Champion Creed
Chapter 343 - 343 141 One on one even DPOY is useless Vote for monthly pass!_2

343: 141: One on one, even DPOY is useless (Vote for monthly pass!)_2 343: 141: One on one, even DPOY is useless (Vote for monthly pass!)_2 “I really want to shoot you right now, but I don’t want to argue with an idiot like you.

Listen, instead of letting Roger and Shaq go off at the same time, we can try to shut down one of them.

That way, we still have a chance to win.”

George Karl’s eyes showed some approval, “You take Roger, the shooting guard to help on double-teams, and the other three tighten up in the paint to handle Shaq!

If Shaq gets the ball, immediate double team.

If Roger drives, collapse on him right away!”

The shooting guard’s help defense is a moot point, since Harper and Saru will definitely draw him away to help Roger, they’ll never stand on the same side as Roger on offense.

So if the SuperSonics’ forwards don’t help on Roger, then in the second half, Gary Payton is essentially on one-on-one coverage against Roger.

George Karl was well aware of what a freak Roger’s one-on-one abilities were, but why choose this strategy?

Because the SuperSonics’ frontcourt was too short, allowing O’Neal to play one-on-one was basically giving away points.

And one-on-one in the post is a whole different ball game from one-on-one on the perimeter.

Therefore, George Karl let the whole team play physical, borderline illegal defense, a castrated version of zone defense.

When Shaq gets the ball, they could immediately collapse and double-team Shaq.

When Roger drives, they could instantly collapse and double-team Roger, too.

Under illegal defense rules, the SuperSonics naturally couldn’t really play zone, but with their forwards’ speed, this neutered version of zone could still be effective.

Meaning, from now on, they would only give Roger the chance to go one-on-one with Payton outside of the paint.

Whether passing to Shaq or driving, the Magic would struggle.

After all, George Karl had the best defensive player, the strongest defensive guard in the league.

Besides, Roger still had to solve problems with his shooting.

So as long as Payton could keep Roger’s shooting percentage down, the Magic’s offense could be considered contained.

Payton on Roger one-on-one, everyone else focused on strangling the paint.

This seemed like the best solution.

Seeing George Karl agree with the strategy, Payton stood up, “I know I can’t shut that guy down.

But I can promise you guys, in the second half, I won’t take one step away from that bastard Roger!

I’ll do everything I can to wear him down, disturb him!

They might win, but we’ve got to scratch them, beat them, give it our all!”

That’s why SuperSonics backup guard Vincent Askew once told reporters, “If I had to pick one person to be my teammate in the most important game of my life, I’d pick Gary Payton because he’s fearless.”

He’s fearless.

He chose to actively defend perhaps the best one-on-one player on this planet.

In the second half, he would be a lone hero.

Some lone heroes stand on one side of the court, waiting for their teammates to pass the ball.

Others choose to stand in front of the opponent’s sharpest spear, ready to block it even with their flesh and blood.

The whole SuperSonics team was inspired, Payton’s emotions infecting everyone.

George Karl believed his strategy would definitely work, Roger, one-on-one, couldn’t possibly blow up the DPOY, right?

The second half began, and the Orlando Arena had turned into a sea of blue, a pre-championship celebration for them.

They had already ended the biggest suspense with the Chicago Bulls, and now it was just a matter of reaping victory.

O’Neal was ready to make a big splash, he had done well in the first half, 14 points, 6 rebounds.

If he kept it up in the second half, the FMVP trophy would be closer.

But it was the fighting SuperSonics who scored first in the second half.

Reign Man made a mid-range jumper over Shaq’s head after a cut and catch, the most effective method against Shaq.

But O’Neal didn’t care about that basket, he thought he could quickly score back on offense.

Eagerly, Shaq posted up Sam Perkins in the low post and called for the ball, and Harper lobbed the pass in steadily.

But the moment O’Neal caught the ball, three people immediately surrounded him.

Practiced, Shaq passed the ball to Roger, wanting to draw the defensive circle his direction, just like he did in the first half.

However, after passing the ball, Shaq found that the SuperSonics’ defense did not fully stretch towards Roger.

Apart from Perkins who was guarding him, the other three players stayed as close to the paint as possible, but without completely losing their own man.

This was playing within the edge of illegal defense, a kind of quasi-zone positioning.

“Damn it, this is essentially zone defense!” Brian Hill realized at a glance that George Karl was exploiting the rules.

He ordered assistant coach Spoelstra to complain, and unsurprisingly, the referees ignored it.

O’Neal found it awkward under this kind of defense, as zone made it difficult for centers to score offensively.

In fact, in this era where three-point shooting wasn’t reliable, such defense could make everyone’s offense miserable.

Gary Payton spread his arms wide, staring at Roger in front of him, if he could handle him, he could handle the game!

“You’ll regret talking too much crap in the first half, I am Gary Payton after all.”

“Oh, is that supposed to be a great name?

I’ve been in the first team twice, you’re so great, you should have more than me, right?

What, not even once?”

“I haven’t been in the first team, but I’ll make you the most overrated first team ever!”

Roger didn’t waste any more words, he got the ball ready to attack.

It looked like the DPOY was prepared to strangle him on the perimeter.