Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 247 Giving away houses and cars isn't enough!

The documentary's airing generated a huge response.

We don't care about anything else, we only care about the ratings.

Leidenke was keeping a close eye on it, and later that day he obtained firsthand ratings data.

In the New York area, the viewership rating reached 16%.

That's very high; Yankees games typically score between 10 and 20.

The ratings on ABC even reached 2.1%.

For a documentary with few celebrities, this viewership rating is really high.

Leiden could finally get a good night's sleep.

The next day, he got up early.

For work convenience, he chose to live in crowded Manhattan, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Midtown, not far from Madison Square Garden, less than 2 kilometers away as the crow flies.

For a while, he would leave home later in the evening, afraid of running into his neighbors in the luxury apartment building when he went downstairs to take the elevator, so as to avoid awkwardness between them.

At the beginning of the season, I was just like Cheney, everyone wanted to beat me up.

But today...

When Leiden went out and went downstairs, he ran into his neighbor.

I forgot his name, but I think he worked on Wall Street.

He was carrying a briefcase and wearing a sharp suit. When he saw Leiden, he simply smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

Leiden wondered to himself, "Did he go out and have fun on 42nd Street yesterday and not watch TV?"
The two smiled and walked up the elevator.

Just then, the neighbor suddenly said, "Scott, we need a plan! Cool!"

He gave Leighton a thumbs up.

Leiden felt as comfortable as if he had drunk an ice-cold soda on a hot day.

That shot was filmed more than twenty times before a satisfactory result was achieved.

He had racked his brains for a long time before coming up with this sentence.

He decided that from now on, no matter which team he applies to, he would start by saying this to the boss, and it would definitely make a good impression.

Smiling as he saw his neighbor off, even the apartment building's portly security guard shouted the same thing to Leiden as he left.

When I was a pariah, this bastard would still open the door for me, but he wouldn't even say good morning to me.

Now...

In high spirits, Leiden boarded the car and headed to Madison.

He drove slowly through the streets, seeing crowds gathered in front of each newsstand.

I can't help but wonder what today's newspapers will say.

With that in mind, he sped up and quickly arrived in Madison.

When I handed the car over to the valet, he said, "We need a plan," and boasted that he had watched yesterday's documentary and was so excited that he couldn't sleep.

These guys on the team are amazing.

Harvey, in particular, was especially touching; the image of him practicing rebounding until his fingers were bright red and soaking them in an ice bucket was particularly moving.

We took the elevator upstairs, greeting each other along the way.

The marketing team came up to us and said that after the documentary aired yesterday, the online discussion about the Knicks was incredibly heated.

Leiden waved his hand dismissively and strode into his office.

The secretary has thoughtfully brought coffee.

The morning newspaper was also placed on the table as promised.

Leiden raised his hand to signal the door to close, then spread out the newspaper, ready to enjoy this perfect moment of MVP recognition all to himself.

The top one is a copy of The New York Times.

Clearly, today's layout was specially created.

Color brochure.

The accompanying picture shows a highlight of Yao Ming's one-handed dunk.

Two impactful words—the Road to Glory.

Leiden nodded secretly.

Even the title was something I came up with myself.

However, after only a few quick glances, Leiden's mood plummeted to its lowest point, like a rollercoaster ride.

As promised, the New York Times mentioned its quote in the very first sentence of its report.

But that's all.

In this short opening paragraph, he mentioned himself.

He did praise himself a few times.

But the extremely restrained choice of words was filled with reluctance.

Yes, that's what it feels like.

He only said that he took a huge risk, disbanded the team, and proposed a shocking reconstruction plan.

Then it was gone.

He said his greatest contribution was not in bringing in many outstanding talents through trades.

His greatest achievement was recruiting Tang Sen.

The New York Times approached the issue by analyzing the three necessary conditions for the Knicks to win the championship.

First, core players.

Especially in the paint, Yao Ming's presence was unique in the entire league.

In today's league, there is no more complete super center than Yao Ming.

Secondly, there's the coach.

Good players deserve good coaches, and Carlisle has proven his coaching ability with a winning streak.

Finally, there's Tang Sen.

Tang Sen's presence has brought endless possibilities to this young team.

The New York Times made a definitive statement, saying that even if they couldn't win the championship this year, they would definitely win it by next year at the latest.

These young players are developing too fast.

And it's not just young players, there's Yao Ming too.

Yao Ming still has potential for growth.

Raeden put down the New York Times and went to read other newspapers.

New York Post – A key factor in the Knicks' rise: How the best trainer was born.

The Wall Street Journal – The value created by top trainers.

Their approach was even more unusual, analyzing Yao Ming, Kwame Brown, and even Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and a whole host of young Knicks players with the help of Tang Sen.

How much commercial value did they gain?

Not to mention the increased team value brought about by winning the championship.

USA Today — We once had it all.

Their perspective was even more bizarre; they actually singled out the Wizards' management and publicly criticized them.

It is said that when the Wizards drafted Kwame Brown two years ago, they also got Brown's personal trainer, Tang Sen.

There is a real chance to start a dynasty for geniuses.

As a result, they were abandoned by the foolish management of the Wizards.

They practically called Jordan out of his mind.

Now look at the Magic, and then look at the Knicks.

When discussing magic, one could say that Brown possessed exceptional talent.

But what about the Knicks now?

If you find a group of young players for Townsend, Townsend will have a chance to return a bunch of star players, as well as excellent role players.

The Washington Post — The Knicks have pioneered a completely new model for team rebuilding.

In the past, NBA team rebuilds were at least built around the top three draft picks.

But now the Knicks, or rather Townsend, have broadened the options on this path.

We don't need super rookies, just find a bunch of rookies with excellent athleticism.

In the past, talent shows also considered the maturity of the skills.

Now, there's absolutely no need.

As long as you have good athletic talent, you're guaranteed to be a defensively excellent player like Sasser.

Technical skills can also be developed quickly.

This reconstruction method is inexpensive, and even better, the investment is only required from Tang Sen.

Tang Sen is a member of the uniform team, so no matter how much money he spends, it won't affect the salary cap.

The lower limit is extremely high, but there is no upper limit.

Whether it's a large or small market, it's the perfect rebuilding path.

They even boldly predict that future draft picks will be more valuable. Because even if you don't get Townsend, you can still hire Townsend to train your players during the offseason.

They also directly criticized the league's Townsend Rule, saying that the league should not add restrictions.

From the team's perspective, spending money to improve the performance of key players can lead to better ticket sales and increased team revenue.

Increasing team revenue means increasing league revenue, and league-imposed clauses may even reduce the league's entertainment value.

Leiden pushed the newspaper aside.

Somewhat depressed.

Just like the Washington Post's perspective.

When you say this is a completely new way of rebuilding, could you please mention that it was Scott Layden who first came up with this idea?

Of course, it was just frustration.

He was praising himself without naming names, but he was the one who initiated and accomplished this.

Whether she's pretty or not, only she knows, and as long as the boss knows, that's enough.

In particular, everyone praised Tang Sen.

But who invited Tang Sen?
It was me, I had the foresight to spend money to dig it up.

Now that the Knicks are taking off, I'm jealous, but it's too late!

However, the media reports also alerted Leiden.

The media's excessive praise of Tang Sen only inflates his perceived value.

The Washington Post, in particular, practically told small-market teams that if they could sign Townsend, their teams would take off immediately.

Leiden silently recalled the contract that Tangsen had signed.

There's no penalty for breach of contract, which is very risky!
Of course, when signing the contract, Leiden didn't dare to mention any penalty for breach of contract.

Money doesn't matter.

Given the Knicks' current performance, Layden believes that no matter how much money Dolan spends on Townsend, he won't care.

But if any team manages to persuade Tang Sen, that would be a real problem.

Tang Sen's own attitude is the most important thing.

Thinking about this, Leiden became restless.

He felt it was necessary to talk to Dolan again.

The Knicks' current grand plan is inseparable from Townsend.

Giving away houses and cars is clearly not enough.

Why don't you try to think of something from a different angle?

For example, in terms of entertainment and leisure.

This is New York, and you're a playboy yourself, so why not take Tang Sen out for some more of that glitz and glamour?

Having experienced the hustle and bustle of big cities, what appeal could those remote, out-of-the-way small towns possibly hold for Tang Sen?

the other side.

For Tang Sen, the documentary was well-made and quite lively.

And that's all.

Layden chose a good way to promote the team, letting all New York fans know how hard the team's players are training.

This is certainly a good thing, as it will allow New York fans to better support the team.

However, in Tang Sen's view, what truly determines a player's future and whether a team can win a championship is not these praises and accolades, but the player's own ability.

This is the real deal.

So Tang Sen didn't care much.

The pragmatic Carlyle didn't care either.

He discussed the morning training session with Tang Sen beforehand, reduced the training volume, and took an hour to hold a rare intra-team scrimmage.

Judging from his arrangements for teams A and B, it's clear he's simulating how to deal with the Lakers.

He moved Chandler back into the starting lineup, forming a twin-tower formation.

Tang Sen thinks he may have referenced the Spurs' strategy against the Lakers in 99.

In that shortened season, second-year Duncan was like he had a cheat code, leading the Spurs to a sweeping victory and the championship.

They swept the Lakers, who had Shaq and Kobe, 4-0.

Then the following year, the Lakers began their reign as the dominant force in the league.

Therefore, the Spurs' playing style is definitely worth referencing.

At the time, the Spurs' choice was to have Duncan mismatch and guard O'Neal. Despite his young age, he was extremely stable.

He would try to keep O'Neal away from the basket, and if he couldn't hold him off and O'Neal made his way in, David Robinson would use his speed to quickly double-team him.

At that time, Robinson had not yet gained weight, and his growth rate was very fast.

If the two can't hold on, Robinson will foul decisively, sending O'Neal to the free-throw line.

O'Neal's free throws were a huge problem.

Using this strategy, O'Neal only averaged 23.7 points per game in that series.

The performance was below par.

However, Tang Sen believes that there were many reasons why the Lakers lost so badly that year.

O'Neal's weight hasn't completely gone out of control yet.

He was much heavier then, and he is much heavier now; the impact is completely different now.

Then Kobe was still young and hadn't matured yet; he was Shaq's lackey.

What level are you at now?
This season, Kobe has become the Lakers' leader and primary scorer.

There's also a coach.

Phil Jackson hasn't returned to the scene yet.

After returning to action the following year, he brought the triangle offense to the Lakers, which made it much easier for O'Neal to be double-teamed in the paint.

Not to mention that times have changed and the rules of the restricted area have changed.

Carlier's attempt to replicate the Spurs' success against the Lakers in 99 is unlikely to succeed.

However, the twin towers partnership of Yao Ming and Chandler has been proven with the Spurs and is currently the best option.

If Yao Ming were to guard O'Neal alone, Tang Sen would probably be in serious trouble.

Playing scrimmage matches and practicing tactics wasn't enough; after training ended and the players left, Carlisle kept Townsend behind for a meeting.

Carlisle really takes this game seriously.

He and Jackson had the same idea: if they wanted to contend for the championship, they had to test their mettle against the Lakers beforehand.

We know where the shortcomings are, and there is still time to make adjustments.

Especially before the trading deadline.

Tang Sen's attendance was certainly not to offer specific tactical advice.

Carlisle wants Tangsen to assess what techniques Yao Ming, with his current abilities, could use to one-on-one against O'Neal.

If so, he will devise targeted tactics.

For example, if Yao Ming is more accurate when he turns and shoots a fadeaway jumper on the right side of the basket, then he tries to get Yao Ming into that position and then uses tactics to move the defenders to the other side of the paint.

Tang Sen knows best how good Yao Ming is.

After a moment's thought, Tang Sen gave his answer without hesitation.

On the left side of the basket, Yao Ming turns and shoots a fadeaway jumper towards the top of the court.

Then came the three-pointer after a pick-and-roll with Billups and a pass back.

"If we really have to add something, we can add a skyhook below the free-throw line."

I've been practicing the skyhook technique.

Occasionally, Tang Sen would change Yao Ming's label and use "Hook Master" to practice his skyhook.

Over such a long period of time, the result is that I've progressed from near the free-throw line to below the free-throw line, closer to the basket.

In training, 6 out of 10 skills are applicable; they should be usable in emergencies during competitions.

O'Neal can defend this position, but the skyhook has its unique characteristics, and O'Neal can't defend it either.

Carlisle said he understood, and then immediately pulled a few assistant coaches aside to discuss the specific tactical arrangements.

They were having a heated discussion, and Tang Sen could only listen to the excitement from the sidelines.

In fact, Tang Sen really thinks that instead of discussing how to deal with O'Neal, we should discuss how to deal with Kobe.

I personally trained Kobe last summer, so I know how much his skills have improved.

This guy is a training fanatic. He trained hard with me all summer. Does that mean he won't train during the season?
He has improved every season since entering the league.

Kobe is now even stronger than he was at the beginning of the season.

An average of over 30 points per game is the best proof.

In Houston today, if you try to defend Kobe one-on-one, you'll likely get blown out.

The Knicks have several "Sather" players on their bench, but if they play them, they'll have to create mismatches and switch on defense.

This is far inferior to the Magic; their strong point on the perimeter is McGrady, who is mismatched with Kobe.

(End of this chapter)