NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

In early October, the NBA preseason training camp officially ended, and all teams went on holiday.

Of course, this holiday is very short, generally only 3-4 days, just enough to relax a little.

Then the players will regroup to prepare for the preseason games of the new season!
As before, each team will play 6-8 games, mainly against the teams closest to them, to warm up and also to show the fans how the players are doing after the offseason!

In a sense, the Bobcats were definitely one of the most watched teams during the entire preseason because of their dramatic changes. Looking across the entire league, no other team had undergone such significant changes and personnel turnover.

Goodness, it really was a complete overhaul from top to bottom, almost the entire place was changed.

The Bobcats will play a total of 8 preseason games against the Hawks, Wizards, 76ers and Pacers, with each team playing two games at home and two away!

The distribution of this schedule is quite good. Two of the four teams are bottom-tier teams that are guaranteed to be lottery picks. The Pacers are still on the edge of the playoffs, and they are just average teams, on par with last season's Bobcats. Only the Hawks can be considered strong teams.

The Bobcats' first preseason opponent is the 76ers, a top underdog team that has been consistently in the lottery since Allen Iverson left!
The 76ers are currently in dire need of rebuilding. They started from scratch after trading away Iverson, but have yet to succeed in rebuilding.

Although the team has strong players like Brand, Iguodala, Korver, and Dalembert, they also selected a top rookie this year with the second overall pick, Evan Turner, who is highly regarded by the team and is expected to shoulder the responsibility of the team's resurgence.

Now, the 76ers are just waiting to see how capable Turner really is and whether he can lead them out of this slump.

Of course, for the Bobcats, how the 76ers plan to rebuild and how much hope they have for Turner are irrelevant and not their concern.

For the Bobcats, the important thing is to start the preseason with such a weak opponent, to boost the players' confidence and form, and to give the team a winning start. This is definitely a very good opponent.

Lin Tian was confident that he could completely destroy this dilapidated 76ers team, help his players regain their rhythm and confidence, and also deliver a heavy blow to the league.

Charlotte Spectrum Center, perhaps because of Lin Tian's arrival, perhaps because of Lin Tian's outstanding performance in the summer, or perhaps because of Lin Tian's remarks at the media day that rekindled the fans' confidence.

In short, for a simple preseason game, the Spectrum Center was packed to capacity, with tickets in high demand!
It's worth noting that the Bobcats have been so bad these past two years that their attendance has become a major problem. Their attendance has consistently ranked near the bottom of the league, and for two years they were at the very bottom.

It was only after Rose arrived and Larry Brown left that the team's ticket sales improved slightly, but only slightly, improving from the bottom three to the lower middle of the league.

But tonight, the place was packed!
Not only tonight, but tickets for the next three preseason games are also sold out, and season ticket sales this year are much better than in previous years.

At least in terms of box office revenue, the Bobcats have shown signs of a comeback.

But of course, whether it's a resurrection or just a last gasp depends on whether Lin Tian has any real talent to offer and how well his team performs under his command.

Soon, the players from both sides took to the field, ready to start the first game of the new season.

The Bobcats did not change their previously established starting lineup, bringing on Yao Ming, Carlos Boozer, Gordon Hayward, DeMar DeRozan, and Derrick Rose.

For the 76ers, the starting lineup consisted of Dalembert, Brand, Iguodala, Turner, and Holiday.

Just by looking at the name, this lineup is quite intimidating.

Dalembert is an excellent role player, Brand was an MVP-caliber player during his time with the Clippers, Iguodala is one of the best all-around forwards of the new generation, and Turner and Holiday are also promising young talents.

Unfortunately, these five players are now either too old, too young, or too fragile. At least the Philadelphia 76ers themselves don't really think they can make the playoffs this year.

They just hope the team won't be so bad, and that it can improve even a little bit, and they'll be satisfied!

"Dudu!"

As the referee blew the whistle, Yao Ming and Dalembert jumped at the same time. Yao Ming passed the ball to Rose, and the Bobcats went on offense.

Lin Tian was sitting quite relaxed in his chair, wearing the same high-end suit he wore in "Mr. L". Although he was called a coach, Lin Tian looked more like a model or actor at this moment.

Everything that needed to be arranged has been arranged. In the first few minutes of the game, we need to see what kind of performance the players can deliver. Now is not the time for Lin Tian to shine or steal the spotlight.

"It's starting! We've finally got the Bobcats' first game!" Miller, representing ESPN, exclaimed excitedly. "Let's see what kind of game this highly anticipated and much-watched team can deliver tonight!"

"It's clear that the Bobcats players haven't slacked off this summer. They've definitely been spending all their time with basketball. Based on that alone, I believe they'll achieve something this year!"

“That’s right!” Miller’s new commentary partner Jackson said, “Especially Yao, in last season and the seasons before that, his weight was around 145 kilograms, which is almost second only to Shaq’s weight in the league.”

"But judging from the photos from the media day and the visual effects of today's event, this guy has lost at least 20 kilograms this summer!"

"To be precise, it's 17 kilograms." Miller waved a piece of paper in his hand and said, "We have the data. Yao Ming's registered weight this season is only 127 kilograms, which is a full 17 kilograms less than his peak weight!"

"I know why he lost weight: the pace of the league is getting faster and faster, there are fewer and fewer heavyweight big men, he himself is getting older and has more and more injuries. These are all reasons, but what matters is not the reasons, but the results. Let's see what kind of performance Yao Ming will show us after losing a lot of weight!"

After Rose dribbled the ball up the court, the Bobcats quickly set up their positions.

After losing weight, Yao Ming, who was particularly eye-catching, immediately came to the paint to position himself and ask for the ball. However, Rose did not pass the ball to Yao Ming, nor did he initiate a pick-and-roll. Instead, he passed the ball to DeRozan.

After DeRozan received the ball, he immediately accelerated to the mid-range area and then passed it to Hayward, who was cutting from the other side. Hayward dribbled once and successfully attracted Dalembert's defensive attention. He then passed the ball directly to the left corner, where Yao Ming received the ball outside the three-point line!
He pulled out beyond the three-point line.

This cut to the outside caught everyone off guard. Dalembert even hesitated for a moment, as if he was trying to determine whether the person in front of him was actually his matchup and whether he should be the one to defend him.

With that one moment of hesitation, Yao Ming had already taken an open three-pointer.

The basketball traced a beautiful arc, then with a 'bang,' it missed the rim!

Although the shot didn't go in, Jackson and Miller's eyes were wide open.

"Just kidding."

The two spoke almost in unison.

They were both seasoned basketball players who had played for half their lives. Although Yao Ming missed the shot, his hand shape, his decisive body language when releasing the ball, and his confident follow-up motion after the shot convinced them that the big man must have spent the offseason practicing his shooting intensively.

"It's a pity that this shot didn't go in. You should take advantage of an open shot like that," Jackson said. "But more importantly, I think this shot is the result of the Bobcats and Yao Ming's hard work during the offseason."

"From the players' positioning to Yao Ming's shot, everything was quite skillful! If this is the Bobcats' regular tactic, then Yao Ming's playing style after losing weight becomes clear."

"This guy will play with a more fluid style, reducing the number and frequency of his battles in the paint."

"No, no, no, that's not the point." Miller shook his head and said, "The point is that if Yao really develops a three-point shot, not necessarily a top-level three-point shooter, but just an average one, that would be a terrifying thing."

"Why do Okur and Nowitzki give so many teams headaches? Is it because they are really more accurate than those top strikers? Of course not."

"It's because they are all over 210 centimeters tall!"

"As for Yao Ming, his official height is 226 cm, but some people think he is actually over 230 cm!"

"How do you defend against and limit a turret that's at least 226 centimeters tall?"

"If he really has an average three-point shooting accuracy, then the Bobcats' offensive versatility next season will be terrifying."

While the two were analyzing the situation, Iguodala's strong layup attempt inside was interfered with by Yao Ming and missed. Boozer then grabbed the rebound and passed it to Rose, who dribbled the ball and quickly made a fast break, arriving at the frontcourt in the blink of an eye.

Then this guy didn't slow down or stop at all. He just glanced back and found that Yao Ming and Boozer hadn't caught up. He immediately accelerated again and even changed direction during the charge!
Then, without slowing down at all, he went straight into the heart of the 76ers' defense. Before Holiday, who was chasing and trying to block him, could react, Rose had already taken off, raised the ball with one hand, and slammed it into the basket!
With a loud bang, Rose slammed the ball into the basket.

Holiday, on the other hand, was able to keep up with Rose even when Rose was retreating and changing direction, and was not left behind.

But when Rose changed direction and continued to accelerate, then suddenly leaped up and slammed the ball down like a dunk, his legs went weak and he was powerless to stop him.

Aside from watching Rose slam the ball into the basket, he didn't even have the ability to jump up and make a gesture.

"That's one of the reasons why Derrick is so insane! If we're only talking about absolute speed in changing direction, he's definitely top-notch, but there are still a few people in the league who can rival him in terms of speed and range of change direction."

After Rose's dunk, Miller immediately said, "But what if you add the acceleration after changing speed, or the sprinting ability that requires no deceleration or buffering at the moment of changing direction, and the terrifying jumping ability that follows?"

"Let's put it this way, not to mention the current players, even looking at the entire history of the NBA, apart from Lin, there is no one else who can be compared to Derrick Rose!"

"This guy's knees are practically made of vibranium!"

A terrifying jump that doesn't slow down or require charging!
This is Rose's signature move, the reason he became an MVP and has such high popularity.

But this is also why he was sidelined by injuries at a young age, and his career plummeted from MVP level to that of an ordinary player.

His fighting style is too damaging to his body, and unlike Lin Tian, ​​he has no armor on him, so he is naturally more prone to injury.

This is also why Lin Tian had him practice mid-range shooting and pick-and-roll during the offseason.

This was originally a skill he had to develop to survive after his serious injury, but now Lin Tian hopes that this guy can master it as soon as possible.

Lin Tian wants more than just the team's performance over the past two years; he also hopes that Rose can maintain his top level and ability for a few more years.

So one of the reasons why Lin Tian remained quite calm while the entire stadium erupted in cheers and the bench was in chaos after Rose's dunk.

This kid is completely disobedient and didn't take Lin Tian's words to heart at all.

However, Lin Tian wasn't the type to be overly controlling, and he wouldn't spoil the fun at this time.

It's just a ball, let's see how it goes.

Fortunately, Rose calmed down in the next few minutes of the game, or rather, he started playing according to Lin Tian's instructions.

His pick-and-roll partnership with Boozer began to show its power, and Rose's passing ability after the pick-and-roll also improved significantly compared to last season.

Both Boozer's catch-and-shoot jumper and Hayward's layup cut proved effective in subsequent games.

Then, with six minutes left in the first quarter, Yao Ming got another chance beyond the three-point line. This time, he didn't let the opportunity slip away and made the three-pointer!

This big man's three-pointer not only marks the official start of his transformation, but also presents a challenge to every team in the league.

How do we defend against the league's number one high-scoring shot?
Guards and forwards simply cannot interfere with him. You can use a big center to deal with him. What about the paint?
The Bobcats surprised everyone watching the game in the first quarter of the preseason.

The increasingly mature Rose, the still consistent Boozer, the precocious and seamless Hayward, and of course Yao Ming who almost never asked for the ball in the low post, but instead chose to cut to the outside to create space.

In this half of the game, the Bobcats satisfied their supporters quite a bit, as they all realized that they seemed to have underestimated Lin Tian.

At the same time, they certainly gave their potential competitors quite a headache.

This team is tough to defend against!

Just when everyone was eager to see how strong this Lynx team really was and what other tricks they had up their sleeves, Lin Tian made a substitution.

Of the five starters, only DeRozan remained on the field; the other four were substituted.

DJ Augustin, Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom, and Itang Thomas took to the court, marking the start of the Bobcats' rotation.

This lineup is undoubtedly centered around DeRozan and Odom, with Odom controlling the offense and DeRozan focusing on attacking!

In the remainder of the first quarter, Odom once again showcased his 'left-handed magic,' with rebounds, drives, passes, and breakthroughs almost everywhere. DeRozan didn't hold back either, bringing out all the experience and improved skills he had accumulated after being thoroughly beaten by Jordan that summer.

In terms of results, when the two teams' first lineups faced off, the Bobcats only led by 5 points.

However, by the end of the first quarter, the Bobcats had extended their lead to 13 points thanks to their second unit.

This is certainly not to say that the Bobcats' second unit is stronger; it's simply because the 76ers' bench is really too weak.

In the second quarter, the 76ers started with their first starters, but Lin Tian was in no hurry. He not only didn't bring in his starters, but also extended his rotation, bringing in players like Fields, Jeremy Lin, and Stephenson for a while.

As for the result, of course, they were soundly defeated by the 76ers' main lineup, and the point difference quickly narrowed.

When the gap between the two sides was narrowed to 6 points, Lin Tiancai made another substitution, bringing back the starting lineup.

The point difference between the two sides thus stabilized.

No one criticized Lin Tian for being slow to react or for not making adjustments when the score difference was quickly narrowed. Everyone could see that he was just adjusting the lineup and letting his players take a look.

This adjustment to the lineup became even more exaggerated in the second half.

Apart from the starting lineup playing together for another 6 minutes, the rest of the time the lineup on the field was a complete mix and completely unpredictable.

The preseason is all about ensuring everyone gets to play; winning or losing isn't important.

Importantly, Lin Tian can determine the player rotation and combination after the start of the regular season based on the chemistry between the players.

As for the final result of this game, the Bobcats naturally got off to a winning start.

After all, the 76ers were just too bad. Even though the Bobcats used such a chaotic rotation and experimental tactics against them, they still gained an absolute advantage.

105: 94!

The Bobcats defeated the 76ers by 11 points, successfully securing a winning start to the new season!

Of course, it's just the preseason.

However, Lin Tian was still very satisfied with the players' performance.

As for the 76ers, Lin Tian believed they were completely dissatisfied.

因为球队的榜眼秀特纳今晚表现相当挣扎，9投2中，只拿到了6分1篮板1助攻的数据，同时还出现了3次失误！
At the very least, he was completely outmatched by another rookie in the same position, Hayward, who went 3-for-7 tonight, scoring 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, without a single turnover!
Although his performance wasn't particularly amazing, it's definitely something to look forward to. At the very least, his football intelligence, understanding of the system, and vision for sharing the ball have already been demonstrated.

Lin Tian's evaluation of the players would not end there. The following preseason games were basically copies of this game.

The main players play together for a few minutes, then the rotation is changed to allow different players to experience the atmosphere of the game and showcase their abilities. (End of Chapter)