384: 153: Undeniably, he is a great player (Votes for monthly ticket please!)_4 384: 153: Undeniably, he is a great player (Votes for monthly ticket please!)_4 But by this time, Mario Elie had already caught up, interfering with Roger’s shot.
Wilkins fixed his gaze on the basketball, swearing to himself that if this shot didn’t go in, he’d make sure that arrogant guy tasted the humiliation of defeat, “Hey, our core, if you’re so great, why didn’t you make the shot?”
Wilkins never got that chance!
“The ball is in, Roger is just toying with Clyde.
Although Mario’s defense was timely, Roger was still the scorer king who exploded the DPOY!
The difference is back to 8 points, Roger’s jumper has nearly buried the Rockets’ hopes!”
The Rockets wanted to catch up, but unfortunately, the Flying Pig’s three-pointer bounced out.
Shaq secured the rebound and passed it directly to Roger.
As soon as Roger got the ball, he counterattacked, about to hand the Rockets’ big three their first defeat of the season.
By this time, both Barkley and Mario Elie had retreated past half-court.
The Flying Pig dropped back into the paint, and Mario Elie was ready to block any outside shots.
This one-man-to-two situation wasn’t that simple.
Roger drove the ball towards Elie, and right when his toes hit the three-point line, he suddenly gathered the ball and took a step to the right.
Elie didn’t know what Roger was planning by gathering the ball so early, but he still instinctively shuffled in the direction Roger stepped.
But in the next second, Roger stepped left, completely leaving Mario Elie behind.
People then realized that Roger had started from the three-point line and pulled off a Eurostep!
So the question was, Roger was only at the free-throw line now, how was he going to score over Barkley?
Dominique Wilkins wanted to know the answer too; he was even looking forward to Roger making a mistake.
That guy, he’s bound to screw up at some point, right?
However, to Roger, such scenes posed no difficulty at all.
Roger glided through the air for a distance, then, as the Flying Pig rose to block, he gently flicked the ball with his fingertips.
He combined the Eurostep with his signature long-distance scoop shot.
“Lead extends to 10 points!
I can almost say that the Orlando Magic have secured a victory on their home court!
For Houston fans, this is undoubtedly a very tough night.
Their team had brought in one of the most impactful forwards in NBA history the preceding summer, gathering three superstars.
Yet, they were still powerless to resist the defending champ’s crushing march!”
Steve Jones’ words were like nailing the coffin shut on the Rockets’ big three.
This game was similar to the ’24 finals; it was hardly suspenseful from the start.
The suspense always came from the fans’ illusions and the question of who would be the FMVP.
Watching Roger make such unorthodox shots to kill the game, Wilkins swallowed hard.
He had nothing left to say.
Even if this guy was a bastard, he was an amazing bastard!
Roger looked at Wilkins, gave him a smile, and shrugged: “Want to criticize me, huh?
Forget all that crap, Dom, and just enjoy the damn victory.
Here’s to our season’s first win!”
Now, Wilkins finally understood what his agent, Steve Kauffman, meant: “After all, we are beside a lion.
No matter what happens, don’t ever challenge Roger.”
In Orlando, no one could challenge Roger, because it was futile!
You could only submit before him like an insignificant serf!
So shut up and play the game well.
Yes, at least in Orlando, you can still enjoy the damn victory.
That made everything not so bad after all.
Roger’s shot completely deflated the Rockets, and the 10-point difference remained until the end.
105 to 95, the Orlando Magic uneventfully took down the Rockets’ big three at home, taking the first step on the road to a dynasty.
I won’t say Roger is a perfect person, a pleasant teammate, or even a good person at all.
But undeniably, he is a great player.
We’re good now; we believe we’ve found a balanced way of coexisting.
— Dominique Wilkins talking about his relationship with Roger and the first victory they shared.
What do I want to do the most right now?
— A homesick Hakeem Olajuwon impatient for some home comfort after holding back for a week for this game.
I scored 32 points, and my good brother Roger scored 33.
Together we scored 65 points.
That’s our team; we’re indispensable to each other.
— O’Neal discussing the first victory while emphasizing “we.”
“I believe ‘the talk’ settled any potential troubles in the team.
We are now focused solely on winning.
New York must be the most anxious now because they made the biggest roster changes, yet they might still end up empty-handed.
If Michael thinks that fleeing to New York will help him escape sanctions, he’s mistaken; he will still have to pay for his actions.” — Roger discussing the current state of the team.
Without warning, no posturing or leeway, this is the Orlando Magic of this season, heartless as if modeled after the Italian ‘Ndrangheta.
Unfortunately, we live in the same era as Roger.
Trust me, this isn’t just my misfortune.
Even for Michael, it’s misfortune.
— Charles Barkley shrugs helplessly.
When Barkley first arrived in Orlando, there was a sparkle in his eye.
All that’s left is the weariness of a middle-aged man.
Seeing Barkley’s helplessness, the reporters all thought Steve Jones had hit the nail on the head.
Conquering opponents, indeed, was Roger’s most well-trod path.