69novels Chapter 45 Advice from Old Nelson
Chapter 45 Advice from Old Nelson
"Wow? Don, you're not kidding, are you?"
"Of course not, Chris, why would I joke?"
"Are you sure you just said you wanted that kid to be point guard?"
Why not?
"I don't have that much control..."
"Magic!"
"But he's just a rookie!"
"Magic is also a rising star."
"What about Byron? Would he agree?"
"Why do we need his approval? You're the general manager, I'm about to become the head coach, and what is he? He's just a player."
"Don Byron is a star player and also the team leader."
"No, you're wrong, Chris. For a team, star players don't matter, and who the leader is doesn't matter either. Only winning matters."
"Tang, this is not like the old you. You used to never say that victory is the most important thing."
"Yes, I've only now realized that some of the things I used to insist on were absurd, but I don't think they were wrong. I just want to say that we all need to make changes, just like when I brought you home from the bar back then."
"Hey, Tang, it's been almost twenty-five years. Let's not talk about that anymore, okay?"
When Chris Mullin received a call from his mentor Don Nelson, he was surprised that the legendary coach would want Wang Kai, a rookie who was already close to 2.05 meters tall, to play point guard.
Mullin never expected that old Nelson would bring up his embarrassing past again.
Chris Mullin, who had achieved some success in his youth, fell into alcoholism and became an alcoholic, but he was eventually saved by Nelson, who simply dragged Mullin out of the bar.
"Give him a try. That kid is pretty good. His playing style is ahead of its time. He will bring about a change for the Warriors."
"OK, I'll look for an opportunity, but I won't let him have the ball for long before you arrive. The team needs to be united and we can't have any more conflicts."
At the start of the season, the rookie and head coach had a falling out, which almost put him, the general manager, in a dilemma. Chris Mullin was still worried, fearing that the rookie Wang Kai would fall out with the team leader over ball possession, and then the Warriors would be finished and become a laughing stock in the entire league.
After suffering a crushing defeat to the Spurs, the Warriors left the Bay Area and headed to Salt Lake City, where they will face the Jazz on the road.
The two teams faced off at the beginning of the season, and it was after that game that Wang Kai became the focus of attention among the rookies and also became the subject of study for Coach Jerry Sloan.
Jerry Sloan felt that Wang Kai had the potential to become a new "death ray gun" in his hands.
"Death Ray Gun" - Jeff Hornacek, Jerry Sloan's most important long-range weapon.
In this game, Wang Kai still played as a small forward, and Baron Davis was still in charge of the ball.
After the game started, the Jazz quickly got into the game, and they started with a 14-4 run.
For the Warriors, Baron Davis missed all three of his three-point attempts right at the start of the game.
Baron Davis's shot selection was absolutely terrible; he always felt that the opponent's defense was not up to par and that he had a chance to shoot.
This kind of confidence is rare, but Baron Davis didn't have the skills to match it.
When Wang Kai saw that his team leader had fallen into his stubbornness again, he gradually began to take over the ball possession.
First, he dribbled the ball up the court, broke through the defense, and made a floater. Then, he stole the Jazz's pass and hit a three-pointer on the fast break.
Wang Kai scored five consecutive points, helping the Warriors stabilize the situation.
As the game entered the second quarter, the Warriors continued to struggle, with Murphy, Richardson, and others repeatedly missing easy shots. Although Baron Davis reduced his three-point attempts, he was in terrible form today, even missing two free throws.
At halftime, the Warriors trailed the Jazz 40-51 by 11 points.
In the first half, only Wang Kai scored 11 points for the entire Warriors team, and no other player scored in double figures.
Entering the third quarter, the Jazz suddenly went cold, and the Warriors' defense seemed to awaken, repeatedly blocking the Jazz's attacks.
Wang Kai actively engaged in defense in the third quarter. His one-on-one defense was quite good, and he was also gradually improving his help defense.
As the season progresses, Wang Kai's understanding of the game becomes more profound, and his defensive awareness continues to grow.
For the Jazz, Deron Williams, who has become a starter, performed well in the first half, with excellent offense and defense that limited Baron Davis to only 5 points.
However, in the third quarter, once Wang Kai started to have the ball, the Jazz's defense gradually couldn't keep up.
Kirilenko can keep up with Wang Kai in terms of speed, but he is repeatedly outmaneuvered by Wang Kai in terms of rhythm.
In the third quarter, Wang Kai scored 10 points and 4 assists, helping the Warriors trail the Jazz by only three points at the end of the third quarter.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors finally found their rhythm, with Jason Richardson hitting three consecutive three-pointers to give them the lead in the fourth quarter.
The Jazz's playing style is too fixed; they always use the same few tactics, making them a team that is particularly easy to overturn. As long as you withstand the Jazz's initial burst of attacks, many teams can crack their subsequent strategies.
最终，依靠王凯全场26分11篮板10助攻的第三次三双表现，勇士队在客场有惊无险地以94比90取得了比赛的胜利。
Baron Davis was completely relegated to a supporting role in this game, making only 3 of 17 field goal attempts, 1 of 8 three-pointers, and even 6 of 11 free throws, for a field goal percentage of less than 20%.
The Warriors, who defeated the Jazz on the road, return to the Bay Area where they will face the Raptors in a back-to-back game.
Baron Davis was in a good mood upon returning to the Bay Area. Although he struggled with his own performance, the team won, so his desire for victory wasn't as strong, but he still hoped the team could make the playoffs.
However, before the game against the Raptors, team general manager Chris Mullin spoke with Baron Davis.
Mullin's conversation with Baron was harmonious, and his request was tactful; he simply hoped that Baron Davis would reduce his ball-handling time in this game and let Wang Kai take over the ball-handling duties.
Baron Davis was not angered by Mullin's request. After all, the other party was only talking about this game, and Baron approved of the team making some changes and conducting tactical drills after his poor performance against the Jazz.
Furthermore, Byron also had high hopes for his younger brother Wang Kai. He felt that the boy possessed some qualities that he himself lacked, and he hoped to see Wang Kai grow.