Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 143 The Great Cause Can Be Achieved
Far away in Washington.

Inside the conference room in the office area, Unseld, Jordan, Collins, and others were watching a live broadcast of the Magic vs. Lakers game.

Even outsiders like fans and the media are paying so much attention, calling it a preview of the Finals.

Those of them who are involved will only care more.

At halftime, the Magic led by 9 points, with the score at 50-41.

"I never expected the Magic to maintain their lead for so long."

Johnny Bach was incredulous.

This is the Lakers!
It's worth noting that in the past two years, the Lakers have displayed a level of strength that has been unprecedented.

If it weren't for this, would the league be able to work on the rules and loosen up zone defense, instead of implementing the three-second rule?
As a result, the Lakers, who were so invincible, fell behind right from the start and remained behind.

Collins, standing next to him, analyzed with keen insight, "The Magic are doing a better job defending Shaq."

Although Collins didn't quite understand why the Magic only had Kwame Brown defend O'Neal in the second quarter.

However, in the first quarter, the Magic's defense against O'Neal was very effective.

"Actually, the Magic's bench players didn't perform badly either; they were much better than the Lakers."

At the start of the second quarter, the bench unit went on a 7-2 run against the Lakers, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout. Collins was clearly impressed.

At this point, Collins paused for a moment and remarked, "Thinking about it carefully, the Magic's current roster is actually quite good."

They have two All-Stars, one inside and one outside, just like the Lakers.

Miller couldn't stop Kobe, but similarly, Fox couldn't stop McGrady.

At the power forward position, PJ Brown is much tougher than Walker, and he also has a reliable mid-range shot.

In addition, Billups suddenly broke out, showing a trend of shaking off the bust third pick. His performance, especially in connecting with teammates and organizing the offense, is even better than Fisher's.

In this comparison, it's not hard to understand why the Magic have been able to consistently lead the Lakers.

Even so, Ewing and Grant were still on the bench.

On the other side, Unseld nodded in agreement, saying, "Tracy's performance is no less than Kobe's, and Kwame too. To be honest, I really didn't expect him to perform like this against Shaq."

"Kwame is very strong, especially in the lower and middle body, which is very important when a smaller player is fighting a larger one."

Brown, who is 2.11 meters tall, is fighting O'Neal, who is 2.16 meters tall. There is a huge difference in weight, so it can be seen as a smaller player fighting a larger one.

When it comes to playing against bigger players, Unseld, the short and stocky center forward, definitely has something to say.

To hold off an opponent who is smaller in size, the key is to play in the middle and lower body.

With a strong midfield and solid lower body, Brown excels in these areas.

"So you see in the first quarter, Shaq struggled a lot. He couldn't completely push Kwame aside, and even after he managed to push past him, PJ came over to help defend."

"In the second quarter, when the Magic opted for one-on-one defense, Kwame was able to limit Shaq. Most importantly, even when one-on-one defense couldn't completely stop Shaq, Kwame was still scoring."

"That's what's most precious."

Some physical centers can use their strength to limit O'Neal.

But they can only limit, they can't contribute much on the offensive end.

But Brown is different. He has his own offensive skills. In the second quarter alone, he could almost go toe-to-toe with O'Neal.

“Look at his offensive choices, he’s actually very smart.”

Brown scored 7 points in the second quarter, which Unseld observed.

"There are strong low-post plays, but more often it's jump shots, such as passes after a screen, or direct low-post jump shots."

"His playing style is actually similar to Duncan's."

Unseld suddenly brought up Duncan.

That's how Duncan played against O'Neal. He was physically strong enough to withstand the pressure and wouldn't let O'Neal score so easily.

Duncan was able to provide high-post support and screens, and could shoot from various positions in the paint.

If he really puts his weight on the low post, he can score.

Before he could finish speaking, Jordan scoffed and said, "You mean to say that this kid is already on the same level as Tim?"

That's ridiculous. Who is Duncan? Who is Kwame Brown?
Unseld promptly shut up and pretended to be dead.

He genuinely felt that Brown was getting closer to Duncan.

They are the same height and have similar weights, but Brown is a little heavier.

In terms of playing style, they are both good at low-post back-to-the-basket moves.

Brown also gradually developed his jump shot.

Aside from not being like Duncan, he also has a certain ability to attack the basket from the wing. Unseld really thinks the two are about the same.

But Brown is so young!
Is it impossible to develop skills for holding a spherical frame in the future?

You should know that when he played basketball in high school, he played a face-up, aggressive style of play, attacking the basket like a small forward.

Not to mention that both of them entered the league as number one draft picks and both recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in their rookie seasons.

No matter how you calculate it, it's just like that.

With a dark expression, Jordan had the ability to kill any conversation. Although he had accepted the reality that he had misjudged Brown, he still found it hard to accept that Brown was playing like this.

The key point is that if Brown hadn't been traded and had stayed with the Wizards, the Wizards might be the Magic they are today.

It's the same, how could I be worse than McGrady?

If the Magic are willing to invest and adjust their roster, wouldn't the Wizards be willing to do the same if they see a chance to win the championship?

pity……

Jordan sighed softly, finding Barkley's eloquent praise of Brown on TV even more grating.

He suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Wes, what does Abby think about that idea you mentioned last week?"

Unseld was taken aback, but then immediately perked up.

Last week, he shared an idea with Jordan: the Wizards' record this season is already so bad.

Currently, they have a record of 18 wins and 23 losses, ranking fourth from the bottom in the Eastern Conference.

There are many reasons for this achievement.

Let's not even talk about Hill's season-ending injury.

Hamilton is also injured. He strained his groin after the game against the Magic last month and missed more than ten games.

He is the Wizards' most important scoring option besides Jordan.

Finally, Jordan's poor form and injuries were also important factors.

So Unseld suggested, "Let's just give up."

Last year's top pick was wasted, so let's do it again this year.

Most importantly, this year's draft has some big names!

The Wizards' scouting department has been keeping an eye on that big guy from China.

Based on information from various sources, Yao Ming will definitely participate in the draft this year.

If he doesn't participate now, he'll be too old.

Furthermore, Unseld also knew that Yao Ming's agent had contacted Tang Sen and begun coaching Yao Ming in training.

So this is a copy of Kwame Brown.

Since our record this year is already like this, we might as well tank and try to get the number one draft pick again.

If they really get the number one draft pick and acquire Yao Ming, then the Wizards might just take off.

The only problem is Jordan.

Jordan hasn't given up. He's still planning to prove himself, lead the team into the playoffs, and then wait for Hill to return before going for the championship.

In fact, Unseld finds this mentality somewhat incomprehensible.

If you want to become a team owner and move into management, then from the perspective of team management, since the team is already half dead this season and there are big names in the draft, then sacrificing one season to gamble on the future might not be a bad choice.

“Abby thinks it’s worth considering,” Unseld said.

Pauline is much more realistic. He's just relying on Jordan to sell tickets this season, and he'll be fine once he makes the money.

It's too late for Kwame Brown to regret what happened now.

Jordan nodded and said, "That big guy is good. He's 7 feet 5 inches after all. I trust my judgment."

This mention of his eyes almost made Unseld lose his composure.

If you had good judgment, you wouldn't have traded Brown.

"So?" Unseld pressed.

You should give me a clear answer.

Jordan pursed his lips and said, "Abby's the boss, I'll listen to him."

Unseld thought to himself, "Now you know who the boss is."

He nodded without saying anything.

In any case, from his own perspective, tanking and trying to get the top draft pick is the best option right now.

A 7-foot-5 giant!

Furthermore, she received training from Tang Sen, which leaves much to the imagination.

Jordan lit a cigar, using the smoke to mask the unnaturalness on his face.

He suddenly realized that even if he gave it his all and dragged the Wizards into the playoffs, what if they ended up as the eighth seed in the East?

Then they'll run into the Magic in the first round.

The Magic and Lakers have been going back and forth, so if they really clash, the Wizards will most likely get crushed and swept 3-0.

As they talked, the second half of the game began.

On the Lakers' first possession, the Magic's interior players opted to double-team O'Neal.

This is equivalent to reverting to the playing style of the first quarter.

Jackson, who had just sat down, immediately stood up again and stood on the sidelines.

He turned his head and glanced at Rivers across from him.

What do you mean? Did you shake me?
In response to Brown's one-on-one defense against O'Neal in the second quarter, he specifically instructed Kobe during halftime to increase his drives, stop taking mid-range pull-ups, and instead drive to the basket, attack the rim, and pass the ball to O'Neal.

O'Neal has the ability to pass the ball, while Kobe has developed top-tier penetration and passing skills in the league over the past two seasons.

But who would have thought that the magic would return to the double-team?

Looking around, the restricted area was packed with people.

Both teams returned to the constipated offensive rhythm of the first quarter.

O'Neal only scored 4 points in the entire third quarter.

Brown did similarly, scoring only 2 points.

But the Magic maintained their lead once again, and McGrady started to exert his strength.

When the inside game becomes a meat grinder, the Magic, like the Lakers, also have a formidable player lurking on the outside.

McGrady scored 10 points in a single quarter, once again turning Fox into an ATM.

And there's also a substitution and rotation phase.

Ewing was in excellent form today, scoring 4 points in a row as soon as he entered the game.

At the end of the third quarter, the Lakers trailed 73-61. Instead of closing the gap, they widened the deficit.

"The Lakers are going to lose."

Popovich, who was watching the live broadcast from San Antonio, made his own judgment.

The teaching assistants around him exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

Budenholzer said, "I feel that Phil was a bit unprepared today and didn't expect the Magic to be so strong."

But it wasn't just Jackson; even they hadn't expected the Magic to perform so well.

Mike Brown, who was standing nearby, said, "I think the Lakers' strategy has some problems; they rely too much on Shaq."

Knowing that O'Neal was double-teamed and struggling, Kobe Bryant stubbornly kept sending the ball inside, and in the third quarter, Kobe Bryant made numerous drives and passes to O'Neal.

As a result, O'Neal's performance remained limited, wasting many opportunities.

Popovich nodded, pointing to Mike Brown and saying he was right.

"He should win like he did against us in last year's Western Conference Finals," Popovich said, somewhat frustrated.

The Spurs suffered a crushing defeat in last year's Western Conference Finals.

It wasn't because of O'Neal that we lost.

Duncan and David Robinson combined to effectively limit O'Neal.

Duncan could also exploit mismatches and create scoring opportunities against O'Neal.

The Spurs were swept 4-0 because they lost to Kobe Bryant on the perimeter.

In that series, Kobe averaged 33.3 points per game, completely dominating the Spurs' perimeter defense.

In Popovich's view, the Magic are in the same situation; no one on the perimeter can stop Kobe.

If you insist on battling the Magic in the paint, just let Kobe play more and score 40 or 50 points; the Magic will definitely have a hard time winning.

Then Popovich added, "Right now, it seems that with the Magic's strength, no one in the East can rival them."

As long as the core players don't get injured, saying that we're guaranteed a spot in the Finals is no joke.

"So if we make it to the Finals this year, we're guaranteed to win," Popovich said excitedly.

Everyone was taken aback.

Popovich pointed at the TV and said confidently, "Believe it or not, if we play the Magic, we're sure to win."

Perfect timing! In just a few days, on February 3rd, the Spurs will be playing the Magic on the road.

“Tracy plays like a small forward. We got Bruce this year, who is an excellent defender. With Tim’s help defense, Tracy won’t be as comfortable as he was against the Lakers.”

In Popovich's view, the Spurs' lineup actually counters the Magic.

With two big men in the paint, dealing with Brown shouldn't be a problem.

Duncan's defensive range is wide, and with Bowen on the team, they can easily handle McGrady.

In other words, the Magic's strengths are also the Spurs' strengths.

"So like I said, as long as we make it to the finals this year, the championship is definitely ours."

Western Conference teams are generally strong in the paint but weak on the perimeter.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have a strong interior presence and a Kobe Bryant on the perimeter.

Last year, the Spurs lost to Kobe; no one could contain him.

Several people looked at each other.

It sounds easy, but we need to get past the Lakers first before we can even think about the Finals.

However, their analysis was correct.

In the final quarter, Jackson seemed to finally realize his mistake and started handing the ball to Kobe to play solo.

Kobe, who had already scored 20 points in the first three quarters, had a major explosion in the fourth quarter.

He scored a whopping 14 points in a single quarter.

But Jackson realized it too late.

If it's a weak team, a Kobe breakout performance might give them a chance to turn the game around.

But the Magic are already at a level where they can compete with the Lakers. Given the huge hole they dug themselves into, how can they possibly turn things around?

Kobe scored 14 points in a single quarter, while McGrady also racked up 11 points.

Ultimately, the Magic won 94-87, a 7-point advantage, completing a season sweep of the Lakers.

As soon as the match ended, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.

Then a sound emerged, gradually growing into a torrent that resounded throughout the stadium.

"we are the champion!"

I don't know who started it, but they were the first to shout it out.

As if it were a preview of the Finals, the Magic won and led throughout. So, in the eyes of the fans, the Magic will definitely win in the Finals as well.

Hearing such cheers, if it weren't for the nationwide broadcast, Jackson would have wanted to spit on the ground.

What kind of person is that? How dare they shout like that?

Do you understand what a rehearsal is?
When it comes to the finals, you guys are still a long way off.

He saw Rivers walking over.

"Congratulations."

Jackson stepped forward and offered a perfunctory, insincere greeting.

Rivers almost burst out laughing.

We won! We led the entire game and swept the Lakers twice this season!

If we go all the way to the Finals, the Magic definitely have a chance.

At this moment, Rivers was filled with boundless pride.

Turns out I'm destined to be a championship coach!

However, his joy was short-lived. Rivers immediately turned around and grabbed Tangsen, who was about to leave, from the crowd.

"Tang, how's Jeryl's training going?"

Rivers asked somewhat anxiously.

Everything that needed to be tested was tested in this match.

There are no problems with the inside game.

Brown plus PJ Brown is enough to handle O'Neal.

In crucial moments, Brown can step up on his own.

McGrady played consistently.

The bench players were also very strong, even outperforming the Lakers.

Billups orchestrated the entire game, stabilizing the overall situation.

Great undertaking can be accomplished!

The only remaining problem is who will guard Kobe at the shooting guard position.

He was still counting on Tang Sen to find the Kobe killer he wanted.

(End of this chapter)