Healing Basketball

Chapter 845 845. Necessary Emptiness
On February 2007, 2, the Trail Blazers officially released two non-guaranteed contract players.

Although the two have been with the Trail Blazers this season, they only played 73 minutes together, which is only more than the "second center in the East" Milicic played more than half a season under Larry Brown. 2 minutes.

However, the two of them can stay in the Trail Blazers for so long, purely because of Paul Allen's "human touch after winning the championship".

If you don't win the championship, the players love to leave and can change at any time.

But winning the championship is different, and winning two consecutive championships is even more different.

Paul Allen doesn't want to change players this season if he doesn't have to change the lineup.

Fortunately for the vice president, their lineup is good enough, and their age structure is actually not bad, but the past two years have been too tiring, and the self-discipline of the inside core is comparable to that of the former No. The big dog fights against each other.

Occasionally, he hopes that the boss will have a brain twitch, and then he has enough reasons to "overhead" the boss with the coach. It's exciting to think about it... two-time vice president, at worst, he will be fired, and he will not worry about finding a next job.

After laying off two non-guaranteed contract players, the Trail Blazers announced the signing of Eddie Jones, who reached a buyout agreement with the Grizzlies during the All-Star break.

This season, due to injuries, Eddie Jones did not play for a while at the beginning. After his comeback, the team has entered a dilemma where the head coach resigned, the record collapsed, and teammates competed for the right to shoot. The team' blended in, and he couldn't compete for the right to scrimmage the ball. Ever since, he played 29 games this season. For the first time in his career, his scoring average fell below 10 points per game, with only 5.9 points, 2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 steal.

But he was the starting small forward for the Grizzlies last season, averaging 11.8 points per game and making two three-pointers per game.

The Grizzlies are so rotten that they rank last in the Western Conference. The management wants to reduce the salary below the luxury tax threshold. This season, Eddie Jones, who holds the Grizzlies' highest $1486 million, was killed during the All-Star Weekend. The Grizzlies amnesty with the Houston clause.

Eddie Jones, who is close to 1500 million US dollars, is a junk contract, but Eddie Jones, who only requires a basic salary, is a proper piece of meat and potatoes, and has been sought after by various championship teams in the past few days.

The major media have predicted Eddie Jones' next home. Not many people expected him to join the Trail Blazers!
...

Not to mention others, the Blazers management itself was quite surprised.

This year, their prison team has a new nickname-the Portland Prospects.

In the middle of this season, many veterans bought out and changed teams. The Trail Blazers contacted them all, but they were all declined.

When contacting Eddie Jones, John Nash basically had no hope, but the other party was very interested. After talking for a few days, he really signed it...

At noon on the 26th, after Eddie Jones signed with John Nash in Memphis, he left Memphis for Minneapolis directly, communicated with the coaching staff until midnight, and joined the team training early the next morning.

Liu Xiu was pleasantly surprised that the new aid was so active.

It is always good to have multiple players, and he is a veteran with more than ten years of experience in the game, which is just right at this time.

Of course, he didn't pin his hopes on a 35-year-old veteran who joined halfway. It's just that a newcomer finally came to the village, and he is still a very reliable player, so there will always be expectations.

As for the two 'sparing partners' leaving the team and seeing the teammates leave every day, Liu Xiu will still feel a little sad... Mainly for Luke Simchel, the 216 cm big center, it is difficult to find a job in the NBA now , the 'Shark Bonus' can no longer be eaten.

As for Jeremy Richardson, a basketball enthusiast who can only go home and inherit the family business, Liu Xiu thinks he should do whatever he wants.

The addition of new aid has little impact on the Trail Blazers team. Not surprisingly, an insider will be introduced later to increase manpower.

After a day of preparation, at 7 p.m., the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves faced off at Target Center.

The game was very intense. The Timberwolves once led the Trail Blazers by 11 points, but under the leadership of Liu Xiu, the Trail Blazers recovered the score.

In the second half of the fourth quarter, Liu Xiu scored two consecutive three-pointers from the outside, added a counter-attack dunk, a mid-range emergency stop jumper, and a three-pointer was fouled and made all three free throws... During the half quarter, Liu Xiu Show made 3 of 6 shots and soared 4 points. He single-handedly withstood the Timberwolves' counterattack.

30投15中，其中三分球5中2，加上6中5的罚球，刘秀拿到37分14板7助攻3抢断1盖帽，率领开拓者队以104比100险胜森林狼队，将战绩提升至43胜14负！
The newcomer Eddie Jones got 9 minutes of playing time, 3 of 2 shots, 4 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. His performance was not bad. The two points in the open space were quite stable. He had rich defensive experience, shrinking defenses, retreating and commanding formations They all have a set.

After playing the Timberwolves, the Trail Blazers came to Atlanta in the east, rested for a night, and the new month arrived.

On the morning of March 3, the league announced the latest Best of the Month awards.

Rookie of the month.

East: Sheldon Williams of the Hawks, averaging 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

West: Rudy Gay of the Warriors, averaging 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Coach of the Month:
East: Magic coach Brian Hill; West: Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

Player of the Month:
东部：奇才队的阿里纳斯，7胜4负，场均34.1分4板6助攻1.9抢断。

西部：马刺队的托尼-帕克，10胜0负，场均21.9分1.8板10.9助攻1.1抢断，投篮命中率49.3%，近距离投篮命中率70.6%……

After seeing the announcement of the awards, Liu Xiu lit an 86-year cigar, which was the best of the month for three consecutive months.

He knows that this is normal, 10 consecutive 40+ will be broken, 3 consecutive monthly best will be broken, and there must be emptiness after the climax... But it is very uncomfortable!

At 6 o'clock in the evening, at the Phillips Arena, the Trail Blazers' away game against the Eagles started.

With 22 wins and 36 losses, the Eagles are still a small team, but they have broken away from the ranks of bad teams, and they are getting better year after year under the leadership of Mike Woodson.

Joe Johnson has become an average 25+ scorer per game, ranking among the top in the league.

Against the Blazers, who were eager to win but overconfident and arrogant, the Eagles played quite well.

首节老鹰队便以24比15领先开拓者队9分，第二节又以27比22再度拉开5分分差，半场领先开拓者队14分。

In the third quarter, Liu Xiu and McDyess hit the pick-and-roll and broke through. After breaking into the inside line, they succeeded in attacking the defensive frame against Josh Smith, helping the team open the situation.

On the last attack of the third quarter, Liu Xiu caught the ball from close range and threw it directly, making a hollow hit, helping the Trail Blazers narrow the point difference to single digits!
(End of this chapter)