RNP Chapter 1139 Get to Know Me? Shouldn't you win once in the playoffs first?
Chapter 1139 Get to Know Me? Shouldn't you win once in the playoffs first?
The Celtics' failure to break through in the playoffs last season, the team's strong roster, and the team's inability to make breakthroughs year after year despite huge salary expenditures were not the real reasons why Rivers was fired.
What truly drove Ainge to his breaking point and led to his firing by the team was the collapse of the Celtics' locker room.
When Howard made numerous remarks after the season that negatively impacted the team's image, and when he clearly broke ties with the team, stating that Duncan was more important than him, Rivers' Celtics career essentially came to an end.
After all, the reason why Ainge could tolerate the team's inability to fully realize its potential was twofold: firstly, because the team had already won a championship, and secondly, because he believed that one of Rivers' greatest strengths was mediating conflicts within the locker room.
He believes that with Rivers on the team, even if they don't win the championship, they can at least maintain a good chemistry.
Danny Ainge was well aware of the conflict between Howard and Duncan, or rather, Howard's one-sided animosity towards the team's veterans. He had spoken with Howard, Duncan, and others, and had countless meetings with Rivers.
Every time, Rivers would confidently assure everyone that there was no chance of a locker room explosion with him there.
But the result?
The outburst was utterly and completely unreserved, a direct and public attack on the team and the locker room.
Angie could never tolerate something like this.
The team doesn't even require you to lead them to a championship anymore, and you can't even keep an eye on the locker room?
It was precisely because of this that Ainge did not hesitate to announce Rivers' dismissal early on, and then brought in Karl, who had been dismissed from the Nuggets.
He felt that since Rivers wasn't working, they should replace him with a renowned veteran coach and see if the old man could bring some changes to the team.
Then, Angie originally wanted to try to persuade Howard to stay.
After all, given the choice, no one wants to trade away a top center in the league during his prime years.
After all, no matter how generous or satisfying the assets Angie receives in return, a deal of this magnitude is almost certainly a losing proposition.
There are only a handful of top-tier players like that. Where are you going to find players of the same caliber to trade with?
The most valuable asset in the league will always be the superstar players.
It's not that exchanging large bills for smaller ones is always a loss, but rather that it's a long-term investment. You have to wait for the draft picks to gradually materialize and for the potential newcomers you acquire to grow.
Of course, rebuilding a team can take a long-term approach and completely rebuild from scratch. But given the current situation of the Celtics, with Duncan, Parker, and others still in the late stages of their prime, is it really appropriate to just start from scratch like this?
Who could bear to part with that?
Could we trade Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili directly?
That would be equivalent to rebuilding the system and redefining the tactics, which is not much different from tearing it down and rebuilding.
Just as Ainge was thinking about how to persuade Howard to change his mind and play properly, James delivered a crucial assist.
James also requested that the team trade him to a team with championship potential.
What a coincidence! What a coincidence!
For the Mavericks, their situation is exactly the same as the Celtics'!
Nowitzki is still at his peak, and it would be a shame for them to completely rebuild. However, no matter how much they get in return for trading for James, they can't acquire the same level of fighting power as James.
With both sides having their own needs, needing to trade young superstars, and neither wanting to rebuild, the framework for this trade was thus formed!
Howard and James were swapped.
Both teams quickly restructured, replacing their biggest destabilizing factors and acquiring a top-tier star in the league.
However, the Celtics made even bigger changes, as they replaced Howard and also changed their head coach.
Tonight is the Celtics' first public test.
As the first quarter progressed, Karl's transformation of the team became quite evident.
The team has reduced its previous low-post isolation plays and slow, deliberate style of play centered around the inside players.
Instead, they made James the absolute core, with him controlling the ball, organizing the offense, and leading the attack.
As for Duncan, he focused more on setting screens, picks and rolls, and playmaking. In the first quarter, Duncan played for 8 minutes before going to the bench to rest, but he only executed one low-post isolation play.
The Celtics' tactical focus has visibly shifted towards the perimeter.
Or rather, it's shifting towards James.
Because Parker was also marginalized, this guard, who needs the ball in his hands to make breakthroughs and passes to exert his power, was at a loss in the first quarter with the ball being concentrated in James's hands.
He didn't get many offensive opportunities, his catch-and-shoot ability wasn't very good, and his three-point shot was always one of his weaknesses.
"The Celtics are completely different from last season!" Van Gundy concluded after watching the first quarter of the game from the commentary booth. "They're completely different! Their pace, style, and game plan are all diametrically opposed to last season."
"Last season's core players have been marginalized, and James has become the absolute core of this team."
"It's hard to say whether this change is good or bad at the moment, and it's also difficult to determine how far the Celtics can go with this new style of play. What we can see now is that the Celtics and the Lakers went back and forth in the first quarter, and neither side could gain the upper hand."
"So far, the Celtics' transformation seems pretty good."
Jackson added, "However, although Parker and Duncan have less ball possession and their tactical importance has declined, this may not necessarily be a bad thing for them. After all, they are not young anymore, and less pressure can help extend their careers."
"That's not necessarily true," Miller followed up. "In the first quarter alone, Duncan and James ran pick-and-roll plays at least three times, and putting aside the success rate, just look at Duncan's knees and injury history."
"Making him play ten or twenty times in a single match is like killing him. It's hard to say whether it will extend his career or end it."
"So compared to the original core players, the role players are the ones who benefited the most from this trade."
"Taking the starting players as an example, Bass and Bradley both got a lot of opportunities to complete their individual offensive plays, and they proved once again that as long as you are paired with James, as long as you run and move, opportunities will definitely come."
"As long as you can shoot and cut to the basket, LeBron will give you a big contract."
"In the Celtic world, this law will almost certainly continue."
After analyzing the Celtics, Van Gundy changed the subject and began analyzing the Lakers.
"Strictly speaking, the Lakers have been reducing their roster this offseason. Terry left as a free agent, Murphy retired, and two of the Lakers' main rotation players left last season. However, the Lakers didn't make any trades or sign any free agents."
"They chose not to change and did not fill the gaps in their roster."
"But surprisingly, at least during the preseason, the Lakers' roster was still sufficient even without any additions. Both Thomas and Clark have the potential and energy to become the protagonist and save the team on certain nights."
"However, so far tonight, the Lakers' two highly anticipated young stars haven't been able to deliver any particularly impressive performances. Because there simply haven't been enough minutes."
"We still need to watch and continue to observe. For example, the beginning of the second quarter is a good opportunity to observe, because both sides will enter a rotation phase during this time, and more role players will come on the court."
"Let's see how both sides arrange their lineups, and whether the substitutes can deliver an impressive performance!"
Jackson said, "The first quarter ended in a tie, 27-27! Both teams are in good shape and haven't shown any particularly obvious weaknesses or vulnerabilities yet."
"The Lakers are still playing to their strengths in having multiple scoring options and multiple players who can handle the ball. In the first quarter, they focused on Kobe, letting him use his height advantage to bully the 191cm Bradley. Karl hasn't made any special arrangements for this yet."
"Kobe was in superb form in the first quarter, scoring 11 points."
Miller said, "However, the Celtics also used Duncan's dominance and advantage over Bynum, as well as James's energy as a newcomer, and played quite well. Duncan scored 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in a single quarter, and James also had 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Both of them played very well."
"In particular, Duncan has many roles that cannot be reflected in the statistics, such as pick-and-roll, playmaking, and drawing the Lakers' defense to create offensive space for the perimeter players. At present, James will be the Celtics' obvious core."
"And Duncan will remain their guardian angel and the soul of the team."
The break time quickly came to an end, and with the commentators' analysis, both teams' players returned to the field.
After the first quarter, both teams entered a rotation phase. For the Lakers, Lin Tian and Bynum continued to play, while Kobe, Durant, and Barnes, the three starters, went to the bench to rest.
For the Celtics, James played the entire first quarter and is now resting on the bench, while Parker and Duncan continue to lead the bench players.
"This feels much more familiar." Lin Tian said with a smile as he dribbled the ball forward. "It's the familiar feeling when the two of you are together. It's just a pity that Manu is missing."
"Familiar, yet powerful!" Parker said confidently, lowering his center of gravity as he looked at Lin Tian. "We are just as familiar with you."
"Are you misunderstanding Tony? Or have you forgotten who I am because you haven't faced me in the playoffs for the past few years?" Lin Tian said with an expression that seemed to say, "Are you crazy?" "When I say familiar, I mean the kind of familiarity where I beat you down without you being able to fight back."
"You guys should at least beat me once in the playoffs, or at the very least, lose to me a few more times before saying that, right? You haven't even lost to me that many times; you've been eliminated every year since you haven't even faced me."
"How dare you say that although you're familiar with them, they're still very strong?"
"Did our focus on Kobe in the first quarter give you the wrong impression?" Lin Tian said, turning his body to the side as if to use his body to hit Parker. Parker, who had been hit by Lin Tian countless times in his life, immediately steadied himself and carefully guarded against the impact that Lin Tian was about to make.
But who knew that Parker had just gotten into a proper stance when Lin Tian had already accelerated.
He suddenly turned and accelerated, passing right by Parker in a sidestep.
Same recipe, same method!
As the saying goes, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names. Someone named Michael Jordan might just be a fat white guy who loves fries and burgers, but someone nicknamed "French Sports Car" must be incredibly fast and agile.
Yet, even this Parker couldn't mount any effective defense against Lin Tian's accelerated breakthrough.
Parker is certainly not a great defender, but defense has never been his weakness. However, when facing Lin Tian, his defensive ability is really no different from that of those high school students.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Tian had already gotten past Parker and entered the heart of the Celtics' defense. While dribbling, he observed the situation. When he saw that Duncan was not ready to come over to help defend, Lin Tian calmly stopped and took a short floater close to the basket.
"Whoosh!"
With a two-pointer, the Lakers got off to a winning start in the second quarter.
When the Celtics were on offense, the ball finally came into Parker's hands. Parker dribbled to the frontcourt, feeling frustrated by Lin Tian's trash talk and the fact that he was almost constantly being pressured.
Regardless of his relationship with Lin Tian, and regardless of how huge and insurmountable Lin Tian is in his heart, Parker is still an All-Star level player and a top-tier star who has been selected for the All-Star team multiple times.
He certainly has the temper he's supposed to have!
Faced with Lin Tian's close and tight defense, Parker didn't wave for his teammates to screen or make runs. Instead, he chose to accelerate and charge straight at Lin Tian, driving all the way to the edge of the three-second zone.
Although Lin Tian's footwork was incredibly fast and blocked Parker's path to further cut inside, Parker showed no fear or intention to back down. After driving as far as possible into the paint, Parker suddenly slammed the ball in, then turned around and grabbed the ball with his left hand, ready to go for a layup.
This move, where he suddenly turns and finishes with a layup after a dunk, is one of Parker's signature moves. This move has been instrumental in his ability to maintain an extremely high finishing percentage under the basket for so many years.
But this time, he was facing Lin Tian!
Just as Parker confidently completed his turn and shot, a large hand accurately pressed down on the basketball before Parker could even release it.
"Snapped!"
With a crisp sound, the basketball flew out immediately.
Who else could have delivered the blood-stained cap but Lin Tian?
Parker's signature layup was slapped away by Lin Tian and sent flying beyond the three-point line.
"Have you forgotten what I said?" After blocking the shot, Lin Tian didn't rush to leave the court, but looked at Parker and said, "I know you very well, Tony. I know how you like to play and how you're used to breaking through."
"If you want to score against me, you'll have to put in 12 points of effort! Otherwise, you'll just be a background character."
"The good news is, there's only one game today, so this will definitely be in the top ten! You're welcome."
"Of course, if you're not satisfied with the result of this shot, you can try again. Next time, I'll block it even better. Next time, I'll turn around a little slower, jump higher, and swatt the basketball away at the highest point. How about that? Isn't that more exciting?"
As Lin Tian spoke, the distance between him and Parker grew further and further.
It wasn't because Lin Tian was so fast that he could actually trash talk while speeding down the road and still manage to create distance between himself and Parker.
Lin Tian could certainly do that, but not this time.
It was because after Lin Tian blocked the shot, he stood almost motionless, confidently looking at the frontcourt, while Parker, after regaining his footing, immediately accelerated, wanting to participate in the defense and pay for his mistake.
"Don't bother, Tony. Can't you see I'm not moving?" Lin Tian added kindly, watching Parker get further and further away from him. Then, he smiled and watched as Parker helplessly returned to the frontcourt and stood next to him.
"Why won't you listen to advice?" Lin Tian said to Parker, "I already told you it's too late, my little brother is very fast!"
The "little brother" Lin Tian was referring to was Isaiah Thomas, who came off the bench and played as one of the two point guards with him!
Isaiah Thomas at least demonstrated his preseason energy in the very first game of this season opener!
The ball that Lin Tian had just blocked came right into his hands. He immediately turned around and accelerated, rushing towards the frontcourt without a care in the world!
He was already fast and had a low chassis, and now when he dribbled the ball up the court, his speed was even more astonishing. Not to mention Parker chasing him from under the basket, even if he started at the same time as Thomas from beyond the three-point line, he might not be able to keep up with Thomas's speed.
His frantic sprint seemed more like an effort to do his best and leave the rest to fate. By the time he got inside his own three-point line, Thomas had already made a fast break layup.
Being blown away and blocked, watching helplessly as the young man completely outpaced him in his strongest area—speed—Parker was in a terrible mood.
What's worse, he didn't even have time to feel sad or disappointed because his teammate's pass came again.
He will have to face Lin Tian again.
"Give the ball to Tim, Tony. I'm just giving you a friendly reminder. If you pass it out, at least you won't miss, right?" As soon as Lin Tian saw Parker get the ball, he immediately set up a defensive stance and looked at Parker, saying, "I've done everything I could, Tony. I've already shown you the brightest path."
"If you don't leave, don't blame me for being a bad friend."
Parker didn't talk back this time, but he genuinely didn't want to pass the ball to Duncan.
He was completely unaware of this little thought in his mind, or rather, he was completely unaware that he had inexplicably developed this idea of "I just don't want Lin Tian to see through me."
Even though Duncan had already gotten into position under the basket, Parker's pass was still directed to the side.
Danny Green!
The Lakers' backup forward, Green, who was brought in this summer, received the ball smoothly, but he didn't have many opportunities to shoot. The Lakers' defense was still quite effective at this moment.
Green doesn't hold onto the ball too long. He knows his role and abilities, and he knows how to play on the court. This is one of the reasons why he was able to make a name for himself and play in the league for more than ten years.
They have self-awareness!
Especially on the offensive end.
Green would never make choices on offense that would put him in a difficult position. Seeing that he had no chance to shoot after receiving the ball, Green did not hesitate and passed the ball to Duncan, who was already in position in the low post.
But by then it was obviously too late to pass the ball.
If Parker had passed the ball directly to Duncan, Duncan, who was in a comfortable position, wouldn't even need to dribble; he could have simply raised the ball high and sent it into the basket.
But now, because of Parker's inexplicable little trick, the Celtics made an extra pass and missed the best opportunity, as Bynum had already held off Duncan.
To avoid a three-second violation, Duncan had to step out of the three-second zone. He was further away from the basket, Bynum's defense was in position, and the Lakers' defense was ready.
Duncan could only hold the ball in the low post, look for contact, and then probe Bynum's defensive focus before finally pushing his way into the paint. After a series of turns, fakes, and a change of footwork, Duncan managed to score with difficulty.
Although both scores are 2 points, and both can be scored.
But the impact on Duncan was completely different.
If it were a 25-year-old Duncan, perhaps this change wouldn't make much of a difference.
Don't forget, Duncan is also 37 years old this year.
For Duncan now, such unnecessary exertion is something he should avoid if possible. (End of Chapter)