299: 128: The problem must be resolved (Requesting monthly passes!)_2 299: 128: The problem must be resolved (Requesting monthly passes!)_2 After the game, Orlando fans were quite excited.
They were not excited because their team crushed the unthreatening Timberwolves, but because the slumbering Shaq Daddy was finally going to awake after two long months.
The whole of Orlando was looking forward to Shaq’s return; even though the team had been winning lately, with Shaq and Grant on, would Roger really need to fight it out with Pat Riley’s team till the last moment to decide the winner?
Shaq himself was also very excited; he hadn’t felt such a longing for the game in a long time.
He told the media, “We’ll easily take down the defending runners-up, even more easily than you think!”
O’Neal was not blindly confident; this season’s Rockets had clearly shown signs of aging.
Olajuwon and Clyde the Glide had both aged another year, and the Rockets hadn’t made any successful signings this summer.
Besides, last season’s failures made Tomjanovich’s motivational speeches a little less effective.
The heart of a champion had been defeated by the young talent of Orlando last season, and that reality was too crushing.
Those who frequently eat fortune cookies know that without real gains, the encouragement of motivational speeches and fortune cookies starts to lose its flavor, even becoming distasteful, if devoured too often.
Last postseason, on the strength of such motivational speeches, the Rockets managed to have a role player stand out in almost every game.
But this season, with the Rockets’ role players now immune to the pep talks, their performances had become lackluster.
So much so that this season, Tomjanovich had lessened his soup sermons, instead adopting a tough policy: anyone who doesn’t perform consistently or never fights is not my brother!
Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, Mario Elie…
these players who had saved the Rockets more than once in the playoffs last season with a dose of motivation, began to falter this season.
So far this season, the Rockets hadn’t even made it into the top four in the West—although they didn’t last season either, the situation was entirely different.
Last season, it was because the Rockets needed to gel; Drexler’s mid-season arrival necessitated major changes to the team’s strategy, requiring them to rethink and re-establish many plays.
Olajuwon and his devotees needed to adjust to the vanguard One Star and Four Shooters tactic.
This season, however, the Rockets’ lineup hadn’t changed substantially, and they were still playing the same style, without the need for acclimation.
Their failure to rank higher was purely due to a significant slip in strength.
Therefore, Shaq was quite confident, finding no better target than the Rockets for a return match.
The day before the Christmas game, Roger took O’Neal and Saru, along with actors dressed as Disney cartoon characters, to the Watt Community.
He fulfilled his promise, letting the children there meet Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, along with a bunch of princesses.
Thanks to Orlando’s weather, Roger could indulge in the sight of powerfully built princesses donning low-cut dresses—even in December.
Doing good deeds while pleasing oneself, how could that not bring happiness?
That evening, the trio played with the kids for a long time.
On the ride back, Saru looked very happy; Roger had fulfilled all his wishes.
This meant that as a Knight, he was willing to die for Roger, the young King.
That might be an exaggeration, but Roger could definitely expect this European guard to play better and better in the upcoming season, now that he was freed from all distractions, focusing on the upcoming goals.
As for Shaq, he was happy too.
But obviously, he was not yet at Saru’s level of being single-minded about victory; even though he was all smiles, Roger was certain that Shaq was still worried about his contract renewal.
Now Roger understood why achieving consecutive championships was so difficult.
Because the defending champs have to beat more than just opponents.
Roger didn’t want this issue to affect Shaq’s performance; if they didn’t win the championship this season and let Jordan reclaim his throne, all of Roger’s efforts would be in vain.
Look at the original history of Olajuwon, whose two consecutive titles meant nothing in the face of Jordan’s complete dominance.
Roger didn’t want to be the backdrop; thus, he had to win consecutive championships and continue to suppress the Bulls.
He couldn’t afford any mishaps this year.
So, he decided to give Shaq a boost of confidence.
If tomorrow’s game could end with a big win.
December 25, Christmas Day.
Roger had no special feelings for this holiday; in fact, in his previous life, he felt little interest in many traditional Chinese festivals, let alone a foreign one.
The only ones interested in this holiday were probably those independent in personality, dependent economically, publically single women of the new era—randon with their children.
But playing basketball was after all Roger’s job, so even if he had no interest in the holiday, he generally did his best to summon his peak performance on the day of the Christmas showdown, to satisfy his fans.
This morning, Roger’s alarm rang early.
Laetitia turned over and pressed against him, wanting him to stay and sleep a bit longer.
If possible, she’d like to be fed breakfast as well.
But Roger still removed Laetitia’s arm, kissed her forehead, and got out of bed.
If Roger had been the kind of person who was quick at certain things, maybe he could have fulfilled Laetitia’s wish.
Unfortunately, Roger had never managed to master the art of quick encounters in that regard.
After a delicious and nutritious breakfast prepared by his private chef, Roger drove to the AdventHealth Training Center.