NBA: This Center Is So Stable

The first time, the second time.

Chapter 166 Shoes Release

After defeating the Pistons, the Knicks continued to play 4 games in February, with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss.

The game they lost was in San Antonio. The Spurs, who had found their form, still played the strength of defending the title under Popovich’s training.

The Spurs were not careless in this matchup. Even though the opponent’s main backcourt was absent, Popovich did not blindly implement his substitution strategy.

In the fourth quarter, after the score between the two teams was a certain distance, D’Antoni simply replaced the full substitute lineup.

Nash and Houston got enough rest in the late February.

For a team that has long been ranked first in the East, the players will inevitably have psychological pressure.

Young players recover faster and have strong adaptability. Good results will only become their fuel. This can be seen from the performance of Prince and Wang Song. In the absence of the two backcourt teammates at the end of February, the two averaged 35 points and 20 points respectively.

If it were not for Wang Song’s team, Prince had no doubt that he would be able to win the honor of the best player of the month for the first time in his life after the transfer.

In addition to training newcomers, D’Antoni’s arrangement greatly alleviated the physical problems of the two veterans of the team and adjusted their mentality.

This was well reflected in March.

In the first half of March, the Knicks did not implement the rest strategy. The main players worked together for more than half a month. In a total of 6 games, they won six consecutive victories without suspense.

Among them, there are some powerful teams in the East and West.

Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks…

Especially when facing the old team, Prince used all his strength to show his respect for the old team.

With the cooperation of his teammates, he scored 28 points and 7 rebounds, ranking first in the game. This made Larry Brown and Joe Dumars’ faces turn blue in the post-match interview.

Joe Dumars even blurted out the word “fraud” in front of the camera!

As for Larry Brown, he seemed much calmer than Joe Dumars: “You can’t allow the players who leave to eat dumplings occasionally. This deal will never lose money for Detroit.”

In late March.

D’Antoni began to rest the two veterans as usual to prepare for the playoffs.

At this time, the Knicks’ record was 55 wins and 6 losses!

Judging from the record alone, the Knicks will be firmly in the top two in the East even if they don’t play any of the games in the future.

55 wins, if it is placed in the West, this record is not enough to rest assured, but since the 01-02 season, the weak East has begun to show. Except for the Pacers, there is indeed no team that can eat the tail gas of the Knicks.

Apart from the Indiana Pacers with 50 wins, the Nets with only 35 wins ranked third in the East. The Nets, who changed their coach in the middle of the season, have been advancing all the way and surpassed the Pistons.

So D’Antoni took drastic measures and began to take turns to rest every half a month despite the league’s fine. Basically, all the five starting players can take turns, and sometimes they even take two consecutive rests.

In addition to Wang Song’s attendance and occasional shortened playing time, even the new player Prince has enjoyed several retirement-level treatments.

As for why Wang Song has always been fully present, the reason is also very simple. When the schedule has passed 60 games, this guy’s average of 32.8 points, 15.9 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game has helped him lock in the position of best rookie, block king and rebounding king in advance.

In order not to lose the chain during the selection, he still maintained full attendance. In addition, the most important thing is that the Knicks coaching staff found that the Knicks cannot do without him.

However, for the young Wang Song, this level is not as good as the Cavaliers’ No. 1 pick who is struggling on the edge of the playoffs next door. James, who averages 42 minutes per game, is still struggling to persist. Wang Song has no reason to see the regular season, which is like a training game every day, as bitter and resentful.

After another wave of winning streak at the end of the month, he returned to New York.

Anta sent a message that the research and development design of the sneakers was officially completed and has entered the advertising shooting stage.

Zhao An, the overseas director of Anta, made an appointment with Wang Song to visit David Falk’s office to discuss the shooting details in detail.

“Wang, Mr. Ding said that it’s a good thing that you signed this shoe, otherwise according to our progress, the sneaker market would have been eaten up by this round of rookies!”

“Brother Zhao is joking!”

Wang Song responded with a smile.

What Zhao An said is indeed reasonable. In his pair of shoes

Before the release, the shoes signed by LBJ and Nike had been released for several rounds.

However, Anta was still a novice in the development of basketball shoes, and Wang Song had considered this before signing the contract.

Zhao An did not show any uneasiness, but instead carefully sipped the tea in Falk’s office.

The current situation in the sneaker market is indeed seized by those big brands, but Anta has a unique advantage – their spokesperson.

Even if Wang Song wears Anta’s endorsed shoes to compete now, and directly steps on the shoes to burst or de-glue, Anta’s reputation will sweep across the United States overnight.

Moreover, as a domestic brand, even if companies such as Nike, Converse, and Adidas really divide up the American market, Anta can still focus on the domestic market. The domestic basketball shoe market is still a naked blue ocean!

Even Li Ning has not yet completed the layout!

The most important thing is the popularity of the players. Nike signed James with a rookie contract worth nearly 100 million yuan, which is enough to prove how vast the current basketball shoe market is.

“By the way, Xiao Wang, do you have any celebrities or big names here? When the time comes, let’s see if we can negotiate and ask them to help with the promotion of the shoes. Needless to say, Mr. Ding has already said that your friends are our friends!”

There are two reasons why Zhao An threw out this olive branch.

One is that Anta has not really taken root in the United States, and few big figures in the upper circle know it; another reason is to do a favor. Anyway, it has to be promoted. If Wang Song can find local stars or other big names in the United States to help promote it, it can not only spend the advertising money effectively but also give Wang Song some face, which is the best of both worlds.

Falk, an old fox in the business world, could not fail to see Zhao An’s intention. He responded without waiting for Wang Song to reply: “Of course, Mr. Zhao, Wang may not be very reliable in other aspects, but this network is very wide!”

After that, Falk winked at Wang Song.

Wang Song extended his hand in confusion.

Speaking of socializing in the United States, he has been busy playing basketball and has not had much socializing. Everyone around him is very friendly to him, including Jordan, who lost to him by 4 million yuan.

But if he really wants to promote another brand, NBA players may have some difficulties… Thinking of this, Wang Song suddenly remembered the person Falk mentioned in his ear when he endorsed Coca-Cola last time.

(End of this chapter)