Champion Rules

Chapter 308 (304): Lin Qi's Decision 1.0 (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Lynch did not smash the television in the locker room.

But LeBron James almost smashed the TV in the hotel restaurant.

The morning after the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 2-1 lead, LBJ and his teammates walked into the restaurant in high spirits to enjoy breakfast.

All the televisions in the restaurant were playing ESPN's morning show.

LeBron James thought it was going to be a great morning, since there's nothing better than being praised the moment you open your eyes.

During the program, ESPN had eight of its columnists and hosts vote to select the team they believed would ultimately win the championship.

The result was astonishing. Despite the Thunder's commanding lead, the vote was overwhelmingly 7 to 1 – seven people believed that the New York Knicks could win even if they were down 1-2!
The only reporter to vote for the Oklahoma City Thunder was David McMenamin. (I don't know LBJ.)

This rendered the Thunder's only vote of support meaningless, as the reporter's loyalty to LeBron had reached an absurd level.

Even if you asked David McMenamin to choose between "a ten-minute French kiss with Gal Gadot" and "a ten-minute French kiss with LeBron James' ass," he would choose the latter without hesitation.

In other words, if we remove the votes of this die-hard fan with such a biased opinion, the Thunder would not receive any recognition from the experts at all!
"Bullshit! Fuck Reebok! Reebok controls this, controls the media, and excuses their incompetent spokespeople!" LeBron James gripped his water glass tightly, suppressing the urge to smash the TV.

He quickly stopped talking.

He remembered that Stephen Curry and James Harden were also Reebok brand ambassadors.

This made LeBron James even more frustrated.

He was burning with rage, but had nowhere to vent it, so he had to be careful with his words even when he was cursing.

LeBron James doesn't know why he always lacks media support, and he can only complain in his heart about Under Armour's negligible media influence.

But soon, Stephen A. Smith's serious face appeared on the television screen.

He revealed a truth that LeBron James found hard to accept.

"Listen, the stark truth is right here: nobody in this world wants to see LeBron James win!"

Because he's a rotten person.

Yes, Michael Jordan was a jerk too. From some perspectives, perhaps Lynch wasn't exactly a gentleman either. After all, a "nice guy" often can't survive in this brutally competitive environment.

But LeBron's rottenness is unconventional.

Does anyone remember that he once called for the entire league to retire his number 23 jersey?
He wanted to pay tribute to MJ, but this act of generosity at other people's expense is truly despicable.

Does anyone remember that he repeatedly promised he would not leave Cleveland, but in the end he betrayed his hometown fans like a coward?

Does anyone remember that he once denied Lynch's contributions to labor negotiations?

Lynch secured tangible benefits for all players—including you, LeBron James, of course.

As a result, he believed that Lynch was just putting on a show.

Just last night, he disrespectfully imitated Ray Allen's cough in front of the camera!

Listen, in this league, you can spew a lot of trash talk without restraint, but mocking someone's injury is unacceptable!

Lei Lei is a warrior! He proved that he's not some Barbie doll!
Michael Jordan wouldn't do something like that, and neither would Lynch.

LeBron wants to know why the whole world wants to see him lose? Here's the answer!

Stephen A. Smith's sharp criticism silenced the entire restaurant.

LeBron James abruptly stood up and left; he had absolutely no appetite and felt nauseous.

Scott Brooks asked the restaurant waiter to turn off the TV, and then chased after him.

Having spent a year with him, he knew better than anyone how emotional LBJ was.

The noise from the outside world had a terrifyingly huge impact on him.

Michael Jordan was able to withstand the immense pressure of the Atlantic City gambling scandal to win the championship, and he was able to overcome the grief of his father's death to return to the court.

Lynch was able to withstand the immense pressure of the New York market, and to withstand those excessively high expectations and difficulties.

But LeBron James is different; he is easily swayed by his emotions.

The immense pressure often became a vortex that led him astray, and he has exposed this fatal weakness countless times.

Scott Brooks doesn't want the team to lose because of LeBron James' collapse when they're in a great position.

As he quickly caught up with the tall figure, he shouted, "LeBron, hey, wait!"

Scott Brooks patted the tall figure on the shoulder. The man turned around, expressionless: "Coach, is something the matter?"

"Ignore all that nonsense. You know, Stephen A. Smith is a die-hard New York fan, and his opinions are anything but objective."

Scott Brooks stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Because LeBron James had a creepy, sinister grin on his face.

There was no frustration or confusion in that smile, only a chilling provocation.

"Scott, do you think I care?"
"To hell with it! I'm going to make those who don't like me end up having to stand up and cheer for me!"

Before he finished speaking, he turned around abruptly and strode away, disappearing at the end of the corridor.

LeBron James has changed; last season's huge failure almost ruined his reputation.

He was ridiculed, abandoned by Nike, and exiled to Oklahoma City, a godforsaken place.

But precisely because he lost everything, he broke free from his shackles.

He doesn't care about being a villain now. As long as he can win, what does it matter if he's a villain?
He already understood that he couldn't maintain his image by relying on the media.

And as long as you win, you're a bastard, and people will call you a hero.

During the media session after practice that afternoon, LeBron James openly expressed his thoughts to reporters.

"The media portrays me as some heinous bastard, OK, no problem. Anyway, nobody in this league can punish me."

On the other hand, Ray Allen is facing the harshest winter of his career.

He botched two Finals games, including one where he shot an absurd 0-for-13.

Ray Allen's shooting touch froze, and Philip Sanders' brain seemed to freeze.

He spent the entire night trying to figure out when Ray Allen had been secretly switched by the Thunder.

The media will not let this disaster go unnoticed; he has already been hailed by TNT as "the best player in NBA history to defend Lynch."

He himself was well aware of how badly he had performed.

A 0% shooting percentage is the most deceptive. You can easily tell at a glance whether a player with a 33% shooting percentage or a player with a 53% shooting percentage is more harmful to the team, but 0% is different.

Both have a 0% shooting percentage. A player who goes 0 for 1 might not hurt the team much, but a player who goes 0 for 13 would definitely make Michael Jordan buy a standing ticket and run away from Chicago overnight.

Ray Allen fell into self-doubt, thinking that if even Lynch couldn't carry him, he might as well retire.

If he were to summarize his career, he would probably use two sentences:

"Don't fight the New York Knicks, you can't beat them."

Don't team up with Ray Allen, you can't carry the team.

Ray Allen was very depressed, but competitive sports don't give the veteran striker time to adjust his mindset.

All intense physical combat follows one principle: if you can do it, you can do it; if you can't, you can't. Go for it. There's no such thing as "wait for me to rest before we fight."

Flip Saunders has now had to reduce Ray Allen's playing time and made a rather bold personnel change – removing DeAndre Jordan, a crucial defensive cornerstone, from the starting lineup.

DeAndre Jordan was shocked and quite unwilling when he first received the news.

This was his first time starting in the Finals, and he delivered an impeccable performance in the first two games.

Why should I be removed from my post?
But he quickly calmed down and accepted the fact.

He's willing to sacrifice if it's the best decision for the team.

The Knicks' locker room motto has always been a championship rule that everyone follows, and Lynch has always been a good role model.

In the previous round, in order to lock down the season's MVP Derrick Rose, Lynch focused his energy on the defensive end in every game, willingly giving the offensive spotlight to Steve Nash and DeMar DeRozan.

Although he still led the team in average points per game in the last round, he scored almost 9 points less than in the game against the Heat.

When a team's star player consistently demonstrates selflessness on the court, his teammates cannot shirk this responsibility.

Moreover, playing off the bench doesn't preclude contributing to the team. DeAndre Jordan knows exactly what he's fighting for.

With the tactical meeting concluded, Patrick Ewing walked heavily toward his beloved protégé, whom he had personally mentored.

He wanted to say something, but all the words were stuck in his throat.

DeAndre Jordan has worked very hard over the years, and although he didn't make the All-Defensive Team this season, he is already widely recognized as one of the best defensive players in the league.

At the height of his career, on the biggest stage, he was removed.

He knew it would be quite difficult.

DeAndre Jordan, on the contrary, flashed a frank smile and lightly punched Ewing on the shoulder: "What? Patrick, what are you trying to say?"

The gorilla rarely hesitated like this: "I just know, it's fucking..."

"Alright, I'm not that kind of person. True glory isn't about starting every game and losing, but about standing on the stage at the very end and lifting that damn trophy. Besides, being a substitute now is just a tactical necessity, but that doesn't mean I'm not qualified to be a starter."

I love Lynch, I love you, I love this team, I love everyone on the New York Knicks.

When I was almost out of the first round, the New York Knicks saved my face. Lynch was the first to call me, telling me that all the teams that had missed out on me before would regret their decision tonight.

This team is different for me. I know my agent threatened to leave if I didn't get a starting position, but that wasn't my intention.

Winning together with everyone is what matters most to me.

Patrick Ewing was slightly surprised by DeAndre Jordan's attitude.

The team culture that Lynch and Grant Hill poured their hearts and souls into cultivating, the seeds of loyalty, sacrifice, and belonging, have already taken root in the blood of these young players who began their professional careers with the Knicks.

DeAndre Jordan wasn't thinking much about it; his mind was filled with the words he'd said in the interview when he was drafted:
“I thank God of New York for the gift he has given me, and I will respect, sacrifice, and dedicate myself to my talents. If I could, I would like to burn my entire career for the Knicks.”

Now is the time to fulfill our vows.

Lin Qi suddenly pushed open the conference room door as he returned to retrieve his phone, which he had forgotten to take.

As he was about to leave, Lin Qi stopped at the door: "Deandre."

"what?"

"I just want you to know that I love you too, buddy."

He had just heard everything, but did not interrupt.

He thanked people for the respect and trust they had given him.

All he could do was lead them to victory; that was the only way he could repay that trust.

Patrick Ewing was different; his way of repaying DeAndre Jordan could be—

Order him two next time!
June 7, 2011, Game 4 of the finals.

Fans at Madison Square Garden have never been so nervous during the Finals.

This is a do-or-die match.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder win another game, the series score will become 3-1—a comeback from a 1-3 deficit in the NBA Finals has never happened before.

Even knowing it's not entirely impossible, nobody really wants to see the team fall into a desperate situation where they need to create a miracle to win.

While Lynch warmed up on the court, Spike Lee on the sidelines was like a cat on a hot tin roof, unable to even sit down.

"Damn it! Lynch, tell me there won't be any problems. God, we can't lose to LeBron James' team!"

Lin Qi glanced at his old acquaintance, chuckled, and shook his head: "Shut your dog mouth and sit back and watch my performance."

Spike Lee felt great after being scolded!
Lynch, just like that, you cursed me hard!
Lynch's condition indicates that he remains confident.

When LeBron James entered the court, the frenzy of "Fuck LeBron" was deafening.

But he didn't care. After tonight, he would silence this bunch of ignorant noise, along with the faces of those experts at ESPN.

How much more can the Knicks struggle?

Thunder's steel cage has locked Lin Qi in, and once the shooters around him go cold, he will be left with only a desperate situation!
But when he and the Thunder stepped into the center circle, LBJ knew things wouldn't be that simple.

The Knicks have changed their lineup.

Mike Brin could hardly believe his eyes.

"Philip replaced DeAndre with Sean Battier!?"

The intention behind this tactical change is clear: to create maximum offensive space for Lynch.

Previously, DeAndre Jordan's rim protection, though seemingly impenetrable, acted like a heavy anchor chain, hindering offensive space.

This means that Lynch can only opt for outside jump shots when facing double teams, because if he drives, Serge Ibaka will immediately join in the encirclement.

At that time, Lin Qi will be facing an attack from four people.

This greatly limited Lynch's offensive options, essentially forcing him into a narrow one-way street.

When double-teamed, relying primarily on jump shots for scoring naturally limits efficiency and output.

Now, with the lineup change, Shane Battier also has considerable three-point shooting ability. Once he gets going, Serge Ibaka will have to close out, giving Lynch more opportunities.

This lineup change caused an uproar in the arena, as it was the first time in NBA Finals history that both teams had abandoned traditional centers in this matchup.

Mike Breen could sense that the curtain was being raised on a new generation at the 11 Grand Finals.

LeBron James scoffed: "Ha! Lynch, I never thought you'd have a last-ditch effort. What? Ray is done for, so you're pinning your hopes on Shawn? Pray, pray he breaks the three-point record, pray he saves your life."

He was confident because his offense would be much easier without DeAndre Jordan protecting the rim.

Lin Qi stared at him, his gaze chillingly indifferent.

His behavior after the last game had already made Lin Qi very unhappy, and his arrogance tonight only added fuel to the fire.

He responded in a cold tone, as if a judge were pronouncing a death sentence:

"Thank you for praying for me, LeBron. Your words led me to make a decision 1.0 just now."

"I will never let you even touch the Larry O'Brien Trophy before I retire!"

The game began, and Lynch, playing center, won the first possession.

He leaned against LBJ in the low post, raised his hand to ask for the ball, and Steve Nash immediately passed it to him.

Before the double team could close in, Lynch simply turned and drove past LBJ. This was a choice Lynch would never have made in the first three games, as attacking the basket would have drawn even tighter double teams.

But now, the path to a breakthrough has become clear.

Serge Ibaka hesitated, wondering whether he should let go of Shane Battier completely.

But Lynch had already leaned on LBJ to get to the basket, and he jumped up forcefully, slamming the ball into the hoop despite LeBron James's obstruction!
The passion at Madison Square Garden was ignited in the first round by Lynch's dunk, but LeBron James was not to be outdone.

Seeing that Shane Battier was guarding him, LBJ started his drive.

Shane Battier is not a physical defender, and he was constantly outmatched in physical confrontations.

But he was experienced and always maintained his position, with one arm constantly interfering with dribbling and the other arm always hanging high, blocking LeBron James's vision like a shadow.

LBJ dismissed these as child's play. Approaching the paint, he lowered his shoulder, exerted force, easily pushed aside Shane Battier, and then leaped high into the air.

Without a rim protector center, how do you plan to limit me?
"boom!--"

A deafening roar erupted, and almost every fan at Madison Square Garden jumped to their feet.

Lynch slammed LBJ to the floor with a bloody swat that sent both the ball and the player flying!

Although he doesn't have DeAndre Jordan, Lynch's ability to protect the rim should not be underestimated!

A towering figure descended from the sky, its feet slamming down on either side of LeBron James' head.

Lynch straddled LBJ's head without any hesitation.

He leaned down, reached out and almost touched his face, and shook his fingers.

Mike Brin watched as Lynch risked a T-shirt to make such an insulting gesture, and a smirk of pleasure crept onto his face.
"LeBron is wrong. There are still people in this league who can punish him."

(End of this chapter)