On November 4, the latest NBA official team strength rankings were released.

The defending champion Celtics still ranks first, with the Lakers ranking second.

The Rockets rank eighth in the league, but the Timberwolves rank 26th in the league, ranking only higher than the Nets, Grizzlies, Knicks, and Bucks, which are aiming to play badly.

This ranking is even worse than most of last season.

Once the list was released, the Timberwolves naturally became the target of ridicule of major media.

Just as Barkley said, Whitman's call for get out of class to be dismissed began to appear in major newspapers.

Even the local media in Mingzhou turned their guns and began to criticize head coach Whitman.

It is never uncommon for coaches to take the blame for poor team performance. The reason is simply that in various positions of the team, coaches are the ones who are most easily replaced.

A team consists of roughly four parts, the boss, management, coaching staff and players.

Among the four, the boss is naturally at the most detached low position, and under normal circumstances, he does not have to be responsible for the team's record.

But the relationship between the remaining three is very subtle.

Although players and coaches are the direct factors that ultimately determine the outcome of the game, both are employed by management.

Players, especially star-level players, are scarce resources. The management often holds them in their hands and is afraid of falling off, and holds them in their mouths to melt them. As long as the players in the team do not have too many problems, the management is too late to spoil them, so how can they dare to let the players take the blame?

So, the coach became the most tragic existence.

In fact, in Li Rong's opinion, the team's time is still short, and it is rare to achieve success in the first season like the Big Three of Celtics, which are almost seamlessly connected.

The "OK combination" between Kobe and O'Neal is strong enough, but he didn't win the championship until his fourth year.

There is definitely not much time left for the Timberwolves. Billups' age is a big problem. Perhaps in 2 to 3 years, his level will decline, so these two years are actually the best opportunity for the Timberwolves.

However, the Timberwolves did not take the media's criticism too seriously. They only had three games and the sky had not yet collapsed.

In addition to Jefferson's private dissatisfaction with Whitman's criticism of his defense, both Li Rong and Billups supported the head coach.

Both of them are defensive first players, which does not conflict with Whitman's coaching philosophy.

Even though Jefferson didn't like Whitman at first, he didn't reveal this idea, and the team was still relatively harmonious.

The team ushered in a home match with the Spurs on November 5.

Li Rong still continued his state of being excited as soon as he hit the Spurs, and obtained his first score of 20 after returning from injury, scoring 2555 data in the whole game.

Jefferson also made the Spurs' inside uneasy and contributed a 3014 large double-double.

Billups deliberately lowered the number of shots in this game, tried his best to organize the defender, and contributed 15 assists throughout the game.

Although the three of them performed so well, they did not have Gundam.

Tony Parker scored 55 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists in the game, and 55 points were also the highest score in Parker's career.

Duncan is also a pillar in the interior, contributing 30 points and 16 rebounds, not inferior to Jefferson at all on the offensive end.

Tony Parker, who was crazy, saw the Timberwolves defending in vain, contributed various incredible breakthrough goals at the basket, making the Timberwolves' outside players play around.

Billups' most troublesome defense target is Parker, a defender who breaks through as fast as lightning, and his speed is a bit difficult to follow.

After Parker broke through to the basket, the Timberwolves did not have qualified frame guards in the interior. McDace was limited by a knee injury and did not contribute much to the defensive end.

The two sides fought fiercely for two overtimes, and the Timberwolves lost 125 to 129.

Even though I lost this game, it can still be seen that the team is developing in a positive direction.

In the fifth game of the season, the Timberwolves challenged the Kings away.

Perhaps it was the last game that was beaten by Salmons to stimulate veteran Percy. In this game, Percy completely locked his opponent on the defensive end. Salmons only scored a pitiful 6 points in the whole game and made 2 of 15 shots.

Although Jefferson felt bad, Li Rong's condition had been completely found. He contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds in the whole game, and Billups also scored 16 points.

The Timberwolves defeated the Kings 109-104 and won their first victory in the season.

It's a coincidence that Li Rong remembers that when the team suffered a series of losses in the beginning of the season, it was the warmth brought by the Kings.

Now the team is in trouble again, and the Kings are helping us in time.

It can be seen from this that the king’s true love for the Timberwolves.

Unfortunately, Timberwolves fans were not optimistic for too long. The next day, the back-to-back match with the Trail Blazers, although Oden once again reported that the season might be reimbursed before the start of the season, Li Rong also chose to make a standstill in this back-to-back match at the suggestion of the team doctor.

The Timberwolves' veterans were obviously affected by physical strength and had a less positive attitude, so the team suffered another defeat.

The day after losing the game, McHale made a shocking news.

Whitman had already received a call from his boss Glen Taylor last night, and he had been fired by the team.

The phone call to fire the boss coach, this ridiculous farce is simply unheard of.

Besides, Taylor has only played 6 games now, so he can't help but feel so calm.

You know, Whitman's appearance was planned by him at that time.

After just over a season, Whitman was dismissed. Isn’t this a slap in the face?

Li Rong's face was very gloomy, and she turned around and called Whitman.

Whitman on the other end of the phone did not sleep all night, and there was an indescribable fatigue in his voice: "Li, you know the news."

"Do you need me to do something for you? Coach." Li Rong asked.

According to McHale's opinion, Taylor had not communicated with the management before firing Whitman, nor had he consulted the players. Doing so was not only disrespectful to Whitman, but also contempt for the entire team.

Although he is the team owner, in theory, this team is his private property, since Taylor treats others so much, don't blame himself for turning against the core of the team.

As long as Whitman himself is willing, Li Rong can join forces with other players to put pressure on Taylor.

Let him know that don’t think that you can do whatever you want by being the boss of the team.

Whitman was silent for a long time before sighing: "Forget it, Li, play well!"

Li Rong was stunned when he heard this, but he didn't expect Whitman to accept it so much.

Li Rong still felt a little angry when he hung up the phone.
Chapter completed!