Champion Rules

Chapter 350, Section 346: Look, he's crying (Seeking monthly votes!)
Lynch's two consecutive blocks extinguished the Oklahoma City Thunder's last breath in the Finals.

In the games that followed, the Thunder suffered a complete collapse.

Stephen Curry has been missing shots in a row, and his shot selection is as hasty as Kyrie Irving's in the past.

Kevin Durant started making inexplicable mistakes, and James Harden seemed to be sleepwalking again.

These three young people have clearly lost their minds.

The experienced LeBron James became the busiest Thunder player on the court.

He stood with his hands on his hips on defense and spread his hands on offense, displaying maximum energy on fast breaks and never stopping, showing the full potential of LeBron James.

Although he tried his best, he couldn't carry the load alone.

The Thunder, who had battled the Knicks to the very end in the previous two games, completely collapsed on this night, ultimately suffering a crushing 16-point defeat.

The series score became 3-0.

The flame of hope was extinguished overnight.

At the end of the game, the Knicks players could not contain their elation and celebrated their victory of the season.

Lynch walked up to David Stern and joked with the old man who was nearing retirement:

"Hey David, something feels missing. Where's my championship trophy? Why don't you give us the award tonight?"

David Stern responded with a gentle smile, while Adam Silver, standing beside him, had a grim expression.

He very much does not want the league to become what it is now.

Four consecutive championships means that the Knicks are the only dominant force in the league and lack competitiveness.

Although this year's Finals achieved record-breaking viewership, Adam Silver believes the entire league's ecosystem is unhealthy.

Sooner or later, this league, whose competitive environment has been destroyed, will be abandoned by the fans.

The dazzling brilliance of the champion only felt blinding to him at that moment.

In the luxurious suite above the two league leaders, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov wore a radiant smile, as if his own team were about to lift the trophy.

Two years after the Russian oligarch bought the Nets, he immediately applied to relocate the team to Brooklyn, New York.

New Jersey is close to New York and has always been associated with "New York teams".

The difference between what can be considered "close" and what can be actually done is like the difference between the top scorer in 03 and the top scorer in 04.

Even during the Knicks' worst years, attendance was still among the highest.

Even during the seasons when the Nets reached the NBA Finals for two consecutive years under Jason Kidd, the attendance was so low that former Nets owner Lewis Katz couldn't help but laugh—people really do laugh when they're speechless.

Therefore, the Russians' first goal after buying the team was to relocate it.

James Dolan vehemently opposed this, as he didn't want a second team in New York to share his spoils.

However, the money the Russians poured into the NBA, and their actions in building a new arena in Brooklyn, still earned them relocation permission from the council.

At this moment, witnessing the Knicks' global influence, Mikhail Prokhorov seemed to see a bright future for the Nets.

He firmly believes that a large market plus big stars is the formula for success in the NBA.

This formula will be in operation as the team relocates this summer.

The Russians have always placed great trust in Billy King, the wise, intelligent, and shrewd general manager they have hired.

That man didn't need a resume; his eyes alone were full of stories.

Mikhail Prokhorov's instructions to Billy King this summer were: build a team that can compete with the Knicks at all costs, remember, at all costs.

Billy King, with his great intelligence, will definitely make him successful, he definitely will.

Previously, the league's expectation of Mikhail Prokhorov was that he would use his money to solve the Nets' predicament, make some money in the New York market, and then other small teams would share his luxury tax earnings.

But the Russians were clearly not satisfied; they didn't need to recoup the luxury tax money. So what if it's the Knicks? Let's take them down!
On the court, Lynch is being interviewed by Rachel Nichols.

The renowned female reporter's question was very simple: "Lynch, would you let the Finals end in Game 4? Can you create a season where you win the championship with a perfect playoff record?"

This question reminded Lynch of a famous quote from Moses Malone, his original inspiration.

So he held up four fingers:
"Man! What can I say?"

FO, FO, FO, FO! (FO stands for four, meaning four 4-0 victories)
After Game 3, the Oklahoma City Thunder's locker room was eerily silent.

No one spoke; only the rustling of clothes and heavy breathing cut through the stagnant air.

Even Stephen Curry, who was full of fighting spirit before the game, was completely silent at this moment.

Back in the locker room, he slumped into his seat, covering his face and trembling shoulders with a towel, isolating himself from the world.

Kevin Durant forcefully wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, his large nostrils closing as he sobbed.

James Harden's gaze was fixed blankly on the cold floor, as if his body was still there, but his soul had been ripped away by this crushing defeat.

Coach Scott Brooks, who usually delivers inspiring words after a defeat, fell into an unusual silence this time.

He stood against the wall, his gaze seemingly piercing through the metal cabinet door, plunging into an abyss of emptiness.

For a team, the most terrifying thing is not losing the present, but completely losing the future.

The Thunder are currently in this predicament.

Everyone knew very well in their hearts: there would be no next round, and they would never have another chance to fight back together.

This team, a patchwork of talent and ambition, has been pushed to the brink of elimination.

Before the height of summer even arrives, the death sentence has already been handed down, and this team will be incomplete this offseason.

Apart from Kevin Durant, who signed a long-term contract early on, everyone else, whether players or coach Brooks who is currently leaning against the wall in silence, could leave at any time.

But LeBron James didn't feel that sense of crisis; he firmly believed that the Thunder would re-sign him.

This team cannot function without a strong veteran.

He will remain with this competitive team and strive for the next victory.

The Thunder definitely need him; if you don't believe me, check his stats.

Although KD, Griffin, and Harden all had outstanding performances in this year's Finals, LBJ can be considered the most consistent among them.

This is the confidence that his strength gives him.

In fact, LBJ also felt that the team had an excess of talent.

Having too much talent isn't a good thing, because no matter how many excellent players you have, a basketball game can only use one ball.

If we think of a ball as a cake, then an excess of talent will result in everyone getting a smaller slice of the cake.

James Harden and Stephen Curry's excellent ball-handling skills have allowed LBJ to gradually become a role player on the Thunder.

His role wasn't much different from Wilson Chandler's; both were engineers on the flank.

All of this is faithfully reflected in the data.

This season, LBJ's scoring and assists have declined to some extent, his ball-handling time has been reduced, and he has been putting more and more effort into defense.

This is not what he wanted to see, nor is it his preferred style of play.

He has been patient all season in order to win.

But that doesn't mean he has completely accepted it.

Especially given that Lynch has repeatedly referred to him as "Scott Pippen," he will certainly try to get rid of that label.

Therefore, it's not necessarily a bad thing for LBJ whether Stephen Curry or James Harden leaves.

In fact, the Thunder might be even better if they could turn their excess talent into championship pieces.

Then, in the deathly silent Oklahoma City locker room, only LeBron James' voice suddenly rang out:

"Listen up, guys! I know some of you are anxious about contract renewals, some of you are uncertain about the future. But this damn season isn't over yet! We're still together, we can still fight! Hang in there!"

Since it wasn't him who was leaving, he could naturally say some high-sounding things.

As expected, this "leader's declaration" failed to make the slightest ripple.

LBJ's prestige with the team has been declining because he has never truly played a leadership role.

At the subsequent press conference, Stephen Curry couldn't hide his frustration:
"We've done our best, but that's basketball; the result isn't always what you want just because you try."

Kevin Durant also commented on Lynch's two consecutive blocks in the final moments:

"Your competitive genes might feel frustrated at that moment, but you can only be grateful to have witnessed such greatness."

Only LeBron James still maintains his "ambition":
“You know, I’ve never been defeated, and I won’t be defeated by anyone. I understand Stephen and Kevin, and I won’t blame them because this is something young people have to go through.”

But we will continue to fight, and I will continue to fight. Bill Russell was right; history is meant to be rewritten.

There has never been a comeback from a 0-3 deficit in NBA history, but that was in the past, right? We might be the first.

I will fight again in the next battle, I will continue to fight.

LeBron James, a "realist" who always walks the league with a clear head, has never been blinded by futile passion.

If he had been led by passion and fervor, he wouldn't have left his hometown in the first place. If he had been swayed by loyalty and fervor, he wouldn't have betrayed Carmelo Anthony.

So LeBron James knows better than anyone that this Finals series is hopeless, and it doesn't matter whether he continues to fight or not.

He became another ghost at Lynch's feet.

It's a foregone conclusion that Lynch will win the championship and the FMVP title, so at least his never-give-up persona and impressive statistics will ensure he doesn't end up empty-handed.

In this way, no one can refute his weakness. A simple "Check my data" becomes his last unbreakable moat.

LeBron James glanced at the dejected KD and Stephen Curry and sighed.

This was indeed a rather disappointing season, and once again, the dream of crushing Lynch was dashed.

He couldn't even remember the exact head-to-head record against Lynch during his career; it was certainly appalling and shocking.

His goal remains unchanged; he still longs to defeat Lynch once.

But there's no need to be discouraged by one setback.

As long as he maintains his data and his public image, he'll remain at the poker table.

The world eagerly awaits Game 4 of the finals.

Although the outcome has long been decided, no one wants to miss this historic coronation moment.

LeBron James reiterated his declaration under the spotlight: "I will fight to the end. I will not be defeated. Maybe I will lose, but no one can make me kneel or cry."

Establish your persona, then start flaunting it.

But as soon as he stepped onto the court, LeBron James realized that the Knicks' lineup wasn't quite right.

They traded Chandler Parsons for DeAndre Jordan.

The long-absent rim protection barrier has once again been erected on the only path leading to the basket.

This will eliminate the Knicks' invincible offensive space, but their rim protection will undoubtedly be greatly enhanced.

LeBron James swallowed hard.

Why! ?

Mike Malone wasn't targeting LeBron James, but rather the entire Thunder team.

The Thunder's crushing defeat in the last game has already broken their physical and mental foundation, and their outside shooting percentage tonight is likely to be just as bad as it was in the last two minutes of the last game.

To score, the Thunder were forced to get close to the basket.

So he brought DeAndre Jordan back in, hoping to use brutal defense to strangle the Thunder.

Of course, there's no limit to the number of substitutions in a basketball game. If the Thunder continue to have a good shooting night from the perimeter, and the Knicks are forced to continue their offensive onslaught, Mike Malone can immediately substitute DeAndre Jordan out.

But no matter what, the Thunder must die tonight—that's the only script that can't be changed.

As Mike Malone predicted, the Thunder's outside shooting went completely off target once the game started.

Shooting touch is inherently a highly unpredictable thing, even though the overall shooting ability of NBA players has made a qualitative leap compared to the beginning of the century, and even though the No HandCheck rule is more favorable to shooters.

But no one can guarantee that he will be accurate every time.

There are so many factors that affect shooting touch, including physical factors, psychological factors, and even time factors. For example, legendary player Ben Simmons was only accurate in shooting during the summer, but unfortunately, the NBA summer is still in the offseason, so he has always been misunderstood.

The Thunder's shooting touch was frozen solid today, with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry both losing their magic from beyond the arc.

This should have been LeBron James's dream night of taking over, where he would put up brilliant numbers and end the season with a "glorious defeat."

However, because DeAndre Jordan started, Lynch was directly matched up against LeBron James on the defensive end today.

This made his attack extremely difficult.

LeBron James struggled to get decent shooting space. His outside jump shots were inefficient against Lynch's defense, and his drives to the basket were even more difficult to block with the combined efforts of Lynch and DeAndre Jordan.

After halftime, LeBron James had only scored 5 points, shooting 2-for-11.

This completely broke him.

The situation did not improve in the second half.

LeBron James knows that his shooting percentage is already very poor.

Therefore, he is more cautious in choosing when to make a move.

He couldn't let his poor shooting percentage ruin the night.

However, the few opportunities that he had were all squandered by the defense of the four-time DPOY winner.

With two minutes left in the third quarter, LeBron James got a three-point shot opportunity, but missed due to Lynch's interference.

A minute later, he cut to the basket and received a pass from Stephen Curry, but his layup was blocked by DeAndre Jordan.

Two possessions later, LeBron James finally sank a mid-range jumper over Lynch's head, scoring his 7th point of the game.

But his shooting percentage has dropped to 3 out of 14, less than 30%!
Fear gripped him completely.

LeBron James is completely afraid to take shots; his shooting percentage can't afford to drop any further.

For the next five minutes, LBJ was completely shut down and didn't get a single shot attempt.

This cowardly choice stands in stark contrast to his pre-match declaration of "never kneeling, always fighting to the end."

Mike Brin shook his head: "Jeff, do you know the difference between LeBron and Scott?"

Jeff Van Gundy chimed in with a playful tone: "LeBron's footwork is more refined?"

"No, LeBron always overemphasizes his heroics that are beyond his capabilities."

Before the irony had even faded, LeBron James had his best scoring opportunity in nearly six minutes.

Serge Ibaka shut down DeAndre Jordan, briefly pinning him down and preventing him from getting back under the basket to protect the rim.

LBJ, with his stronger physique, overpowered Lynch and drove to the basket.

However, just as he was about to make a final push to break through the defense and finish the game, Lynch suddenly took a step back. Without any support, LeBron James completely lost his balance and fell to his knees.

People are not surprised by this, because LeBron James' knees always seem to succumb to the gravitational pull of fate in front of the King of New York.

He had knelt before Lynch more than once.

With his knees on the ground, LBJ could only awkwardly pass the ball out, and didn't take a shot for a full six minutes!
Lynch didn't humiliate the kneeling LeBron James like he did in last season's Finals, and he didn't even bother to trash talk him; he simply turned and left.

Once again, he was completely ignored by Lin Qi.

This, on the contrary, brought forth an even greater sense of shame and frustration.

He realized that he couldn't even make a graceful exit in front of Lynch.

He was completely restrained, completely dominated, and completely destroyed.

His stats were stable in the first three games, simply because Lynch didn't directly match up against him.

At the end of the third quarter, LeBron James managed to reach double figures in scoring thanks to two free throws and a layup.

But the Thunder were already down by 27 points.

In the fourth quarter, neither side fielded their main players.

The silence on the Thunder's bench was exactly the same as in the locker room in the previous game, except this time, LeBron didn't even bother to utter any empty boasts.

After the game, the Knicks players donned championship caps, celebrating an unprecedented four-peat in modern basketball history.

LeBron James rose amidst the jubilant cheers, not glancing at the celebrations in the center of the court, and strode into the player tunnel.

But there were still countless cameras in the player tunnel, and one set of cameras captured LBJ's face, which was then shown on live television around the world.

People saw the man who claimed "no one can make me kneel or cry" crying.

It wasn't a violent wail, but a silent breakdown after being suppressed to the limit. Large tears mixed with the sweat of defeat uncontrollably broke through the slightly twitching facial muscles caused by his forced tension, leaving glaring streaks on his face filled with exhaustion and despair.

He seemed to want to raise his hand to cover up his completely out-of-control behavior, but he lost his strength after raising his arm only halfway, and eventually ended up covering his face with the whole towel soaked in sweat.

His tall frame hunched over uncontrollably, his shoulders twitching erratically, as if trying to shrink himself into the damp, dark fabric and escape the inescapable lash of the camera and the scrutinizing gaze of the entire world.

The cold walls of the staff passage reflected his solitary, huddled figure; that image of "never backing down" was now reduced to a shattered, tear-soaked, wretched shell.

The camera remained cold and faithful, recording the clearest and most shameful heartbreak moments behind the dynasty's back.

Never before in NBA history has any player been so thoroughly dominated by another.

In NBA history, no player has ever been beaten so badly by another player that he cried like a child.

The camera cuts back to the court, where the New York Knicks players have already lifted the championship trophy.

Four consecutive championships, a perfect playoff record – Lynch has reached an unprecedented height, standing at the pinnacle of conquest, overlooking all the mountains below.

As for LeBron James, who was cowering and trembling in the shadow of defeat, sobbing uncontrollably.

That was merely a scene in this great journey, destined to be forgotten amidst the cheers and applause.

(Thanks so much to Lin Yu, Z Daoshi, and other generous donors! I'm extremely grateful!)

(End of this chapter)