Champions Creed

Chapter 336 Chapter 335: Education from the King, Backstab from the Chosen One (asking for monthly tickets!)
A bus with the Warriors logo on it pulls out of the MCI Center in Washington.

Because of Roger's arrival, the Warriors changed their team logo, main color and jersey style in advance this season and made a series of updates to the team's brand image packaging.

Before this season, the Warriors' logo was a low-brow blue man holding a lightning bolt, as if he was going to poke it into his opponent's skin. The team's main colors were dark blue and orange, which didn't match at all. Roger always thought this was the ugliest packaging image in the history of the Warriors. The unknown man looked like a strong inferior copycat.

Even Reebok felt that such a team package was not worthy of the league's best player.

So, at the suggestion of Roger and Reebok, Russian Mikhail Prokhorov applied to the league in the summer to make major changes to the team's image packaging.

The team's main colors have become royal blue, white and gold, which are closer to the 10s, and the team logo is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, indicating that the Warriors are closely connected between the two cities - this is much better than the meaningless and ugly little blue man.

After some renovation, the Warriors this season look completely different, and the copycat vibe is gone. The new main colors and team logo are decorated on the team bus, making the bus look more high-end.

Wizards fans waiting on the street saw the beautiful bus driving out of the MCI Center and cheered, took photos and shouted to the Warriors players.

Even though the Washington Wizards were slaughtered by 26 points tonight, it still couldn't stop Washington fans from showing their love for the Warriors players.

In stark contrast to the fans, the Warriors players were not excited at all. Marcus Camby and Dikembe Mutombo were talking about how to choose their defensive positions, Amar'e Stoudemire was listening to music, Alan Houston was talking on the phone with his family, and Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson were talking about their street experiences.

The Warriors players really have nothing to be happy about. They are not particularly proud of their victory in this game because the Wizards are not a strong team this season.
There was only one person on the entire bus who seemed excited, and that was Roger.

He waved to the fans outside the window from time to time, made scissors hands outside the window from time to time, and responded to the enthusiasm of the Washington DC players in various ways.

When the bus drove onto the elevated road where there were no pedestrians, Roger finally had time to look at the various text messages on his mobile phone sent by his agent Eric Fleischer.

"A Japanese actress will be coming to San Francisco soon, and she asked privately if you would have time to have dinner with her."

"The sales of the Warrior Spirit II, a derivative sneaker series of my personal brand, have reached a new high, and the sales are quite encouraging even in football-rich regions like Europe."

"Reebok has renewed its ten-year sponsorship contract with the NBA. In the next ten years, NBA jerseys, protective gear, peripheral apparel and other products will continue to be provided by Reebok. This will have a positive impact on Reebok's sales, and don't forget, you enjoy a portion of the sales."

"The Chinese national team has once again discussed with me the possibility of you appearing in the 2008 Olympics, and they are willing to make concessions on some conditions for this purpose."

What is a world-class superstar?

Roger's influence is no longer limited to the small NBA.

He quickly responded to these messages one by one.

"You don't have to mention her name, but you have to send me her photos and measurements. This is the most basic respect for this lady, and it also directly determines whether I have time or not."

"Very good. When I have time during the off-season next year, I can go to Europe and interact with some prestigious football clubs."

"Let Reebok expand its business into other sports."

"Tell them I'm staying interested."

The reactions of away fans and these text messages have fully demonstrated what it means to be admired by thousands of people.

At this time, Roger is undoubtedly the top star in the basketball world and the entire sports world.

Roger's brilliant achievements and excellent commercial promotion have made him famous all over the world.

Sports Illustrated even made a prediction: If Roger participates in FIBA ​​competitions, he will replicate the glory of Dream One, and all his opponents will ask him for his autograph like fans.

The feeling of being held high is indeed very satisfying, however, these are not the main reasons that make Roger so excited.

Putting down his phone, Roger picked up a stack of neatly arranged newspapers. He had wanted to enjoy the news as soon as he got on the bus. Now, he could finally put down his work and slowly read these articles.

Articles include but are not limited to:

"Michael Jordan and LeBron James split on court."

"Michael says LeBron has no ambition."

"He's not a great player. --Michael Jordan".

"Source: No. 45 scolded No. 23 in the locker room."

"LeBron: I respect Michael no matter what, I really do."

Is this the end of a relationship?

Look at these news headlines, they are just like the headlines like "My Days Living Together with a Divorced Young Woman", which are exciting just to think about.

These headlines reminded Roger of the wonderful night before, and he couldn't help but smile.
-
Michael Jordan knelt on the ground. This was the most undignified moment for him as a professional player.

His expression became terrifying, like a wolf that had been hungry for three days and three nights.

But Jordan didn't get angry at Roger. Instead, he turned his head and looked at the No. 23 that carried his countless fantasies: "LeBron! Are you scared?!"

He didn't understand why James' reaction was so slow when Roger shot the ball just now.

It was clearly a jump shot with no misleading intent at all, but facing the most terrifying man in the league, LeBron James seemed to be distracted.

"Michael, I'm playing defense seriously." James spread his arms with an innocent look.

I don’t know why, but seeing this made Jordan even angrier.

In Jordan's eyes, James was like a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. Look at his expression, look at his performance, after seeing what Roger did, he seemed to be sighing in his heart: "Damn, I didn't expect this scene, I didn't expect him to be so strong, what should I do!?"

What is he afraid of? What is he avoiding?
Damn, was he injected with Karl Malone's Botox? He was totally ineffective in the crucial game!
At that moment, Michael Jordan suddenly felt that it was stupid to compare Roger with LeBron James.

They are not the same kind of people at all.

Jordan was furious that he didn't fight back. The 40-year-old could only yell at Eric Snow: "Leave this round to me!"

LeBron James didn't say anything, he just ran forward silently, and seemed to be content to hide under the wings of No. 45.

Jordan continued to play with his back to the basket, and after taking a few steps forward, he immediately took a fadeaway jump shot. Tayshaun Prince's exaggerated long arms made every shot of Jordan seem like walking on a tightrope.

Fortunately, this time Jordan did not fall from the tightrope into the abyss, and the basketball hit the target.

Cleveland fans were cheering for Jordan's goal, but Cavaliers coach Doug Collins frowned.

Someone should stand up at this moment, but it shouldn't be a 40-year-old.

"That's great, Michael. If you make a comeback with the Warriors, I promise to give you a ring." Roger joked when he saw Jordan score.

"Heh, you make it sound like you're definitely going to win this season."

"We'll see."

The Warriors attacked, Roger continued to control the ball, and shot a three-pointer after getting past Mutombo's screen.

Like Artest, James was too strong to nimbly bypass the screen and was unable to pounce on Roger in the first place.

With wide open space, Roger easily made another three-pointer. LeBron James' defense was as fragile as paper.

"You are worthy of being the chosen one. Most people's defense is not as bad as yours. Hey Michael, you'd better tell me you have a trade plan. Wait, you don't really expect to make it to the divisional semifinals with this kind of trash who talks nonsense, do you? Don't tell me you really think so!"

The Cleveland fans who had been cheering just now could no longer shout because the two heroes in their minds were being slaughtered wantonly by Roger.

Michael Jordan didn't bother with Roger any more. He just kept running forward with his head down: "Give it to me! Give me the ball!"

He was still frantically asking for the ball. Although he knew that he was no longer the same person he was in the 90s, he could not accept the option of giving up.

Eric Snow passed the ball to Jordan again. When Jordan received the ball, he was one step inside the three-point line. The mid-range and long-range shots were still his sweet spot.

Seeing that Tayshaun Prince had not caught up yet, Jordan immediately shot after receiving the ball.

But as soon as the basketball flew out of his fingertips, it was fanned away from the side by a hand.

Roger landed and shook his finger at the Cleveland fans: "You were fooled by this arrogant man! Division semifinals? You can't even make the playoffs!"

Michael Jordan was breathing heavily and he found that he was actually starting to feel a little tired.

In the past few rounds, he was too aggressive on both offense and defense, and this is no longer a game rhythm that he can bear now.

"Old dog, are you tired?" After provoking the fans, Roger came back to continue to torture Jordan.

Even Tayshaun Prince felt that Roger was cold-blooded enough. He did not show any empathy or sympathy towards the 40-year-old Michael Jordan.

At this time, the little prince was very lucky that he was selected by the Warriors and had never played for any other team, so he did not have to be an enemy of Roger.

Cold-blooded? Maybe. From the perspective of competitive sports, the 40-year-old Michael Jordan is already worthy of respect.

But back then, when Roger led the Bulls to great success, didn't Michael Jordan also have the same condescending attitude?
He was just hit right between the eyebrows by the bullet that year.

Jordan did not respond to Roger's obvious provocation. He just wanted to close the score as soon as possible.

The Cavaliers had the ball, Big Z passed it to James, and James finally plucked up the courage to break through.

But freshman LeBron James did not have the unrivaled tank body he would have in the future. It is true that his physique was better than 99.9% of high school students, even better than Roger in his rookie season.

But not better than Roger now.

Under Roger's close defense, although James was not forced to stop, he was also unable to push Roger away directly.

The two men walked side by side to the basket, and then James forced a layup to get a foul.

Too bad this isn't the Nike league.

Nike's influence in the NBA has now fallen to the point where it has to compete with Adidas for the top spot.

The emergence of Roger completely changed the fate of the Reebok brand and also completely changed Nike.

So, no one will take care of Nike's players.

"boom!"

"Another block! Roger blocked LeBron and Michael once each in the same round!" Al Michaels behind the commentary booth admitted that he had made a mistake.

LeBron James and Michael Jordan cannot help Cleveland get out of the darkness. Their strength is over-hyped by the media and by themselves.

After completing the block, Roger's legs just crossed James, and he didn't plan to leave: "You? Replace me? LeBron, you can't even surpass that old guy, and that old guy was only the second in the 90s! Nike might as well give this money to Dwyane Wade!"

Roger vented his anger wantonly. He had already tolerated this Nike duo who had been trying to blackmail him for a whole summer.

For Roger, winning this game is not the most important thing, because it is a necessity.

What's really important is that Roger lets the world know how ridiculous the things these two guys said during the offseason were.

Don’t take advantage of God’s popularity easily!

The basketball was blocked again, and this time the Cavaliers only had 4 seconds left to attack.

In the last 4 seconds, Jordan and James were both blocked. Eric Snow received the basketball, took a step forward and forced a jump shot.

Scoring is not Snow's strong point, so this shot definitely bounced off the frame.

The Cavaliers' offense was unstoppable, while the Warriors' offense was unstoppable.

Roger broke through James with a screen, then turned around and passed the useless Jordan, and finally pulled up to avoid the block of Big Z and successfully scored a layup.

At this point, the score difference had widened to double digits and the Cleveland Cavaliers had to suspend the game.

After Roger sat down, Hubie Brown prepared to make substitutions - this game was too easy and he wanted to give the main players a rest in advance.

But when it was Roger's turn, No. 14 waved his hand and said, "Hubi, let's see if LeBron and Michael will leave the court first."

Hubie Brown was stunned for a moment, but soon knew what Roger was going to do.

This is no contest at all.

This was Roger's public execution of Michael Jordan and LeBron James, two people who disrespected him.

This was Reebok's public execution of Nike.

After the timeout, Michael Jordan was substituted off the court.

Doug Collins doesn't want Jordan to get injured. If the team wants to make the playoffs, they will really need him next time.

Truth be told, Doug Collins never thought he would coach a team that relied on 40-year-old veterans.

Although Jordan left the court, James was still there, so Roger continued to play and stood directly in front of James.

"Beyond greatness, huh?" Roger's tone was full of disdain, making James feel extremely humiliated.

But even facing Roger's close attack, James did not go into rampage mode.

He called for a pick-and-roll for Big Z, broke through the screen and then passed the ball back to the Lithuanian center who shot a mid-range jump shot.

Then James retreated like Duncan, expressionless and without any emotional fluctuations.

Al Michaels did not comment on James' attack just now, but raised a question: "Can LeBron face such pressure? He looks a little nervous. He has only taken two shots in the first quarter so far."

Al Michaels' criticism was subtle, as he believes LeBron James has not taken on the responsibility he should have.

If James is the only one in this game, that's great. It's not shameful for a rookie to be beaten by Roger.

But look at how Michael Jordan fought against fate.

Yes, he saw Roger subconsciously took a step back before the game. He was nervous about this game since before the game.

But when he did take the field, he didn’t hold back.

What about LeBron James?

James was hyped too much last summer. If Kobe hadn't decided to take a different path in Eagle County, James would have been the most watched player that summer.

Charles Barkley criticized this behavior: "The league is already promoting him as a superstar. This will make him successful, but it may also harm him because he is not a superstar after all."

Now, the harm is beginning to show.

People expected him to be as good as the rookie Roger. But now, the illusion is shattered.

In this round, Roger held the ball and directly faced James without even calling for a pick-and-roll.

He used a beautiful wide arc crossover to dribble past James, and then turned in the opposite direction after James caught up.

If it was a strong defensive team, Roger would have been double-teamed when he dribbled past James.

But the Cleveland Cavaliers were obviously not a strong defensive team, and Roger was free to come and go in the opponent's territory.

After dribbling past him, Roger defeated Big Z again with a soft layup.

"LeBron, you are overrated. You will never replace me even in ten years."

In the game after the first quarter, Roger was still unstoppable and scored 21 points in a single quarter!
In the second quarter, while James and Jordan were resting, Roger also rested for a few minutes.

And when 45 and 23 came on the court again, 14 followed closely.

Roger scored against those two men unscrupulously, and each score was accompanied by extremely humiliating trash talk.

Michael Jordan was fighting back, and LeBron James was sleepwalking.

This scene reminded all Nike executives of the first half of 1995.

That was a point where Roger hadn’t gotten a championship ring yet.

That was a point when Nike was still hoping that Penny Hardaway could compete with Roger.

Which game made Nike give up on Hardaway? It was the game in early 1995 when Roger scored 40 points in the first half against Penny.

Since that game, Penny was completely suppressed by Roger, and no one would compare him with Roger anymore.

Tonight, it was like it was 1995 for Nike executives.

Because Roger scored 40 points in the first half again!
In the second quarter, Roger scored 19 points. He changed his previous style and hardly passed the ball. He just shot the ball again and again over the heads of James and Jordan, letting the whole world see how insurmountable the gap was between him and these two boastful guys.

At halftime, the Warriors led by 21 points, but he told Hubie Brown in the locker room: "It's the same in the third quarter. I'll play if LeBron and Michael play."

In the third quarter, Jordan was exhausted.

He took on too much responsibility today, which led to a physical breakdown in the third quarter.

James only shoots occasionally and passes the ball more often.

With 1 minute and 02 seconds left in the third quarter, when Jordan was blocked by Stephen Jackson and had no strength to break through, he passed the ball to James in the last 10 seconds.

James faced Roger and started to dribble the ball between his legs. Roger also defended seriously and did not relax even though the team was leading by a large margin.

Just when everyone thought that James would take on the responsibility of attacking and challenging Roger, he passed the ball back to Jordan in the last 4 seconds!

The moment Michael Jordan received the ball, his mind went blank.

If you are a fighter, you can just single out Roger.

If you're a wimp, you catch the ball and pass it to someone else right away.

But who on earth has to dribble the ball for several seconds before passing it to his teammates at the last moment?
Michael Jordan is finding it increasingly difficult to understand LeBron James.

In the last 4 seconds, Jordan tried to get rid of Stephen Jackson, but his 40-year-old legs wouldn't allow it.

He could only jump without getting rid of the defense at all, and then missed the shot.

Troy Murphy received the basketball and passed it to Roger.

Michael Jordan came up to entangle Roger like crazy, this was his last struggle for his dignity. Because at this time, Roger had already scored 58 points in three quarters!
60 points in three quarters is a miracle for today's NBA fans, because the last time this happened was on the night when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game!

People said Roger would surpass Chamberlain, but they didn't expect the number he would surpass was not 20000.

Jordan didn't want to see this happen. Although allowing Roger to score 58 points in three quarters was shameful enough, 60 points were two completely different concepts.

Michael Jordan tried hard, but what kind of king is Roger if he can't beat a 40-year-old player?
He protected the basketball in his hands flexibly, making Michael Jordan's steals fall short time and time again.

Jordan tried hard to keep his balance and not fall to his knees in front of Roger for the second time.

Roger dribbled the ball outside the three-point line and Eric Snow immediately double-teamed him.

Seeing this situation, Roger, who originally wanted to play a trick on Jordan, could only make a quick decision.

He quickly changed hands and direction, using his speed to overtake the slow-moving Jordan.

At this time, James, who was at 45 degrees on the right side, had the opportunity to assist in defense, but his sleepwalking state seemed to still not end.

No. 23 just stared blankly at Roger passing by, as if he had completely forgotten what he was here for. No one knew what he was thinking. This will remain a mystery forever.

Roger made a quick stop and jump shot, but Jordan tried hard to block it and almost blocked the ball.

But Roger pulled the ball down in the air, dodged it for a moment, and waited until Jordan flew past him before he raised the ball again and threw it out steadily.

This is a pull-up jump shot, a difficult shot that Michael Jordan has completed countless times.

But now, he could only look up at the master of this action. High above, untouchable.

The basketball went into the net, and Jordan fell down due to inertia after landing. James was still standing. The huge pressure made him dazed. Roger shook his head: "You are just an ordinary player now, Michael, so don't say 'If Roger can do it, so can I'. No, you can't."

After saying that, Roger turned and left with a record of 60 points in three quarters.

Roger, Jordan and James.

One didn't look back, one didn't shout, and one had no expression.

This scene makes all the massacres in NBA history pale in comparison.

The Cavaliers took a timeout, trailing by 32 points.

After Roger left the court, Hubie Brown asked him, "60 points in three quarters, is that enough?"

"The point is not Hubie's 60 points in three quarters, the point is that Michael and LeBron combined are less than half of my score, the point is that the two people who clamored to replace me and do better than me are now being despised like garbage. Enough, enough, I want to rest."

Of course it was enough. 60 points in three quarters was enough to make this game an eternal classic. This also means that the entire record of James and Jordan being slaughtered will also become a classic and be mentioned from time to time.

In 2011, although Dwyane Wade did not understand LeBron James' behavior, he chose to forgive him.

But in the winter of 2003, the 40-year-old Michael Jordan was not as good-tempered as Wade.

He pounded the floor angrily, got up in a rage, walked up and pushed James with both hands: "LeBron, what are you doing, you idiot!?"

The whole audience burst into exclamations. James and Jordan have always called each other younger brother and better brother, and their relationship is as close as father and son in Nike's publicity.

And now they're clashing in a nationally televised game?
Michael Jordan has been patient with James since training camp until now.

But tonight, he completely exploded.

He allowed James' skills to be less than expected, and he allowed James to be less mature than he thought.

But he does not allow James to be afraid to shoot, look dazed, or be at a loss in crucial games.

"If you can't fucking play in the NBA, I'll let you try your luck in the Development League!" Jordan yelled at No. 23, but was quickly pulled away by his teammates.

James didn't argue, didn't yell.

He sat back on the bench under the protection of some teammates, then supported his knees with his elbows and chewed his fingers.

Seeing this scene, Al Michaels concluded.

"60 points in three quarters, a great night, the first since Wilt Chamberlain, Roger beat LeBron and Michael by himself.

LeBron, who was highly expected and promoted all summer long and was thought to have secured a spot in the legendary club, performed incomprehensibly today.

I suddenly feel that superstar is a bad word, a bad word that has been overused. When people see a player who can do fancy crotch dribbling, a player who can dunk, a player who has a strong body and fast speed, they will say: Oh, that's a superstar. And this title was also given to LeBron James this summer.

But forget it, Roger is the superstar!

A superstar not only needs to be talented, but also has to have a tenacious desire to win.

Don't give the title of superstar to anyone casually, and don't compare anyone with Roger easily.

This seems like a great insult to Roger!"

Al Michaels spoke for Roger.

When James and Jordan were madly trying to rip Roger off in the summer, Roger felt insulted. How could an old guy, a little thing, keep saying "replace me"? "Surpass me"?

So tonight, he just insulted back.

Looking at the distraught LeBron James and Michael Jordan, whose face was filled with anger, dissatisfaction and betrayal, Doug Collins knew that even the playoffs were out of reach, let alone the conference semifinals. Not to mention replacing Roger, LeBron James might even become Roger's party toy for a long time to come.

This time, the boasting was really exaggerated.

In the end, the Warriors won the game 127-81.

ESPN posted the statistics of Roger, James and Michael Jordan.

罗杰60分3次助攻4个篮板3次抢断4次封盖。

LeBron James had 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 turnovers.

Michael Jordan had 17 points, 2 assists and 3 rebounds.

What else can I say? ESPN is so considerate, as if they are afraid that fans can't clearly and intuitively feel the gap between Roger and the Cleveland duo.

These two people paid a heavy price for their crazy summer of fraud.

After the game, Roger did not forget to say hello to the Cavaliers players. But Jordan and James did not say hello to anyone, they hurried into the player tunnel the moment the game ended.

Stephen Jackson patted Roger on the shoulder and said, "It doesn't matter, Roger. No matter how they escape, their behavior in the summer and your behavior tonight have made this the most self-humiliating game in NBA history."

"For Michael, it is. But for LeBron, this is not necessarily the most humiliating one. That guy is only 19 years old, it's still early. Steph, no one can ever predict what will happen in the future. You know what? I'm still looking forward to how he will replace me."
-
Roger looked out the window, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.

He felt excited when he thought about what happened last night, the breakdown of the fragile relationship between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, and the fact that LeBron James would stay in this league for many more years.

Replace me?
Replace one and see!
Whether in business or on the basketball court, LeBron James and Michael Jordan can give it a try.

Yes, in the original timeline, LeBron James was almost going to replace Michael Jordan.

When people are seriously discussing who is the GOAT between him and Jordan, James has actually won, but most people have not realized it yet.

The reason why James' team can succeed is that this comparison is remote, and the two men have never even had a formal game against each other. Therefore, you can't provide any evidence for the argument that "LeBron is not as good as Michael."

Although Roger felt that two three-peat championships and four individual championships were not achievements of the same level, you could not resist the hype from the fans and the media and the man's own shamelessness.

But Roger is different. Like Jordan, he created glory in the 90s. But unlike Jordan, he will continue to play in the 00s.

So he's going to play against LeBron James, a lot of times.

He will provide the world with evidence after evidence that LeBron James is not as good as himself, and he will make it clear the gap between LeBron James and himself.

In the face of these evidences, the publicity and hype of James' team and Nike's team will become meaningless.

Meanwhile, Michael Jordan was drinking at home to drown his sorrows.

Everything he expected was shattered in yesterday's game, and Roger once again became the one who shattered his hopes.

After such a disgraceful game, such a game that broke the propaganda fairy tale, how long can the Cleveland Cavaliers maintain their attendance? Can LeBron James reverse Nike's decline?
Thinking of this, Michael Jordan took another sip of liquor.

The wine slid down his throat, burning his heart.

Regardless, it has happened and all we have to do now is face it.

He must ensure that the Cavaliers can make the playoffs, and he must teach LeBron James to be tough.

Although Michael Jordan scolded LeBron James severely in the locker room yesterday, Jordan didn't think it was a big deal.

Who on the Bulls hadn't been scolded by him in the past? But did anyone break up with him? No one.

He was just teaching the kid, and at the end of the day, they had to work together.

Michael Jordan picked up his phone and sent a text message to James in the tone of a good brother: "Forget about last night, let's welcome tomorrow."

LeBron James ignored his vibrating phone and looked directly at the man in front of him, Gordon Gund, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, Gund Arena was named after him.

The man was holding a cigar, his eyes wide open.

Because he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"LeBron, what did you say?"

Opposite Gordon Gund, the super genius, the man who was considered destined to replace Roger, the hope of Cleveland, repeated the words he had just said with an indifferent expression.

"Roger became great because he wasn't on the same team as Michael, so I didn't need him."

(Today's update is 8600 words, 1400 words shallowly shortened, and will continue with words tomorrow)
(End of this chapter)