201: 097: A Victory Belonging to the “Big Villain” (Request for Monthly Tickets!)_4 201: 097: A Victory Belonging to the “Big Villain” (Request for Monthly Tickets!)_4 Roger drew too much defensive attention, leading to gaps that others needed to fill, thereby leaving their own positions vulnerable.
After all, in an era that did not allow zone defense and early double-teaming, the existence of a defensive weak point was indeed fatal.
The Magic led by eight points, and Michael Jordan was once again knocked down by a heavy punch.
Roger seemed like the referee in a boxing match who counts down every time Jordan was knocked down: “8 wins, 0 losses, Michael, you can’t win against me even once.”
The Zen Master called a timeout with just over a minute left in the game.
Inside the United Center, the fans were still chanting “MVP,” as if it could lead the Bulls to victory.
Everyone was still waiting for Jordan’s last-minute performance—wasn’t it about time?
Even in the most draggy climax of a movie, the protagonist should start to fight back, right?
Phil Jackson knew that tactical setups were useless now, so he used some reverse psychology during this timeout:
“This year has been spectacular, but I knew you all, a bunch of softies, couldn’t handle it.
We’ll win next year, but not this time, thank you all for your hard work.”
Jordan didn’t lose his temper because he understood Phil Jackson and knew his intentions.
The Zen Master wasn’t using this tactic for the first time; before the seventh game against the Knicks in ’92, he had said something similar, and the result was that the team achieved a 58% shooting rate under the Knicks’ formidable defense.
It wasn’t just Jordan, but the entire team, from starters to reserves, that exploded at that time.
This time, Jordan was again motivated, his competitive nature unable to tolerate such words.
Although he knew the Zen Master had said them on purpose, they still rang harshly in his ears.
He believed that his teammates must have been motivated too—there was still a chance to win the game!
But today, the plot kept twisting the usual patterns.
After the timeout, in the Bulls’ first offense, Nick Anderson missed an open three-pointer.
Nick Anderson was not the type that could be motivated, and he was now disheartened.
Just after being scolded by Jordan, and then hearing some nonsensical words from his coach after the timeout, this made Nick Anderson lose all spirit.
He didn’t even understand why Jordan had passed the ball to him!
The basketball missed again, and Magic Johnson was already panicking.
Are we watching a movie where the villain ultimately wins?
Roger began to take control of the game, this time bypassing Kukoc’s poor delay to cut through the gap between Pippen and Kukoc and then scoring with his signature mid-range floater.
The Magic’s lead increased to 10 points!
“8 wins, 0 losses, it’s almost time, Michael, just a moment.”
“8 wins, 0 losses, Michael.”
At the United Center, the MVP chants had disappeared.
In front of the TV, some fans also swallowed nervously.
Only now did they realize this wasn’t a night for legendary stories.
It was Roger’s night of slaughter.
forcefully tried to make damage, but what awaited him was a blatant foul by O’Neal.
There was no hope left in the game, but Roger kept striking.
The execution wasn’t so simple!
This time, he passed the ball to O’Neal, instantly drawing a double team from the Bulls, which caused Pippen to lower his guard.
But then O’Neal immediately passed the ball back to Roger, and by the time Pippen realized it, Roger had already made the mid-range shot.
Pippen’s stunned look, Roger’s successful shot, the quiet United Center, and a magic man wishing he could permanently delete the previous scenes of wiping his tears.
All these were Michael Jordan’s final farewell.
A 12-0 run by the Magic Team completely took the game away.
There were no underdog counterattacks, no magical moments from number 23, nor any tense scenes dragged to the last shot.
The Chicago Bulls were cleanly defeated by the “big villain” who was stronger in raw power, as simple as that.
Sports are not movies; the ending of a story doesn’t necessarily involve confetti flying all around.
Not every story can be like the “Pegasus” series where the protagonist Zhang Chi, always full of passion and tearful, walks to the end.
The moment the ball went in, it was as if a cold gleaming sword had whooshed past Jordan’s neck.
His face was filled with confusion and distress; he had never imagined his comeback would end this way.
After scoring, Roger, standing still, pounded his chest, smiled, and roared, “8 wins, 0 losses, this is for you, number 23 legend!”
Jordan stood still, his hands on his hips, his expression becoming eerily calm.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Perhaps he had finally realized that the long night was approaching and time was passing.
He glanced at that number 14 from Orlando, the boy who once stood in his shadow, now standing across from him, arrogantly declaring his victory, just as he had in his younger days.
Roger was indeed a threat.
Ultimately, number 23, Jordan, was brutally knocked down before the eyes of the world.
Agent Zero left no illusions for the Bulls.
105-95, the Orlando Magic defeated the Bulls once again in the tremendous atmosphere of the United Center.
The overall score was 4-0, Michael Jordan’s career first experiencing a 4-0 sweep!
At the moment the game ended, Roger jumped onto the scorer’s table, punched the air hard, and shouted in front of all the Bulls fans: “What can I say?
Magic Johnson watched Roger standing in front of him and shook his head.
He should have known not to cry before.
Who would have thought that the climax of the story would be the big villain making a 12-0 run.
This was the only one who could stop Jordan from creating miracles.
Tonight, he witnessed the birth of a top-tier villain character.