warrior godfather

Chapter 412 Rescue the National Team (7000 words)
Both the Warriors and the Thunder are teams that are very keen on playing defensive counterattacks. The pace of this game is also extremely fast. Logically speaking, they should end up with a very high score.

But the two teams are old rivals. Zhang Yu and Brooks have studied each other very carefully and deeply.

In this way, the two sides played fast, the scene was very lively, but the success rate was not high. The Warriors could also rely on converting three-pointers to make several fast break counterattacks. Under the helm of Westbrook, the Thunder only made frequent mistakes. .

In the end, the two teams turned what should have been an offensive battle in the eyes of the outside world into a defensive positional battle. In the positional battle, the Warriors relied on a more mature system and a more tacit understanding With the cooperation and more open space, they gained the upper hand and won the final victory.

After the whole game, Curry made 22 of 13 shots, 12 of 6 three-pointers, 4 of 4 free throws, scored 36 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 turnovers. He played extremely well and was the number one contributor to the Warriors' win. .

For the current Curry, scoring 30+ is a very easy thing. He is surrounded by three shooters and a strong inside finisher, which is very in line with the configuration of modern basketball.

Facing a team with a bulky big center, whether Curry has the ball or not, he can get a chance to shoot with a screen.

Now he has not experienced frequent ankle injuries, his athletic ability is maintained at the peak level, and his speed is also in the middle and upper reaches of all point guards in the league.

In Zhang Yu's previous life, Curry was under Cole's rule. As long as Curry launches a pick-and-roll, he will definitely encounter double-teams, because Cole always likes to put two players who have no shooting threat or little shooting threat next to him. Gravity pulls in the flank, then let the others deal with the four-on-three.

Zhang Yu can understand this approach. If Curry attracts two people's defense from outside the three-point line, the defense in the penalty area will be much weaker. Two people who have no shooting threat can cut to the basket and directly attack the basket.

Cole would even directly let Curry hand over the ball after halftime, drawing the opponent's defensive attention, Green dealt the card at the top of the arc, and then after a complicated movement, Curry attracted two people to pinch, and the others cut to the basket , A successful layup.

All of this is based on Curry's huge long-range threat and his willingness to sacrifice.

If Zhang Yu has no choice, he might do the same. After all, Curry is so special. He is unique. There is no second person in NBA history who can have such a great deterrent beyond the three-point line, making opponents rather Give up the defense of the penalty area, and send two people to flank it on the upper line.

However, this ultimately cost Curry a huge sacrifice. For the sake of victory, he made selfless dedication and was willing to make wedding dresses for his teammates, but this is not the reason why he has been "exploited" in this way.

The most powerful thing about Curry is that he not only has the top-level ability to shoot three-pointers with the ball, but also has top-level breakthroughs and passes, which perfectly combines shooting, suddenness, and passing.

Launching a pick-and-roll with the ball is the tactic that can best utilize Curry's strength. Out of his basketball philosophy, Cole forcibly suppressed Curry's performance and amplified Green's role, but Zhang Yu would not do this.

The performance of the Warriors in the 2019-2020 season has fully proved that the passing and cutting system without Curry is nothing. Zhang Yu likes to use the passing and cutting system to abuse food in the regular season, but in the playoffs, passing and cutting is just a supplement to the Warriors' offensive tactics , Defensive counterattack and Curry's pick-and-roll with the ball are the two core offensive tactics of the Warriors, and the others are just supplements and embellishments.

This game is like this. In the second half, the Thunder's fast-break counterattack defense against the Warriors became more and more strict. In the positional battle, the Thunder players' defensive awareness became more and more focused. It was not easy to develop, and Brooks also made adjustments, allowing Ibaka to boldly assist in the defense, empty Green, and let him shoot three-pointers.

This is a choice of last resort. Clay and Butler cannot let go. Chandler is stuck in the penalty area and directly threatens the basket. Perkins must guard the basket. Only Ibaka can help defend. The thing he is best at is that although Green can shoot three-pointers and has the reputation of a space four, Brooks can only make such adjustments in order to survive.

And his adjustments were quick and immediate. Green can shoot three-pointers, but he can only shoot. He is not up to the standard of a shooter. If you keep shooting, the Warriors' offensive efficiency will be very low.

Green hits the iron frequently, wanting to hit the penalty area with the ball, looking for opportunities to attack the frame or feed his teammates, but Ibaka's footsteps are extremely fast, and he can always quickly return to his position after helping to defend, blocking Green's breakthrough route. I can only give up.

It was also by taking advantage of this opportunity that San Shao used his personal ability to succeed in consecutive singles, helping the Thunder to close the point difference.

In the face of the thunderous offensive, the Warriors did not mess up their positions, but Zhang Yu did not imitate Phil Jackson to sit on the Diaoyutai and let the players solve their own problems. He immediately made adjustments, replacing Green and Yi Jianlian. .

Yi Jianlian's long-range shooting can only be regarded as upper mid-range for the Warriors, but it is still much better than Green. After he came on the court, he immediately made an open three-pointer, and then he was able to maintain about 40% of the wide-open three-pointers. The ability to cut and attack the frame is far better than Green, and the Warriors' offense has been greatly improved.

However, Yi Jianlian's defense cannot be compared with Green's. After he played, the height of the Warriors' inside line increased, but the confrontation and hardness decreased.

But now Ibaka can't shoot three-pointers, Yi Jianlian can boldly defend, and with Chandler guarding the penalty area, his defensive pressure is not great. The Thunder's three players will challenge Chandler to attack the frame. Most of the time, they are watching plays on the sidelines.

Thanks to his excellent offensive performance, Yi Jianlian made 10 of 6 shots and 7 of 4 three-pointers. He scored 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. contribute.

This also made the Chinese fans who came to watch the game very excited. The local fans in the Bay Area were also very pleasantly surprised and gave the warmest cheers for Yi Jianlian. But when he scored, there was a wave of shouts in the Oracle Center, shouting Seeing his name, Yi Jianlian on the field was very moved, and his fighting spirit became more and more high-spirited.

In addition, Clay made 14 of 7 shots, 10 of 5 three-pointers, no free throws, scored 19 points, 2 assists and 4 rebounds. He was the Warriors' second scorer tonight.

巴特勒将大部分精力放在了防守端，但他在衔接段扛起了主攻的重担，13中6中，三分3中1，罚球5中4，得到17分5篮板3助攻2抢断1失误。

These four are also the main scoring points for the Warriors tonight. None of the other players scored in double figures, and not many even scored more than 5 points. Only Chandler scored 8 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks, almost a double-double.

The Thunder's scoring points are more concentrated than the Warriors. Durant scored 27 points, Westbrook 21 points, and Harden 17 points. Besides, no one scored in double figures.

Butler's stalking method couldn't prevent Durant, but the tough confrontation made him very uncomfortable. He made 19 of 8 shots and only 42.1% from the field. He maintained his efficiency only by making 12 of 11 free throws.

Westbrook's jump shot didn't feel good today, and his breakthrough was restricted. He made 21 of 8 shots, 7 of 2 three-pointers, and 5 of 3 free throws. He scored 38 points with a 21% shooting rate, and his efficiency was extremely dismal.

Harden was quite satisfactory. He made 17 of 7 shots, 12 of 5 three-pointers, no free throws, and scored 17 points. His scoring was mainly concentrated in the second half. In the first half, he was very uncomfortable being defended by the Warriors. , Turned to singles Curry, only to score a lot of points.

However, Harden's scoring ability at this time is not as strong as it will be in the future. Curry can still limit his efficiency, and there is an upper limit to his output, otherwise Zhang Yu will not sit back and watch Curry defend Harden alone.

……

After the game, the faces of the Thunder players were full of unwillingness and frustration after the defeat, while the Warriors players celebrated the victory with a smile on their faces, releasing the joy of the winner amidst the fluttering fireworks ribbons and the cheers of the fans .

After returning to the locker room, the Warriors took a shower and changed their clothes. The excitement subsided a lot. Zhang Yu also took Curry, Clay and Yi Jianlian to participate in the interview.

This is Yi Jianlian's first time participating in the press conference of the playoffs this year. He is quite excited and has a smile on his face.

When Curry was interviewed, the reporter's questions were very ordinary. There was no conflict in this game. It is common for him to score 30+, especially after he won the MVP. With Curry's decent answer, the reporter asked him The interview will be over soon.

Clay participated in many post-match interviews, and the Warriors' team reporters also knew more about his personality, knowing that he couldn't ask anything out of his mouth. After some nonsense, Clay walked out of the news room.

When it was Yi Jianlian's turn, the reporters asked a lot of questions. He is now the only Chinese player in the league, which also brought many domestic Chinese sports media reporters to Oakland.

Before, they would interview Yi Jianlian after each game, but they only conducted the interview alone, and rarely had the opportunity to ask questions at the press conference.

After American reporters asked Yi Jianlian a few questions about the game, these Chinese reporters quickly directed their questions to the Olympic Games to be held in London this summer.

However, Yi Jianlian knew that now is not the time to talk about this issue. He said that he would definitely play in the London Olympics, and he dismissed it perfunctorily and ended his interview.

In the end, Zhang Yu was interviewed. His answers were always concise and to the point, and each interview didn’t take long. But after he walked out of the news room, he unexpectedly found that Yi Jianlian didn’t go back to the locker room first, but was waiting for him on the sidelines. The smile has disappeared, and his expression has become much more dignified.

Zhang Yu noticed the change in Yi Jianlian's expression and asked:
"A Lian, what are you thinking, are you not happy after winning?"

He stepped forward while asking, Yi Jianlian followed him, lowered his head, slightly depressed, and said:

"Brother Yu, I'm a little upset. Today was supposed to be a good day to win, but those reporters wanted to ask about the Olympics, which made me feel bad."

Yi Jianlian and Zhang Yu have a very close relationship. When other people are around, he calls Zhang Yu "coach" and privately "Brother Yu".

Zhang Yu comforted:
"It's still early for the Olympics, play well and don't worry."

Yi Jianlian smiled bitterly and said:

"I think too, Brother Yu, we are going to compete for the championship this year, and you gave me the chance to play again. I want the team to win more than anyone else, but every time the game is over, those domestic reporters always ask I said a few words about the Olympics, asking me if I have confidence and what expectations I have for the results, and there are many people discussing the Olympics on the Internet, and I can see it as soon as I go online, and I feel very annoyed."

Zhang Yu sighed softly and didn't know what to say for a moment. He understood Yi Jianlian's mood very well, and the pressure on Yi Jianlian was really too great.

After Yao Ming retired, the strength of the Huaxia men's basketball team plummeted. Veteran national players such as Wang Zhizhi and Liu Wei have also declined a lot in strength with age.

In last year's Asian Cup final, the Huaxia men's basketball team narrowly beat Jordan 70:69, struggling to get the last ticket to the London Olympics, and almost going to the play-offs. The situation was very thrilling.

At this time, the Huaxia men's basketball team urgently needs the younger generation to come forward. Yi Jianlian is the only Chinese player who plays in the NBA. Domestic fans naturally put their hopes on him.

Originally, Yi Jianlian lived in a muddle-headed way in the Nets. Domestic fans were very disappointed with him. Under the hatred of iron, nicknames such as "Space Yi" and "Yi Di" spread quickly. Many people ridiculed and ridiculed Yi Jianlian. Thinking that after finishing his rookie contract, he would have to return to China to play, which made Huaxia feel ashamed.

But after Yi Jianlian came to the Warriors, he quickly showed his strength. He could shoot three-pointers, end up eating cakes, and also had a certain ability to protect the frame and assist defense. He quickly gained a firm foothold in the Warriors and had a place in the rotation. .

This quickly reversed his reputation in China, and he became the hope of Chinese basketball again. Many Yao Ming fans immediately turned into fans of Yi Jianlian and the Warriors.

And as Yi Jianlian played better and better in the Warriors, even American fans noticed this Chinese who played in the league's No. [-] team, and there were even news that several teams favored Yi Jianlian.

This makes domestic fans feel proud and has greater expectations for the London Olympics.

They believe that Yi Jianlian, who can gain a firm foothold in the NBA, even if he is not as good as Yao Ming, can at least lead the Huaxia men's basketball team and win a few games. If he can break through the group stage, that would be great.

However, as a member of the national team, Yi Jianlian is very aware of the strength of the Huaxia men's basketball team, and there are many international players in the NBA. In the process of playing against these opponents, Yi Jianlian compares them with his teammates in the national team. A sense of hopelessness arises.

The Huaxia men's basketball team is really too weak.

In the early years, Yao Ming propped up the sky of the Huaxia men's basketball team, making many people mistakenly think that the Huaxia men's basketball team is very strong, but the Huaxia men's basketball team is actually not strong at all. It is as strong as Yao Ming, as strong as the number one center in the NBA.

It is extremely difficult for the Chinese men's basketball team to win the Asian Cup, not to mention the Olympic Games where there are so many strong players. If Yi Jianlian is matched with power forwards such as Gasol and Scola, he will not have much confidence in himself. , Thinking about the guard lines of other countries, Yi Jianlian's confidence in the Huaxia Men's Basketball Team is even lower.

Even if he finds the right path in the Warriors, his strength improves year after year, and he is well-known in the NBA, Wang Zhizhi and Liu Wei can persist in another Olympic Games, but the Huaxia men's basketball team has been working behind closed doors. A group of national players can still be majestic in the CBA. The strength is good, but when it comes to the international arena, he can't even handle the ball steadily, and it is difficult to pass halftime.

Yi Jianlian has no doubt that in the London Olympics, he must attack, defend, grab rebounds, and even pass the ball to drive his teammates to attack. The technical moves that dare to use are also outstanding in the national team.

This is not only because Yi Jianlian has better talent, but also because Yi Jianlian plays in the NBA while others play in the CBA. The scientific and systematic training Yi Jianlian receives is beyond the reach of his teammates on the national team. His teammates are Curry, Clay, Chandler, Green... He has learned a lot from his teammates. This is also an important reason why he has played better and better since he came to the Warriors. Will fade out of the league.

And Yi Jianlian is not underestimating himself. His strength is indeed far inferior to Yao Ming. Can the Huaxia men's basketball team with him as the core play well in the London Olympics?

This is not a question. Yi Jianlian has a very firm answer in his heart. It is precisely because of this that he is under great pressure to face the expectations of Huaxia fans.

He performed well on the field today, and finally put aside the Olympic affairs, he was in a good mood, but when the domestic reporters mentioned it, his mood immediately became very bad, and he found Zhang Yu to talk.

Yi Jianlian has infinite confidence in Zhang Yu, who rescued him from the Nets' quagmire.

……

Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and said:

"UA, I can't lie to you. You have to be mentally prepared. In this Olympics, the national team's record may be very bad."

When Yi Jianlian heard this, his voice became even more depressed:
"I know... I just want to win the next game, otherwise it's really hard to explain to the domestic fans."

Zhang Yu smiled wryly after hearing this, but stopped talking.

Yi Jianlian knew Zhang Yu very well, noticed his expression, and asked in disbelief:
"Brother Yu, do you think we can't win a game?"

Zhang Yu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head:

"Not necessarily, if you play well, you can still win a game..."

He can't tell Yi Jianlian that the Chinese men's basketball team will lose all five games in the London Olympics, with an average loss of 25 points per game, and even lose 39 points to Brazil and 32 points to Britain, ending the Olympics in an extremely shameful way , was denounced and criticized by fans across the country.

And this is not the end, it's just the beginning. Four years later in the Rio Olympics, the Huaxia men's basketball team finally qualified for the competition, but it ended in a five-game losing streak. Of course, the purpose of this Olympics is to train soldiers, but Zhang Yu is very skeptical , Even if there is no training, what difference can the performance of the Huaxia Men's Basketball Team make?

The most shameful thing is that the Huaxia men's basketball team did not even qualify for the next Tokyo Olympics. This is the first time in 37 years that the national team has missed the Olympics, making history. The big waves made Zhou Qi popular all over the country in a way that he would never like.

The fate of the Huaxia men's basketball team seems to be firmly tied to the insiders. From Wang Zhizhi to Yao Ming, then to Yi Jianlian, and then to Zhou Qi, the leaders of each generation of the Huaxia men's basketball team have always been big players. Their strength Strength also directly determines the strength of the Huaxia men's basketball team.

After hearing Zhang Yu's words, Yi Jianlian's face became more bitter. He opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say, and walked forward silently.

He is very convinced of Zhang Yu's judgment. Since Zhang Yu said so, it must be difficult for the Huaxia men's basketball team to win.

Zhang Yu couldn't bear it. He was so familiar with the situation of the Huaxia Men's Basketball Team, naturally because he had been paying attention to the development of the Huaxia Men's Basketball Team.As a Huaxia native, Zhang Yu hoped that the Huaxia men's basketball team would become stronger and stronger. After he became a head coach, this hope became even more intense.

However, the future of the Huaxia men's basketball team is dark, a darkness that all Huaxia fans can't imagine.

Zhang Yu has a feeling that if the development continues like this, the Huaxia men's basketball team will not even be able to dominate the Asian Cup, and will completely decline into a weak basketball country.

The two walked in silence for a while, and as they got closer to the dressing room, Yi Jianlian finally couldn't help asking:
"Brother Yu, can you help the national team? I really don't want to lose badly and be scolded when I return home. They pin their hopes on me, but I know that I don't have that ability at all. I just know now , Brother Yao was so difficult at that time..."

"I'm not the coach of the national team, nor the chairman of the Basketball Association. What can I do?" Zhang Yu spread his arms and smiled wryly.

"I just think you are the most basketball-savvy person I've ever met. If anyone can save the national team, it must be you. If you can't do anything, then I really can't think of anyone else..." Yi Jianlian looked very Lonely, with deep frustration in his tone.

Seeing Yi Jianlian like this, Zhang Yu felt very uncomfortable.

He knows what Yi Jianlian is like. Yi Jianlian is not kidnapping him morally, but simply believes that he can help the Huaxia men's basketball team to rise again.

Suddenly, Zhang Yu's heart moved, and an idea emerged in his heart.

I can't revitalize the Huaxia men's basketball team, can't I train a few Huaxia players?
Although the Huaxia men's basketball team will become weaker and weaker in the next ten years, there are still young players with great potential such as Ding Yanyuhang, Guo Ailun, Zhou Qi, and Wang Zhelin. Even if they may not have the strength to gain a foothold in the NBA, Zhang Yu can use a basic salary Contract, sign a young domestic player, let him receive systematic and scientific training in the Warriors.

If you can play well and enter the rotation lineup, everyone will be happy. Even if you can't play well, your potential can be fully developed. The salary is much higher than playing in China, and you can get training in the development league.

The Warriors can always maintain a Chinese player in the team, which is very beneficial to the team's domestic business development and fan development. The price they have to pay is only a place to guard the drinking fountain and a basic salary contract.

This kind of contract is given to everyone, why can't it be given to Chinese players?After all, Zhang Yu knows that all potential players in the NBA in the next ten years will only succeed in the draft and trade, and will not fail.

In fact, the Warriors have never filled their 15-man quota in the past three years. The rookies selected by Zhang Yu are all types that are not easily injured. There are few veterans in the team. Points, rarely need a third team firefighting.

And even if Curry is injured and Butler is suspended, only Thomas and Parsons need to be on top. When the injury is full, it is not a group of third-team players who only play in garbage time , It can be made up for. By that time, one more person or one less person will hardly have any impact on the situation.

The more Zhang Yu thought about it, the more he felt that this idea was feasible, and it was a win-win operation for the Warriors, China Basketball, and domestic players.

A smile gradually appeared on the corner of his mouth, he turned his head and said to Yi Jianlian:
"UA Lian, I have come up with a solution. Although it can't save the national team, it will definitely improve the national team's strength, but it requires some effort from you."

Yi Jianlian was taken aback for a moment, then said eagerly:
"Brother Yu, what can you do? No matter what you ask me to do, I'm fine!"

"I won't be able to tell for a while, go back to the locker room first, and talk about it later."

……

When Zhang Yu and Yi Jianlian walked into the locker room, the Warriors players had already packed their things and gradually calmed down from the excitement of winning. Zhang Yu praised the performance of the whole team, and everyone looked tired. After greeting Zhang Yu, they left the Oracle Center one after another.

It was a fierce battle with the Thunder, and the pace of the game was fast. The generals of the Warriors exhausted their energy and rushed home to rest.

Yi Jianlian stayed at the end. After his teammates left, he came to Zhang Yu and asked:

"Brother Yu, what did you think of?"

Zhang Yu told Yi Jianlian what he thought, and Yi Jianlian looked happy after hearing this:
"Brother Yu, are you going to choose domestic players to play for the Warriors?"

Zhang Yu explained:
"To be precise, it is to give young players with potential in China a chance to come to the United States for training. I don't expect him to be able to play well. As long as he can train well and learn something, I will be satisfied. Of course, being able to play well is the most important thing. Good. However, this does not start from next year. It also depends on the team lineup and whether there are young players who satisfy me. The Warriors are not a place for charity and have no potential. Coming to the United States is also a waste of time.”

"Then what do you need me to do?" Yi Jianlian asked.

Zhang Yu smiled slightly:
"I need you to contact the young players in the country after you return to China and ask if they want to come to the United States to develop."

"Young players? Those selected for the national team?" Yi Jianlian asked.

Zhang Yu shook his head and said:
"I'll give you a list later, but it's not the time to worry about it yet. I'll talk about it after the playoffs. Go home and have a good rest. You have to train tomorrow."

"No problem, Brother Yu!" Yi Jianlian replied loudly with a smile on his face.

　Make up [-], there is still [-] short, ask for a monthly ticket, a recommended ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)