Pick Westbrook

Chapter 341 Want You?

Paul also blamed himself extremely at this time, because of the upcoming Western Conference Finals series, he was also a little swayed.

Seeing Li Lai's serious emotions, Paul wanted to say something, but Li Lai directly interrupted him.

"Now focus on the game."

"We are already 12 points behind. In this case, if we want to win, we must not only focus on defense, but also complete offense."

"JR! The team needs your three points next!"

JR Smith didn't dare to speak the whole time. After hearing Li Lai's tactical arrangement, he nodded dully. He didn't even hear Li Lai's specially arranged offensive tactics for him.

The game restarts.

Paul and Jordan played consecutive tactics for JR Smith, and he also got the opportunity to shoot openly from outside the three-point line.

Raise your hand and move your wrist.

Duang!

strike iron.

For three consecutive offenses, JR Smith's three-pointers all ended in iron strikes. The Grizzlies took the opportunity to counterattack and extended their lead to 20 points.

Hornets coaching bench.

Stevens and Du Feng looked at Li Lai whose face was frighteningly black, and they were completely afraid to speak.

Apparently, JR Smith did the same last night.

Otherwise, his three-pointers would not be so strong. After all, JR Smith is the player with the most and most accurate three-pointers in the Hornets, and he also won the best sixth man of the season.

How could he miss three big open shots in a row.

Presumably because of JR Smith's contract terms and teammate friendship, Jimmy Butler and Beverly did not inform him.

But Stevens and Du Feng could guess such a thing, how could Li Lai not see it.

Du Feng said in a low voice: "After tonight's game, the coach will probably be very angry. Those little guys are going to play tricks."

Stevens had the same hunch.

If he remembers correctly, Mo Williams of the Bucks was almost the best player in the team at that time, and he was extremely capable of chaotic battles.

But because he contradicted Li Lai in the team, and always regarded himself as the boss of the team with an extremely arrogant attitude, Li Lai quickly traded him away.

Although Mo Williams was short-lived in the Cavaliers later and played very well, but now, there is no such player in the league.

Stevens was very worried that Li Lai would also trade away Beverly, Jimmy Butler, JR Smith and even Leonard because of this matter, so he hurriedly said to Du Feng.

"In any case, we should persuade the coach not to trade these four people during the off-season."

"Under the training and tactics of the Hornets, these four have shown good abilities and potential, and they will definitely become our very important combat power in the future."

"It's not worth giving it to other teams in vain."

Du Feng nodded quickly, agreeing with Stevens' proposal in his heart.

He secretly regretted it, why didn't he stop it in time when the players on the plane showed such pride.

He is also blaming himself for being easily deceived by Leonard, which resulted in not keeping an eye on them, resulting in the big mistake he is now.

More importantly, tonight's game has gone further and further.

Before the start of the fourth quarter, the Hornets had trailed the Grizzlies by a full 59 points 80:21.

This is the largest point difference the Hornets have fallen behind since the playoffs this season, and it is also the lowest point in three quarters since Li Lai coached this team.

Li Lai still did not intend to give up the game. At the last critical moment, he decisively stopped Beverly, JR Smith and Jimmy Butler, who played very badly tonight, and switched to all the main players.

But how could Lionel Hollins, the head coach of the Grizzlies, let go of this upcoming victory in vain, and also let the main force fight recklessly with the Hornets.

3 minutes to the end of the game.

Li Lai, who glanced at the score on the field, finally compromised and replaced all the main players, surrendering ahead of time.

Finally the game is over.

The Hornets lost the game 85-100.

The big score is 3:2.

On-site interview.

Lionel Hollins was interviewed by CCTV in China.

Zhang Weiping smiled and said, "Coach Hollins, the Grizzlies have repaired the Hornets tonight. Can you tell us how you did it and what adjustments you made after the last game."

Lionel Hollins was embarrassed. He wanted to say that the Grizzlies made a fart adjustment, and even now he still hasn't solved the Hornets' defensive and offensive tactics.

But God knows what happened to the Hornets tonight. The offense just couldn't make shots, and the defense just didn't concentrate. Compared with the previous four games, the Hornets tonight are like a weak team in the league, which is completely different.

Of course, Lionel Hollins never said that.

His attitude returned to the arrogant look before the start of the series, saying: "The Hornets' offensive tactics are not good, and their defensive tactics are also a mess."

"They've never been a good team, so it's very easy to deal with them."

"Listen, the Grizzlies are going to come back from a 1-3 deficit."

"We'll win, for sure."

"Even the Spurs, a stronger championship-level team, have been defeated by us. How old is the Hornets?"

Post-match interview.

The Hornets' interview room was packed with reporters.

One of the reporters said sharply: "Coach Li Lai, we noticed that at the end of halftime, you had a heated argument with the players on the coach's bench."

"Beverly, Jimmy Butler and other players seem to have been severely criticized by you. May I ask what happened at that time?"

In this post-match interview, Li Lai did not bring Paul, Leonard, Jordan Jr., or Vince Carter. He brought Beverly and Jimmy Butler.

Looking at the reporter's deliberately provocative words, and looking at the coach Li Lai who was attacked and bombed by words, he thought about the loss of tonight's game.

Both Beverly and Jimmy Butler lowered their heads with some remorse.

"We were discussing what to eat after winning the Grizzlies." Li Lai said calmly.

The reporter spread his hands in disbelief, "What are you discussing about eating in the playoffs?"

Li Lai nodded and said, "Yes, Beverly wants to eat Chinese food, Jimmy wants to eat Western food, and Leonard wants to eat both Chinese and Western food."

"This request makes me very angry. I want to eat both Chinese and Western food, so I have to pay twice."

"What?!" The reporter was almost stunned by Li Lai.

You are already in the top ten richest NBA owners, why do you still care about this little money?

Seeing that this topic was easily resolved by Li Lai, the reporter continued unconvinced: "But you lost, and now the big score is 3:2."

"If you lose again in the next game, the Hornets will face unprecedented pressure."

"If you are really overturned by the Grizzlies, then you are the most shameful head coach in the NBA."

"Moreover, the players of the Hornets seem to have lost the fighting spirit they had in previous games. You are no longer the stronger Hornets."

Beverly and Jimmy Butler looked at Li Lai, seeming to be equally worried about this.

Li Lai directly countered and said: "The loss of tonight's game is not the player's problem, but me."

"So, I'm not worried at all about the players' state and fighting spirit in the next game."

"We're going to win, absolutely."

After finishing the post-match interview, Li Lai went directly to the player locker room.

Looking at all the players with low morale, he said: "As a punishment, so people can't leave the arena."

"Practice 500 three-point shots before leaving."

boom! boom! boom!
Hornets training facility.

The sound of slapping basketballs came and went.

The upright Beverly and Jimmy Butler went to find their teammates to apologize and explained that the loss of tonight's game was entirely their fault.

Paul, who has always been serious, should have scolded the two severely, but because he also felt arrogant, he took the lead in speaking.

"I didn't do well either. We all took it lightly. The coach was right."

"The Grizzlies beat us up tonight."

Leonard was not good at speaking, but he took the lead in carrying out Li Lai's post-match punishment.

Originally, Leonard didn't want to help them, but that bastard Jimmy Butler came up with a dare to showdown. If Leonard didn't dare, he lost the 108th match between the two.

None of the players in the Hornets accused their teammates too much of making mistakes at this time. Even Paul, who has always been extremely strict, just repeatedly reminded Beverly and Jimmy Butler not to make mistakes again.

But the more his teammates are like this, the more JR Smith blames himself.

Because he did it too.

But he did not take the initiative to take responsibility at this time.

Thinking that before his career, he was a jerk who could do all kinds of stupid things, and no team or locker room would accept him.

JR Smith has finally found his position in the Hornets and has been appreciated by the team's coaching staff. He also won the first individual award in his NBA career, the best sixth man.

JR Smith took a deep breath at this moment and said, "I'm going to the coach."

All Hornets players turned their heads at this time and set their sights on JR Smith.

Of course they all know that JR Smith did it too.

Paul applauded first and said, "You should do this."

Beverly smiled and said: "This is my good brother, JR, you should take responsibility."

Jimmy Butler also applauded and nodded in praise, and even Leonard couldn't help but clapped his hands aside.

Coaching staff meeting room.

Du Feng looked at Li Lai with a flattering smile and said, "Coach, the players have indeed made a big mistake, and a little punishment will do, let them learn a lesson."

Stevens said in another tone from the side: "Then how can it be, such a black sheep should be traded away!"

"Let them go to other teams, and then no one will appreciate their strengths. In the end, they will become homeless in the league or lose their jobs directly. Then their wives and children will be separated and their families will be destroyed."

"There are not a few examples in the league like this anyway, let them fend for themselves"

After seeing Li Lai's piercing eyes, Stevens, who was originally speaking righteously, turned his anger into a smile and said, "Of course the coach wouldn't do that."

"Most of the players in our team are still too young to avoid making mistakes."

"Players from the bottom like Beverly and Jimmy Butler have many bad habits from childhood to adulthood."

"Such bad habits should naturally be corrected, but we should also give them time to adjust. Considering that this is the first offense for the two, it is better to punish and warn them."

Li Lai looked at Stevens and Du Feng, and naturally knew why they said these words at this time.

He quickly closed his tactics book and said with a smile.

"For those guys, how can I be lower than you."

"They are all players I have cultivated by myself, how can I have the heart to trade them?"

"Although JR Smith was an asshole in the past, he has obviously restrained a lot this season and has improved a lot."

"Beverley has been doing the dirty work on the court, and he's picked up five flagrant fouls for it all season."

"Jimmy Butler is very strong. He always wants to be the team's starter. Like Leonard, this is also a private competition between the two. In order to achieve this goal, he is the most hardworking player on the Hornets. .”

"Before tonight's game, I was very happy with them, and after tonight's game, I'm still happy with them, but I have a lot of self-blame about myself."

"Most of them have reached the playoffs for the first time in their careers, and it is also the first time they have reached the conference semifinals. Facing the upcoming conference finals, it is inevitable that they will be a little bit smug."

"My demands on them are indeed a bit high. It is difficult for most young players to achieve this level in the first season."

"It's because I failed to predict these in advance. Strictly speaking, I am the one who should bear the problems most."

outside the meeting room.

When Li Lai said this, JR Smith was crying outside the room.

It never occurred to him that even though he and his teammates had made such a mistake, the coach was still putting himself in their shoes and taking all the responsibility.

You know, it was the three of them who went out to play!Not Li Lai!How can I let the other party wipe my ass now!

More importantly, how can I have the heart to trade them in that sentence, so that JR Smith fell completely.

For the first time, he felt that the management and coaching staff of a team are really thinking about the players.

"Coach, I'm sorry, I did it too, it's still three."

After hearing the sound, Stevens and Du Feng turned their heads and looked at JR Smith kindly. How could they not know that JR Smith had also gone out to work.

It's just that this sentence did three things, which surprised the two of them.

Li Lai walked up to JR Smith, patted him on the shoulder lightly, and said, "I've been waiting for you, you haven't let me down, and you haven't let your teammates down either."

"JR, I think you've turned your back on the prodigal son, and now you're a very good player."

"I'm waiting for your performance in the next game."

JR Smith nodded vigorously, and he vowed to show 200% strength in the next game, so that the coach will be ashamed.

Especially the Grizzlies guy named Lionel Hollins, who won a game and started to mock the coach, the Hornets have already looked at him very disliked.

Li Lai took out two boxes from the drawer at this time, and then led the three of them to the training ground.

Peja Stojakovic is helping the players practice three-pointers to complete the punishment set by Lee.

Gary Payton was extremely angry and sprayed trash talk in the audience, accusing the players of how irrational they were in this playoffs.

Even players like them who are fearless would not dare to make such a mistake in the playoffs that year, including the incomparable basketball god Jordan, who would never go out after the start of the playoffs. fun.

Of course, except for Rodman, the big worm. It is rumored that the more he has fun, the stronger his legs become.

Li Lai was very satisfied with the way the team management and players handled the problem. He motioned for everyone to stop, and then sat in the middle of the court, shoulder to shoulder with the players.

Li Lai opened the first box in his hand, and inside was a championship ring emitting green light.

"This championship ring is from the 2009-10 season."

"This is also my first championship ring. Before the start of the playoffs, we encountered contempt from the whole world. Everyone thought that the three-point team would not win the championship."

"Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers are examples of that."

"And in the playoffs, we encountered a frantic strangulation by the Celtics of the Celtics. Their defense is even stronger than the current Grizzlies."

"The Celtics have limited the Bucks to double digits in two consecutive games. It is worth mentioning that that is the Bucks with historical scoring efficiency."

"We played a tough game."

"Later, in the Eastern Conference finals, I met the invincible little emperor LeBron James. He played the best performance of a player in the Eastern Conference finals in history, averaging 40+ per game, and scored 50 points many times."

"This round of the series made it more difficult for us. We were almost overturned by James who ate oranges. I was thinking at the time, LeBron, don't eat oranges anymore."

"And the Lakers team we met later gave us a big blow. It was the Lakers team led by Kobe, and its combat effectiveness was amazing."

"The game was played until the tiebreaker, and we decided the winner in the last minute."

Looking at the players in front of him who were listening with gusto, Li Lai handed the championship ring to Paul, asked him to look at it carefully, and then took out the second championship ring.

"This is a Ring of the Crown."

"Yi Jianlian, the core of the team's tactics, suffered a serious injury before the season started, and was almost reimbursed for the season."

"When it came to the playoffs, we easily reached the Eastern Conference Finals and met the Big Three of the league's public enemy, the Heat."

"During Artest's reimbursement for the season, we lost the only player who could defend James. At that time, everyone was saying that if the Bucks can't beat the Heat as soon as possible with a 4-2 quick knife, then the loser will definitely be us. "

"Honestly, I think so too."

"So in that crucial game, all the players tried their best, and in the end they narrowly beat the Heat and successfully entered the finals."

"."

"Guys, this is a piece of advice from your coaches, friends and former champion bishops."

"The playoffs are not as simple as you think."

"Any team has to win 16 games to have the last laugh."

"During the period of injury, the referee whistled, the touch, luck, the restraint of the opponent's style of play, the cooperation between the players and the on-the-spot performance of the coaching staff will all have a great impact on a game."

"None of us can take it lightly when it comes to the playoffs."

All the players of the Hornets bowed their heads silently at this moment. At this moment, they only felt how ignorant and ridiculous their performance after leading the Grizzlies 3:1 was.

They also finally understood the coach's good intentions and why the other party was so angry.

At this time, Li Lai snatched his championship ring from Paul's hand, and said while wearing the two rings on his hand.

"Want it? Come grab it with me!"

(End of this chapter)