Champion Rules

Chapter 406, Part 402: The Future Is Yours (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Lynch's retirement tour continues, and if a particular game is Lynch's last visit to the arena as a player, then that team and the fans there will spontaneously prepare a carefully crafted farewell ceremony.

This was an unprecedented event in NBA history, with fans from all over the world flocking to this global farewell celebration in an almost frenzied manner.

Such hospitality even made the usually composed Lin Qi feel a little embarrassed.

At the press conference after the game against the Mavericks, Lynch expressed his hope that all teams and fans would not need to go to such lengths for him:
“I am very grateful for everything everyone has done for me, but you really didn’t have to go to all that trouble. Competing with every team and giving my all for every fan is what I should be doing. Thank you all.”

However, this statement is as ineffective as Kevin Durant's fashion sense—virtually nonexistent.

Following the statement, in Phoenix, the Suns and their fans still prepared a tribute segment for Lynch's retirement tour.

Steve Nash, Lynch's key partner in creating the first three-peat, also presented Lynch with a commemorative oil painting as a guest.

Even more outrageous, whenever Lynch scored a basket during the game, the Arizona fans erupted in a deafening roar of cheers; but when a Suns player scored, the arena was filled with boos of discontent.

Lynch felt like he was playing on home turf wherever he went.

Rumors have circulated that Mallory Edens, the daughter of the Bucks' owner, wanted to give Lynch a special gift: her own coming-of-age ceremony.

This caused a huge panic because it turned out that Lynch's influence had spread from the modeling world to the homes of NBA owners.

Even if the team owner can ensure his daughter's safety, how can he ensure his wife's safety as well?
After all, this is an era where even Derek Fisher can work as a Didi courier.

The retirement tour is in full swing, and the Knicks' record continues to soar.

After November, the Knicks' record stood at 12 wins and 3 losses, still leading the Eastern Conference.

However, in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder are currently one game ahead of the Knicks, having lost only two games so far this season.

One of those games was a loss to the Knicks.

For Thunder fans, this season has had a dream start.

They've beaten the Spurs twice, they've taken down Carmelo Anthony's Grizzlies, and they've beaten CP3's Indiana Pacers.

They lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, but the whole world knows that the Blazers actually have a hard time competing with the Thunder in the playoffs.

This means that among all potential championship contenders so far, the Oklahoma City Thunder's only loss was against the New York Knicks.

This bothered Kevin Durant, the young man who claimed Lynch wouldn't get a farewell ceremony in Oklahoma, and was eager to reach the top.

He is eager to face the Knicks again immediately and prove to the world that his team is invincible.

He longed to tell the world that his duel with Lynch would not be like Lynch's duel with LBJ, nor like Aaron Gordon's duel with Zach LaVine, where he would forever be defeated—Aaron Gordon had regrettably lost to LaVine in the Slam Dunk Contest and then to Golden State LaVine in the three-point line.

Unfortunately, the second matchup between the Knicks and the Thunder was scheduled for Christmas.

Despite only being 13 games apart, the wait is still long and agonizing for KD, who is eager to dominate the league.

He unleashed his pent-up anger on his other opponents.

Throughout December, Kevin Durant completely entered killer mode.

1号对阵明尼苏达森林狼，KD以66%的命中率轰下32分，另外还有10次助攻和12个篮板。

3号对阵萨克拉门托国王，KD27分11个篮板11次助攻，命中率56%。

4号背靠背对阵同样年轻的波特兰开拓者，KD用33分7个篮板5次助攻完成复仇，命中率68%！

In three consecutive games, Kevin Durant has delivered a highly productive and efficient performance at an absolute superstar level.

And this performance continued indefinitely.

Up until December 15th, halfway through the month, Kevin Durant never scored less than 25 points in a single game, and never had a field goal percentage below 45%.

Since December, the Oklahoma City Thunder have not lost a single game and have won nine straight.

On the 15th, ESPN released its latest MVP rankings.

Kevin Durant almost shed tears at the press conference.

This is because it's the first time in his career that he's ranked number one on the MVP leaderboard.

Most importantly, Lynch ranked second!
KD finally experienced what it felt like to outmaneuver Lynch!

ESPN posted a heatmap of Durant's scoring so far this season, and the heatmap is alarming from any angle.

Kevin Durant's offense has virtually no weaknesses; his three-point efficiency is terrifying, and he hasn't lost his signature mid-range killer move.

KD's finishing efficiency around the basket this season is similar to that of James, Lynch, and other rim-attacking monsters.

Furthermore, his offensive consistency is unparalleled and beyond belief.

Even Lynch and LBJ are slightly inferior to him in this respect.

Besides his formidable individual scoring ability, KD's defense and assists have also improved significantly this season.

In his column, renowned data analyst John Hollinger frankly stated, "I'm a fan of Lynch, but if Kevin can maintain this level of performance until the very end, I wouldn't have any objection to him winning the MVP."

For the past few years, Lynch has won the MVP award without any suspense.

This is probably the first person since Kobe Bryant in 2009 to put real pressure on Lynch in the MVP race.

B/R even claimed that there was only one way to reduce KD's offensive efficiency: Scarlett Johansson in a Black Widow outfit.

Kevin Durant's breakout performance in December reminded Lynch that, in another timeline, this season seemed to be KD's MVP season.

It was this MVP award that led him to deliver one of the most moving MVP acceptance speeches in the history of competitive sports.

KD's strong performance has made the upcoming Christmas game even more anticipated.

This is not just a personal feud, not just a preview of the finals, but also a battle for MVP.

Finally, on December 25th, Chesapeake Energy Arena witnessed its grandest battle.

The match was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., but by 2:30 p.m., the area outside Chesapeake Energy was already packed with people.

There were fans queuing to enter, and others there to soak up the atmosphere. Kevin Durant arrived at the locker room early and spent time with Stephen Curry.

With KD fully integrated into the passing and cutting system this season, he has experienced its beauty.

At the same time, he also realized that in this system that requires sacrifice, Stephen Curry was always the one who silently sacrificed.

He knew that Stephen Curry was absolutely capable of putting up better numbers. He also knew that this guy was absolutely capable of being the core player on another team.

In the specific area of ​​"three-point shooting," Stephen Curry is even the only player Durant admits is better than him.

But the number 30, who had just returned from injury, was tirelessly drawing the defense with his off-ball movement, and this sacrifice made it easier for the other Thunder players, including KD, to play.

Andre Iguodala provided him with moral support.

Stephen Curry gave him support on the court.

What other reason does he have to lose?
Before the big game, when KD and Curry were getting massages together in the physiotherapy room, number 35 suddenly spoke up, his tone unusually serious: "If we win this game, we'll definitely be able to lift the MVP trophy together this season."

Curry, who was only focused on winning the Slam Dunk Contest, laughed: "This isn't the Rookie of the Year award. There's never been a precedent in NBA history for an MVP to be shared."

Kevin Durant looked serious, as if making a promise: "No matter what, you are an integral part of the MVP award. This time, we won't let any honor slip through our fingers again!"

In the ensuing Christmas game, Kevin Durant delivered on his promise.

Tonight, he maintained his high efficiency on the offensive end.

After incorporating passing and cutting this season, Kevin Durant's most significant change is that he has abandoned his signature mid-to-long-range jump shot, which comes in a step or two from the three-point line.

His shot selection is either beyond the three-point line or closer to the basket.

The "Moreyball" approach is the key reason why Kevin Durant's efficiency is so abnormal.

In the first half, KD was on fire, scoring 26 points.

In the second half, facing the Knicks' double-teaming, Kevin Durant showcased his greatly improved passing and ball-handling skills.

Before this season, KD's passing when facing double teams wasn't particularly good. But this year, he's consistently found the best teammates when double teams are on the field.

Although his passing ability is not yet comparable to Lynch, who could easily play point guard, it is a qualitative leap for a super scorer.

In the second half, Stephen Curry and James Harden were completely unleashed. The Thunder's offense exploded like a flood, with multiple players contributing.

Lynch played the entire second half, attempting to turn the tide. However, this time, even the reigning champion couldn't stem the massive wave unleashed by the Thunder's trio.

His defensive range is formidable, but he's not superhuman. Moreover, the Thunder's Big Three aren't the kind of players who lose their focus with the slightest interference.

Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan also gave it their all, but the Thunder's offensive firepower was rare in the league.

Ultimately, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New York Knicks 109-105 at home.

The moment the game ended, Kevin Durant breathed a sigh of relief, opened his arms, and ran and roared around the court with abandon.

This unrestrained ecstasy made it seem as if he had not just won a Christmas Day game, but the long-awaited Larry O'Brien Trophy.

This game was extremely important to him. It signified that the Thunder, who had been defeated in the Western Conference Finals last season, had been reborn after a brief slump and were truly ready to take over the league!
It also declares that Kevin Durant is absolutely qualified to compete with Lynch for MVP. Tonight's victory has permanently tied their regular season head-to-head record at 1-1.

Lynch briefly hugged all the Thunder players except KD before returning to the player tunnel.

It has been a long time since a regular season loss has left such a deep impression on Lynch.

Inside the corridor, countless cameras were pointed at the King of New York.

Lynch was not discouraged; only a fierce flame flickered deep within his pupils.

On the court, KD, as the victor, was interviewed by sideline reporter Doris Burke.

"Kevin, this is undoubtedly a huge victory. You scored 34 points tonight with a 46% field goal percentage. Lynch scored 35 points with a 47% field goal percentage. Your performances were neck and neck, but you had the last laugh. How far do you think you are from this season's MVP?"

Kevin Durant raised his chin, his tone resolute:

"It's not far off, I'm very confident I'll win the MVP trophy this season. Lynch has already received a lot of gifts this season, the Lakers gave him a floor, the Suns gave him a painting, and the Bucks even want to give him their daughter."

He should just enjoy this dignified farewell tour and stop thinking about anything else!

If Lynch doesn't want this kind of dignified send-off, OK, I don't mind saying goodbye in other, less dignified ways!

Kevin Durant has shown unprecedented boldness. The man who once only dared to express his dissatisfaction online using a secondary account has now officially challenged Lynch during tonight's nationally televised game.

Meanwhile, at the Knicks' press conference, Lynch heard KD's remarks and was asked a similar question:
"Lynch, is this MVP award a bit difficult for you? If you lose the MVP during your retirement tour, will you feel regretful?"

This question caused Lynch's body to lean forward in a highly aggressive manner:
Listen, everyone.

This season's MVP will be 100% brought back to New York. Not 90%, not 99%, it's 100%!

I know Kevin craves honors, but don't worry, you'll have your chance when I retire.

The future is yours.

The competition between the two sides escalated completely on Christmas Eve.

From MVP to champion, Lynch hasn't experienced such a strong challenge in a long time.

He was both angry and excited about KD's offense.

A heartwarming farewell, a meticulously crafted tribute video, enthusiastic fans, and beautiful gifts—these are certainly wonderful.

But at this moment, Lynch finally found something better than those.

He leaned back in his chair, grinning broadly.

"This is the retirement tour I've always wanted!"

(End of this chapter)