166: 087: To deal with some trash, there’s no need for me to take action personally (Vote for me monthly!) 166: 087: To deal with some trash, there’s no need for me to take action personally (Vote for me monthly!) When did the Baby-Faced Assassin begin to realize he was falling from grace?
It probably started with the Dream Team selection process.
He didn’t receive the majority of people’s support.
There were a million explanations for why the assassin was left off the Dream Team, with various interpretations.
Some said it was Jordan exerting his influence, others claimed it was Magic pulling strings behind the scenes, while some believed the entire Dream Team didn’t want the smiling assassin to join.
All in all, the assassin’s omission was definitely not normal, especially since Stockton, despite being injured, was selected.
But no matter the truth, the outcome was the same: the smiling assassin didn’t gain the support of most people, and as one of the greatest players of the time, he exited ignominiously.
Just a few years ago, the smiling assassin could unite people in isolating Jordan during the All-Star game, but a few years later, the roles completely reversed.
Michael Jordan found himself looking in a mirror, one side was himself, the other was the assassin he once detested the most.
A few years back, he could bring everyone together to isolate the assassin, but now?
The All-Star game was a total mess, starting with Reggie Miller and Grant Hill taking the lead in passing to Roger, everyone disregarded Jordan’s thoughts.
It wasn’t like everyone was deliberately passing to Roger, but nobody intentionally isolated him either.
In short, Michael Jordan’s will didn’t matter anymore.
He failed to control the Eastern Conference All-Stars, he overestimated his authority in the East.
In the original history, anyone who dared challenge Jordan met a severe fate, so people were somewhat afraid of him.
Roger’s challenge to Jordan was undoubtedly something many wished to do but didn’t dare.
And Roger’s successive victories made people feel like Jordan wasn’t so frightening after all.
If that’s the case, why should we be afraid of him?
Roger seized the opportunity and took most of the shots.
In the end, he scored the highest of the night with 29 points, shooting an impressive 11 out of 14 and led the East to victory with a score of 128 to 122.
And without any doubt, he became this year’s All-Star MVP!
Last year, when O’Neal won the AMVP, he pulled Roger up beside him, and this year Roger did the same thing.
Watching O’Neal and Roger raising the AMVP trophy together, Jordan felt utterly humiliated.
Those with sharp eyes noticed that when Roger held up the AMVP trophy, Jordan was the only one not clapping, he didn’t even bother to pretend.
Just as Jordan was fuming, Roger mentioned him during his acceptance speech, “I also want to thank Michael.”
Instantly, all eyes fell on Jordan.
His face, with “unhappy” written all over it, appeared on the big screen above.
“Thanks to Michael, he created space for me tonight, he was so unselfish that he only scored 9 points.
For a veteran just coming back, to give opportunities to the newcomer, that’s a great spirit.
It’s an honor, Michael, I didn’t let you down,” said Roger, as applause erupted throughout the venue once again.
Roger deliberately drew the spotlight to Jordan, with one simple motive: “Smile for me.”
In front of everyone, Jordan, who felt mocked, could only do like a princess selected by an old man.
Reluctant as he was, he had to swallow his pride, force a smile, and clap for Roger along with everyone else.
This was Michael Jordan’s most humiliating All-Star game.
His pride, his desire for control, crushed little by little by Roger.
Out of everyone, Jordan clapped the hardest because in his mind, each clap was a smack on Roger’s face!
Someday, he would turn that fantasy into reality!
In fact, he planned to do so in the playoffs!
This bastard, he had made himself too angry!
The NBA All-Star Weekend of 1995 came to a close amidst Jordan’s embarrassing smile.
The arrogant Roger remained arrogant, and Jordan managed not to punish or teach either Shaq or Roger a lesson.
Now the entire league knew that these two young men did whatever they wanted over Jordan’s head.
Instead, it was his little brother Penny who became the most famous backdrop in the history of the NBA All-Star game.
Hang out with Jordan, get beaten nine times a day.
So who would dare to hang out with Jordan?
Who would willingly lick his boots?
His downfall, was accelerating.
After the All-Star game, everyone’s main concern was the upcoming playoffs.
Jordan was no different, he just wanted to start the playoffs quickly, end things with Roger, and reclaim his throne.
The Magic Team’s performance remained stable after the All-Star game, and in mid-February, with March Madness approaching, the NCAA games heated up, and the NBA began its cooldown period.
Jerry Stackhouse, Roger’s high school rival who self-proclaimed to be Roger’s nemesis for life, caught the wind and burst into flames across the nation.
A star player from the University of North Carolina, standing at 198 cm tall, playing as a shooting guard with strong athletic ability, versatile skills, and scoring as easy as slicing through melons, does it remind you of someone?
Yes, the nation had found another Jordan’s Successor.
And this one was a genuine successor since he also came from North Carolina.
In a game broadcasted nationally in February against their arch-rival Duke, Stackhouse’s image of dodging two defenders in the air and slamming a reverse dunk made him an overnight sensation.
After that game, Stackhouse officially became a red-hot supernova.
In an interview with reporters, his astonishing declaration made him even hotter: “One on one, I can crush Roger.
He can come to find me anytime, or I can go to Orlando to find him.
Roger didn’t play college basketball because he’s scared of me.”