The Way of the Center

Jeff Van Gundy was the last to sleep among the Thunder, but he was also the first to get up. This simple man doesn't need much entertainment. Family life and basketball life seem to be everything to him.

An old black Toyota sedan, unobtrusive on the streets of Oklahoma. Encountered on the street, you would think which countryman took his wife and children into the city on a trip. But when you approach this car and look at the person in the cab, you will definitely be taken aback.

The owner of this car is Jeff Van Gundy, his car can be bought by an ordinary American family, and this car is also very inconsistent with his status as a public figure.

But this is Van Gundy's habit and life. It's not that he doesn't have a better car. The Knicks gave him a Mercedes-Benz SUV, and the Rockets also gave him a BMW sedan. But Jeff Van Gundy is reluctant to drive, he still likes his dilapidated Toyota. But this car really fits Van Gundy's image and temperament.

Stiffness is not just a feature of Van Gundy on the court. In life, he is also an old-fashioned person.

A huge engine roar rushed into Van Gundy's ears. In the early morning, the children of the rich family in Oklahoma were still sleeping with women in their blankets. At this time, people who drive a sports car and are still in the same direction as themselves, ten have **......

"Hello, boss!" Before Van Gundy could finish thinking about it, An Jie opened the car window and greeted Van Gundy.

"So early, where's Morris?" Van Gundy also opened the window. The long red light in Oklahoma City was really annoying.

"Where?" Anjie pointed to the ground, and Van Gundy craned his neck to see Morris lying on the seat. Damanniu almost flattened the co-pilot's seat and lay on it to make up for sleep.

"This guy, give him a good refreshment during training today." Van Gundy shook his head. Although staid, he would still joke with the players.

"Just waiting for you to say this." An Jie looked at Morris who was still asleep. Da Barbarian Niu didn't know that he had been calculated by two malicious guys.

After waiting for a long time, the green light at this intersection finally flashed. An Jie waved his hand at Van Gundy, tapped the accelerator lightly, and his Mazda-rx7 rushed out. At this time, Van Gundy's old Toyota had just shifted to the first gear and started off.

When Anjie and the others went to the locker room to change clothes, most of them had already warmed up. Because Anjie did not come early today, during the playoffs, it is not a good time to practice. Cannot guarantee that he has sufficient physical strength, it is difficult to persevere in the playoffs.

A few minutes later, Van Gundy also stepped into the dressing room. He quickly glanced at his players, and everyone was full of energy except Morris who was still sleepy.

But he was not worried about Morris, this guy always looked like this when he was training. But once the game starts, Da Baran Niu will always be in a state of extreme excitement.

"Guys, this morning, we will focus on tactics." Van Gundy knocked on the whiteboard and turned on the projector.

"Talking about tactics?" Morris's languid eyes became even more drowsy.

"Yes, and you have to memorize Andrew all without missing a word. When the time comes to remember a tactic, I will reduce your playing time by one minute."

"Yes!" As soon as he heard that playing time was going to be reduced, Morris immediately became energetic.

After more than ten minutes of tactics, the players realized something was wrong. This tactic is very different from the past, but it seems familiar.

Yes, they have played with this tactic before, and more than once. But this system is still a bit rusty for the Thunder.

"In other words, the game should revolve around Ann?" Westbrook asked first. He has discovered that Durant and himself have become supporting roles under this system. Although they are also an offensive end point, the guy who really controls the overall situation is the center.

Morris is very familiar with this kind of tactics, because in the Tornado team, Ricard arranged this way!

"That's right, in the next game, we will play with Ann as the absolute core!" Van Gundy's words stunned everyone in the locker room, including Anjie himself.

It’s okay to play with Anjie as the core occasionally for a few minutes in a game, and it won’t be surprising for players to play with Anjie as the core for a few games in a season. However, in the important Western Conference semifinals, Van Gundy not only made a temporary change, but also produced a core that they never expected.

An Jie does have the strength, but he is just a sophomore who has not left his rookie period. An Jie was indeed selected to the Western Conference All-Star team, but the honors he has received are only "not painful or not itchy" awards such as the Asian Championship mvp and rookie mvp.

Is it really okay to have such a guy at the core to fight the powerful Lakers? Anyway, Durant is still the youngest scoring leader in NBA history.

"Don't be surprised, we haven't done anything like this before. I want you to cooperate fully with An Jie, the next game, An, is up to you." Van Gundy ignored the surprised expressions of the people in the locker room. , The decision he has already made will not change.

"Well, let's go to the field to practice and practice and we will know that the tactics are appropriate. I believe that An has that ability, even if this is the playoffs." As the original core, Durant was the first to stand up and support An Jie . In this way, other people will not have any opinions.

Duran is gentle in nature. Although he can score, he will not squeeze his teammates just to get himself to score. Otherwise, in Westbrook's style, Durant would still have a chance to win the points. It is precisely because of his character that the third thunder master can be chained together.

The tactical training soon went smoothly under the leadership of Alton, and Morris was assigned to the substitute by Van Gundy, but this was just to make Anjie a decent opponent.

It is not because Ibaka is not strong, but the defense of Maurice and Ibaka can really exert pressure on Anjie as much as actual combat.

From the beginning of the confrontation, An Jie felt all this very familiar. He seemed to have gone back two years ago, back to Ames, back to Iowa State University.

Mike Taylor is just a pseudo-core, just like Westbrook now. Morris is Anjie's best helper, just like Durant now. Although it was only a tactical exercise, Anjie's passing and cutting were very perfect and skillful. On the contrary, the movement of the small men could not keep up with his passing rhythm.

"Quicker and faster, faster rotation! The Lakers' defense is tighter than this!" Van Gundy has been yelling from the sidelines. From the current point of view, the effect of the change is good!

An Jie finally recovered the pleasure of being in control of the overall situation. Even the league's scoring leader must play under his command.

He was standing outside the three-point line, Westbrook used his shock to pull the defense of the bench, and Durant, who was cruising outside, was torturing the opponent's nerves all the time.

In Anjie's view, the defense of the bench has been shattered. His ability to read the game was already strong, and now coupled with that much better vision than a defender, passing the ball is simply deadly.

Morris became more and more true and worked harder and harder. However, he still couldn't stop Anjie's scoring pace.

When everyone on the bench gathers towards Angel, Westbrook will suddenly break through with the ball and easily score points in the huge gap.

But they can't shrink because the youngest scorer hasn't fired yet.

The confrontation training is getting more and more intense, and it is getting closer to actual combat. But under Anjie's leadership, the offensive firepower of the main team has not diminished in the slightest.

If Van Gundy hadn't stopped training in time, the main team would have gone crazy.

The bald guy laughed with satisfaction, his hard work was not in vain~www.NovelMTL.com~ This trick will surely let everyone on the Lakers know how enthusiastic Oklahoma's "countrymen" are.

You know, this is the first day the Thunder officially practiced this system together. When the official game starts, the system is not mature, but at least it will be more efficient than the current one.

The Chesapeake Energy Arena under the setting sun is so deserted, so full of vitality and hope.

Countless people took photos in the square outside the arena, but they just regarded it as a tourist attraction.

But for another group of people, this is the battlefield. Here is a place where you have to fight hard to get out.

Basketball is the war of modern men. It does not distinguish nationality and belief, but the intensity is not bad at all.

The boys sweating in the training ground have found a brand new and powerful weapon. Just waiting to let the invading Purple Gold Legion become a piece of armor without leaving!

This is the Chesapeake Energy Arena, "Blue Ocean". Here, blue and white lightning can punish everyone to death. (To be continued.)