Chapter 1133: Chapter 360: The Return
Billups watched as the basket approached, slowing his steps slightly, knowing that a misstep now would spell disaster.
The score, surely it could be tied now, right?
Billups gently leaped, sending the ball toward the basket.
But as the ball rose near the basket, a large hand reached out from above him and slapped it onto the backboard with a "bang"!
It was the loudest sound Chauncey Billups had ever heard in his life.
"Oh my God, Roger completed the chase-down block! He never gave up, kept his head down to speed up the chase, closing an almost insurmountable gap! The Detroit Pistons still didn’t score, the difference remains 2 points, the DPOY is still guarding his territory!"
Chauncey Billups couldn’t believe it, he clearly looked back earlier and saw no one close to him.
How could Roger have caught up so fast?
Roger didn’t know either; all he knew was to keep running, running insanely.
The belief pushing him to continuously accelerate, to get closer.
Just like how it pushed him to climb back to the mountaintop again and again.
In the end, everything paid off.
After grabbing the ball, Roger didn’t rush, leisurely approaching the Pistons’ half.
With little time left, this offensive opportunity would decide the final fate.
If Roger scored, it would mark the end of the blue-collar legend.
If Roger couldn’t score, the blue-collar legend would still have a chance for a miraculous comeback.
Just like the previous three games, no matter how the two teams battled, it all came down to Roger.
Roger waved his hand, signaling everyone to spread out.
He didn’t intend to pass it again, having just demonstrated his DPOY prowess, now it was time to show his MVP skills.
With 7 seconds left on the 24-second clock, Roger approached the three-point line. Seeing this, Richard Hamilton immediately came up to double-team.
Roger, before the double-team could form, accelerated a sprint, dribbling toward Hamilton’s direction, tricking Hamilton into moving sideways half a step, but Roger immediately darted in the opposite direction.
But getting past them wasn’t going to be easy because Artest was still on the other side. As long as Artest could challenge Roger, forcing him to slow down, he’d be caught in a pincer.
But just as Roger and Artest were about to collide, Roger swiftly switched hands between the extremely narrow space between Artest and Hamilton! Hamilton, having been slightly juked away, inadvertently cleared a path for Roger’s crossover. He tried to recover for a steal, but Roger had already slipped past him, successfully breaking through the block of Artest and Hamilton!
However, it wasn’t over because Ben Wallace was waiting under the basket. And Roger couldn’t stop and shoot because Artest was closing in, losing spacing would be fatal.
Roger continued attacking the rim, colliding with Big Ben mid-air. Then he pulled the ball to the left and gently flicked it under Big Ben’s armpit.
From dribbling past defenders to attacking the rim, everything was pleasing to the eye. This was why this season’s viewership was so high. Bill Simmons was right, the secret of basketball is beyond basketball, the secret of basketball is always about the people.
Then came the biggest noise in the world.
"The ball is in! The ball is in! He slipped past Ron and Richard and then scored under Big Ben’s defense! This time, Roger scored again despite the Pistons’ triple team! In the final 5 seconds, he led the Warriors to a 4-point lead! The game is almost decided; Roger once again climbed to the peak with an incredible chase-down block and unbelievable shot!"
Roger landed, fist slapped and roared lowly. Then he lifted his head and made eye contact with Ben Wallace: "Sorry, but this year’s championship cannot be shared with you."
The commentators’ cries, fans’ shouts, and the referee’s whistle stopping the game all mixed together.
On the bench, the Warriors players couldn’t help but celebrate; the championship was within reach for them.
After the timeout, in the final 5 seconds, Chauncey Billups took a contested three under Roger’s pursuit.
The basketball flew through the air, spinning.
Roger turned his head, staring at that basketball.
It crossed more than just the distance from the three-point line to the basket, but from Atlanta to the Bay Area, from defeat to the peak once again!
As the ball began to descend, Roger had already raised his arms in advance.
Because he could already judge the basketball’s trajectory and the outcome of this shot.
All the waiting and patience were for this moment!
With the ball bouncing off the rim, the red light on the scoreboard signified the end of the blue-collar legend.
The 2004 Finals filled with blood, fire, defiance, struggle, and the sound of steel friction ended with this shot.
For the fourth consecutive night, Roger ended the game, leading the team to the ultimate comeback from a 0-2 deficit!
At the sound of the buzzer, Roger impatiently jumped onto the scorer’s table to display his signature celebration.
This was the moment he had been waiting for!
He finally returned to the peak!
Roger proved himself a place in history with his first dynasty and vied for the best in history with his second.
And now, in the blizzard of blue and yellow confetti, he stood atop the mountain, immovable!
He told the world he would never be Michael Jordan, he would never decline.
As long as he was around, he’d always be the unsurpassable silhouette!
In the stands, John Cage was unexpectedly calm.
He didn’t scream hoarsely like others, didn’t strip his suit jacket to run wild on the court like team owner Mikhail Prokhorov, didn’t cry out loudly like Marcus Camby, and didn’t try to lift the Gatorade bucket only to spill it all over himself like Spoelstra.
He simply sat on the bench, first smiling and then covering his face with tears streaming down.
Finally, finally, his city, his hometown team became the champions!
Roger left a perfect swan song for Oakland.
In just two years, he became the greatest hero of this city.
As the team was about to move, he didn’t leave Oakland fans with regrets.
Many, many years later, John would tell his children:
"Roger is the eternal Bay Area King."
Indeed.
That long-distance chase-block.
The loudest sound in Billups’ life.
That ultimate 1V3 solo.
All of these became eternal.
Became a page in the brilliant history.
(Only one update today because it directly hit ten thousand words)