When pride still matters

Chapter 475 You don’t understand anything
Kwame Brown's suspension was not an accident, but the beginning of a wave of injuries for the Sonics.

This team has made it to the finals in the past two years, and some say that strong roster depth is the reason why they stay healthy.

But avoiding injuries sometimes comes down to luck.

Even if you take good care of your body like Kawhi Leonard, if you are not lucky enough, you will inevitably become the GOAT in the world of "unstoppable when you play, but often don't play".

Chris Bosh, who had just joined the SuperSonics, unfortunately stepped on a teammate's foot while grabbing a rebound. After the game, he was diagnosed with a grade two knee sprain and will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks.

Veteran Michael Finley is out indefinitely due to unexplained knee soreness.

Nick Collison suffered a foot injury in practice and was placed on the daily watch list.

Then there's the bad news off the field.

The highly anticipated Anthony Morrow once became the Sonics' answer to outside shooters after taking over Finley's tactical role.

Today, when Durant is committed to avoiding becoming a tall, thin long-range shooting man, the Sonics' most stable shooter who leads the revolution in the game is a second-year player.

He must leave the team completely to Presti.

Bennett accepted the outcome.

Seattle team physician Dr. Jack Andrew's efforts over the past two years to keep the team in a healthy state and eventually win two consecutive championships have not been recognized, and now the team is inevitably suffering injuries like those teams pursuing three consecutive championships. Are you going to be fired because of your illness?
"No, of course not," Presti said. "Dr. Jack Andrew is very professional."

"What's Fry's attitude?" Bennett asked.

"Boss, the fans' favorability fluctuates just like a stock, and it's easy to change." Presti said patiently. "It may not be caused by Anthony. It's the beginning of the season, and the fans' mood is generally dull. Only As the season progresses, their interest in us will grow.”

"That means there's no evidence to prove it, right?"

Bennett couldn't help but ask: "What if he didn't handle it? I mean, Frye vouched for him, but he still messed up?"

"You mean we're going to allow this bastard who touches women to continue playing for us?" Bennett asked.

Team owner Clay Bennett was furious.

"There is no evidence that it was his fault."

He must have a status far above the players.

This makes one sigh with Presti's vision.

Compared with the poll before the start of the season, citizens' favorability towards the team dropped by 2% after Moreau's accident.

For Bennett, the last thing the Sonics can afford right now is this kind of negative news that damages the team's image.

This will bring about a return to their true nature, and they will remember who they are and gradually put themselves in a superior position.

Bennett was embarrassed to find that he really couldn't use his boss' power to force Moreau to leave.

This was the premise for him to lure Presti from San Antonio.

Bennett became anxious and immediately revealed his irrational side: "Trade that bastard!"

The team's top management, led by Presti, was disappointed with Morrow, but they never thought of trading him.

ah.?

A local chain in Seattle made Morrow their spokesperson.

If his lover questions his character and he cannot refute or accept it, shouldn't he resort to violence like a scumbag?
At the end of the day, most of these people who make a living from sports are just humanoids. They have developed brains and limbs like other people, but their limbs are far more developed than others, so they are not good at using their brains.

what is this? Who's the boss? Who is the owner of this team?

"I heard that the team has encountered injury problems recently?" Bennett's thinking was so fast that Presti couldn't keep up. "Should we fire the team doctor?"

"No matter, don't ask, but believe in Anthony." Presti said, "Frye told the media, give Anthony some time and he will handle it."

Once successful, Moreau's personal life began to spiral out of control. He was caught and raped in bed by his fiancée, and then he refused to admit his fault and instead beat her up. Subsequently, the fiancée called the police, the incident was reported in the newspapers, and the Sonics became a hot topic again.

Bennett asked: "The injury issues are not his fault?"

There will be a wave of excitement deep in the heart of the franchise owner, but he realizes on the spot that he cannot play, and even if he can play, he cannot directly generate hundreds of millions of dollars in business value.

Then he discovered that his boss's opinion seemed to be less important than Yu Fei's thoughts.

"Unless he persists in his behavior," Presti said.

They could accept that Kwame Brown was suspended for not telling the difference between Iran and Iraq, a cognitive impairment that fits the image of Brown as stupid.

His character is not stable. After establishing himself in the NBA, he quickly smelled the business atmosphere of big cities.

Any player who can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for his boss can no longer be taken for granted as a player.

The players who can play in the league are basically the most physically fit people on the planet. They have been competing since they were young. Many of them were big stars in their area when they were students, and these stars are the most basic in school. Privilege is the right of first choice for the opposite sex. When they enter the NBA and become millionaires or even multi-millionaires, even if they are not All-Star players, there will be people competing to join them.

But things like cheating and domestic violence are unlikely to gain the sympathy and understanding of fans.

But there's a reason Morrow fell to this spot in the draft.

Because, whether it is cheating or domestic violence, this is very common in the NBA.

"I would trade him to the Clippers," Presti said.

Suddenly, Bennett seemed like an emissary of justice who would not allow evil to live in the world.

After Morrow's accident, the "Seattle Times" launched a poll on the news to ask citizens about their favorable opinion of the Sonics.

Bennett nodded, and that was it.

"We can't do this," Presti sighed.

Bennett wanted to have a certain impact on the team, even if he just fired one person, but he couldn't even do this.

"So what can we do?" Bennett asked.

"Let this bad time pass," Presti said, "and see if something good happens."

Bennett failed to make any personnel decisions as boss. ,

But he did it anyway.

A few days later, the Sonics announced that in order to solve the psychological problems of some players, they would openly recruit psychological counselors.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that this was arranged for Anthony Moreau.

However, the Sonics' momentum has not yet improved.

Injuries and off-court issues have caused them to lose their starting inside line, and their lineup depth has also been greatly affected.

The first game O' and Jordan started was against the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is a team with balance inside and outside and many stars.

Facing his former teammates, Yu Fei scored 44 points, Roy and Durant scored 22 points and 26 points respectively. However, even if the three scored 90 points together, the Bucks still used the inside advantage to seal the victory in the fourth quarter.

That was Seattle's second loss of the season.

Bill Simmons pointed out after the game: "Those who put Frye Yu above God, have they understood at this moment that 73 wins and 9 losses were not accomplished by one person, just like the achievement of four championships in five years? It's not because of one person alone. I admit that Frye, who has won six times in seven years, has his own empire, but if you want to say that this is his empire, I advise you to take medicine. An arrogance like Fry’s is hopeless.”

When the Sonics lose, whether it's the media or the Internet, the trend of public opinion is often a world war between Yu Fei's fans and other fans.

This situation is like being ridiculed by fans from all sides after losing during the Warriors' "Universe" period.

George Karl responded to the injury wave by shortening his rotation.

Yu Fei, Roy and Durant's playing time increased.

Durant likes the change.

After Bosh was injured, the Sonics' ball distribution returned to last season.

Due to the decline in lineup depth, the Sonics rely more on the Big Three on the outside to score.

Before injury problems arose, Durant scored under 20 points a few times in a single game, and after that, he scored more than 20 points in every game.

In mid-November, Kwame Brown returned from suspension.

Karl tried to let Xiaoao partner with him in the paint.

The adversarial duo did not bring their personal grudges to the court.

Mainly because Brown was afraid to do it.

He knows what Yu Fei likes and what he hates.

During the suspension, Brown blocked his Twitter and focused on returning to training.

This made him feel much better after his comeback than before the suspension.

Against the Grizzlies again, Brown scored 10 points and 5 rebounds just by eating pie on Joakim Noah's head.

O'Brien gradually adapted to Bosh's positioning. Except that he couldn't shoot three-pointers, he did most of what Bosh did on the court.

During this period, Yu Fei increased the proportion of his outside shots.

His average number of three-pointers per game has increased from a stable 3 goals in the past to 4.5 goals, with 11 shots per game and a shooting rate of 40%. The three-pointer is Jordan's most criticized skill, and it is also the skill Yu Fei uses to change the game.

Now, he stings some people's eyes with his unique three-point production and top shooting percentage.

The Sonics are on a winning streak.

At the end of November, they challenged the Boston Celtics on the road.

Yu Fei remembered what Bill Simmons said, which destined him to treat this regular season with a different attitude.

The game itself was like an execution for Celtic.

Doc Rivers regards interior defense as a top priority, but Yu Fei has no intention of entering the interior.

After calling the pick-and-roll from the outside, he immediately shot a three-pointer;
He also caught the ball for a three-pointer after running outside;

Durant's offense with the ball attracted double-teams and he made a poor pass and almost made a mistake. Yu Fei recovered the ball, and then used an uncomfortable posture to shoot a three-pointer and score again;
After Pierce missed a single, Yu Fei grabbed the rebound and made a fast break three-pointer;

Three points, three points again.

When this technology was introduced decades ago, no one cared about it.

Now, it has changed the game of basketball forever.

当晚，于飞20投15中，其中外线三分12投10中，全场砍下46分10篮板6助攻。

"Fry, how much of an impact did Bill Simmons have on your performance tonight?"

“The thing he’s most proud of is making people think he could potentially have an impact on me.”

"So he has no influence on you."

"No, he makes me feel sick." Yu Fei laughed, "But I don't think he cares. As a loyal Bostonian, he settled in Los Angeles and then hypocritically claimed that he loved everything about Boston. Do you think I would take him seriously? I just simply think he's disgusting."

Yu Fei's complaints and attacks on Simmons quickly became a topic on the Internet.

Although Simmons was insulted, it was also a victory for him.

As a sports writer, he got a response from Yu Fei.

Seattle enters December with a 13-3 record.

It's the last month of the 2000s, and it's just begun, and the league is starting to promote this year's Christmas Day war.

While there were many teams playing that night, there was only one highlight of the night, the first showdown of the season between the SuperSonics and the Lakers.

44 vs 23 and 24 at the same time.

The three most talked-about, popular and powerful stars of the new generation appeared in a non-All-Star game at the same time, and there will be fierce competition in the playoffs in the future. Just thinking about this kind of thing makes people feel dreamy.

According to statistics from ESPN, TNT and ABC, tens of millions of people are expected to watch the Christmas game between the SuperSonics and the Lakers.

In NBA history, except for Jordan's comeback battle, few regular seasons have attracted so much attention.

Nowadays, with their powerful lineup, the Lakers can be regarded as invincible in the Western Conference before meeting the SuperSonics.

Kobe averages 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, and James averages 25 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists per game. The two do what they are good at. So far this season, the Lakers have only tasted one defeat.

It was Derrick Rose's Bulls that accomplished the feat.

When James announced at the press conference when he joined the Lakers that he would win seven championships with Kobe, he also announced that he would no longer wear No. 23.

He believed Jordan was to basketball what Jackie Robinson was to baseball.

No one in the league should continue to wear No. 23, and all teams should retire this jersey.

The outside world generally believes that this is James' approach to save Jordan.

James' "decision" completely goes against the values ​​Jordan established during his playing days. In Jordan's eyes, such a path to victory would have no honor even if he ultimately defeated Yu Fei.

He once thought of James as the person who could carry on his legacy. Suddenly, he realized that he was terribly wrong.

In the end, the person who is most like him is the person who hates him the most and the person he hates the most.

Perhaps out of awe of Jordan, James was blinded by No. 23 on the roof of the United Center during the game against the Bulls. Not only could he not find the basket, but he could not find Kobe. He was sluggish throughout the game and made frequent mistakes. The Lakers' failure was also It's inevitable.

However, regarding James's suggestion that the entire league retire No. 23, Heat president Pat Riley said: "If he really respects MJ so much, he should choose to join us. Before he respects MJ, we already respect MJ. Yes. We are the team that respects MJ the most in the league.”

That's what Riley said during the offseason. He was disappointed that James joined the Lakers.

In Riley's eyes, James is the perfect fourth position second only to Yu Fei's small ball system.

If he could come, the Heat wouldn't have to go to great lengths to pursue Turkoglu.

But now, things are not bad.

The Heat's trade of Tracy McGrady for Curry has been met with skepticism, and some believe Wade may leave the team as a result. But after Turkoglu joined, Wade was coaxed.

So far in the new season, the Heat have 10 wins and 6 losses, ranking third in the Eastern Conference.

They are the most aggressive team in the Eastern Conference and the team that takes the most three-pointers per game in the league. Although Curry is a rookie, he has been reused since his arrival.

The Heat seemed to regard Curry as the core of the future. They let him control the ball from the beginning and averaged 34 minutes per game. With Wade and Ariza protecting him, his defensive problems were completely covered up.

From the perspective of system and configuration, the Heat are like Curry's dream team. He found the feeling as soon as he came up. So far this season, he has averaged 18 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per game. If it weren't for Tyreke Evans and Brandon... Jennings was too much as a rookie at the beginning of the season, and Curry will become recognized as the best rookie.

However, his team is far better than Evans and Jennings.

Therefore, even if there is suspense about the Rookie of the Year award, it won't be very big.

In the first game of the last month of the 2010s, Curry ushered in his monthly test - the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Heat come to Seattle.

Outside the airport, a reporter asked Curry: "Does Frye still call you 'kid'?"

As a member of Reebok, Curry has been taught how to deal with this kind of problem.

He smiled lightly: "To this day, Bill Russell still calls the 61-year-old Kareem a 'child'. I don't think this is a problem. Frye is a benchmark for me in my growth. For me, if I grow up in the future, If my achievements can reach 1/3 of his, I will have no regrets.”

The questioner was confused by the way Curry showed respect to Yu Fei.

Once upon a time, LeBron James viewed Frye the same way.

Yu Fei responded to Curry's overtures.

"1/3? Stephen underestimates himself too much." Yu Fei said, "You can remember my words. Stephen can win at least 3 championships. He has this potential."

This is the first time anyone on the planet has put the word potential on Curry.

Some people think that Yu Fei should probably study the meaning of the word potential.

99% of the time for an older rookie with mediocre qualifications but mature skills, he will be at his peak when he debuts. How much potential is left to be tapped?
At four o'clock in the afternoon that day, the much-anticipated game between the SuperSonics and the Heat was ready to start at the best time.

The Key Arena was packed with people.

In order to increase ticket revenue, Key Arena has installed the largest four-sided screen at the moment. In addition to regular seated tickets, there are also outside standing tickets away from the front rows.

Holders of standing tickets can hardly see what is going on in the stadium, and they must understand the situation through the large screen on site.

Even so, standing room tickets are still sold out.

The SuperSonics market is so popular that the price of a standing room ticket is more expensive than the front and middle row tickets in the so-called "middle class" of other teams.

Going to Seattle games has become a trendy activity in the Seattle area.

The rich like to watch games here while discussing business, while the middle class are proud to have season tickets. However, season tickets are now in a priceless state because the Sonics' contract with Key Arena will expire next summer. Will the Sonics stay in this arena until then, or will they find a better transitional venue until a new arena is built? This season’s season pass collection continues to increase in value.

Before the game started, the friendly interaction between Yu Fei and Curry excited the audience.

Yu Fei competed with Curry for a half-court shot in the center circle.

Curry will never know what Yu Fei's masterful half-court shot meant to him.

Even Curry's passion for ultra-long three-pointers has gradually developed. At present, he is still a pragmatist.

So, when Yu Fei made 5 of 3 midfield shots and missed a single shot, he couldn't help but ask: "Fry, do you really think LOGO shooting will become a common thing?"

"As long as I'm skilled enough," Yu Fei said, "the opponent will even send people to prevent me from shooting from the backcourt."

Curry laughed: "Don't worry, we will never let anyone restrict you from doing this."

The founder of the small ball era is now nothing.

Yu Fei, who was greedy for heaven's success, sighed: "My child, you don't understand anything."

⑴To build a team that is "unstoppable when playing, but often doesn't play", in addition to Leonard, I will add Fat Tiger and Walton.

(This does not apply to people like Pence, Hill, and Rose who died after serious injuries)

PS: The nap I took the day before May Day disrupted my sleep schedule, and now my day and night are reversed.

(End of this chapter)