Champion Rules

Chapter 385 (381): When the only salvation is taken away (Seeking monthly votes!)

The Knicks vs. Pacers game was telling fans right from the start that this was no ordinary matchup.

In today's basketball arena, the pure, fiery hostility is now rare.

The most anticipated series in recent years, whether it was the Los Angeles-New York rivalry that led the NBA into its second golden age, or the Knicks vs. Thunder series that lasted for two years.

There's just too little hostility in all of this.

Although those matches were very entertaining, they were still missing something for the fans.

Just like when you lack emotion during sex, no matter how intense the exercise is, it never feels complete.

Fans want to see a rivalry like that between the Bulls and the Pistons.

I hope to see the kind of malicious competition between the Lakers and the Celtics.

The Knicks-Pacers series, right from the start, was brimming with this long-absent hostility.

Even though Lynch and Paul George have a decent personal relationship, this personal bond ultimately cannot change the collective will of the two teams.

The image of Lynch riding on top of Chris Paul is being replayed on big screens and countless televisions and computers.

It's hard to say whether Lynch did it intentionally or not; no one will get the answer, and fans don't need to know the answer.

All they need to know is that these two core members hate each other, and that's enough.

The situation on the field returned to calm under the referee's control, but the players' emotions were not so easily calmed down.

In this possession, Lynch finally had the ball on offense for the first time.

He was immediately sandwiched, with Paul George compressing the time between Lynch and the legendary Iron Man to a minimum. Before Lynch could even initiate a one-on-one fight, he was already trapped.

He could only pass the ball to Vince Carter, but Paul George immediately scrambled back to contest it, and the basketball bounced off the rim.

This is a long rebound, so Lynch actually has a better chance to contest it.

Kawhi Leonard and Lynch jumped at the same time, but Lynch was slightly ahead in height.

Just as he was about to grab the rebound, Chris Paul also leaped into the air. He reached for the basketball in mid-air with one hand, while his other hand fiercely grabbed Lynch's arm and yanked him down hard!
With Chris Paul interfering, Lynch ultimately only managed to touch the basketball with his fingertips, failing to gain complete control of the backboard.

Not to be outdone, Lynch deliberately feigned a loss of balance upon landing, pulling Chris Paul down with him. In the instant of the fall, he delivered a powerful elbow strike to Chris Paul's chest!

"Beep beep!"

The referee's urgent whistle tore through the air once more, and Mike Breen couldn't help but stand up and lean out from the commentary box, afraid of missing any exciting details: "The conflict is not over yet! The battle between Chris and Lynch has spread from the air all the way to the floor!"

Chris Paul curled up on the floor, clutching his chest with both hands, writhing in agony.

Chris Paul, known for his masterful acting skills second only to LeBron James in the league, has always been renowned for his superb abstract performances.

But at this moment, the unforgettable pain was not an act.

Paul George swore that if CP3 could portray pain so realistically, he would have a ten times easier time winning an Oscar than an MVP award.

The elbow strike that came after Lin Qi fell carried the weight of his massive body as he plummeted, and its force was astonishing.

However, his miserable state failed to win the referee's sympathy.

Today, referee Mark Davis called a rebounding foul on Chris Paul, as he clearly saw what CP3 did to Lynch in mid-air.

Lynch stood up, looked at the pained Chris Paul, and deliberately laughed and clapped gloatingly to the side.

Yes, it's very unsportsmanlike. But at this moment, no one thinks Lynch is a jerk; on the contrary, New York fans are cheering him on even louder.

Because they all remember how happy Chris Paul was when Kyrie Irving got injured.

Lin Qi was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine.

"That's it!" Spike Lee jeered from the sidelines. "You don't need to be polite to a lowly slut like her! That's it, Lynch, go for it!"

"Lynch!" Referee Mark Davis tried to separate Lynch. "That's enough, don't go too far!"

But Lynch didn't back down. He continued yelling at Chris Paul, "Chris, no matter how you want to compete, no matter what tricks you want to play, this is the end!"

Chris Paul staggered to his feet again, Lynch's humiliation weighing heavily on his chest like a boulder.

But he tempered his temper and lost the arrogant attitude he had at the beginning.

Because he knew he wouldn't gain any advantage at all.

Lynch would never back down because of the toughness of his opponents; on the contrary, the tougher his opponents were, the tougher he became.

Chris Paul ultimately had to avoid his sharp edge.

He can't keep wasting his time with Lynch like this; he has to focus on the game.

Victory was the only thing that allowed him to truly regain his dignity.

That was his only salvation and solace.

But Lynch was relentless; their long-standing feud meant he would show no mercy to CP3.

"Chris, why aren't you saying anything? Oh, I'm glad you've finally figured out one thing: in this league, the weak should just shut up!"

CP3 remained silent, repeatedly telling themselves: Victory can solve everything, it can solve everything.

The Knicks launched another attack, and Lynch had the ball again, but didn't rush to score.

Facing a double team, he passed the ball over Paul George's head and found Kyrie Irving cutting into the penalty area.

In the opening stages of today's game, Kyrie Irving had a very prominent role on offense.

Frank Vogel believes this is a deliberate strategy by the Knicks.

They are taking advantage of Lynch's immense defensive presence to create easier scoring opportunities for Kyrie Irving.

In other words, they believe that second-year Kyrie Irving can score efficiently over Chris Paul.

Frank Vogel doesn't plan to make adjustments too early; he doesn't believe Kyrie Irving has the capacity to handle the workload.

Frank Vogel's thoughts were quickly interrupted by the cheers of the fans in the stadium.

Just now, after cutting in and receiving the ball, Kyrie Irving, facing David West's rim protection and CP3's double-teaming, once again scored with an extremely elegant layup in mid-air.

Even against a point guard like CP3, who is on the All-Defensive Team, Kyrie Irving's offense is already quite efficient.

Lin Qi delegated offensive control without complaint, knowing that this approach was much easier and safer than scoring 62 points to win.

Lynch will execute any strategy that is correct, even if it causes his data to decline.

Unleashing Lynch's offensive potential means he will become quite formidable on the defensive end.

After Chris Paul set a screen, he passed the ball to David West, who bounced out to the mid-range. DeAndre Jordan had to close him down, leaving the paint wide open. Paul George made a reverse cut, shaking off Vince Carter, and quickly drove into the empty paint.

David West, a player with excellent playmaking abilities, bounced the ball to Paul George, who then attacked the basket. In the instant he raised his hand in mid-air, he caught a glimpse of a figure that sent chills down his spine.

Sure enough he came!
Just like in the Jurassic Park movies, the group knew they would encounter danger when they entered the jungle. But when the danger actually appeared, the pre-existing fear did not dissipate; instead, it transformed into an even more chilling dread.

Paul George knew he might encounter Lynch's help defense, but when Lynch actually charged at him menacingly, the oppressive feeling that made it hard for him to breathe did not lessen.

He struggled to remain calm in mid-air, pulled the ball back to his waist, and with a flick of his wrist, passed it to Kawhi Leonard, who was lurking in the corner.

Lynch landed without pausing, forcefully pushing off the ground and lunging his body towards the expressionless, legendary Iron Man.

Kawhi Leonard's improvement this season is all-encompassing, and shooting is naturally included in it.

This guy, who had almost no jump shot ability in college, managed to shoot 37% from three-point range in the regular season.

Of course, his stats inevitably fluctuated in the more intense playoffs, rising from 37% to 39%.

Reverse false labeling.

Behind his high shooting percentage is his extremely wide shooting range.

Because he takes very few three-pointers, most teams don't guard his long-range shots too closely, and are more wary of his drives to the basket.

But Lynch was different; he didn't give Kawhi Leonard much room to shoot, keeping him firmly in his shadow.

However, once he encountered interference, this legendary ironman's accuracy was not so impressive.

"boom!"

Mike Breen used a very simple and easy-to-understand method to explain to fans why Lynch was able to win the Defensive Player of the Year award year after year:

"On the defensive end, Lynch never controls a single player, but an entire area! Paul George's cut just now was beautiful, and David West's playmaking was also excellent. When Kawhi Leonard received the ball, there was indeed a fleeting opportunity in front of him."

But Lynch had a firm grip on that area, and they were helpless!

DeAndre Jordan grabbed the rebound, and on the sidelines, Bill Simmons really felt that Lynch was like Bill Russell—in today's league, how many superstars are willing to focus most of their energy on the defensive end and then delegate some responsibility on the offensive end?

Both Lynch and Bill Russell knew the secret to victory and embraced it until the very end of their careers.

This is not easy.

In contrast, Wilt Chamberlain also touched on a secret. He reduced his shot attempts and focused his energy on rebounding and defense, which led to his championship in 1972.

But by the time he learned the whole secret, it was too late.

Or perhaps he simply didn't realize he had stumbled upon the secret to victory. He might have just felt that a championship that required sacrifice was less satisfying than averaging 50 points per game but failing to win.

In any case, that's why Bill Simmons believes Lynch won't fail.

First of all, he is extremely capable.

Secondly, he knew the secret.

In the end, he kept the secret.

After making the block, Lin Qi still didn't rush to score.

He attracted the Pacers' double-team like a magnet, then passed the ball to DeMar DeRozan.

The latter's mid-range catch-and-shoot jumper gave the Knicks another point, forcing Frank Vogel to call a timeout.

He needs to change his strategy. Pincer attacks on Lynch are still necessary, but the timing of the attacks needs to be changed and made more precise.

"Don't double-team too much. Wait until Lynch dribbles the ball for the first time before double-teaming him! Rotate! Get moving! Your rotation speed needs to be increased to another level! If you don't give it your all in this series, you have no chance of winning!"

Frank Vogel's strategy worked. After the timeout, the reduced pressure from the double teams made it more difficult for others to create open spaces.

When Lynch prepares to attack, a double team will immediately appear, which will affect his offensive rhythm to some extent and cause him to miss the best passing opportunity.

Lynch's best option right now is to exploit the brief one-on-one window to dominate Kawhi Leonard, but tonight the legendary Iron Man showed his greatest value.

He did an excellent job defending Lynch one-on-one, matching Lynch in both agility and height.

Lynch didn't have much time to create more space, so his productivity in the first quarter was slightly limited.

Of course, Lynch's dominance on the defensive end remains unchallenged.

That omnipresent defensive coverage forms an invisible giant net, often leaving Chris Paul, with his incredibly wide passing vision, in a predicament where "looking around, there are no reliable passing options."

He knew that no matter who he passed the message to, Lin Qi would arrive immediately.

At the end of the first quarter, the Knicks led by 5 points.

Kyrie Irving scored 12 points in the quarter, while Lynch scored 8.

On the bench, Chris Paul glanced at the big screen, panting.

The situation in the first quarter reassured him somewhat; at least, his team did have a chance to win.

That dignity that fell into the mire, and a glimmer of light that has been regained.

At the start of the second quarter, Lynch's opponent became Lance Stephenson.

Frank Vogel needs Kawhi Leonard to rest for a couple more minutes; his defense is formidable tonight, so he must be well-rested. Energy management must be carefully planned.

In addition, Frank Vogel also knew that although Lynch's productivity was slightly limited, this decline was not enough to secure a victory for the Pacers.

Therefore, he needs to find a way to make Kawhi Leonard's defensive effectiveness more apparent.

Lance Stephenson is an expert in this field.

Lance Stephenson's defensive skills are far inferior to those of the legendary Iron Man, but this guy born on the streets of New York is adept at using all sorts of unorthodox methods to disrupt the rhythm of superstars.

Frank Vogel hoped that Lance Stephenson could disrupt Lynch's mindset, and then Kawhi Leonard could continue to harass Lynch.

This "combination punch" has proven effective in many past competitions.

In the previous series, they used this combination of tactics to limit Kevin Love in Games 3 and 4, limiting him to only 24 minutes in Game 3 due to foul trouble, and making a disastrous performance in Game 4.

Frank Vogel believes this combination of tactics will also work on Lynch.

When Lynch came on, Lance Stephenson stood next to him with his knees on his hands.

Surprisingly, Lance Stephenson remained very quiet and didn't utter a single trash talk.

Lin Qi didn't pay much attention to him, but the next second, the guy leaned close to Lin Qi's ear, his lips almost touching Lin Qi's earlobe, and suddenly blew out a scalding breath.

"call--!"

The spittle-laden breath was forcefully poured into Lin Qi's ear canal, making his scalp tingle instantly.

Lynch:
Lin Qi never imagined that one day he would suffer the same fate as the little emperor!
The cameras captured this moment, and nobody knew what was wrong with Lance Stephenson. In fact, Frank Vogel himself didn't know either.

But he knew that if a man with a dazed look in his eyes suddenly blew into your ear while you were on the court, the physical discomfort and psychological offense would entwine like poisonous vines.

You might wonder, what's wrong with this guy?
You would feel that he is insulting you.

You'd want to smash his face with a basketball.

Or, you just want to escape this disgusting madness immediately.

Regardless of the reaction, Frank Vogel believed that Lynch's unwavering focus had definitely been torn open by this breath of foul air.

The combined effect is starting to take hold!

After blowing air into his lungs, Lance Stephenson still didn't say a word.

Absurdity was precisely the weapon he had meticulously designed. He knew that the more bizarre and outlandish his actions, the more he could disrupt the opponent's mind.

Kyrie Irving dribbled past half-court, and Lynch raised his hand to ask for the ball.

But Lance Stephenson stuck to him like glue, constantly making small, unsettling moves.

Elbows thrusting against the ribs, forearms pushing insidiously—the brutal confrontation teetered on the edge of foul, all to ignite the fury in Lynch's chest.

Lynch was indeed furious, but he controlled his emotions. The more someone wants you to do something, the more you should prevent them from doing so.

Right now, what the Pacers want most is to see Lynch lose control.

Therefore, Lynch absolutely cannot lose control.

Of course, this doesn't mean Lynch would suffer in silence and silently endure Lance Stephenson's disrespect.

He just wanted to respond in a smarter way.

Getting angry solves nothing.

In the end, Lin Qi suppressed his anger and calmly scored with a sharp pull-up jump shot.

The Knicks led by 7 points, but Lance Stephenson's performance didn't end with this defensive blunder.

In the next possession, Lance Stephenson drove in and scored with a layup.

Before college, this New York prodigy was a top high school student who could rival John Wall.

His achievements at Lincoln High School even surpassed those of his seniors, such as Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, because he led the school to an unprecedented four consecutive championships.

He easily dominated a group of adults at Rucker Park, prompting legendary DJ Bobby Garcia, who was hosting the event, to exclaim, "He was born to play in the NBA! He was born!"

The catchy nickname "Born Ready" has become his unique trademark.

Therefore, although Lance Stephenson has not become a star player, his innate talent and wit still shine brightly at this moment.

His layup was beautiful, and he made those moves purely out of instinct.

After scoring, Lance Stephenson didn't rush back to defend. Instead, he made a guitar-playing celebration gesture in front of Lynch: "Easy peasy, Lynch! Taking you down is as easy as playing a tune in a girl's ear!"

He is still plucking the string called "anger," determined to drag Lynch into an abyss of chaos.

Chris Paul watched all this with a smile, vowing that Lynch would lose control.

The light of his regained dignity is shining ever brighter.

Lynch ran forward to join the attack. Lance Stephenson remained close to Lynch, but Lynch pushed him away with an even more aggressive move.

Just then, Lance Stephenson suddenly reached out and covered Lynch's mouth!
Lynch pushed him away again and caught the basketball.

Lance Stephenson looked at Lynch's taut jaw and felt the force that was almost crushing his teeth.

So he intensified his attack: "What's wrong? Why are you so angry? Why are you so serious? I didn't do anything wrong, why are you so angry?"

This was the day Lynch could truly empathize with LBJ; he finally understood why LBJ always broke down in front of Lance Stephenson.

Lance Stephenson looked at Lynch with anticipation; he could sense that this superstar was about to explode.

Let it erupt! Take action!

Even if Lynch just gives him a light push, Lance Stephenson will fall dramatically in a second.

That one-second performance will surely help the Pacers regain possession of the ball!
Lance Stephenson's behavior and provocations intensified the tension on the scene and deepened the animosity between the two sides.

All the Knicks players were ready, and even five-star security captain Amir Johnson stood up on the bench.

Once Lynch makes a move, everyone will rush up immediately and teach that idiot Lance Stephenson a lesson.

However, on the verge of the bomb exploding, Lynch merely revealed a disdainful smile:
“Shut up, Lance. Why do you have to reopen your old wounds? The last time you touched someone like that, you faced a Class B sex offender charge and ruined your parents’ planned documentary, ‘Born Ready.’”

Because you couldn't control your damn hand, you ended up playing basketball at some obscure diploma mill, missing the chance to further promote yourself through the NCAA.

And now, you still can't change this habit?

Every action you think is cool is actually a fucking clown act.

Every decision you make pushes you toward failure.

Lance, given your stupidity, I don't think you should be called 'Born Ready'—"

As Lin Qi dribbled the ball, he pointed at his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips:

"You should be called a born loser!"
You're a born loser who only knows how to bury yourself in a cesspool!

The anger shifted to Lance Stephenson's face. Lynch's humiliation was like a razor-sharp knife, precisely tearing open Lance Stephenson's most unbearable scars.

That damned sexual assault accusation was the starting point for the precipitous fall of his basketball career.

Yes, his actions ruined everything.

If everything had gone smoothly, he should have gone to a prestigious basketball school, such as Kansas, Maryland, St. John's, or Arizona. He could have chosen any of these schools at the time.

If everything had gone smoothly, he should have been a first-round pick, or even a lottery pick.

However, because of his own actions, he could only enter the league as a second-round pick, with a meager salary and playing time.

"A born loser!"

The word repeated itself in his ears, bombarding his eardrums and making him clench his fists.

Lin Qi took the opportunity to drive to the basket, and the double team immediately collapsed.

But Lynch stepped back and released the jump shot the instant the ball was still hovering in his palm.

This unique retreat rhythm meant that no one on the Pacers team could successfully disrupt it.

Lynch scores again, and the New York Knicks are now up by 9 points!
Lance Stephenson, due to his overly aggressive tackle, lost control and fell forward, landing awkwardly at Lynch's feet.

Lynch slowly lowered his head, his gaze fixed on a puddle of filth on a New York street, his voice filled with icy disdain:
"Don't worry, I won't step over you. I'm afraid a born loser like you will dirty the soles of my shoes."

The next second, the whole stadium erupted in cheers.

Because Lance Stephenson stood up violently, his eyes bloodshot like a wild beast ready to devour its prey, and charged toward Lynch while cursing loudly.

Originally intending for Lynch to lose control, he instead detonated the bomb first.

Chaos returns.

"Fuck, come here! You damn bastard, I'm going to kill you! Fuck!"

Lance Stephenson was aggressive, but in reality, he could only futilely charge and tear through the wall of players formed by his teammates and Knicks players.

All he could do was rage hysterically and impotently.

Lynch didn't move an inch, nor did he retreat. He stood there like a rock, hands on his hips, head held high, looking down at the farce he had ignited.

Then, she remembered another "doll" of hers.

"Chris, is this the spirit you bring to this team? Besides blustering and shouting, what other ways do you guys have to deal with me?"

Chris Paul, who had been holding back his anger, could no longer contain himself. He suddenly erupted, shoving aside his teammates who tried to stop him, and charged at Lynch like a raging bull.

But Amir Johnson's towering figure stepped onto the edge of the field at just the right moment.

This caused Chris Paul to stop abruptly and instinctively take a step back.

He knew that if he continued to charge at Lynch, Amir Johnson would really beat him up without any fear of suspension or fines; that was exactly what he did alongside Lynch.

Seeing this, Kyrie Irving clapped and shouted, "Ha! Look! Chris's 'Great Minus One'! A historic replay!"

Under Lynch's exemplary example, Kyrie Irving also became a well-mannered and articulate young man.

At this moment, the Pacers' "combination punches" have completely failed.

Chris Paul and Lance Stephenson were instead emotionally devastated by New York's "combination punches".

Bill Simmons clapped wildly; what was happening on the court at that moment was even more exciting than the brilliant tactical plays.

That's why competitive sports can't be separated from rivalries.

At the same time, Bill Simmons was also surprised by Lynch's performance.

Just now, everyone thought Lin Qi was about to have an emotional breakdown.

However, he reversed everything at the most critical moment, causing Lance Stephenson to collapse first.

Incidentally, they also gave him the nickname Born Loser.

Lynch did not let the Pacers succeed. Even in terms of "breaking the opponent's emotions down," Lynch was like a king, firmly in control of the situation!
Bill Simmons vowed to describe this exciting scene in his column tonight!
The referee had to step in again to stop the two players from about to come to blows.

It was only the second quarter, and referee Mark Davis was already exhausted. He had lost count of how many times the two sides had nearly come to blows.

He felt that he wasn't officiating a basketball game at all, but a bloody war with the court as the battlefield!
The smoke of the conflict barely dissipated amidst the tug-of-war.

Frank Vogel had no choice but to replace Lance Stephenson, who was completely stunned by Lynch's "magical backlash".

Kawhi Leonard is back on the court, and his defense will continue to cause trouble for Lynch.

But Frank Vogel knew that after the "combination punch plan" failed, it was hard to expect Kawhi Leonard to really limit Lynch's offense to the point that the Knicks would lose.

Subsequent matches validated Frank Vogel's conjecture.

Kawhi Leonard played with great care on defense, and Mike Breen even claimed, "For a long time to come, Kawhi will be the best perimeter defender in the league, and I believe he will be!"

His footwork, his anticipation, his physique, and his composure on the defensive end that belies his age.
The fact that a second-year player, assigned to defend the world's best player Lynch, hasn't been completely crushed is enough to demonstrate Kawhi Leonard's excellence.

But the gap continued to widen little by little. Lynch's offense was limited, and his efficiency and output were no longer as explosive, but he still bled the Pacers like a knife cutting flesh.

At halftime, the Knicks led by 13 points.

At the start of the second quarter, Chris Paul felt he was just a step away from regaining his dignity.

But now, his dignity is slipping further and further away from him.

During halftime in the locker room, Frank Vogel excitedly pressed Lance Stephenson's shoulder, trying to calm him down:

"Don't dwell on what Lynch said to you, but think about how to make Lynch lose his mind too! We need you, Lance. You're not a born loser; we still have a chance to be winners!"

He still needs the combined power of Lance Stephenson and Kawhi Leonard.

In fact, Lance Stephenson was just a hair's breadth away from completely igniting Lynch.

He hoped Lance Stephenson could calm down and try again.

Lance Stephenson nodded silently, as if he had calmed down again.

As a result, just as the second half began, Lance Stephenson drew two stupid fouls in just 60 seconds!
That barely maintained composure was like a fragile cardboard shell, instantly burned through by the poisonous flames of revenge the moment she stepped onto the field.

He is a player who is very good at provoking his opponents' emotions, but he is also a player who is easily provoked by his opponents' emotions.

Many people like to compare him, a "jerk" player, with Dennis Rodman, but in reality, Dennis Rodman was a player who knew how to control his emotions very well.

Of course, there have been times when he lost his temper and was sent off. But overall, he still performs excellently in this regard.

He can make his opponents extremely frustrated, while remaining completely unaffected when facing counterattacks.

Lance Stephenson clearly couldn't do that; he was completely unable to calm down. He wanted to get revenge on Lynch, but the end result was that he was sent off with two completely meaningless fouls.

Frank Vogel knew that it was no longer possible to stir up Lynch's emotions.

The Pacers can only rely on their raw talent to compete head-on with Lynch now.

But that makes it even less likely to win.

In the following matches, Lynch proceeded as planned.

He occasionally takes over on offense, gives his all on defense, and leaves some of the spotlight to Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan.

The Knicks are making steady progress, and while it's difficult for them to widen the gap, they are gradually doing so.

In the ninth minute of the third quarter, Paul George and Allen Afflalo hit three consecutive three-pointers, briefly giving Pacers fans hope.

But Lynch's block on Paul George beyond the three-point line brought that momentum to an abrupt halt.

Once again, Lynch, in the most domineering way, has taken the reins of the game back into his hands.

After the third quarter, the Knicks trailed by 17 points.

This isn't a completely hopeless gap, but it illustrates the Pacers' struggles tonight.

Chris Paul looked up at the score difference, the hope that had been there at the end of the first quarter long gone from his eyes.

During the break, Frank Vogel's roars echoed from the sidelines, consisting of nothing more than "Focus on defense," "Play every possession well," and "We still have time."

The players reacted little to these words, and even Chris Paul, as a leader, was unable to step up and motivate his teammates.

On the other side, after Mike Malone finished outlining all the tactics, Lynch stood up, gently patted Kyrie Irving on the back, and then made a throat-slitting gesture towards DeMar DeRozan.

At that moment, he looked exactly like the ruthless Italian Mafia members of eighty years ago.

Lynch didn't speak, but his meaning was clear:

"Don't give them a chance, wipe out those bastards completely!"

Bill Simmons is watching all of this, and he'll include it in one of the "Top 10 Coolest Moments in the 21st Century NBA".

And Lynch would top his list of "most charismatic players of the 21st century".

He's a pure winning machine; he roars when he needs to roar and remains silent when he needs to remain silent.

He couldn't imagine any basketball enthusiast disliking Lynch.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Chris Paul, who had been humiliated all day, had been clinging to victory as his lifeline. But now, Lynch was uprooting that lifeline.

In the first round, Lynch didn't even have the ball; instead, he let DeMar DeRozan go one-on-one with Aron Afflalo.

Because of Lynch's gravity, DeRozan doesn't have to worry about being caught in a pincer movement.

He can fully display his favorite playing skills.

DeMar DeRozan backed down the ball, executed a beautiful half-turn fake shot that shook off Allen Afflalo, and then took a step forward for a layup.

With a 19-point deficit, Lynch stomped on CP3 while returning to defense: "Hey, where's your revenge? Besides yelling, don't you have any other way to deal with me?"

On the defensive possession, CP3 seized the opportunity to find Paul George cutting in, but Lynch suddenly appeared and intercepted the ball.

Lynch passed the ball to Kyrie Irving, who dribbled it up the court. While Chris Paul was still guessing which way the rookie would drive, Kyrie Irving pulled up for a jump shot!
"Kyrie, he's full of confidence. And he hits! Kyrie Irving scores his 29th point of the night! My God, he scored 29 points over Chris Paul! Without a doubt, he's a worthy championship sidekick!"

Kyrie Irving held up three fingers and demanded fiercely, "You're just someone who racks up stats next to Lynch, huh? What do you have to say now?!"

With the point difference reaching 22, victory was practically within the Knicks' grasp.

Chris Paul is still making a final push; he wants to win back the victory and get the whole team back on track.

So in this offensive possession, he raised his hand and called for Kawhi Leonard to come and screen for him!

Mike Breen's eyes widened instantly: "What is Chris trying to do? He called Kawhi! A pick and roll is set, Lynch switches! Lynch switches onto Chris Paul!"

That's right, that's how Chris Paul boosts morale.

The humiliation, anger, and resentment that had been suppressed throughout the entire event found an outlet at this moment!
He needs to score! He needs to respond! He needs to score that damn shot in front of that number 20!

"Spread out!" Chris Paul roared, waving his hand to signal his teammates to scatter!

He wants to challenge Lin Qi to a one-on-one fight!

One on one!

Bill Simmons jumped up from his seat, his adrenaline surging.

That's the most exciting part of basketball games. If you have a grudge, you can call a one-on-one match and see who comes out on top!
Paul lowered his center of gravity, the ball seemingly glued to his hands. He dribbled between his legs repeatedly, the pace varying from fast to slow, trying to shift Lynch's weight.

Lin Qi remained expressionless, his shoulders hunched and knees bent, like a perfect defensive sculpture, his feet rooted to the spot, his center of gravity unwavering.

No matter how fast Lynch is, he can never outrun CP3.

But Lynch's absolute advantage in size still allowed him to easily handle Chris Paul's swaying.

Several attempts to probe failed, and the shot clock relentlessly ticked away. Chris Paul finally accelerated, and seeing Lynch retreating, he immediately retreated to the three-point line.

Push off the ground! Gather the ball! Pull it up!

He executed the move flawlessly, preparing to shoot a step-back three-pointer!

But Lynch's block came faster than Paul expected. Besides his size, Lynch's reaction speed was also an advantage on the defensive end.

Almost instantly, Lynch stuck to Paul, completely engulfing the space he had created with his step back.

A pair of large hands, like two giant nets, directly enveloped the basketball that Paul had just released.

Snapped!
A hard, solid two-handed grab of the hat.

and--

Lynch didn't even bend his knees to jump!

He stood there like a demon, and with just his size and anticipation, he snatched Paul's shot, just like an adult easily snatching a toy from a child!

"WOOOOOOW——!!!" Mike Brin's exclamation echoed through the sky, sending the entire audience into a frenzy!

Previously, people had only seen similar standing blockers on Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton, who is 224 cm tall.

Lynch used a more visually impactful method to imprint this epic humiliation deep into the soul of CP3 from beyond the three-point line!
CP3 collapsed to the ground; the basketball that Lynch had taken from him represented his unfulfilled dignity.

He hoped to redeem himself through victory.

But at this moment, Lin Qi has completely taken away his only chance for redemption.

The game was paused as Mike Malone prepared to pull all his key players.

Lynch tossed the basketball to Chris Paul's feet like a useless bone, then turned and walked away.

"Keep barking, Chris. I won't blame you anymore. After all, that's all you have left."

Bill Simonston, standing on the sidelines, felt a chill run down his spine.

This is Lynch.

There were no surprises, no reservations, and no retreats.

Of course, no mercy was shown.

When Chris Paul repeatedly barked recklessly during the regular season, ultimately crossing that inviolable red line...

Everything was predetermined.

(One update today, but no reduction in output, 10,000 words combined with two other chapters)

(End of this chapter)