Champion Rules

Chapter 326, Section 322: Don't be so surprised, this is Kerry (Seeking monthly votes!)
Finally, the top spot in the league has changed hands.

The New York Knicks completely dominated the Spurs' offensive efficiency, securing victory in this highly anticipated game.

Tony Parker staggered toward the sidelines, his face etched with despair.

The image of Lynch hitting a three-pointer over his head at the last moment kept replaying in his mind in slow motion, like a nightmare he couldn't shake off.

The biting cold had left him reeling.

It's easy to humiliate a woman; all you need to do is describe her as "a sure thing."

It's even simpler to humiliate a man; just force him to swallow the boasts you've made. Nothing hurts a man's pride more than that.

Of course, LeBron James is immune to this tactic because he swallows back what he said before you can make him do so.

Tony Parker is that unfortunate example.

With two minutes left in the game, Tony Parker confidently believed that the Spurs still had a chance, and he also boasted that the New York Knicks, who were feared by the entire league, were not so scary.

Now, he himself is trapped in an abyss of frustration, fear, and shame.

Gregg Popovich looked at the utterly defeated Tony Parker, his brow furrowed with worry.

For the Spurs, a team that values ​​sacrifice, sharing, and selflessness, the players' mentality is crucial.

All their efforts, all the sacrifices they made for their personal glory, were for one ultimate goal: the championship.

The team's overwhelming start to the regular season made this desire more real than ever before, and it also formed the basis for the team's willingness to give their all.

But when defeating the Knicks and winning the championship seems out of reach, doubts inevitably arise: is such a complete dedication really worth it?

If this doubt spreads, the Spurs' fluid offensive system, on which they rely for survival, will inevitably be eroded.

Tonight's loss to New York is clearly a major blow to the Spurs, who are aiming for the championship.

The whole team knew that no matter how many opponents they had defeated, they could not be considered true championship contenders until they had beaten the Knicks.

Therefore, tonight's loss will have a huge impact on the Spurs.

Gregg Popovich's gaze shifted to number 20, who was being interviewed by reporters.

It was that guy again, who had driven him into a corner once more.

In the 2007 NBA Finals, it was this man who personally ended the Spurs' reign and ushered in a long period of decline for the team.

It was he and the Knicks behind him who single-handedly created the damned "law of reciprocal retaliation," limiting the power of Bruce Bowen's trump card.

It was him again who cunningly exploited the Spurs' contract renewal dispute with Manu Ginobili to demoralize the team.

Tonight, when the Spurs were riding high and sitting atop the league's best team, he delivered a crushing blow to this arrogant young squad!
Watching Lynch chatting and laughing in front of the camera, Gregg Popovich felt a surge of resentment welling up inside him.

He was not about to let the night end so aggrievedly; he had to make these New Yorkers swallow some bitterness tonight too.

Almost instantly, he had a brilliant idea.

He and his Spurs need to win, and the road to victory sometimes requires comprehensive planning; the battlefield is both on and off the court.

On the court, Kyrie Irving and Lynch high-fived each other to celebrate another victory.

Tonight, Kyrie Irving had limited playing time and mediocre stats due to his matchup against Manu Ginobili, scoring only 14 points.

Therefore, this game was less about the fear brought by the "nightmare duo" that enveloped San Antonio, and more about Lynch single-handedly injecting a chill into the bones of every San Antonio fan with his breathtaking and dominant performance.

Kyrie Irving was once again amazed by Lynch's performance.

His awe of the man before him was growing silently at an astonishing rate.

After celebrating, he and Lynch walked together toward the players' tunnel.

As they approached the entrance to the players' tunnel, the two heard a child crying loudly.

In the front row of the audience, a little boy who looked to be about three years old was stomping his feet and crying loudly, his chubby fingers pointing in the direction of Lynch and Irving:

"Mom, I hate them, waaaaaah~~~~"

The young mother looked embarrassed and whispered reassurance, "Why? They put on a wonderful game."

"But waaaaah, they beat the Spurs to a pulp!"

Lynch and Kyrie Irving paused for a moment, then exchanged a smile.

The innocent little boy's cries are precisely the most direct proof of this team's dominance.

The New York Knicks are a terrifying force that could bring tears to the eyes of even the children of San Antonio.

To comfort the little boy, Kyrie Irving took off his jersey and threw it up.

As he walked into the player tunnel, Kyrie Irving excitedly rubbed his hands together: "With you here, I think we can easily take down everyone! Hey, can I become the team with the most double-digit wins in a single season in NBA history?"

Lynch shook his head: "I don't want to make any predictions about historical records, that would be a distraction. Besides, it's not that we can handle everyone just because I'm here, it's that this team can handle everyone just because we're all here. And thank you for your efforts tonight, Kyrie, it wasn't easy to accept the reduced playing time."

Kyrie Irving chuckled: "No big deal, someone always has to deal with these damn super sixth men."

Lynch and Kyrie Irving returned to the locker room chatting and laughing. After showering and changing, they had to rush to the press conference.

As always, the Knicks' media room was packed.

Countless flashes pierced the air, dancing and intertwining on Lynch and Irving's faces.

Lynch sat down casually and took the Gatorade from the table—he was a Coca-Cola spokesperson and could not possibly appear alongside Pepsi products on camera.

Just as Lynch was preparing to wrap up his work for the day, the first reporter's question unexpectedly turned to Kyrie Irving.

Furthermore, it is quite sharp.

"Cary, the Nightmare Combo is undoubtedly a very successful concept in Reebok's marketing plan because it deeply associates you with Lynch and brings you a lot of attention."

But we all know that you and Lynch are not a good duo. A true duo needs to complement each other, but too many nights, Lynch single-handedly ended the suspense.

Do you believe you are qualified to be compared to someone like Lynch and share the name of a 'duo'? Does this put pressure on you?

Lynch, who had been relaxed, suddenly frowned. Logically, the Knicks should not be facing such sharp questions tonight after winning the game.

Kyrie Irving is no stranger to the media, but as a rookie, his response to this sudden and fierce onslaught revealed a hint of awkwardness and panic.

"Uh, you know, Lynch and I are actually... I think we're kind of a duo. Of course, Lynch is definitely the one."

Soon, another reporter continued asking questions, seemingly unwilling to give Kyrie Irving a chance to breathe:
"Kerry, are you planning to spend your entire career playing a supporting role to Lynch? Like Scottie Pippen? Are you willing to do that?"

"That's too far off; I just want to focus on the present."

"Coach Gregg Popovich believes you are one of the most overrated stars in the league. People overestimate you because of the Nightmare Duo's abilities, but in reality, the Nightmare Duo would be hard to stop if you were replaced by anyone, because the truly unstoppable one is Lynch. Do you agree with him?"

One barrage of questions after another, like a barrage of artillery fire, kept Kyrie Irving busy.

Lynch was initially puzzled as to why there was suddenly so much discussion about Kyrie Irving being "unworthy of his reputation."

When he heard the name Greg Popovich, he understood instantly.

Ten minutes earlier, at the Spurs' post-game press conference.

Gregg Popovich remained as serious and unsmiling as ever.

"Yes, Lynch is truly, truly outstanding. We used almost every strategy we could think of, but he was the best tonight. Lynch is our old rival, and we all know his capabilities."

He can pull off some incredible attacks and complete some unbelievable rounds.

There's no reason why, it's just because his name is Lin Qi.

Even the most unworthy guy in the entire league could imagine himself as a member of a historic team if he followed Lynch.

But we all know that in New York, everyone except Lynch is like an appendage.

Gregg Popovich knew very well that Kyrie Irving was a very thoughtful and ambitious guy.

He was by no means content with merely submitting to Lynch.

Once he puts forward this view, the media will swarm like bloodthirsty mosquitoes, turning a small spark into a raging storm of discussion.

He certainly didn't expect to break up the duo. Kyrie Irving was just a rookie, and he was far from being able to shake Lynch's position like Kobe openly challenged Shaq in the past.

But that's enough to change some things.

Will a distraught Kyrie Irving be so eager to prove himself that he abandons the path of sacrifice?
Will the immense public pressure affect his condition?
Those are not things that Gregg Popovich needs to consider.

His job is simply to drop the seed.

At this moment, in the Knicks' press conference room.

Lynch glanced at Carey Irving, who seemed somewhat nervous and at a loss.

He is indeed an ambitious guy, and his career trajectory in another timeline has proven that Kyrie Irving is never content with the status quo.

In Cleveland, he thought he could become the Finals MVP, but things didn't go as planned.

So he left without a word and went to Boston, feeling that he could completely go his own way.

When he arrived in Boston, Kyrie Irving was not convinced of his leadership by the young players, led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. When they wanted to take over as the leader of the Celtics, Kyrie's response was disastrous. He did many inexplicable things to solidify his position as leader.

He roamed outside the tactical system, engaging in relentless one-on-one play. His performance was inconsistent, and he began to showcase his talent for dismantling teams, publicly expressing his dissatisfaction with young players when they underperformed.

Therefore, given his personality, these sharp questions will inevitably affect his mindset to some extent.

Lynch wanted to help Kyrie Irving out of that predicament, but he knew that the guy hated it most when someone tried to help him out at a press conference.

If Lin Qi were to intervene rashly, it might backfire and make him really feel like he's just a useless little brat.

"Damn it, bastard." Lynch cursed under his breath. Greg Popovich was indeed a seasoned veteran; no one was better at manipulating public opinion and creating buzz than him.

However, Lynch was prepared to deal with any trouble.

He is confident in his ability to manage the locker room.

If Kyrie Irving really does switch to a one-on-one style in the upcoming games because of this negative public opinion, I will treat him even more harshly.

The Manhattan Project must succeed, no matter what!

At this moment, Kyrie Irving seemed to finally come to his senses.

The surprise and panic on his face vanished completely, replaced by a mocking smile.

He seemed to be mocking the group of guys who were ready to see him make a fool of himself.

Lynch had no idea what Kyrie Irving was thinking, or whether the rookie's mentality had been affected.

Soon, Kyrie Irving leaned closer to the microphone, and Lynch took a deep breath; he would soon know whether the team was in trouble.

“Listen, you’re right. My reputation has indeed been boosted by Lin Qi, but my performance is far inferior to Lin Qi’s.”

But so what?

He's Lynch, the best basketball player on the planet.

Of course, he and I were a team, but Lynch was the one in charge of everything.

Not just me, anyone in this league who's on Lynch's team can only be a supporting character.

As for me, I will do my best to be the best supporting actor!

As long as we can keep the Knicks winning.

As long as we can keep the champions in New York.

As long as we can keep kicking other people's asses.

I'm willing to play this supporting role.

Kyrie Irving's answer surprised Lynch and the reporters present.

How meticulous and humble this is!

At the end of the previous game against the Thunder, Kyrie Irving also thought about the difference between supporting roles and leading roles.

But as the season progressed, he didn't think there was anything wrong with Lynch winning all the praise and spotlight by himself.

Because he deserves it.

He has the ability.

Kyrie Irving is indeed ambitious, but he also has a sense of awe.

In the original historical trajectory, he was not so convinced of LeBron James's abilities, so he was unwilling to play a supporting role in Cleveland.

He doesn't respect Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, so he will never relinquish the scepter.

In Dallas, however, he highly valued Luka Doncic's abilities, making him a perfect supporting player.

Now, in this timeline, he encountered "Luca" during his rookie season.

After speaking, Kyrie Irving turned and winked at Lynch, then moved closer to the microphone again:

"I know, the Spurs got a real beating from us tonight."

I know that some people don't want us to stay this strong forever.

I also know that Greg Popovich's damn attempt will absolutely not succeed!

Fvck you, Craig! Our locker room isn't that fragile!
We will continue to spread nightmares, and we will show no mercy even if you beg for mercy on your knees!

The entire press conference hall seemed to have been muted, leaving only the reporters frozen in astonishment.

Kyrie Irving stood up, patted Lynch on the shoulder, and left.

Lin Qi, meeting countless stunned gazes, shrugged easily:

"Hey, don't be so surprised, this is Kerry."
-
Kyrie Irving may face a league fine for verbally abusing coach Gregg Popovich. —The New York Times

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it makes the "nightmare duo" more distinct in terms of roles. Kyrie himself has said that he's just a supporting player, and he never dreamed of being on par with Lynch. And a team with a clear hierarchy of roles rarely experiences locker room crises. —John Hollinger, ESPN columnist

Those trying to sow discord in the Knicks' locker room are in for a disappointment. Under Lynch's leadership, such a crisis is simply impossible. Look at Kyrie; he has nothing but admiration and respect for Lynch. — Charles Barkley on the Knicks' locker room issues.

Lynch's influence in New York is unparalleled, far greater than Greg's in San Antonio. So don't expect to use any tricks to beat this team, because Lynch's locker room will never descend into chaos. Want to win? You can only try to beat them on the court! — Stephen A. Smith on this season's Knicks.

(End of this chapter)