Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 257 Who said their forward line is weak?
Washington.

The season ends on the 16th. After two days of rest, the playoffs begin.

The Wizards and Knicks' first game will be on the 20th.

There are three days in between.

Inside the Verizon Center conference room, the Wizards' coaching staff held a meeting to discuss the first round of games.

Collins frowned and remained silent.

Perhaps sensing the overly somber atmosphere, Johnny Bach said in a humorous tone, "Guys, we're actually quite strong too."

Haywood, Stoudemire, Hill, Jordan, Larry Hughes.

This starting lineup is pretty good.

There's Hamilton on the bench, along with Leitner, White, and Whitney; the lineup isn't bad.

Upon hearing this, Collins gave a wry smile, thinking to himself, "Do you even believe what you're saying?"

"The Knicks are different from other teams."

Collins shook his head.

Although the Knicks are only fifth in the Eastern Conference, in the eyes of the media, or rather, in the eyes of coaches like Collins, the Knicks are a championship contender.

Their low ranking is simply because they dug themselves a huge hole at the beginning of the season.

Moreover, the Knicks are special; while other teams have a fixed strength, they just keep getting stronger.

Even now, they still have the potential to improve in the playoffs.

It's no joke that these players change every month under Tangsen's training.

"What's even more troubling is that I really don't know what kind of lineup and tactics the Knicks will use."

This is an uncertain opponent.

Unlike other teams, where it's obvious who is stronger and who is weaker in the starting lineup and substitutes.

The Knicks had a full-strength roster, and Collins wouldn't have been surprised if Yao Ming had been on the bench at the start of the game.

Because Carlisle had the confidence to do so.

With 15 players, he can field more than a dozen starting lineups.

Not to mention the tactics, which are ever-changing.

Several people were silent.

Logically, with the playoffs about to begin, it should be the time to gather intelligence on opponents, assess the form of their key players, and then develop targeted strategies.

But facing such a Knicks team, there's simply no way to gather intelligence.

“Doug, forget it, let’s fight it out first,” Bach said.

Having a headache now won't help.

If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to lose a few more games and drop to sixth place, giving the other teams a headache.

Like Collins.

Washington media outlets also showed no joy at the prospect of returning to the playoffs.

The Washington Post's headline simply stated that we received the worst possible draw.

The Wizards have encountered their toughest opponent in the East right from the start.

Didn't you see that in order to avoid the Knicks in the second round, the Magic actually slipped to second place in the Eastern Conference?

Even the Magic are wary of the Knicks, so how can the Wizards possibly win?

Even Jordan, in an interview, stated that he could accept any outcome.

He now understands very clearly that with the Wizards' current strength, it's impossible for them to contend for the championship.

All he can think about now is the end of the season, retiring, becoming a team owner in style, and starting a new chapter in his career as a team owner.

Then they would try every means to bring Tang Sen to Washington.

He would select the talented players himself, and Tang Sen would be in charge of training them. With the two working together, he would become one of the most successful team owners in the NBA in just a few years.

But one person was full of confidence.

It's Hill.

At the pre-match press conference on the 20th, Hill had mixed feelings as he faced a group of reporters.

Two years ago, I was still the pride of the league.

He has the fastest first step in the league, and he is the most well-rounded and undisputed number one small forward.

He is the most elegant and popular star in the entire league.

He's still Jordan's successor.

But now.

He recovered from an injury that took two whole seasons to heal, but the league had changed.

Jordan's successors became McGrady and Kobe.

Even though she's only 31 and still in her prime, she seems so old that she's been forgotten.

"I've lost many times over the years."

With the Pistons, he led the team to the playoffs time and time again, but he just couldn't lead the Pistons any further.

"So I don't want to lose this year. We have great teammates, I can still play, believe me, we will bring victory to the Washington fans."

Hill made a declaration.

Collins spoke with him before the series, hoping he would take on more responsibility in this series.

Jordan is getting old and all he thinks about is becoming a boss; we can't really rely on him completely.

Stoudemire played very well, better than a rookie, but he is still a rookie, with little experience, so it's normal for his performance to fluctuate.

So Collins looked around and found that Hill was the most reliable.

Most importantly, after much discussion, Collins and his team concluded that the Knicks' only weakness was their frontcourt.

Especially the small forward position.

Prince, Gerrard, and Brown have been rotated around, and Carlisle still hasn't decided who the real starter is.

The reporters in the audience had a lukewarm response.

They could hear the fighting spirit in Hill's voice.

But think about it from another angle: when you say that you need to work hard to win, and put yourself in the position of a challenger, you are indirectly admitting that your opponent is stronger than you.

The problem is, the Knicks are really strong.

Before the game, most media outlets generally did not have high hopes for the talent, predicting that the series would end at most 4-2.

The away team's locker room.

Taking advantage of the locker room being open, documentary director Gavin O'Connor, along with his cameraman, quickly filmed some footage.

They even pointed the camera at Tang Sen.

"Don, do you think we'll win?" O'Connor asked, peeking out from behind the camera.

"of course."

Tang Sen was full of confidence and gave the camera an OK sign.

If this were a live broadcast, Tang Sen definitely wouldn't have said that.

The ball is round, and even the strongest team can capsize unexpectedly.

But this is a pre-recorded broadcast, so it's bound to be just something said casually.

Of course, Tang Sen was genuinely confident.

Tang Sen had witnessed the progress these players made in the second half of the season.

The direction of my training is correct.

If you build a solid physical foundation, then technical skills will be easier to learn.

Carlisle returned from the pre-match press conference, shooed the reporters away, and then clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention.

"Everyone."

He stood with his hands behind his back, facing the crowd, a faint smile on his face: "Don't forget, our goal isn't just to get past the first round of the playoffs, our goal is the championship!"

"Fans across America know that we are on a path to glory, so don't underestimate the Wizards; they are no match for us."

"Do you know what I said at the pre-match press conference?" he asked the players present.

The quick-witted Demar Johnson said, "Coach, you're not going to tell the reporters we've already won, are you?"

You can't just make a promise like that.

Unexpectedly, Carlisle nodded: "That's right, that's exactly what I said. I looked directly at all the reporters, especially those from Washington, and I looked them straight in the eye and told them that we would win the game."

"So everyone, my requirement is very simple: win the game, and not just today's game, but four games."

Carlisle held up four fingers, his tone even somewhat arrogant: "I don't want to waste too much time on the Wizards. 4-0, don't give them any hope."

The players looked at each other in bewilderment.

Tang Sen and the others behind him also turned their heads to look.

Carlisle's confidence was absolutely off the charts.

"What, don't you have confidence?"

Carlisle retorted loudly.

Having beaten so many strong teams, why can't they win in the playoffs?
"You've trained so hard, was it all for nothing?"

"Guys, if we win the championship this year, everyone, I mean everyone."

Carlisle pointed to each player and said, "We will become a legend, and each and every one of you will be a witness to that legend."

They dismantled the team drastically in the summer and started rebuilding entirely.

At the start of the season, they were ranked last in the entire league, then the management team was in turmoil, and the head coach was fired.

If a team like this can win the championship, what else could it be but a legend?
clap clap clap!
Tang Sen began to applaud.

"Why are you looking at me? Isn't Rick right? I know best what kind of effort you've put in, so don't let your hard work go to waste."

The look in everyone's eyes gradually hardened.

Only they themselves know how hard they worked.

Carlisle stopped wasting time and announced the starting lineup directly.

"Gerrard, stopping Grant isn't enough, I need you to score. You need to score as many points as Grant scores! If you can't, you're coming off the bench next game!"

Carlisle pointed menacingly at Wallace.

In this game, he fielded a starting lineup of Yao Ming, Chandler, Wallace, Houston, and Billups.

Wallace, who had been on the bench for half a month, has returned to the starting lineup.

Wallace nodded slightly, clenching his fists to show the turmoil in his heart.

That's Grant Hill!

"set off!"

Carlisle glanced at his watch, clapped his hands, and beckoned everyone to come out.

The Verizon Center is full.

Before the game, Collins felt a pang of anxiety after receiving the Knicks' starting lineup.

Sure enough, they changed tactics again.

"When playing with two towers, should we target Amare?"

Stoudemire is very good at driving to the basket, but if there are two seven-foot giants in the paint, it won't be easy for him to get going.

Bach frowned and asked, "Then why bring on Gerrard?"

In April, the Knicks consistently started Prince.

With his excellent wingspan, Prince's defense was consistently solid, and his offense was also well-developed.

He now has a decent ability to handle the ball and score one-on-one on the wing.

He would use a sliding step to move laterally left and right, then suddenly stop and jump to complete the shot.

This trick works very well.

Because his arms are so long, it's difficult for most people to block him.

In the eight games played in April, Prince averaged 11.5 points, which can be considered a breakout performance.

Therefore, Collins and others thought that the Knicks would start Prince before the game.

Who knew they'd replace him with Wallace, who hadn't started for half a month.

Sometimes, Wallace doesn't even get a chance to come off the bench.

The fact that they've brought him back into the starting lineup is clearly a secret weapon prepared for Hill!
Collins rubbed his temples; his head was throbbing.

The match started at 7:30 p.m.

The Knicks immediately set up their triangle offense.

The tactics have been practiced continuously.

It will definitely have an effect.

The ball got into Yao Ming's hands, and everyone started making runs.

With an off-ball screen, Billups circled out, and Hughes couldn't keep up at all.

Yao Ming delivered the ball with pinpoint accuracy.

Billups pulled up for a three-pointer.

This season, Billups has focused on two things: three-point shooting and his ability to drive to the basket.

With a swift stroke, the three-pointer hits.

Collins sighed silently on the sidelines; that's what makes the Knicks so terrifying.

They had Yao Ming, who was as invincible in the paint as Shaquille O'Neal, but they used him as a point guard.

The remaining players all possess impressive shooting abilities.

Many teams have lost because of this one move.

They weren't even qualified to witness Yao Ming's unstoppable inside offense.

The Wizards are on offense.

The ball was immediately passed to Hill.

Hill glanced at Wallace in front of him, paused slightly, and then instantly activated the device.

His first step was still sharp.

Thanks to resting for the entire season, and also thanks to training with Tang Sen last summer, he was able to recover his form properly.

There was a bang.

Hill bumped into Wallace.

With a nimble sidestep, he blocked Hill.

Hill was very strong, but Wallace didn't budge.

Hill, ignoring his surprise, abruptly stopped and pulled back, feigning a shot as if to throw, but still preparing to break through.

But Wallace had completely anticipated all of his movements.

What alarmed Hill even more was that during the scuffle, Wallace suddenly reached out and poked the basketball out of his hand.

With a whoosh, Wallace lunged out and caught the basketball in a flying tackle.

A gasp rippled through the entire Verizon Center.

"Who is this guy?"

"I do not know!"

Most of the fans in the stands had no idea who this Knicks player wearing the number 3 jersey was.

Collins, who had been standing on the sidelines since the start of the game, just wanted to curse.

I knew that Carlisle had a special purpose in replacing Wallace with him.

That's Grant Hill, after all.

He defended Hill one-on-one and even made a steal.

This is a wonderful gift for Hill!

Also, if anyone says the Knicks' frontcourt is weak, I'll definitely argue with them.

(End of this chapter)