Champions Creed

Chapter 57: It’s almost time

While Michael Jordan was thinking about Roger day and night, Roger's mind was full of Pat Riley.

Because the Knicks are first in the Eastern Conference this year and the Bulls are second, the only possible meeting between the two teams is in the conference finals.

This also means that Roger and the Bulls must safely get through the first two rounds before they can get a chance to take revenge on Riley.

Their opponent in the first round was the New Jersey Nets.

This young team is as eager as Roger. Derrick Coleman, the No. 90 pick in 91, and Kenny Anderson, the No. pick in , both hope to make a breakthrough in their careers.

Well, these two guys probably don't play properly for more than two months in a season. Missing training, ignoring team rules, and hanging out in all the nightclubs in the city are what these two geniuses do most often. Their nightlife is far more colorful than their performance on the basketball court.

Even Chuck Daly, who created the Bad Boys, couldn't control them, especially Coleman, who was simply unteachable.

A month ago, when Chuck Daly was about to fine Coleman for missing practice, Coleman calmly handed Daly a blank check: "Fill in whatever you want."

Logically speaking, with the professional attitude of Coleman and Kenny Anderson, Nets fans should not have any expectations for the playoffs.

But this time, Coleman and Anderson took the game extremely seriously.

"Asians can't play in a tough playoff game, and their scoring will be severely reduced in the playoffs. I don't mean to disrespect Roger, I just think people have misunderstood me for too long. I am the only one among this year's Eastern Conference All-Star starting guards who deserves the title." Kenny Anderson is ready to beat Roger in the playoffs.

In the previous All-Star Game, because the Eastern Conference's guard lineup looked a bit shabby without Jordan, many media joked: "The Eastern Conference can only select one worthy All-Star starting guard", which made Anderson angry.

He knew that the man who deserved the title was Roger.

Anderson was unhappy because he finally made it into the All-Star starting lineup but was not recognized.

So when he found out his playoff opponent was Roger, he got excited.

Coleman was also excited: "The Bulls can easily pass the first round? I will never allow you to underestimate me like this again. The playoffs are a bloody battle, a confrontation where neither side gives in, and a death fight where neither side gives in until one side falls first. Roger is not ready for this, he is not yet. And I will let you know who I am."

Coleman and Anderson are like two poor students who usually don't study much but suddenly have to start studying hard.

It's certainly not a sudden idea on their part. Their decision to stand out in the series against the Bulls, a popular team, can at least give them more confidence when signing the next endorsement contract.

Facing the aggressive approach of Coleman and Anderson, reporters expected Roger to make another unusual statement, and he did not disappoint the reporters: "I don't want to talk about those two unprofessional guys. My only target in the East is the New York Knicks."

The entire league wants to see how the 18-year-old Roger will perform in the playoffs.

In the first game of the playoffs, in the first two minutes, Roger only had one missed shot and one pass error.

Kevin Edwards, who was in charge of defending Roger, was very proud. He believed that high-end ingredients often only needed to be cooked in the simplest way. To deal with a proud rookie like Roger, there was no need to cook them over high heat and they could just be eaten raw.

Kevin Edwards' performance in the first two minutes was indeed perfect. He gave Roger a tough confrontation and his steps were fast and dense.

But he still did one thing wrong. After forcing Roger to forge iron, he shook his mustached face in front of Roger and said, "Young man, you are still too young. Go find Scott for comfort."

Roger was still a little nervous at first, but his strong desire for revenge made him forget other feelings in his heart.

The Avenger has begun to take action.

In the third minute of the first quarter, Roger faced Edwards with his back to the basket and easily turned over and hit the bank.

One round later, Roger broke through and continued to score with his signature finger-loop layup.

A minute later, Roger received a pass from Pippen at the top of the arc outside the three-point line. Facing Edwards who had let him go, Roger shot directly from a long distance.

"brush."

The familiar feeling made the Bulls fans cheer, their Agent 0 could still kill the target cleanly and neatly!
Coleman is right, the playoffs are different from the regular season. But basketball is basketball after all, and as long as it is basketball, Roger can score like crazy!

Poor Kevin Edwards was publicly executed by Roger in the playoffs, and he became the background to show Roger's all-around skills. The Nets' defense only lasted two minutes before being ravaged by Roger.

What about offense?

Just as bad.

When Kenny Anderson and Derrick Coleman were first paired together, they were thought to be the most colorful pick-and-roll combination in history, the John Stockton and Karl Malone of the East.

But Pippen ruthlessly exposed this lie. He defended Kenny Anderson throughout the entire court, making it difficult for Anderson to even pass the ball after the basic pick-and-roll.

Every time Kenny Anderson looked up, he saw Pippen's almost unlimited defensive range.

The organization point was strangled, which put Coleman in a singles situation.

This gifted power forward is indeed talented. He has solid back-to-the-basket skills and can attack with both hands, and his hands are very delicate.

But Coleman is not the kind of player who can kill the game on his own.

Chuck Daly ultimately had to find a solution on the defensive end.

From the second half, people found that the Nets began to double-team Roger. As long as Roger broke through the free throw line, the big man closest to him would immediately join the double-team, hoping to force Roger to pass the ball.

But this still failed to stop Roger from scoring. Above the free throw line, Chuck Daly was like a shopping guide in a clothing store, trying on clothes for Roger one by one and sending all the available outside shooters to try them out, but to no avail.

Facing agile guards like Kenny Anderson and Kevin Edwards, Roger can use his height advantage to pull up or turn over and hit the rebound.

Facing strong wings like Chris Morris and John Newman, Roger can use his speed advantage to create shooting space.

NBC commentator, Hall of Fame player Bill Walton lamented: "The Nets' perimeter players are lining up one after another to serve as background for Roger!"

When Roger broke through to the position below the free throw line and was double-teamed, he would miss the shot, but because the Nets' big men came out to double-team, the Bulls were always able to touch the frontcourt rebounds.

Shooting in a double-team situation allows teammates to face off 4V3 in the fight for rebounds, and this is not a joke.

This is the reason why AI's Philadelphia 76ers are consistently in the top five in offensive rebounding.

Any pincer attack will have a corresponding price to pay.

Roger went completely crazy. Chuck Daly, the coach who had won two championships and led the Dream Team to shock the world, could only shake his head at the 18-year-old boy who was acting recklessly on the court and his two most stubborn core players.

After just one game, people have realized that the playoffs will not be a stumbling block for Roger.

At least Coleman and Anderson, these two idiots, won't become stumbling blocks for Roger.

At the end of the game, Roger received the worship of Chicago fans with 31 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

At the age of 18, making his playoff debut, this performance was undoubtedly perfect.

After the game, Kevin Edwards, who made a fatal mistake in the first two minutes of the game and shook his head and mocked Roger, had a completely different look.

He put his hands on his hips helplessly: "If you ask me whether to go to the dentist or to go to the Defense Truth, I would say I'd rather go to the dentist. Although it will be painful, at least I won't have to be watched by 20,000 fucking people!"

Kenny Anderson was also very embarrassed: "Well, Roger is the well-deserved starting guard for the Eastern Conference All-Star Game!"

Coleman showed his true colors: "Listen, I scored a team-high 22 points and 13 rebounds. I can't understand what the loss has to do with me. You can find someone else to be a scapegoat for the loss, anyone can be, but don't bother me."

And Roger, he still didn't talk about anything about the Nets.

He wasn't even too excited about winning his first playoff game. He just raised a finger after the game and said, "Watch out, Pat. I'm one step closer to the New York Knicks. Enjoy your last moments of peace. It's almost time."

(End of this chapter)