Champion Creed
Chapter 304 - 304 130 I won't let you fight alone anymore asking for monthly pass_2

304: 130: I won’t let you fight alone anymore (asking for monthly pass)_2 304: 130: I won’t let you fight alone anymore (asking for monthly pass)_2 The competition even extended to the All-Star game.

Last year at the All-Star, Michael Jordan planned to freeze out Roger, but instead Roger ended up taking home the MVP.

This year, Jordan didn’t mess with those fancy tricks; he decided to dominate the game on his own strength.

From the start, Jordan played with great seriousness.

He seemed not to treat the All-Star game as a leisurely event but as a real competition.

In the end, Jordan scored 26 points with a terrifying shooting percentage of 72% and, as he wished, lifted the MVP trophy.

Jordan needed a season where he was truly dominant, so he didn’t let any awards slip by.

After the All-Star game, both teams’ winning streaks continued.

Finally, they met for the third time this season on February 25th.

This time, the Chicago Bulls had the last laugh.

Because the only person on the Bulls whom Roger could call a friend, went 6 for 8 from beyond the three-point line!

Horace Grant had been in good form since returning from injury, but he found it difficult to help defend Jordan while also covering Kukoc at the three-point line.

With Kukoc’s help, the Bulls won 109 to 104.

As of that game, the Bulls held a 2-1 season-record over the Magic.

Much better than last season’s 0-4.

This game also featured a subplot, as Shaq and Rodman nearly came to blows several times.

You didn’t have to think hard to know that Rodman did everything in his power to stop O’Neal, employing various little tricks against Shaq.

Every time Shaq bumped, he fell.

When Shaq jumped, he’d pull.

O’Neal wasn’t the type to take things lying down; he argued and even came to shoving with Rodman multiple times.

There was already bad blood between the two sides, and Rodman joining the Bulls was like throwing a time bomb into their already discordant relationship.

A brawl had erupted in the first game of the season because Rodman had committed a flagrant foul on Roger.

And Shaq was another time bomb; he would not tolerate those with ill intentions.

Rodman alongside Shaq meant that the atmosphere of the game was always on the edge of losing control.

However, fortunately, both sides kept their tempers in check today and didn’t fight.

Jordan also kept warning Rodman, “Don’t go too far, Dennis.

I don’t want to see any conflicts happen.

The only thing we need to take home is the victory!”

At that moment, Dumars admired his old friend Michael immensely.

Not everyone could keep their cool in such a situation, Michael truly is the greatest player.

How hilarious, if Dumars’ eyes were also implanted with titanium alloy, he might stay as calm as Jordan.

After taking the game, Rodman didn’t forget to continue his assault in the post-game interview, “That Shaq could only be associated with a championship because of Roger.

Look, even I can completely shut down the little fish.

That’s why the Magic didn’t renew his contract.

If I were the boss, I wouldn’t pay a bum who always drags the team down with his free throws 120 million dollars.”

O’Neal was furious, swearing that he’d make Rodman leave the next game on a stretcher!

The victory gave Jordan immense confidence.

First, he hadn’t been beaten twice this season by anyone.

Secondly, it proved that a complete Magic team was not invincible.

And this win brought the Bulls even closer to 70 wins; they were now 49-6, with the Magic at 46-9.

Jordan was well aware that once the 70 wins were secured, the regular-season MVP would almost certainly be in the bag.

With the All-Star MVP, the regular-season MVP, and then, if he took home the Finals MVP, he would definitely turn his reputation around and reclaim his throne in the basketball world!

After losing to the Bulls, the Magic didn’t let it get to them.

In the following March, Roger and O’Neal continued to add to their team’s win column strongly.

However, come April, the Magic faced some issues again, and once more they were related to Shaq.

On April 2nd, the day before a game against the New York Knicks, O’Neal and Roger visited Odessa’s grandmother in Newark, New Jersey, as was their custom.

She was barely hanging on; her room had more medical equipment.

Those cold machines made “beep beep” sounds that rendered the room lifeless.

The personal doctor told Shaq straightforwardly, “She won’t make it past 8 o’clock tomorrow night.”

That night, O’Neal stayed by his grandmother’s side, holding her hand, talking to her.

At 11 PM, the grandmother urged O’Neal to go back, “Go on, Rashaun, you have a game tomorrow.”

“I’m not going anywhere!”

“Go on, or do you want to argue with me?”

Those were the last words his grandmother said to him.

From then on, Odessa’s grandmother fell into a deep sleep.

Apart from still showing vital signs, she was no different from the dead.

Brian Hill, after learning of the situation, allowed Shaq to take leave, but Roger had to rush back for the game.

The next night, Roger led his team to a comfortable victory over the New York Knicks.

The Knicks had already cut Old Nelson, who had replaced Riley, and traded away several major players to clear cap space.

As the media put it, this meant that they’d given up on the season.

The team’s morale and fighting spirit were nowhere close to before.

So the Magic’s victory was not difficult, nothing like the hardship of last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals.

Roger scored 36 points, continuing to lead the league in scoring.

Even during Shaq’s return, Roger had not fallen off the scoring leaderboard.