Champion Rules

Chapter 407 (403): I am the standard of MVP myself (Seeking monthly votes!)

The rivalry between Kevin Durant and Lynch continues to intensify.

There wasn't a formal break between Lynch and KD like the ones between Lynch and LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony before.

However, a series of frictions that began with the altercation involving the small account last season have pushed Lynch and KD to the brink of irreconcilable differences.

Finally, during Lynch's retirement tour, this long-standing feud reached its climax.

Even before the finals began, the competition between KD and Lynch had already reached a fever pitch.

Both players expressed their desire for the MVP award, and to win an award without strict judging criteria, one must do their best in every aspect.

Record, personal statistics, and health are all indispensable.

It's like trying to judge whether a strong man in a Spider-Man costume or a woman with an ominous face in a Spider-Man costume looks better.

Therefore, you can only do your best to show your best self.

As the 99-00 season's regular season MVP, Shaquille O'Neal discussed the immense pressure of competing for the MVP award in an interview with NBA Insider:
"For most players, 30 points is considered a good game. But for Lynch and KD, 30 points is just the minimum requirement."

For most players, achieving a predetermined ranking is a successful outcome. But for Lynch and KD, they must ensure they maintain an advantage in their records from the very beginning.

They're not competing against other teams' records, they're competing against each other's records. Therefore, there's no limit to their pursuit of results.

At the same time, they need to avoid exhausting themselves during the regular season. After all, the championship is their ultimate goal.

This is a comprehensive test for a player.

Winning the MVP award is no joke, and winning three consecutive MVP awards is even more so; it's just as difficult as winning three consecutive championships.

Since the 80s, only the legendary Larry has been able to win the MVP award for three consecutive years.

Lynch last had a chance to win three consecutive MVP awards in 2011, but as we know, Derrick Rose emerged.

Even Lynch has never won the MVP award three years in a row in his career.

Can KD replicate Derrick's legend this year?
Actually, I'm very happy to see this situation. This time, it's not like the season has only been going on for a month and we already know that Lynch will definitely be the MVP.

Shaquille O'Neal's words acted like an anvil, further solidifying Kevin Durant's determination to win the MVP award.

He reminded KD that Lynch had never achieved a three-peat MVP award.

Admittedly, Lynch's Hall of Fame is already dazzling enough, but Kevin Durant would never miss any opportunity to make it even slightly less impressive.

He wants to take over the alliance.

There is no more convincing handover ceremony than interrupting Lynch's reign over MVP and championships.

The competition between the two sides immediately began after the Christmas battle.

The Knicks' next stop is Portland, where they will face the Trail Blazers, who are currently third in the Western Conference.

The moment the plane landed in this torn city, Lynch encountered a thorny issue regarding MVP:
"Hey Lynch, after you declare that you're 100% going to take the MVP, will you increase your shot attempts? Will you squeeze your teammates out of their shot opportunities?"

Lynch's answer was almost imperceptible: "If we were to drive around the country, I couldn't keep driving alone. I'll still play the same way I always have, because I've already proven myself to be the MVP standard, and I don't need to change anything."

Are you worried that the league will once again cause you to miss out on the MVP award due to 'aesthetic fatigue'?

"Listen to the 'one more year' chants in every arena. Only bored people can make others feel tired. I never thought the 2011 MVP voting results had anything to do with so-called aesthetic fatigue. It was a disregard and injustice for Derrick Rose's great season. In competitive sports, true greatness is undeniable and needs no denial."

The reporter's questions didn't touch on the Trail Blazers as their opponent at all, which shows just how much attention this year's MVP race is receiving.

In a tense atmosphere, Lynch received blessings from Trail Blazers fans at the Moda Center.

The Portland Trail Blazers have had a strong season, with the combination of LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard making waves in the league. They are undoubtedly one of the contenders for the NBA championship this season.

Even so, the fans of Rift City still paid their sincerest respects to this king who was about to leave.

However, after the tribute ceremony, the Trail Blazers players displayed a completely different attitude.

Damian Lillard told Lynch before the tee shot, "Hey Lynch, don't think we'll be giving you the same respect as the fans."

The selling point of this second-year rookie was his immediate impact, and the Trail Blazers proved right. Last season, in his rookie year, Damian Lillard delivered near All-Star caliber performances.

Even with a talent monster like Anthony Davis among his fellow rookies, Lillard still overwhelmingly became the fifth unanimous Rookie of the Year in NBA history.

He was like an enviable, gifted child who effortlessly mastered an unruly cart.

This seemed like God's compensation to the city of Tear, allowing the fans here to temporarily forget about Greg Oden's knee and Brandon Roy's meniscus.

This season, Damian Lillard has continued to improve. His three-point shooting percentage has steadily increased, his physicality has improved, and his turnovers have decreased.

Multiple media outlets believe that second-year player Damian already possesses All-NBA level skills and is one of the best ball-handling scorers in the league.

After the brief, wonderful illusion brought by Brandon Roy, Rift City seems to be truly starting to get back on track.

Therefore, you can understand Damian Lillard's pride and sharpness.

His career has been smooth, and his achievements and outstanding abilities have made him as proud as the rising sun.

He was so arrogant that he felt he was fully capable of challenging the world's number one player in the league.

While the Portland Trail Blazers' record isn't as spectacular as the Knicks' or Thunder's, they've still defeated several championship contenders this season, and they're not afraid of challenges.

Faced with Damian Lillard's provocation, Lynch simply shook his head with a mocking smile, not even bothering to offer a single response.

This further enraged the Portland player wearing number 0: "You know what? When I was back at St. Joseph's High School, my coach thought I had no chance of making it to the NBA, or even NCAA Division I. When I told him I wanted to play in the NBA, the smirk on his face was exactly the same one you're showing now, and then..."

"Shut up, Damian," Lynch rudely cut off Number 0's rambling. "Shut up, damn it, just shut up. You don't fucking think anyone actually wants to hear your crap, do you?"

After Lynch finished speaking, he pointed his index finger like a spear to the only, solitary championship banner above the Moda Center, the one from the 76-77 season:
"Newbie, all your stories are worthless until you put that thing up there."

Damian Lillard shut up; this was the first lesson Lynch taught him.

But this doesn't mean Damian Lillard has given up the challenge; on the contrary, his desire to defeat Lynch is burning even more fiercely now.

He will make sure Lynch remembers his story, he will make his story known to everyone, he will definitely do it!

The game begins, and DeAndre Jordan gets possession of the ball over Robin Lopez's head.

This was Lynch's first game after officially announcing his MVP bid, so people were curious whether he would unleash a scoring spree.

Shaquille O'Neal is right; 30 points is a good night for an average player. But for this season's MVP contender, it's just average.

So far this season, Kevin Durant, Lynch, and LBJ are the only three players in the entire league averaging 30+ points per game.

Therefore, the competition for points will be very fierce.

Although there is no necessary connection between MVP and scoring title, with KD's stats becoming increasingly comprehensive, Lin Qi cannot afford to lose the minimum of 30+ points per game if he wants to secure the MVP award.

Will he go on a scoring spree to maintain his average points per game?

Although Lynch denied this before the match, in the adult world, we should not only listen to what people say, but also observe their actions.

In the first round, Lynch proved that he was a man of his word – he didn’t touch the ball at all.

He ran a pick-and-roll with Jimmy Butler, because Lillard was the one guarding Jimmy Butler.

Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts believes that having Lillard guard Butler is the safest option to protect him on the defensive end.

His prediction was correct; Jimmy Butler's jump shot after dribbling around a screen bounced off the rim.

Even though Damian Lillard didn't interfere much with his shot due to the screen, he still missed.

Lillard roared, "MVP standards? Nothing special!"

The Trail Blazers grabbed the rebound, and Damian Lillard immediately pushed the ball up the court, hoping to launch a fast break.

Jimmy Butler kept Lillard pinned down near the midfield line, denying him any chance for a quick counter-attack.

Faced with the harassment from the mad dog, Damian Lillard called for a pick-and-roll, and LaMarcus Aldridge quickly moved up.

The pick-and-roll between Lillard and Aldridge is a key weapon for the Trail Blazers to break through in half-court offense.

Lynch did not switch on defense immediately after the pick-and-roll was set, because Aldridge's mid-range threat was too great.

Aldridge's playing style is very, very classic, with an alarmingly high percentage of his shots coming from mid-range. Although he only entered the league in 2006, his technical characteristics are all from the late 20th century, making him a very retro power forward.

Few would say Aldridge's style of play is outdated, because his mid-range efficiency is simply too high. His straight-arm jump shot is so accurate that it seems like every shot is guaranteed to score.

As long as you can score goals efficiently, your playing style is correct.

A certain passionate player from Sacramento played a very modern, "Moreyball" style of play. However, no one ever praised him for playing intelligently or correctly. Because while he used "Moreyball," he didn't score. Against a mid-range threat like Aldridge, Lynch naturally couldn't afford to give him any space.

Damian Lillard then calmly broke through, very confident in his speed, and went straight into the paint to challenge DeAndre Jordan's defense.

In the air, DeAndre Jordan's defensive positioning and other aspects were flawless, so Damian Lillard didn't get any opportunities.

But he remained calm and changed his passing strategy in mid-air, putting the ball to Robin Lopez, who was temporarily left open by DeAndre Jordan.

This would be a brilliant assist that would secure a spot in the top ten goals!
The moment Damian Lillard passed the ball to Robin Lopez, Lynch seemed to have anticipated every move of his attack from the very beginning. The timing was perfect; with a single, effortless flick of his wrist, he sliced ​​the ball away.

Before Robin Lopez could even get a firm grip on the ball, Lynch snatched it away!
Although the mistake wasn't entirely Damian Lillard's fault, there's no doubt that he was more involved in the failed attack.

Lynch caught the basketball and tossed it to Kyrie Irving, whistling, "Yeah, nothing special."

Lillard's eyes were practically spitting fire. He angrily charged forward, his mind still replaying that lightning-fast moment, trying to figure out how Lynch had done it.

He clearly didn't switch positions; he stood in front of LaMarcus Aldridge the entire time.

But the moment he passed the ball, he somehow managed to leave Adriano's blind spot and steal the ball.

This is incredible. To execute such a defense, the judgment of the defense must be accurate to the second.

If Lynch had left Aldridge's defense even slightly earlier, Lillard would have passed the ball to his teammate. And if Lynch had been even half a step too slow in helping out, Robin Lopez could have caught the ball and dunked.

But Lin Qi happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Is this really the kind of judgment that humans can possess?

Before Damian Lillard could finish thinking, the Knicks' offense came in quick succession.

Lynch didn't continue setting screens for Butler, but instead held the ball beyond the three-point line.

LaMarcus Aldridge is on high alert; is Lynch finally about to fire?
But no, he simply used one hand to separate Aldridge and the other to lift the basketball, seemingly preparing to hand off DeRozan, who was running towards him.

Nicolas Batum relentlessly pursued DeRozan, but when he finally got close to Lynch, Lynch suddenly pulled the ball back and held it high above his head.

DeMar DeRozan immediately turned his gun around and suddenly cut inside!
At that moment, Lynch and Aldridge simultaneously formed a human wall to restrain Nicolas Batum, and the Frenchman was almost out of position the instant DeRozan suddenly cut in.

Then, without even glancing at the ball, Lynch casually tossed it into the paint with one hand. DeMar DeRozan leaped high, twisting and spinning in mid-air to complete a 360° alley-oop dunk!

2-0. The Portland Trail Blazers' meticulously constructed defense was easily breached like paper under Lynch's effortless orchestration.

Lynch, who orchestrated all of this, didn't even move a single step from receiving the ball to helping the team score.

The Trail Blazers continued their offense, with Damian Lillard once again driving and dishing the ball to 3-and-D shooter Wesley Matthews.

But with Kyrie Irving's aggressive defense and interference, Matthews' three-pointer bounced off the rim.

This is a long rebound, and LaMarcus Aldridge is in the best rebounding position.

Aldridge has never been a good defensive rebounder, but counterintuitively, he has always been an excellent offensive rebounder.

Damian Lillard immediately ran to a spot near Aldridge, confident his teammate could see him. Once Aldridge secured the offensive rebound and quickly passed the ball, Lillard could initiate a fast break before the opponent could react – a play they'd executed countless times this season.

So, what did Damian Lillard see?
He saw Lynch, despite being at a disadvantage in position, rely on his athleticism to beat Aldridge to the ball, his fingertips barely brushing past the falling basketball and sending it flying into the air!

After Aldridge bounced the ball up again, he had just landed when Lynch jumped a second time and grabbed the rebound right over Aldridge's head.

Lynch secured the rebound, which to fans seemed like a trivial defensive rebound. But from Damian Lillard's perspective, this rebound cost him a potential three-pointer.

The game continued, and instead of passing the ball amidst the chaos, Lynch steadily controlled the half-court line himself.

When Lillard passed by Lynch, he tried to steal the ball, but Lillard immediately countered.

But Lin Qi easily avoided the steal with a crossover dribble, as if he were only 190 centimeters tall.

After safely dribbling the ball across half-court, Lynch passed it to Kyrie Irving.

Then set a screen, and quickly drive to the basket after the screen.

For a moment, the Trail Blazers' defensive attention was all on Lynch, and their help defense collapsed like a frightened bird, so much so that no one went to cover for Kyrie Irving, who had gained shooting space after a pick-and-roll.

The latter then easily made a mid-range jump shot.

Damian Lillard gritted his teeth in frustration as the score was 4-0.

So far, from a fan's perspective, Lynch seems to have done nothing.

He didn't hold the ball much, didn't try to score aggressively, and didn't even take a shot.

But as an opponent, Damian Lillard felt that Lynch was everywhere.

Every move he makes, every round he takes, influences the outcome of the match.

He handled the situation with ease and composure, while the Trail Blazers scrambled and stumbled in a panic.

The Trail Blazers attacked again, and this time LaMarcus Aldridge backed down Lynch in the left midfield.

The entire Trail Blazers team was hoping this offensive play would break their scoring drought, and they were very confident.

Judging from past head-to-head records, even Lynch would have a hard time blocking a straight-arm jump shot from a giant who is 211 cm tall and has a wingspan of 225 cm.

Aldridge sat back, swayed his shoulders, and flipped over to make a move.

But before his signature straight-arm jump shot could even take place, Lynch had already slapped the ball away!

Assists, playmaking, screens, drawing defenders off the ball, rebounds, help defense, one-on-one defense against Damian Lillard. Damian Lillard swallowed hard. The game had only just begun, but Lynch's performance was already unrealistically rich.

The out-of-control basketball was snatched into Jimmy Butler's arms, and the Trail Blazers' offense failed once again.

Kyrie Irving continued to control the ball, and Lynch leaned against Aldridge in the low post, looking like he was finally going to attack.

Even so, Lin Qi has already been consistent in his words and deeds.

After declaring his intention to win MVP, he continued to play as usual and did not obsess over padding his scoring stats.

Kyrie Irving lobbed the ball into the penalty area, but this time, it was Damian Lillard's turn to deliver the surprise.

He quickly moved to the passing lane, leaped high, and firmly caught the pass that was originally intended for Lynch, completing the steal!

Damian Lillard immediately started his run, but once again, Jimmy Butler used his toughness to hold him off near the midfield line.

Damian Lillard hates Butler's tenacious style of play; they're like perpetual motion machines, always pouncing on you the moment you get the ball.

But Lillard, being a point guard, used two sharp crossovers to leave Butler behind and continue charging into the open frontcourt!
Cheers erupted from the crowd beforehand, and Trail Blazers commentator Mike Rice exclaimed, "Here he comes! Damian is definitely the most visually impactful player at Moda Center this season. We're about to see a spectacular performance!"

Mike Rice was right; despite being under 190cm tall, Lillard's dunks combine power and grace. All eyes were on the basket, anticipating a spectacular finish!

Damian Lillard pierced into the penalty area and soared into the air as if defying gravity.

But the moment the basketball was lifted, an overwhelming force, like Mount Tai crashing down, slammed down from directly above it!
Damian Lillard looked up in terror, still feeling weightless. Could it be that damned guy again?
Damian Lillard could only see the number 20 jersey fluttering in the air.

While Jimmy Butler was busy dealing with Lillard, Lynch caught up with him!

Most chase-down blocks involve applying force from the side or behind the basketball.

But this time, Lynch slammed the basketball down from the top with tremendous force!

A deafening roar shook the arena! Lynch descended from the sky, slamming Damian Lillard and the ball to the floor with such force, like a fighter jet with its wings clipped and plummeting vertically!
A brutal, head-on attack by Lynch thwarted Lillard's seemingly inevitable counterattack!
Mike Rice stared at the horrific scene before him for a few seconds, then said with a bitter self-deprecating tone, "You see, I told you, Damian is a player with a strong visual impact. Just look at how visually impactful that last round was."

Lynch successfully blocked the shot and turned to high-five his teammates.

Damian Lillard lay on the floor, the back of his head pressed against the cold floor, the 1977 championship banner in his field of vision looking somewhat lonely under the dome lights.

Immediately afterwards, he saw the large screen on site replaying the scene that had just occurred.

After reading it, Number 0 sighed helplessly.

This is Lynch's game; he hasn't even started scoring yet, but it's already suffocating.

Yes, Lynch doesn't need to increase his shot attempts to compete for MVP.

His impact on the game is present every second, and he doesn't need to rely on scoring points, or rather, he doesn't need any statistics to highlight his influence.

This is how Lynch wins.

At least for now, Damian Lillard cannot refute a seemingly arrogant point made by Lynch before the game:

"I am the standard for MVP!"

(End of this chapter)