In the Clippers locker room before the last game.
Steve Kerr was browsing the web page nervously on his phone.
Mike Dunleavy was pacing aside and asked, "How is the situation in Dallas?"
Cole said: "The Hornets led the Mavericks by 2 points at halftime... Schette, the Mavericks are not going to give up in this game, right?"
Dunleavy said: "I don't know if the Mavericks will release the water, but we will definitely release the water in this game, and then we will lose ourselves!"
Cole said: "How about I talk to Mr. Smart and we can't let this go. Although it's not a good idea to play the Lakers in the first round, it's better than not even making it to the playoffs. If that's the case, we All the efforts are in vain.”
Kim Hughes said from the side: "I guess Mr. Smart will not agree. Otherwise, our starting lineup will be substitutes. If the game does not go well, we can go to the main lineup again."
Dunleavy shook his head and said: "It's impossible for the players to get out of this state. And everyone knew before the game that they didn't want to win. In the middle of the game, they suddenly told them that they were going to win. The players are not robots. They can't win like this!" "
"It's too risky for Mr. Smart to do this. We should still win this game. If we play the Lakers, we will play the Lakers. We played the Lakers last season, so we can get revenge!"
"That's right, the Los Angeles Derby is coming again, a battle of revenge, there is no better script than this!"
Today is the last game day in the NBA, and all duels will end today.
The game between the Clippers and Grizzlies is at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time.
An hour later than the game in Dallas.
Therefore, when the third quarter of the game between the Mavericks and the Hornets started, the game between the Clippers and the Grizzlies had almost just begun.
If the Mavericks defeat the Hornets, then it doesn't matter whether the Clippers win or lose in this game, they will definitely make the playoffs.
But at the end of the first half, the Hornets, who were trying to make the playoffs, tried their best to win a victory in Dallas.
They led the Mavericks by two points 60:58, and the situation was very serious for the Clippers.
Before the game started, Min Congda gave a death order. This game can only be lost, not won!
Even if they don't make the playoffs, the Clippers are not allowed to win, which makes the coaching staff and players very confused.
The Clippers had a slow start at the beginning of the season, but began to catch up in the middle, and a wave of winning streak brought the team to the playoffs.
The competition in the Western Conference playoffs is very fierce, and the competition for rankings in the regular season is even more fierce.
Last season, the Clippers only entered the playoffs with 50 wins. You must know that the Celtics who entered the finals in the Eastern Conference only had 50 wins.
Coaches such as Dunleavy and Kerr don't understand it, and neither do the players.
After a season of hard work, is it going to end like this, making wedding clothes for others?
However, Min Congda has extremely high authority in the team, and Dunleavy and others no longer dare to disobey him.
Only Steve Kerr was still a little dissatisfied. He said: "I will go to Mr. Smart now and ask him to change his mind. Although we have agreed to play the Spurs in eighth, we cannot do it just to fall to eighth. In the end, we couldn’t even make the playoffs!”
"That's right, we can replace the main force as soon as possible after the start, and everyone will go all out to win. This is the safest way!"
Cole was about to leave the locker room to find Min Congda. The door to the locker room opened and Min Congda came in.
As soon as Min Congda entered the door, the players who were sitting there all stood up, and for a moment they were like a forest of giants.
In order to accommodate these giants, NBA locker rooms are built very large and very high.
Coaches such as Cole, Dunleavy, and Kim Hughes are also big men who are 1.9 meters and over two meters tall.
Min Congda, who is 175cm tall, stood inside like a child.
But his momentum is the most powerful, and everyone follows his lead.
Min Congda looked at the players, then at Dunleavy and Cole, and said: "What's wrong? There will be a game in a while. Why don't you go to the field to warm up? Are you still sitting in the locker room? Don't want to play? You want to?" Retire? Very good, just what I want, you can just withdraw."
Before the game starts, the players have to go to the court in advance to warm up.
After the warm-up, there was an opening ceremony, the American national anthem was sung, and then the game officially started.
This is a basic set of game procedures.
But the opening ceremony will start in 10 minutes.
The Clippers players did not appear on the court to warm up.
The fans at the scene, NBA official staff, and people from the TV station were all puzzled and anxious.
What happened to the Clippers? Why don't you go out to warm up?
Min Congda knew the reason, so he came to the locker room in person.
Cole stepped forward and said: "Mr. Smart, we should try our best to win the last game. Only by winning this game can we ensure that we enter the playoffs."
Min Congda said: "How was our previous strategy formulated? What did I tell you?"
"Our strategic goal is to beat the Spurs for eighth place in the Western Conference, but if we lose this game and the Hornets win another game, we won't even be able to make it to the playoffs!"
Cole dared to fight against Min Congda. This guy even dared to fight Jordan, so there was nothing he dared not say.
Min Congda pursed his lips and said: "Steve Kerr, Dunleavy, Kim Hughes, Lucas, stay. Others, go to the court and warm up."
As soon as Min Congda finished speaking, the Clippers players left the locker room one after another and went to the court to warm up.
The locker room was empty, leaving only five people including Min Congda and Dunleavy. The atmosphere suddenly became depressing.
Ada originally followed Min Congda to the locker room, but then she also retreated and waited at the door.
Min Congda took a deep breath and suddenly shouted: "That's an order! We want to enter the playoffs as the eighth seed. It's an order! How can you ignore my order!"
"Have things reached this point? The coaching staff always violates the instructions I give you and tries to deceive me! You think I didn't hear it. You have to replace the main players at the beginning and win the game. You all take my words for granted. Treat it as a deaf ear?"
"I formed such a coaching staff, and then you want to join forces to deceive me? Change my strategic intentions! You are all a bunch of liars!"
The general manager's sudden anger left Dunleavy and others baffled and shocked at the same time.
Cole was greatly shocked. He did not expect Min Congda to lose such a big temper. He quickly explained: "Mr. Smart, are you being serious? We are all trying to get into the playoffs..."
"Are you doing it to get into the playoffs? Isn't everything I did just to get into the playoffs? You all wear suits and ties, and you call yourself a basketball coach after playing on the court for a few years. I will use your tactics for a week. I can understand them all in just a few seconds! I see that you have no other purpose except calling a timeout and changing someone! I should be the coach. What you do will only hold me back! It will help you win the game. Difficulties won’t make you lose? I should ask Boss Sterling to fire you all!”
"I have never played a day of basketball, but I took the Clippers from last place to the playoffs in one season. And you, you didn't believe me from the beginning, you just wanted to watch me. A joke, trying to deceive and betray me. But all betrayals will be repaid with failure!"
Seeing Min Congda's excitement, Dunleavy hurriedly said: "Smart, Smart, please calm down."
Min Congda said angrily: "My orders have fallen on deaf ears! It's the last minute. How should I lead the team in this situation!"
The coaching staff was silent. Although they all felt that Min Congda was making a fuss, no one, including Steve Kerr, dared to argue with Min Congda.
With Cole's temper, if it had been anyone else, he would have thrown down the tactical board and quit, but Min Congda was really different.
At this time, there was a knock on the door of the locker room, and Ada opened the door and came in, saying softly: "The third quarter of the game between the Mavericks and the Hornets has begun. The Mavericks have overtaken the Hornets by 11 points. They beat the Hornets 15:2. "
(End of chapter)
