am i proud?

Chapter 65 Secret Talk (Today's first update)
As a workaholic, Riley basically stays in the office until after nine o'clock every night before going home.

Analyzing opponents, analyzing tactics, thinking about the next step of team building... Maybe the head coaches of other teams will not be so busy, but Riley is not only the head coach of the Heat, he is also the general manager of the team.

"Well, today's coffee is good!" Riley sipped his coffee and showed a satisfied smile.

As a person born in 1945, although "Shen Suanzi" always looks energetic and personable on the surface, he is actually an "old man" who is nearly sixty years old.

So the working hours are long... He is used to drinking this kind of bitter coffee without sugar and milk, which is the kind of tea that some petty bourgeoisie in China like to play very much.

"Pat, are you there?"

A hoarse and deep male voice came from outside the door. Even with his eyes closed, Riley could tell that the person coming was his favorite disciple Mourning, so he quickly responded, "Alonzo, I'm here, come in quickly!"

Mourning pushed the door and entered without being polite to Riley, and sat down on the sofa.

Seeing that Mourning's face was not looking well, Riley deliberately joked: "Alonzo, what's the matter with you? What's on your mind? I still have half a bottle of 1971 Romanee-Conti here. If your kidney is fine, how about we have a drink?"

(Old Wang: Ah, is there still this kind of wine? I only know Lafite in 82, what a shame...)
Mourning waved his hand and said, "Pat, you should drink alone! Although my kidney is fine, I don't want to drink today!"

"It seems that you are really in a bad mood!" Riley smiled and poured himself a small glass of red wine, shaking the goblet slightly, "Is it because of your poor performance in these few games?"

Mourning raised his head and asked, "Pat, do you think I will never be able to return to my peak?"

"No!" Riley said immediately, "I don't think so!"

"Pat, I don't want to lie to you, and I don't want to lie to myself!" Mourning's eyes seemed to be foggy, and his eyes were a little confused. "In these few games, I clearly feel...I'm really not as strong as before. I have lost the dominance I used to have in the paint. This feeling is terrible!"

Riley frowned and said, "Alonzo, listen to me... You haven't played well these few games, so you doubt yourself. Believe me, you just haven't recovered, just wait for a few more games!"

Mourning shook his head and said, "No, my feeling can't be wrong! Pat, you've been retired for so long, I'm afraid you've forgotten what it's like to be a player."

Riley smiled and took a sip of red wine, and said, "Maybe you're right! But I've been a coach for almost 20 years, and I've seen thousands of players. Many of them experienced the same situation as you after major injuries, but then they all recovered, and you are no exception!"

Mourning pondered for a moment, and said, "But they were all due to sports injuries, and I... got a kidney transplant! Pat, has anyone in the NBA ever returned to the top after a kidney transplant? No!"

Riley put down his glass, sat on the sofa opposite Mourning and asked, "Alonzo, do you really feel that you can't return to the top? Are you willing?"

Mourning waved his arm fiercely and said angrily: "I'm not reconciled! But... so what if I'm not reconciled? I'm 31 years old this year, and even if I haven't undergone a kidney transplant operation, my condition will probably decline slowly! Although I really don't want to admit it, I have to make this suggestion to you..."

After a slight pause, Mourning said dejectedly: "Pat, let me play as a substitute! I can still make some contributions by playing 20 minutes per game. If I play more time...I'm afraid I will be a burden on the court instead!"

Riley couldn't help sitting up straight, and said seriously, "Alonzo, are you serious?"

Mourning said: "That's right! Pat, I believe you have already observed that the Heat have not played well in the few games I have come back. Tim, Eddie and Anthony have all become unable to play! I know why, because I am on the court, they always want to pass the ball to me first!"

Mourning clenched his hands tightly into fists, as if expressing his dissatisfaction: "The team played very well this season, and they all did a good job...I don't want the team's chemistry to collapse because of me! Pat, promise me, let the team continue to play like before, and let Darling Wang and Tim organize the offense together. Only in this way can we hope to win the championship!"

Riley stared at Mourning, unwilling to make a sound for a long time.

He knew Mourning loved the city of Miami, and the Heat even more, just as he did.

He regards the Heat as his home and the Heat's players as his family.

If you ask who wants the Heat to win the championship this season, Riley believes that Mourning is definitely more eager than himself.

This is an "iron-blooded tough guy" who regards basketball as his life, and he values ​​honor more than anything else.Compared with the championship, what does personal data count?What's the point of being the boss of the team?
"Pat, promise me? I beg you!"

When Mourning said this sentence with tears in his eyes, Riley could no longer maintain a smiling expression, and his eye sockets were also red...

a long time……

"Okay! I promise you!" Riley finally said slowly, his voice turned out to be a little hoarse, "I will arrange you to play as a substitute in the rest of the regular season of this season, and I will also let the team return to the previous offensive tactics according to your suggestion. But in the playoffs, you must be ready to play as a starter at any time..."

After a slight pause, Riley whispered: "When it comes to the playoffs, I absolutely believe that you are more reliable than anyone on the team!"

When the head star of the team gave up his personal data, his tactical status, and even the playing time he should have enjoyed... the sacrifice he made was really too great!
When Mourning quietly left the office, Riley drank the red wine in the glass in one gulp, feeling the sweet and sour wine in his mouth, but he seemed to feel a little bitter.

In 1995, Riley left New York and came to Miami with his infamy. On the opening night of the regular season on November 11 of that year, he made a deal that shocked the entire league.

The Heat sent Glenn Rice, Matt Geiger and Rivers in exchange for Pat Meyer, Leron Ellis and All-Star center Alonzo Mourning from the Hornets.

He has always liked to build a team with a super center as the core. Without Mourning, how could the Heat have made it to the playoffs in a few years?

In the past two years, the "Four Major Centers of the 90s" except for O'Neill, the other three have shown signs of fatigue, and Olajuwon and Ewing are even more old.

In addition, Dikembe Mutombo, who once competed with Mourning for the title of "the fifth largest center in the 90s", is still in a strong state, but Mourning suddenly fell off the top due to kidney disease.

You must know that last season he was also selected to the second team of the best team and the first team of the best defensive team!

And he was the Defensive Player of the Year last season...

Tonight, he came to tell his coach: "Let me play as a substitute..."

Riley sat there blankly for an hour, finally let out a long breath, took out the team's lineup list from the drawer, and drew a big circle on the name "Wang Dalin" with a pen...

(End of this chapter)