Champion Rules

Chapter 376, Section 372: The Great -1 Step (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Chris Paul felt like vomiting when he looked at Tony Allen in front of him.

He didn't understand why there would exist a guy in professional basketball who existed solely to annoy his opponents.

Tony Allen couldn't shoot, and CP3 even doubted whether his jump shot was better than that of an NCAA Division I guard.

Tony Allen lacks the ability to make excellent cuts to the basket. He can neither maintain his finishing efficiency after strong aerial confrontations nor has the soft touch to steadily put the ball in after some aerial maneuvering.

Tony Allen's ball-handling skills are probably only slightly better than someone like Klay Thompson.

Tony Allen's passing ability is limited to delivering the ball to the nearest teammate within his line of sight.

As a guard, he couldn't even consistently make free throws.

Looking at the entire history of the NBA, even in the 80s and 90s when shooting was not a major requirement, it would be hard to find such an extraordinary player.

His only purpose on the field is to annoy his opponents.

This guy, who has no offensive capabilities, will pour all his life force into every round, using suffocating close-quarters combat and sticky, clinging to you to hinder you.

He will make every attack you launch feel as difficult as traversing a path no one has ever set foot on before.

He can make the offense of any superstar in the league—including Lynch—difficult.

In this world, in this history, there is no weapon more purely defensive than it.

Chris Paul encountered this guy right now.

Tony Allen had been guarding Paul George all night, but in the fourth quarter, Carmelo Anthony suggested that Tony shut down the source of the attack.

Melon itself then carried out sweeping and defensive operations.

This caused the Pacers' offense a lot of trouble.

The team's passing became sluggish, mistakes increased, and offensive efficiency plummeted.

Chris Paul also found it difficult to score one-on-one against Tony Allen's defense.

It is quite difficult to take on a defender who is nearly 10 centimeters taller than you and whose movement is not much different, simply by relying on your agility advantage.

Even though CP3, like Lynch's former teammate Steve Nash, has a scoring ability that almost breaks through the ceiling for point guards.

But against Tony Allen, a fortress built purely for destructive offense, developing an effective offensive strategy remains extremely difficult.

In this play, Chris Paul called for a screen from David West in an attempt to create space.

Marc Gasol didn't switch on defense at all, maintaining his semi-retreat position, so David West couldn't get any opportunities.

Tony Allen also used incredible speed to bypass the screen. At 193 cm tall, his collision volume was not much larger than that of a point guard, and he could easily squeeze through the gaps that forwards could not pass through.

But his long wingspan and rapid, precise strides also give him a defensive coverage area comparable to that of a forward.

Chris Paul failed to create any space with the pick-and-roll. He tried to pass, but Paul George was tightly marked by Carmelo Anthony, and Allen Afflalo hadn't had time to shake off Mike Conley.

Kawhi Leonard is on the weak side, and for a playmaker like Chris Paul, whose actual height is probably no more than 180 cm, making wide-ranging passes on the wing has never been their forte.

Chris Paul, a player with exceptionally high basketball IQ, is working at lightning speed. In just a moment, he has considered many issues and is preparing to make the best decision.

But before CP3 could come up with the best decision, Tony Allen had already made the best decision.

In that split second that might have been spent thinking, Tony Allen swiftly pounced and stole the basketball from Chris Paul's hands!
"Tony! He actually stole the ball from Chris Poe!" Grizzlies commentator Blevin Wright roared wildly. This was a decisive defensive play!
Mike Conley reacted quickly, catching the out-of-control basketball and ending the Pacers' offensive possession.

At this point, there were only 1 minute and 22 seconds left in the game, and the Pacers were down by 3 points.

Indianapolis fans were on tenterhooks, anticipating this game even before the All-Star break. They were convinced this game would give the Pacers the first step in their comeback attempt.

But now, this step is about to be tripped up.

Mike Conley dribbled the ball past half-court, directed his teammates' movements, and then lobbed the ball directly to Marc Gasol.

The Grizzlies are a great counter to the Pacers because the Pacers have completely switched to a small lineup, and they are powerless to resist the Grizzlies' dominance in the paint.

Roy Hibbert, once a player with unlimited potential? The Big Black Tower has lost his fighting spirit since being phased out by the times, and his current terrible form means he won't make a difference even if he plays.

Marc Gasol's matchup against David West was practically a free win for him.

He pushed past the defense and prepared to turn and hook the ball, only to see the legendary Iron Man's long arm already reaching out, ready to cut the ball.

Marc Gasol immediately flicked his wrist, sending the ball unexpectedly to Zach Randolph as he lifted it. The Gasol brothers' basketball IQ has always been one of their most powerful weapons in their success in the NBA.

The big black bear jumped up and slammed the ball down, causing the rim to sink several centimeters under the weight.

With 1 minute and 10 seconds remaining, the Memphis Grizzlies led by 5 points.

The Pacers called a timeout, and Chris Paul walked off the court, smashing a water bottle handed to him by a staff member. But the sound of the plastic bottle shattering was instantly drowned out by the deafening cheers.

That's the Pacers' situation today; they can't make a ripple at all.

Chris Paul himself is also looking forward to this game. In his mind, the Grizzlies are a typical "non-contending powerhouse".

They have some ability, but they are not at the level of a championship contender.

San Antonio treats them like dogs.

The Knicks faced them twice and emerged victorious each time.

Chris Paul, also a championship contender, believes the Pacers can easily defeat the Grizzlies.

But tonight, he was puzzled by the Spurs' and Knicks' victories.

You guys are all ganging up on me!

Ultimately, CP3 underestimated the Grizzlies' strength. The Grizzlies are a Western Conference team, and this was the first time the two teams had faced off this season. Paul had a misjudgment of his own abilities.

Furthermore, the Grizzlies are indeed a very effective counter to the Pacers' lineup without an inside player.

After the timeout, Chris Paul regrouped and returned to the court.

Carmelo Anthony, Lynch's frequent defeated opponent, walked up to CP3, looked at the cheering Memphis fans, and smirked: "Chris, now you understand? We're not fucking stepping stones to your success!"

Carmelo Anthony had been holding back his anger for a long time; that arrogant "countdown to the summit" was almost an insult to him.

Why? Why should the Memphis Grizzlies become your stepping stone in chasing the Knicks?

We're second in the West too!
Chris Paul knew the game was going to be tough, but he didn't back down verbally and immediately retaliated.

"I don't want to talk to you, you loser who was ridden by Lynch. I admired you when you were fighting against Lynch. But I didn't expect you to be defeated so easily. I lost to Lynch in the Eastern Conference Finals too, but I'm not as spineless as you."

Melo wasn't angry: "It's not shameful to acknowledge the greatness of the strong, and I will never acknowledge you, Chris."

The competition has restarted; the verbal sparring is over, and now it's time for a real showdown.

CP3 had completely lost control of the game, and he could only follow the head coach's instructions and pass the ball to Paul George in this possession.

Paul George executed a smooth stop-and-go turnaround jumper, scoring over Carmelo Anthony's head. The deficit was reduced to 3 points.

But soon, Carmelo Anthony responded with almost the exact same move, and the basketball went in smoothly.

The score difference remained at 5 points, but there wasn't even a minute left.

After scoring, Carmelo Anthony turned to Chris Paul, shaking his head and saying, "Shut up, you bastard! If you can't handle me, you can't possibly handle Lynch!"

Chris Paul gritted his teeth; he knew Melo was telling the truth.

He wanted to end the game himself, but Tony Allen's defense forced him to hand it over to Paul George again this time.

This time, Carmelo Anthony did not let the young Paul George get what he wanted.

His tight defense and timely interference caused Paul George's mid-range shot to bounce off the rim.

The big black bear positioned himself, but the big white bear secured the rebound, leaving the Pacers with no choice but to commit a tactical foul.

At that moment, Memphis fans were already cheering.

While Marc Gasol's free throw percentage isn't as impressive as Yao Ming's, his 84% ​​free throw percentage this season is still chilling for any Pacers player.

Chris Paul stood at the free-throw line, hands on his knees, sweat dripping onto the floor.

He hung his head, like a trapped beast, exhausted and worn out.

Tony Allen was originally standing next to him, but Carmelo Anthony stepped forward and gestured for Tony Allen to switch places with him.

Tony Allen paused for a moment, then said, "Melo, the rebound."

"And you're still grabbing a weak rebound." Melo grinned and shoved Tony Allen aside without a word.

Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul stood side by side, knees on their hands, their eyes fixed on Marc Gasol at the free-throw line.

The first free throw went in smoothly.

Melon clapped, his voice soft but each word clear: "Chris, how does it feel to watch a knife go into your chest?"

Paul's Adam's apple bobbed, his lips were pressed tightly together; he couldn't even muster a smile now.

The referee gave the ball back to Marc Gasol, who dribbled it a few times.

The entire arena held its breath as Carmelo Anthony raised his arms before Marc Gasol even lifted the basketball, delivering the final blow to CP3:

Don't fantasize about things you can't do.

"brush."

The basketball went in, giving the Memphis Grizzlies a 7-point lead with 23 seconds left.

The Pacers called a timeout to set up their final offensive play. Chris Paul forced a three-pointer over Tony Allen, but the ball bounced off the rim, sounding the death knell for the Pacers tonight.

competition is over.

All the expectations of Indianapolis collapsed at that moment, shattering into a mess.

Chris Paul, who had hoped to take a great step, ended up with a bruised and battered nose in Memphis.

But he still had one last glimmer of hope to salvage his dignity.

Taking advantage of a lull in the Grizzlies players' celebration, Paul practically sprinted into the player tunnel, grabbed head coach Frank Vogel by the shoulder, and said in a hoarse, urgent voice:

"New York! How's New York?!"

If the Knicks also lose tonight, then at least the Pacers will be considered to have stagnated.

It was still terrible, but it was the least painful of all the nightmares.

Chris Paul doesn't believe the Knicks, without Kyrie Irving, can overcome the Hawks.

Compared to the limited knowledge about the Grizzlies, the Pacers have already faced the Hawks three times this season.

Although the Pacers have a 2-1 advantage, CP3 still acknowledges the Hawks' strength.

Frank Vogel's gaze was weary and complicated. He slowly shook his head: "Chris, that's no longer important."

"That's important!!!" Paul almost roared, his eyes bloodshot.

Vogel sighed, then finally pulled his phone from his inside suit pocket, unlocked it, opened the news page, and shoved the screen in front of Paul without saying a word.

Chris Paul first frowned, then leaned closer to the screen with a last shred of morbid hope.

However, his gaze, as if encountering extremely cold lake water, quickly froze from sharp expectation into a deathly silence of disbelief.

On Frank Vogel's phone screen, the ESPN news homepage displayed:

“纽约尼克斯在主场以98比82大胜亚特兰大老鹰，林奇23分11次助攻14个篮板。当他想成为联盟最佳控球后卫时，他便是。”
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Madison Square Garden, New York.

Lynch is celebrating his victory with his teammates.

Tonight, Lynch's role as point guard at the top of the key completely broke the Hawks' seemingly invincible double-team strategy.

Mike Budenholzer had no choice but to not double-team Lynch; he was capable of dominating any Hawks player.

Double-team Lynch; he can get the ball to any open spot from the top of the key.

The game was pretty much decided from the first quarter, as the Knicks never trailed for even a second.

Of course, Lynch's style of play, which involves defense, organization, and offense, is very physically and mentally demanding.

For a championship-contending team, it is quite dangerous to subject the team's core players to such high-intensity matches.

However, Lynch has always been in good health.

And this is the only way he can achieve his goal.

ESPN's courtside queen, Doris Burke, walked up to Lynch and handed him the microphone:

"Lynch, a beautiful victory! How does it feel to play point guard as a makeshift player?"

“It’s great, I love this feeling of being in control. Of course, things would be even better if Carey were here.”

"Were you surprised that Chris lost to the Memphis Grizzlies tonight?"

"Not surprising, it was the result I expected. You didn't think I had an easy time against Melo, did you? That guy has never been weak. Anyway, congratulations to Chris."

"What are you congratulating him on?"

"Congratulations to him on taking a great step forward on his way to the top of the East."

(End of this chapter)