Champion Creed
Chapter 394 - 394 156 Your Most Embarrassing Moment Request for Monthly Votes!

394: 156: Your Most Embarrassing Moment (Request for Monthly Votes!) 394: 156: Your Most Embarrassing Moment (Request for Monthly Votes!) After the next round, Roger didn’t hold the ball on offense but let O’Neal ravage the Lakers’ fragile inside.

Roger still felt very uncomfortable; a fever was not only a headache—it made your body go weak as well.

So, Roger couldn’t take charge as usual, and he wanted to save more energy for defense.

O’Neal’s hook shot in the paint was steady and re-extended their lead to nine points.

After Roger had come onto the court, the situation had almost instantly changed.

The unyielding Kobe took control of the ball straight from the backcourt this time, with all eyes on him.

Did they really trade an All-Star player for a high school kid, a draft modeled after Roger, to score over Roger’s head?

Once Kobe passed the halftime line, he started sprinting full force, wanting to overpower Roger with his speed.

But Roger closely shadowed him from the side the entire time, and Kobe couldn’t break through Roger’s defense.

Pushing forward to mid-range, Kobe performed a sudden stop, lifted the basketball, and feinted a shot.

Roger’s center of gravity shifted up a bit, but his feet never left the ground.

He quickly adjusted and swiftly disrupted Kobe’s actual shot attempt that followed.

Roger’s defense had always been improving, it’s just that this kind of improvement couldn’t be reflected by statistics.

However, anyone who faced Roger knew that he was getting tougher.

Under the close-guarding interference by Roger, Kobe’s shot flew out of bounds again.

He actually missed his third consecutive shot without hitting the ring in this game!

The referee blew the whistle, Del Harris called for a timeout, and the entire Great Western Forum fell silent.

They had thought it would be a fierce battle, a monumental first masterpiece of Kobe’s career.

But Kobe was utterly performing a Chaplin-like comedy!

Under the fever-ridden Roger’s defense, Kobe took three shots in a row and couldn’t even find the basket!

Los Angeles’ future star was harshly split in two by Roger!

The 18-year-old hung his head, his expression desolate.

This proud young man was showing such a defeated demeanor for the first time,

and his first big moment had completely crashed and burned.

Since he was 6, he had imagined countless moments like this, where he would, one-on-one, defeat the best stars of the NBA.

But now, Kobe would probably remember this phrase: The adult world isn’t a fairy tale, and it’s not always filled with nice things.

In the real world, there’s no initiative-taking female boss, no cute girl soaking wet from the rain coming over to your place for shelter, and certainly no friend of your wife peeking at your body.

In the real world, you might just be someone else’s toy!

Kobe’s face undoubtedly showed a “great embarrassment” moment tonight, similar moments abound in the NBA.

Like Pippen throwing a tantrum, refusing to play, and then his team winning the game without him.

Like last season when Riley slandered Roger only to be shown up by Roger in “The con game” and that ego-crushing slap.

Like when Drexler criticized Jordan’s long shots only to watch stoically as number 23 made six three-pointers in one half and then shrugged.

And today, Kobe too joined the “great embarrassment” club.

He sat despondently on the bench, his gaze vacant.

He had just been thoroughly defeated, he had never felt so ashamed in his life.

But was that it?

No.

At that moment, Roger pushed through the crowd and walked over to the Lakers’ bench.

He was there to reap the fruits of victory.

“Hey Del, can I get a glass of water?

My head still aches.

Kobe, why so down?

Be confident.

You definitely managed to touch the rim at least once in front of a feverish me, keep it up.”

Was this encouragement?

This was twisting the knife!

A harsh, memorable lesson given by the big brother to his little junior.

But how was this not love?

It was just that Roger’s way of loving Garnett and loving Kobe was a bit different.

After drinking the water, Roger turned to walk away.

Kobe’s mentality was nearly collapsing, the 18-year-old was not nearly as resilient as he would be later.

Just then, Roger suddenly turned back:

“Almost forgot to say, rookie, welcome to the NBA.”

Roger was undoubtedly the most qualified person to say this to Kobe.