Champion Rules

Chapter 375 (371): The Perfect Offensive Player (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Kyrie Irving is out for the rest of the regular season and will miss the All-Star Weekend.

This is definitely bad news for New York fans.

After Kyrie Irving's injury was confirmed, the league indeed added Chris Paul to the All-Star starting lineup.

This is the second piece of bad news for New York fans.

Now, none of the New York fans want to see a third piece of bad news: Chris Paul, that scumbag, becoming the top seed in the East.

Based on the Knicks' current record, even without Kyrie Irving, their final regular season ranking won't be too low.

But when Chris Paul brazenly stated that he and his Pacers would become the top team in the East after Kyrie Irving's injury, the Knicks' goal was no longer just "to maintain a not-too-low ranking".

Stephen A. Smith posted on social media after the game, citing himself as a New York fan:

"The Knicks must hold onto first place; we can't let that bastard Chris Paul reach the top!"

In the NBA, there are always some competitions that transcend the purely competitive level.

For example, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas didn't just want to beat each other; they wanted to destroy each other outright.

For example, Karl Malone and Isaiah Thomas, the elbow he gave the Smiling Assassin, if not meant to kill him, was at least meant to let him taste the saltiness of tofu pudding.

For example, early in his career, Lynch and Isaiah Thomas were not interested in competing with the "Smiling Assassin" for control of the team. His only goal was to get rid of the "Smiling Assassin" as soon as possible.

Isaiah Thomas, the greatest social butterfly in NBA history, was someone players from every era wanted to befriend.

When Chris Paul clapped gleefully after Kyrie Irving's injury, the competition between the Knicks and him officially transcended the purely competitive level.

Lynch's remarks at the press conference made his stance very clear.

He won't let that idiot get away with it.

He wanted to ensure that guy would forever live in the shadow of 62 points, with no chance of a comeback.

Even so, despite the tough stance of New York fans, the Pacers remain confident of taking the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

They are only three games behind the Knicks, and they have also lost their number two player.

With more than two months left in the regular season, the Pacers have plenty of time to capitalize on their three-game lead.

After the game against the Knicks, the Pacers launched a "countdown to the top" campaign on their official social media accounts.

Starting today, the Pacers will post a countdown after each game: "X games left to reach the top."

Chris Paul liked the post and commented, "We'll be taking the first step soon."

On February 13, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, and the New York Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors.

The gap in records between the two sides remains unchanged.

Irving's absence did not have much of an impact against a team like the Raptors, who were poised to win the championship.

But Indiana fans predict that the Pacers' opportunity to take the next step will come soon.

In their next game, the Pacers will face the Memphis Grizzlies, led by Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks will face the Atlanta Hawks, the third seed in the Eastern Conference, led by Dwight Howard.

Although both sides faced formidable opponents, Chris Paul was confident.

The Memphis Grizzlies are certainly a strong team, but the Pacers are equally formidable.

On the other hand, with Kyrie Irving gone, can the Knicks continue their winning streak against truly strong teams? Chris Paul has serious doubts.

Just at the crucial moment of this chase, the annual All-Star Weekend interrupted the tense atmosphere.

When Chris Paul arrived in Houston, the venue for this year's All-Star Weekend, he was greeted by a large number of media outlets.

Recent controversies have significantly increased Chris Paul's media attention.

The questions reporters asked him were almost all related to the New York Knicks.

"Chris, how long do you think it will take for the team to overtake the Knicks?"

Are you relieved that Kyrie Irving is injured?

"Does Lynch's 'Don't even think about it' statement put you under pressure? He doesn't seem to be planning to give up his current ranking easily."

Chris Paul is enjoying the spotlight around him, a treatment he has never received in his entire career.

The last time he felt like the whole world revolved around him was when he was playing for Wake Forest University.

Faced with persistent questioning, CP3's smile was brimming with arrogance:

“Hey guys, that’s enough. Stop asking these questions.” Chris Paul waved his hand. “Let Lynch have one last wonderful weekend and catch his breath. Because once this weekend is over, he’ll be in real trouble.”

With the Pacers closing in on a crucial victory, CP3 believes this All-Star weekend is God's final mercy on Lynch.

After saying that, Chris Paul strode away from the camera with his head held high.

At that moment, he felt like he was 208 centimeters tall.

He has a commanding view of everything.

Meanwhile, Lynch was with his friends as usual.

Of course, he wasn't in a hurry to let those ambitious young girls join; it wasn't their time to step in yet.

Pre-game parties are just a gathering place for familiar players to chat, play cards, smoke cigars, and casually discuss whether they should try to win the All-Star MVP award.

Dwyane Wade looked sullen in the crowd, once again troubled by his contract renewal.

Having never received a maximum salary in his career, he is already 30 years old. In other words, the contract renewal in 2014 is likely his last chance to sign a maximum salary contract.

If he misses this opportunity again, his entire career will be filled with regret.

As expected, the Heat's attitude towards this franchise legend was not enthusiastic.

Pat Riley's two meetings with Wade did not involve mentioning a maximum contract offer, which deeply hurt the Flash's pride.

Although he failed to bring a championship to Miami, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Heat history.

Frustration clung to his face, clashing with the party's boisterous atmosphere.

“Why does it have to be Miami?” Carmelo Anthony whispered to Lynch, looking at the sullen Wade from afar. “If Pat can’t give him the contract he wants, then leave. The transfer isn’t as bad as Dwyane thinks. I love Detroit, but I’m doing just fine in Memphis.”

"You can't wake up someone who's had a stroke, Melo." Lynch shrugged; he'd already reminded Wade of this during their last contract renewal. But there was nothing he could do; it was a case of one willing to give and the other willing to receive.

“That’s right,” Carmelo Anthony shifted his gaze from Wade and changed the subject: “Hey, want to win another All-Star MVP this year?”

"I'm not interested, but if you want, I'll be more serious."

“Me? I don’t care either, but Chris Paul seems to care a lot.”

"What does that have to do with us?"

"You don't want to stop him?"

“Of course I want to,” Lynch nodded, “but not at All-Star Weekend. My business with him can’t be settled at the All-Star Game.”

"Oh, don't worry, I'll take care of that bastard when All-Star Weekend is over. That idiot talks like he's got me figured out. He forgot that during the 2006 World Championships, he was just my little brother carrying my bags."

Carmelo Anthony was also very unhappy with Chris Paul, who seemed to think that the Pacers would immediately close the gap with the Knicks as soon as the All-Star Weekend ended.

This is a show of contempt for both the Knicks and the Memphis Grizzlies.

They assumed that "the team could easily beat the Grizzlies."

When the regular season was mentioned, Lynch immediately became interested: "To be honest, Melo, I've never been so eager for you to win a game."

Carmelo Anthony laughed: "I just don't want my Finals opponent to be the second seed in the East."

The following weekend proceeded as planned, with the first day almost entirely belonging to the newcomers.

Chandler Parsons and Jimmy Butler shared the Rising Stars Challenge MVP trophy.

Damian Lillard beat Tony Parker to win the Skills Challenge.

Spurs' sharpshooter Matt Bonner easily won the three-point contest.

Since Stephen Curry did not register, Terrence Ross won the Slam Dunk Contest by chance.

The night wasn't particularly exciting for the fans, but the All-Star Game the following day was incredibly thrilling.

Chris Paul was very active tonight and kept possession of the ball firmly in his hands.

As the player who controls the ball the most on the court, it's very easy for Chris Paul to rack up stats.

Whether he scores points or assists, his stats steadily increase.

On the Eastern Conference All-Star side, another player aiming for the All-Star MVP is LeBron James.

After signing LeBron James, Under Armour didn't instantly become a giant in the basketball industry, but it was not far from its demise.

Sluggish sales have led to Under Armour incurring losses in the basketball market for years.

This year at All-Star Weekend, Under Armour hopes that LBJ can win the All-Star MVP award to increase his exposure.

As a result, LeBron James played with extra seriousness tonight, and was also very dedicated on the defensive end.

With his and Chris Paul's combined efforts, the Eastern All-Stars ultimately defeated the Western All-Stars 145-137.

LeBron James scored 30 points, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds, a truly impressive performance.

But Chris Paul won the All-Star MVP award with a double-double of 21 points and 15 assists.

When David Stern presented him with the award, the live close-up shot, for the first time ever, did not focus on the winner, but instead cut to Lynch.

Lin Qi stood in the crowd, neither clapping nor showing any expression.

He neither congratulated CP3 nor showed any regret about it.

On-site reporter Doris Burke held out the microphone to Paul, allowing him to give his acceptance speech.

Chris Paul was visibly emotional; he clutched the trophy tightly and wiped his eyes.

"Thank God for this opportunity. It's been a very enjoyable weekend, and I'm happy to bring you a great game. For some, the weekend is over. But for me, it's just the beginning!"

After Chris Paul finished speaking, he couldn't help but glance in Lynch's direction. Everyone present knew perfectly well that this was not just an acceptance speech, but a blatant declaration of victory by Chris Paul to the King of New York.

That evening, when young models from all over the world, dressed up beautifully and with QQ candies in hand, flooded into the All-Star after-party, they were disappointed to find that their biggest target wasn't there at all.

Lynch did not participate in this year's post-game celebration. As soon as the All-Star Game ended, he boarded a flight back to New York with Chandler Parsons and Jimmy Butler.

He is indeed very angry right now, but only another form of physical combat can vent his anger.

On February 20, the New York Knicks hosted the Atlanta Hawks at home.

This game, along with the Pacers vs. Grizzlies game, will be broadcast live across the United States.

This could be the first step for the Pacers to close the gap with the Knicks, or it could be a night for Lynch to defend his ranking. In any case, it's a highly anticipated night.

The Pacers had been hyping up tonight's "comeback countdown" on their official social media accounts for a while, posting a picture of the number 2 with the caption: "This will be a great step!"

Before the game, reporters pointed the microphone at Lynch and asked him for his opinion on Chris Paul winning the AMVP trophy.

Lynch didn't pretend to be a good guy; he made no secret of his "admiration" for the 62-point scorer.

"I feel sorry for him."

"Pitiful? Why? That's genuine honor."

"Yes, that's a real honor. But it's also the only MVP award Chris Paul has ever won in his entire career."

After Lynch finished answering, the referee was already urging both teams to move closer together, as the game was about to begin.

Dwight Howard secured the first possession for the Hawks, whose offense remained highly team-oriented, filled with numerous off-ball screens and runs.

Dwight Howard cuts in after setting an off-ball screen, receives the ball, and slams it home for a dunk.

Warcraft doesn't care about the dogfight between Lynch and Chris Paul, but his desire to defeat the Knicks remains strong.

The Knicks were on offense, and Teodosic, who started the game, played very unusually. He passed the ball to Lynch at the top of the key as soon as he crossed half-court.

Theo is definitely not the kind of "dribble guard"; he likes having the ball in his hands, and his creativity allows him to be most effective when he has the ball.

But this time, he passed the ball just past halfway.

Mike Budenholzer wondered why the Knicks did this.

Are they powerless to help?

With their supporting player Kyrie Irving sidelined for the season, the Knicks' solution was to give Lynch as much freedom as possible.

Mike Malone could definitely do that; he has the best player in the world at his disposal. Why wouldn't he do it?

Even Coach K has to admit that this is the simplest and most effective way to win.

But this tactic won't work against an eagle!

The moment Lynch received the ball, Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Joe Johnson immediately double-teamed him.

Quick and accurate.

This is only the first round of the match.

For any championship contender, every encounter with the Knicks is a valuable opportunity.

They must seize this opportunity to test whether their adjustments and efforts against the Knicks have been effective.

Therefore, Lynch often encounters the fiercest defense in the very first round.

Half a season has made it clear to Mike Budenholzer that the Atlanta Hawks he has is a defensive team, a team that is relatively specialized in one area.

With the current roster, he cannot elevate the team's offense to the next level.

Therefore, he could only make the defense even tighter.

The Hawks' strong frontcourt gives Mike Budenholzer the confidence to keep even a star like Lynch struggling.

Lynch didn't struggle; he deftly passed the ball to Milos Teodosic on the right side of the three-point line amidst the double team, who responded with an open three-point opportunity.

The basketball went in. The Hawks have a strong ability to rotate their defense, but when Lynch is at the top of the key, his passing vision is very wide, and he can pass the ball out at the fastest speed.

Mike Budenholzer was disappointed with the result, but his disappointment was only temporary.

Lynch can't keep passing the ball all the time.

It's even more impossible to keep passing the ball without making a mistake.

The Hawks' second possession ended with Josh Smith's failed drive to the basket.

When Dwight Howard was squeezing out the spacing and Josh Smith could only solve problems by attacking the rim, the Hawks' offense was a nightmare.

The Knicks retaliated, and all eyes turned to Teodosic to see if he would continue playing as a ball-handling guard.

As it turns out, being a dribbling guard is definitely not Milos Teodosic's style; on this offensive possession, he passed the ball without dribbling past half-court.

To be precise, he didn't even qualify to dribble past the halfway line.

Lin Qi received the ball directly at the baseline, dribbled it across half-court, and organized the offense from the top of the arc!
Despite Kyrie Irving's absence, the Knicks did not increase Lynch's workload or develop their offense significantly.

Mike Malone instead put Lynch at point guard!

Once Lynch organizes the offense from the open top of the key, he has the ability to pass the ball anywhere.

The price of this approach is that it makes it infinitely more difficult for Lynch to develop his attack.

He was in the most vulnerable position to double teams, making it impossible for him to get quick one-on-one opportunities, let alone play with his back to the basket or off the ball.

This is why it is difficult for a player to completely balance finishing and playmaking.

But Lynch didn't care. His powerful offensive threat always allowed him to draw double teams at the top of the arc, and as long as there was a double team, others would definitely have a scoring opportunity.

Lynch passed the ball again, this time to Vince Carter.

He got the ball in mid-range, stopped abruptly, and fired a shot that sent the net churning.

The Knicks didn't become a team where one player had to play while the other four watched; their offensive flow and tactical movement were all quite sophisticated.

This is the result of Lynch's long-standing refusal to become a ball-dominant playmaker.

Whether or not Kyrie Irving is on the court, his teams are used to this kind of team-oriented offense.

The Knicks lead 5-2.

Mike Breen gave a rather exaggerated assessment: "I know it's unconventional, but I think if Lynch had played point guard for a long time, he might have entered the discussion of 'the greatest point guard of all time'."

This statement seems to be directed at Chris Paul.

He is one of the best point guards in the league, but Lynch can do the job just as well.

In this possession, Dwight Howard set a screen for Joe Johnson, then drove past DeRozan to attempt a mid-range pull-up jumper, only to be met with timely help defense from Lynch.

Joe Johnson had to switch to passing to try and find Al Horford lurking in the corner.

But the moment he passed the ball, DeMar DeRozan had already blocked the passing route and easily intercepted it.

Playing good defense alongside Lynch is an easy thing.

To defend against a penetrator, you just need to force him toward Lynch.

To defend against a mid-range one-on-one player, you need to switch onto him immediately after he gets past you, because Lynch will definitely force him to pass the ball.

Lynch's presence allowed DeRozan to easily make steals, and his defensive value is something that ordinary point guards don't possess.

The size of point guards gives them a magic that taller people don't have, such as steady passing and control and agility.

But it also means they will lose all the advantages that size, strength, and height can bring.

Having a good playmaker on the court most of the time also means having an easy target on the defensive end—even defensively excellent point guards like Chris Paul and Gary Payton can't fundamentally improve a team's defense.

Lynch is different; he is the true defensive hub.

After DeRozan made the steal, he passed the ball to Lynch, who raised his hand to direct the offense while dribbling the ball across half-court.

All the New York fans stood up, and Spike Lee could hardly believe his eyes: "Fuck, Lynch, what you're doing is making the gap between you and Chris even more obvious!"

Yes, the whole world knows that Lynch has an excellent passing ability.

But for a 208cm tall person to dribble the ball across half-court like a real point guard is still too revolutionary.

Watching Lynch continue his leisurely advance, Al Horford was somewhat at a loss, as he was not used to defending at the top of the key.

He instinctively tried to disrupt Lynch's dribbling rhythm with a steal, but that was a mistake.

Lin Qi used a quick change of direction to run away from him!

Lynch's physique meant that no matter how well he practiced his ball handling, he could never reach the level of a true point guard who could "dribble the ball anywhere".

However, against defenders of similar size, Lynch's ball control was already beyond his capabilities.

After getting past Al Horford, who was guarding him, Lynch used his height advantage to ignore Joe Johnson, who was coming up to help defend, and took a pull-up jumper from mid-range.

"brush!"

Long two-point shot.

Yes, besides defense, Lynch also possesses a scoring ability that traditional point guards don't have.

Goal! 7-2! Mike Budenholzer stood there, stunned.

He was initially very confident in the Hawks' defense, but now, he's already feeling nervous right from the start.

The Hawks' defense has been quite good, but he still lacks confidence in tonight's outcome.

Because throughout his coaching career, from 1994 when he became the Spurs' video analyst until now—

He had never met an offensive player as perfect as Lynch!
Amid the clamor of cheers, Spike Lee pulled out his phone, found the Pacers' "countdown to overtaking" post, and shared it.

"Stop this foolish activity. I can announce right now that your countdown will never end."

(End of this chapter)