445: 170: Welcome Home, Dom (Request for Monthly Votes!) 445: 170: Welcome Home, Dom (Request for Monthly Votes!) Tim Hardaway entering the top five of the MVP rankings was as surprising as Zach Ivey being picked at the ninth slot.
Due to low visibility, many people were unaware that the Miami Heat were indeed strong, having just won an 11-game streak a week ago.
At the start of the season, this newly formed team was still adjusting, with fluctuating performances.
But after the schedule moved into 1997, the Heat’s performance had noticeably improved.
Admittedly, Dennis Rodman and Pat Riley were not getting along smoothly; the Worm’s frequent absences from practice infuriated Riley.
Riley didn’t understand why he couldn’t control someone even Phil Jackson, that idiot, could manage.
But as things stood, Rodman and Riley’s issues hadn’t much affected the team’s combat effectiveness.
Rodman might not care much for Riley, but he deeply respected Mourning, who fought hard in every game.
He had never seen anyone eat painkillers like candy, all for victory.
Mourning’s personality was completely different from the Admiral’s, which Rodman loved, so for now, the Worm was still willing to support him.
In fact, the biggest obstacle to Rodman’s performance wasn’t Riley, but his new flame, Carmen Electra.
If Madonna was a demon, then Carmen was the master of hell.
However, at least for now, Rodman hadn’t collapsed yet.
So after a winning rush in 1997, the Heat’s current record was 42 wins and 13 losses, the third best in the league.
Thus, the reason Tim Hardaway, a guy who had never even started in an All-Star Game before, made it into the top five of the MVP rankings was simple—he was the leading scorer on the third-best team in the league.
Now, it was widely believed that the Heat had the strength to compete for the championship this season.
Although they lost by just 7 points last time they faced the Magic, which had both Roger and Shaq,
the Heat were not without a chance.
And when Tim Hardaway broke into the top five of the MVP rankings, all Miami fans’ confidence skyrocketed.
They were eager for the Heat to prove themselves against tough opponents, to affirm they were truly a championship-contending team.
In this regard, what the media most looked forward to was probably the Heat encountering the Magic again.
The battle of MVP candidates combined with a fierce rivalry from the same state had prompted NBC to feature that game as a national broadcast.
But before that, Roger had a show of force.
Entering March, after crushing the Warriors and the Kings but then losing to the Hornets, Roger and the Magic went to Detroit.
There, Roger met with Grant Hill, the fourth in the MVP rankings.
Grant Hill’s stats this season were indeed strong, averaging only 21.4 points, but he managed to grab 9 rebounds and dish out 7.4 assists per game.
He and Chris Webber had formed a force in the East that couldn’t be ignored.
In today’s game, Brian Hill, using the in-form Wilkins, attempted to contain Grant Hill, allowing Roger to focus on offense.
The aging Wilkins completely failed to hold down Hill, known for his historic first step, allowing Hill to score 12 points in the first quarter alone.
But in the second quarter, Wilkins deliberately gave Hill a step back on defense, weakening his breakthrough capability.
This proved effective because during this period, Grant Hill’s shooting wasn’t very stable, and Wilkins, almost risking his life in defense, held Hill to just 4 points for a while.
This level of defense lasted until mid-third quarter, when Wilkins could no longer sustain the effort, and Hill began scoring continuously.
In the ninth minute of the third quarter, Grant Hill, holding the ball on the right, paused as if he were organizing.
The next instant, with a slight change of direction paired with his unstoppable acceleration, Hill blew past Wilkins before he had time to react.
After passing Wilkins, Grant Hill disregarded the well-timed block from Michael Cage, soared in the air, and fiercely dunked the ball over Cage with one hand.
The Palace of Auburn Hills arena erupted in cheers, and Grant Hill raised his arms in celebration.
Wilkins stood with his hands on his hips, staring blankly at the orange rim.
So full of energy, Grant Hill’s vigor made Wilkins face a harsh reality: I really am too old.
Today, because he focused entirely on defending Grant Hill, Wilkins was nearly useless offensively, scoring only 3 points so far.
When you’re used to scoring twenty to thirty points each night, and suddenly you can only score 3 points in a game, it felt like a joke to Wilkins.
He used to think anybody could score 10 in an NBA game.
In the past, he had unlimited firing rights and could control the 24-second offensive time.
Now, he only got a few touches per night.
The saddest part was, Dominique Wilkins had completely given up on offense and still couldn’t contain Grant Hill.
He had only held up for two and a half quarters before he was totally overwhelmed by the younger player.
Indeed, Wilkins had accepted his role as a role player, accepting the fact that he was no longer the star.
But on nights , Wilkins was still overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of defeat.
At this point, Brian Hill no longer used the exhausted Wilkins to defend Grant Hill, but instead directed Roger and Hill to battle it out in the final showdown.