Champions Creed

Chapter 285 Chapter 284: Even many years later, this sound will still echo in history (ask for monthly tickets!)

Jeff Hornacek's family was in the stands and watched her husband, her father, struggle on the floor with a painful expression, screaming and then slapping the floor.

Hornacek had been injured before, but this was the first time his family had experienced the horror of an injury.

They didn't know what was going on because the man always said, "Don't worry, the team doctor gives us full body checkups every week, and I'm as healthy as a grown Doberman."

So what went wrong?

Why would a healthy man, after being knocked down and twisting his knee, lie on the ground writhing in pain like a tortured animal?

Stacey almost rushed to the stands but was stopped by the security personnel on the scene.

Her good upbringing prevented her from yelling hysterically, but tears were already streaming down her cheeks.

Hornacek stood up with the help of the team doctor. He looked at his family first, forced a smile that couldn't be more forced, and gave a thumbs up.

Then he looked at Roger again and repeated the words: "Two minutes, give me two minutes!"

After saying that, he was helped into the player tunnel.

Jeff Hornacek walked into the player tunnel and waved his hands: "Let me go, I think I should be fine after a rest. In fact, I think I'm much better now."

"No, Jeff, we have to send you to the hospital and give you a comprehensive check-up." Chief team doctor Cech Ryan obstructed.

"open!!!"

Jeff Hornacek has always been a good man. He was not completely deceiving his wife on the phone because he really patiently helped Michael Reid and shared his experience and wisdom in running without the ball with him. He was willing to help everyone who needed help and was kind to everyone. He prepared small cakes for every staff member on Christmas.

This was the first time he got angry at a staff member, and this probably happened no more than three times in his life.

But this is understandable. The last time this man was so impatient and anxious was probably at the door of the delivery room.

He longed for the finals, longed to stand on the podium himself. After fifteen years of professional career, he just wanted to win once!
He gave up traveling around the world, gave up enjoying life with his family, accepted being a substitute, accepted a smaller role. For the championship, he didn't care about anything, he did everything he could.

He was afraid that after all he had done, he would still lose the chance to stand on the podium.

Moreover, he promised Roger that he would be back in two minutes, and he said that he would help Roger build a dynasty. A real man should not take promises lightly.

Therefore, he is now very emotional, as if he has become a completely different person.

Everyone was frightened, and they gradually let go of Hornacek. Hornacek held on to the wall and did a few leg lifts.

My left leg is fine, but my right leg has difficulty exerting force and is extremely painful whenever I move it.

Jeff Hornacek broke out in a cold sweat. As a professional player, he felt that the situation was not good.

After moving around for a while, Hornacek turned his head and looked at the Eagles' chief team doctor, Cech Ryan.

"Cech, can draining the effusion relieve it?"

He was asking the question knowing the answer, but like many desperate people, Hornacek was praying for a miraculous answer.

Cech Ryan witnessed Scott Pippen using high-intensity electrotherapy in the locker room to relieve back pain, just to continue fighting in the finals. He knew the perseverance of this group of people very well. In front of the finals and the championship, no matter what kind of people they are in normal times, at this time, each of them will turn into a hungry beast.

But this time it’s not a question of perseverance. Jeff Hornacek’s case is not that simple.

The white-haired German doctor shook his head: "We just drained the fluid not long ago, Jeff, so that's not the reason. We need to do a full body check before that."

Cech paused and cursed in his heart. No one had ever told him that sports doctors would do such a cruel thing: often ending a player's dream.

".Until then, you're out for now Jeff. We'll have to see if you have any ligament issues in your knee, either way I think your season is over, sorry man, but that's the way it is."

Jeff Hornacek's eyes were first filled with disbelief, then anger that was about to overflow, and finally helplessness and despair.

Instead of getting the miraculous answer, he got the worst answer possible.

Now, in the fifth game of the finals, the most crucial battle, his dream is about to come true as the team has a chance to win the game in six games.

The doctor told him it was over.

There is no clichéd story of the king returning to wreak havoc.

There is no such thing as a commonplace way of carrying a heavy burden and turning the tide.

Cech Rein has sentenced Hornacek's season to death. Given his current condition, he is not even qualified to play with an injury.

This is a blow to the heart.

Jeff Hornacek turned around and looked at the still bustling stadium, then looked at the empty player tunnel.

The strong contrast made him punch the wall, followed by a series of curses starting with F.

Someone tried to stop him, but Cech Ryan waved his hand.

At least for now, let this man vent his emotions.

Injuries can indeed send an athlete from heaven to hell. It not only caused DeMarcus Cousins, a center who was once among the top five in the league, to come to China to play in the three-on-three basketball league, but also shattered Hornacek's dream of winning the championship.

If the Hawks win, he will certainly get a championship ring.

But that was not the championship outcome Hornacek wanted.

Roger looked towards the player tunnel and seemed to hear someone yelling.

This is not the first time Roger has encountered this kind of thing. Scottie Pippen once had a season-ending back injury. No one wants to go through this, but it is part of competitive sports.

Roger didn't know whether Jeff Hornacek could play yet, or whether he was seriously injured.

Although he said he would be back in two minutes, his painful expression just now proved that this might just be wishful thinking.

Roger wanted to rush back to the locker room to find out what was going on, but as a team leader, he could not leave his position without permission.

The same thing happens to Lenny Wilkens; he cares about Hornacek, but he has to continue to make decisions.

Now he has three options: increase Pippen's playing time or increase Bowen's playing time.

Or activate the guy who has only performed well in garbage time in the first round of the playoffs so far.

The first two options have less risk. At most, Pippen and Bowen may not perform as expected in the fourth quarter due to physical reasons.

But the reward is not great, because Roger does not have as much space when they are on the court.

Pippen's shooting was unstable and Bowen could not stand being disturbed. They could not provide enough deterrence, which led to Roger being double-teamed.

Playing without the ball? This was a solution last season, but this season, Grant Hill and Kobe took turns defending Roger, making it more difficult for Roger to catch the ball. If he played without the ball, his output would be limited, because Roger could not guarantee that he could successfully catch the ball in a comfortable position in every round.

Right now, Roger's most efficient offensive method is to play one-on-one with the ball.

He had a good touch tonight, and Wilkens wanted to use a more stable shooting point to create space for Roger and let Roger fire as much as he wanted.

So the third option, letting Michael Reed play, is high risk and high reward.

Maybe not all coaches would bench the No. 2 pick like Larry Brown did, but most coaches would not reuse a second-round pick in the Finals.

Michael Reed has made great progress this season, which can be described as incredible.

Few players can improve their long-range shooting in such a short period of time, and it is difficult even if they work very hard.

And Reed not only improved his long-range shooting, his defense also improved rapidly.

If he can continue to contain the defense instead of Hornacek, Roger's one-on-one play will continue to bombard the Lakers.

But can Michael Redd adapt to the intensity of the Finals? Is he ready to take on the responsibility?

Last year this guy was still playing in the NCAA, but this year he is playing in the NBA Finals.

Lenny Wilkens has to consider this situation: A lot of people's first times aren't great, they just go downhill.

Now is the decisive battle to decide who will get the match point between the Lakers and the Hawks. Lenny Wilkens' substitution may determine the outcome of tonight or even this round of the series.

The pressure on him is no less than that of the players playing on the court.

Lenny Wilkens didn't have much time to hesitate, as the referee was already reminding Wilkens to make a substitution and continue the game.

The moment he made the decision, Lenny Wilkens thought he must be crazy.

"Michael, take off that damn training suit and get on the court!"

Is this a gamble? No, if this substitution can help the Hawks win the decisive battle of the 2001 Finals, it can't be called a gamble, but will be remembered by the world as a perfect strategy!
Michael Reed was stunned for a second when he was called, but he quickly stood up and took off his training suit swiftly.

Finally, this moment has finally arrived!
Lenny Wilkens thought Reed would be nervous, but Reed was very calm.

“Fear is the worst thing. When I am full of courage, I feel that there is nothing in this world that cannot be overcome.”

This is what his mother told him in the car six months ago. It made Michael Reid stick to it and it paid off.

Of course, it wasn't just this sentence that kept him so calm.

Also because there are no small players in the Atlanta Hawks!
So what if I'm a second-round pick? I can still play with Roger on the Lakers!

Roger glanced at Redd, with whom he had occasionally practiced and watched videos over the past season.

So, he was well aware of Reed's level.

The only thing that can limit his performance is his heart.

Will he be bothered by this?

Roger didn't deliberately talk to Reed, nor did he deliberately press his shoulders to tell him "you can".

If it were five or six years ago, Roger might have done that, or simply grabbed Reed by the collar and said, "Rookie, you better not screw this up!"

But now Roger knows that this self-righteous "leadership" is useless and will only increase Reed's pressure.

So Roger just glanced at his teammates with an unwavering gaze and said very simply: "Okay guys, we have to do something."

When people saw Michael Redd make his first appearance in the finals, Magic Johnson marveled at Lenny Wilkens's audacity: "This substitution could elevate his coaching career, or it could make him infamous!"

Phil Jackson relaxed a lot. He had never been so relaxed for a minute since the finals.

The old white man who disgusted him the most finally disappeared, and he almost wanted to drink a glass of champagne to celebrate.

Don't get me wrong, the Jackson isn't dark enough to wish his opponent dead. He would definitely pray for Jeff Hornacek and his health.

As long as he doesn't mess up the game again.

Phil Jackson waved his hand and asked the team to start double-teaming Roger.

The Eagles attacked, and Roger quickly crossed half court, hoping to seize the brief one-on-one opportunity and maximize his excellent touch today.

But this time, Kobe did not even give Roger a brief one-on-one opportunity. His double-teaming of Roger was even faster than before. Almost the moment Roger approached the three-point line, he teamed up with Grant Hill to complete the encirclement.

Michael Reid immediately ran to the right position and Roger also delivered the ball.

Reed shot the ball with the second weirdest shooting motion for the Hawks, and the basketball bounced off the rim.

Phil Jackson almost shouted out at that moment, See, the game becomes much easier without Hornacek!
Kobe also shook his head: "Don't blame me, Roger, blame God. You will never get the protection of that old man again."

The Lakers fought back, Pierce was responsible for defending Kobe. Lenny Wilkens wanted Roger to focus all his energy on the offensive end tonight, so he did not assign him the task of defending the star.

Pierce defended hard, but Kobe defeated him with a pull-up jumper.

After this goal, the Los Angeles Lakers were only 1 point behind.

The series reached Game 5, and the score difference between the two teams had never reached double digits.

It's not just about the final score difference, but all the moments of the game. There was no moment when the score difference was over double digits.

In the second round after Hornacek left the game, Reed wanted to pull Kobe to the weak side to make room for Roger, but Kobe ignored him at all.

Roger was trapped again. Seeing Harper blocking the passing route to Reed, and Reed failing to run away in time, Roger could only pass the ball to Marion.

After that, the Hawks ran several tactics, but Michael Reed was always a step slow.

He is still finding his form, adapting to the intensity of the finals, and adapting to the lion-like bite of his opponents.

The tactic had not been implemented until the last 5 seconds, so Roger chose to take over.

Under the double interference of Kobe and Grant Hill, Roger's drifting shot missed. This is why smart players will not take the initiative to take the blame in the last few seconds, but will find a way to pass the ball.

The cheers at the Staples Center grew louder, and Magic shook his head: "Will Jeff's exit be a turning point in the game?"

The Lakers attacked, Grant Hill broke through with the ball, and then passed it to Kobe who cut in. Kobe rushed to the basket and jumped up, attracting Ben to jump to block the shot, but he passed the ball to Shark in the air, and the latter smashed the basket with both hands, and the Lakers took the lead!

The smooth cooperation between the big3 made the Eagles' defense look vulnerable.

When facing other teams, the Hawks can often win by doing well in either offense or defense.

But against the Lakers, both offense and defense must be done to the best of their ability.

Because with the Lakers' talent, defense alone cannot stop them.

The defense just now was good enough, but the cooperation of big3 could still easily break it.

Therefore, while doing our best on defense, we also have to rely on offense to maintain our lead.

We must perform at our best on both offense and defense to have a chance of winning by less than double digits.

The Lakers took the lead after Hornacek left the court, and the Hawks' offense urgently needed a response. You can't expect any team to completely contain the big three through defense.

Following Kobe, the Shark who completed the dunk also yelled at Roger: "This year I want to hold the trophy in your home court. Let's reciprocate, brother!"

Fortunately, Grant Hill is a man living in a civilized era, otherwise Roger would definitely be scolded by the three men in turn.

The Lakers overtook the score, but Lenny Wilkens did not pause the game. Calling a timeout now would only help boost the morale of the Lakers. In a basketball game, calling a timeout on the opponent is like fucking your girlfriend, which is something that can greatly satisfy a man's self-confidence. Lenny Wilkens must not let the Lakers have any such mentality.

And he has just made all the necessary arrangements. The only question now is whether Michael Reed can make the first shot.

As long as the Lakers start to be wary of him, Roger will be free.

Of course Roger can play one against two, and it’s not that he can’t score without the distraction, but that’s not the most efficient way.

As long as Michael Redd can make one or two shots, the Lakers will have a hard time on defense!
In this round, Roger's pass found Marion who was cutting to the basket, but the Shark's inside rim protection caused Marion to miss the layup, and the Hawks' offense failed for the third consecutive round.

Big Ben grabbed the offensive rebound and passed it back to Roger, but the moment Roger received the ball he was double-teamed again.

"This was probably the best defensive game the Los Angeles Lakers had this season!" said Marvin Albert.

In fact, it’s not that the defense suddenly got better, but that the defensive pressure was reduced.

Kobe no longer has to worry about that old white man appearing in the right position to receive the ball and then shooting an open three-pointer.

Under the tight defense, it became difficult for Roger to even pass the ball.

He could only lift the ball high and pass it with the power of his wrist.

Michael Reed ran out at the perfect time to catch the ball, turned around, shot with his left hand, and "flipped" the ball towards the basket.

Lenny Wilkens clenched his fist and made one, kid!
The basketball hit the front of the basket and bounced up, and the Hawks fans in front of the TV covered their heads. The Shark just jumped up after blocking Ben and was about to take the rebound.

But just as he was about to touch the basketball, O'Neal pulled his hand back.

Because the basketball has not left the basket, according to NBA rules, touching it is considered interference.

The next second, the basketball fell into the net, and Michael Reed, a little-known second-round pick last summer, became the first player in the 2000 class to score in the finals!

"Michael Reed helped the Hawks take a 2-point lead. This time he made the shot. He lived up to Lanny's trust. He took over the title of champion shooter from Jeff!" Magic shouted, cheering for the wonderful game.

Reed gritted his teeth and then punched hard!
Those days when I practiced alone in the gym until I was exhausted, those days when I sat at the end of the bench waiting for my name to be called, those days when I was shrouded in fear and yet overcame it, all of them were rewarded at this moment!
In the ambulance, Jeff Hornacek, who was originally extremely desperate, curled his lips when he heard the news of Reed's goal through the radio.

Apart from Roger, Hornacek is the Hawks player who trains with Reed the most, so at this moment he is as pleased as Wilkens and Roger.

Who says this year's legendary finals belongs only to superstars?
Yes, everyone is a big shot!
Reed was Kobe's defensive man, so you can imagine how Kobe felt at the time. He let a second-round pick score, even if it was because of the double-teaming of Roger, Kobe was very unhappy.

"You only know how to rely on shooters? Huh? This is the King?" Kobe complained in Roger's ear in dissatisfaction.

"No, no, no, I didn't just rely on shooters. I also relied on Paul Pierce, Scott Pippen, Ben Wallace, and a bunch of great players to win two championships in Atlanta. But at least I was able to win with them.

What about you? My beloved Kobe Bryant, you can't beat me with Shaq, the three-time champion center! So shut up, you idiot, you are the weakest one among the four new generation shooting guards! When Tracy, Vince and AI challenged me, they didn't have teammates like Shaq. They are much braver than you! "

Roger's trash talk almost broke Kobe's defense, because Roger belittled him to a level that was even worse than the other three of the four major shooting guards.

Kobe vented his anger on Reed. He played a one-on-one game with the ball in his back, with the whole team moving away, and then he turned around and made a jump shot.

Kobe's turnaround jump shot with No. 8 lacks some pre-fake moves and is less elegant, and is not as perfect as when he was No. 24.

But it was enough, the basketball went into the net and the score was tied.

"Roger, I won't listen to your bullshit anymore. I'm going to shut your mouth with victory!"

"Unfortunately, you have to keep listening until I retire, because you will keep failing!"

In the subsequent games, the Lakers continued to over-double Roger most of the time.

This effectively controlled Roger's scoring, but Reed made another three-pointer and a mid-range shot during this period, scoring 8 points in a single quarter!
For a second-round pick, there couldn't be a more perfect debut in the Finals.

When Reed first came on the court, some neutral fans who were not familiar with the Eagles might not have known who this unprepossessing guy with a buzz cut was.

But now, the whole world knows a guy named Michael Reed!
The Hawks also entered the final quarter of the decisive battle with a 6-point lead after the third quarter, which is definitely something Los Angeles fans do not want to see.

During the intermission, Phil Jackson was once again in a dilemma.

He absolutely hated the Eagles and those little guys.

Hornacek can't kill the game, and Michael Reed can't kill the game, but they can all become Roger's accomplices!
"Dude, if the Lakers lose Game 2, they will return to Georgia with a score of 3- behind. Do you think the Lakers still have a chance at that time?" On the commentary desk, Mike Brown and Magic discussed the fate of the Lakers.

"I'm not a prophet, and this round is so close that no one can predict it. But if the Los Angeles Lakers don't win the championship, God, it will be the most terrible disaster in the history of the Lakers. They have the most star-studded lineup in the league and carry the most expectations. They can't lose.

The Atlanta Hawks will become even more legendary. Look at their current lineup, one undrafted player and one second-round pick, which is definitely not a very talented team. If such a lineup can beat the Lakers, it will definitely be another miracle created by Roger.

But now we don't know the outcome Mike, the Hawks and Lakers are going to continue to bleed each other."

Michael Redd continued to play in the fourth quarter, but the Zen Master did not give up the double-team.

Seriously, who would let a guy who has won the scoring title for six consecutive years play one-on-one just to target a second-round pick who scored three goals?

The Zen Master's strategy was correct because Michael Redd's shooting percentage fluctuated in the fourth quarter.

On the one hand, Reed's shooting is not as stable as it was in his peak period. He has made great progress, but it is not to the point of overnight success.

Secondly, Kobe paid more attention to Reed's defense.

When Reed received the ball, no matter how far the distance was, Kobe would try his best to rush back, which was completely different from the defensive state in the third quarter.

He would never allow an undrafted player to score over his head.

Reed played for seven minutes in the fourth quarter and made 3 of 1 shots, still scoring 3 points, but it was not enough to be a deterrent.

However, Reed was at least draining Kobe's energy.

On the defensive end, Kobe had to run back and forth between Roger and Reed, which was equivalent to him facing two players alone and twice the consumption.

This huge consumption caused Kobe's shooting percentage to fluctuate in the fourth quarter.

Kobe in the fourth quarter was exactly the weapon the Lakers relied on most.

This directly reduced the Lakers' stability in the fourth quarter.

With two minutes left in the game, the Hawks were still leading by 2 points.

Roger scored 47 points and Kobe scored 41 points.

However, Kobe and Roger had not scored for 2 minutes, and their touch began to deteriorate due to physical influence.

Kobe, who was running without the ball, was entangled by Michael Redd, and Grant Hill had difficulty passing the ball to Kobe.

Reed is still full of energy, but Kobe's physical strength is almost at its limit and his enthusiasm is at its maximum.

It is difficult for Kobe to get out of the receiving space in such a situation.

Shaquille O'Neal was stuck in a quagmire, and Ben had three fouls left to use on the Shark.

However, Grant Hill still did not come by himself. At the critical moment, the Lakers had another heavy weapon besides the big3.

Grant Hill used his enviable first step to get past Pierce, and Marion immediately provided assistance when he saw this.

When Marion appeared in front of Hill, Hill passed the ball to Robert Horry!

This forward who only plays at critical moments was ready early and aimed at the basket. The basketball was getting closer and closer to him. Just when he was about to catch the ball, a figure suddenly appeared and intercepted the ball!

"Roger perfectly judged Grant Hill's intention. He may not have scored for two minutes, but his influence is still huge. This is the role of an all-round superstar!" praised the magician.

Grant Hill made a mistake at a critical moment, and the hearts of Lakers fans seemed to tremble at that moment.

But for the Eagles, this still does not mean victory.

The score difference was only 2 points, and Roger's magical touch had disappeared, making it difficult for him to score in a double-team situation.

In this round, Roger tried to attack without the ball, but Grant Hill seemed to have thorns all over his body and Roger couldn't get rid of him.

After finally getting the ball, Kobe's face appeared again.

This time Roger gave the ball to Michael Reed, who got the most crucial opportunity at the most crucial moment.

Kobe ran towards Reed like crazy. Because Kobe's interference was very intense, Reed had chosen to pass the ball many times before when faced with this situation.

But this time, he shot the ball resolutely!

The severe physical exhaustion caused Kobe's speed to slow down a lot, so the interference was also half a beat slower.

Reed threw the ball and Kobe looked at the basket in astonishment.

The three-pointer went over the heads of all the players on the court, and Michael Redd raised his arms the moment the basketball fell.

Starting today, re-edit a collection of playoff highlights for me, bastards!
"brush!"

"The Lakers shouldn't have given any Hawks player so much open space at the critical moment. Michael Redd scored too easily. His three-pointer gave the Hawks a 5-point lead! Phil Jackson finally paid the price for his over-tie strategy!" Magic had a feeling that the Lakers were about to be finished.

They hadn't scored for several rounds in a row, and now Roger made a key steal, allowing Michael Reid to hit the main blow.

Their morale and their resolve may have begun to waver.

Roger's steal and Reed's goal made the Lakers suspend the game. Phil Jackson looked solemn. Tonight, he always had the chance to win the game.

But at this moment, victory was getting further and further away from him.

Roger sat on the bench panting. He was rarely as tired as he was today.

Five consecutive bloody battles, it was truly the toughest finals Roger had ever played in.

But no matter how difficult it is, the eagle is about to climb over the mountain!

So Roger didn't choose to relax, but decided to continue to push himself to the limit: "Lenny, I'm going to guard Kobe next."

The next attack is basically the Lakers' last attack to save their lives. As long as they can defend it and score in the counterattack, the Hawks will be able to gain a decisive victory.

The Lakers will most likely let Kobe execute this kind of attack.

Lenny Wilkens agreed to Roger's proposal. The buzzer sounded at this moment, and the moment to crush the opponent's heart came!
The game continued, Roger came on the court and walked to Kobe, and the Lakers also passed the ball to Kobe.

Kobe didn't say anything, just held the ball and observed the situation on the court.

Roger smiled mockingly: "If you can't hit it, pass it. Why are you in a daze?"

"Shut up!"

"Pass the ball to Kobe, pass it to Robert Horry, he is the best player among you. Big3? None of you can do it!"

The more Roger said this, the less likely Kobe was to pass the ball.

O'Neal was already in position, and this was one of the few times he was not bypassed.

But Kobe started dribbling the ball, he wanted to play one-on-one!

"Fuck you, I knew it, you idiot, fuck you!" O'Neal cursed. Such things have been repeated over and over again in the past four years.

O'Neal has made a lot of concessions this season, allowing Kobe to be on an equal footing with him to a certain extent.

But the guy was still not satisfied!
Kobe Bryant is simply the worst teammate he has ever worked with, a million times worse than Roger!
Kobe tried to break through, but Roger blocked his every thrust.

The 24-second offensive time kept passing during his singles. Finally, Kobe launched another attack to the left, but this time Kobe caught the flaw in Roger's lateral movement, suddenly changed direction to the right, and passed by Roger!
Kobe knew Roger would come back to him soon, so he stepped into the three-point line and made a jump shot.

In the fourth quarter, Kobe has never had such a wide open shooting space.

He jumped up, raised the basketball, and prepared to throw it gently into the basket.

But as soon as Kobe's supporting hand left the basketball, the basketball was grabbed by a hand that stretched out from behind!

After Roger caught up, he judged Kobe's intention correctly, so he caught him from behind and completed the defense in the most visually impactful way!
The people of Los Angeles couldn't believe what they saw. The block was like a mockery from Roger.

You think there is hope? No, there is never hope.

This is what a evenly matched series is like. Maybe role players can provide supporting effects, but the stars must not fall out.

Roger hadn't scored for three minutes in the fourth quarter, but his performance on the defensive end still ensured the team's direction.

There are 51 seconds left in the game. If the Eagles succeed in this attack, the victory will be basically settled.

After completing the dunk, Roger slowly walked across half court with the ball, observing the positions of his teammates.

But soon Roger discovered that the Lakers had withdrawn their double-team!

Michael Reed's three-pointer just now hurt Phil Jackson, and he really didn't dare to give anyone another chance at the critical moment.

Of course, he did not completely give up the double-teaming, but instead used the old strategy - waiting for Roger to break through to below the free throw line and then shrinking the double-teaming.

In short, on the perimeter, Roger got the one-on-one opportunity he had always dreamed of.

The person defending him happened to be Kobe. In the Zen Master's opinion, Kobe's defense at critical moments was more aggressive.

Kobe lowered his center of gravity and refused to let Roger pass by him.

Roger relaxed instead and started killing time.

One on one?

Phil Jackson is such a good man. He built such a gorgeous stage just for himself.

If they lose this year, the three-peat will be reset and Roger will have to start from scratch to fulfill his promise.

Considering the Eagles' current poor ownership group, Roger doesn't want this to happen.

He won't let any opportunity slip away from him.

With only 10 seconds left in the attack, Roger began to continuously change hands under the crotch.

Roger hadn't scored a shot in more than three minutes, so Kobe thought there was a high probability that Roger was really going to break through.

He gave Roger a small half step, and the shark also waited to assist Roger.

After a series of fancy dribbles with a strong sense of rhythm, Roger accelerated to Kobe's right side, but then turned around.

Turnaround jump shot? This guy actually wants to shoot?
Kobe raised his hand to interfere. He was very familiar with the rhythm of the turnaround jump shot, so he was confident that he could block this shot.

But after turning around, Roger didn't jump shot directly, but took a step back!
This created a distance between Roger and Kobe that was completely enough for him to shoot.

Roger jumped up to shoot, and Kobe was like a panicked deer, rushing forward to interfere.

Roger and Kobe Bryant, the two strongest shooting guards of the 21st century, looked at each other in the air and smelled each other's breath. The goddess of victory passed between them and kissed one of them.

Kobe failed to block the shot, and he was not even sure if he had interfered with Roger because Roger's step back was so unexpected.

Then, in the bustling Staples Center, only one sound pierced through everything, that was the pleasant sound of the basketball passing through the net!
Even many years later, this sound will still echo in history.

The noise at the scene was like thunder, but it couldn't suppress Magic Johnson's roar: "Roger made this shot, Roger made this shot! It's over, it's over! The Atlanta Hawks led by 27 points in the last 8 seconds. They are the ultimate winners of the decisive battle! 50 points! I told you before, Roger might get more than 40 points today!"

As Roger retreated, he made a pistol shape with his hands and fired a shot at Kobe, Shark and Hill respectively.

This seems to have hinted at their ultimate fate.

In the last 27 seconds, Kobe finally made a three-pointer and scored his 44th point of the game.

But this goal came too late, with only 5 seconds left in the game.

The Hawks passed the ball to Pierce from the baseline, and the Lakers committed a tactical foul, but Pierce made two free throws and the game ended.

The electronic buzzer sounded and the Lakers' big three stood on the court in a daze.

3 to 2, they had won every game by double digits, giving the Eagles the match point.

In the next two games at Philips Arena, the Hawks only need to win one of them to win the championship.

Only a fool would tell himself, "It doesn't matter, we still have a great chance."

No, their chances were slim.

The Lakers were forced into a desperate situation, the kind with one foot hanging off the cliff.

Jerry Buss sat in the stands and did not leave for a long time.

He just stared at Roger, thoughtfully.

Perhaps he was wondering how long God's reign would last.

He can achieve this level by giving him a temporary second-round pick. This is truly the most dominant player Jerry Buss has ever seen in his life.

Will this lineup that he spent a lot of money to build fail? Jerry Buss couldn't even think about it.

Pippen saw the game scene and some Lakers fans began to curse and even attacked Big3.

Before the finals, the Lakers big3 were so respected and loved in Los Angeles.

But now, even though they had created so many miracles before, they were still attacked by fans.

Pippen felt that Roger's words were the real truth. As participants in competitive sports, they could only win and run until death on the road to victory.

Fortunately, the Atlanta Hawks are still running.

This time, it was still not me who died.
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There are two more games in the series, and we will try to win it back. -- Shaquille O'Neal talked about the playoff situation, but he obviously didn't have the confidence when he said that.

I'm playing under the greatest player in history, so I have nothing to be nervous about. I just need to do what I have to do, and Roger will naturally make the victory come. There are no small players in Atlanta, and I am full of confidence playing in such a team. By the way, ESPN still owes me a real highlight reel. - Michael Redd, who scored 14 points in his first game in the finals, talked about his performance today.

Damn, how are we going to win? -- When Phil Jackson was reminded that Roger had scored 40+ in four consecutive games in the Finals, he muttered something away from the microphone, but the reporters still heard it.

Steals, dribbles, key shots. Roger is better than the big three combined. Hey, don't laugh, the big three combined couldn't do these things in the key moments! -- Paul Pierce talks about Roger's all-around performance in the key moments.

Unfortunately, Jeff suffered a serious injury of torn cruciate ligament in his right knee, and he will not be able to return to the team in a short time. But we will bring him a championship ring, the ring he deserves. - Lenny Wilkens responded to Jeff Hornacek's injury.

Roger went to the hospital to visit Jeff Hornacek after the game and missed tonight's press conference.

(One update today, because it has reached 10,000 words)
(End of this chapter)