One Guard

　　 At 7:30 in the evening, there are no more people in the training ground of the American Airlines Center Arena. "Administrator" Cardinal still followed the old habit of helping the staff pick up the scattered basketballs one by one. Carlisle came out of the office with a briefcase and greeted Cardinal.

After that, the academy coach visited the training ground and seemed to be looking for something.

"Looking for it?" Seeing Carlisle stop, Cardinal asked casually.

"Well, he didn't stay to practice today?"

"That kid, he will die if he doesn't practice for a day! Well, today, this kid is in the strength training room." Cardinal pointed to a room on the side of the training ground separated by floor-to-ceiling windows. That room is the strength training room for the Mavericks.

Carlisle looked in the direction of Cardinal's fingers, and inside, the shirtless Yiyang was sweating and fiddling with various equipment.

"It's rare, this guy is actually doing training without the ball." Carlisle looked at it with interest. Yiyang has been with the Mavericks for so long, but he rarely takes the initiative to practice in the strength room. Ball training often occupies most of Yiyang's extra training time.

"He heard that Westbrook scored 40 points in the last game, and he went crazy. That Oklahoma City Zero is a strong impact guard, so in order to effectively contain that guy, he has recently They all love to soak in the power room." Cardinal smiled and explained the cause and effect to Carlisle.

"Rome was not built in a day." Of course, Carlisle knew that with the additional training these days, Yiyang's physical resistance ability could not be compared with Westbrook. "But... it's better than doing nothing." The academy coach still smiled satisfied.

"Help me watch him. Do not practice strength too hard, otherwise it may be counterproductive! My wife is still waiting for me to go home for dinner, let him go home and rest in another half an hour!" Carlisle pointed to his watch. , Cardinal made an "ok" gesture.

"No problem, boss!"

※※※

Yiyang was still struggling to lift the dumbbells, sweat trickling down his muscles. Yiyang felt as if his whole body had been poured into metal. It was tough, but it seemed that he was not very flexible.

Raising the dumbbell again, a huge soreness in his arms slowly spread. Yiyang did not hold his breath, but tried his best to breathe in accordance with the rhythm.

At this moment, the glass door of the strength training room seemed to be pushed open by someone. A few seconds later, Cardinal's face appeared in Yiyang's field of vision.

"Look at you, wipe your sweat." Cardinal sat opposite Yiyang and threw him a towel.

"Thank you." Yiyang took the towel and wiped his already soaked body.

"You can't practice like this, boy. You will break your own body before the game starts."

"But... if you don't do this..." Yiyang was still panting as he spoke, and he really practiced too hard today.

"Hey, go to the basketball court, let's relax. You should feel very heavy all over now."

After Cardinal finished speaking, Yiyang raised his head in surprise. This guy has completely said how he feels now.

"Let's go, anyway, I have 11 years of professional career. I can still teach you these things." The white forward, with few strands of hair left, tilted his head and led Yiyang to the basketball court. .

On the basketball court, Cardinal led Yiyang to do some relaxing exercises. Of course, there are also various stretching actions like yoga.

"Stretching after strength training is very important, you may be able to ignore this link in normal times. But if the amount of training is too large, stretching is a must! Proper stretching can stretch the muscles and make the muscles more elastic. It makes the muscles stiff. How about it, don’t you feel that your body is not as heavy as it was just now?"

While Yiyang was training, Cardinal was instructing and explaining to Yiyang the purpose of doing so.

"Well, it's better." Yiyang felt that the "iron" that had just been poured into his body seemed to have been integrated into his blood.

Although the Mavericks trainer will also guide Yiyang, but under the leadership of an experienced player, Yiyang still feels a little different.

"Of course, muscle stretching will not only relieve muscle pressure, but also prevent the accumulation of lactic acid. Tomorrow, your muscles should not feel sore and uncomfortable. So, listen carefully to the trainer's words in the future. All these are from them. I learned it."

Stretching, relaxing, and resting. After Yiyang finished all the movements required by Cardinal, he felt that his body had become a lot lighter, and it seemed that he had returned to his usual state. This feeling is completely different from just being in the power room.

"Brian, you know so much." Yiyang admired Cardinal from the bottom of his heart. He didn't expect that this guy who usually doesn't even play in trash time would have such experience in training.

"When your career is as long as mine, you will know more than me." Cardinal smiled happily. The white forward seems to be so easy-going and always so optimistic.

"The last game, Westbrook scored 40 points, how do you feel?" The two sat on the floor of the training ground to rest, Cardinal also chatted with Yiyang.

"Westbrook's 40 points made me suddenly realize that I am not the best young man in the league at all. After defeating the Lakers and Kobe, I became a little complacent. But the facts tell me that I am far from the best. It’s very far. So, I don’t want to waste any second of my time to improve myself. Only by constantly catching up will I not fall behind."

After listening to Yiyang, Cardinal nodded thoughtfully. This guy Yiyang always aims to be the best. And Cardinal himself, from high school to entering the league, he seems to have nothing to do with the best.

But this does not affect Cardinal's love of professional players, he may not be the best, he may be destined to live out of the spotlight. But he is a truly professional professional player. As long as the team needs, as long as he can. Then, Cardinal will do his best!

Now, since Carlisle gave Yiyang to himself. Then, I have to do this to the end.

"If we really run into Thunder, have you figured out how to deal with him?" Cardinal turned his head and stared at Yiyang.

Yiyang did not answer, although he and Westbrook are evenly divided during the regular season. But in the playoffs, previous experience can only be used as a reference, and does not represent anything. Yiyang really has no idea how to contain Westbrook.

"Come on, I'll teach you." Cardinal stood up and hooked his finger at Yiyang.

Yiyang was stunned, but still stood up. After that, Cardinal took a basketball from an iron frame and threw it to Yiyang.

"Come on offensive, to break through me, it should be easy for you." Cardinal finished speaking, opened his arms and crossed in front of Yiyang.

"Are you sure? Brian." Yiyang knows how many catties Cardinal has. Although Yiyang respects this veteran, the fact is that Cardinal can't defend himself at all.

"Come on, although I am old, it is not useless."

"Then...I can attack."

After that, Yiyang leaned towards the three-point line with the ball. Cardinal didn't panic when he saw Yiyang hit. Although the No. 1 guard, he once scored 30 points on Kobe!

Yiyang sank his shoulders, and suddenly went to the right of Cardinal! He believed that to pass Cardinal at his own speed, one step would be enough!

The fact is also true, Cardinal had no time to move laterally, Yiyang easily overtook and headed towards the basket.

However, Yiyang had just stepped into the three-second zone with one foot, but he felt that he was entangled by Cardinal again. Cardinal did not give up on defense, but still desperately sticks to defense, although his efforts seem to have no effect.

Under Cardinal's pressing, Yiyang successfully completed the layup. This time Yiyang scored easily. He didn't know what Cardinal wanted to tell himself.

"Come again!" However, Cardinal just threw the ball to Yiyang again, and then opened his arms horizontally in front of Yiyang again.

Yiyang didn't say anything, it's better to be respectful than fate. He faced Cardinal again. This time, Yiyang made a crossover with a very large arc of direction change, still passing Cardinal in one step.

But Cardinal did not give up, he bit Yiyang like a mad dog. Yiyang started a three-step layup, and Cardinal did not hesitate to grab Yiyang's shorts. Although the ball was still scored, Yiyang didn't seem to feel so relaxed.

"You fouled."

"Foul, sometimes it is a better defensive choice, come again!" Cardinal did not talk nonsense, he was usually kind, but at the moment he is like a strict teacher.

Over and over again, Yiyang broke through Cardinal's defense and completed a layup. But Yiyang felt that it seemed to be more and more difficult to score.

He scored again and again without knocking down Cardinal's will. This old man with all his hair has no hard power, but he can do a little bit and never give up!

After that, Cardinal's defensive action became bigger and bigger, and Yiyang's physical energy was quickly consumed.

Finally, on a layup, Cardinal, who was madly pressing, cut off the basketball in Yiyang's hands. Yiyang just wanted to reach out to pick it up, but found that Cardinal flew directly, squeezing the basketball under him.

"I won!" Cardinal lay on the ground panting, but with a smile on his face.

Yiyang stayed in place. This was just training, but Cardinal desperately seemed to be in a formal game.

"If it weren't for training, you would have eaten my elbow! If your opponent Westbrook, you will defend him like this! Let that guy not get rid of you all the time, let him live forever in the haze you created! He is stronger, and you fight harder than him! He wants to make a layup easily, so you throw him to the ground and tell him that he is not an easy mess! Come, come again!"

After that, Yiyang's physical energy was consumed more and more, but the guy from Cardinal was still inseparable from Yiyang. Even if he is broken through, he will not give up, but will do his best to catch up.

Yiyang hit the basket several times and even Cardinal made an offensive foul bravely. Cardinal was smashed and fell again and again, but he did not complain, but quickly got up and threw the ball to Yiyang. "Come again!"

When Yiyang was again bravely stopped by Cardinal and he had another offensive foul, he seemed to understand something instantly. Yiyang stepped forward and stretched out his hand to pull Cardinal up.

Stalker at all costs? This is really a crazy way of defense!

"Are you coming, kid."

"Take a rest, Brian. And...thank you~www.novelmtl.com~The physical condition is not as good as others, so let's work hard to get it together, understand?"

"I see, Brian."

After speaking, the sweaty two smiled at each other.

※※※

At ten o'clock in the evening, Wen Xue finally heard the engine of the Yiyang Ford pickup echoing in the street. The mother hurried to the door to welcome her son's arrival.

The pickup truck parked in the garage, but it was not only his son who came out of the garage.

"Madam also, I'm sorry, I'm still here to bother you so late!" Cardinal bowed to Wenxue with a gentlemanly demeanor.

"Mom, this is my teammate, Mr. Brian Cardinal. Can you fry some eggs for us? We are hungry."

Seeing Yiyang bringing friends home, Wen Xue was indescribably happy. Since getting into professional basketball, this kid is really different from before.

In the past, Yiyang was alone and had no friends. but now......

"Come in and sit, Mr. Bryan. Also, don't let people stand outside!"

"Hahahaha, you are too polite, madam!"

The yellowing light was projected from the window onto the street, and the three people gathered around the dining table, talking and laughing.

It seems that Yiyang and his mother’s house hasn’t been so lively for a long time...8)