Champion Creed
Chapter 1001 - 325: Let them hate us! (Requesting monthly tickets!)_4

Chapter 1001: 325: Let them hate us! (Requesting monthly tickets!)_4

Because Roger’s offensive threat is simply too great, as long as someone can help divert a bit of defensive attention, he can tear apart any defense.

The game continues, and Chauncey Billups hits a trailing three-pointer, making the score 3 to 4 in an instant for the Pistons.

As a very forward-thinking guard, Billups’ style is vastly different from traditional point guards, but it’s precisely this unconventional style that adds a few more points of appeal to the Pistons’ otherwise dull offense.

However, the Pistons fans have not had the chance to cheer before the reigning champion’s defense suffers another blow.

After Roger called for a screen again, Rasheed Wallace no longer dared to completely leave Stoudemire, and his double-team on Roger was less decisive.

Seeing that the Yelling Maestro was not firmly double-teaming, Roger immediately stopped for a jump shot after going around the screen.

Artest squeezed through the screen as quickly as possible and reached out to interfere, but it was of no use.

The basketball went into the net, and the Warriors led 6 to 3!

"Ron, without someone to cover for you, your defense is worthless."

"Why don’t you try not using screens!" Artest retorted angrily.

"That’s funny, how about you don’t tell me not to use my hands? Would you feel more accomplished if you stopped me that way?"

Pistons’ offense, Rasheed Wallace’s straight-arm jump shot deviated from the basket, and the rebound was securely guarded by Uncle Mu.

The Pistons’ offense is not weak, but it certainly isn’t top-tier either. Their foundation still lies in defense.

However, the Pistons’ defense was broken for the fourth consecutive round.

This time, Roger chose to go one-on-one with Artest. Under Artest’s tight defense, Roger drove hard to the right side after the free-throw line, collected himself, and made a fadeaway bank shot to score again.

Big Ben was tightly boxed out by Mutombo, Rasheed Wallace dared not leave Stoudemire, Allan Houston occupied Hamilton, and only Billups dared to gamble on Prince’s three-pointer to come over and help.

But he was limited by his height, so his help defense was very average.

Roger still made the shot despite the concerted effort of Billups and Artest, 8 to 3.

Last season, the Pistons’ defense was enough to make all the league’s teams feel despair, and the Palace of Auburn Hills was absolutely a place of hopelessness.

Tonight, the air inside the Palace of Auburn Hills remained thin and suffocating, seemingly ready to choke at any moment.

However, this time, it was the fans of Detroit who couldn’t catch their breath.

They couldn’t stop Roger; when Amar’e Stoudemire helped disrupt the inside, the Pistons’ defense looked like dancing in shackles. And Roger did whatever he wanted, just like he did back in Atlanta.

One possession later, Chauncey Billups was ready to save the team’s static offense again.

He used a fake screen to shake off Allan Houston and went straight to the basket for a layup.

But the immovable Mount Mutombo descended upon Billups and slapped his layup away!

Besides offense, the Warriors’ interior defense this season is no longer a weakness.

Mutombo may have poor mobility now, but in terms of rim protection, he still sends all challengers away empty-handed.

When he’s guarding the paint, he only has one word for you: denied.

After blocking the shot, Mutombo raised that infamous finger and started wagging it.

Many know this is a privilege granted by the league to this Mount Africa.

But few know that with each finger wag, he donates $500 to charity.

The finger is still waving, and the batted-away basketball has already landed in Roger’s hands. He weaves through the crowd, fakes out Ron Artest with a behind-the-back dribble, and pushes past the chasing Richard Hamilton to score with an acrobatic layup avoiding Big Ben’s block.

to 3, the reigning champions called a timeout!

Warriors fans in front of the TV were boiling, as the reigning champions didn’t look so formidable against the Warriors.

Roger high-fived all the starting players, then high-fived each substitute as he walked off the court.

The entire Golden State Warriors team, under Roger’s leadership, appeared incredibly tight-knit.

Well, except for Marcus Camby.

After the timeout, he only stood up ceremonially to clap, completely lacking the enthusiasm of the others.

But he couldn’t influence the team’s atmosphere. After Hubie Brown finished assigning tactics, Roger stood in the middle and pointed to the stands of the Palace of Auburn Hills: "Let them hate us!"

In the rest of the first quarter, the Pistons were completely suppressed by the Warriors, the reigning champions beaten down to the point they couldn’t lift their heads, because they hadn’t led even once.

But after all, the Pistons are the reigning champions.

In the second quarter, they adjusted their matchups, letting Big Ben play as the four, and the Yelling Maestro as the five.

Carl aimed to use the DPOY’s (Defensive Player of the Year) mobility to limit the Roger-Stoudemire pick-and-roll.

This worked, as Big Ben could stick closely to Stoudemire while still guarding his drives and delay Roger after the screen while quickly returning to Stoudemire.

He was simply flawless on defense.

But with all of Big Ben’s attention on Roger and Stoudemire, others got their chances.

Roger used his increasingly polished passing skills to continue influencing the offense, even under Big Ben’s tight defense.

He assisted Allan Houston in making consecutive mid-range shots, and assisted Tayshaun Prince in driving to the basket, drawing two fouls from Rasheed Wallace.

Roger has many ways to impact the game, and this team can respond to Roger’s influence as well.

However, this adjustment could still be considered successful, as Big Ben at least managed to curb the Warriors’ two most threatening points.