NBA: Being criticized for half a year at the beginning

After all the preseason games were over, Tang Yu gave all the players a day off, especially the rookies, who had been sweating all summer at the Rockets training center.

After another month of preseason games and daily training, the rookies were very tired, so they took a day off to adjust their condition to welcome the start of the regular season.

During the preseason, Clippers No. 1 pick Blake Griffin suffered a stress fracture in his right leg and was out for the season. The Clippers had Griffin undergo surgery to avoid hidden dangers.

They thought it was worth waiting for a season for Griffin, but it also meant that the Clippers had to play badly for another season, and their first-round pick was in Tang Yu's hands.

Tang Yu smiled unkindly when he heard the news, everything was as expected.

One day before the start of the regular season, Tang Yu took all the players and staff of the Houston Rockets on a special plane to Portland.

This was a second-hand special plane that Tang Yu bought for all Rockets players. If you want a brand new one, you have to wait for more than a year to get the passenger plane.

Although it is second-hand, it is also a civil aircraft that has only been in service for one year. It can be put into use after the cabin is modified and the fuselage is sprayed with the Rockets logo.

The Houston Rockets also became the first team to have its own private plane. Although a lot of money needs to be invested every year, it is just a drizzle for Tang Yu.

During the flight, Tang Yu observed the ratio of the ability and talent of the current players in the team in front of the cabin.

Point guard: Stephen Curry 88/97, Kyle Lowry 77/86, Patrick Beverley 74/80;

Shooting guard: James Harden 87/96, Allen Iverson 81/95, Danny Green 74/79;

Small forward: Vince Carter 84/90, Shawn Battier 79/79, DeMarre Carroll 73/78;

Power forward: Luis Scola 79/80, Serge Ibaka 77/82, Yi Jianlian 77/84;

Center: Yao Ming 87/92, DeAndre Jordan 79/85, Dikembe Mutombo 71/85.

Tang Yu took a sip of the coffee in his hand and nodded, not knowing whether he was satisfied with the coffee or the team's lineup.

What the team needs now is for Harden and Curry to quickly accumulate game experience and team chemistry. Once these are in place, the Rockets will surely soar!

Tang Yu did not choose to send Beverley, Danny Green and Carroll to the Development League because they can improve their abilities faster with him.

After landing at Portland International Airport, the Rockets stayed at the Hilton Garden Hotel.

The Houston Rockets and Hilton Group signed a five-year contract. As long as there is an away game at the Hilton Hotel, the Rockets will stay there.

Tang Yu chose the presidential suite himself, and all players were single rooms.

However, it is not allowed to bring strange women back to the room during the game and stay out all night. Once discovered, the team will be punished severely (except for the boss).

At 19:30 on October 27, Western Time, Tang Yu led the Rockets to the Rose Garden Arena.

At 20:30, the Rockets' journey this season will officially begin here.

After getting off the car, Tang Yu followed the staff to the pre-game press conference site. This was his first NBA pre-game press conference.

As soon as Tang Yu sat down, the yellow-skinned reporter started asking questions.

"Hello, Coach Tang, I would like to ask what is the goal of the Houston Rockets this season? Do you have a lot of draft picks but still want to continue to play badly? Don't you think this is a waste of Yao Ming's golden period?"

"I have already published our season goals on the Rockets' official website, so I won't make any more statements here."

Tang Yu thought that this reporter was really a bit boring, and he didn't give him a good face, and directly signaled the next question.

"Hello, Coach Tang, Houston suffered a very serious loss last year. As the new owner of the team, you are not looking for results or making money. Can you tell me the purpose of buying this team?"

Tang Yu adjusted the microphone and his sitting posture. He thought the reporter's question was still good.

"Haha, everyone knows that money is not a problem for me. My purpose of buying the Rockets is also very simple. I want to build an unprecedented super team."

The reporter who asked the question nodded, and he should have got a satisfactory answer.

Then another reporter stood up and asked, "Coach Tang, are you confident that you can beat the Trail Blazers tonight? How do you arrange your tactics and starting lineup?"

"Yao has always been our core. Now the team is very talented. As long as we play tactical coordination, we can beat any opponent."Tang Yu then answered two more questions about today's game, and his first pre-game press conference ended successfully.

Tang Yu went directly back to the visiting team's locker room, and the players went to warm up. He sorted out all the key points of today's match against the Trail Blazers and walked into the stadium.

All the players were warming up, and soon the game time was approaching, and Tang Yu's first regular season game in the NBA league was about to begin.

After shaking hands with Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan, Tang Yu returned to the bench and sat on the bench very calmly.

Tang Yu's starting lineup was point guard Stephen Curry, shooting guard James Harden, small forward Vince Carter, power forward Luis Scola and center Yao Ming.

McMillan's point guard was Steve Blake, shooting guard Martell Webster, small forward Brandon Roy, power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and center Greg Oden.

Tang Yu patted Curry and Harden on the shoulder, signaling them to relax.

"Just play like you did in training, relax a little, I'll take care of everything."

"Got it, boss, we'll do our best," Harden said.

Soon the players from both sides gathered near the center circle, and after both sides high-fived, the first regular season game of the Rockets was about to begin.

Whether Tang Yu, who has been criticized for half a year, can get a good start in his coaching career depends on tonight!