Start coaching the Thunder, starting with Westbrook

Chapter 89 Training and Interviews

Of course, although some players take a lot of shots, they are really using their personal ability to pull the defense, and the shots are difficult shots that they have to do, which can also be regarded as digesting the right to shoot.

But this kind of situation is too extreme and relatively rare, because it is difficult to encounter the kind of situation where all the teammates are lax and the coach will only act in a hurry.

In the case of double-teaming the ball and causing more local play and less play, the coach will definitely arrange responses to many situations, and it is impossible to always fail to play.

If you really can't make it, there is only one possibility, and that is that your side is too good, and this kind of coach can't help it.

And Li Sheng thinks that Durant is better than Westbrook. Durant can actually play off the ball, and with his personal characteristics, he doesn't necessarily need to run. Standing there is a turret that opponents must guard against.

In the future, the living space of basketball insiders will continue to be compressed, because there are more and more situations where the offensive end completely opens up space. If you can’t defend, you will be shot to death. Because of the characteristics of the three-pointer, rebounds are not so easy to grab.

The Warriors' five young generals have achieved the ultimate in this kind of space pulling. What's more important is that they can still defend. It is difficult to break through this infinite defense with a single-point blast.

In the end, Li Sheng even tried "one star and four shots". When Antetokounmpo was on the court, he was in charge of organizing the ball. Ibaka, Durant, Sefolosha and Ennis each occupied four positions outside the three-point line.

If there is an open space, shoot directly, or conduct a second pass.

At present, these four are the most accurate and stable three-pointers in the Thunder team. In fact, Fisher's open three-pointers are more stable, but he is not tall enough to be easily disturbed, and the defensive end will not be able to keep up.

This lineup can achieve full offense and defense, and it is also when they are on the court that they widen the point difference, so that the opponent can no longer catch up.

Although the performance in the preseason doesn't mean much, especially when the opponent is not an NBA-level team, it is a good training opportunity for a new team with a new lineup.

And, likewise, a win can boost confidence for a team's rookies.

For the rookies, internal training games and external games are not the same concept, especially this is a home game. Although it is not as good as the regular season, there are still many fans on the scene, and they also enjoy the momentum of the home court for the first time.

Of course, none of them are rookies who are new to the game, but arriving on a new stage, it is inevitable that they will be emotionally agitated.

In the future, let them adapt slowly, that is, let them get used to using this as their own motivation, and not change their mentality because they are too excited.

"Good job, guys. Okay, everyone, go take a shower first, and you need to be interviewed later..."

Of course, Li Sheng himself had to be interviewed. After all, this was the first appearance of the Thunder's new lineup. All the players showed up. Even Westbrook, who was not allowed to play, also appeared on the bench in suits and leather shoes.

And according to this game, whether you want to ask about skills and tactics or other questions, you can find your own entry point.

"Coach Li, for the first time in the new season, what do you think of the team's performance? Can you be satisfied?"

Although it was a preseason game, the Thunder, as a powerhouse in the Western Conference and with stars like Shuangjun and Shaoxing, still received a lot of attention. Besides, Li Sheng became the focus of the NBA after the finals, so many media still came to watch the game and interview.

Faced with the standard question, Li Sheng's answer was also watertight: "Because it was a preseason game, there was no sense of gunpowder. I am very grateful to Fenerbahce, who came from afar, for cooperating with us in presenting a performance to the home fans. We have a lot of things that we haven't been able to show yet.

"And we still have a core player who can't play off the court. This is not the best of us. I hope that in the future, everyone will have the opportunity to play together and strive for a common goal."

"Your common goal, do you mean the championship? I heard that when you returned to China, you told the media there?"

Since Li Sheng said so, he is not afraid of being known, so he continued to smile without thinking about it: "Of course, I think the goal of many people is to win the championship, especially last season when I followed the Spurs to touch the O'Brien Cup once. I really want to experience that feeling again."

"Do you think the Thunder's lineup in the new season can achieve this goal? You must know that you not only have to face the Heat and Spurs, but also the giant lineups of Houston and the Nets..."

Li Sheng smiled slightly and said: "Before we played, we couldn't beat any of our opponents, but no team could beat us. So we have to play to find out. I hope some teams can come to give me a blow and wake me up from this stupid self-confidence."

"Hahaha……"

This time the reporters were amused first, self-deprecating and self-deprecating are sometimes the only magic weapon to deal with interviews, to say what others say first, so that others have nothing to say.

But of course the media didn’t let him go so easily, so someone soon asked a more pointed question: “Coach Li, Weiss was also on the sidelines in this game, but we noticed that he didn’t communicate with you throughout the whole process. Is your relationship still tense?”

Li Sheng immediately frowned and said: "My relationship with Russell has never been tense. If I were to say nervous, I would be more nervous about his current injury, because if he doesn't recover from his injury as soon as possible, I'm afraid that my handsome position will be lost.

"Of course, I am luckier than other coaches. My team not only has Russell, but also KD. They are all top ten superstars in the league. The lack of any of them is a loss for the team, but at least it will not make my cards look ugly.

"It's just that KD has to work hard in the future. He may have to score the best record in the regular season behind my rookie coach's back, so that he can prove himself to those blind players who don't watch the ball and only like to spray..."

Whether it's ESPN, TNT, or ABC Sports, they will have an outlook on each team's new season before the start of the season, especially after each team's lineup is basically determined, they will speculate on each team's record.

Then the East and West rankings, playoffs, championship, and MVP, first-team players, and predictions for the scoring champion in the next season.

This kind of prediction is often slapped in the face. After all, there are various unexpected situations, especially unpredictable injuries, but the slap in the face itself is also a program effect. If you are not afraid of slapping your face, you are afraid that no one will watch it. If people watch it and have a topic, it is considered a success for the media.

As for the Thunder's forecast, most of the media and football critics are actually quite pessimistic. This pessimism is not only based on Li Sheng, a rookie coach, but he is only one of the factors.

Westbrook's injuries, Durant's pressure, and the Thunder's too young lineup are all problems.

Their "reinforcement" during the offseason is not optimistic. This offseason's operation was rated D+, just because these four rookies still seem to have certain training value, but it is simply ridiculous luxury to let a star like Durant accompany the team to train rookies.

(End of this chapter)