Champion Creed
Chapter 752 - 752 256 It's over the shit was really eaten in vain!

752: 256: It’s over, the shit was really eaten in vain!

(Asking for monthly tickets!)_3 752: 256: It’s over, the shit was really eaten in vain!

(Asking for monthly tickets!)_3 Without Pierce on the team, the traditional backcourt combination of Roger and Eric Snow managed most of the offensive issues.

They had proven this point during the Eastern Conference Finals.

This time, Roger received the ball directly after coming off a screen, without hesitation, because any hesitation would immediately be met with a double team.

Kobe’s interference was timely, but still a step too slow for Roger.

The basketball hit its mark steadily, and Roger scored successfully under the tight defense of the Lakers’ best defenders!

Alone against O’Neal?

Everyone knew that the Hawks’ greatest reliance wasn’t on any strategy, nor on the “shit” of Paul Pierce, but on Roger!

Without Pierce, the difficulty of the game indeed skyrocketed.

But this didn’t mean that Roger couldn’t win under such difficulty.

Shaq and Roger’s opening was a microcosm of the subsequent half of the overtime.

Once Shaq received the ball deep, he was unstoppable; he threw an elbow, and Big Ben literally felt a thigh across his chest.

Even from a relatively distant position from the basket, Shaq had a high completion rate.

When Marion hastened his defensive steps, Shaq would immediately turn around upon receiving the ball, use a hook shot or a floater to score from any distance.

His effort from the previous summer, which was rare throughout his career, greatly benefited him.

Roger displayed his serpent-like awareness, using agile off-the-ball movement to get open, then scoring mid-range shots right over the fingertips of Kobe and others.

Michael Jordan’s dynasty made people believe that mid-range shots were the weapon to kill the game, making them believe that you could win a championship without entering the paint.

As the highest achiever of his time, Roger mastered this deadly technique.

While O’Neal and Roger fought like demigods, Kobe picked up scraps between the two stars and focused on defending.

The Lakers did their best, and so did Roger.

But in the playoffs, everything is always decided by blood and iron.

Overtime was more than halfway through, and both sides had increased their defensive intensity.

The beautiful display abruptly stopped.

Roger, Pippen, Snow, and Marion started to exploit their defensive coverage, moving energetically, creating a dense web of arms to block the basketball from penetrating inside.

Once anyone rashly passed the ball to Shaq, they were likely to intercept and swiftly counterattack.

On the Lakers’ side, Phil Jackson boldly let Marion and Pippen go, setting up a zone defense, and as soon as Eric Snow fed the ball, everyone converged on Roger, pinning him down.

Roger always managed to pass the ball actively in double teams, but Marion and Pippen’s shots were not up to the mark, and their drives were contained by the voluminous Shaq.

Though the Hawks could still score, their efficiency wasn’t enough to support a victory.

The five minutes of overtime passed in an instant, and suddenly there was only 1 minute 03 seconds left, with the Hawks leading by one point.

The outcome was still undecided, and the suspense remained.

Roger faced O’Neal directly with his outstanding personal skills and didn’t fall short, but O’Neal still had a chance to bring victory back to Los Angeles.

The Lakers had possession, facing perhaps the most crucial attack of the season.

Phil Jackson was excitedly waving his arms on the sidelines, shouting loudly, giving on-the-spot commands—a scene Pippen had never witnessed before.

When had that old hippie ever been so excited, even dancing on the sidelines?

Then quickly, Pippen noticed something was amiss.

As the command went on, the Lakers surprisingly allowed Kobe to go one-on-one against him!

Pippen realized immediately; this was Phil Jackson’s strategy—he considered himself the weak point!

Pippen gritted his teeth; it was an insult.

This round represented the complete end of his friendship with Phil Jackson.

He wouldn’t speak to that old man ever again!

“Phil lets Kobe have the ball in crucial moments, and everyone spreads out.

What will Kobe do?” Marv Albert clenched his fists.

At this moment, people finally truly forgot the famous scene of Shaq eating shit, now focusing only on victory.

Kobe, in his fourth year, faced 35-year-old Pippen without any fear in his eyes.

He was well aware that this once league’s best perimeter defender had moved far away from his wildest years.

Kobe was confident; he intended to crush this man!

Kobe started dribbling back and forth, testing Pippen’s center of gravity, which was no longer as flexible as before.

Temporarily, no one came up to help defend; the Hawks were confident in Pippen’s one-on-one perimeter defense.

Suddenly, Kobe accelerated, changed direction, and in a flash, he had passed Pippen, passing those arms and hands that had once caused nightmares for countless perimeter players.

Kobe charged towards the paint at full speed along the middle path.

Shawn Marion immediately moved to defend, and Big Ben focused all his attention on Kobe.

Then, Kobe tossed the ball into the air.

“Damn.” Roger immediately knew the defense had failed because the scene was all too familiar.

As everyone looked up at the basketball, they saw the big man lurking at the edge of the paint, with an unwavering speed that belied his size, burst through the air, grabbed the basketball, and slammed it forcefully into the basket!

“The Century Alley-oop!

This belongs to the OK duo’s Century Alley-oop!

Oh, God, remember the Magic Team’s first championship?

Remember how the strongest duo in history was formed?

The Century Alley-oop reappears in Atlanta, a miracle reenacted!”