Except for the very special situation with the Knicks and the poor state of the two on some nights, the Rockets still have no pressure in most games.
Returning to their home court, the Rockets effortlessly won over the digital players who still believed in the process during the rebuilding phase. Harden and Butler taught the immature Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner a good lesson respectively.
The winning process was uneventful, but Nick Young of the Digital People really made Xu Xin's eyes shine.
His unreasonable singles on the court were one of the few highlights for the digital player, and he even had a highlight moment when he stole a teammate's shot and hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
Seeing Nick Young's celebration on the court, Xu Xin remembered the long-standing famous saying:
"Let him be strong, Nick Young!"
The Rockets' forwards and defenders showed extreme discomfort in facing this unconventional style of play.
According to post-game statistics, only Nick Young's plus-minus value is positive.
Xu Xin couldn't laugh or cry. A player like Nick Young would be the team's secret weapon if he used it well. If he didn't use it well, there would be an insider and the deal would be terminated.
Xu Xin had the idea of replacing him to expand the team's bench.
But for McHale, who is relatively strict in running the army, Nick Young is a bit over the top.
Furthermore, the team will make some additions on the outside in the future. At this stage, Xu Xin has no other considerations besides high-quality pitchers with high stability.
After two days of rest, on December 23, the Rockets ushered in their last home game before Christmas. Their opponent was the Grizzlies, who had the black and white duo, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and Tony Allen.
In this game, the entire Rockets team was full of fighting spirit. Although the team is now ranked third in the Western Conference and fourth in the league, before the start of the season, no one was optimistic about this grassroots team with a serious lack of star talent.
On the schedule, there is no Christmas Day game scheduled for the Rockets.
The players are holding back their energy, wanting to win the game in front of their hometown folks and give back to the fans for their support.
However, sometimes too high expectations can backfire.
Facing the Grizzlies, who have strict military management and are known for their slow defense and slow pace, the Rockets were dragged into the quagmire by their opponents.
Almost every ball the Grizzlies take is taken after 16 seconds, and they take very few three-pointers.
The offensive and defensive rhythm is slow, which is obviously beneficial to the Grizzlies.
The Rockets are unable to produce the quick counterattacks they are good at, and there are not many ways to face the Grizzlies' integrated steel defense line in positional battles.
Harden and Butler defused a lot of bombs to help the team score points.
But Tony Allen and Rudy Gay are also not vegetarians.
Teacher Tony, in particular, kept fighting and consuming Harden throughout the game. During several free throw moments, Harden could be seen bending over in the backcourt and leaning on his knees. This was not common in the past.
Rudy Gay didn't give in too much. Knowing that Butler was a rising star on the front line, Rudy Gay was fully prepared.
He gave up a lot of offensive share and focused most of his energy on defense.
Butler also encountered considerable resistance on the offensive end.
The Rockets' dual cores were restricted, but the Grizzlies' black and white bears were able to play like a fish in water.
Marc Gasol completely regarded Asik as his toy, while P.J. Tucker tried his best, but still couldn't withstand Zach Randolph, who was more dominant in height, weight and strength.
Finally, after three and a half quarters of fighting with the Grizzlies, the Rockets couldn't stand it anymore.
Harden and Butler's physical strength declined rapidly, resulting in a sharp drop in shooting percentage.
At this time in the past, Jeremy Lin or Livingston would step up to share the pressure, but Mike Conley's defense is also a first-line presence in the league.
He firmly blocked Jeremy Lin's breakthrough route. Even if he was passed by Jeremy Lin, it also consumed a lot of Jeremy Lin's physical energy. Inside, Marc Gasol was a pillar of strength. Jeremy Lin's two challenges to Gasol ended in failure.
Livingston didn't have a chance to play at the critical moment, and McHale didn't have the guts to burn the boat.
The point he was thinking about was how to restrict the black and white bears, so he didn't dare to use the five minors.
In Xu Xin's view, since they can't defend themselves, the team is still lagging behind, and the Grizzlies are friends with the game time, it's better to go to the fifth primary school, seek opportunities on the outside, give it a try, and still have the possibility of winning.
But at this time, Xu Xin will definitely not step out of the box and go to the bench to point fingers. All decision-making rights in on-the-spot games must still be given to McHale.
If Xu Xin really wants to do this, he has crossed the line. It is taboo to take the lead in opposing the head coach in public.
Some well-intentioned media are like bloodthirsty sharks. If they catch such an opportunity, they will describe it in detail.
This is a disservice to the team's cohesion and chemistry.
Time passed quickly, and McHale's conservatism caused the Rockets to lose the game without any surprise.
The fans were very tolerant of this. At the last moment, Harden made a free throw and everyone shouted MVP!
After all, it has been three years, and they have seen a lot of losing games.
At least the players' fighting spirit on the court deserves their encouragement.
. . .
Rockets owner Alexander's office.
"Clang clang clang!"
"Please come in."
"Boss, are you looking for me?"
Xu Xin got straight to the point.
"Xiao Xu, you have done well recently. I am very satisfied with the team's record and profitability. Therefore, I have decided to make you a regular employee in advance. This is an employment contract. Please check if there are any problems."
Alexander said with a smile.
Xu Xin was a little surprised. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he changed his mind, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. According to his estimation, no matter what, he will have to be an All-Star before he can sign a formal contract.
"thank you boss."
Xu Xin took over the contract, which clearly stated his employment letter. He signed a five-year contract with an annual salary of 1 million.
This number is not small, basically reaching the league average.
Xu Xin looked at the details of the contract carefully. If there were no problems, he signed it.
"Next, you will be the general manager of the Rockets! Come on, work hard!"
Alexander said with a smile still, stretched out his hand and shook Xu Xin's hand.
"thank you boss!"
"There is a well-known national sports brand in China looking for you to do offline activities. Speaking of which, your popularity is no lower than that of the players, haha.
The schedule has been relatively relaxed recently. You can return to your country to participate in this event. This is the contact information of the brand. You communicate by yourself and remember to promote Rockets. "
Alexander continued.
It turns out that there is a reason why this old fox turned me into a regular employee so early.
However, Xu Xin was also happy with his success. The contract was signed and he could return to his country. When he thought that he had never returned home in this life, Xu Xin felt his heart surge.
"Okay, boss, I'll check the nearest air ticket and leave now."
"Yeah, let's go."
Xu Xin returned to his office happily.
"Ding, unlock the achievement. I am just starting out. I successfully obtained my first formal general manager contract, and received a reward of 100 million yuan and a set of sports rehabilitation and massage therapy."
