Four Hundred and Forty-Eight: [Ace Undercover Van Gundy]

The news about Josh Smith deflated after the game and the Duke bravely beat the provocateur caused extreme comfort among New York fans on the second day. The two-game winning streak at home also dispelled the bleak doubts of the six-game losing streak in the preseason.

At the same time, Snoopy finally got the approval of some professional commentators, and they finally started to really look at Doug as a star player. Prior to this, the players who were considered eligible to become stars in the 2008 class were Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo. Dug has always been regarded as a top blue-collar player... Even when he won the best rookie last year, some people are conspiring, saying that it is the relationship behind Nike.

As for the fact that the rookie led the team to the finals, it is called luck.

This has to be said to be a prejudice.

From the comparison of intuitive impressions, Rose, Westbrook, Love, Beasley and even Mayo do have more eye-catching offensive performances. Especially Derrick Rose, with his terrifying breakthrough finishing ability, coupled with first-class organizational ability, is even called the representative of the next superstar. His upper limit was once thought to be far higher than that of Doug.

Even now, commentators think Derrick Rose has a higher ceiling.

To many pundits, Snoopy just crossed the threshold of stardom. They're still cautious about his ceiling.

Because, compared to Rose and Westbrook, players with terrifying physical fitness. Snoopy is more like an insider, although he now has superb ball-handling skills and certain post-up skills. However, put him under the standard of perimeter players. His various dynamic physical qualities...speed, explosive power, take-off height with the ball, waist and abdomen strength, and flexibility are all at a disadvantage.

Just like Derrick Rose, he can change direction and shake his opponent away without stepping on the brakes at absolute high speed. Westbrook can also break into the penalty area bluntly like a bull, and end the battle with a Huashan-style dunk.

These things are the most important indicators for evaluating the potential space of young players. That's why the top picks in the lottery every year are always some "antelope elk" type players with excellent running and jumping.

Doug also occasionally looks at these analytical forecasts.

In fact, he also agrees with this statement. The gap in physical fitness will indeed determine the upper limit. However, Doug has confidence in the energy in his body. He believes that one day when he releases them, he can change direction at high speed like Derrick Rose, and he can smash Huashan straight and straight like Westbrook.

Now, the most important thing is...to accumulate enough skills and experience before fully developing the physical fitness.

Talent is like a pool, and technical experience and basketball wisdom are the channels for drainage. No matter how big the talent pool is, without these drainage channels, there will not be much water left. Instead, it will dry up with the passage of time and the sun's exposure.

The day after the Knicks beat the Hawks, the club officially announced the addition of Jeff Van Gundy.

The news of Van Gundy's return to New York instantly detonated the entire basketball world.

He once built an iron-blooded team in the Big Apple, leaving behind many scenes that New York fans will recall.

Especially on May 30, 1998, the eighth-seeded New York Knicks in the East met the top-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Near the end of the first round, Larry Johnson of the Knicks slammed Heat center Mourning, and Mourning hit him with a punch. Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning fight. Van Gundy immediately ran into the field to fight. In order to protect the players, he hugged Mourning's thigh tightly in desperation, and was dragged a few meters away on the floor by the mighty Mourning. Post-match reporter Barker described: "For a moment, Jeff was even lifted off the floor by Mourning's feet, like a hammock.

Since then, Van Gundy has added another nickname "Hammock". With deep-set eye sockets and bloodshot eyes, this fight has made fans remember the image of this New York vampire forever.

It is worth mentioning that it is also this season. He led the lack of the Knicks to eliminate the New York rebels and the Miami Heat led by his teacher Pat Riley, and entered the finals with a black eight. That year, he was 37 years old. It is still the record of the youngest NBA coach to enter the finals.

"Gangs of New York is back!"

Welcome the return of Jeff Van Gundy with a title like this.

No matter what Rockets fans think of Van Gundy, in the hearts of New York fans, Van Gundy's status has always been very high. He led Ewing, Starks, Oakley, Larry Johnson, and Sponeville, a group of gangsters, to create an extremely glorious era in the history of the Knicks.

At that time, the style of play in New York was extremely tough, and it was recognized as the team with the most gangster temperament in the league.

And now, after the Knicks got Snoopy, consecutively selected Matthews, James Johnson, and traded for Kirk Hinrich, their defensive temperament has suddenly increased a lot.

This makes the fans full of expectations, after all, Jeff Van Gundy is known for his iron defense.

Those professional basketball media also believe that this is a deal to enhance the combat effectiveness of the Knicks, and the arrival of Jeff Van Gundy will have the effect of increasing the authority of the coaching staff. Weak and rootless Herb Williams needs such a strong assistant coach.

However, there are also concerns about whether Snoopy can get along peacefully with the strong Jeff Van Gundy.

The famous duke black, Bill Simmons bluntly released the ridicule in his column: "The time for Snoopy to cover the sky with one hand has passed. Jeff Van Gundy is not as easy to manipulate as Herb Williams, let alone D'Antoni, Isaiah Thomas is so easy to use. He wants to play that naive locker room politics in front of Jeff Van Gundy, and I guess he's going to be seen right away as a defensive coolie averaging 48 minutes a game and not taking a single shot."

What Bill Simmons said is actually what Chinese fans are worried about. Chinese fans have deep prejudices against this rigid and blunt head coach. He is regarded as a third-rate coach by Chinese fans. He only knows how to play the main force and lacks tactical changes. In every game, he has no on-the-spot adjustments other than picking up notes in his crumpled suit pocket.

In this sound, the Knicks lost their first game of the 09-10 season.

In the game against the San Antonio Spurs at home, New York played very jerky. Their offense stagnated, and they only scored 89 points that night.

This is called a typical Van Gundy type data.

However, the opposite San Antonio Spurs scored 111 points. Among them, Tim Duncan scored 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the super triple-double.

Zach Randolph, who was facing him, made 5 of 17 shots, 14 points and 7 rebounds, with no level at all.

Dug also played unsatisfactorily, making 4 of 15 shots, 11 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

The shooting percentage of the two inner and outer cores did not exceed 30%, and it is simply a dream to win. What's more, the opponent is the San Antonio Spurs.

After the game, Doug tried to communicate with Zach Randolph. But Randolph left the locker room early, and he didn't seem to have any idea of ​​​​cooperating with Doug.

In the game, he rejected the suggestion to play pick-and-roll with Snoopy three times in a row. He stayed in the deep of the penalty area throughout the game, constantly singled out Tim Duncan.

In 2009, Duncan did not lose weight. With his physique that was able to single-handedly defend against sharks, Zach Randolph's singles efficiency was extremely low. Moreover, he also refused to pass the ball to outside teammates.

When the basketball is passed to him, it stops automatically. At first, Gallinari, Wesley Matthews and others were still running, but then they simply stopped and watched him twist and turn.

The damage to morale is undeniable.

"He's already courting players."

Marbury told Doug: "He wants Jeffries, David Lee and Eddie Curry to be his helpers."

In addition to engaging in propaganda work, Lao Ma is also responsible for intelligence and the ideological dynamics of the players. He made a suggestion to Doug: "Give him five games, and if he continues to adopt this uncooperative attitude, my suggestion is to adopt a locker room isolation strategy...put him on the inactive list. Wait until the trading window opens, let him immediately Management traded him."

Duge pursed his lips, he realized that he had to tear off the mask of "good old man" in this matter.

He has already seen Zach Randolph's appeal clearly. Under the current circumstances, if unity is sought through compromise, unity will perish, and unity will survive if unity is sought through struggle.

"Jeff Van Gundy, are you sure you don't want to go play?"

Stephen Marbury was worried about another issue: "Recently, Jeffries and Zach Randolph have been closely associated with Stan Van Gundy. Obviously they want to tie up with the bald Van Gundy. They even encouraged Jeff Van Gundy takes Herb Williams' place."

Du Ge heard this and smiled.

He didn't know why things turned out like this. When Jeff Van Gundy walked into the training hall, Jeffries and Zach Randolph went up to make friends for the first time. They seemed to have a good conversation.

And Doug is not a person who likes to chat with people during training time. He simply ignored Jeff Van Gundy.

Jeff Van Gundy didn't bother to say hello to Doug either.

And, in the subsequent adjustment of defensive tactics, Jeff Van Gundy clearly pointed out: "We must weaken Snoopy's role in the defensive system, and other players must be added."

His words immediately made the players have some associations: Could it be that Jeff Van Gundy hates Snoopy?

Then, he emphasized Zach Randolph's important role in the defensive system.

This gave Randolph the illusion that Jeff Van Gundy was a catch.

As a result, he followed Van Gundy almost every day, and even became active in training.

Moreover, he has repeatedly promised to support Van Gundy to become the team's head coach, and he will definitely unite closely with him and overcome difficulties for him.

When Jeff Van Gundy told Dug these flattering words on the phone at night, Dug felt sick. He didn't expect Zach Randolph to say those words.

"At least his defensive attitude is getting more and more positive now, so just let him flatter you like this. Anyway, if you have one more person to flatter you, you might feel better." Doug suggested with a smile to Jeff Van Gundy.

Jeff Van Gundy said angrily: "Oh, no! This will only make my mood worse."

"I feel like I'm an undercover agent of the FBI. I'm obviously working for you, but they use me as the biggest hole card to bring you down. It's just ridiculous."

Jeff Van Gundy said angrily: "To be honest, I've never seen such a stupid person. As long as their heads are a little normal, they shouldn't set the competitor as you. He can't win this internal competition."

Doug shrugged. He also hoped that Randolph was just being confused.

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