Volume 2 Talent Show Controversy Chapter 78 Plastic Brothers
Because he led the team to excellent results in the regular season, but was never able to lead the team to further progress in the playoffs, Nowitzki was labeled a wimp by experts.
It was a familiar scene, and this was also the treatment Gasol received in the NBA.
Or to put it simply, the NBA's attitude towards overseas players has always been like this.
If you can't lead your team to win the championship, you are a wimp. If you win the championship, you take off the label of a wimp.
Unfortunately, the current Dallas "soft eggs" still have double yolks.
The other one is the one who came in with Nowitzki at this moment, with medium-length hair and a signature Canadian face...
Steve Nash.
Nash, like Kobe, is a member of the 96 golden generation.
However, his performance in the first few years of his career was not outstanding, and he was traded to the Mavericks after playing for the Suns for two years.
Moreover, he didn't improve much after joining the Mavericks. He averaged only 8.6 points and 4.9 assists per game last season, and he played as a substitute half of the time.
With this kind of performance, I guess no one can imagine how well he can perform.
To exaggerate a little, if he hadn't signed a five-year contract with the Mavericks last summer, he probably wouldn't be with the Mavericks anymore.
But this didn't seem to affect his mood.
When he appeared in the training hall with Nowitzki, the two were talking and laughing.
In fact, when Nash was traded to the Mavericks, Nowitzki entered the league.
Both of them have very kind tempers, and as they are overseas players, they have a common language, so it is normal for them to have a good relationship.
After the two came in, they greeted Cuban and Nelson Sr., and then sat aside and chatted.
The tryout started soon, and Sun Hao withdrew his attention from the two of them and began to devote himself to the tryout.
The same process was repeated again, and Sun Hao's performance was just as outstanding as in Chicago.
This time, he beat guards Jamal Jackson and DeShawn Stevenson from California.
In subsequent tryouts, including the entire game, he was also the best guard on the field.
"Oh, incredible strength."
Nowitzki watched and praised it endlessly.
"Yes, this Asian defender is different from the defenders I know."
Nash nodded in agreement. Like Kobe before him, this was the first time he had seen an Asian guard who was capable of playing in the NBA.
"Do you know where he played before?"
Nowitzki asked with a smug look on his face.
"Europe?"
"How did you know?"
Nowitzki didn't expect Nash to guess it right.
"He plays very smart, has good vision, and knows how to use pick-and-rolls, which are very similar to you."
Nash's next words made Nowitzki laugh, which was considered a roundabout way of flattering him.
"I think he's a scoring guard, but he's a little short. Otherwise, we would have become a historic partnership."
Nowitzki also flattered back.
Two future Hall of Fame players were so unscrupulously showing their affection.
One could also hear their admiration for Sun Hao in their words.
However, the one who admired Sun Hao the most at this time was not the two of them, but old Nelson who was standing on the sidelines with a smile on his face.
Old Nelson is known as the "mad scientist".
This title belongs to one person only, and is absolutely well-deserved.
It may be difficult for you to imagine that the running and gunning master who will be well-known by fans in the future actually started out as a defensive player when he first started coaching the Bucks.
It may be difficult for you to imagine that the "Hack-a-Shaq" tactic, which is well-known to fans and promoted by Popovich, was actually invented by him, and at the beginning this tactic was aimed at the Bulls' "The Worm" Rodman.
It may be even more difficult for you to imagine the "point forward" that is well-known to fans because of Pippen. This term was also invented by Nelson Sr. The first people to be given this responsibility were Marquis Johnson and Paul Pressey of the Bucks.
Although he has not won a championship as a coach so far, experts believe that he cannot be compared with "Red Auerbach", "Zen Master" Phil Jackson, or even Popovich.
But his fame in the NBA is no less than any of them, and even the reforms he brought to basketball are unmatched by anyone else.
This is such a crazy scientist, and now his eyes are full of light when he looks at Sun Hao.
He really likes this short guard who can shoot three-pointers. The key is that compared with those short guards he has coached, Sun Hao plays obviously smarter.
Smart and able to throw, this is simply a defender tailor-made for him.
"Mark, I want him."
As the tryout was coming to an end, Nelson Sr. spoke to Cuban in an almost commanding tone.
It was the first time that Cuban saw Nelson like a player so much.
Although in his opinion, the Asian player's defense was only slightly better than Nash who was sitting on the sidelines.
"Do you want him to start next season? If not, I don't think we can necessarily select him. I heard that Los Angeles is also interested in him."
Cuban said with a smile.
"Now is not the time to think about that, but I am sure I need this little guy."
Old Nelson really likes Sun Hao.
"Well, let Steve fight him one-on-one to see how strong he is."
Cuban suddenly made a suggestion.
Old Nelson was stunned for a moment, then he remembered that Nash was also next to him, and he... nodded directly.
"Steve, you and Sun have a one-on-one."
He turned his head.
After hearing this, Nash stood up and a look of embarrassment flashed across his face.
Because he was sitting not far away, he could hear the conversation between Cuban and Nelson.
Last season's starting point guard Robert Pike will most likely leave the team as his contract expires. The new season will be his first year as the team's starting point guard.
Unexpectedly, Cuban directly said that he would choose a rookie to start.
Whether intentional or not, this sends a signal that Cuban is not very fond of him.
"Don't be too harsh."
Nowitzki slapped Nash on the butt.
Nash smiled and nodded.
Although Cuban's words made people uncomfortable, he is not the kind of person who haggles over every penny. In his understanding, bullying a rookie is not a big deal.
And knowing that Sun Hao is also from Europe, he will also give face to Nowitzki.
The other players on the court left the court one after another, leaving the court to Sun Hao and Nash.
Sun Hao was a little confused at first.
Tryouts are supposed to be conducted between rookies, and it is totally unfair to play against active NBA players.
No one is just there to get by in the NBA. Those who are just there to get by will disappear after just one or two years.
Although Nash is not yet the Son of Wind he will be in the future, he is already a starting-level player.
But looking at old Nelson's expectant eyes, he understood.
The Mavericks should be very interested in him as they want to test his upper limit of strength.
After thinking it through, he was free of any mental burden.
From the European joint tryout to now, not counting Turkoglu at different positions, the strongest person he has faced in a one-on-one matchup was Reed during the Chicago tryout.
But Reed, although he proved to be an underrated player in the future, his draft pick in history was only 43rd in the second round.
"Be careful."
After Nash came on the court, he reminded Sun Hao with a smile.
Sun Hao nodded.
Five balls, Sun Hao attacked first.
As a time traveler, Sun Hao is relatively clear about Nash's technical characteristics: he is good at shooting and passing, but his defense is poor.
What? The current Nash is not the Nash that fans know?
It's just weaker in every aspect.
Nash is limited by his mediocre physical fitness. It is impossible for him to enter the NBA just by breaking through like Ginobili or Reed.
Sun Hao chose to break through for the first ball.
Although Nash's defensive position was not close to him and he had space to shoot a three-pointer, he still chose to break through.
Nash reacted quickly and judged Sun Hao's offensive intention at the first moment.
In terms of basketball IQ, he was no less than Sun Hao at this time.
Breaking through to the free throw line, the two men had direct physical confrontation.
Sun Hao soon discovered that Nash's physical confrontation was much stronger than he had imagined.
A word flashed through his mind: reference.
Nash's weakness in confrontation is relative to the NBA. No matter how mediocre his physical fitness is, he still stayed in the NBA for four years.
Compare Howard, Antetokounmpo, Yao Ming, or any other player, their physiques before and after entering the NBA, and you will know how much professional NBA training can improve players' confrontation skills.
Even if he is Nash.
However, Sun Hao’s ten years of hard training in the system were not in vain, because he himself is a trainer of the NCAA!
“Swish!”
Sun Hao completely relied on confrontation to squeeze Nash away and put the ball into the basket.
1 to 0.
Sun Hao scored the first goal.
There were whistles and cheers from the sidelines.
During the tryouts, the players were in competition with each other, but now that Sun Hao is facing Nash, they are on the same side as Sun Hao.
Sun Hao's second goal.
He still chose to break through, and Nash still predicted it correctly. After the two confronted each other, he still had the upper hand.
However, Nash obviously increased the intensity of his defense this time, and stretched out his hand to interfere with Sun Hao's shot.
It's just that his body couldn't keep up with his thinking. He hit Sun Hao's hand when he interfered, and was called for a foul by Harris, but the ball still belonged to Sun Hao.
Sun Hao holds the ball again.
Nash's defensive position this time was obviously further back.
He has realized that Sun Hao knows his technical characteristics very well and is afraid of the exchange of ball possession, so he uses his physical fitness to fight him.
Facts have also proved that Sun Hao does have the attributes of a small cannon and has advantages in physical confrontations.
His idea now is no longer to confront Sun Hao head-on, but to stop Sun Hao from getting started.
Create distance and slide forward to steal the ball. This is what he will do next.
However, what he didn't expect was that Sun Hao suddenly chose to take a three-point shot!
“Swish!”
With a crisp sound of the ball entering the net, Sun Hao's three-pointer landed steadily in the pocket.
2 to 0!
"well!"
This time, not only the players on the sidelines, but even Nowitzki sat up straight and stretched out his hands to applaud Sun Hao.
Nash couldn't help but look back at Nowitzki.
Who was the person who just told him not to be so ruthless? Now he turned around and cheered for Sun Hao?
This is... Plastic Brothers!
