Champion Creed
Chapter 243 - 243 110 How is one enough

243: 110: How is one enough?

The continuously evolving young King!

(Vote for monthly tickets!)_4 243: 110: How is one enough?

The continuously evolving young King!

(Vote for monthly tickets!)_4 Payton was about to speak, but Roger interrupted him, “Shut up, don’t talk about your Ferrari purchase.

My Ferraris are all given by the factory.”

Payton: ???

It was his first time encountering someone who could predict trash talk!

4 to 2, just as Sharp had mentioned, Roger was still evolving.

Honestly, the illegal defense rule benefitted guards’ low-post play.

If this were the 21st century NBA, where zone defense is allowed, the SuperSonics could easily collapse four players to the edge of the paint.

The moment Roger received the ball in the low post, he would be immediately trapped.

Even if Roger could pass the ball out, his teammates wouldn’t be able to respond with long shots.

But under the illegal defense rule, even if McKey and Harper couldn’t shoot threes, they could still help create space before Roger got the ball.

That’s why post-up play was so popular in the ’90s.

Roger was also keen to capitalize on this advantage, so he kept bulking up.

In any physical sport, confrontation is fundamental.

The more you build it up, the more moves you can unlock.

After Roger scored, Schrempf inevitably got chewed out by George Karl.

To Roger’s surprise, the ferocity with which George Karl berated his own players exceeded even that towards opponents, “Damn, Detlef, toughen up!

Do you want to be a European slut that anyone can have?

I thought all European sluts were in Amsterdam!”

George Karl was the kind of person who didn’t hesitate to publicly criticize or even insult his players.

The SuperSonics counterattacked, this time Payton shook Harper and drove straight into the lane, drawing Michael Cage’s help defense, then leapt up and stuffed the ball to Ervin Johnson under the basket with a beautiful behind-the-back pass.

Michael Cage knew he was in trouble.

When he turned around, Johnson was already raising the ball with both hands, ready to slam dunk.

Cage was powerless.

But the next second, what George Karl and Payton saw wasn’t a score but a bloodbath!

Roger had returned to the paint, using his powerful leaping ability to swat Johnson’s dunk attempt before it could happen!

In his third season, Roger’s defensive reading skills had improved.

During preseason, Brian Hill noticed that Roger’s help defense was even more outstanding.

His help and recovery decisions were more sensible, and his timing was more accurate.

He now completely had the potential to become a great sweeper.

Spoelstra played no small part, his edited videos helped Roger make game reads much more effortlessly.

From Abunassar to Spoelstra to the entire training team, every penny Roger spent was worth it.

Now, the only expense that hadn’t paid off was treating Laetitia to dinner.

But considering that Laetitia was about to start teaching French classes in the United States, Roger believed he would soon receive knowledge as a return on his investment, not just poses.

Brian Hill couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

What would Roger’s final form look like?

Only God knew!

After the block, Roger continued the counterattack, “If it were me, I’d still make the shot while helping in defense.

Gary, at the end of the day, you’re just soft.

That kind of circus-style pass is just clownish behavior in front of the defending champions.”

“Is that your excuse for not passing?

The whole world knows you’re a cancer!” Payton also prattled on.

“Even if I am, I’m a cancer with a championship ring.

And Gary, how does it feel to go home in the first round?

I’ve never known what it feels like to be eliminated in the first round.”

Then, Payton sprayed a string of trash talk that could be censored entirely with “beep beep beep.” However, when someone can only respond to you with a bunch of illogical expletives, it shows that they have been utterly defeated in this round of verbal sparring.

The game continued, and Roger did not ask for the ball in the low post for a second consecutive time.

Using the same move repeatedly makes it very easy for the opponent to target you.

As those who often engage in close combat know, you have to keep mixing things up to keep the opponent off balance.

This time, under Payton’s pressure, Harper struggled to control the ball with his back turned, then passed it to Roger, who had cut to the top of the three-point arc.

The moment Roger received the ball, he immediately broke through, catching Schrempf off balance and also preventing Hersey Hawkins from being able to double-team in time.

After passing Schrempf, Roger penetrated deep into the paint, gathered the ball, and stepped left to attack the basket.

But Kemp quickly moved into Roger’s path; his help defense speed was impeccable.

At the moment, it looked like Roger was about to collide with Kemp, who had moved up in time to defend.

His breakthrough was futile against the encirclement by the SuperSonics’ frontline.

Then, on his second step, Roger suddenly shifted drastically to the right, kept the ball low to avoid being intercepted, and bypassed Kemp with a ghostly rhythm.

Everyone saw it—it was a beautiful European step!

On the bench, Marciulionis was somewhat surprised.

He had not expected Roger to use this move so effectively in an official game, as he had just timed the handling and spacing from the defender very well.

Marciulionis knew Roger was extremely talented, yet Roger’s talent was even more exceptional than he had anticipated.

Having shaken off Kemp, Roger faced the SuperSonics’ center, Ervin Johnson, leaped into the air to confront him, and then made a layup.

In the past, Roger often lost his balance in confrontations during layups, relying only on his hands.

But after specifically strengthening his upper body this summer, he had become much more proficient in his movements during confrontations.

He held off Ervin Johnson in the air and then gently tossed the ball, scoring off the backboard.

After a European step followed by a confrontational layup, Roger’s attack was effortlessly effective!

Steve Jones was thrilled, “Beautiful European step layup, the SuperSonics’ frontline couldn’t trap him!

What else can Roger do?

How many more moves hasn’t he shown us yet?”

The score was tied at 4-4.

The defending champion without Shaq was not nearly as easy to handle as the SuperSonics had thought, and they could not even establish a lead at the start.

“Damn it, damn it, how could you be fooled by that little trick, damn it!” George Karl was furious, and no one knew if he was cursing Schrempf or Kemp.

After all, Roger had bypassed two players this round.

But Roger’s target for cursing was very clear; he pointed at Payton:

“Just now, I said, if it were me, I would still make the basket in defense.

Look, Gary, this is the difference between you and me.

I really can do it, whereas you’re just a tragic mouthpiece.”

Then, something surprising happened for the SuperSonics’ team.

Shockingly, Gary Payton did not respond!

Not even five minutes into the game, Payton had already been stunned into silence!

The Orlando fans cheered ecstatically, as Roger’s progress was clearly visible these few rounds.

It’s hard to say what kind of show Roger might put on in the next two months.

O’Neal leaned back on the bench, leisurely: “Brian, I think I’ll take a leave.”

“What?”

“The world is so big, I want to go out and see it.”

“What are you even talking about!?”

“I mean, Roger is so strong, they don’t need me.

Buddy, he’s probably the strongest teammate I could ever team up with in my lifetime!”

“Couldn’t you just compliment him directly in the future?”

“No, I really want to take a leave.”

“Get out!”

O’Neal laughed, he enjoyed seeing Brian Hill get annoyed by his teasing.

He also felt fortunate to be strong himself.

Otherwise, next to Roger, people might actually consider him the next Scottie Pippen.

Fortunately, no one should think that.