In addition, Nelson already knows that Billups' only backup is the veteran Cassel, and that Cassel will also play as the team's shooting guard in the small-ball game. Nelson believes that as long as he performs well in training, there will be no shortage of opportunities to play in the new season.

It's just that when he saw that the veterans in the team were so serious, and the new signings Mourning and Prince seemed to have a tacit understanding with the team, Nelson was also slightly anxious. So the little fat man trained harder.

Although Nelson's current strength is still a little behind the team's average in Van Gundy's opinion, it still shows that this player with a tough personality and hard training will definitely achieve no small achievements in the future.

And Trevo Ariza is different, he is only a second-round pick, and because of his physical defects, he has been sentenced to death by many basketball professionals. For this reason, Ariza's basketball life has experienced many twists and turns.

The Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA, and here he is willing to accept his role as a backup. Because he has already seen that this team is definitely a strong contender for the championship in the new season!

Although it is a second-round show, Ariza also has her own ambitions. In Ariza's view, even if he is just an inconspicuous rookie in the Knicks, just a substitute at the small forward position, he believes that with his own efforts, he will sooner or later get the head coach and Lamar to look at him differently. Besides, the Knicks are a super strong team and the defending champion, and the bench of a strong team is better than the substitute of the fish belly, if he can catch the Knicks and win the championship this year, even if he is a second-tier substitute, his value will be much better than in other teams.

Regardless of what the people on the team are thinking about right now, they are thinking at least the same thing right now, and that is the championship.

"Run, pick up speed, don't let your opponent get a chance to get close to you!Alonzo, what are you doing?"

"Oh, Patrick, are you really old, if you don't want to be laughed at by me, open your legs, give me a quick!"

"Remember, you've only got twelve seconds to attack, yes! It's only twelve seconds, I'm not going to give you any more time! Don't let the ball stop. ”

"Seriously, boy! Oh, Your Royal Highness, this is not Detroit, your little achievement with the Pistons is not even bullshit in my eyes, and here you have to start all over again. ”

"Jamal, what are you doing? Do you understand passing? It's not an All-Star Game, and no one wants to watch you perform. Damn! Speed up your speed and get your body moving like that basketball. ”

"Trevaux! oh! What are you afraid of? Attack Salmons, everybody knows he's a big colander. Don't be afraid of him, you can win him. ”

"Lamar, be serious with me! Do you call that defense? I think even Aunt Susan, who cleans the bathroom, can easily break through you!"

"Chauncey, please get that damn basketball out of your hands. Now is not the time to watch you put on a show, you're running out of time to attack, pass the ball. ”

"Lamar! Run, don't wait for the ball, use your speed, shake off your opponents, open up space!"

Van Gundy knows there is not much time left for the team, and with the departure of last season's champion-winning veterans, the chemistry between the players naturally needs to be re-cultivated. So from the first day after the team was assembled, it became extremely excited.

For a while, on Madison's empty court, apart from the basketball hitting the ground and the shoes rubbing against the soles, and the shouts between the players, all that was left was Van Gundy's daily incessant scolding.

If Van Gundy was a competent nanny in the first three seasons, then after winning the championship last season, he began to show the sharp corners of his head and transformed into a stern devil. Everyone on the Knicks' current team, including the team's trainers, assistant coaches, and even Lamar, the core of the team, has become the target of his spurt.

The big moves of the teams in the offseason, the turmoil caused by the Knicks during the offseason, and the tacit understanding between the players that have not yet been formed have made Van Gundy, who is only defending the title, a little overwhelmed. It seems that no one is satisfactory to him, and everyone is a child who has just learned basketball in his eyes.

Van Gundy had to arrange a live practice match every day, and he also stipulated that each team could only have 20 seconds to attack, and that each attack must go through more than three passes before shooting.

The defense, which has always been regarded as his winning weapon, has been made by him to make a hard rule, and every defense must start from the opponent's half, that is, as soon as the opponent passes the ball, he must immediately start pressing.

The physical drain on the players is huge, but they don't get much time to rest. Now that the players on the team have just gone through the offseason indulgence, everyone is inevitably gaining a few pounds.

Lamar also suffered a lot during practice because of his indulgence this summer. But fortunately, he still maintained a certain intensity of training in the hotel during the previous trip, and now he can barely support it.

But another flaw, Lamar, is unavoidable.

Van Gundy wanted the ball, and Lamar was not allowed to play alone with the ball while he was on the court, and could only rely on his teammates to cover him and run off the ball to create offensive opportunities for himself.

This made Lamar uncomfortable. Without control of the ball, Lamar simply couldn't play any one-on-one attacks, and running off the ball happened to be what Lamar was not good at.

More often than not, Lamar stood like a stake outside the opponent's three-point line, motionless and waited for his teammates to complete three passes before handing the ball to him.

But every now and then, Van Gundy's roar would ring, and Lamar couldn't stop at all.

Gradually, Lamar also figured out a simple tactical route, and even when the ball wasn't in his hands, he was able to play some good crosses with his team-mates when attacking.

Now, for example, Lamar received a pass from Billups and immediately passed to Prince from beyond the three-point line.

At this time, Chris Anderson pulled to the outside to make an off-ball block for him, and Lamar took the opportunity to go straight to the opponent's basket, running back along the baseline to attract the opponent's attention, and pulling Alonzo Mourning near the free throw line.

Prince's pass was in Lamar's hand, and he threw the ball towards the basket after a false shot, and then Anderson, who ran to the basket, jumped up to catch the ball and dunk it in.

"Good! Lamar! Well done! But that's not enough, you have to be positive. If you don't want to be tired like a dead dog every game, try to create scoring opportunities for your teammates. Van Gundy's yells rang out again.

Lamar is convinced that if Van Gundy keeps it that way all season, there's a good chance that when he wins the championship one day, he'll have a brain break and lose the opportunity to celebrate with the team.

"Beep beep beep!"

The assistant coach finally blew the final whistle and all the players fell to the floor panting.

Everyone barely stopped from the training session just now, and no one wanted Van Gundy's watering can to fall on their heads, but fortunately it was all over now.

"Good, guys, you're doing a great job!" Van Gundy laughed happily, but it looked terrifying. Soon everyone understood the meaning of his sinister smile: "Are you tired now?"

"Yes, Coach, I just want someone to carry me into the locker room and have the team's masseur give me a few good presses. "Anderson, a physical expert, can't stand it anymore at this time.

"Of course, I think the masseur will be willing to serve you!" Van Gundy flashed a mysterious smile on his face, "But I have to regret to tell you that today's training is not over yet!"

"What?" the birdman wailed, "Coach, it's six o'clock in the afternoon!"

"Shut up, Chris!" Van Gundy glared at him, then said to all the players: "The new season is about to start, we don't have much time! We've gone a lot of old players this year, of course, I'm not saying that new players can't do it, but the chemistry between you is obviously not as good as last season." So everyone is going to do the passing exercises on the move before your bodies cool down. ”

Van Gundy paused, his eyes on Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning, "Patrick, Alonzo, except for the two of you!"

Before the two of them could rejoice, they heard Van Gundy continue: "Both of you haven't played for so long, and your physical strength is definitely not comparable to theirs." Otherwise, you can get a 500-ball penalty to practice your feelings. ”

"Jeff, you know I suck at free throws too, and I should go practice with them. "Dampott has shown a rare bit of his cleverness at this time. In his opinion, free throws are relatively easier than passing drills, which require a lot of physical and energy.

"yes, I know you suck at free throws, so you can add 300 free throws after practice. ”

"Oh! no!" Dampott was clever and mistaken for a clever mistake, and was about to bargain again, but saw Lamar already standing up and walking to the basketball hoop on the side of the court.

On the way, Lamar picked up a basketball, slapped it lightly, and when he reached the three-point line, he didn't pause, and suddenly jumped out of his hand.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to Lamar's basketball, as if watching something very great from start to finish.

"Whew!" of the basketball hit accurately.

At the end of the day's training, all the players went to the bathroom to wash away the fatigue of the day after a massage by the team doctor. At this point, every Knicks player's legs felt like they were filled with lead, and every step was very heavy.

"Damn! I don't think we're an NBA basketball player at all, but like a Delta Force Special Forces!" Mourning kept complaining in the warm pool: "I think I made a wrong decision, I just shouldn't come to New York to join Lamar!"