Champion Creed
Chapter 685 - 685 238 Tribute to Shaq - The Best Second-in-Command in the Basketball World Requesting Monthly Tickets!

685: 238: Tribute to Shaq – The Best Second-in-Command in the Basketball World (Requesting Monthly Tickets!) 685: 238: Tribute to Shaq – The Best Second-in-Command in the Basketball World (Requesting Monthly Tickets!) December in Los Angeles heralded the most fervent season.

A 16-game winning streak at the start.

A possible 17-game winning streak.

Arch-rival Hawks.

Los Angeles fans were obsessed with these key words.

The Los Angeles Lakers once again became the hottest team in the league.

In sports magazines, lengthy articles analyzed why the Lakers were successful this season.

In sports programs, host after host speculated on the Lakers’ chances of winning the championship this season.

The most magical part of this was that the Lakers did not make any blockbuster signings after the Zen Master’s arrival.

They basically retained the same roster from last season, but managed to perform much better than before.

Following the method of controlling variables, the one who changed everything was definitely the Zen Master.

Indeed, the Zen Master brought something to the Lakers that they had lacked in the past two seasons: a strict hierarchy.

Many years ago, when Phil Jackson first became the head coach of the Bulls, he walked into the training center on the first day carrying a ladder.

As everyone wondered what he was doing, he pointed to the top of the ladder, “Michael is here.”

Then he pointed to the bottom of the ladder, “Everyone else is here, or perhaps even lower.”

Phil Jackson’s basketball creed followed the principle of a “strict hierarchy”; he wanted everyone to understand their roles.

If you can only score 8 points in a game, then you should politely stay at the bottom of the ladder, supporting the man at the top.

On the Lakers’ first day of training he made it clear: “Shaq is the core, every play should ideally pass through him.”

So how did the Zen Master handle Kobe?

Becasue he also said, “Shaq is the first option, but not the only option.

In crucial moments, we need someone to take over the game.

Kobe Bryant, no one is better suited for this role than you.”

The Zen Master’s philosophy perfectly aligned with the reconciliation Kobe and Shaq had reached after being thoroughly beaten last season.

Shaq would handle the first three quarters, Kobe would handle the fourth, a unanimity on this gave them a feeling of regret for not meeting sooner.

Phil Jackson finally solved a problem everyone knew about but couldn’t fix—uniting Shaq and Kobe.

Silver Fox Harris was too biased towards Kobe, Kurt Rambis lacked authority.

Only the Zen Master could make Kobe and Shaq listen.

This might just be a temporary harmony, but for the Lakers, a 16-game winning streak was enough to prove the Zen Master’s ability.

This is why Jerry West needed Phil Jackson.

Of course, Phil Jackson wasn’t the only reason the Lakers could succeed.

If Shaq and Kobe themselves were not willing to reconcile, even Jesus couldn’t control the locker room.

After being thoroughly defeated by the Hawks both on the basketball court and physically last season, they truly resolved to do better.

Shaq went through an unbelievably hard-working off-season, successfully shedding the extra fat, and even spent three hours a day practicing free throws.

There are few seasons where Shaq took things seriously, and this was undoubtedly one of them.

His burning desire to crush Roger and the Hawks made him, for the first time in his life, willing to put aside his indulgences.

As for Kobe, in his fourth year, he truly grew up.

His excellent defense was widely recognized, he honestly stuck to the game rules of collaborating with Shaq, no longer indulging in solo plays but throwing all his passion into the fourth quarter.

This was undoubtedly a transformative season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

They had to clip the Hawks’ wings!

The day before the game, Pierce arrived in Los Angeles with the team.

After getting off the plane, he was extremely nervous, looking around in a paranoid manner.

He was afraid.

In media reports, Paul Pierce was seen as a brave man who, even after being stabbed 13 times, bravely returned to the court and performed quite well.

But in reality, no one could be unscathed after such a horrifying injury.

For a long time after being stabbed, Pierce seldom went out except for training and matches.

Even when he did go out, he wore a bulletproof vest and was accompanied by a host of bodyguards.

It was almost to the point where he needed someone to help him even when urinating.

Pierce chose to quickly return to the team partly because he hoped not to be a drag on the team.

Also, he wanted to spend more time with his teammates, more training, more games, so that he could feel a bit of peace.

As the season progressed, Pierce’s mental condition gradually improved.

But today, returning to Los Angeles where the nightmare happened, he reverted to appearing paranoid.

Once on the bus, Roger looked at the nervous Pierce, patted his shoulder, and said, “Tell me, you definitely don’t want to be humiliated by Kobe Bryant again.”

“Of course, Roger, of course, I’ve changed; you’ll see it tomorrow,” Pierce tried to calm himself, not forgetting the humiliation he suffered at Staples Center last season.

Although the game ultimately ended in a melee victory, Pierce was utterly outclassed by Kobe on the basketball court.

That was the beginning of his decision to change.

He could not make the same mistakes again.

This season’s Kobe was strong, averaging 24.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.

Although he had been selected as an All-Star before, this season’s Kobe truly deserved the title of a star player.

He was more dangerous than in the previous three years.

If beaten by Kobe again, it would be worse than last season.