NBA: I really just want to be a second-in-command

Chapter 97 [Macmillan's Confession]

After coach Bob Hill arranged the tactics for the Sonics players in the second half, he turned around again and prepared to leave the locker room.

"Hey, Hill."

Ray Allen suddenly stopped him.

Bob Hill stopped.

Ray Allen hesitated, "The second half...will you still be there?"

"……Maybe."

Bob Hill finished speaking and walked out.

He didn't notice that a piece of paper suddenly fell out of his pocket and landed on the ground.

"Coach, you dropped something." Wilkins reminded.

Yet Bob Hill hadn't heard at all and had gone away.

Ray Allen walked over and slowly picked up the piece of paper.

……

Bob Hill walked out of the locker room, instead of following the player tunnel, to the court.

Instead, go in the opposite direction.

At this moment, his face was covered with tears.

The arena staff who passed by him couldn't help but look sideways when they saw him like this.

"Hey, Hill."

Suddenly, a man's low voice came from behind.

Bob Hill couldn't help but froze when he heard this somewhat familiar voice.

Turn around slowly.

Standing behind him was a middle-aged and elderly black man with a big belly.

"Coach Milan?"

That's right, standing behind him is the former head coach of the Sonics, McMillan.

Bob Hill was full of astonishment. First, he didn't expect McMillan to appear here.

The second is because, since the last time Bob Hill saw him, Coach McMillan's state is completely different. His beard and hair are more than half gray, and he has gained a lot of weight.

"Hill, long time no see."

McMillan stepped forward to give Bob Hill a warm hug.

Bob Hill hurriedly took the opportunity to wipe away his tears.

"Why are you here?" Bob Hill asked.

"I took my grandson to Los Angeles for vacation." McMillan said, "Today happened to be a game between the Sonics and the Lakers, and my grandson was a Kobe fan, so I brought him and his family here to watch the game."

Bob Hill was taken aback for a moment. It seemed that he probably knew everything about the conflict just now.

"Is your family all right? Greet them for me."

Hill had to try to talk about other topics.

"Oh, thank you, they're all fine."

McMillan paused and said, "Hill, what happened to you and Allen just now?"

Bob Hill did not expect that McMillan went straight to the point.

"It's nothing, it's just because of a tactical problem, we had a few words."

"It's not that simple, is it?" McMillan didn't believe it at all. "I've taken care of Aaron for a long time. He is a gentle and humble kid. He won't get into trouble with you because of tactical matters. I heard that You two have always had conflicts, haven't you?"

When Bob Hill heard him say that, there was no need to hide it anymore.

He sighed, "Yes, we have always had a gap, not only with Ray Allen, but also with other players."

McMillan frowned, "Why did you make it like this?"

"It's up to you."

"I?"

"I don't know what kind of magic you cast on them to make them care about you, just like a baby can't live without its mother. Since you left, most of them don't listen to me at all. Tactical arrangements, any request I have from them, they are very repulsive, in their view, I will never be as good as you."

Bob Hill grumbled.

After hearing this, McMillan was silent for a moment, and then said, "Most of these children have been taken by me since they entered the league. Their backgrounds are similar to mine, so they will have a lot of empathy. As my own child, five years in, we have really developed a strong bond..."

"Yes, they still think that I and the management teamed up to drive you away."

"Then why don't you tell them the truth?"

"I don't think it's necessary. They are professional players. No matter what the truth of your departure is, they must accept and quickly accept the tactical arrangements of the new coach. This is a must for professional players."

Bob Hill said, "Besides, Milan, I really don't know why you left until now, and then you specifically suggested to the management that I take over as the head coach."

McMillan sighed, "Sorry, I thought... you know, I remember talking to you once."

"It was once, but you didn't tell me why you left."

McMillan scratched his hair, "I was as ambitious as you at the beginning. I wanted to bring them to the finals and win the Alterian Cup with them. I led them to work hard for five years, five full years, and finally , In the fifth year, we won [-] wins and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. At that time, I and their team were full of confidence. I felt that the dream was close to us and could be realized soon. "

"However, when we faced the Spurs led by Popovich, I suddenly discovered that the concept I have always insisted on cannot succeed at all. In front of the defense, we can't play at all, and our defense can't stand up to their endless tactics."

McMillan sighed again, and said sadly, "For a long time, I have insisted on the basketball philosophy that defense is not important at all. The best defense is the ultimate offense. Moreover, three-pointers are always one point more than two-pointers. , When you score more points than the opponent, you can definitely win the game, so I am obsessed with the three-pointer tactic.”

"I was also very lucky to meet such excellent three-point shooters as Lewis and Ray Allen in the Sonics. You know, Ray Allen may be a phenomenon-level three-point shooter in NBA history. I think this is God agrees with my basketball philosophy, so he takes care of me so much, so I will be more desperate to promote my philosophy to them."

"But when I led them to meet the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, and they were defeated and had no way to fight back, I suddenly realized how stupid what I have been insisting on. When my team has Ray When Allen has such a historical level of three-pointers, he can’t win the game, so this concept is completely wrong. Offensive and defensive balance is the guarantee for a team to go further.”

"It's a pity that I realized it too late. I deeply understand that I have cultivated too bad defensive habits for them. As long as I don't leave, they can't really pay attention to defense. If I stay, it will only ruin them." They, especially Ray Allen and Lewis, may be historical stars, and I can't let them use their legendary careers to pay for my mistakes."

"So, for them, I made up my mind to leave the team, and, in order to punish my mistakes, I decided to retire and never do any work related to basketball. I didn't even say goodbye to them. After I left , and never took the initiative to contact any of them.”

"What I did so unfeelingly was to make them completely forget about me, so that they could accept the new concept of basketball and begin to pay attention to defense. The reason why I recommend you to the management is precisely this. I know you are a very talented player. Guy, you are very capable on the defensive end...but I didn't expect that this would hurt you instead..."

"Hill, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry..."

Bob Hill wiped away his tears, "Forget it, it doesn't make any sense to say this now, anyway, after such a thing happened, I guess I might be dismissed after this game..."

"I just regret it, I shouldn't have said that to them just now, I shouldn't..."

Tears welled up in Bob Hill's eyes again...

"No, Hill, you can't go, Hill, I can go to the management and explain to them that the conflict between you and the players is entirely my responsibility, and I can also go to Ray Allen and them to explain why I left. The reason is that you really can't leave, you are very important to them." Milan coach said deeply.

"No, Milan, I... I have to leave this position because of some special reasons."

"A special reason?" McMillan was taken aback for a moment, he seemed to vaguely understand something, "Hill, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Stop talking, Mike, thank you very much for coming to me, I'll call you later." Hill said, "You know, the game has already started, I have to go back to my position, this game Games, I'm still their manager, I have to be with them."

Saying goodbye to McMillan, Bob Hill had mixed feelings in his heart.

He tidied up his clothes and walked to the player tunnel. He knew that this might be the last game of his Sonic career.

Moreover, if something like this happens, the players are not interested in playing, and it may be difficult to win.

After all, at the end of the first half, they had collapsed.

In the second half, when the Lakers switched to the main lineup, the point difference may be completely widened to an irreparable distance.

He walked into the arena with his head down, everyone stared nervously at the scene, and no one noticed him.

And when Bob Hill looked up at the scorer, he couldn't help but be amazed!

He thought he had made a mistake, so he took a closer look.

He was not mistaken, at this moment, the Sonics actually overtook the score by 71 to 65! ! !
What's happening here?
…………

(End of this chapter)