Champion Creed-Chapter 949 - 310: Admit it, you live in my era! (Please vote for the monthly ticket!)_4
Chapter 949: 310: Admit it, you live in my era! (Please vote for the monthly ticket!)_4
Five years later, Los Angeles’s dream theater is about to become the birthplace of another dynasty.
Los Angeles fans still refuse to believe that the Hawks are about to step on the Lakers and climb to the championship throne for the third consecutive year. They still crave victory, hoping for some divine power to make the OK duo temporarily set aside their differences.
Perhaps feeling the anticipation of the fans, Robert Horry, who was hailed by Magic as one of the "Top Ten Clutch Players in the League", stepped up today.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Atlanta Hawks were already leading by 14 points.
But then, Robert Horry received a pass from Shaq and hit a three-pointer.
In the next play, Horry slid off a pick at the top of the arc, received a pass from Kobe, and nailed another three-pointer.
Robert Horry pursed his lips and pumped his fist in front of one of the camera lenses.
Was he narcissistic?
No, he just knew that his daughter was smiling behind the camera.
Robert Horry’s child has a very rare genetic disorder, and due to a partial deletion of the first chromosome, his little daughter has an intellectual disability and suffers from aphasia.
She can hardly feel any joy in this world; the only thing that brings her an instinctive smile is seeing her father on TV.
Robert Horry is the last Laker who knows why he’s fighting, and he doesn’t want to be benched just like that; he doesn’t want the series to end this way. He hopes his daughter can smile a little more.
In the next play, Horry faked out Shawn Marion and drove to the basket, jumping for a layup under the blockade of his old teammate Hakeem Olajuwon.
It was another magical scene; in the 90s, Robert Horry was one of Olajuwon’s best helpers, and they together created the unforgettable "Heart of a Champion" for the Rockets.
Now they both returned to the Finals, playing a game that had nothing to do with the Houston Rockets.
Horry ultimately made the basket during the confrontation, and the referee even awarded him a free throw.
Horry stood on the free-throw line, glanced at the cameras aimed at him, and forced himself to stay calm.
At this moment, cameras usually give a close-up of the free throw shooter, and that would be his daughter’s happiest moment.
Horry shot, and the basketball went in again.
Robert Horry has already scored 9 points in the fourth quarter!
In a flash, the Lakers were only 5 points behind!
Kobe and O’Neal felt ashamed; their bitter conflict couldn’t rival the accountability of a role player.
Thus, in the fourth quarter, something miraculous happened—the cooperation between Kobe and Shaq bizarrely resumed.
It’s said that they were merely throwing childish tantrums, so capricious that even they didn’t know what would happen next.
The Lakers suddenly regained their fighting spirit, and those listless Lakers fans seemed to be re-energized, making Staples buzz with excitement.
Grant Hill became lively again; he had sprained his ankle in the third quarter, but seeing the team’s hope in the fourth quarter, he decided to stay on the court and fight.
They aimed to ruin Roger’s coronation night!
O’Neal bulldozed through Thomas and Marion to slam the ball fiercely.
Kobe hit an extreme fadeaway over Pierce’s tight defense.
Grant Hill, enduring the severe pain from his ankle repeatedly, broke through the Hawks’ defense, disrupting their formation and creating opportunities for his teammates. He staked it all!
Robert Horry not only inspired his daughter but also galvanized the entire team.
In the final 21 seconds, the Lakers led by 1 point thanks to Shaq’s two successful free throws, marking their first lead in the game.
Seeing the ball go in, Grant Hill wildly pumped his fist; he had never been so elated in his entire career. ƒгeewebnovёl_com
Kobe remained silent, but he still extended his hand to high-five Shaq.
Robert Horry looked at the camera, happy to prolong the life of this series.
Shaq and Roger locked eyes; he gazed at the fellow who had become his career’s shadow, seriously saying: "It’s not over yet, Roger, not over yet! This era still doesn’t belong to you!"
The entire Staples Center was trembling; everyone knew the significance of this victory.
If they could win, making the score 2-3, the Lakers would surely regroup.
In adversity, sometimes all you need is just that one breath.
Moreover, the confidence of Lakers fans isn’t unfounded. They could win Game 1 because they blocked the Hawks’ game-winning shot at a critical moment.
In the era of zone defense, the Lakers could easily send two men to chase after the off-ball Roger, which would significantly reduce his threat at critical moments.
During the timeout, the Hawks subbed in almost everyone who could shoot, forming a decisive lineup of Hornacek, Pierce, Roger, Bowen, and Olajuwon.
Olajuwon needed to set screens for the others; of course, he also had the ability to be lethal with a single strike.
When the referee’s whistle blew, Shaq and Bowen indeed tried every means to screen for Roger, but the double pursuit by Grant Hill and Kobe left Roger with not even an inch of space.
Finally, the ball was passed to Hornacek, and the lethal 3-pointer knew this was his last offensive in his career, so he cherished every second and kept himself clear-headed every moment.
He directed the ball until the final 5 seconds, Roger finally curled out to the three-point line from the right side. Hornacek seized this fleeting opportunity to pass the ball safely into Roger’s hands.
