Champion Rules

Chapter 368 (364): Beware, Bear Hunters Appear (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Memphis, FedEx Stadium.

Carmelo Anthony is already used to the cheers of the fans; this is his tenth NBA season.

Before we knew it, nine and a half years had passed since the day I stepped into the league.

He's already a mid-career player; in other words, he doesn't have that many "futures" left.

This summer was very special for Carmelo Anthony, as he won his first Olympic gold medal and experienced his first career transfer.

Fortunately, he remains on a highly competitive team and has avoided the awkward situation of a team rebuilding at the age when he most needs to achieve something.

Furthermore, Carmelo Anthony immediately reached a contract extension agreement with the Memphis Grizzlies after the transfer, signing a five-year extension.

This prompted the league to investigate the contract extension, as it was hard to believe that a star like Carmelo Anthony would be willing to sign a long-term contract with a team like the Grizzlies.

The league is launching a major investigation, aiming to thoroughly investigate Carmelo Anthony.

But in the end, nothing came of it; Carmelo Anthony was completely clean, and not a single instance of tax avoidance was uncovered.

At this stage of his career, Carmelo Anthony has no time to pursue big markets or high exposure.

These years of ups and downs have made him realize the most basic truth in the world of competitive sports—being a winner is more important than anything else.

In the early years of his career, despite being in a depressed Detroit, Carmelo Anthony never felt it was a small market.

He received so many endorsement contracts that he was overwhelmed, and his team's attendance rate consistently ranked among the top in the league.

It wasn't until his record gradually declined, especially after the infamous Pistons' championship dreams were shattered, that Carmelo Anthony finally experienced the taste of a small-market team.

His endorsements are decreasing, the number of Pistons' nationally televised games has plummeted, and the number of empty seats in the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills is increasing.

But he knew very well that it wasn't caused by the football market.

The same city, Detroit, yet its circumstances were drastically different before and after, for one simple reason: it was no longer a winner.

At this moment, looking across the entire league, there is no place more likely for him to touch victory than Memphis.

He only wanted to win and didn't want to waste a single moment longer.

His goal this season is to win the championship, so Carmelo Anthony takes every game against potential playoff opponents very seriously.

He would arrive at the court well in advance to warm up and do a lot of repetitive shooting practice, keeping his shooting touch to a minimum to ensure that he would not falter in the toughest battles.

This is by no means in vain.

This season, regardless of which top-five team in the East or West he faces, Carmelo Anthony has never let a poor shooting percentage drag him down.

His consistency appears to be even higher than that of the Black and White Bears, who play inside.

In terms of shooting accuracy and consistency, the only player on the team who can rival Carmelo Anthony is probably another super-consistent shooter, Tony Allen.

He is confident that he can maintain his efficiency tonight.

As long as he can coordinate with the Black and White Bears on the perimeter, winning the game won't be difficult.

Even Lynch couldn't cover both the perimeter and the inside at the same time.

About an hour after Carmelo Anthony had warmed up, Zach Randolph appeared on the court.

The big black bear grinned and waved its thick arm at the melon:
"I saw the news this morning, and I can't believe it! They actually blocked so many roads because of Lynch. Hey, you weren't one of the unlucky ones stuck in traffic last night, were you?"

Melon shrugged helplessly: "I can only stand in the cold wind and watch Lin Qi with longing."

“God, this is fucking outrageous. But whatever, every big star eventually loses their spotlight here, and Lynch is no exception.” Zach Randolph rubbed his hands together and began stretching.

Carmelo Anthony smiled, launched a three-pointer, and sank it cleanly.

He watched the basketball land, his gaze sharply fixed on the Knicks' tunnel exit.

"Yes, any halo in Memphis will eventually fade."

This season, FedExCare has become a graveyard for star players.

Any star player who comes here will experience a significant drop in both output and efficiency.

Whether it's Kevin Durant, LBJ, Kobe, or Paul George, who has made a meteoric rise this season, none of them have been spared.

The Spurs are an exception because they never win games based on star players.

At that moment, the Knicks players entered the court.

As in all arenas across the United States, Lynch quickly attracted the attention of fans and cameras.

Carmelo Anthony simply continued shooting jumpers, unaffected.

Lynch remains the star of the show, shining with the aura of a basketball legend.

But Melo knew that once the game started, he wouldn't be the same anymore.

The starting lineups of both teams gathered together, with Carmelo Anthony and Lynch embracing.

But soon, his attention was completely drawn to the figure of another person:
"Damn it! Don't tell me you're planning to start him!"

Jimmy Butler's ears twitched: "Melo, have you already forgotten what happened this summer?"

Carmelo Anthony looked at the legendary wingspan king with disdain: "Summer? Of course I remember, you managed to defend me a few times."

Anthony knew that the Knicks wanted to contain him with a player who could go all out on defense, freeing up Lynch so he could focus on dealing with the Grizzlies.

He had assumed the person would be Chandler Parsons.

But Jimmy Butler?
He will only make Lynch's aura fade even faster.

Carmelo Anthony admitted that Jimmy Butler is indeed a fierce and tenacious defender, a tough guy to deal with.

But in the end, he was just a second-year novice.

The game begins, and the Knicks have possession of the ball.

As Kyrie Irving dribbled past half-court, he saw countless fans in the stands holding up signs that read "Watch out, bears are on the way."

This seems to foreshadow the dangers at FedEx Stadium.

Soon, Kyrie Irving encountered danger.

He had just crossed the halfway line when he encountered Tony Allen's relentless pressure.

But Kyrie Irving has never been afraid of these tight defenders; on the contrary, he loves to punish those who over-close him with his superb dribbling skills.

Kyrie Irving stepped back to create some space, made a move as if to break to the left, then quickly pulled the ball to the right and accelerated with a push-off.

But Tony Allen moved sideways to block him almost immediately, leaving no room for error!
And after Kyrie Irving took a step, he reached out and precisely touched the basketball!

Kyrie Irving's dribble was interrupted, and he immediately slammed the ball together with both hands to avoid a turnover, then passed it to Jimmy Butler.

But Mike Conley, as if watching a movie he'd seen a hundred times, easily predicted Kyrie Irving's intentions.

He appeared at the perfect moment in the passing lane and intercepted the ball securely!
In the very first possession, the Grizzlies showed Kyrie Irving why this place is known as the graveyard of star players.

The Memphis Grizzlies possess extremely aggressive individual defense, as well as excellent teamwork and defense.

Tony Allen forms the first line of defense on the perimeter. This guy, born for defense, strikes fear into the hearts of all perimeter offensive players in the league. He has no Italian blood, but his precision and speed in stealing the ball are enough to make even the most seasoned Italian street thieves blush with shame.

Even if Golden State streetball legend Klay Thompson, whose dribbling skills are better than Kyrie Irving's, came to Memphis, he could only dribble one step at most.

If the ball is taken too far, it will be intercepted.

When you're frustrated by Tony Allen and rush the pass, everyone on the Grizzlies will immediately become alert and make a quick decision.

Every passing route is fraught with danger.

Kyrie Irving just experienced a typical Grizzlies-style suffocation.

The Knicks quickly retreated on defense, and Kyrie Irving frowned, clearly unhappy with the previous play.

The Grizzlies didn't rush into a fast break; slowing down the pace is something almost all defensive teams do.

Mike Conley calmly crossed half-court; as a player from a family of athletes, his athletic talent is quite exceptional.

Standing at 185 cm tall, his running reach reaches 343 cm.

In contrast, the Oklahoma City guard known for his dunks, despite being taller, only has a running reach of 336 centimeters.

However, Mike Conley's playing style is seriously incompatible with his physical attributes; he doesn't like to drive to the basket or force his way to the rim.

He's a true point guard, always making the right decisions and choices on the court.

In this possession, Mike Conley called for a screen from the Big White Bear, drawing the defense's attention before quickly bouncing the ball to Carmelo Anthony, who had cut to the free-throw line.

Carmelo Anthony took the shot decisively, while Lynch was overwhelmed by the big bear under the basket, leaving Jimmy Butler to fend for himself. His attempts to contest the shot continued, but the ball still swished through the net with deadly accuracy. Jimmy Butler's legendary wingspan hampered his defensive effectiveness.

2:0.

Carmelo Anthony deliberately pouted: "Tsk tsk tsk, now you remember what happened this summer?"

Jimmy Butler didn't say anything, and you couldn't see any frustration on his face.

He simply raised his head, calmly ran forward, and continued the race.

In this respect, he stands in stark contrast to Kyrie Irving, who had just experienced a similar defeat.

Kyrie Irving's emotions were written all over his face.

Jimmy Butler didn't. He simply followed orders faithfully, seemingly unmoved by anything.

The match continued, and Kyrie Irving didn't get carried away. Instead of continuing to go one-on-one this round, he called for Lynch to screen for him.

But Tony Allen was extremely good at squeezing through screens, using his hands to help push past Lynch and quickly pass through.

Tony Allen may not be able to break through a tight press with the ball, but he can definitely break through a tight press by supporting his back.

Kyrie Irving didn't get much space to pull up for a jump shot.

The big white bear had already raised his arms and was waiting under the basket, blocking Kyrie Irving's path to the rim.

Left with no other option, Kyrie Irving had to pass the ball to Lynch.

The instant the basketball left Irving's fingertips, Tony Allen quickly moved towards Lynch to provide help defense.

Lynch was instantly surrounded by Tony Allen and the big black bear.

Among guards, Tony Allen is one of the few who is top-level in both one-on-one defense and help defense.

But Lynch didn't let the offense stop. The moment he touched the ball, he passed it back to Kyrie Irving as if he were playing ping-pong, and the latter easily made a mid-range shot!

Lynch didn't rush into a one-on-one game. Even against the Grizzlies' suffocating defense, he remained patient and seized fleeting opportunities in the blink of an eye.

But for the Grizzlies, this defensive play was a success.

This would allow Lynch to reduce his shot attempts, thus achieving the goal of reducing his workload, which would also fulfill the defensive objective.

His superstar aura was destined to be extinguished by repeated suffocating defenses.

In the next possession, Carmelo Anthony received the ball and was double-teamed.

DeMar DeRozan immediately left Tony Allen open for a double-team, forcing Carmelo Anthony to pass the ball to the big bear.

Randolph held the ball with his back to the goal, exuding confidence.

In their last encounter, he and Marc Gasol combined for 44 points in the Knicks' paint.

This was key to the Grizzlies being able to drag the game into the final moments.

Randolph tried to use his weight to overpower Lynch and push him to the basket, but just as he dribbled with his back to the basket, Lynch suddenly half-circled in front of him and used his wingspan to break the ball.

"Oh shit!"

Randolph cursed loudly, his attack was thwarted before it could even truly begin.

However, the big black bear reacted very quickly. He immediately used his strong body to separate Lin Qi, who was trying to pounce, and pulled the ball back into his arms.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Zach Randolph didn't rush to pass the ball, but instead turned and jumped to shoot.

The big black bear's judgment was very experienced. Lin Qi had just been shifting his center of gravity to pick up the ball, so it would be difficult for him to immediately shift his center of gravity to interfere with his shot.

But after Zach Randolph released the ball, Lynch not only quickly raised his center of gravity, but also used his terrifying speed to swatt the basketball away!

The Knicks' pace is not as gentle as the Grizzlies'; their counterattacks are like a whirlwind.

After making the block, Lin Qi dribbled the ball up the court and threw it into the air just past half-court.

Legendary wingspan king Jimmy Butler roars up for a dunk, successfully connecting the ball!

Lynch clenched his fist, turned around, looked at Zach Randolph, and grinned: "Hey Zach, why don't you act like a wronged kid going to the referee to cry this time? Go ahead, go tell the referee that I fouled just now."

Lynch's taunts about the previous game infuriated Zach Randolph and made Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger nervous.

When Lynch can focus on defense in the paint, the Bears' offense will likely not be as smooth.

The Grizzlies continued their offense, with Carmelo Anthony dribbling the ball and isolating against Jimmy Butler. He had to finish quickly before the double team closed in, so he executed a beautiful turnaround fadeaway jumper and took the shot decisively.

But Jimmy Butler's relentless defense put immense pressure on the basketball, which slammed heavily against the front of the rim with a loud thud!

"Damn it!" This time it was Carmelo Anthony's turn to yell.

The game had just begun, but the Grizzlies, known for their defense, were already struggling against the Knicks' defense.

In the last game, the Knicks also used double teams to deal with Anthony.

However, the defenders' pressure was insufficient, and Melo was always able to calmly make a comfortable shot before the double team could form.

So, in the end, Lynch had to defend against it.

But Jimmy Butler is different. If it's a one-on-one situation, he might not be able to contain Carmelo Anthony.

But in those fleeting few seconds, Jimmy Butler's biting and interference made Melo's offense extremely difficult!

To Carmelo Anthony's relief, Marc Gasol secured the offensive rebound.

He immediately used his height and weight advantage to create space and jumped up to lay the ball.

DeAndre Jordan, as a modern center, has no weaknesses on the defensive end most of the time.

He is fast, explosive, and has excellent awareness of help defense and rim protection.

However, DeAndre Jordan's defense was somewhat weak against relatively traditional low-post giants like Marc Gasol.

Just when Marc Gasol thought he would score on the second-chance opportunity, Lynch arrived from outside the paint. His explosive leap and exaggerated wingspan allowed him to brush aside the seemingly inevitable layup with his fingertips!

Marc Gasol signaled to the referee that it was goaltending, which was his first reaction, because the height of Lynch's interception was simply unbelievable!
But the referee remained unmoved; he had clearly seen that the basketball hadn't even started to fall yet.

Another amazing block! The Bears' offense was thwarted once again!

But it wasn't over yet; the basketball that Lynch had knocked away ended up in the hands of Zach Randolph, who was nearby.

He jumped quickly and laid the ball up from a standing position. Lynch had just landed when the big black bear jumped. So, unless Lynch flips Newton's coffin, he's unlikely to get another block.

No matter how amazing his shot speed was, he couldn't block Zach Randolph this time, even though Randolph was right in front of him.

Lynch did not manage to block the shot.

But after landing, he quickly and ruthlessly sliced ​​the basketball that Randolph was holding up!

"Snap!" The ball was intercepted. In one round, Lin Qi defended against both Black and White Bears!
Pete Prannoy, Fox Sports' live commentator in Memphis, clutched his head in shock, his voice trembling slightly: "My God! Lynch has choked two ferocious bears with his bare hands!"

The Memphis Grizzlies' formidable inside offense, which they rely on for survival, was rendered ineffective tonight by Lynch's presence!
Jimmy Butler didn't hesitate to dive to the ground and press the ball that Lynch had cut down firmly against his chest.

Once again, the Grizzlies attacked fiercely, but to no avail.

Jimmy Butler's aggressive defense and Lynch's control of the paint put the Grizzlies under immense pressure from the start.

Seeing that possession of the ball was firmly in their grasp, Lynch deliberately imitated Zach Randolph's tone: "Oh referee, that number 20 fouled, can't you guys do something about it? He's hurting my delicate little princess."

“Shut up, Lynch!” Zach Randolph almost wanted to go home, pull out his Equalizer, and point it at Lynch’s head.

But during competitive sports, Lynch, who had always liked to shove gun barrels into his opponent's mouth, was not intimidated by the angry black bear; instead, he continued to set him ablaze.

"Are you telling me to shut up? Don't forget, I'm not some whiny woman who keeps complaining to the referee after the game is over."

No team or player in the entire league has ever been able to turn the tables and humiliate the formidable Black and White Bears in this way.

Pete Prannoy's commentary partner, former Grizzlies player Blevin Wright, glanced at the numerous "Beware, bears ahead" signs held up by fans in the stands.

He then glanced at Lin Qi, who was recklessly teasing the big black bear on the field.

He shook his head with a serious expression:

"I think the news last night about traffic control in the city because of Lynch was like a foreshadowing."

Even in the perilous city of Memphis, even with the dangerous grizzly bear.

If you run into Lin Qi, sorry, you'll have to take a detour.

Grizzly bears need to be careful tonight; bear hunters are on the move.

(End of this chapter)