Pick Westbrook

Chapter 204

The heads-up between O'Neal and Cousins ​​continued.

Also asking for the ball with his back on the right waist, Artest passed the ball steadily.

Cousins ​​again opted for the post-turn space near the sideline this time around.

O'Neal used the same offensive trick, turning forward and smashing the ball again.

Cousins ​​was not led by O'Neal this time, and still focused on the next turn.

As a result, O'Neal turned around and directly completed the attack with a small hook.

Unexpected!

Swish!
Scored again.

"Can you do it?!"

Here comes O'Neill's trash talk.

Cousins ​​got more and more angry.

How decent is it for a 20-year-old young player to be beaten like this by a 39-year-old veteran?

So in the next round, the grumpy Cousins ​​pushed and bumped the top to put a lot of physical strength on O'Neal and pushed the opponent at least one step away from the paint.

In this position, O'Neal's threat to the basket is greatly reduced.

But in the end, this position gave O'Neal a more flexible offensive space. He suddenly accelerated and chose a back turn and went straight to the basket.

Artest's clever message was thrown into the sky.

O'Neal made an empty layup.

"My mother, can I still play like this?" Cousins ​​was speechless.

We agreed to play singles, but you ended up playing alley-oops for me?

What audacity!
O'Neill spread his hands and said, "This is the Shark solo rule. I used to teach that bastard Kobe a lesson like this."

Cousins ​​was still unconvinced and signaled the heads-up to continue.

10 minute later.

10: 0.

O'Neal abused Cousins, who never got an offensive ball from the beginning to the end.

Both Artest and O'Neal know that if the opponent is allowed to attack from the beginning, there is a high probability that O'Neal will also be beaten to an embarrassing 10:0.

Both have the ability to explode each other, and O'Neal also took advantage of it.

Cousins ​​pouted and had a tantrum, being bullied by such an old O'Neal really taught him a good lesson.

In terms of low-post offensive skills in the interior, O'Neal really has too many ways to single-handedly attack opponents. No wonder this big shark even caused some trouble for the Lakers Twin Towers in the Finals last season.

"Come on, what is your request?"

Cousins ​​is very calm about what he says and what he does.

Since solo agreed that the winner can make a request, then he must fulfill it.

But Artest and O'Neal waved their hands again and again and said: "There is no request, it's just a joke, forget it, you just pretend nothing happened."

After hearing this, Cousins ​​frowned and said, "Why, do you think I can't afford to lose?"

"Even if you want me to apologize to the coach, I dare to do it, so you can just mention it."

Seeing that Cousins ​​was completely hooked, O'Neill finally said, "The coach doesn't need your apology. He's not mad at you at all, but has always looked at you nicely."

"He also made this request to you, that is, follow me to learn the inside low-post offensive skills, and quickly throw away your messy outside offense."

Hearing that he was going to lose his outside offensive skills and style of play, Cousins ​​was stunned and obviously displeased.

He has been looking up to his idol and working hard towards him.

My own style of play is also changed by combining the opponent's technology and my own physical talent.

How can you say give up just give up?
Seeing that Cousins ​​lost his temper again, Artest said seriously: "You are already a professional player, you shouldn't know how important a pair of healthy knees are to a center!"

"It's also impossible for you not to know how much wear and tear is on your knees with the way you're playing."

"After you play like this for a long time, one day in the future your knees will not be able to bear it and you will suffer a serious injury in your career."

"At that time, even if you want to change, it will be too late."

Cousins ​​was silent for a while.

He's just grumpy, but not stupid.

Cousins ​​can naturally see that today's solo game was deliberately done by Artest and O'Neal, and the two wanted to help him establish the correct style of play from the beginning.

Cousins ​​​​also knows that his style of play does consume a lot of knees. Teby is so heavy, and playing like O'Neal is the most suitable for him.

"However, I never thought of playing like a center player. I originally wanted to be a small forward. Who knows how taller I am."

Seeing that Cousins ​​was still struggling, both Artest and O'Neal shook their heads.

This is really a player who is not stingy. He knows that playing like this is not good for his entire career, but he still insists on it.

Artest said angrily, "Who is your idol? Let me hear it. Is it possible that he can still be as good as O'Neal?"

O'Neill nodded in agreement.

With 5 championships in hand, his historical status is close to the top five in the NBA. Even after the Bucks won the championship this year, many people think that he is the number one center in NBA history.

How many people can match such an honor and historical status?

Cousins ​​remembered that when he was in high school, he participated in the training camp held by his idol. At that time, the other party gave him a lot of help and advice, and guided him to make rapid progress in the training camp.

His idol is so selfless and full of justice.

It's just that now Cousins ​​remembered that his idol did not have O'Neal's bull nose in glory, and he didn't even have a championship ring in his hand.

So his face turned red from holding back, in order not to embarrass his idol, he didn't say anything after being beaten to death.

The violent Artest saw that Cousins ​​was unwilling to change his style of play no matter what. At this time, he sighed, and then unexpectedly chose to accept the opponent's waywardness.

"I don't care how you play, but you must learn his inside offensive skills from Shaq, because it will definitely be useful to you."

Cousins ​​can naturally feel the hearts of both Artest and O'Neal.

He also understood that the two of them were sincerely doing what was best for him, otherwise they wouldn't have done so many things, so he agreed without hesitation at this time.

"Don't worry, any offensive technique is easy to learn in my hands, I have such confidence."

Artest corrected and said: "Not only offensive skills, you also have to learn defense and frame protection."

10 month 4 day.

The Bucks' in-team training is finally over, and the first preseason game of the new season will start tomorrow.

Li Lai sorted out the strength and status of the players during this period, and finally got an almost stable rotation lineup for the new season.

Starting lineup: Westbrook, Curry, Artest, Villanueva and Cousins.

Substitute rotation: Dragic, George Hill, McGrady, O'Neal.

Role players: Jeremy Lin, Andre Ingram, Danny Green.

As for Iverson and O'Neal, they are almost completely DNP.

"The two veterans gave everything to the Bucks last season, and it's time for them to help the team in another capacity this season."

Of course, in this rotation list, Villanueva, Jermaine O'Neal and Cousins ​​will be very hard.

Because they will support the entire interior of the Bucks with only three people.

The time for each position in each game is 48 minutes, and the two positions of inside power forward and center are 96 minutes. Converted to the playing time of the three, each player must play at least 32 minutes.

call.

Li Lai heaved a long sigh. Cousins ​​was the only center player in the Bucks, so he would be the hardest one among the three.

Li Lai conservatively estimated that Cousins' average playing time in the new season is estimated to reach about 38 minutes.

That would be at least a top-five average in minutes per game.

So if Cousins ​​continues to play according to his current style of holding the ball from the outside, I don't know how tired he will be, and his risk of injury will be greatly increased.

"By the way, how is Cousins' recent training?"

Thinking of this juncture, Li Lai suddenly asked curiously.

Marshall said: "In addition to the team's tactical training during this period, Cousins ​​​​will practice low-post offensive skills with O'Neal after the training."

"Artest will also help Cousins ​​improve his defensive skills and awareness."

Tyronn Lue came over with great admiration at this time and said: "O'Neal greatly appreciated Cousins' learning ability, saying that the opponent would learn all his offensive skills within one season."

"At that time, after a season or two of integration, Cousins ​​will be able to challenge Howard and Yao Ming, and have the strength to chase the league's number one center."

Of course, what Tyronn Lue admired was not Li Lai's vision for selecting players. He selected another All-Star player embryo for the Bucks.

As early as last season, Westbrook became the MVP of the regular season. After Curry played a brilliant performance in the playoffs, Tyronn Lue has already admired him.

What Tyronn Lue admired at this time was the way Li Lai chose to resolve the conflict between Cousins ​​and the locker room.

Use the violent Artest to help Cousins ​​integrate into the team and become the opponent's guiding veteran, and then let O'Neal, a super center in NBA history, teach the opponent low-post offensive skills.

Under this operation, Cousins ​​has a very strong sense of belonging to the Bucks.

"I'm afraid only the violent Artest understands Cousins ​​best. Both of them were terrible problem players in their rookie season."

"It hit Cousins ​​right in the heart with fire, fire."

Li Lai really wanted to say that his move should be called using softness to overcome strength, because Cousins, who seems to be strong on the outside, is actually extremely fragile on the inside.

He has seen this 208cm big man crying in the player tunnel with his own eyes.

At the same time, after getting along for a long time, other players of the Bucks gradually got to know this big player, who is really a stick.

In the locker room, Dragic threw Cousins' sneakers into the trash can, and the other party had to roar for a while before it stopped.

Dragic guy can do such a thing.

But after this incident, Dragic gave the opponent more than a dozen pairs of sneakers one after another.

"In addition to Cousins, Jeremy Lin is also taking the initiative to ask Iverson for breakthrough skills."

"This undrafted pick did not disappoint us. He really worked hard enough and was humble."

"Although it is difficult for Jeremy Lin to help the team and play games now, at most next season, he will definitely become a very aggressive bench gangster."

Li Lai nodded.

Because Jeremy Lin's current passing problem is a bit serious, he did not let Tyronn Lue and Marshall see their passing potential.

So both believe that Jeremy Lin's future role will be at most an important bench player.

However, Li Lai wanted to help Jeremy Lin become a qualified NBA starter, so he planned to help Jeremy Lin gradually improve his various abilities in the next season.

Tyronn Lue suggested: "Although the team has now triggered the luxury tax line, we should still convert Jeremy Lin's contract into a guaranteed salary."

Li Lai was not in a hurry on this matter.

Because Jeremy Lin is now living in the home of Yi Jianlian, who is also very friendly to the Asian player, so Jeremy Lin does not need to worry about livelihood issues.

Li Lai also hopes that Jeremy Lin can always maintain a hard-working and humble attitude like in his previous life, and if he doesn't sing in the end, he will become a blockbuster.

"Tomorrow is the time to test the status of the Bucks in the new season."

"Although it is a preseason game, I also want to win, not lose."

(End of this chapter)