84: 061: We are entering the Roger Era (Subscribe!)_2 84: 061: We are entering the Roger Era (Subscribe!)_2 In fact, as soon as the off-season started, he had immediately done just that!
At the game, the two NBC commentators were discussing Scottie Pippen who wasn’t even on the court.
“I don’t know if this was Phil’s strategy or what happened, but on the Bulls’ last attack, Scottie wasn’t involved.
Moreover, he was sitting alone at the end of the bench, looking like…
he had been isolated.”
“Scottie was performing well today, Phil had no reason to exclude him at such a critical moment.
I’m more inclined to think that Scottie didn’t want to play for some reason.
Judging from his recent reaction, it seems he had a conflict with Phil and Roger.
Regardless, Chicago fans had to accept the fact that Scottie Pippen was not there at the winning moment.”
Following this, the camera gave a close-up of Roger.
The entire Madison Square Garden crowd was screaming in the stands: “You didn’t make the last shot!”
New York’s strongest sixth man, Spike Lee, was yelling from courtside: “MJ could shoot better with his feet than you, you’re going to miss again!
You won’t win a single game!”
In these final moments, the Knicks had deliberately switched Anthony Mason in to defend Roger.
Anthony Mason’s defensive ability was indeed strong, but the key point was that Pat Riley wanted to pressure Roger.
After all, Anthony Mason was the one guarding him when Roger last failed to make the game-winning shot.
Facing someone who had brought you down before, most players would feel the pressure double.
Mason was a veteran in this regard; he knew exactly what to do: “Hey, I’m here to dismantle the truth again.”
The taunts from Spike Lee, the mockery of New York fans, and Mason’s trash talk…these were bad enough, not to mention Scottie Pippen on the bench barking like a mad dog.
It was not hard to imagine the immense pressure Roger was under at that moment.
Facing the onslaught from the whole arena, Roger stayed silent, his expression resolute.
The Chicago fans in front of the TV were breathing rapidly, unable to imagine how an 18-year-old rookie was handling all this.
The referee handed the ball to Pete Myers for the inbound, who just responsible for passing the ball, felt he needed tremendous courage.
The referee whistled, Pete Myers received the basketball, and the game started!
Roger wasn’t as hasty as last time, he was like a nimble cheetah, watching every movement on the court.
His best friend on the team, Toni Kukoc, was solidly ready to provide cover, Roger seized the moment, shook off Anthony Mason’s entanglement, circled around the iron wall set up by Kukoc, and successfully received the inbound pass.
But no opportunity presented itself, Charles Oakley, guarding Kukoc, switched out to defend.
Last time, Roger had grabbed the ball and rushed to shoot.
This time, within the limited time, he didn’t shoot immediately but dribbled to make a breakthrough!
Oakley hurried to catch up, if this had been a regular play, Roger could have easily overpowered Oakley with speed.
But from receiving the ball to the end of the game, only 2.8 seconds remained, allowing some time to shoot, the time he had for the breakthrough was even shorter.
Thus, Roger hadn’t completely shaken off Oakley, he had to jump and shoot from the free-throw line.
Since he had only half a body’s distance from Oakley, Roger didn’t use a conventional shooting form.
He used his assisting hand to keep Oakley at a distance, then lifted the basketball with his left hand, gently tossing it.
This was an unconventional shooting form.
But this time, he found a weak spot in Knicks’ iron wall.
There was no unstoppable momentum, nor an exaggerated fadeaway.
Roger once again performed his fingertip magic, and the basketball smoothly went through the net.
The score reached 94 to 93, game time froze at 0 seconds, and the red light on the backboard was glaringly bright.
The curse of the game-winner that hovered over Roger’s head, Scottie Pippen’s whims, at this moment, became ridiculous bubbles!
94 to 93, the Chicago Bulls, the Michael Jordan-less Chicago Bulls, lead 1-0 in the Eastern finals!
The truth has arrived in the playoffs!”
Amid the roaring of the NBC live commentators, every Bulls player, except Pippen, roared as they rushed onto the court to embrace Roger.
Roger was lifted by his teammates, unabashedly celebrating in Madison Square Garden.
On the bench, Scottie Pippen sat alone, dumbly watching everything unfolding in front of him.
Without him, Roger had indeed won.
Pat Riley shook his head on the spot, then turned and walked down the player tunnel, kicking an innocent trashcan on his way.
The proud coach, holding four championship rings, thought that without Jordan, the Knicks would face no rivals in the East.
He had thought the only trouble would be in the finals.
Yet, last round, that skinny Reggie Miller forcefully pushed the iron army of the Knicks to a Game 7.
And now, in the first game of this round, the Knicks were struck hard by an 18-year-old rookie!
Where do all these demons and ghosts keep popping up from!
Until today, Riley had never considered Roger a real opponent.
He thought Roger was just a spirited but delusional young kid.
But today, his team had fallen because of this kid!
The vivid red of Chicago, like his own curse!