Champion Rules

Chapter 318 (314): Welcome to the East (Seeking monthly votes!)

On media day for the new season, Kyrie Irving was in the spotlight.

Reporters asked him more questions than they asked Lynch.

The problems are varied.

"Kyrie, is it a huge challenge for you to face a point guard who was on the All-NBA First Team last season in your debut?"

"You know, the New York Knicks' goal is a four-peat. For a rookie, does the immense pressure of winning a championship affect your performance?"

"Carey, which of the following records do you think you have a chance to break in your career?"

First, he broke Lynch's record as the youngest MVP.

Second, surpass the man who dominated the three-point line and break Michael Jordan's record of 5 points in the Three-Point Contest.

Third, it broke Dennis Rodman's record of three bull calf breakages.

Fourth, it breaks Wilt Chamberlain's record of making a field goal from 20,000 different baskets.

"Master Ou, what's your opinion on the flat Earth theory?"

Kyrie Irving experienced the frenzy of the New York media for the first time.

He was truly insane and mad.

The arrival of number one draft pick Kyrie Irving has added even more buzz to the Knicks, who were already the most popular team in the league.

However, this also means that if any problems arise in the Knicks' locker room this season, or if anyone underperforms, the massive influx of attention will cause huge trouble.

Trouble came sooner than Lynch had anticipated.

On the third day after training camp began, new head coach Mike Malone publicly criticized Kyrie Irving in a routine interview.

"My job is to tell the truth, sometimes even the harsh truth. The truth is, Kyrie's defense has been a huge disappointment. He allowed Ray to make five three-pointers in today's scrimmage."

Of course, Ray is an experienced star player and one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He just broke the Finals single-game three-point record last season.

However, Carey still let Ray play too easily, which is completely contrary to the foundation of our team's tough defense.

That kid was a genius. From high school to Duke, his greatest skill and the thing that people talked about most was 'making beautiful shots'.

But in New York, for a team aiming for a fourth consecutive championship, that's far from enough.

I like to tell the truth.

To Kyrie Irving's surprise, Mike Malone had already given him a severe dressing-down in the locker room after practice, berating him harshly.

He thought that all of this was over.

But to everyone's surprise, Mike Malone criticized himself again in front of the media.

This was something Kyrie Irving found very difficult to understand.

LeBron James' five points in the Finals are being mentioned repeatedly, which is normal because it's a hard-earned honor related to the championship, very hard-earned, and deserves to be repeatedly celebrated.

But I was just allowed to make five three-pointers in a scrim and I'm being repeatedly criticized. Isn't that a bit too much?
Of course, Mike Malone was not targeting the number one draft pick.

Over the next few days, he publicly criticized a player in the media almost every day.

Compared to the always mild-mannered Philip Sanders, Mike Malone never shies away from venting his emotions in front of the media.

In the original history, during his only time as an All-Star coach, he didn't shy away from criticizing the current All-Star Game as "the worst basketball game in history, like a glorified layup drill."

This statement also cost him the chance to participate in All-Star Weekend forever.

Mike Malone is a very straightforward person. When he was an assistant coach, people only knew him for his outspoken and unfiltered criticism of opponents. Now, people also know him for his unfiltered criticism of everyone.

Two weeks into the training camp, when Lynch arrived at the Greenburg training center locker room as usual, he overheard some conversations that hadn't been heard in the past few years.

At the time, DeAndre Jordan was changing clothes while listening to rap music.

Kyrie Irving walked past him and cracked a joke:

"DeAndre, you'd better put on a really good performance in training today. Otherwise, Mike will think that you're committing a crime by listening to music, and then he'll angrily accuse you of not being focused enough before training in front of the reporters, hahaha."

After he finished speaking, a helpless laugh echoed in the locker room for a few seconds.

The players didn't really like Mike Malone's approach; he praised the players, but his criticisms were more direct.

In New York City, where the spotlight never goes out, once a player is singled out for criticism by the head coach, he is met with an overwhelming media frenzy and sharp questions from reporters.

Although no one has publicly expressed their dissatisfaction so far, Lin Qi can clearly see that an undercurrent of discontent is already brewing in the locker room.

He must resolve this issue before the discontent fully erupts.

After everyone publicly expressed their dissatisfaction with the head coach, after someone had an argument with Mike Malone, and after Mike Malone lost support in the locker room.

Everything was truly beyond repair.

Lynch and Sam Presti had long known about Mike Malone's weaknesses.

In fact, even Philip Sanders, who recommended Mike Malone to succeed him, knew his shortcomings.

The reason they still dared to let him be the head coach was because of what Flip Saunders said:
“Lin Qi, you have absolute control over the locker room.”

After practice today, Mike Malone, as usual, clapped his hands to acknowledge the team's efforts, but his "I love to tell the truth" attitude came back to him.

He glanced at Kyrie Irving and said sternly, "Remember, Coach K's support for you entering the draft doesn't mean you're already an NBA-caliber player. Kid, you need more patience."

While wiping his sweat, Lynch walked discreetly toward Mike Malone, gesturing for them to return to the office together.

He didn't want to question Mike Malone in front of the other players, as that would damage his reputation.

Therefore, he chose to talk in private.

After entering the office, Mike Malone poured Lynch a glass of water: "Is there something you need, Lynch?"

Lynch cut to the chase: "Don't you think you've been criticizing the guys a bit too much lately in the media?"

Mike Malone shrugged, as blunt as ever: "I'm just telling the truth. I need to let them know where they're not doing well so they'll work harder."

“You can tell them to their faces what they didn’t do well, but you don’t have to tell the media. Doing what I say will benefit us all. You see, I understand your difficulties very well, so I’m saying this to you in the office, not in the locker room.”

Lin Qi's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable forcefulness.

Mike Malone instantly grasped the weight of the words; it wasn't a tone of negotiation, but rather...
Order!

Yes, Lynch was giving orders.

In the locker room of this dynasty team, if anyone held the authority to give orders to the head coach, it was Lynch.

The prestige and achievements he built here far surpassed those of Mike Malone, who had just taken over as manager.

Yes, Mike Malone was also part of the New York dynasty. But back when he was still an assistant coach, Lynch was already the undisputed master of this basketball mecca.

For tough guys like Mike Malone, gentle persuasion is often ineffective; only a more assertive attitude can make him back down.

Sure enough, the silence in the office lasted only a few seconds.

Mike Malone met Lynch's sharp gaze, nodded slightly, and compromised:

“If you really think this is better for the team, then I’ll keep that in mind in the future, Lynch. After all, you are the leader of this team.”

"Thank you, Mike. I knew you were the best head coach candidate."

Lynch walked out of the office, while the players on the training field continued doing their own things.

Unbeknownst to them, Lynch and Mike Malone had a rather crucial conversation.

This is the effect Lynch wanted.

He knew that surpassing the three-peat would involve more than just competitive challenges; a great leader can always keep the ship firmly in control before things get out of control.

During the following period, Mike Malone continued his outspoken style and always yelled in the locker room.

But he never again publicly spoke ill of the players in front of the media.

The growing tension between players and coaches has quietly dissipated, and Kyrie Irving no longer needs to be the tragic protagonist of headline articles like "The Troublesome Number One Draft Pick."

This revitalized Knicks team has become cohesive again, and this was evident in the preseason.

The Knicks won all eight of their three games in China and five preseason games in North America.

Kyrie Irving averaged 19.7 points per game in eight games, which was already an outstanding performance, but compared to the second overall pick Derrick Williams, his performance was even more dazzling.

Milos Teodosic also performed at the level expected of a European MVP, and his stylish passes became a beautiful sight in New York.

In almost every match, he delivers a brilliant assist that earns him a place among the top ten plays of the day.

Even more surprisingly, Milos Teodosic's shooting did not decline significantly under the intensity of NBA-level defense.

Admittedly, he can no longer handle one-on-one situations like in Europe, but he is still a top-class open-ball responder.

He is very good at pick-and-roll, and is extremely adept at seizing fleeting opportunities when teammates roll to the basket or bounce out, no matter how narrow the gap.

He is quite mature and rarely makes mistakes in his decisions.

Now, fans who didn't watch European leagues back then can finally understand why two 17-year-olds were able to dominate the entire European leagues.

If Lynch and Theo were in Europe, it would be equivalent to the combination of Michael Jordan's daughter-in-law's ex-husband and Scottie Pippen's ex-wife's ex-father-in-law in North America.

His biggest weakness is on the defensive end. Limited by his explosive physical attributes, Milos Teodosic is not an outstanding defender, even in Europe.

In the NBA, this problem becomes even more pronounced.

But it doesn't matter, the Knicks have the best defensive player in NBA history who can clean up messes.

If you show off one skill, Lin Qi will show you another.

Moreover, as Kenny Smith said, the impact of a player with excellent passing and ball control on the field is undeniable.

Overall, Lynch's friends continued to make positive contributions on the field.

After the preseason, people have a general understanding of the defending champions' strength—they can't beat weak teams and have a hard time beating strong teams.

The Knicks remain among the top teams in the league.

But Chris Paul is a tough guy.

He did not back down despite the Knicks' excellent performance in the preseason. The Knicks went 8-0 in the preseason.

The Pacers have a 6-2 record in the preseason.

Rounding up, the Pacers are 10-0!
Why should I back down?

Chris Paul arrived in New York two nights before the opening game, and when his imposing figure stepped onto New York soil, he felt as if the city itself trembled.

After practicing with the team and playing in the preseason games, Chris Paul's confidence has not just swelled, but has truly blossomed!

Roy Hibbert and Paul George's talent far exceeded his expectations.

The team's tactical execution was just as good as he had imagined.

Tactical execution is a highly underestimated key factor in winning, and it directly determines whether a team can play systematic basketball.

Why do some teams with mediocre roster talent on paper suddenly rise to prominence? Why do some teams with roster talent on paper struggle in the lottery year after year?

This is the reason.

Chris Paul is already quite eager, while his former teammate David West looks worried.

Any player who is about to face Lynch in the next game will be frowning.

Chris Paul patted David West's arm:

"Don't be so anxious, David, this is a new beginning for us!"

Two days later, the NBA season kicked off.

Before the Knicks vs. Pacers game, the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons had already played their first game of the new season.

The result was astonishing: the Heat narrowly defeated the Pistons by 27 points.

Carmelo Anthony scored 4 points on 12 shots!
He laughed the loudest when the Heat were swept 4-0 by the Knicks last season.

Dwyane Wade was beaten like a grandson, making his loss to the Bulls seem less shameful.

As a result, in the very first game of the new season, he became the underdog!
The Miami Heat's defense was incredibly strong, with Andre Iguodala and Dwyane Wade's double-team defense proving difficult for Carmelo Anthony to handle.

Watching 1v2 matches on TV always seemed exciting and thrilling, but when I actually experienced it myself, I realized how agonizing it was.

This match disappointed many fans, who had expected it to be more intense.

Thankfully, this isn't the main event tonight.

The Knicks vs. Pacers game during prime time should be an even closer match.

ESPN's live broadcast immediately shifted to New York, where Chris Paul was already warming up at Madison Square Garden.

When Kyrie Irving entered, he greeted CP3 and shook hands with him.

Pacers' number 3 smiled and asked, "Will you start tonight?"

“Yes.” Carey Irving nodded.

"That's impressive, you know, not every rookie gets to start in their first professional game. Especially considering the Knicks are the defending champions, but—"

Chris Paul abruptly changed the subject, and as the man with the fastest change of expression in the league, his smile vanished instantly: "But this may not necessarily be a good thing. Hopefully, you won't be crying and begging Lynch to protect you during tonight's game."

Chris Paul is by no means a kind person; he will fire indiscriminately at most players during a game.

Moreover, every player longs to deliver a "Welcome to the NBA" moment when facing the number one draft pick, and CP3 is no exception.

He thought his words would intimidate the under-pressure number one draft pick, but Kyrie Irving simply suppressed his excessive pride and didn't cut off his testicles.

The guy who dared to challenge Lynch to a one-on-one fight back in college smiled and looked directly into Chris Paul's eyes:
"Then I hope you, you coward, will stop using flopping to beg for the referee's protection."

At this moment, Lynch also walked out of the players' tunnel.

In that instant, the cheers in Madison Square Garden went completely out of control.

The enormous shadow stared intently at Chris Paul from afar, sending chills down the spine of even the usually tough Number 3.

Lynch walked over to CP3 and Kyrie Irving, casting a condescending glance at the Pacers' new core player:
"A piece of trash who's never even touched the Western Conference Finals floor, trying his luck in the Eastern Conference?"

Chris Paul pointed at Lynch's nose: "Shut up, we all know you've always been a beneficiary of the East Coast bonus."

"Oh, but all five of my championships were won by beating Western Conference teams. I'm not the kind of person who just makes it to the Finals but doesn't win a championship."

Chris Paul decided to drop the matter; he had nothing left to attack Lynch with.

He turned and left, leaving only one sentence: "Protect your little brother, don't let him lose too badly."

Carey Irving watched CP3 drive away and shrugged. "I'd heard about him before, but I didn't expect him to be even worse than the rumors said. Lynch, thank you for sticking your neck out for me, but you don't actually need to protect me."

Kyrie Irving doesn't want to be treated like a child.

People always say that LeBron James used to protect Kyrie Irving at press conferences, but Kyrie Irving left the Cavaliers without showing any gratitude.

Is it possible that Kyrie Irving found it difficult to adapt precisely because LBJ had such a strong fatherly presence?

Not everyone wants to be protected.

Lynch wouldn't make the same mistake: "Protect? I don't care how well you fight him. Win or lose, whatever the consequences, you'll have to bear them as a man. I just don't like CP3. If you can't teach him a lesson, I'll do it myself."

"Ha, get on with your own business, King of New York."

Twenty minutes later, the Knicks players received their championship rings from last season and raised the seventh championship banner in franchise history—five of which were brought by Lynch.

With all that over, the opening match, which fans expected to be even more intense, officially began.

The Knicks' starting lineup is not much different from last season, except that the starting point guard has changed from Steve Nash to Kyrie Irving.

Of course, Mike Breen also explained to the fans the price the Knicks paid to maintain their roster:
"The contract extensions of Wilson and DeAndre have put enormous salary pressure on the Knicks. In other words, for this Knicks team that has been built with a lot of money and has won three consecutive championships, not winning a championship is a failure!"

The Pacers' starting lineup isn't particularly impressive. Chris Paul, Dahntay Jones, Paul George, David West, and Roy Hibbert—aside from CP3, there's no other superstar.

However, their preseason performance and CP3's consistent confidence still make them the focus of attention.

The game began, and the towering Roy Hibbert secured the first possession for the Pacers.

The black tower was known as "Black Yao Ming" among Chinese fans. Although his height of 218 cm was not as tall as Yao Ming's, it did bring some pressure to DeAndre Jordan, whose actual height was less than 210 cm.

Chris Paul initiated the first offensive play, and Kyrie Irving spread his arms to defend.

Despite his sharp tongue, CP3 didn't get carried away and go for a one-on-one, instead passing the ball to Paul George who had cut inside.

Paul George received the ball and attacked the basket, but unfortunately, he missed the layup under DeAndre Jordan's protection.

Lynch grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Kyrie Irving.

Chris Paul decided to put some pressure on the number one draft pick, so he stuck to him and tried to play a full-court press.

But Kyrie Irving suddenly increased his dribbling speed, executing a sudden acceleration and a behind-the-back dribble to get past CP3.

Seeing this, Dahntay Jones immediately took action, as intercepting the ball the moment the opponent changes direction is the golden time with the highest success rate.

Kyrie Irving seemed to possess Peter Parker's spider sense; almost reflexively, he pulled in the opposite direction the moment the basketball touched the ground, completing another crossover and getting past Dahntay Jones!

When blocked by Paul George near the midfield line, Kyrie Irving easily turned and continued his advance, as smoothly as a warm-up jog.

As soon as he turned around, Kyrie Irving ran into Chris Paul, who had been relentlessly pursuing him.

Like Dahntay Jones, he made his move the instant the newly drafted number one pick finished his dribble, a moment when most players would make a mistake.

Chris Paul's timing was precise and cunning; he almost succeeded.

almost.

With CP3's fingertips less than a centimeter from the basketball's surface, Kyrie Irving dribbled the ball behind his back and between his legs. Despite stumbling, he successfully beat CP3!

Mike Breen stared wide-eyed and exclaimed, "My God, Kyrie just blew past the entire Pacers! If he were in the 90s, it might not have been AI who shook off MJ in his rookie season!"

Even the most discerning New York fans were captivated by Kyrie Irving's first career offensive possession with the ball, and they jumped up to applaud.

At this moment, facing the Pacers' only two remaining defenders, David West and Roy Hibbert, Kyrie Irving did not try to score himself, but instead made a behind-the-back pass to Lynch, who was cutting in from the wing.

Facing a 218-centimeter-tall tower in the cornfield, Lynch skillfully executed a layup, sending the basketball backboard into the net for a successful score!
2-0, that was a delightful round.

Fans around the world have seen the limitless potential in Lynch and Kyrie Irving.

Chris Paul's veins bulged; he couldn't believe Kyrie Irving's ball-handling skills had reached such a level.

That spirituality and composure are things rarely seen in rookies!

He restarted the offense, called for a screen from Roy Hibbert, easily got past Kyrie Irving, and then pierced straight into the Knicks' heart of the court like a sharp blade, raising his hand for a layup.

DeAndre Jordan's block came as expected, but CP3 avoided it with a clever layup.

Just as he raised the ball above his head for the second time, the lights under the basket were once again blocked.

A taller, faster, and more oppressive shadow instantly covered the entire space above his head!
He knew what was going to happen next, and he wanted to turn the tide in mid-air.

But it's too late.

"boom!--"

With a loud bang, Lin Qi's long arm descended from the sky like a high-speed steel whip, slamming the basketball in CP3's hands against the backboard. The ball bounced violently and flew far away, demonstrating the power of the block.

Chris Paul crashed to the ground, his face a mixture of disbelief, shock, and pain from the impact.

He eventually experienced firsthand how terrifying Lynch's "butt-cleaning master" was—even in the moment you thought was the safest to make a move, you were not safe at all.

The Knicks capitalized on Lynch's block to launch a fast break, and DeMar DeRozan's 360° spin dunk continued to provide a visual feast for New York fans.

It's clear that this season's New York Knicks will not only be a strong team, but also a highly entertaining one.

Watching the guy who had been hoping to create a "Welcome to the NBA" moment over Kyrie Irving awkwardly get up, Mike Breen smiled and approached the microphone:
"Yes, it hurts. Lynch's block was quite bloody and will make you lose face."

And such an opponent—

Chris now plays at least four games a season.

Hey, welcome to the Wild East, Chris.

(End of this chapter)