NBA: I am the card dealer

Chapter 161 The battle for the league’s No. point guard

That night.

As soon as the news of the three-way trade between the Heat, Grizzlies, and Thunder came out, the league exploded.

Transaction details:

The Heat sent one of the Big Three - Chris Bosh, Whiteside, and Anderson - three inside players, as well as a trade exception, in exchange for Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.

The Grizzlies sent Marc Gasol, the best defensive player, and a first-round pick to get Bosh and Anderson.

The Thunder sent Ibaka to get Whiteside, a first-round pick and a trade exception.

Everyone was in shock.

The last deal about Luol Deng has attracted great attention in the league. Now that the two All-Stars are swapping clubs, one can imagine the sensation caused.

Chris Bosh, nine consecutive All-Stars!

Add this year, that's the tenth All-Star.

This honor alone is enough to show how brilliant Bosh's career is. At least no one doubts the fact that Bosh has been the league's top insider for the past ten years.

And Marc Gasol is no ordinary person.

He was selected as an All-Star in 2012. In the 2012-13 season, he was awarded the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the NBA All-NBA Second Team.

He is one of the top insiders who has emerged in recent years, and his reputation is one of the best in the league.

How can such a transaction not be shocking?

at the same time.

Various media outlets made short comments on the deal, and they all felt that the three teams each got what they needed and that all three parties would win.

Heat: Sold away three insiders. Although Bosh is the league's top insider, his defense is not very good, and individual singles have become the norm this season, which is suspected of disrupting the team's offensive rhythm.

Whiteside and Anderson, the former has just come back from illness, and the latter is an aging veteran. Although both of them are good defensively, their personal offensive methods are poor and they can only finish at the basket. The flaws are still obvious.

The two added insiders, Gasol and Ibaka, are both defensive heroes. The former averaged 16.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game this season, with a shooting percentage of nearly 50%. The latter also averaged 14 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and his shooting percentage was lower, only 47%.

The two also have certain long-range shooting abilities, especially Ibaka. Three-pointers have become his regular scoring method this season, with a shooting rate of 35.6%, which is extremely impressive.

In this way, the Heat not only strengthened their defense, but also released offensive space. Taking both into account, it was a very good deal.

Grizzlies: Although they lost the inside barrier and attacked the center axis, they gained Bosh, who averaged 21.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. The problem of insufficient attack is also the reason why they have frequently lost in the playoffs in the past few years, and now there is finally no need to worry.

In addition, they also got veteran Anderson, who can provide defense in regular time, which is a good compensation.

Thunder: Since Ibaka got the injection, his condition has plummeted. His shooting percentage has plummeted from 54% to 47%, and his athletic ability is not as good as before. Now he has taken a shot in exchange for someone who can guard the basket and has the potential to become an inside man. The barrier's big center doesn't seem to be bad either. Most importantly, they also got a first-round pick and a trade exception. This deal can be seen as a reflection of the Thunder's lack of confidence in Ibaka's future. They should take action early to avoid a sharp drop in value in the future. unsalable.

Anyway, all three parties felt that they had made a lot of money from this transaction and were quite satisfied.

but.

There are still many fans who are gloating about the Heat's misfortune.

Because the new Big Three that the Heat have just formed this season have been hugely popular some time ago and have been in the limelight for a while. They look unstoppable and have a tendency to rival the new Big Three of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As a result, it was torn down as soon as I turned around.

Isn’t this going to make us, all James James fans, so happy?

"Does breaking up the team mean failure?"

"Is that even a question?"

"Before the start of the game, Bosh was still arrogant in front of the media, and the duo with Wade, they also had the confidence to reach the finals, haha... In the end, you were directly dumped to Memphis and entered the finals ?”

"Didn't FOX Sports Frank say a while ago that Bosh and Wade also contributed to the FMVP in 12 and 13? Since it is so important, why was it sold?"

"The newly formed Big Three failed in less than three months. Hehe... they said they were the biggest obstacle to me entering the finals. This obstacle blew up on its own."

"Fortunately, I, James, can walk fast, otherwise Bosh would be in trouble."

"Yes, this is very strange. I also left Miami and no one criticized me for selling Bosh to the Heat. When I came home, thousands of people beat me up. It's really funny..."

In addition to James's gloating, other fans also joined the hot discussion queue.

"Riley is really ruthless, and he did not hesitate to sell the two crowns."

"It seems that the rumor that Spoelstra made Bosh a substitute is true, it's too humiliating."

"What I'm more curious about now is, can the Heat still do it now?"

"How do the new Big Three of Xue Liancheng, Wade, and Gasol compare to James, Irving, and Love? The lineup is not weak, and the offense and defense are more balanced. They should be stronger."

"But the Heat have been through a lot of trouble this season. Now all the core players and important rotations in the team have been traded. It should take them a long time to adjust."

"That's right... except for Xue Liancheng and Wade in the starting lineup, all the frontcourt players have been changed, and the substitute has become a big hole."

"Let's see how the running-in goes. If the running-in is good, you can still compete with the knights. If the running-in is not good... then you can only GG."

……

And amidst heated discussions.

All members of the Heat are preparing for the game in the away arena.

Bosh, Whiteside, and Anderson have already packed up and flew to Miami overnight, preparing to pack their bags and head to the next stop. It is definitely impossible for them to play.

In other words, they have to make temporary changes in the game against the Clippers.

It is also impossible for new aid Gasol Jr. and Ibaka to debut so soon.

This is undoubtedly very difficult for the current Heat. If they are short of major generals and challenge the third seed in the Western Conference, it will be a disaster no matter how they look at it.

But it's impossible for them to just give up. After all, the team's other two stars are still there, and they are still capable of fighting against the alley-oop city.

Training breaks.

A large group of reporters rushed in and went straight to Wade and Xue Liancheng.

Mainly asking them what they think about Bosh's deal.

Xue Liancheng felt bitter in his heart. What could he think?

I can only tell reporters that he regrets not being able to continue playing with Bosh and Whiteside, but he is more excited about the arrival of new teammates and so on. Anyway, this is a very official answer.

I also asked about what changes will happen after the arrival of new teammates, what adjustments need to be made, what are the future expectations, etc.

Xue Liancheng also answered patiently one by one.

At this time, a reporter suddenly asked, "Have you ever heard the voice about who is the number one point guard in the league between you and Paul?"

Xue Liancheng was stunned for a moment, and suddenly realized a huge problem. Can he be compared with Paul?

this time.

He didn't know how to describe his feelings.

It feels like a lifetime ago.

Half a year ago, he had just walked out of the NCAA tournament, and no one knew or cared about him. At that time, he was still worried about whether he could be selected by an NBA team, and he was terrified...

Three months ago, he stepped onto the NBA court. At that time, he was still a very good rookie. His biggest wish was to gain a foothold in the NBA and live up to Spoelstra's trust in him.

Two months ago, he had already become the team's starting point guard. He didn't have to worry about playing time, and he didn't have to worry about handing people towels in the future. Big contract, become an All-Star player.

A month ago, he had been given the title of the Heat's third giant by the fans, the driver of the Heat's progress, an indispensable figure on the court, and one of the most promising new stars of the new generation. Praise and abuse fell on him like snowflakes at the same time. On him.

And now, he can actually be compared with Chris Paul, the league's number one point guard, and compared together.

This feeling is so unreal.

But it's really happening.

Ok……

At this time, 58 is indeed one of the best point guards in the league, and can even be crowned the league's number one point guard.

of course.

It can only be named.

After all, there are still many excellent point guards in the league.

To break it down, among the top point guards in the league at present, Nash, the veteran who has been stabilizing 58, has retired, Deron, the nemesis of 58, has fallen, Parker has also changed from a sports car to a classic car, and the new generation Rondo and Rose Like a bright meteor streaking across the sky, it disappeared in a flash.

The remaining Lawson, Teague, and Lowry are obviously not enough.

The only people who can compete with him are the ferocious kid Wall, Westbrook, the turtle from the sky, Curry, the elementary school student who is leading the crazy offensive trend this season, and Ci Deng, the cornerstone of the Rockets.

Wall is still halfway there, but he's getting closer.

The elementary school student Curry is not a point guard in the traditional sense, but more like a shooter, and he has just emerged this season. He leads Golden State to play an unparalleled offense. If he wants to compete with 58 for the league's number one point guard, it seems that he is indeed a little behind.

Ci Deng is currently playing a combo guard. It always feels weird to discuss Ci Deng as the league's No. 1 point guard.

The remaining opponent is Westbrook.

However, the Thunder's record this season is poor, with a winning rate of less than 50%. It seems inappropriate to insist on being named the number one point guard.

and so.

After counting it down, Paul is really the only one left.

Basically there is not much controversy...

wrong.

Isn't there him?

The Heat's record is not bad, with 24 wins and 12 losses, which is only one game away from the Clippers' record of 25 wins and 12 losses, which is basically the same.

And in terms of data.

58场均可以贡献19.2分10.3助攻4.4篮板2.5抢断，投篮命中率是48.4%，三分球命中率是39.6%。

薛连城场均20.7分9.3助攻4.9篮板1.1抢断，投篮命中率是48.8%，三分球命中率是39.2%。

It's really infinitely close...

Therefore, when reporters ask questions at this time, it is not without aim, but a real possibility arises.

He is a rookie who has just entered the league, but he is already competing for the throne of the league's number one point guard.

This discovery made him even more like a dream.

It turns out that after all this time, he is already so good.

This also made him understand a little bit why Chris Bosh was kicked away by Riley without hesitation.

It is really……

If you close your eyes and pick it up with your fingers, you know how to choose. If you have to bear it forcefully, it will only make you get out.

but.

This reporter's question seems to have an element of nitpicking.

He is no longer the rookie who didn't understand anything, he was quite calm, and replied unhurriedly, "It's my honor to be compared with a top point guard like Paul, thank you very much for your recognition, I will work hard towards moving in this direction.”

His answer was quite polite. After all, he and Paul had no grudges today or in the past. There was no need to be arrogant. If you could say something nice, then try your best to say something nice.

of course.

The most important thing is that he feels no need to fight for this false reputation.

It's his, and the fans will automatically put this crown on his head.

It's not his. If you wear a crown yourself, it won't be interesting. People will say there's something wrong with you.

What's more.

The false name to be fought for is itself controversial.

This is the reason why 58 is not recognized as the number one point guard in the league.

Your performance is similar to that of a rookie. You say you are the number one point guard in the league. How can you convince the public?

Your performance is almost the same as Wall's, and your record is about the same. You say you are superior to the rest, but that brat is the first to refuse.

Westbrook is already the leading scorer and averages 9 assists per game. In terms of statistics, after the human turtle crushes you, he will leave you behind by half a street.

and so……

When too many people's performance is comparable to yours, it means that your reputation is not worthy of it.

At this time.

This group of journalists and the media, who are not too serious about making troubles, are the first to jump out and question you 58.

For example, now.

The reporter then asked, "Don't you agree with Paul's status as the number one point guard in the league?"

Xue Liancheng: "..."

Mud...

Did he say that?

But since he was asked, he still replied, "The fans should have the answer. Their words are more convincing than mine."

How could a reporter give up so easily, "Who do you think is better between you and Chris Paul?"

Xue Liancheng said modestly, "There are still many areas where I need to improve. Chris is my role model, such as stability."

If you want to say an answer, it seems that you haven't said anything.

He didn't say anything at all, but he did give the answer.

This is the art of NBA talking.

He did not admit that 58 was better than him, only that 58 was more stable than him.

of course.

This can be considered a better aspect than him.

His current state is indeed not as stable as Paul's at this stage.

The performance is like a roller coaster and paints an electrocardiogram.

前面有14中5，外加7失误的糟糕发挥，后面又有14中8狂砍25分16助攻的超神表现，状态起伏太大了。

The reason for having new teammates joining is mainly because he failed to settle down to control the situation.

Maybe this is a common problem among rookies...

The reporter then asked, "Among the current players, who do you think is the number one point guard in the league?"

Xue Liancheng smiled: "I don't know now, it will definitely be me in the future."

Seeing that the reporter was still pestering him, he quickly shouted stop.

slip away...

If we can’t afford to provoke him, why can’t we hide from him?

……

……

But this group of reporters obviously won’t let it go.

They ran non-stop to the other side of the home training hall.

He also went straight to Paul: "What is your evaluation of Xue Liancheng of the Heat?"

Paul chuckled and replied, "He's great, his passing and vision are outstanding."

The reporter asked, "We asked him just now, who is the number one point guard in the league, and his answer was himself... What do you think about this?"

Just save the future.

Although Paul vaguely felt that these reporters were causing trouble, his eyelids twitched when he heard these words. "Everyone will feel that they are the best. This is normal."

The reporter repeated his old trick, "Then who do you think is better, you or Xue Liancheng?"

Paul's face turned dark.

Comparing him to a rookie is obviously disrespectful to him!

But he still replied, "Who is better can only be compared in the competition. I said it doesn't count."

The reporter pushed further, "Are you so confident that you can blow him up?"

Paul spread his hands, "I have the confidence to blow anyone up."

That Xiao Jin is indeed very arrogant.

of course.

58 also has arrogant capital, and guaranteed playoffs are not just talk.

The strength is definitely here, everyone can see it, but it has never made a breakthrough in the playoffs. The Western Conference Finals is still a floor that 58 cannot touch.

This is also the biggest reason why he is questioned by the public.

The number one point guard in the league has never even touched the floor of the Western Conference Finals, which is really unreasonable.

To know……

This is the throne of the league's number one point guard!

With a team performance of 58, he really doesn't look like the league's top point guard.

And even when the reporter reported the video of the interview between the two, it still aroused heated discussions.

The current number one point guard in the league is indeed a mystery.

Like the first shooting guard, after the volute suffered a serious injury, he immediately handed over the scepter. Wade was competitive for the time being, and the other one was Porcelain.

This is clear.

At the small forward position, besides James, there is no doubt about Durant.

The power forward position is currently basically occupied by Anthony Davis, the big-browed brother. Bosh and Aldridge have to move back. The aging Duncan has naturally given way long ago.

The centers are currently Cousins ​​​​and Marc Gasol, one on offense and one on defense, so they are competitive.

There are still doubts about the point guard position.

ESPN was keenly aware of the flow of traffic passwords and immediately set up voting.

Put Wall, Xue Liancheng, Paul, and Westbrook on it, and build momentum and heat up the hot searches.

It immediately attracted many fans to discuss.

This is a topic that everyone likes to hear and see.

Regardless of whether they are retired or active, whether they are in the same position or in a different position, whether they are historical rankings or future achievements, they are all competing for a high or low position.

And now.

The game between the Clippers and the Heat is imminent, and the duel between Xue Liancheng and Paul is about to begin.

The battle for the throne of the league's No. 1 point guard immediately caught the public's attention and aroused widespread public discussion.