Champion Rules

Chapter 284, page 280: You're the high school student, I'm a college student (Seeking monthly votes!)

After three busy days, Lynch finally got back to what he loved most: racing.

However, the New York Knicks lost to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the season.

Andre Iguodala is clearly a great fit for this Miami Heat team; in some ways, he's a better fit for Dwyane Wade than LeBron James.

This historical world has been too kind to Dwyane Wade.

Although he didn't win a championship, he also didn't win the kind of championship that would have lowered his historical standing.

As it stands now, Dwyane Wade is at least the second-best shooting guard in the league, and for many years he has been the man DeShawn Stevenson could not surpass. In 2011, Stevenson actually beat the Heat and Wade to win the championship, so he could have easily claimed to be the best shooting guard in the East.

But in this historical context, Dwyane Wade won't give him that opportunity.

The Heat's true strength doesn't rely entirely on their on-paper talent, but rather on their tightly knit, cohesive team spirit.

Andre Iguodala and Pau Gasol are both natural team glues, while Dwyane Wade is a leader who deeply understands the art of sacrifice.

A team like this has a guaranteed minimum level of fighting power.

Despite the loss, the Knicks weren't without their bright spots.

For example, DeMar DeRozan's spectacular dunk over an opponent cemented Pau Gasol's place on today's top five plays. The Spanish legend's popularity in North America is beyond imagination; almost every player gets aroused just seeing him.

For example, Goran Dragic played more minutes than Steve Nash today and proved his value with an efficient stat line of 16 points and 8 assists.

For example, DeAndre Jordan had a standout performance tonight, surpassing Tyson Chandler in playing time for the first time, with 7 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

But Tyson Chandler expressed his dissatisfaction after the match.

"I don't know why the coach did this. All I know is that if I got the same playing time, I could have performed the same way."

Tyson Chandler didn't think much when he said that. The competition for position this season has put him under immense pressure, and he subconsciously complains about the current situation.

But his words gave the media the capital to hype it up.

Within just a few hours, a storm had formed in the public discourse.

"Dynasty Collapse? Tyson Chandler Publicly Expresses Dissatisfaction with DeAndre Jordan's Playing Time."

"Starting center blasts manager! Flip Saunders' rotation strategy under scrutiny."

"Is Lynch's authority wavering? The shadow of the three-peat curse looms again!"

These statements are just like LeBron James's contradictory remarks, such as "I'll only cry when I win a championship, not when I break a scoring record"—the credibility of which is basically zero.

But the essence of the media is that of a catalyst; even if what it says is not entirely true, it can instantly ignite a tiny spark into a devastating fire.

Minor conflicts between players can be amplified infinitely once they are sensationalized by the media.

Shaquille O'Neal lamented this power when discussing his past relationship with Kobe Bryant on TNT's basketball program last week, admitting that the rift between him and Kobe was exacerbated by the media:
"Back then, Kobe and I were largely misled by malicious media. Never underestimate the power of public opinion."

Tyson Chandler's outburst of complaints was merely an instinctive release of suppressed emotions.

However, some storms, once they start, cannot be quelled.

The next day, at the Greenburg training center, Lynch criticized him sternly.

"We said before the season started that playing time would be determined by ability! Tyson, you agreed! But now you haven't kept your promise, and what's even more foolish is that you've stirred up team conflicts outside the team!"

Lynch admitted that he was very angry.

Because he's already been dealing with enough problems lately.

He was still preparing materials for the labor-management negotiations, and the fragile balance in the locker room required him to maintain it with utmost care.

While doing all this, he also had to ensure that his competitive performance was not affected.

He also has pressure, and he needs to vent.

Tyson Chandler's thoughtless complaints, erupting at such a juncture, were tantamount to lighting a fuse on Lynch's already taut nerves.

The champion center, who had run into the line of fire, became the target of Lynch's pressure.

Tyson Chandler neither confronted Lynch nor apologized.

He simply stood silently, his head bowed.

The air in the locker room was stiflingly heavy. Just then, the highly respected Sean Battier appeared and stepped into the minefield, easing the tense atmosphere.

He naturally stepped forward and put his strong arm around Tyson Chandler's shoulder:

"Tyson was just used by those damn media outlets. They fanned the flames, misinterpreted things, and forced people to say the wrong things when they lost control of their emotions. We all know that."

Immediately afterwards, Sean Battier turned to Lynch and hugged him tightly with his other arm:
“Our leader just wants everyone to unite, to work together as one, and to move towards the same goal. He doesn’t blame anyone, and we all know his responsibility; he does things to make the team better.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Sean Battier grabbed their hands without a word and pressed them tightly against his chest:
"See, it's just a misunderstanding, right?"

Following Sean Battier's mediation, Lynch and Tyson Chandler's handshake symbolically quelled the conflict, temporarily mending the surface rift.

During the scrimmage that afternoon, head coach Flip Saunders adjusted his training strategy—he deliberately put Tyson Chandler and DeAndre Jordan in the same group for joint practice, a departure from his previous practice of separating the two fiercely competitive big men into opposing teams.

The aim is to cool down the conflict and prevent the sparks of competition from reigniting.

In a locker room interview after practice, DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler both remained silent, keeping quiet about the recent conflict.

Lynch did not give a locker room interview today because he flew to North Carolina with team general manager Sam Presti as soon as practice ended.

Kyrie Irving plays tomorrow night.

Inside the cabin, Sam Presti inevitably brought up the locker room incident from that morning.

“Sean deserves everyone’s respect. He’s like Grant Hill back in the day, the top lubricant of this intricate machine that is the team. Sometimes, Lynch,” Sam Presti looked at the young core, “you need someone like him to handle the reefs in the locker room, or rather, you need to learn to work with others to resolve conflicts.”

Lin Qi glanced at the sea of ​​clouds outside the porthole, slowly shook his head, and said firmly, "I can handle it myself."

"You're too tough, Lynch, but your position at the core doesn't allow you to show weakness, as that would damage your prestige. This is an irreconcilable paradox."

For these kinds of tricky problems, Shane Battier is the perfect savior. I know you're used to handling everything alone, but even the greatest general needs trustworthy advisors to pave the way. That's true in a game, and it's true in managing the locker room.

You want to prove you're a great leader, you want to prove you can handle everything on your own, and prove you can lead the team well even without the help of someone like Grant Hill.

But honestly, you've already done a great job; you don't need to prove anything in this way anymore.

Lynch did not answer, and Sam Presti also tactfully stopped the conversation.

The only sound in the cabin was the hum of the engine. A few minutes later, Lynch's deep voice broke the silence:

"Tell me, is it possible for something like this to fall from the sky? Explain in detail. I know you, you're not the kind of person who relies on luck. You must have a plan for the 11 draft, right?"

When the conversation turned to his old business of basketball operations, Sam Presti's eyes lit up instantly, and his tone became light and enthusiastic:
"That's true. In 11, we had three second-round picks and one first-round pick. In this generally weak draft class, I think we have a chance to use our existing resources to get a lottery gatekeeper to mid-first-round pick."

There are still quite a few players worth paying attention to in this mid-to-high range.

For the next half hour, Sam Presti gave Lynch a detailed account of how outstanding Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson were.

"But both share a common concern: their growth cycles may be relatively long, which is somewhat inconsistent with the pace of the Manhattan Project."

Lynch smiled slightly; he had almost forgotten the term he had come up with on a whim years ago: "The Manhattan Project, huh?"

"That's right, our player acquisitions and operations in recent years have been commendable, but only a true nuclear explosion can be called the Manhattan Project. In the field of basketball, what do you think constitutes a true nuclear explosion?"

"LeBron James should go back to where he belongs and join the WNBA. If he were a woman, he wouldn't be afraid of being talked about for running away."

Sam Presti:
Seeing the other person speechless for a moment, Lin Qi put away his joke: "Of course, it's surpassing the three-peat!"

"That's right, this is the Manhattan Project! So, we actually need some rookies who have both potential and immediate impact, and they must be able to contribute immediately in a short period of time. However, considering the draft picks we can get in 11, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson are also good options."

"And what about Kyrie Irving? He's a player who combines potential and immediate impact. Don't tell me you're just here to watch Kyrie Irving play. He's a great player, but not so great that we'd make a special trip for him. Tell me, Sam, do you have a plan? Can you get a top lottery pick?"

Faced with this question, Sam Presti thought for a moment, his expression turned serious, and finally he waved his hand:

"No, that's all I can say at the moment."
We definitely have a chance!

Since Sam Presti didn't deny it outright, Lynch briefly imagined what the world would be like if such an opportunity came true.

A three-time champion team, drafting the top three talents in the draft, and then continuing its glory into the next era?
A pleased smile curved the King of New York's lips as he sighed softly:
"This truly deserves to be called the Manhattan Project."

A day later, at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Lynch unsurprisingly became the center of attention.

Even though everyone sitting here is a die-hard Blue Devils fan, and even though the team's influence in this school is unparalleled.

But as the current number one player, Lynch has the magic to turn any place into his home ground, except for the cities of his arch-rivals.

The fans were cheering for him, and the cameras were glued to his face.

Coach K took the initiative to step forward and shake hands with the Eastern champion who had defeated him in the Olympic finals, paying tribute to him.

Following closely behind were the Blue Demon team members, who surged forward like a tide, like pilgrims extending paper and pen to a god, yearning for a divine inscription.

Seth Curry was one of the most excited, as he admired Lynch just as much as Stephen Curry.

When he saw Lin Qi, he stuck out his buttocks and beckoned to Lin Qi with his finger:

"Come on, don't be shy! Sign it on my ass, my stupid brother will be green with envy!"

The deafening roar inside the stadium nearly lifted the dome off, with the crowd swirling around the figure of number 20 like a vortex.

Only one person remained aloof, observing this out-of-control pilgrimage of football stars.

Kyrie Irving seemed to be in another silent dimension, calmly and repeatedly throwing jump shots from the baseline.

The sound of the basketball hitting the floor was clearly audible, and each "swish" as it went through the net was the sharpest mockery of the noise.

To him, the king who was worshipped as a god was no different from any nameless face waving his arms in the stands.

After his teammates who had asked for autographs gradually dispersed, Kyrie Irving stopped and calmly walked towards the area of ​​the stands where Lynch was.

Lin Qi casually crossed his legs, his gaze sharp as he looked at the new generation of ball-handling artist from the Blue Devils, and said jokingly, "So, where do you want me to sign with?"

Kyrie Irving wore a polite, formulaic smile, but the moment he opened his mouth, he unleashed the most deafening thunderclap in the entire arena with the utmost humility:

“Excuse me, Mr. Lynch, I am not here to ask for an autograph.”

He leaned slightly forward, enunciating clearly, each syllable shattering the lingering clamor in the arena:
“I’m not the kind of high school kid who sees you and yells, ‘Wow, Lynch, Lynch!’”

I'm here to challenge you—right now, right here.

I want to challenge you to a one-on-one match.

Lynch heard this all too well; Kevin Durant was just as confident at Lynch's training camp this summer.

But after the one-on-one duel, even Scarlett Johansson herself probably couldn't imagine how much she suffered that night in Kevin Durant's dark and resentful inner world.

Lin Qi maintained his relaxed posture, his legs casually crossed, and a hint of undisguised condescension in his eyes and brows.

A mere kid with less than ten appearances in the NCAA?
Indeed, it was not enough to shake his composure, which had seen it all.

Since this Blue Demon rookie dared to adopt such an arrogant challenger's attitude, Lin Qi decided to switch gears and respond to this "honor" with a different set of "etiquette".

"Listen, Kyrie, in the dreams woven by the media and fans, you might be the top pick. But in my eyes, you're just a nobody. Why should I play you one-on-one? Are you kidding me? A player who won all the individual accolades last season, taking on a high schooler?"

Kyrie Irving was not intimidated by this overwhelming power. He met the scrutinizing gaze with an even sharper edge on his face: "Let me correct you on one point. You are the high school student. I am a college student."

He was mocking Lynch for not having attended college.

Coach K's appearance broke the tense atmosphere: "Kyrie, save your energy for the game."

Kyrie Irving did not disobey and obediently turned back to the court to continue his meticulous warm-up.

Sam Presti, standing to the side, let out a long sigh of relief and wiped the fine sweat from his brow: "Damn it, I thought you were really going to go for it!"

Lynch shrugged: "I don't care about him. Beating him won't give me any pleasure, but I'm already looking forward to the day he enters the league."

Sam Presti pulled out his phone, opened the covers, and started typing on the virtual keyboard: "You see, coming to the game was really useful. All the scouting reports claim that Kyrie is a well-educated, mild-mannered kid. But in reality, his rebellious nature is similar to Kobe Bryant's. That means he's a dangerous option."

Lin Qi's gaze followed the agile blue figure on the field, his eyes blazing with a completely different kind of excitement: "Danger? Where is it dangerous? If you mean he likes to challenge others, I don't think there's anything dangerous about it. Taking down this kind of guy should be quite interesting!"

Kyrie Irving had an outstanding performance in this game, scoring 21 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists.

His dazzling crossover steps and ghostly quick starts and stops even surpassed those of fellow ball-handling legend Allen Iverson in terms of rhythm and aesthetic appeal.

His one-on-one arsenal is inexhaustible. He doesn't need screens or barriers; his instincts honed through countless dribbling sessions are enough to tear apart every inch of space under his opponent's feet in the blink of an eye. He has countless ways to defeat the other black guys on the court.

Surprisingly, he also possesses decent off-the-ball skills.

Although his height limits him to the point guard position, his offensive style is more like that of a wing player, capable of handling the ball and also not avoiding playing off the ball.

This trait gives him the inherent value of being able to seamlessly integrate into any top-tier system and be ready to fight immediately.

As the final whistle blew, the Blue Devils emerged victorious amidst the roaring cheers of their home crowd. Kyrie Irving, bathed in the applause, walked straight to Lynch, who was sitting calmly on the sidelines.

The young man's spirit burned like a blue flame; he raised his chin, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
"And now, Mr. Lynch? I've proven I'm no ordinary kid. When will you have the time to accept our one-on-one challenge?"

"The day you step into the NBA."

Kyrie Irving immediately followed up: "After draft day?"

"Of course, but I'll decide the timing. You might not understand, but a superstar's schedule is always incredibly tight." Lynch's response was understated, yet it conveyed an undeniable sense of control.

“It’s a deal!” Carey Irving stepped forward excitedly. “With your status, you shouldn’t be like some people who promise to make their hometown great and then run away, habitually breaking their word, right?”

Lynch laughed; he was starting to like this guy: "Don't worry, I'm not LeBron James."

Sam Presti watched all of this, his mind wandering through these images.

Back at the hotel that evening, Lynch saw many Kyrie Irving highlights online.

It's clear that he is indeed a very popular player.

Most media outlets also believe that it is impossible for him to fall out of the top three in the draft.

But other news irritated Lynch.

The New York Knicks, as the most watched basketball team on the planet, will never disappear from the public eye.

There is growing criticism of Tyson Chandler, and accusations of him undermining unity are mounting.

These things are like a time bomb countdown; who knows if Tyson Chandler and DeAndre Jordan will actually get blown up.

Lynch thought that Sam Presti might have a point.

His locker room needs a lubricant, and perhaps a lubricant like Shane Battier is indeed the kind of alternative voice that this tough leader needs to introduce.

He was about to text Shane Battier when he received a text from Tyson Chandler first.

When Lynch saw that the text message was so long it couldn't fit on an entire phone screen, he knew something was wrong.
-
Hey, Lynch.

I know it's late, and I hope I haven't disturbed your rest. But tonight, lying in bed staring at the ceiling, I kept refreshing and turning off my phone, refreshing and turning off again. The news and comments felt like needles pricking me, and I just couldn't fall asleep.

I know I messed things up. I said stupid things after the game that day, it was all because of the pressure.

Sean talked to me for a long time afterward, and you too, you were right to reprimand me. You were absolutely right, I promised to let my actions speak for themselves, and I failed to do so, and I also leaked things that shouldn't have been heard by outsiders.

I'm so sorry, Lynch, really. I broke my promise and ruined the atmosphere the team had worked so hard to build.

Brothers, from the moment I came to New York, put on this jersey, and lifted my first championship trophy, I wanted to stay here more than anyone else, to be with you guys, and to see this giant ship smash all the so-called dynasty curses and completely rewrite history.

But the current pressure, the endless interpretations and provocations from the media, are like a mountain pressing down on us.

I tried to block it out and focus on basketball itself, but it was everywhere.

I'm tired, Lynch. Not physically (you know I can still fight), but mentally.

This pressure made me feel like I was back in Chicago, back to that time when I was depressed.

I don't want to continue like this anymore. I don't want to live under this kind of pressure every day. I don't want to go back to my old state.

So, trade me.

Please understand, this is not the ending I wanted, but I am willing to make this difficult choice.

—My forever friend, Tyson.

(End of this chapter)