190: 094: Black Jesus can also make mistakes (Ask for monthly votes!) 190: 094: Black Jesus can also make mistakes (Ask for monthly votes!) The Zen Master’s targeted arrangements against O’Neal were effective, but the ones against Roger were completely ineffective.
This also meant that Scottie Pippen’s good days were about to come.
He should be thankful he’s not the DPOY because if the DPOY became an easy target for offensive players, that would undoubtedly be very embarrassing.
But for an All-Defensive First Team player to be targeted, it’s only slightly embarrassing.
After the first quarter, Roger thoroughly exploited Pippen using pick-and-rolls, just as he did in the regular season.
Is Pippen’s defense not outstanding?
He is one of the best players in the league at defending the pick-and-roll.
But even the best defenders of the pick-and-roll can’t simply pass through the body of the screener.
Regardless, a pick-and-roll will definitely create a bigger or smaller attacking gap for the offensive player.
The key is how great your control is when facing that tiny gap.
Often, what separates ordinary players from stars comes down to this.
Roger had great control, repeatedly scoring two, even three points in the moment Pippen came around the screen.
As long as there is the slightest imperfection in your defense, Roger will punish you with points.
As for Roger’s scoring ability, the media has always popularized this view: if it weren’t for having to share shots with Shaq, he would have already been the scoring champion.
Tonight, Roger displayed his scoring champion level of attacking capability.
At halftime, Phil Jackson smashed his second tactical board of the night.
The camera happened to catch this moment, and NBC commentator Steve Jones’s tone was full of sympathy for the Zen Master:
“Forcing him off the line, strong side delay, weak side delay, freezing the play, direct double-teaming…
In the first half, Phil Jackson used almost every modern basketball method for defending the pick-and-roll.
But what did that yield?
Roger with 19 points and 5 assists at halftime.
Roger’s offense has no dead angles, he can do almost anything except directly overpower Pippen one-on-one using his body.
And yes, you didn’t read that wrong, he also has 5 assists.
This Roger, the one who knows how to coordinate with Horace Grant, is different from the Roger we saw before the Eastern Conference semifinals, he’s more mature.”
Watching the game, Kobe Bryant had a different opinion: “Roger played really well in the first half.
The only downside was the two turnovers; he should reduce the number of passes to control the mistakes.”
Phil Jackson was almost going crazy, he finally understood why Pat Riley looked disheveled last season.
But luckily, the Bulls still had Jordan.
Jordan scored 24 points in the first half, helping his team to lead 57-54 into the locker room.
This year, although the Magic only had Roger on the All-NBA First Team, both Grant and McKey made the All-Defensive Second Team.
But even with two All-Defensive Second Team players, the Magic still couldn’t stop Jordan.
Brian Hill had Harper and McKey both defend against Jordan, but to no avail.
Jordan was even more patch to his own rules than Roger in that he didn’t need screens or off-ball movement most of the time; a simple one-on-one with the ball could break through the defense before they could double-team him.
His physicality, his experience, were both superior to Roger’s.
And while scoring like mad, Jordan also managed to harass Shaq, forcing him to call for relief.
In the second half, the tug-of-war continued.
A fully-powered Jordan was unstoppable; his attacking intensity inflicted brutal damage on the Magic like they had never experienced before.
Roger was still diminishing Pippen’s historic status, yet seeing his team on the defensive, Jordan’s offensive power intensified.
He was like the cannibalistic Hannibal; he smelled blood, he fixed his eyes on your jugular.
Just give him a chance, and he would carve out your heart and devour it.
By the end of the third quarter, Jordan had scored 35 points.
Considering the Bulls were a slow-paced team, Jordan’s scoring was already astonishing.
At this time, the Bulls were down by 1 point at the end of the third quarter.
Brian Hill told Roger, “Pass more in the fourth quarter, let Shaq and Horace take more shots, I need you for the key moments.”
Roger nodded, he understood what the coach meant.
He needed to save his energy for the critical moment.
In the fourth quarter, O’Neal and Grant’s joint efforts kept the Magic firmly in the lead.
By the tenth minute of the fourth quarter, the Bulls were down by 5 points.
At that moment, NBC’s camera turned to Nick Anderson.
Last season on the Magic, he was the teammate most criticized by O’Neal, aside from Webber.
Now, he was also the player most criticized by Chicago fans.
Because of his three consecutive wide-open misses and one panicked failed pass turnover in the fourth quarter, he was the main reason the Bulls were now trailing by 5 points.
The dependable perimeter scorer during the regular season would always suddenly shut down at the critical moments of the playoffs.
Exceptional people are not influenced by their surroundings; they attract criticism everywhere.
Helplessly, Michael Jordan had to keep taking over the game; he was almost frenzied.
After the timeout, on the first attack, he scored a fade-away jumper despite being double-teamed by Harper and McKey.
The difference was back to 3 points, and Jordan’s eyes were fixated on the scoreboard.
Just one basket, just one!
However, at that moment, the man Jordan hated the most once again stood out.