Champions Creed

Chapter 133 132: Ice Blue (ask for a monthly ticket!)

Yes, this combination always brings surprises to people.

If it weren't for Roger and Shark, you might never see someone playing basketball well and suddenly starting to take off clothes for his teammates.

"Damn it! I told you to change your jersey back!"

"Shut up Roger, and take it off quickly. You didn't take so long when you unbuttoned Snow White's bra with one hand!"

"Don't mention Snow White anymore, I'm already speeding up!"

"Hurry up, hurry up!"

Bill Walton looked at Roger and Shark, who were in a panic, and wiped his sweat with a smile. Such a passionate story was turned into a comedy by the two of them.

No one knows what Roger and the Shark are doing, but it is certain that the Bulls will not miss the opportunity to overtake the score again.

Michael Jordan passed the ball to Pippen. The moment Pippen caught the ball, Roger, who had just helped Shark pull his hands out of his clothes, immediately ran towards Pippen.

Pippen broke through with the ball when Roger was about to approach. Roger, who was rushing forward with all his strength, found it difficult to immediately adjust his center of gravity and chase in the opposite direction.

Pippen just broke into the restricted area and jumped for a dunk.

But O'Neal raised his arms in time and returned to the basket. Although he didn't have time to jump, his huge body still became an obstacle between Pippen and the basket.

Pippen hit the shark hard, and the shark's weight stopped Pippen's forward body. At this point, it was impossible to dunk through the shark, so Pippen could only change the dunk in the air and throw the ball into the basket.

However, not everyone has Jordan's ability to change his posture in the air and score a goal. Pippen failed to score after changing his dunk in the fierce confrontation.

The Bulls' offense was once again stifled by Roger and the Shark!

Jordan cursed inwardly. He had just passed the ball very timely, but he didn't expect that Roger and the Shark could still complete the defense in this situation!

O'Neal was really diligent in protecting Roger from behind today.

Pippen had already missed the shot, but Roger, who was originally planning to chase Pippen, was unable to brake in the air and crashed into Pippen and the shark.

The shark was finally unable to withstand the second impact and fell backwards.

So Roger, Pippen and O'Neal all fell to the ground.

The Shark was at the bottom, Pippen was in the middle, and Roger was on top of both of them.

Roger patted Pippen on the butt: "It's not that easy, Scott."

Then immediately stand up and join the attack.

O'Neal also patted Pippen's butt: "Don't even think about scoring, Scott."

Then he pushed away Pippen who was on top of him and immediately stood up to join the attack.

The dishevelled Pippen lay on the ground crying without tears. He never thought that one day he would be toyed with by two men at the same time!
Dear Dan, I'm not clean anymore!
This defense further boosted the morale of the Magic team. Under the leadership of Roger and Shark, the Magic are getting closer and closer to defeating the Bulls for the second time this season.

As the ratings for the game grew, Bill Walton clenched his fists tighter and tighter.

Why are people so excited? Because this is not just a regular season win. If you really understand what the 96 Bulls were like, you will know why this victory is so special.

The longest winning streak of the season is 18, and the most terrifying record so far is 65 wins and 8 losses. The team ranks first in the league in both offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency.

Magic Johnson, who made a brief comeback, believes that "this Bulls' offense is as good as the Lakers in the 80s."

Hubie Brown, the veteran coach who started coaching professional basketball teams in 1972 and won the ABA championship in 75, firmly stated: "In my long decades of basketball career, they are the strongest defensive team I have ever seen."

Chuck Daly believes: "This Bulls team is even better than the three-peat Bulls team in 91-93."

Kevin Garnett, the No. 25 pick in the high school draft, was traumatized by the Chicago Bulls: "I accidentally angered Michael, and then the Timberwolves had to run back and forth for nearly a quarter, and I couldn't even touch the ball. We were beaten 0- in that quarter, and it was the most embarrassing moment of my life."

This is the Chicago Bulls this season. They trample on all teams with reckless abandon, and their dominance is unprecedented in history.

Sure, they lose occasionally, but the revenge is often more fierce.

They lost to the SuperSonics, then won by 26 points the next time they met.

They lost to the Denver Nuggets, then slaughtered the Denver Miners by 21 points the next time they met.

They lost to the Heat, but in the next two encounters they won by a total of 26 points.

Similar stories have been repeated again and again this season. They are like the brutal Spartan army, causing rivers of blood wherever they go, and writing the epic of conquest with the blood of their enemies.

There is an even more terrifying record - so far this season, the Chicago Bulls have remained undefeated at home.

No team can take victory away from the United Center. What greets them in Chicago is never roses, only death.

This season's regular season is almost over, and Chicago fans have never experienced the feeling of losing at home.

Every night, every Chicago fan watching the game at the United Center can enjoy a hearty victory. From November last year to April this year, there is no exception.

Such a regular season performance is simply incredible.

So people believe that this will be the season when Michael Jordan returns to the altar.

This will be the beginning of a new dynasty for the Chicago Bulls.

Just like Michael Jordan said in an interview with ESPN a few days ago: "This year, we will get it done."

Although the Magic have been chasing after the Bulls, they are always a little behind in terms of record.

Moreover, the Magic have experienced too many unexpected events this season. The frequent disappearance of the team's main center O'Neal and the contract renewal turmoil with the team have made people feel that the Magic are very likely to collapse from within.

But tonight, when Roger wore the Shark's jersey to show his support for him, when the Shark rushed back to the court in the fourth quarter to participate in the game, when the two of them teamed up to strangle the opponent on the defensive end and scored in tacit understanding on the offensive end, all proved one thing: "Under the influence of Roger's magic, the defending champion still has the strength to fight!"

Roger Magic, this term was first coined by Bill Walton.

He believes that it was Roger who enabled the team to withstand the various off-field difficulties as the defending champions.

Even though the Chicago Bulls had the most dominant season in history, even though Michael Jordan's basketball skills had become so refined that no one could match him.

Magic can still cause them trouble!
They are on track to become the first team to beat the Bulls twice in the regular season.

They were about to become the first team to win at the United Center.

In other words, they are the only team that refuses to be dominated by the Chicago Bulls!

Shark and Roger pressed down the bloody horns with their hands!

That’s what this game is about, and that’s why people are so excited.

With little time left in the game, Roger and the Shark once again approached the Bulls' position.

The bloody charge has reached its final moment, and neither side must stop.

Roger passed the ball to O'Neal, and the Bulls' death shrinkage was immediately implemented.

But the shark was not so easy to catch, he pushed the ball to Saroo outside the three-point line with one hand. The latter shot confidently and hit a three-pointer at the fingertips of Michael Jordan.

The Magic led by 5 points and were one step closer to victory.

The Chicago fans forgot to boo. Their hearts were beating faster and they were extremely nervous.

Will this be the Bulls' first home loss?

Michael Jordan was ready to launch a counterattack, but the idea was killed at the first stage.

Just as this high and mighty God's chosen one was approaching the three-point line, he was intercepted by the "mud-legged" Ron Harper!
Harper suddenly attacked the moment he got close to Jordan. Jordan wanted to change direction to avoid it, but the space for him to change direction was blocked by Roger who was coming up from both sides.

In a moment of hesitation, the basketball slipped out of his hand.

Ron Harper immediately ran down the court, and Jordan and Pippen quickly caught up with him, the former responsible for biting Harper, and the latter responsible for blocking his pass to Roger.

This season, Harper has used the trick countless times of rushing to the front to attract the defense, only to let Roger easily attack the basket with the ball.

So the Bulls are very experienced in dealing with it.

But this time, Harper didn't pass.

He leaned against Michael Jordan in front of him and jumped directly to challenge the chosen one.

There is no need to say much about Harper's ending. He was pressed to the ground with the ball, looking very embarrassed.

Although Harper was originally considered to be the ultimate model for Jordan, the talent gap between the two is visible to the naked eye.

But the referee blew the whistle immediately, Michael Jordan committed a defensive foul, and Harper got a chance to shoot free throws.

Chicago's No. 23 yelled at the referee: "This is a stupid call!"

He won't get a technical foul because he's Michael Jordan.

But tonight, someone was not afraid of his authority. Harper got up from the ground and rushed directly to Jordan, nose to nose with him: "You can only lose your temper with the referee, Michael."

The familiar smell of gunpowder spread again, and Pippen immediately pushed Harper away.

But soon he felt a chill on his back, because a familiar hand pressed his shoulder: "Be polite to my friends, Scott, you know our style."

Roger said calmly.

This was the second consecutive round that Michael Jordan was ignored by the Magic's role players.

Just now, Marciulionis hit a three-pointer over his head.

Now, Harper has bravely challenged the supreme god of Chicago.

Michael Jordan conquered the league for a whole season, and most opponents were like poor Kevin Garnett, trembling in the shadow of No. 23. Only Reggie Miller from Indianapolis had some backbone, but he was just a little backbone, because he could not shake Jordan's dominance this season.

Only the Magic, all their players dared to go against Jordan and really had the ability to defeat him.

Who gave them the confidence? Of course, it was Roger who led the team all season.

"Now it's not just Shark and Roger who are fighting against Michael, but everyone! Roger is the heart and soul of this team. I believe what he does is a major reason why the entire Magic team is so full of fighting spirit. This is the effect of Roger's magic!" said Bill Walton.

Harper eventually made one of two free throws from the free throw line, but the Magic still led by 1 points in the last 07 minute and 6 seconds.

Phil Jackson suspended the game and Michael Jordan was sweating profusely. He could not tolerate his perfect season being ruined.

It took him a full year to convince people that he could rule the league again. Why did he waste so much time if he was going to lose to Roger in the end?
Therefore, any imperfection would be a blasphemy to all his efforts this season.

He would never allow this to happen!
Phil Jackson wanted to use a surprise tactic this time. He arranged for Toni Kukoc to shoot a three-pointer in the next round.

Jordan had already failed to attack for several rounds, and the Magic's defensive focus was all on him. Therefore, the Zen Master needed to use this opportunity to make a feint to the east and attack in the west.

Michael Jordan did not raise any objections. Kukoc had made many shots at critical moments this season and he had Jordan's trust.

The game has resumed, and the ratings for this game have already broken the regular season record.

All basketball fans want to know whether the Magic can defeat Jordan for the second time and whether the Bulls' home court will fall.

After Michael Jordan crossed half court, he immediately passed the ball to Pippen in the low post, and then cut in. With just one step, he got rid of Harper.

Pippen hit the ball into the net, and No. 23 rushed into the restricted area with his usual aggressive momentum.

O'Neal let go of Longley and prepared to stop Jordan at the basket, just as he had done several possessions before.

Not only the Sharks, but the entire Magic team's defensive formation shrank dramatically because of Jordan's cut.

If the game screen could be paused, you would find that at the moment Jordan entered the penalty area, four Magic players returned to the penalty area.

This is the terrifying power of Jordan to change the opponent's defensive formation.

Chicago's flying man jumped towards O'Neal as usual, and he was surrounded by Magic players wearing dark blue jerseys, as if a huge wave was about to swallow him up.

But Michael Jordan did not show off his air walk, did not score the ball after three consecutive pull-ups, and did not dunk over the Sharks.

He chose to pass the ball in the air.

Jordan found Toni Kukoc, the European magician whom he once looked down upon, among the crowd.

Kukoc knew his mission, and he had already adjusted his mentality and was ready to receive the ball.

The basketball fell steadily into his hands. He didn't know when he and the tyrant had developed a tacit understanding, but with one victory after another, Kukoc had completely integrated into this group that he once disliked.

He lifted the ball above his head and was about to throw it.

A big hand suddenly entered Kukoc's field of vision, interfering with his aim.

"Roger appeared in front of Tony just in time and predicted Michael's next move!"

Bill Walton was right, Roger successfully predicted the Bulls' strategy.

He knew very well how steady his European friend's hands were, so the moment Jordan broke through, Roger turned to Kukoc.

With Roger's timely interference, Kukoc missed the key three-pointer.

Phil Jackson's trick was cracked, and the Chicago fans at the scene felt a chill down their spines.

Their fears at this moment were surprisingly consistent: No way? Could it be that we really caught up with the Bulls in their only home loss?
Because O'Neal's free throws were very stable just now, the Bulls did not dare to use the Hack-a-Shaq tactic again.

If they can defend this round, the Bulls will at least have a chance to win the lottery with a three-pointer.

But if the Sharks continued to make two free throws, the game would be completely over.

At this time, instead of betting on the opponent's touch, Phil Jackson trusts the team's own defense more.

Pippen's off-ball attack on Roger was very fierce in this round, and Harper had no chance to pass the ball at all.

He had to pass the ball to the Shark in the low post first.

But in order to catch the ball easily, the shark was too far away from the penalty area, so he was not in the attack range when he caught the ball.

And Rodman, who had infinite lower limb strength standing behind him, would never let O'Neal get close to the basket easily.

O'Neal took the ball and pushed back, and Rodman's legs dug into the wooden floor of the United Center like thick tree roots.

He used his petite body in the paint to hold off the giant.

Of course, if O'Neal had been a little more violent, Rodman would have definitely fallen to the ground.

The Sharks didn't know how to deal with Rodman for a moment, and then they saw Dumars and Jordan surrounding them.

O'Neal could only pass the ball in a hurry.

The ball was returned to Harper for reorganization. Harper wanted to find Roger, but found that Roger still had not completely gotten rid of Pippen.

At the same time, the Bulls also began to strangle Harper.

Dumars and Jordan turned their guns and pressured Harper the moment the Shark passed the ball.

Harper moved toward the baseline but was blocked by Rodman.

A perfect baseline trap, and the bull completed the hunt!

It was a complete luxury to hold the ball when surrounded by these three old basketball hooligans. Harper could only pass the ball to the only person in his sight, Roger, through the gap in the double-team.

But because the pass was so forced, the ball was too high and not accurate enough.

Scott Pippen saw the right moment and easily intercepted the ball!
This is where the Bulls' defense is so terrifying. In the starting lineup, Dumars, Pippen, Jordan and Rodman are enough to form a terrifying blockade.

Three of the four old basketball hooligans will try to surround the person with the ball, while the remaining one will wait on the passing route early and start a fast break as soon as he grabs the ball.

That's what Pippen did. He made a steal and fought back hard, hoping to quickly narrow the gap.

But when he was about to complete the dunk, the ball was blocked by Roger who was chasing him relentlessly!

This chase made Pippen upset. He and Roger flew out of the baseline almost at the same time, and then turned their heads back to the court at the same time, wondering who would eventually control the ball.

The basketball was hit onto the backboard, bounced back, passed over Harper who was following up, and fell into the hands of Michael Jordan who was further behind.

Jordan received the ball and passed Harper with a shoulder shake, which delayed him a little, but it was harmless.

After dribbling past Harper, Jordan was left with the rim. Instead of dunking, he threw the ball up with a layup.

Harper turned around and looked at No. 23 who was making a layup, and had already given up blocking him. After all, he was not the kind of player who could jump on the spot at rocket-like speed to block his opponent.

But then, a gust of wind blew past Harper, and a huge shadow quickly passed over him and enveloped Jordan.

When the basketball reached the highest point and was about to fall, Shaquille O'Neal touched the basketball with his fingertips, changing the flight trajectory of the basketball and making it deviate from the basket!

After Roger blocked Pippen just now, the huge shark also swam hard and caught up with Jordan who was slowed down by Harper!
"Roger blocked Scott, Shaq blocked Michael! The Bulls duo was blocked by the Magic duo at this critical moment!"

Jordan and O'Neal also landed outside the baseline due to inertia.

At this time, Roger and Shaq stood side by side in their jerseys, blocking Pippen and Jordan respectively and roaring at the same time. Jordan and Pippen, who once dominated the league, stood there like two children who made mistakes!
This is a picture that makes people daydream, the ferocious Shark and Roger, versus the slightly embarrassed Pippen and Jordan. This seems to remind everyone that the pulse of the times has begun to beat quietly.

Roger and Shaq were not satisfied with stealing a championship, they wanted to take over the entire era from Pippen and Jordan!

This time, the ball blocked by the Shark finally fell into Harper's hands. Harper immediately counterattacked and assisted Derek McKay to carry Dumars to complete the layup, expanding the score difference to 8 points!
The game is settled!

In the end, the Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls 11-107 on the road after trailing by 101 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The United Center, which had been undefeated this season, was breached by the Orlando Magic!
The Magic also became the only team this season that could beat the Bulls twice!
All the fans in the United Center stared at the court in disbelief. Everything that happened today was something they were not used to.

They were not used to someone being able to break through Pippen's defense, or someone being able to grab rebounds over Rodman's head. And most importantly, they were not used to someone being able to go against Michael Jordan's will!
The Bulls' lineup last season clearly had shortcomings, so they had an excuse for losing to the Magic.

But this season, the Bulls, whose lineup is already extremely perfect, could only tie with the Magic 2-2 in the regular season.

So, how does Michael Jordan ensure victory in the playoffs?

As usual, Jordan left without shaking hands, but Roger and O'Neal hugged each other on the court.

Bill Walton's passion gradually cooled down, and he calmed down and began to make a final summary of the game:

"It was a wonderful comeback. It wasn't just Roger and Shaq who performed well at the critical moment today. We saw Derek McKay's timely assist, Ron's steal, and Saroo's goal over Michael Jordan's head. This is what I call Roger's magic. He can make everyone follow his footsteps! The defending champions are ready to make a big splash in the playoffs!"

At this time, Shark, who had just finished the interview, was walking back to the player tunnel with Roger on his back.

In his words: "I was three quarters late for this game, and I had to use up some of that unused energy."

Under the cameras of reporters, the shark looked like he was carrying his wife home, smiling brightly.

Roger was indeed very tired, so he lay on the shark's back and closed his eyes, feeling extremely calm, as if he had fallen asleep peacefully.

Ben Osborne, an intern reporter for Slam Magazine, saw this scene and wrote the beginning of his column for tomorrow.

"The NBA world is full of rich colors, including the gorgeous purple and gold of the Lakers, the simple black and white of the Spurs, the blood-red of the Bulls, and the green leaves of the Celtics' home dome.

The ice blue of the Orlando Magic may seem calm, but it can become turbulent under the stimulation of Roger's magic!

The ferocious shark finally returned home. He was thankful that after all they had gone through, Roger's magic had not broken up their family. Now, they could raise huge waves together. When the waves surged, they could not only put out the blood-red fire, but also overthrow a dynasty!
The 96 Bulls may have had a brilliant season, and Michael Jordan may still be the best basketball player in the world.

But it’s not certain who will be the protagonist of this year’s story.”

(End of this chapter)