Dai Li ended the meeting in embarrassment.
If he is a professional basketball coach with high tactical literacy, he may be able to reason with his coaching staff, show off his professional knowledge, convince his team, and brainwash the team members so that everyone feels that our main The coach is so awesome!
But his understanding of basketball tactics is far inferior to that of his assistant coach, so he can only act shamelessly and act cute.
Anyway, he is the head coach, and everyone else is following him for a living. Dai Li is determined to beg for nothing, and there is nothing he can do about the others.
However, Dai Li still found Raymond after the meeting. The two-time scoring champion has yet to return to his peak level. With an average of 12 points per game, he is barely a qualified starter and is still far behind the superstar he was back then.
Dai Li hopes that Raymond can recover as soon as possible. The Clippers are playing star ball. If the Big Three are not enough, then let's get together a Big Four!
…
"How are you feeling recently? The back injury probably hasn't recurred, right?" Dai Li came to Raymond with a smile on his face.
"No, my back feels great. I haven't had any pain since I came to Los Angeles!" Raymond replied.
"Where's your waist? Does it hurt?" Dai Li continued to ask.
Raymond shook his head: "There is no problem with my waist. I played four games last week and I didn't feel any pain in my waist."
"What about the knees?" Dai Li asked next.
Raymond patted his knees: "The knees are also very good. I only felt such knees during my rookie season!"
"Wrist? Ankle? Ligament? Is everything okay?" Dai Li asked again.
"They are all great." Teacher Raymond replied.
"That's good." Dai Li nodded. It seems that the effect of the athlete's patch is very good. All kinds of old injuries on Raymond's body have been repaired by the athlete's patch.
However, Raymond on the opposite side suddenly asked: "Coach Li, have I disappointed you?"
"Why do you say that?" Dai Li showed a surprised expression.
"Wood suffered such serious injuries, and Hall had the meniscus removed from both knees, but they have all returned to their peak form, but I can't. Although my body feels great, I can't do what I did when I was young. Play ball. I guess you will be very disappointed." Raymond said in a low voice.
"How could it be! It's a very happy thing for you to be back on the court." Dai Li had a comforting smile on his face.
However, Dai Li was indeed a little disappointed with Raymond. Among the stars recruited by the Clippers this season, Raymond is the most famous, strongest, and oldest superstar, but so far he has not produced results that satisfy Dai Li.
Raymond also knew that Dai Li was comforting himself. He sighed: "It seems that I am still old! If I were a few years younger and in such good physical condition, I could win fifty or sixty points in a game. point."
Raymond's words reminded Dai Li, and Dai Li suddenly realized that he had ignored Raymond's age before.
After all, Raymond is a "thirty-year-old man", and in the second half of his career, he has been plagued by injuries and is in a state of stop-and-go. When he is often unable to play, it is difficult to ensure his competitiveness. level.
If you are the kind of player who is struggling on the front line, even if he is not a starter, as long as he enters the rotation, he can be guaranteed a certain amount of playing time and keep his body in a state of preparation. Even a player in his mid-thirties or sixteen years old can still have outstanding performance.
There are also some players who are very good at taking care of their bodies, spending a lot of money on their bodies every year, coupled with a strict self-disciplined life, and occasionally playing a few games of healthy basketball, it is not a problem to play until the age of forty.
"I should use another age reduction card for Raymond. There are five months left in the regular season, plus two months of playoffs, and there are seven months left in this season. If you use the age reduction card, Raymond You can lose six years of age and become 28 years old again." Dai Li thought to himself.
For a basketball player, although the 28-year-old body is not as powerful as that of a 24-year-old, it is definitely the peak age. Although this age will not be able to fly from time to time like a young man in his early twenties. Up, but the physical confrontation is excellent, and it does not affect the players from performing some difficult technical moves.
…
The Clippers, who had lost five games in a row, flew to Houston to challenge the Rockets away from home.
The Rockets are currently ranked first in the Western Conference. This ranking is enough to prove the Rockets' extraordinary strength. Moreover, the Rockets have won eight consecutive victories at their home court.
Facing the Rockets, it is normal for any team to lose. With the Clippers' current strength, they will most likely lose to the Rockets.
The Clippers play star ball. This type of team is not afraid of facing off against opponents, but is afraid of encountering a systematic team, especially a systematic team with superstars. A superstar is inherently undefendable in singles. If he is integrated into a complete tactical system, he will be even more powerful.
Dai Li also feels that it is difficult for the Clippers to defeat the Rockets now. Unless their own touch is very high and the opponent's touch is very poor, the Clippers can defeat the Rockets, but this kind of thing depends on luck.
Dai Li also used the lottery box before the game, but he only got one winning lottery. When there is a strength gap between the two sides, a winning arrangement obviously cannot win the Rockets.
So Dai Li used the term "evenly matched" before the game. His idea was very simple. It is difficult to win this game anyway, so it is better to rely on the effect of evenly matched. If they can play a few overtimes with the Rockets, the Clippers said There may be opportunities to fish in troubled waters.
In terms of defense, both teams have unlimited defensive switching strategies. The Rockets' center is very fast, and the Clippers' center Gray is faster than the Rockets' center. Neither of them suffers when switching guards. It's just that the NBA has developed to this day, and the defensive style of play has been eliminated by the times. This is not ten years ago, and no team can win by relying on defense. The key is to look at the team's offense.
The Clippers' offense mainly relies on the personal abilities of the stars. Star players have enough offensive methods and will always have a way to put the ball into the basket.
The Rockets' offense is concentrated in the penalty area and outside the three-point line. They have almost no mid-range shots. They either throw from outside the three-point line or cut back and run inside to score.
"The Rockets' style of play is also a trend in the development of basketball!" Dai Li sighed and continued: "The Rockets' inside line is not strong. The Rockets' center has very weak individual singles ability and does not even have low-post offensive skills. He is not the kind of crazy muscleman who can get rebounds and then use the second offense to score. His scoring mainly depends on others feeding the ball after air cuts, but the Rockets score a lot in the penalty area."
Dai Li said, pointing to the three-point line, and continued: "The three-point shot gives the attacker more space in the penalty area. The essence of basketball is actually a sport where the offense and defense end exchange time and space differences. If there is no three-pointer that can shock the opponent, the opponent's defense will shrink and the space in the penalty area will become smaller. If the three-pointer is good enough, the opponent will inevitably expand the scope of defense and the space in the penalty area will become larger. In this way, whether the outside players are running back or the inside players are cutting, they will create scoring opportunities."
"What you said makes sense." Assistant coach Cassel looked at Li Dai with some surprise. The progress of Li Dai, a layman, made Cassel feel impressed.
"Don't look at me with that look. I didn't come up with this point of view. I also learned it from others. There is a 70-year-old man in my country. He was a basketball player when he was young and later became a basketball coach. , now mainly a basketball commentator, he always says that playing basketball must be reasonable, and this three-point shooting tactic is a very reasonable way of playing in his mouth." Li Dai continued to explain.
Cassel nodded, and then pointed to the scoreboard: "What I admire more than this is that under such circumstances, you can still talk about this happily."
The game has entered the fourth quarter, but the score between the two sides is very tight, with the score gap always hovering within three or five points.
In this case, the process was naturally very intense, and the atmosphere at the scene seemed quite passionate. The auditorium is like a dynamite barrel. As long as the home team scores a beautiful goal, it will be ignited and then let out an explosive roar.
On the Rockets' bench, the coaching staff and bench players could no longer sit still and became angry. The head coach even began to direct the game himself. As for the Clippers, the players seemed very excited, but the head coach, Dai Li, looked like he was sitting on the Diaoyutai.
Anyway, I used the term "evenly matched", so let's just leave it to fate!
…
At the end of 48 minutes of regular game time, the score between the two sides was a draw of 105-105. They were tied by their opponents at their home court. This was not the result the Rockets wanted to see.
But this is the result that Dai Li hopes to see. After five consecutive losses, the Clippers need a piece of good news to regroup. Playing the No. 1 team in the Western Conference into overtime is barely a shot in the arm to stop their decline.
Overtime relies on star players. In just five minutes, if a star can stand up and take on the heavy responsibility of scoring, then overtime will be much easier to play. In overtime, the stars’ The role is much greater, so in overtime, it can basically be said to be the star's stage.
The Rockets have no shortage of stars. Their beard is currently the NBA's "number one shooting guard" and the regular season MVP. If you pick the five strongest players among the current NBA players, he will definitely have his place.
Although the Clippers also have stars, they are somewhat weaker than the bearded MVP.
However, Dai Li had another thought and looked at Raymond.
"This may be an opportunity for Raymond." Dai Li called Raymond closer.
"In overtime, you come to attack." Dai Li ordered.
Raymond was slightly stunned. He didn't expect that Dai Li would have such a choice.
In the Clippers, both Wood and Hall have the ability to end games. Wood was once the regular season MVP and he has contributed many buzzer beaters; Hall is also famous for his stability and he has a big heart, even in the playoffs. , and once had a 0.8-second killing performance. Logically speaking, they should be the core of the overtime game. As for Raymond, he has yet to regain his peak form when he was young.
"Why me?" Raymond asked subconsciously.
"Because there is the league's first shooting guard on the opposite side." Li Dai patted Raymond on the shoulder and continued: "I think only the first shooting guard can deal with the first shooting guard!"
Raymond's expression was slightly startled. The title "First Shooting Guard" was very familiar to him, but also a little strange.
At his peak, Raymond was the number one shooting guard in the NBA!
At the same time, Dai Li used an age reduction card on Raymond, making Raymond's body instantly look six years younger.
"Go ahead, you don't want to lose to your juniors!" Dai Li pushed Raymond onto the court, and then glanced at the bearded Rockets player opposite.
"Who is better, the first shooting guard ten years ago or the first shooting guard now? This really makes me look forward to it!"
…
When Raymond stood on the court, his mind was still blank.
He is no stranger to the Rockets on the opposite side. Raymond once played for the Rockets for many seasons. After retiring, he also made his home in Houston. On weekdays, he often goes to the Toyota Center to watch the Rockets' home games. When his hands are itchy, he is no stranger to the Rockets. He would even go to the Rockets training base and practice with the players all morning.
As a meritorious player of the Rockets, Raymond has such a privilege. Therefore, Raymond is very familiar with the Rockets coaching staff and players.
Raymond knew that the bearded man on the opposite side was a very powerful person. He said that he was the active first shooting guard, and Raymond also recognized it. Raymond even had a judgment in his mind. Big Beard's scoring ability was not weaker than his own at his peak, and perhaps even better in terms of hitting the porcelain.
The next second, the ball came out and then passed to Raymond's hands. The Clippers players resolutely implemented Dai Li's plan and gave the right to shoot to Raymond.
Big Beard immediately came over to guard. He was very close to Raymond, and he obviously didn't intend to let Raymond shoot a three-pointer.
"Try to break through." Raymond made an instinctive judgment, and then started to break through with the ball.
At this moment, Raymond suddenly felt that his body became much lighter, and even his steps became more agile.
Raymond was slightly shocked, but he moved his long legs and reached the penalty area in the blink of an eye.
Big Beard's defense outside the penalty area is still not trustworthy, and was even once known as eye defense.
However, when there was physical contact between the two sides in the penalty area, Big Beard's defense was obviously improved to a higher level. His strong body and excellent lower body strength allowed him to completely defeat his opponent in physical confrontation.
At the same time, the Rockets' defense also came up.
Although the Rockets' center and power forward are not tall, they are very fast. They can switch defenders, and the Rockets can therefore use unlimited switching tactics. Therefore, their defense speed is also top-notch in the NBA.
There were interceptions in front and pursuers in the back. Although Raymond broke through to the penalty area, the Rockets' defensive pocket had also begun to shrink.
At this moment, Raymond chose to take off and attack the basket directly.
Facing the players from the Rockets who came to defend, Raymond was flying in the air and dodged with a pull-bar action. At the same time, his body relied on the inertia of the jump to fly to the other side of the basket, and then turned around in the air. , with his back to the basket, he gently raised his arm, made a reverse layup, and threw the ball directly into the basket.
"Oh!" The audience exclaimed in amazement. This was a very beautiful layup. The whole set of actions was completed in one go, enough to enter the top five goals today.
"Now Raymond can actually do such an action!" The commentator on the scene couldn't help but exclaimed.
If he is a strong young man in his twenties, it is not surprising to have such a performance. However, at his current age, Raymond can still have such bounce, such air superiority, as well as such control and reaction ability. It is indeed a snack. Startled.
Even Raymond himself didn't expect that he could make such a technical move.
This kind of ultra-difficult layup with purely technical flow was a very important way of scoring when Raymond was young. He is not the kind of player who likes to rush to the basket and hit the ball. On the contrary, he prefers to use his skills to score the ball amid the opponent's layers of defense and high-intensity physical confrontation.
Perhaps it was for this reason that he was covered in injuries. After all, fighting with inside players is very harmful to the body.
"That ball just felt like a few years ago." Raymond thought to himself.
After the Clippers scored, the Rockets were not to be outdone. The bearded MVP took two steps outside the three-point line and directly threw a three-pointer. Immediately afterwards, it was the Clippers' turn to attack, and the ball was passed to Raymond's hands.
This time, the opponent was worried that Raymond would break through again, so the defensive position was relatively back, which obviously blocked Raymond's breakthrough route.
"My body is still so relaxed. I feel like I am several years younger!" Raymond dribbled the ball a few times and found that there was no way to break through easily. However, he had found a familiar shooting rhythm, so he suddenly stopped and made a three-pointer. Pull-up jump shot from outside the line.
Raymond's pull-up jump shot can be said to be his ultimate skill. His pull-up jump shot is elegant and graceful with a hint of calmness, giving people a sense of ease and ease despite not knowing the position. Anyone who looks at his pull-up jump shot Pull-up jump shots will be a kind of enjoyment, and deep down in the heart will definitely have the most sincere appreciation for the jump shooting technique.
His pull-up jump shot is not purely based on technique, but also requires good physical support. This pull-up jump shot requires the shooter to fully integrate the force of the soles of the feet, the force of the knees, and the movement of the arms, and it also requires It requires a high release point in the jump shot, long-term control of the air, and sometimes the persistence of a large recline and a high body height.
If it were him before, although he could still pull up, his pull-up jump shot was not perfect because his body could no longer do that. But now, after the transformation of the age reduction card, his body has suddenly improved. He is six years younger, and the pull-up jump shot that he was so good at back then has become perfect again.
"Whoosh!"
The basketball flies into the air, draws a horizontal arc, and then enters the basket.
"What a beautiful pull-up jumper!"
"What a cool move!"
"Raymond's signature dry pull is simply art!"
This time, even Li Dai couldn't help but stand up and applaud Raymond.
Raymond looked at his hands subconsciously. He recalled the pull-up jump shot just now, and his heart was full of surprise: "My body has become better!"
…
"Why is this old guy so powerful!" The bearded MVP stared at Raymond opposite, confusion flashed in his eyes.
Raymond hit four consecutive shots, all pull-up jumpers from beyond the three-point line. Looking at this data alone, it is not an exaggeration. After all, in this era where three-pointers dominate, pitchers with high shooting percentages emerge in an endless stream, and consecutive three-pointers have become a matter of course.
However, Raymond's pull-up jumper is something that the bearded MVP rarely encounters. In today's NBA, almost no player scores like this.
This kind of pull-up jump shot is very sudden, coupled with the air control time and the height of the body, it is almost impossible to block it, and it is even difficult to interfere with his shooting.
Moreover, this kind of pull-up jump shot is always shot from a high point. If the defender jumps too far forward, it is easy to cause a three-point foul or be hit with a three-plus-one.
It is no exaggeration to say that this kind of pull-up three-pointer is the most difficult thing for defenders to deal with. If the defensive action is small, it will not interfere with the opponent's shooting; if the defensive action is large, it is easy to foul.
In comparison, the kind of ultra-long-distance three-pointers that are several meters away from the three-point line, although very impressive, can only allow the opponent to score a three-pointer. Anyway, there is no four-point line in the NBA, even in the backcourt. It was only three points. But if Raymond's pull-up three-pointer is not defended well, it will result in a foul. The worst case scenario is that a foul will cost the opponent four points. This is more serious than two mistakes.
More importantly, this pull-up jumper is so cool! When the bearded MVP was on defense, he couldn't help but stop and admire Raymond's pull-up jumper, and then let out a sound of exclamation.
Some spectators at the scene were indeed doing this. When Raymond makes a pull-up jumper, there will be a strange exclamation from the audience, as if the roller coaster has reached the top and has just started to slide down. When the ball goes in, there is another sound of relief. Some people even think that Cheering for a goal.
This is the Toyota Center, the home court of the Rockets, and there are people cheering for the visiting team's goal. This is really against the rules!
But also because this is the Toyota Center, there will be fans cheering for Raymond. Raymond was once the Rockets' number one star. If he doesn't come back, he will probably have his jersey retired by the Rockets. He still has a fan base here. When the signature pull-up jumper reappears, it is not difficult to get cheers and support from old fans.
…
On the Clippers bench, Dai Li looked at the court and the audience's reaction, with a satisfied smile on his face.
"Coach, Raymond suddenly seemed like a different person in overtime. This pull-up jumper was simply perfect!" Assistant coach Cassel also praised from the sidelines.
"Remember what I said in the previous meeting? We don't have enough stars." Li Dai pointed at Raymond on the field and continued: "But now we have the fourth giant!"