However, one thing that is different from the bad situation in those years is that people like Larry Bird who joined the bad camp so late were doing it with the thought that Lin Ri might not be selected with the No. 1 pick.

operate.

After all, Lin Ri's current draft prospects are only eighth or ninth in the first round, and he is still far away from the No. 1 pick.

If he really doesn't perform so well entering "March Madness", maybe the teams that got the first few picks will hesitate when selecting him.

Again, the biggest problem surrounding Lin Ri now is not his personal ability or his talent.

There is no need to have any more doubts about him!

The biggest question about him is which level his talents will allow him to reach in the future - in history, there have been many newcomers with high talents but failed to perform well, and there are quite a few of them.

And for a guy like Lin Ri, who has a blank basketball history, the risk is even greater!

If he really doesn't perform well in March Madness, his draft prospects will definitely be much bleaker.

As for whether Lin will encounter trouble in "March Madness", according to Larry Bird, it is very likely.

After entering "March Madness", the overall strength of the team will be compared. Like North Carolina, none of the core players' draft prospects this year are in the top ten of the first round, but this does not affect them from becoming championship candidates. The reason is

They have too many available players, and even teams with a super core may be exhausted by them if they encounter them!

Including the Sun Devils…

They are indeed great, but this team is great only because this team has James Harden and Lin Ri.

But even if they meet North Carolina, in Larry Bird's opinion, it will be difficult for them to defeat four people with only two fists. A tiger cannot fight against a pack of wolves, and the possibility of being eaten to death is higher.

Taking a step back, if James Harden and Lin Ri could defeat the North Carolina heroes, then Larry Bird would also admit it. He didn't prepare early for such two talents and ultimately didn't grab them.

question.

But the current situation is that he knows that there is a super rookie like Lin Ri in this year's draft. If he is not allowed to do something to fight for it, he will definitely not be willing to do so.

Larry Bird is not the only general manager of the team who has this idea, including New York Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh and Suns general manager Steve Kerr. It’s just that the Knicks

It has always been a bad team, the kind of bad team that is stuck in the mud and can't get out of it. So even though Donnie Walsh knew about Lin Ri's existence relatively late, it was obvious that the team's record was bad, and there was basically no

What's the delay? Steve Kerr is a well-prepared general manager who knew about Lin Ri's existence early and made up his mind to mess up the situation early on.

…

It's February.

After the Pac-12 Conference ended its regular season, they officially ushered in the playoffs.

These teams that have entered the playoffs are very serious about the arrival of the playoffs.

Even the Arizona Wildcats and UCLA are preparing for the playoffs this year.

In previous years, they didn't have to worry about their performance in the playoffs, because the playoff champion was often born to one of them, and the other team that didn't win the championship could also successfully enter the national championship with its regular season record.

The two teams have been playing a "two-man game" in the Pac-12 for too many years.

But this year, once they fail to win the championship, they may not be able to enter the national championship. Especially for the Arizona Wildcats, the situation is more severe. Their regular season results are only ranked third, falling behind.

For the Sun Devils and UCLA, that is to say, once they fail to win the playoff championship and cannot get a ticket to the national championship, the result waiting for them will be to end the season early.

But if they really can't play "March Madness" and have to watch the Arizona State University Sun Devils play "March Madness", it will feel very frustrating just thinking about it.

There is only one way before them, and that is to win the championship in the playoffs!

Compared to them, UCLA's current form is much more relaxed. As long as they don't let the Arizona Wildcats win the championship, it won't be a big problem.

No matter who wins the championship, they or the Sun Devils, it is a result they can accept.

It would be best for them to win the championship themselves and avoid comparing their regular season results.

But if the Sun Devils win the championship, they can accept it. No other team's record is as good as theirs.

In fact, the only one they have to be wary of is the Arizona Wildcats.

Because except for the three of them, the other teams in the Pac-12 playoffs have little hope of winning, even smaller than the New York Knicks' hope of winning this year...

The Sun Devils don't have to think about anything. Their form is the clearest. They have already secured their ticket to the top 64 in the country. Even if they don't win the championship, the "March Madness" schedule will be a little more difficult.

This is really not a big deal to them!

Especially for Lin Ri.

Before the playoffs, his overall personal data had increased significantly compared to when the new season just started 3 months ago:

“Name: Lin Ri;

Age: 19 years old;

Height: 2.08 meters;

Weight: 99kg;

Wingspan: 2.21 meters;

Speed ​​level: B+ level (natural changes with age);

Strength level: C+ (375/1000);

Bounce level: B+ level (natural changes with age);

Bullet speed level: A-level (natural changes with age);

Physical fitness level: B-level (13/1000);

Explosive power level: A-level (natural changes with age);

Comprehensive assessment of physical fitness: Level B;

Ball control ability: D+ level (863/1000);

Passing ability: C+ (689/1000);

Singles ability with the ball: Level D (418/1000);

Second attack ability: B-level (116/1000);

Finishing ability at the basket: B-level (204/1000);

Dunk: Grade A-(213/1000);

Hook shot under the basket: D-grade (185/1000);

Air cutting consciousness: B-level (341/1000);

Layup: C+ grade (952/1000);

CIC: C+ grade (798/1000);

Free throws: C+ (978/1000);

Three points: D-grade (78/1000);

Adjustment ability when catching the ball: C-(121/1000);

Inside pace: D level (467/1000);

Post-hitting ability: D-level (295/1000);

Pick-and-roll awareness: C+ (687/1000);

Offensive tactics execution: C level (353/1000);

Top defense ability: C level (427/1000);

Frame protection ability: C level (506/1000);

Blocking awareness: C+ grade (888/1000);

Blocking ability: B level (345/1000);

Defensive rebounding ability: Grade B (708/1000);

Offensive rebounding ability: Grade B (421/1000);

Stealing ability: C level (510/1000);

Single defense ability: C level (610/1000);

Defensive pace: B-grade (214/1000);

Execution of defensive tactics: Grade C (345/1000);”

With his current ability, even if he starts playing March Madness now, as long as he doesn't encounter Griffin and Thabeet, he really has nothing to worry about.

And even with these two guys, he was only slightly afraid. If they really had to fight, he didn't think he would lose!

Such confidence!

He didn't even have anything to show for in "March Madness". Now he's just facing a bunch of defeated players who were defeated by him twice in the regular season. What does he have to show off?

nonexistent!

…

Sure enough, in the first round of the playoffs, the Sun Devils faced the University of Colorado Buffaloes, which ranked eighth in the regular season, and beat their opponent by 18 points.
To be continued...