Champion Creed
Chapter 213 - 213 102 Michael's new partner

213: 102: Michael’s new partner?

The Rockets can’t lift off!

(Vote for monthly ticket!) 213: 102: Michael’s new partner?

The Rockets can’t lift off!

(Vote for monthly ticket!) Before the game started, the hottest player of the Finals was Olajuwon.

But at the post-game press conference, nearly everyone was talking about Roger.

We lost to Roger in last year’s Finals as well, but it felt completely different.

Last year, his victory seemed accidental.

But this year, he truly took control of the game, and it’s hard to imagine a player under the age of 20 dominating the Finals.

No matter what, we have to snatch victory from the hands of such a genius.

— Tomjanovich talking about Roger’s 45 points.

We now have to take both of our home games without any retreat, or the situation will become too dangerous.

Roger has wounded me again, but this time, the wound is just deeper than before—I have not been defeated.

I wake up before dawn every day, eat seven dates and drink a gallon of water, then pray for strength.

So these difficulties can’t take me down, because I know I’m filled with strength.

— Olajuwon discussing the home loss.

There’s not much to say, Roger led us to yet another great victory.

You all call him a killer, a maniac, but I think he’s a natural-born leader.

He’s only 19, yet he’s already leading us to victory.

— Magic Head Coach Brian Hill praising Roger.

That’s right, I did it on purpose, I deliberately let Hakeem score 41 points.

I just wanted to tell that bastard that no matter how many points you score, we can still beat you, it doesn’t matter.

— O’Neal’s shameless commentary on his defense for the day.

Roger, when interviewed, wasn’t too excited: “The great journey isn’t over, now is not the time to talk about victory.”

The next day, the world was buzzing with news about Roger taking down Olajuwon.

Meanwhile, inside a private golf club on the outskirts of Hobe Sound, Florida, Sir Charles Barkley was showing off a golf swing even uglier than O’Neal’s free throws.

“Charles, stop disgracing the sport, already.

Your very presence brings down the class of our game,” Jordan teased his friend as he clutched a cigar.

“Shut up, Michael, I’ve found my rhythm, don’t disturb me!” said Sir Charles, swinging and taking out a piece of turf.

Jordan covered his head; if Barkley needed a nickname on the golf course, he’d undoubtedly be called the Great Weed Whacker!

The Big Gorilla laughed, then looked at Jordan and brought up something else, “I heard you started training the day after the season ended?”

At this, Jordan’s smile instantly vanished.

The statement reminded him that his season had ended prematurely.

Only losers end their season early!

Jordan hadn’t ended his season early in many years, and the thought of the Finals raging on without any relation to him filled Jordan with anger.

Watching others play in the Finals, that feeling was simply humiliating!

“Yes, Patrick,” Jordan nodded, “I have indeed been training for some time now, so I came here today to relax a bit.

Interested in joining my training camp?

I call it the Breakfast Club.”

“Okay,” said the Flying Pig from a distance, “Sure, I’ll join.

What’s good to eat at this Breakfast Club?

Any pizza?”

Jordan gave Barkley a look—it’s no wonder the bastard never won a championship!

“But aren’t we going to shoot a movie, too?

What’s it called again?

Right, ‘Space Jam.’ How will you ensure your training then?” Ewing asked.

Jordan, with his cigar, responded nonchalantly, “I’ll have them set up a basketball court right on the set for me.”

“Ah?”

“Nothing to be surprised about, that’s one of the conditions Warner agreed to, I can’t go eight weeks without playing basketball!”

Ewing didn’t speak again.

He just felt inside that sometimes the gap between people was even greater than the gap between humans and apes!

After the game ended, the three old buddies were ready to go find a few princesses to share some bedtime stories with.

Before leaving the club, Jordan, who was changing his shoes, received a phone call.

Once the voice on the other end came through, the look of disgust on Jordan’s face was just impossible to hide.

Seeing Jordan with that expression on his face, Barkley and Ewing knew it had to be Jerry Krause calling.

No one else in this world could make him feel such disgust.

“What do you want?” Jordan said, already impatient from just the first sentence.

“I want to discuss bringing in a player with you.”

“Talk.

Just make sure it’s not longer than a minute.”

“I want to bring in a player.”

“Oh God, Jerry, what’s wrong with you?

Aren’t you the one who hates it most when I meddle in your team-breaking antics?

Since when have you actually sought my advice?”

“Since when?

Since I’ve been receiving razors every day!

Roger is in the finals, what about us?

We can only go fishing!

Damn it, I’m catching air here every day without Roger!

We can’t even make it to the finals, and you still have the mood to tease me?

Who caused us to miss the finals?

Who made me trade away a player who scored 45 points in the finals?

Shut up, Michael!”

“I’m hanging up, bastard!” Jordan was uncontrollable with rage.

He had just started to feel a bit better, and now he did not want to recall that nonsense.

“All right, all right, I’m not here to argue with you.

The person I’m thinking of bringing in is Dennis Rodman.”

“What!?”

“Yes, surprised, right?

That’s exactly why I need to discuss this with you!”

Jerry Krause was well aware that the Bulls’ most needed reinforcement was at the power forward position.

He was even more aware that the Bulls simply could not afford to lose again.

If they didn’t return to championship form next season, it would all be over.

For the championship, he had to try everything.

Even a dangerously risky attempt like Dennis Rodman.

“Also, we’re getting close to your old friend Joe Dumars,” Jerry Krause continued.

“Old Joe?” Jordan’s eyes lit up, and the look of disgust on his face faded considerably.

“Detroit now needs fresh blood, and your old acquaintance Doug Collins has just become the Pistons’ new general manager.

Clearly, 33-year-old Joe doesn’t fit into his plan.

Grant Hill, Allan Houston, Lindsey Hunter…

the Pistons have too many young guards; they all need their chance, and the veterans have to make way.

Doug is interested in Chris and a draft pick, and Chris has also promised to sign an extension wherever he gets traded.

So, we’re close to finalizing the trade.

If we can get Joe, then we can get Dennis Rodman.

Joe has worked with Dennis before, and I believe he can handle that madman.”

“Well done, Jerry.

Beautifully done!” Jordan probably couldn’t believe he would one day say these words to Krause.

Jordan certainly knew Dumars was past his prime, but his defensive experience and heart couldn’t be matched by Nick Anderson.

As for Dennis Rodman…

No matter what trouble he caused off the court, as long as his defensive performance was better than Webber’s, that was all that mattered!

After Jordan hung up the phone, he clenched his fists tightly.

“My era will continue!”

The Bulls were already thinking about their revival plan, while Roger still needed to focus on the opponent in front of him.

The Finals G4 continued at the Compaq Center, and Drexler excitedly told reporters before the game, “I won’t be brought down by the same person twice.

This is my hometown, and I’ll do everything I can to defend this land!”

Then he went 4 for 13 from the field, scoring only 15 points with a 30% shooting percentage.

The most embarrassing part for Drexler was that he was mostly silent; the rare times he did speak up, he seemed to always be proved wrong.

Fortunately for the Houston Rockets, it was all hands on deck.

Today, standing out in place of Drexler was “Kiss of Death” Mario Elie.

The Magic seemed to be playing Whack-a-Mole, no matter how they hit; Rockets role players kept popping up.

He wasn’t just hitting key shots but went 9 for 11 from the field for the game, scoring 22 points with a comically high efficiency resembling that of a center.

The Magic still chose to play one-on-one defense, but this didn’t mean the other Rockets had no opportunities.

Robert Horry set many off-ball screens for Elie today, creating plenty of chances, all of which Elie seized.

In addition, Olajuwon continued his heroic performance, raining down 37 points and 15 rebounds over O’Neal.

O’Neal scored 25 in double coverage, but his six turnovers were quite fatal.

The Rockets’ double-teams on O’Neal were so tight that Shaq struggled not only to score but even to make safe passes.

The Rockets did everything right today, but there was one crucial thing they failed to do—they let Roger score 41 points!

Second consecutive Finals game with 40+ points!

Today, Roger and O’Neal were once again a chaotic force; Roger was in charge of the chaos, O’Neal of the noise.

When the Rockets daringly allocated Hakeem and most of their defensive resources to O’Neal, Roger once again used his offense to kill the game.

Tomjanovich didn’t believe night was falling, but the chandelier’s switch was in Roger’s hands!

Roger’s touch remained hot, like a sun that would never go out.

Moreover, his shooting percentage today was even higher than Dream’s—Olajuwon shot 55%, Roger 56%!

Can’t a guard outshoot a center?

That theory no longer stands.

103 to 99, the Magic narrowly defeated the Rockets by four points.

Coincidentally, Roger’s personal score was also exactly four points more than Dream’s.

The “unstoppable on the assault” Dream was defeated by Roger once again!

At the end of the game, Magic couldn’t help but scream, “We all thought the Magic’s greatest success was taking a match point back to Orlando, but Roger actually wants to take the championship back to Orlando directly!”

3 to 1, Roger’s outlandish performance pushed the Rockets to the brink.

“The Rockets can’t take off anymore!” said a boastful Roger after the game, serving as the Rockets’ final ultimatum.

Roger was confident he could end the series in Houston because even though they led 3 to 1, no one on the team had let down their guard.

Not long after Charles Barkley’s tragedy, when the Suns had a 3 to 1 lead over the Rockets, Phoenix fans must have also felt it was in the bag.

But what happened?

You just don’t know what this resilient team can do under pressure.

If it were any other team trailing 1 to 3, their mentality would definitely have collapsed.

But not the Rockets.

The Magic are well aware that the ’95 Houston Rockets are one of the toughest teams to beat in the entire history of the NBA.

But precisely because they are aware of this fact, Roger is confident that in Game 5, he will take the championship!

Roger also wants to plunge this final knife into Dream’s championship heart as a form of revenge!

Injured?

This time I’ll stop your heart!

—————–

Will the team bring in Dennis Rodman?

He’s obviously the perfect replacement for Horace Grant!

— Chicago Sun-Times.

The Detroit Pistons are entertaining offers from multiple teams for former FMVP Joe Dumars.

— USA Today.

It must be admitted, Roger already has one hand on his first championship ring.

Can you imagine?

The world is about to welcome a 19-year-old Finals MVP!

If Roger succeeds, he will become the darling of the world, and his historical status will undergo a radical change!

— Sports Illustrated.

Right now, Michael Jordan is probably more anxious than Dream.

If Roger gets that ring, Michael will become the loser of losers.

— The New York Times.

This season’s Houston Rockets have never been a team that folds easily.

In the playoffs this year, the Rockets have never lost a do-or-die game.

So, the game is still on.

— Houston Chronicle.

Another familiar script, the Houston Rockets once again seem to have lost hope.

These same events unfolded in the first and second rounds, but they pulled through.

If the Houston Rockets really do put on an incredible performance in a do-or-die game again, will Roger respond with a third consecutive 40+ performance?

I don’t know which of these two things is more likely to happen, and I can’t predict the outcome of this do-or-die game.

Both teams are too unconventional.

— SportsCenter discussing the Finals G5.