Champion Creed
Chapter 571 - 571 205 Hi SPOY Vote for monthly ticket please!_3

571: 205: Hi, SPOY (Vote for monthly ticket please!)_3 571: 205: Hi, SPOY (Vote for monthly ticket please!)_3 So, they harbored intense hatred toward Roger and Shaq.

Nowadays, the SuperSonics’ main lineup hasn’t changed much; it’s still essentially the team from the ’96 Finals, meaning the animosity never faded.

Before the season began, Gary Payton had made a fierce statement, “What does the breakup between Roger and Shaq mean?

It means their good days are over; I’ll settle scores with each of them!”

Payton did as he said; each time he encountered the Lakers this season, the entire SuperSonics team became extremely agitated.

So far this season, the OK combination’s Lakers had not managed to win any game against the SuperSonics.

The last game was the worst, with the Lakers losing by 12 points to the SuperSonics.

A Lakers fan, tears in his eyes after the game, said, “I always believed in Shaq, thinking he was the greatest giant in the league.

But after losing to the Hawks, Jazz, Spurs, and then the SuperSonics, he’s practically lost all face!”

When Roger and Shaq were together, the SuperSonics were helpless.

But now that they were on their own, the SuperSonics would give it all back!

Today, they finally confronted Roger.

In the pregame court-side interview, George Karl openly complained about the Hawks’ style of play and mocked Reebok’s recent series of marketing campaigns:

“The Hawks team throws elbows fifty times a night, and that bastard Bruce Bowen would sneak his foot under yours any chance he gets.

What can you expect from the dirtiest, most barbaric team in NBA history?

A savior?

Ha, that’s just boring marketing.”

Before the tip-off, Gary Payton was rather arrogant, “Yo, Roger, where’s your Big Dog?

Without him protecting you, you’re going to be torn to pieces.”

The “Big Dog” Payton referred to was undoubtedly Shaq.

Facing Payton’s trash talk, Roger responded calmly, “Does anyone still remember who was the most disastrous DPOY in Finals history?”

“Damn, only losers bring up past glory!” Payton yelled back, stung by the remark.

But at that, Roger laughed out loud, “Yeah, you never talk about your glory days because you have none.”

Payton gritted his teeth but took deep breaths to control his emotions.

Forget it; as long as he could win on the basketball court, that was enough.

Payton was determined to win because this year, no one could help Roger escape the SuperSonics’ fierce double-teaming.

Things weren’t like before; Roger would surely drown in the SuperSonics’ tight, fast double-teams!

The game was about to start, and both teams’ starters gathered close.

Today, the Hawks made some adjustments in their starting lineup; Lenny Wilkens replaced the consistently good-performing Alan Henderson with Clifford Robinson.

Henderson, ranked second on the list of most-improved players this season, had given a 12+6 performance after two lukewarm seasons, nearly doubling his stats and earning praise for his activeness on both offense and defense.

The media said he was a Robert Horry without a long-range shot.

Moreover, he was a high-IQ guy; whenever reporters asked why he had made such great progress, he would say, “Roger’s leadership has transformed me.”

Of course, Roger knew this had nothing to do with him.

Alan Henderson’s sudden improvement was due to the NBA’s most unexplainable magic—contract year explosion.

So facing a tough opponent like the SuperSonics, it was strange that Lenny Wilkens suddenly pulled Henderson, who had been performing well.

“Maybe it’s to increase the height on the court, given that Vin Baker is tough to deal with,” Steve Jones thought.

At this moment, countless Atlanta fans were watching the live broadcast, hoping their team would crush the Western powerhouse.

For Roger’s “savior” marketing, this was a very important match.

After all, you need to perform miracles occasionally to strengthen people’s faith in you.

“The Savior will die tonight,” Payton said just before the jump ball.

“Shut up, SPOY.”

“What’s that?”

“Softest Player of the Year.”

The referee tossed the ball, and Jim McIlvaine, a failure of a center who indirectly caused the Reign Man to leave, secured the tip-off for the SuperSonics.

Against the SuperSonics, the Hawks adopted a one-on-one defensive strategy, implying that this group wasn’t worth the effort of double-teaming.

With Pippen guarding him, Payton passed the ball to Vin Baker, who used a beautiful pivot move to get past Clifford Robinson, and under Kurt Thomas’s timely defense, softly finished close to the basket.

“Looks like your strategy is useless,” Payton said proudly, “Without a superstar center, you guys don’t even know how to play.”

Roger didn’t respond, but quietly joined the offense.

Pippen pushed past midcourt, swiftly passing the ball to Roger, who was still guarded by Payton.

Roger immediately backed down moving toward the basket, but soon Schrempf and Hawkins, two old acquaintances, teamed up to double-team him.

Facing the intense double-team, Roger didn’t hesitate and promptly passed the ball to the right side at a 45-degree angle.

Stevie Smith caught the ball and shot; the basketball swished through the net for three points!

After scoring, Stevie Smith pointed to the sky; he pointed skyward every time he scored a basket, praying for Andy.

3 to 2, the Hawks took the lead at the start.

Following that, during the SuperSonics’ offense, Schrempf attempted a drive but was intercepted by Roger, whose defensive performance had further improved this season, almost guaranteeing him a spot on the All-Defensive Team.