Champion Rules

Chapter 328 (324): I Want to Win for a Whole Month (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Lynch's pursuit of 70 wins has once again brought him into frequent discussions about the GOAT.

In the past, when people discussed historical status, Larry Bird was the only white spot in a sea of ​​black.

Now, Lynch has added another unique dimension to the world of basketball.

The start of 2012 was filled with anticipation and longing for Lynch.

The start of 2012 was quite difficult for Ray Allen, who was nearly 37 years old.

He sprained his ankle in a non-contact situation during the game against the Hawks.

At the time, I thought it was just a common sprain, but the post-match examination revealed that the situation was more serious than I had imagined.

Ray Allen will likely miss 10 games.

Ray Allen's attendance rate has been fluctuating since the beginning of last season.

This season, at 36 and a half years old, he has begun to feel overwhelmed by the packed schedule.

In fact, Ray Allen's performance this season has often fluctuated due to fatigue, switching back and forth between a sharpshooter and a sluggish shooter.

Many media outlets don't understand what Ray Allen is insisting on, just as Kenny Smith said:

"Ray is lowering the value of his career. He is the best three-point shooter in history. Last season, he broke the Finals single-game three-point record and won the championship ring he had always dreamed of. He is financially well-off and has made many quality investments off the court."

So I was surprised when he announced his return to the Knicks roster during the offseason.

What is Lei Lei still pursuing?
Surely no player would actually take pride in accumulating seniority?
He'll only show people his pathetic side now that he's old, like MJ during his Wizards era.

Nobody knows what Ray Allen is pursuing. He could have retired like Steve Nash and left behind a relatively dignified legacy.

Is he simply continuing to play because of his love for basketball? That reason seems a bit far-fetched.

The day after the test results came out, Ray Allen, wearing protective gear, gave an interview to reporters in the locker room.

As a veteran, he handles most problems with ease.

But when faced with the question, "What is it that keeps you going?", he fell silent.

After the interview, Ray Allen stared at his feet, which were clad in exaggerated protective gear, and turned to look at the physical therapist:

"Is it possible for me to return to competition earlier? I don't want to just rest like this, even though it's just a sprained ankle."

Lynch answered him on behalf of the physical therapist: "Don't even think about Lei Lei. If you're injured, just take good care of yourself. That's the ironclad rule."

Ray Allen knew that no one on this team could defy Lynch's will.

But he still tried to persuade Lynch:

"This is just a minor injury. In the 90s, this kind of injury didn't require a break from the game."

If I miss 10 games, it will probably take me another 15 games to regain my form after I return.

How many 15 games can you afford to waste in a season?
Damn it, I can't just sit here doing nothing!

Lynch clearly sensed the anxiety in Ray Allen's words, but to be honest, the reason for this anxiety puzzled Lynch.

Unlike Tyson Chandler last season, he doesn't have to worry about his position or playing time.

Because neither the still-developing Jimmy Butler nor the limited DeShawn Stevenson can shake Ray Allen's position as backup shooting guard.

When Ray Allen returns, even if he's not at his best, he'll still be the best option to fill in at the shooting guard position.

Are you anxious about the team's wins and losses?
There's really no need for that, because even if the Knicks don't perform well in the end, the people under the most pressure will be Lynch and Kyrie Irving.

Ray Allen will almost certainly not be held accountable by anyone in this matter.

Anxious about next year's contract?

If Ray Allen still cared about the numbers on his contract, he wouldn't have taken a pay cut to come to New York last season.

Lynch sat down beside him and looked directly into his eyes:

"Lei Lei, what are you worried about?"

But Junzi Lei was clearly not the kind of person who would easily reveal his innermost thoughts; he subconsciously avoided that gaze that seemed to probe right into his soul.

Just like when he evaded reporters' questions, he dodged the question again:
"It's nothing, I just want to play ball."

“Then focus on recovering from your injury. We’ll wait for you to come back. You can’t return early, not even a day early. You said you need 15 games to get back into form, but have you considered that forcing a return might cost you far more than just those 15 games?”

The conversation ended with Lynch giving an almost commanding tone, and Ray Allen did not argue further.

Lynch temporarily calmed, or rather, suppressed, Ray Allen's anxiety.

But Mike Malone's anxiety was not so easily soothed.

Losing Ray Allen will undoubtedly worsen the Knicks' already limited offensive firepower due to insufficient rotation time.

Removing Ray Allen from the rotation is tantamount to removing Kobe's mid-range shot, Shaq's power, and LeBron James' integrity!

The packed regular season schedule waits for no one, so Mike Malone can only use a rotation strategy to fill the gaps left by Ray Allen.

He gave Jimmy Butler more playing time, allowing him to serve as a backup for both Wilson Chandler and DeMar DeRozan.

In his first game after being rotated into the rotation against the Sacramento Kings, Jimmy Butler showcased his strengths.

You need to be tough on defense, tough on physical contact, and tough on shooting.

In his first game as part of the rotation, he took 4 shots and scored 1 point efficiently.

Low emotional intelligence: Jimmy Butler has the Mamba Mentality.

High emotional intelligence: Jimmy Butler scored 1 point on 4 shots, missing only one three-pointer the entire game.

It's never easy to score just one point in a basketball game, which precisely demonstrates his superb offensive skills.

Thanks to the Sacramento Kings being a strong underdog team, the Knicks still managed to secure their 27th win and their 21st win with a double-digit point differential.

Jimmy Butler assured Lynch after the game, "I will never again score just one point in a game!"

However, in the next game against the Indiana Pacers, the game became much more difficult.

Chris Paul, driven by a desire for revenge, delivered an outstanding performance tonight, racking up 28 points and 14 assists.

Another Paul also showed his potential, scoring 24 points on a hot streak.

With the game tied with 35 seconds left, Lynch drew the defense and passed the ball to Kyrie Irving, who suddenly made a back dribble and stopped abruptly, directly shaking off Paul George, who was chasing him, and then took a three-pointer.

In fact, the moment Lynch saw Paul George guarding Kyrie Irving, he knew it was a sure thing.

As expected, the ball went in. Then, Chris Paul's own crucial long-range shot bounced off the rim, and the three-point lead remained until the end of the game.

This is the first time in Kyrie Irving's career that he has delivered a standout performance in a crucial moment.

But at that time, people did not know that this was also the beginning of Paul George's legendary status as a background character.

Jimmy Butler maintained his consistent performance tonight, scoring 2 points.

He and Kawhi Leonard, the Pacers' super rim-smashing machine, were equally matched on the offensive end.

One more point in a game is actually a rather exaggerated improvement.

If he keeps playing like this, wouldn't he score 82 points in a single game after 80 games?

Of course, Jimmy Butler also had some impressive performances; his defense was truly impeccable.

At the post-game press conference, Jimmy Butler chatted with reporters, boasting about his key defensive plays in several possessions.

Just then, Lin Qi pushed open the door and walked in.

When Jimmy Butler saw Lynch's serious face, the usually tough Jimmy Butler instantly transformed into a child caught stealing candy, a look of panic flashing across his face as if he were about to escape through the back door at any moment.

Yes, he kept his promise and did not score another point in a single game.

But scoring 2 points in a single game isn't exactly something to be proud of.

Fortunately, Lynch did not criticize him; he was just there to attend the press conference.

Soon, Jimmy Butler heard a barrage of pointed questions being thrown at Lynch.

"Even after Lei Lei's injury, are you still confident in leading the team to 70 wins?"

"You almost lost today. Do you think winning 70 games is as easy as eating and drinking?"

"Many people believe that playing Kyrie as the sixth man can solve the team's problem of insufficient scoring during rotation time. Do you support this view?"

Lin Qi dealt with these questions absentmindedly; he was only concerned with one thing at the moment.

After the press conference ended, he immediately turned on his phone and checked the Development League games for that evening.

钱德勒.帕森斯三分6中3，全场23分11个篮板3次助攻2次封盖2次抢断！
Since he started shooting three-pointers freely, he has achieved a three-point shooting percentage of over 33% in every game in the G League.

It's not exactly accurate, but it's definitely up to standard.

Lynch sent a text message to Mike Malone:

Should we recall him?

Mike Malone replied instantly:

"Let's watch one more game. I want to see how he performs in his next game against Marcus Morris."

Marcus Morris was the 14th overall pick in the 11 draft and a lottery goalie.

He was known for his defense in college, but didn't get many opportunities after entering the NBA. He has now been sent down to the G League by the Rockets to maintain his form.

If Chandler Parsons can maintain his output against defensive stalwarts of this caliber, then it shows he's ready to perform at a higher level under greater intensity.

On January 7, the Knicks defeated the leaderless Boston Celtics at home.

Despite the Celtics' poor record, Avery Bradley's unexpected rise to prominence at one point tonight held the Knicks' bench players to just 5 points combined!
This second-year guard, with his formidable defensive abilities and a DPOY candidate this season, practically single-handedly wiped out the Knicks' bench.

However, the Boston Celtics' overall weakness allowed the Knicks to win the game by 8 points.

It's clear that the Knicks' bench scoring is quite poor when they face teams with strong defensive capabilities during rotations.

Both Kawhi Leonard of the Pacers and Avery Bradley of the Celtics have caused huge problems for the Knicks' bench.

The trouble will continue in the next round.

The day after tomorrow, the entire Knicks team will fly to Memphis, where the Grizzlies will be their next opponent.

The Grizzlies have been incredibly tough this season. With Marc Gasol's rise, this formidable team has become the most unbearable nut to crack among the league's powerhouses, and no team can easily overcome them.

They beat the Thunder, leaving KD humiliated.

They also managed to defeat the experienced Spurs, leaving Tim Duncan in a sorry state.

They're not a title contender, but no one should expect to take the victory from Memphis so easily.

The Grizzlies' rise was not only due to Marc Gasol finally realizing his potential, but also because Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger made a very bold decision – demoting OJ Mayo, whom the Grizzlies had been heavily developing and who was known as "the best of both worlds," to the bench.

The ceiling is Jordan Poole, the floor is Kobe White, no problem.

The decision was controversial from the start. While OJ Mayo certainly had many problems, Tony Allen, who was put into the starting lineup, seemed to be an even worse player.

But it was precisely this decision that revitalized the Grizzlies. With OJ Mayo, who liked to operate outside the system, leaving the starting lineup, the team could focus on the Grizzlies' duo as the core of their offense.

Tony Allen, on the other hand, established his reputation as a top-tier defensive anchor on the perimeter, elevating the entire team's defense to a new level.

OJ Mayo has also found his comfort zone. He is more unconstrained in the sixth man position and is currently ranked third in the list of candidates for the best sixth man, behind only James Harden and Lou Williams.

Although he is not a defensive stalwart, he will likely cause trouble for the Knicks during his rotation time.

A basketball game consists of 48 minutes. Even if the rotation time cannot directly determine the outcome, it will determine how much pressure the main players have to bear.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a tough, resilient, and difficult team to beat, and their starters are already under a lot of pressure.

Therefore, the rotation players must take on more responsibility in the next game.

The day before the game, as the team was about to board their plane at the airport to fly to Memphis, head coach Mike Malone received a phone call.

"Okay, I understand, OK."

After a few simple replies, he hung up the phone and looked at Lin Qi.

"The game is over. Guess how many points that idiot Chandler scored on Marcus?"

"25 points?"

“36分7个篮板4次助攻，三分球4投3中，马库斯.莫里斯在他面前像个新兵蛋子。”

Lynch nodded and glanced at the news on his phone: "New York seems to be losing its absolute dominance after winning only single digits in three consecutive games."

"Tell James to buy Chandler a first-class ticket to Memphis."

Throughout January, I want to keep winning.

(End of this chapter)