Champion Rules

Chapter 61 058: Sometimes, he is indeed a performer (Please read!)

The footage of Lynch angrily scolding Jeff McGinnis was featured on the front page of the New York Times under the headline "The Leader's Roar."

Lynch's response was universally praised by the media nationwide. The story of a leader willing to stand up for his teammates fulfilled the media's romantic imagination.

Lynch also received support from everyone in the locker room. After all, a leader who is willing to stand up for others is destined to be respected.

This allowed Lynch to increase his reputation in the locker room and even made the locker room more united.

But Lynch did not do all this deliberately. For the 18-year-old Lynch, his logic was very simple: Hill did so much for the team, so the team naturally had to stand up for him. They were one.

Since Grant Hill joined the Knicks, he has brought nothing but positive influences, and his value has long been reflected in every detail.

He made this team better both on and off the court, and his professionalism was key to reshaping the team's culture.

For Lynch, this is his Alberto Herreros in the NBA.

Lynch certainly couldn't sit idly by when such a key figure of the team was disrespected by others.

Besides, Grant Hill was never as aggressive as Shaq. He just kept his head down and did his thing, which made him the fodder for cheap jokes from bored people like McGinnis.

This is unacceptable to Lynch.

Amidst the praise from media outlets across the United States, only the Cleveland media responded to Lynch with cynicism.

On the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland columnists were not kind to Lynch.

"Wait, this guy treats Grant as his personal property?"

"Childish hype."

"Jeff McGinnis just spoke the truth. Grant will indeed be destroyed by LeBron. Is it disrespectful to tell the truth?"

The Cleveland media will naturally defend their team. Most importantly, Lynch and Cleveland have a long-standing grudge.

James's attack on Reebok in the summer, Reebok's attack on James, and Lynch's statement that he was "a performer with Qiu Shengwang engraved on his skin" all made Lynch a public enemy in Cleveland early on.

In such an atmosphere, this already highly anticipated game became even more exciting.

Nike President Phil Knight has already revealed that he will go to Madison Square Garden to watch the game in person.

The Knicks still have a few games to play before facing the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But the media and fans couldn't wait any longer, and even the system couldn't wait any longer. The moment Lynch woke up this morning, the system suddenly popped up and gave him a task.

At 32, you're about to face the most anticipated young talent in the US. Get LeBron and show the world you're still as strong as you were at 19!

[New goal: Don't let LeBron James score more than me in the next game and win the game.]

[Reward: A flexible offensive talent that never travels. (Includes face-to-the-basket and post-up play)]

Lynch: ???
What the fuck is this reward?

Lynch, who came from European youth training, would never make mistakes on such basic issues.

And he's already playing in the NBA, and you're telling me that you need talent to play basketball without traveling?
But Lynch soon discovered that the upcoming showdown with James affected his judgment.

Whether or not to travel is actually not the focus of the reward at all. A more flexible offensive pace means that Lynch can develop better and more complex post-up offenses, and can be more agile and varied when attacking the basket and connecting with the European step.

It is worthy of being the fateful battle that has been widely publicized by the media. Such a generous reward can be obtained in just one game.

But even without the reward, Lynch would have gone all out to win in that match.

With the entire nation watching, words like "disrespect Grant Hill for the last time" must be more than just talk.

Just talking without doing is not the "roar of a leader" but the "wailing of a clown."

Over the next few days, the Knicks maintained a good winning rate.

The team defeated the Atlanta Hawks twice, and Antoine Walker's shooting choices looked like idiots in front of Lynch and Grant Hill, two players with high basketball IQs.

On the Western Conference trip, the Knicks successfully defeated the Clippers again.

The duel between Darko Milicic and Lynch seemed to be a warm-up for the game on the 29th, because this was another fateful battle for Lynch before he met LBJ.

After joining the Clippers, Darko Milicic played more at the five, leaving the four spot for 1999 No. 1 draft pick Elton Brand. But for Milicic, who stands over 213 cm tall, playing the five position was no problem at all.

In an average of 36 minutes per game, Darko showed All-Star-level strength, averaging 18.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.1 blocks per game. He is an excellent defender with a top-notch sense of style.

Although the offensive end no longer has the dominance it had in Europe, it still maintains a stable firepower output.

Interestingly, Darko Milicic was not angry when he saw Lynch on the court again.

There is not as much tension between these two guys who set off a wave of brawls in European basketball as people imagine.

After two years in the United States, Milicic has completely changed.

Lynch's basketball philosophy is: Championship is a comprehensive experience. Why win the championship if you don't enjoy it?

Milicic's current basketball philosophy is: playing in the NBA is for fun.

The bright neon lights and luxury mansion parties in Los Angeles replaced Milicic's desire to win. He is not the highest-earning player in the NBA, but the money he earns is enough for him to live a luxurious life and support him to enjoy the California sunshine. The regret of being selected with the sixth pick has long become a thing of the past with his affluent life.

He no longer has that much desire for competition. Anyway, he is on a bad team that can hardly win, so no one will say anything even if he loses a lot of games.

Who in Los Angeles cares about the Clippers?
He even greeted his "old enemy" Lynch in Serbian with a smile in the center circle: "God, it's such a luxury to be able to find someone to speak my hometown dialect in this damn place. How are you, Lynch?"

"Great, you looked like you were enjoying yourself, too. How many Hollywood asses did you fuck?"

"Hahahaha, I wouldn't do that kind of thing. I have a family." Although Milicic said this, his smirk obviously betrayed him.

The two men didn't exchange any more pleasantries. After the game started, Lynch noticed a strange sense of fatigue floating in the air.

Wearing a Clippers jersey, Milicic seemed to be on the training ground, and the eyes that once shone in Europe were dull and lifeless.

Darko Milicic was just working. He wasn't tanking, but he wasn't playing with passion either. Facing those 50-50 rebounds, the 213cm giant merely raised his arm symbolically, letting Lynch snatch the ball up like a hawk swooping down on his prey.

It's not just Milicic, the entire Clippers team is like this.

The ball handler lazily conducted an offensive round that was doomed to be fruitless, and the lateral movement of the defensive player was as heavy as a lead-filled cowhide boot.

There was no blood-pumping fight, no desperate defense, no passionate attack, but only the constantly beating numbers on the timer and the silence between teammates.

Lynch realized how terrible it was for a team to not have a winning culture.

When the whole team doesn't care about winning, talent will be worthless.

Fortunately, he and Hill changed the New York Knicks' team culture from the root.

In the end, Milicic still delivered good stats, with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Lynch had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks, but his score was only 20 not because Milicic's defense was too strong, but because the game entered garbage time early.

After the game, the Serbian, his slicked-back hair in a perfectly styled American style, walked towards the Knicks bench and shook hands with Lynch. "Goodbye, Lynch. Nice to meet you. I have a date, otherwise I would definitely treat you to dinner and introduce you to some Hollywood hotties. I'll definitely do it next time."

His shadow was stretched long by the golden lights of Staples Center, but he was no longer the Balkan Eagle that fascinated all of Europe.

Fateful showdown, huh?

Lynch shook his head. This was completely different from what he had imagined.

Milicic has lost all desire for basketball. In stark contrast, Grant Hill, who has been selected to the All-NBA Team five times and has been the All-Star vote leader twice, believes that there is still something he can pursue on the basketball court.

"What do you think of the game on the 29th? Oh, it's bound to be a difficult night, destined to be a tempering. Maybe people are waiting to see me being knocked flying onto a stretcher? Hahahaha, before that, I will use the last bone that can exert force to stop him."

The huge difference between Milicic and Hill is why Lynch respects Hill.

This is almost the sharpest thing Grant Hill can say. This Duke student usually appears humble, burying his inner desire to win under his elegant appearance.

Lynch walked up and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be so miserable, Grant. 206 bones are too many for a basketball game."

A day later, the Knicks, playing back-to-back games, lost to the Pacers, a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. As long as they weren't putting on their traditional show at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pacers were a formidable force in the Eastern Conference.

At this point, fate has miraculously intertwined again, and the Cavaliers and Knicks still have the same record, both 6 wins and 4 losses.

This seems to foreshadow a fierce competition between the two teams for a playoff spot this season.

Finally, this long-distance competition is about to turn into a face-to-face confrontation at Madison Square Garden.

LeBron James arrived in New York on the eve of the game.

As the plane taxied, Jeff McGinnis glanced at the young man beside him. "Look! Even the airport is covered in his billboards. That lucky bastard Lynch, if it weren't for the massive New York market, how could his influence compare to yours?"

James shook his head: "Marketing can only play a supporting role. The value of making the playoffs far exceeds the LED screen advertising in Times Square."

"Aren't you fucking angry? That bastard said you were a performer with 'Qiu Shengwang' tattooed on your back. Damn, just because you attacked Reebok before? But Reebok shoes are really bad, and you're not a performer, we all know that!"

The cabin ceiling light cast a shadow on LeBron's jawline, and the suppressed vibration in his throat was like the growl of a trapped animal: "Of course I'm angry."

"But you've never lost your temper in front of the media."

"What's there to be angry about? A guy wearing $20 sneakers, a guy who could be out for the season at any time, and a guy who is praised by everyone and thinks he is already a superstar. What a ridiculous combination. Just these people? Lynch has no idea how fucking difficult it is to lead a team to the playoffs! Jeff, we are here to let him know this!"

The plane came to a steady stop amidst James's contemptuous smile.

When No. 23 set foot on New York soil, he immediately attracted the attention of reporters.

A New York Times reporter was the first to speak: "LeBron, what do you think of the New York Big Three of Lynch, Steph, and Grant? Will this make it difficult for the Cavaliers to make the playoffs?"

The beast baring its fangs in the darkness instantly transformed into a humble junior: "Oh, they are great, one of the best combinations in the league. We have to give our all tomorrow."

Jeff McGinnis turned his face away, his sneer drowned out by the sound of shutter clicks.

Sometimes, LeBron James is indeed a showman.

24 hours later, Madison Square Garden.

After Lynch came on the court, he went straight to the Cavaliers' half and walked up to Jeff McGinnis.

"Welcome to MSG Jeff, you're going to have an unforgettable night."

Looking at Lynch's tall stature and cold eyes, Jeff McGinnis, who was talking eloquently in front of the media, felt intimidated.

"Stop threatening Lynch," Jeff McGinnis said, trying hard to keep his voice from trembling. Suddenly, he caught sight of LeBron's statuesque figure not far away and raised his voice as if grasping at a lifeline. "LeBron will tear apart your ridiculous defense!"

Lynch turned his gaze to James. No. 23 said sternly, "Go back to your place, Lynch. This is not Broadway. No one wants to see you perform."

From the sidelines, Phil Knight's voice rang out: "Well said, LeBron, get rid of him!"

How much they trust him, whether it's McGinnis or Phil Knight.

Amidst the cheers, Lynch suddenly smiled. He reached out to straighten McGinnis's crooked headband, then gently tapped his temple with his fingertips: "LeBron can't protect anyone."

Back in his own half, Stephen Marbury also gritted his teeth.

He hasn't forgotten the Starbury brand that LBJ humiliated him last season.

But he told Lynch: "Don't get too cocky, that guy is not easy to deal with. I played against him three times last season and lost all of them."

Lynch laughed out loud: "Remember what I said to you at the Olympics?"

"what?"

"Difficult to deal with—only for you, Stephen."

(Thanks to Ximen Bu Ai Chuixue for the 10,000-yuan reward, I’m so grateful!)

(Thanks to Lin Xi, Lao Mei Zhujiu, Tian Cangren, Sword of the Oath of Victory S, I Want to Wake Up to the World and other big guys for the rewards, thank you very much!)
(End of this chapter)