The Whip of the God of Basketball

The summer days pass quickly, the players train and vacation. Fans can see their favorite stars all over the United States, and some young fans are also busy attending training camps held by the stars.

The major media have entered a long period of development. They can only report on the signings of each team, debate the historical status of the players, review the retired stars and the history of the past, and then follow up and report on the stars. Gossip is as boring as sardines washed up on the beach and sunburned to death.

Of course, there are still some events worthy of attention throughout the NBA. After the free market opened in July, every team fished in the free market to expand the team's strength. By August, free agents signed successfully, and there were fewer and fewer fish in the free market.

In the West, in addition to the Lakers making a big move to acquire Malone and Payton, and the Spurs adding Nesterovich and Robert Horley, the Kings, a strong team that has failed for two consecutive years, also completed an excellent deal. In a three-party trade, they acquired Pacers center Brad Miller. This center who is proficient in passing and has a tough style will bring a different kind of vitality to the Kings.

The one that cannot be underestimated is the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although Garnett's trade caused them a lot of losses, it also brought greater room for operation. After acquiring Cassel in the trade, they obtained it through a complex four-party transaction. With Sprewell, the Timberwolves' troika was formed for a while, which made the already fiercely competitive Western Conference even more cruel.

In comparison, the Eastern Conference teams are also busy strengthening their lineups. In addition to the Nets signing Mourning, the Detroit Pistons acquired Campbell to further strengthen their inside line. The Miami Heat, which has been dormant, got a versatile player in the free market. Star Lamar Odom, Riley is slowly building a new Miami legion.

However, all these actions did not make much sense under the expansion of the Boston Celtics Green Army, because the two signings in August allowed the Boston Iron Army to reach the pinnacle of the Eastern Conference in terms of book strength.

On August 7, after three days of negotiations, Ainge announced that he had reached an agreement with former Jazz guard Laga Bell. They would use a two-year special exception to sign this tough and outstanding backcourt player. Coupled with the addition of Ralph Alston, who was previously acquired with a basic salary through Leon's relationship, the Celtics' defender problem has basically been solved.

The only thing that makes Ainge regretful is that Steve Kerr insists on retiring. Otherwise, with Kerr here, the Celtics' backcourt will be more stable.

By mid-August, the Celtics, whose total salary had exceeded the luxury tax line, did not stop their actions. They still had a full mid-level salary that they had not used. The three owners of the team have all spoken out. In order for Boston to win the championship next season, they are willing to pay a large amount of luxury tax, even if the single-year cost exceeds 100 million.

With the boss's commitment in terms of fees, Ainge continued to hunt in the free market, and finally won the team's last piece of the puzzle at the end of August, which was also a very important addition to the front line - the free agent from the Houston Rockets, James Poe. West, Ainge snatched him from the Memphis Grizzlies with a three-year, fully mid-level contract. Although the Grizzlies offered a higher salary and years, Boston's championship may have attracted him.

At this point, the Celtics' 15-man roster is complete, including center PJ Brown, Dalembert, Wang Zhizhi, power forward Garnett, Anderson, Diaw, small forward Pierce, Posey, Daniels, shooting guard Reid, The total salary of Bell, Sealy, point guard Arenas, Alston and Strickland reached 68.35 million US dollars, which is 20 million US dollars above the luxury tax line, which means that they will have to pay nearly 9,000 US dollars for wages next season. Ten thousand U.S. dollars.

However, with a player in each position, a qualified substitute, and a backup with potential or experience, the Celtics' lineup was unprecedentedly strong. Although the luxury of the starting lineup cannot be compared with the Lakers, their structural rationality and lineup depth are unparalleled in the world.

It can be said that Danny Ainge worked hard to shape this team. He took classes with Leon in Los Angeles, and then returned to Boston to run a training camp in Marshfield. While playing cards with this veteran, Anji met countless agents on the plane, and his cell phone consumed countless batteries every day.

When Ainge received a call from Posey's agent confirming that he would choose the Celtics, his heart finally settled down. That night he called Leon and told him in a ostentatious manner that through his unremitting efforts for more than a month, he had formed the Celtics into an extremely powerful army. Whether they could win the championship next season would depend on him. Yes.

Of course, Leon would not give him a chance to be proud. He blocked Anji back with the words, "If it hadn't been for that trade in the draft, nothing else would have happened and it wouldn't be meaningful."

Block it back and block it back, but Angie is right about one thing. He has indeed built an extremely powerful Boston army. Although Posey and Bell are not particularly famous players, Leon, who is familiar with everyone in the league, knows that these two guys are young and powerful players with great potential.

For such a team, if Leon cannot lead them to win the championship, it will be a failure for him and there will be no room for recovery. This year he was able to reach the finals and lose to the Spurs in the end. He can still call it a shame even though he lost. Even if they win the championship this year, if the process is unsatisfactory and the victory is extremely difficult, they will probably be called a shameful person even if they win. .

Therefore, an unprecedented pressure has come to Leon's shoulders. This is the pressure that all super team coaches have faced. Winning is a matter of course, and losing is a matter of course.

And now, it's already mid-August, and Kevin Garnett, the number one star that the Celtics just traded this year, hasn't decided on his jersey number yet.

There is no doubt that Andy Miller is a stubborn and annoying guy. In fact, Garnett's attitude has already relaxed. He is going to choose the No. 5 jersey once used by Bill Walton. It is not the retired number of the Celtics. , and it has also been used by a superstar similar to myself. It is really a good choice.

But Andy Miller didn't know what was wrong in his mind. He insisted that Qingshan would not relax and wanted Garnett to wear No. 21. Leon understands his thoughts. He knows that a star's jersey number is also a symbol, with huge commercial value and historical significance. No. 21 has followed Garnett for eight years and has become Garnett's symbol. From a businessman Thinking about it, he didn't want to change the logo.

So the matter dragged on. The Celtics did not contact Bill Sharman, and Garnett did not relent. In addition, the media fanned the flames. If Kobe hadn't blocked a shot, the season would not have started yet. From the beginning, Garnett and the Celtics gave the impression that they were incompatible with each other and had conflicts.

In the end, the solution to this problem fell on Leon's shoulders. After finishing Gelgulic's training, he went to Redondo to visit Bill Sharman, and then returned to Boston. When the Celtics' lineup was settled in the middle of the season, he went to Garnett's hometown of South Carolina.

After signing the contract, Garnett did not stay in Boston for long. His problems, including the jersey number issue, were handed over to Miller. Now Leon wants to find Garnett and solve the problem with him face to face.

This was the real meeting between the two after the big deal was completed. There was a hint of embarrassment in the atmosphere at Garnett's mansion in his hometown. After all, to Leon, Garnett is like a wolf that has been hunted by him for a long time in the forest. Leon, a cunning hunter, finally captured this wolf after a long period of trapping, tracking and setting traps. For your own use.

This relationship between prey and hunter is naturally embarrassing.

But Leon then proposed to take Garnett back to Boston. He said he would take Garnett to Boston to pick out his jersey.

So, the two took Garnett's private plane from South Carolina and flew to Boston in one night. Then Leon drove and started taking Garnett around the city of Boston. They passed Trinity Church, the Boston Library, the North End Port, the Square of Fine Arts, the Charles River, and all the way north to the old Boston Garden, which symbolizes the glory and history of the Boston Celtics - the former site of the Boston Railway Station.

This arena had been demolished four years ago and was being developed as commercial land. Leon stopped the car and looked at it, and told Garnett about the Celtics' dark period that began after 1987.

Along the way, Leon was like a historian, telling Garnett the rise and fall of the NBA's biggest powerhouse, how they dominated one side, how they endured for so long, and how they fell into the dark abyss. Garnett was fascinated by what he heard. He is a basketball superstar, but he is not a basketball historian. He knew that the Celtics were great, but he did not know that there were so many stories and characters behind them.

Finally, Leon took him to the North Shore Garden, the current home of the Celtics. He easily took Garnett into the arena. There was no other activity here today, and the arena was undergoing maintenance and repairs.

Arriving at the venue hill and standing on the parquet floor, Leon asked Garnett to look up at the sixteen championship flags hanging high, 21 retired numbers, and two special retired jerseys.

Leon took out a letter from his pocket, handed it to Garnett, and said: "This is a letter from Sharman to you. He told me that if you can become a real Celtic, then , you are qualified to wear the No. 21 jersey."

Garnett took the letter without opening it, but asked, "How do you become a true Celtic?"

"Know it, understand it, be obsessed with it, love it, and finally you will become a part of it, like those flags hanging high in the sky." Leon said, taking out a cigar from his pocket and handing it to Garnett and lit it with a match.

In the swirling smoke, Garnett seemed to see his jersey being hung on the dome of the North Shore Garden along with the championship banner.

The Celtics inherit not only their jerseys, but also their history and spirit.