Rebirth of Hayes Cyclone

Chapter 191 [The Era of the Center's Decline]

德怀特-霍华德此战拿下20分21篮板3盖帽。乍一看这好像是统治级的表演，但是看过比赛的人都知道霍华德的数据对球队根本没有多少帮助。116比91，山猫客场狂胜魔术25分。霍华德获得了17次罚球机会，只命中了10个。海耶斯出场36分钟，14分12篮板14助攻。山猫6人得分上双，谁强谁弱，一目了然。

This makes pre-game predictions that Warcraft Dwight Howard will ravage the Bobcats' weak insiders become a joke.

Howard has played 20+20 performances many times in the game. Not long ago, some media wrote articles praising Howard, saying that it was only a matter of time before he was comparable to the four major centers in the 90s.It is indeed a matter of time. It may take 100 years for a Howard who can't attack to be comparable to the four major centers.

Stan Van Gundy still spoke for Howard. He attributed the Magic's failure to the Bobcats' outside offensive system and "cutting the beast" tactics. "In this game, the Bobcats insisted on attacking from the outside. Hayes and Bargnani pulled out the outside together, which made our defense very difficult. It is very risky to give up the inside play, but they have a high shooting percentage in this game. Amazing, we couldn't defend. Dwight was dominant in the paint, but because of the Bobcats' foul play, he was sent to the free throw line many times, and he couldn't play at his level."

When a reporter asked Stan Van Gundy what he thought of Hayes, he said: "Chuck Hayes is the most complete player I've ever seen. The way he plays is crazy. If you let the perimeter players defend, he will Open the opponent to shoot like Barkley, if you let the inside players defend, he can pass like a guard, his pass is like eyes behind his back, he is a real monster. Defense Needless to say, he was selected as the best Good defensive lineup."

Last season, there were many "black seas" that could pick out Hayes' various faults, but this season, there are fewer and fewer "black seas", and it is difficult for people to find faults in Hayes.In the past, people could say that he couldn't run, the floor flowed, and after losing weight, Hayes' speed has also improved significantly.There is a saying in China - "It is easy to find faults in an egg, but it is difficult to find faults in Hayes." He is already recognized as a first-tier star.

Experts speculate based on the efficiency of 48 minutes, if it is not too easy for the Bobcats to win a few games, Hayes can win a triple-double in every game.Calderon's role is just to bring the ball across the half court. The real organizer of this team is Hayes.

Hayes' outstanding performance also made Houston fans hate the Rockets even more.Last season's hottest Toyota Center this season has an average attendance of only about 14000 people, making it one of the teams with the lowest attendance in the league.The fans all come to watch McGrady score. McGrady currently ranks second in the league with an average of 28.3 points per game. He is vaguely a scoring leader, but the Rockets are at the bottom of the Western Conference and are far away from the playoffs.If the Rockets fail to enter the playoffs, they will break a record in NBA history, the first defending champion team not to enter the playoffs.Judging from the start of the 4 wins and 8 losses, they are not far from this record.

Rockets owner Alexander has been unlucky recently. The team lost Hayes and Yao Ming. He also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the subprime mortgage crisis, so he has no time to take care of the team.A few days ago, he finally put down his work and was sent to a nursing home.

After the game, the media published all kinds of news about the contest between Hayes and Howard. ""Elvis Presley" beat "Warcraft" with a triple-double, the first center is not worthy of the name", "The First World War led to the real MVP of last season", "The decline of the center, why did the 198CM insider succeed? "...

Seeing these news, most people chose to laugh it off, and some fans felt sad.In this era, the center has really declined.The age of giants is over.

What is the current center forward, and how many can be offered?

The current young high center forwards include Bynum and Oden.The former has limited potential, and even if Oden is not injured, it is difficult to reach the level of a superstar.Gasol, Bogut, Kaman, Yao Ming, Brad Miller and others who are taller than 210cm are barely considered stars, but they are only average, not superstars.The short insider Howard (it is said that his barefoot height is 206cm), and Okafor has poor offensive methods, so he can only rely on talent to make a living.

In the NBA in the 90s, there were four super centers. "Big Dream" Olajuwon, "Gorilla" Patrick Ewing, "Admiral" David Robinson, "Big Shark" O'Neal.

Under these four, there are two hot pot kings, "Kidney Fighter" Alonzo Mourning and "African Mountain" Mutombo.

At the next level, there is a technical center, Brad Doherty of the Cavaliers, with 19 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his career.Yugoslavia's famous organizational center - "Master of Diving" Divac.Sabonis, the number one center in Europe who once cried Robinson.

Now the most popular centers in the league, Yao Ming and Howard's technical characteristics, may not be first-class centers in the past.Can they beat the four major centers of the year or the young Duncan with their style of play? (Duncan is a power forward in name, but actually more like a center)
Howard's 206cm height and fierce style of play are a bit like Mourning.His physical fitness is better than Mourning's, rebounding and dunking are stronger, but Mourning's mid-range shooting, hooks, and free throws are much better than Howard.

Yao Ming is probably on the same level as the Sabonis he admires the most, or the weakened Sabonis in the later period.The young Sabonis and the four major centers did not lose one-on-one. Unfortunately, he was born 10 years earlier and failed to land in the NBA during the golden period of his career.
The reason why Howard is favored is because of his physical fitness. If he can develop better offensive methods in the future, such as mid-range shots, footsteps at the basket, fake shots, etc., he may become a superstar.Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to compete with the four major centers. Three of the four center forwards are capable of both inside and outside, with various offensive methods.The only one who can only attack at the rim is O'Neal.The scariest center is also O'Neal, whose physical fitness is already against the sky.If you throw him in Chamberlain's era, he might average 100 points per game.When he was young, people discussed not "Who is the most powerful player in the NBA", but "Shaquille O'Neal's strength? Or the strength of an adult bear?" No one can compare to O'Neal.

Because of the scarcity of good centers, on the plane back to Charlotte, D'Antoni deliberately changed seats with Azubuike, sat next to Hayes, and talked to Hayes.He has a new idea.

"Chuck, I want to arrange for you to play the center position in the future." D'Antoni said.

"Huh?" Hayes froze for a moment.

"Don't be surprised. I wanted you to be a swingman before, because you can accurately predict rebounds and can break fast in time. Now I think you are better as a center. The first is your rebounding ability, and your teammates believe too much You, as long as you are at the basket, they dare to go down quickly, faster than running with you. With you protecting the backboard, you can create more fast break opportunities for the team. The second is your strength, although your Not tall enough, but there is no one you can't resist. There are not many inside players in the league who can play inside and outside, and you can block most of the teams' strong insiders. When you meet a tall insider with mid-range shooting ability, you will naturally not let him You go to defense, on the offensive end, my idea is to let you be a point center, you did a good job in this game, and you did better than Brad Miller and Divac before."

Hearing what D'Antoni said, Hayes also felt that he was indeed more like a point forward this season.He always rushes into the interior to grab offensive rebounds immediately after passing the ball. His desire to grab rebounds is too strong. If he only relies on breakthroughs and shots to play, he will feel uncomfortable.

In his previous life, Hayes was an absolutely special character. In the 2009-2010 season, Hayes played as the starting center for the Rockets for a season.In the history of the NBA for more than 60 years, there has never been a team whose regular starting center is only 198cm like him.Statistics from the professional data company Elias Sports Bureau show that since the first game of the league's 1946-47 season, no team's regular center has been shorter than Hayes.Before Hayes, the shortest center in the NBA was Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld, who was 201cm tall.

Is it really the life of the center?My skills are so comprehensive, but I still want to play center forward?
Seeing that Hayes didn't answer for a long time, D'Antoni thought it was hard work for him, and persuaded him: "Chuck, I know it's a bit hard to fight inside. But after Andrea (Bagnani) came on the court, our rebounding ability There will be a decline. He can make the offense better, so I am going to let him start. The best way is for you to protect the rebounds in the backcourt. It can only make you work harder. If this is the game, we can end the battle in three quarters , you can rest too."

"No, I don't have an opinion, I just think about how to play to make the team better. You are right, we must have someone to control the rebounds in the backcourt. I have the confidence to grab those tall centers." Hayes laughed.Accepted the suggestion to play playmaker center.

"As long as you want to fight. Gerald, what do you think?" D'Antoni asked, looking at Wallace beside him.

"He has no problem playing anything, but it's better to pass less long passes in the backcourt. Today I was blinded by the goal, and it is impossible to score again." Wallace laughed.

"You ran too fast, I don't want you to run in vain." Hayes laughed.This goal also became the best goal of the day.

"Under normal circumstances, you play a point center, and you may play other positions when you meet a special team. Be mentally prepared. When we play against the Celtics tomorrow, we can try it. The athletic ability of their center Perkins It’s bad, as long as you pull out to attack, it’s enough for them.” D’Antoni said.

"Tomorrow the Celtics may use Pierce to defend me. He is also very strong. Jamison's athletic ability can also guard Andrea. I suggest continuing to use Andrea as the first offensive point tomorrow. As long as Gerrard Block Jamison for him and he can take full advantage of his height," Hayes suggested.When he played Pierce last season, he was impressed by Pierce's strength.

Pierce is a super macho. In the early morning of September 1999, 9, Pierce was taken to a bar by his teammate Battil for entertainment, and had an argument with someone. Pierce was hit on the head with a wine bottle by a hooligan, and someone even stabbed him 25 times.One of the heaviest cuts was 11 centimeters deep, piercing the lungs and missing the heart by 8 centimeters.Most people would have died long ago, but Pierce was able to participate in training after only two months of rest. What kind of recovery ability is this?
D'Antoni smiled and said: "The Celtics and Ray Allen, this team is not easy to play, so don't be careless. But their inside is not strong, the Magic has taken care of it, and we have 5 players on the field who are all shooters. , I don't believe the Celtics can defend. Our goal this season is the best record in the league."

After trying a new tactic, the Bobcats started the season as eye-catching as the Rockets did last season, with the best record in the league, not impossible.Besides winning, Hayes had another goal.He wants to average a triple-double!
(End of this chapter)