Champion Rules

Chapter 93 089: Life is indeed more important than basketball (Seeking monthly votes!)

You must respect LeBron James.

You have to admit, he is indeed capable, and quite capable at that.

He crushed the defense like a heavily armored tank, tore apart the defense with accurate three-pointers, assisted his teammates with smart passes, and even managed to complete an incredible layup under Lynch's overwhelming block.

That night, he was exactly how the "chosen one" was expected by the people of Cleveland.

He is not a pure clown, and defeating a clown is of no value.

So when LBJ played so well today, but was still outshone by Lynch, the entire New York fanbase went wild.

Only by defeating someone like LBJ can Lynch's strength be truly highlighted!

New York fans just wished the game hadn't been played at Madison Square Garden.

Lynch's four-point rating deserved deafening cheers, but the Quicken Loans Center was as quiet as an icebox.

Cleveland fans completely wasted this moment.

Despite the narrow one-point difference, LeBron James's pride was severely wounded.

He knew he had done his best tonight.

His efficient output of 2-for-3 from three-point range, zero turnovers in passing, and unstoppable finishing efficiency under the basket all demonstrate his dominance this season.

But the Cavaliers still fell behind.

The glaringly low numbers on the scoreboard made his perfect performance seem utterly inadequate.

This is more disheartening than falling behind due to poor form.

Basketball is like a mirror, reflecting a cruel truth—LBJ's pure skill is inferior to Lynch's.

The king of Cleveland ultimately revealed his mortal nature in the face of his archenemy.

If Lynch ultimately wins this match, this fact will be exposed to everyone without any concealment.

After the timeout, Mike Brown decided to bring in the starting lineup early. The one-star-four-shooter tactic in the transition period may be very strong offensively, but Mike Brown, from the Spurs system, is a coach who believes in defense.

"LeBron, get your act together! Stop with the offensive gimmicks during the transition periods, and get the starters back on the court after the timeout! That's why we emphasize defense; once the opponent gets a series of baskets, they'll play more and more smoothly."

Therefore, we must maintain our tough defense to the very end! If we play excellent defense, the Knicks are doomed! As soon as the timeout ends, I want to see a nail-biting, high-octane defensive battle!

Mike Brown's theory seems to be correct, because when the Cavaliers had their defense-focused starting lineup in the first quarter, they maintained their dominance over the Knicks.

The Cavaliers only started to fall behind in the second quarter when their offensive-focused lineup came into play.

LeBron James raised his head again. He believed in the bald coach and he believed that defense could help the Cavaliers regain the lead.

Larry Hughes nudged James with his elbow: "Hey, it's only one point behind. Don't worry about being behind for now. We're all behind you!"

The team atmosphere this season is completely different from last season, with the new management clearing out all those who caused trouble in the locker room.

James was grateful for Larry Hughes' support and rallied. He was determined to fight Lynch to the bitter end today!
The game seemed to have shifted to a rugby rhythm, with the Cavaliers switching from offense to defense.

When the Cavaliers' starting five returned to the court with a unified stride, Quicken Loans Arena was also reactivated.

"Fuck it all." Sam Cassel cursed in frustration. He knew that the difficulty of the attack would increase dramatically, and the attack route would shrink into a hellish gate.

Lenny Wilkens tapped his clipboard: "Strangle them with tighter defense, I want to smell blood!"

This was the East at the beginning of the century, where basketball wasn't about flashy moves or scoring.

The game continued, and James was double-teamed on his first offensive possession.

Eric Snow is a spatial black hole; once he's on the court, the Cavaliers' offense is essentially 4 against 5.

Eddie Jones and Grant Hill's combined double-team forced James to pass the ball to Larry Hughes.

Larry Hughes' words to LeBron James on the bench were indeed touching, but James seems to have forgotten that the Wizards were swept 4-0 by the Knicks last season.

If Larry Hughes had really stood up for Arenas, the Wizards wouldn't have ended up like that.

"boom!"

"Larry Hughes' pull-up jumper missed; the arc was too flat. The experienced Sam maintained his defensive position throughout, using a textbook block to force the opponent to take a difficult shot."

With Reggie Miller's shouts, the offensive and defensive shifts.

Lynch continued to draw double teams in the low post. Before the double team formed by the two white-clad defenders could close in, the basketball had already passed through the gaps and accurately found Eddie Jones outside the three-point line at the top of the arc.

But Eric Snow's rotation and cover were quite quick; the moment Eddie Jones gathered the ball, he cleanly sliced ​​it away with a single hand.

In the transition between offense and defense, James sprinted forward to try and launch a fast break, and Snow delivered a pass that crossed half the court.

But Grant Hill appeared in the perfect position, throwing his body into the air, his fingertips barely grazing the spinning basketball.

The basketball was flicked into the stands by Grant Hill's finger, and the sighs of 20,000 Cleveland fans turned into waves of regret.

Although the Cavaliers still had possession of the ball, their offense once again became a grueling, back-and-forth battle where every inch of ground was contested.

The intense offensive battle between Lin and Zhan lasted only a few rounds before they were swallowed up by the iron-willed defense.

All the male fans present deeply understood what it meant to be sexually frustrated, and they all decided to treat their wives better starting tonight.

During a break in play, Lenny Wilkens substituted the catching-out Cassell and Nazr Muhammad with the rested Stephon Marbury and Kurt Thomas, and the Knicks fielded their full starting lineup.

This substitution was like adding fuel to the fire, pushing the already suffocating defensive intensity to a new level.

In the following game, neither side could break through the defense, and the star players of both teams became the battering ram.

The game has completely entered the superstar moment, with only Lynch and James able to consistently score against this tight defense.

LeBron James repeatedly scored for the Cavaliers with incredible zombie layups and excellent jump shot touch.

But Lynch responded with steady catch-and-shoot, explosive second-chance opportunities, and aggressive drives to the basket.

The two sides traded leads, and even when LeBron James went into god mode, the balance of victory remained extremely tight.

While the savior that Cleveland residents have been eagerly awaiting has delivered on his promise, the ultimate suspense still lingers atop the Quicken Loans Center dome.

Can LeBron James end the Knicks' Cleveland curse? When the final red light comes on, will the cheers come from the crimson jerseys or the azure whirlwind?

At this moment, even the air in the quick loan center seemed to freeze into a taut bowstring.

As the game progressed, James gradually fell behind in terms of individual performance.

Physical contact hampered his excellent touch, and the strategy of leaving Snow open to cut off James's receiving routes made James's cuts to the basket unsustainable.

Lynch's shooting touch was also worn off, but he could still maintain his scoring stats with second-chance opportunities. He keenly observed the trajectory of every rebound, turning second-chance opportunities into a deadly weapon for conquering cities.

With 52 seconds left in the game, LeBron James scored 38 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists, his performance shining like a diamond.

But the shadow of his arch-rival never fades – Lynch has already racked up his first career 40-point triple-double with 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists!
Lynch's stats have completely overshadowed LeBron James's performance at 100%, making James's 100% effortless.

The only way for James to save face now is to win.

Only by rendering his opponent's impressive stats meaningless can LBJ maintain his dignity as a champion in front of the people of Cleveland.

The Cavaliers were down by 3 points at this point. James missed a jump shot, marking his third consecutive missed shot. Lynch was unable to jump because Drew Gooden grabbed his jersey, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas took advantage of the situation to tip the ball off the rim and put it back in.

The Quicken Loans Arena was rocked by the ground, and the Cavaliers were just one point away from tying the game!
Even worse, Lynch's next mid-range catch-and-shoot attempt also failed.

Lynch's score has been stuck at 41 points for several possessions now, and like LeBron James, he has started to miss shots in a row.

The two superstars also began to lose their way in the face of the iron-clad defense.

The Cavaliers paused the game, Lynch cursed under his breath, and LBJ walked over to Lynch.

"Larry just told me a little story, and I'll return everything you said to Gilbert Arenas in last season's playoffs: After you miss this shot, you'll see who ends the game!"

Before Lynch could respond, LeBron James walked off the court.

Mike Brown didn't hesitate to draw up a three-point play for James, believing that his star player could end it all.

"Just one three-pointer, a two-point lead and we'll have New York on the verge of collapse! Then, if they want to win, they'll have no choice but to use three-pointers, and we'll just focus on defending them. LeBron, let Lynch cry with his 40-point triple-double!"

Although both James and Lynch have missed consecutive shots, Mike Brown believes that these two stars, who dominated the entire game, will continue to step up in crucial moments.

Therefore, we must not give Lin Qi even the slightest chance.

James nodded, and all the fans in Cleveland were looking forward to him personally beheading the young Caesar.

At the start of the game, the Knicks did their best to defend James when he received the ball, but in the end, it was Larry Hughes who received the ball.

Instead of attacking immediately, he feigned a breakthrough but actually passed the ball to LBJ, who had circled out to the three-point line using a screen.

LeBron James received the ball, Eddie Jones was completely blocked by the screen, and Lynch rushed out like a madman.

He knew this would leave Donyell Marshall, who was having a good shooting night, open, but since James had just said those things to him, he would definitely take the shot himself.

Although Lynch rushed out, James still had plenty of space to shoot and could easily take the shot.

The air in the quick loan center seemed to be sucked out, and 20,000 eyes were focused on the moment when number 23 raised his hand to shoot.

But he hesitated.

The shadows of three consecutive missed shots were like the bites of a venomous snake, and the young king's resolve wavered in milliseconds. Just as Lynch's fingertips were about to obscure his vision, the basketball transformed into a white dove fleeing the battlefield, flying towards the completely unguarded Donyell Marshall.

Cleveland fans' expectations have once again been dashed by LBJ.

Lynch was also dumbfounded, recalling James's words: "After you miss this shot, you'll see who ends the game."

Oh, so you said that on behalf of Donyell Marshall!

If I don't vote, what are you pretending for!
"Uh-huh!"

Donyell Marshall lived up to expectations with his mid-range shot, and the Nets stirred up a huge uproar, but could not extinguish the fear in the hearts of the Clevelands.

Mike Brown was equally uneasy because the Cavaliers were only leading by one point, and the Knicks could use various tactics to regain the lead, which was completely different from his plan to force the Knicks to the three-point line and then apply targeted defense.

If they are only leading by one point, the Cavaliers simply cannot defend any area.

He wanted to question James about why he didn't take the shot when he had such a good opportunity, but he couldn't bring himself to ask, because James had indeed made the right choice.

He passed the ball to his teammate with the best opportunity, and that teammate scored. It couldn't have been better.

but
People have seen Kobe Bryant's relentless airballs in the playoffs, Garnett's arrogant and volatile temper, AI challenge those god-like guys, and Lynch arrogantly take down Shaq.

But you've never seen the same level of boldness from a young LeBron James. He's too standard; he just plays the right game, nothing more.

There's nothing wrong with that, but just like his pre-game statement that life is more important than basketball: precise, correct, and flawless, yet devoid of the bloodthirsty instincts a superstar should possess.

This is not the LBJ that people want to see.

Amid cheers from the Quicken Loans Arena, there was a restless unease. Mike Brown had no time to think about the play he had just made; he gripped his clipboard so tightly that his fingernails almost dug into the plastic.

"Squad! Squad Lin Qi the moment he gets the ball! Don't give him any breathing room!"

Although Lynch has missed several shots in a row, Mike Brown is convinced that he will make another attempt.

He possesses a playing style completely different from LBJ's.

Lynch sat on the bench, and Sam Cassell, the player known for his clutch performance, told him not to feel pressured.

But it's impossible to be without pressure; Lynch's previous shots had all gone wide.

If the Knicks squander this opportunity, they'll be left with nothing but tactical fouls to try their luck. If they do, Lynch's 40-point triple-double will turn from an achievement into a joke.

Sam Cassell patted Lynch on the shoulder:

"No one can pretend that pressure doesn't exist; you can only learn to face it. Others' expectations are not a burden, but a privilege of champions. What a star player should really be anxious about is not even having the right to be expected of!"

Lin Qi laughed, anticipation, everything was about anticipation.

Lin Qi didn't want to owe a huge amount of interest.

"Here I am!" he roared, leaping up the instant the pause ended.

The game restarted, and the air in Quicken Loans Arena was thick with tension.

Two basketball philosophies are about to clash in a fateful way: one represents a perfect equation of absolute rationality, and the other is an inextinguishable flame burning with primal wildness.

The referee's whistle blew, its sharp sound piercing the frozen air in the Quick Loan Center.

The Knicks' tactics were simple and brutal; they just let Lynch receive the ball!
Lynch backed down Gooden on the left edge of the paint, and before the thud of muscles colliding had even faded, the basketball was delivered to Gooden with the precision of a cannonball.

Without hesitation or testing, Lynch turned abruptly with his left foot as he received the ball. Gooden's hastily raised hands had barely reached his chest when the orange-red ball was already soaring into the air in an arc.

He was so decisive that he didn't waste a single second!

Whether it's failure or humiliation, Lin Qi hopes that at least his destiny is in his own hands.

"Lynch's shot was incredibly decisive. Drew Gooden didn't react in time, and the Cavaliers didn't even have time to double-team. Yes! Yes! The ball goes in! Lynch's 43rd point of the game! The Knicks take a one-point lead with five seconds left! The Cavaliers have no timeouts left. They inbound the ball from the baseline, Eric Snow is under pressure, and he has no choice but to pass. Larry Hughes struggles across half-court and launches a long-range three-pointer."
The game is over! The game is over! Lynch continues to dominate Cleveland!

In the audience, countless unfocused pupils reflected Lin Qi being lifted up by his teammates.

This wasn't a buzzer-beater, but it was enough to leave a shadow in the hearts of all Cleveland fans.

The entire Knicks team rushed to Lynch to celebrate the victory.

Cavaliers fans, watching Lynch surrounded by accolades, couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if LeBron James had taken that three-pointer, if he had been as decisive as Lynch.
There are no "what ifs" now; they can only envy Lynch for once again fulfilling all the expectations of Knicks fans.

LeBron James, at 100% condition, was completely overwhelmed by Lynch's stats and lost the game.

Absolute rationality was defeated by the emperor's decisiveness.

Lynch broke free from his teammates' embrace and grabbed LBJ, who was about to leave.

"Who's going to close out the game? It's me, LeBron!"
-
I think LeBron is right, life is definitely more important than basketball. So let's finish this interview quickly, I'm going to get something to eat. As the winner, I should have the right to say that, right? LBJ doesn't need to be sad either, after all, life is more important than basketball. — Lynch joked about LBJ after winning the game.

I don't know, I made the right choice, and Donyer made that shot, but we... Anyway, it's just a regular season game, not the end of the world. — LeBron James responding to his last-minute decision.

LeBron James will never be MJ, never be Lynch, never be any great player. He's missing something, something crucial. — Charles Barkley's assessment of James' performance.

Everyone laughs at LeBron, but LeBron is the funniest of all. — Stephen A. Smith

(End of this chapter)