Champion Creed
Chapter 472 - 472 177 Michael Jordan Is No Longer Important Requesting Monthly Votes!

472: 177: Michael Jordan Is No Longer Important (Requesting Monthly Votes!) 472: 177: Michael Jordan Is No Longer Important (Requesting Monthly Votes!) Dominique Wilkins harbored a psychological shadow when it came to superstars.

How did Larry Bird kill the fourth quarter of Game 7 in ’88?

Actually, there’s no complicated story.

To take the seventh game, Bird relied on one move—using an inside screen, circling to mid-range to catch the ball, and shooting despite however many fucking people were on him.

It was always this strategy, this set of moves.

After countless slow-motion replays with both hands, the Celtics won.

Yes, the way Bird killed the game was so plainspoken and tedious.

In terms of scoring brilliance, Bird couldn’t even match half of Wilkins.

But it was this plainness that made Wilkins experience the most horrifying despair of his professional career.

The kind of despair where your legs are bound with lead weights, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t lift your head out of the water.

You know what he’s about to do, you know he definitely can’t make any outrageous moves.

You can even catch onto his steps, disrupt his shooting.

But he just scores.

One basket, then another basket, as steady as a piston’s motion.

The net swishes while your heart is tormented with each and every one of his scores.

After doing all this, he still has the nerve to thoroughly destroy your dignity with a sentence like “Damn, who’s guarding me?” making you fear and despise him for life.

Such was Larry Bird, the bane of Dominique Wilkins.

But Bird was just a tangible image; the superstars that Bird represented were the true source of Wilkins’ fear.

Opponents you couldn’t stop no matter what made Wilkins feel afraid and dejected.

They represented an order that couldn’t be challenged, an entity that couldn’t be offended, that couldn’t be defeated.

Today, as Michael Jordan suppressed the Magic with the aura of a descending deity, that feeling came back to Wilkins.

That’s probably why Wilkins only ever made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals in his whole life.

If Chris Paul is the most qualified author to write about the “Western Finals,” then Wilkins is the best candidate for penning the “Eastern Finals.”

As the team’s lead, when he starts to fear and dread the opponent’s lead, how can his team win the game?

Fortunately, Roger’s firm stance gave him courage like never before.

Now, in the Magic players’ minds, there’s no recollection of Jordan’s God-like presence in the first three quarters, only the echoing words: “After tonight, we’ll all be wearing new rings!”

Screw the black-skinned god, we have the truth!

The fourth quarter started quickly, and according to the game plan, the offense focus was to shift from Shaq to Roger.

First offense, Roger didn’t hold the ball; he cut inside, then used an off-ball screen to double back out, catching the ball on the right side of the foul line, shooting, scoring.

A very ordinary catch-and-shoot, Roger sounded the horn for the counterattack.

In the next play, Michael Jordan’s shot didn’t go in, granting the Magic a chance to further close the gap.

Cutting in, using an O’Neal off-ball screen to loop back out, catching the ball at mid-range, shooting, scoring.

The New York fans on-site felt confused, wait, did we just watch a replay happen in real time?

Indeed, it was like a replay.

The way Roger executed those two offenses was almost a carbon copy.

Because this simple method was exactly Roger’s most efficient scoring tactic right now.

He was full of energy, so his speed was almost unaffected, allowing him to easily shake off Larry Johnson.

His shooting touch was also hardly affected, so he could easily sink these shots with plenty of space.

Wilkins swallowed hard, feeling the scene was a bit too familiar.

The same running routes, the same catch-and-shoot, the same difficulty to stop.

The difference was, this time, the one executing it all was on his side.

Marv Albert also sensed the friction between stars sparking: “Earlier we were complaining that Roger and Michael’s highlights never coincide.

So today, could it be a game where Roger and Michael both put up standout performances simultaneously?”

Indeed, because Jordan responded quickly.

He called for the ball in the low post, spun around along the baseline, and drove into the paint.

O’Neal didn’t dare to foul, only raising his arms to obstruct.

So, a classic, tongue-wagging up-and-under layup put the Knicks back up by five points.

He reminded Roger that this difficult night wouldn’t end so easily.

After the basket, Jordan turned to yell at Larry Johnson, “I got him!”

Michael Jordan decided to stake everything.

He knew doing this would affect his own offense, but he had to guard Roger.

Only he could keep pace with Roger, making it difficult for him to receive the ball.

In the subsequent play, the Knicks’ defense was successful.

By grappling and pulling, Jordan stuck close to Roger.

Harper hesitated several times but ultimately didn’t pass the ball.

He feared Jordan might steal or disrupt it.

The Magic’s offense had to start from scratch, the ball was given to O’Neal.

Shaq turned around against Ewing, jumping for a bank shot while bracing against an unexpected pair of elbows.

The basketball hit the backboard, bounced off the rim, and the Knicks’ tough inside defense held firm again.

Seeing the ball bounce off, Jordan pumped his fist then bellowed, “Wake up, Roger, it’s all over!”

“As long as you’re in the league for one more day, Michael, it will never be over,” Roger followed Jordan back to the half-court, Wilkins instantly understood Roger’s intention—he was going to defend Jordan!