Champion Creed
Chapter 468 - 468 176 Title Page Requesting monthly passes!

468: 176: Title Page (Requesting monthly passes!) 468: 176: Title Page (Requesting monthly passes!) Roger marveled at Magic’s speed, as a well-known superstar with significant influence, God knows how he managed to kill his own show so quickly.

Considering that the “Flying Pig” and Kenny Smith’s shows, filled with crude topics, were popular for so long, Roger genuinely felt sorry for Magic.

Magic shouldn’t have invited cheerleaders to dance, he should have smeared mustard on a donkey’s rear end and then bet, “If Michael wins the series, I’ll eat that mustard!

I promise I really will do it!”

When the news of the show’s cancellation spread, all fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Some of them finally didn’t have to watch their idol embarrass himself on TV, while others were glad not to watch such a boring show during prime time anymore.

Such was Magic’s power, always able to satisfy all basketball fans.

The hosting experience was a huge embarrassment, but fortunately, no one cared about Magic’s awkwardness for the time being.

When the Magic Team secured the match point, everyone was only concerned about whether the Magic could clinch the series in Game 6 or if the Knicks could force a Game 7 on their home court.

The most unbearable thing for New York fans today was probably that the game killer was neither Shaq nor Roger.

But a substitute.

A substitute who had already announced he would retire after the season.

After the game, Saru didn’t boast at the press conference, but the reporters were joking around, “How does it feel to be teammates with Roger?

He toys with me, threatens me, beats me, making me suffer through the whole process!

So, I knew I had better make that shot, or else Roger would whip me all night long with a small whip!”

Well, American reporters have always been puzzled by Saru’s Eastern European sense of humor.

Nevertheless, Saru was today’s hero.

He was fearless, took the responsibility when it mattered most, and upheld his king’s authority.

Maybe many years later, people will say this was a “dynasty-saving three-pointer.”

But no one expects Saru to perform like this in the next game; he’s a poor defender after all, and the Magic Team wouldn’t increase his playtime to expose a defensive weakness to the Knicks.

And really, you can’t always count on Saru to make clutch shots every time, can you?

He truly is a fine knight, but then again, what kind of real king needs to be rescued by someone else every other day?

Roger still needs to rely on himself to win the game.

One day before Game 6, Michael returned to New York, exhausted.

The Magic Team’s defense made him go through three incredibly difficult matches.

At this moment, the pressure on Michael was immense.

Because he knew if he lost the next game, it could very likely be his last career game.

His comeback would be considered the most embarrassing and failing comeback in NBA history.

Feeling down, Michael decided to go for a drive.

New York, under the busy night sky, the city was plastered with Michael’s billboards.

The “Jumpman” logo of AJ brand was everywhere on the streets.

The streets were full of people wearing Knicks No.

23 jerseys, every AJ store packed with customers,

This was a dreamlike scene, really making Michael feel like he was the king of New York!

He wasn’t just the king of New York; he was the king of the entire NBA, the most crucial tool for NBA marketing.

And now, those jerks are telling him he should retire if he loses the next game?

That’s ridiculous.

But that’s the absurd reality.

In New York, on the surface, everything seemed peaceful and cheerful.

But what about other places?

Many no longer regarded Michael Jordan as a deity, and his status was seriously in jeopardy.

This year, the Knicks had only two more nationally televised games than the Magic.

Considering the market size difference between New York and Orlando, that’s a pretty poor performance.

AJ’s sales were still leading, but that was due to the accumulated brand value from the past, which would inevitably be depleted sooner or later.

The market demand for Michael Jordan was visible dropping rapidly.

For other stars, this might not be a big deal, as everyone goes through such valleys.

During Isaiah Thomas’s last season at the Palace of Auburn Hills arena, the Pistons’ home game attendance didn’t exceed seventy percent, and his charm as a superstar completely vanished.

But Michael couldn’t afford such a thing; Nike and David Falk definitely couldn’t let “Jumpman losing his magic” happen.

He had to remain an unfading flag, the name that comes to mind whenever basketball is mentioned.

Yes, most stars lose everything in their twilight years, but Michael Jordan couldn’t afford that, especially not going out losing three years in a row to Roger.

He was truly on the brink of destruction.

He always played the previous games as if they were his last, but never imagined that suddenly, the actual last one might really come.

Michael gripped the steering wheel tightly, not ready to give up; he still wanted that fourth championship, and even to build another dynasty.

He did not want the bustling scene before him to turn into history, to become mere bubbles.

Michael continued to drive aimlessly around the streets while the radio inside was discussing potential transfers this summer.

Where Shaq would go was the topic the radio host discussed the most.

This was hundreds of times hotter than George joining the 76ers, Paul joining the Spurs, or Klay joining the Mavericks later.