The Way of the Center

Jeff Van Gundy, Chinese fans are all too familiar with this coach, and even coach Van Gundy in China has a not-so-nice nickname, "Fan Bald".

Coach Van Gundy, who looks younger than 50 years old, is bald early and has a Mediterranean hairstyle. It is precisely because of this image that he was nicknamed such a nickname by Chinese fans.

Although the nickname is a bit ugly, Coach Van Gundy's coaching career achievements are not ambiguous at all.

Jeff Van Gundy, who was only 23 years old, started his coaching career in 1985. There is no way, Van Gundy is a basketball family. Jeff seems to be destined to work in basketball in the future since he was born.

In 1989, Jeff Van Gundy officially became the assistant coach of the New York Knicks. The young Jeff had assisted many famous coaches in Knicks history, many of them like Pat Riley and old Nelson.

During Jeff's six years as an assistant coach for the Knicks, the Knicks won three division titles and made the playoffs every year. The young Jeff has also learned a lot in the past six and a half years for himself to be able to be on his own in the future.

In the 1995-96 season, Jeff, who had been an assistant coach for so many years, finally got his chance. He replaced the old Nelson and officially became the coach of the New York Knicks. In his first year in office, Jeff led the Knicks to the playoffs and swept the Cavaliers in the first round. It's a pity that the Knicks ran into the Chicago Bulls who were in full swing in the second round and were helplessly eliminated.

The most commendable is that in the 1998-99 season, the Knicks met their old enemy, the Heat, in the first round of the playoffs. In the fourth game of the series, a fight broke out between the two sides full of gunpowder.

Charles Oakley and Alonzo Mourning fought. In order to protect the players, Van Gundy hugged Mourning's thigh tightly, and Jeff kept this position and was caught in the fight between the two sides and was dragged by Mourning. Did not let go for a long time. This scene is also the most classic photo left by Coach Van Gundy on the court. He protects his players as much as he protects his own children.

However, it was in 2003 that Chinese fans really realized him that Rudy Tomjalovich, the former coach of the Rockets, resigned due to physical reasons. Husband Van Gundy took over, and he also began to take over the relationship with Chinese players.

In the four years of coaching the Rockets, he witnessed Yao Ming's transformation from a rookie to a superstar, witnessed the victories of the Yao-Mike combination, and witnessed the miraculous 35 seconds and 13 minutes.

In the past four years, except for the 2005-06 season when the team failed to make the playoffs due to extensive injuries, Jeff Van Gundy led the team to the playoffs in other seasons, but it was also a pity Both were eliminated in the first round. This also makes Van Gundy a character who loves and hates in the hearts of Chinese fans.

In May 2007, the Houston Rockets officially announced the dismissal of Van Gundy as coach, and Van Gundy also took a long vacation for himself after that.

Until recently, he originally planned to sign a contract with ESPN to be a commentator. Just when he was about to make a decision, Presti found him.

After being questioned by reporters for nearly half an hour, Van Gundy was able to escape from the media reception room. On his first day at work, he wasn't looking forward to messing with the reporters the most. Jeff was already getting ready to meet his new players.

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The players were shooting baskets casually on the basketball court, and some were sitting on the floor chatting in groups of three or four. The team training started at one o'clock in the afternoon. However, since the head coach Carlesimo was fired, the players naturally did not have a well-established training goal.

"Hey, I heard he's a very rigid guy, you say we can play a good offense in the future.

"Westbrook whispered.

"No matter how you play, as long as you can win." An Jie is full of expectations for Van Gundy, and this coach who has coached Yao Ming must be much better than Carlesimo.

Just when the players were absent-minded on the training ground, a burst of clapping sounded at the gate of the training ground.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, the team general manager Presti walked in, and next to him was the Thunder's new coach, Jeff Van Gundy!

"Come on guys, meet your new coach," Presti yelled.

"This is your new coach, Coach Jeff Van Gundy, let us welcome him." Presti took the lead in applauding, and the players below were also very cooperative, and applause immediately filled the empty space. training ground.

"Okay coach, these guys are yours now." After finishing speaking, Presti turned around and left the training ground. In this case, it is better for the players and the coach to get along directly.

The place suddenly became quiet. Van Gundy looked at the group of young men with his hands on his hips, and then nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm looking forward to working with you." Jeff Van Gundy finally spoke.

After that, Van Gundy called the trainers to arrange some very routine training, and then walked to the office alone.

"It's gone?" Westbrook spread his hands speechlessly when he saw Van Gundy close the office door.

"What's the rush? He just came to the team on the first day and doesn't know us. He definitely can't formulate tactics now." Wilcox raised the dumbbell disapprovingly.

But they were all wrong. Since Presti sent an invitation to Van Gundy, Van Gundy has been frantically watching the Thunder's game video. When it comes to basketball, Van Gundy doesn't seem to get tired of working. It was precisely because he regained this feeling that he agreed to the preliminary negotiation with Presti.

The players thought that Van Gundy would not appear again today. Unexpectedly, after training for an hour and a half, the door of the head coach's office opened again.

"Stop it all." Van Gundy walked into the arena, holding a lot of cards in his hand.

"You have lost ten games in a row recently. Do you know where your biggest weakness is after losing so many games?" Van Gundy only met with the players an hour and a half ago, but now, he has already entered the role.

"The hit rate is too low." Westbrook was the first to speak up.

"That's indeed a reason, but it's not the main one. When you can organize the offense well, your shooting percentage is actually not bad." Having said that, Van Gundy glanced at Anjie.

"I've watched the videos of all your games so far this season. Your defense is just a show. Including the only game you have won so far, the defense is unsightly!" Jeff Van Gundy Said without mercy.

"And now, I'm going to correct you on that first." With that, Van Gundy put the card in his hand on the floor. Letters such as "PG, SG" etc. are written on the cards, and it goes without saying that the players know what that means.

"If the opponent's center goes up to pick and roll the point guard, your positions should be like this!" Jeff immediately picked up the tactical board and began to explain his intention of playing with the cards, and then asked the players to place the cards according to him. Positions Practice defensive stances.

Jeff Van Gundy, he is such a meticulous coach.

After the game against the Hornets, the Thunder got three days of rest. It seems that the NBA knows that the Thunder will change coaches after this game, and deliberately set aside these three days to allow Van Gundy to adapt to the ball. Team.

During these three days, the Thunder didn't practice anything else, and they all practiced defense in various situations based on the small cards that Van Gundy placed.

Van Gundy also took the trouble to explain to the players again and again, and rearranged the messed up cards again and again.

An Jie admires such a coach very much in his heart, at least Van Gundy is much more dedicated than Carlesimo who can only tell the players "defense, our defense!".

In addition to allowing players to work hard on defense, another headache for Van Gundy is how to match the team's rotation.

Is it appropriate for Anjie, Durant and Westbrook to play at the same time, and if they play at the same time, who should lead the team's second team. These problems undoubtedly plagued Van Gundy, and Van Gundy also discovered many unreasonable parts of the Thunder's team structure in his thinking.

There are too many people on the forward line of the team, and there are several dubious guys. Van Gundy would never use such a person.

And there are too few people on the back line, and there are not many players who can do it. So Van Gundy made a detailed list and instructions to Presti, hoping that Presti would use these people as bargaining chips to exchange some players that the team really needed.

On the contrary, the team's weakest center position is what Van Gundy is most satisfied with. The structure at the center position is reasonable, and it is easy to form a rotation lineup. It's just that Van Gundy is still struggling with whether the Thunder's three young players really need to start.

Of course, the players don't know anything about rotations and starting positions. They only knew to complete the defensive training assigned by Van Gundy as required. In just three days, Anjie learned a lot of new skills in defensive positions. It seems that a coach's coaching level is really completely linked to the team's performance. How can a person like Carlesimo who only uses the team's poor lineup as an excuse lead the team to victory?

Facing the same poor lineup, Van Gundy did not complain, but took the time to make planning suggestions for the team's signings. Just for this point, Van Gundy and his predecessors will judge each other.

"How's the new coach?" After learning the news that the Thunder had changed their coach, Rickard called Anjie, planning to chat with him.

"I feel similar to you in some aspects, but he doesn't talk as much as you, and he doesn't like to swear." What An Jie said is true. Van Gundy and Ricard are very serious about basketball. Rickard would often work late without anyone knowing, and why not Van Gundy?

"Hahaha, you really know how to praise me." Van Gundy is also considered a famous coach, and Rickard was a little embarrassed to be compared with the famous coach by his own students.

"The game is going to be played tomorrow. Under the leadership of the new coach, do you have the confidence to win?"

"We have practiced a lot of defense recently, and I happen to like defense. But tomorrow, against the Suns who are running and bombing, I think it will be a bit difficult." Although An Jie is competitive, he is not arrogant. The Suns are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league. Although O'Neal will miss the next game due to injury, he still dare not boast that he will definitely win.

Jeff Van Gundy faced the Suns in his first game after taking office. It was really a contest between spear and shield.

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