season, he's no longer a match for me.

Carmelo Anthony no longer considers LeBron James a friend.

Lynch no longer considers LBJ an opponent.

But LBJ didn't care.

As long as Kevin Durant still sees him as a leader, he can save his career.

That evening, LeBron James deliberately waited for KD in the locker room.

Kevin Durant had prepared photos of Scarlett Johansson's wardrobe malfunction, planning to take matters into his own hands when he got home tonight.

But after he finished showering, LeBron James invited him to get something to eat, which greatly disappointed him.

KD, who can't say no, still got into LeBron James' Hummer.

The car sped through the not-so-bustling streets of Oklahoma City, and LeBron James paid no attention to what he was saying.

Anyway, it's all just self-praise.

At a traffic light intersection, LeBron James asked KD the most crucial question.

"You shouldn't be upset by my arrival, right? I mean, yes, before I came, the Oklahoma City Thunder was your team. But now it's different; I'm in charge here."

But it's working; we're winning, we're even beating the Lakers.

But if we want to win the championship, I need to know your true thoughts: who do you think is leading this team?

LeBron James still remembers what the logo told him when he signed the contract.

This team is yours now, but the future belongs to Stephen and KD.

But what if KD himself gave up his right to be a leader?

LeBron James wants to hear the answer from Kevin Durant.

He himself had once relinquished half of his command, so he knew he had to nip any unnecessary ideas in the bud to prevent the team from making mistakes in crucial moments.

Kevin Durant stared at LeBron James' face, a wave of disgust washing over him.

It turns out that inviting them to eat was just a pretext; their real purpose was to assert sovereignty.

He's so hypocritical.

KD didn't answer directly; he didn't have the courage.

But he didn't want to keep putting up with it.

He leaned against the car window and slowly uttered an ambiguous statement:

"But we had already beaten the Los Angeles Lakers before you came."

LeBron James gripped the steering wheel, trying to maintain a smile: "But you haven't beaten the New York Knicks yet, have you?"

"Ah."

"You will win in two days."

LBJ still doesn't believe it. I, the chosen one, can't even tame Kevin Durant!

(Today's 10,000-word update is here. I'll be taking a day off tomorrow to let you all know in advance. Of course, I'll also post a separate chapter tomorrow to announce my leave.)

(End of this chapter)