When pride still matters

Chapter 439 Welcome to the NBA
After the pre-season training camp ended, the Sonics began non-stop preparations for the pre-season.

According to the league's original plan, the Sonics were not scheduled to play in China this year.

But Yu Fei's popularity in China changed the league's plans.

With Chinese magician Sun Yue joining the Lakers this season, the NBA is like the beginning of the millennium, and the league once again has three Chinese players.

Coupled with Yu Fei's SuperSonics, there are just four teams that can play cross-preseason games in China.

Returning to Wukesong Stadium again after more than a month is not new to Fei. He has been used to it since the Olympics.

The most important thing for the Sonics right now is to use preseason games to test the team.

Kevin Durant shines in China.

In addition to strengthening his ball-handling ability, Durant also spent a lot of time training his three-pointers in the summer.

In the three preseason games in China, Durant shot 60% from three-point range. Although the intensity of the preseason games was not enough to explain the problem, compared with his rookie three-point shooting rate of over 30%, he shot % from three-point range. The improvement in his outside shooting is gratifying.

Just like although he accidentally prevented the Pacers and Pistons from having a brawl at Auburn Hills Palace, in the end it was he and the Bucks who became the protagonists of the brawl.

"George, what age are you still dividing traditional positions?"

If the Sonics could take the Lakers' place this season and face the Rockets in the playoffs, would that accident not happen?

Most of his energy was devoted to dealing with reporters.

It was at that time that Yu Fei suddenly thought that the injury that ruined Yao Shuan's career was the knee-to-knee blow against Kobe Bryant in the 2009 semifinals?

After Karl informed Yu Fei of his thoughts, Yu Fei's answer shocked him.

Yu Fei's thoughts only extended here, because that was something that happened in the future.

Last season, Durant was moved to the second position because he was worried that he wouldn't be able to compete enough.

Now, his confrontation is still very poor, but he can barely handle NBA confrontation.

This made George Karl begin to feel that perhaps the most suitable position for Durant is the third position rather than the second position.

Yu Fei doesn't know, it's hard to say.

Durant continued his strength from beyond the three-point line.

To the latter, Yu Fei answered in a basically official tone.

But for Yao Huang, Yu Fei was sincere.

Judging from the entire season, Yao Wei that year was actually the healthiest year after 2005, but a violent collision with his opponent in the playoffs was a force majeure.

When the media asked him what he thought of Yao Huang's season prospects with the Rockets, Yu Fei replied: "It depends on his health. If he can stay healthy, I think the Rockets will be a very competitive team."

Yu Fei didn't play much in the preseason.

The Chinese media will go out of their way to ask Yu Fei questions about Yao Huang, Kong Shangyi and Sun Yue.

Because Yu Fei is playing well in the third position, if he is suddenly asked to change positions, can he agree?

But this matter needs to be discussed with Yu Fei.

After the China game, the Sonics returned to the United States to play two more preseason games.

Karl looked "Wang Defa" on his face, and then said: "Da Fei, what do you mean?"

"George, please tell me first, when were the five positions on the basketball court born."

Karl thought for a while and said: "The first four positions identified in the history of basketball are point guard, shooting guard, forward and center. In the late 60s, a group of players like Connie Hawkins emerged. PF) is such an athletic modern forward, so we distinguish between power forward and small forward. This is the origin of the five positions of modern basketball.”

"But is this our carnival basketball tradition?" Yu Fei said, "Have we ever had a serious No. 1 position? There is a saying on the basketball court that the center will win the world, but our inside line has never been the best. George, we are not traditional at all, or in other words, traditional basketball has been changed by us."

"Five years ago, only three teams in the NBA averaged more than 20 three-pointers per game, but last season, nearly half of the teams averaged 20 three-pointers per game."

"Times have changed, the game has changed, and the position should also change." Yu Fei said, "I don't have to change positions, and there is no need to use symbols like position X to clarify our position. In terms of our game, There are only three positions on the court: ball handlers like Brandon, wings like me and KD, and big men like Kwame and DJ (Jordan), that’s enough.”

Hearing this, Karl trembled.

For a long time, he has felt that the team he has is not serious. Although it can win, the lineup does not look like the classic teams in history that can be used as a standard victory template.

Now he understands.

It’s not that they can’t become classics, but from a traditional perspective, they are inherently deviant.

Once you accept that there are only three positions on the court: "Ball Handler," "Wing" and "Big Man," the positions of Carnival Basketball become very clear.

If carnival basketball is a revolution in the philosophy of the game, then completely changing the positional distinction is a radical departure from traditional basketball, which is a conceptual reversal.

Karl was a little panicked. He could foresee that he would be wildly accused by conservatives, but what if he succeeded?
He will be eligible to join the ranks of Grandmasters.

"I understand, let's do it!" Karl said, "From today on, there will no longer be guards, forwards and centers in our team, only ball handlers, wings and big men!"

“Including our registration form!”

Yu Fei didn't expect that this incident would touch Karl so much. The position division he mentioned was already a consensus in the previous small ball era.

He thought that Karl had already understood this matter, but it was not until today that he discovered that Karl had been trying to get into trouble.

He's just running carnival basketball with old ideas.

But now, his idea has been overturned.

It's unclear what change this will have for him, but in the days leading up to the season opener, many basketball experts were puzzled by the Sonics' registration form.

They saw no clear location.

"Ball handler? Wing? Big man?" Jeff Van Gundy was critical of the Sonics' approach. "What is coach Carr doing? Does he want to change some of the established positional consensus?"

However, the criticism was mild.

Most people only thought that Karl was attracting attention and did not think deeply.

Then came the game of the night.

The SuperSonics' opening opponent of the new season is the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Moreover, they are away from home.

This means that they cannot witness the championship flag being raised at home in the first game of the season.

The alliance's arrangement was clearly intentional.

Durant or Oden, this topic during the draft is comparable to "Messi or Ronaldo" before Messi won the World Cup.

This is the biggest controversy in NBA draft history.

The Sonics' selection of Durant as the No. 1 pick was met with many doubts, but Durant shut up people with his outstanding rookie season.

With Oden retiring from his rookie season, last season's Rookie of the Year battle became a one-man show for Durant.

Arranging the two to face off in the season opener was obviously intentional.

The battle between Yu Fei and James is outdated.

Yu Fei is indeed a hero, but James has a tendency to become a bear.

Therefore, the league wants to stir up conversation among the most promising young stars.

"Kevin, go talk trash to Greg."

Yu Fei said: "This is your first task tonight."

Durant hesitated, "Is there a second task?"

"Yes." Yu Fei said, "You have to silence those who like to compare the two of you tonight."

Yu Fei wants to see Durant like this.

The bitter, mean, selfish, completely self-centered Durant.

However, Durant occasionally displayed one of the above traits without ever fully unleashing them.

It's a mystery whether he's hidden deep enough or if he's really as innocent as he lets on now.

Yu Fei asked Durant to talk trash, but Durant came to Oden and just said: "Greg, I'm glad to see you recovered. Let's play a good game."

Russell Westbrook, another rebuilding core of the Timberwolves, seemed to feel a sense of going against fate when he passed by Durant. He stopped and looked at Durant for a while.

Then, he came to the dazzling No. 44.

"You're my favorite player," Westbrook said to Fei, "but I'm going to beat you."

Yu Fei smiled gently, "If you are talking in your sleep, I suggest you wake up immediately and apologize to me."

"I never talk in my sleep." Westbrook said firmly, "I live in reality."

This may explain why Westbrook is such a unique player, and why Durant looks as physically uncomfortable as a viper after his good guy image collapsed.

If you are not living in reality, everything you consciously possess is an illusion.

In the opening game of the 2008-09 season, the Sonics entered the game for the first time with a structure of ball handlers, wings and big men. That means they don't have a defender in the traditional sense.

But they always have, only this time, they have a systematic theory of position to back it up.

Oden wanted to prove himself in front of Durant, but every one of his body language said "My body is not in the best condition yet." In the end, he ended up with a poor performance of 0 points, 6 rebounds and 5 fouls.

Durant performed well, scoring 26 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the first game of the season. He is fundamentally breaking up the debate between "Oden or Durant".

Westbrook was full of enthusiasm and ran back and forth throughout the game. He scored 8 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, but finally left the game with six fouls. It is worth mentioning that every foul he committed was committed by Yu Fei. In other words, Yu Fei deliberately caused his six crimes.

When Westbrook committed six fouls and left the court, Yu Fei whistled and said lightly: "Welcome to the NBA."

(End of this chapter)