On November 25th, US time, the Boston Celtics ushered in a home game against the Charlotte Bobcats, who had just formed their second season.
On the morning of the game day, Doc Rivers did not arrange training. The hard-working players would hold a basketball and practice shooting for a while, which is commonly known as hot hands.
Of course, players who just sit in the locker room and chat doesn't necessarily mean they don't work hard. They may just have their own way of preparing for games.
And now Lin Yu belongs to the former, he is a hard-working player.
During lunch time, coach Lex Karamian came over to supervise Lin Yu. When he saw that Lin Yu only took one sandwich, he quickly turned around and helped Lin Yu take two more.
"Lin, one sandwich is not enough. You have to get two more, so that your strength training will have the desired effect."
Lin Yu quickly waved his hand and refused: "No, Lex, I have already eaten one piece, plus the piece on my hand is enough, and there is a competition today, and Du did not arrange strength training for me. If I take in so many calories
, and it would be bad if it can’t be used up.”
Karamian smiled: "Who said you can't use up your energy, Lin? You can stay at the North Shore Garden Arena for extra practice after the game."
Lin Yu was stunned for a moment. He felt that Karamian's smile was a bit sinister. This guy actually wanted him to practice more.
However, I carefully recalled the training days of the past few days. On the first day, I was unable to practice extra because of Rhea Wexler’s interview. On the second day, I went out to have fun with Ricky Davis and the others. Still nothing.
Practice more.
On yesterday's training day, due to the excessive consumption of strength training, it was difficult to adapt for a while, so Lin Yu once again canceled the additional training in the evening.
Counting the days, he had not practiced at night for three consecutive days.
Thinking of this, Lin Yu nodded helplessly: "Okay, Lex, I'll just eat it."
After eating two more sandwiches, Lin Yu was exhausted. After sitting for a while to warm up, before starting the game, he ran to the training ground and practiced shooting for a while.
At around two o'clock in the afternoon, Doc Rivers appeared in the locker room and announced the activated roster for the evening game.
There are 12 people on the activated roster, and the Celtics have a total of 15 players. In other words, three players must be added to the inactive status.
Previously, the three Celtics players who entered the inactive state have always been two rookies, Justin Reid and Dwayne Jones, as well as Dan Dickau, who has been absent due to injury.
Because of this, Lin Yu has always been able to enter the squad, and it is the same for today's game. He is still a member of the squad.
The difference is that Lin Yu today is looking forward to today's game because he knows that he has a chance to play.
TD North Shore Garden Arena is the home arena of the Celtics. This arena was built and put into use in 1995.
The North Shore Garden Arena has not been able to witness the Celtics' 15 championships in NBA history. Counting the time, it has been ten years.
I have to say that this is also a different kind of tragedy. It seems that if they change to another arena, all that is left of the Celtics' glory is history.
For Lin Yu, the glorious history of the Celtics has nothing to do with him, and he has no time to recall those glorious histories. He is very busy, very busy.
As soon as he appeared at the North Shore Garden Arena, he was immediately surrounded by a group of reporters from China.
"Dayu, let's talk about today's game. You have been included in the squad again. Do you think you have a chance to play?"
"Dayu, you still have a contract with the Kai team for more than one year, but starting from tomorrow, January 1, your contract will become a fully unguaranteed contract. Do you think the Kai team will lay off you to make room for you?"
A team spot?”
"Dayu, a source from the Guangdong team said that they have prepared a contract for you and are waiting for you to end your contract with the Kai team and return to the CBA."
A bunch of embarrassing questions came to Lin Yu, and each one of them hit Lin Yu's heart hard.
Before he traveled through time, the original Lin Yu felt a lot of pressure due to the bad public opinion environment around him, and even tended to be depressed.
This is also the reason why the current Lin Yu can take advantage of the situation. In comparison, the current Lin Yu has become a big heart.
Faced with these embarrassing questions, Lin Yu now acted very confident, giving some short answers while walking towards the locker room.
"I think I have a chance to play, and the Celtics will not lay me off, because I am still a very valuable player to them. No Guangdong team staff has contacted me, and I will not leave the NBA, ever.
Neither..."
Then, Lin Yu pushed open the door of the home team's locker room at the North Shore Garden Arena, blocking the group of reporters behind him from the door.
"What did he just say? Did he think he had a chance to play?"
The domestic reporters gathered outside the door of the home team's locker room looked confused and surprised each other to confirm what they had heard.
"He also said he was valuable to the Celtics."
"No, the market of 1.3 billion people behind it cannot be underestimated!"
A reporter with glasses, a bald head and small eyes showed a mocking look and made a joke.
"He also said that he will not leave the NBA, ever."
Another reporter wearing glasses touched his chin: "He is determined to stay in the NBA and not leave."
"I think he is going to be the most enduring mascot in NBA history. It depends on whether the Celtics are willing to spend 7 to 8 million US dollars a year to support him."
Lin Yu naturally didn't know about the discussions outside the locker room door, but he could also guess the malicious intentions of the reporters towards him.
His public opinion environment in the country has always been extremely bad, and it is not because of Lin Yu's previous heinous things.
Looking back carefully, the most outrageous thing Lin Yu did before was probably having sex with a well-known domestic otaku goddess, and then being photographed by a paparazzi reporter when leaving the hotel, which spread all over the country.
Lin Yu was criticized for this: He doesn't work hard at playing, but he is quite good at picking up girls.
But this is not the reason why Lin Yu only has negative fans in China now. The fact that he has so many negative fans in China is all thanks to the reporters outside.
It can be said that whatever Lin Yu did in the United States, the reporters outside the door would add fuel to the fire and send it back to China, where they would frantically help Lin Yu recruit criminals.
For example, last season Lin Yu carried Ricky Davis's shoes, and was discovered by domestic reporters. He immediately wrote a press release and sent it to the country with the title: Helping the second-best player in the team carry his shoes.
Lin Yu may have become a caddy for the Kai team.
Under that press release, something like: "With Lin Yu's level of strength, even serving as a caddy for the Celtics is not enough."
Or: "Carrying a nigger's shoes? Is this guy used to being a slave?"
Only a few rational fans made popular science: "In the NBA, rookie players need to do a lot of things like carrying shoes and buying water for the veterans. This is normal, and there is no need to go to Heilinyu for this."
But these rational comments were quickly drowned out by the saliva of black fans.
In the past, Lin Yu would be hurt by these comments because he could not reverse these reputations and remarks, but now Lin Yu is ready to be slapped in the face.
In the locker room, Doc Rivers held a tactical board and first announced the starters for today's game, point guard Delonte West, shooting guard Ricky Davis, and small forward Paul Pierce.
, power forward Reeve LaFrentz, and center Kendrick Perkins.
Then, he began to arrange today's tactics.
"The Bobcats are not a very strong opponent. They were the last team in the Eastern Conference last season, and they are also the last team in the Eastern Conference this season, so we must win this game..."
Lin Yu sounded a little bored. He knew that Rivers was a bad coach. He was very good at boosting morale, but his technical and tactical abilities were poor.
During his coaching career, Rivers had great assistants in the seasons when he achieved outstanding results. For example, if the Celtics win the championship in the next 2008 season, Tom Thibodeau may have more credit than Rivers.
Rivers’ tactical arrangements come and go, but the key point is one: give the ball to Paul Pierce. (Tyron Lue: Why isn’t giving the ball to the strongest point on the team a perfect tactic?)
After a while of emphasis, Rivers clapped his hands: "Okay, guys, go on the field, kill our opponents, and defend the honor of TD North Shore Garden Arena!"
Then, the players all stood up and gathered in the center of the locker room. Countless hands were folded together and they shouted in unison: "Come on!"