Chapter 79: Enjoying superstar treatment for the first time
()Chapter 79: Enjoy superstar treatment for the first time
ps. I have been focusing on the finals these past few days. I didn’t read the book review section. Many friends gave me rewards but didn’t add them. I’m really sorry.
"Shh~~~~"
Although this is undoubtedly a very exciting dunk, but from the enemy's position, Adrian cannot receive applause and cheers from the fans at the American Airlines Center Arena. He will only be greeted with boos, and the dunk becomes more and more exciting.
The louder the boos got. Adrian didn't care. He entered the NBA at the age of twenty and became an ordinary team employee. He became an assistant coach at the age of twenty-eight. He became the first assistant coach of the team at the age of thirty-six. At the age of forty, he became an ordinary team employee.
Finally got the opportunity to become the head coach. Adrian almost felt sick when he heard the boos. Sometimes the team's performance was not good, not only the players on the field, but also the coaches and assistant coaches on the sidelines would suffer.
Adrian has experienced the boos from fans step by step, not to mention that the boos at the American Airlines Center were so weak.
"I seemed to have played a little too intensely today, and as expected, I was aroused by that old guy." Adrian sighed inwardly. He could have chosen an easier and more efficient way to score just now, but he chose instead
The most violent dunk ever, and it was an isolation dunk!
This doesn't quite fit with Adrian's basketball philosophy.
However, on the surface, he could be indifferent to Gary Payton's trash talk, but he would inevitably accumulate some anger in his heart. As a result, he unconsciously chose a scoring method that he would not normally choose, although it was indeed very angry.
Pat Riley frowned and called a timeout. He arranged a lot of defensive tactics for Kobe, but they were not used at all. Today's Kobe obviously has no offensive desire, but the guy named Adrian
The rookie played extremely actively from the beginning of the game.
The tactics laid out before the game must be modified.
"Don't worry about Kobe now. He has no offensive prospects now. It's no big deal to let him go temporarily. The defensive focus shifts to the No. 1 rookie, especially the inside. When he attacks with his back
The inside must be well defended at all times. Anthony, make up for it as soon as possible and don't give him any easy shooting opportunities! Force him to make jump shots from the outside. He has no long-range shooting ability. As long as he is forced to the outside, he will have no power.
"Wade, you have to take more responsibility on the offensive end. So far, the rookie of the Lakers has scored 8 points. How many points have you scored?" In front of the Heat's bench, Heat coach Pat
-Riley was writing and drawing on the tactical board, arranging the Heat's next offensive and defensive tactics, and at the same time constantly issuing new requirements to the team members.
"Gary, what's going on? Your performance on the court is abnormal?"
After the game, Gary Payton found a seat and sat down, putting a white towel on his head. Hearing Pat Riley's question, he was stunned for a while, and then slowly raised his head.
, there is obviously still a look of confusion on his face that has not passed away.
Pat Riley's brows suddenly frowned: "Okay, since you're a little uncomfortable, come down and rest for a while. Jason, come on. I don't ask you to show me the rookie, but I want you to show me that rookie every time.
Don't let him take easy shots. If you can't defend anymore, you'll foul, interrupt his touch, and don't let him have the chance to score consecutively!"
"Am I really too old?" Gary Payton heard a little of Pat Riley's words, but more of them were like buzzing mosquitoes that made him unable to hear clearly. He heard Pat Riley's words.
-Riley wanted to replace him, feeling an indescribable reluctance in his heart. But when he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't make any sound, and even his eyes couldn't help but trembled. There were already countless people.
The problem he faced for the first time once again hovered in Gary Payton's mind.
Maybe it’s really time to consider retiring?
Although there are many teammates around him, Gary Payton feels that they are in a completely different world than him. They are so young, and he is already old and frail.
Gary Payton couldn't explain this feeling. He wanted to escape from here, but he was still a little reluctant to leave. He wanted to stay, but he couldn't help but feel fear about the decision to stay.
Maybe... the moment he got the championship ring, he should have chosen to retire, and should not have been persuaded by Pat Riley to stay and play for another year...
"Don't worry so much, Gary." Just when Gary Payton was lost in an inexplicable thought, a huge body in a suit sat down next to him. The heavy weight even made the bench creak a little.
There was a noise. A giant man invaded his world with an extremely powerful posture.
Shaquille O'Neal gently patted Payton's thin shoulder. Two old brothers, O'Neal can best understand Payton's thoughts at this time, because he also has this kind of confusion: "Everyone will have such a day after all.
Yes, whether it’s you, Karl, or me. But anyway, we’re not so old that no one wants it. Since someone wants it and we still want to fight, let’s keep fighting.”
O'Neal smiled heroically, but this heroism could not hide a bit of loss and bitterness: "We can't wait until we retire before regretting that we retired too early."
Gary Payton is 38 years old, and O'Neal himself is 35 years old. In fact, he has considered retiring this summer. After all, the survival time of the inside line is shorter than that of the outside line. The media constantly criticizes him for being senile.
, and he himself feels that he can no longer keep up with the rhythm of the court. Now, it is already a fantasy for him to play the whole game and score 50 points and 20 rebounds like before.
He understands that his best choice is to retire now, while he is succeeding, but no matter how it looks, he still can't let go!
"Ha!" O'Neal's relief made Payton couldn't help shaking his head and laughing. He understood that he was talking about Karl Malone, who had chosen to retire directly after the Lakers F4. He was also an old brother. They came together for the championship.
, in the end, Payton got what he wanted, but Karl regretfully chose to retire because his last bit of patience was exhausted by the Lakers' internal strife.
Both O'Neal and Payton remember Karl Malone's look and tone full of regret when they won the championship ring together with the Heat.
The two veterans were chatting freely on the sidelines, but on the court, the fight was in full swing. Adrian was in a little trouble. Jason Williams obviously couldn't defend Adrian. The physical fitness gap between the two
It's too big. But he obviously doesn't pursue guarding Adrian. When Adrian is about to break through Jason Williams' defense, other players immediately come up to attack him.
The best way to break a double team is to assist. As long as you can pass the ball to the open player when you are double teamed, and the open player can also shoot the ball, then the double team will be broken without attacking, and no one can do it.
One person will be allowed to shoot freely while double-teaming another person.
Adrian also passed out a few assists, but the overall effect was not very good. Both Kobe and Luke Walton seemed to have some problems with their hands. Luke Walton was in a 45-degree angle.
He got three open shooting opportunities in a row from the three-point line, but he missed all three shots. Kobe's touch was also very bad. Once Adrian passed the ball to Kobe after double-teaming, but faced the unguarded empty space.
Blue, Kobe's layup actually bounced out of the frame. Although Kwame finally succeeded in grabbing the offensive rebound, the cold touch from the outside made the Heat further boldly double-team Adrian!
"It's really troublesome!" Adrian controlled the ball with his back to withstand Williams. On the other side, Haslem quickly double-teamed him. Luke Walton was let go, but Adrian didn't want to pass the ball again.
Luke Walton, who missed the shot, pulled the ball sharply and turned around. He just took advantage of the gap that was not formed by Haslem's double-team and forced Williams to rush to the inside.
Before Yak made the save, he pulled up a mid-range jumper. Williams followed suit and obviously could no longer interfere with the shot. Williams still slapped Adrian on the arm without hesitation.
The basketball spun and got into the basket.
The referee blew his whistle, two plus one!
"Damn it!" Adrian frowned and shook his arm vigorously. Jason Williams's hand was not light at all. It was clear that he was aiming to maximize the value of the foul. More importantly,
This is the first time Adrian has encountered such a harsh double-team in a game. He has never encountered it before.
In the past, Kobe has always been the Lakers' leading scorer. Even if the opposing team chooses to double-team, it will be Kobe, not Adrian. Even if Adrian plays extremely well, the opposing team is forced to
Double-teaming, Kobe's strong firepower is enough to share the pressure of double-teaming Adrian.
But today... Kobe's obvious advantage is not in shape, his hands feel cold, and for the first time he enjoys the feeling of being fully targeted and double-teamed. Adrian feels very bad!
He understands that he will always face this day, whether it is sooner or later, as long as he wants to become another superstar in the league, he will enjoy this kind of treatment sooner or later.
only……
"Old guy, can't you think of a way?" Taking advantage of the free throw opportunity, Adrian looked towards the sidelines. Phil Jackson still looked like an old god, as if he couldn't see the Lakers' offense at all.
Falling into the quagmire, he noticed Adrian's questioning gaze and even blinked. His indifferent look made Adrian's teeth itch with hatred.
