At 6 o'clock in the morning, it was still rainy in Portland, and Taiyuan was hiding outside the clouds, making the whole city look a little dull.
However, in the small suburban gymnasium, the gasping sounds of the two men continued for a long time and never stopped.
"Fuck, do you think I'm sick? I stay up all night and insist on going crazy with you."
Yi Jianlian lay facelessly on the chair, with not a drop of Gatorade in his hand.
"Hey, let's continue tomorrow."
Wang Zelin did not answer directly, but directly announced tomorrow's arrangements.
"roll!"
Having said that, on the 12th, Yi Jianlian did not ask Wang Zelin to find him at home, but came to the training hall in advance.
After morning practice, the Trail Blazers gathered at noon and came to Sacramento to prepare to challenge the Kings.
Of course, this challenge is putting it mildly.
The Kings were as bad as ever, except for the opening game where Cousins showed off his power, scoring a game-high 30 points and blocking Ty Lawson's jumper at the last moment to help the Kings 90 at home: 88, narrowly passing the Nuggets.
In the next five games, they lost all five teams: the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, Hawks and Pistons.
With a record of 6 losses and 1 win, the "Glory" ranks at the bottom of the league. The only thing worthy of praise is the performance of the star Demarcus.
In the last year of his rookie contract, Cousins ushered in a transformation, scoring more than 30 points in two of 6 games. He is the most discussed center player among fans recently besides Wang Zelin.
However, Cousins' status fluctuates a bit. When he is good, he can score more than 30 points. When he is in bad shape, he has 8 points, 7 rebounds and 5 fouls. Coupled with the fact that he is on a bad team, many people still don't recognize the value of his data.
How could our Mr. "Unhappy" endure this? He said cruel words directly before the game: "I want to score 30 points in front of the King of China, and I want Portlanders to go home crying in Arco Arena."
The truth is.
At the Arco Arena, home of the Kings, the Trail Blazers continued their winning streak and won 7 consecutive games, defeating the Kings 104:91.
The much-anticipated Yi Jianlian continued to shine in the rotation after Aldridge returned.
However, the playing time in this game has increased compared to before, a full 24 minutes!
He himself was also quite impressive, seizing all the open opportunities tonight, scoring 10 points and 3 rebounds on 5-of-5 shooting, with the best win-loss value in the game.
However, the best player of the game was given to Wang Zelin, who made 10 of 16 shots, 5 of 8 free throws, 25 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks.
Tonight, he dealt with his opponent Cousins very well, allowing the latter to only score 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 fatal turnovers.
By the way, Wang Zelin can have 4 blocks, and Cousins accounted for half of his friendly sponsorship. Unsurprisingly, the latter will be unhappy again today.
It's not over yet.
After winning against the Kings and participating in the post-game interview, Wang Zelin rejected Ajiali’s request to learn Chinese again, so she rushed back to Portland overnight.
In Portland, they will face the Kings in a revenge game, the second back-to-back at home this season.
November 13th.
After learning from the previous game, Cousins was a lot more cautious during today's pre-game interview. He had a sad face and was unhappy throughout the whole process, and responded to the reporters' questions in a perfunctory manner.
During the game, Cousins once again confirmed that his cautious words and actions before the game were correct.
This event was broadcast live on the imperial court. Wang Zelin did not disappoint the people of the country and maintained a high level of performance in front of the cameras of the imperial court.
He made 12 of 20 shots from the field and scored 28 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block on a 60% shooting rate. His opponent Cousins made 9 of 20 shots and 2 of 5 three-pointers from outside. He scored 22 points and 10 rebounds, at least in the game. In terms of data comparison, it is not as miserable as yesterday.
But the Kings lost even worse than yesterday, 106:85, and the Trail Blazers beat their opponents by 21 points.
When Cousins, the core center they relied on most, was beaten and could only choose to shoot like an outside player, for the Kings, it was tantamount to a death sentence.
This is why Wang Zelin only recorded one block tonight: the King has been floating outside, and he can't help defend outside the three-point line.
After a 7-game losing streak, Cousins was no longer in the mood for interviews and drove back to Sacramento alone after the game. The Trail Blazers started the season with a 9-game winning streak, and their position as the league's number one record became more and more stable.
After the game, the media reporters did not even consider the King's feelings, and the news reports after the game only occupied a very small space. ,
Trailblazers here.
In addition to a wave of 9-game winning streak reports, the latest transaction with Mosaic also appeared on the front pages of various media:
On the night of November 13th, the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Mosaic completed a 1-for-1 trade: the Trail Blazers traded post player Joel Freeland for Mosaic guard Patrick Beverley
In addition, Houston Mosaic also paid a 2014 second-round draft pick and some cash.
Although Patrick Beverley had several outstanding performances in the playoffs last season, he just signed a three-year basic salary contract with Houston Mosaic last season, worth about 2 million yuan.
Joel Freeland is different. Last season, he just signed a three-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers worth approximately 9 million yuan, and his salary far exceeded that of Beverley.
Similarly, Joel Freeland also had two double-digit scoring performances in the playoffs, making Mosaic management willing to pay some price.
According to the expert evaluation of a reporter from the Mi Media: It is obvious that Mosaic continues to strengthen the thickness of the inside lineup. The Trail Blazers need this young guard who has initially shown the potential of a defensive hero to strengthen the outside defense. This is a deal where everyone gets what they need. . As for who wins and who loses in the future, let’s leave it to time.
Ultimately, this is just an education between two role players, and changes to a team have limited impact.
No one would have thought that Beverley, who is only 185cm tall, would be selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team three times in the future, including once for the first team and twice for the second team.
Later, when everyone woke up, they discovered that the Blazers management only spent more than 1 million yuan in exchange for a fighter.
In fact, Portland's current inside players are enough, even a little bloated, to be able to get rid of the more than 5 million remaining contract of Joel Freeland in time. They made money from this deal from the beginning.
In the main lineup, Wang Zelin and Lillard are still in the rookie bonus period, so there is no need to consider it for the time being. The remaining three of Aldridge, Matthews and Batum will only have one year left if this season is not included. Contracts.
The three of them are in their prime, and future team building cannot be separated from them. The management is taking precautions and considering the long-term interests of the team.
…
Two days later.
During the tactical meeting on court 15, the team’s new players finally arrived.
Patrick Beverley, the future famous Mad Dog, passed the physical test. After the physical test reports of the Trail Blazers and Mosaic were submitted to the league last night, the transaction was officially approved.
The purpose of this tactical meeting is simple. Beverley's defense is strong, his style is tenacious, and he has a certain ability to shoot open shots. He is a necessary supplement to the Trail Blazers' back line.
Both Lillard and Mo Williams are good at offense, so the defensive end naturally lacks a true defensive bodyguard in the backcourt, so Terry Stotts took a fancy to Beverley.
In Mosaic, the backcourt combination of Harden and Jeremy Lin is both good at holding the ball. Their admiration can quickly rise from the Development League to an important rotation of the team, relying on the defense that he relies on for survival.
In Portland, his role remains unchanged.
Terry Stotts decided to try out a backup backcourt combination of Mo Williams and Beverley, or the combination he had in mind that was taking shape:
Beverley + Matthews + Batum + Aldridge + Wang Zelin, with the center as the core organization, and the other four players as supplements.
"Player: Patrick Beverley
Location: Portland Trail Blazers
Height: 185cm
…
Hidden attributes of the body
Speed: 84 Explosive power: 85
Agility: 80 Jump: 72
…
Offensive ability
Layups: 77 Mid-range shots: 65
Long shots: 62 Passes: 68
Ball possession: 75 Free throws: 82
Breakthrough: 64
…
defensive ability
External defense: 89 Internal defense: 60
Rebounds: 73 Blocks: 50
Steals: 81
Overall score: 72
Player evaluation: Defensive expert, single functionality”
Looking at Beverley with messy hair and unshaven beard, his strengths and weaknesses are very obvious. His ball control, organization, scoring and other abilities are not up to the standards of the back line... His external defense ability is just shy of reaching 90, steals exceed 81, and his defense is strong. , and that's enough.
No matter what, Wang Zelin understands that the team's back line defense has finally ushered in a floodgate. 8 consecutive wins is not enough, he wants more.
…
After lunch, Wang Zelin and his teammates came to the Rose Garden Arena.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the Trail Blazers held a press conference for Beverley's joining. Since Matthews was wearing jersey No. 2, Beverley appeared at the press conference wearing jersey No. 3.
Everyone once again exclaimed this guy's boldness. Who doesn't know that the No. 1 and No. 3 jerseys are the favorites of NBA defenders.
Representative figures No. 1 include Tracy McGrady, who was one of the big shooting guards at the time, Pups, the Pistons Finals MVP, O'Neal's partner in the Magic back then, Hardaway, and the ancient great O Robertson. It can be said that there are many stars.
After McGrady was traded by Mosaic, Ariza put on the Mosaic No. 1 jersey, which immediately aroused the interest of many fans.
As for the No. 3 jersey, it was once great because of one person, and he was "The Answer" Allen Iverson. He is the idol of countless children who play basketball and the idol of many NBA players.
In addition to him, Wade, Paul, Political Commissar Ma, Boss Fu...
There is a rumor going around that if you don't have certain ball control skills and breakthrough skills on the field, you will be looked down upon if you dare to wear No. 3.
There is also "Big Ben" Ben Wallace, who is one of the few famous inside players in the No. 3 jersey.
In the original history, someone from the Trail Blazers wore the No. 3 jersey, and that person was CI McCollum.
However, when he decided to put on the No. 3 jersey, he was also questioned by many fans and the media. Until he later became famous, those doubts gradually dissipated.
Beverley is an insignificant player in the league. If he dares to wear the No. 3 jersey, he must be prepared to face the challenges of many defenders in the league.
However, considering this guy's strengths and future achievements, I'm afraid it's his next opponent who should be wary.
Even before the game started, there was already a lot of heated discussion, and the media people liked it the most.
On the night of the 15th, the Trail Blazers will face the challenge of the Celtics in the Rose Garden at home. The Celtics have now entered the era of Rajon Rondo as the leader.
It is a pity that the new captain has had a bad year. He only played 38 games last season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. As a result, he will miss most of the regular season this season and will not be able to return until the end of the season.
As a result, the Celtics ushered in a four-game losing streak at the start of the new season. It was not until they won against the Jazz in Game 5 that they found some warmth.
What’s amazing is that this victory seemed to also allow the players to find the key to victory.
Facing the Magic at home, it was normal to win, and Daji could understand it; in the next game against the Heat, Jeff Green made a buzzer-beating three-pointer with 0.6 seconds... This was a bit outrageous.
When the Magic played away from home, Jeff Greenford and Avery Bradley each scored 16 points and the other scored 24 points. The two brothers led the team to flourish more offensively. In the end, the Celtics, who scored with 7 players, Defeated the Magic 120:105.
At this time, people were surprised to find that the Celtics had won four consecutive games!
With four wins and four losses, the Celtics are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference, and they no longer feel like they want to fail at the start of the game.
In view of the Celtics' current upward momentum, Terry Stotts led the coaching staff to conduct a careful study before the game.
After the press conference, Wang Zelin's teammates came to the home team's training ground at the Rose Garden Arena to prepare for the evening game.
The main players were bragging and spanking, but on Beverly's side... no one seemed to pay attention.
At this time, Wang Zelin noticed Beverly sitting silently, looked through the information stored in the system space, and learned about Beverly's current situation.
Originally playing well in Mosaic, he saw Jeremy Lin getting more and more broken as he played, and gradually turned into a pseudo-starter. Beverley, who felt that he had not been in the starting lineup for a long time, was playing harder and harder, and he also got everyone on the team except Jeremy Lin. approved by everyone.
The development of his entire career showed an upward trend, and as a result, he joined a brand new team midway...
Damian Lillard and Mo Williams accounted for almost all the playing time. Beverley, who just felt that he was about to take over in Mosaic, started three of the last eight games and had a stable playing time of about 30 minutes. , it’s time to start over with another new team...
After reading Beverly's recent information, Wang Zelin felt uncomfortable and wronged for him.
It seems that it's time for me to unite my teammates, Ze, be kind, and Lin to take action again.
Wang Zelin came to Beverly's side and asked, "Patrick, why don't we train together?"
"Are you calling me?" Beverley pointed at himself. He never thought that Wang Zelin, the team's number one boss, would come to greet him.
Wang Zhelin lowered his head and looked directly into Beverly's eyes, and said sincerely: "Yes, from the moment you step into the land of Portland, you are a member of the Trail Blazers family and my comrade-in-arms! What follows? Journey, we need you very much!”
Beverly looked slightly stunned after hearing Wang Zelin's words.
This is the first time he has heard the word "need" from someone else's mouth. Will he, a substitute among substitutes and a supporting role among supporting roles, be needed by others?
Playing in Mosaic, he was rejected by the Development League as soon as he came. He returned to the NBA because of his desperate defense and tough game style.
Beverley is very grateful for the appreciation of the team's general manager Mo G, but he believes that it is because of his life-threatening performance that others know that he is valuable.
Passivity and initiative are never the same.
On the first day he came to the Portland Trail Blazers to officially report, he was actually appreciated by the team boss and heard the words he had dreamed of from the latter's mouth.
People who have not experienced darkness can never imagine the value of light; for some people, even a ray of light is a luxury.
At this time, Beverly said in surprise: "Wang, do you really need me?"
"Man, you should first learn to control your emotions, especially an emotion as precious as surprise. At least... it should be placed on more important occasions!"
Wang Zelin stretched out his right hand and patted Beverly on the shoulder.
"A more important occasion?" Beverly was stunned again.
Is it because I don’t read enough?
Why are your transitions always so sudden?
Not noticing Beverley's slander, Wang Zelin replied: "Yes, more important occasions! For example, the Western Conference finals, and for example... the championship stage, the O'Brien Cup, and the championship parade ceremony. Those are the most suitable times. An occasion to send out a surprised expression!”
As he talked about it, Wang Zelin's tone became more positive.
Because...this is exactly what he wants to achieve in his heart, and it is what he is working hard for now, and it is definitely not just lip service.
When the words "championship" came into his ears, Beverly realized that the kid in front of him actually had such lofty ambitions.
Ask yourself, have you ever experienced this?
maybe.
But what Beverley knows better is that they only choose basketball because basketball is a weapon for him to turn around.
Like many black players, Beverley was born in a single-parent family on a certain street in Chicago. He did not know who his biological father was. He lived a poor life with his mother since he was a child, and lived in danger every day and every night.
His stepfather was a local gang member. He took 15 bullets and passed away in his senior year of high school... From then on, in order to get ahead, basketball became Beverly's sustenance and the only way for him to get ahead.
The reason why I practice hard every day and dream of entering the NBA all stems from a simple idea, which is to let my mother say goodbye to the dirty little shabby house with lack of water and electricity, move into a large villa, and live without worries about food and clothing. life.
Even if he has entered the NBA, his biggest goal is still to work hard for the next contract. For people like him, the championship is really too far away, so far away that he dare not even think about it.
But now, someone actually said something in front of him that he never dared to dream of...
"Do you think we can do it?" Beverly asked.
"Of course!" Excited, Wang Zelin raised his head and pointed to a flag on the dome of the Rose Garden, and Beverly looked over.
That flag was the championship flag that hung high on the home dome in the 1976-1977 season after the Blazers won the only championship in team history under the leadership of Bill Walton, the leader of the Blazers during that period.
Wang Zelin couldn't see Beverly's expression, but he knew that the latter was looking at him at the moment, and an excited voice came from his mouth:
"I believe we can do it, and it won't be like Bill Walton, just once... Man, let's win a championship together!"
"Championship?" Beverly shook his head and murmured: "Then add me to the list!"
…
The boy seemed to have changed.
Coach Terry didn't know what Wang Zelin said to Beverley, but he saw all the enthusiasm Beverley showed on the training field.
Undoubtedly, this is a good change.
And this is enough.
The overall atmosphere of the team has always been good, which makes Coach Terry very happy.
Tonight's opponent, the Celtics, is coming fiercely, but he is not afraid, because the Trail Blazers, who have won 9 consecutive victories, are no longer afraid of any opponent in terms of morale.
On the contrary, all members of the Trail Blazers are like a pack of howling wolves. No matter who the challenger is, there is only one ending waiting for him, and that is to be completely torn apart by the wolves.
Last year, he fell in the Western Conference Finals and fell at the last threshold before the finals stage. It would be false for Coach Terry to say that he had no regrets.
But he understands that everything last season is in the past, and the team should now play well in the new season.
This year, the Trail Blazers worked together and got off to a dream start, which made them even more determined to target the championship!
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