Champion Creed
Chapter 58 - 58 042 18-year-old Roger fears no one on a scoring spree

58: 042: 18-year-old Roger fears no one on a scoring spree 58: 042: 18-year-old Roger fears no one on a scoring spree This was not the first time Hardaway had been praised by a legend.

As a college player defeating the Dream Team, Magic had said, “Playing against Hardaway felt like I was playing against a reflection of myself in the mirror.”

Being personally endorsed by Jordan this time, Penny’s value undoubtedly skyrocketed.

Actually, thinking about it, it was impossible for Jordan to pick Roger as his successor, not to mention that in Jordan’s eyes, Roger was Krause’s man.

Even if Roger wasn’t, Jordan would never compliment someone endorsed by Reebok.

Roger was really angry, clearly he was the winner, but that old bastard just had to maintain a superior attitude and twist the truth.

And because Jordan supported him, many media outlets also felt that Roger won because of Pippen.

Krause was furious too, now the Bulls’ attendance rate entirely depended on Roger — surely no one really believed that people were paying to come to the United Center to watch the pretentious, migraine-plagued Scottie Pippen, right?

People came to see the game because they wanted to witness the performance of Roger, Jordan’s successor.

With this move by Jordan, it’s as if he told the world, “The Bulls’ successor isn’t authentic.”

Krause didn’t expect Jordan to praise Roger, but he could have at least kept silent.

He could have simply said, “I don’t think anyone is my successor,” to evade the topic.

But he explicitly named Anfernee Hardaway.

Krause felt Jordan was truly a psychopath.

What was he doing competing with a rookie?

If he wasn’t competing with Roger, then who was he competing with me?

What’s more annoying now is that Pippen is injured.

Krause isn’t sure if the team’s performance can be maintained without Pippen.

Most importantly, he isn’t sure if Pippen can make it for the game against the Warriors.

With Penny already endorsed by Jordan, if Roger loses without Pippen, the title of “Jordan’s successor” will be completely stolen by Penny, and Chicago’s successor will be left out in the cold.

Krause doesn’t mistrust Roger, but anyone who underestimates Pippen’s role in this team is foolish.

With a top-tier second-in-command like Pippen, the team’s winning rate is obviously much higher.

The restless Krause entered the Berto Center’s locker room on his own this afternoon, and his sudden visit was unwelcome by the players.

In other teams, maybe, but in the Bulls, Krause was never on the same side as the players.

In the eyes of the Bulls players, he was the boss’s man, the one who could report to the boss at any moment and then have you traded.

This type of person naturally ended up on the opposite side of the players.

So when Krause suddenly entered the locker room, it felt as uncomfortable to the players as if a rat had entered their home.

The Zen Master stood up, intending to ask Krause to leave.

“You shouldn’t be here!” Phil Jackson whispered into Krause’s ear.

Krause kept a smile, “Don’t be nervous guys, I’m just here to find Scott.

Scott, can we chat privately?”

Pippen looked up in shock, and his teammates were also watching him.

Pippen felt very uncomfortable about this; Krause suddenly rushing in to see him could easily make his teammates misunderstand their relationship.

If Pippen was also seen as the boss’s man, his teammates would immediately start to distance themselves from him.

So Pippen declined, “Just say it here, Jerry.”

Krause hypocritically squinted his eyes, “I just wanted to check on your injury.”

“Muscle strain, I’ll be back in about ten days, not more than half a month,” Pippen answered coldly; he didn’t believe that fat bastard really cared.

“Uh…

Does a muscle strain need that long?

Phil, is there a chance Scott could play against the Warriors?”

Krause asked an incredibly stupid question, completely infuriating Pippen.

Because the way Krause asked sounded like, “A minor injury and resting that long?

Hey Scott, can’t you tough it out?”

The moment those words fell, a water bottle was thrown directly at Krause’s head: “Get out of here, you bastard!

Do you think I don’t want to play?

Do you think I’m intentionally on paid leave?

Screw you, I’m more eager to compete than anyone here, and you dare to insult me!”

Pippen had been especially frustrated lately.

He had just become the team leader, and then suddenly had to share decision-making.

He also had to acknowledge his support for Roger starting in front of the media.

Now with Krause picking a fight, Pippen was at his breaking point.

Thrilling, truly thrilling.

Roger was even beginning to admire Jordan.

This damn team fought every other day and still managed to win six championships.

Jordan is mighty.

Jordan is also foolish.

If he had understood a thing or two about brotherhood in basketball, the locker room wouldn’t be in such a mess.

Typically, when Roger and Pippen had issues, the nice guy Cartwright would stand up to mediate.

But this time, no one was handling Krause.

He wasn’t welcomed by the entire locker room.

Roger and Kukoc?

They didn’t particularly have any hostility against Krause, but they didn’t like him much either.

Krause clenched his fists, if he had Roger’s fighting spirit, he would definitely have charged at Pippen and fought it out.

But with his breathless body after just two steps, he could only endure it.

“Scottie, my dear, you know I love you, but I’m very disappointed with your behavior!”

After speaking, Krause slammed the door as he left.

He swore that if Pippen crossed the line again, he would definitely trade the bastard!

Once Krause left, Zen Master held his forehead.

Did this fatso have to make the locker room even messier?

At that moment, still fuming, Pippen silently returned to his seat after the ruckus.

Just as the locker room atmosphere hit rock bottom again, Roger stood up and clapped his hands:

“Alright guys, I believe with our great leader Michael’s guidance, you’ve all gotten used to such incidents.

Can this be worse than not allowing teammates to eat on the plane?”

At this, a round of laughter erupted in the locker room, remembering poor Horace Grant.

Honestly, Jordan’s behavior was inhuman on the court, and even more so off the court.

The mere mention of him made everyone feel that the just occurred conflict wasn’t so bad.

Seeing the atmosphere had relaxed, Roger continued speaking, “So, it’s nothing serious.

We just need to keep winning games, and we will be good players respected by the fans.

As for everything else, to hell with it.

Right, Scott?”

When there are double spokespersons, if one has an issue, the other can still hold the fort.

Since Zen Master personally gave Roger that status, Roger didn’t want to waste it.

Pippen looked at Roger and then nodded, “Exactly, I believe you guys will keep on winning.

And as soon as the doctor says I’m fine, I’ll be right back, don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Zen Master couldn’t help but chuckle.

He’d heard that Roger had more talent in physical size than Pippen, though he wasn’t sure if that was true.

But he was certain that in terms of leadership, Roger indeed had much more talent than Pippen.

Krause walked back to his office with a calm face, but as soon as he closed the door, his expression twisted like a psychopath in a horror film, furiously smashing a cup onto the ground: “Damn bastards!

You all want to emulate Michael, huh!”

Krause really had enough of these players who had no respect for him, the worst part being that the one leading this disrespect was his star player!

But no matter how angry, Krause now couldn’t change one fact—Pippen definitely wouldn’t be able to play in the next game against the Warriors.

The Bulls had to rely on Roger.

In the few games following Pippen’s absence, the Bulls had wins and losses.

Against the Trail Blazers, Roger outplayed Drexler, scoring 21 points while the latter only had 18.

But the Bulls lost the game because the Blazers had more than just Clyde the Glide.

They also had excellent defense.

They couldn’t completely shut Roger down, but they managed to keep his scoring from directly ending the game.

After the Bulls lost Pippen, their worst area was indeed defense.

Although Clyde the Glide only scored 18 points, Clifford Robinson’s 22 points and Terry Porter’s 21 points still led the Trail Blazers to win the game.

Fortunately, Chicago fans didn’t stay sad for too long.

Two days later, Roger, with his 26 points, led the team to crush the Kings.

The last guard to be acknowledged by Jordan as the “best in the NBA besides myself,” Richmond, was defeated in this scoring battle, only managing 20 points.

In the end, the Bulls just barely beat the Kings by 6 points.

ESPN’s “SportsCenter” had this to say, “Roger’s Chicago Bulls aren’t afraid of any offensive team.

He can compete toe-to-toe with everyone and dares to duel with anyone.

Although Scottie is gone, offensive-wise, this team is still strong.”

The reality was indeed so, now these Bulls had no defense, but they weren’t afraid to face off in scoring battles.

If nobody played defense, the Bulls often turned out to be the ones laughing last.

In the following games against the Rockets and the Hornets, the Bulls won one and lost one, further proving this point.

Facing the defensively strong Rockets, Roger scored less than 20 points for the second time in his career.

True, the Rockets’ roster didn’t have top-tier perimeter defense, but you can’t ignore Hakeem’s freakishly expansive defensive range, rivaling that of an intercontinental missile.

Today, wherever Roger shot, Hakeem’s face would timely appear in front of him.

He began to understand why the DPOY trophy would later be named after Hakeem.

Against the defensively weak Hornets, Roger once again led his team to a victory.

With the losses of MJ and then Pippen, a 2-2 record already satisfied most Chicago fans.

Not just in Chicago, but most media outlets found little to fault.

Although in these four games Roger’s assist counts were 0, 1, 2, 0 respectively, amid criticism, he ultimately won two games relying on his scoring ability.

At 18 years old, Roger was unafraid to score against anyone!

Pippen felt uneasy as Roger’s actions in the locker room smoothing over awkward atmospheres had won him prestige.

Now, everyone was looking forward to this match without him.

It’s hard to imagine, but at 18, Roger already possessed such formidable leadership skills.

Even without Scottie, the Chicago Bulls would still be a playoff team.—Chicago Post

“He’s the most talented scoring guard I’ve ever seen.

Yes, we’ve all seen how terrifying Bulls’ number 23 can be in scoring, but maybe Roger will be even scarier in the future.

After all, this is the first time I’ve let an 18-year-old score 18 points on me.” — Hakeem Olajuwon discussing Roger.

The world criticized Roger’s autocratic solo play, demanding he play more as a team, but during Pippen’s absence, Roger instead used his individual talent to keep the sinking team afloat.

As is well known, offensive teams have no way against Roger’s Bulls.

And the upcoming Golden State Warriors are precisely an offensive team!

The last man Jordan endorsed, Richmond, has already fallen under Roger’s blade, and though Penny is a great passer, his fate seems grim.

If he loses again, Penny will have no more excuses.

Michael, he misjudged people.—The Washington Post

Roger looked at the news in the paper and chuckled to himself.

Michael, has he ever judged people right?

That old jerk wants to inflate Penny’s value, and I’ll just make sure it tanks!