Start coaching the Thunder, starting with Westbrook

Chapter 81 Lineup Confirmation
Because of last season's loss, whether it's James or Wade, they will definitely have more pressure next season. If they can't turn the pressure into motivation, they will only be crushed to pieces in the end.

Of course, there have been no new stars in the East that can challenge James’ status in recent years. On the contrary, there are some "five-star eagles" and garbage brothers who have been suppressed by James. In fact, it can be seen from the quality of the stars. The best stars in the East are all in the Heat.
After all, basketball is a sport that is more influenced by stars and superstars than football. Especially in the playoffs, when the gap between superstars and ordinary stars widens, it can often determine the outcome of the game.

But as I said before, as long as he can get through the West and reach the finals, Li Sheng doesn't think the teams in the East will be a threat, whether it's the Heat or not.

Among the other teams in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies are the ones that can bring the biggest challenge to the Thunder for the time being. Their lineup also remains stable, with black and white bears on the inside, Conley + Tony Allen on the outside, and Prince. The team's style of play is extremely restrained against the Thunder.

Especially Durant's performance in the face of the Grizzlies in the past is indeed disappointing, and it is easy to feel uncertain about it.

And Li Sheng's main idea of ​​adjusting the team also comes from here. For teams like the Grizzlies and Spurs, Westbrook is definitely better than Durant, but Westbrook has weaknesses after all, and Durant needs to make up for it at this time.

If the two young players can really complement each other, instead of you playing each other, the Thunder's offense will definitely become stronger.

This is actually a bit like Kobe at his peak when he played against the Spurs. His breakthrough and mid-range are just divided between Westbrook and Durant, so how to make good use of the "Dewey pick-and-roll" to increase their cooperation, supplemented by the external containment of role players, is a killer move that Li Sheng must carefully consider and practice in the new season.

Of course, if Antetokounmpo can really practice through this season, then he can definitely be used to surprise opponents in the playoffs.

The day-to-day training during the offseason was monotonous, but the time actually passed quickly, and Li Sheng and Udoka also took Collins to find Popovich, extorted two bottles of red wine from him, and went to chat with Duncan who started training.

Then in mid-September, Li Sheng brought everyone in the team back to Oklahoma City, ready to start the work of the new season, especially the team's joint training.

Other players have also started training one after another before, and even veterans like Perkins and Fisher have begun to appear in the arena.

After the training camp in the holy city, Durant and the three rookies each had their own growth and gains, especially after being PUAed by Li Sheng's words, Durant actually began to grit his teeth and survive Leonard's double-team "trial".

But after all, training is training, and the effect in actual combat is another matter.

Anyway, after returning to training, Antetokounmpo, Ennis, Robertson, and Sefolosha can take turns to come, it doesn't matter.

And this time I came back early, on the one hand to inspect the players, and on the other hand, of course, to prepare for the new season and prepare to determine the final tactical play.

Especially the running-in of the team, there is still more than a month waiting for them. At this time, they can practice more tactics and cultivate the tacit understanding of the players.

Especially the rookies, including Gobert who did not participate in the training camp. He has returned to the team to start training before. How to integrate them into the team and give full play to their advantages is also a problem that the coaching staff must carefully consider.

After all, the Thunder's lineup hasn't changed much this season. The only change is the addition of four of them.

This is also the reason why Li Sheng didn't start arranging team training too early. Even if the rookies make progress, the new season will definitely start with the old players.

It's just that considering Westbrook's inability to play, the starting point guard for the new season may fall on Reggie.

Reggie's style of play is similar to that of Westbrook, even the fact that he is easy to get ahead. Without Westbrook's strength and Westbrook's disease, it is no wonder that he was displaced later.

The key point is that this girl has a big temper, and she is quite dissatisfied with Westbrook, so it can only be said that she doesn't have many pens.

Reggie is an offensive point guard. To put it bluntly, he has no organizational skills. At most, he can make a breakthrough point. This can be handed over to Durant or even Antetokounmpo.

This is actually one of the reasons why Li Sheng did not intend to directly heal Westbrook's injury. He needs the team to adapt to the absence of Westbrook, and at the same time let Westbrook see what the team's correct style of play should be.

Although Durant plays singles with a stick, he can still play in the system after all, and Westbrook really has no effect except holding the ball in his hands. Letting him catch and shoot will weaken his role and threat-in short, he can't play without the ball.

Li Sheng didn't expect Westbrook to learn to play without the ball just by watching him off the court, but at least let him have a heart that wants to change, won't the rest be left to him (the system)?

At this time, Westbrook has only played five seasons, especially with Durant. He has not yet brought his brush attributes to the extreme. If he wants to change from this time, there is still a chance.

Not only is the offensive end increased off the ball, but the defensive end also needs to know how to defend against off the ball. This is especially important in the future small ball era. After all, this is what the biggest opponent, the Warriors, is good at.

There are currently three point guards on the team, except for the injured Westbrook, only Reggie and Fisher are left.

However, Fisher is old, has more experience, and lacks ability, so the substitute lineup happens to be a good opportunity for Antetokounmpo to practice organization.

And this just complements the starting style of play, Antetokounmpo has become a "little Durant".

Li Sheng's ideas were naturally confirmed one by one during the training camp, especially in the team's internal training match. For the first time, he arranged a battle between the confirmed starting lineup and the substitute lineup. There is no doubt that the substitute team suffered a disastrous defeat, but it was not without bright spots.

For example, Antetokounmpo finally showed his offensive and organizational attributes, and at the same time, with the defensive lineup of four rookies, it can protect Fisher's defensive weakness, and it also makes the offense of the starting lineup quite anxious.

Almost relying on Durant's singles to win, the many passes arranged before the game were not able to be played at all.

Because Antetokounmpo's footsteps, movement and defense speed are too fast, and except for Durant in the starting lineup, it is difficult for anyone else to hit the shot under interference-even the size is basically a circle smaller than them.

How can you play well when you don't have a physical advantage, or you can't bring out some of your advantages when your shots are inaccurate?

Especially Reggie and Perkins, these two have become offensive black holes. The opportunities for double-teaming Durant to them are three-pointers from the corner and missed baskets.

It has to be said that Perkins' current performance is really bad. It may also be that last season ended too early. After that, he has not practiced, or even not exercised. He has been eating, drinking and having fun. Now his figure has been seriously out of shape.

Of course, he has always had such a "meaty" figure. Whether he is in the champion Celtics or the Thunder team, he always acts as a meat shield. He occasionally eats cakes. He is a blue-collar worker and has never had the ability to attack independently.

(End of this chapter)