When pride still matters

Chapter 373 The execution is coming
key arena
Tonight's guests are special to KeyArena, not only the Lakers from Los Angeles, but also the head of NBA Entertainment.

Since there are NBA Entertainment filming crews following them inside and outside the game, Sonics players are like actors in life, and everyone hopes to create some highlight shots for themselves.

However, over time, everyone got used to the existence of the camera.

Now, almost no one cares about the filming crew.

As the head of NBA Entertainment and the league's executive vice president known as Stern's successor, this is Adam Silver's first visit to Seattle this season.

When Yu Fei announced that he was moving to Seattle, Stern's reaction still lingers in Xiao Hua's mind to this day.

It was a complex expression that was angry but not entirely angry.

Stern didn't like Yu Fei's decision because the Sonics' relocation plan had already started.

reason? The Sonics only nominally have a large market but have never shown the ability to absorb it. The Sonics haven't had a literal "people's player" since Shawn Kemp was traded. On the other hand, the Mariners, the city's biggest rival, have gone from "The Kid" Ken Griffey Jr. in the late 80s to Ichiro Suzuki now. They have never lacked traffic superstars.

The Sonics have no superstars to attract attention. Coupled with long-term poor management, the growth of local fans is lackluster. As the times progress, Key Arena becomes too small - the average size of each NBA home arena is 500.000 square feet (the size of 6 and a half football fields), while Key Arena only covers an area of ​​365.000 square feet (the size of 4 football fields).

This is an atmosphere that Xiao Hua has never experienced with the Sonics before during the Fei era.

"Adam, they're coming."

"They still need a bigger arena," Silver said, "but I think there's no time."

But what did Silver see in Seattle tonight?
The small Key Arena is full of shops, the fan market is booming, and Yu Fei-related products are always in short supply on game days. This does not look like a team that is ready to leave.

Xiao Hua asked people to ask the store owners for information, and learned that almost all of them had renewed their store leases until June next year at the highest price in the market.

That's too ironic.

The plan is on the way, Clay Bennett just needs to stay on track, and the Sonics have a good chance of leaving next summer.

People close to Silver said: "If I were Clay Bennett, I probably wouldn't move the team from here."

Players from the SuperSonics and Lakers took the court one after another.

The Key Arena was packed and the audience was enthusiastic.

In a sense, these fanatical crowds are all here for flying. This proves the impact of superstars on the market on another level.

But Yu Fei's market appeal is far better than Camp's back then.

It looks like a vibrant place, but there are still dangers lurking.

Will Seattle's market potential not be fully realized until the Sonics' last season there?

The enthusiastic fans of the Save Our Sonics organization actively contributed to the atmosphere.

Clay Bennett will submit a financing plan early next year, but it is a plan that is unlikely to be passed because it is an unreasonable plan designed early.

A Kemp can lead the Sonics into the first bull market in franchise history.

Oklahoma has nothing left to lose and will give everything they have for the upcoming franchise.

Xiao Hua's assistant pointed to the field.

This sentence points out the fact that as long as Yu Fei is given a few years, even if there is a home court drag, he can let the Sonics reap the benefits of the big market. Once the Sonics prove their economic effect and commercial value, the new arena will The financing plan is likely to be approved.

This is the last straw that breaks the camel's back. If the big market cannot bring profits, then it has no value to the NBA. Stern needs to use this to warn all cities with NBA teams that if you don't cherish the NBA like Seattle If the team exists, then the team must choose a city that knows how to cherish them more.

Time, time, this is the most important thing.

Going supersonic takes time.

Midfield
Yu Fei and Roy came to Kobe and Kidd.

Kobe said with emotion: "The kids in ABCD training camp have all grown up."

Roy asked: "Will you give me an autograph this time?"

"I'm not going to sign autographs for competitors." Kobe was still the same, "I don't think you want my autograph either."

Yu Feixiao said: "Yes, Brandon has always hated you for not giving him an autograph. His biggest wish is to get your autograph, and then use your autograph to wipe his ass."

"Da Fei, I'm not that kind of person."

Kidd said nothing, listened to their chatter, and then retreated.

"It's great that no one has changed at all." Roy turned around and said, "Kobe is still a bastard."

"There are still changes."

Fifteen days old Kobe is very dissatisfied with Kobe: "The big fat pig in 2001 couldn't satisfy Kobe, and now a 34-year-old Jason Kidd makes him willing to stay and help the Buss family sell tickets."

Roy wondered if it was possible that Kidd's ability to protect the lower limit was so strong that the Lakers were now ranked first in the Western Conference, so Kobe was confused.

Does he think the Lakers are a championship team?
To be fair, aren't the Lakers a championship team? They are rotten inside and have no elite athletes on the wings except Kobe. Although they are ranked first in the Western Conference, like the SuperSonics, they played the easiest early schedule in the Western Conference. It is hard to say where they will rank in the end. After the warm-up, both sides started their first match.

The Lakers' starting lineup is Kidd, Kobe, Odom, Walton and Bynum.

If judged by the standards of playoff teams, the Lakers' lineup is adequate.

But if it is the standard of a championship team, Walton's level is more suitable as a substitute. Bynum is still very immature and cannot play O'Neal's role in the triangle offense.

At the beginning, the Lakers got the ball first, and Kidd pushed for a fast break. It seemed that the rhythm was not fast, but that was just a problem with Kidd's speed. Slow running does not affect the fast passing.

Kobe had just settled in the frontcourt, and Kidd's ball was already on the way.

Before Kobe could ask for the ball, the ball flew into his hands.

The smooth offense brought about by this neat decision-making can significantly improve offensive efficiency.

Kobe faced Durant's misplaced defense and hit a straight-back fadeaway jumper.

0 is better than 2
Not to be outdone, Roy picked up the ball and threw a long pass from the backcourt to the frontcourt.

It was so fast, it was like there were only a few seconds left in the game and Seattle needed to attack from behind.

Yu Fei caught the ball and broke through Walton's defense, rushed to the basket and passed to Brown. The latter couldn't help but exercise his dominance as the league's No. 1 center and squeezed out Bynum who was in the way.

"No one can stop me!"

Brown shouted angrily.

However, Brown's rhetoric did not intimidate his opponents.

The Lakers' smooth passing allowed Walton to get a shot, but he missed.

Bynum, who has an advantage in both height and weight, jumped up suddenly, grabbed the offensive rebound and scored again.

Yu Fei held the ball to attract double-teams and then passed back to Durant, who scored a jumper.

The SuperSonics' game rhythm is inherited from the Bucks. Although Yu Fei only brought Brown and Karl from Milwaukee, as long as they use a similar offensive system, coupled with Yu Fei's continued influence and Karl's daily training, the SuperSonics will slowly improve. It will become a team with a standard small ball offensive rhythm.

The biggest difference between small ball and big ball is the smoothness of the offense, quick decision-making, and decisive shots. This is the reason why their offense looks smooth.

The Lakers are not playing small ball.

At this time last year, they were still a team that couldn't win unless Kobe Bryant scored 40 points.

But now, Kobe is only averaging 26 points per game, but all members of the Lakers have entered an upward offensive state.

These changes will all be attributed to Kidd, who averaged a near-triple-double of 11 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists per game. He is tenacious on the defensive end and well-organized on the offensive end. This ability to quietly change a team is not reflected in a team like the Spurs, which is already extremely reasonable. However, in the Lakers, where all the gods and ghosts are gathered together, his influence on the overall offense has been directly manifestation.

When Kidd was with the Nets, Yu Fei couldn't feel this because he had never seen Kidd without the Nets. Now he has seen it, but Kidd did not show his special ability early because he had been on the trailer for three years with the Spurs.

After four minutes, the Lakers and SuperSonics fought on the offensive end, and the two sides played 12 to 12.

The attack is fast and efficient, which is the characteristic of the opening.

Then Carr called a timeout.

Karl chose to replace Durant and put Posey on the court. At the same time, he moved Yu Fei to the first position and Roy to the second position.

"If we want to disrupt the Lakers' offensive rhythm, we can't let Jason Kidd instigate the team so easily." Karl said to Fei, "Fry, I still remember how you dealt with the Nets when you were in Milwaukee. Team, now let your hometown people see it too."

Yu Fei shrugged, it seemed like this happy duel rhythm was coming to an end.

Every time he played against Phil Jackson's team, Karl was extremely cautious and did not want to reveal any flaws or flaws.

Carr has had a near-undefeated record against Jacksonville in Milwaukee over the past few years.

If Karl remembers correctly, starting from the 2002-03 season, he maintained a record of 11 wins and 1 loss against the Zen Masters. Although it can't compare with Da Fei's 25-game winning streak against LeBron, for the sake of his hairline, he is definitely Want to win again tonight.

The timeout ends and SuperSonics' offensive round begins.

The Lakers continued to let Walton guard Yu Fei, but Yu Fei took the initiative to call Roy for a pick-and-roll, forcing Kidd to switch defenses. But Kidd thought to himself, if you want me to switch defenses, I will switch defenses? I don't switch defenses. Not only do I not switch defenses, I also double-team with my teammates.

As long as there are no outrageous mistakes in on-the-spot decision-making, there is no right or wrong. Kidd wanted to use double-teaming to force Yu Fei's mistake, but Yu Fei happened to take advantage of Walton's defensive flaw to jam Kidd to death and go to the right to force him. He rushed in, faced Bynum's help and switched hands to pull the lever and hit the board.

"Why is it easier to deal with your double-team than one-on-one?" Yu Fei teased, "Or you can ask more people to double-team and see if it's a problem of people or the number of people."

Kidd's face looked ugly, and Wharton could hardly dare to look directly at him.

"Just switch to defense next time."

Kidd said calmly, unaware that the execution of the Chosen One was about to begin.

(End of this chapter)