301: 128: The problem must be solved (Seeking monthly tickets!)_4 301: 128: The problem must be solved (Seeking monthly tickets!)_4 And temporarily, O’Neal got an opening to cut under the basket.
So, after posing for a shot, Roger eventually didn’t jump but passed the ball to Shaq.
Seeing the basketball fly towards O’Neal at just the right moment, Roger turned around early, raising his arms high.
Only Riley was unforgivable, only pretending not to disappoint.
Good news: The entire Rockets team was fooled; they really didn’t expect Roger to pass the ball.
Bad news: Shaq was, too.
O’Neal also didn’t expect Roger to pass, so he caught the ball in a rush.
In the end, he didn’t get a good grip, and the ball dropped to the ground.
O’Neal, in a panic, hurried after the ball and accidentally stepped on it, falling flat on his face.
Roger, who had turned back running with his arms raised, noticed that the fans’ reaction was off.
When he turned around, he discovered O’Neal sprawled on the ground.
Shaq smiled apologetically: “I thought you were going to shoot.”
Roger smiled back: “I bought a watch last year.”
This mistake was not a big deal, because the Magic had been dominating the Rockets throughout the first quarter, and with Roger and Shaq teaming up again, they were simply unstoppable.
Everyone knew that this mistake wasn’t going to change anything.
However, a seed was also planted in the hearts of both Roger and Shaq.
As last season’s championship duo, they had to put together a beautiful play, didn’t they?
Throughout the second quarter, Roger and Shaq were still looking for such an opportunity.
Most of the time, they scored individually because they were both tactical endpoints in their own right.
Moreover, since the Rockets’ defense was not as tight as it had been in the last season’s finals, Roger and Shaq often didn’t even need to pass to each other to break through the opponent’s defense.
Of course, it’s not to say that Roger and O’Neal didn’t pass to each other at all—they certainly did, just without resulting in an assist.
Until the seventh minute of the second quarter, the fans were still waiting for the sight they longed to see.
But they were disappointed again.
This time, after O’Neal got the ball in the low post, because McKey, who was pushed to the power forward spot, had already hit three mid-range shots, Horry hesitated a bit during the double team.
He tried to use a fake double team to trick Shaq into passing, but Shaq didn’t fall for it and decisively chose to turn around for a hook shot.
Again, there was no connection; Shaq opted for a solo move.
Under Dream’s desperate defense, O’Neal’s hook shot didn’t go in.
Olajuwon grabbed the rebound and looked up to find someone.
At that moment, however, came the twist.
Before Olajuwon could find someone, he was horrified to find a hand reaching from behind and poking the basketball away!
It was then that Dream realized he could only see four Magic players—Shaq, McKey, Saru, and Harper—in his field of vision.
Roger was playing the sixth man.
It wasn’t intentional—Roger, lurking in the corner, rushed into the paint to fight for the rebound once he saw Shaq shoot.
But Olajuwon didn’t give Roger any chance to touch the ball.
However, Roger, running along the baseline toward the paint, was exactly behind Olajuwon and the rebounding Dream hadn’t noticed Roger.
And just like that, the steal happened.
After stealing the ball from Dream, Roger’s gaze went to Saru who was left open beyond the three-point line, but with a flick of his wrist, he passed the ball to Shaq, who was still under the basket and hadn’t left.
Then, Roger once again turned and ran back with his arms raised without looking back.
This time, Shaq didn’t disappoint Roger, because he quickly heard the wailing of the basket.
The connection between Roger and Shaq has finally arrived!
This is what we wanted to see; this is the real championship duo!
Ladies and gentlemen, although the Magic’s record and performance have already been outstanding, now, this is the full display of their power!”
As Steve Jones spoke these words, the Rockets were already trailing by 13 points.
Before the game started, most media actually thought the Rockets were no match for the Magic.
But they felt that during the special time on Christmas Eve, the role players of the Rockets might explode as they did last season and cause trouble for the Magic.
But they didn’t, just as Shaq said: “We’ll take down the defending runners-up with ease, even more easily than you imagine.”
Tomjanovich called for a timeout, and O’Neal spread his arms wide and charged towards Roger, embracing him tightly.
“I’m back, buddy, I’m back!”
“Welcome back, Shaq.”
The effect of that play was akin to the century’s alley-oop in last season’s East semifinal; the Magic Team’s already high morale skyrocketed, while the Rockets’ spirit had cooled.
The rest of the game turned into a show by Roger and Shaq.
The two of them began to find their rapport again, treating Rockets’ defense as their plaything.
With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Brian Hill subbed out both Roger and Shaq, signalling the end of hostilities.
By then, the Orlando Magic were leading the Rockets by a whopping 24 points!
Roger scored 28 points, dished out 5 assists, and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Shaq amassed 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.
On the Magic bench, Roger and Shaq exchanged fist bumps with grins plastered across their faces.
On the Rockets bench, Olajuwon and Drexler sat clutching towels, staring ahead in bewilderment.
The same court, the same guard-center duo, but the atmosphere was poles apart.
The cruelty of professional sports was vividly illustrated by such stark contrasts.
The final score was 93 to 114, with the Orlando Magic effortlessly taking down the Rockets, clinching this year’s Christmas showdown.
The live commentators left Roger and Shaq with nothing but praise, “You might think the previous Magic was strong enough, but brace yourselves, the defending champions are just starting to flex their muscles.”
Indeed, the combined force of Roger and Shaq proved unstoppable.
Their prowess was never the issue; this season, their problems lay elsewhere.
In the post-game interview, as was customary, O’Neal slung his arm around Roger’s shoulders, “Hey, those who messed with my brother are in for it now!
Wait, seems like no one could mess with you even when I was out.
Damn, we’re just too strong!”
After Shaq finished, the reporters turned their cameras back to Roger.
“Tell us how you feel.”
“I’m thrilled Shaq is back by my side, and I hope he stays there forever.
DeVos, please renew his contract soon!”
Surprised, O’Neal looked at Roger; he hadn’t expected Roger to publicly support him in such a game.
DeVos will make a decision, but what if he really loses Shaq?”
Roger spread his arms, answering in jest, “Then maybe trade me to a future WNBA team?
They need players, and I happen to know how to play a little ball, hahahaha.”
Roger had not wanted the management or Shaq to have certain thoughts about him; he didn’t want to offend either side and had never been substantively involved in the matter.
But now Roger could no longer approach the situation nonchalantly as O’Neal had come back and the issue couldn’t be dragged out any longer.
He had to ensure everyone on the team was focused on the championship and prevent the locker room from falling apart.
The issue of Shaq’s contract renewal with the Magic had to be resolved, or at the very least, Shaq’s confidence needed bolstering.
Roger had to pressure them for a resolution, which meant choosing to offend one party.
And if forced to choose sides, without a doubt, Roger would stand with those who wore the same jersey and fought with him.
He couldn’t follow Penny’s old path.
Management could love you today and abandon you tomorrow.
Only your teammates are the ones truly fighting by your side.
A true Michael-like emperor must learn to speak out to the management.
Everyone laughed, taking Roger’s words as a display of humor, believing he was promoting the upcoming WNBA team in Orlando.
But DeVos and Gabriel in the suite didn’t laugh.
On this joyous Christmas Eve for the victory over last season’s final opponent, it suddenly became incredibly chilling for them.
Words like “signing” and “trading” felt like needles to their hearts.
As seasoned veterans, they knew that adults don’t make such apt jokes at such opportune times.
Every joke has an underlying message.
John Gabriel patted DeVos on the shoulder, “Sir, I told you before, Roger isn’t our man.”
The Magic wanted to save money on Shaq, but Roger defied that plan time and again.
Rich DeVos didn’t respond; instead, he was reminded of David Stern’s words from six months ago when lifting the O’Brien Trophy, “You’ve set a fine example for a new team, Rich.
Keep it up, what does that mean?
Aren’t those words for the losers?
What does a winner need to endure?
At the time, he completely misunderstood Stern’s intention.