Champion Rules

Chapter 101, Section 097: Nike Brothers (Seeking monthly votes!)
As Carmelo Anthony watched Raja Bell's miserable state on the television news, he let out a contemptuous sneer.

"That coward can't even catch a basketball properly. He deserves to be used as a sacrificial lamb. That bastard was completely scared out of his wits by Lynch."

This prodigy, who holds two championship rings and a Finals MVP trophy, doesn't understand why the media always conflates him with supporting actors like Raja Bell.

Do they really think they'll become the next him?

Carmelo Anthony has had enough. He really hopes for a rematch with the Knicks soon so he can finally shed the label that "Melo is not as good as Lynch".

He acknowledged that the Pistons' crushing defeat in the opening game was a fact.

That night, the entire team was caught up in the festivities of receiving their championship rings, and no one felt any tension.

The arguments on the bench and the lapse in concentration were laid bare by the spotlight of the Palace of Auburn Hills, revealing their complacency and their "greed" after winning the championship.

But now, two months into the season, the Pistons are completely different from before.

The turning point came on a cold December night in San Antonio when Chauncey Billups spoke in the locker room after the Pistons lost to the Spurs.

"Everyone, put aside your personal feelings for now. We're just one step away from building a dynasty, one step away from making history. Anyone who's selfish should stay home and not board the team bus!"

This worked. Ben Wallace stopped arguing with management about contract renewals, Carmelo Anthony gave up taking on too much responsibility, and the whole team tacitly avoided repeating Larry Brown's past actions of applying for the Knicks' general manager position midway through last season.

The Pistons thus began to get back on track to victory, becoming the winning team they were last season.

Even with the Knicks' outstanding record, the Pistons still hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference, which is enough to demonstrate the strength of the defending champions.

Therefore, Carmelo Anthony is eager for a rematch.

He believes the current Pistons can completely crush the Knicks, and he thinks it was a night that would shut everyone up.

Does that damn Bill Simmons think he'll end up like Raja Bell?

Screw it, next January, in the second game against the Knicks, he'll walk out of Madison Square Garden with his head held high!
Meanwhile, LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers landed in New York.

As soon as James got off the plane, a series of embarrassing questions came his way.

"LeBron, if the game against the Knicks gets close again, will you still pass the ball out?"

"Are you regretting not taking that damn three-pointer last game?"

Does that cowardly choice often wake you up from nightmares?

Would you still abandon the team in crucial moments?

The previous game in Cleveland was a humiliating one for James. He made the right passing decision in the final moments, and the Cavaliers almost touched the victory, but Lynch's damn turnaround jumper ruined the night.

Because of Lynch's game-winning shot, he was criticized by the media as a coward, an irresponsible person, and a coward.

But LeBron James doesn't think he did anything wrong, just as he has told the media countless times: "Someone is rushing at me, I pass the ball to an open teammate, that's perfectly reasonable, I'm just playing the right kind of basketball."

James will never understand why people criticize him.

If a similar situation arises again, he will still make the same decision—shoot if there is an opportunity, pass if there is no opportunity.

He believed that as long as he could win, people would no longer question his choice.

Unfortunately, this time the Knicks didn't even last the game with the Cavaliers.

The following night, in the Cavaliers vs. Knicks rematch, the Knicks were leading by 12 points with 2 minutes left in the game.

LeBron James' shooting touch tonight was far less magical than in their last encounter, while on the Knicks' side, Eddie Jones, who had a very low shooting percentage in the last game but was protected by Lynch, had a huge outburst, returning to his peak form throughout the game, capable of scoring 25 points with three-pointers, pull-ups, and layups.

His outburst made the victory easy. Lynch only scored 18 points tonight, allowing him to relax on offense and focus more on defense.

The Knicks once again defeated the Cavaliers, and Lynch continued his record—6 wins and 0 losses against LeBron James in his career.

After the game, Spike Lee yelled at James, "Lynch said no shadow lasts forever. He was wrong. His shadow over you will never fade. Goodbye LeBron, get out of here in your expensive shoes!"

The boos from all over New York demoralized LBJ, who saw Lynch as the biggest rival of his entire career, an opponent he had to defeat.

But so far, he has never beaten him.

He was very unwilling to accept this, so in the end he could only drag out his good friend Carmelo Anthony to annoy the New Yorkers and Lynch.

"I don't know why New Yorkers are so arrogant. All I know is that last season's Finals MVP was my good brother Melo, not that number 20. The real kings are in Detroit, and Melo's Finals MVP trophy doesn't lie."

This kind of scathing statement gives James a strong chance of surpassing Reggie Miller and becoming the new mayor of New York.

All Lynch can say is, he truly lives up to his reputation as LeBron James.

As a third-grader, he already understands the essence of brotherhood basketball, and he even pulls out his brothers to support him at press conferences.

Lynch didn't respond. He couldn't be bothered to argue with someone who hadn't even made the playoffs last season. He just considered it a loser's self-consolation.

But Carmelo Anthony didn't see this as LeBron James's self-comfort; he lost himself in the praise he received from number 23.

The following day, after the Pistons crushed the Nets, Anthony publicly supported LeBron James on camera.

“I spoke with LeBron on the phone yesterday, and I told my good brother: It’s okay, you’ll see the Knicks bow their heads, and so will that number 20. I made them bow their heads once in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.”

What a heartwarming scene of an older brother standing up for his younger brother! Cameron Anthony loves playing this kind of gangster boss role.

Seeing the close bond between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Nike CEO Phil Knight had a flash of inspiration.

He suddenly had a plan to suppress Lynch and Reebok.

He called both LeBron James' and Carmelo Anthony's agents to discuss their upcoming sneaker strategy.

Of course, we'll also take this opportunity to discuss the future of the two most outstanding students from the class of 03.
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In the Christmas Day game, the Knicks easily defeated the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers are still struggling this season. They have Kobe Bryant, whose individual abilities are at their peak, but they don't have a competitive roster.

The Knicks could easily defeat a team with such an unbalanced roster.

When the final buzzer sounded, Kobe did not look grimacing due to the defeat, contrary to the stereotypes held by outsiders.

This superstar shooting guard, known for his "victory obsession," simply bumped fists with Lynch like a normal person and then chatted for a few minutes.

"The Pistons' game against you guys in January could be Carmelo Anthony's 5000-point milestone night. I heard LeBron will be there in person, and Melo has also said he'll win back LeBron's respect at Madison Square Garden. It's hilarious, they seem like brothers overnight."

The recent media coverage of this game is understandable, given that the Pistons and Knicks are fierce rivals, and Anthony's 5000-point milestone night deserves publicity.

But strangely, LeBron James is always mentioned in the promotional materials.

This game and Anthony's 5000th career point have absolutely nothing to do with James, yet there's some kind of magical force linking Anthony and James together for publicity.

Lynch had no idea what Nike was up to; all he knew was that this kind of publicity wouldn't affect the victory.

“Nothing strange about it. The media loves to do that. Didn’t they portray you and Shaq as conjoined twins back then?” Lynch shrugged.

"Yeah, boring media. Anyway, they've managed to make this game a hot topic, even I'm interested. I just want to know, if Melo really does reach 5000 points over your dead body, will LeBron rush onto the court to hug him, as if he personally won the victory?" Kobe grinned mischievously.

“Sorry,” Lynch waved his hand to cut off the hypothesis, “you’ll never have the chance to witness such a farce.”

After the Christmas Day game, the Knicks defeated the Bucks and Magic, finishing the 2005 season with a record of 20 wins and 8 losses.

The publicity surrounding the Knicks vs. Pistons game reached its peak in January.

Something very unusual happened in Cleveland.

In other words, the questions reporters asked James had nothing to do with the Cavaliers; instead, they focused on the Pistons and the Knicks.

"LeBron, the Cavaliers have their own game the night after the Pistons' game against the Knicks. Are you sure you want to go to New York the day before your game?"

James smiled and said, "Of course I'll be there. I'm not the kind of person who would miss a friend's big moment. Even if it's not a jersey retirement ceremony or a Hall of Fame ceremony, it's still a big night for Melo. I definitely won't miss his 5000-point milestone. Supporting my brother and witnessing the victory, that's what I'm going to do."

"Is this trip really about brotherhood, to witness Melo's 5000-point night?" the New York Post reporter suddenly raised his voice, "or is it to see Lynch lose the game in front of you?"

LeBron James paused for a moment, like a little boy whose thoughts had been read.

But he quickly resumed his smile.

"I only went for my friends, really." Throughout January, the publicity surrounding that match was incredibly intense.

The Pistons also intend to give Anthony more scoring opportunities this month, providing him with more chances to shoot.

这位天才前锋在1月28日对阵老鹰的战役中狂砍45分，职业生涯总得分攀升至4989分，距离5000分里程碑仅差临门一脚。

This means that in the upcoming game at Madison Square Garden, Anthony only needs to score 11 more points to become the second youngest player in history to join the 5000-point club.

For Carmelo Anthony, he believes his career milestone night was destined to be perfect.

Yes, the Knicks' defense is hard to break down, but I'm not so bad as to not even get 11 points.

The Pistons' recent seven-game winning streak is their strongest support.

5000 points, victory, cheers. Carmelo Anthony was already imagining a glorious night in New York, showing Lynch who the master of the league was.

Nike is ready, with various interview videos and documentaries being released online to support the promotion.

LeBron James also had a lot of drama surrounding this event that had nothing to do with him. The day before the game, he arrived in New York wearing a Nike commemorative T-shirt with the number "5000" on it.

“You know, Carmelo Anthony is an exceptionally good player. I can’t wait to go to Madison Square Garden, which has always been the birthplace of great stories.”

Nike's strategy was successful; they wanted to combine the influence of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

As a result of this incident, James' media exposure has skyrocketed recently, and Anthony has also gained a huge amount of attention.

Nike, James, and Anthony have clearly all turned January 30th into a celebration.

But the Knicks players don't want to be the backdrop for the other team's greatness.

"To hell with the 5000-point night, that Akron kid better take his brotherhood and go back to Cleveland. This place will only be a Knicks massacre," Stephon Marbury, who has always been at odds with LeBron James, told reporters without hesitation.

Lynch was much calmer: "Nobody remembers players who have a high career total score but lost games. Michael wasn't number one in career total score, but we all know who the GOAT is."

The air was thick with tension, and the atmosphere was electric when Lynch stepped into Madison Square Garden on January 30.

The front row seats were almost entirely occupied by celebrities, and Spike Lee had been yelling before the game even started: "Lynch, let Melo die!"

Lynch wasn't looking at Spike Lee; he was looking at something better.

New York-based film star Alexandra Daddario's deep-V dress shimmered like pearls under the flashing lights, her perfectly voluptuous figure making her absolutely dazzling in the second row.

But James's face, with its professional fake smile, was like a rotten apple placed in the center of a feast, making Lynch feel nauseous.

"LeBron, what are you doing here? As a cheerleader?" Lynch deliberately walked to the sidelines and shouted.

"Come witness Melo's 5000-point night." James swallowed his anger, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Who told you he could get 5000 points tonight?"

"No matter what you say, you can't change this fact."

"The truth is, Melo won't get anything tonight. And you, you'll just have to bow your head here again."

“Hey,” Cameron Anthony’s voice came through, “Your opponent is me.”

Lynch turned around, and Anthony looked very confident.

"Of course, you are my opponent; he's just a show-off."

"Stop insulting my friend Lynch! Just because you can't look at someone else's success doesn't mean everyone is like you! LeBron just wanted to congratulate me, stay away from him."

"You're the one who can't stand seeing others succeed. If the New York Knicks had lost the opening game, you wouldn't hate me so much. Ultimately, you just want to be in the spotlight forever. Anyway, don't forget all that bullshit you said, and don't expect to walk away from here so easily after saying it."

"You really think I'm Raja Bell?" Anthony sneered.

Lin Qi didn't laugh: "No, you'll be even worse off than he was that night."

Anthony clenched his fists, said nothing, and returned to his own half of the court.

He was furious beyond measure, and he vowed to make New York tremble under the glory of 5000 points!
The referee signaled for both teams to approach, but neither the Knicks nor the Pistons players greeted each other. From last season's Eastern Conference Finals to now, the fierce competition has long since caused both teams to abandon any pretense of goodwill.

Lynch won possession for the Knicks, and amidst a deafening roar, Stephon Marbury dribbled the ball across the center line.

Chauncey Billups pressed relentlessly, with both sides treating this game like a playoff series.

Lynch set a screen and Marbury drove hard, but he was quickly met with Anthony's help defense.

Lynch passed the ball to Eddie Jones, whose three-point attempt missed under Hamilton's rotation interference.

Anthony immediately ran into the paint, showing his continued aggressiveness in the fight for rebounds.

But before the fingertips could touch the basketball, it was pushed into the basket by another large hand.

"Lynch! Beautiful putback dunk! His offensive rebounding is historic!"

Mike Breen's shouts, amidst cheers from Madison Square Garden, gave Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James a rude awakening.

After one possession, Anthony tried to take the ball and go one-on-one, but was immediately double-teamed by Lynch.

If it were the opening game, Anthony would choose to play 1v2.

But now he knows he can't ruin the team's atmosphere.

His teammates had been selflessly encouraging him to take more shots recently, and he couldn't let them down.

So even though he really wanted to score, Anthony still passed the ball to Rasheed Wallace.

Roaring God's mid-range straight-arm jump shot also hit the rim and went out under the interference of Lynch's return to position, and the game entered a defensive battle rhythm from the start.

In the transition between offense and defense, Marbury continued to run pick-and-rolls with Lynch, and the Pistons' rotation remained seamless.

But even the most ingenious rotations come at the cost of giving up the weak-side matchup.

Eddie Jones, facing Richard Hamilton's help defense, used a long pass to find Michael Pietrus in the corner.

The Frenchman started hot, sinking a three-pointer.

With a score of 5-0, the Knicks were able to dominate even the Pistons, who were on a seven-game winning streak.

As the season progresses, the Pistons are getting better, but so are the Knicks.

Chauncey Billups knew that the Pistons had to score; they couldn't let the Knicks gain the upper hand in morale right from the start.

Instead of passing the ball early, he chose to back down Marbury.

When Billups used his big butt to push Marbury to the mid-range, he sensed the shift in the defensive center of gravity and completed a lightning-fast back turn and breakthrough, heading straight for the paint, attacking the basket, and challenging Lynch!

Lynch jumped facing Billups, but caught a glimpse of the Pistons' playmaker twisting his waist in mid-air to change his move, passing the ball towards the middle!
Anthony surged forward with the ball, and Lynch, with his top-notch defensive instincts, completed an aerial spin, facing Melo who was about to unleash a powerful dunk.

Anthony wanted to kick off his great night with a dunk, but at Madison Square Garden, greatness belonged only to number 20.

After spinning in the air, Lynch raised his hands high, his giant hands slamming shut in front of the basket like a gate.

Melo's basketball hit Lynch's palm, and he failed to dunk!
The basketball wasn't directly swatted away; it just bounced off my hand and hit the backboard.

Enraged, Melo leaped a second time, relying on his animalistic instincts, and grabbed the offensive rebound amidst the chaos. This time, he opted for a safer bank shot, his right hand gently flicking out a seemingly perfect arc.

But just as the basketball was about to fall, Lynch's large hand appeared in the air again. He barely adjusted his center of gravity before tossing himself up again, swatting the basketball, which had already flown to the edge of the basket, directly towards the stands!

"Fuck!" Anthony cursed, those were clearly two sure scoring opportunities!

Lynch, having achieved two incredible blocks in a row, is like an enraged lion roaring in his territory, asserting his dominance.

Chauncey Billups looked gloomy.

He felt the Pistons still had a chance to win the game.

but.
A score of 5000 is very dangerous.

(End of this chapter)