When pride still matters

Chapter 154 The Future of Basketball

If the Bucks' performance in the first half was good enough, then the second half was outstanding.

Because George Karl did not apologize, the result was not satisfactory for Ray Allen. Yu Fei saw that he was unhappy, so he passed the ball to him continuously in the second half.

On nights when Ray Allen found his touch, his three-pointers kept hitting the target like a sharpshooter with perfect shots.

上半场仅仅得到9分的雷·阿伦下半场只靠外线投篮12投7中，砍下全队最高的32分4篮板。

George Karl gave Yu Fei more opportunities to experiment with "random offense" in the second half.

Carr discovered a characteristic of "random offense."

"Random attack" basically conducts positional warfare at the rhythm of a fast attack, so it looks like a chaotic battle.But in fact, the players' tactics were executed very well. It's just that the team's original tactics were step-by-step, but Yu Fei's hands suddenly increased the rhythm.

Karl, who had always been confident in his own skills and tactics, had a rare moment of self-doubt.

Is it because my offensive tactics cannot match this style of play?
Is his tactics lagging behind?
Carl dismissed the idea immediately.

It is impossible for him to fall behind. Well-known tactical systems in the current vertical and horizontal leagues such as the Triangle Offense and Princeton both appeared more than forty years ago and are still dominating the NBA. How can his system fall behind?

Then why, Karl felt that this system was becoming more and more awkward in Fei Fei's hands.

Carr's self-doubt peaked when Laettner was brought on.

As the team's insider who has the best cooperation with Yu Fei, many pick-and-rolls between Leitner and Yu Fei cannot be regarded as pick-and-rolls in Karl's opinion.

Laettner doesn't block people tightly every time he blocks people, he just blocks people for a while and then takes them apart.Moreover, the methods of dismantling are all kinds of weird, and there are all kinds of them. However, Yu Fei can completely control his non-mainstream pick-and-roll method.

Leitner's pick-and-roll made Yu Fei's attack faster and more varied.

Finally, George Karl, who never belittles himself, thought of another possibility: It’s not that I am too behind, but that Frye’s style of play is too advanced?

Five minutes before the end of the fourth quarter, the Bucks led the Nets by 5 points on the road, once again turning the game into garbage time.

Yu Fei and Leitner were replaced.

Karl stopped Laettner alone and asked: "It seems that the pick-and-roll cooperation between you and Frye is not part of our tactics class, right?"

"The pick-and-roll approach is different, but the tactics are the same," Laettner explained.

"I know, that's why I let you play for so long, I just want to know what's going on with your pick-and-roll," Karl said, "What's the trick?"

Unexpectedly, Leitner also appeared confused: "I didn't know anything about it. Frye taught me to do it."

Karl is not thick-skinned enough to condescend to ask his players how to play pick-and-roll.

In his opinion, Laettner's pick-and-roll is completely evil. It blocks people but does not block people, and the separation is not routine. They are all weird routes and angles. Although it has a slight delay effect, it is really useful for flying. In other words, that little effect is enough to complete the breakthrough.

George Karl, whose hairline was already very touching, couldn't bear the desire for knowledge. As soon as the game ended, he rushed back to the hotel to review the few minutes between Yu Fei and Leitner.

"Don't ask me, I don't know anything. If you have any questions, ask the guy who got 16 assists."

Carr was extremely impatient with reporters tonight.

As a result, Yu Fei, who scored 29 points, 13 rebounds and 16 assists in a single game, was surrounded by the media.

For them, Yu Fei has only one thing to say: "I wonder if Kenyon Martin still thinks we are overrated? If his view remains unchanged, I will look forward to our next meeting."

Kenyon Martin is no longer tough-talking.

Jason Kidd complained about the rest of the team.

The Bucks had a great night.

Except, of course, George Karl.

He stayed in the room until dawn, still puzzled by several points. When he asked the teaching assistants for help, they shook their heads.

The frantic Karl gave up his dignity and went straight to Yu Fei's room. He rang the doorbell and knocked on the door again.

Yu Fei opened the door sleepily, "What's the matter? Can't you make a phone call?"

"I was a little confused about your pick-and-roll cooperation with Christian yesterday."

"Then what kind of coach are you?"

"Damn it! Your style of play is too weird. I thought about it all night, but I still can't figure it out!"

Yu Fei asked: "What don't you understand?"

"Why do you look so anxious every time you attack?"

"What do you mean?"

"Most of your offensive possessions end before the shot clock enters its final ten seconds!"

Yu Fei never thought that he would hear such outrageous words so early in the morning.

"Are you saying that if there is still time left in the shot clock, we have to miss it even if the opportunity arises?"

"You and Christian fight like this every round, how can you have a good chance every round?"

Yu Fei thought about it seriously and replied: "Because the best time to attack has appeared."

That's the problem. Karl doesn't think it's an opportunity, but Yu Fei thinks it's an opportunity.

Karl no longer dwelled on the problem, "Why is it that every pick-and-roll by Christian is not strong, but it still works?"

That’s because labor and management favor genius!

"Because I'm great."

"His pick-and-roll can obviously be better."

"The dogmatic pick-and-roll can only bring an additional option, but the quick single pick-and-roll can create chaos." "Chaos? Isn't that just a random fight?"

"It's not a random fight." Yu Fei emphasized, "We know exactly what we are doing!"

Karl decided to invest more resources in Yu Fei, "Although this is an evil way, as long as it can help us win, I don't care what it is. I will spend a few days designing a few tactics for you, just according to you and Christian’s habit of fighting can allow others to participate, and let’s see where the upper limit of evil is!”

"George, have you had an epiphany?"

"See you in the afternoon!"

After saying that, Karl closed the door hard.

Two days later, the Bucks faced the Mavericks at home.

However, the first formal experiment with "random tactics" ended in failure.

Others did not know how to cooperate with Yu Fei as well as Leitner, and Karl could still feel the awkwardness in it.

The new tactics still don’t seem to fit the rhythm of flying.

What is the problem?
"Their speed is too slow." Yu Fei reflected a key problem, "The movements are not agile either. I sometimes have to slow down my movements to cooperate with them."

Karl said: "So, the experiment failed?"

"No, you can try to get Lei and Spree to cooperate with me." Yu Fei said, "If it were them, they might be able to play a more suitable rhythm."

The next team to visit was the Houston Rockets. Tonight, for the first time, the Bucks used a large number of pick-and-roll tactics at the second and third positions to cooperate with Yu Fei's random tactics.

The Rockets' backcourt duo had defensive holes, and Yao Wei couldn't defend the pick-and-roll. In this case, the Bucks' random tactics were devastating, with three-pointers raining down, and the offensive rhythm taking off. They actually scored 118 points in a single game.

The scene of Ray Allen and Sprewell catching the ball for a three-pointer on the pick-and-roll made Karl think - if there are two shooters on the field, Frye can lead this kind of offense. If there are two shooters beside him, What happens with the last four shooters?

"Crazy George" took over Carl's brain and he was willing to give it a try.

The Bucks bid farewell to 24 with a record of 8 wins and 2002 losses.

In the first game of 2003, the Bucks got an opponent that was very suitable for experimentation-the Cleveland Cavaliers, who ranked last in the league.

Tonight, the Bucks' starting lineup is Yu Fei, Ray Allen, Michael Reid, Latrell Sprewell, and Christian Laettner.

This is Yu Fei’s favorite 5 OUT lineup.

Another live Easter egg tonight is that LeBron James, who has been scheduled to be the No. 2003 pick in the 44 NBA draft, appeared at the Cavaliers' home court. He specially wore the Bucks' No. [-] (Yu Fei's jersey), and at his feet was a brand new pair of Chosen II. .

Needless to say, the jersey and sneakers were both presented by Yu Fei.

After all, James has not signed a contract with any sneaker company yet. With his popularity, he is definitely a powerful salesman.

"It seems like we can't do it without a good fight." Yu Fei said with a smile, "Even LBJ is wearing my shoes."

Mason whispered: "He has really no taste. These shoes are so ugly!"

"Shut up, you old man, you have no vision at all! No wonder you can't even start tonight!"

"That's because George is fucking crazy!"

"You two are both crazy, but he doesn't want to start you when he's crazy. It's obvious that there's something wrong with you!"

Yu Fei once again sprayed Mason to the point of jumping, which is a famous sight in the Bucks.

Then, the game started.

When Yu Fei came on the court, he thought of James Harden before 2020 and Luka Doncic after 2020.He now has two sharp shooters with a three-point shooting rate of over 40%, and two excellent shooters with a three-point shooting rate of 37%. If such a configuration is given to the two of them, how crazy will it be?
Yu Fei is still self-aware. His current offensive skills are far from comparable to those two people, but they are not many skills, so they are enough.

He shoots 36% of outside three-pointers, nearly 42% of pure jump shots and 50% of field goal percentage, plus an indestructible floater. Give him a pick-and-roll and he can break through anyone. Give him two pick-and-rolls. He doesn't even pay attention to the Pistons' iron barrel formation. Give him two pick-and-rolls and two sharpshooters, and he will go to heaven.

The only limitation for him is his experience in controlling the 5 OUT lineup.

But this is not a problem. Even Karl has figured it out now. As long as he plays well tonight, there will be more and more opportunities in the future.

So the top priority is to play this game well.

After the game started, Yu Fei set the tone for the whole game with a dunk after a breakthrough.

A pick-and-roll and an opportunity comes out.

Two pick-and-rolls, the Cavaliers' defense collapsed.

The Cavaliers' below-average defense allowed the Bucks to turn the first half into a shooting show, with Yu Fei galloping back and forth on his horse and whip.

In the second half, Yu Fei fought more and more bravely, his personal offense was full, and his organization did not fall behind at all.

He has to thank the Cavaliers, who drafted him with the eighth overall pick, and now use themselves as the guinea pig in the 5 OUT lineup to convince George Karl that this experiment is valuable.

In the end, the Bucks used a terrifying score difference of 120 to 77 to bloodbath the Cavaliers who were determined to mess up.

Yu Fei scored 41 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists, making LeBron James exclaim: "This is my big brother!"

Post-match interview
"This is a temporary arrangement. I have not been removed from the starting lineup! I am still the starting lineup!" - Anthony Mason emphasized his tactical status.

"Even though this is just the beginning, like the first step from nothing, I can already see the future. Frye is the future of basketball!" - George Karl on tonight's game.

"You know, Frye has always been a big brother to me, and he played like a king tonight, it was great!" - LeBron James said in a courtside interview.

"Does it have anything to do with the fact that you were so active tonight and LeBron James was here to watch the game?"

"That's the main reason. I had to let my little brother see how a great NBA player dominates the game and I'm glad I did that. Hopefully he gets to the NBA soon. I can't wait to play against him on the court." !”

"Coach Cal said he saw the future of basketball in you, what do you think of his comments?"

"I don't like talking about the future, that's a blank promise. All I care about is the present. If I were the future, then I hope this 'future' is now, tomorrow, and every second from now on!"

——Yu Fei’s post-game interview
(End of this chapter)