Dai Li has already tasted the sweetness of having so many stars.
Bringing a group of superstar players together is really a worry-free thing for the coach. Superstar players' skills are naturally first-class and their game experience is extremely rich. Even without coaching guidance, they know how to play.
Even if one person is attacking with the ball and the other four people are watching, Li Dai doesn't feel there is a problem. This is how star ball is played. It relies on the personal ability of the star and the star to create opportunities.
In the era when the Big Three model emerged, there was a saying that as long as one of the Big Three performed well, they could defeat an ordinary team; if two of the Big Three performed well, they could defeat a playoff-level team. ; And if the Big Three all perform well, they will be a championship-level team.
Today's NBA competition is more intense, but based on the star-dominated era, all teams are still keen to form the "Big Three", "Big Four", and even the "Big Five".
So when Dai Li learned that Lamar Vincent had been bought out, he immediately became excited. For Li Dai, the more stars, the better.
Vincent was a well-deserved superstar when he was young. He was 6 feet 6 inches tall and could play the second or third position, but most of the time, he appeared in the second position. He has been selected to the NBA All-Star team eight times. At his peak, he averaged 27.6 points per game and was known as one of the "Four Great Shooting Guards."
In terms of physical fitness, Vincent may have the best physical fitness in history. At that time, he was even evaluated as a person who "plays the ball on the fly". His nickname of "demigod" is enough to illustrate his strength.
It's just that Vincent is currently 38 years old, which is definitely an old age for a basketball player. Athletes of this age will definitely not be able to fly. Not only can they not fly, but they will also be slower. After a lot, the physical confrontation ability will also decrease, some players will lose their touch, and even the pitching will become less accurate.
It can be said that when a player reaches the age of 38, the only thing left is experience.
Li Dai didn't care about his 38-year-old age. To him, it was just an age reduction card.
There are now more than two months left before the end of the regular season, plus two months of playoffs, a total of four months. Dai Li only needs to leave four months for Vincent. , according to the formula of the age reduction card, you can reduce your age by 9 years, which means turning Vincent into a 29-year-old physical condition.
29 years old is the peak age for a basketball player. At that time, Vincent was still a "flying ball" superstar!
…
Lamar Vincent had no plans to go to Boston at all. He stayed in the luxury apartment he rented and waited for his agent to contact him.
It is said that he is waiting with peace of mind, but Vincent is very uneasy in his heart. He is already 38 years old. It is already a miracle that he can continue to play. Compared with when he was young, his body and condition have already declined seriously. , he can't fly into the air like he did when he was young, he can't engage in fierce physical confrontation like he did when he was young, and he can't even keep up with the pace of defense.
For a 38-year-old veteran who was bought out midway through the season, it was not easy to find a new club.
According to NBA rules, during the regular season, after a player is bought out, there will be a 48-hour clarification period. During this period, other teams can directly claim his contract. If no one claims it after 48 hours, If so, even after the clarification period, the player becomes a free agent and can sign with any team.
Vincent does not think that any team will claim him, because his salary this season is 3 million US dollars, which is higher than the minimum salary, so the team that wants to claim him must have at least 3 million US dollars in salary space, or There are exceptions for transactions exceeding US$3 million.
The season is already halfway through, and those who have salary space are weak teams that can't make the playoffs. They can just mess up. They don't need players like Vincent at all, so how can they waste 3 million US dollars!
As for the strong teams, they may need Vincent's experience, but there is not enough salary space. It's almost impossible for a team that doesn't have luxury these days to become a strong team.
For Vincent, the best result is to wait until the 48-hour clarification period is over and sign with a team with a basic salary. After all, signing with a minimum salary is not subject to salary cap restrictions.
Vincent doesn't know how much market value he still has. After all, for a 38-year-old veteran, it is not an exaggeration to say that grandma does not love his uncle.
"I don't know if I can still play football this season." Vincent sighed. In his mind, it would be great if he could go to a team that has a chance to win the championship. If he is lucky, he can win a championship and make up for the regrets in his career. Even if he retires next season, Wen Senter also has no regrets.
Of course Vincent also knew that this possibility was unlikely. Halfway through the season, the teams that have a chance to win the championship have all finished adjusting. At this time, they will not easily change the lineup. Unless a player in one position is injured, they may sign a new player.
"A young team like the 76ers is also good. The team has the strength to enter the playoffs and may even go far in the playoffs. Maybe they will need my experience."
While Vincent was thinking about it, his agent called.
"Is there any good news? 48 hours haven't come yet. Could it be that someone has claimed me?" Vincent asked.
"Stop joking, how can any team be willing to spend 3 million in unjust money at this time?" The agent changed his voice and continued: "But there is a team that is willing to give you a veteran's basic salary after the clarification period. .”
"Who is it?" Vincent asked immediately.
"Los Angeles Clippers! Their general manager just contacted me today." The agent replied.
Vincent didn't answer, as if he was thinking about it.
If the team claims him, Vincent has no right to choose. He has no way to refuse. Whichever team claims him, he will have to join whichever team. But other teams have offered new contracts, so of course Vincent can choose not to sign. Vincent even had the idea of up for sale.
It's just that Vincent doesn't understand why the Clippers would choose him. The Clippers' current lineup is very neat, with strong players in every position, and no one is injured. The key is that the Clippers have several players of his generation, all of whom are battle-hardened veterans, and they do not lack game experience.
Experience is the only thing that Vincent, a 38-year-old veteran, has. A team that does not lack experience has no reason to sign Vincent.
Finally, Vincent asked: "What conditions did the Clippers offer?"
"The manager of the Clippers told me that their head coach personally promised that he will give you a rotation position." The agent said.
"Rotation? That's not bad." Vincent was a little moved. As a player, even though he is 38 years old, he doesn't want to sit on the bench waving a towel like a mascot. He still wants to play.
Just listen to the agent continue: "The Clippers coach also said that if you are willing, you can be given more than 20 minutes of playing time in each game."
"More than 20 minutes?" Vincent was shocked. This was something he had not expected. After all, he is already 38 years old. Even in his previous team, he could not get such a long playing time, and it is difficult for his 38-year-old body to support such a long game. But having said that, it is really cruel to let a 38-year-old guy play for more than 20 minutes.
Vincent was a little undecided, so he asked his agent: "What's your opinion?"
"I suggest you give it a try. Although the head coach of the Clippers is not a basketball coach, he is very good at training older athletes. He has made many older athletes rejuvenate. If you go to the Clippers If you do, maybe you can get back to the state you were in when you were young." The agent said.
At this moment, Vincent suddenly remembered that he had been in contact with Calabi of the Clippers a few months ago. At that time, he had also congratulated Calabi on the second spring of his career. (See Chapter 604)
At this moment, Vincent was really moved.
…
The news that Vincent signed with the Clippers for a minimum salary did not cause much reaction. After all, he is a 38-year-old veteran. Although he is very famous, he is already in his twilight years and cannot make any waves.
What's more, before the trade deadline, several big deals broke out in the league, involving the stars of several teams. This is a deal that can change the playoff pattern. It will naturally attract attention and completely put Vincent. The matter of joining the Clippers was covered up.
However, Dai Li felt that he had obtained the last piece of the puzzle this season. When the trade deadline comes, there will be no more trades this season. If the team wants to strengthen and adjust the lineup, they can only look for it in the free agent market. The free agent market is always open. If there is a big fish, If so, he would have been transferred away by Li Dai a long time ago.
Dai Li did not put Vincent into the starting lineup, nor did he plan to adjust the current starting lineup. This is not because Vincent lacks ability and cannot enter the starting lineup. Vincent, who has recovered his 29-year-old body, has the opportunity to compete for the league's first shooting guard, and he is naturally more than enough to start.
In Li Dai's plan, Vincent will be the first point of firepower on the bench. The previous game against the Warriors exposed the weakness of the Clippers' bench lineup, which is the lack of a super scorer.
In the Clippers' rotation, although Ossef is an all-around fighter, he is not a top attacker; Karabi can shoot, rebound and block shots, but he is not an offensive insider. As for rookie Kumar, although he has great talent , but after all, he is too young. It may take another year or two to practice before he can be used as a core player.
Therefore, Dai Li needs someone with super scoring ability to serve as the end point of the rotation, so that the Clippers' rotation has strong firepower.
Vincent was obviously an excellent choice.
When the shooting guard position was born, it was all about scoring. No team in the league would let a player without scoring ability stand at the 2 position. At worst, he must be a 3-D player. Vincent, who was once a superstar, naturally does not lack scoring ability. He is also the kind of player who is proficient in all scoring methods.
More importantly, Vincent is the kind of leader-level player. He can lead the Clippers' rotation and have the final say, which is what the Clippers' rotation lacks.
It is no exaggeration to say that with the addition of Vincent, the Clippers' current rotation may be much stronger than most teams' starting lineup.
…
After the All-Star Weekend, Vincent also came to report to the Clippers. Although his teammates are all old acquaintances, he still needs to integrate into the team as quickly as possible.
The day after he came to the Clippers, Vincent received a physical training plan. In Vincent's view, this physical training plan was only more targeted and far from the magic he imagined.
The same is true in terms of training effects. After a few days of training, Vincent could not feel any improvement in his physical functions. His body was still the same as that of a 38-year-old, with no signs of rejuvenation. This made Vincent start to develop feelings for Dai Li. question.
Dai Li still looked as stable as a rock and showed full confidence. He has not used the age reduction card on Vincent, so Vincent's physical condition has naturally not returned to his youth.
In March, the Clippers' first game was at home against the Eastern Conference powerhouse Boston Celtics, and in this game, Vincent will also wear a Clippers jersey for the first time.
Before the game started, Dai Li used an age reduction card on Vincent, making him return to 29 years old.
The Celtics are also a team that plays a tactical system, and the Celtics' lineup is not weak. Although it is not as scary as the Warriors, there are also many All-Star players.
This kind of team with stars and a system is the opponent the Clippers least want to encounter.
In terms of simply playing star ball, today's Clippers are definitely No. 1 in the NBA. If they encounter a team that plays a tactical system, the Clippers can also defeat the opponent with the personal abilities of their stars.
But a team that perfectly combines this kind of tactical system with the characteristics of star players will give the Clippers a headache.
Moreover, the Celtics have a very rich talent reserve. In the past two years, the Celtics can be said to be one of the most successful teams in the NBA. Three years ago, they were a lottery team. During the year, they signed big-name stars, acquired several prime players through trades, and the rookies they selected also showed their worth. The current Celtics have experience, strength, and the vitality of young people. The lineup can be said to be perfect.
At the beginning of the game, both sides still focused on testing. It was not until about eight minutes in that both sides gradually replaced substitute players.
With one and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Vincent was finally substituted.
Vincent made his first appearance on behalf of the Clippers, and faced his "old team."
Vincent was previously sent to the Celtics as a trade addition, but the Celtics had a lot of talent at the second and third positions, so they bought Vincent out directly. From this point of view, the Celtics can also be regarded as Vincent's old club.
The Celtics' talent reserve at the second and third positions is very abundant, and it can even be said to be very crowded. This also makes the competition among players very fierce, so every player who appears on the field plays very hard. I hope they can Give the head coach the trust to stand out in the fierce competition.
In this case, the 38-year-old Vincent has become a soft persimmon in the eyes of the Celtics players and is regarded as a defensive loophole on the court. Even if the coach does not tell him, Vincent will be the main point of attack. Special body.
What's more, Celtics head coach Arnold is not a freeloader. He is a top tactician in the league. So the moment Vincent came on the court, Celtics head coach Arnold had already made tactical arrangements and switched defenses. No matter whether it's a pick-and-roll, no matter who faces Vincent, they must attack this point without hesitation.
The Celtics were sure that Vincent was old, slow to react when defending, and couldn't keep up with his footsteps, so they used him as a breakthrough.
…
In front of Vincent is a young guy. He was the No. 3 pick last year. He is only 20 years old this year, almost half the age of Vincent.
But Vincent knew that the young man in front of him should not be underestimated. In last year's rookie season, this young man had already performed like a mature star and almost won the Rookie of the Year award. In fact, with his performance He can definitely be called the Rookie of the Year, but his competitors were so good that he missed out on this honor.
"Given time, this young guy may become a superstar in the league." Vincent thought in his mind.
At this time, the young guy on the opposite side had already received the ball. Facing Vincent, he suddenly changed direction and broke through, obviously intending to use his body to force past Vincent.
Vincent immediately devoted all his attention to defense. He also knew that his 38-year-old body, whether it was speed, flexibility or footsteps, could not be compared to this 20-year-old young man. If the opponent relied on his body to eat hard, , I really can’t help it.
However, what Vincent didn't expect was that he seemed to be able to keep up with the 20-year-old strong boy in front of him!
To be precise, Vincent moves more quickly than a strong boy.
"Huh? Can I keep up with him? No, I'm faster than him! Is it because his speed is too slow?" Vincent thought to himself.
The young man opposite was also surprised. Although he was not the kind of player with explosive athletic ability, he was still confident in his physical fitness. At least he should not lose to a 38-year-old guy.
Continuous changes of direction did not shake Vincent away, which made him a little annoyed. He directly chose to break through and attack the basket. This kind of breakthrough layup is his best way to score.
With a height of 2.03 meters and a wingspan of 2.11 meters, this physical condition is perfect for a basketball player. Coupled with excellent physical fitness and superb skills, his breakthroughs will often be completed with a dunk.
But today, Vincent defended very well, leaving him no room to dunk, so he could only choose a layup.
The ball was thrown to the basket and flew to the highest point. Just when the ball was about to reach the highest point, a big hand suddenly appeared and slapped the basketball hard.
"It's covered! It can cover you all!" The young man thought in his mind. After landing, he looked intently and found that it was Vincent who covered him.
"He can jump so high!" The young man gasped.
At the same time, the big screen at the scene also showed a replay of the scene just now. Vincent jumped high and handed out a large pot. This height had almost reached the upper edge of the basket.
"Ouch..." The fans at the scene let out bursts of cheers, followed by screams.
"Oh my God, it's Vincent and he can jump so high!"
"You can still jump so high at the age of 38. Vincent started working hard on the first ball today!"
"I think Vincent should not play like this. He is already so old and if he dances like this, he will be easily injured."
The fans were talking a lot, but Vincent had a strange feeling.
He didn't find it strenuous at the height just now, but this was also what made Vincent feel strange. If it were ten years ago, this height would have been just child's play for him, and he could easily complete it. But now, he can't jump to this height even if he risks his life.
Vincent carefully recalled the jump just now. He just completed the blocking action as a conditioned reflex. He did not risk his life. Instead, from jumping to blocking to landing, this set of actions was completed. Coming down, Vincent felt very relaxed.
Just like when I was young!
"Is it possible that after these days of training, I have regained the state of my youth?" Vincent looked at his hands inexplicably, and the confidence in his heart gradually began to sprout.
…
Vincent held the ball, broke through, jumped, and dunked.
And it was a dunk from another person!
When Vincent jumped to the highest point, he vaguely felt that the basket was parallel to his line of sight.
This kind of perspective is no stranger to Vincent. In the first ten years of his career, Vincent often enjoyed this kind of perspective parallel to the basket.
And today, at the age of 38, he enjoys this perspective again.
"Clang!"
The ball was dunked into the basket, and the entire backboard was shaking as it followed.
"Oh!" The audience was excited again, especially the audience sitting behind the basket, who most intuitively felt the shocking visual effect of this dunk. They couldn't help but stand up and shouted A beast-like roar.
"Oh my god, this is not a dunk, this is flying! If you can see this ball, today's ticket price is worth it!" The commentator was so excited that he was speechless.
The big screen at the scene, as well as the broadcaster's director, kept playing this wonderful dunk. A 38-year-old player can still fly and make such a dunk. It is definitely the top of the five best shots today.
However, just two rounds later, Vincent cut to the basket and completed a two-handed pull-bar dunk after receiving the ball.
This kind of fancy action can be regarded as a performance action in the slam dunk contest. If used in normal games, it might even be a bit provocative to the opponent.
But at this time, when Vincent made such an action, no one thought that he was provoking his opponent. People only saw a 38-year-old veteran telling the world with his actions that he was not old yet and that he could already act like a young man. When he was playing like that, he also tried to fly.
Vincent is still not satisfied, he wants to fly a few more times!
As people say, he is "flying to play"!
In other words, the so-called "demigods", but tonight there is no "demigod", only "demigod"!