The Godfather of Basketball

Dawson didn't expect Van Gundy's reaction to be so intense. He waved his hand and said with a smile: "Jeff, you know I didn't mean that. You and I have worked together in the Rockets for more than three years. You should understand that I just want to It’s just for you to take Don’s suggestion.”

Van Gundy couldn't listen to it at this time. He didn't know that if a head coach didn't have the command of offense and the power to arrange rotations, would he still be called a head coach? Rather an assistant coach.

Tang Tian is an assistant coach.

He has coached in the NBA for 17 years, and he has been a head coach for 11 years, and he has never encountered such a situation.

"I will submit my resignation to management tomorrow," Van Gundy continued.

Dawson's smile froze, this old Van Gundy is really too stubborn.

"Jeff, you don't have to do this, it's just a small thing." Dawson persuaded.

Van Gundy didn't speak, but judging from his expression, he was really angry at the moment.

"Jeff?"

Dawson saw that Van Gundy kept silent, and his face gradually pulled down.

Van Gundy is too disrespectful to him. He is also a veteran of the Rockets after all. If this makes him lower his posture, he will not be able to keep his face down.

"Well, if you insist," Dawson said finally.

Van Gundy was stunned for a moment. He originally hoped that Dawson could take back his previous words, but he didn't expect this sentence to be the last one he waited for.

Without saying anything, he got up from his seat and left the general manager's office.

"Damn it!" When Van Gundy left, Dawson punched the table angrily.

The old guy Van Gundy is really too stubborn.

The Rockets' opponent in the next game is the New Jersey Nets. Tang Tian and other assistant coaches are discussing the tactical ideas for the next game in the conference room.

Halfway through the discussion, Tang Tian noticed that Van Gundy hadn't come yet, so he asked Thibodeau, who also shook his head.

At this moment, the door of the conference room was pushed open, and a staff member came in and said directly, "Don, Carol is looking for you."

Tang Tian got up suspiciously, and followed this person to Dawson's office.

When he entered the office, he found Dawson with a solemn face, as if something important had happened.

"Mr. Dawson? Are you looking for me?" Tang Tian asked suspiciously.

"Yes, you sit first." Dawson signaled Tang Tian to sit down.

"It's like this. Jeff can't go to New Jersey with the team for the next game because of something, so you need to be the temporary head coach." Dawson rubbed his head and said.

Interim head coach?

Tang Tian looked puzzled, what happened to Van Gundy?

"It's just some personal matters. Jeff is fine." Seeing Tang Tian's doubts, Dawson continued.

Tang Tian nodded, but the doubts in his heart did not disappear.

Dawson wasn't in a good mood. After talking about this, he asked Tang Tian to go back and prepare for the game.

When Tang Tian was about to reach the door, Dawson suddenly called him again.

"Prepare well."

This extra exhortation made Tang Tian always feel that things were not that simple.

But Dawson didn't say anything, and he didn't know the need, so he nodded and left the general manager's office.

On the way back to the conference room, Tang Tian's mind turned rapidly.

Regardless of what happened, isn't Van Gundy's absence just an opportunity for him?

The opponents in the next game, the Nets, are strong. If they can win with the new rotation, Van Gundy will definitely accept it when he comes back.

Thinking of this, Tang Tian's face showed a burst of joy.

Back in the conference room, after talking about Van Gundy's impromptu affairs, he then turned over all the tactics he had arranged before, and directly came up with a new set of tactics based on the new rotation.

Thibodeau and other assistant coaches have no intention of objecting. In fact, losing not only makes the team turbulent, but also puts the coaching staff under pressure. At this time, some changes are indeed needed.

After the tactics of the coaching staff were arranged, Tang Tian called Novak and Spanoulis to the office alone for a chat.

The two began to look puzzled. Spanoulis even thought he was going to be traded, but after hearing that they would get playing time in the next game, they were very emotional and looked eager to try.

Seeing the reactions of the two, Tang Tian smiled and nodded.

After holding back for so long, I believe these two people will have a good performance in the next game.

He then found veteran Juwan Howard.

Howard is an All-Star veteran. In fact, his salary this season is also ranked third in the Rockets.

Originally thought it would take some time to persuade him, but to Tang Tian's surprise, after hearing that he was going to be put on the bench, Second Uncle Huo nodded without saying a word.

It can be seen that the veteran is probably not feeling well after being beaten up one after another.

Things went better than expected. When the training was over and everything was ready, Tang Tian took the Rockets on the plane to New Jersey.

In the summer of 2004, there were two big deals that shocked the league. One was McGrady leaving Orlando and switching to the Houston Rockets, and the other was Carter's transfer from Toronto to the New Jersey Nets.

Carter, together with the original Kidd and Richard Jefferson, formed the well-known "New Jersey Trident" in the league. Last season's record ranked third in the East, and its strength is strong.

It is obviously not a sensible thing to test a new rotation lineup in front of such an opponent, but Van Gundy may return to the team after the next game, Tang Tian has no choice.

The team arrived at the Newark Airport in New Jersey.

The next day, Tang Tian organized the team training early in the morning.

The content of the training is naturally related to the new rotation.

Tang Tian didn't say it directly, but after a training session, the team members could vaguely feel it.

Most people's faces are filled with excitement.

Not only Novak and Spanoulis, who knew they would play in the next game, but also other players. After all, this sent a signal of change, and even Spanoulis and Novak at the end of the bench got a chance , they are not impossible.

The morale of the team has improved significantly compared to before.

That night, all the Rockets played and challenged the home team, the New Jersey Nets, at the Continental Arena.