613: 218: The smallest ripple can stir up the greatest extraordinary (asking for monthly votes!) 613: 218: The smallest ripple can stir up the greatest extraordinary (asking for monthly votes!) Roger had experienced two 3-1 leads and one 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
Generally, at this point in the Finals, the suspense was almost gone.
But the NBA Finals of 1998 were an exception.
You could say the Atlanta Hawks were already very close to the championship and Roger was very close to that legendary personal four-peat.
But you couldn’t say the Utah Jazz had no chance.
As “Slam” magazine said, this was the most suspenseful 3-1 in NBA Finals history.
The day after finishing Ga 4, Roger woke up and found it was already eight in the morning—usually, he’d wake up automatically at six-thirty.
It was a sign that Roger’s body was indeed very tired.
Roger had perfectly inherited Iceman’s freakish stamina, barely sweating after a ga.
If even he was beginning to feel tired, the others probably weren’t feeling great either.
Roger had received several calls from the mont he woke up.
The first was from his uncle, “I want to bring your future aunt to cheer for you!”
Roger was stunned for a mont, I’m going to have an aunt?
Although the uncle had opened his own chain of auto repair shops with Roger’s financial help and had access to top-quality resources, making a fortune.
He hadn’t fallen into the arms of won because of his newfound wealth, instead, he put a lot of effort into running the auto repair shops.
According to him, “I’m running these auto repair shops for you.
You can’t play basketball forever.
Now that we’ve grown and strengthened, your future is secured.”
While it would be difficult for Roger to waste his fortune after retiring given his current wealth.
But many Chinese parents are like that, always full of a sense of crisis.
Afterwards, Andrae Patterson and Andy Li, two of his high school friends, also called, saying they’d be at Ga 5 to witness Roger’s legendary night.
Andrae Patterson had been training with Roger over the years and had been competing in the NCAA all along.
After transferring schools and serving as a bench warr, he was finally set to enter the draft this sumr after five years in college.
Unlike Roger, who entered the lottery imdiately after high school, Patterson’s prospects were at best a second-round pick.
As for Andy Li, he found out after graduating college and going to his dream destination, San Fernando Valley, that breaking into the art and film industry wasn’t easy.
A director with no reputation couldn’t get famous actresses to work with him, and a director without fa even had to be personally involved on set!
Moreover, it’s an industry that greatly values connections.
Without them, you could exhaust all your efforts and still not make it.
So now he had switched to being an advertising director, specializing in comrcials for tights and won’s clothing, which was sowhat close to his dreams.
Although there was a significant gap between them now, their support for Roger had never changed.
Sofia Vergara also said she would attend the ga, making her first public appearance as Roger’s girlfriend, for which she even hired so stylists and makeup artists to prepare her look for the evening.
As the girlfriend of a superstar, first, you have to be presentable by his side.
Dominique Wilkins would also be there to support Roger, and even he was looking forward to the Hawks winning the championship.
In short, many people wanted to see Roger on the day of Ga 5.
After all, that night could very possibly be the night when Roger created a personal dynasty miracle.
And there was soone Roger urgently wanted to et before the ga.
It was ti, he had a promise to keep to a young boy.
Two hours later, Roger, pushing a wheelchair, took Andy to visit the Hawks’ practice facility.
Andy appeared thinner than before, now completely unable to walk on his own, his arms like brittle twigs that seed could snap at any mont, and his back no longer able to straighten.
Even his voice had beco very weak.
When he had just been discharged from the hospital, the doctors said he might only have five more months to live.
But now, it had been six and a half months.
Because he always rembered these words: “This is a journey about dignity and courage.
Hang in there, champ.”
Even though he was tornted by sickness, during the visit Andy’s face was always lit up with a smile.
And when Roger inquired about Andy’s health to his parents, they too smiled, saying, “Andy is great, everything is normal.”
This didn’t look like a family ravaged by illness at all.
After the tour, when Roger took Andy’s family to the training center’s cafeteria to eat, Andy asked Roger a question, “Gaoler, can you lift the trophy at ho in the next ga?”
“That is exactly the outco we are striving to achieve.”
“That’s great, then I won’t have to just watch you win the championship on TV.”
For the next ga, the Hawks had arranged the best front-row seats for Andy and his family.
So business tycoons and entertainnt stars had wanted to book that spot early on, but the old man in the red hat insisted on reserving it for Andy.
So, if Roger could lift the trophy at the Georgia Do in the next ga, Andy would witness the dream he envisioned beco a reality.
“My teammates and I will give our all to win Ga 5, but even if we lose, you can go to Salt Lake City for the ga.
We’ll arrange the hotel, plane tickets, and ga tickets, and your family won’t have to worry about anything.
Andy, no matter what, you will see the Hawks win with your own eyes.”
Andy shook his head, “No, I can’t go to Salt Lake City, although I would like to.
My current physical condition doesn’t allow to travel that far and adapt to the thin air there.
But it’s okay, I’ll be satisfied as long as the Hawks can lift the trophy.
Thank you for everything, Roger.”
Roger nodded, he had one more reason to finish the series in the next ga.
After the al, the Hawks arranged for a car to take Andy and his family back.
As the vehicle left Emory Healthcare Center, the smiles on Andy’s parents’ faces disappeared instantly.
Although they had long been preparing ntally, their family was still engulfed in sadness.
Andy didn’t have much ti left.
At yesterday’s re-examination, the doctor had given a clear answer: “It’s a miracle that Andy has held on this long, but he may only have a few weeks left.”
The reason they had smiled in front of Roger was because before coming, Andy calmly told his parents, “Please don’t let Roger know I’m about to die.
It would surely upset him.”
After saying goodbye to Andy, Roger sat in front of his locker, hands clasped together supporting his chin, and closed his eyes.
At this mont, Pippen, accompanied by the team doctor, walked back to the locker room with a dragging step.
Looking at him now, even if Larsa moved on his own above, Pippen could hardly last more than 30 seconds.
This morning, Pippen had not trained but had taken so tests at the health center, and the entire dical team had to assess his back injury.
Initially, it was just muscle tension and soreness in Pippen’s back.
But now, it seed that the injury had worsened.
And the team doctors who walked back with Pippen all had gloomy expressions.
“Scott, how did it go?” Roger asked.
Pippen leaned against his locker: “Sothing about a herniated disc compressing a nerve, I can’t explain it clearly.”
The chief team doctor, Chekh Rayne, interjected: “Simply put, besides the muscle tension in Scott’s back, there is also a slight protrusion in the lumbar disc, which is pressing on a nerve, and this will intensify his pain.”
“Is there any way to fix it?”
“We are not at the point of surgery yet, just rest,” Chekh honestly answered.
“It’s just one ga, I should be able to hold on.
Let’s take down the Jazz in the next ga, we can do it, right Roger?” Pippen didn’t want to give up the ga.
“I think we have no other choice.”
The team had co this far, and if they let the Jazz drag the ga to Salt Lake City, it would be a life-and-death struggle.
The next ga was not a Ga 7, but it might as well have been.
Whether to celebrate a championship or beco a loser was decided by one ga.
On the day G5 began, the scene in the city of Atlanta was almost identical to a Reebok comrcial that had been fild earlier.
A massive crowd of fans converged toward the Georgia Do from all directions, each person embracing each other’s shoulders, as if united as a whole.
All of Atlanta hoped tonight would be a historic night.
Inside the arena, Andy and his family were interviewed by reporters.
“Andy, do you think the Utah Jazz stand a chance tonight?”
“Perhaps, but looking at the overall series, no.”
“You’re very candid.
Right now, many are discussing that if Roger achieves a personal four-peat, he will officially enter the GOAT discussion.
What do you think?”
“He has already been the best player in history in my eyes.”
Andy, the boy whose ti was running out, now cared nothing for his own illness; he only cared about basketball, only about his passion.
His father found this consoling; rather than letting his son die in fear and pain, it was better to let him leave this troubled world with a smile.
It was Roger who made their child’s last days incredibly fulfilling and happy.
In front of the caras, Andy’s parents wiped away tears: “Roger is certainly the best player in history.
He has helped us a lot.
Maybe even he doesn’t realize it, but even the smallest ripple he creates can stir up the greatest difference!
That’s what he ans to us!
Thank God for Roger, and God be with him!”
anwhile, many more fans in the arena had already raised signs saying: Roger is God!
Inside the Hawks locker room, the atmosphere was much heavier.
“Scott’s back injury doesn’t look good, and we still don’t know if he will play tonight.
Without Scott’s defense, can the Hawks handle the Jazz?
And can Roger and Stevie Smith regain their touch tonight?” The locker room television news was discussing the current condition of the Hawks.
Lenny Wilkens walked up and turned off the TV, then looked at the players.
Roger lay on a yoga mat, silent.
Stevie Smith sat curled on the carpet, deep in thought.
Big Ben, wearing headphones, moved his shoulders after strapping on the gear.
Kurt Thomas was relaxing his muscles; none of the rounds in this series had been easy for him.
Everyone felt as if a huge rock was pressing on their chests; tonight, they must end the ga, there was no turning back.
At that mont, Big Ben took off his headphones and stood up, pulling out a cylindrical item from his locker.
Upon opening it, it was a flag of the Hawks.
All eyes in the locker room were drawn to the flag, and Big Ben waved it proudly.
“Hey guys, tonight, we end it all in style!
I’ll be the one waving the flag!”
The atmosphere lightened slightly, and Roger clapped his hands: “This is the chance we’ve been waiting for, a chance we fought for ourselves.
It’s ti, let’s do this!”
As they walked out of the player’s tunnel, the voices of the Atlanta fans infused every Hawks player’s blood.
“Take them down, we are the champions!”
“Keep the championship trophy in Atlanta!”
“You are the strongest team in the world!
You are the finest basketball players in the world!”
Roger waved to his uncle, Patterson, Andy Li, and Wilkins in the stands.
Then he pointed to Andy, who was sitting in the front row.
Opposite, Karl Malone’s squad was also ready for battle, ill-intentioned.
But now, no Hawks player would be crushed by the pressure.
Because they had beco one with the entire city.
One city, one team, one goal.
At this mont, this was no longer just a slogan.
“Tonight, the savior will complete the final redemption.
The decay of Atlanta is about to be completely dispelled!”
The speaker, Magic, wore a red suit matching the Hawks’ colors.
Next to him, Marv Albert joked: “You rarely try this color, Magic.
Honestly, I’m still not used to it.
I think black suits you better.
Leave the red for Craig Sager.”
“Oh, you’d better get used to it quickly.
Because for the entire sumr, the world will be this color!”
Reviews
All reviews (0)