Basketball trainer, I created a super giant

Chapter 481 The Ultimate in Individual Heroism

Tangsen outlined a three-step plan for Durant.

The first step is to dominate every star player in the league.

After the Christmas Day game, Durant can be said to have substantially achieved this goal.

Tang Sen didn't ask him to beat O'Neal or Yao Ming; he was only talking about guards.

The four shooting guards represent the pinnacle of guarding ability.

Kobe was the last layer.

By breaking records, Durant proved himself to be better than Kobe, and that last ceiling has been shattered.

It's fair to say that Durant is the best scorer in the league.

none of them.

So the next goal is to lead the team to the championship.

This has become Durant's new target.

Before the New Year, during a Heat practice, Durant approached Riley after the session and asked him this question.

That is, how can we win the championship this year?

Or, to put it another way, what do I need to do if I want to win the championship this year?
Riley was surprised that Durant would take the initiative to talk to him, and even more surprised that Durant would ask such a question.

With Riley's intelligence, he immediately understood the significance of this conversation.

It was a crucial conversation that brought together him, the team's general manager, head coach, and the team's core players and cornerstones for building the future, to align their goals.

This is actually very important.

Everyone has a different personality; some team leaders are quiet and reserved, like Durant.

Basketball is a team sport, and teamwork is very important.

Especially when it comes to accomplishing something big, the team's goals and attitudes must first be aligned.

If Durant's goal is clear—to win the championship this year—then the team's operational goals will have to change.

Management needs to consider what aspects are not good enough and what needs to be improved when the goal is to win the championship.

Or rather, Durant felt there were problems with the team that needed improvement.

"Let's go to the office."

Riley invited Durant to his office.

After they sat down, they even brought Durant some bottled water.

Durant is extremely disciplined. He is not old enough to drink alcohol, does not drink coffee or other beverages, and only drinks plain water.

Precisely control daily nutrient intake to maintain physical condition.

I asked him, and it was all Tang Sen's request.

After thinking for a moment, Riley first asked Durant for his thoughts, asking if he wanted to compete for the championship this year.

"of course."

Durant answered without hesitation, his reply brimming with confidence: "I am already the best scorer in the league. I can beat every opponent, and we have beaten the Knicks."

If this gets out, it could cause quite a stir.

But Riley thought there was nothing wrong with it.

Anyone who disagrees, come out and try.

However, Riley couldn't help but sigh, he didn't expect Durant to have such great ambitions, wanting to win a championship in his first year as a professional.

As the team's core player, leading the team to a championship in his first year of his professional career, there are probably only George Mikan in NBA history who can be considered a player like that.

But the NBA back then is completely different from the NBA today.

Moreover, before joining the NBA, George Mikan had already played in the NBL for several years and was a very mature player.

But Durant, he was truly young and invincible, in his very first year of his professional career.

If he leads the team to victory this year, it will be an unprecedented and unparalleled achievement.

After a moment's thought, Riley countered, "Kevin, do you know why Michael only won a championship in his seventh year of the career?"

Even someone as great as Jordan didn't win a championship until his seventh season.

Riley had originally asked the question, but Durant responded, saying that Townsend had talked to him about it.

At the end of the training camp, Tang Sen not only outlined a three-step plan for Durant.

I talked to him about some things while we were still planning.

The second step involved analyzing Jordan's performance when leading the team to victory.

Riley was taken aback and asked Tang Sen what he had said.

After listening to Durant's retelling, he nodded slightly.

He felt that Tang Sen's meaning was similar to his own.

Tang Sen analyzed the reasons.

First of all, Jordan is constantly evolving.

For an average player, Jordan's average of 28 points per game in his first season was already considered a peak performance right from the start.

But not for Jordan.

After entering the league, Jordan continued to hone his skills and strive to improve.

Their bodies are getting stronger and their technology is becoming more advanced.

The game has evolved from relying on physical talent to achieving the ultimate combination of technique and physical ability.

Jordan's peak performance was 37 points per game in 86, but his true peak was in 93, when he was unstoppable on both offense and defense.

So Jordan also trained for many years and worked hard for many years before reaching his peak.

Then the Bulls had a weak foundation; before Jordan joined, the Bulls were a terrible team with only 27 wins.

And then, Krause had just joined the Bulls.

Back then, the Bulls' goal was rebuilding, not winning a championship. Secondly, the Eastern Conference opponents were too strong, a far cry from the Western Conference's dominance over the East in recent years.

Finally, of course, there's the matter of having a qualified helper.

The arrival of Pippen, Rodman, and other excellent players ultimately helped Jordan win the championship.

Tang Sen's views coincided with Riley's.

Then Tang Sen analyzed the possibility of Durant winning a championship in his first season.

He said that with his help, Durant's skills have become very comprehensive.

Tang Sen has a system; one year of his work is equivalent to several years' worth.

It was still a full year of intense training without any competitions.

It can be said that Tang Sen's training in this year is equivalent to Durant's normal development in the NBA for five or six years.

In addition, they received the best training.

Therefore, Durant can truly reach his peak upon entering the league.

At 18, he was as mature as Jordan at 29.

This is the most crucial reason.

Secondly, the Heat's roster is not weak, and they unexpectedly acquired Shaquille O'Neal in the summer.

If Jordan had a Shaq who was still playing well back then, he might have won the championship in his first year.

Therefore, Tang Sen believes that Durant is fully capable of winning the championship in his first year.

However, the league is now filled with many powerful players.

The East has the Knicks, the Magic, the Nets, and the Celtics.

The West also has the Mavericks, the Suns, and the Spurs.

The opponent is too strong.

Seeing that Tang Sen had said everything he wanted to say, Riley took a slightly embarrassed sip of his drink, skipped over the topic, and moved on to the next one.

In other words, how do we achieve our goal of winning the championship?

Durant had something to say, believing that the Heat's starting lineup was definitely fine.

Although they lost Butler, they gained O'Neal.

Posey, who replaced Butler, was no pushover either, possessing accurate shooting skills and elite-level defense that was a key piece in the championship puzzle.

The bench lineup is also fine; we have Haslem and Mourning in the frontcourt.

We also have Eddie Jones on the perimeter who can still contribute.

It certainly won't reach the exaggerated level of the Knicks' all-star lineup back then, but it's enough.

So Durant's question isn't about which position to strengthen, but rather asking Riley what he needs to do and how to play in order to win a championship.

Should we focus more on offense, more on defense, or more on passing?

You can even play with or without the ball, it's up to you.

He spoke casually, but Riley was secretly astonished.

Of the things Durant mentioned, doing even one well would be an achievement.

But judging from Durant's tone, it's as if he's open to anything.

Riley couldn't help but marvel at how much Townsend had taught Durant during training camp.

Riley pondered this question for several minutes.

He did not directly answer what specific changes Durant wanted to make.

Riley sensed that Durant might simply be confused, his goals were too big, and he didn't know how to achieve them.

He is very skilled, but he is still just an 18-year-old boy. He needs someone to guide him and tell him what the right path is.

Tang Sen was the first guide, so next, he will be the guide himself.

Riley couldn't help but smile.

After thinking for a while with his arms crossed, Riley finally had an idea and said, "Kevin, you know, before Michael won the championship, the league at that time emphasized team basketball. Rebounding and passing were the most important things."

So we had Magic Johnson, four great centers, the Lakers' Showtime era, and the Bad Boys, who played like a team at its best, shattering Jordan's championship dreams time and time again.

"Then Michael came along, and he changed the era. He showed us all that a player can be so great that he can decide the outcome of a game."

"He's a superhero, just like Superman!"

Riley came up with an accurate description: "It's like Superman who doesn't need the Justice League."

"No one has been able to do this much over the years."

Duncan needs David Robinson.

Kobe needs Shaq.

McGrady also needs Brown.

Even Yao Ming, who was so dominant in his first year reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, still suffered a heartbreaking defeat. It was only after the Knicks developed a bunch of All-Star players that they began to dominate the league.

"That's what makes Michael terrifying; he changed everyone's perception."

"So Kevin, if you want to be the next Michael, you don't need to ask what to do for your teammates, you just need to do one thing, and that is to win the game."

If my teammates can't score, I'll score. It's that simple.

This is also the fundamental reason why Jordan became the god of basketball.

These words struck a chord with Durant.

There's no fancy stuff, just one sentence: win the game.

To take individual heroism to the extreme.

His eyes gradually hardened; he understood.

(End of this chapter)