manynovel Chapter 18 Preseason Playing Experiments
Chapter 18 Preseason Playing Experiments
Despite losing at home and having his stats halved, no one criticized Du Xiaoshuai at the media conference.
Anyone who has watched the game knows that Du Xiaoshuai's talent is obvious to the naked eye, like an oil field in the Middle East that can be explored in depth.
Today, Durant's playing style was completely different from the beautiful style in the first game. His quick and sharp breakthroughs, unstoppable impact, high-efficiency finishing under the basket, and hard-hitting muscle collisions, combined with his center-level height and wingspan and guard-level soft touch, perfectly interpreted the violent aesthetics that Americans love.
An ESPN reporter asked, "Kevin, you've been driving to the basket more often today and have become more aggressive. Is this a new playing style the coach has designed for you?"
"Yes, you know, our coaching staff worked very hard. They spent a lot of effort helping me customize tactics, systems, and playing styles. I'm very grateful," Du Xiaoshuai admitted frankly.
Everyone has to help carry a beautiful sedan chair, so you can't just say it's my talent bestowed by the system, and that the coaching staff does nothing but criticize the players...
The reporter then turned to P.J. Carlesimo and asked, "Coach P.J., Kevin played exceptionally well today. Where did you get this innovative inspiration from? Did you reference LeBron's playing style?"
What does "嘢" mean?
People say I play like LeBron James?
You play like LeBron James, your whole family plays like LeBron James!
Du Xiaoshuai scooped up a handful of sweat, quickly snatched the microphone from in front of him, and bowed his head, denying it three times: "NO, NO, NO, I didn't imitate anyone's playing style! Don't talk nonsense, or I'll sue you for defamation!"
The reporters in the audience were stunned. Was the young emperor's playing style really that bad?
That's the epitome of all-around excellence today!
After playing against Golden State, on October 14th, Durant flew with the team to Portland, the city where Nike is headquartered, to play the third preseason game against the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden Arena in Oregon.
After discussing the game with Du Xiaoshuai, the coaching staff tested another playing style.
Durant played 21 minutes, scoring 21 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and blocking 5 shots, paying homage to Kevin Garnett. His playing style was also very Garnett-like: defensively sweeping and protecting the rim, switching on pick-and-rolls in the mid-to-high post, and offensively unstoppable with his jump shot. The only difference was that his shooting range extended to beyond the three-point line, and his accuracy was even higher.
Of course, Du Xiaoshuai doesn't punch himself in the chest like Wolf King does, whether he's happy or not, and he rarely talks trash.
The Trail Blazers' core players, who had played with Durant in the Summer League, seemed to have a bit of a lingering fear of him, resulting in mediocre performances. However, point guard Steve Blake and Channing Frye, who was traded from the Knicks, were very active.
Especially Steve Blake, a second-round pick from the strong 03 draft class, who just signed a three-year contract with the Trail Blazers and is eager to battle the rising star Kevin Durant this season.
Of course, it's done using a point guard approach.
At the start of the season, Blake repeatedly attacked the paint, trying to create scoring opportunities for Durant.
Unfortunately, Durant's foul control also had the flair of the Wolf King. He blocked Blake three times without being fooled into committing a single foul, which finally made Blake obediently pass the ball and pass the blame.
Meanwhile, Channing Frye frequently pulled out to shoot three-pointers as Durant retreated to the low post.
Even if Du Xiaoshuai doesn't provide enough interference, his own shooting percentage is still quite unstable.
Similar to the SuperSonics, the Trail Blazers are also in a rebuilding phase. One team got the number one pick, and the other got the number two pick. The older brother doesn't laugh at the younger brother. The Trail Blazers had a better roster during the Summer League, but now it's the other way around. Durant has a star player like Billups by his side. They were leading by more than ten points at halftime, and even though he didn't play in the second half, they still had the last laugh.
88:82.
When Durant left Portland, the coaching staff was very satisfied. Durant's defensive presence was overwhelming after switching to a more aggressive style of play, and he could even easily connect a zone defense system.
After the summer trades, the team actually has plenty of interior resources, but the quality is inconsistent. These players have been in the league for many years, are experienced, and have their own strengths, but they also have obvious weaknesses.
Power forward Kurt Thomas has a mid-range shot, but lacks other offensive skills. He is tough and physical on the defensive end, earning him the nicknames "Mad Eye" and "Dirty Kurt". In his youth, he faced off against almost every big man in the league, even Duncan, O'Neal, Garnett, and Xiaoming. He was an excellent blue-collar big man. Unfortunately, he was born in 72 and is already 35 years old, so he doesn't have much fuel left in the tank.
Power forward Joe Smith, the number one draft pick in the same year, is 3 years younger. He has good low-post defense and a more diverse offensive arsenal than Thomas, but he is also more prone to injuries.
Power forward/center Chris Wilcox is a hoodlum who frequently breaks the law by possessing a gun off the court. He has a beastly style, relies on his physical abilities to grab rebounds and score easy baskets, and has little independent offensive ability. This is the year of his contract, and he's willing to do the dirty work.
Power forward/center Mohammed Sini, a second-round draft pick.
Center Jason Collins, Kidd's former teammate, is the most famous openly gay man in the league besides Magic Johnson and his wife. He is 2.13 meters tall, about the same height as Kevin Durant when standing together. He is a starting player for a Finals-level team, an excellent role player, with stable low-post defense and the ability to finish plays. He is in his prime, but his speed is a bit slow.
Center Robert Swift, hailed as the last hope for white centers, is covered in tattoos and is the only player on the team taller than Kevin Durant when wearing shoes. However, he also suffers from the common weakness of white centers – being fragile. Since being drafted in 04, he has not played a full 82 games – every single one! He is barely a substitute.
With Durant orchestrating and supporting the defense like Garnett, the SuperSonics' interior defense intensity instantly increased by two levels.
Most importantly, Du Xiaoshuai doesn't occupy the inside position. He can also be positioned as a small forward. Offensively, he's excellent, and defensively, he won't crowd the inside with everyone. He can also extend his reach and keep up with the opponent's perimeter players!
Today, the Trail Blazers' field goal percentage in the low post dropped to 35%, which is about the same as their three-point shooting percentage! They defended the paint like an impenetrable wall.
In short, the Supersonics' inside game at night can be summarized in one sentence:
Thomas and Smith are tough!
Collins and Swift are high!
Du Xiaoshuai is tall and strong!
On October 19th, at Tinley Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the SuperSonics faced off against the Sacramento Kings.
This game wasn't played at the Kings' home court; it was a neutral venue game. It's a preseason game, and the league often moves games overseas to expand its influence.
After sending Chris Webber away, the King promoted Mike Bibby to the throne, but the King, who was short of troops and generals, had a disappointing record.
During the game, Reggie Theus, the newly appointed head coach of the Sacramento Kings last season—a tall point guard from the same era as Magic Johnson and the former leader of the Bulls before Jordan arrived—applauded Kevin Durant several times from the sidelines.
Today, Du Xiaoshuai changed his playing style again, starting to act as the team's central pivot for passing and playmaking, somewhat reminiscent of Seuss's style when he was young.
Unlike LeBron James, Durant plays as the central playmaker in the small forward position, never holding onto the ball. He either shoots immediately or passes it back and forth, leaving the ball in the steady hands of Chauncey Billups.
This style of play isn't new; the key is that Durant can play both inside and outside. His height advantage allows him to establish position under the basket to attack the rim or pass to the outside, while drawing double teams at the high post and passing inside. On the defensive end, he can also actively box out and attack the ball, and with one step out, he can help defend mid-range shots.
He has a bit of Bird's style, but he's more like Chris Webber from the Princeton system!
Mike Bibby, who was also the second overall pick, felt that Durant was slapping him in the face. Two years ago, he and Chris Webber had a big fight for the top spot. He finally managed to squeeze him out, and now Durant is using Webber's playing style to humiliate him.
Unfortunately, the team's overall strength was much weaker, and the score difference was almost 20 points by halftime. The Kings only managed to pull back the score in the second half when P.J. took off their starting lineup.
It's most infuriating when you can't beat someone!
At the press conference, Mike Bibby naturally didn't say anything nice, and his comment, "Newcomers should learn to respect," put Du Xiaoshuai in the spotlight.
Du Xiaoshuai was baffled when he heard the reporter's retelling. He said, "Just play basketball, why bring up respect? I haven't done anything nasty during the game."
"Please apologize to Bibi for me. I don't know what he was trying to say. I didn't mean to offend him. This is the last time I'll disrespect him," Du Xiaoshuai said sincerely.
The reporter from the Mexican state television station was completely bewildered. What kind of apology was this?
Black people who didn't graduate from college are indeed uncultured!
On October 23, at KeyArena in Seattle, the SuperSonics will host the Trail Blazers.
This is the SuperSonics' last preseason game of the season. Since they are both in the Northwest Division and were both bottom-feeders last season, the SuperSonics and the Trail Blazers played two games against each other in the preseason.
After playing basketball several times over the course of a few months, Durant, Adebayo, and Roy became acquainted and greeted each other during warm-ups.
Men playing basketball can easily strengthen their bond, even though the Trail Blazers lost the first two games. As someone said, playing basketball is a form of release; life goes on as usual after you go home.
We're all brothers, and who knows, we might even stick together in the future.
Back on the court, the usually quiet Aldridge looked miserable, as if his junior was targeting him.
In their final preseason game, the SuperSonics coaching staff, who were unusually free from the pressure of winning, once again gave Durant a different playing style.
This time, Du Xiaoshuai directly squatted in the paint, switching to a center-like style of play, sitting under the basket, but his registered position was still small forward. He put both Thomas and Joe Smith, who can shoot mid-range shots, in the paint, using a zone defense in the mid-range, allowing drives but not shots.
On the defensive end, Durant started to showcase his low-post footwork, jumping speed, and shot-blocking instincts.
Trail Blazers' blue-collar center Joel Przybilla couldn't even get a rebound against him.
Aldridge felt utterly helpless. As a traditional power forward, he had spent two years honing his skills in college, but he was outmatched by Durant's physical talent. Durant's strength was similar to his own, but his explosiveness was a cut above, and his height and wingspan were also significantly greater. He couldn't out-position Durant on defense, and his mid-range shots were disrupted on offense.
Why are you running in when the outer perimeter is so wide?!
Then let me ask you, if it's not targeting me, Ade, then what is it?
say!
Looking into my eyes!
After two more quarters of playing with a little sweat, Du Xiaoshuai, who had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in the first half, smiled slightly, having already won the coach's trust. In the second half, he sat by the water cooler, waving a towel all the way.
Today is also the Trail Blazers' last preseason game. The regular season opener is on October 30th, and both teams have at least another week to rest.
After the game, Du Xiaoshuai, as the host, invited his seniors Ade and Roy out for drinks to soothe their hearts, which had almost been broken.
The older brother, Billups, kindly lent Du Xiaoshuai his Silver Cloud Hotel membership card, and the group played until almost dawn before leaving.
Afterwards, Ade and Roy forgave Durant for his bullying of weaker opponents on the court, after all, basketball is basketball.
Dude!
Du Xiaoshuai didn't find the two toilet companions, one tall and one short, at the hotel last time, but he still went home quietly the next morning, completely satisfied.
While Kevin Durant was catching up on sleep, TNT's column invited Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley for a season preview discussion.
Compared to ESPN's tendency to use data to intimidate, TNT is much more free and fun, focusing on twisted logic and argumentation.
Based on their professional basketball skills, Smith and Barkley, who have played for many years, are actually no less capable than the experts at ESPN. It's just that TNT clearly understands better what viewers want to see and is willing to put on a show for the general public.
Although the three commentators in the live stream unanimously agreed that the Celtics, who had just assembled their Big Three, were the strongest team, Barkley disagreed that the Celtics had the highest probability of winning the championship.
It's a bit convoluted, but Feizhu uses his own heartbreaking experience to tell everyone that the season is long, team cohesion and chemistry are very important, and injuries will be the Celtics' biggest opponent, after all, these players are not young anymore.
In his MVP predictions, Barkley boldly placed Kevin Durant in the top ten, placing him on par with Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.
This might be considered a sensationalist statement, which is typical of his style, but Barkley, in high spirits, specifically analyzed Durant's preseason performance.
In five preseason games, Durant switched his playing style five times. This is the most imaginative rookie Barkley has ever seen. The last one to shock his young mind was Magic Johnson, who played point guard despite his height mismatch.
In Barkley's words, there have always been five different playing styles for each position on the court, requiring coordination and cooperation. This summer, LeBron James proved with his Finals run that it's possible to contend for a championship using only one style of play for each position.
But Du Xiaoshuai's emergence has shown everyone another idea—that is, there is a type of player who can switch between five different playing styles at will, yet still be defined by one position.
What's the point of playing like this?
He cited Pacleri's "Five Jameses" theory, pointing out that compared to the ultimate form of "Five Jameses on One Team," five Durants playing the same position at small forward would be even more unstoppable.
The SuperSonics, led by Durant, may not have a great record in the new season due to their roster, but they will definitely bring a new storm to the league.
Well-reasoned and convincing!
Smith, who was next to Charles, was often caught off guard by Charles's wild imagination.
Meanwhile, ESPN wasn't idle either. On October 25th, their official news released the league's new season team power rankings, MVP predictions, and individual power rankings.
In terms of team strength, ESPN ranked the Celtics first, followed by the Spurs and Cavaliers, and even gave detailed suggestions on how the Cavaliers could strengthen their roster, making their stance self-evident.
The SuperSonics are ranked 12th in the league and 8th in the West. The West has been stronger than the East for the past few years. Otherwise, how could James have broken out of the East?
ESPN does have high hopes for Kevin Durant. Although he is nowhere to be seen in the MVP prediction list due to his team's record, he is ranked 13th in the individual power rankings, which means that Durant is already an All-Star level player.
Every year at the All-Star Game, there are about twenty players, including starters and reserves. The player ranked thirteenth, who is also the leader of a team, is almost guaranteed a spot. NBA rookies who perform well receive a boost in votes, and more fans are willing to give the newly emerging players to the All-Star Game. Otherwise, it would be boring to have the same old faces every year.
Before a single regular season game has been played, ESPN, known for its rigorous and conservative approach, has given Kevin Durant and the rebuilding SuperSonics such high praise and predictions, which is something many fans and experts did not expect.
But Durant knew that Nike, the major financial backer, was starting to exert its influence. The narrative of LeBron James single-handedly leading the team to the Finals in the summer was coming to an end, and some of the resources allocated to Durant would begin to shift towards him in the new season...
Such a high endorsement fee can't be wasted!