Halfway through the NBA season, the competition in the Western Conference has become increasingly fierce. Judging from the current record, except for the last team in the Western Conference, the other fourteen teams still have a chance to enter the playoffs. This is equivalent to a 14-in-8 pattern, which seems particularly cruel.
After seven consecutive victories, the Clippers went to Oakland to challenge the Golden State Warriors, the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.
This is a tough battle for both sides, as both sides have strong lineups with superstar-level matchups at almost every position. For the audience, such a match between superstars is what they want to see most.
The stars of both teams did not disappoint the audience. They really played back and forth and scored various difficult goals, making the game full of fun to watch.
In the fourth quarter of the game, the score between the two sides was not open. The Warriors even had a 4-point advantage. However, on the Warriors' bench, head coach Nicholas frowned and did not look relaxed at all.
This is not the game Nicholas wanted!
In the first three quarters, the two sides have been playing against each other and did not focus too much on defense. This is not a problem in Nicholas's view. The Warriors' offensive efficiency is one of the best in the league. The team will not be afraid of any opponent.
The scoring efficiency of both sides is also very high. They have already scored 100 points in three quarters. This is not a problem in Nicholas's view. 100 points in three quarters means an average of 33 points in one quarter. With the Warriors' offensive efficiency, it is just too much. Just hit a few three-pointers.
But what makes Nicholas uneasy is that this game seems to have become a star ball!
It’s okay for the Clippers to play star ball. After all, they are a team that plays star ball. But the Warriors also play star ball like the Clippers. And this is what Warriors head coach Nicholas cannot accept.
The Warriors are also a team that brings together many superstar players, but the real strength of the Warriors is not their stars, but their ability to perfectly combine their stars with their tactical system. In the Warriors' system, stars can play their biggest role, maximize their respective characteristics, and then lead the team to victory.
In the NBA, some teams play star basketball, while others play overall basketball, and the Warriors combine the two. It can be said that the Warriors play "star overall basketball."
But in today's game, the Warriors' stars seemed to have completely given up on the integrity of their tactics. Their style of play was the same as that of the Clippers, becoming a star ball. As the game progresses, the cooperation of the players is gradually diluted, replaced by the player's personal ability becoming dominant.
It is normal for this kind of change to occur. There are too many stars in the lineups of both sides, and they are stars of the new and old generations. When the two collide, sparks will inevitably ignite. The new generation of stars want to beat the former waves to death on the beach, while the older generation of stars want to teach these young people a lesson. When players from both sides want to prove themselves, there will be more singles, and the game will naturally become a contest of personal abilities.
When powerful stars face off against each other, it has always been easier for a "one-on-one" to occur. Tens of thousands of spectators in the audience are watching, millions of viewers are watching in front of the TV, and the players and coaches of both sides are also watching. If your opponent scores a goal in front of you, if you don't immediately return an "answer-ball", wouldn't you become a coward
This is the basketball culture of the NBA. As a star, you may not be able to throw the ball in, but you must not be a coward. Sometimes, fans may not be able to remember the opponent a hundred times, but if you show cowardice just once, you may be called a "softie" by fans for the rest of your life.
The Warriors have no shortage of stars. They have regular season MVPs and scoring champions. Several of them have made the NBA All-NBA First Team. There are even more players who have made the All-Star Game. They have won multiple championships in recent years. The championship record has also attracted many star players who are interested in it, so even if they don't use tactics, the Warriors still have the capital to play star ball with their opponents.
If we change the opponent, the head coach can tolerate the Warriors' players playing star ball, because other teams are not as good as the Warriors in terms of the number and quality of star players, so Coach Nicholas doesn't mind if his players occasionally play star ball. Be willful for once.
But the Clippers are different. The number and quality of the Clippers' stars are not inferior to the Warriors at all. When it comes to playing star ball, the Warriors are unable to gain the upper hand in every position. This is a situation Coach Nicholas has never encountered before.
At the No. 1 position, both sides are regular season MVP-level players. One is good at three-pointers and the other is good at breakthroughs. It can be said that the two have their own characteristics. It is difficult to say which one is stronger and which one is weaker.
At the 2nd position, both sides are also super scorers. One is the top three-point shooter in the league, and the other is also very accurate in three-pointers, and he also has an unstoppable pull-up jump shot. In terms of athletic ability, , the Clippers' No. 2 position is even stronger.
At the 3rd position, both teams are top superstars. Both superstars are very good at pull-up jumpers. One pull-up is high enough, and the other pull-up is elegant enough. Neither can guard the opponent. It is also impossible to compare strengths and weaknesses. But what is certain is that their scoring abilities are among the best.
At the 4th position, both teams are also players who can stretch the space. They are also very good in physical fitness. They both have good scoring ability, rebounding ability and support ability. Moreover, the Clippers' 4th position is 10 points higher. centimeters.
As for the No. 5 position, the Warriors were once the "No. 1 center" in the NBA, while the Clippers were a potential super center once in thirty years. However, the lineups of these two teams do not rely on inside scoring. After all, each Both are the best scorers in the league at their positions, so the two centers are more focused on grabbing rebounds and eating pie, and there are not many opportunities for one-on-one situations with the ball alone.
Coach Nicholas made a careful comparison and found to his surprise that the Warriors' starting five were really slightly inferior to the Clippers' starting lineup. The reason why the Warriors currently lead by 4 points is mainly due to the contributions of the substitute lineup. Compared with the starting stars, the Warriors' bench lineup is more willing to play tactics. I have to say that the Warriors' tactical system is indeed great. With the efforts of the bench, the Warriors led the Clippers by 4 points entering the fourth quarter.
But a 4-point difference was nothing to the stars on the court. As the game entered the fourth quarter, the starter would eventually have to be replaced. In the starting lineups of both sides, there are many people who can score more than ten points a minute. With just 4 points, they can catch up with just one offensive and defensive transition.
Nicholas doesn't want to play star ball with the Clippers. This is tantamount to giving up the Warriors' system and the Warriors' most powerful weapon. And when the opponent's star is not inferior to your own, playing star ball is completely a matter of luck. Once the two teams reach the stage of fighting for luck, it means that the head coach loses control of the game.
For a championship coach who has achieved success in the NBA, losing control of the game is undoubtedly a disaster!
…
The lights around the rim came on, the timer cleared, but the basketball was still flying through the air.
Everyone's eyes were focused on the ball, and then there was a "swish" sound, and the basketball flew into the basket.
"In, a buzzer beater! The Warriors win!" the on-site commentator shouted.
The scoreboard showed 128 to 127, the Warriors narrowly defeated by 1 point, and head coach Nicholas also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he won the game, Nicholas couldn't laugh at all. The reason why the Warriors won this game was not because of the tactical level, but because of superior luck. Not to mention the game process, if the last shot is not made, then the Warriors will lose this game.
Some people say that luck is also a part of strength, but as the head coach of an NBA team, and a team that wants to compete for the championship, you can't rely on luck to win!
On the other side of the bench, Dai Li was not discouraged. He just smiled and encouraged the players, while comforting him: "Don't worry, we were just a little unlucky tonight."
Dai Li said this, but he was still reviewing it in his heart.
"The last few balls were played so disorganized." Dai Li concluded in his mind.
In the last two minutes of the game, the score between the two sides was still tight, and the game entered a fierce stage. Fouls, free throws, timeouts, and the referee watching the video made the last two minutes of the game a toss-up for less than half an hour.
At this stage, both the Warriors and the Clippers are a little confused in their playing style.
There are too many star players on both teams. Every player on the field has the ability to end the game, and every player also feels that he should end the game himself, which in turn causes chaos in the scene.
In the basketball culture of the NBA, star players should stand up and take responsibility at critical moments to end the game. But there is only one ball. If everyone can't wait to stand up, it will be weird if there is no chaos!
Sometimes having too many celebrities is a worry.
"If there is a similar situation in the future, we can't fight like this randomly. If everyone wants to end the game, it will lead to chaos. We need to clarify the focus of the attack." Li Dai thought to himself.
…
The game between the Warriors and Clippers is a focus battle, and for fans it is an exciting star showdown. A high score of close to 130 points also means that the two teams' offense is very smooth. For star players, smooth offense means great enjoyment.
This game also affects the ongoing All-Star voting. Now that the All-Star Weekend is less than a month away, All-Star voting has also entered a feverish stage. Many stars are deliberately performing in the hope of entering the All-Star lineup.
The voting rules of the All-Stars have always been beneficial to big-name stars. Many stars who are famous enough, even if their statistics are not very good, can still enter the All-Stars and even get the starting lineup of the All-Stars with the support of fans.
In this regard, the Clippers players have an advantage. After all, there are several veteran star players in the team, and they have a lot of fans. When these veteran stars come back, they are born with emotional bonus points. As long as the data is passable, the fans will give them a vote for their emotions. ticket.
The Clippers suddenly returned with several veteran talents, which made the competition for the All-Stars in the Western Conference this year unprecedentedly fierce. Some young stars were unlucky. Some young stars could achieve good statistics of 20+, but their votes were still lower than The statistics are not as good as those of the established superstars.
Before the All-Star Weekend, it is also the peak period for teams to conduct trading operations.
Normally, the NBA trade deadline is the first Thursday after the All-Star Weekend. Many teams with unsatisfactory results will also make trades at this time in order to compete for the playoffs.
The competition between the East and West this year is far more intense than in previous years. There are more teams that want to compete in the playoffs, and there are fewer teams that are failing. This also makes more teams hope to adjust their lineups through trades. , or make reinforcements. So as the All-Star Weekend approaches, various trade rumors are emerging one after another, and the real deals are gradually emerging.
…
In a luxury apartment in Sacramento, a nearly forty-year-old black man was packing his luggage while talking on the phone with his daughter.
"My baby, I will come to see you during the All-Star weekend in a few days... Yes, I can have a week's rest during the All-Star weekend. Do you want to go to Miami for vacation..."
After ending the call with his daughter, he threw the phone on the sofa and continued to pack his luggage.
"The next three consecutive away games are going to be really terrible!" the black man sighed softly.
At this time, the cell phone rang again. The black man picked up the phone and saw that it was a call from his agent, so he chose to answer it.
"Hey, Lamar, the call finally got through. We were on the phone just now," the agent said.
"Sorry, I was just on the phone with my daughter and packing my bags," the black man replied.
"Is it to prepare for the away game?" The agent paused and then said: "I don't think you have that need anymore. I just received a notice from the Kings that they plan to trade you!"
"What! Am I going to be traded?" the black man exclaimed.
"I didn't expect something like this to happen. Ordinarily, you shouldn't be traded, but this transaction requires salary equivalence. Your salary this season is 3 million, so you are regarded as an extra." The agent explained. road.
"Damn it! I shouldn't have chosen the king at that time! Adding to the deal, this is simply an insult to me!" The black man cursed secretly, his expression looking very bad.
"Calm down, the NBA is a business. You have played for more than ten years, so you should understand." The agent advised.
The black man took a few deep breaths helplessly, calmed down and then asked: "Then who is my next employer?".
"Boston Celtics." The agent sighed and continued: "But the Celtics have a lot of talent at the second and third positions. I think even if you go to Boston, you won't have a chance to play."
The black man nodded. The Celtics' second and third positions were not only filled with talents, they were overcrowded! Among them are star-level players, promising rookies, and some in their prime. There is no place for an old guy like me in the Celtics.
On the other side of the phone, the agent continued: "I have started to contact the Celtics management. If they are not going to give you a chance to play, I will try to negotiate with them and buy you out, so that you can still trade. Find a new home before the deadline.”
"Okay, that's all." The black man sighed, hung up the phone, and sat on the sofa in a depressed mood, with frustration written on his face.
"Additional to the trade? I never thought that I, Lamar Vincent, would be reduced to this!"
…
At the Clippers training ground, the athletes and coaching staff were sweating profusely, but Dai Li was sitting on the sidelines, staring at the tablet in his hand.
Assistant coach Cassell quietly walked behind Dai Li, looked down, and found that what Dai Li was reading was yesterday's NBA trade rumors.
"Why are you reading this? Nine out of ten of these trade rumors are false, and most of them are just false news deliberately released." Cassel couldn't help but ask.
"I just want to see if there are any potential transactions happening recently." Li Dai said.
"You rarely care about the signings of other teams." Cassell complained.
"No, I just want to see if I can catch any mistakes." Dai Li said with a smile.
As soon as Dai Li finished speaking, a new message reminder appeared on the tablet in Dai Li's hand. Dai Li clicked on the message without hesitation.
"Haha, there's another deal, it's the Kings and the Celtics." Dai Li pointed at the tablet and said.
"I know that. The Kings and the Celtics have been talking for several days, and they have finally decided!" Cassell looked down at the computer: "Let me see, well, 4 for 2, and it also involves a Draft picks.”
"The key is this, Lamar Vincent. I didn't expect the Kings to add him to the deal. This is too disrespectful to the veteran. The 'demigod' back then would actually be reduced to matching salary parity. Trading to add money! The world is really in trouble." Dai Li shook his head and said.
"The NBA is a business. However, the Celtics' second and third positions are already overcrowded, and it is difficult to arrange players' playing time. If Vincent, an old guy, goes to the Celtics, he will definitely not be able to play. Do you think he will retire directly? After all, he is 38 years old." Cassel asked.
"Ding dong", another new news came.
Dai Li clicked on this new message and after taking a look, his face suddenly became happy.
"The Celtics have announced that they will buy out Vincent after the deal is concluded!" Li Dai said.
Cassell frowned and thought for a few seconds, then said: "The Celtics have done their best. Since they can't use Vincent, they might as well buy him out. In this way, Vincent has a chance to find him before the All-Star Weekend." A new club. Maybe many teams need his experience, but at the age of 38, many teams will be discouraged."
Dai Li did not answer, but stood up directly, turned around and prepared to leave.
"Coach, where are you going?" Cassel asked.
"Go to the general manager's office to find Johnson." Li Dai turned around and replied: "I plan to claim Vincent! He will become our championship puzzle piece."