Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

Chapter 185 The season ends and the contract is renewed for one year!The largest coaching contract in history!Craziest free market ever?
At the press conference, Lu Yong said in an interview: "I am proud of the Sonics players. They defeated the powerful Spurs with their tenacity. Even though Carlos was accidentally injured, everyone still advanced to the Western Conference finals. This is a round Fantastic matchup series."

The head star Durant said with a smile: "Lu Shuai is the backbone of the team. As long as he is there, everyone has the confidence to defeat all powerful enemies."

Boozer's injury has had some impact on the Sonics. The good news is that Boozer is expected to return in the Western Conference finals and will only miss the first two games of the series at most. This will undoubtedly give Seattle fans a shot of reassurance.

In another set of duels, the Lakers easily defeated the Suns 4-0, swept all the first two rounds of the playoffs and advanced, with a fierce momentum.

"Brazilian Lightning" Barbosa's injury seriously weakened the offensive firepower of the Suns. They were vulnerable to this powerful Lakers team, and even avoiding being swept became a luxury.

In the G4 battle, the Suns fought back under the leadership of Nash and Stoudemire, entering the final quarter with an 11-point lead.

Regrettably, Kobe scored 14 points in the last quarter to take away the game. The second leader Paul Gasol also suppressed the "little bully". He scored 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in a single quarter. reversal.

Sun star Steve Nash tried his best, averaging 16 points, 3 rebounds and 11 assists in the series.It's a pity that the Suns lost in the face of absolute strength, and it is destined to be difficult to get rid of the hat of accompanying runner in the playoffs.

Before the start of the Western Conference Finals, the outside media started to predict the outcome. More fans were optimistic about the Lakers’ promotion. The reason was that the “Martial Saint” Jackson had no hope of making a comeback. Power forward Boozer would also miss the first two games. The Lakers have little chance of winning. Even if the lineup is complete, there is at most a [-]% chance of winning, not to mention that there is still a shortage of major generals.

The loss of many core players during the offseason is only one of the reasons for the decline of the Sonics. The biggest impact is that other teams in the league have become stronger. In addition, after winning the championship, the mentality of the players is no longer as desperate as last season. It is the main reason for the decline of the supersonic state.

Compared with the successful Lakers who have been lurking for many years, the Sonics' fighting spirit is obviously weaker. In this round of high-profile Western Conference Finals, the Lakers naturally have the upper hand.

This is indeed the case. On the 20th, the first game of the Supersonics VS Lakers started at the Staples Arena.

Facing the defensive giant Artest, Durant's offensive efficiency in G1 dropped sharply. He played 37 minutes and made 21 of 8 shots, 5 of 1 three-pointers, and 6 of 6 free throws. rate was only 23%.

Durant's poor performance also affected the Sonics' role players. Only 3 of the team scored in double figures, 85 to 102, and lost the away game.

At the press conference, coach Lu Yong boosted morale with a smile on his face. "The Lakers are very strong and are recognized as the favorites to win the championship this year. However, losing the first game means nothing. The Sonics will adjust their offensive state in the next game and will not allow them to return to Seattle with a 0-2 disadvantage."

In the second game, Durant really recovered his form and carried the team's offensive banner. He made 23 of 12 shots, 8 of 4 three-pointers, 6 of 5 free throws, and scored a game-high 33 points and 7 rebounds. With 4 assists and 2 steals, the Sonics beat the Lakers 108-99, rewriting the big score to 1-1.

The biggest weakness of the Lakers is that there are too few players who can score on the bench. Once the starting lineup fails to gain an advantage, the game will enter a situation that is beneficial to the Sonics.

Durant's strong rebound prevented the Lakers from taking advantage of the starting five. The explosion of Neal and Gerald Green became the last straw that broke the camel's camel during the substitute contest, and they won G2 without any risk. .

Kobe also scored 28 points this time, but his performance was not as good as Durant.

After the game, Kobe's eyes were very firm in the interview. This is the closest he has been to the championship since leaving O'Neal. He has been waiting for this day for a long time.

Returning to the home court in the third game, Carlos Boozer made a quick comeback to solve the urgent need of the Sonics, and the matchup with Pau Gasol finally found a balance.

In the first quarter, Durant and Kobe started a passionate confrontation. The two scored in double figures in a single quarter, and all other players played supporting roles. The game was tied 29-29.

In the second quarter, Gasol Jr. played the role of an organizational center. Dragic, Neil, Gerald Green and others relied on screens to move without the ball, and looked for opportunities from the outside to shoot three-pointers.

Kobe returned to the court after only taking a break of more than a minute. His physical strength and will were amazing. No wonder he was called Iron Man by the fans.

Relying on Kobe's continuous firepower output, the Lakers have always clung to the score. Even though Gary Neal scored 22 points in three quarters, the point difference still did not widen.

In the final quarter, the Lakers' main players had physical problems. Artest's defense became slow, and Durant teamed up with Neal to play a wave of climax, which established a double-digit lead.

At the end, 106 to 97, the Sonics returned to the home court to beat the Lakers again, and the big score was rewritten to 2 to 1.

Boozer played with injuries and encouraged the young players of the Sonics. Although he only scored 12 points and 7 rebounds, he was a threat as long as he stood on the court, and his comeback was of great significance.

After the game, the media unanimously believed that Durant's current strength is not inferior to Kobe's. The duel between the two superstars is fascinating, and the visual effects are directly full.

Falling behind by a big score, the Lakers showed their determination to fight to the death in the Western Conference Finals G4. Both offensive and defensive ends began to fight their lives, and the sense of oppression brought to the Supersonics increased again.

Kobe played mediocre this time. He only hit 27 goals in 11 shots, scored 29 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. However, he frequently made game-killing mid-range shots at the critical moment of the final quarter, and teamed up with the second master Paul Gasol to conquer Seattle , Rewriting the big score to 2 to 2.

Durant only scored 21 points under Artest's key care, and his shooting percentage was less than 40%. The resistance encountered in this round of the series far exceeded the previous two rounds.

Boozer's return from injury failed to reach the best state, scoring less than 15 points in two consecutive games. Facing this galaxy-like Lakers, the Sonics did not have a crushing advantage.

第五战回到洛杉矶，科比再度打出绝佳表现，全场狂砍42分7篮板3助攻2抢断，率领球队98比90获胜，大比分3比2取得赛点。

Durant Tianwangshan also performed well, scoring 36 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, but the shooters on the Supersonics bench were unexpectedly misfired. They made 14 of 2 three-pointers and failed to seize the opportunity.

After the game, Lu Yong encouraged the players at the press conference without blaming them.

It is surprising that this group of young people who have just entered the league can play this kind of performance. The strength of the Lakers this season is already higher than that of the Sonics. Four of the starting five have been selected as All-Stars, and there are no obvious flaws in each position.

The Western Conference Finals can push the Lakers to this point. After all, the Lakers swept the first two rounds of the series and had never lost before facing the Sonics.

In the life-and-death battle, the Sonics returned to the home court to fight hard, and the fight between the two teams was particularly fierce.

Boozer suffered injuries to his left shoulder and ankle, but he fought with the injury and fought Pau Gasol to the end.

On the one hand, the Lakers walked into the arena with the determination to win. Kobe's right wrist was swollen to the size of an egg and he still didn't dare to rest.

At this point in the series, the fight is not only about strength, but also spirit and will.

Durant's scoring ability is not inferior to Kobe's. Lu Bravely patted his chest and said that Adu is better than Kobe in singles, but in terms of mental attributes, there are not many stars who can match Kobe in history.

At the beginning of the first quarter, both sides paid attention to defense. Even the Sonics, which always rely on offense to win, strengthened their physical confrontation, unwilling to lose the wind.

Durant played well in one-on-one singles against Artest. He scored a three-pointer and a mid-range shot as soon as he came up. He scored 5 points in a row in the opening game, and his efficiency was much better than the previous games.

However, the rookies Beverly and Budinger were invisible this time. It was the first time they experienced such a big scene. The huge pressure caused the two to play abnormally, and they hardly made much contribution in the first three quarters.

Neal, the sixth man on the bench, continued to show off, making 7 of 5 three-pointers and scoring 18 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in the three quarters, which ensured that the team did not lose the score by the Lakers.

If it weren't for Neil's outstanding performance, the Supersonics would have been defeated in three quarters.

In the final quarter, Kobe was double-teamed and did not choose to play hard. He sent consecutive wonderful passes to assist Pau Gasol to score. After all, they are two MVP-level players. They teamed up to play a wave of 11 to 4, helping the Lakers establish a weak lead.

In the last 2 minutes, Durant, Budinger and Neil made a large number of three-pointers. With the shooting, the Sonics lost the game 95 to 102 and stopped the Western Conference Finals with a big score of 2 to 4.

The Lakers return to the Finals after many years and will challenge the Celtics who defeated the Magic 4-1.

Being blocked out of the finals, Lu Yong did not feel frustrated, and even felt that the players' performance was already very good.

At the press conference, he said with a smile on his face: "I am very satisfied with the performance of the players. The Sonics' ability to make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals has proved their strength. It's just that the team's luck this season is not good. It’s not neat enough, otherwise the championship must belong to the Sonics.”

The reporter asked: "This year is the last year of your three-year contract. Will you choose to leave the Supersonics in the summer, or discuss with the team to renew your contract?"

"Maybe I will choose to sign a short contract with the Sonics. You know, man, if I leave after a failed season, I will not be reconciled." Lu Yong said.

Regarding the issue of going to stay this summer, he thought about it a long time ago. No matter whether the Supersonics win the championship this year, he will choose to stay in the Supersonics, but the new contract will definitely be a one-year short contract.

Next summer, the Supersonics will face even more troublesome contract extensions than last season. At that time, the contracts of many main players, including Durant and Noah, will expire. This is a very troublesome thing. Before, he could only choose to wait and see.

The city of Seattle is considered a big city in the United States, but the main sources of economic growth in Seattle are tourism, computer and aerospace engineering, and sports do not account for a large proportion. Otherwise, Bennett would not have moved the team to his own. My hometown is Oklahoma City.

The so-called wanting to bring an NBA team to his hometown is just an excuse. If the Sonics settled in Los Angeles or New York, Bennett would not move to Oklahoma even if someone held a gun to his head. In the final analysis, it is still a question of income. , It's just that people are more willing to believe in beautiful fairy tales.

If there is an opportunity to embrace a bigger market in the future, Lu Yong will not refuse, but he will definitely stay in Seattle next season, vowing to bring the SuperSonics the second championship of his coaching career, even if he leaves, he can give Seattle fans An explanation.

The Supersonic’s defeat in this year’s championship just gave him an excuse to stay. Wearing the cloak of “savior” on his body, his salary and word-of-mouth will go straight to the sky. More people recognized.

The reporter asked again: "The two teams that met in the finals this year are the old rivals the Lakers and the Celtics. Which team do you prefer to win?"

Lu Yong said with a smile: "I am optimistic about the Lakers, because they are the team that defeated the Sonics, and they deserve to win the cup."

The Big Three of the Celtics are very strong, but they are not easy to play against the Lakers. The head coaches of the two teams are well-known "forced kings". It is difficult to play tricks in terms of tactics.

Throughout the entire league, only the Lakers have two regular season MVP winners. The Lakers may not have the most stars, but they are the strongest.Even the Big Three of the Celtics can't take advantage of it. Artest alone is enough for Pierce. Lu Yong doesn't think he can play better than Durant.

The Supersonics had a 4% chance of winning against the Celtics in the finals, but they were eliminated 2-[-] against the Lakers. Lu Yong believes that the end of the Celtics is similar, and it will be considered as a tiebreaker. Super performance, it is not easy to win.

After the press conference, general manager Sam Presti called Lu Yong to comfort him not to be depressed, and hoped that the two could cooperate again next year.

Presti is the person who most wants Lu Yong to stay in the Sonics, even more firm than the boss Bennett.

With Lu Yong around, he basically doesn't need to worry about the team's signings. As long as he completes what Lu Yong ordered, fame and money will be earned lying down. Such a good thing is hard to find with a lantern. Naturally, he doesn't want Lu Yong to leave .

Of course Lu Yong will not leave. During the offseason, the Sonics can free up six places to sign free agents. After the defending defeat, the boss Bennett will definitely be willing to spend money, even if he pays the luxury tax.

The Supersonics’ strength next season will be greatly improved. After all, there are many stars in the free market this year. In Lu Yong’s previous life, this year was even called the “craziest free market” in the NBA in the past 35 years. It's a blood profit, even if you are ruthless and make up a set of All-Star starters, you still have a chance.

With such good conditions in front of him, it would be foolish for Lu Yong to leave at this time. He has only one goal for next year, the championship!
On the second day, everyone at the Supersonics got together for a meal, and then everyone went back to enjoy the holiday.

Lu Yong stayed in Seattle and signed a new contract extension with general manager Sam Presti, and finally finalized a one-year, $1 million coaching contract, the largest in history.

Originally, the largest coaching contract in history was Lakers coach Phil Jackson’s annual salary of 800 million. In order to express his sincerity, the SuperSonic management did not hesitate to send him a salary of 805 million, which was more than double the previous season. .

The news that Lu Yong renewed his contract with the Sonics for 805 million yuan a year quickly spread throughout the league, and the popularity rushed to the top of the list for a while, and even the popularity of the finals was suppressed.

As the person involved, Lu Yong was not complacent, but quickly invested in the summer signings, and began to investigate this year's list of free agents and potential partners in the trading market.

Lu Yong didn't watch the finals, but the result was as he expected. The Lakers defeated the Celtics with a more tenacious will and strength, and won the championship trophy in the 4-2 season with a big score of 09 to 10.

With tears in his eyes, Kobe won the first FMVP trophy of his career. In the finals, he averaged 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

Pau Gasol's performance is not bad, averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks per game, shooting 47.8% from the field, winning the cup again after three years.

Lu Yong edited a text message to send blessings to Gasol, but he is not worried about the strong rise of the Lakers. Next season, the Sonics will get back their profits.

(End of this chapter)