I just play ball

Chapter 121 The Sudden Cohabitation Life

After a detailed chat, Li Yue finally understood the advice Chenxi provided.

Specifically, it is to give Howard enough face through various fancy flattery, so that fans feel that the Lakers will lose him and it will be difficult to continue to maintain the next game, but how to play how to play, external publicity and actual execution are divided into two paths.

The extra ball rights have already been given, and it is my own ability or bad luck that I can't grasp it, so I can't continue to experiment.

Ordinarily, these matters should be handled by the coaching staff, but D'Antoni has never been able to control big-name players with a temper, and Kobe's personality is relatively straightforward and difficult to deal with in a roundabout way. It is too serious and inappropriate for the management to come forward, so it can only fall on him.

It's bad to be bad, but after all, I am the face of the team, and I must take responsibility while enjoying the benefits.

After talking about this, the two chatted a little more, and Li Yue hung up the phone, thinking about how to operate.

Howard jumped out to make troubles because he felt that he was guarding the inside line alone, greatly reducing the Heat's breakthrough efficiency, and did not receive the same level of attention and appreciation as Kobe, so he sought more possessions to prove himself.

Howard is like this, apart from vanity, another important reason is that after the finals, he is about to become a completely free agent, and the fast-paced game style of the Lakers and Heat game makes him quite useless, no matter In the end, the victory over there severely weakened traditional centers like him, so he must be worried that he would not be able to get the maximum salary.

Thinking of this, Li Yue felt in his heart that the development trend of basketball was unstoppable, and the future was the era of the five forwards and swingmen in Pat Riley's mouth. Those slow-moving big men would inevitably change from mainstream to second-rate, or even third-rate.

Howard's anomalous behavior can be considered excusable.

After making up his mind, Li Yue sent text messages to Kobe, D'Antoni, Kupchak and other important players of the team. The content did not mention the need to coax Howard. He only said that everyone needs to stand up and express their support publicly. Black called, hoping that the team's official Twitter should repost fans' encouragement for Howard more, so as to express the official attitude.

After finishing all this, he logged on to Twitter to check the relevant discussions after the G2 game.

Howard was brutally sprayed, and D'Antoni was also implicated by the way. The fans were mainly dissatisfied with Howard's too many shots, which far exceeded his personal ability.

He chose to forward one of the tweets that rationally criticized Howard, emphasizing that the Heat's defensive strategy was too targeted. The main reason for the Lakers' loss was that the outside shooting percentage dropped sharply, and the Heat played better than before and deserved victory.

The Lakers' official Twitter retweeted to express their approval. Howard then liked it, but quickly chose to cancel it.

...

At noon on the [-]th, the Lakers team returned to Los Angeles.

Due to the schedule, there is only one day of rest between G2 and G3, and the coaching staff canceled the joint training arrangement.

Li Yue neither practiced nor idled, but dug up the video of the past two games, and analyzed those places that should be done better.

The Heat strive for speed in offense and defense. Most of the Lakers players have old arms and legs. Reckless play is not a long-term solution. They have to form formations and run tactics. Through high success rate and multiple people returning to defense quickly, the Heat's offensive and defensive rhythm can be reduced, and they can play what they are better at. Contest.

He sent these ideas to the team's communication group, and Kobe and others and the coaching staff responded one after another, thinking that it was feasible.

Nash pointed out that the Heat are equivalent to an advanced version of the Nuggets. The Lakers won by lowering the tempo before, and they can continue to use it now. Moreover, Kobe was absent due to injury.

In the evening, Chenxi called and told him to pick up the plane at [-]:[-] pm on the [-]th and fly over to watch him play.

This time, there is no need to go to the sidelines to buy tickets in advance. In name, they are already lovers, so they can be arranged directly in the player's relatives area.

...

At eight o'clock in the morning on the [-]th, Li Yue rushed to the Lakers training base.

After about an hour, all the other teammates arrived, and the whole team first practiced shooting, and then simply ran tactics.

When it was over, players such as Li Yue and Kobe accepted the interview very cooperatively, and took the initiative to mention Howard, explaining that his role in guarding the inside line is huge, and his contribution to the game cannot be reflected by statistics.

In addition to the players, assistant coaches such as Phil Webber and Steve Clifford also mentioned Howard's role as a traditional center on the court, packaging "imminent extinction" as a "cherished species", which greatly highlighted its significance of existence.

Kupchak also mentioned Howard, saying that after the opening of the free market, the management will provide a maximum salary long-term contract as soon as possible, repeatedly emphasizing that Howard, like Li Yue, belongs to the next generation of core players of the Lakers.

The PR president, Black, arranged for the most reporters to interview Howard. I don’t know if there was any prior instruction. The questions were all related to defense. He mentioned various praises from the media, and asked how he did it in detail about the defensive efficiency.

Howard naturally answered in detail, his expression quickly changed from sullen to sunny and cheerful, with a smile on his face.

After the interview, Howard approached Li Yue and thanked him for his help in explaining on Twitter before. He promised to work harder to defend the area in the next game, and also emphasized that there is no need to deliberately pass the ball, and everything is focused on the team's victory.

Li Yue followed up with a few words of praise, and the conflict was mostly resolved, and the stone hanging in his heart was finally let go.

...

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Li Yue went to Los Angeles International Airport and picked up Chen Xi on time at three o'clock.

Without an assistant to accompany him, but with an oversized suitcase, it seemed difficult for Li Yue to move it.

Get in the car and ask which hotel to go to, Chenxi smiled and said to go to his apartment, this time he will stay until the 12th.

Although he felt that the relationship between the two was progressing too quickly, and the cohabitation this time was a bit weird, but since he offered to propose, there was no reason to refuse. Li Yue immediately pushed the box into the car and drove Chenxi back to the apartment.

Chenxi took the key to open the door, went in and took two steps, then stood there, frowned and said, "You are a single man, the room is clean and odorless, you are either a fake woman or gay, or did you guess that I am coming and ask someone to clean it in advance?"

"You have to change your stereotyped image. Single men can't be clean and tidy?"

Chenxi didn't refute, put down the bag, opened the box, and went to get things one by one, mainly a change of clothes, a laptop, a satellite phone, a small amount of cosmetics, and some special snacks.

After about 5 minutes, they took them all out and set them up, and the two went out again.

On the way to the arena, Chen Xi's phone kept ringing, Li Yue didn't intend to listen to it, but it was just a work handover.

Chen Xi's visit this time was completely willful, and she lived directly for a week, which had a great impact on the company's operation.

When they arrived at the arena, Chenxi asked for the detailed address of the apartment, separated from Li Yue, and went to the mall to purchase mattresses and other items.

...

Li Yue went into the locker room, took a shower, then went to the gym, listened to Taylor's new album, and pedaled a bicycle for half an hour.

After changing into the training clothes and walking into the stadium, I found that the whole team had arrived, and some fans entered the stadium early to watch the game.

I was preparing for shooting practice when I suddenly heard someone calling my name, and when I looked back, I found it was a little boy.

Thinking back carefully for a moment, I remembered that it was the Jimmy who asked him for an autograph before, and he looked a little older than last time.

Li Yue walked over, raised his right hand, and lightly bumped his fist in greeting.

"Are we going to win tonight?" Jimmy asked expectantly.

Before Li Yue could answer, Howard walked over from the side and said with a smile: "Of course I will win, I promise you!"

(End of this chapter)