basketball pope

Chapter 31 [The last dance please dance with me]

For a few days, the Knicks players began to adapt to the new tactics, practiced screening moves, caught the ball and shot, and the effect was obvious.

With players on one side not running, it's a simplified version of Princeton that veterans can learn as soon as they learn.

Yang Rui's headache is that this team can't play fast breaks. Last season's players were all used to positional warfare and liked a slow pace.In particular, Ewing, Oakley, and Johnson, just like the Celtics' Big Three in 2008, depended on reducing the number of rounds to ensure efficiency and winning.

In order to speed up the rhythm, Yang Rui proposed to let Oakley play as a substitute, and Johnson took the No. 4 position, which was unanimously rejected by the coaching staff.Not only did Van Gundy find it unreliable, but other teaching assistants did not support it.

In 1997, all the strong teams fought on defense, at a slow pace, and believed in defense to win the championship. Yang Rui wanted to test the sun's future run-and-gun tactics, which was deviant and heretical.

It is difficult to understand people who are too forward-looking.For example, if someone now proposes to make a smart phone that is ultra-thin and beautiful and can connect to the Internet, then he will not be called a genius, but will only be regarded as a neurotic.

Now even if you make a Meitu Xiuxiu app, you may be accused of losing money for racial discrimination for turning black people into white people.

In the end, Van Gundy's strategy was that Ewing and Houston were the main attack points inside and outside the line. The point guard was responsible for organizing passes and opening shots. Johnson and Oakley cut from time to time. Starks continued to take the bench to ensure that Offensive firepower in the second quarter.

Well, one more side screen than last season.

The good news is that Yang Rui followed the training and got acquainted with the players soon.His age has become an advantage, without the majesty of other coaches, young players are the same age as him, veterans treat him as a younger brother, and he is not restricted in his speech, but no one asks him to help him carry bags and buy things.

At noon, Yang Rui usually eats at the team, and the work meal is more plentiful than he imagined.

The Knicks are the No. [-] giant in the NBA at present, with deep pockets and professional nutritionists in this era.Auston Perkins is in charge of diet in the training hall. He prepares a good breakfast and lunch for the players every day. Absolutely no vegetable oil.

The method is relatively simple, but the ingredients are more sophisticated, the taste is good, and the amount is large and full.

Yang Rui's life off the field is also fulfilling, reading and studying, and having a younger brother.

When Yang Rui handed over the signed jersey to Hunter Johnson, the boy immediately said that Yang Rui would be his big brother in the future.He is a thief, and it is good and harmless to recognize Yang Rui as the eldest brother, and everyone will treat him to dinner together.

Yang Rui also developed the habit of writing, and recorded some important events in his previous life, in Chinese and in cursive script, so as not to be understood by Thomas Bentley.

Not to mention Thomas, even if you look to the Chinese, it is difficult to understand Yang Rui's unique scribbled handwriting.After a long time, he could only understand half of it, and it was enough to remember what was going on.

This must be done. He does not have a superior memory. After 20 years, he may not remember many important events.

In addition, Yang Rui reads the newspaper every day, pays attention to current affairs news, makes plans and prepares for the future.

What excites him is that historical development has some inertia, big events are no different from his previous life, and his memory can definitely come in handy.

For example, on July 7, the famous fashion designer Versace was murdered in Miami.

For another example, on August 8, Princess Diana was killed in a car accident.

As long as Yang Rui does not participate in the incident, it will not cause a big butterfly effect, and the same is true for the NBA.

Before this season started, the Bulls suffered a series of blows, with infighting within the team, injuries to stars, and a bad situation for defending the title.The root of all misfortunes started from this year's draft.

Considering Pippen's age and injury concerns, the Bulls tried to trade him for Raptors rookie Tracy McGrady, but the deal was ultimately rejected by Jordan.

If it does change, although the Bulls can get a potential star in the future, they will definitely not be able to complete the three consecutive championships. McGrady is only 18 years old, and he joined the NBA after graduating from high school.

The Bulls management did not send Pippen away, and reluctantly used the league's highest annual salary of $600 million to retain Phil Jackson, the "Zen Master", and then used the astronomical annual salary of $3300 million to renew Jordan's contract and keep it intact. the core of the team.

In addition, Rodman renewed a contract that includes various incentive clauses, and the total value is close to 1000 million, which is $4900 million for these three people alone.

Ron Harper is 500 million, Kukoc is 400 million, Pippen is 300 million, not counting the bench, the annual salary of the Bulls head coach and core team exceeds 6000 million.

In the new season, the average annual salary of players is 245 million US dollars, and the salary cap is 2690 million US dollars. Jordan's salary is higher than that of [-] teams, and the salary of one regular season is higher than that of some players a year.

As a rebirth, Yang Rui felt terrified when he saw Jordan's salary. At this time, the US dollar had not depreciated. In terms of salary cap, it was equivalent to between 20 million and 7370 million US dollars in 8040 years, an astronomical figure that is absolutely unimaginable. Affordable, not sure.

Seeing everyone else signing big contracts while he was almost sent away, Pippen got angry.It's not just a question of money, it's a question of the team's respect for the players.He's a star on the Dream Team and one of the NBA's 50 greatest stars of all time.

Pippen decided to do something to express his dissatisfaction and anger.

During the 1997 finals, his foot was already injured, but after the end of the season, he did not have surgery. Not only did he not have surgery, but Pippen also ran to play two charity games, provoking general manager Klaus again and again. A fax was sent, warning him to stop this behavior immediately.

Until the new season approached, Pippen did not treat his foot injury, just to let the owner Reinsdorf and the manager Krause see: In order to get revenge, he did not hesitate to risk his own health and the opportunities of his teammates.

Now, with a foot injury, Pippen couldn't play at the start of the 1997-98 season, and team doctors say he could miss half the season.

Such an unprofessional approach caused Pippen to completely break with the management, and next season was decided.

Phil Jackson was convinced that the 1997-98 season, win or lose, would be the last year the gang worked together.On the first day of preseason training camp, the first team meeting, he sent everyone a playbook with the words on the cover: "The Last Dance."

On the surface, the Bulls are an old and weak team.Jordan will be 35, Pippen is 32, Rodman is 36 and Harper is 34.Kukoc, despite his youth, has yet to prove that he can consistently perform at a high level.As for those on the bench, they are very smart but lack talent.

Yang Rui knows that this season is the best chance for the Knicks to win the championship.Thanks to God for sending him to this wonderful age, he will definitely take his destiny into his own hands.

Bull, please join me in the last dance.

PS
(End of this chapter)