basketball scientist

"Thinking about never?" On the plane, Ke Yan was meditating when Han Bron came over and handed him a cup of coffee.

"No." Keyan paused, "I'm thinking about Team Rocket."

Han Bron was a little confused. After the fight, what else could he think about the Rockets?

"Let you look at it from an objective point of view, where do you think the Rockets will be this season?" Ke Yan raised his head and asked for Hornacek's opinion, "Regular season."

"This..." Hanbron hesitated for a moment, "Anyway, there will definitely be no problem in the playoffs. Although Van Gundy doesn't know how to adapt, his defensive system is indeed very powerful. On the offensive end, he has Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Why?

There are ways to score."

"West five to seven?" Ke Yan followed Han Bron's words and gave the answer.

"In fact, in terms of hard power, except for the Spurs, Mavericks, and Suns, no one seems to be better than them. At most, we can add a championship team from the Northwest Division." Hanbron concluded, "But their injuries are more serious. Tracy McGrady has already

He is injured and is expected to be absent for a period of time. Yao Ming is not an iron man. The competition in the Western Conference is fierce, and we cannot rule out the possibility of them falling to eighth place."

"Um."

Next, Ke Yan asked Snyder, Hornacek and others for their opinions on the Rockets this season.

Hornacek and Hamblen basically agree. They believe that with the support of Yao and Mai and Van Gundy's defensive system, the Rockets will be at least one of the top eight teams in the Western Conference; while Snyder gave the possibility of the Rockets

I think they will fall out of the playoffs because the Rockets' role players are too weak!

Based on the broader perspective of the three assistant coaches, everyone is quite optimistic about the Rockets advancing to the playoffs.

After understanding everyone's opinions, Ke Yan made a plan in his mind and targeted the "cursed" Rockets.

Without affecting the Hawks' combat effectiveness, acquiring the Rockets' lottery pick can be regarded as an opportunity to give Ke Yan greater room for maneuver in the future.

...

After arriving in Los Angeles, Ke Yan went to school to answer a call from Wang Lifan. The two met to have lunch, watch a movie, and play second base.

It had been a long time since we had seen each other, and we missed each other very much. The two of them had almost no time to waste, and they spent the whole afternoon together.

At night, in front of Wang Lifan, Ke Yan suffered his third defeat of the season.

Fortunately, the opponent is not the old club Lakers, but the Los Angeles Clippers, who have suddenly emerged this season and ranked second in the Western Conference.

The Clippers have always been weak in the league. They made a big move in the past offseason. They first recruited veteran Cassel from the Timberwolves to join the team. Then they added two outside artillery members. Last season, the SuperSonics "unparalleled arrow formation"

"The third musketeer Radmanovic and the old cat Mobley joined the team one after another, and the team's outside firepower was greatly improved.

Coupled with the inside attack power of Brand and Kaman, the Clippers have assembled a very offensive lineup.

No matter how fast the Hawks' offensive and defensive rhythm is, the Clippers stick to themselves, slow down the pace, and just grind out positions with the Hawks!

Veteran Cassel firmly controlled the rhythm of the game, steadily delivered shells to Brand and Kaman, continued to attack the Eagles' inside line, and devoured Diaw alive.

"There are two teams with strong low-post players in the league, so maybe the only one is the Clippers, right?" Ke Yan frowned and complained.

This lineup is very "retro", but it worked wonders against the Eagles. The Eagles' lack of internal defense was infinitely magnified in this game.

When facing an old player like Cassel, Paul himself also exposed his lack of game experience. This is a problem that he needs to slowly solve in future games.

111:99. The Hawks lost in the away game, ending their three-game winning streak. At the same time, their record was tied by the Nets. Due to the disadvantage in the relationship between victory and defeat, they fell to the fourth position in the Eastern Conference (6-3).

Arizona, Phoenix.

Phoenix welcomed a new visitor. After the Hawks lost the game against the Clippers, they came to this desert city non-stop the next day to challenge the Suns away from home.

In the hotel where the Eagles stayed, Ke Yan was watching the Suns game video in the room with a solemn expression.

D'Antoni is indeed the league's leading offensive master. Without Diaw, he simply pushed Harrington to the center position.

Under Nash's guidance, Harrington gave full play to his offensive advantages. He could overpower players "smaller" than him after the pick-and-roll, and he could pull the ball to the outside on the left for singles and even hit three-pointers. He averaged three points per game.

He could score 16 points and 9 rebounds, becoming the Suns' second leading scorer.

After losing Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson, the Suns strengthened Bell and James Jones respectively to enrich the team's wing positions. The two together averaged 4.5 three-pointers per game, basically filling the gap.

The perimeter firepower of Joe Johnson and Richardson.

Of course, Bell and James Jones will definitely not be able to provide Joe Johnson's isolation and organization, which is also an inevitable loss for the Suns.

D'Antoni's "solution" to this is that Nash controls more of the ball and Marion takes over part of the task to support the team's offense when Stoudemire is injured for the season.

On the bench, the rise of Brazilian Lightning Barbosa is a new discovery for the Suns. This third-year guard has the league's top speed, and his breakthrough in counterattacks is impressive. Although his shooting is slightly inferior, it is not that good.

A type that can be shorted.

Jim Jackson was the Rockets' starting small forward last season, and this season he also came to the Suns to "support him." Brian Grant and Kurt Thomas, two veterans, can help the Suns stabilize the defense of the penalty area.

It can only be said that D'Antoni and other Suns management have tried their best to strengthen the team's lineup when owner Sarver refuses to pay the luxury tax. However, the departure of Joe Johnson is still a huge blow to the Suns.

big.

At 10 p.m. the next day, the game between the Suns and the Hawks officially started at the American Airlines Center.

Since U.S. Standard Time is based on Washington time, and the West and East are too far apart, spanning three time zones, this results in the West's game times being very late.

There is a deep connection between the two teams. Ke Yan was once an assistant coach of the Suns, and his tactics were also influenced by D'Antoni to a certain extent; Nash and Paul are representatives of the new and old generations of point guards in the league, currently ranked respectively.

Ranked first and fourth in the assists list; Joe Johnson has played next to Nash and Paul respectively in the past two seasons, etc.

Before the game started, the atmosphere between the two teams was very friendly. Ke Yan and D'Antoni, Paul and Nash all shook hands and greeted each other.

As soon as the game started, the two sides started to attack each other. There was no foreshadowing at all, they just bombarded each other!

In the seven minutes before the first official timeout, the Hawks and Suns played fast and attacked at every opportunity.

An offense takes less than 14 seconds from initiation to completion, and the fast-paced transition between offense and defense is dazzling.

I don’t know how much ratings TNT will lose if it doesn’t broadcast this game.

Nash firmly controlled the situation of the game in this unpredictable rhythm and organized the Suns' offense in an orderly manner. His smart passing often appeared in the weak points of the Hawks' defense. Although his personal offensive data is not as good as Paul's

, but the assists soon came to 6.

Maintaining this efficiency, Nash can break the league's single-game assist record of 25 assists!

However, Nash's assist efficiency exploded, but the Suns failed to establish a lead. The Hawks' offensive efficiency was also very high.

Harrington just scored a layup under the basket, and on the other end, Joe Johnson responded with a precise three-pointer!

Paul has met Billups, Kidd, and Cassell this season, and has been suppressed on the scene. However, against Nash, Paul did not suffer. He even completed the steal of Nash on the defensive end, and then in the fast break.

Dunk!

This was his first slam dunk in the NBA regular season. After landing, he hugged the basketball and kissed it.

But as Nash continued to push the tempo to increase, Paul gradually became unable to do anything.

This is a "basketball awareness" gap. Since joining the Mavericks and playing under Nelson, Nash has been exposed to small balls. He is the most adaptable point guard in the league to this offensive rhythm; while Paul was in college.

A very balanced point guard, as can be seen from the comprehensiveness he has shown since entering the league. He can play in isolation, pick and roll, fast break and counterattack, and even shoot three-pointers. Many times, he is handling the ball.

His first reaction was not to "risk" by sending a long pass, but to play more "safely".

There is no advantage or disadvantage between these two styles, but Paul's control over the game is indeed not as good as Nash's now.

The tempo of the game was pushed very fast by Nash, and Paul's somewhat "safe" handling of the ball turned into "conservative", "procrastinating" and even "wasting the opportunity".

Ten minutes into the first quarter, the Suns led by 5 points at 38:33, and the two teams began to make substitutions and adjustments.

For the Suns, Barbosa, Jim Jackson, Brian Grant, and Kurt Thomas came on the scene. The Hawks removed Joe Johnson, James Posey, Josh Smith, Diaw, and replaced Kittles and Barnes.

, David Lee, Mickey Moore.

In the matchup between the bench lineups, the Hawks focused on the pick-and-roll, using the mid-range shooting abilities of David Lee and Mickey Moore to create small-to-large opportunities for Paul.

If the Suns don't double-team, Paul will resolutely play small and big, which is Paul's specialty; if double-teamed, David Lee and Mickey Moore both have mid-range baskets, and these are two poisonous glasses of wine.

Looking back at the Suns, without Nash in the lineup, their offensive efficiency has dropped significantly.

The Eagles seized the opportunity and narrowed the point difference to only 1 point before the end of the first quarter. 42:41.

In the second quarter of the game, Ke Yan split the playing time of Paul and Joe Johnson, and the two took turns leading the substitute's defense to compete with the Suns.

However, D'Antoni anticipated Ke Yan's operation and replaced Marion in advance to dislocate Joe Johnson. This move worked wonders.

Joe Johnson has an obvious size advantage at the second position. Whether it is a pull-up jump shot after breaking through the frame or a turn-over jump shot after squeezing out the space with his back, he is very confident. Against most small forwards, he can also pass the ball after dribbling.

The rhythm changes to find the opportunity to take action.

His weakness lies in his slow speed and poor explosive power. It is difficult to completely shake off the opponent. Relatively speaking, the type of defender who is more intimidated is Prince and Marion. It is difficult to push away, but he can still be pushed away.

Interference with long arms.

Marion also has a greater advantage against Joe Johnson. The two are old teammates and know each other well. Marion is very good at catching Joe Johnson's fake moves and timing.

Once things went wrong on the offensive end and the players' mentality fluctuated, the Suns took advantage of the situation to launch a counterattack. Marion led the team to a 14:2 run, widening the point difference to 13 points, 46:33.

Ke Yan called a timeout, replaced Paul and Diaw, and echoed Joe Johnson, finally helping the team regain its offensive status.

But before the Hawks could launch a counterattack, the Suns replaced Nash in time. As if by magic, the rhythm was once again controlled by the Suns!

"Nash this year is even better than last season!" Ke Yan said to Snyder next to him.

"We have to slow down the pace, we can't keep following the Suns!" Snyder looked a little grim.

Everyone can see the crisis, but the problem is to be able to solve the crisis!

Faced with this situation, Ke Yan had no good solution.

There are too many young people in the team, and most of them are young people with potential. To polish these people well, you have to pay tuition.

Against weak teams or opponents of the same level, the Hawks can use games as a substitute for training, and win and train without fail; but facing a strong team like the Suns, the Hawks really lack the confidence and depth of the lineup.

At the end of the first half, the score was 75:59. The Suns led by 16 points at halftime and overwhelmed the Eagles offensively.

The half-time score of 75 points is also the highest half-time score so far this season! To put it bluntly, if the Spurs and Pistons collided, it is hard to say whether the full-time score could exceed 75 points!

At halftime, Ke Yan did not get angry, but reminded the players that it is important to maintain the desire for victory, but there is no need to rush it.

"Everyone did a good job in the first half. We faced last season's regular season championship team, and they also have the MVP. Chris, don't put too much pressure on us. We are still a long way from them.

distance, but I believe that we can reduce this distance, not necessarily in this game, but always shrinking!"

Keyan specifically named Paul because this disciple was so competitive that he would sometimes turn things against him, causing unnecessary pressure on his teammates.

"I said in front of reporters that our goal for this season is the playoffs. This is my true opinion. I hope you will not be overjoyed when you win and not be discouraged when you lose. Don't let it happen because of a period of exceptional performance.

And if you are complacent, don’t worry about some games that are beyond your capabilities. You are all young, and so am I. The future is ours!"

"What time is it? It's time hawks!" Before walking out of the locker room, Ke Yan stretched out his hand and shouted.

Other players quickly put their arms around each other and gathered together to shout slogans.

The halftime break ended quickly, and the two sides returned to the court for the second half of the game.

In the third quarter of the game, Ke Yan replaced James Posey with Kittles at the small forward position, which had a good effect.

Signing this veteran is not part of Ke Yan's plan, but we have to admit that the healthy mosquito shooter is an important substitute player for the team and can often play a vital role.

On the defensive end, Kittles can keep up with James Jones. Both of them are against poor three-point shooters. Kittles can't afford meat, and James Jones is a vegetarian.

In contrast, Kittles was more comprehensive, relying on screens to get rid of the ball. Kittles hit two life-saving three-pointers after the start of the third quarter, helping the Eagles narrow the point difference to 12 points.

The Eagles began to counterattack, and Nash switched to "offensive" mode to respond.

The Eagles' first reaction after defending the pick-and-roll was to cut off Nash's passing route. Nash did the opposite and frequently hit mid-range shots, helping the team contain the Eagles' counterattack.

After the game, Nash's adjustment was very important. It was in the middle of the third quarter that he scored 12 points on 6 of 7 shots. He suppressed the Hawks with extremely high efficiency and allowed the Suns to lead a 15-point victory.

The lead went into the fourth quarter.

After the start of the fourth quarter, Ke Yan let the starting lineup play tentatively for 3 minutes. He found that the team's morale gradually declined after the unsuccessful counterattack in the third quarter, and the players' physical condition also had problems due to the fatigue of traveling and traveling.

I decisively called a timeout and stopped doing useless work.

D'Antoni saw that Ke Yan had surrendered, and he also took off the starting players after one minute and accepted the victory with a smile.

After losing the game, the Hawks were not without bright spots. Facing Nash, Paul showed no signs of stage fright and scored explosive statistics of 31 points, 12 assists and 3 steals. Two of the steals were given to Nash, which compared to Nash's 23 points and 16 assists.

To gain the upper hand.

The team's substitute lineup also recovered some points for the team in the second half of the fourth quarter, and David Lee once again pushed his personal score to double digits.

Although he has some "brush" attributes and his statistics are better than his performance, as the No. 26 pick, he averaged 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, which is really impressive.

After suffering two consecutive defeats in the Western Conference, Ke Yan's mood was not affected and he publicly praised the team's performance in interviews.

"This is a very exciting game. My players, whether they are starters or substitutes, have been playing hard since they came on the court. At the last moment, we have been chasing points. I love playing against the Suns. Fans

I will also like it. So I look forward to our next encounter.”

D'Antoni was interviewed and was asked about the performance of Nash and Paul, and he praised Paul: "Since the end of the draft, I knew that Paul was the favorite player for this year's Rookie of the Year. Kimi has a very clear idea of ​​how to use point guards.

I know him. But I didn't expect Paul to be so good. In time, he should be the leader of point guards in the league."

The Western Conference trip ended with one win and two losses. This result was within Ke Yan's expectations. In the first ten games of the season, the record was 6 wins and 4 losses, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference. This result is also the best result for the Eagles in recent years.

Start.

In fact, the Hawks' schedule at the beginning of the season is not good. They have already beaten three strong teams: the Pistons, the Mavericks, and the Suns. If the schedule was a little easier, they might be able to win at least one more game.