On the afternoon of the 22nd, Li Ao came to Houston with the team. After a night's rest, on the 23rd, Li Ao played 31 minutes and scored 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks. Jordan played 28 minutes, scoring 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 blocks. With assists, Odom had 9 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, O'Neal Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and the Clippers easily defeated the Rockets 98-81.
On the morning of 23rd, the Clippers returned to Los Angeles, took a break at noon, and began preparations for the final game of the preseason in the afternoon.
The day after tomorrow, on the 25th, they will face the Mavericks in their final preseason game at home.
For this game, the Clippers are preparing for the regular season.
It's time to test the results of training camp and preseason.
The training tasks are heavy, but the Clippers players have gone from complaining to complaining about how little time they have.
Through the high-intensity training in the past week, they obviously feel that they are one step ahead of other teams!
If only they could have another ten days and a half of training time, they would further improve their defensive system and improve their offensive coordination...
After the training on the morning of the 24th, Gentry did not arrange training in the afternoon and gave the players an afternoon off. However, he did not stop the players from training spontaneously.
Jordan put his hands on his hips and directed 10 teammates to conduct offensive and defensive drills. Mike Bibby, Piakowsky, Matt Halprin, Laphonso Ellis, Jaylon Collins first team, Greg Anthony , Big Q, Gerald-Wallace, Odom, Sean Lukes first team.
Seeing this scene, Gentry felt the benefits of having players like Jordan.
It is difficult to be recognized by the God of Basketball. The revolution has not yet succeeded, and he still needs to work hard.
The other four team members are also busy.
Steve Kerr is coaching Boykins to practice open three-pointers and O'Neal to practice free throws.
Although he is only the third option on the point guard line, there are still times when Boykins is needed to contain him on the wing.
This player who is less than 1.7 meters tall has a very good shooting talent. Last season, he took 39.4% of the mid-range shots. He averaged 1.9 shots per game and 0.8 hits. His three-point shooting is also okay, but he doesn’t take many shots per game. 0.8 shots, 0.3 hits.
O'Neal Jr. needs to improve his free throw shooting. Last season's 63% free throw shooting rate was almost on the same level as O'Neal and Duncan.
Last season they were not so valued by their opponents and no opponents took advantage of this, but it is hard to say in the new season.
Acquiring Jordan greatly improved their forward and defensive strength, but they also received more attention and were feared by more opponents.
Li Ao did not train at the team's training ground, but came to the blacksmith's room to train on the basic three-point skills with the help of Xavier Johnson.
One month later, his three-point score improved from 78 to 79!
Take the time to practice more and strive to reach 80 as soon as possible.
At 3:30 in the afternoon, Li Ao finished his two-hour and three-point basic skills training, and his next-door neighbor, whom he hadn't seen for a while, came.
"Hey, Snake, I haven't seen you for a long time. I want to share with you the joy of becoming teammates with Michael Jordan."
Kobe didn't even look at Li Ao. After nodding and greeting Xavier Johnson and the two trainers who were serving and picking up the ball, Kobe went about warming up on his own.
In Xavier Johnson's speechless expression, Li Ao motioned to the opponent to practice mid-range shooting for a while.
After Kobe's physical activity started, he reached out to the trainer for a ball and came to the right side of the free throw line.
Li Ao received the notification that "Excellent Sparring Coach" was activated, and immediately stopped the mid-range shooting training, told Xavier Johnson that it was time to get off work, and ran over to catch the ball and lean against Kobe.
"I haven't trained with you for a long time. I can only train with Jordan. It's so pitiful..."
After Li Ao said this, he felt the power coming from behind suddenly become stronger.
Li Ao turned around. Kobe relied on his strong physical fitness to control his body and did not jump out due to the pressing action. With excellent prediction and solid basic skills, he took half a step back and moved sideways in time to block the turning Li Ao. .
But Li Ao had already got the chance to lift the ball, and faced Kobe's interference, he hit a mid-range shot within one step of the free throw line!
Top offensive awareness, skillful turns, excellent post-post technical connection... Kobe painfully confirmed that the Spider, whose sophomore season has not yet started, can already use high post plays as a regular singles method in the new season.
What was the Black Mamba doing in his sophomore year? He was 19 years old at the time, still playing off the bench, averaging 8 points per game in the playoffs, and was bullied by the Jazz's old thugs.
Kobe took a deep breath, eliminated distracting thoughts, devoted himself to defense, and used Li Ao to practice back defense.
This year, there is an opponent who is the strongest post-up player among all perimeter players in NBA history... maybe not just the strongest perimeter player in history.
In the past month, Payton, Brian Russell, Dan Marley, John Starks and others were almost annoyed to death. If it weren't for Kobe's extremely polite words, they would all want to curse. They talk on the phone every day. Neither they nor their wives are on the phone that often.
There were only a few days left before he could fight that person again, so he had to be prepared!
…
An hour and a half later, Li Ao collapsed on the floor, watching Kobe put on his coat and leave... Bah, you scumbag, you didn't even pull him up, just left after you were done!
After Li Ao calmed down, he pulled his trainer to stand up, wiped his sweat, ate a hamburger, and used the 'body physiotherapy function', and his fatigue was quickly relieved.
"I didn't expect that one day, it was my turn to attack throughout the sparring session, and the little blacksmith guarded me for more than an hour as my sparring partner!
When Scumbag left, he said he would continue practicing after the preseason. Will he practice like today?
His defense is really great, and the intensity of the physical combat is incredible. At first, I shot well, but then I started to hit the iron... Let me see, 50 goals, 20 buckles... Hey, I practiced for an hour and a half. , with only 300 achievement points, he might as well be training against the God of Basketball. "
After muttering a few words, Li Ao put the matter aside for now.
Playing the Mavericks tomorrow, he wants to win.
First there were 3 consecutive losses, then 3 consecutive wins, and now the results are mixed. There is only one game left. He wants to correct the record. Although it is only a preseason game, he can't resist his damn competitive spirit.
Moreover, tomorrow's game will be played during the regular season. They must go all out to verify their advantages, find shortcomings, and prepare for the four days of preparation after the end of the preseason.
However, the preparations have been as good as possible. In the past half month, he not only provided defensive ideas to the coaching staff, but also sorted out the offensive ideas later, wrote them down in a newly bought small notebook, and gave it to Gentry .
The advantage of a 'prophet' should be grasped first if it can be grasped. This advantage will 'expire' and he will not think of 'keeping it for himself as a coach in the future'.
Not to mention whether he still wanted to work in the basketball industry after retiring, just seeing Jordan getting used to Gentry chatting a few more words and not being able to get used to being completely disrespectful made him feel that being a coach was not suitable for him.
At that time, he regretted that Xia Tian did not think of this, but he did not personally feel the impact of the rule changes, and it was indeed difficult for him to think of so many things. He was busy improving himself in Xia Tian, so how could he think about anything else.
However, it is not too late to make amends, and they have not yet reached the stage of losing the sheep, and now they have the upper hand.
Thanks Jim Carrey!
When he thinks about those things, first of all, he must put them into it.
On the offensive end, he has a tall shooter who mainly plays singles and outside backs. On the defensive end, he has a forward with comprehensive defensive capabilities. The first thing he thought of was the 2011 Mavericks with Nowitzki and Marion.
It doesn't matter whether the Mavericks' style of play suits them. He just wants to tell the coaching staff Jim Carrey's mature and ultimately successful tactical ideas.
He didn't completely remember what the Mavericks' tactical system was like. He wrote some offensive and defensive coordination ideas and some tactical coordination based on his impression of that team's style of play and combined with the professional knowledge in his mind. The method and how to operate it depends on Gentry and his coaching staff.
…
On October 25, 2001, the last game day of the Clippers' new preseason arrived.
At 7:30 pm, Li Ao and his teammates entered the stadium, and the daily 'fan meeting' began again.
Li Ao endured it and waited until the regular season and played more games, so he would not see this scene again.
When we returned home to play the Warriors and Kings, the enthusiasm of our opponents before the game had already dropped a lot.
He hadn't seen Wang Zhizhi for a long time, so he went to say hello out of politeness, but didn't talk much.
The main reason is that Wang Zhizhi's character is too boring, so boring that Li Ao felt that just looking familiar would be enough. No, all the Mavericks players went to take photos with Jordan, but Wang Zhizhi didn't go.
Although Wang Zhizhi didn't get many playing opportunities last season and only played 8 times in total, 5 games in the regular season and 3 games in the playoffs, Nelson, who was quite optimistic about him, still gave him a basic salary contract.
Li Ao was very happy to see this scene. He heard that Battelle had also received a contract from the Nuggets, but he would have to wait until the contract with the Olympians ends in February next year before he can join the NBA.
Chasing the Wind Boy and the Moving Great Wall are already in place, all they need is the big bamboo poles.
Instead of joining in the excitement of the 'God of Basketball Fans Meeting', Li Ao and Wang Zhizhi finished greeting each other and were about to practice shooting in the opponent's half next to him. Nowitzki, who had taken a photo with Jordan, took the initiative to find him.
"Hello, Spider-Man, I finally fight you again." Nowitzki looked very excited.
Li Ao joked: "You actually expect to play against us? Matt and I's defense has improved again."
King Silver Horn: (#`n)
Can you speak well and scare people when you open your mouth?
Nowitzki cursed and then replied: "Don't underestimate me, you are not the only one who is making progress! Steve and I...hey, where is Steve?"
Nowitzki turned around and looked, knock!
They agreed to come over to provoke Spider-Man after taking a photo together, and now they are still rubbing the camera next to Jordan.
Suddenly I felt a little embarrassed, forget it... "Hey Spider-Man, why are you leaving too!"
Nowitzki looked at his opponent who was just minding his own shooting, and then at his partner who was still having fun. He didn't know why he had a strange feeling of being isolated...
The pre-match preparation time is over and the two teams start.
Mavericks starting lineup: Nash, Finley, Edondo Najera, Nowitzki, LaFrentz.
Clippers starting lineup: Mike Bibby, Li Ao, Jordan, Odom, O'Neal Jr.
Li Ao glanced at Van Exel on the bench. Cuban traded Juwan Howard for Van Exel and LaFrentz, using up all the room for upside during the transaction.
This is not over yet. Cuban also split the middle class and signed Tim Hardaway, who averaged 14.9 points and 6.3 assists per game with the Heat last season, and big center Irving, who averaged 3.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game with the Nets last season. -Eschmeyer.
Using the two-year exception, he poached Danny Manning from the Jazz for $3 million in two years, who averaged 7.4 points per game last season.
Small forward John Newman, who averaged 10.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game with the Nets last season, was waived by the Suns after being traded to the Suns along with Kidd. Cuban earned a veteran's minimum salary of $1 million in one year.
Regardless of whether the players are suitable or not, Cuban first gathered a bunch of people and let Nelson use them at will. The depth of the lineup is difficult for any team to match, highlighting a wealthy man.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, the game started.
LaFrentz relied on his top speed to win the jump ball over O'Neal, and the Mavericks attacked first!
Seeing Li Ao take a step forward, forcibly braking and turning around to retreat, O'Neal was furious. After LaFrentz entered the inside line, he immediately pressed forward and violently fought hand to hand.
LaFrentz has never been very strong, so he quickly pulled out to the outside. Odom switched defenses and followed him, relaying O'Neal for hand-to-hand combat. He ran away, he chased, and he couldn't fly...
The Clippers started fighting hand-to-hand, and LaFrentz wanted to scold him. He is a weak pitcher. Is this the case?
Another Mavericks insider is also dumbfounded now.
He originally thought that either Li Ao was guarding him or Odom. Li Ao was guarding Finley. Odom was chasing LaFrentz in a hand-to-hand fight, but it was Jordan who stood up to him!
The key is that he feels that Jordan's confrontation is more fierce than Li Ao, Matt Halprin, and Odom!
Nash advanced behind the top arc and observed it for a few seconds. He didn't quite understand the defense on the other side, but it didn't matter, attack first!
He didn't signal Finley to catch the ball for a single, he did it himself.
Facing Mike Bibby's defense, Nash took a step away and waved for a pick-and-roll.
LaFrentz rushed up to help Nash block Mike Bibby as if he saw a savior.
Nash used the screen to break through, and Odom switched defenses and pressed up to defend the three-pointer. Nash deftly changed directions to avoid the defense and quickly rushed inside. When he was about to escape from Odom's shooting interference, Li Ao waved his arms to make up for it. .
Nash wanted to pass to Finley, but Li Ao's waving arm cut off the space for him to pass to the right. He passed to Edondo Najera who cut in from the left. Odom strode to the free throw line when Li Ao made up for it. One step inside, cutting off the middle.
Fortunately, Finley had good awareness of the ball and moved to the baseline. After being stuck by Li Ao, Nash released the ball in time and delivered it steadily to Finley on the right side of the three-second zone.
But this little delay in passing has given O'Neal the opportunity to move from the left sideline of the three-second zone to the right side of the basket. Finley was covered as soon as he entered the three-second zone after receiving the ball. He jumped up to score the ball. Edondo Najera cut in and caught the ball for a layup... "Pa"... Jordan let go of Nowitzki and retrieved it from the left baseline, leaping high and giving Edondo Najera a big shot from behind. cap!
(End of chapter)
