189: 093: Ignoring the specifically arranged players, dad, I’ve wasted my learning!
(Ask for monthly tickets!)_5 189: 093: Ignoring the specifically arranged players, dad, I’ve wasted my learning!
(Ask for monthly tickets!)_5 5 to 4.
“This tactic is simply useless, Phil, unless we really have Shawn Kemp at the power forward position.
Your strategy of strong delays is futile!
I think we should use my method!” Tex Winter had seen enough.
Winter’s method was to have Pippen go under the screens when defending pick-and-rolls, limiting Roger’s penetration and forcing him to take outside shots.
After all, Roger’s three-point shooting had been unstable in the previous round.
The Zen Master had no choice but to try out Winter’s approach now, as the strategy of strong delays was proving pointless with the current results.
He had to find a working method quickly in the first quarter.
On this offense for the Bulls, Jordan, caught between Harper and Roger, passed the ball to Pippen, who made the mid-range shot.
5 to 6, Jordan looked at Roger, who had double-teamed him and thus left Pippen open: “Looks like you also know Black Jesus needs to be guarded by two people, huh?”
At that moment, the Zen Master blew a whistle from the sidelines, and Pippen and Webber instantly understood that the team was changing its defensive strategy against Roger.
Roger continued to use pick-and-rolls, and to his surprise, he found Pippen trying to get around Grant from behind to block his drive.
They couldn’t possibly think that by limiting penetration, they could hold down my scoring, could they?
Without hesitation, Roger shot a three-pointer.
The targeted measure was once again rendered ineffective by Roger!
In the previous round, Roger’s three-point shooting indeed had been unstable, but that was because the Knicks’ defense was too aggressive.
Both the primary defenders and those doubling him had put a lot of pressure on Roger.
On the Bulls’ side, only Pippen, the primary defender, was able to pressure Roger, with the help defenders unable to press him effectively.
So, his long-range shooting touch was still well-preserved.
“Damn it, I knew it!” The Zen Master shook his head in resignation.
He and Winter’s targeted arrangements, all the research on defending Roger’s screen-and-rolls, had turned into page after page of wasted effort and futility from the very start of the game!
When a player has few weaknesses in his offensive game, even a targeted defensive scheme can struggle to be effective.
There are a few players in the world who can just ignore your targeted defenses and keep scoring in the playoffs.
Jordan was such a player.
Unfortunately, at this moment, so was Roger!
Shaq might be contained by the Zen Master’s targeted schemes, but Roger would not!
8 to 6, Roger effortlessly countered the Bulls’ targeted defense.
After scoring, Roger finally replied to Jordan, “Under the reality of this world, the myth of Black Jesus will eventually shatter.”
Joe Bryant, watching Roger face Jordan without fear in the playoffs, turned to his son and asked, “Do you know why Roger can keep scoring?”
He intended to explain to his son how Roger remained composed against different strategies, but his son’s reply left Joe Bryant at a loss for words.
“Because he always takes decisive shots.
As long as there is the slightest chance, no matter how many people are in front of him, or who they are, as long as there’s the slightest opportunity, he’ll shoot like crazy, only passing the ball when absolutely necessary.
I’ll remember that, father, I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Eh?” Joe Bryant immediately felt it would be best to limit watching Roger’s games.
As Roger led the team to a lead, the NBC commentators had thought Jordan would be able to suppress the Magic from the get-go, but his suppression didn’t last even three minutes.
This was disappointingly brief.
At this point, Jordan was solely focused on turning the game around, not paying any attention to the trash talk from Roger.
However, in reality, that statement presaged Jordan’s fate.
The myth of Black Jesus would be utterly shattered in the upcoming games.