The rest is just noise

If the atmosphere was a bit relaxed during the team draft, when the competition started, the atmosphere in the Blue Palace was completely different.

After only a minute, the two rookies who had just joined the team, Lionel Simmons and Elton Campbell, were shocked by the antagonism that they called teammates but actually enemies.

At the beginning, Ewing had harsh words with his teammates in the Jamaican team: "I don't want to lose no matter what the hell!"

Wilson did not have as intense emotions as Ewing, but his words were still tough.

"It just so happens that I don't want to lose on the first day of training camp."

Then, the game started with Rodman's tip-in being brutally knocked down by Ewing, and there was a lot of physical contact.

Doug Mo is famous for training to herd sheep. Seeing such a competition, he couldn't sit still and ran directly to Louis and said: "Is this how you train?"

Louis had no intention of going to Versailles, but he was forced to go to Versailles: "It's not like this every day, but it does happen that matches end up like this."

"Now I know why you were able to kill those butchers in Boston in 1988!" Lao Mo seemed to have discovered some secret.

But Louis' mood was not easy.

In addition to the intensity of the two sides, there is also the opposition between the core players.

It's that feeling of being clearly divided into two factions.

This has never happened before.

This summer, Wilson's big contract made Ewing's team anxious. After David Falk's offer to re-sign was rejected by Louis, he did not give up.

As long as Louis does not agree, Ewing cannot re-sign the contract, so they no longer try to persuade Louis, but compete with Wilson through various channels.

The unscrupulous media, led by The Times, began to frequently name Ewing and Wilson and ask, "Who is better? Who is stronger?"

Ewing hinted in an interview that Wilson would not have won as many individual honors if he had not been injured last season.

Wilson has been avoiding talking about issues related to Ewing, but the team behind him will not stand at attention and take a beating.

They took advantage of Wilson's business value and popularity to expand.

Ewing becoming a spokesperson for Pepsi was his biggest personal achievement this summer, but after Ewing signed with Pepsi, Wilson's team was exposed to the outside world.

They said Pepsi first approached Wilson, but he refused because Louis didn't like Pepsi.

This tone, which implies that Ewing is eating leftovers, will certainly cause dissatisfaction in the Ewing camp.

The two sides have been fighting over this for a whole summer, which is more exciting than the stars of several other high-traffic teams clamoring to change teams.

After Ewing knocked Rodman down, the intensity of the game escalated.

Rodman was Wilson's best friend. He would stab him when he came up, and he would beat a dog without looking at the owner's face.

Sure enough, after Ewing attacked Rodman, Kemp of the Jamaican team was also attacked.

Kemp dribbles the ball at the bottom line. Through last season's training and the special training in Georgetown in the summer, his body shape has been very beautiful, but he still needs to further strengthen his small muscle groups.

Rodman, who usually talked and laughed with him, violently fouled him unceremoniously.

Kemp felt like someone had punched him down.

He sat on the ground and said in confusion: "We are not fighting!"

Before Rodman could speak, Ewing shut him up with a cold word: "You're not a rookie, don't say such stupid things!"

The intensity escalates, and both sides treat each other as enemies.

The 10-minute half-court game was like Game 7 of the Finals.

Lao Mo couldn't stand it anymore: "How can this intensity be what an intra-team competition should have?"

Louis raised his hand to signal him not to say more.

Ewing showed in this game the improvements he made over the summer.

That is offensive ability.

According to Kemp, he had Mutombo as his sparring partner throughout the summer.

Before today, Louis only knew four moves in Ewing's ball-handling offense.

Relying on turning over and jumping into a rabbit jump shot, taking three steps to the line after confrontation and then jumping back, a formulaic low post attack is combined with a rabbit jump shot, and the low position catches the ball while facing the basket and steps back to do a rabbit jump shot.

As you can see, it's all rabbit jumping shots.

This is also his best offensive method. As for other methods, such as hooks, throws, and various layups under the basket, he knows them all and can use them all, but none of them are as stable as the bunny hop.

But shooting is the most unstable offensive skill inside.

At the critical moment of life and death, no matter how accurate the shot is, the insider will rush to the basket as long as he can hit it.

What Ewing improved was the details on the offensive end.

His hook shots found rebounds, and he developed accurate hook shots with both hands. He could do small hooks near the basket and big hooks from far away. On the right wing, perhaps the defensive pressure from the Big Shoulder team's inside line was too little.

In a one-on-one situation, Ewing's hook is completely useless.

"Is this the Defensive Player of the Year?" Ewing mocked after beating Rodman, "Dennis, have you forgotten who the real DPOY is?"

Wilson immediately took over a large number of offenses and used pull-up jumpers to defeat the Jamaican team.

In this high-intensity game full of confrontation, with only four or five fouls called, Miller's three-pointer ended the suspense.

39 to 35

The Jamaican team won, Ewing scored 22 points and 17 rebounds.

The person who sealed the victory was Miller, but the foundation of the Jamaican team was Ewing.

On the Giant Shoulders team, no insider can match him.

After winning the game, Ewing was equally unforgiving. He mocked Wilson: "Ben, I don't think you deserve the league's top salary."

"Why are you so arrogant?" Rodman said angrily, "Go ahead and beat up Ralph if you can!"

"that is!"

McHale answered wisely.

"You'll be so damn proud of me if you beat up an old man who has half a leg and is retired!"

McHale had already seen that something was wrong in the atmosphere, and it was up to him to catch Rodman's words to prevent Wilson from responding personally and causing a mess.

"Humph, who is Ralph? Wait until the new season starts and you will see how I defeat him!"

"Bah bang bang!" Louis clapped his hands and came over, "You are worthy of being the spokesperson of Pepsi. Look what you can do."

Ewing could tell that Louis was dissatisfied with his high-profile move.

"Even if you say that, my opinion will not change." Ewing said solemnly, "That's what I think."

"Okay! When we play against the Celtics in the new season, you will be one-on-one with him. I want to see how you can defeat Ralph!"

Tomjanovich asked: "What's the punishment for losing a rivalry match?"

Louis gave the decision to Ewing: "Let the winner decide."

"How embarrassing is that?" Ewing said with a fake smile, "If the punishment is too severe, some people will think that I am avenging my personal revenge. If the punishment is too light, I will not be sorry for my comrades who worked hard to win this game.

.”

"You're pretending to be your dad, just do it better!"

Ever since Ewing endorsed Pepsi, Louis has become more and more displeased with this guy.

Wilson knew that he didn't like Pepsi, so he rejected it directly. This guy is so good, he doesn't consider the impact and doesn't care about the feelings of his coach's father?

Ewing took a look around the Blue Palace and said, "I won't embarrass you, just run around this place 30 times."

"30 laps?!" McHale yelled, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Look!" Ewing turned to Louis, "I told you, if you ask me to develop a punishment program, they will do this."

"Kevin can run as many laps as he can. If he can't finish it, I will help him finish it."

Wilson said.

"Benj, don't be like this, let me talk some sense to that bastard." McHale didn't want to run so many laps, nor did he want others to run for him.

Wilson stopped him: "No, this is good. If we find it painful to run laps, we must motivate ourselves while suffering and win the competition next time."

After saying that, Wilson looked at Ewing, his smile had long since disappeared, leaving only oppositional emotions: "Then it will be your turn to run away."

The Big Shoulders team started running circles.

Years of vegetarianism have made McHale's physical condition very poor.

After that fierce competition, he was so tired that he still had to run laps. He only lasted 8 laps and then started walking.

"Walking doesn't count!"

Ewing has no idea of ​​respecting the old and caring for the young.

"Patrick, are you serious?"

"When have I not been serious?"

"You damn bastard, remember this!"

McHale persisted for another 8 laps, but finally couldn't run anymore.

This also means that Wilson needs to help him complete the remaining 14 laps.

Louis returned to the office silently. He saw the confrontation between Ewing and Wilson, and also noticed that the players spontaneously took sides. People like McHale who could tolerate both sides were destined to be in the minority.

Resolving conflicts? Louis never thought about it.

Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes. Once interests are involved, can conflicts be resolved? Whoever occupies more will be jealous and dissatisfied if he occupies less. If he wants to vomit out the excess, will he be willing?

The rivalry between Ewing and Wilson has been around for a long time, and this year is just the beginning of its explosion.

What Louis is thinking about now is how to use their antagonism to benefit the Knicks.

Contradictions can also be exploited, as long as the method is appropriate.