Champion Rules

Chapter 325, Section 321: Of course we're scary (Seeking monthly votes!)

With Kyrie Irving on the court, the Knicks' offensive firepower will be further enhanced.

But the San Antonio Spurs resolutely executed their strategy, using a tighter defensive approach to deal with Lynch.

After the timeout, the Spurs made a smooth three-pointer to narrow the gap.

Another terrifying aspect of the Spurs is that their basketball operations are remarkably smooth, even during rotation time.

This team has ingrained this team-oriented style of play into their DNA.

For the Spurs, fluid passing is as natural as Kobe Bryant's fadeaway, Derrick Rose's crossover, and Stephen Curry's slick moves.

While backup guard Gary Neal's three-pointer boosted morale, San Antonio fans knew that this basket wouldn't solve everything.

Because the Knicks will definitely retaliate with even more intense firepower.

Tonight, the Spurs faced their only offensively competitive team this season.

The key is whether the Knicks' offensive efficiency can be effectively reduced.

The Knicks are on offense, and Lynch continues to drive to the basket beyond the three-point line.

Gregg Popovich looked at the number 20 in front of him and couldn't believe it.

Generally speaking, similar forwards are unlikely to cause the Spurs so much trouble – they often lack top-notch ball-handling skills and can only rely heavily on the low post to initiate offense, but receiving the ball in the low post is a major problem in itself, which in turn limits their ability to attack the basket.

Lynch solved this problem, and as his ball control became increasingly refined, Gerald Wallace was helpless against Lynch's breakthroughs.

When Lynch once again used a swift crossover to get past Gerald Wallace, the Spurs' defense began to tighten up.

Lynch leaped high into the air, attracting Gerald Wallace and Manu Ginobili to come forward and interfere.

At the same time, Gary Neal cleverly maneuvered and quickly lunged at Ray Allen, who was closest to Lynch and had the most ideal passing path, in an attempt to intercept the most likely passing route.

Lynch still passed the ball in the air, and Gary Neal had already opened his palm to intercept it.

But he underestimated Lynch's vision and experience.

Lynch anticipated his prediction and instead of passing the ball to Ray Allen, he passed it to Kyrie Irving, who was eventually left out!

It was a long-range pass, but Lynch passed it very quickly and accurately.

Kyrie Irving got the ball and shot quickly, giving the Spurs no chance for rotation players to help out.

The three-pointer swished through the net, and the Knicks' offensive onslaught continued to fiercely assault the San Antonio team's desperate defense of their league-leading position.

Kyrie Irving pointed happily at Lynch; he was thoroughly enjoying the attack.

When Kyrie Irving saw Gary Neal turn towards Ray Allen ahead of time, he was still wondering if Lynch would see him.

The moment he had that thought, the basketball flew rapidly toward him.

On the basketball court, this unspoken understanding and resonance between minds is truly wonderful.

The first connection between the Nightmare Duo dealt a heavy blow to the Spurs, with Gregg Popovich grumbling as he sat back on the bench, utterly frustrated.

He also discovered that the Nightmare Duo possessed the fundamental qualities to become a top-tier duo.

Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, and now Lynch and Kyrie Irving, all have one thing in common—they all have at least one stoic figure who is beloved by many women.

Wilt Chamberlain practiced excessive sexual activity in his youth in an attempt to desensitize himself to such things so that he could abstain from sex in his later years.

The magician contracted a disease in his pursuit of abstinence; he was a tough guy.

Although Lynch has had many model girlfriends, he has never married. How can that not be considered abstinence? He is very restrained in his interactions with each girl.

In contrast, people like AC. Green were hypocritical when they were young, but on their first night of marriage, they had sex eight times in five hours, showing no restraint whatsoever.

These ascetic figures are undoubtedly the cornerstone of a historic partnership, and the combination of Lynch and Kyrie Irving perfectly meets this fundamental requirement.

In the following games, Lynch and Kyrie Irving frequently connected.

But the Knicks' offense is not limited to just those two players; Lynch's assists cover the entire team.

He can make a low-post spin move and then subtly bounce the ball to Ray Allen in the corner for a three-pointer.

He can deliver alley-oops to DeAndre Jordan when double-teamed in the paint.

He can change direction in mid-air and assist DeMar DeRozan to make a mid-range shot.

The Spurs' defensive strategy and Lynch's decisive drives and passes made him look like Magic Johnson tonight.

As a result, both teams put on highly entertaining team offensive plays tonight.

But the Knicks' style of play is completely different from that of the Spurs.

The Spurs' games are exciting because of the exquisite teamwork between the entire team.

In almost every offensive possession, the ball passes through all five players. Every Spurs player involved in the offense is a driving force on the court.

The Knicks' appeal lies more in Lynch's individual performance. He draws double teams with his extreme rim-attacking threat and then makes exquisite passes, making him the soul of the Knicks' offense.

The exceptional performances by individuals and teams made the competition time fly by amidst cheers.

When the second quarter ended, with Lynch having scored 16 points and dished out 8 assists to help the Knicks take a 9-point lead into the player tunnel, Marvin Albert bluntly stated:

"Lynch has taken over this place!"

Yes, Lynch dominated the game.

He used his extreme individual threat to boost the team's offensive efficiency.

The Knicks' overall offensive execution is not as good as the Spurs', but the significance of a superstar lies in making up for the team's shortcomings through individual efforts.

If a true superstar needs a team to highlight his strength, then he's definitely not a real superstar, like LeBron James.
Kevin Durant, a good brother who only achieved success in the Universe in another timeline.

During halftime, Gregg Popovich had absolutely no idea how to contain Lynch.

Lin Qi was frighteningly calm and never got carried away. He would definitely spread the word when the time was right.

In the second half, he really wanted Stephen Jackson to lock Lynch down—literally lock him down, to pin him to the floor with his legs and arms!
Of course, this is destined to remain just a fantasy. The Spurs must maintain their offensive efficiency in the second half to continue competing with the Knicks.

The second half remained close, with the Knicks maintaining their lead, but the Spurs, with their equally impressive offense, kept the score difference to single digits throughout.

The Knicks never had the game in their grasp, and the Spurs never let the game lose its suspense.

The spectacular offensive battles caused the game's viewership to surge.

As is customary, the battle for the top seed in the league should be a bloody war, full of confrontation, turnovers, free throws and missed shots—just like the fierce battle between the Spurs and Knicks in the 2007 NBA Finals.

But tonight, the same two teams delivered a performance that was sure to provide every fan with an exhilarating viewing experience.

With four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Spurs narrowed the gap to six points when Tony Parker scored his 18th point of the night with his signature spin move and layup.

The roaring cheers at the ATT Center were all for the French team, who still believed they could turn the tide.

Spurs commentator Bill Land shared the same view:
"The Spurs have narrowed the gap once again, and the Knicks still can't pull away!"

The New York Knicks didn't win easily here; the Spurs came to fight, not to be conquered!

Look at the expressions on the Knicks players' faces, look at their exhaustion.

The league's number one team will never compromise easily!
Yes, Lynch's performance tonight was incredible.

But as the score and the game clearly demonstrate, there is no significant gap in skill between the two sides, and either side has a chance to win in the end.

Nightmares will eventually fade away!

But in the next few rounds, the pace of the game suddenly changed.

The smooth offensive play that had gone on all night came to an abrupt end.

Both sides intensified their defense at crucial moments. At this stage of the game, no one was concerned with managing their physical condition; instead, everyone was focused on burning all their energy in the final moments.

As a result, open jump shots from role players began to bounce off the rim. Haste and disarray started to appear in passing lanes, and turnovers quietly began to emerge.

Two tense minutes passed, and the scoreboard seemed to freeze—both sides had only scored 2 points each!
Mike Malone astutely paused the game, knowing that the window to end it had opened!
Basketball is a team sport.

But basketball is also a stage dominated by superstars.

For this team that lacks an absolute offensive focal point, when their tactics are thwarted or they fail to convert open looks into points, they often lack a decisive player in crucial moments of tension.

You always need someone to step up and stabilize morale at times like these.

Although Tim Duncan has shown some improvement this season, he is no longer the low-post weapon that can kill games in crucial moments.

Manu Ginobili is unpredictable; no one knows which side he will kill in the crucial moments of the game.

Tony Parker, currently at his peak, is the only player on the Spurs capable of taking over the game in crucial moments, but there is a gap between him and a true superstar.

Therefore, Mike Malone's final strategy was simple.

He told Lynch to stop passing the ball and return to mid-range isolation plays.

For most of the game, Lynch's mid-range isolation plays were not as efficient as the Spurs' overall offense.

However, in this particular period, Lynch's simple and direct mid-range one-on-one style is definitely more efficient than the Spurs'.

"Everyone, make room."

Lynch, take up God's weapon once more.

"Let's take the top spot in the league!"

The game restarted, and the fans at the ATT Center were still excited.

Two minutes in, a 6-point difference, the top seed in the East versus the top seed in the West.

Anyone with a passion for basketball would feel their blood boil at that moment. Lynch walked onto the court, just as Tony Parker was walking towards him.

The Frenchman, who had been incredibly nervous before the match, stared at Lynch and smiled.

Just now, it was his goal that brought the Spurs back to within 6 points.

Time and again, they seemed poised to fall behind, only to stubbornly close the gap again and again—Tony Parker believes this resilience is becoming a heavy weight on the Knicks' minds as they sit atop the lead.

Under immense pressure, the leader often collapses sooner than the pursuer.

The Knicks' recent string of missed shots is proof of that.

The Spurs did only score two points in the last two minutes, but that was mostly due to turnovers.

A confident gleam shone in the eyes of the Frenchmen; they had proven they wouldn't be easily defeated, and they had proven their position as the league's number one team was well-deserved.

All the pre-game hype surrounding the Knicks—nightmare, terror, dominance—seems to be shattered tonight at the AT&T Center.

So, he couldn't help but utter a sarcastic remark to Lin Qi as they passed by:
"Hey man, when are you going to kill us? Nightmare? You're not scary at all."

Lynch didn't stop walking, his face expressionless: "Now's the time, Tony."

The battle resumed, and Lynch dribbled the ball directly across half-court.

The Spurs were prepared to continue their tight defense on Lynch as he drove into the paint, but the Knicks' role players' consecutive misses in the last two minutes gave them the courage to continue with their strategy.

Now, Lynch's physical condition has declined, and he can no longer produce the terrifying attacking performance he had in the first half.

Mid-range? If Lynch shoots mid-range, that's exactly what the Spurs want to see.

Everyone on the Spurs team believed they had complete control of the game and that the Knicks' lead wouldn't last much longer!
Lin Qi lowered his center of gravity and performed a series of crossovers. Just as his foot stepped into the three-point line, Lin Qi suddenly performed a large behind-the-back crossover, creating a sliver of space.

Gerald Rasmus tensed, preparing to deal with Lynch's breakthrough after creating space.

But this time, Lynch rose up like a spring, chose to pull up for a clean shot, and the basketball went in!

This game-stopping jump shot ended the Knicks' cold streak of missed shots, widening the gap back to 8 points!
“Tony,” Lynch pointed to his temple, “remember what I just said, now.”

Tony Parker disagreed, arguing that Lynch's mid-range efficiency couldn't compare to the Spurs' offensive efficiency.

The Spurs launched a counterattack, and the fluid passing game that made the Silver and Black Army famous once again flowed through their ranks.

This time, however, possession of the ball changed hands repeatedly, but the desired opening opportunity could not be found.

The tactical gears jammed, and time relentlessly ticked down to the final 6 seconds! The basketball was forced to be passed back to Tony Parker at the top of the key.

Facing Kyrie Irving, Tony Parker called for a screen from Tim Duncan, drawing a double team before passing the ball to the "Big Fundamental" at the right 45° golden position.

DeAndre Jordan quickly scrambled back, but Tim Duncan still managed to get a shot off.

The basketball bounced off the backboard, but—

"Boom!"

A dull thud struck the hearts of all Spurs fans as the basketball bounced off the rim!

Tim Duncan didn't deliver the decisive blow, while Lynch quickly took control of the half-court, using a mid-range spin move and a pull-up jumper to score again, finally widening the gap to double digits!

"In the crucial moments, the Knicks' tactics actually became very simple," Marvin Albert saw through the Knicks' intentions. "They decided to hand the game over to Lynch!"

Gregg Popovich pressed his hands down on the sidelines, signaling to the team to be patient.

The Spurs did maintain their patience, and in the next possession, they continued to make cuts and pass the ball.

Everyone is moving, everyone is searching for that fleeting, absolute opening.

Finding an open shot is extremely difficult against the Knicks' relentless man-to-man defense.

The closer to life or death, the more difficult it becomes to execute ingenious tactics!
In this possession, Manu Ginobili used a serpentine drive to penetrate the paint and twist his body to lay up.

However, DeAndre Jordan's massive hand was relentless, and although he failed to block the shot, the overwhelming interference caused the Argentine striker's layup to miss the target.

As the basketball bounced out of the air, the fans at the ATT Center held their breath.

Fortunately, Spurs fans finally got a chance to breathe after Lynch missed a mid-range pull-up jumper.

Mid-range shots are not the most efficient way to attack, and Lynch's blunder came at just the right time.

However, the Spurs failed to capitalize on this golden window of opportunity to narrow the gap.

Tony Parker used his speed to create a gap, drew defenders in, and then made a precise pass—outside the three-point line, Gerald Wallace received the ball with a wide-open space in front of him.

But this wasn't his area of ​​expertise, and that brief hesitation felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over him. In the blink of an eye, Wilson Chandler had shot back towards him like an arrow released from a bow.

The hard-won opportunity vanished in a fatal moment of hesitation.

The Spurs' offense can only move on to the next passing loop.

In crucial moments, the Spurs lacked a primary offensive weapon on the court, which made the players hesitant to take shots.

Because there is no clear direction, it can lead to confusion about who should step in at crucial moments.

Ultimately, Boris Diaw made a jump shot with 4 seconds left on the shot clock.

Lynch's interference forced him to raise the arc of his shot, and the ball missed again!
Although Lynch did miss his mid-range shot, the Spurs' team offense is now completely frozen.

Tony Parker knew he had to step up.

With little time remaining in the game, if Lin Qi scores this goal, everything will be decided.

Mike Malone deliberately didn't call a timeout, giving the Spurs no chance to catch their breath.

The basketball thumped rhythmically as it approached the Spurs' half of the court.

As the fans and Spurs players at the ATT Center watched the number 20 cross the half-court line, all their fear finally erupted.

Lynch waved his hand and called for Kyrie Irving to set a screen for him.

Because both Irving and Lynch posed a significant offensive threat, Tony Parker had no choice but to switch on defense.

In an instant, he stood guard in front of Lin Qi!
Lynch decided to make this guy, who claimed "the Knicks are nothing to be afraid of," confront the abyss of fear!

He dribbled the ball slowly, determined to drag out the 24 seconds.

Tony Parker didn't dare to make any rash moves; if he were facing any other forward, he would have already tried to steal the ball.

But Lynch's ball control skills made him wary; if he lost his position, victory would be ruthlessly snatched away in an instant.

The Frenchman decided to wait and then try to steal the ball the moment Lynch released it!
Thus, those brief 24 seconds felt incredibly long.

Every passing second was gnawing at the nerves of the French.

He knew Lynch would make a move at the last minute, and he was prepared.

So he always felt that this was like a countdown to his judgment!
When the time comes, he will most likely be killed by Lin Qi with a single sword strike!
Finally, with three seconds left on the shot clock, Lynch suddenly gathered the ball.

Tony Parker made a quick move, but Lynch only made a fake shot.

The Frenchman's fingertips merely brushed across a patch of cold air, and he completely lost his defensive position!

Tony Parker couldn't understand how Lynch could remain so calm and make a shooting fake at the last moment.

He felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly by a giant hand and then crushed.

In the noisy AT&T Center, Tony Parker was completely overwhelmed by fear.

This round will become a nightmare that haunts him for the entire season.

There is no place where nightmares cannot spread.

Wherever the Nightmare Duo goes, it leaves behind fear and failure.

"Ball in! Lynch extends the lead to 13 points!" Marvin Albert's roar echoed through the arena. "Only 43 seconds left in the game! The San Antonio Spurs are already on the brink of elimination!"

With Marvin Albert shouting, Gregg Popovich stopped the game.

But he knew that the situation was hopeless.

Lynch's sudden takeover in the final moments overshadowed the Spurs' exceptional team offense.

Marvin Albert had already predicted the Spurs' fate during halftime:
"Lynch ruled this place."

Lynch scored, staring proudly at the dejected Tony Parker, and pointed to the scoreboard:
“Of course we’re afraid of Tony, now we’re going to take you down.”

Ultimately, the Spurs failed to mount a decent comeback, and they couldn't even close the gap to single digits.

The New York Knicks defeated the league's top team 124-113 on the road, ending the biggest suspense of the season so far!

Lynch had a triple-double with 36 points, 15 assists, and 14 rebounds, a flawless performance.

"The Spurs ultimately lost to Lynch, and this was the Knicks' 15th game this season with a double-digit margin of victory."

At this point, Marvin Albert sighed:

"Yes, the Spurs didn't even manage to stop the Knicks from continuing their streak of winning by double digits in a single game, let alone win.

Don't forget, the Spurs already have the best record in the entire league, but they still can't stop the King of New York and his army.

Therefore, I now wholeheartedly agree with Sir Charles Barkley's words.

This season's New York Knicks are more dominant than the 09 and 10 Knicks!

This Knicks team, after winning three consecutive championships, did not decline at all; on the contrary, they became even stronger.

I think that's the explosive effect the Manhattan Project wanted to achieve.

(End of this chapter)