Champion Rules

Chapter 81, Chapter 077: The Perfect Script for the Playoffs (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

[Raises the upper limit of shooting ability to JR. Smith level, cost: 200 talent points.]

[Raise strength cap to Battier's level, price: 200 talent points. (Requires weight adjustment)]

[Raises passing ability to the level of Mark Jackson. Price: 200 Talent Points.]

The three items refreshed this time were much better than the last time, and Lin Qi felt that the passing item was what he needed right now.

Lynch has always had a problem on the offensive end – a stark contrast between his keen court vision and his lagging passing skills.

Thanks to the tactical awareness cultivated by the European basketball system, Lynch possesses excellent spatial awareness, enabling him to capture fleeting passing paths in the blink of an eye.

This is his innate talent, which he possesses even without a system.

However, there is a huge gap between "being able to see teammates" and "being able to pass the ball to teammates who can see it in time".

His mind had already sketched out a brilliant attack plan, but his hands seemed to be under a spell, unable to bring it to life.

Lynch's unconventional thinking and lack of technical skills severely limited his role as a tactical pivot and restricted his influence on the offensive end.

At this stage, LBJ also suffers from a problem where his hands can't keep up with his brain, which is why his turnover rate is always alarmingly high.

The only difference between him and Lynch is that he now dares to call himself a point forward.

Mark Jackson's passing talent will solve Lynch's weakness.

Jackson is an underrated passer whose career trajectory is similar to that of Jason Williams, who amazed the world with his dazzling passing in his early years and gradually transformed into a tactical mastermind who controls the overall situation as he gained experience.

Of course, Mark Jackson's impact on the game was much greater than Jason Williams'. He consistently achieved impressive statistics and led his teams to breakthroughs.

A truly top-tier point guard can significantly raise the floor of a team, and Mark Jackson did just that.

However, because the point guard position is difficult to raise the team's ceiling, they are often abandoned by the team at crucial moments, and Mark Jackson was no exception to this curse.

This is precisely why the role of the point guard in a team is easily underestimated.

If Sam Cassell was the most underrated point guard of the 90s, then Mark Jackson was the most underrated point guard of the 80s.

As one of the top three players on the NBA's all-time assist list, Mark Jackson can pass the ball to his teammates from any position and seize fleeting opportunities.

Lynch decided to trade Mark Jackson's passing ability, which would not only make his assist numbers look better, but also make him a true offensive focal point.

Of course, like all talents, he needs a long period of training to fully realize his talent as an immediate combat force.

With his talent points depleted again, Lin Qi now has another training goal.

This season he has already realized many of his talents: Korver's jump shot, his agile, non-traveling footwork, Shaq's hook shot, and Malone Jackson's passing.

These talents have already shown their potential in the regular season, but they are still far from being fully realized.

If he works hard during this offseason, Lin Qi believes his ability will improve significantly next season when his talent is fully converted into immediate impact.

Of course, Lynch still needs to focus on the present.

He needs to prove himself in his first playoff appearance.

4月底，林奇带着场均23.2分11.8个篮板2.3次助攻1.1次抢断2.5次封盖这已经预定年度最佳新秀的数据，站上了万众瞩目的季后赛舞台。

Gilbert Arenas stood in Madison Square Garden, his mind filled with one word—scoring.

This Wizards' star guard is still obsessed with his 44-point performance in the regular season, and the word "scoring" has become a curse etched deep in his eyes.

He believes that scoring is the right way for him to deal with Lynch, and that his scoring explosiveness is stronger than Lynch's, which is his advantage.

The playoffs are precisely the stage where star players' abilities are tested, so I should take more shots.

With this unwavering conviction, the General peacefully bid farewell to himself in Game 1 of the series.

Gilbert Arenas went into a self-destructive frenzy from the start, his overly obsessive shooting resulted in him making only 7 of 20 shots, including a disastrous 1 of 7 from three-point range.

He ultimately scored 26 points, but his 35% shooting percentage revealed that he was hurting the team.

After the game, Arenas was dubbed "Little Kobe" by The New York Times.

Some people seem to have never left, even if they don't make the playoffs.

In Game 2, Antoine Jamison was held to 4-for-13 shooting by Lynch, which revealed Arenas's helplessness.

It seems he really has no one to pass on his knowledge to.

Antawn Jamison averaged a respectable 19.6 points per game in the regular season, but in the four games against Lynch, he only averaged 10.5 points, a drop of almost half.

In the playoffs, Antoine Jamison still couldn't solve Lynch's problem.

He was completely lost.

Meanwhile, the Wizards' other sharpshooter, Larry Hughes, also completely shut down against the ironclad defense. This guy, who can never make the right shot selection, had his low offensive efficiency, which was already criticized in the regular season, become even more appalling under the intensity of the playoffs.

In Arenas's eyes, his two teammates' poor performances disqualified them from even touching a basketball.

As a result, his attacks became increasingly frantic, as he hoped to end the game with terrifying individual firepower.

In the second game, Arenas improved his shooting percentage to 42% and scored 37 points.

The Wizards still lost the game and fled back to Washington with a 0-2 series deficit.

Arenas' prediction of "finishing the game in five games" has become a joke. The Wizards and Knicks are adjacent in the regular season rankings, but the real gap in pure strength seems to be much larger.

The Washington home arena for Game 3 has become Arenas' last battleground for redemption.

The Wizards' remaining fighting spirit is as fragile as a candle in the wind. This team, which already lacks a fighting spirit, will collapse like dominoes once the score reaches 0-3.

The locker room will no longer be filled with the gunpowder of the playoffs, but rather the salty stench of a strip club.

Amidst the current 0-2 deficit, the Wizards still retain a few stubborn glimmers of hope. But if the New York tyrant were to crush this city, Arenas' 04-05 season would be over.

He will become the first victim of the new order in the East.

He certainly didn't want such a tragedy to happen, and the Wizards players didn't want their efforts throughout the season to end with four consecutive losses in the playoffs, which would make their hard work over the past seven months seem meaningless.

These guys, making their last stand, put on a truly manly performance on home soil.

Larry Hughes found his rhythm, converting several pull-up jumpers over Grant Hill into points. His shot selection is still problematic, but the difference is that most of those questionable shots went in today.

Arenas not only scored but also started passing the ball, distributing it to his teammates. His drive and pass allowed Brandon Haywood to make 7 of 8 shots efficiently.

Only Antoine Jamison remained unchanged, lost in Lynch's defensive vortex, futilely crashing against the invisible barrier.

For the Knicks, Marbury was effectively shut down by Larry Hughes today, his agile dribbling seemingly shackled.

Grant Hill's attempts to penetrate were repeatedly blocked by the highly motivated Brandon Haywood.

The two teams played a very close game, with the lead changing hands repeatedly in the fourth quarter.

The splattering sweat and the swirling net patterns intertwined under the spotlight, forming a blood-red totem.

This is what the playoffs should really look like.

With 16 seconds left in the game, the Wizards led by 2 points when Gilbert Arenas drove hard past Stephon Marbury.

The son of New York is so eager to win a series for the Knicks, and he also longs to win a series for himself.

Throughout his career, Stephon Marbury has never experienced winning a series.

Previously in Minneapolis, he had made it to the playoffs twice with the Timberwolves, but never advanced.

He held on to Arenas with all his might, struggling against the opponent's terrifying impact.

With a sudden burst of power from the General's left shoulder, Marbury staggered back half a step, and Agent Zero cleaved through the restricted area like a blood-red lightning bolt.

"Damn it!" Marbury was out of position again, and now he can only rely on his teammates to help defend.

Kurt Thomas had to let go of Brandon Haywood, who had eaten too much biscuit that night, and leaped to fill in. The General tumbled in the air, but his sore waist and abdominal muscles made his movements sluggish. The stamina drained by 42 minutes of hard-fought battle began to betray him.

Before it could be folded into shape, the basketball was slapped away by Kurt Thomas's huge hand, and Thomas himself was knocked down in a sorry state.

The collective gasps of 20,000 bodies at the MCI Center caused the temperature in the stadium to plummet until the referee blew his whistle.

"Foul! Kurt Thomas fouls out, and the referee gives Gilbert two free throws! For the Wizards, who are already up by 2 points, this is enough to end the game!" Mike Breen roared, pounding the floor like a madman.

Stephon Marbury sat on the ground, hugging his knees, feeling helpless and guilty in the face of Arenas.

“Winning a series is never fucking easy,” he muttered to Lynch, who came to help him up.

The game restarted, and Arenas stepped to the free-throw line, trying to catch his heavy breathing.

The MCI Center erupted with chants of "MVP!" The General's performance tonight—36 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals—deserved the fans' praise.

He was under immense pressure; the fighter wearing the number zero jersey carried the hopes for the series' survival.

He cannot give the Knicks a chance.

However, the lingering effects of the intense competition made his touch stiff, and on his first free throw, the basketball bounced off the rim.

A tremendous sigh seemed to crush the dome of the MCI Center. Arenas cursed under his breath, then turned and high-fived his teammates. "It's okay, they're doomed even with a 3-point lead!" Larry Hughes replied.

“We all trust you!” Brandon Haywood gave Arenas a light high five.

Another person approached Arenas, but instead of encouraging his teammate, it was an uninvited guest.

Lynch smiled and stared into Arenas' eyes: "If you miss this next free throw, you'll see who ends the game. Go Albert."

"Get out of here!" Arenas's eyes immediately became bloodshot, and his hands began to tremble.

Lynch did not respond, but simply smiled and returned to his seat.

Arenas prepared to take his second free throw, amidst a chorus of MVP chants. This was both encouragement and a responsibility.

The responsibility creates even greater pressure, seeping into Agent Zero's taut biceps.

At this moment, Arenas envied those irresponsible people who could win or lose without any pressure simply by handing over the game to their teammates at crucial moments.

After a season of hard work, the prospect of the playoffs, and his own reputation, Arenas felt that there was more than just the basket in front of him; many other things were blurring his vision.

He raised the basketball above his head, overcoming all his nervousness.

But Lynch's words echoed like a curse the instant he made his move.

"If you miss this next shot, you'll see who ends the game."

"Boom!"

"Fvck!!!"

"Gilbert misses both free throws, Lynch grabs the rebound, Knicks call a timeout! Listen to the sounds from the crowd, Washingtonians know their star player has made a fatal mistake!!!" Mike Breen got goosebumps all over.

That's how the playoffs are; if you can't achieve greatness, someone else will have the chance to achieve greatness over you.

His eyes were fixed on Lin Qi. Would he seize the opportunity?

Lenny Wilkens knelt in front of Lynch, whose 19-year-old body seemed far too young compared to the immense pressure.

But he entrusted the task to him without any doubt.

The King of New York will personally behead his opponent.

After Lenny Wilkens finished outlining the tactics, Stephon Marbury took a few deep breaths.

Before going on stage, Lynch patted the Son of New York on the shoulder.

"Don't think too much, Stephen. You'll soon find out that winning a series is fucking that easy."

The game started, and no one in the MCI center was sitting on the bench.

They longed for victory just as much as the people of New York, perhaps even more so.

Because the last time this team won a series was back in 1982, when they were still called the Washington Bullets, and back then, even Bird and Magic Johnson hadn't completely dominated the league, and Michael Jordan hadn't even stepped into the NBA yet.

Even Michael Jordan couldn't revitalize this team.

After two decades of chaos and silence, only Gilbert Arenas' Wizards look like a strong team capable of winning.

Lynch walked onto the stage, and Agent Zero approached him with resentful anger.

"You think you're Scottie Pippen? I'm not the Mailman! I'm not going to die from a clutch free throw!"

"Shut up, Gilbert. Whether you live or die is no longer up to you."

The ball is inbounded from the sideline, and Stephon Marbury has possession.

Larry Hughes gritted his teeth; he had defended Marbury countless times tonight, and the last time would be no exception.

The season's steals leader applied aggressive pressure, with Marbury dribbling behind his back and switching hands, followed by a nimble spin move.

But he still hasn't shaken off Larry Hughes, whose defensive prowess is beyond question.

Time was ticking away, but Stephon Marbury remained calm and composed as he controlled the ball.

After another series of quick changes of direction, he finally got past Larry Hughes and went straight into the penalty area.

The Wizards' defense immediately tensed up; was Lynch not the Knicks' final choice?

This is a reasonable assumption; no one stipulates that the person who takes the last shot must be the star player.

Marbury drove into the paint, and the Wizards' defensive formation was completely altered.

The moment the Son of New York took off, he was surrounded by three men in mid-air—Heywood, Jamison, and Larry Hughes were all beside him.

Lenny Wilkens clenched his fist on the sidelines, victory was within reach—Antoine Jamison should never have been there!

Marbury can turn the ball up and pass it in a crowd. He is not a traditional point guard, but his ability to find teammates in a crowd after a drive and pass is exceptional.

The basketball, trailing a blur, finally landed in Lynch's hands at a 45-degree angle on the right side of the three-point line.

With only 3 seconds left, Antoine Jamison was so desperate that he forgot to dive outside, his legs like concrete blocks cast into the penalty area.

Gilbert Arenas was the first to react. Lynch's curse echoed in his ears once again, and he vowed not to let it become a reality!
The general attacked from the side, reaching out to interfere.

It appeared to be a relatively serious interference, but the basketball still grazed Arenas's hand and flew towards the basket.

The entire arena held its breath, all eyes fixed on the basketball—except for Lynch.

Like the legendary Larry O'Neal in the 1988 Three-Point Contest, he walked straight to the sidelines after taking the shot, pointed one finger to the sky, and exuded confidence and certainty.

On the training court, Lynch has made countless shots from this sweet spot. Whether it's a mid-range shot or a three-pointer from the right side, Lynch is extremely confident.

Therefore, he only needs to glance at the trajectory of the ball to know whether it will go in or not, and his judgment is almost always correct.

Lynch's composure, Arenas's nervousness, and the horrified expressions of all the Washington fans created the first iconic moment in Lynch's playoff career.

A red light flickered at Lynch's fingertips, accompanied by the soft rustling of leather against a mesh bag and an electronic buzzing sound.

The MCI Center erupted in a deafening chorus of boos, but this was precisely the best reward for Lynch.

"Bang!!! Game-winning shot!!! Lynch's first career buzzer-beater!!! The King of New York is here to conquer the playoffs!!!"

Mike Brin’s signature shout echoed across the United States, but Lynch remained calm, while his teammates ran towards him like madmen.

Stephon Marbury jumped onto Lynch, wrapping his legs tightly around his waist, turning the frustration of his previous defensive failure into ecstasy.

"Fuck! We won! We won! Damn, we're about to win the series!"

Lynch put his arm around him and gently stroked his shiny scalp with the other: "I'm not kidding you, winning a series is as easy as buying a hot dog on the streets of Brooklyn."

Gilbert Arenas collapsed to the ground, his head throbbing as if he had been struck by a hammer.

He couldn't hear the boos from the crowd, the comforting words from his teammates, or the shouts from the Knicks players.

That one sentence kept echoing in his mind.

"If you miss this next shot, you'll see who ends the game."

Yes, he saw it.
-
Gilbert underestimated himself; he won't need five games to finish the series, four will suffice. — Lynch held up four fingers in the post-game footage, declaring his sweep.

A magnificent game-winner, a perfect stage, there couldn't be a better script. Lynch's final shot propelled the New York Knicks into the second round. Are the Miami Heat ready? They better be ready. —Stephen A. Smith

I'd rank Lynch's preemptive turn and upward gesture as the number one "most stylish goal celebration in history." Compared to MJ's ecstatic celebration after "The Shot," Lynch seemed to be telling the world that this was his birthplace. — Charles Barkley's assessment of Lynch's game-winning goal.

I don't want to answer this damn question! Get out of here! Get the fuck out of here! — Gilbert Arenas raged after being asked, "What did Lynch say to you before the second free throw?"

"Lynch, your first career buzzer-beater game-winner, did you ever imagine this moment?"

"I've imagined it countless times. Which boy hasn't had this fantasy? The spotlight, a crucial game, a game-winning shot—but I guarantee the real experience is a hundred times more thrilling than you can imagine!"

What's your take on Antoine's defensive choices in the final moments? Why did he leave you open to help defend Stephen?

"I don't care about the Wizards' players, I just want to say, thank you, Steph. He's one of the best penetrators in the league, and I knew he could mess up the Wizards' defense."

"Although the series isn't over yet, Gilbert is almost certainly destined to lose. Next, you'll be facing the top seed in the East. Are you nervous?"

"Why should I be nervous? If we fall at the same time, the first one will definitely feel more pain than the fourth one."

"Are you really confident you can beat the top team in the East? They look unstoppable."

"Why do you guys keep emphasizing the top ranking in the East? In my opinion, I'm just going to embarrass that incompetent fat guy."

"Shaq's provocation makes you very angry?"

"Yes."

So I'll ask you again, are you really confident you can beat the top team in the East?

"Yes!"

—Lin Qi's interview with Sports Illustrated.

(End of this chapter)