Chapter 3: The Reincarnation of the Knicks

October is fast approaching, the busy pre-season preparation phase is over, and November kicks off with the league's first game set to kick off tonight. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Unfortunately for the Knicks, Ewing still didn't make it to the opening game, and the best possible outcome is not until the end of November. As a result, there are different opinions about who will succeed Ewing as the starting center of the Knicks during this period. Although it was Curt Thomas who played at center last season, there is no doubt that the shorter Thomas simply could not support the Knicks' interior line, and although he is indeed a defensive stalwort, his natural weakness gives him a sense of powerlessness against many centers in the league. So, this candidate was locked on Mo Xi and Camby.

These two have their own outstanding performances in the playoffs, and each has its own wins, Mo Xi is good at inside offense, especially low-post offense, and his agile posture makes people involuntarily wave their hands; Camby is adept at defending, especially helping to defend, and his talent for running and jumping allows him to move quickly to any position on the court and use bounce to block opponents. But both of them have, or in the eyes of the media, the same weakness, the body is too thin, especially in the face of the steel jungle in the east, this can be said to be a big injury, because of this, the outside world is also arguing, but the Knicks have already made a decision, but Van Gundy strongly demanded that no one be allowed to say it. Therefore, in the eyes of many people, Mo Xi is still the "scholar" who is weak in literature.

On November 2, the Knicks started pre-game training very early, and unlike other trainings, because the game was about to be played, the intensity and amount of this part of the training were not large, and most of them were small drills with balls.

Ward, who practiced passing and receiving the ball with Mo Xi, noticed Mo Xi's state today and asked, "Didn't sleep last night?" ”

Mo Xi replied in surprise, "That's true, but how do you know?" ”

Ward replied, "Because you're in exactly the same shape now as you were when you started in the playoffs." ”

Mo Xi pursed his lips, thinking back to that starting experience, although his overall performance in the end was not bad, but the first few minutes of the start were really bad, and he lost that game. Although Mo Xi at this time is no longer the Mo Xi, Mo Xi is still the same Mo Xi, he has only started in the college league, and he really has starting experience in the league.

Looking at Mo Xi's apprehension, Ward said: "Actually, you don't have to think about it so much, the starter is no different, you only need to remember two points when you start, less fouls, and decisive ball, which is enough." ”

Mo Xi said questioningly: "Is that enough?" It's no different from a substitute, isn't it? ”

Ward explained: "There's a big difference, didn't you understand a little bit since your last start? The starter requires stability, not necessarily an amazing performance, but it must be stable, otherwise what is the difference between you and a sixth man? ”

Mo Xi nodded thoughtfully, that's right, but, aren't you targeting Chris Charles? Do you mean that's why you're a starter and he's not?

Although I thought so in my heart, fortunately, Mo Xi's emotional intelligence was still there, so I didn't say this and continued to train.

For ball training, Mo Xi has always been very concerned about shooting training, but, as some people say, there are some things that you really can't do by training hard, although the Knicks have always had a talent bonus for shooting, but not everyone has practiced a good shooting ability, such as Mo Xi.

No matter where he was this summer, Mo Xi didn't give up the training of getting up early to shoot, even if it was only him, Mo Xi insisted on picking up the ball and shooting for himself, although he was very tired, he still persevered.

But to Alan Houston's surprise, this kid's shooting level doesn't seem to change at all, neither better nor worse, which is amazing.

Mo Xi blackened his face, looking at the data recorded by the trainer for himself, the left and right two horns are the places with the highest hit rate, followed by the two bottom lines, and then the place of forty-five degrees left and right, and the worst place is above the free throw line, which makes him very puzzling, his free throws are not bad, about 75%, but it is one step away, how can the hit rate be very different?

Houston organized the language and said, "Actually, a lot of people don't necessarily have a higher shooting percentage when they're unguarded than they do when they're defended. ”

Mo Xi said in frustration: "That's true, but what I want to know is that I haven't stopped shooting training, why haven't I improved at all." ”

Houston said, "A summer? Maybe one summer is enough for you to be physically as strong as Johnson, but can it make you as capable of fighting as he is? It's the same with shooting, it's a lot of fun, and when you're practicing, if you're not looking, he might suddenly appear and become your big killer. ”

Mo Xi nodded, realizing that he was still a little too ambitious.

After the pre-game training in the morning, even Houston, who was extremely keen on training, did not choose to practice again, and honestly waited for the curtain to open in the evening.

The incoming is a Cleveland Knights from the Athletic Desert. Undoubtedly, the knight who fought for the king with the gang leader 7 years ago was the strongest knight in a long time, but it was a pity that he was beaten until before liberation. No one is still on the team of the Cavaliers back then, Larry Nance, Mark Price, and Brad Doherty retired after that year, and now there is no trace of the past in this Cavaliers.

The head coach of this team is new, Randy Whitman, and the absolute star of the team is undoubtedly Sean Kemp, who is known as the "ruler" of the inside line has not gone downhill at this time, and he is not the guy who was ridiculed as the "rain man", he was born in 69 and is just thirty years old this year, which can be said to be the peak age of his career, although Mo Xi may not be able to play to Kemp, but the other party will undoubtedly be the most important point in Mo Xi's starting experience, how to deal with this violent inside line. However, other positions, in fact, don't dare to be complimentary, there is a big gap between the Knicks, such as the Knicks' strongest point outside line, in fact, there is only one Bob Sula who can get his hands on it, this gentleman is Ward's college classmate, the two of them plus Sam Russell formed the "college triumvirate" of the year, although the offense is not bad, but the defense is a mess, and the offense relies more on breakthroughs He is in a defensive team like the Knicks, and it is difficult to explode with Sprewell.

Judging from the analysis of various strengths, it seems that this time it is really more auspicious. But the Cleveland media believes that if you actually find the Knicks' weaknesses, it is not hopeless.

So where are the weaknesses of the Knicks? Naturally, it's Mo Xi and Camby. One of those two must have a starting centre-forward, and when he goes down, he will misplace Kemp and play it alone, which is a really good choice. In their opinion, Camby's defense is indeed very good, but the body is thin, I am afraid that in the face of Kemp's death dunk, there is no legal resistance, as for Mexi, the Cleveland people have been advocating that Moxi play, because this is a very poor defense of the inside, and the body is not strong, it is estimated that after playing, they will be educated by their "ruler" to forget how to go home.

Despite the hustle and bustle of the outside media, Mo Xi was rarely calmed down, he bought back a bag of coffee, sat in the lounge and looked at the book he hadn't finished reading before, why did he buy back a bag? Unfortunately, the Knicks didn't have a rookie this year, so the old birds used the excuse that last season was a shrunken season.

After reading the book, the time has come to the evening, the game is about to start, this is his first start in the regular season, unlike that time in the playoffs, this time, Mo Xi did not seem so flustered, although he did not play long last season, he still feels that he seems to have adapted to this rhythm.

Mo Xi was the first to play in the starters, after all, the other four, Ward, Sprewell, Houston, Johnson, all of them have a higher status than him.

The on-site commentator loudly welcomed the arrival of the Knicks team members with his high voice.

"Next up is the 7-foot-tall, 237-pound No. 30 from Georgetown University -- Ink ~~~~~~."

Mo Xi, who had completely changed, stepped on the floor of Madison Square Garden again, like a giant, stepping down from the tree that reached the sky.