Champion Creed
Chapter 346 - 346 142 The Loyal Knight Fighting for the King FMVP is a Major Issue Requesting Monthly Tickets!

346: 142: The Loyal Knight Fighting for the King, FMVP is a Major Issue (Requesting Monthly Tickets!) 346: 142: The Loyal Knight Fighting for the King, FMVP is a Major Issue (Requesting Monthly Tickets!) Roger scored 37 points, creating a series of one-on-one highlights and led the team to a 19-point victory.

Gary Payton has simply lowered the value of the Best Defender award!

The next Best Defender in the playoffs as disappointing as this one probably wouldn’t come around until Dikembe Mutombo in 2001.

To be honest, Payton’s defense was actually quite good and truly worthy of the DPOY title.

Not everyone could limit Roger’s shooting percentage to only 45% in one-on-one situations.

But to defeat the Magic, that was far from enough.

Even as the DPOY, it was very difficult to shut down a top offensive player by oneself.

Payton could make Jordan play like Kobe, but he should also thank his teammates behind him.

The SuperSonics, in their crazy attempts to double-team Jordan, had reached a point where they left their rebounds completely unguarded.

In the most exaggerated game, the Bulls grabbed 24 offensive rebounds, which was double that of the SuperSonics.

They used such sacrifices to lower Jordan’s shooting percentage, it wasn’t as simple as the rumored single coverage by Payton.

And when facing the Magic, with Shaq in the paint, the SuperSonics dared not defend in the same way.

So, Payton could only go one-on-one with Roger.

Having only one-on-one limitations meant that tragedy was already doomed.

The battle in Final G2 also had no surprises, the only change for the SuperSonics today was that they began to use the ‘Hack-a-Shaq’ tactic.

They also started to use this ugly method to disrupt Roger’s offensive rhythm.

But Roger was not greatly affected by it, Shaq was the one who suffered the most.

Already having a hard time receiving the ball under the SuperSonics’ fringe defense, the few times he did get the ball, he was forced to the free-throw line.

Shaq was about to go crazy.

Because of the constant free throws, his scoring efficiency significantly decreased.

He felt he was getting farther and farther from the FMVP trophy.

The SuperSonics successfully suppressed Shaq, but Roger still scored 34 points.

With 1 minute and 3 seconds left before the game ended, the SuperSonics were only 4 points behind, and they still had a chance.

But in this crucial offensive round, Payton, the Best Defender, was intercepted by Roger, who then made a fast break and delivered a tomahawk dunk that widened the gap.

This hammer-like dunk nearly shattered the SuperSonics’ confidence and cut off the opponent’s last breath.

91 to 97, the Magic took the second game.

At the end of the game, thunderous applause erupted from the crowd.

Because the fans at the venue all knew, this was very likely the last home game for the Magic this season.

Based on the outcomes of the first two games, it was highly unlikely that the series would return to Orlando.

So tonight, was this great team’s farewell performance at home.

On the other hand, Seattle would welcome back the NBA Finals after 17 years.

It’s worth mentioning that the SuperSonics lost only three home games in the regular season and only two in the playoffs.

Throughout the season, the fans at KeyArena experienced only five defeats at home.

So they were still confident about the team’s rebound at home.

Confidence was necessary, as it was the SuperSonics’ last chance.

Whenever a team was down 0-2, the media invariably reminded that no team had ever won after being down 0-3.

This was the most challenging feat in the NBA, never successfully achieved before.

Some were very close, but only close.

Winning G3 gave them at least a glimmer of hope.

But losing G3 would mean the Finals would end prematurely.

Would they surrender or continue to fight?

The SuperSonics chose the latter without hesitation.

They had come to the Finals with much difficulty, and even if they couldn’t win, they wouldn’t be slaughtered like dogs.

Even if they had to bite with their teeth, they would tear a piece of flesh from the Magic.

At least they had to prove that Roger was not invincible.

This was not an unrealistic fantasy, because in the previous game, the SuperSonics did not lose by such an exaggerated 19 points.

Shaquille O’Neal became the breaking point for the SuperSonics, and their Hack-a-Shaq tactic in G2 was a major success.

In G3, they decided to intensify their efforts.

On June 9, they arrived at Seattle’s KeyArena.

Saru looked around, feeling utterly surreal.

A year ago, this place was like a Nazi concentration camp to him.

Gary Payton had constantly attacked and belittled him, both privately and publicly.

What made Saru more despairing was that the coach, George Karl, was even more brutal than Payton.

He was miserable and lost here; he almost decided to end his NBA career in this place.

But now?

He might be holding up the NBA Championship trophy in this very arena he despised!

Of course, Saru knew the style of those people in the SuperSonics.

George Karl, Kemp, and Payton would not give up; they would activate the team in all sorts of ways.

Given that the SuperSonics had come close to winning the previous game, Saru felt there was still some risk in this match.

But regardless, Saru had made up his mind to protect Roger.

No one could stop the King from ascending to the throne.

If someone tried, the King’s most loyal Knight would surely step in.

Before G3 started, Cindy Crawford, a sex symbol in her prime, made a guest appearance as a courtside reporter to interview Roger.

This woman loved the camera, loved being the topic of discussion.

She always appeared where the traffic was highest, becoming the focal point in people’s eyes.

During the interview, Cindy Crawford vividly demonstrated what a 30-year-old woman’s charm at a glance was.

That little look was enough to melt Roger right on the court.