Champion Rules

Chapter 388: No, you can't handle this one either (Seeking monthly votes!)

Summer, the hottest season in the basketball world.

In the sweltering heat of summer, fans at Madison Square Garden could never have imagined that they would witness Tim Duncan standing tall on the court once again in the NBA Finals.

Just one day before the Finals began, the NBA officially announced the final regular season honors and the results of the All-NBA selections.

James Harden, Paul George, Kyrie Irving and other rising stars have made their first All-NBA team appearances.

Besides the younger generation, the strength of the middle generation remains dazzling. Lynch, LBJ, Carmelo Anthony, Flash, and Dwight Howard also firmly occupy the list.

Of the players over 35 years old, only one remains in the All-NBA Team this season, and he is ranked in the First Team.

This person is warming up on the court right now. After a five-year hiatus, Tim Duncan is back in the NBA Finals!
Spike Lee stared at the figure of number 21 on the court, looking dazed, as if time and space had become disordered.

Mentioning Tim Duncan instantly brings to mind the Twin Towers he formed with Admiral David Robinson, or the epic battles against the Lakers' Shaq and Kobe Bryant.

Those stories belong to the previous decade.

But now, in 2013, Lynch's teammates have been replaced by a new generation of players like Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, and Chandler Parsons.

Tim Duncan once again stood on the highest stage of the league.

In the 2010s, Tim Duncan had no intention of putting an end to his story.

Spike Lee is looking forward to this Finals series. He knows that Tim Duncan didn't just get into the All-Star team based on popularity and marketing.

Although he is no longer young, he still plays a huge role on the field.

At least, Tim Duncan's fans never need to make excuses like "What do you want from a player who's almost 40 years old?"

If you can't play anymore, you retire; as long as you're still on the court, you have to contribute. That's Tim Duncan's principle.

Looking at advanced data, Tim Duncan has maintained a very stable level for many years, both in terms of positive/negative ratings and BPM.

His stability is historically rare.

When people praise a veteran for being smart, composed, and knowledgeable, it is usually a euphemism for being slow-moving and not jumping high.

However, for Tim Duncan and even the entire GDP combination, intelligence, composure, and extensive knowledge are indeed their strengths.

Therefore, the Spurs' strength is genuine.

Spike Lee believes they will put on a great series against the Knicks.

At that moment, on the court, Tim Duncan said something to Tony Parker.

The French sports car, carrying the basketball, walked to the three-point line, dribbled, sprinted, drove straight for the basket, and leaped up for a powerful dunk.

"Boom!"

The rim slammed open with a loud thud. This dunk had the beauty of Stephen Curry, as well as the precision of Stephen Curry – it's not easy to dunk and hit the ball precisely on the narrow rim, but Tony Parker dunked with such precision, sending the ball flying smoothly.

On the court, Tim Duncan burst into laughter, while Tony Parker reluctantly barked like a dog twice.

It seems the question was just a bet with the Frenchman: "Tony, if you can dunk, I'll bark like a dog. If I miss, you can do it. Do you dare?"

Witnessing this, Spike Lee silently crossed the label "composure" off GDP's "list of advantages".

I used to think only young people liked to do abstract things, but the Spurs showed the world what it means to be a seasoned veteran.

But that's the Spurs; they love each other deeply.

Their warm-up routine was filled with jokes and hilarious quirky antics.

They were like a group of real brothers, not just ordinary colleagues.

This kind of team atmosphere is unique to the league.

This bond is the foundation of their willingness to sacrifice and their perfect teamwork on the field.

The warm-up ended quickly, and Kyrie Irving approached the center circle, eager to get back into action.

Finally, he stood before the team that Lynch called his "biggest challenge of his career".

Tim Duncan shook hands and hugged Lynch.

Then, with a blank expression, Number 21 told Lynch in a low and firm voice:

"This time, we'll get it done."

Duncan's trash talk, or rather, his demonstrations, are always simple yet powerful.

The game begins, and Kyrie Irving dribbles the ball past half-court, where he is guarded by Danny Green.

He called for a screen from Lynch, but Danny Green quickly squeezed through the screen, not giving Kyrie Irving much space.

Kyrie Irving then passed the ball back to Lynch.

Unlike other teams that use double-teams to limit Lynch, the Spurs did not employ double-teams.

Boris Diaw was responsible for one-on-one defense, while the other players' defensive tasks changed from double-teaming to disrupting Lynch's passing lanes.

"Cutting off passing lanes" is a rather simple sentence coming from the head coach's mouth.

However, executing it perfectly is the ultimate test for the defending side.

This requires defensive players to have excellent experience, judgment, game reading ability, and defensive aggressiveness.

You must be in the right position, and your opponents are not stationary wooden figures; they will move around without the ball at any time.

Therefore, defenders must still accurately cut off potential passing links even during high-speed rotations.

The Spurs are the best team in this regard, bar none. Tony Parker, Danny Green, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, and Tim Duncan—all five of the Spurs' starting five possess excellent defensive experience, reading ability, and aggressiveness.

Their positioning and blocking during movement truly transformed the cold command of "cutting off passing routes" into an impenetrable reality.

Their defensive focus remained on Lynch, but they didn't double-team him; the others simply cut off passing lanes.

Lynch immediately realized that the Spurs were trying to force him into one-on-one situations.

The Spurs had previously used a similar tactic against Lynch.

Lynch's solution was to forcefully attack the basket, tearing through the defense with lightning speed and forcing the opponent's formation to collapse.

The Knicks' solution is the same now: Lynch drives hard to the basket, but the moment he bumps into Boris Diaw, something feels off; the Frenchman seems even stronger now.

Lin Qi struggled to push him away, creating a small space for a layup.

Tim Duncan's help defense came even faster than Lynch had anticipated.

Lynch scanned the area, trying to find his teammates, but the Spurs players had already blocked every possible passing lane.

Ultimately, Lynch attempted a close-range turnaround jump shot, but Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan combined to block it, and Lynch's first shot of the Finals this year unfortunately bounced off the rim.

It was a beautiful team defensive play; it's hard to say that any one Spurs player completely shut down Lynch in that possession.

Because all five of them on the field contributed.

The five Spurs players on the court worked together to complete this successful choke.

Gregg Popovich not only led the Spurs to the most brilliant team offense, but also the most brilliant team defense.

After missing his shot, Lynch immediately returned to defense, glancing at number 21.

That guy is really special.

Most superstars make others adapt to them, but TD did the opposite. He has always been the one to proactively adapt to the team and the era.

He only wants to win; he'll do anything to win.

He doesn't refuse any blue-collar jobs, such as screens, boxing out, and rim protection.

When the team needs him, he can gain weight to deal with those superstar centers from the early 2000s.

When the team needs him, he can also lose weight to cope with the increasingly fast pace of modern basketball and adapt to the Spurs' 180° system.

Tim Duncan has been constantly evolving. If he were in the 20s, he probably would have developed a high-post dribble with his back to the basket and a spin move like Jokic or Young.

That's why his impact on the game was enormous throughout his career, whether he was young or old; he was always looking for ways to do things that were good for the team.

The reason Tim Duncan was able to come up to help defend so quickly just now wasn't because he's become younger, but because his weight loss has been effective again.

With him setting an example, the other Spurs players followed suit. Lynch's recent difficulty in completely overpowering Boris Diaw was precisely because the Frenchman had successfully gained weight while maintaining as much agility as possible.

Although Tim Duncan was not flamboyant, he was actually a fiercely competitive guy. He was obsessed with winning, and this obsession was no less than that of Lynch, Kobe, Jordan, and others.

He can become whatever form the team or the era needs in order to achieve this goal.

The Spurs were on offense. Boris Diaw dribbled the ball past half-court, but didn't hold onto it, quickly passing it to Tony Parker.

Parker drove to the basket and passed the ball to Gerald Wallace.

Gerald Wallace received the ball and immediately passed it; the ball remained in his hands for less than a second.

He moved the ball to the right corner, where Danny Green had just created an opening.

Catching the ball, shooting—Danny Green's shooting rhythm is smooth and fluid.

Vince Carter defended very hard, but he was a step too late, and his interference seemed ineffective.

then--

"brush!"

"Danny Green hits a three-pointer, a classic Spurs offense!" Mike Breen couldn't help but applaud the Spurs' play. "If there's any team in this league that can really give the Knicks a run for their money, it's the Spurs!"

From the very first offensive and defensive play, the Spurs had already demonstrated their basketball philosophy.

Because of their consecutive losses to the Thunder over the past two years, this Spurs team has evolved into what it looks like in 2014 in another timeline.

They all shared the same goal and a single, unwavering ambition: to win that damn championship together.

They are eager to prove that a team that doesn't pay the luxury tax, doesn't have a lone superstar, and relies entirely on the collective will and the 21st rookie can still reach the top!

In the stands, Adam Silver was applauding Danny Green's goal.

He vowed that if the Spurs won the championship, he would really laugh out loud in front of Lynch.

In the next possession, Kyrie Irving was looking for Lynch, who was making an off-ball run.

But just as the basketball was passed out, Gerald Wallace on the wing suddenly lunged out and disrupted the pass.

The Spurs' defensive strategy is not just targeting Lynch; anyone with the ball will face a situation where "passing routes are completely blocked."

As a team-oriented team, the Spurs naturally understand the power of team offense best.

Therefore, they will not allow anyone to link the whole team together.

Even with a superstar like Lynch, the Knicks' offense is only at its strongest when the whole team is playing well.

The core objective of the Spurs' defensive system is to prevent opponents from scoring from multiple positions.

They knew Lynch liked to get the whole team involved in the game, so the Spurs deliberately made Lynch play in the way he disliked the most.

After Gerald Wallace got the ball, the Spurs launched a quick counterattack.

Tony Parker received the pass and drove straight in, leaving the basket wide open in front of him.

But the French knew this wasn't a good scoring opportunity.

He glanced back and, sure enough, Lin Qi was right behind him, relentlessly pursuing him.

That incredible guy always manages to suddenly appear from behind you just when you think everything is going well, plunging your hopes into the abyss of despair.

Tony Parker jumped up, but instead of going for a layup, he passed the ball in mid-air to Danny Green, who was already lurking in the corner.

Danny Green's three-point shooting percentage in this year's playoffs is quite incredible, currently at 42%.

So when he scores, you'd better keep feeding him. Once he gets really hot, the game will be much easier.

Danny Green caught the ball and shot, but this time, just as the ball was about to slip from his grasp, Kyrie Irving arrived in time and completely blocked the shot.

After the passing error, Kyrie Irving immediately sprinted back without letting up for a second.

Faced with this sudden close-range interference, Danny Green chose to pass the ball in the air, targeting Gerald Wallace who was cutting in from the middle.

But the moment Gerald Wallace got the ball, DeMar DeRozan stole it from his side and behind!
"The Knicks' aggressive defensive transition meant they didn't give any Spurs players a chance during this fast break! Every player was running back and forth, tearing into their matchups! They completely stifled this seemingly inevitable counterattack!"

Mike Breen's commentary has revealed the Knicks' strategy for dealing with the Spurs. This strategy is as simple as "blocking passing lanes," but it is not easy to execute—aggressively attack your matchup!
The Knicks don't have the same passing blocking ability as the Spurs, making it difficult for them to force the Spurs, who love to pass, into turnovers.

Therefore, Mike Malone's strategy was for everyone to aggressively attack their assigned opponent and invest heavily on the defensive end, regardless of the cost.

If everyone stays in position and keeps every Spurs player stuck in a quagmire, then no matter how beautiful or coordinated their passing is, it will be difficult for them to create opportunities.

This requires defensive players to be selfless enough. Players must be willing to sacrifice offensive stats and glory, do things on the defensive end that cannot be reflected in the statistics, and remain focused throughout the game.

Only a true team can do all of this well.

The New York Knicks are now undoubtedly a true team.

Kyrie Irving knows very well that scoring is not the only way to prove himself.

His ability to contribute on the defensive end also makes him a worthy candidate for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Yes, it will be a huge challenge for him to tone down his offensive prowess and devote most of his energy to defense.

This is completely contrary to his playing style over the past ten years.

But he was already prepared to face all challenges.

The Spurs don't allow the Knicks' offense to become a team effort, but the Knicks can demonstrate their team spirit on the defensive end.

In fact, this is the biggest difference between the Knicks and the Thunder.

Both were forced into one-on-one situations, but Kevin Durant couldn't make that Thunder team play such a team defense, and he himself couldn't make as much of a contribution on the defensive end as Lynch.

He can only rely on one-on-one play.

Lynch had already united the team, and after going through so much together, the Spurs could never completely cut ties with this Knicks.

The Spurs' counterattack failed, and their surging momentum was abruptly suppressed.

DeMar DeRozan, who made the steal, immediately passed the ball to Lynch, allowing the 208cm tall player to dribble the ball across half-court like a point guard.

The Spurs' defensive positioning remained impenetrable, and Lynch, who was once compared to Magic Johnson during his time playing point guard in the regular season, struggled to find any openings for precise passes.

So, Lin Qi ran to the top of the three-point arc, stopped abruptly, gathered the ball, raised it above his head, and prepared to pull up for a shot!
Boris Diaw was surprised by Lynch's decisiveness and immediately lunged forward to block him.

But after he jumped up, he realized that Lin Qi had only made a feint.

After shaking off the Frenchman, Lynch leaped up and deliberately engaged Boris Dior in mid-air.

Then, in the confrontation, Lynch still maintained his balance with his powerful core and made steady moves.

"Whistle!!!" The referee's whistle blew first, indicating an undeniable foul.

"Swish!!!" The sound of the basketball going through the net followed immediately!

"BOOM!!!" Madison Square Garden erupted for the first time during the finals!
Lynch earned a 3+1 opportunity thanks to his strong individual ability!
The ball went in, and the Knicks players rushed towards Lynch, excitedly shoving their leader.

Boris Diaw stared incredulously at the replay on the big screen. He knew how intense the aerial battle had been; how could that guy still score under such circumstances?
On the sidelines, Spike Lee yelled at the Spurs players:

"Don't fucking fantasize that you can win the game like this! Lynch just doesn't like being a lone wolf, but that doesn't mean he's not good at it! You want to see Lynch's limits? Come on, come on! Everyone who tried to test Lynch's limits ended up fucking dead! You'll be no exception, you'll all meet the same fate!"

Lynch is not Kevin Durant, you motherfucker! You better not get this wrong!

Under the watchful eyes of his excited teammates and a deafening roar of fans, Lynch stepped onto the free-throw line.

The noise suddenly subsided, leaving only the "thump-thump" of basketballs hitting the floor.

After bringing the ball together with both hands, Lynch looked at the expressionless number 21: "Shave."

Duncan calmly turned his head to meet his gaze. In that instant of eye contact, Lynch flicked his wrist and released the ball.

"This time, you won't be able to handle it either."

"Shh!"

Lynch made the free throw and completed a three-point play, giving the Knicks the lead.

The Spurs gained no advantage at Madison Square Garden.

(End of this chapter)