Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 127 First in the East, is that all?
Tang Sen stomped his foot down, pressing down on the uniquely textured wooden floor of the North Shore Garden Arena.

Suddenly, I remembered seeing a report about the Celtics' floor in some newspaper, I don't know when or where.

One line in it was particularly memorable.

They say this is the North Shore Garden Arena.

Looking up, the arena is filled with championship banners and retired jerseys, a testament to the Celtics' glorious history.

Looking down, the floor was stained with the sweat of legendary figures like Bill Russell and Larry Bird, and still carried the scent of Cardinal Auerbach's cigars.

Legends are born here, and they end here, and you and I are the witnesses.

Just then, Grant, who seemed to have guessed what Tang Sen was thinking, said jokingly, "Want some flooring? How about I secretly pry off a piece for you later?"

Tang Sen snapped out of his daze and laughed, "Sure, but I only want the 1946 one."

Grant chuckled sheepishly and said that he couldn't tell the difference.

Then, gesturing towards Billups, who was shooting a three-pointer not far away, he asked, "Tang, what kind of secret training did you arrange for Chauncey? We asked him, but he won't tell us."

Everyone was extremely curious about Tang Sen's secret training.

Tang Sen thought to himself that he was hiding it from people because he was embarrassed to say it.

He led four elementary school students to play ball and still lost. He'd be too embarrassed to say anything.

He told Grant to go practice his shooting.

The game against the Celtics is over.

We lost today.

Brown dominated the Celtics' interior defense. Against him, Tony Battie didn't look like a promising rookie who had outmaneuvered McGrady to get the fifth pick; he looked like a bottom-feeder from the second round.

Unfortunately, McGrady played poorly today under Pierce's defense.

Pierce is too muscular.

The outcome of one game wasn't important. After the game, I borrowed someone else's gym and practiced shooting for a while.

Shooting is fundamental; there's no harm in practicing more.

With the training bonuses from the system, the cumulative effect over time is undeniable.

Tang Sen pulled up the system and checked the [Followers] bonus for the eight people.

As expected, Brown's account was maxed out, enjoying a 25% bonus.

Ewing 19, Grant 20.

And then there's McGrady, who always says he listens to his own ideas, yet he didn't even reach the maximum, only scoring 23.

Miller had the lowest score, only 17.

It might be related to the fact that the two people are not that close.

Garretti is 19, in his contract year, and has a strong desire to improve.

On the contrary, it was de Klerk.

Tang Sen glanced silently at De Klerk, who was focused on shooting.

Only 21.

The relationship has faded.

Surprisingly, Billups became one of only two players to receive the highest level of trust.

Very strange.

After all, the two had just met and weren't familiar with each other yet, so it was hard to imagine that he trusted him so much.

Or rather, have faith in your training level.

Therefore, the trust represented by this badge is not the kind of unreserved trust between friends that I understand.

It's just a matter of how much confidence they have in their own training abilities.

Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense for De Klerk to only have a 21 bonus.

Collapse the system.

Although he didn't get the gold grade badge right away, Tang Sen was still very satisfied with it.

With the group's benefits plus your own level 3 title, you're guaranteed a minimum bonus of 50.

Already high.

Last summer, my title level was low, and I only had the "Power of Role Model" buff, which only gave me a 50% bonus. But in just a few months, Brown has grown to such an extent.

While they were practicing, Rivers appeared with Davis.

He greeted everyone with a smile, then came over to Tang Sen.

"Tang, I don't mean to interfere with your training plan, it's just that the match is a bit late today, and we have three away games in a row. How about letting Kwame and the others train a little less and go back to the hotel to rest?"

Rivers spoke in a consultative tone.

Tang Sen gave him a strange look.

The match starts at 7:00 today, and it's only 10:00 now, so it's not that late.

It is true that it is a three-game road trip, but the previous six-game road trip and five-game road trip have already been played. It is not a back-to-back game, so it is not as Rivers said that extra practice would be too tiring and affect the game performance.

However, since he is the team's head coach, Tang Sen couldn't completely disregard him.

Tang Sen stopped the training and returned to the hotel with the others.

It seems like Rivers is taking the upcoming games very seriously.

The Magic will next play the Nets on the road.

This is a match between the first and second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Although it's not a battle for dominance, it at least represents something.

That's probably why Rivers took this game so seriously.

Moreover, it wasn't just Rivers; the media was also hyping up the game.

Turner Television Network arranged for it to be broadcast live across the United States.

The team arrived in New Jersey and checked into their hotel. Tang Sen saw that the New York Times had specifically previewed the game and provided pre-game analysis.

They started by saying that although the season has only been going on for two months, this game might decide who will win the Eastern Conference championship.

To be honest, Tang Sen is quite curious about the Nets' rise this season.

After all, the Nets had 26 wins last season, ranking fourth from the bottom in the Eastern Conference.

The result was that Kidd rose to prominence and soared to great heights.

So much so that New Jersey media jokingly said that Rod Thorne should thank the women's protection organization in Phoenix.

If they hadn't made such a big fuss, the Suns wouldn't have sent Kidd to the Nets.

However, it's somewhat unreasonable that the arrival of just one player could cause such a change in a weak team.

Even if he is Kidd.

In their report, The New York Times mentioned last year's number one draft pick, Kenyon Martin, when analyzing the Nets' strength.

It's said that Kenyon Martin, the number one draft pick, finally remembered his status and started to shine.

But in Tang Sen's view, this was complete nonsense.

Martin has improved this season, but within a reasonable range. He is far from averaging 10 points per game in his first season and then exploding to averaging over 20 points per game in his second season.

So far this season, Martin is averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. In terms of rebounds, a basic statistic for a center, his numbers have even decreased compared to last season.

The number of shots increased, but only slightly, and the hit rate also changed little.

To say that the Nets' rise was due to him is simply not convincing.

The New York Times also mentioned head coach Byron Scott.

Although Scott is young, as a member of the Lakers' Showtime era and an assistant coach for Adelman, he has a good grasp of the basics of grassroots basketball.

The Nets' current multi-pronged attack is thanks to him.

Tang Sen also thought this was nonsense.

To say that the current Nets have the same flair as the Lakers during Showtime is simply laughable.

That Lakers team had Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

With the Nets' roster, how can they even compete?
So after thinking it over, the only one that comes to mind is Kidd.

Tang Sen knew that an excellent point guard could greatly improve a team, but he didn't expect it to be this much, managing to lift a team that was at the bottom of the league to the top of the Eastern Conference.

All I can say is that this year's Nets are unpredictable; they're so strong it seems unreasonable.

Tang Sen was merely curious, but Firth took it very seriously.

At the pre-game press conference, Rivers was very modest, taking a very relaxed view of the so-called battle for the top two spots in the East or the battle between the two number one draft picks, saying that this was just an ordinary regular season game.

Winning doesn't mean the Magic are stronger than the Nets.

It's normal to lose, considering the Nets were the top team in the Eastern Conference.

"Doug, what do you think of ESPN's prediction for this game? They say you have a 70% chance of winning," a reporter asked.

Before the game, many media outlets analyzed the match and generally favored the Magic.

The Nets are considered to have a strong balance, but their potential is limited.

The Magic have even stronger talent; if either Brown or McGrady were to dominate, the Nets would be doomed in the Northwest.

Rivers instinctively thought to himself, "What do the media know?"

He realized his mistake just as he was about to speak; the media was all sitting down there.

"It's a game, and I even predicted we could win the championship, but who would take that seriously?" Rivers joked self-deprecatingly, continuing to be humble and showering the Nets with praise.

The reporters in the audience had strange expressions.

Lately, the Magic's players have been acting strangely. Like Brown, they kept saying before the game that it wasn't important, and then they scored a whopping 50 points to break the record. They're all incredibly humble, but I don't know if they're genuinely humble or just pretending.

In contrast to Rivers, Scott, though humble, also exudes an arrogance that seems to say, "I'm just being polite, but you take it seriously."

"Magic is certainly very strong, but we keep winning."

"Without a doubt, Kwame is a genius, but as the number one draft pick, Kenyon is also getting better and better, and this is only his second season. I think he has the potential to grow into an All-Star level player in the future."

While praising the Magic, he had to add a "but" before giving a proper compliment to the Nets.

As a rookie head coach, Scott felt he had every right to be proud after leading the team to the top of the Eastern Conference in his second year.

Of course, this was in front of the media. Back in the locker room, Scott put aside his arrogance and pulled the players aside for final pre-game instructions.

Scott also attached great importance to this match.

It's a battle between the first and second seed in the East, after all!

Scott's ambitions are now expanding as rapidly as the Nets' ever-improving record.

How can the Nets know how far they can go in the future if they don't compete with these strong teams in the East?
"speed!"

Scott made it clear from the outset, staring at Kidd and urging him to push the pace.

"The pace of magic is slow, and their positional warfare is very powerful, but as long as we increase the speed, we will definitely be the ones laughing last."

The media's claim that Scott was a member of the Lakers' Showtime team wasn't just a random statement.

This season's Nets do indeed have a bit of Showtime's fast and sharp pace in terms of game rhythm.

The starting players are generally in their early twenties, like freshly manufactured tires, and then fitted with Kidd's powerful engine, transforming them into supercars.

Quick counter-attacks, utilizing Kidd's excellent overall vision and long passes to orchestrate the offense, often allowing the incredibly athletic Martin to execute powerful dunks.

Then launch a fast break, using speed to wear down those slow, outdated teams.

Speed ​​is the Nets' winning formula this season.

Meanwhile, in the away team's locker room, Rivers was also talking about speed.

"Keep running, treat this game like a playoff game, and Chauncey too."

Rivers looked at Billups and said in a deep voice, "Stay close to Kidd, don't let him get ahead. I don't care how many points you score, just stick with Kidd and we'll win."

Rivers began preparing for this game a week in advance.

He has discussed this with the coaching staff multiple times and believes that the Nets should not be allowed to push the pace of the game.

Firstly, there are restrictions, and secondly, one must keep up.

Rivers thought the latter was not a big problem.

If you take away Grant's old arms and legs, and your starting lineup is young, does that mean we aren't young too?
We also have the youngest player in history to score 50 points.

Moreover, Grant's physical condition has been gradually improving during his training with Townsend.

In the game against the Pistons, he defended Robinson quite well.

"Of course, the key is still Kwame and Tracy."

Rivers then looked at Brown and McGrady.

After discussion, the coaching staff felt that the key to winning was still Brown and McGrady.

We should let the two of them play.

In Rivers' view, the Nets' interior defense is weak compared to the Magic.

Martin has explosive athleticism, but his height is limited and his offensive options are limited.

Our starting center, Todd Marcelo, is just a big white guy with a lot of weight but slow movement.

These are the players that Brown can most easily control.

While forward Keith Van Horn has height and accurate shooting, his defense is virtually nonexistent; calling him an abstract defender wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Magic has the advantage in these two areas, so playing accordingly is a sound strategy.

At the start of the game, Brown did not disappoint Rivers.

He blocked Marc Loch on the right side of the basket and then scored with a post-up move.

Despite weighing 125 kilograms, Mark Loach couldn't keep up with Brown and stumbled backward.

With space created, Brown turned around towards the baseline and pulled up for a hook shot.

Hook shots to either side of the basket remain his most proficient offensive weapon, executed with frightening consistency.

No doubt about it, a sure hit.

Get the head start.

Kidd frowned slightly.

Before the game, Scott specifically told Marc Loch that he had the weight and experience, and that as long as the inside defense could hold off Brown, there wouldn't be much of a problem.

Now, it's really not that Brown is having an easy time.

Without a second thought, the Nets quickly inbounded the ball, and Kidd immediately rushed out.

The Nets are fast right now.

As soon as the ball is served, everyone rushes forward together.

Everyone has the awareness to launch a fast break and quickly switch offensive strategies.

But when he looked up, Kidd realized that Magic hadn't lost his position.

Even Grant, like an old tree sprouting new buds and old shoes putting on new legs, managed to keep up with Martin.

He also had Billups by his side, staying in the attacking third to keep him occupied.

The Nets, who were rushing forward, were forced to brake suddenly, as if a speed bump had appeared in front of them, and they were forced to enter a positional game.

Once they got into position, the Nets started to struggle.

No one has a reliable offensive strategy.

Marc Loch is useless at everything; under Brown's pressure, he even has difficulty getting to the basket.

Martin is the same.

He's athletic, but all he does is eat biscuits; he has absolutely no skill.

Even Kidd himself is terrible at shooting.

But we must fight, no matter how difficult it is.

Kidd gave him a look, and Van Horn rushed over to set a screen.

Once in half-court, the Nets don't have many options. They usually initiate with a pick-and-roll, letting Kidd distribute the ball and decide whether to finish the game with his poor shooting percentage or look for offensive opportunities during the pick-and-roll before passing the ball.

Unfortunately, Kidd discovered that the Magic seemed to have made targeted arrangements.

For example, Billups would limit himself from moving inside the three-point line, so that even after a pick-and-roll, Kidd would still be near the three-point line.

At that distance, Kidd would be wasting his time throwing the ball.

Moreover, McGrady, who was behind, also showed signs of retreating and blocking his own drives to the basket.

Without hesitation, Kidd took a strong shot.

He knew that once the offense settled into a half-court position, the Nets would have no advantage whatsoever, and the longer the offensive game dragged on, the worse it would be.

With a clang, it didn't go in.

Kidd ran away in exasperation, his brows furrowing involuntarily.

Before the game, Scott was optimistic in the locker room, saying that as long as they played to the Nets' strengths, beating the Magic wouldn't be a problem.

But Kidd doesn't think so.

The Nets have emerged as a dark horse this year, but the Magic haven't?

Moreover, Kidd felt that the Magic were even stronger than the Nets, capable of competing with and even defeating some of the top teams in the West.

However, the Nets have yet to encounter a strong opponent in the Western Conference.

Magic offense.

The Nets' defensive strategy was clear: Kidd led the defense on the perimeter, while the interior defense collapsed into a zone.

They also know that their inside game is weak, so they can only hope to limit it with zone defense.

But it's of no use.

When a team has two strong points, one inside and one outside, no matter which side you strengthen the defense, you will inevitably end up having to defend one side while neglecting the other.

When the Nets collapsed their defense, McGrady received the ball on the wing, took a step to get past Van Horn, and pulled up for a shot.

It's readily available.

Under the Magic's targeted defense, the Nets were unable to increase their speed.

For a moment, the Nets, forced into their own half, were like a supercar that had run out of gas and simply broke down.

In the first quarter, the Nets failed to score a single point in just over three minutes, allowing the Magic to go on an 8-0 run.

Scott immediately called a timeout.

This result surprised everyone.

Inside the TNT studio, Smith couldn't help but mutter, "Is magic really that powerful?"

Before the game, he favored the Magic, but felt that even if the Magic won, it wouldn't be an easy victory.

And that's exactly what happened; they came out strong and swept the Nets 8-0, completely dominating them on both offense and defense.

Barkley, looking puzzled, countered, "Isn't the Magic strong? They can already beat the Lakers, so why do you still think they're a weak team, just because they're in the East?"

The Magic have had a tough season so far, with several hard-fought games.

In Barkley's opinion, if it weren't for the large number of teams coming from the West, the Magic, with their current strength, would never have given the Nets the chance to be the top team in the East.

"Kenny, just you wait and see, the Nets are no match for the Magic."

Barkley said confidently.

Sure enough, after the timeout, the Nets' fast break was still like constipation, sometimes effective and sometimes not.

They didn't drag down the Magic; instead, their own rhythm collapsed first.

The Magic didn't have any particularly complicated tactics; it was just Brown swinging his ball, then McGrady swinging it.

But relying on just those two players, the Magic outscored the Nets 26-12 at the end of the first quarter, taking a full 14-point lead.

So at the end of the first quarter, Scott on the sidelines was dumbfounded.

Rivers on the other side was also stunned.

I started researching and preparing for this match a whole week in advance.

Fearing a capsizing before the match, he didn't even utter any harsh words.

And what happened? First place in the East, that's it?
For a moment, Rivers was confused. Was it that the Nets were playing poorly today, or that the Magic were just too strong?

(End of this chapter)