46: 033: You tell them quickly, don’t let them indulge me!
46: 033: You tell them quickly, don’t let them indulge me!
After the first game of the new season, Shaq almost wrecked the locker room.
Last season, the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers both had 41 wins, but because they lost a crucial game to the Pacers, the Magic still fell out of the playoffs even with the same record.
At that time, the hottest topic was, “If we replaced Anderson with Roger, could the Magic have made the playoffs?”
O’Neal was holding back his frustration, hoping to redeem himself this season.
Yet in today’s opening game against their old nemesis, the Pacers, the Magic lost again.
O’Neal scored 49 points and got 11 rebounds, demonstrating his dominance as a superstar in the first game of the new season.
It’s worth mentioning that Shaq’s much-criticized free throws today were 15 out of 18, an 83.3% success rate.
So why did the team lose?
You can find the answer in Chris Webber.
15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, but with 5 turnovers.
Among these, two turnovers happened in the last two minutes of the game.
Under the tense situation, it seemed like Webber’s mind went blank all at once.
He once passed the ball to the bench, and another time, after a fancy dribble through his legs, he collided with someone like a headless fly and lost the ball.
Before Chris Paul, it was Webber who “never disappointed in letting you down” at crucial moments.
Mysteriously fumbling at critical moments was a problem Webber had since his college days.
Rolling back to April 5, 1993, University of Michigan faced University of North Carolina in the NCAA championship final, competing for the national title.
In the last 20 seconds of the game, North Carolina managed one of two free throws.
Webber grabbed his 11th rebound of the game.
At that time, the University of Michigan was trailing North Carolina by two points, 71-73; it was a matter of life or death.
However, in this do-or-die moment, Webber, having grabbed the rebound, stood rooted to the spot, not knowing who to pass the ball to, nearly committing a walking violation.
Eventually, unable to find someone to pass to, he hastily dribbled past the half-court line, only to crash into North Carolina’s double team.
Under the double team by North Carolina, Webber, like a frightened deer, was completely bewildered, his only reaction to call a timeout.
It was an incredibly foolish decision because about two minutes earlier, the University of Michigan had already used their last timeout.
So Webber’s timeout call resulted in a technical foul.
At this tense moment, he essentially handed his opponents free throws.
In the end, North Carolina didn’t show any mercy; they made both free throws, secured the victory and took the championship.
Webber’s blunder was dubbed by fans and the media as “the dumbest moment in basketball history.”
No, his basketball IQ was high.
But every time it came to crucial moments, his mind would go blank, his legs would buckle, and he couldn’t toughen up.
Today was no different.
Aside from the two turnovers at the critical moment, Webber missed three out of four free throws in those two minutes.
Known for his mid- and long-range shooting accuracy, Webber ended today with only a 25% success rate on free throws!
You’d think O’Neal’s free throws were unmatched, yet someone managed to outdo him in bravery.
Shaq, feeling stifled and eager for revenge, was in top form, but just like last year, the team lost at the last moment due to missed free throws.
Last year it was Anderson, this year it was Webber.
O’Neal was truly furious.
If I am guilty, I am willing to face trial, rather than be tormented by these two who can’t make crucial free throws!
Meanwhile, Shaq couldn’t help but think, if Roger had been fighting alongside me today, the Pacers would have been done for!
Having changed his clothes, in the player’s tunnel, Shaq happened to meet the team’s general manager, Pat Williams.
Williams could tell Shaq was upset, so he went on the offensive, “Tonight you were the best player, Shaq.”
“And Chris Webber was the worst player!
I told you, Pat, I told you so!”
“Don’t be mad, Shaq, give him some time; it’s just his first game.”
Shaq snorted, “Roger will tell us soon enough, that’s no excuse.”
With that, O’Neal hurried into his car to head home.
He was off to watch Roger’s NBA debut.
Today the Charlotte Bobcats Arena was packed, and even without Jordan, the Hornets’ fans were still very interested in the Bulls.
To be precise, they were intrigued by the cutting open of the Bulls.
When Jordan was around, that guy had the entire league gasping for air.
Now, without Jordan, won’t the Bulls have to pay back double?
Scottie Pippen was aware of this, so in the first game of the new season, he wanted to send a message to the entire league: “Our horns are still bloody!”
Before the game began, Pippen rallied the starters with great fervor, shouting, “Let’s take back that damn respect!”
Then, just three minutes into the game, Pippen went 0 for 4 with a backhand wave, dissipating the charged atmosphere completely.
On the bench, Roger couldn’t help but shake his head.
He even felt a bit of sympathy for the eternally aggrieved, tearful-eyed Pippen.
However, that 0 for 4 wasn’t entirely because Pippen was lacking.
What level are the Bulls’ starters now?
Steve Kerr, Pete Myers, Pippen, A.C.
Green, and Cartwright.
From last season’s starters, only Pippen and Cartwright remained.
The team’s coordination wasn’t quite there yet, and most importantly, this year the Bulls’ shooting guard was Pete Myers, not Jordan.
Even in last year’s Lega Basket Serie A, Myers’ performance couldn’t be compared with the NBA’s Jordan.