Chapter 0003: Basketball at the Turn of the Century
Liu Mang felt a heavy pat on his shoulder twice, which seemed to carry great expectations
While Liu Mang and Kukoc were chatting idly, Terry was finally called for his fourth foul by Francis and was taken off the court
Liu Mang looked at the players about to take the court: Omani O'Neal Davis, Rahim, Ira Newbell, and Ratliff, feeling utterly devastated. Are they going to be completely overwhelmed? Could it be that he would be cut right after the first regular season game?
Compared to players born in the 1960s and 1970s, most players who played in the 1980s and 1990s have seen a significant improvement in average physical fitness due to the rapid development of world trade following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, leading to an improvement in living conditions. Ordinary players today are much stronger than those from the 1980s and 1990s, and the rules from that era still exist, resulting in a level of physical confrontation that is frightening. This is also why, in recent years, apart from the Lakers, no other team has been able to stop the Spurs and the Pistons. They have leveraged the rise in average physical fitness to play a style of basketball that diminishes the entertainment value of the game, ultimately defeating their opponents. The average physical fitness has risen, and ordinary players are much stronger than those from the 1980s and 1990s, while the rules from that time still apply, leading to a level of confrontation that is terrifying. This is also why, in recent years, apart from the Lakers, no other team has been able to stop the Spurs and the Pistons. They have utilized the increase in average physical fitness to play a style of basketball that undermines the entertainment value of the game, and subsequently overcome their opponents.
However, at this moment, Liu Mang was completely unable to think carefully, because he saw the familiar figure of Big Brother Fu, who had become acquainted with him because of Yao Ming, now with a fierce expression, receiving the ball after the referee's whistle and dribbling it towards the Hawks.
Last season, the second-year player Francis delivered a phenomenal performance. Rudy Tomjanovich entrusted him with the entire ball-handling duties. His averages of 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in his second year were simply extraordinary. Apart from Magic Johnson, no point guard has ever exhibited such a powerful and comprehensive performance.
This is also why, since 2005, after the defense became less precise, a group of scorers has surged like wild horses, which is also the reason for the decline of the Spurs and the Pistons
As Dean Holoff and Jaquay Vaughn, the two prominent point guards, have both already committed 3 fouls, and Emma Nuoer Davis, a quality undrafted shooting guard from the 1996 golden generation, has also been substituted after accumulating 2 fouls, Liu Mang is praying for Terry
The Hawks' perimeter looks good, but how can it withstand the onslaught of Francis, who, after four years in college, has now entered the NBA and is at the peak of his career at 25 years old
In the third quarter, with scores of 30 + 6 + 8, Liu Mang was also astonished to see Francis's statistics displayed on the large screen above the court. Before LeBron James entered the NBA, only Francis was capable of casually achieving such numbers.
Liu Mang watched the game on the court and expressed that he was accustomed to the relaxed and effortless three-point shooting games of the Warriors and Cavaliers, finding this game simply painful to watch, with the shooting being excessively off-target and the level of physical confrontation lacking.
I am praying for Jason, hoping that he does not commit a foul, Liu Mang honestly replied
Liu Mang prayed and unconsciously recited it in Chinese
Terry, please do not commit a foul! Absolutely do not! May the Bodhisattva Guanyin and Lord Jesus bless you! Liu Mang was silently praying for Terry; if Terry were to be taken down, it would be his turn to step up.
At this moment, a voice that Liu Mang found detestable rang out: "There is no need for you, this useless fellow, to pray for me"
In this era, overseas players do not have much influence in the NBA. Players like Luke Longley and Toni Kukoč, who were role players during the Bulls dynasty, were among the best overseas players. Although Kukoč was favored by many teams and ultimately joined the Hawks under a lucrative contract, he was still largely rejected by most of his teammates, who felt that he was earning a lot of money but was of no use to the team
Kukoc has been the most disappointing reinforcement for the Hawks fans. His fatigue was evident even in the preseason. It was initially thought that he would form a powerhouse frontcourt duo with the shot-blocking king Ratliff, but it turns out he came merely to secure a big contract for retirement, leaving the Hawks in a difficult position.
Liu Mang watched DeMar Johnson play with a sense of despair, as he immediately committed consecutive fouls against Francis. The Hawks' foul count reached the free throw stage just a few minutes into the second half, with DeMar Johnson starting off by giving away free throws
51 is greater than 47, with this score, Liu Mang did not pay attention to the game time and thought that the first half had not yet concluded. Upon checking the game time, he realized that the third quarter was almost over
However, Liu Mang, as an Asian, experiences even lower recognition in the NBA, which resonates with Kukoc's own feelings of alienation. Kukoc shows considerable care for Liu Mang, as despite his own exclusion, he still holds a certain status. In contrast, apart from appearing to receive significant attention from the coaches, Liu Mang is largely regarded as someone who is overlooked in other aspects.
At the end of the third quarter, after three periods of play, the Rockets went on a 6-0 run during the last two to three minutes when the Hawks found themselves in a foul crisis, extending the lead to 10 points, 64 to 54, with the Rockets leading by ten at the conclusion of the third quarter
Seeing Liu Mang's dazed expression, Coach Kruger called him over: "Don't give up on yourself just because of disappointment in the draft. You must seize every opportunity; opportunities cannot be given to you forever... I cannot keep giving you opportunities either"
Liu Mang was fortunate that Coach Kruger did not substitute him in the last two minutes of the third quarter, but instead allowed the 2000 draft bust, the 6th overall pick, Demar Johnson, to play for two minutes.
It's over! I'm going to be laid off!
A strong sense of déjà vu from watching basketball documentaries from the 1980s and 1990s emerged before Liu Mang's eyes
This is bound to expose the truth right away
Coach Kruger called Liu Mang over: "Ace, get on the court! Receive the pass from Sherif and make the shot! Don't commit a foul; if you can't stop Francis, lead him inside to let Theo handle it! Ace, Emanuel, Sherif, Ira, Theo, you all get on the court and keep the score tight! We cannot let the score widen any further!"
Fortunately, the presence of Kukoc provided technical guidance to Muhammad; otherwise, this 24 million would have been completely wasted
Liu Mang turned his head towards head coach Lang Kruger with a pout, and Terry, seeing that Liu Mang was ignoring him, also snorted in displeasure
Originally unable to compete with Francis, Terry felt quite frustrated after committing his fourth foul. Then, upon reaching the sidelines and overhearing the conversation between Kukoc and Liu Mang, he immediately began to mock them.
Moreover, there is one crucial point, which is that in this day and age, defense can be implemented effectively
As expected
Why did Terry fight so hard against Francis in this match? It was simply because he wanted to outshine Francis. However, in terms of strength, Francis is indeed significantly stronger than Terry, having drawn four fouls from Terry alone in three quarters.
Francis advanced and saw that opposing him was a tall, slender defender with yellow skin wearing jersey number 1. He let out a disdainful snort and then directly barreled through his opponent.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, a rotation lineup should have been implemented to give Terry and Dean Grove a chance to rest, but Jaquay Vaughn performed poorly, and Demar Johnson's performance was even more disastrous
Suddenly, a voice emerged in Liu Mang's mind
Liu Mang was filled with panic; in that moment, he seemed to see himself performing poorly, originally just a second-round draft pick, and then being cut from the team
Seeing Demar Johnson play for two minutes in the third quarter, committing one turnover, two fouls, and missing a three-pointer completely, Liu Mang's heart suddenly sank
However, in reality, the competition in these years has been more exaggerated than in any other era
It must be said that the matches at the beginning of the century were simply remarkable; the pace was indeed not slow. Both the Hawks and the Rockets were teams with a fast tempo, but the intensity of the defense was truly intimidating. Even Jason Terry dared to use his frail physique to engage in a rough and aggressive defense against Francis.
Thus, Liu Mang's ominous premonition arrived
Liu Mang is quite strange; the coach with the large forehead seems to be overly kind to him
Liu Mang may not have much praise for Jason Terry in other aspects, but he truly respects his attitude towards playing. Due to the excessive fouls committed by the point guard, it fell to him to defend against Francis. He was directly elbowed by Francis while closely guarding him, yet he still stayed close.
Hey, Ace, what are you talking about? Is it in Chinese? The Croatian power forward of the Bulls dynasty, now retired, Kukoc asked strangely
Yes, prayer
As long as there is no contact made with the hands, and no direct and obvious pushing or pulling of the opponent, if the hands merely appear to be "resting" on the attacking player, the referee will not intervene at all
For Francis, Terry truly has no way out; the disparity in their physical fitness is too great. However, regarding Liu Mang, Terry simply cannot stand this kid. He cannot comprehend why this guy is able to remain on the team.
Francis's style of play was previously seen in the approaches of Admiral David Robinson and the Shaquille O'Neal, characterized by a powerful physical presence.
It seems that a timeout was called on our side just now. The number of fouls committed by the Hawks today has been astonishing. Terry wants to outplay Francis, and just like Terry, Francis also aims to dominate Terry.
Just now, I was in a daze when I came on the field, fearless... What nonsense, I was almost scared to the point of wetting myself. Fortunately, I came on the field together with Rahim during the last moments of the first half, and with Rahim defending against Francis. Now it's his turn! Rahim is the core player; how could he take the risk of fouling while defending against Francis in such a crucial second half? It is definitely his turn to be the scapegoat!
Liu Mang turned his head to see Terry returning to the bench with a face full of misfortune, wearing his usual expression of arrogant annoyance.
"Ace, you are truly a good person. The two of you have always had a poor relationship, and I never expected you would pray for Jason." Kukoc was evidently somewhat blunt; in this era, there was no internet bombardment, ... the age of information explosion had not yet arrived, and people were still relatively simple ... . ... Of course, this is only in terms of conversation; there have always been good people and bad people, and it is not necessarily the case that there were fewer in the past than there are now.
Damn! Liu Mang felt the overwhelming power of Francis, and in an instant, he was completely thrown off balance
Indeed, Liu Mang does not bother to argue with this big mouth... The main issue is still the significant disparity in team status. Apart from the sole superstar Rahim, the Hawks also have the rim protector Ratliff, and among them, Terry holds the highest position. Ratliff is a straightforward person, polite to everyone, and Rahim lacks the heart of a true superstar. Therefore, Terry is currently the most "high-profile" player on the Hawks, and having a conflict with him is not a wise decision.
In the fourth quarter of the game, the Rockets took the initiative, and Liu Mang immediately focused on defending against Francis
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The year 2000 truly deserves its reputation as the worst draft year in history. DeMar Johnson averaged 4 points and 2 rebounds in his rookie season with a shooting percentage of 35%. Remarkably, he played an average of 16 minutes per game, with his playing time peaking at around 20 minutes per game at the beginning of the season, but it decreased later on due to his poor performance.
People tend to prefer watching basketball from the older generation, particularly matches from the 1980s and 1990s. When it comes to modern games, they are inclined to watch those after the hand-checking rule was banned in 2005. The only impression people have of the early 2000s is that the Lakers, Spurs, and Pistons won a total of 6 championships, leading them to believe that these three teams dominated that era. After all, from 2000 to 2005, these three teams claimed all the championships.
Despite the fact that there were less than 60 points remaining in the third quarter of the game, Francis alone scored 30 points, along with 6 rebounds and 8 assists, nearly accounting for the entire scoring of the Rockets team
It is not surprising that Terry is so proud this year. Last season, as a sophomore, he averaged 20 + 3 + 6, becoming one of the superstar-level players among the 1999 rookies, alongside Elton Brand, who entered the NBA with 20 + 10, and the left-handed magician Lamar Odom. He and the opposing Francis represent another supernova of the younger generation.