Champion Creed-Chapter 527 - 193: Shaq is Jerry’s biggest mistake since 1981 (asking for monthly tickets!)

Chapter 527: 193: Shaq is Jerry’s biggest mistake since 1981 (asking for monthly tickets!)

Scottie Pippen would never have imagined that just under three minutes into the game, he would receive an assist from Roger.

Can you believe that during the entire 93-94 season he worked alongside Roger, nothing of the sort had ever happened!

Stevie Smith didn’t expect that Roger could see him either; he thought for sure Roger would choose to go directly for the basket amidst the pursuit of Lakers players.

Everyone on the team was highly satisfied with Roger’s performance at the start of the game; he didn’t rest on his laurels as a superstar to slack off on defense, nor did he insist on having the ball to shoot whenever he wanted because he was a superstar. freewebnσvel.cøm

He defended strenuously and passed the ball actively, giving everyone a chance to shine.

Even Pippen and Stevie Smith, the two biggest "anti-truths" on the team, had to admit that Roger’s influence in the game was quite significant.

When he’s on your team, scoring becomes easier, and victory feels closer within reach.

Fans also didn’t expect Roger’s start to the season to be like this.

Three assists and one steal, without even attempting a shot. Four years ago, in 1993, what was Roger criticized for? Not passing the ball, playing poor defense.

Now, he was precisely using passing and defense to help the team make a perfect start.

And Shaq? Not long after the start, he was tantruming like a child, yelling loudly at referees and teammates.

The gap between the two men’s performance was already evident.

The same gap was also reflected between the Hawks and the Lakers.

The Hawks looked like a well-trained strong team, whereas the Lakers? They were so panicked they couldn’t even get the ball to their star player.

Even at the beginning of the game, there was a situation where the star player wanted the ball, but his teammates wouldn’t pass it to him!

At the start of the preseason camp, reporters would occasionally reveal some details about the Hawks’s training camp.

Like how Roger put pressure on his teammates, and how he tore them to shreds with his criticism.

It even led to Stevie Smith requesting a trade after the preseason camp.

It seemed as if Roger simply couldn’t lead a team on his own.

On the other hand, Shaq was hyped to the skies by the Los Angeles media during the preseason camp. Coupled with Van Exel and Eddie Jones saying he was "the greatest leader ever," Los Angeles media and fans fantasized about O’Neal leading the team to a dominant position in the league.

So what was the result?

Roger and his teammates operated in perfect harmony, united as one.

Shaq neither motivated the whole team nor brought out any compelling personal performance.

Just from the feel of these first few plays, it seemed Shaquille O’Neal’s ability to lead a team on his own was nowhere close to Roger’s!

The feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Roger was considered one of the biggest highlights of the NBA season.

They might not win the championship, but they absolutely could not lose to each other.

So these first few plays of the game were a total disgrace for Shaq.

O’Neal didn’t understand; he still thought he was no less than Roger, it’s just that he wasn’t getting the ball.

Passing to the center position is such a simple task, so why couldn’t anyone on the Lakers accomplish that?

If it were Roger, he could pass the ball with his eyes closed!

Thinking this, O’Neal gave himself a hard slap on the face.

How could I acknowledge Roger’s excellence?

Then Shaq kept reminding himself, "Kobe is the best, Kobe is the best, Kobe is the best..."

The teammates you choose, you must stick with them even through tears.

O’Neal had high hopes for Kobe, stating more than once in the media, "Kobe Bryant is ten times better than Roger!"

He told himself to be patient with the rookie.

So, O’Neal adjusted his attitude and calmly told Kobe, "Buddy, you need to start passing the ball!"

"Hmm," Kobe replied with a cold tone.

O’Neal was annoyed because ever since Kobe joined the team, he had been shattering O’Neal’s fantasy about the cute little brother figure.

In O’Neal’s fantasy, a high school kid like Kobe would see him—a great three-time championship center—and it wouldn’t be out of line for him to bow down in respect.

But in reality, Kobe did no such thing, not even showing a hint of the adoration O’Neal expected.

On the first day of the new season training camp for the Lakers, O’Neal led a self-introduction in the locker room, and then everyone else followed suit to introduce themselves, as a way to bring the team closer together.

"Eddie Jones, hometown Florida, graduated from Temple University."

"My name is Rick Fox, played in Boston last season, dreaming of becoming an action movie star."

"Elden Campbell, yeah Shaq, the very one you blew up last season."

Everyone’s introduction was quite standard, but when it came to Kobe, his self-introduction silenced the entire locker room:

"My name is Kobe Bryant, from Pennsylvania, graduated from Lower Merion High School, where I controlled everything. I want you to know something, Shaq, no one is going to bully me. I won’t allow anyone in the NBA to bully me, so let’s get the ugly part out of the way first."

That was the first encounter between O’Neal and Kobe, and Kobe’s prickliness from the start made him seem rather difficult to deal with.

Hearing Kobe talk like that, O’Neal cracked a joke, "Relax, kid, Jerry brought me here to support you."

The whole locker room laughed then, except Kobe.

Because he believed that was the truth.

In Kobe’s mind, O’Neal was nothing but a second-in-command.

Three consecutive finals, and you can’t even win a single FMVP; if that isn’t second-in-command, what is?