Champion Creed
Chapter 378 - 378 152 Only the simplest step left asking for monthly votes!

378: 152: Only the simplest step left (asking for monthly votes!) 378: 152: Only the simplest step left (asking for monthly votes!) Looking at the status of Magic Team’s training camp and preseason games, it seems George Karl’s prediction is coming true.

He was looking forward to the day when the Magic would fall apart, and he had even prepared red wine for the occasion.

Indeed, the team was in danger.

O’Neal had taken Roger’s cake, but he was also a bit upset.

He didn’t like the way Roger spoke to him with commanding authority, as if he was still the high school kid from Baton Rouge just a few years ago.

Could Roger have won a championship without him?

After all, he and the Bulls weren’t the winners of the 1994 finals.

Truth be told, he should be the big brother in the locker room!

But what was up with Roger?

Puffing on a cigar, legs crossed arrogantly, sitting on an armchair as if looking down on everyone and barking orders.

Did he think he was Marlon Brando or something?

O’Neal was getting increasingly tired of Roger’s lecturing leadership style.

What gave that guy the right to think of himself as the team leader?

He couldn’t even handle Wilkins.

He professed brotherhood, but his actions grew more dominating every day.

Even in the preseason arguments with management, Roger did not stand with him but only offered ambiguous neutral statements to the reporters.

O’Neal felt their relationship was no longer one of equals.

But there was one thing he agreed with Roger on: winning was everything.

Why did he endure John Gabriel’s insults and stay on the team?

Surely not because he liked to argue with John.

He was there for a three-peat, for the FMVP.

O’Neal didn’t think Roger qualified to lead him, but he did want to win games.

And to win, he needed Roger.

Wilkins felt the same.

He still didn’t like Roger’s superiority complex, but he needed to win games.

Why was someone as dumb as Scottie Pippen counted among the top 50 players?

Because he had three solid rings.

Wilkins believed his exclusion from the top 50 players was a sign that if he didn’t make a name for himself soon, he would be completely forgotten in a few years.

He didn’t like Roger, but he was eager to join Roger’s “Victory Club.”

To put it bluntly, he was there to ride on the coattails.

What else did he need to yearn for besides championships?

Was there anything else to even consider?

Yes, he hadn’t tried his hardest before.

But now he knew he had to let go of his star status and dive into defense with the same commitment as Charles Barkley had.

If his scoring and slam dunks couldn’t bring victory, they were no better than a pile of trash.

Being part of a dynasty could save his sorry career to an extent.

The season opener against the Houston Rockets was a perfect stage to show his worth, and both Shaq and Wilkins had made up their minds about what they wanted.

The day before the game, Sir Charles arrived in Orlando with the team.

Before boarding the team bus, reporters caught up to him, “Charles, how much trouble do you think you’ll encounter in Orlando?”

Barkley almost snorted with laughter, “Trouble?

I think Roger’s in bigger trouble than my ass right now.”

Judging by the news coming out of Magic’s training camp and preseason games, Roger’s troubles were indeed substantial, facing an unprecedented predicament.

He needed to defeat more than just the opponents.

On the day before the game, Magic players found many camera-toting people in the locker room and on the practice court.

They were from the NBA Entertainment Division, a crew that would follow the Magic all season, filming material for a documentary.

Whether it was a dynasty being built or a back-to-back collapse, the process was worth documenting, full of stories that were perfect for a documentary.

The players quickly got used to the filming crew.

Like true bystanders, they never spoke up, simply going about their work silently.

Today’s practice was simple, especially since the game was the next day, so Brian Hill only had the players go through some offensive and defensive drills.

Despite that, Roger was still spewing trash talk at Wilkins.

“Damn it, why are you always half a step slow on the rotation?

You’ve played 14 years of professional basketball, and you can’t even get the basics right!”

“If I were Tomjanovich, I’d have Charles Barkley target you every time, scoring over you is just too easy.”

“Is this the attitude you bring to the Victory Club?

How can you allow Saru to have so much space to shoot?”

The filming crew was thrilled; capturing a fight between Wilkins and Roger at the Orlando Cup could make their documentary a hit.

But they were disappointed.

Dominique Wilkins didn’t say a word, and to everyone’s surprise, he played even harder in defense in the next round after being scolded by Roger.

He was forcing himself to try harder; he didn’t want to end his career empty-handed!

Shaq wasn’t slacking off either.

In Derrick McKey’s words, “I got to the gym at eight this morning, and I got the fright of my life when I pushed the door open.

A ghost?

No, something more terrifying – I actually saw Shaq warming up.”

Moreover, he had stopped attacking management in the media.

It seemed the Magic hadn’t been defeated by all the mess.

But that meant nothing before a victory, as anything prior was just talk.

Finally, on November 1st, at the Orlando Arena, the 96-97 season opener unfolded.