Champion Rules

Chapter 369-365: The Halo That Never Dies (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Lynch prevented the Black and White Bears from continuing to dominate the restricted area. The formidable bears seemed like little bears who liked to wear white stockings in front of him.

Fortunately, the Grizzlies' core defensive structure remains intact.

In the next possession, Lynch continued to pass the ball while double-teamed, but Jimmy Butler failed to respond to the opportunity Lynch created.

Butler, driving to the basket, missed a reverse layup under the threat of the Big White Bear; the Knicks also have their own Tony Allen.

However, this setback did not change Lynch's strategy. In the following rounds, Lynch continued to play the role of the central pivot and did not engage in a lot of one-on-one attacks to break through the defense.

The Grizzlies' defense is excellent at containing the opponent's offensive spearheads; their combined individual and help defense is enough to keep even star players bogged down.

You must take advantage of the gaps they leave to score, instead of charging headlong into their strongest shield.

This is why the San Antonio Spurs have been able to repeatedly defeat the Grizzlies.

Of course, the Knicks' offense is not as fluid and sophisticated as the Spurs'.

Neither DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, nor DeAndre Jordan possess the almost instinctive, silky-smooth passing ability of Spurs players.

But through Lynch's crucial role as the lubricant, he is trying to muddy the Grizzlies' defense, making it difficult for the opponent's defense to focus on a clear offensive spearhead.

Lynch will only take over a round if there is absolutely no chance to pass.

The first quarter proceeded at this pace. Lynch made a few tough shots with a decent shooting percentage, but his output was limited.

With the two big men contained, Carmelo Anthony had to take a lot of shots, which was less efficient, but he still managed to generate a lot of output.

At the end of the first quarter, Lynch had 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Carmelo Anthony had 13 points.

The Knicks only managed a narrow 4-point lead.

During the break, both coaches decided to continue with their established strategies.

Jimmy Butler prevented Carmelo Anthony from playing efficiently, and the Grizzlies' double-teaming prevented Lynch from generating volume; both sides felt they had done the right thing.

Thus, the second quarter was almost a carbon copy of the first quarter.

Carmelo Anthony has been developing a lot of difficult shots from mid-to-long range, without encroaching on the space of the Black and White Bears.

Looking at Carmelo Anthony's shot distribution on the computer screen, Blevin Wright marveled at his incredible offensive development ability: "I think Melo could score 40 points without even entering the paint if he wanted to!"

That's definitely Carmelo Anthony's style; he's the kind of player who can create an offensive surge just by rubbing his way in from the outside.

Lynch continued to contain the two bears on the defensive end and orchestrate the team's offense.

At halftime, the Knicks maintained their lead with a 6-point advantage.

Lynch had 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Carmelo Anthony had already racked up 23 points.

Judging from his scoring statistics and performance on the court, Lynch's performance tonight was indeed lackluster.

His scoring wasn't explosive enough, and he didn't score as many difficult goals as Carmelo Anthony.

Tonight he played like a slightly better system player, moving around, passing, and defending, becoming part of the machine.

Of course, his influence on the competition is ubiquitous.

Defense, rebounding, orchestrating the offense, and breaking down defenses—Lynch excelled in every aspect.

However, he did not appear as radiant as usual.

As the buzzer sounded for halftime, Carmelo Anthony, panting heavily, stared at the rookie who was acting like a mad dog.

In the previous half of the game, Carmelo Anthony used goals and trash talk as his weapons for counterattacks.

Most rookies would be able to break down under such an offensive.

Defense requires emotion, and negative emotions can severely dampen the enthusiasm of defensive players.

Very few defenders can maintain their defensive level after a series of losing defensive plays.

But this principle didn't work for Jimmy Butler.

No matter how intense the gunfire and trash talk, Jimmy Butler gives it his all every round.

He seemed completely unconcerned about the outcome, only about whether he had given it his all.

Moreover, Jimmy Butler seemed very inexperienced. If it were the experienced LeBron James being outmatched like this, he would have already lost his temper.
I've requested a transfer!
Jimmy Butler neither switched onto the defense nor became discouraged; he simply kept battling Melo like a machine.

Carmelo Anthony couldn't believe that the damn rookie could maintain such a high level of defensive intensity in the second half.

As long as Jimmy Butler reduces the defensive pressure on him, and as long as he maintains his form while slightly improving his efficiency, the advantage will shift to the Grizzlies!
Back in the locker room, Mike Malone praised Lynch and Jimmy Butler's performance.

Being singled out and praised alongside Lynch is a significant honor for a second-year rookie.

However, Jimmy Butler showed no excitement; he simply sat silently in his chair. Beads of sweat rolled down his back, soaking his jersey, but he seemed oblivious, neither wiping them away nor moving.

He seemed to have fallen into a state of pure combat—all external sounds, physical pain, and the frustration of losing a one-on-one defense were shut out.

His pupils reflected only Carmelo Anthony's image, and his mind burned with only one command: "Kill him!"

At the start of the third quarter, Carmelo Anthony began to challenge Jimmy Butler's resilience.

When Jimmy Butler guarded him again, Carmelo Anthony tried to keep his tone light: "Hey rookie, you were really great, you only let me score 23 points in the first half."

After saying that, Melo observed Jimmy Butler's expression.

His eyes held nothing but determination and focus.

Carmelo Anthony gritted his teeth and continued his attack: "You believe me? I'll be right here this round, without dribbling or moving an inch, and I'll still throw the ball over your head and into the hole?"

After saying that, Melo lowered his center of gravity in the elbow area, used his shoulder to forcefully create a sliver of space, firmly locked himself in position with his back to the basket, and raised his hand to call for the ball.

Mike Conley passed the ball to him.

After receiving the ball, Melo quickly turned to face the basket and made a convincing jab step to feign a breakthrough.

Jimmy Butler instinctively shifted his weight backward, and Melo quickly pulled back, pulling up for a jump shot from the spot—he did it, without dribbling or moving an inch. He completely dismantled Jimmy Butler's defense from that very spot.

Melo deliberately yelled at Lynch, "God, you guys need to find someone else. I told him where I was going to shoot, but he still can't stop me."

However, Carmelo Anthony did not get the result he wanted.

Even after that extremely humiliating round, Jimmy Butler remained resilient, showing no signs of dejection.

Lynch just shrugged: "It's okay, Melo. We'll use Jimmy to defend you. Have fun!"

When you try to mess with your opponent's mentality but they don't react at all, you might start to lose your temper.

Carmelo Anthony could hardly believe that he couldn't even intimidate a second-year rookie.

Although he had already witnessed Jimmy Butler's inherent toughness in Lynch's "Summit Temple".

But that was ultimately just a simulation on the training field.

The pressure of training is completely different from the life-or-death battles fought under bright lights and in front of thousands of people!

But tonight, in his first career start in a nationally televised game, Jimmy Butler single-handedly withstood all the pressure, provocation, and setbacks.

He did not break down; he remained steadfast and unyielding.

In the third quarter, Carmelo Anthony continued to struggle with limited efficiency despite Jimmy Butler's excellent defense.

He wasn't playing efficiently enough, his shots were becoming increasingly difficult, and his shooting percentage could only stay at around 40%.

The Black and White Bears are still looking for opportunities to help Melon relieve some of the pressure, but Lynch is like a giant cage, leaving the two bears with nowhere to unleash their ferocity.

The Black and White Bears are, after all, inside players. Although they both have a jump shot, their shooting range only extends to the mid-range at most.

This area was too small for Lynch; he could easily dart back and forth between the two, defending against the black bear while simultaneously helping to defend against the white bear.

In the third quarter, Lynch repeatedly blocked the shots of the two bears, forcing Carmelo Anthony to continue taking numerous shots. The deficit, like a cold tide, continued to rise relentlessly and slowly.

By the end of the third quarter, the Knicks had a 9-point lead!
With the Grizzlies' duo of black and white bears firmly locked down by Lynch, Carmelo Anthony's firepower became the Grizzlies' only weapon capable of tearing a gap in the defense.

Carmelo Anthony's absence means the Grizzlies' absence.

Although he had scored 31 points in three quarters, his low efficiency prevented him from turning those points into a decisive victory.

Melo seemed to be busy and playing a lively game, but he couldn't control the match at all.

Lynch's stats have quietly reached 23 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 7 blocks!
He still didn't force a solution, and his role in the game still didn't seem as prominent as Cameron Anthony's.

But now, even the most novice fans can feel Lynch's enormous influence on the game through his basic statistics.

The once-dimmed aura of a superstar is now beginning to radiate a faint yet resilient glow again.

Will this glimmer of light ignite FedExCity in the final quarter?

Faced with the current situation, Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger has not changed his strategy: "Continue to double-team Lynch, even if it means giving other players opportunities, we must limit his output! We'll continue to play like this!"

He vowed to carry out the curse of this "graveyard of stars" to the end, refusing to let Lynch's superstar aura shine in Memphis.

The Knicks started the fourth quarter with the first possession of the ball.

The Grizzlies played very seriously on defense this possession, with no one making a mistake. Tony Allen practically wanted to tear himself in two, tirelessly rotating between Kyrie Irving and Lynch.

Lynch failed to create an opportunity, and with only 8 seconds left on the shot clock, the ball returned to Lynch's hands.

Tony Allen rushed in, and Carmelo Anthony also abandoned Jimmy Butler to double-team him.

Lynch is about to face a triple-team from the Grizzlies.

Facing the Grizzlies' aggressive double-team, number 20 played as if he were playing on a streetball court, casually passing the ball behind his back to Jimmy Butler beyond the three-point line.

Previously, Jimmy Butler had gone 0-for-3 from three-point range.

But this time, Jimmy Butler didn't waste the opportunity.

The basketball swished smoothly through the net, giving the Knicks a 12-point lead.

Pete Pranica's voice was hoarse: "23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The fourth quarter has only just begun, but Lynch has already achieved a triple-double!"

The brilliance of the superstars shines ever brighter, seemingly piercing through the thick soil and penetrating the entire graveyard of star players.

The Grizzlies desperately needed to tie the score, and Zach Randolph deliberately moved to the mid-range in this possession, giving the Big Bears space to post up.

Once Marc Gasol got into position, Randolph passed the ball inside and lofted it into the penalty area.

Lynch did indeed help defend and went in, but the Spaniard, with his extremely high basketball IQ, passed the ball back to Zach Randolph in the mid-range.

Randolph pulled up for a shot, but Lynch was back in front of him in just one step, and the Grizzlies' hopes were once again dashed!

Fortunately, the Grizzlies successfully defended against the Knicks' comeback attempt.
In this defensive play, Tony Allen disrupted Irving's jump shot, and the basketball bounced off the rim.

The big bear had Jordan firmly under his control, and Zach Randolph was preparing to grab the rebound.

But just as he jumped up, a terrifying force, like Mount Tai crashing down, suddenly descended, pinning him down completely, followed by the groaning of the basketball hoop:
"boom!!!"

"Linche scores a putback dunk over Zach! My God, Linche has 25 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks! Linche is everywhere! He dominates every inch of this arena!" Pete Pranica almost stood up from his seat.

With a 15-point deficit, Mike Conley's three-pointer saved the day, bringing the score back to 12 points and keeping the Grizzlies' hopes alive.

With DeMar DeRozan missing a mid-range shot, the Grizzlies had another chance to narrow the gap.

Carmelo Anthony received the ball and faked a move. Jimmy Butler was in position, so he had no choice but to repeat his old trick, turning around and leaning back.

He once again created a little space with his leaning-back move, and Jimmy Butler's arm was still far from reaching the basketball.

The basketball once again flew past Jimmy Butler's fingertips, but this time, it failed to reach the basket.

Because Lin Qi took the initiative to pounce on them.

"It's been blocked! Lynch's help defense was very timely. This is his 9th block of the game!"

This time, it wasn't just the on-site commentators who were shocked.

Carmelo Anthony and Zach Randolph both swallowed hard, a chill running down their spines.

They had witnessed Lynch's once-in-a-lifetime quadruple-double in the playoffs when they were still playing together for the Pistons.

After that game, then-Pistons head coach Lionel Hollins said, "A playoff quadruple-double is probably a miracle I'll never see again in my life."

Yes, Lionel Hollins may not have the chance to see it a second time.

But Carmelo Anthony and Zach Randolph have the chance to witness it again.

Although they didn't want such an opportunity.

At this moment, Lynch's score is no longer important, nor is his output.

He proved that there are many ways he can influence a game.

It could be as easy as slicing through melons and vegetables, scoring 40 or 50 points in a single game.

It could also be a contribution that fills every cell in the data column and permeates every corner of the field!
Lynch curbed his shooting desires in response to the Grizzlies' defensive characteristics, but that doesn't mean he was completely shut down, nor does it mean his star power will be diminished.

He has a million ways to make those brilliant starlight light up the sky again!
No "graveyard" can truly bury his brilliance!
The game continued, and Lynch's turnaround jump shot bounced off the rim amid fierce double-teaming; his output remained limited.

But at this moment, no one was complacent anymore; the Grizzlies' anxiety had turned into suffocation.

The Grizzlies launched another hesitant attack, and Mike Conley decided against passing the ball to Carmelo Anthony again, feeling that Melo needed to calm down.

He eventually passed the ball to Zach Randolph. Although the Big Bear hadn't been playing well offensively tonight, what other options did Mike Conley have?
Randolph carefully dribbled the ball, backing down to the basket. This lighter version of Lynch was no match for the big bear's attack.

Walking to the basket, Zach Randolph turned and hooked a shot.

As expected, the combination of talent, anticipation, and experience allowed Lin Qi to easily block the hook shot.

Yes, the hook shot is a very difficult shot to block.

But that might not be the case with Lynch.

The basketball returned to Zach Randolph's hands, and he made a shoulder fake before turning and hooking the ball again.

He still couldn't believe that he couldn't even break through Lynch's blockade with a single ball!
"Snapped!"

Whether he believes it or not, the harsh reality is there.

Lynch blocked Zach Randolph's hook shots twice in a row, completely locking down the big bear!
After getting the basketball, Lin Qi flicked it out with one hand.

The pass was too high; it looked like a mistake was going to happen.

DeMar DeRozan quickly caught up and leaped high into the air.

This wasn't a mistake, but an alley-oop that spanned the entire field!

"boom!"

The basketball hoop wobbled, and countless "Beware of bears" signs in the stands drooped limply.

Every inch of air in the FedExCare dome trembled, and Pete Prannoy's voice was shattered with excitement:
"Linch! 25 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 11 blocks. He is the only player in NBA history, besides Hakeem Olajuwon, to record two quadruple-doubles!"

The Grizzlies paused the game, and Lynch raised his arms, dispelling the darkness of the players' graveyard.

Now, nothing can diminish Lynch's superstar aura.

(End of this chapter)