Champion Rules

Chapter 106, Section 102: The Wonderful World of Brotherly Basketball (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The brawl between the Knicks and the Heat added a lot of fun to the otherwise dull regular season lull.

Gary Payton became the center of the fun.

This guard, who dominated the 90s, was known for being "not to be messed with," but his extreme contrast when he met Lynch completely shattered his image.

Gary Payton has offended many opponents and even more teammates because of his gossipy nature, making him a hidden locker room killer.

Even past his prime, he still maintains his outrageous and sensationalist style.

During his time with the Lakers, Payton almost got into a fight with Kobe during preseason training camp.

Even with the Heat, he often acted like a big brother, constantly nagging Wade when he made mistakes. If Wade ignored him, he'd complain to Shaq like a scheming woman: "Look at him! How does that kid treat me?"

But Payton only ever verbally expressed his dislike; he almost never actually laid a hand on anyone.

Because he knows his own limitations.

In the NBA, a steel jungle, players who are aggressive with their words aren't necessarily tough guys, and those who seem peaceful aren't necessarily easy to mess with.

For example, everyone thinks Hakeem Olajuwon is easy to get along with, but Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell was slapped by Olajuwon in the locker room.

In a recent interview with TNT, he was still shaken by the slap: "That guy's hand was so big and hard, I couldn't even sit properly in my chair. Why did I get hit? I was just complaining that I didn't shoot enough in the first half."

Coincidentally, the gossipy Gary Payton was also teammates with the troublesome Vernon Maxwell during the 99-00 season, and the two also had a conflict in the locker room.

The difference is that the two of them wrecked the locker room, but both ended up unharmed.

Gary Payton at most bluffed by smashing the chair into an empty spot; he wouldn't dare to walk up to Maxwell and slap him like Hakeem Olajuwon did.

He has always been the kind of guy who just keeps teetering on the edge of conflict.

If a conflict really breaks out, don't expect him to be as fierce as when he's trash-talking.

He would ignite his opponent's anger with the dirtiest trash talk, yet skillfully dodge the physical confrontation at the last moment.

The direct confrontation with Lynch caused this "tough guy" to collapse in front of everyone, exposing the fact that his only offensive tactic was words.

Although he insisted that he had just slipped, this statement was just as absurd as his statement that "I came to the Heat because I didn't want to take shortcuts to success, otherwise I would have gone to the Pistons."

Anyone with eyes can see how Gary Payton was thrown to the ground by Lynch.

Lynch didn't know if Gary Payton felt awkward in the locker room, but the Knicks' locker room certainly became more cohesive because of the brawl.

Faced with the players' excessive behavior, head coach Lenny Wilkens demonstrated the wisdom of an experienced coach – instead of reprimanding them severely, he tacitly approved of this spirited resistance.

Assistant coach Mike Malone further encouraged the players' courage: "That's right, that's how we should be! We should defend our dignity with our fists! Let anyone who dares to mess with us go to hell!"

Lynch paid Amir Johnson's fine; $2 is a large sum for anyone, but Lynch knew it was a necessary expense.

If you want your teammates to risk their lives for you, you can't let them down.

The team definitely needs talent like Amir Johnson.

Weakness is intolerable, and so is defeat. How can you show toughness while avoiding defeat? A player like Amir Johnson, who has almost no impact on the outcome of a match for the time being, is the best choice for a team to demonstrate toughness.

He can defend the team's dignity with his fighting spirit, and his position at the end of the rotation will not affect the foundation of the team's performance.

So, as Lynch said, he can go all out and do it.

In February, the Knicks maintained their solid record thanks to the excellent team atmosphere.

In their last game before the All-Star Weekend on February 15, the Knicks defeated the Pacers, who had lost Artest, bringing their record to 40 wins and 11 losses.

This allows the Knicks to maintain their second-place position in the Eastern Conference, behind only the 42-9 Pistons.

This year's All-Star Game is a lonely one for Lynch, as he is the only Knicks player selected for the All-Star team.

Grant Hill has played too few games this season, while Stephon Marbury has been overshadowed by the star-studded guard lineup in the East.

AI, Carter, Wade, Kidd, Arenas. They are all star players of their respective teams and have higher popularity than Marbury.

Marbury, however, did not feel regretful. On the contrary, he was very proud: "I really envy you, Lynch, being able to share a locker room with LBJ and Melo. You must have a lot of fun."

This was clearly sarcasm, and Lynch shrugged helplessly: "Don't forget about Chauncey, Shaq, Ben Wallace, and Gilbert Arenas. I'm venturing into the wolf's den alone, Stephen."

Indeed, Lynch, who was hailed as a hero at Madison Square Garden, felt like an isolated island in the Eastern All-Star locker room.

There are also a few people in the West who are friendly to him, such as Yao Ming, Kobe, and KG.

In the East, Lynch had almost no friends.

Because he doesn't follow the typical development path of most newbies, he was extremely competitive as soon as he entered the league, and his entry shook the entire league's power structure.

His strong competitiveness led to him being hated by most players in the East.

The reason why there are still people in the West who are lenient towards him is because Lynch is not in direct competition with them for the time being.

But Lynch didn't care. He had only been in the league for two years and came from the European system, so it was normal that he hadn't built his own network of relationships yet.

And who says basketball success depends on having a lot of brothers?
Lynch boarded a plane to Houston, not at all worried that this year's All-Star Weekend would be boring without his teammates.

With Alexandra Daddario by his side, Lynch was more than capable of having a wonderful weekend.
-
Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James shot a new set of posters together.

Nike has fully implemented its bundled marketing strategy with them.

After the flashbulbs went out, the golden duo from the class of 2003 returned to their hotel suite with their management team.

They played Booray, a card game originating from Louisiana, with Rich Paul, Maverick Carter, and Leon Rose, James' new agent.

This gambling game, which originated from French immigrants, has become popular in NBA locker rooms in the 21st century due to its simple rules.

The advantage of this game is that it's very simple to play and can quickly break down relationship barriers.

The downside is that it's also very easy to get carried away, and it can quickly destroy bridges of friendship.

Gilbert Arenas's later infamous gun-related incident that shocked the league stemmed from a conflict he had with a teammate while playing Booray.

However, this kind of thing won't happen to James and Anthony. Tonight's poker game is mainly for entertainment, and the stakes of a few hundred dollars per round are not even pocket change in the eyes of superstars.

They just wanted to temporarily forget about the trivialities of the season in Houston.

Carmelo Anthony is on a winning streak tonight, with a mountain of hundred-dollar bills piled up in front of him. His winning streak makes his signature Melo smile even brighter.

"Again, again!" Anthony flicked away his cigar ash. "Keep dealing, buddy, hahaha, there's still plenty of time!"

Carmelo Anthony was in high spirits when a casual remark by Maverick Carter instantly ruined his good mood.

"Hey, have you guys seen the latest issue of ESPN magazine? They think the New York Knicks are the most likely team to make it out of the Eastern Conference this year."

Carmelo Anthony's smile vanished: "These pen-wielding bastards know absolutely nothing about basketball!"

“I agree,” LeBron James replied. “When it comes to teams most likely to make it out of the East, the Knicks don’t even rank in the top two.”

Rich Paul timely injected some calm into the game: "They're not idiots, those bastards just need to create buzz. Under David Stern's global strategy, Lynch is their cash cow. But hype is hype, and the era of African American players will never end. Don't worry about Melo, we all know this is destined to be your and LeBron's alliance."

The gloom in Anthony's eyes vanished at those words, and a smile returned to Melo's face: "Yes, I'm just one championship away from establishing a dynasty. Four months from now, I'll be holding my third Larry O'Brien Trophy and making those reporters lick their shoes!"

As the game continued, Rich Paul shifted the topic to James: "What are Cleveland's plans for this summer? They can't give you a bunch of incompetent teammates and expect you to contend for a championship."

James shrugged: "I haven't discussed it with management yet. My goal is to finish this season first. We're currently fourth in the East, and I want to push higher."

Melo smiled as he placed his bet: "Will we meet in the playoffs?"

“Very likely,” James said, throwing down a card. “If we finish fourth, we’ll face the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals. If we finish third, I’ll need to win two rounds to see you.”

"If I had to choose an opponent to compete against for a spot in the Finals, I really hope it's you, LeBron. If it were you, I wouldn't feel so bad if I lost," Anthony said, showing off his cards to everyone. "I won again."

Leon Rose raised a sensitive topic: "Why not win together? Charles Barkley's biggest regret in life is not joining the Houston Rockets two years earlier. If he had done so when he was younger, he might be wearing three rings and commentating on games now."

Five pairs of eyes met silently in the cigar smoke, and then everyone smiled.

They knew what Leon Rose meant, but none of them commented. After all, the idea was a bit too audacious.

But neither LBJ nor Melo denied the proposal; there always has to be a group of pioneers in this world.

Maverick Carter broke the silence at the opportune moment: "How about LeBron and Melo win the All-Star Game together this year and get an All-Star MVP together?"

"Victory always belongs to brothers." LeBron James lightly punched Anthony in the chest.

Anthony's eyes lit up as he thought of Lynch.

He would rather see New York's number 20 go scoreless than win with his brothers.

“I enjoy embarrassing my opponents with my brothers,” he took a deep drag on his cigar. “Deal the cards, and let’s go again!”
-
Lynch's All-Star Weekend wasn't as enjoyable as he'd hoped; Reebok had packed his schedule too full.

He's either participating in a business event or on his way to one.

The night before the All-Star Game, Lin Qi was invited to have dinner with Yao Ming and his family at Yao Restaurant.

Yao Ming inevitably talked about tomorrow night's All-Star game: "You probably won't win tomorrow because McGrady wants to win the All-Star MVP at home, so he will definitely play very seriously."

"Don't take it too seriously, or you'll get hurt again," Lin Qi said with a light laugh, swaying the Pu'er tea.

"Don't say anymore," Yao Ming sighed. "We were aiming for the championship this season."

"Aiming for the championship? Wake up, Yao Ming. You don't actually believe the nonsense from the Houston and domestic media, do you? Your owner, Leslie Alexander, is a stingy old man." Lynch glanced at Yao Ming's parents, swallowing back his profanity. "He's just a stingy old man. He has no intention of building a championship-contending roster for the Rockets. He only needs to keep you and McGrady on the roster, and the Rockets can keep making money. That's enough for him."

Yao Ming smiled wryly. There were some things he understood, but he just didn't want to believe them.

"We will be fine, as long as we stay healthy."

"I hope you can stay healthy, but this is a business league. Every player has the right to fight for their rights. Be firm and tell your owner not to treat anyone like a fool."

Lin Qi only said that much, because everyone has their own choices, and he didn't want to interfere too much with Yao Ming.

Moreover, not everyone likes to deconstruct basketball in a purely business-oriented way.

The Toyota Center was ablaze with stars the following day as the highly anticipated All-Star Game finally arrived.

An unspoken understanding permeated the Western Conference locker room, with everyone wisely deciding to let McGrady take the lead.

Even Kobe Bryant, who completely disabled the pass button this season, told his good friend before the game: "Tonight belongs to you, only tonight."

The Western Conference All-Stars unanimously agreed that McGrady's only obstacle was Lynch.

“That New York madman won’t let the spotlight slip away easily. That competitive brat will definitely go against Tracy; he’s always trying to steal the limelight,” Sean Marion quipped.

Before the game started, Kobe walked up to Lynch with a smile and said, "Hey, you're not going to deliberately embarrass Tracy tonight, are you?"

"Like you were all set to beat Michael in the All-Star Game back then? No, I'm not interested. This isn't a real battlefield."

Lynch has never been very interested in the All-Star Game; being young, he only craves real competition and raw confrontation.

Just like his confrontation with Daddario in the hotel room last night.

Of course, he wouldn't deliberately slack off, because the fans voted for him to perform.

He'll dunk a few times, shoot a few times, and block a few shots for the fans.

But that's it.

After the game started, the Western All-Stars quickly realized that Lynch was indeed not a problem.

Because he can barely even touch the ball.

Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James put on a show on the court, handling the ball and taking a lot of shots.

And as long as these two players have the ball, it will definitely go around number 20.

Lynch wasn't completely unable to get the ball; after all, not the entire Eastern Conference All-Star team was targeting him.

With James and Anthony dominating the ball, Lynch didn't get many opportunities to shine.

The whole team could see what James and Anthony were up to. Ben Wallace, watching James dribble down the court from the bench, couldn't help but turn to Billups and ask, "Didn't LeBron say his ankle wasn't feeling well, which is why he didn't participate in the dunk contest? Now he can do a 360-degree spin on the fast break? His ankle is fucking intelligent."

Billups smiled without saying a word.

Despite being direct competitors, Billups never disliked Lynch.

Lynch just wanted to win, what's wrong with that?

He even admired Lynch somewhat.

But for some people, Billups just couldn't bring himself to like them.

No one stopped James and Melo from taking the shot, because everyone, like Lynch, was dismissive of the AMVP award and didn't bother to compete for it; it wasn't worth getting into a fight over something like that.

As a result, James and Anthony's stats became increasingly impressive, and Tracy McGrady realized that the two guys were up to no good.

With 16.6 seconds left in the game, the East led by 2 points. The timeout ended, and the fans were very excited. It seemed like Tracy McGrady's moment to shine.

If he can deliver an All-Star game-winning shot at home, the AMVP award will be a foregone conclusion.

As a result, James and Anthony resorted to fierce physical contact with McGrady in an effort to stop him.

This defensive performance, which went far beyond mere showmanship, led commentator Reggie Miller to wonder if these two young players had confused the All-Star Game with the playoffs.

Under double pressure from Anthony and James, McGrady missed his three-pointer and failed to make the game-winning shot.

The game ended amidst sighs from Houston fans.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars won 122-120, meaning Tracy McGrady is no longer in contention for the All-Star MVP award.

At the moment the game ended, James and Anthony embraced tightly, truly experiencing the joy of brotherhood in basketball.

The final result matched their expectations—David Stern announced that the two would share the AMVP trophy.

Despite receiving their awards amidst boos, their mood remained completely unaffected.

Lynch could clearly see that LBJ and Anthony were staring at him smugly.

Hmm, all the behaviors of not passing the ball to oneself suddenly make sense.

After the All-Star Game, LBJ and Melo, who won the All-Star MVP award, gave an exclusive interview to ESPN.

"LeBron, why didn't you participate in the Slam Dunk Contest this year? You said more than once a month before the All-Star Game that you were very interested in it, so why did you ultimately choose to skip it?"

“I would like to participate, but the timing isn’t right yet. You know, I still have some problems with my ankle.”

"Did you expect to win the AMVP tonight before the game?"

"No, I came for entertainment and performance, but I'm still very happy to receive the award."

"Melo, you now have the Finals MVP and All-Star MVP, all you need is the regular season MVP. When will we see you lift the trophy?" The reporter steered the conversation toward Melo.

“Oh, I will as soon as possible. But right now, I just want to win my third championship as soon as possible, and I’m more eager to add some weight to my fingers.”

"Houston fans seem unhappy with your and LeBron's behavior. Does that bother you?"

“I don’t care at all. This is basketball, this is competition. Tracy is great, I respect him a lot, in fact he is my idol, but no one says that the AMVP has to belong to him.”

"Linche only took seven shots tonight, and you and LeBron didn't pass him the ball. Was that on purpose?" The reporter's questions became increasingly pointed.

But Anthony has no intention of hiding it.

“Oh, this is a little preview for Lynch, to let that nouveau riche from Europe remember the feeling of powerlessness tonight,” Anthony proudly raised his head. “If he meets me and LeBron in the playoffs, he will come home empty-handed just like this weekend.”

LeBron James: ???

Not buddy
(End of this chapter)