Champions Creed

Chapter 403 402: After Lu Bu's death, everyone can kill Lu Bu (ask for monthly tickets!)

Gary Payton's pride is being eaten away bit by bit.

His decision to join Roger's team was the first step in giving up his pride, and his decision to accept the role of substitute was the second step in giving up his pride.

And that was his final bottom line.

He is willing to be Roger's teammate and even to be a substitute.

But that doesn't mean he is willing to be Roger's dog.

So he refused the training, rejected this training camp which was more like a way for Roger to show off his prestige.

When Roger arrived at the training camp the next day, he did not go to talk to Gary Payton, and he was even too lazy to contact him.

Roger has been friends with many people, but he never thought he would have this kind of relationship with Gary Payton.

Roger would not try to persuade him earnestly. If Gary Payton did not cooperate, it would be easy to deal with - just fire him.

Anyway, it's just a one-year veteran's minimum salary, and directly cutting him off will not have any impact on the team's future.

Competitive sports are cruel. Every year, hundreds of players are cut in the short period of time from the start of the preseason to the start of the regular season. Teams sign many players during the offseason, but only a few of them make the final roster.

These hundreds of people may be super talents in high school or veterans who once had great success. No matter who you are, as long as you are not strong enough, you will be eliminated in this competition.

For someone like Gary Payton who hasn't figured out the situation yet, he will behave himself after being cut once.

Roger once said to Dominique Wilkins, and it still applies to Gary Payton: "You need me, not me."

Of course, Roger wouldn't let the team cut him right away.

If he continues to be like this during preseason training camp and preseason games, logic would dictate that the team act decisively.

This Golden State Warriors team is more united than ever before, and Roger won't allow any bad apples to spoil the good broth.

As for whether Gary Payton stays or leaves, the Kings don't care at all.

For several days afterwards, Gary Payton did not show up in training camp.

Roger didn't mention him at all, as if they were strangers.

Roger really didn't care about the gloves. He was completely immersed in the joy brought by Matt Barnes' great progress.

In the training camp, Roger discovered that Matt Barnes' three-point shooting level was very different from last season. Even in confrontational training, Matt Barnes often made three-pointers in a row.

Moreover, his positioning is smarter and more tricky. He was a pure defensive player last season, but he is expanding his influence on the offensive end.

Of course, Matt Barnes' three-point stability cannot be compared with that of a serious shooter.

But at least he is a threat point who can respond to open spaces.

In addition, Roger's old teammate Kurt Thomas has also made great progress in shooting.

During their time in Atlanta, Kurt Thomas and Ben Wallace were the basket quality inspectors at the Philips Arena.

Their free throws tested Lenny Wilkens' endurance and the quality of the basket.

But now, Kurt Thomas has developed a mid-range shot. Like Barnes, you can't expect Kurt Thomas' mid-range shot to reach the level of Stoudemire or Dirk.

But at least he is a threat to open space, and you can't let him go easily anymore.

I have to say that Daniel Gilbert really found a bunch of reliable partners for LBJ.

Next season, the Cavaliers' starting lineup is expected to be LBJ, Larry Hughes, AK47, Kurt Thomas and Big Z.

This is a starting lineup with almost no shortcomings on the defensive end, and it is a much stronger lineup than the Cavaliers 1.0 in the original timeline.

A small detail: The Larry Hughes in the original timeline was no longer the healthy Larry Hughes when he transferred to the Cavaliers, but the current Larry Hughes has no injury history. When he partners with the Chosen One, he will still have the level of a defensive first-team guard.

Not to mention that the team also has defensive stalwarts like AK47 and Kurt Thomas.

During the training break, Roger deliberately joked with Kurt Thomas: "Congratulations, Kurt, you have another chance to play in the finals."

Kurt Thomas just shook his head: "If you lead this Cavaliers team, we might be able to make it to the finals. But LBJ? First we have to make the playoffs."

"How dare you question an emperor!"

"An emperor who has never played in the playoffs?"

"Don't say that to Kurt. You have the ability to shoot mid-range now. Do you know what that means? It means that next season, you will have many opportunities to kill the game in the last few seconds of the game. LBJ will find you. He is very selfless. This is the biggest difference between him and other stars."

"I thank him!" Kurt Thomas screamed.

In a cheerful atmosphere, Roger's private training camp soon came to an end. In one week, the new media day will begin.

During this period, Gary Payton seemed to have lost contact and had no contact with anyone on the team.

It seems difficult for him to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Cuttino Mobley.

But even so, major mainstream media still gave the Golden State Warriors the greatest affirmation in their predictions.

They all believed that the Golden State Warriors could defend their title and that Roger would establish the third dynasty of his career in the Bay Area.

Bill Simmons gave the reason in his column: "The Warriors' lineup is still complete. As long as Roger + Amare's basic foundation remains unchanged, the Warriors are the team closest to the championship."

Sports Illustrated explained it in a more understandable way: "Last season, the Golden State Warriors had a strength of 105 points. This season, without Cuttino, their strength may only be 100 points, but it is still a perfect score."

The New York Times mocked Gary Payton, but also acknowledged the Warriors' strength: "Gary ushered in a new era, the era of cowards who join if they can't beat them. But it must be admitted that this time Gary chose a master who was incredibly close to a championship."

Almost no media outlets underestimated the Warriors' championship prospects, and no player dared to stand up and say, "No, the championship belongs to us."

You have to remember, Roger has won nine championships in 12 seasons.

This is a level of dominance never seen before in the history of modern NBA basketball.

The deterrent Roger brings to the league far exceeds that of Bird, Magic and Michael Jordan.

People are still eager to challenge him, but no one is stupid enough to let him down.

At the press conference on Media Day, reporters also asked Payton: "You can easily achieve your goals this year, right?"

Gary Payton said seriously: "No championship is easy."

In the past two seasons, with the Spurs and the Knicks, Payton always believed that the championship was secured before the season.

But he still has nothing until now.

The experiences in San Antonio and New York also taught Gary Payton a lesson - never underestimate the difficulty of winning the championship before winning it.

Even though he is now playing with the best players in the world, he still has this idea
Gary Payton had almost no communication with Roger during the preseason training camp.

Roger was unhappy with Payton's decision to withdraw from the training camp without permission, and Gary Payton was always being arrogant. But it didn't matter, Roger still had the same idea: if he was no longer useful, he could be fired.

The first few days of preseason training camp were going smoothly until one day in the locker room, when Amar'e Stoudemire said, "My knee is hurting a little bit."

Roger didn't think much about it and just asked him to go for examination and physical therapy.

Stoudemire himself didn't take it too seriously, thinking it was just normal wear and tear. After all, he hadn't suffered any serious injuries during training.

But two days later, the results of Stoudemire's examination shocked the entire team.

Chelsea Ryan told Eric Spoelstra and Roger: "Amar'e has cartilage damage in his left knee and will be out for at least four months."

Roger couldn't believe it: "Four months? So serious? He just has some pain in his knee."

"I'm glad he just has some pain in his knee because the injury hasn't gotten worse," Chelsea Ryan handed Roger and Eric Spoelstra some information. "The knee cartilage that Amar'e injured is equivalent to the shock absorber of the joint. This special connective tissue can relieve the mechanical stress on the joint during exercise and reduce friction, playing a role in buffering and protection. If it doesn't have the cartilage, it's equivalent to removing the meniscus, which is equivalent to direct friction between bones. In that case, Amar'e is more likely to suffer a career-ending injury, and..."

Chelsea Lane paused, hating this feeling. Every time she announced bad news, she would imagine herself as the "Goddess of Doom", as if all the bad news was created by her.

"Furthermore, four months is just a conservative estimate. After surgery and recovery, if Amare still feels uncomfortable or his recovery is not as expected, we do not rule out the possibility that he may be out for the season."

For Eric Spoelstra, this was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.

Last season, Stoudemire was already one of the best power forwards in the league, Roger's most trusted partner, and the only All-Star teammate of the season.

If he is unable to play next season, the impact he brings will be completely different from that of Cuttino Mobley.

"Is there no conservative treatment? We are striving for a three-peat!" Spoelstra's tone was obviously much more nervous.

Chelsea Ryan shook her head: "He can keep playing, but will you let him take the risk of a devastating injury?"

After hearing what Chelsea Ryan said, Spoelstra looked at Roger.

Roger did not hesitate: "Let him have the surgery, what's there to say? If he can come back in February, that would be the best, but if not, we have to face it!"

Countless geniuses who were ruined by injuries have one thing in common - they played before their injuries were fully healed, or minor injuries turned into major injuries.

In fact, many times the initial injury is not that fatal.

Amar'e Stoudemire insisted that he did not want to undergo surgery, but Roger told him the example of Grant Hill.

"How long has it been since you last heard the name Grant Hill on the news? Take a year off, or perish forever. It's your choice."

The news that Stoudemire is suspected to be out for the season has become the hottest news during the pre-season training camp.

Because it meant that the king's rule was loosening.

No team can win the championship without its No. 2 player, not even Roger.

People have not forgotten why the Atlanta Hawks lost the championship in the 98-99 season, because Steve Smith left and Scottie Pippen was injured. The only reliable helper left for Roger was Paul Pierce in his rookie season.

As a result, they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the playoffs.

What is even more painful than the time in Atlanta is that Roger had only won one championship in Atlanta before the 98-99 season, and he could easily start over again.

But now, the Warriors are just one step away from a three-peat.

Amar'e Stoudemire's injury at this time was a devastating blow to the dynasty.

All of a sudden, more and more people claimed that they could defeat the Warriors.

Kevin Garnett did not hide it: "It's unfortunate. I wish Amare a speedy recovery. But I have to say that this is the chance for all of us."

Kobe Bryant did not remain silent: "Injuries have always been part of the game. I will not make a prediction, or the only prediction I will make is the Lakers championship."

Vince Carter also smelled revenge: "The Dallas Cowboys are ready to take over the West. You know, there are no sheriffs in the West."

The most proud one among them is LBJ. After half a month of pre-season training camp, he has deeply felt that his teammates are completely not at the same level as in the previous two seasons.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are very strong overall this season, stronger than ever before.

Of course, LBJ would not be so arrogant as to think that the Cavaliers could win the championship. It is still unclear whether the Cavaliers can get past New York.

He may not be able to win the championship, but there is one thing he believes he is fully capable of doing.

In the context of everyone suddenly no longer being afraid of the Warriors, LBJ also followed the trend.

After today's training, he confidently told everyone in the interview with reporters: "Goal? Win more games. Also, I will not lose even one game to Roger this season."

The Cavaliers and Warriors will meet twice this season in November and December, which means that when the Cavaliers-Warriors battle takes place, the Warriors will not be able to welcome back Amar'e Stoudemire no matter what.

This gave LBJ great confidence.

With the lineup the Cavaliers have this season, they can definitely win everything easily against Stoudemire without Amare.

The entire alliance was like a nun who had been suppressed for a long time and suddenly did not hide their desires.

Inside the Warriors team, Gary Payton was already cursing the injustice of God.

He said, no championship is easy!

Losing the team's number two player means Roger lost his only All-Star teammate.

But Roger remained calm and continued to train every day.

Not only Roger, the entire Warriors team was not defeated by Amar'e Stoudemire's injury.

They were even more excited and united.

Roger only said two sentences in the interview after the training.

"I repeat, this team is going to be hard to beat."

"What do you think of the recent media frenzy? You can look up a Chinese story: After Lu Bu died, everyone could kill Lu Bu. Before that, those bastards didn't dare to say a word. What's more regrettable is that I'm not dead yet."

Gary Payton didn't know whether Roger was pretending to be calm or was really confident.

I don’t know if this whole team is pretending to be calm or they really think they can win the championship.

He had never seen a team so calm after losing its number two.

Everyone was extremely determined and no one was in a hurry.

Can they really win, or are they just pretending to be strong?

Gary Payton will find out soon.

He would soon learn all the secrets of Roger's continued success.

(End of this chapter)