Champion Rules

Chapter 73 069: The Giant’s Poor Self-Esteem (Please Read!)
Shaquille O'Neal leaned on the bench, mechanically sipping the Gatorade in his hand.

The glaring numbers on the scoreboard on the sidelines announced another crushing victory for the Heat, but there was no trace of emotion in the eyes of the founder of the Lakers dynasty who holds three FMVP trophies.

As the founder of the Lakers dynasty, the wins and losses in the regular season no longer excite him, and he no longer needs to use regular season victories to prove himself.

The Shark's excitement threshold has been infinitely raised. In fact, there are only three things that can make him happy now - crush Lynch's arrogance with his own hands, nail Kobe to the pillar of shame every time they meet, and reach the top again before his arch-rival Kobe.

These were the three things he thought about in his dreams and in his sleep.

His self-esteem is very strong, almost abnormal, and he will not allow it to be trampled upon or challenged in any way.

The existence of Lynch and Kobe is the greatest blasphemy to the shark's self-esteem.

What makes him happy is that after entering 2005, the Heat will have the opportunity to play against the Knicks in January.

Unfortunately, the Miami Heat lost Dwyane Wade in early 2005.

Wade's injury problems began to appear in college, which is why he was not favored in the draft.

Facts have proved that the scouts' predictions were very accurate, and injuries were the obstacle that prevented Wade from achieving greatness.

Wade had a long career, but he only played in 75 or more games four times.

After entering 2005, due to the severe fluid accumulation in Wade's knee, Pat Riley, who has always treated players as farm tools, had to give Wade a rest order.

You know, Pat Riley has always advocated the tough policy of "not leaving the front line even if slightly injured."

His coaching style may have changed dramatically, from the Lakers to the Knicks to the Heat, but one thing that never changed was his focus on intensity.

He would rather let Alonzo Mourning take painkillers as meals and cause kidney problems than let him rest easily.

He even doesn't let Shaq off the hook. For the past three seasons, Phil Jackson has limited him to 67 regular-season games each year. But in Miami, that rule has been lifted. Unless Shaq is truly unable to play due to injury, Riley won't let him rest.

Outsiders may think that Pat Riley is cruel, but if you put yourself in his shoes, would you feel sorry for the tools you use to hoe the ground?

From this we can see that if someone like Pat Riley is willing to let Wade rest for 5 games, it only means that Wade really can't hold on any longer.

In this way, Shaquille O'Neal had to fight alone for a while.

But surprisingly, he showed a terrifying dominance.

On January 1, the Sharks easily destroyed the Charlotte Bobcats.

Emeka Okafor had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the Shark's 26 points and 15 rebounds overshadowed the third overall pick.

1月3日对阵西雅图超音速，鲨鱼拿下25分14个篮板7次封盖的疯狂数据，率队以2分之差赢下西部第三。

He feels that he is in good shape. After coming to the Heat, he has always had an illusion of glory - this is of course an illusion. The Shark is not yet aware that the crazy training and games this season will exhaust his last peak energy.

But the Shark didn't care about the future. He only knew that the Miami Heat were the strongest team in the East. He only knew that he was going to meet Lynch for the second time.

And Lynch happened to be in trouble recently, and this was his best chance to crush that little bastard.

After the Christmas game, the New York Knicks experienced their longest three-game losing streak of the season.

Because they had a similar experience to the Heat, they lost Grant Hill.

When Grant Hill sprained his ankle during training, everyone broke out in a cold sweat. Hill's ankle was like a treasure from a distant European museum, easily shattered by the slightest mishap.

Although the test results showed that there was no structural damage to his ankle, coach Wilkens still issued a mandatory rest order and asked him to wait until his ankle fully recovered before returning.

Grant Hill did not refute this.

After all, he once paid a huge price for playing with injuries.

Contrary to popular belief, Grant Hill wasn't a glass man right from the start. In his first four seasons, he only missed five games.

The disaster began in the 99-00 season. Hill felt some ankle soreness mid-to-late in the season, but the team doctor confirmed it was fine. Grant Hill, realizing he could still perform windmill dunks, dismissed the issue and continued playing through the playoffs with the injured ankle.

When he sprained his ankle again in the first game of the playoffs, the Detroit medical team still insisted that it was just a bone bruise and he could continue playing.

In the third quarter of the second game, Hill had to leave the court early due to severe pain, and the MRI examination after the game revealed the shocking truth: his ankle had been fractured long ago, and because of the long delay, various soft tissue injuries in the ankle had become too serious, and the best treatment period had been completely delayed.

Ultimately, this ankle became a curse on Hill's career.

This catastrophic misdiagnosis not only cost Hill his entire career, but also shattered his belief in the "tough guy myth."

When the Pistons returned to the top in 2004, the former pride of the Motor City could only chew on the bitterness of being teased by fate on his sickbed.

When Detroit people cheer for Carmelo Anthony, who still remembers the talented forward who once could fly and dart into the sky?

All fate left him with was the eternal sorrow engraved on his ankle.

So, Hill would never play with an injury again in his life, and he accepted the offer to rest.

The absence of Hill is a fatal blow to the Knicks' offense, which is not top-notch to begin with. The Knicks now only have Marbury as an organizer, and the second-year forward "Sweetheart" Michael Sweetney, who replaced Hill in the starting lineup, cannot make up for the tactical gap left by Hill.

The portly forward's clumsy positioning and poor jump shot prompted Stephen Marbury to quip in front of the camera, "I suggest Lynch give this wild boar a popcorn for every basket he makes. Maybe that'll unlock his 30-point-a-game potential."

The Knicks' spacing is disastrous, a regression to Ewing-era levels.

Except for Lynch and Marbury, the offense of the other five starting players can basically be ignored.

Even in the defensive era at the beginning of the century, such a poor firepower configuration was shocking.

New York is filled with anxiety at the moment. One of the trident is missing. Can Lynch silence the shark that has been howling for a long time?
The shark certainly won't shut up.

On January 4, Shaquille O'Neal participated in a talk show on WQAM, Miami's largest local sports radio station.

Host Joe Ross talked about Shark's experience playing for the Miami Heat.

"You might have forgotten that Stan Van Gundy was our head coach. Pat's influence was so great that it made Stan too nervous. He worried every day about what Pat would say to him. He worried about everything. We were up 20 points with two minutes left in the game, and he would call a timeout and yell at us if the other team made two consecutive shots.

God, he's so intense. He's a great coach, but I wish he'd relax a little. With me and Dwyane here, nothing's going to happen. Look, even when it's just me, we're fine."

Shark was very proud when talking about this.

You can say that the Charlotte Bobcats are just a garbage team. After all, the strongest person on that team is their 41-year-old minority owner.

But the Seattle SuperSonics were actually third in the Western Conference, yet O'Neal still led his team to defeat them.

This gave him confidence and satisfied his vanity.

Joe Ross knew Shaq was proud of this, so he decided to mention a name that would make Shaq less proud: "Shaq, why don't you like Lynch? You two have been at loggerheads ever since he arrived in North America."

As expected, Shark stopped smiling, his facial muscles suddenly tensing. He thought for a moment, his deep voice piercing the FM signal.

"Because Lynch disrespected me. He had just finished the draft wearing a New York hat and then went to the West Coast to shoot some bullshit sneaker commercial. I hadn't been traded to Miami at the time and was still on the West Coast. After getting his schedule, I decided to go say hello to the newly drafted No. 1 pick.

After all, our names had been linked together by those guys in suits for a long time, damn, so I figured we'd have a lot in common and could be friends.

Guess what happened? When I got to the commercial shoot, two idiots with work badges stopped me and said, "No entry without an appointment."

This is crazy, I'm Shaquille O'Neal, the West Coast is my place. I just wanted to be friendly, talk to him, and make friends.

As a result, they wouldn’t let me see him.”

The host interjected at the right moment: "Unbelievable! What happened next?"

Shaquille O'Neal began to let his wild imagination run wild, like when he made up the story about the Admiral not giving me his autograph as a kid, so I hated him.

"I waited a full two hours, and when Lynch finished work and walked into the parking lot, I took off my sunglasses so he could see my face. I'm sure he saw me, but he just walked away from me like a beggar in the parking lot, without even saying, 'Hi, Shaq.'

I was thinking, damn, what is this guy so arrogant about? Well, when I see you again, I will let you know how powerful I am.

Two hours later, Lynch and the New York Knicks landed in Miami.

The moment the cabin door opened, the humid air of Miami and the flashes of cameras hit me in the face.

Lynch was no longer surprised by the crowd of reporters in front of him.

When you've had your name shouted by tens of thousands of people in Times Square on New Year's Eve, these sieges and blockades are just foreplay.

"Make way, gentlemen, make way." The security personnel built a human wall, and Lynch calmly moved among the crowd.

He didn't care about most of the reporters' questions, which were nothing more than "Let's talk about tomorrow's matchup with the Sharks" and "Will three consecutive losses affect your confidence?"

But suddenly, a reporter's question made Lynch take off his sunglasses.

"Shaq said you refused to meet him in Los Angeles and showed him disrespect. What are your thoughts on that?"

"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?" If Lynch's memory was correct, he had never been to Los Angeles last summer. He had never met the Shaq himself before the opening game.

Next, more and more inexplicable questions arose.

It was only after Lynch returned to the hotel and watched the TV news that he learned that Shaquille O'Neal considered himself the next David Robinson.

People often say, never trust a novelist.

No matter how many times he emphasizes that he is 20 centimeters, you must never believe him.

Because novelists make a living by making up stories.

But now, Lynch thinks Shaquille O'Neal is even more outrageous.

The premise of writing a story is that the story is purely fictional.

But the shark fabricated a non-existent fact in full view of everyone.

This was a blow to Lynch's public image, but before Lynch could respond, Stephen A. Smith listed Lynch's entire summer schedule through photos and news on his late-night show.

The final conclusion was: "Unless Shaq traveled to a parallel world, he would not have met Lynch in Los Angeles last summer." This incident will not have any substantial impact on Lynch's reputation, just like after Shaq slandered the Admiral, the Admiral is still a moral role model in everyone's heart.

But the shark's behavior really made Lynch feel sick.

If someone spits in your food, you won't die if you eat it, but it will ruin your appetite.

At this moment, a prompt popped up in front of Lynch.

[We're both veterans, yet you've been repeatedly provoked by Shaquille O'Neal. Shut that idiot up and earn back the respect a veteran deserves!]

[New goal: Win the matchup against Shaq and score 10 points more than him. This will take a lot of minutes to achieve, but for the sake of dignity, hold on!]

[Reward: Shaquille O'Neal's Hook Shot Talent.]

This reward made Lynch excited. Combined with the previous "Gorgeous Footsteps That Never Travel", it was enough for Lynch to create a low-post offense that could truly break through the defense.

Moreover, this reward is very generous.

After all, Shark's hook shot is definitely at the top level in the league.

The price of generous rewards is that the task is not easy.

Judging from the Sharks' recent form, scoring 10 points higher than him means Lynch needs to score at least 30+ and win to complete the task.

This is certainly not easy when the team is missing Grant Hill and the team's offensive spacing is terrible.

But Lynch will try anyway.

There is no loss if I fail, so I have to try to reach it anyway.

This farce made the atmosphere of the second day's competition full of tension.

Even though Stephen A. had exposed the lie, some Miami fans still supported the Shark and chose to believe what he said, giving Lynch boos that were enough to cause a tsunami.

"What the hell, these idiots actually believed that fairy tale full of loopholes?" Stephen Marbury looked at the Miami fans in the stands waving "Liar Lynch" signs and was shocked by the IQ of his compatriots for the first time.

In the face of bigotry, truth is nothing but a piece of parchment to be torn.

In fact, fans believe that the story is nothing special.

Because Shark himself believed it, he had completely immersed himself in the role.

This master of narrative who excels at self-hypnosis is now completely immersed in the epic script he has woven.

He told himself that he must win back his dignity tonight!
The starting lineups of both teams gathered together, and Lynch stared at the fat man who had repeatedly said that he would make him cry in the playoffs and now made up a story to slander him, with a disdainful sneer.

He felt sorry for him.

"It turns out that the giant's self-esteem needs to be nourished by imaginary humiliation."

"You may deny it, but tonight you, asshole, will experience the consequences of disrespecting me."

The game started and Shaquille O'Neal got the ball for the Heat.

Without Wade, the Heat's offensive spearhead is Shaq.

Damon Jones passed the ball to O'Neal just after crossing half court.

O'Neal played very hard today, actively blocking Kurt Thomas. The moment he received the ball, he turned around with agility that was beyond his size, and the little hook shot with a light flick of his fingertips fell accurately into the net.

It can be seen that his physical condition is indeed very good, even better than at the beginning of the season.

Shark punched hard, he was very confident that he could win tonight and avenge his previous defeat.

Lynch's subsequent offensive failure seemed to further prove this point.

The bloated and slow Sweetney was completely left open by the Heat. When Lynch got the ball, Haslem and Rasual Butler would directly double-team New York No. 20.

If Grant Hill were there, the Heat wouldn't be able to double-team so aggressively.

Lynch had to pass the ball to Sweetney who was left open, but the guy nicknamed "mobile popcorn machine" by Marbury missed the open shot.

The camera swept over Grant Hill, who was dressed in a suit and tie on the sidelines. His clenched fists revealed his anxiety about the team's firepower vacuum.

He really hopes he can go back, but the shadow of the past makes him afraid of the consequences of playing with an injury.

Shark quickly helped the Miami Heat expand their lead. After receiving the ball in the low post and attracting a double-team, he passed the ball to Damon Jones, who had the best relationship with him in the locker room.

The small guard has performed like a top shooter this season, averaging 6.4 three-point attempts per game and maintaining a 43% shooting percentage.

The defending Stephen Marbury ran into Haslem's off-ball screen, and Damon Jones shot calmly, and the basketball went through the net, 5-0.

Amid the roar of the American Airlines Center, the Sharks made the classic "good night" gesture toward Lynch.

"Hope you brought Megan Fox to Miami, otherwise you'll be venting your frustrations in the hotel bathroom tonight."

For the next few possessions, Sweetney did nothing on offense.

Lenny Wilkens started him purely for defensive reasons.

Although he is a bit silly, his defensive awareness is good and he does not lag behind in either assisting or defending alone.

However, his offense is even more terrifying than Ariza's.

Ariza can still steal some points with his agile cutting. In the last game, he scored 11 points on 4 of 5 shots.

Sweetney was a complete black hole on the offensive end. His slow cuts were like a rusty bulldozer, and his sluggish shooting allowed the Heat defenders to calmly drink a cup of coffee before jumping to block the shot.

Sometimes, Chinese fans find it magical.

Why can the New York Knicks always find so many offensive talents from the vast crowd?
Five minutes later, the Miami Heat led by 9 points, 12-3.

The Knicks' offense was completely blocked. Apart from Stephen Marbury's 2+1 after a strong breakthrough, the Knicks did not score any more points.

Lynch also had a hard time under the constant double-teaming, and now he does not have the ability to break through the double-team with the ball.

The game was paused and Shaquille O'Neal waved his arms to mobilize the emotions of the fans.

If he continues to play like this, he will lead the team to three consecutive victories!

Compared with Lynch, who suffered three consecutive losses after losing Hill, this is enough to make that bastard lose all his dignity!

A sinister smile appeared on his dark face covered with sweat, as if he had already seen the bold headline on the morning paper: "The rookie who lost consecutively kneels to face the shark king who won consecutively."

"Chiba, are you feeling okay? You look like you're about to suffocate! Don't panic, this is just a preview of the playoffs! You'd better pray that you don't meet me in the playoffs!" The Shark yelled at the other end of the court.

Before Lynch responded, the tense Stan Van Gundy anxiously ripped off his tie on the sidelines, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Shut up, Shaq! Are you trying to piss him off? Just shut up and let's win this game. Focus, or you're going to lose!"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on the shiny forehead of the fat, dark coach, and his pupils behind the lenses trembled due to excessive tension.

Shark couldn't stand this guy who was always suspicious: "So what if I pissed him off? Don't you trust me? Just shut the fuck up and wait to embrace victory!"

O'Neal didn't take Stan Van Gundy's reminder seriously at all.

On the other side, Lynch's fingertips dug deep into the fibers of the white towel, and beads of sweat dripped down his chin.

The situation is not good tonight. The Sharks' condition and the Heat's tacit understanding are no longer comparable to what they were in the opening game.

If they play like this, it would be difficult to score 10 points more than the Shark, or even score less than him.

The old coach's eyes were bloodshot. Lenny Wilkens knew that if he continued to play like this, he would be doomed to lose, and if he didn't change, he would die.

So he replaced Sweetney with Jamal Crawford.

This old-school coach, who has always valued defense, decided to break with tradition for once.

"Attack, attack, attack! Jamal, open up space for Lynch. When they leave you open, you'd better seize those damn open opportunities. I won't give you too much patience. If you keep missing, get the hell out! Lynch, if they defend you alone, play pick-and-roll with Kurt and destroy that shit-mouthed shark the same way you did last time!"

If Wade were there, this kind of play would definitely not work, because Wade could easily score 40 points on Crawford's head. No, even 50 points is possible.

But tonight Miami lacked a ball-handling threat on the perimeter, so Lenny Wilkens decided to take a gamble.

The game resumed, and the commentator immediately noticed the New York Knicks' decision to make a substitution.

But Shark didn't think that the appearance of the master of melee combat would change anything.

He walked up to the serious-looking Lin Qi, hands on his hips, and said, "Sending a colander as a snack? You guys run a charity canteen in New York? Smile, I like to see your rebellious smile. That smile is as stupid as that idiot in Los Angeles, it makes me more excited."

"You should have listened to Stan, Shaq."

"what?"

"You've talked too much. You should shut up. How dare you mention Los Angeles? A talkative giant always fantasizes that he's still at the top of the food chain."

"No, I'm going to keep nagging you tonight until you go crazy with shame!"

"You don't want to do that, just shut up."

"What the hell can you do to make me shut up?"

"Maybe if I let you experience what it's like to watch me score 40 points in a single game again, that would be enough to shut you up. Get your oxygen mask ready, old man."

Lynch stared at the shark, his eyes devoid of the panic of a liar.

It's more like an announcement of a fact that is about to be achieved.

(End of this chapter)