Champion Creed
Chapter 574 - 574 206 He doesn't even look like a professional player Vote for monthly tickets!_2

574: 206: He doesn’t even look like a professional player (Vote for monthly tickets!)_2 574: 206: He doesn’t even look like a professional player (Vote for monthly tickets!)_2 But the long cooling period indeed caused the Hawks’ three-point shooters to lose their touch.

In the following rounds, the Hawks’ three-point shots frequently clanged off the rim.

Finally, the Seattle SuperSonics stemmed the bleeding.

Finally, Gary Payton was granted salvation.

But by halftime, the SuperSonics were still down by 15 points.

Moreover, Roger had already racked up a half-time score of 22 points and 7 assists!

Today, Roger played as a ball-dominant core, so his stats were incredibly stunning.

Watching the West’s second-ranked SuperSonics getting thrashed by the Hawks, and with Roger’s explosive stats, Atlanta’s fans were clenching their fists in excitement.

Tonight, the savior was surely going to reveal himself!

The SuperSonics thought their nightmare had ended; although they were trailing by 15 points at halftime, they believed the gap would eventually close if they maintained their double-teaming strategy.

Unfortunately, the Hawks found their three-point shooting touch again in the third quarter.

In the third quarter, Bowen stepped in to start in Pippen’s place, while Stevie Smith and Clifford Robinson remained unchanged.

So the Hawks made it rain from downtown again!

Luckily, the SuperSonics also responded on the offensive end, preventing the gap from widening further.

But the SuperSonics had to switch back to man-to-man defense, and Payton’s nightmare started anew.

When Roger, controlling the ball beyond the three-point line, saw no double team from the SuperSonics, he beckoned Payton with a hooked finger, “SPOY, come take your beating!”

Right then, the idea of retirement crossed Gary Payton’s mind.

This game was way too different from what he had anticipated.

Payton’s confidence stemmed from the SuperSonics’ previous three victories over the Lakers; once Shaq was isolated, he became an easy target to play with.

So, he thought Roger would meet the same fate.

But reality proved that with or without Shaq, Roger could thrash Payton.

In the next offensive play, Payton immediately got beaten.

Roger fooled Payton with a half-spin, then took a mid-range jump shot.

The most terrifying aspect of Roger’s offense was his consistency.

As long as your defense isn’t tight enough, don’t expect him to miss consecutively.

Iceman himself was a player known for his stability, as a guard in the NBA he never had a season shooting below 47%.

This was despite Iceman barely training, having no idea what “maintaining form” meant.

And Roger, who trained diligently, was even scarier in this aspect.

His shooting was always hot; make a mistake in defense, and chances were there was no saving it.

This basket further widened the gap, and Roger had now scored 26 points and 9 assists, nearing a double-double.

The West’s second-ranked SuperSonics were helpless!

“I’ve always said it’s illogical to compare the Warriors and Falcons to the Hawks.

Look, now see who’s dominating whom!

Even against the West, the Hawks can play dominantly!” Steve Jones’s words gave Atlanta fans a shot in the arm.

Without Shaq, Roger could still handle the Western powerhouses.

The savior wasn’t afraid of the tough teams from the West!

In the following rounds, George Karl still had Payton solo defending Roger.

He needed time for the other Hawks players to lose their three-point touch, just like in the second quarter.

As long as the gap wasn’t stretched to 20 points, there was still a chance.

As long as Payton could hold off Roger a few times, there was still a chance.

But what followed was a rerun of the disgrace of 1996.

Gary Payton, known for his defense league-wide, was scored on consecutively by Roger.

Consecutive scoring.

Starting from that earlier basket, Roger scored on Payton in three straight possessions.

The SuperSonics certainly had their responses on the offensive end, but they could not succeed in every round.

As long as they had a round where they failed to score, the gap in the score would widen a bit.

When Roger took Payton down for the fourth consecutive round, the Hawks had extended their lead to 20 points!

George Karl was beyond desperate.

Payton hadn’t managed to stop Roger for even a single round, not once!

The illusion he had in his mind, that “with Jordan retired, and Roger and Shaq split up, the world would belong to himself,” was ruthlessly shattered by Roger.

Because this was George Karl’s first encounter with the Hawks this season, they still had some room for fantasy until now.

But after today, George Karl saw the reality.

Roger and that wastrel Shaq, who only knew how to indulge in pleasures, were not the same.

Roger didn’t give in.

This era didn’t belong to anyone.

He had earned everything he had today by taking down Michael Jordan.

He wouldn’t easily hand it over!

In the fifth round of continuous one-on-one challenges against Payton in the third quarter, Payton’s defense was still serious.

This was where Payton was better than other players.

Anyone else would have already crumbled and just opened their legs to let Roger do as he pleased.

But Payton wouldn’t.

He still wanted to salvage everything.

Roger just loved this about Payton.

A high-quality backboard to better highlight his own strength.

Roger continued to take on Payton one-on-one outside the three-point line, slowly dribbling closer, then he made a crossover in front of his body.

But this time Payton wasn’t shaken off.

He maintained his position to the side in front of Roger, with one hand pushing and the other ready to raise high at any moment.

Roger stopped abruptly on the left side of the free-throw line and took a jump shot.

However, Payton’s braking was very timely; he didn’t lose his position and jumped up to interfere, completely covering the ball with his palm.

This was the best and tightest round of defense Payton had put up against Roger today!

Roger’s rhythm was disrupted; he paused in mid-air and only after adjusting the angle did he take the shot.

Payton was ecstatic; he had finally stood up for himself!

But when he turned his head, what he saw was the basketball swooshing cleanly through the net!

George Karl might have been effective in containing the Hawks’ three-point feel, but Roger’s touch had been thoroughly fed by him!

“Always, always don’t compare me with that dead fatty.

It isn’t I who stand on the shoulders of a giant, it’s the giant who stands on mine.

He couldn’t handle you when he was alone, but I am different.

Even without a superstar center, I’ll still dominate you.

Got it?

SPOY!”

Payton had been thoroughly taught a lesson about not talking big before a game.

Having said that, Roger turned around and raised his arm.

Just as the camera caught him, there happened to be a light source shining from behind Roger, forming a halo around him.

The fans in Atlanta were stunned in front of their TVs; to them, this was like the holy light emitted by a savior!

At that moment, they truly believed that the fate of the city was in Roger’s hands.

God said, let there be light.

And thus, the light dispelled the gloom over Georgia!

So how to express sincere faith in God?

Buy!

Buy Roger’s shirts, buy Roger’s sneakers, buy Roger’s wine, buy Roger’s documentary DVDs, buy Roger’s essence!

Buy, buy, buy!

At this moment, the camera shifted away from the sanctified Roger to the Hawks’ bench.

Ben Wallace, with his explosive hairstyle, who grew 10 centimeters taller overnight, complained to Bowen beside him, “God, Payton’s defense even makes me feel like he’s not a professional player.”

“Yeah, in front of Roger, I think Payton should go play in the CBA,” Bowen laughed.

Although the fans in front of the TV couldn’t hear what Big Ben and Bowen were saying, they could easily guess based on their lip movements.

Luckily, Big Ben and Bowen were talking about Payton; if it had been someone else, the two would have been hanged from street lamps.