Champion Rules

Chapter 400, Section 396: The Weight of The Last Time (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Lynch blocked Kevin Durant's shot in a visually striking way.

No one has ever been able to block Kevin Durant when he has clearly created space.

In fact, for KD himself, the block was also extremely impactful.

Generally speaking, once he creates space with a crossover, whether the ball goes in or not is entirely a matter of feel.

For him, this had become inevitable.

Therefore, this oncoming block was a devastating blow to him.

His most prized scoring method was completely blocked.

Moreover, Lin Qi simply adjusted his center of gravity quickly, jumped, and reached out his hand; that was all.

Unlike Jimmy Butler's sliding tackle-like interception, Lynch's defensive style was remarkably simple and straightforward.

It's as if a few thieves brazenly climbed over a ladder from the outside into the heavily guarded Louvre in broad daylight, then used the most ordinary tools to saw open the display cases, and finally escaped on a motorcycle. The simplicity of their methods is simply unbelievable.

But it is precisely this simplicity that leaves a shadow in KD's heart.

This simple defensive play demonstrates one thing—for Lynch, stopping KD doesn't require any extraordinary performance.

The Thunder attacked again, and Kevin Durant still had to face Lynch.

Lin Qi had been standing outside the three-point line for a while, lowering his center of gravity and beckoning to KD with a cocky finger: "Come on, supporting actor!"

Kevin Durant moved to the three-point line, raised his center of gravity, and made a feint with both hands as if he was about to shoot.

Just as Lynch raised his center of gravity to prepare to block, Kevin Durant suddenly accelerated and broke through like an arrow released from a bow!
A beautifully executed Buddhist-style fake move to get past an opponent. In the league, besides Lynch, KD is probably the second player who can make such an agile move that is inconsistent with his huge body.

But before Kevin Durant could even take a step, Lynch's fingertips had already precisely poked the basketball away from behind.

Kevin Durant's ball-handling skills have indeed improved significantly, but that doesn't mean Lynch is helpless against him.

As the player with the most consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards in NBA history, Lynch has long since changed a rule—people usually say that superstars cannot be completely contained. But with Lynch, this rule has become 'any superstar will struggle against Lynch's defense'.

"Damn it!" KD cursed after dropping the ball. He had clearly faked out Lynch on that last play.

In two consecutive rounds, he was stopped by the defense just when he thought he had completely gotten rid of it.

In fact, this is the most desperate aspect of facing Lynch.

As long as he's still opposing you, you're never truly safe.

Vince Carter immediately picked up the basketball that had been knocked away and quickly handed it to Theo.

Theo quickly pushed the ball forward and saw Lynch cutting in from the middle, so he tossed the ball high into the air, preparing to pass it for another alley-oop.

This time, however, Serge Ibaka stayed close to Lynch and jumped up at the same time as Lynch.

Although Lynch successfully caught the basketball in mid-air, Ibaka was still between him and the rim, with a height similar to Lynch's.

In this round, Ibaka showcased his wild athleticism to the fullest.

Lynch could certainly try to go toe-to-toe with Serge Ibaka in the air; he has put on a spectacular alley-oop dunk more than once.

This time, however, Lynch chose a safer approach.

The moment he caught the basketball in mid-air, he made a behind-the-back pass to Vince Carter, who was following up!

Following his behind-the-back pass to Jimmy Butler in the first quarter, Lynch created another visual miracle related to passing!
This pass was too sudden and too illogical.

Before anyone else on the Thunder could react, Vince Carter was able to easily score with a powerful two-handed dunk while unguarded!

This was another round that deserved cheers from all New York fans. Kenny Smith was clapping wildly backstage: "That's why fans all over the world are looking forward to Lynch's retirement tour. After this season, we may never see a player with a similar style again!"

The point difference widened to 11 points, and the spotlight was on Lynch.

On the other side of the court, where no one was paying attention, Kevin Durant, who had been blocked and had the ball stolen by Lynch in just two possessions, was panting heavily.

He bore the heavy responsibility of turning the score around, but he knew that as long as Lynch remained on the court, his mission would be impossible to accomplish.

Lin Qi hasn't rested yet this quarter, and he doesn't know how much longer Lin Qi will play.

But that guy will eventually have to step down, right?

Kevin Durant glanced anxiously at the big screen, and could only pray in despair: that when Lynch left the court, he would still have a sliver of time to turn the game around.

"Hey, Kevin," the devil's voice came again, "you're not thinking about when I'll get a break, are you?"

Kevin Durant's heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible iron hand.

He looked at Lynch, the King of New York merely raising the corners of his mouth slightly: "Don't even think about KD. From now until the end of the game, I will be with you every second!"

No one has ever known better than Lynch how to instill despair in his opponents.

Kevin Durant's last shred of hope was extinguished; there was no room for trickery or taking advantage of off-peak times if he wanted to turn the score around.

He had to get over Lynch.

Kevin Durant scored two more baskets in the remainder of the third quarter, but the Knicks maintained their 11-point lead into the fourth.

The seemingly unstoppable Kevin Durant, under Lynch's defense, appeared to become "just a little bit better than the average player."

“You know, when my father was alive, he was probably the man I respected most in the world,” Shaquille O’Neal suddenly said after the third quarter, referring to his recently deceased adoptive father. “I mean, even at my peak, when I felt like I owned the whole world, I was still afraid of him. When he lectured me, I wouldn’t argue back. That respect was ingrained in my bones.”

The other members of the TNT team did not interrupt Shark, as they assumed he was going to talk about something very heavy.

The next second, Shaq immediately reversed his statement: "KD is the same way in front of Lynch, no matter how strong he is, no matter if he is the best pure scorer in the league. When Lynch disciplines him, he is powerless to fight back. That's why I say that on the court, Lynch is KD's strict father."

Shaq reiterated his new nickname for Lynch, reinforcing the impression of the nickname among fans.

Judging from KD's performance just now, Lynch certainly lives up to his nickname.

At this time, Kevin Durant was unaware that Shaquille O'Neal had already spread a shameful nickname throughout the United States.

KD is extremely anxious right now. He can't imagine what kind of world awaits him if he loses this game.

Just imagining the sharp, sarcastic taunts and accusations, as venomous as poison, made him feel suffocated and his palms sweaty.

Steve Kerr then stepped forward and clapped his hands forcefully, bringing the despairing KD back to his senses:

"Don't be discouraged, guys! We still have a golden opportunity to close the gap! Lynch can't play the entire second half; he'll definitely be out for a rest at the beginning of the fourth quarter! Seize that opportunity!"

Basketball isn't a one-man game, or even a five-man game. Even if Lynch played the entire second half, he couldn't possibly stop all of us!

We are one team, a better and stronger team! Believe in yourselves, believe in each other!

Seemingly feeling that this wasn't strong enough, Steve Kerr added:
"Listen, there is no retirement tour at all. The basketball court is never a one-man show!"

Steve Kerr's confidence is just like Kevin Durant's in the third quarter.

He genuinely believed that the Thunder still had a great chance of winning.

From a coaching perspective, Steve Kerr's analysis makes sense.

If the Knicks want to ensure Lynch can perform consistently in the crucial moments, they can't let him play the entire second half; that would be tantamount to overdrawing their most crucial weapon.

But soon, Kevin Durant's fear shifted to Steve Kerr.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Kerr was astonished to see that Lynch was still on the court!
"Are they crazy?" Kerr found the Knicks' rotation decisions incomprehensible.

If Lynch doesn't rest now, when does Mike Malone plan to give him a break?
Or is he really crazy enough to want Lynch to play the entire second half?
Steve Kerr was well aware that Lynch was a player known for his physical prowess.

How could they play the entire second half under such high-intensity, wide-ranging defense?

This is still too crazy.

The game began with the Knicks taking the lead in the fourth quarter.

Jimmy Butler missed a three-pointer in this possession, giving the Thunder a chance to narrow the gap to single digits.

Stephen Curry called for a screen from Iguodala, trying to shake off Jimmy Butler.

But Lynch immediately switched defenses, briefly delaying Curry before quickly and skillfully handing over the ball to Jimmy Butler, each returning to their respective defenders.

This process was not only fast, but also incredibly precise and seamless. Stephen Curry could find neither a good shooting opportunity nor a passing gap.

Curry had no choice but to pass the ball to Harden, who cut out after a screen. DeMar DeRozan was delayed by Serge Ibaka's screen and couldn't catch up immediately.

Just as James Harden was about to take the shot, Lynch appeared in his field of vision!

James Harden hesitated for a moment before shooting, which caused him to miss his best opportunity.

Seeing the ball coming at him, Harden immediately passed it back to Andre Iguodala.

But DeMar DeRozan had already switched onto Lynch, and the Thunder's coordination once again vanished, failing to create even a decent shot opportunity!
This is the defensive cage built by Lynch; as long as he stands firm, the Thunder's offensive engine is destined to shut down.

Steve Kerr paced impatiently on the sidelines, his eyes fixed on the timer and the referee, anxiously awaiting the next dead ball or timeout, hoping to see Lynch finally head to the bench.

But all he received in response was the cold, hard reality.

Lynch never left the field, and most importantly, he didn't even show any signs of fatigue!

Eight minutes into the fourth quarter, the Thunder were down by 15 points.

Stephen Curry navigated through layers of screens, finally shaking off the annoying Jimmy Butler and reaching the receiving position. James Harden was about to pass the ball when Lynch appeared, cutting off the passing lane.

Stephen Curry angrily cursed, and James Harden also stopped passing the ball, only able to look for another teammate who could receive it.

Yes, Lynch didn't get any defensive stats in this play, and the Thunder didn't make any mistakes either.

Only those involved in the offense know how annoying Lynch's defense was.

He cut off an opportunity that could have sealed the Thunder's fate in this round.

Lynch's defense not only affected KD, but the entire Thunder trio.

With the pass intercepted, there was very little time left on the shot clock, forcing James Harden to force his way through.

At this time, he possessed top-tier first-step explosiveness, so DeMar DeRozan had no chance to stop him.

But after breaking through, James Harden found that Lynch, who had just been trying to cut off the passing lane, had moved sideways again. Although he was alone, he was like a door, blocking all opportunities!
James Harden didn't directly challenge Lynch, but instead took a mid-range pull-up jumper.

This gave DeMar DeRozan the opportunity to catch up and create an opportunity to disrupt the play.

"Thump!" The basketball bounced off the rim, and Lin Qi once again averted a crisis!
Steve Cole rubbed his temples; this was the second time Lynch had wronged his predictions that night.

Initially, he thought Lynch would rest at the start of the fourth quarter, but Lynch didn't.

He then concluded that even if Lynch played all four quarters, he couldn't possibly stop the entire Thunder team. Now, Lynch has brought the Thunder's offense to a standstill.

If Kerr had known that Lynch had honed his "one against many" defensive skills while vacationing in Hawaii, he might not have made such a naive misjudgment.

Fortunately, the Knicks' counterattack also failed, and Kyrie Irving's mid-range shot bounced off the rim.

The Knicks' offensive efficiency was also not very high in the final quarter, which was the key reason why the team failed to widen the score gap.

With James Harden drawing a foul and making both free throws, the Warriors finally broke their scoring drought.

Steve Kerr still has one last hope: the Warriors don't need to be exceptionally efficient; they just need to be more efficient than the Knicks.

Judging from the current situation, Lynch will definitely play the entire second half.

With such extreme playing time, Lynch might be able to maintain an impenetrable defense, but his offensive prowess will inevitably be diminished!
And then, just like countless times before.

When Steve Kerr was convinced that something couldn't happen to Lynch, Lynch would always shatter his belief with his actions, declaring emphatically:
"No, it will happen!"

Just after James Harden helped the Knicks close the gap with free throws, Lynch, seeing his teammates hadn't scored in several possessions, spread his fingers again: "Kyrie, give it to me!"

Kyrie Irving didn't hesitate to throw the ball towards the source of the sound. With the ball in his hands, Lynch's gaze swept over Andre Iguodala in front of him, and also over Kevin Durant, who was poised to double-team him on the wing.

Steve Kerr stood on the sidelines, his brow furrowed.

Is Lynch really going to take over the offense again?

Did he really treat basketball games like a personal tour?!
How could he possibly manage to cover both offense and defense while playing the entire second half?
Tired? It certainly is.

Lynch's breathing was deeper than usual, and the soreness in his muscles was clearly audible.

But Lynch's absolute desire for control allowed him to overcome these obstacles that were preventing him from moving forward.

Lynch started dribbling, no longer pursuing extreme speed and explosiveness, but simply using his broad shoulders and still powerful core strength to forcefully push Iguodala aside, creating a precious half-step space for himself.

There were no fancy changes of direction, no exaggerated leaps, just a simple, unadorned sudden stop and backward lean.

Swish!
The sound of the basketball swishing through the net is crisp and pleasant.

KD's face was ashen. He couldn't understand how someone who played the entire second half and was like a ghost on the defensive end could still find his shooting touch on the offensive end.

But Lynch did not score consecutive goals.

This gave the Thunder a final sliver of will to fight back.

In the second offensive possession, Lynch's turnaround jump shot bounced off the rim, the basketball falling far short.

As it turned out, physical limitations did indeed restrict Lynch's movements, and his offensive efficiency was far lower than in games where he was normally rotated.

But for the Knicks, Lynch doesn't need to score on every possession.

He just needs to hold on and make sure the Thunder can't catch up.

The next few minutes felt like a brutal marathon of willpower. Lynch was drenched in sweat, his jersey clung to his body, and every breath he took was scorching hot.

This was only the first game of the new season, so Lynch's physical condition hadn't completely collapsed yet, but a strong sense of fatigue inevitably enveloped him.

And you can clearly see how Lynch worked hard to eliminate the negative effects of fatigue on the field.

On the defensive end, he roared and directed his teammates to take turns on defense. Although his footwork was not as fast as lightning at the beginning of the game, he still tried his best to make up for the loss of speed with his shrewd anticipation and experience.

On offense, Lynch's choices were almost counterintuitive. He refused to take the easy way out, and deliberately threw himself into the meat grinder under the basket time and time again, fighting for opportunities closer to the rim with tougher battles.

Tired players often instinctively retreat, choosing to float on the perimeter and take easy shots, or frequently make meaningless passes.

Lynch overcame this by forcing himself to drive to the basket when his energy was low, even though such shots were very difficult to execute.

He knew that attacking the basket now would be much more efficient than using mid-range or long-range shots.

He no longer pursues spectacular performances in every round, but instead puts every ounce of his energy into winning.

With 1 minute and 45 seconds left in the game, the Oklahoma City Thunder narrowed the gap to just 9 points.

In the previous play, Lynch's help defense was a step too slow in the face of Stephen Curry's drive, giving him an opportunity.

The Thunder are now on the rise.

As long as this momentum continues, nothing is set in stone.

With the Knicks in possession, Lynch, as usual, ran a pick-and-roll with Kyrie Irving, immediately cutting to the basket after the screen.

Irving successfully passed the ball to Serge Ibaka and Andre Iguodala, who were already poised to pounce.

Lynch didn't stop; he threw himself out completely, being knocked around in mid-air.

Then, while maintaining your balance as much as possible, gently toss the ball toward the backboard.

"Thump! Swish!"

The basketball bounced off the backboard and went into the net, and the referee blew the whistle!
"Lynch's tough drives to the basket in the crucial moments allowed him to suppress the Thunder's momentum!" Kevin Harlan shook his head in disbelief. "It's hard to imagine that Lynch would go to such lengths for the opening game victory! He's burning every drop of sweat for this opening game win!"

On the court, Lynch was pulled up by his teammates, his chest heaving violently, sweat dripping down his resolute jawline.

Seeing how much he had pushed himself to the limit for the regular season, Steve Kerr finally realized with despair that he had made a huge, unforgivable mistake.

He underestimated the significance of "The Last Time" for Lynch—this was not a lighthearted farewell tour, but an ultimate conquest that involved giving it his all and burning himself out!

Every match is an inviolable cornerstone of his throne!

Every game is worth giving your all for Lynch!

In the moment when Kerr was distracted, Lynch made the free throw, and the crisp sound of the net swishing back brought the score difference back to 12 points.

Lin Qi raised the back of his hand and fiercely wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead.

In the close-up shot, sweat streamed down his face, yet there was not a trace of "exhaustion" or compromise.

"Maybe he really can do it," Steve Kerr murmured to himself. "Maybe he really can turn the basketball court into a stage play that belongs only to him."

Lynch's game-winning and-one completely shattered the Thunder's backbone.

Subsequently, Kyrie Irving finally regained his hot hand, promptly relieving Lynch of the offensive pressure and sealing the victory with consecutive points.

The final whistle blows.

Lynch played the entire second half.

全场拿下37分13个篮板6次助攻3次抢断3次封盖。

Steve Kerr sighed. Throughout the game, Lynch had been doing things that seemed illogical, and doing them very well.

Kevin Durant covered his head in frustration and walked toward the player tunnel.

As Spike Lee passed the first row of the audience, he suddenly leaned out and shouted:
"Don't worry, Kevin. Even if you only get a supporting role in this year's grand retirement tour, you'll be a very important one!"

Kevin Durant glared fiercely at Spike Lee, but ultimately lowered his head dejectedly and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor with heavy steps.

In the summer, Kevin Durant can speak confidently and eloquently.

But now, as a loser, silence is his only right.

As KD slunk away from Madison Square Garden, Spike Lee took out his phone and snapped a picture. Meanwhile, numerous cameras he had arranged recorded the scene from various angles.

He was absolutely certain that these images—the utterly exposed defeat and humiliation of the losers—would be the most dazzling part of this retirement tour.

He will preserve all of these materials, splicing and editing them.

Then, at the end of everything, the grand vision of the retirement tour will be presented to everyone!

If all goes well, this will likely be his collaboration with Lynch as a director and basketball enthusiast.
The greatest work!
(I've been very busy lately. I was supposed to take leave on the 22nd, but I felt that taking leave would be too much, so I optimized my schedule and rearranged my plans.)

New plan: I'll update 6000 words today for now, taking a short break, and then I'll resume normal updates. I don't need to ask for leave on the 22nd as originally planned, and I'll just keep updating normally until the end.

Thank you for your understanding. These past few days, I've simply had to visit relatives in other provinces for some matters that required my presence. Since my father fell ill, I've had to represent my family in many situations and on many occasions, for which I truly apologize. However, after today, everything will be over, and I can resume normal updates.
(End of this chapter)