freenovelworld Chapter 333
Chapter 333
Chapter 333
Hearing this, Zhang Zhiyuan sighed helplessly.
"It's always been so easy to talk to you."
"Indeed, besides expressing the praise that the company's top management wants to give you, I have another mission this time."
"The Chinese basketball team asks me to ask you to be the head coach of the Chinese men's basketball team."
Ok? !
Hearing this, Li Lai frowned and remained silent, very surprised.
He has indeed coached Yi Jianlian, and he has a very good relationship with the opponent. It is also because of Yi Jianlian that Du Feng was able to join the coaching staff of the Hornets.
Of course, Du Feng has now fully grown into Li Lai's right-hand man, and Li Lai can't do without him in many aspects of the team.
Yao Ming also had a few words of communication with Li Lai. Generally speaking, the relationship between Li Lai and the three people related to the Chinese men's basketball team is very good.
But this is not the reason why the basketball team came to him.
Because the relationship between Li Lai and the Chinese men's basketball team has not yet reached that level of intimacy.
"Sorry, you should know that the Hornets still have playoffs to play, and I will not abandon the team at this time anyway."
"This is disrespect to my players!"
"Secondly, based on my understanding, the Chinese men's basketball team should have started preparing for the Olympics in March, and now the time has passed."
"So, I don't know the significance of the Chinese basketball team asking me."
Zhang Zhiyuan is an ordinary basketball fan. He likes to watch the NBA on weekdays, but he has absolutely no interest in the CBA.
Occasionally, he would go to see the women's basketball team's game, but he didn't fully understand what was going on here.
So when Li said that the men's basketball team had already started preparing for the game in March, Zhang Zhiyuan was a little surprised.
He said: "Honestly speaking, I just passed on a message for them, and I also agreed to their request to ask you to meet."
"Although I also think that you have reached this point in terms of reputation and money, it is difficult to accept their request, but I still hope that you can meet them."
Li Lai looked back at the other party and said, "Because of Li Ning's company?"
Zhang Zhiyuan nodded, and still admitted with an honest face: "Indeed, Li Ning's headquarters has a lot of cooperation with CBA, so I will agree to their request no matter what."
"Of course, what happens depends on people's plans. I can promise them, but I won't kidnap you for such a reason."
"However, I still want to tell you that I am also Chinese. The basketball team told me that your joining may help the Chinese men's basketball team to create miracles in the Olympics. I am looking forward to it."
"So, Li Lai, even for the sake of our friends, how about asking you to meet them?"
Wang Lishen secretly tugged on Li Lai's clothes, the little girl tearfully hoped that Li Lai would agree.
Li Lai sighed and said in compromise, "Yes, but we have to wait until this round of the series is over."
"During this round of the series, I also hope that I can concentrate on the team's affairs and nothing else."
Hearing this, Zhang Zhiyuan frowned slightly.
Because he still remembers that Li Lailai's Chinese men's basketball team had already started the training camp for the women's team in March.
When this round of the series is over, it will take 8 or 9 days if it is short, and half a month if it is long.
Can the basket really wait?
Li Lai understood the emotion on Zhang Zhiyuan's face, and he said seriously: "Whether they are willing to wait is their business, I have my job."
Zhang Zhiyuan nodded and left quickly, while expressing his invitation to Li Lai again.
Those guys at Li Ning headquarters really wanted to meet the man who brought the company to the world, especially the founder, group chairman and co-CEO of the Li Ning brand.
After Zhang Zhiyuan left, Li Lai looked at the little girl curiously and said, "Why should I promise him?"
Wang Lishen lay down on the sofa, stretched a beautiful woman comfortably and said: "I am a little girl, who came to a foreign place pitifully, and have not returned to my hometown for a whole year. Why do you say?"
Li Lai was startled, and then remembered that since he first met the little girl and jointly built the Milwaukee branch of Li Ning Group, the latter has always been by his side.
From Milwaukee to New Orleans, whether it is Spring Festival, Ching Ming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang Lishen did not choose to return to China but stayed here with her.
On January 1 of this season, the two also spent New Year's Eve together on Chinatown in New Orleans.
Thinking of this, Li Lai looked at the little girl with a little guilt in his heart.
Wang Lishen opened her eyes, looked at Li Lai very expectantly at this moment and said, "Come with me to China, okay? I'm homesick."
5 month 13 day.
The second round of the NBA playoffs officially begins.
A New Orleans fan was interviewed by a reporter as he entered the arena.
"Do you think the Hornets can beat the Grizzlies in this series?"
The fan shook his head with great certainty and said, "Definitely not."
Under the reporter's frowning and curious eyes, the die-hard Hornets fan explained: "Because we have never reached the conference finals, Forever."
"We're a cursed city, the Hornets are a cursed team, so we're not going to make it to the conference finals."
The reporter was very puzzled and said: "But why do you still look so happy now?"
"Since you already know that this team will definitely not reach the conference finals, why do you still come to the home court to watch the Hornets game?"
The fan smiled and said: "Because even if it is the conference semifinals, it is the second time in our history that we have successfully entered."
New Orleans Arena.
On-site commentary desk.
Kenny Smith laughed: "Big mouth, what do you think of the result of this round of the series?"
Barkley said: "Well, to be honest, I want to say that the Hornets should have a better chance of winning, after all, they rested for almost a full week."
"But because it's a cursed city, I'm going to pay attention instead, and the Grizzlies will win."
Hearing this, Kenny Smith spread his hands and said to the TV camera in front of him.
"It's over, Big Mouth Barkley predicted that the Grizzlies will win. I think the Grizzlies fans must be going to die of anger at this moment, because this guy's predictions have never been accurate."
Technical front.
Lionel Hollins just glanced at Li Lai before turning and leaving, leaving Li Lai alone in a daze without reacting.
This is where the hatred and resentment come from.
On the bench.
Jimmy Butler said: "That Lionel Hollins dared to flirt with the coach and kill his team after he got on the court."
Beverly nodded in a daze and said, "It's a great honor for him to shake hands with my coach. He dared to turn around and leave. He really should fight."
Leonard was warming up on the sidelines dumbly. He was not good at talking and suddenly approached Paul and said, "We will reach the conference finals."
Paul stared at Leonard in a daze, a little surprised that the opponent who looked like a wooden man would suddenly say such words to him.
Because Paul has never reached the conference finals, he will be ridiculed by many people every year during the off-season.
This is what Leonard wants to say, he doesn't want to watch his big brother continue to be ridiculed this offseason.
"Oh."
Paul responded softly, and then said, "It will."
The big screen at the scene quickly displayed the starting lineups of the two teams.
Hornets starting lineup: point guard Chris Paul, shooting guard Leonard, small forward Vince Carter, power forward Lewis and center DeAndre Jordan.
Grizzlies starting lineup: point guard Mike Conley, shooting guard Tony Allen, small forward Rudy Gay, power forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol.
CCTV commentary desk.
Yu Jia said: "This season the Grizzlies management and head coach Lionel Hollins made a very important decision."
"That is to put OJ Mayo, the cornerstone of the team, on the bench, and turn Tony Allen to the starting shooting guard position."
"Although Tony Allen played shooting guard, everyone knew that he didn't come to the court to score."
Su Qun nodded aside and said: "When OJ-Mayo was playing in the starting lineup, the Grizzlies could only be said to be a weak offensive team and a strong defensive team."
"But when Tony Allen was brought up, it was completely different. The Grizzlies were not only strong on the defensive end, they were terrifyingly strong."
"Inside defensive efficiency is second in the league, and outside defensive efficiency is sixth in the league. What is even more commendable is their offensive efficiency in the rotation."
"Because of OJ-Mayo, the Grizzlies can still rank tenth in the league in offensive efficiency of the rotation, which is also the key reason why they can be in the first round of the Black Seven Spurs."
Last round of the series.
The GDP combination of the Spurs encountered the meat-grinder-like defense of the Grizzlies. Duncan was deeply involved in the rotation of the black and white bears in the interior. , and the defensive action is great.
Duncan played the worst playoff round of his career with this defense.
At the same time, the other two carriages of the Spurs, Parker and Ginobili, were even more miserable in the defense of Tony Allen and Rudy Gay, and they also performed abnormally.
The Grizzlies relied on the most terrifying physical confrontation and defense in the 90s to hit all the old Spurs with bruises all over their bodies, so they were able to succeed in the tiebreaker.
That's why Popovich angrily declined all interviews after the series.
The Grizzlies are bullying the old Spurs, and Popovich also sued the league for this matter as early as after the first game with the Grizzlies.
To put it bluntly, the physical confrontation of the Grizzlies is too great.
After the game, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins was asked more than once by reporters about the confrontation on the court.
Lionel Hollins responded with a ferocious expression: "When the Spurs had Bruce Bowen, Popovich didn't complain about it. Now he wants to double the standard?"
"Let the GDP play billiards, there is no confrontation."
on the field.
Game start!
Midfield jump ball, the referee had just walked near the center line, and Gasol took the initiative to press Jordan's hand with his hand.
Little Jordan was naturally upset, and directly stretched out his hand to push back.
The two of them just put pressure on each other under the nose of the referee, and neither of them obeyed the other.
The referee couldn't help heaving a long sigh when he saw this, and thought to himself: I'm afraid this round of the series will turn into a boxing match.
call!
The referee threw the ball decisively and fled near the center line.
Afterwards, it was also proved that the referees who can call the playoffs are all experienced people. His escape this time perfectly saved his refereeing career later.
Jordan Jr. and Gasol Jr. both exerted their strength in the fight. The two slapped each other's arms in the air. Both of them fell from the air, and there were hidden pushing movements in their hands.
Jordan and Gasol both tripped and fell to the ground, and the basketball flew out in the point grab.
Rudy Gay jumped high to push Leonard, who also jumped into the air, and the basketball naturally fell into his hands.
The Grizzlies attack.
Mike Conley advanced with the ball, Gasol Jr. and Zach Randolph slid down to the basket at the same time, one of them was stuck on one side of the waist and opened his hand for the ball to prepare for a singles.
Mike Conley gave the ball to Gasol, who punched Jordan with his back.
boom!
There was a clash of muscles, and the confrontation between the two, which started when the ball was jumped from midfield, extended below the penalty area.
Leonard on the weak side took a step inside, ready to help defend Gasol at any time.
However, the latter did not knock Jordan away twice in a row, so he chose the offensive method of turning around and making a small hook.
Duang!
Hard work!
"Jordan's defense is good. Strictly speaking, Gasol is still not as good as his brother in post-up singles."
"However, the Grizzlies have never relied on offense, and their overall offense is not very good, so the offensive loss in this round should not have a great impact on them."
Switch offense.
Paul advances with the ball.
He glanced at Gasol Jr. and Zach Randolph on the inside of the Grizzlies, and decisively raised his hand to indicate the pick-and-roll tactics.
Lewis slips from the strong side to the weak side, while Leonard picks and rolls for Lewis on the weak side.
After the pick-and-roll, Lewis bounced to the outside, and Leonard cut inside while setting an off-ball screen for Jordan.
In the past at this time, Jordan has always been able to easily get the opportunity to raise the pick-and-roll and help Paul play a small and big picture, but this time.
Leonard and Lewis' pick-and-roll, Zach Randolph did not switch defenses, and the reason appeared on Tony Allen.
He is very experienced in defending around the back, squeezing through the pick-and-roll in advance, just not giving the Hornets the opportunity to easily dislocate the attack.
In the process of defending Leonard inside, Tony Allen decisively switched defenses to Jordan, and followed the opponent to the top of the arc.
"At this time, Gasol Jr. avoided being taken out of the penalty area, and Paul's military training was small and big."
"The Grizzlies' defense is pretty good."
Du Feng said with a little cold sweat on his forehead.
Stevens also looked nervous. He found that the Grizzlies used Tony Allen in exactly the same way that the Hornets used Leonard.
Switching, double-teaming, assisting defense, outside attack, rotation.
All the work of the perimeter defensive core is done by Tony Allen alone.
This also means that Tony Allen has to run a lot on the court.
Li Lai nodded and praised the Grizzlies defense very much. Tony Allen deserves to be the player whose jersey was retired by the Grizzlies in his previous life.
His contribution to this team is definitely not measured by statistics.
In his previous life, Gasol got the DPOY as he wished, and brought the Grizzlies to the top defensive team in the league, but everyone knows that this team has never had only one defensive core.
It's two!
Li Lai looked at the court with great apprehension.
Unlike Stevens and Du Feng, he only saw Tony Allen's performance on the court. Li Lai has always been afraid of Gasol's defense of the Grizzlies' penalty area.
on the field.
Paul and Jordan hit the pick-and-roll as they wished, but it was Tony Allen who switched defenses in front of him at this time.
Originally, Jordan wanted to go down and beat Mike Conley Jr. at this time, and staged a wave of tacit cooperation between him and Paul throughout the regular season, the city of lobs!
But at this time, Jordan heard Paul's yelling reminder.
"DeAndre! Don't go inside, go outside!"
Little Jordan was startled, he didn't understand Paul's actions, and walked outside?
He doesn't have three points!
But after seeing Gasol Jr. and Zach Randolph who had already occupied a favorable defensive position inside, Jordan broke out in a cold sweat instantly.
Gasol's eyes were like a bear staring at Jordan, and the black bear Zach Randolph pulled the hairband on his head ferociously, waiting for Jordan to rush into the paint.
"The Grizzlies' interior defense is second in the league!"
Paul dribbles with a low center of gravity.
Looking at the crowded offensive space on the field, he decisively tried to single Tony Allen.
Changing direction in front of the body, Sam Gold stepped, and the first step started quickly.
call!
Tony Allen unexpectedly flew directly at this time and touched the basketball with one hand very accurately. Paul fell to the ground quickly and held the ball with both hands with great experience.
But Tony Allen was as fast as him, and he also stretched out his hands and hugged the basketball tightly.
The two wrestled together on the court, and neither of them let go of their hands until the three referees rushed over and pulled the two apart.
But the ball was still being dragged back and forth in the hands of the two. Paul twisted his body fiercely and snatched the ball at last, and gave the other party a warning look.
Tony Allen was completely indifferent to this, and left without looking back.
Scrimmage!
(End of this chapter)