Pick Westbrook

Chapter 115
After the game, Artest stopped his teammates who wanted to lift him, and he left the court under the cheers of all Milwaukee fans and the support of Yi Jianlian and Villanueva.

Li Lai, who saw this scene, couldn't even bring up any emotions of accepting an interview and sharing his joy. He came to the Bucks' locker room early.

Team doctors and several staff have surrounded Artest, who has taken off his jersey and is lying on a stretcher wearing only a vest and shorts.

After seeing Li Lai, a team doctor took the initiative to say: "The performance of Artest on the court before was obviously calf cramps, also known as calf muscle spasms. The main performance is that the calf muscles become very hard and the pain is unbearable." , It can last for 1 minute to several minutes, and the common causes are mainly caused by continuous muscle contraction too fast, excessive sweating, and excessive fatigue."

"But now it seems that Artest should be caused by fatigue."

Li Lai didn't realize the seriousness of the problem, so he subconsciously asked, "Why is it because of fatigue and not other reasons?"

The team doctor looked at Li Lai and said in a very authoritative voice, "Because he has a calf strain now."

what!
Calf strain!

Li Lai gradually realized the seriousness of the problem, because there was only one possibility for calf strain, and that was overloaded exercise stimulation.

Although this is not a serious injury enough to affect his career, it is a delicate disease. If he does not recuperate properly, it may cause more serious consequences.

For example, Durant's Achilles tendon rupture during the Warriors period was caused by not resting properly after a calf strain and forcing his comeback.

Tyronn Lue said nervously behind him: "Calf strain requires at least 1 to 2 weeks of rest, then we will play in the next playoffs."

Artest interrupted at this time: "I will play, coach."

Li Lai said angrily, "How can you play when you're already like this?"

Artest said with firm eyes: "I have already decided, I will fight for the team in a closed game."

closed?

The team doctor on the side sighed. He has seen too many players who choose to play closed games in his work, especially in the playoffs, there are more players who choose to play closed games.

Blocking is a local injection of drugs at the pain point, which is generally used for inflammation and muscle and joint damage. For most people, this will not cause any serious harm. It is equivalent to local anesthesia, but for basketball players, Such treatment is dangerous.

Let’s not talk about the fact that injecting drugs will harm the players’ physical functions and internal organs, leading to a series of unpredictable diseases such as decreased running and jumping ability, strength attenuation, osteoporosis, asthma, etc. The only one is that players can’t feel their bodies when playing on the court. Pain is a very big problem.

Every basketball player is very familiar with their own body, and they can always judge their physical state from the feedback given by their body. Such familiarity and feedback can also help players make the most correct judgment when handling the ball, such as Whether the ball should take off and dunk, whether the ball can be rushed to steal.

But if once their body no longer gives such feedback, it's like suddenly having a body that never knows pain, and the result is that they start to play unscrupulously and casually on the court.

In other words, even if their bodies were seriously injured, they didn't know it.

"McGrady chose to play closed in the playoffs last season, and you should be very clear about the result."

"This season, he has fallen from a league superstar to an ordinary player. It's hard to say whether he is even a starter."

"Artest, I don't want you to be the next McGrady."

Hearing this, the team doctor on the side looked at Li Lai in surprise, because no matter from the perspective of the team owner or the team coach, Artest's choice to play closed will only be more beneficial to the Bucks, so when the team The boss also started to care about the life and death of the players?
Seeing Li Lai, who affectionately called himself Artest for the first time, Artest smiled triumphantly, and then said firmly: "Coach, I know you have been planning to let me consume James' energy throughout the series, really, I've seen it."

"And in this game, James' touch has indeed declined seriously, which shows that your strategy is successful."

"If, I mean if, we can drag this series to the tiebreaker or the sixth game, then James will definitely not have enough physical strength to fight us again."

"The biggest problem for the Cavaliers is that they rely too much on James. With Maurice Williams being restricted by us, as long as James can't play, our hopes of winning the game will greatly increase."

"So maybe we can still play in the Eastern Conference Finals!"

Artest has completely expressed all the thoughts in Li Lai's mind. He really wants to take the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals, and after tonight's 2:2 tie with the Cavaliers, he is already full of confidence in this idea .

Tyronn Lue on the side was finally confirmed at this time. Before Li Lai made such a stubborn decision to cut off the connection between James and other Cavaliers players, his behavior of not double-teaming James even in the last 2 minutes was fully explained.

"The coach actually intends to beat the Cavaliers with the best record in the league and reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

How dare he think! "

At this time, Li Lai no longer concealed his thoughts, nodded and admitted, "But the facts have proved that my decision was wrong."

"Because we only have 8 people in rotation, we consumed a lot of energy in the first round of the series, especially you, Artest, you consumed the most."

"This also caused us to not have enough physical strength to fight them in the series against the Cavaliers."

"Now your calf injury also proves that I am indeed overconfident, and you are all overloaded to fight on the court. This time you are injured, so who will be next time?"

Artest is very clear that Yi Jianlian is approaching his limit, and so is Westbrook.

The good thing is that no one in the Bucks flinched from such a limit, and everyone worked hard to give the Cavaliers and James some color.

"You are the number one player in the league!"

Tyronn Lue also thought of the entire regular season, the almost crazy training of the Bucks up and down.

Although the result of this is an obvious improvement in the strength of the Bucks, it has to be admitted that this consumes a lot of players and increases the risk of injury.

Li Lai made a conclusion and said, "So Artest, I've decided, you'd better have a good rest."

Artest shook his head resolutely and said, "Never, I must play closed."

"rest!"

"Shut down!"

The team doctor on the side wiped his eyes. He has been a team doctor for almost 20 years, and he has been in many teams during that time, but it is the first time that such a funny, funny scene makes people's nose sour. appear once.

For the first time, Li Lai couldn't hold back a player who looked like a cow. He let out a long breath and glanced at Artest, who also looked at him firmly.

"Coach, let me play."

Li Lai finally said, "Have you decided? It's a big risk!"

Artest nodded firmly, then lowered his head and said in a very lonely way: "After the closed game, if I really no longer have the current strength, coach, please offer me a veteran contract, because this For the rest of my life, I'm only going to play for the Bucks again."

Li Lai patted Artest on the shoulder, gave him a reassuring look and said, "Give me a good time to wait for the off-season, I have already prepared a big contract for you."

In the end, Li Lai and everyone withdrew, and the door was already surrounded by Westbrook, Yi Jianlian, Dragic and other Bucks players.

They all overheard everything that was said inside.

George Hill gritted his teeth. He really wanted to tell Li Lai: Artest must not be blocked, because he is only 29 years old now, the golden age of his career. McGrady's today is a living and bleak lesson.

But when the words came to his lips, George Hill couldn't say anything.

It was so difficult for the Bucks to draw a 2:2 tie with the Cavaliers, and now they are only two games away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

That's the Eastern Conference Finals!
There are many players who have never reached the Eastern Conference Finals in their entire lives!
Westbrook, who values ​​love and righteousness, remembered that Artest has been helping him improve his defense this season. Although the two are teammates in name, they already have a friendship that is both a teacher and a friend. He does not want Artest Because of this round of the series, he will leave the NBA in just one or two years in the future.

"coach."

Westbrook also couldn't say it, because the Bucks' persistence until now is the joint efforts of everyone, and he can't selfishly erase everyone's hard work alone.

At this time, Reggie Miller, Hammond, and Holloway also rushed over. Reggie Miller glanced at Li Lai, and he had already expected the result.

After all, no coach or team owner is willing to give up the easy-to-get Eastern Conference floor, so he can accept such a result and understand Li Lai's decision.

Coincidentally, the team doctor in the locker room came out.

"Mr. Li Lai, the time of the playoffs is tight, and it is best to be closed half an hour before the start of the game, so please arrange our schedule. I will perform this minor operation for Artest in Cleveland."

Li Lai turned his head to look at the team doctor.

"What to do?"

The team doctor was full of question marks and said: "Didn't Artest's request to play closed has already been approved by you?"

Li Lai gave him a blank look and said, "Do you believe these lies that lie to patients? You are still a doctor. You don't understand white lies?"

This.
That team doctor has never seen anyone who took such a lie for granted in his life, he is simply a beast.

George Hill forced a smile from his expressionless face for the first time, and Westbrook's chest heaved with excitement.

Reggie Miller was very surprised by Li Lai's decision. He even wondered if Li Lai was a fool.

Hammond has already experienced Li Lai's mentally retarded behavior countless times, and this time he obviously did not escape his expectations.

Hammond said with a look of exasperation: "This smelly and shameless man, let him pretend again."

Holloway pursed her lips happily, revealing her dimples and whispered, "Deng Tuzi, you are simply an asshole."

Seeing that the few people in front of him were ready to cheer happily, Li Lai quickly gave them a silent gesture, then looked at the team doctor and said, "I will leave Artest's recuperation to you. Although this is not a serious injury, but I still hope that you can be more meticulous, and then give me a healthy Artest."

Li Lai then said to Reggie Miller: "With Artest's temper, if we find out that we have already headed to Cleveland tomorrow night, he will definitely rush over with half a leg, so how to stop him is up to you. I believe you can deal with it." He must have more experience than me."

Reggie Miller nodded and said, "Don't worry, the best way to deal with him is to tie him with steel chains, and I will do this before tomorrow night."

The team doctor:! ! !Are all the members of the Bucks bandits?

After dealing with these matters, Li Lai looked at Westbrook and the others in front of him.

"Now, it's time for us to get back a victory for Artest!"

Li Lai: "The Bucks!"

Everyone raised their fists: "Go and win!"

(End of this chapter)