Chapter 1040 - 335: Lessons from the King, Betrayal from the Chosen One

Words : 870 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

LeBron James and Michael Jordan cannot lead Cleveland out of darkness, their abilities are overhyped by the media, and by themselves. After the block, Roger straddled James and didn’t plan to leave: "You? Replace me? LeBron, you can’t even surpass that old guy, and that old guy was just second in the 90s! Nike might as well give this money to Dwyane Wade!" Roger vented his anger freely, having endured this Nike duo pestering him all summer. For Roger, winning this game wasn’t the most important thing, because that was essential. What truly mattered was that Roger wanted the world to know how ridiculous these two had been during the offseason. Don’t easily ride on the coattails of a god! The ball was blocked again, and this time the Cavaliers had only 4 seconds left to attack. In the last 4 seconds, both Jordan and James were tightly guarded, Eric Snow received the ball, took a step, and forced a jump shot. Scoring was not Snow’s forte, so unsurprisingly, this shot bounced off the rim. The Cavaliers had no way to attack effectively, while the Warriors faced no obstacles at all. Roger used a screen to break free from James, then spun past the outdated Jordan, finally pulling a layup to avoid Big Z’s block and successfully scored. At this point, the point gap widened to double digits, and the Cleveland Cavaliers had to pause the game. After Roger sat down, Hubie Brown was preparing to make substitutions—this game was too easy, and he wanted to rest the starters early. But when it was Roger’s turn, number 14 waved his hand: "Hubie, let’s see if LeBron and Michael come off first." Hubie Brown paused for a moment, but quickly realized what Roger wanted to do. This wasn’t a game at all. This was Roger publicly executing Michael Jordan and LeBron James for disrespecting him. This was Reebok publicly executing Nike. After the time-out, Michael Jordan was subbed off. Doug Collins didn’t want Jordan to push himself to injury, as the team would desperately need him for the playoffs. Honestly, Doug Collins never expected to coach a team relying on a 40-year-old veteran. Though Jordan was off, James remained, so Roger also stayed on the court, directly guarding James. "Surpass greatness, huh?" Roger’s tone was filled with disdain, intensely humiliating for James. But even facing Roger’s close pressure, James still didn’t enter berserk mode. He called a screen from Big Z, broke through with the pick, and then passed the ball back to the popping Lithuanian center, who scored with a mid-range jumper. Then, like Duncan, James retreated with no facial emotions or emotional fluctuation. Al Michaels didn’t comment on James’s offense, instead asking a question: "Can LeBron handle this kind of pressure? He seems a bit tense, having only taken two shots since the first quarter." Al Michaels’s criticism was subtle, as he believed LeBron James wasn’t taking the responsibility he should. If this game only had James, it would be fine; a rookie being beaten by Roger isn’t shameful. But look at how Michael Jordan fought against fate. Yes, he instinctively stepped back when seeing Roger before the game, and felt nervous from the start. But when he actually played, he didn’t back down. And LeBron James? Last summer, James was overly hyped. If Kobe hadn’t chosen a different path in Eagle, Colorado, James would have been the most spotlighted player of that summer. Charles Barkley criticized this behavior: "The league is already promoting him like a superstar, which can either make him or ruin him, because he is not yet a superstar." Now, the downside is beginning to show. People expected him to be as outstanding as rookie Roger. But now, the fantasy is shattered. In this play, Roger went one-on-one against James without even calling for a pick. He used a beautiful wide arc crossover to shake off James, then spun in the opposite direction as James caught up. If it had been a strong defensive team, they would have double-teamed Roger as soon as he got past James. But the Cleveland Cavaliers clearly weren’t a defensive powerhouse, Roger moved freely through their defenses. After shaking him off, Roger used a Finger Roll layup to defeat Big Z once more. "LeBron, you’ve been overrated, even ten years later, you won’t be able to replace me." Throughout the remainder of the first quarter, Roger remained unstoppable, scoring 21 points in a single quarter! In the second quarter, while James and Jordan rested, Roger also took a few minutes off. When 45 and 23 returned to the court, 14 was right there with them. Roger scored unabashedly over the heads of those two, with each score accompanied by highly humiliating trash talk. Michael Jordan was struggling to resist, while LeBron James was sleepwalking. This scene reminded all the Nike executives of the first half of 1995. It was a point where Roger hadn’t yet earned a championship ring. It was a point where Nike still hoped Penny Hardaway could compete with Roger. Which game made Nike give up on Hardaway? It was the early 1995 game where Roger scored 40 points against Penny in just half the game.

Chapter 1040 - 335: Lessons from the King, Betrayal from the Chosen One

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