Chapter 37 [I can vote for Malone and want to elbow me]
After preseason screening, 13 SuperSonics players were awarded contracts to stay on the team, and two fringe players were eliminated.
Center: PJ Brown, Earvin Johnson, Sam Perkins.
Power forward: Shawn Kemp, Frank Brickkowski, Beau Outlaw.
Small forward: Detrev Schrempf, Vincent Askew.
Shooting guard: Yang Jian, Kevin Edwards.
Point guard: Gary Payton, Nate McMillan, Eric Snow.
The management believes that signing 13 people is enough. If injuries occur, the empty roster can be used to sign people in the free market. In the 1990s, few teams could make up a 15-man roster, and only allowed 15 players in each game.
12 people showed up.
The stars will have a lot of playing time, while the substitutes won't have much playing time, and if they sign too many players, they won't have a chance to play. McMillan can play shooting guard, and there is actually no shortage of players at every position.
Last season, the SuperSonics' interior substitutes were Steve Scheffler, 196cm tall power forward Byron Houston, and veteran Bill Cartwright who is about to retire... these three people will not be able to play in the playoffs.
This season, the SuperSonics' interior depth has been greatly improved, and Schrempf no longer has to play as a power forward. His defense at the 4th position can only be described as embarrassing, it is quite soft.
It is even more impossible for Irvine to be the starting center because he is not strong enough. If he is still as bad as the last playoffs, coach George Karl does not need to force him to play 13.5 minutes per game. He can just sit and be a spectator.
In addition to the two newly joined defensive insiders, there is also Frank, an experienced spatial insider. The coaching staff can make many adjustments based on the opponent's play style.
The smile on George Karl's face was yo ho yo ho yo, and the beautiful thing in his heart was rang inside. When he was in a good mood, he didn't scold anyone for half a month, and his brows relaxed.
On the special plane flying to Salt Lake City, Yang Jian and Payton chatted about the opening game. Since the preseason, Yang Jian has sat with Payton whether on the plane or on the bus.
In a month, the two have developed a tacit understanding in the game. The main reason is that Payton is familiar with Yang Jian's running route and can assist him to score. Yang Jian is not good at assisting teammates, and his vision has always been poor, which is his weakest point.
One ring.
Payton whispered: "I will pass the ball to you more in this game. When you go to Salt Lake City for training, you can practice shooting more. If you want to win this game, you must score more."
Yang Jian was so flattered that she couldn't help but ask Payton what was going on with her eyes.
"We have played against the Jazz many times. Their penalty area defense is super strong, and it is difficult to get to the basket and score easily. If you want to win against the Jazz, you have to rely on jump shots, and you must shoot from the outside. We only won one game against the Jazz last season. Sean
It will be very difficult to play against Malone, I have to guard Stockton, the team needs Detrev and you to take more shots."
Yang Jian asked: "How can I defend Hornacek better?"
"Put yourself close, you must stay close to him and fight constantly, and try not to let him take action. His physical fitness is average, so you have an absolute advantage in confrontation, but he is very scary when his hands are hot." Payton answered.
Experienced players know what to expect before the game starts.
Jazz star power forward Karl Malone is Kemp's bitter enemy. Kemp has been beaten by Malone almost since he entered the league. This is not an exaggeration. The best result of the game is that the two of them exploded against each other.
In the last regular season matchup between the two teams last season, Malone made 11 of 13 shots, 9 of 11 free throws, and efficiently scored 31 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal. What about Kemp? He made 6 of 15 shots, 3 of 5 free throws, and scored 15
Points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block.
Payton knew very well that Kemp couldn't beat his opponent. He said to Yang Jian, "Shawn will have a hard time against Malone" to save face. Kemp was not only having a hard time, he was blocked several times and couldn't make a move.
Malone is a recognized superstar in the league, and Kemp is a star loved by fans. The two can be compared because in the All-Star Game, fans voted Kemp to be the starter in the Western Conference and Malone was the substitute. Because of this, Malone wanted to die even more when he met Kemp.
Miles.
Jeff Hornacek, who is nicknamed "Death Gun", is not a vegetarian. He is 191cm tall, weighs 86 kilograms, has accurate shooting, excellent skills, and good passing awareness.
Hornacek scored the highest score of his career against the SuperSonics last season. He played 36 minutes, made 14 of 18 shots, 8 of 8 three-pointers, 4 of 4 free throws, and scored 40 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Since then, the SuperSonics management has been determined to trade Kendall Gil. Kendall was exposed by Lao Huo, and even Gil in Resident Evil was tougher than him.
Payton was silent for a moment, grinned widely and said: "Haha, Hornacek will definitely not be able to keep up with your speed. If you beat him, you will become popular. I have a hunch that the Jazz are not well prepared this time and will probably be unlucky."
"
After the plane landed and waiting to leave the airport, George Karl said something similar to Yang Jian. The coach planned to arrange tactics for him this time and let him take more shots.
"Against the Jazz, you are our biggest advantage. We know the Jazz's style of play well, but they are very unfamiliar with you. Even if they have seen your performance in the summer league, it will be difficult to defend because of the players you work with.
The strength is stronger. How about it, can you fight with confidence?"
Yang Jian nodded. "As long as they don't defend me tightly enough, I can shoot until Malone tries to elbow me."
George Karl and assistant coach Bob Weiss were stunned for a moment, then laughed.
Weiss smiled and bent over. "Haha, you are right, you are ambitious."
George Karl patted Yang Jian on the shoulder twice and said with a smile: "Then we'll wait and see how you perform. Shoot more and don't think about dunking on Malone, otherwise he might really elbow you."
Malone has a bad reputation. Everyone knows that he likes to elbow people and is immoral.
Malone's iron elbow has injured countless people, and Jordan was also beaten to death by his elbow. His most famous elbow hit was in 1992, when "Smiling Assassin" Isiah Thomas scored on Stockton's head.
De Zhenghuan was suddenly knocked to the ground by Ma Long's elbow.
The slow motion showed Malone suddenly retracting his raised arm, as if saying "ohyeah", and his elbow hit Thomas firmly on the eyebrow. The Pistons of that era were a group of bosses who were not easy to mess with.
The gang immediately surrounded him, but were separated by the referee.
Thomas needed more than 40 stitches for this, and said it was the "dirtiest" play he had ever experienced in his basketball career. This record of stitches was not set until many years later when a Chinese player had 340 stitches on his right eye.
Breaking. This story tells us...Chinese people have big eyes, and they are definitely not the squinting eyes that grow on the temples in a certain cartoon.
George Karl's reminder is unnecessary, Yang Jian will not challenge Malone inside.
He already has a fixed tactic in the team. He will hit the basket when he counterattacks. In positional battles, he mainly runs, catches and shoots. With Kemp and Payton here, it is not his job to hit the basket in positional battles.
He runs without the ball to catch the ball and shoots. No matter how many goals he scores, it will be difficult to match up with Malone. Malone can't just pounce and chase his elbow, right? That would be outrageous.
Payton sighed on the sidelines: "This kid is so brave. He dared to say such things in the opening game. He doesn't know George's temper. If he takes too many shots and makes us lose, he will definitely be scolded."
McMillan smiled and said: "His personality will not be nervous in away games. As long as he performs at the same level as in training, the Jazz will have a headache for him. He is much better than Kendall, and George likes him very much.
I won’t scold him.”
"Compared with him, I was even low-key back then." Payton didn't have the ball or compete for the ball in his first two years with the SuperSonics. He was quite Buddhist.
A year after George Karl coached the SuperSonics, Payton gradually grew into the team's outside core. I have to say that Yang Jian joined at a good time. Now Payton is selfless and happy to share the ball with his teammates. Part 1
This season, he averaged 16.4 shots per game, a career high.
If the team's boss averages more than 20 shots per game, it will be very difficult for newcomers to get ahead.
"We have to wait a long time to play the Bulls. I really want to see him play against Jordan." McMillan said.
I don’t know when it started, but the old SuperSonics players like to compare Yang Jian with the rookie years of some superstars. He seems to have great potential. Except for some stars who have achieved terrible results, no one else can compare with him in their rookie years.