Champion Rules

Chapter 64060: The Emperor's New Clothes (Subscribe!)
Phil Knight has always been intolerant of anyone who exceeds his authority.

But today, he has seen two such people.

He stopped joking with Spike Lee. The damn black director was no longer a loyal friend of the Nike camp.

As for Lynch, Phil Knight is waiting for No. 23 to get him.

He expected Lynch to fall tonight, not only because he was LeBron James' opponent, but also because he was Sonny Vaccaro's ultimate trump card in his comeback attempt.

When the ace on the gambling table was torn to pieces, that was the moment when Sonny Vaccaro sank forever into the business graveyard. He was happy to watch his opponent chewing the dust of failure in his shadow.

On the court, James reached out and pulled poor Jeff McGinnis up. The humiliated guard No. 0 no longer had the arrogance in his eyes.

The past two rounds have shaken his faith a little. He is now very doubtful whether LBJ can let them walk out of here with a victory.

Lynch has proven that he is every bit as talented as LBJ, and he's also angry.

James noticed McGinnis's tense nerves and grinned, revealing his white teeth, as if the previous two rounds were just accidents: "Hey, don't forget our goal. Tell these guys how difficult it is to make the playoffs."

McGinnis felt a little relieved. He still trusted LeBron James, just like Phil Knight.

Seeing this, Phil Knight laughed: "See? He's a leader. He'll turn the tide!"

However, as soon as he finished speaking, a shout of curse came out at an inopportune time.

"Jeff, because of your stupidity, our competition has become at least twice as difficult. Why do you have to provoke Lynch? Why can't you control your mouth that stinks worse than a prostitute's? Are you happy now?"

On the Cavaliers bench, Eric Snow pointed at McGinnis' nose and asked harshly.

Before Jeff McGinnis could respond, another person shouted, "Eric, shut the fuck up!"

Cavaliers coach Paul Silas walked up to Eric Snow and roared like thunder.

Snow sneered sarcastically, the humiliation of being stripped of his starting position surging in his chest - in the game against the Bucks at the beginning of the season, Eric Snow just made a mistake, and Silas directly grabbed his collar and dragged him to the bench, his angry scolding even drowned out the noise in the stadium.

And after this game, Eric Snow lost his starting position.

Therefore, Snow has always been dissatisfied with head coach Paul Silas.

Jeff McGinnis was no pushover either. He disrespected everyone on the Cavaliers except James, yelling and hurling insults at everyone, using vulgar language to humiliate every teammate. After taking away Ed Snow's starting spot, he became even more rude to him.

Eric Snow looked at Jeff McGinnis, who replaced him in the starting lineup, in such a miserable state, and his long-accumulated resentment finally found an outlet.

In response to Snow's ridicule, McGinnis immediately responded with even dirtier slang, spitting all over the bench.

James didn't intervene in time, his vacant eyes darting between his teammates. He didn't want to offend either Snow or McGinnis. He wanted to maintain his "good guy" persona and not offend anyone in the locker room, but that clearly wasn't going to solve the problem.

Lynch is not bound by his personality, so he can destroy Marbury's arrogance in the cruelest way.

LeBron's Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he finally swallowed the words of persuasion back into the depths of his throat. In the conflict between the two men, he chose to remain silent.

Phil Knight covered his head with his hands. He had just praised LBJ's leadership style, but the conflicts in the locker room were exposed nakedly under the spotlight. Spike Lee's ridicule made him feel very embarrassed.

In the end, Paul Silas held down Snow, and the farce finally ended.

Spike Lee spread his hands and said something that stung Phil Knight's nerves: "Conquer Lynch? LeBron hasn't even conquered the Cavaliers locker room yet."

"Spike, now I know why Reggie Miller did that to you, you bastard!" Phil Knight became more and more rude to Spike Lee.

The two men began to argue on the sidelines.

The Cavaliers hurried back to the court with the smoke still lingering. Grant Hill licked his dry lips and continued to face off against James.

He didn't interfere with James' dribbling, but instead maintained distance through minute movements. Grant Hill's excellent sense of distance was ruthlessly crushed by Dwyane Wade's lightning speed when defending him, but it worked against James.

James forced his way to the ball, but ended up bumping into Grant Hill. The forward's size and physique prevented him from moving through the gaps like Wade.

Hill naturally couldn't take on James head-on. Although he was knocked back, he bought time for Lynch to provide assists.

James was waiting for Lynch to double-team him, so he slammed the ball to the ground and passed it to Drew Gooden, who was excellent at mid-range jump shots.

Gooden was ready to catch the ball and shoot, but seeing the No. 20 player who always destroyed his opponent's dignity with blocks in the highlights rushing towards him, Drew Gooden was extremely nervous.

His shot was too hasty, like throwing away a hot potato, and the basketball eventually hit the rim and bounced out.

The basketball hit the front of the basket with a dull thud, and Jeff McGinnis quickly yelled at Phil Knight why he was so unpopular.

"What the hell are you doing!? We can't waste an opportunity like this!"

Drew Gooden grabbed his jersey collar and retorted, "Stop barking! Lynch should have slammed you into the MSG floor!"

James finally spoke, but it was just a meaningless "Hey, focus."

In cruel contrast to the Cavaliers' chaos is the Knicks, a team whose locker room was also in chaos last season, but is now focused on winning.

Stephen Marbury was attacking with the ball, Lynch came forward to screen and roll, and after Marbury easily broke through, James wanted to chase him, but Marbury passed the ball to Grant Hill outside the three-point line when he was about to jump.

Hill is not good at three-pointers, so after receiving the ball, he took a light step to adjust, and after entering the two-point range, he made a steady jump shot.

You can't imagine that Hill, who didn't play last season, and Marbury, who was terrible last season, played such a beautiful offense in the Knicks reshaped by Lynch.

"Everyone said you were going to destroy Grant, but he's already opened a business right over your head," Marbury said, winking in James' direction and pointing his finger at the brand logo on his head. He raised his voice deliberately so the Nike president could clearly hear the last sarcasm. "It seems expensive sneakers can't help you, King James."

Stephen Marbury loves Lynch, the God. After holding back for a year, he can finally fight back against James with pride under the guidance of God.

Grant Hill and Marbury high-fived, and Kurt Thomas waved his arms: "Go for it, go for it! Defend one more, and I think we can beat these idiots in three quarters!"

This reborn Knicks team displayed amazing cohesion, a stark contrast to the chaos of the opposing Cavaliers.

James continued his drive this time, passing to Jeff McGinnis. Marbury immediately blocked McGinnis's fingertips. Ever since defeating the Suns, Marbury's defensive focus has been exceptional.

The basketball shot missed, and this time it was Drew Gooden's turn to make a sarcastic remark: "I thought you were so damn accurate."

James still didn't score, but Grant Hill scored again.

In this round, Lynch suddenly cut in from outside the three-point line, attracting James and Gooden to follow up.

As a result, Grant Hill cut out from the other side, received the pass from Marbury and then made another jump shot to penetrate the net.

The media discovered that Lynch did not deliberately increase his role because this game was the "fateful battle" that the media had long publicized, but instead turned himself into a tactical fulcrum to create opportunities for others.

He can turn the ball into a terrifying round at any time, and he can also disappear into five jerseys of the same color at any time.

This kind of flexible control makes the Knicks' offense and defense interlock like precision gears.

The Cavaliers gradually fell apart as they were exhausted.

6-0, the Cavaliers still couldn't score. Facing Hill's defensive strategy, James attempted a mid-range shot, but the ball still bounced off the rim.

To make matters worse, the series of misses began to affect LBJ's focus on defense.

After returning to defense, the Chosen One mechanically spread his arms and occupied the bottom corner, but his eyes wandered uncontrollably in the direction of Knicks No. 20.

This subconscious flaw was accurately captured by Hill. When James turned his head, Hill had already cut in along the baseline. Facing Big Z's rim protection, he folded the ball in the air and scored.

8-0, the goal was scored by Grant Hill again.

"Wait, why is Grant beating up LeBron?" Mike Brin couldn't believe his eyes.

The Cavaliers fans must be very disappointed. In their eyes, the No. 23 who should be the king of the world is now being toyed with by this veteran who has scars from several major surgeries.

Hill pointed to Lynch who was creating space for him. The secret of his ability to easily score over James was all in No. 20.

In the following games, the Knicks maintained their smooth flow.

When Lynch feigns holding the ball to draw a double-team, open lanes open up on the weak side. When he magnetically attracts the defense and sinks to the low post, Marbury's threading allows teammates in the mid-range and beyond the arc to breathe. When he unselfishly sets screens, Stephon Marbury and Grant Hill can soar on the wings.

Lynch occasionally attacks with the ball, occasionally sets pick-and-rolls, and occasionally attracts defense.

He controlled the rebounds, switched defense, protected the rim, fought for the ball, and inspired his teammates.

You can't really pinpoint the main content of his game because he's everywhere.

As for the Cavaliers, their biggest attraction was Jeff McGinnis and his teammates yelling at each other.

Looking at the widening score, Phil Knight looked ashen.

He recalled an interview Stephen A. Smith had with James a month ago.

The notoriously bold media personality then asked No. 23 bluntly, "Are you the captain of this team? Are you the kind of leader who speaks up? When they're not playing well, when they're not practicing seriously, will you speak up to them?"

In front of the camera, No. 23 stroked his diamond earrings and declared in a calm voice beyond his age: "Yes, I have the right to speak up, and this is what I have been doing. Last year I was actually able to do these things, but I was still a rookie and I felt it was not the right time. But now, it's time, and I am ready to be a leader."

So now, where is Cleveland's leadership?
When the situation became difficult, James simply tugged at his headband, as if the accessory could mask the embarrassment of a leadership vacuum.

The calmness during the interview and the current bewilderment caused the Nike president on the sidelines to cover his ears. It wasn't the piercing boos from the crowd, but rather Lynch's incantatory sarcasm, echoing through time and space: "The performer who etched CHOSEN.1 into his skin."

Every syllable mocked the Nike facade he had carefully constructed.

By the third quarter, LeBron James also lost his way. He looked very discouraged and depressed, which was an expression Lynch had never had since entering the NBA.

Unlike Lynch who is omnipresent, James is completely invisible.

The hesitant decisions on the offensive end lost the thunderous momentum of the past, and the distracted eyes on defense were repeatedly penetrated by Hill's experienced cuts.

He did not show the determination of "I will fight you to the death". When the team was completely in adversity, he actually chose to sink to the bottom of the lake with the team.

The media has hyped him up, but tonight he told the world that he is still that boy among men. Only Lynch has truly escaped this identity.

Lynch did not deliberately challenge or confront LBJ tonight, but the gap between the two was revealed in a more cruel way.

They are equally talented, but the differences in other areas are greater than people imagine.

At 8 minutes and 04 seconds into the third quarter, the scoreboard at Madison Square Garden showed a huge 33-point gap.

The Knicks have the ball, James is guarding Grant Hill, but his attention has long been lost.

Lynch held the ball outside the three-point line, and Drew Gooden couldn't lower his center of gravity. He took a foolish step forward, which made it easy for Lynch to attack his front foot.

People expected James to use his abnormal body to compete with Lynch just like Lynch blocked him in the first quarter.

But James, who was near the bottom corner, just turned around and looked up to watch his opponent take off into the air. Lynch's tomahawk dunk made the basket creak.

"35 points, go home, go home, New York fans can go home. The game is over. LeBron is a talented kid, 16 points, 5 assists and 6 rebounds, perfect data, but he is just a talented kid. And Lynch, 23 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks are no longer important. You just need to look at the cheers of New Yorkers, see, he is a real superstar." Mike Breen summarized the game in advance.

After completing the dunk, Lynch clasped his arms across his chest and swept a cold gaze over the dejected James and the Cavaliers bench.

"Damn it, that's enough!" Phil Knight loosened his tie suddenly and stood up to leave early.

Not only did James lose to Lynch today, he was also criticized by Marbury who was wearing $20 sneakers and let the old Grant Hill score 25 points. He was simply fed up.

On the side, Spike Lee deliberately smiled and asked, "Aren't you waiting to see LeBron destroy Lynch?"

The master of the Nike Empire did not answer. At least tonight, he could not punish anyone who challenged his authority.

Jeff McGinnis watched all this with his head in his hands.

LeBron promised to take control of the game, but he did nothing in the moment of crisis.

The trust that Jeff McKinney and Phil Knight gave to LBJ was turned into a complete joke by Lynch.

The game entered garbage time, and the Cavaliers eventually lost by 41 points on the road - that damn Jamal Crawford had so much fun in garbage time, which led to a rather disgraceful final score.

At the moment the final whistle blew, LeBron James and Lynch politely touched each other's shoulders. This "hug of the century" highlighted by the spotlight lasted only 1.7 seconds.

He turned around and left quickly with an unhappy look on his face, and the so-called magnanimity and humility described by the media were gone.

When the 41-point defeat was engraved bloodily on the scoreboard, when the abscesses of conflict in the locker room were exposed in front of the national live camera, and when his confused eyes were laughed at, the No. 1 pick who declared before the game that he was "ready to be a leader", the guy who was portrayed by the media as a "mature superstar", now had exhausted even the energy to smile politely.

Even a natural performer can't perform in this situation.

Stephen Marbury looked at the score with his hands on his hips and suddenly felt like an idiot.

How come I couldn’t beat such a useless guy in a single game last season?
-
He wasn't mature enough, he wasn't strong enough, he wasn't confident enough, and he wasn't very kind. Yes, Lynch exposed his antics one by one, stripping him bare on national television. Did you know? Coach Larry Brown wasn't completely useless in the Olympics. Not playing LeBron was a great tactical decision. —Charles Barkley, post-game commentary.

By the way, I'm speechless. LeBron's performance is terrible! God, there is no sense of honor. It's like he doesn't want to be on the court. I've seen enough. - Stephen A. Smith

I don't know. Lynch kept yelling '58' and '58' off the court, so I just kept attacking. He didn't seem happy that we won by 41 points. — Jamal Crawford on his garbage-time energy.

After tonight, I can say, I don't give a damn if LeBron James wears $20 sneakers. Who cares what a loser wears? —Stephen Marbury grinned happily at the camera, completing a smooth counterattack after a year.

It's all thanks to Lynch. His selfless screens and help defense allowed me to maintain my dignity. He's capable of scoring 30-plus points—no, he proved in the opening game that he can score 40 in the NBA—but he clearly doesn't play for that kind of thing. And thanks to LeBron, at least he didn't make me have fewer than 206 bones. —Grant Hill, who finished with 25 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds tonight, displayed true humility.

It's normal for LeBron to lose to Lynch tonight, as Lynch has a wealth of professional league experience, but that experience won't keep him ahead for long. Furthermore, looking at the stats of the other Cavaliers players, I can say this fairly: The Cavaliers lost, but LeBron didn't. —David McMenamin

I don't know why so many people think that we're going to be in a tight race with the Cavaliers for a playoff spot. We're not the kind of team that just happened to make the playoffs. You have to respect us. — Lynch in an interview with ESPN.

Lynch gave LeBron the Emperor's new clothes. —The headline on the front page of the New York Times the next day.

(First chapter in the early morning. As I get older, I really can't stay up late. Old fathers should all know how bad my physical condition is. I will continue to update multiple times during the day until I fill the 1.5 words I promised.)
(Thanks to the fathers for their love and support. I was able to reach the second place in the sports monthly ticket list before it was released in March. Thank you all. I will repay you with stable updates and quality.)
(End of this chapter)