Champion Creed

Phil Jackson was still surrounded by reporters when he left the hotel the day after the game.

Of course, this wasn't because the reporters were reluctant to let the Zen Master go, but because Erik Spoelstra's mockery of the Zen Master the previous day was like blood in the water for a pack of wolves. They surrounded the Zen Master, eager to ask for his thoughts.

"Phil, how do you view Erik's comments about you?"

"Do you think Erik's performance qualifies him to evaluate you?"

"Phil, are you really not going to coach the Lakers next season? Are you done coaching any team for good?"

Phil Jackson was indifferent to these questions, he was tired, he didn't want to explain anything about this season anymore.

He just wanted to return to Los Angeles quickly, leave the team, and enjoy the longest vacation.

The coaching experience with the Los Angeles Lakers these years had completely exhausted him, he enjoyed the spotlight of a big city, but he had enough of the locker room pressure, and he also had enough of Jeanie Buss's pressure.

Now he just wanted a good rest.

However, one question from a reporter completely irritated Phil Jackson, who was originally calm: "Phil, were your remarks yesterday really just excuses for losing to a rookie coach?"

Phil Jackson stopped in his tracks, visibly entering a state of anger.

"Excuse? What's my excuse? Damn it, look at the mess of our season! As a coach who's practically a nominal existence, I'm managing a bunch of young men who've spent most of the year bickering non-stop, managing a guy who's constantly shuttling back and forth between the court and the arena, managing two fools who can't stop arguing even in a Game 7. What more can I do? What else can I do!?"

Phil Jackson was furious, the problems of the Lakers this season were not just limited to the court.

But in the end, the silver-haired Zen Master sighed: "I don't want to talk about this anymore, never again."

He suddenly realized that whatever he said would be in vain.

Nobody truly cared about how many difficulties the Lakers faced this season, nobody truly cared how much of a jerk Kobe Bryant was, and nobody cared how outrageous Spoelstra's strategy was, or how absurd it was that Roger could execute that strategy.

It's not surprising for a player to both play defense and attack effectively, Michael Jordan and others used to do it, but they couldn't maintain such energy for three straight quarters.

Roger did it, helping Spoelstra achieve an almost impossible tactic.

But nobody cares about these things, in competitive sports, people only care about results.

For a moment, Phil Jackson felt the end of his career was very cruel.

He still couldn't defeat Roger, losing to a rookie coach, and the team fell apart once again.

From now on, his glorious days of the '90s would be covered by the dust of time until they could no longer shine.

As Phil Jackson snapped at the reporters' cameras, Karl Malone walked past him without saying a word, ignoring all the reporters' cameras and questions, and boarded the team bus directly.

As he boarded, Karl Malone heard a reporter ask, "Karl, retiring as the second all-time leading scorer, do you feel honored and proud?"

Karl Malone laughed, this was practically the biggest mockery to him.

If a star player had other honors to show, they wouldn't have to resort to using the all-time scoring list as a consolation.

Because accumulated statistics and victories have no direct connection, the only thing that truly reflects victory is a championship.

Karl Malone's end was even crueler than Phil Jackson's.

This superstar, with a career spanning 19 years and ranking second in all-time career scoring, ultimately was left with an embarrassing image of being dunked on by Roger.

He, like Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley, was a big figure of the '90s yet couldn't pocket a ring.

Karl Malone sat down, looked at the crazy reporters outside the window, and sighed.

He could only accept this cruel verdict, he was no longer able to change anything.

He opened his phone and re-read the message Gary Payton sent yesterday. In the message, Payton wished for Karl Malone to come to San Antonio for another year to continue pursuing a championship.

Last night Malone hadn't replied, but now, he was clear.

"No, Gary, you keep going."

Last summer, the connection between Payton and Malone became more frequent, they were considering whether to join the same team to fight for a championship and end their careers perfectly.

Payton ultimately chose the Spurs, but the last shred of pride in Karl Malone's heart kept him from joining a team that had just been to the Finals, so he joined the Lakers.

Does he regret his choice? Not at all, Karl Malone would rather go to a team with potential but less success, if the team wins the championship because of his arrival, he could at least demonstrate a bit of his value.

However, not everyone is as lucky as the Admiral, able to wait for their fated destiny without transferring teams.

As it turns out, Kobe Bryant was not Karl Malone's destined partner.

After arguing with Kobe yesterday, Karl Malone felt extremely exhausted. He wanted to go hunting, he wanted to travel the world, but he absolutely didn't want to play basketball anymore.