Champion Creed
Chapter 147 - 147 081 This time it's my turn to shake people!

147: 081: This time, it’s my turn to shake people!

(Asking for monthly votes!) 147: 081: This time, it’s my turn to shake people!

(Asking for monthly votes!) The alternation of power in the NBA world is inevitable.

This process does not necessarily lead to bloody conflicts, just as when Bill Russell left the battlefield in ’69, players like Jabbar naturally took over the crown he left behind without undergoing too direct and fierce battles.

However, this process could also turn the basketball court into a bloody battlefield, possibly facing hand-to-hand combat situations, just like Jordan did against the Pistons and the Lakers.

He had snatched the crown amidst a victory of blood and sweat; this wasn’t something he crowned himself with, but something he took from others.

It could be foreseen that this alternation of power would also be filled with bloody struggles.

Because Michael Jordan was in his prime, but those beneath him were already growing impatient.

Among them, the youngest was only 19 years old.

Roger and Shaq were considered the most likely duo to snatch Jordan’s reign, yet having the best chance didn’t mean they would necessarily have the last laugh.

In the journey to snatch the crown, Michael Jordan was not the only enemy for Shaq and Roger.

On the banks of the San Antonio River, the silver and black legion led by the Admiral was equally covetous of the throne.

The Magic’s first nationwide broadcast game of 1995 would take place on January 10, against the San Antonio Spurs, currently first in the West.

The last time the Magic faced the Western Conference number one, which was the Utah Jazz at that time, the Magic lost.

Facing the Western number one again, Orlando fans naturally hoped the team could redeem themselves.

After all, no matter how many times you dominate Jordan, the team eventually needs to win the Finals to claim the championship.

And in the Finals, the Magic would inevitably face a Western team.

The Rockets, Spurs, Jazz, and Suns were currently the most likely teams to reach the Finals.

Among this list, the Magic had only managed to beat the Rockets.

Now, with the Rockets adding Drexler, although Clyde the Glide alone wasn’t enough to get between Roger and Shaq’s teeth, his partnership with Dream was another matter.

Just like Paul Gasol hadn’t won a single playoff series with the Grizzlies, but secured two championships alongside Kobe.

This led to the Magic’s only victory over a Western powerhouse now seeming quite unconvincing.

So, it remained uncertain whether Roger and Shaq truly had the qualifications to take over the reign.

They still needed to defeat more opponents, more from the West.

San Antonio Spurs and David Robinson thus became the litmus test; the Spurs’ performance outshone the Jazz, with David Robinson leading the MVP rankings.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated featured the Admiral on the cover with the title: “The Perfect Player, Will He Be the Ultimate Champion?”

The highly anticipated nature of this battle lay right here, if the Magic couldn’t deal with the Spurs, then don’t even talk about winning the championship.

However, surprisingly, the first to fire shots before this key showdown was the Admiral, who is usually known for his gentlemanly demeanour.

Of course, the Admiral wouldn’t suddenly change overnight, and Dennis Rodman, no matter how resourceful, couldn’t brainwash him to become as outspoken as himself.

David Robinson’s proactive strike was due to his longstanding grudge with Shaq.

It all started at the ’93 All-Star game where, traditionally, most players wouldn’t defend intensely.

After all, the event was primarily a show.

But the ’93 event was different.

As a rookie, O’Neal, when he received the ball, faced a fierce double-team, even triple-team.

The understood agreement was that it was just a show, yet the Western Conference All-Stars played seriously, staging an NBA All-Star version of “Lust, Caution.”

Of course, it’s normal to play seriously in an All-Star game.

But the key is, the Western team was only serious about defending O’Neal.

Clearly, he was targeted.

In the end, O’Neal embarrassingly made only 2 out of 12 shots in the ’93 All-Star game, scoring only eight points.

In All-Star games, you rarely see a center with such a shooting percentage.

If you’re like Yao Ming, not much of a showman, then at most you just take fewer shots.

But shooting 12 times and making only 2 is definitely not normal.

The young and vigorous O’Neal naturally wasn’t happy after the game: “Did you see that?

They triple-teamed me in an All-Star game.

Some say it was the players’ initiative, some say it was the coaches’ arrangement.

Either way, I’ll seek revenge on them one by one.”

David Robinson was the only Western All-Star to respond to O’Neal: “Nobody even mentioned double-teaming Shaq before the game, not even the word double-teaming.

But if you keep saying you’re better than everyone else, then you can’t blame others for targeting you intentionally or unintentionally.

If you ask me, were we a bit serious?

Indeed!

He said he would dominate us on the court, but you have to understand, no one will let you do that easily.”

David Robinson effectively admitted that they intentionally embarrassed O’Neal at the All-Star game.

After all, from day one in the league, Shaq had threatened the status of that older generation of centers.

Thus the grudge between O’Neal and David Robinson began.

This grudge reached a climax in the previous season’s scoring title battle.