Champion Creed
Chapter 486 - 486 181 You know exactly how I'm going to deal with you asking for monthly passes!_2

486: 181: You know exactly how I’m going to deal with you (asking for monthly passes!)_2 486: 181: You know exactly how I’m going to deal with you (asking for monthly passes!)_2 Stockton really was that kind of person, who seemed very different from how he played.

“Roger, can you tie it up!?” Marv Albert almost stood up, he knew Roger always managed to kill the game at critical moments.

But after the big shout, the basketball bounced out of the rim.

In the iron-blooded Salt Lake City, it seemed Roger also couldn’t work miracles.

Although Stockton’s recent move was nasty, it had to be said, he timed his dive perfectly.

When evaluating Stockton’s defensive awareness, give him as many points as possible.

Take a closer look at his failed defenses, and you will find that Stockton basically got the timing right but was often embarrassingly outplayed.

On defense, Stockton was always the most alert and calm.

Roger gritted his teeth and quickly fell back on defense, he had to beat this bastard who never made mistakes!

Mutombo secured his position, Stockton sneaked in to grab the rebound, and took a couple of dribbles.

Then, with one hand, he powerfully threw the ball high into the air.

The live camera quickly followed the flying basketball, and only then did people see that Karl Malone had somehow already run to the frontcourt!

However, trailing him, Derrick McKey and Roger were closing in fast, poised to potentially snatch the ball away.

Derrick McKey jumped as the basketball began to descend, but it just cleared his fingertips, landing steadily in Karl Malone’s hands!

This was almost a replay of the original history from the 1997 finals, when with just over 40 seconds left, the Chicago Bulls led by one point, and Stockton, with his Chang’e-6 No.

31 Mach speed return-to-base black technology-like precise pass, found Malone, his partner of 12 years.

Malone’s steady layup helped the Jazz finally turn the tide at the last moment.

But this time, things changed.

Roger hadn’t jumped up to intercept the pass because he knew it would be futile.

As Karl Malone caught the ball and went up for the layup, Roger leapt and roughly grabbed at Karl Malone’s arm in mid-air.

It was a brutal foul, causing Karl Malone to lose his balance and crash sideways onto the floor.

If this were the era of small ball style basketball, Roger would have at least received a technical.

But in 1997, it was just a common foul.

Watching Malone lying on the ground, there was not a trace of pity on Roger’s face.

He admitted that his move was a bit excessive, but he felt there was no need to show mercy or feel guilty against these two dirty old bastards from Salt Lake City.

With his teammates’ help, Malone got back up and approached the free-throw line.

He looked at Roger, shaking his head constantly, “Do you think it’ll work?

Soon, we are going to take the game to Game 6!”

Malone thought Roger just wanted to vent his anger, as the foul was pointless.

Make the two free throws, and it’s all over.

He was confident about making both shots.

Karl Malone had once been a poor free throw shooter; in his first two professional seasons, his free throw percentage was below 60%.

But later he honed the basic skill of free-throw shooting.

In the playoffs, he even had four seasons shooting above 80% from the line.

So, he thought making two free throws was a piece of cake for him.

The crowd fell silent, as the Delta Center only quieted down when a Jazz player took free throws.

Yet in this hushed environment, it was even easier for Karl Malone to hear what other people on the court were saying.

Karl Malone’s free throws steady?

Roger didn’t think so, did he forget how last season the Jazz lost to the SuperSonics in Game 7?

Roger stood beside the free throw line, shouting at Malone, “Everybody knows you can’t make clutch free throws, you nervous wretch, like last year.”

Roger’s words clearly reached Karl Malone in the quiet.

Malone released the ball, believing he was not affected.

But with a “bang,” the first shot was off.

“Fuck!” Malone cursed, then high-fived his teammates.

Roger watched Malone with a grin, shrugging, “Great Karl, you’re about to let down those fans who believe in you again.”

“Shut up, Roger!”

“The refs haven’t told me to shut up, why are you barking?

Can’t handle it?

Can’t bear the pressure of being a champion?

You don’t deserve it, you nervous wretch who always chokes on crucial free throws.”

“Shut your mouth!”

“You won’t make it, and you know very well that once you miss, I’ll show you no mercy.”

For the second shot, Malone felt an even greater psychological burden.

He tried to stay composed, but the rhythm of his shot was unnatural.

The basketball hit the rim’s side and bounced away; Shaq grabbed the rebound.

“Damn it!” Karl Malone complained.

“Stop him!” Jerry Sloan pointed and shouted in panic at Roger, who was already sprinting forward.

O’Neal didn’t hesitate; the moment he landed from grabbing the rebound, he launched a long pass to Roger.

Yes, despite the extreme division between the two, their on-court chemistry was etched into their very bones.

The basketball quickly crossed the midcourt, and Roger caught it securely.

On the court, he and Shaq could find each other with their eyes closed.

Karl Malone pursued in despair, remembering what Roger had said just moments earlier, “You know very well, once you miss your free throw, how I’ll deal with you later.”

He knew all too well; that guy wouldn’t miss any chance to kill the game!

As Malone despaired, John Stockton, the man who never made mistakes, had already reacted and was biting at Roger’s side the instant Roger got the ball.

As a five-time All-Defensive Team guard, Stockton had countless legitimate and illegitimate ways to stop Roger’s fast break.

But Roger then chose the most unexpected way to attack.

He didn’t drive into the paint as expected, but stopped abruptly a step outside the three-point line, jumped, stared at the hoop, and with that textbook shooting form, released the ball.

Stockton’s eyes widened.

This distance, this position, it was just like his last series game-winner against Barkley.

Stockton leaped high, arms raised, trying to block the line of sight between Roger, the killer, and the basket.

However, what Roger saw wasn’t the basket at all, but that fire.

The fire in the meeting room from yesterday had already died down, but look, it was burning in the heart of every Magic player!

The ending of the Magic World story had to be beautiful!

Shaq watched the basketball, silently shouting in his heart, “T-H-R-E-E!!!!!!!!!!!”

He admitted, he hated this team, and he hated Roger even more.

But he still wanted to win.

He wanted to leave as a champion, not as a loser swept out the door.

Whoosh.

The heated Delta Center fell silent as if frozen.

“Three-pointer is good, Roger in the final 23 seconds with a three-pointer helps Magic take the lead!

He is insane, he looked so determined, as if he truly believed the shot would make it before he even released it!” Marv Albert roared.

Roger landed, looked at Malone and Stockton, and pointed to the Western Conference championship banner hanging at the top of the arena: “I’m gonna lift the cup right here in the Delta Center.

As for you two, garbage who can’t make a shot or free throw when it counts, take that Western Conference champion shroud to wrap your corpses!”

Malone and Stockton stood with their hands on their hips, exchanging glances, powerless against the insolent Roger.

Roger’s prophecy came true; Malone was again knocked down at the crucial moment due to a free throw.

In contrast, Roger did what he said he would, piercing the Jazz’s heart ruthlessly.

It nearly broke Malone.

Stockton sighed; Roger’s shot was almost identical to the one he made to kill the Flying Pig.

But that’s competitive sports, one buzzer-beater buried by another, one would-be hero replaced by another hero.

It nearly broke Stockton.

And so, they both became footnotes to legend!

The proclamation in the meeting room.

The memory like a flame.

Karl Malone’s two missed free throws.

Stockton’s helpless interference.

Legend had already begun to brew before this moment.

Everything before was just the raw material for brewing legends.

This ball wasn’t a buzzer-beater, but it did kill the game.

In the remaining 23 seconds, John Stockton’s midrange shot hit iron under Roger’s interference, and the Orlando Magic sealed a 79-78 victory in this defensive battle.

The fans in the Delta Center were ashen-faced, as there was no precedent in NBA Finals history for a comeback from 1-3 down.

You could say, the outcome was already sealed.

Roger jumped up and punched the air, embracing his teammates tightly.

“Just one more battle!”

He yelled within the huddle of his teammates.

But for Roger, the upcoming Game 5 wasn’t just a game, it was a championship celebration, a Dynasty Feast!

The final chapter of an epic, he wouldn’t allow for any imperfection!