Champion Rules

Chapter 341, Section 337: It's almost time (Seeking monthly votes!)

Paul George cannot lose.

Because he had nowhere to retreat.

From the age of six, he was someone with no way out.

Palmdale, Los Angeles, a place that is not very Los Angeles.

There are no celebrities, no Hollywood, no glitz and glamour there.

Only silent struggles, people barely surviving.

Paul George's family was no exception.

He didn't have a superstar start, and he had his parents by his side since childhood.

But he also had his hardships. When he was six years old, his mother became paralyzed due to a stroke. Every night, he would sleep next to his mother with a pillow and a blanket, just to make sure she was still breathing.

His father didn't abandon them, but to support the family, he had to work two or three jobs. He had to leave home at three in the morning and wouldn't return until seven in the evening.

From that moment on, Paul George knew that basketball was the only visible ray of salvation for his family.

He wants to play in the NBA; he wants to change his destiny through basketball.

He knew that Palmdale had never been out of the running with any NBA player.

He knew that scouts would almost never linger on this barren land.

But he had no choice.

Only by moving forward, only by honing our skills day after day.

And power flows around him.

Although his parents lived a hard life, they became his role models.

Her mother was given a "death sentence" by doctors early on, but she has been actively recovering, struggling from a vegetative state to being able to take care of herself semi-self-sufficiently.

Although his father worked tirelessly day and night to make a living, he never showed his vulnerable side to his family.

Paul George was inspired by his family, which led him to fame in high school, to college, and to the lottery with incredible odds.

And now, he has the opportunity to prove his worth in front of a superstar.

He will not be afraid, because he has fought against hardships far more severe than those on the field.

His family gave him extraordinary inner strength.

Entering the second quarter, Paul George maintained his high level of defensive intensity without letting up.

To be honest, his defensive abilities even amazed Frank Vogel.

He knew George had the potential to become a top defensive player, but he didn't expect him to be able to do this much in his second year.

Sometimes, you don't know how strong a player can be until you push them.

Towards the end of his career, Kobe had lost most of his athleticism, but if you pushed him, he could still take 20 or 30 shots in a single game.

Although it only covers the initial investment, not the final score.

Towards the end of his career, Kevin Garnett had lost his invincible defensive range and ability to compete, but if you push him, he can still be tough.

Isn't banging your forehead against the basketball hoop a form of toughness?

LeBron James at the end of his career is a respectable statistical legend, having accumulated 5161 turnovers in his career, the most in NBA history. Although James is already 40 years old, if you push him, he can still go fast.

He outscored a player 15 years his junior by combining the ball on a fast break from beyond the three-point line and scoring.

Paul George also embarked on this great path today, displaying an energy and focus beyond his usual limits when facing Lynch.

George's extraordinary inner strength forged his unwavering defensive resolve.

Lynch's offensive efficiency fluctuated slightly under Paul George's tough defense and the Pacers' consistently excellent double-teaming.

In addition, the Pacers' offense also started to pick up and play well.

CP3 and David West's pick-and-roll was quite threatening, frequently creating scoring opportunities.

DeAndre Jordan focused his defense on CP3, but David West's mid-range shot was incredibly consistent tonight.

In addition to his reliable mid-range shot, his exceptional basketball IQ makes him the offensive hub, smoothly orchestrating the team's offense as the second playmaker.

When the rotation period began, Roy Hibbert, who had been left behind by the times, came into play.

Black Tower consistently finds an advantage in the low post against Amir Johnson's defense.

Although the Knicks had the combination of Chandler Parsons and Theo to score during rotation time, they could only keep pace with their opponents during rotation time and were unable to gain an advantage.

At the end of the second quarter, the resilient Pacers were only down by 4 points.

Lynch scored only 8 points in the second quarter, bringing his total to 24 points at halftime.

Such a performance is certainly not bad, but for a superstar like Lynch, even causing fluctuations in his shooting percentage is considered a successful defense.

In the second half, Paul George's defense became even more extreme.

He almost completely abandoned his offensive statistics, focusing more on guarding the two baseline corners on the offensive end, reducing his running and conserving energy.

Then, on the defensive end, they ran as fast as they could, stifling every possible scoring opportunity for Lynch.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving's shooting touch was completely worn down in the intense competition tonight. His field goal percentage was less than 40%, marking his first major setback in the playoffs.

You can't blame him; there aren't many guards in this league who can consistently score against Chris Paul's defense.

The score was very close, and the Pacers' small lineup had an immediate effect.

In the final moments of the third quarter, with substitute Lance Stephenson hitting two incredible turnaround fadeaways, the Pacers narrowed the gap to just 2 points!
Lance Stephenson raised his arms high and then celebrated the goal with a guitar-playing motion.

He himself couldn't explain how those two shots slipped into the basket. His characteristic was that he was very daring to play, but whether he dared to make the shots was another matter.

Although those two difficult backflips had an element of luck, you have to make the most of a gift from heaven.

Mike Breen glanced at the stats. Although the Knicks were still leading on paper, that was only because they had gained too much advantage in the first quarter.

Looking at the scores in the second and third quarters alone, the Pacers had the upper hand.

Just like in the last game, the Pacers saw hope again amidst despair.

But tonight, the light of hope has never shone so brightly.

On the bench during the break, Kyrie Irving's chest heaved violently, a mixture of anger and frustration almost overwhelming him: "CP3 is the most despicable and filthy cult I've ever seen!"

Tonight, Chris Paul used a lot of unorthodox tactics against Irving, making him a veritable North American "West Hot Force".

Lin Qi tilted his head back and gulped down a mouthful of water, his gaze calmly sweeping over the young man whose emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control:

"Don't let his emotions control you. You're playing too hastily. The more hasty you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes. Listen to Kyrie, use more pick-and-rolls in the fourth quarter. David West can't stop your drives to the basket. The more you handle the ball and try to isolate, the happier CP3 will be."

Of course, for someone like Kyrie Irving, simply lecturing might backfire.

That could cause him to slump throughout the entire series.

The best way to get rid of his resentment and anger is to let him experience what it's like to defeat CP3 using the method Lynch suggested.

When the frustration and anger subside, your focus will naturally return.

So Lynch decided: "You should attack more in the fourth quarter, and you'll see a change."

Lynch didn't mind giving Irving a chance to prove himself. Kyrie Irving was taken aback; he had expected Lynch to take over the game in the fourth quarter, especially given his mediocre performance tonight.

Seeing the surprised look on Kyrie Irving's face, Lynch shrugged: "If you find it difficult, then just dribble the ball across half-court and pass it to me."

"Not at all, Lynch!"

On the other end, Paul George was making the most of every second to catch his breath.

Lynch has already scored 34 points tonight, and he'll be just 6 points shy of breaking the 40 mark.

That was definitely not the ending he wanted to see.

His goal was to keep Lynch's individual score lower than in the previous game, which now seems like an almost impossible task.

But at least, don't let Lynch actually score over 40.

As the second half began, every inch of Paul George's muscles were bulging with excitement.

As a result, Kyrie Irving became the main offensive target in the fourth quarter.

He ran pick-and-rolls with DeAndre Jordan extensively, achieving amazing results.

While Chris Paul is very good at going around screens, Kyrie Irving, like Lynch, only needs a tiny gap to make a shot.

When Irving sets a screen and directly challenges David West, he won't encounter much resistance.

David West is an excellent defensive player overall, but his size and physical attributes mean he cannot protect the rim particularly effectively.

During this period, Lynch scored through a few sporadic catch-and-shoot opportunities.

This led Paul George to a fatal misjudgment. He believed that his relentless attacks in the first three quarters had forced a monster like Lynch to temporarily halt his offensive pace.

His defense was indeed successful. Although Lynch was still very efficient tonight, overall it was far from devastating and was slightly lower than in the last game.

Therefore, Paul George has the capacity to make a misjudgment.

When Kyrie Irving once again broke through CP3 using a screen, and Lynch was just crouching in the corner, Paul George made a mistake that all men make—faced with the wrong beep, he couldn't resist the temptation and slipped in.

“Lynch,” the hard-won young man smiled, “where is your ‘moment of takeover’? Where did it go?”

Lin Qi glanced at the guy he admired and said calmly, "It's not time yet."

When will it be time to call it time?

"You'll know."

As Kyrie Irving regained his form, the Knicks gradually took the lead.

However, the 1-5 pick-and-roll between CP3 and David West remains quite lethal.

The point difference widened slightly, but not by much.

With only 43 seconds left in the game, the Pacers were still down by only 5 points!
In a life-or-death moment, Chris Paul once again stepped up. With a lightning-fast change of direction from Sam Gold's dribble at the top of the arc, he tore through the first line of defense and plunged into the heart of the penalty area.

Facing DeAndre Jordan's onslaught, CP3 twisted his body in mid-air, executed a powerful layup, and deftly lobbed the ball past his fingertips, accurately tossing it toward the basket!
The crisp sound of the net swishing ignited the Pacers' bench, instantly narrowing the gap to just 3 points!
Chris Paul roared to the sky, about to take victory from Madison Square Garden.

As long as they can win one game in the series, the team's morale won't completely collapse!

With only 31 seconds left in the game, this offensive play was crucial for the Knicks.

But the Knicks didn't call a timeout, and Lynch finally raised his hand: "Kyrie, give me the ball."

Kyrie Irving did not object; he had no reason to object.

The basketball flew swiftly from the baseline and landed precisely in Lynch's hands.

Paul George took a deep breath and lowered his center of gravity.

Lynch had 39 points at this point, just one point away from 40—Lynch was unaware of Ron Artest's "small goal" of 40 points set for Paul George, otherwise he would never have been so gentle in the fourth quarter.

As an affable player, Lynch really enjoys doing things that leave his opponents in despair.

For Paul George, if he can stop this shot, he can prove that Ron Artest's so-called "small goal" is completely unfounded.

Furthermore, it can help the Pacers get infinitely closer to victory.

Lynch crossed the half-court line, waved to signal everyone to spread out, and then stared at the timer.

He wanted to finish those 24 seconds, leaving the Pacers no time to turn the tide.

Lynch dribbled the ball near the midcourt line, but Paul George didn't press him; instead, he waited for Lynch a step outside the three-point line.

"Damn it, you can't defend like that!" Ron Artest cursed as he stood up, yelling at the players on the court, "Stick to him, rookie, stick to him!"

Paul George remained unmoved. Should he stick close? That would give Lynch an easier chance to break through.

He knew Ron Artest was experienced, but he also knew that some experience wasn't always useful.

That's why Lynch didn't just preach, but wanted Kyrie Irving to try it himself.

They will never be convinced unless they experience the actual results.

It doesn't matter, Lynch will teach this rookie a lesson for Ron Artest.

Why should Lin Qi be so fond of him? Lin Qi felt obligated to do this.

With only 5 seconds left on the 24-second shot clock, Lynch launched his attack.

Paul George was on high alert, but what happened next completely exceeded his expectations.

Lin Qi actually pulled up for a shot from three steps away from the three-point line!

Paul George immediately launched a desperate dunk, but because he hadn't put any pressure on Lynch beforehand, his jump shot was very easy and smooth.

The basketball traced a high, powerful arc through the air.

Paul George swallowed hard, but then thought with a glimmer of hope, "It's so far away, they probably won't get in, right?"

In that instant, a chilling sense of despair spread throughout his body.

He had previously taken a similar chance: "Just half a step into space, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

This time, the outcome was the same as before.

The stroke of luck was dashed; the basketball swooped straight into the net!
"Tick."

The timer stopped, frozen at 8 seconds, the Knicks led by 6 points, and the victory that seemed within reach almost vanished.

Paul George ultimately failed to achieve what he considered a trivial "small goal," as Lynch easily scored 42 points over him.

Lin Qi didn't even glance at the rolling basketball as he landed, as if he already knew the shot would go in.

His gaze was sharp as a knife, instantly locking onto Paul George, who had just landed and whose eyes still held shock and disbelief.

Then he raised his empty left wrist, and with an almost cold elegance, gently poked the non-existent watch on his wrist with his right index finger.

"Didn't you ask me when I would take over?"

Now, it's time.
Paul George from Palmdale has experienced countless hardships in his life, which makes him fearless and courageous on the field.

He was convinced that after experiencing so many hardships, he would not encounter any greater difficulties now that he had entered the NBA.

But at this moment, he suddenly realized...

The greatest hardship was standing before him.

(End of this chapter)