Chapter 1077 - 344: Roger First, Michael Second, Then the Rest

Words : 963 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Artest, even though he used the celebration as cover, was still called for a technical foul. But Artest didn’t care, according to NBA rules, technical fouls in the regular season are not carried into the playoffs, so he didn’t have to worry about being suspended in the playoffs due to excessive technical fouls in the regular season. As he watched James pass by him, Artest smiled: "Remember kid, don’t joke around with the defending champions!" In the subsequent game, LeBron James did not play again, and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost the final playoff spot battle. At this point, the biggest suspense of the 03-04 regular season was finally revealed. The Cleveland Cavaliers ended the season with ninth place in the East, missing the playoffs. Two hours later, a reporter revealed online that LeBron James had a rib fracture and needed to rest for a while. In the end, the GOAT’s bones broke, but it’s not certain whose bones they were. At the press conference, Artest shrugged: "I showed my full basketball skills tonight, LeBron? Oh, that was just a tragic accident. But I hope he learns a valuable lesson in Detroit, and that is not to rashly say he can beat the defending champions, not to rashly say he can beat anyone. He’s too weak, he doesn’t deserve it." ----------------- Roger really didn’t expect this to be LeBron James’s final outcome. For Nike and James, this was undoubtedly a terrible rookie season. Their arrogance caused their downfall. Michael Jordan successfully made it into the playoffs, the second rank of the 90s accomplished their mission. Next, it’s time for the first rank of the 90s to accomplish their mission. As the regular season ended, the top eight in the West were Warriors, Timberwolves, Spurs, Lakers, Kings, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and Denver Nuggets. This means Roger’s first opponent is again a rookie, and he’ll face Carmelo Anthony directly. This round of games won’t be much of a problem for Roger, but starting from the second round, almost every round will be a tough battle. The second-round opponent will be decided between the Lakers and Kings. Out of absolute trust in Chris Webber, Roger thinks the Lakers have a greater chance of winning. Against the Lakers, the Warriors’ record this season is tied at 2-2. Karl Malone’s coordination and defense are a precious treasure for the Lakers. He always uses his rich experience and still-strong body to make it difficult for Stademeyer, limiting the Warriors’ second scorer. Steve Nash is still excellent, he can unleash Kobe’s full power during off-ball moments and can execute powerful pick-and-rolls with Karl Malone, adding tough solutions to the Lakers’ defense. Of course, the trickiest guy on the Lakers is still Kobe. You could say this is a low point in Kobe Bryant’s life, but it’s undoubtedly the beginning of his entry into the true peak in terms of pure basketball ability. He’s still a jerk, ridiculed across America for sexual assault charges, criticized for shooting too much and responding by deliberately not shooting in a game to address the media. His relationship with the Zen Master is worsening to the point where Zen Master outright stated to the media: "I can’t coach Kobe, he is uncoachable." But correspondingly, Kobe is averaging a versatile 32.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He’s shed the former immaturity and scrawny physique, and he is the most terrifying scoring machine in the league besides Roger. His skills are almost perfect, with virtually no weaknesses to be found. His defense is as outstanding as ever, always capable of fiercely biting down on opponents when needed. This is Kobe of this season, the contradictory Kobe. Roger doesn’t care about Kobe’s off-court life but is certain of one thing—this guy who desperately imitated him before won’t be as easy to deal with as before. If they pass the second round, the Warriors’ opponent will likely be the winner between the Spurs and Timberwolves. No matter who they face, it’s bound to be a tough battle. The greatness of peak Duncan needs no further words, especially since this 04 Spurs team in history also has Payton and the Admiral. The Minnesota trio is strong, and their inability to top in the original timeline is largely due to Cassell’s injury in the playoffs. As for the finals, whether it’s the Pierce-led Pacers or the Artest-led Pistons emerging from the East, both are tough opponents. As many media said before the season started, this is a season full of competition, and too many teams qualify for fighting for the championship, the Warriors being just one of them. However, Roger has always enjoyed the bloody duels of the playoffs. In fact, the more dangerous the match, the more excited he becomes. In the first round of the playoffs, Roger didn’t give any face to his little fan Carmelo Anthony. The very first game, Roger flipped his switch to take over the game, scoring 40 points, going 5 for 6 from beyond the three-point line! The Nuggets’ biggest problem is their defense; Andre Miller is good at defense, but he is just a point guard. Carmelo Anthony showed enthusiasm when he defended against Roger, but his technical skills were poor, he was completely like a headless chicken. Moreover, when Anthony invested too much on the defensive end, his efficiency, highly dependent on his shooting touch on the offensive end, visibly declined. Today, because he defended too hard, Anthony ended up scoring just 15 points on 35% shooting. He hasn’t learned to allocate his stamina yet, he hasn’t learned how to read defenses, he hasn’t learned how to create value in the playoffs. Ultimately, he’s just a rookie. But he’s a far more adorable rookie than LeBron James.

Chapter 1077 - 344: Roger First, Michael Second, Then the Rest

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