And temporarily, O'Neal got an opening to cut under the basket.
So, after posing for a shot, Roger eventually didn't jump but passed the ball to Shaq.
Seeing the basketball fly towards O'Neal at just the right moment, Roger turned around early, raising his arms high.
Only Riley was unforgivable, only pretending not to disappoint.
Good news: The entire Rockets team was fooled; they really didn't expect Roger to pass the ball.
Bad news: Shaq was, too.
O'Neal also didn't expect Roger to pass, so he caught the ball in a rush. In the end, he didn't get a good grip, and the ball dropped to the ground. O'Neal, in a panic, hurried after the ball and accidentally stepped on it, falling flat on his face.
Roger, who had turned back running with his arms raised, noticed that the fans' reaction was off. When he turned around, he discovered O'Neal sprawled on the ground.
Shaq smiled apologetically: "I thought you were going to shoot."
Roger smiled back: "I bought a watch last year."