Chapter 1490 1489. Old Hardworking Shark
Finley can't play in the opening game tonight. If Gasol is included in the 13-man activation list, one of them must be unable to play. The coaching staff originally arranged for Mason to wear a suit, but Finley didn't care about the multi-national live broadcast of the season's opening game. After communicating with the coaching staff, Mason, who looked very excited, got the opportunity to enter the 13-man activation list.
Liu Mang feels that it is good to have veterans in the team, especially veteran teammates like Finley who have always had leadership talents and know how to help the team create a good team atmosphere from the most detailed places.
After the warm-up, at 7 o'clock in the evening, the players of both sides entered the Philips Arena.
There was no championship flag raised this year, so the opening game began with the owner Price introducing the new players of this season.
The regular season of the new season has begun. Wade will return this season, so he chose his jersey number a few days ago.
No. 3 was worn by McGrady, and Liu Mang suggested that he choose No. 8, but Wade finally chose No. 13.
This number is not considered a good number in the United States. Wade did not explain why he chose this number. Liu Mang thought that Wade probably wanted to prove something.
Listening to Price's introduction, some Suns players looked at the Hawks and saw that there were many players who were "abandoned" by other teams. They really didn't understand the purpose of the Hawks' signing and trading.
Even the Hawks' own fans had some doubts about such a lineup. Except for Liu Mang, McGrady, Jason Terry, and Kwame Brown, who were considered veterans, others were more or less questioned.
The performance of 6 wins and 2 losses in the preseason was not bad, but problems were always exposed.
Liu Mang and others also knew that the media had been questioning them for half a month in the preseason, but they were very excited about their progress game by game. What they wanted to do now was to dispel other people's doubts in the new season!
Looking at the Suns' changed lineup, Liu Mang felt a lot of pressure.
The Suns didn't make any big deals this summer. They didn't get any superstar-level players, but they also got a quasi-All-Star-level star. They sent Tim Thomas, James Posey, Marcus Banks, Jaylen Rose and other role players and a first-round pick, and reached a three-way deal with the Bulls and Warriors. They got Jason Richardson from the Warriors, and James Posey went to the Bulls. The Warriors had Monta Ellis, who made great progress last season. Jason Richardson only averaged 15.1 points per game last season, a new low since his rookie season, so he was naturally abandoned.
This deal was submerged in the madness of the summer. If it were in normal times, this would definitely be a robbery-like deal!
"Steve Nash, ability rating 95; Shaquille O'Neal, ability rating 90; Jason Richardson, ability rating 86; Josh Smith, ability rating 88; Raja Bell ability rating 80..."
Nash is still in his prime at the age of 34. Liu Mang can understand that O'Neal still maintains an ability rating of 90!
Thinking of O'Neal's original time and space, he was 37 years old in the 2008-09 season and was treated by Thomas Carter to enter the All-Stars... A good team doctor is awesome! The Hawks team doctor who rented Stoudemire took good care of Stoudemire.
Josh Smith continued to improve, and his rookie contract and Nash's cheap contract were the key to the Suns' introduction of Jason Richardson.
On the other hand, Dio, regardless of height, is almost the same as O'Neal in terms of body shape...
At the end of July, after the Suns traded for Jason Richardson, they renewed Dio's contract with him for 5 years and 45 million. As a result, after returning from an offseason, Dio gained more than 30 pounds, and the Suns management was about to vomit blood.
Last year, Dio was still on a rookie contract, and he was still a slender and tall point guard. In one summer, he became a short and fat old man.
After the players of both teams greeted each other before the game, there were too many friends between the two teams. The atmosphere of the game was very tense, but the fans did not boo the Suns players. The relationship between the two teams was quite friendly.
At 7:28, Liu Mang sprinkled magnesium powder into the air, and the starting lineups of both teams came on the court.
The Hawks sent out Rondo, Liu Mang, McGrady, Marion, and Kwame Brown as the starting lineup.
The Suns sent out Nash, Raja Bell, Jason Richardson, Josh Smith, and O'Neal as the starting lineup.
Nash was very excited when he saw Liu Mang waiting for the jump ball at the midline. It was great to win against Liu Mang in the season opener broadcast live by dozens of countries!
Nash did not believe that the strength shown by the Hawks in the preseason was the full strength of the Hawks. He could clearly see that the Hawks were defeated so easily by the Magic and Bobcats in order to adjust the team's chemistry. Otherwise, even if a few old players fought to the death, they would not lose so easily.
But this was their chance! They defeated the Hawks in the first game, and they were absolutely in high spirits at the start!
Kwame Brown came to the center circle with full energy, ready to fight O'Neal!
At 7:30, the referee blew the whistle to start the game and threw the ball into the air.
Kwame Brown won the jump ball with a dominant advantage!
Raja Bell and Jason Richardson of the Suns took action immediately to chase and block Liu Mang and McGrady.
Liu Mang was blocked by Raja Bell and could not play the opening fast break. McGrady was also blocked by Jason Richardson, who was 27 years old and still in his best running state.
Looking at the clear and active defense of the two forwards and guards of the Suns, Liu Mang suddenly seemed to see the last Suns in the 2009-10 season in the original time and space. Grant Hill and Jason Richardson defended in this way. That Suns had both offense and defense, and entered the Western Conference Finals and fought six games with the Lakers, the champion of that season.
And the 31-year-old Raja Bell's defense is obviously better than Grant Hill, who was already 37 or 38 years old at that time.
Last year, the Suns were in the stage of exploring the playing style of their current lineup. Liu Mang felt that Gentry was still okay. After a summer of adjustments, the tactical system that was already very successful last year was built better.
There was no fast break opportunity. Rondo controlled the rhythm and pushed to the frontcourt, signaling Liu Mang to go to the high position.
Liu Mang didn't want to play high singles, but the organizational core of this lineup was Rondo, and Rondo arranged for him to go. He immediately went to the high position on the left side of the free throw line and leaned against Raja Bell.
Liu Mang leaned against Raja Bell and got to the receiving position without much difficulty. The two players were of similar weight, but Liu Mang was a few centimeters shorter and heavier. Liu Mang's iron elbow pressed Raja Bell so that he couldn't get around. As soon as he got to the position, the ball was immediately passed to Liu Mang.
Seeing Rondo cutting into the inside, Liu Mang prepared to play with Raja Bell. Raja Bell made a lot of small moves. As soon as Liu Mang lowered his center of gravity, Raja Bell used his hand to stick to Liu Mang in the blind spot of the sideline referee's vision and reached into the gap between the two with his left hand to pull Liu Mang's right arm. Raja Bell had been paying attention to the position of the referee since the beginning of the defense.
Liu Mang hadn't shot the ball yet, and he grabbed the ball and wanted to make a foul, but Raja Bell reacted quickly and immediately retracted his hand.
This was an opportunity for Liu Mang! Liu Mang followed the movement of Raja Bell's body leaning back slightly when he retracted his hand, turned left and came to the free throw line, and pulled up the free throw line jump shot...
Liu Mang's first attack of the new season! The fans at the scene started to exclaim when Liu Mang turned and successfully passed Raja Bell, but unfortunately it didn't go in...
O'Neal was stuck in position, and Josh Smith flew through the three-second zone like a flying man and grabbed the defensive rebound in the air.
Liu Mang quickly retreated, rubbing the inside of his right arm with fingerprints and pinch marks while retreating. The ball didn't go in, and Liu Mang felt that he had learned another trick.
These pure 3D warriors have many tricks, and the key is that they work!
With O'Neal, the Suns started the game like the second half of last season. Compared with the beginning, many people in the Suns were not used to the change of rhythm. This season, there was a complete training camp preseason, and the new players quickly integrated into it.
Not many teams change their playing style frequently when they have a perfect system like the Hawks.
The Suns gave the ball to O'Neal, who was full of energy, in the first attack. Kwame Brown tried his best to defend O'Neal... but failed...
The 36-year-old O'Neal is still O'Neal! O'Neal pushed Kwame Brown away and scored two points. He was more explosive and more flexible than last season!
After O'Neal scored one, he immediately tried to retreat. The fans and the players of the Hawks didn't know this fat man anymore.
How hard-working O'Neal has ever been seen in the regular season since the new century?
The playoffs were okay. O'Neal was still very hard-working in the playoffs, but in the regular season, even if he played against the Lakers, Hawks and Spurs, O'Neal was only a little more active, and it would not be as obvious as it is now.
Last year, O'Neal was defeated by Kobe in the playoffs. O'Neal felt that he had suffered a great humiliation. This season, he felt that his strength was okay. With Thomas Carter's complete treatment in the summer, O'Neal's condition was better than last season. This season, he was like the 08-09 season in the original time and space. He trained well and prepared to work hard for a year. He was one year younger and tried hard to beat Kobe in the playoffs.
Kwame Brown looked at O'Neal who was so active and felt that he was no different from before! He remembered what the boss said... As long as O'Neal has the strength, no matter how old he is, no one can stop him in a one-on-one match.
O'Neal tried his best to get back to defense before the Hawks were about to get to the basket, but just as O'Neal tried to run back to the basket, the Hawks called a timeout...
It was like calling a timeout on time, just as he was trying to run to the defensive position, the Hawks immediately called a 20-second short timeout!
The Suns had already tried their best to defend well, and O'Neal also tried his best to get back to defense, but he didn't expect the opponent to call a timeout after one round.
On the contrary, the fans at the scene and the fans who often watch the Hawks games on TV didn't find it strange at all...