Champion Rules

Chapter 111, Section 107: Deathmatch (Seeking monthly votes!)

The Cleveland Cavaliers' collapse in Game 4 was frustrating because they looked so cowardly.

How could they allow the Knicks to emasculate them on the floor of Quicken Loans Arena without much resistance?

How could LeBron James, the pride of that city, allow all of this to happen?
This would be a serious crisis for any player.

But overnight, amidst the media storm following the Cleveland Cavaliers' crushing defeat by the Knicks, all the reasons for the loss were attributed to Mike Brown's stupidity.

"The tactics are rigid, the offensive creativity is lacking, and the in-game adjustments are slow. The system can only be kept running by squeezing out LeBron James' individual abilities."

"LeBron is fighting alone, while Mike is making a series of blunders."

"Even if you had a dog on the coaching bench, the Cavaliers wouldn't be swept."

Lynch had grown accustomed to these classic remarks; this was a country with free speech, and under its protection, clichés of shirking responsibility always prevailed.

Of course, this incident made Lynch very impressed with the efficiency of LBJ's team.

Only one day after the series ended, they found the perfect excuse for James's loss.

Such a rapid response in public relations is truly remarkable.

LeBron James may not be the closest to the GOAT on the court, but his PR team certainly deserves to be among the greatest of all time.

Not only in the basketball world, but throughout the entire professional sports world, LBJ's team has an incredibly strong public relations ability.

Seeing the newspaper headline about Mike Brown's firing, LeBron James picked up his phone and texted: "Sorry Mike, I only found out this morning. How could those bastards do that?!"

LeBron James certainly knew he would be cut, even before Mike Brown himself did.

This was the demand made by his team as leverage for LBJ and the Cavaliers to extend his contract early.

Did Mike Brown do anything wrong? Nothing at all.

However, the power structure of the NBA has now completely changed, as evidenced by Lynch's move to get rid of Isiah Thomas.

When the new generation of superstars realizes that they can be players on the chessboard rather than chess pieces, the coach's job stability begins to be deeply tied to the star's will.

Of course, LBJ's approach was more cold-blooded.

Lynch's conflict with Isiah Thomas last season was out in the open, and their struggle was aboveboard.

What about LeBron?

Rich Paul, who knows the whole truth, thinks LBJ's acting talent is Oscar-worthy. Otherwise, how could he have said at yesterday's press conference without batting an eye, "I would never pressure the team to fire him"?

Mike Brown's firing somewhat saved face for James.

This brilliant public relations maneuver, while unable to completely erase the historical humiliation of the 47-point blowout and the sweeping elimination, at least shifted James's primary responsibility to a secondary one.

Lynch found these behaviors on television laughable.

How many more excuses can LeBron James make?
As long as he remains in the East, this won't be the last time Lynch beats him.

After Lynch effortlessly defeated James, the eyes of fans around the world turned to the Pistons vs. Heat matchup.

In this alliance where the victors take all, as long as the story is compelling enough, yesterday's shame will soon be buried by a new storm.

Unlike Lynch's effortless victory over LBJ, the battle between Melo and Flash was full of twists and turns.

Despite the Miami Heat's strong resistance, the series score went from 0-2 to 2-3.

The Heat are just one game away from forcing a Game 7 in the series, while the Pistons are just one game away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth consecutive year.

Inside the locker room, Larry Brown was making final preparations, while Carmelo Anthony stared intently at the clock, hoping the game would start soon.

He longed to end the series in a bloody way with this Game 6 victory, and even more so, he longed to step over the wreckage of Miami and head straight to New York City—where there was a prey he had been dreaming of day and night, and Lynch's head had to be hung on his wall of honor once again.

With five minutes left before the team was about to go on warm-up, Larry Brown suddenly received a phone call. He handed a marker to assistant coach Igor Kokoshkov and quickly walked out of the locker room with his vibrating phone in hand.

Igor Kokoskov, one of the few European coaches in North American basketball, was not surprised by Larry Brown's behavior. He straightened his tie and continued to explain the tactics, as if he was already used to the absurdity of the head coach leaving the court before a do-or-die game.

After all, Larry Brown had made more than ten public phone calls before crucial games throughout the season.

Carmelo Anthony watched Larry Brown's departing figure, clenched his fists, and turned to look at Billups.

"Guess which team that old fox is flirting with this time?"

It's an open secret within the Pistons that Larry Brown is looking for a new position.

The championship-winning coach who led the Pistons to two consecutive titles has been slow to renew his contract with the Pistons because he is looking for a better opportunity while still employed, actively seeking the most lucrative contract.

He kept listening to offers from various teams and kept stalling Joe Dumars.

Even Anthony found it laughable that Joe Dumars was continuing to wait foolishly, while Larry Brown and others had already gotten into a lot of trouble.

Anthony certainly has reason to be angry. The team is aiming for a three-peat, and as head coach, Larry Brown's biggest goal is not to win a championship, but to find a new team.

That's why Anthony is so eager to win the MVP award, because it would give him the greatest power.

The MVP award is far more than just an honor and a gimmick. An MVP can keep a player popular for at least a decade, allowing them to freely choose their role on the team and giving them a powerful voice within the organization.
Carmelo Anthony also wants to be a chess player. If he has a say in management, even if Larry Brown re-signs with the Pistons, Carmelo Anthony will still make that old bastard pack his bags and leave!

Unfortunately, he missed out on the rights granted by the MVP award.

What's even more infuriating is that he wasn't even second in MVP voting.

However, he still has a chance. A three-peat and two Finals MVP awards should be enough for him to have a say in Joe Dumars's eyes.

Billups patted Anthony on the back: "Forget about him, the important thing is us guys on the court. Ben Wallace hasn't mentioned his contract extension all season, and Tayshaun, who has two rings, has never asked to start. At least, we guys in these jerseys still want to win."

Anthony nodded, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Larry Brown's aloof approach to the dynasty actually made the Pistons' locker room more united.

This is why the Pistons were able to achieve 66 wins this season. They experienced some growing pains of "greed" at the beginning of the season, but these symptoms gradually disappeared until they were cured.

These tough guys, who refuse to fight for fame and fortune, are demonstrating what a true iron-blooded legion is through their actions.

This Pistons team, aiming for a three-peat, is incredibly strong, especially after entering the playoffs.

Dwyane Wade was just a warm-up for the Pistons; now, the Pistons have warmed up enough.

Before the game started that night, Dwyane Wade made a risky decision.

He mocked Anthony at center court, saying, "The new king of Motor City is just a self-proclaimed title, like when you declared you deserved the MVP. Save it. Even if it were a rotation, Lynch would be ahead of you."

South Coast BBS King wanted to use this method to hurt Carmelo Anthony's nerves and make him lose his way in the game.

But Anthony's emotions didn't fluctuate much. He just curled the corners of his mouth and said, "Dwayne, do you know why you weren't in the 03 'The Legendary Duo'?"

Wade passed away peacefully.

As usual, he tore through the Pistons' defense, scoring 23 points on 55% shooting, along with 2 steals and 3 blocks.

但卡梅隆.安东尼打出了17中11，罚球5中5，真实命中率75%的极致效率。

全场29分7个篮板3次助攻1次封盖1个抢断0失误，堪称完美。

His performance tonight was impeccable, while the Pistons' collective defense shut down everyone on the Heat except for Wade.

The Pistons defeated the Heat by 13 points.

Last season, the Knicks needed seven games to defeat the Heat.

But against the Pistons, everything seemed to become much easier.

Pat Riley slammed his clipboard to the ground, and amidst the flying plastic shards, he heard the roar of Miami fans: "You picked it yourself, idol!"

To be fair, Riley can't really be blamed for choosing the opponent. Based on the Miami Heat's pure strength, they would most likely lose again if they faced the Knicks.

He had no choice.

In the Eastern Conference, the Knicks and Pistons are two insurmountable peaks, leaving other competitors far behind with a significant power gap.

Even the original champions pale in comparison to them.

Now, these two teams with vastly different strengths have finally met.

When the game ended, Carmelo Anthony didn't give a solo interview; instead, he gathered the whole team together.

"We are not the depleted Indiana Pistons, nor are we the lone wolf Cleveland team relying on a single star!" Anthony's gaze swept across every resolute face, his voice like thunder. "Standing here is the Detroit Pistons, clad in their iron-blooded jerseys! The defending champions in back-to-back games! New Yorkers thought last year's nightmare was over? No, the long night is coming!"

This united Detroit Pistons team is clearly the toughest opponent the Knicks have ever faced in the East.

They could even be the strongest opponent in the entire playoffs.

When the news of Dwyane Wade's heartbreaking elimination came, LeBron James at home clicked on the news page on his phone almost greedily, as if he wanted to imprint the headline "Heat eliminated by Pistons 2-4 in the series" into his mind.

James was happy to see his good friend advance, and even happier to have another 03 All-Star player, Dwyane Wade, with him now.

He wouldn't feel so awkward if he wasn't the only one eliminated.

But this morbid comfort lasted only two hours. That evening, Stephen A. Smith's comments on ESPN disgusted James. "Number 47 is still in a class of its own," the most lethal commentator in the country said, waving a data sheet at the camera.

"He is the only one of the four Eastern Conference Cavaliers who failed to win in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and the only one who could lose by more than 40 points."

The legend of codename 47 will live on forever.

In fact, I think the collective name used for these four young people should be changed to highlight their differences.

I suggest that from now on they be called: The Three Horsemen of the East and their mounts.
-
The Detroit Pistons are a completely different opponent.

They are as united as the Knicks.

They are as disciplined as the Knicks.

They, like the Knicks, are desperate for victory.

The series was as close and intense as the two teams' similar strengths.

In Game 1 of the series, the Detroit Pistons handed the Knicks their first playoff loss at home.

The Pistons' defense was absolutely perfect in this game, while the Knicks' outside shooting went completely cold, managing only 3 three-pointers throughout the entire game.

Although this is not an era where winning relies on three-pointers, such a low output of three-pointers is definitely abnormal.

Lynch made many good passes during the double-team, but his teammates' shooting touch had long been worn down by the intense competition.

Lynch increased his personal offense in the fourth quarter, but even with his strength, he couldn't break through the Pistons' solid defense single-handedly.

The Detroit Pistons lead the series 1-0 with a score of 87-81.

At the end of the game, Carmelo Anthony pointed to the big screen showing Lynch's 42% field goal percentage and mere 18 points and laughed: "Yes, the MVP's offense isn't that bad!"

After the match, Lin Qi, as always, took all the blame.

"A 42% shooting percentage is ugly. I missed too many opportunities today. But I promise I will never play this badly again in this series."

Stephon Marbury clenched his fists as he watched Lynch face a barrage of media attention.

He knew, of course, that this wasn't solely Lynch's responsibility, and he didn't want to disappear again in the series against the Pistons.

He's from Coney Island; he's a New York native.

Like Lynch, he is their pride!

G2，斯蒂芬.马布里轰下29分，三分线外6中4，尼克斯94比87在奥本山宫殿体育馆抢下一场胜利。

In this game, Marbury's hot shooting from beyond the arc overwhelmed the Pistons' almost perfect defense. Chauncey Billups rarely gets so thoroughly outmatched in the playoffs as he did tonight.

But Stephon Marbury was unstoppable; his off-ball movement was as aggressive as Hamilton's, and he would take the shot decisively whenever there was even the slightest bit of space.

Lynch delivered on his promise, scoring 20 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out 8 assists, and blocking 3 shots tonight with a 55% field goal percentage. He didn't score as many points as Marbury, but his impact on the game was far greater.

From defense to scoring to playmaking, Lynch was everywhere.

At the end of the game, Lynch and Marbury walked to center court and bumped fists in front of the Pistons players and Detroit fans.

At that moment, the roar of the sound from the dome of the Palace of Auburn Hills seemed to abruptly stop, as if it had been choked.

They are telling the defending champions that they will fight to the end.

In Game 3 of the series, back in New York, the Pistons pulled off a stunning comeback at MSG.

Carmelo Anthony was on fire from mid-range tonight, scoring 31 points even with Lynch's help defense—a career high for Anthony against the Knicks.

He exemplified the art of mid-range ball-handling offense, dancing gracefully in the mid-range. His probing steps and feints were like the magic wand of a symphony conductor, toying with defenders in a labyrinth of rhythm. His dazzling one-on-one plays were breathtaking.

His physical attributes weren't as explosive as Lynch, Wade, or LBJ, but his offensive arsenal was definitely the most diverse.

Carmelo Anthony puts the Detroit Pistons ahead 2-1.

At the end of the game, TNT asked an inopportune question from the sidelines.

What do you think about the rumors linking Coach Larry Brown to the Cleveland Cavaliers? Do you think he will really leave Detroit?

Anthony shrugged: "I don't care. There are only two kinds of people in my world now: brothers who will live and die with me and opponents who must be crushed."

This little thing has absolutely no impact on the Pistons' morale, let alone stop this steel city from marching toward a three-peat.

The Knicks have reached a critical juncture. Another loss at home would put them in a potentially fatal 1-3 deficit.

Undoubtedly, immense psychological pressure weighed on the Knicks and on Lynch.

They are in great danger of being eliminated by the same team for two consecutive years.

When the series reached the do-or-die battlefield in New York City, the lights of Madison Square Garden's dome seemed to transform into a torch of judgment, and every pair of eyes in the stands was on edge.

The Pistons, wanting to take the match point in one fell swoop, put on an excellent performance in Game 4.

Billups's sniping was devastating, Hamilton's relentless runs tore apart the defense, Prince's long arms loomed over New York's shooters, and the two Wallaces made the penalty area impregnable.

But they encountered an even crazier King of New York.

"Sixth block! Lynch blocked Melo's shot again. He sprinted across the entire half tonight, blocking every opening!"

Amid Mike Brin's roar, Lynch braced himself on his knees, sweat dripping down his chin, catching his breath during the dead ball situation.

At this point, only 1 minute and 17 seconds remained in the game, and Lynch had already played 45 minutes.

In other words, he was only substituted for two minutes.

But the eyes of the man in number 20 in New York still shone with a terrifying light; this man was determined to carry the Knicks through the steel jungle.

This game was crucial, so Lenny Wilkens had to increase Lynch's playing time to maintain the defensive level.

This tactic worked. Lynch's terrifying defense tonight made life miserable for the Detroit Pistons, causing Anthony to immediately fall behind after scoring 31 points in the previous game. So far tonight, his shooting percentage has plummeted to a dismal 4 for 15, with only 10 points.

After Anthony missed, Spike Lee roared like a wild beast, his face flushed and veins bulging. He didn't know what to say; he simply wanted to vent his excitement by shouting.

The Pistons are still down by 4 points, and the Knicks are about to tie the series 2-2 with the Pistons.

At that point, it will be even more difficult for the Pistons to defeat the Knicks.

Detroit certainly didn't want this to happen, and neither did Anthony. He imitated Michael Jordan, yelling at Larry Brown, "Stop those damn plays and give me the ball!"

Anthony's roar was mixed with the wildness of the streets. He didn't want to rack up points; he just wanted to kill Lynch with his own hands, and he was full of confidence in it.

But Larry Brown's cold gaze didn't falter: "In our day, players had immense respect for their coaches. It seems different now. But here, no matter how times change, players still have to listen to their coaches. Chauncey, you take this shot! As for you, Melo, don't be foolish enough to become the next Scottie Pippen."

He was referring to the incident in the 1994 playoffs where Pippen refused to play because he was unhappy about being stripped of his right to make the game-winning shot, which is definitely one of Pippen's most disgraceful moments in his career.

Time and again, facts have reminded Anthony that he is not MJ yet, and he still has a long way to go.

The game restarted, entering a tense moment.

Lynch closely guarded Carmelo Anthony, his arms blocking his path to the ball like an iron gate.

Tonight, he looked like he wanted to devour Cameron Anthony alive.

Lenny Wilkens wasn't stupid; he knew that the Pistons weren't only dangerous because of Anthony, but also because of Billups, the Mr. Bigshot.

So he put Trevor Ariza in this round to guard Chauncey Billups.

Mike Brin expressed concern about this player selection: "Can young Trevor handle this round?"

Trevor Ariza didn't think much of it; he was no longer the greenhorn he was last season.

Lynch has put in so much effort to get the team to this point, and as a member of this team, he also has an obligation to shoulder some responsibility.

In this team where there is a great deal of trust among the players, Trevor Ariza has long considered himself part of the group.

“I will never be defeated, Taji. We will never be defeated.” He glanced at the tattoo on his chest.

"Carmelo is entangled by Lynch, with no space. Wait, Chauncey breaks out with a screen, he's the one who should receive the ball, can he change the game? Trevor Ariza comes out, his incredible wingspan intercepts the ball in mid-air! Trevor completes the steal, he passes the ball to Lynch, Lynch makes a layup despite being pulled by Carmelo. Bang!!! Goal, AND ONE! The King of New York defends his home court!"

Amidst the deafening chants of "MVP," Lynch made the free throw, and Anthony cursed as he slammed his headband to the ground.

The score was tied 2-2, with Lynch playing 46 minutes to help the Knicks tie the game.

The series has entered the decisive Game 5.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Lynch patted Trevor Ariza on the head and said, "Thanks, Trevor."

Then, instead of yelling or spewing trash talk, he just muttered and repeated:

"I won't let you lose, I won't let you lose!"

Ariza was surprised that Lynch had said almost the same thing as he had just said.

The team's synergy is more synchronized than they had anticipated.

(End of this chapter)