591: 212: No one can defy the will of the Savior (Seeking monthly votes!) 591: 212: No one can defy the will of the Savior (Seeking monthly votes!) Last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, Roger said the same thing.
Facing Jordan’s New York Knicks, Roger said he wouldn’t play a Game 7.
Then Roger, with a godlike performance of 27 points in just the fourth quarter of G6, ended Michael Jordan’s career.
Not playing a Game 7 was Roger’s confidence as the reigning dominator.
Facing the resilient Reggie Miller, Roger had the same confidence.
At least most of the media believed that whether or not there was a Game 7 really depended on Roger’s word.
But Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan definitely did not wish to see such an outcome.
Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing were in a private room enjoying the air conditioning.
Ewing and Jordan looked at each other, both feeling nostalgic about the passage of time.
A year ago, they were still competing for the championship.
A year later, they had become old men with no games to play.
Jordan didn’t know whether he was fortunate or not.
If he had not chosen to retire last summer but had decided to push through for another year, this season, with Ewing out for the season, he would have had to lead a heavily damaged Knicks team on his own.
And Jordan almost certainly couldn’t have led the Knicks to a championship without Ewing.
So from a certain perspective, Jordan’s decision to retire was fortunate, the right one.
He indeed cut his losses in time, not allowing himself to endure an even more humiliating defeat.
But retiring by force was in itself a sad affair.
Sometimes, Jordan really didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
While waiting for the next round, Ewing and Jordan started talking about the recent playoffs:
“Michael, have you seen the news lately?
If Scott and Roger take the championship together, the media might single-handedly erase your three-peat because they believe Roger can lead Scott to a championship, but you can’t.
Hahaha, those ridiculous bastards.”
Ewing hated the media, hated them intensely.
Because the New York media had already come up with 101 ways to trade Ewing.
As if trading him would make the New York Knicks great again.
“Fuck the championship, the Eastern Conference Finals aren’t even over yet.” Jordan’s reaction was more intense than Ewing had anticipated.
Moreover, his focus seemed not to be on the media.
“No way, man, do you really think Reggie Miller can make it?
I mean, when we were still around, when did it ever become Reggie Miller’s turn in the East?”
This statement stung Jordan.
Reggie Miller, while outstanding, had never won in the East.
Whether it was before Roger joined the league or after, Reggie Miller had always been the one used as a stepping stone.
Could he defeat Roger?
What am I even hoping for?
Jordan felt the air conditioning in the room turn icy, but he still told Ewing, “Don’t say that Patrick, nobody thought the Pacers could make the series 2-2 when the Hawks were leading 2-0!”
“Maybe, perhaps you’re right, your old buddy Scott isn’t as strong as he used to be.
But I still think the Indiana Pacers don’t stand a chance.
Have you forgotten about the fourth quarter of last season’s G6, when Roger he…”
Just then, the door to the suite opened, and a line of various skin-colored steaks appeared before Jordan and Ewing.
Ewing’s eyes sparkled: “Shaq wasn’t wrong, this darn place at least helped the Hawks win 10 more games!”
After choosing their companions, Ewing and Jordan were each led into separate small rooms.
Fifteen minutes later, pitiful screams came from Ewing’s room.
Meanwhile, in Jordan’s room, after the girl had exhausted her efforts, she looked at her limp target and resignedly asked, “Michael, did you drink too much tonight?”
Michael Jordan nodded, but he hadn’t actually drunk much.
He couldn’t perform because his mind wasn’t there.
He was hoping Roger would lose!
The next day, the day before Game 6 of the Eastern Finals.
Reebok released a limited new colorway of Roger’s fifth signature sneaker—Shaq’s Blood.
The design was primarily black, embellished with red lines, very cool.
Next, Roger was set to wear this colorway in G6.
O’Neal was furious, as the sneaker was clearly targeting him!
Why release it now and not sooner or later, exactly when he was swept 4-0?
And they even call it “Shaq’s Blood?”
Not afraid that the World Wildlife Fund sues you!
However, this pair of sneakers sold very well.
On the first day of release, long lines formed at all the major stores.
Even Reebok stores in Los Angeles were bustling, Los Angeles fans didn’t mind buying a pair of “Shaq’s Blood” to show off.
When the Lakers were swept that very moment, O’Neal’s dignity had already become worthless.
Last year, many media outlets and fans said the Magic management was crazy to bargain with O’Neal.
But this year, after losing Roger, the filter of his white moonlight was completely shattered.
Los Angeles fans suddenly realized, this big guy might not be that great after all.
The great one was always Roger.
O’Neal’s reputation plummeted, he was fully labeled as “can’t reach the Finals without Roger.”
Now, there’s only one way to remove that label—Roger also loses.
If Roger also loses to the Pacers, it will turn into “without each other, neither can reach the Finals.”
Although still embarrassing, at least it wouldn’t be just the shark’s embarrassment.
Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal both were highly attentive to tomorrow’s Game 6.