Champion Creed-Chapter 912 - 301: Master and Dog (Request for Monthly Tickets!)_2

What else is there to investigate? Artest has a fractured jaw, a broken nose bridge, and a cracked eye socket. His entire face was almost shattered by Roger, and after the surgery, he’ll have to stay in ICU for half a month. The only difference between him and Tomjanovich is that his brains didn’t spill out.

Who knows, maybe it’s because Artest doesn’t have a brain.

But Artest should still be grateful to Roger, grateful to him for smashing Jordan’s face back in 1993, so the doctors are quite experienced with this kind of surgery.

David Stern hopes to use this method to intimidate the players. He doesn’t want the league’s star player looking like a madman who wants to taste American blood.

But to be honest, seeing the punishment result, Roger actually breathed a sigh of relief.

This suspension will significantly impact both teams’ regular-season records.

But it basically doesn’t affect the playoffs.

That’s enough. As Roger’s career lengthens, he’s becoming less and less concerned with regular-season wins.

As long as the win numbers are decent, the playoffs are where everything counts.

No one remembers those 72-win garbage teams, but a 72-win championship team will be praised forever.

So, during the tough stretches of the regular season, just grit your teeth and push through.

As for the playoffs, people are already full of anticipation for the Hawks and Pistons matchup.

This brawl isn’t the end of everything; it’s the beginning.

The Pistons players and the Hawks players definitely want to kill each other. This matter will surely turn the playoffs into a gladiator arena.

During the locker room interview session after the next day’s practice, the reporters could feel the unextinguished fury from both sides.

Rasheed Wallace, with stitches over his brow, wore a grimace: "Past? Ron is still lying in the hospital, and you’re telling me everything’s past? Until we completely crush the Atlanta Hawks, until we seize the Finals spot, until we bury them in the abyss, nothing is over for us!"

Peace advocate Richard Hamilton also grew tougher today: "You know, ever since last night, the Los Angeles Lakers are no longer the arch-nemesis of the Atlanta Hawks; we are. We’ll take everything back in the playoffs, and we won’t rest until we do."

Pistons captain Michael Curry bluntly stated: "To beat the champions, you need to hate them first. So I think we’ve taken the first step. No doubt, it’s going to be a life-and-death, prolonged war!"

Paul Pierce continued to mock the Pistons: "They shouldn’t act like they’re victims. They’re the ones who committed a malicious foul on Shawn and then crashed into Roger. Their misery is purely because they’re too weak, being consistently suppressed by Roger in both sports."

Andrae Pat also laughed: "Roger’s only mistake is that he’s too strong."

But everyone knows that in competitive sports, grudges ultimately have to be resolved by victory.

If the Pistons can end the Hawks’ threepeat and destroy the Hawks’ dynasty, then being beaten up wouldn’t matter at all.

There’s nothing in this world better than destroying the Hawks’ dynasty for revenge.

This is the inevitable conflict between the new elite and the old kings; their competition was bound to reach this point eventually.

The Hawks and the Pistons now not only want to contest for the championship, but they truly hate each other.

Maybe Big Ben doesn’t hate Roger, doesn’t hate the Atlanta Hawks.

But his personal will can’t change the team’s overall will.

However, Roger has long been accustomed to such competition; he and Michael Jordan, he and Shaquille O’Neal, have always been fighting each other out of mutual hatred.

Since we hate, let’s have a thorough battle in the playoffs!

After the punishment result was announced, something unprecedented happened.

Michael Gillen, the second-largest shareholder of the Hawks, actually invited Roger for dinner.

Ever since Ted Turner left, Steve Belkin left, and Big Ben finally left, Roger’s relationship with the shareholders’ team had become quite indifferent.

At the restaurant, Michael Gillen and Roger ordered the food, and while waiting, Michael Gillen and Roger started chatting.

Roger thought the purpose of this meeting was to discuss the contract extensions of Pierce and Marion.

But as soon as Michael Gillen spoke, Roger was dumbfounded.

"Roger, Bruce Levenson is angry about this matter."

"What matter?"

"Let’s be straight, Roger, times have changed. It’s the 21st century now. The current NBA has a dress code, has technical fouls with automatic suspensions. This isn’t the rugged ’90s anymore—the fans of the 21st century need more civilized idols and teams. Just like players in the ’80s couldn’t use drugs as freely as those in the ’70s, players in the ’00s can’t be as savage as those in the ’90s."

"You mean I should get hit and not fight back, stand indifferent while my teammates are bullied? Is that it?"

"I’m not saying you should take the abuse. The league will give you justice. When things like this happen, suspensions will affect our ticket revenue, our performance, and our image will affect sponsorships. Look, Roger, it’s just not worth it. So maybe next time, you could control yourself a little."

Roger almost laughed with anger. If he knew Michael Gillen came to say this crap, he wouldn’t have agreed to meet.

"Now I understand Michael Jordan’s words, when we’re risking our lives for the championship, where are you guys in suits? When we’re bleeding for the championship, where are you guys in suits? Now you come to me and say you’re unhappy? Why should I care? Tell Bruce, I’m not playing to please him!"