Champion Rules

Chapter 391, Section 387: The Most Hated Words (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

总决赛G6回到了纽约。（之前按照2-2-1-1-1的赛程写错了，已经改正）
The Spurs players weren't nervous about the do-or-die game in New York. Tony Parker told everyone on camera as he got off the plane:

“We won in New York, this is just another time.”

The Spurs' morale never crumbles easily, which is the biggest difference between them and other teams.

The painful transition over the past two years and the consecutive defeats against young teams have forged this team's will into steel.

Their ability to fight their way back to the finals is enough to demonstrate just how resilient they are.

Gregg Popovich sat on the team bus, watching the bustling streets of New York City rush by outside the window.

Since Lynch entered the league in 2004, the Knicks have reached the NBA Finals seven times, and no team has ever won the championship in New York—most teams don't even make it to New York.

This is a place that has driven all teams in the league to despair for many years.

But for some reason, Gregg Popovich was full of confidence.

He felt that the Spurs could do it tonight.

Throughout the team's journey, he has never doubted his players.

Gregg Popovich suddenly remembered something, took out his phone, put on his reading glasses, and frantically swiped the screen.

Finally, he found a text message from a year ago, from Tim Duncan:

"Tell management, whatever you do, don't change the roster, whatever you do, don't break up this team. Just keep it like this, let's do it again, let's do it again."

The only thing this team fears is that they haven't had a chance.

Now that these old boys have another chance to stand on the highest stage, nothing can frighten them anymore.

Win or lose, they've been here together.

Meanwhile, at Madison Square Garden.

After Jimmy Butler's successful start in Game 5, Mike Malone gave him the opportunity to start again in Game 6.

Vince Carter understands this quite well; the best players are always the youngest, and he had already occasionally started Jimmy Butler during the regular season.

Therefore, this change of formation did not cause any negative repercussions.

Jimmy Butler cherishes this opportunity immensely, and his motto is very simple—give 120% effort to every minute he plays.

So, just like the previous game, he arrived at Madison Square Garden a full five hours early, went into the locker room, and prepared to change clothes and warm up before going on the court.

But the moment he pushed open the locker room door, Jimmy Butler screamed and instantly pulled out the crucifix hanging around his neck: "Hallelujah! Whatever you are, get out of here!"

The locker room lights were deliberately dimmed, and in the dim light, a figure wearing a Knicks jersey was sitting prominently on the chair in front of his locker.

In the shadows, its silhouette was eerily similar to Voldemort from Harry Potter, or some kind of alien-like creature.

Anyway, that thing is definitely not human.

Jimmy's worldview began to crumble; he was just a basketball player who only wanted to give his all for his family and team in this lifetime.

So now, the world is going to have to fight for the survival of humankind?
The thing suddenly stood up, stepped out of the shadows, and snapped on all the lights in the locker room: "Shut up, Jimmy, you scared me!"

The lights blazed on, revealing Sam Cassell, the Knicks' assistant coach and widely considered the most handsome man in NBA history.

At that moment, he was wearing the jersey he wore when he played for the Knicks, glaring at Jimmy Butler with annoyance.

"Damn it, Sam? You should be glad Gilbert Arenas isn't on this team, or you'd already be knocked down by the Truth!"

Jimmy Butler breathed a sigh of relief. After confirming that the other person was human, he fired off a barrage of questions: "What are you doing alone in the locker room? Why are you still wearing your jersey? Why are you sitting in front of my locker?"

Sam Cassell, hands on his hips, looked annoyed: "Before you joined this team, this was my locker! I just wanted to come back and take a look, is that a problem? I feel like the atmosphere tonight is really similar to the last game of my career. I'm coming back to reminisce about my lost youth, is there a problem with that?"

Jimmy Butler's tense nerves finally relaxed.

Even under the lights, looking at Sam Cassel's astonishing face, and even after spending two years with him, he still felt that the guy's existence was nothing short of mental pollution.

Butler suddenly realized that Lynch's big heart was somewhat related to this assistant coach—Lynch was still able to lead the team to victory despite enduring such severe mental strain every day, which was something no ordinary person could withstand.

Sam Cassel didn't get angry again. He slowly strolled around the locker room, his gaze sweeping over the familiar lockers and chairs, as a flood of memories washed over him.

Game 6 of the 2007 NBA Finals was Sam Cassell's last dance in his professional career, and also Grant Hill's final chapter as he burned out.

Facing the most formidable defensive team in history, the aging and injured Knicks were already at their limit.

Grant Hill is injured. The man who almost ruined his career by playing with an injury after being cheated by management in front of the Pistons and vowed never to do it again has decided to take painkillers and put all his effort into Game 6.

Stephon Marbury is past his prime, plagued by injuries.

Sam Cassell himself is already 38 years old, and it's difficult for him to provide the same impact he had with the Timberwolves.

Moreover, prior to 2007, the San Antonio Spurs were known as the "Lynch Killer." In the 04-05 and 05-06 regular seasons, Lynch faced the Spurs four times, losing all four matches.

From any perspective, the Spurs have the advantage.

People today only remember that this aging Knicks team completely fell apart after its failure in 2008, but in reality, if someone else had been in charge, the Knicks might have been finished in 2007.

It was Lynch's combined psychological and skillful support that led the Knicks to defeat the 07 Spurs, one of the best defensive teams in NBA history.

"Homage to New York! Homage to Trevor, who led us out of the Brooklyn tunnel; homage to Grant, who left the last bullet for San Antonio; homage to everyone who branded their soul onto the floor of Madison Square Garden—for everyone, we must win tomorrow night's game!"

Lynch's pre-match shout was the spark of belief that kept everyone going until they were bleeding from the very last drop of blood.

In the final moments of the game, Lynch, despite being contested by both Tim Duncan and Ben Wallace, turned and hooked the ball in. That was the third buzzer-beating game-winner of Lynch's career, a game-winner that brought the Knicks their second championship of the 21st century, breaking the Spurs' dominance over him and officially opening the door to his illustrious career.

Sam Cassell remembers every detail of that night vividly.

Because that was the most glorious and exciting night of his long career.

It was even hotter than the night the legendary, abstinent boy, AC Green, finally got married.

And that time and that moment are exactly like this moment.

The opponent was still the Spurs, and the core of the team was still the GDP trio. Their pressure never faded. Even though the Knicks were leading 3-2, everyone knew that the victory was far from over.

As the flames of 2007 were rekindled in his memory, a smile slowly spread across Sam Cassel's wrinkled face.

He patted Jimmy Butler on the shoulder, his voice carrying a timeless calm:
"Relax, rookie. Remember, whatever happens tonight, just do your best and don't worry about failing."

Because Lynch would never allow the celebration to be delayed.

Jimmy Butler had already changed into his jersey while Sam Cassell reminisced about the past. He jumped around a couple of times to warm up before going onto the court.
"I've never been worried about winning. Get ready to drink champagne, old man."

As soon as Jimmy Butler finished speaking and pushed open the locker room door, Sam Cassell once again clicked the door shut and turned off most of the locker room lights.

"God, do you really like black that much?" Butler couldn't help but complain.

Kassel shrugged. "I like thinking in this dim light. Go on, Jimmy, go on, leave me alone."

Butler said no more, closed the door, and left Cassel and his gloomy thoughts behind.

Just a few steps out of the locker room, Jimmy Butler saw Kyrie Irving walking towards him in the distance of the players' tunnel.

Just like the last game, Jimmy Butler wasn't the only one warming up early today.

Kyrie Irving nodded to Butler as a greeting.

Butler smirked mischievously and asked out of the blue, "Hey Carey, are you brave enough?"

"Huh?" Irving was completely confused.

“It’s nothing,” Butler waved his hand, continuing on his way. “Hurry up, I’ll be waiting for you on the court.”

He suppressed a laugh and quickly walked away.

A few seconds later, as expected, a short, startled scream came from behind. This was followed by a rapid-fire, emotionally charged, and thoroughly uninhibited rap-like greeting.

Butler finally couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

It seems Kyrie Irving isn't that bold after all.
-
At night, Madison Square Garden becomes the focus of all of New York City.

Doris Burke seized the last moments before the increasingly heated game to interview key players from both sides.

When it was Lynch's turn, she directly addressed the name that had recently stirred up controversy: Kevin Durant.
"In the last game, after Kyrie Irving made the crucial jump shot, some fans thought you cleverly used the concept of 'selflessness' to evade personal responsibility."

Whether it's being called selfless for not scoring 60 points in the past, or being called selfless for giving up crucial shots in the last game, they all think that selflessness is just a tool for packaging yourself.

Kevin Durant is a staunch supporter of this theory. What do you think of his series of questions directed at you?

"Doris, I'm in the finals right now, this isn't the time to talk about an opponent who can't even get close to the division finals."

This is a country with freedom of speech, and Kevin can freely type away and express all sorts of opinions. I'm sure he's been very busy lately.

What I need to do isn't that complicated; I just need to lift the trophy.

Lynch expressed his disdain, and he didn't want to be distracted in this crucial battle.

The game started quickly, and tonight's pace was exactly the same as the previous five games.

The Knicks knew that in the next round, the Spurs would execute a very smooth pick-and-roll, cut-and-pass, shot-and-shoot routine.

But you just can't completely stop them. Their teamwork, their coordination, and the equally strong skills of all their players make it impossible to shut them down.

The Spurs knew that in the next possession, Lynch would use his exceptional individual skills to dismantle the defense. He had already proven that even without orchestrating the team's offense, his firepower could lead the team to victory most of the time.

You just can't stop him; no player can completely shut down Lynch in a one-on-one situation.

The first quarter felt very familiar to fans, with the ultimate teamwork and individual brilliance clashing fiercely in this small arena.

Lynch scored 17 points in the first quarter; for anyone else, such a performance would be highly praised.

When it came to Lynch, Mike Brin simply commented, "Lynch's firepower was alright tonight, enough."

Lynch has made excellence a habit.

In the second quarter, Lynch, as usual, began to focus on defense, letting Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan take over temporarily.

But Kyrie Irving didn't have a good shooting night.

This once again proves that there is no necessary correlation between warm-up time and on-field performance.

Warming up beforehand can certainly give you a chance to play at your best in a match, but that chance is by no means 100%.

Kyrie Irving didn't fight to the death. After missing two consecutive jump shots, he handed the offensive reins to DeMar DeRozan.

The latter's singles efficiency tonight was far inferior to that of the previous two matches.

Fortunately, thanks to Lynch's solid defense, the Spurs were unable to capitalize on the Knicks' recent offensive slump to gain an advantage.

But Mike Malone still called a timeout. He knew that it was impossible to win against the Spurs by simply relying on defense.

Against a team like the Spurs, you have to be balanced on both offense and defense to win.

Furthermore, in the Finals where every point counts, the Knicks don't have much time to give Irving and DeRozan to find their rhythm.

So he looked at Lynch and said, "You take over the offense in the second quarter!"

After Mike Malone made his decision, Kyrie Irving immediately added, "Lynch, we can play good defense all game. Don't worry too much, just go all out on offense!"

After Kyrie Irving spoke, the others echoed his sentiments.

"Yes, Lynch, we'll help you with the defense."

"Don't worry about our emotions, we won't have any emotions!"

"Score as many points as you want!"

This is a very rare scene.

In basketball, apart from a few oddballs like Tony Allen, few players are willing to completely disappear on the offensive end and become pure role players.

The tactile sensation of the ball flowing through fingertips and the sense of belonging to participate in the attack are instinctive needs of players.

It's like this: if you want soldiers to go to the battlefield, you need to ensure their logistical support.

If we want female bodhisattvas to continue to benefit the world, we need to ensure their income.

If you watched the 2025 NBA China Games, you would have clearly seen how frustrated Zeng Fanbo was when he couldn't touch the ball at all on the court—a frustration that was deeper than a lack of ability, inability to integrate into the team, or being unable to make a shot after receiving the ball.

There were a few moments when he seemed to want to give up his basketball career.

Therefore, Lynch doesn't like being the ball-handling playmaker.

Therefore, Phil Jackson needed the triangle offense, even though Michael Jordan was quite resistant to it at first.

How do you get a frustrated teammate fully engaged in the game and playing good defense? Nobody has ever done it.

You can only try to get him involved more on the offensive end and find ways to ignite their passion.

But tonight, these Knicks players broke with convention.

They voluntarily gave up their offensive role and were willing to completely commit themselves to defense.

They intend to be able to defend well without having to worry about basic requirements.

Mike Malone and Sam Cassel knew that Lynch had succeeded.

Since the Knicks began to heavily utilize rookies and completely rejuvenate, Lynch has been carefully building an atmosphere of selflessness, like stacking building blocks, patiently adding bricks little by little, while always being wary of the danger of it collapsing.

Therefore, the Knicks always make decisive trades or releases of players who could potentially cause a collapse, such as Wilson Chandler last summer.

Finally, Lynch assembled the blocks into a skyscraper.

Jimmy Butler recalled what Sam Cassel had said in the locker room earlier: "Whatever happens tonight, just do your job and don't worry about failing, because Lynch will never let the celebration be delayed."

He jumped to his feet and slammed his fist into the air: "Let's fuck those bastards on the defensive end!"

After the timeout, Mike Breen expressed concern about the performances of Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan.

Fluctuations in performance are normal; even Spurs players experience fluctuations in their performance.

Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Boris Diaw, and Patrick Mills all had some poor performances in this year's Finals.

But what makes San Antonio so terrifying is that when one part fails, another seamlessly steps in to become part of that finely tuned scoring machine.

With the Knicks, when both Irving and DeRozan are out of form, you can't bring out other isolation scorers early to create offense.

"Hopefully the Knicks can maintain their current defense, which will give their offense some time to adjust."

Online, Kevin Durant is gleefully typing away, fanning the flames on social media using his alternate account:
"Hey, our great Lynch can't keep being selfless now, can he? According to his theory, passing the ball to a teammate with a cold hand doesn't count as selflessness. If he could really score 60 points, then he should do that! But we all know he simply can't!"

Back from the game, everyone was eager to know what changes the Knicks would make on offense.

As a result, they saw Lynch with the ball again.

"Is Lynch going to take over the offense again?" Mike Brin's voice was a mix of worry and excitement.

Lynch changed direction and broke past Gerald Wallace, then stopped abruptly as Duncan came to help defend, leaping into the air.

"Shh!"

Lynch scored on a pull-up jumper, his 19th point of the game, and the Knicks maintained their 3-point lead.

The usually taciturn Tim Duncan, unusually, spoke up after Lynch scored: "Is this your solution? You're the only one who can carry the whole game? Ha, nice try."

Nice try.

The trash talk that Lynch used to hate hearing the most.

Since defeating the Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals, Duncan has never uttered this sarcastic "praise" to Lynch again.

Six years have passed, but it still carries that chilling contempt from back then.

Duncan wasn't the type of player who liked to mock his opponents; he simply felt that the Knicks' approach was completely ineffective.

Are the rest of the Knicks really going to become defensive workhorses for all four quarters, and still maintain a high level of defensive quality?

Could Lynch really maintain such high-efficiency output throughout the entire game under such immense pressure, until the final buzzer?
It's so hard.

For Lynch, the biggest challenge in the Spurs' offense right now is limiting his movement on the defensive end. If he continues to wear himself down on defense, the offense will be completely paralyzed.

Tony Parker broke past Irving, floored the gas pedal, and drove straight into the paint.

If this had happened in the first five games, Lynch would definitely have arrived by now, dashing Tony Parker's hopes.

But at this moment, in order to conserve his energy on the offensive end, Lynch did not go over to help defend.

Just as Tony Parker was about to make his move, Jimmy Butler arrived in time to block his path.

"Damn it." Tony Parker cursed under his breath. Although Jimmy Butler had only started in the last game, the Frenchman was already starting to hate his face.

Since Butler started in Game 5 and his playing time increased dramatically, he has been a problem for the Spurs on offense.

He may not have Lynch's ability to completely and ruthlessly crush you on the defensive end, but he will be like a hair on a delicious steak, making you uncomfortable all the time.

Tony Parker instinctively passed the ball to Gerald Wallace, who was left wide open, but Kyrie Irving immediately spun around and poked the ball away with his fingertips!

"The pass was disrupted! Jimmy and Kyrie's perfect defensive rotation! DeMar gets the loose ball, haha, that's Knicks defense for you!"

Mike Breen and the fans cheered, and Jimmy Butler reached out his hand as he ran past Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving looked at the bastard who had once embarrassed him and whom he once hated, and slapped him hard across the face.

"Snapped!"

“Lynch can trust them!” Jeff Van Gundy shouted. “Lynch can trust these young soldiers who have grown up under his tutelage!”

The Knicks resolved the defensive crisis through teamwork, but Gregg Popovich was not worried.

The key question is, how long can this kind of defense last?
When the rest of the Knicks were forced to run back and forth on offense, watching the ball repeatedly fall into Lynch's hands, could the fire in their hearts still burn brightly?

Popovich kept a close eye on the Knicks players on the court, capturing every subtle expression.

He didn't believe it; he absolutely refused to believe that human nature could withstand such a test.

In the next possession, Lynch missed a three-pointer, and the Spurs rallied again.

Popovich believes the Knicks' defense will soon collapse.

Because every time Lynch misses a shot, it's a heavy blow to the mental defenses of the other players.

Those guys who've fought tooth and nail on defense will inevitably have this thought pop into their heads—damn, I could have just done that myself. We're playing defense so hard, not so you can squander it.

Gregg Popovich was certain that the Knicks players would think that way.

He was involved in coaching in the league in the 80s, and he knows all too well the undercurrents surging in the depths of a player's soul.

The Knicks' approach can make up for the lack of offensive firepower to some extent, but it is essentially a slow death that is like drinking poison to quench thirst!
The Spurs launched a counterattack, with DeMar DeRozan quickly double-teaming Duncan after he received the ball.

TD passed the ball out, Danny Green took a shot from the corner, but it was Jimmy Butler again!
That tireless figure, like a ghost, arrived with lightning speed to cover the defense, leaping high and almost touching the basketball that Green had just released.

"Boom!"

Another dull thud as the ball missed its target, and the basket once again denied the Spurs' attempt to close the gap.

This time, Lynch did not disappoint his teammates' efforts on the defensive end.

He drove straight into the paint, forced a layup, and drew a foul from Boris Diaw.

The commentators were cheering for Lynch, and the fans were applauding him.

Jimmy Butler and the others simply stood on the edge of the spotlight of victory, breathing heavily, silently burning themselves out.

Lynch made both free throws, scoring his 21st point and giving the Knicks a 5-point lead.

But Greg Popovey turned to look at the young assistant coach, Amy Udoka, and asked, "Amy, can you smell it?"

"What, Coach?"

“The aura of victory is beginning to permeate the air,” Popovich took a deep breath and refocused his gaze on the court.

In the second quarter, the Knicks continued to follow the pattern of Lynch taking the lead in offense while the rest of the team focused on defense.

Of course, it wasn't that everyone else couldn't receive the ball in every possession. If there was an opportunity, Lynch would still pass it.

However, such opportunities are extremely rare due to the Spurs' extreme passing defense.

The number of times other players touched the ball on offense was negligible compared to their contributions on defense.

At halftime, Lynch had 27 points, and the Knicks led by 8 points.

Doris Burke approached Gregg Popovich: "Coach, are you really planning to continue with one-on-one defense in the second half? Lynch is scoring like crazy."

Popovich's gaze was firm: "But we've locked down the rest of the Knicks, haven't we? We'll stick to it, and victory will ultimately belong to San Antonio."

In the third quarter, Gregg Popovich was hoping the Knicks would collapse on defense.

Those guys who keep running back and forth and can't get the ball on offense, even if they don't want to complain, must have some difficulty concentrating by now, right?
Popovich was disappointed, as the Knicks maintained a very high defensive efficiency throughout the third quarter.

Lynch only needed to keep an eye on his matchup. Rotation, help defense, rebounding, and scrambling for the ball—these heavy and invisible tasks were shared by every player wearing a Knicks jersey without complaint, all for their leader.

In the tenth minute of the third quarter, Manu Ginobili made a drifting shot over Kyrie Irving's head, scoring his 14th point of the night.

The experienced Argentinian glanced at the data table on the big screen, preparing to ignite the second-year top scorer:

"Kerry, only 6 points so far tonight, huh? You can't possibly lose to an old man like me, can you?"

This experienced old fox is testing and provoking.

He bet that the guy who had just taken over the game-winning shot, was riding high, but had been almost invisible on offense all night, would start to fall into chaos because of this.

Will he feel resentful?
Will he question the direction of his efforts?

Will he weaken his defense and then get stuck in isolation plays on offense?

nothing.

His response was a calm and confident smile on Irving's face, his eyes showing no wavering, only mocking amusement:

“Shut up, Manu,” Irving said with a smile. “Even if you score 24 points tonight, the back of your head is beyond saving. I’m no match for you.”

Manu Ginobili:
He subconsciously touched the back of his shiny head, and the trash talk he had prepared instantly got stuck in his throat.

It's all the bastards' fault!
He not only likes to shave his opponents' heads, but he also likes to shave his teammates' heads!

In the third quarter, the Knicks' defense miraculously held on, giving them a 12-point lead.

Lynch has already scored 42 points in three quarters!
Kevin Durant froze in front of the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, all the prepared taunts now seeming ridiculous.

Lynch played very "selfishly" today, and his score was actually approaching 60 points!

"Great night! Lynch and his Knicks are still in the lead! Just like they said before, they won't take the series to a seventh game!"

Lynch walked off the field, panting heavily.

He carried a massive amount of offensive play for three consecutive quarters, and even with some defensive restraint, this steel-like body was under immense strain.

The others aren't having it easy either. Full-speed rotations, lightning-fast backup, and intense physical contact—if these tasks were easy, then the players who do them wouldn't be called "blue-collar" workers.

Everyone was exhausted, especially Jimmy Butler.

Because other players are needed to defend him, Mike Malone hasn't given Vince Carter much playing time. Jimmy Butler has only rested for two minutes so far tonight, and he played the entire third quarter.

He rested his hands on his knees, sweat dripping onto the clean floor.

Mike Malone was about to substitute him with Carter, but before he could finish speaking, the tired figure suddenly looked up and immediately retorted: "Let Kyrie rest, let Demar rest, but don't make me rest, I can still play! This isn't about showing off, I know what I'm doing!"

If possible, Mike Malone really wouldn't want to replace Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler's defense is especially crucial for the Knicks when Lynch needs to focus entirely on offense.

“If you leave anyone out, I’ll substitute you immediately,” Malone said in his signature tough tone.

"Yes, sir."

Lynch wiped his sweat but refused the water offered by the staff: "Thank you, Andy, but this stuff won't quench my thirst."

"Sorry, Lynch, you've always preferred plain water, so what would you like to drink? I'll go get it right away, an energy drink?"

"Don't blame yourself, Andy. What I mean is, only champagne can quench our thirst right now!"

Champagne!

This word instantly dispelled the heavy fatigue that enveloped the bench.

Or rather, their longing overshadowed their exhaustion.

"That's right! Champagne, we want to drink champagne!"

"12 minutes left, guys, the last 12 minutes of the season! After 12 minutes, we'll drink until dawn!"

"Fuck the Spurs! Fuck San Antonio!"

And so, the fourth quarter began.

The Spurs continued to cut off passing lanes, forcing Lynch to take one-on-one situations.

In another timeline, the Spurs' strategy worked.

In the 2014 NBA Finals, LeBron James put up spectacular numbers and terrifying efficiency against this strategy, but he was unable to connect the whole team, and the Heat lost without any resistance.

This directly led to LeBron James running away for the second time.

But Lynch is not LeBron. He uses incredible leadership charisma to keep every player around him in a war of attrition with almost no ball possession, maintaining their steely will and intensity.

Furthermore, he can unleash even more firepower than LBJ!

At the start of the fourth quarter, Lynch drove to the basket and scored with a turnaround fadeaway jumper despite being contested by both Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan!

Since being put on an emo by Lynch's reverse layup, Frenchman Diaw has been extremely irritable throughout the entire series.

After conceding another goal to Lynch, he complained again: "Turnaround jumper, turnaround jumper, it never ends! Damn it, can't you try scoring in a different way!"

Boris Dior's words weren't directed at Lynch; they were more like a soliloquy of emotional outburst.

But Lynch heard this and prepared to grant the Frenchman's wish.

The Spurs pulled back two points in the next possession, with Tony Parker sinking a mid-range jumper.

But the process was not easy. Every pass the Spurs took was a precarious one, and every shot was fraught with difficulty. The Knicks' defense did not collapse.

Eminem Udoka looked worriedly at Popovich beside her. Not long ago, the veteran coach had confidently sensed the "breath of victory." But now, Popovich's furrowed brows were like the gloomy New York sky, showing no sign of relaxation.

As it turns out, no matter who you are, you can't afford to have any thoughts of popping champagne at halftime when facing Lynch.

Boris Dior gritted his teeth and continued to stand in front of Lynch.

As the match progressed, both sides admired the opponent's strong mental fortitude.

The Spurs admire the Knicks' other players for their ability to maintain their defensive presence even when they lacked the ball.

The Knicks admired the Spurs for not collapsing mentally despite being nearly overwhelmed by Lynch.

Boris Diaw did not give up. Although he was very frustrated, he still played his defense diligently.

This time, Lynch didn't slowly find his rhythm, nor did he bother with any probing. As soon as he approached the three-point line, Lynch accelerated, using a smooth spin to get past Diaw. Then, after the spin, he burst into action, facing the poor Tim Duncan who had just arrived to help defend and hadn't even fully jumped yet—once again!
"A poster dunk over someone! How many times has Lynch dunked on Zach in this series? The Spurs can't stop him, he's already got 46 points! My God, the fourth quarter has only just begun!"

Lynch landed and smiled at the Frenchman who was clamoring for him to score in a different way: "Are you satisfied, Boris?"

Thousands of miles away, the stark white light of the computer screen illuminated a face contorted in shock. Kevin Durant's Adam's apple bobbed violently as he stared intently at the number "46".

Lynch is only 14 points away from 60 points.

In this series, scoring 14 points in a single quarter is a piece of cake for Lynch!
His fingers trembled as he refreshed social media, and sure enough, the fans went wild.

"This is the firepower Lynch unleashes when he's completely selfish! Charge, Lynch, charge!"

"Hahaha, I really want to see KD's expression right now! He's probably swallowing the keyboard by now, isn't he? It proves that Lynch didn't get 60 points because he was selfless! If he wanted to, he definitely could have gotten it, and he could have tonight!"

"My God, is a 60-point third quarter in the Finals about to happen? I can't imagine anyone ever being able to replicate that record!"

"Yes, Lynch didn't just catch up with MJ, he surpassed MJ!"

The game continued, and the Knicks players maintained their defense with incredible willpower and determination, making it increasingly difficult for the Spurs to keep up with Lynch's scoring pace.

The difference in scores, like sand dripping through a leaky window, is gradually crumbling before the most perfect individual in the world.

Popovich is waiting for the New York defense to collapse.

Tim Duncan is waiting for Lynch's hot streak to wear off.

But now they find that the wait is so long it's almost despairing.

Lynch's score continued to climb: a breakthrough, a layup, the whistle blew and the ball went in. Diaw committed a foul and watched Lynch make the free throw, bringing the score to 49 points.

He created space with a series of crossover dribble moves, calmly took a shot, and the basketball arced deadly, scoring 51 points.

He suddenly pulled up for a three-pointer from two steps beyond the arc, scoring 54 points.

He drove hard to the basket, drew a foul, and went to the free-throw line, sinking both shots to bring his score to 56.

A half-turn fake sent Gerald Wallace flying, and facing Duncan who was leaning forward, he executed a layup! The ball gently brushed the backboard and swished through the net, 58 points!
With 56 seconds left in the game, when Lynch scored 58 points and extended the lead to 17 points, Mike Breen stood up and exclaimed: "Madison Square Garden is shaking! The greatest NBA Finals performance in history is happening right now!"

Kevin Durant sat frozen in his chair, unable to believe it was real. He couldn't believe that Lynch was only 2 points away from 60!

He's only 2 points away from becoming a complete clown!
The Spurs weren't ready to give up. They quickly passed the ball around in this possession, and Danny Green eventually took a three-pointer. Danny Green has now made four three-pointers in this game, making him the player with the most three-pointers made in the NBA Finals in history.

But the historic player missed a crucial shot under pressure from Jimmy Butler.

Duncan shut down DeAndre Jordan, and Boris Diaw contained Lynch, giving the Spurs an excellent opportunity to grab the offensive rebound.

Just as Duncan was about to grab the rebound, Jimmy Butler leaped into the air and secured the ball!
It's hard to imagine how he could chase down and contest Green's shot, and then quickly run to the paint to fight for the rebound.

"Run, run, run, keep running, Jimmy hasn't stopped all night!" Mike Brin looked at Jimmy Butler with newfound respect. He may not be the most talented, but he was definitely the most hardworking tonight. He truly exhausted himself for the sake of victory.

After grabbing the rebound, Jimmy Butler quickly passed the ball to Irving.

Irving passed the ball to Lynch, and the entire New York crowd rose to their feet. This was the moment of judgment!

Lynch gave the Spurs no chance to breathe. He charged forward quickly with the ball, first using a clever behind-the-back dribble to dodge Danny Green's immediate steal, then turning and getting past Diaw, leaving the Frenchman's body like a wooden stake behind him.

Under the basket, number 21 was guarding that spot.

Lin Qi charged forward, not intending to shoot, but to trample over the opponent's leader!

Duncan took a step forward, using his steely body to squeeze Lynch's jumping space, intending to force him to jump and finish far from the basket.

But instead of jumping up to attack the basket, Lynch suddenly threw the ball toward the backboard after getting close to Duncan.

Tim Duncan was stunned for 0.1 seconds. When he turned around, Lynch had already swept past him and leaped high into the air.

"Wait, this is—"

Mike Brin's exclamation was completely drowned out by a deafening roar!

"It was a self-inflicted dunk! Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't the All-Star Game, this is Game 6 of the Finals! Lynch scored 60 points for the third time in his career on the Finals stage with an unbelievable, arrogant finishing move! A historic first! An eternal monument!"

Mike Brin's screams were completely drowned out by the sound of the roof tearing apart.

Kevin Durant turned off his computer screen, feeling as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer in his chest, a suffocating sensation washing over him like a tidal wave.

He really did it!?

Lin Qi landed proudly, his back to the number 21 who had once stood under the basket and whose eyes still held a hint of astonishment.

He slowly turned around, extended his index finger, gently shook it at his great opponent, and gave him a message:

"This is your solution? You think you can make me lose by defending me one-on-one? Ha, bad try!"

Lynch believes that, six years later, "Bad try" is still the word that No. 21 hates the most.

(Thank you so much to Lin Yu, Confirmed Goods Signed For, Z Taoist and other great people for your generous donations, I am deeply grateful)
(Still one chapter a day, 10,000 words per chapter. Same old rule, but it's easier to do this during the finals because I don't want a single match to drag out too many chapters. This doesn't mean that all future chapters will be long.)
(End of this chapter)