Champion Rules

Chapter 280, Section 276: When Off-Peak Travel Leads to Traffic Control (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Every year, once the NBA Finals end, it means another championship window opens for LeBron James.

The main point is that they have never lost a game or won a match.

Even at 40, LeBron James will create a sense of "promising future" for you during the offseason.

The strongest team in the 21st-century offseason is the Houston Rockets.

The strongest player in the offseason has to be LeBron James.

But compared to Ben Simmons, a renowned photographer whose main job is taking gym workout photos.

At least LeBron James actually trained during the offseason.

After a summer of hard work, LBJ's already tank-like physique has visibly grown even larger this season.

It is said that his weight this season is probably over 120 kilograms.

This is already the weight of a center.

With such an astonishing weight, coupled with the extreme space created for him by the Oklahoma City Thunder, LBJ's finishing ability this season is nothing short of terrifying.

His finishing efficiency under the basket is better than many centers.

Before this season, LeBron James was trying to find a balance between power and grace.

But at the start of this season, he completely forgot about elegance.

He abandoned his agile footwork and fancy dribbling moves, transforming himself into a pure power bulldozer.

It must be admitted that this was a truly correct decision for LeBron James.

Anyway, even when he was moving gracefully, his movements weren't particularly beautiful, so it can't get any worse now that he's even uglier.

LeBron James is very strong this season, so he is also very confident.

Before the match began, he dramatically tossed magnesium powder onto the technical table.

The cheers from the fans were like the applause of a coronation, intoxicating the newly crowned leader of Oklahoma City with the thrill of "ruling the world."

With the lingering smoke of magnesium powder still present, his gaze swept over Kevin Durant, who was quietly warming up on the sidelines, and a sense of contempt crept into his heart:

Ha, how could a guy like that resist my rule?

But he knew that the only way to truly subdue his group of exceptionally talented "wild horses" was through victory—especially a victory that would shake the powerful.

If he can prove that his Thunder can upset the defending champion New York Knicks, then his "dominance" in Oklahoma will be unshakeable and indisputable.

Before the competition even began, a subtle scene cast a shadow over this confidence.

Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Kevin Durant all ran towards the opposite half of the court to pay tribute to New York.

The respect they showed to Lynch was a warmth that LBJ had never felt during his time with the Thunder.

Although the Thunder's Big Three treated him with the same respect within the team, it was more of a professional form of respect.

But LBJ never felt that kind of heartfelt admiration and respect from them.

They would attend Lynch's training camp in the summer, treat Lynch to dinner the night before a match, and greet him before the match started.

LeBron James has only had one meal with the Thunder's Big Three so far, and they have never asked him for advice on any issues.

The burly man, now back in size 23, shook his head, suppressing his emotions and deciding not to think about things that might affect his mood.

Victory often solves everything; this is a truth.

On the other side, Jordan Crawford stared intently at number 23 on the opposite half of the court, his fists clenched.

He was a loyal fan of the Nike brand, and his biggest dream during college was to join the Nike family.

But Nike's confiscation of the videotapes made him realize that Nike's high-profile stars were all packaged in this way.

If the video hadn't been leaked on YouTube, who would have believed that an unknown kid dunked over the chosen one? And how could people believe that a giant brand in the basketball world would do such a despicable thing?
Since then, Jordan Crawford has completely turned against Nike.

They have nothing but contempt for LeBron James, the new face of Nike.

True stars dare to openly admit defeat, while LeBron James' team tends to erase defeats.

Essentially, this is no different from escapism.

After joining the Knicks, Jordan Crawford found himself in a huge media frenzy, often being mocked by the media for his only achievement in his basketball career being his involvement in the infamous "dunk controversy."

He called it the only thing he could boast about in his life.

He was certainly unhappy, but the Knicks had plenty of talent at the shooting guard and small forward positions, so he rarely got playing time this season.

Facing LBJ again tonight, he really wants a chance to prove himself, even if it's just a fleeting moment of glory.

Unfortunately, his rotation is too late, so he probably still won't get many playing opportunities in this kind of game.

Just then, number 20, who had finished greeting the Thunder trio, walked towards him.

"Kid, I forgot to tell you something. I talked to the coaching staff last night, and they agreed to give you more playing time tonight. I know tonight is important for you, so do your best."

"Huh?" Jordan Crawford looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He didn't expect his playing time to increase, and he certainly didn't expect the renowned Lin Qi to discuss a rookie's playing time with the coaching staff.

“This is not the reaction I wanted to see,” Lin Qi frowned slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority. “I should have emphasized this before: no matter how much or how little playing time you get now, you have to be ready to step in at any time. So your first reaction shouldn’t be surprise, but rather telling me: I’m ready!”

Lynch paused, his sharp gaze piercing Jordan Crawford. "Besides, tonight is your chance to get justice for yourself."

These words were like a red-hot branding iron, instantly smoothing out the astonishment on Jordan Crawford's face.

Nobody cared about his feelings during that "video confiscation incident".

His success was stifled and deliberately covered up; he was clearly the victim.

However, the media portrayed him as a clown who constantly hyped up the incident.

Injustice and anger had been building up in his heart for a long time.

For so long, only Lynch has uttered the phrase "seeking justice".

“I’m ready, Lynch!” Jordan Crawford straightened his back and answered decisively.

Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction: "Don't let me down. Don't act rashly, but don't be timid either. Play well, and you'll prove yourself."

As soon as the King of New York disappeared from sight, an indescribable force surged through Jordan Crawford's body.

He slapped the ball harder, and his warm-up movements suddenly became more fierce and rapid.

Suppressing the excitement that was about to burst from his chest, he suddenly jumped up and performed a series of powerful and fancy dunks, drawing the attention of his teammates nearby.

Mike Malone, watching Jordan Crawford who seemed to be on steroids, whistled at Flip Sanders standing to the side:

"It seems Lynch's magic has worked again."

Philip Sanders also kept his eyes on the energetic Jordan Crawford on the court, without responding to the assistant coach's words.

Last night, when Lynch suggested increasing Jordan Crawford's playing time in such a crucial matchup, he was reluctant.

Because this carries a great risk.

Jordan Crawford is a promising young man, but like another Crawford in Knicks history, his performance is unpredictable and he is too unpredictable.

No one can guarantee that he can draw his sword safely tonight.

But Lynch told him, "Even if you don't believe in me, you should believe in my magic."

Now, looking at the burning fighting spirit in Jordan Crawford's eyes and the energy almost bursting forth from his body, Philip Sanders shook his head.

Yes, Lynch's magic has come true once again.

The game has finally begun, and the Knicks have possession of the ball.

LeBron James did not primarily guard Lynch; instead, Serge Ibaka, who, like Lynch, came on the court with his own baton, was responsible for defending him.

This beastly striker, who was initially groomed by Real Madrid as a young Lynch, has matured considerably after several years of experience.

Lynch didn't get a chance, and Steve Nash used Tyson Chandler's screen to try and exploit Stephen Curry's defensive weakness.

Seeing Thunder center Nenad Krstic lunging forward to interfere, the Wind Prince skillfully made a bounce pass to Tyson Chandler cutting down the court.

But just as he launched his attack on the basket, LeBron James returned to the rim, his terrifyingly large physique allowing him to hold his own in the aerial battle.

Tyson Chandler's shot went awry, and he missed the layup, allowing the Thunder to execute a brilliant defensive play.

The benefits of LeBron James gaining weight are not limited to the offensive end; it has also greatly helped him on the defensive end.

He is now a true rim protector among forwards. Unless it's Yao Ming, no center can guarantee that they can score freely in front of LBJ.

LBJ immediately countered, and after dribbling the ball across half-court, he saw Lynch and immediately closed in on him.

Lynch remains true to his original aspirations and remains loyal to LBJ. As long as LBJ is playing, even if there are other younger and more muscular players on the opposing team, Lynch is not interested.

He couldn't wait to shove all his strength into LBJ's body.

In the basketball world, many people idolize Lynch.

But in the modeling world, the girl's idol is undoubtedly LeBron James!
They desperately wanted to be "watched" by Lin Qi so intently!

But LeBron James didn't go one-on-one with Lynch. Instead, he passed the ball to Stephen Curry, who would circle out to the three-point line. Curry then calmly sank the three-pointer, giving the Thunder the first point.

One possession later, DeMar DeRozan's isolation play missed under the defense of last season's second-team All-Defensive guard Thabo Sefolosha, giving the Thunder another offensive opportunity.

LeBron James still didn't take a shot, and didn't challenge Lynch one-on-one.

This time, he broke through and passed the ball to Serge Ibaka, who made a mid-range jump shot.

LeBron James was quite restrained with his shots; although he was eager to beat Lynch, he clearly didn't want to dominate from the start.

This Thunder team is so talented that they don't need LBJ to take many shots on offense; they can still unleash terrifying firepower.

This allowed LeBron James to find a rather clever and opportunistic way to play – traveling during off-peak hours.

During key matchups, he neither defends the opponent's top player nor attacks, but simply acts as a ball-handling and playmaking point.

Whenever the rotation period arrives, especially when Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry goes to the bench to rest, LBJ seems to unleash his full potential, relying on his abundant energy to unleash his full offensive power.

This gives the impression that "the Thunder will take the lead once LeBron takes over the game."

When facing the starters, I'm meek and submissive; when I'm on the bench, I'm Michael Jordan!

Take on the least responsibility and get the biggest share of the pie!

LBJ has done this for the past five games, and it has been very effective.

He clearly followed his off-peak travel plan tonight, and the Thunder played exceptionally well.

In the eighth minute of the first quarter, the Thunder called a timeout. With Scott Brooks replacing Kevin Durant, only LeBron James remained on the court out of the three James, Durant, and Curry players.

LeBron James, head held high, has reached his moment!
At this point, the Thunder and the Knicks were tied, and the intense battle throughout the first quarter kept the atmosphere tense.

Before entering the game, LeBron James deliberately patted Kevin Durant on the shoulder heavily, his posture resembling that of a lone hero about to turn the tide in a Hollywood blockbuster:

"There's nothing to worry about, Kevin. I'll get us in the lead."

Once we take the lead over the Knicks, ha, let's see if you still dare to admit defeat!

Kevin Durant:
I wasn't worried at first, but what you said has made me panic!

The Thunder were on offense, and LeBron James, facing Lynch, finally chose to drive to the basket.

With his astonishing weight, LeBron James became a battering ram, forcefully pushing his way into the paint against Lynch.

Now, even Lynch cannot completely withstand the impact of this pure power.

In pursuit of modern basketball's mobility, Lynch consistently reduced his weight, while LBJ did the opposite.

With this shift in momentum, LeBron James has gained a slight edge in physical confrontations.

Of course, Lynch was not one to be easily manipulated.

Although he couldn't force number 23 to stop, he could, like a tenacious vine, wrap around the giant wheel, effectively slowing down LBJ's speed, preventing him from accelerating fully and making it difficult for him to easily create space to jump.

After penetrating the paint, LeBron James, with Lynch on his arm, struggled to leap and attack the basket.

DeAndre Jordan arrived just in time to break the balance.

In this era of decline for centers, most teams can't find a decent center to rotate in.

In fact, it's already a luxury for a team to be able to find even one decent starting center – the Thunder themselves don't have a good center, and their starting center, Nenad Krstic, is definitely one of the players that Thunder fans dislike the most.

Therefore, most of the time, the backup center's defense would appear pale and powerless under LBJ's iron hooves.

But the Knicks are different.

Even if Tyson Chandler leaves the game, they still have DeAndre Jordan, who is working overtime to secure a starting position.

Now, even if it were a real tank, let alone LeBron James, DeAndre Jordan would be willing to go all out for a starting position and a big contract, even with the lights off.

His unwavering resolve at this moment was enough to make any challenger turn pale.

DeAndre Jordan struggled to withstand LeBron James's attacks when he was alone, but with Lynch acting as an impenetrable wall to slow him down, the situation was completely different.

LeBron James was caught between Lynch's grappling and DeAndre Jordan's almost superhuman interception.

His historic efficiency in attacking the basket was completely wiped out at this moment. A thunderous attack ultimately turned into a helpless thud—he failed.

Kevin Durant pouted, unsure how to evaluate this play.

Since arriving in Oklahoma City, LeBron James hasn't done anything truly heinous. But his overbearing, bossy attitude is really off-putting.

If you truly have the ability, the entire team will naturally submit to you.

If you lack persuasiveness, emphasizing your identity will be futile.

Sometimes, so-called "leadership skills" are even a bonus.

Michael Jordan, for example, had the leadership skills to be a leader on the Chicago Bulls, but nobody took him seriously on the baseball team.

Hard power is what determines everything.

LeBron James glanced awkwardly at the sidelines and quickly got back on defense.

Lynch held the ball beyond the three-point line, preparing to isolate Serge Ibaka, but LBJ double-teamed him without hesitation.

Seeing this, Lynch passed the ball to the eager Jordan Crawford.

LeBron James had just completely ignored him, but his three-pointer delivered a resounding slap to LBJ's face.

The ball goes in, and the New York Knicks take the lead during their rotation!
After one possession, seeing that DeAndre Jordan was still firmly guarding the paint, LBJ pulled up for a mid-range jump shot.

His massive weight gave him overwhelming impact, but it couldn't elevate his mid-range game to the next level.

To be fair, LBJ's shooting has been improving over the years.

However, it could never evolve to the elite level.

Most of the time, his shooting is actually sufficient.

However, when faced with a defender of Lynch's caliber, his shooting still seems ineffective.

The ball missed its target, but DeAndre Jordan grabbed the rebound and passed it to Goran Dragic, who quickly put the ball back in the court. Only then did people realize that Jordan Crawford had already crossed half-court.

This rookie's offensive drive is terrifyingly strong.

Frustrated by his missed shot, LeBron James seemed to wake up from a daze and tried desperately to catch up. But the distance had already widened, and his efforts were in vain.

Finally, Jordan Crawford scored with a powerful two-handed dunk, scoring over LBJ's head on two consecutive possessions. He roared to the sky, unleashing his pent-up pent-up emotions.

"LeBron, how are you planning to confiscate the video this time!?"

These words were like a sharp knife piercing his vitals. LeBron James felt his blood rush to his head, and the shame made him lose his mind.

He rushed up to Jordan Crawford and shoved him hard.

Jordan Crawford seemed to have been hit by a cannonball, and immediately fell backward dramatically to the ground with his arms raised high and an innocent look on his face.

"Beep——!"

The referee's whistle pierced the noise as he issued an offensive foul to LBJ.

LeBron James has been acting his whole life, but he never expected to be outmaneuvered by a rookie!

He was emotional, spreading his hands and yelling at the referee: "That was definitely a dive, you can't tolerate this kind of behavior!"

The referee, his face grim and unyielding, declared: "LeBron, control yourself. If you yell again, I'll give you a technical foul!"

"Damn it! The problem isn't with me at all!"

“This kid didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t even touch you, but you pushed him down. I don’t care what trash talk you guys have to say, but in my games, there can be no physical contact outside of basketball, understand?”

LeBron James continued to argue relentlessly, and the scene became chaotic.

Kevin Durant glanced at Stephen Curry beside him, a bitter smile playing on his lips: "We have a great, mature leader, don't we?"

Amid the chaos, Lynch strolled over and stopped beside LeBron James. He deliberately clapped his hands loudly, the crisp sound abruptly interrupting the argument.

Then, Lynch tilted his head slightly and, with his signature mocking tone, whispered in LeBron James' ear, as if he were blatantly laughing:

"LeBron, it seems you encountered traffic control issues while trying to travel during off-peak hours."

(Thank you so much to Lin Yu and other big shots for the generous donations! I'm extremely grateful!)
(End of this chapter)