Champions Creed

Chapter 339 Chapter 338: The reversal of their fate (asking for monthly tickets!)
It was the first time that Michael Jordan discovered that he and Roger actually had something in common.

For example, they all can't stand LeBron James' behavior.

Jordan liked what Roger said about LeBron James, that guy is a big blowhard.

Ten years ago, in the series against the Knicks, when the morale of the team was at its lowest and everyone was fantasizing that "it would be easier if MJ was still here", Roger said: "We don't need MJ, now you only need me!"

Facts have proved that he was not just talking. His magical performance made him a permanent psychological shadow for New York fans, and he eventually led the team to the finals.

Now, ten years later, LeBron James also believes that he can lead the team to the playoffs without MJ.

Although the requirements were much lower than Roger's, Jordan still believed that the guy would definitely not be able to do it!
So what if the Cavaliers added Michael Redd? Neither he nor LeBron James are leaders, so they won't go far.

Thinking of this, Jordan looked out the window, still unable to believe that he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. This made the Hawks the only team after the Bulls that had both Jordan and Roger.

Of course, Michael Jordan's arrival was nothing like Roger's.

There was no huge crowds, no grand welcoming ceremony. Although Jordan's transfer was very popular in the newspapers, in fact, Atlanta was very calm today, as if nothing had happened.

Jordan sat in the back of the minibus, looking at the streets of Atlanta, and he imagined how Roger felt when he came here.

I am definitely full of energy, confidence and hope for the future.

In any case, it must be much better than my current self.

Michael Jordan has experienced transfers before. When he moved to New York in the summer of 1996, it was 10 times more sensational than it is now.

But the moods behind the two transfers were completely different.

In 1996, Michael Jordan left as a free agent and chose his next team. But this time, he was abandoned by the team.

On the streets, there are still many people wearing Roger's No. 14 jersey, and the huge Reebok advertisements in the city are all Roger's posters.

Michael Jordan expressed his emotion about Roger's influence, saying that both Orlando and Atlanta left a deep mark of Roger.

Less than half an hour after arriving in the city, he realized one thing: he had come to Roger's city!

His arrival was destined to be insignificant, and would not even be remembered in the history of the Atlanta Hawks. Ten years later, only when people occasionally looked up the information would they find out: Oh, Michael was here.

If it were in the past, Michael Jordan would feel very sad and a failure.

He seemed to be exiled to a city that did not belong to him, where he could only perish on his own.

But now, Jordan feels that being traded to Atlanta is no big deal.

He doesn't care whether he can create greatness in Atlanta. He came here to do only one thing, which is to prevent LeBron James from making the playoffs!
He must achieve this goal!

After all, this was the worst betrayal Michael Jordan had ever experienced. He admitted that he was hard on LeBron James, but it was never personal. In fact, he wanted LeBron James to perform well more than anyone else.

As a result, he was kicked out by LeBron James.

Maybe this was the fate he faced after the team traded Roger away many years ago. The bullet fired from the trigger he pulled in the past will always hit you right in the middle of your eyes when you least expect it.

How could he have imagined that ten years later, he would also experience the feeling of being taken away by another person.

But Michael Jordan does not think he is as shameless as LeBron James. His conflict with Roger is open, and he and Roger face each other like men.

But what about LeBron? He seems to be your friend, but then he suddenly gives you a big one.

Jordan experienced the pain of being five centimeters shorter than Jordan.

So no matter what, he had to deal with that damn bastard!
Now he doesn't need to be in high spirits, nor does he need fans to line the streets to welcome him.

He has his own goals.

Do those assholes in Cleveland really think I'm the obstacle to their playoff run? Fine, screw them, we'll see!
Thinking of this, Michael Jordan clenched his fists.

In this serious atmosphere, Jordan turned his head and saw his 14-year-old son Marcus Jordan grinning.

"Marcus, what makes you so happy?" Jordan asked seriously.

"Nothing, I like this city, it's much better than Cleveland."

"It's definitely better than that shitty place."

"So when are we going to Aunt Larsa's?"

"What did you say?"

"Uh aren't you going to meet up with Scott first?"

"Indeed," Michael Jordan nodded, "I should definitely meet him."

At this time, Jordan's cell phone rang. It was Pete Babcock, general manager of the Atlanta Hawks, calling: "Michael, I just want to confirm, are you still wearing No. 45?"

"Fuck No. 45," Michael Jordan said, his head bulging with veins, "My number is 23!"

On the afternoon of their arrival in Atlanta, Michael Jordan met with Scott Pippen at a cigar club.

Scott Pippen was a little embarrassed. Although he and Jordan had won three consecutive championships together and he and Jordan knew each other earlier, at the moment, his personal relationship with Jordan was not as good as Roger's.

After leaving Jordan, Pippen has repeatedly said in public that "Michael is not as good as Roger."

The two's personal relationship is quite distant. In fact, they haven't had any private contact for many years.

When he saw his old teammates again, Pippen didn't know how to greet them.

Michael Jordan held a cigar in his mouth and smiled with narrowed eyes: "I didn't pay close attention the last time we played. You've become so old, Scott."

"Oh, are you young?"

Pippen sat down but didn't get too close to Jordan, which clearly showed that there was a clear gap between the two old teammates.

"I never thought that we could be teammates at the end of each other's careers. It's really a miracle of fate."

"If I can, I'd rather not. This is my retirement season, Michael, and I just want to play every game seriously for the Hawks fans. I know what you, an arrogant guy, are thinking, but let me tell you, it's impossible. The management traded for you and Darius just to dive into the lottery. The Hawks are crazy about Dwight Howard, and they hope to lure Roger home with this 18-year-old top talent. So don't mess around, and don't oppress us. No one will listen to you in the Hawks locker room."

Pippen didn't want to bear the pressure anymore. He had been tired for more than ten years, most of which was under pressure because he played under Michael Jordan and Roger, two of the most oppressive leaders in NBA history.

Now when Scott Pippen thinks back to those days, besides feeling proud and proud, he also feels suffocated. He doesn't even know how he managed to hold on during those years.

This season, he just wants to enjoy the last bit of happiness of playing, and then exit the field amid cheers and flowers.

Pippen knew what Michael Jordan wanted to do, but he really didn't want to cooperate anymore.

"Yes, yes, yes, no man can refuse an 18-year-old top talent." Jordan nodded without refutation.

"So you just play half a season peacefully, then retire and go home to enjoy yourself. To be honest, Michael, I don't know why you came back."

"Of course a loser like you can't understand me, but Roger can."

"What did you say? Don't fucking call me that, you bastard. You have no right to teach me a lesson!" Pippen pointed at Jordan's nose. He didn't want to be inferior to this bastard anymore.

He now has seven rings, more than twice as many as Michael Jordan. When Michael Jordan retired, Scottie Pippen was still active in the league, participating in all four of Roger's championship campaigns in Atlanta.

He doesn't think he is worse than Michael Jordan now.

"What did I say wrong? You are a piece of shit, and now you are only thinking about your retirement tour. Wake up Scott, no one wants to see your retirement tour. Who do you think you are? Roger?"

"Get lost, Michael. Now I know why LeBron James kicked you out." Pippen stood up and prepared to leave. This bastard hasn't changed at all over the years. He deserved to be kicked out by LeBron James.

Jordan yelled, "If you really want to be remembered, then do something in the last year of your career! Scott, you know LeBron's popularity, you know the fans' expectations of him, so is there any greater retirement tour than stepping on LeBron James' head to enter the playoffs!? If you do it, this will be the last glory of your career! Our careers are all coming to an end, times have changed, even Roger, a high school student, is playing his 11th season! Everything is coming to an end, and you are willing to leave like a passerby?"

Scott Pippen stopped walking. Yes, it was all over. This was the last year of his career. Once it was over, there would no longer be a Scott Pippen on live TV.

So, does he really want to spend his last year in failure?
He remembered what Roger had said many years ago, but it still made a deep impression on him: "We can only win by running on this road until we die."

You can't stop, even if it's the last year of your career, but as long as you are still on this path, you must not stop.

Seeing that Pippen did not continue to move forward, Michael Jordan knew that he was wavering.

Jordan stood up, walked to Pippen and handed him a cigar: "You and me, everyone thinks we are old men half buried in the ground. Come on, Scott, let's turn everything around!"

Atlanta and Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan would never have imagined that he would play for a team full of Roger's influence.

At this time, Michael Jordan didn't know that his and Roger's fate were not just intertwined in Atlanta.

From the very beginning, the fate of these two people was inseparable.

On the other hand, watching Michael Jordan being traded to Atlanta, Roger deeply realized the difference between destiny and fate.

While Scott Pippen was enjoying the exclusive love from Atlanta fans, another person suddenly appeared and stole his limelight.

It was just like when he and Steve Smith were talking about how to create something new in Atlanta, and then Roger suddenly fell from the sky.

Scott Pippen could never be the center of attention, and that was the curse that haunted him throughout his life.

Roger put down the newspaper and picked up the Sports Illustrated next to him.

"Damn, are they sure this cover won't scare the kids?" Roger shook his head.

Mutombo glanced at the cover, then quickly looked away, as if unwilling to look at it even once more: "That's good. The ultimate end of art is abstraction."

This issue of Sports Illustrated became famous because many parents complained that it scared their children. The cover was actually a normal photo of three Timberwolves players. However, the appearance of one of them completely changed the style of the magazine cover.

This was the first time many people knew that abstraction did not necessarily have to appear in the form of a painting.

But don't judge a book by its cover. The fact that they were on the cover of Sports Illustrated is enough to show how hot the Timberwolves are recently.

So far this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a record of 21 wins and 10 losses, ranking second in the Western Conference, second only to the Golden State Warriors.

The two signings made by the Timberwolves in the summer were not very impressive at first. Sam Cassell won a championship with the Dream Team in the 90s, but he was just a bench bandit in the championship team. Madman was selected to the All-NBA Team, but that was ten years ago.

No one thought that Sam Cassell and Sprewell could bring any qualitative changes to the Timberwolves.

However, the effect of their arrival was immediate.

到1月份，萨姆.卡塞尔场均24分8助攻，狂人场均18+5+3，他们已然是凯文.加内特拥有过最好的队友。

Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale gave a very modest assessment of the roster he assembled:

"We have height, we have scoring, we have defense. We can play fast-paced basketball, we can play slow-paced basketball. We have excellent role players, and we also have the kind of people who can perform great performances at critical moments, as my old friend Bill Walton often says. When I see my team, I think, we can do it!"

Facts have proved that the best power forward in Celtics history is not arrogant. This Timberwolves team is indeed very strong, and may be the strongest Timberwolves before the 2024 Timberwolves.

They totally deserved to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Opening the issue of Sports Illustrated with a shocking cover, Roger saw the poster that came with the issue on the first page. The poster showed himself and Tom Brady.

On the poster, the two men stand with their hands on their hips on the left and right sides respectively. At one of their feet is a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP, while at the other's feet are a dazzling array of honors, with championships alone surrounding Roger.

The title at the bottom of the poster is just one simple sentence: "Champion, Foxburg or Oakland? Can Tom and Roger reverse their losing situation?"

Reebok has been bundling Roger and Tom Brady for promotion this year because their fates are too similar.

Tom Brady faced the embarrassment of the defending champion failing to make the playoffs last season. His career had just reached its peak, but it quickly fell to the bottom.

Roger was eliminated in the second round by the Warriors, which was also a fall from the peak of the three consecutive championships. In addition, Roger had proven that he could succeed in his first season in Orlando and Atlanta. In the Bay Area, he has not yet proved this.

The poster is right, both Roger and Tom Brady need to reverse the current situation.

Roger put down Sports Illustrated and looked out the window.

The Minneapolis Institute of Art is covered with white snow, making the building look even more majestic and solemn.

That’s right, tonight, the Warriors players will have to face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been very popular recently, and test their luck in the wolf’s den!
The Warriors lost the last time the two teams met, so this time, Roger came with the determination to win.

Roger is well aware that the Minnesota Timberwolves could become a strong opponent for him in the playoffs, so he must accumulate some winning experience in the regular season.

At this moment, Roger's cell phone vibrated. Someone called him. It was the person who took the poster with him.

"Did you see the poster that comes with this issue of Sports Illustrated? It's so cool!"

"I think a lot of people will miss this poster because of the cover. Bringing this magazine home is like bringing back something unclean," Roger joked.

"No one belongs to anyone. They can be on the cover of magazines, but they may not be able to deal with you. I will watch the game tonight. Kill them Roger, kill them! Kill any opponent who may threaten the championship. Go ahead and reverse everything!"

Roger didn't know how his contact with Tom Brady became so frequent.

It seems to have started after the end of last year's season.

Tom Brady and Roger found that their destinies were very similar and they could always resonate on some things.

So their contact began to become more frequent. They would encourage each other from time to time and call each other before each other's key games.

Roger wants to see Tom Brady succeed, and Tom Brady wants to see Roger succeed.

Whether it is Michael Jordan and Scott Pippen, or Roger and Tom Brady, they all have a common goal - to reverse the current situation!
Roger replied "OK" and hung up the phone. At this time, he felt the flash of a camera outside the car window.

The team bus has arrived at the Target Center parking lot, and the Warriors are deep in the Wolf's Den.

Roger closed the magazine, put down his phone, and was the first to stand up: "It's time to get to work!"

Inside the Target Center, the enthusiasm of the fans has already let Roger know how popular the Timberwolves are this season.

Minneapolis is a small basketball city, and the teams here have only played supporting roles in the past many years, so they are not very popular.

But now, someone has set fire to this place, melting the snow that has trapped the timber wolves for years.

Kevin Garnett, the man who did all this, walked across half court and took the initiative to shake Roger's hand: "Roger, how do you feel?"

"Hate it here as always, too cold."

Roger looked up at Kevin Garnett in front of him. Unknowingly, the young high school student who was not used to the NBA and needed help from others to guide him had reached the peak and truly became his opponent.

"It's okay, Roger. You will definitely hate this place even more later. Many people only remember the low temperatures in Minneapolis. The lowest temperature here in winter can reach minus 40 degrees Celsius. But few people know that the highest temperature in this city in summer can reach 40 degrees Celsius. You will feel the extreme heat and the extreme cold here! Roger, the result tonight will be no different from last time!"

The little wolf who was timid back then has now grown into a strong wings.

"Extreme burning heat and extreme cold," Roger nodded. "It's just like the feeling of having jelly in your mouth. It's not like I haven't experienced it before. It's quite comfortable."

Garnett: ???

Roger turned around and left easily, looking at Amar'e Stoudemire: "Amar'e, you must not score less than him tonight!"

"What? He's KG!"

"Even if he is a Transformer, you have to deal with him for me!"

The starting lineups of both teams were in place, and the national live broadcast signal reached every family watching basketball. "This is a crucial game. I know the Golden State Warriors are in the ascendant this season, and I know Roger is ready to reach the top again. But this is a very competitive season. Roger has defeated many opponents, but there are still opponents in the league that he has not been able to defeat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are one of them.

No matter who wants to win the championship, the Timberwolves and the Warriors need to prove that they can beat each other. The Timberwolves won the last game, and we all know how good this strongest Timberwolves team in history is. Can Roger succeed in the Bay Area? We will see tonight and make a judgment! ”

After Marvin Albert finished speaking, the starting players of both teams took their positions.

The Timberwolves' starting lineup remained unchanged, but the Warriors put Marcus Camby on the starting roster.

Mutombo's current physical condition is too poor, coupled with limited mobility, so when there is no need to face strong low-post threats, Marcus Camby is a better choice to start.

With the first ball of the game, Kevin Garnett felt the power of the new starting lineup.

In the Timberwolves' first attack, after Cassell and KG set a pick-and-roll, they skillfully passed the ball back to the Timberwolves facing Stoudemire's assist defense.

Stoudemire immediately rushed forward, but Garnett just made a fake move of raising the ball above his head, and then dribbled through after Stoudemire rushed over.

This move is very similar to Stoudemire's. At the power forward position, both KG and Stoudemire can use their mid-range shooting threats to lure defenders forward and then wait for an opportunity to break through.

The difference is that if it was Stoudemire, he would definitely go straight to the basket and lower the height for Huashan.

But after KG broke through Stoudemire, he only took one step forward like a guard and then made a quick stop jump shot.

Although KG has a foul mouth, his body is like a germaphobe and he doesn't like to come into contact with people on the offensive end.

Compared with some other top power forwards, Karl Malone averaged 6.6 free throws per game in his career, Tim Duncan averaged 6.1, and Nowitzki, who doesn't like to shoot inside, averaged 5.4.

And Garnett? 4.1.

This is enough to show how mysophobic he is and how unwilling he is to engage in physical combat in the restricted area.

Garnett did not choose to challenge Camby, he was more confident in his jump shot.

But the moment he made the move, he was immediately blocked by the face seal.

If Mutombo is the starting center of the Warriors, then the center position will definitely not be defended in time.

But when the starting center of the Warriors is Marcus Camby, the one who decided to redeem the ultimate prize, then you have to pay attention to the defensive area of ​​the Warriors' center position!
With Camby's active interference, KG's shot bounced off the rim. Sugar Man Olowokandi tried to grab the rebound, but was caught by Stoudemire who had a better rebound speed.

The Warriors' starting lineup adjustments had an immediate effect!
To deal with Garnett, we need an inside combination with strong enough mobility!
The game continued, and the Timberwolves' player responsible for guarding Roger was Trenton Hassell, a guard who made his mark in the league through defense.

This kind of person is often not selected for the defensive lineup, but sometimes he is more difficult to deal with than the stars who are selected for the defensive lineup. As we all know, stars often have to take care of both offense and defense. So in some defensive rounds, they may put their hands on their hips, be in a daze, or use eye defense.

A pure defensive player like this can put all his physical strength and energy into defense, making you uncomfortable every second on the offensive end.

Roger called for a pick-and-roll, KG went out to sweep, and worked with Hassell to temporarily trap Roger, and very cleverly used his long arms to cover Roger's passing route to Stoudemire.

The Timberwolves' defense is all based on Kevin Garnett. He is the backbone and he is everywhere on the defensive end.

Meanwhile, Sprewell tore into his former teammate Alan Houston, and Sam Cassell clung to Tayshaun Prince, inflicting mental damage on him.

For a while, no one on the Warriors could pick up Roger.

But Roger was not trapped. He continued to run in, completely "sucking" Garnett in front of him, and then just before he hit Garnett, he passed the ball between KG's open legs to Stoudemire! Stoudemire didn't choose a jump shot. He didn't have KG's cleanliness. Instead, he dunked the ball with his back turned after receiving it!
Because Jeff Hornacek is familiar with the Salt Lake City pick-and-roll, and he brought this tactic to the Warriors, Roger often practices this routine with Stoudemire. Moreover, their tacit understanding is getting deeper and deeper as the season progresses. Nowadays, no matter how the opponent blocks, they can't stop Roger from passing the ball to Stoudemire after hanging the screen. Roger can find various angles to pass the ball to Stoudemire, and Stoudemire also knows when to cut in and when to bounce out.

Marvin Albert commented on this attack: "Now Roger knows how to assist Stoudemire even with his eyes closed!"

2-0, the Warriors took the lead.

Roger yelled at KG: "Kevin, where is the ice and fire? Let me have fun! I don't want to play an easy game here today!"

The game continued, and the Timberwolves' offense was still looking for KG. He was ready to challenge Stoudemire in the low post with his back to the basket.

But the Warriors didn't give him any chance at all. The moment Garnett held the ball with his back to the basket, Camby double-teamed him, forcing Garnett to pass the ball to Olowokandi under the basket.

When Stoudemire and Marcus Camby were on the court at the same time, Kevin Garnett was completely curbed.

But when Olowokandi was about to force his way to the basket, Marcus Camby had already returned to his position and gave Olowokandi a real bloody blow under the basket!
Although Mutombo was deprived of his starting position, he stood up excitedly and waved his towel when he saw Camby complete the big shot.

On the court, Marcus Camby punched hard, then looked at Mutombo and nodded.

From a nationally renowned rising star to two consecutive years of injuries, being abandoned by the team, and then giving up on himself. Marcus Camby almost ruined his career, and it was Mutombo and this team that pulled him back.

This season is the key to his turning everything around, he must seize every second of his starting role!

The Warriors counterattacked. This time Roger did not play pick-and-roll with Stoudemire. Instead, he dribbled away from Trenton Hassell, forcing Garnett to block again.

Roger passed the ball at the most appropriate time and Stoudemire took a mid-range shot.

Although Garnett tried his best to interfere, he was still a beat too slow, and Stoudemire's jump shot went in steadily!

4 is better than 0!

Stoudemire's excited shouting, his mid-range shots, his defense, all of this did not appear overnight.

His weakness last season prevented him from playing the role of Roger's right-hand man, causing the Warriors to be eliminated in the second round.

But this year, he will turn everything around and become the most reliable helper for his favorite star!
"The warriors are dismembering the wolf king!" Marvin Albert shouted.

That's right, everything the Warriors did was aimed at KG.

On defense, Stoudemire and Marcus Camby's athleticism was enough to negate Garnett's advantage in agility.

On the offensive end, Roger and Stoudemire's increasingly better understanding made Garnett unable to focus on one thing while neglecting the other.

The Warriors are overwhelming the Alpha Wolves in Minneapolis.

Garnett was very annoyed. This time he asked for the ball from a very high position, determined to tear through the Warriors' defense.

Garnett faced Stoudemire with the ball and made several three-threat moves, and finally accelerated immediately when Stoudemire's center of gravity shifted!
But Garnett had just taken a step when he found that the ball in his hand had been poked away.

It's Roger!
He left Trenton Hassell behind early to help defend KG, and stole the ball the moment Garnett passed the ball.

Tonight, there is no place for the Wolf King, whether in the low position or the high position.

The Warriors made a series of targeted arrangements against him, and all efforts were for only one goal - to make sure there is no team in the league that the Warriors cannot beat!

After grabbing the ball, Roger quickly launched a counterattack, while Garnett chased him relentlessly, showing off his speed that was inconsistent with his size.

As Roger jumped up for a layup, Garnett stretched out his long arms and sent himself into the air to block the shot.

His fingertips were about to touch the basketball, but Roger seemed to have eyes behind his head. He suddenly took the ball back, switched to his other hand, and pulled the lever to complete the layup!
Roger knew Garnett too well, and he knew very well how fast the Wolf King could chase him, so from the beginning Roger had no intention of finishing with a normal layup.

6 to 0, the Golden State Warriors showed great dominance in the early stages of the game and held down the wolf!
It seemed that the Timberwolves could no longer let the Warriors get lost in the snow-filled forest.

"Sorry Kevin," Roger turned around after completing the dunk, "You know, I can't go two seasons without winning the championship. So this year, no matter how satisfied you are with yourselves, be prepared to be defeated by me!"

After completing the dunk, Roger returned to his own half and continued to defend seriously.

No one could stop him from turning the tide and making a comeback.

Yes, the competition is fierce this year and there are many strong teams.

Roger is very happy to have so many companions!
At the same time, outside of this highly-anticipated national live broadcast, another game was taking place, but not many people were paying attention to it.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors, this is Michael Jordan's debut with the Hawks, but the lack of nationwide live broadcast shows that people have lost their expectations for Jordan.

From the moment he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Michael Redd, his fate seemed to be sealed and he would end his career in mediocrity.

The game was very intense and beyond the expectations of Atlanta fans.

When the Hawks decided to make that deal, the Hawks management was inevitably criticized.

Because this deal would be the equivalent of the team raising the white flag in January, giving up on this season and diving into the lottery.

Yes, Dwight Howard is tempting, but no fan wants to see the team they support lose game after game.

Giving up Reed is equivalent to giving up victory.

However, the Eagles' performance today was quite different from what the fans imagined.

At this time, there were only a few dozen seconds left in the game and the Atlanta Hawks were leading by 1 point.

But under the Raptors' offensive, the Hawks' one-point advantage was shaky.

The old men were already sweating profusely, and no one knew if they could hold on to the end.

On the court, Vince Carter took advantage of a screen to get outside the three-point line, and took a three-point shot after receiving a pass from Jalen Rose.

This was a three-pointer that, if hit, would be enough to knock down the Hawks.

Scott Pippen actively bypassed the screen, squeezed the last bit of energy in his legs, jumped up to interfere, and blocked Carter.

The basketball flew over everyone's heads and finally hit the rim and bounced off!
Kurt Thomas protected the rebound and the Hawks got the opportunity to expand their advantage!
At Philips Arena, all the fans stood up and cheered.

Yes, that's what was different about the Eagles today.

Just when everyone thought the team would just play badly and everyone thought Jordan and Pippen would enter retirement parade mode, they played extra hard tonight, just like their time in Chicago!
After this successful defense, the Hawks seemed to be on the verge of defeating the young and strong Raptors!
However, Michael Jordan's jump shot in this round hit the front of the basket. The shooting range was obviously short, which meant that Jordan's physical strength had almost reached the bottom.

The Raptors immediately counterattacked upon seeing this. Chris Bosh grabbed the rebound and went straight to Jalen Rose who was in the front!

Pippen rushed out suddenly and nearly snatched the ball from Jalen Rose. Jalen Rose hurriedly dribbled behind his back to avoid it, but because his dribbling ability was not that strong, the ball almost went out of control. Fortunately, he immediately retrieved the ball and did not make a mistake.

However, this still delayed the Raptors' counterattack, causing Pippen to run to the frontcourt.

After readjusting himself, Jalen Rose immediately sprinted at full speed. Even when facing Scott Pippen, Jalen Rose was very confident.

Jalen Rose quickly rushed into the restricted area of ​​the opposite half of the court. Scott Pippen opened his arms and guarded the middle, forcing Jalen Rose to make a layup from the right side.

Just as Jalen Rose passed the ball, Pippen cut it.

However, he failed.

His palm just passed in front of the basketball, and Jalen Rose jumped steadily and lifted the ball.

Pippen was disappointed. If he was in his prime, he could jump up and block the ball immediately after the failed cut.

But now Pippen only has one chance, and after failing to cut the ball, he has no time to jump.

And if Jalen Rose makes the layup, it will be a buzzer-beater.

All the Eagles' previous efforts will be in vain.

At this moment, Pippen saw a shadow rise up and cover the restricted area. Then, a pair of big hands directly pressed Jalen Rose's layup on the backboard and then grabbed the ball and landed.

"Michael Jordan completed a chase-down dunk! Oh my God, is this really the 40-year-old Michael? Did you see how fast he got back on defense? Incredible, absolutely incredible!"

It was indeed incredible. Even Pippen found it incredible. Michael Jordan's physical strength was obviously exhausted just now. How could he squeeze out such speed?
After taking the basketball, Jordan threw it directly into the air. Before the basketball landed, the buzzer sounded.

They tried their best to hold on to the last point advantage and won the victory!

In the stands, Marcus Jordan and Larsa hugged each other excitedly.

Marcus' smile at this moment was the brightest smile in the world. He must be proud of his father.

Well, maybe.

The moment the game ended, Michael Jordan sat directly on the ground, gasping for breath.

After the effect of adrenaline wore off, Michael Jordan felt like his legs were about to break and his lungs were about to explode.

But he still hammered the floor with all his strength: "First victory, Scott! We will get in sooner or later, we will definitely get in!"

Old and useless? Kicked out by a rookie? Embarrassing and miserable late career? No, Michael Jordan is going to turn it all around!
Pippen smiled, reached out and pulled Jordan up from the ground.

Minneapolis, Timberwolves fans are already sweating.

This man is terrible.

When Stoudemire scored consecutively and KG had to focus more on defending Stoudemire in the fourth quarter, Roger scored 13 points in a row in the final moments of the fourth quarter without missing a single shot!

He was so determined and cold-blooded, like a professional hunter, ruthlessly harvesting the entire wolf pack with a shotgun and even plucking their skins as trophies.

In this round, Roger played without the ball, passed through the screen to the corner, received the pass from Alan Houston, shot past Trenton Hassell, and then shot at the madman who came to defend.

Roger was hit by the madman, but the basketball was not affected at all and still fell into the pocket.

Roger got a chance to score four points!
"The ball goes in, and there are free throws! Without KG's support, the Timberwolves can't deal with No. 14!" Marvin Albert could understand the despair in the hearts of the Timberwolves fans.

He didn't celebrate or yell, he just stood up and walked to the free throw line like an executioner walking to the guillotine.

The referee passed the executioner's knife to Roger. Roger dribbled it twice, but seemed to suddenly remember something, then stopped moving and turned to look at KG who was about to grab the rebound.

"Kevin, let me remind you. You've seen me in the regular season tonight, but you've never seen me in the playoffs."

After saying that, Roger made a seemingly casual shot and the basketball went into the net.

After scoring 17 points in a row, Roger scored 44 points in the whole game to kill the game.

Kevin Garnett was extremely enthusiastic before the game, but now he felt the extreme cold in Minneapolis.

Because this already unstoppable Roger is still just the regular season Roger.

He didn't let Roger feel the horror of Minneapolis. The fear at this moment was completely entangled with him.

After being pulled up by Pippen, Michael Jordan put his hands on his hips and stared at the four championship banners hanging over the Philips Arena.

After the game, Roger put his hands on his hips and stared at the Warriors' victory on the big screen.

The reporter walked up to Roger and held out the microphone: "Roger, another championship team fell in front of you. How confident do you think you are of winning the championship with the Warriors this year?"

The reporter walked up to Michael Jordan and held out the microphone: "Michael, this is your first victory with the Hawks. How confident do you think you are in getting the Hawks into the playoffs?"

In different places, they looked at the camera with the same posture, the same unquestionable gaze, and gave the same answer.

"100% sure."

They all have their own destiny to reverse.

On the TNT show that night, Charles Barkley put the videos of the two men being interviewed together, and everyone was shocked to find the similarities between the two guys.

Then Barkley spread his hands and shrugged.

"Did you see the look in their eyes? As someone who was beaten up by these two bastards, I want to ask, is there anyone who wants to stop them? If so, then I can only wish you good luck, this is the only thing you can count on."

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