Champion Rules

Chapter 338, Section 334: This is just the threshold to meeting the Knicks (Seeking monthly votes!)

Spike Lee has had his own designated seat at Madison Square Garden since 1990.

He was also present to witness countless classic moments of the Knicks.

So when he saw the Indiana Pacers again in the same seat, he was somewhat dazed.

He sensed the cycle of history.

Since the 90s, the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers have been bitter rivals, facing each other multiple times in the playoffs.

They first met in 1993, where they began to show their talent.

In 1994 and 1995, the two sides went through two bloody Game 7 series.

In 1998, 1999 and 2000, the Knicks and Pacers met in the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, with each round being a close contest.

However, after 2000, the storylines of both sides were suddenly cut off.

Those classic series between the two teams are now just memories, and the images are gradually becoming blurry.

Until tonight, as Spike Lee sat in this chair that carries the weight of the past, gazing at his all-too-familiar old rival, all the images covered by time instantly became vivid and clear.

The Pacers' deep-seated resilience.

The Pacers must be resilient.

Because this is a team that has been inextricably linked to its fans since its inception.

In 1976, the Pacers officially joined the NBA. This should have been an exciting new beginning, but Pacers owner Bill Ethan encountered serious financial problems and was forced to sell the team.
The consortium interested in taking over the Pacers does not want the team to remain in Indianapolis.

They want to move the team.

This was a devastating blow to Indianapolis fans who consider basketball their life's passion.

Just when everyone was feeling hopeless, a key figure appeared.

He is Pacers' legendary head coach, Kawhi Leonard.

His wife.

She came up with a way to save the team: attract some local wealthy people in Indianapolis to buy the team, as these local wealthy people would definitely be willing to keep the team in Indianapolis.

This is indeed a good idea, but it is very difficult to implement.

How to attract wealthy individuals?
The Pacers aren't like those young, ambitious girls who can easily get rich guys to open their wallets just by stretching their legs.

The chariot of capital has no rearview mirror, the ruthlessness of capital is blind, and the language of capital and fans is incomprehensible.

You can't just rely on emotional appeals to get profit-driven capitalists to spend money on a team.

Ultimately, the Pacers' general manager proposed a solution: if the team could sell tickets for a live television program to prove its box office appeal, it would definitely attract local wealthy individuals in Indiana City to make a purchase.

This astonishing plan even caught the attention of the mayor and the local television station. So, on the evening of July 3, 1977, the Indianapolis city government and the local television station jointly organized a 16-hour live television broadcast with only one objective:
"Sell 8000 season tickets during the live stream, defend the Pacers!"

Indiana City fans were enthusiastic about attending the event and buying season tickets in advance for next season.

Every season pass sold on-site was updated in real time during the live stream, becoming a fluctuating number on the screen that captivated everyone's attention.

Even so, with only two hours left in the show, the Pacers were still 1000 votes short of their target.

Although the number of 8000 tickets is within reach, it is almost impossible to reach that number in two hours.

In front of their televisions, all Pacers fans were burning with anxiety. How could a basketball powerhouse not even have a professional team of its own?
Just then, during the live broadcast, things took a turn for the better.

A group of local workers stepped forward. Although their meager wages couldn't afford a season ticket, they mobilized all their colleagues to share the cost—if one person couldn't afford a season ticket, surely five or ten people could afford it together?
Some people donated voluntarily, such as $10 or $20.

Even the workers' children took out piggy banks and went door-to-door to raise funds.

Five-cent and ten-cent coins were filled with heavy hopes.

The city is awake!
Fans spontaneously took to the streets, calling for more people to lend a helping hand to their hometown team.

More and more people are going to the live broadcast studio, including middle-aged people with big bellies, elderly people with unsteady steps, ladies with long curly hair, and even children carrying their piggy banks.

A massive "ticket pooling" campaign was launched throughout Indianapolis.

Ultimately, the defense was won.

At the end of the program, the Pacers' general manager, barely able to contain his emotions, loudly announced:

"We sold 8028 tickets!"

Ultimately, the ticketed live show proved the Pacers' influence in Indianapolis, and led local investors, the Simon brothers, to decide to buy the team and permanently anchor it in this passionate city.

This is the Pacers' very essence: born from the fans' passion, forged through protection and struggle.

Every bit of their glory stems from this, and therefore, making all fans proud has become a mission ingrained in the very bones of this team.

For many years, this team, which has never been favored by the number one draft pick and has never had a number one draft pick, has become synonymous with "tenacity".

They are ashamed to give up, and even if the hope is slim, they will squeeze out every last drop of fighting spirit.

They never give up easily, and every victory, whether in good times or bad, is worth the blood and sweat.

They possess genuine pride and would never kneel on their opponent's floor like some future MVP.

Therefore, this team has always been a tough opponent.

This made Spike Lee's palms sweat.

He naturally believed in the Knicks' strength and was even more aware of Lynch's dominance, which was enough to conquer cities and seize strongholds.

However, the Pacers are never an easy target.

Watching that corn-yellow hue warm up on the court, Spike Lee could almost see the image of Reggie Miller choking him from afar at Madison Square Garden replaying before his eyes—that scene and what happened that night were the best interpretation of the Pacers' team spirit.

The battle is about to begin, and Chris Paul, the new leader of Indianapolis, has his lips pressed tightly together, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

He has waited too long for tonight, and he is eager to showcase the full potential of the Pacers.

Spike Lee, though nervous about the Pacers' tenacity, couldn't help but stand up from his seat as a die-hard New York fan:
"Chris, you're a really dedicated 'bonus,' thank you for filling the void left by LBJ."

Chris Paul, the tall, imposing, and dangerous individual whose elbows could reach an average person's knee when he leaped, did not get angry when he heard this.

He merely grinned ruthlessly: "Get back to your chair and sit still, Spike. Otherwise, I'll make you relive the feeling of being choked tonight!"

Spike Lee's smile vanished instantly; just as he had imagined, it had come true.

Will Chris Paul really replicate Reggie's iconic moment? A stronger sense of anxiety gripped him.

After yelling at Spike Lee, CP3 wasn't satisfied and continued yelling at Lynch:
"Get ready to lose face."

The game began, and DeAndre Jordan got the first possession.

As soon as Kyrie Irving approached the three-point line, Chris Paul began to apply heavy pressure.

Hidden trips, sudden elbows, and pressure mixed with profanity—the officiating standards in the playoffs gave CP3 the green light to his biting.

Kyrie Irving was somewhat unaccustomed to this, as many of CP3's moves would likely have been called fouls during the regular season. However, in the playoffs, everything seemed to make perfect sense.

Chris Paul could see the worry on the rookie's face; he was definitely panicking!

Seeing this, Lin Qi stepped forward to cover him.

But CP3, like a hungry wolf that has its jaws on its prey, quickly squeezed past the cover, rammed Irving's body hard with his shoulder to throw him off balance, and took the opportunity to steal the ball.

CP3 decided to lead by example, setting the tone for the whole team with a tough bite.

But Kyrie Irving didn't make any mistakes, nor did he rush the pass under CP3's relentless pressure.

Faced with Chris Paul's aggressive defense, Irving deliberately slowed down, used his back to create contact with CP3, and then accelerated again after creating a small space. Facing Roy Hibbert's help defense, he used a beautiful change of direction in a tight space to get past him.

Kyrie Irving remained calm under pressure and managed to escape from the encirclement and pursuit of CP3 and Yao Ming!

For Kyrie Irving, the "flat Earth" theory is absolutely sound.

Because if the Earth were round, he wouldn't be able to control the ball so steadily.

Irving drove past Roy Hibbert and scored a layup off the backboard, showing that the Pacers' high-intensity defense from the start had no effect on the Knicks.

As the Pacers attacked, Allen Afflalo's running seemed endless; he never stayed in one place for more than two seconds.

Like CP3, he wanted to intimidate the Knicks by increasing the intensity of their play.

In this play, he had no idea how many times he had run back and forth. When he got the opportunity after an off-ball screen and received the ball on the right side of the three-point line, he thought that the young man with acne scars on his face had been completely left behind.

It's important to understand that the key to defending off the ball lies not only in physical fitness, skills, and anticipation.

You also need to have unparalleled focus and perseverance.

LeBron James, an All-Defensive Team player, has one defensive characteristic that sets him apart from other defenders—he often loses focus when defending off-ball.

Of course, he's not entirely useless on the defensive end. Even when he's off-target, his stance remains solid. It's easy to lose focus while defending off the ball, and it's also easy to get frustrated by continuous chasing.

You'll feel like your opponent is making a fool of you, and you might easily give up after chasing them for a while.

Therefore, Alan Avralo believed he was safe.

They've already run such a long distance, that kid should be left behind by now, right?

He catches the ball, jumps, and shoots.

In that instant, DeMar DeRozan filled his vision.

"boom!--"

A solid block! DeMar DeRozan's tireless running rendered Aron Afflalo's efforts futile!
The start of this game was far from what the Pacers had anticipated.

They intended to put pressure on the Knicks from the start, to show them what kind of challengers they were, and to demonstrate an unprecedented stance of defiance to the Eastern Conference's rulers.

But this doesn't seem to have worked.

The game continued, DeAndre Jordan grabbed the rebound, and after Irving controlled the ball across half-court, he finally passed it to Lynch.

The Pacers' defensive system was very effective, and Roy Hibbert quickly formed a double-team with David West.

Paul George and Aron Afflalo also moved to the edge of the penalty area.

Yes, Lynch has a lot of space to pass the ball.

In fact, the Pacers were trying to force Lynch to pass the ball.

Franka Vogel's rule is simple—it's better to give others 10 open shots than to give Lynch an easy one.

The Pacers' defense has become incredibly refined under Frank Vogel's coaching; their help defense, rotations, and toughness are all impeccable.

In the first game of the series, the Pacers were determined to show their attitude and let the King of New York know their resolve by defending Lynch who had the ball.

But just like Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan before him, Lynch did not get what they wanted!
Faced with the double team attack, Lynch made a quick decision. He first turned around and shifted Roy Hibbert's defensive focus.

But this was just a half-turn feint. After shaking off Hilbert, Lynch immediately flipped backward in the opposite direction.

David West and Paul George both lunged forward, but Lynch still managed to score by taking advantage of the tiny gap left between their fingers!
Madison Square Garden was instantly engulfed in deafening cheers.

Did the Pacers want to set the tone with a tough, defensive approach from the start? The Knicks responded with an even tougher, more precise, and lethal attack!
Their actions declared: they are ready to crush any team and any challenge head-on!
After scoring, Lynch gave Paul George a thumbs up: "Great defense, George."

Lynch's praise was sincere, but it was a blow to the Pacers players.

Because this posture is too condescending—it's as if a teacher is encouraging a hardworking student, rather than facing a competitor who must give it their all.

This play and those words ignited Chris Paul's fury. He received the ball from the baseline, his face grim as he pushed the ball across half-court, determined to break this damn scoring drought himself!

He called for Roy Hibbert to provide cover, using the high wall to shake off Irving's entanglement, then stopped abruptly, jumped, and took a mid-range shot.

But the basketball bounced off the rim.

"Damn it!" CP3 cursed. Missing a chance like this is very demoralizing, especially in such a crucial match.

This shot also gave Spike Lee, New York's number one swordsman, the right to continue his verbal spiel about swords:
"Chris, even though it's your first time, you really know how to play the Eastern Conference Bonus! Interested in appearing in my new movie? It's called 'I'm Really Not LeBron'."

For most of the 90s, Spike Lee paid the price for his foul mouth when facing the Pacers.

This is one of the reasons why he felt nervous before the competition.

But in New York, under Lynch's protection, Spike Lee discovered that he could be even bolder!
After missing his offensive possession, CP3 immediately channeled his anger into a tougher defense. Kyrie Irving wanted to take the challenge and score again, but Lynch proactively ran to the three-point line to call for the ball.

Lynch is not someone who likes to monopolize the ball. For example, in the first round of the series, he almost never asked for the ball and devoted himself entirely to defense.

In regular games, unless it's time to close out the game or the tactics simply can't be executed, Lynch will not hog the ball.

Ultimately, he is not the type of player who dribbles the ball and acts as a primary ball-handler.

Therefore, his teammates don't mind when he occasionally asks for the ball.

Kyrie Irving passed the ball to Lynch, who, like CP3 had just done, called for a screen.

DeAndre Jordan immediately took his position, and Roy Hibbert was terrified.

He had watched Lynch play against the Spurs' Twin Towers, so he knew how difficult it was for Yao Ming to face Lynch's 4-5 pick-and-roll.

That was a nightmare for traditional centers.

Unfortunately, Roy Hibbert was also a traditional center.

The Pacers were well aware that Lynch might use 4-5 pick-and-rolls against the Black Tower, so they had a contingency plan in place.

Seeing this, David West and Black Yao Ming completely ignored DeAndre Jordan who was on the loose and directly double-teamed Lynch.

DeAndre Jordan then handed the ball to Paul George, who rotated into the paint.

Although Paige's brother is physically smaller, the good thing is that DeAndre Jordan doesn't have much skill in post-up play. As long as he's prevented from dunking on empty rims, he won't be able to score easily.

The Pacers executed their defensive tactics perfectly, but the Knicks' offense didn't falter at all.

After being double-teamed, Lynch bounced the ball off Roy Hibbert's leg and passed it to him.

DeMar DeRozan, left wide open by George, cut along the baseline and received the ball.

David West and Roy Hibbert were both swarming Lynch in the mid-range, meaning that the Pacers' best rim protection resources had been diverted to Lynch.

DeRozan leaped into the air, and the young Paul George displayed his courage and fighting spirit, still managing to block the onrushing opponent.
Thus, Paul George, the only man in NBA history who had a chance to surpass Tim Duncan in the realm of being a background figure, contributed his first memorable moment in the playoffs.

DeMar DeRozan straddled Paul George in mid-air, then slammed the ball down with one arm for a powerful dunk.

Bang!

George was completely knocked down, and DeRozan landed right on top of George.

DeRozan is not an arrogant person. After making this dunk that could be selected as one of the top five plays of the day, or even a classic moment of the entire playoffs, he did not roar or provoke. He just coldly lowered his head and looked down at Paul George, who was pinned down by him.

But this almost ignoring coldness is far more hurtful than any arrogant celebration.

It felt as if dunking on George was nothing to DeRozan.

Would anyone react to stepping on an ant?
DeRozan's composure, to some extent, reflects the mindset of the entire New York Knicks team at this moment.

They didn't even need to unleash all their hatred and passion as they would against arch-rivals; their "normal" playing style was enough to demonstrate a level of skill far superior to their challengers.

This brutal dunk boosted the Knicks' morale to its peak and also signaled that the Pacers' strategy against 4-5 pick-and-rolls was not perfect.

Lynch's passing, ball control, individual offense, and defense were all flawless, leaving Frank Vogel with nothing to criticize.

With a score of 6-0, the Knicks dealt a crushing blow to the aggressive Pacers with their superior strength.

Watching the Knicks players' nonchalant composure, commentator Mike Breen uttered something that infuriated and terrified Pacers fans:

"Yes, this Pacers team, supported by loyal fans, may be tough, they may be hard-working, they may be united."

The Pacers also tried to use these qualities to gain an advantage at the start of the game.

But against the Knicks, led by Moat Lynch, whose raw talent was unmatched.

All these valuable qualities that they are so proud of are merely the threshold to meeting the Knicks.

Want to win? That's far from enough; they need to do more, they must push their limits.

Mike Breen's cold words revealed the cruel truth: the Pacers' so-called "advantages" were not decisive in this matchup at all.

At that moment, Spike Lee suddenly stood up from his reserved seat, which had witnessed countless historical events.

This most famous "noise source" in New York had a sharp eye, piercing through the noise in the middle of the arena and locking onto Chris Paul.

Immediately afterwards, a highly symbolic historical reenactment unfolded.

Spike Lee took a deep breath, and with a vengeful ruthlessness and mockery, he suddenly grabbed his own neck with both hands—the posture and the angle were strikingly similar to what Reggie Miller had done to him here all those years ago!

Time seemed to flow backward, and the scene seemed to be reproduced, only this time, the balance of power had completely reversed.

"How's the suffocation feeling, Chris?! This is just the beginning! New York's grip will tighten inch by inch!"

His hands, which were tightly gripping her neck, slowly loosened their grip, simulating the desperate strangulation process.

"Until...you...take your last breath!"

A surge of exhilarating revenge welled up inside Spike Lee.

This is something that New York die-hards, who have historically been targeted by other stars at home, understand.

Under Lynch's protection, he could go as far as he wanted without any problem.

(Thank you so much to Lin Yu and other big shots for the generous donations! I'm extremely grateful!)
(End of this chapter)