On the morning of the 26th, the Rockets sat at the Toyota Center at home, defeated the Timberwolves 122-104, and advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a total score of 4-1.

In this game, Yang Yiming scored 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. His second-round opponent was uncertain, and the Jazz squandered a 25-point lead on the road, only to be slashed by 45 points by Willis to pull one back. But in terms of the overall score, the Jazz still hold a 3-2 lead.

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At the press conference after the game, Yang Yiming was asked whether the opponent in the next round of the Western Conference semifinals would prefer the Thunder or the Jazz, and he said happily: "Personally, I hope to meet the Jazz, because I am looking forward to competing with another rookie, Donovan Mitchell; But on a competitive level, I might go with the Thunder, after all, they may not be our Rockets' opponent tactically, hahaha. It's not to denigrate their lack of strength, but the Rockets' three-point shot may be even more powerful. ”

There are also reporters who interviewed Yang Yiming's mood for his first trip to the playoffs, and he was equally blunt: "Of course I am very excited, I am a little nervous in the excitement, and I am nervous and excited in the nervousness." After all, the first time I played in the playoffs, I followed a strong team like the Rockets, and now I have successfully reached the second round, and I have the opportunity to hit the O'Brien Cup in the first year, this feeling is difficult to describe. It's a bit like going on a date with a beautiful woman, but it's a bit like a spring dream that wakes up with embarrassment and blushes. But I guess that's how the first intimate experience is, and I'm certainly no exception. ”

Yang Yiming's answer was exchanged for a burst of knowing laughter.

But the next question from the on-site reporter really got to the point and asked about the pain point of the early promotion team! "I would like to ask Yang Yiming or Coach D'Antoni, from the perspective of individual players and the Rockets, what kind of preparations will be made to maintain competitive condition in the next few days to a week?"

Yang Yiming himself also talked about it easily: "There are many ways for me to maintain my own state. I like to run, swim, go to the gym, go to practice with my teammates... As long as I keep my body in the process of exercising, fatigue, and recovery, I can feel the excitement of dopamine and lactic acid secretion. My favorite way to stay in shape is on the basketball court, where my teammates on the Rockets teach me to develop a deeper interest, such as three-point shooting, bullfighting, and even learning a few tricks to dribble. The American people are really better at interest education (laughs), so I never think there will be any problems in staying in shape. ”

But when the same question was asked to Mike D'Antoni next to him, he was obviously embarrassed, frowned and thought for a while before saying: "The Rockets' desire for a championship is obvious, and what I want to help them do is to maintain this momentum until the end, until the final battle in May." Young said it very well, I don't think we're going to have any problems. ”

But that's not a problem, it's easier said than done!

Coach D'Antoni himself knows this best.

When asked by reporters, he was actually shocked. After 82 games in the regular season and the end of the first round of the playoffs, a team of the level of the Rockets is neither likely to re-recruit, let alone overturn the current style of play. As a manager, the most important issues have risen from polishing the squad and tactics to keeping the team in shape and keeping the hunger in mind.

But everyone knows that psychology is more elusive than technical and tactical level.

Coach D'Antoni couldn't tell the room full of reporters. His answer is honestly not a real and good answer, the reporter friend obviously asked "what will be done to maintain the state", Coach D'Antoni nonsense is off-topic, roughly meaningful, "We will keep the state, this still needs to be asked"?

What kind of answer is this?

However, after all, the reporter was a guest invited by the Rockets, and although the host was reluctant to say it directly, he at least gave an encouraging answer, and it was inconvenient for the guests to ask again!

But Yu Xiaochun, who sat next to Yang Yiming and served as a translator during the interview, saw this scene in his eyes.

He saw the head coach's embarrassment, and this embarrassment also confirmed his own worries: although the Rockets advanced to the second round, they really can't be considered the best!

Compared with February and March, when the Rockets were running wildly, the Rockets' winning rate in the closing stage and the first round of the playoffs has decreased significantly. Of course, there are strategic considerations for the end-of-season results, but the problem of one's own combat effectiveness also has a lot to do with it! On the one hand, the championship will not be decided until late May, and the premature state of the Rockets is like a bow that has been drawn in advance, ready to be sent for a long time, but it is easy to run out: the sharp decline in the Rockets' three-point shooting rate in the first round of the playoffs is both reflected; On the other hand, the Warriors are like a carriage that is gradually accelerating, stopping and stopping, but as they approach the playoffs, they run faster and faster, showing a tendency to get off the leash. On the other hand, benchmarking against an imaginary opponent for too long can also lead to a decrease in the concentration of the whole team. The media's remarks that "the Rockets are the biggest challenger to the defending champion Warriors" were rampant, making the Rockets themselves feel that as long as they beat the Warriors, they could win the championship. Not to mention whether the Warriors are the only roadblock, just this momentum that has been looking forward to May since March makes people very worried that the Rockets have more girlish hearts and will lose themselves!

What's more, if the series between the Thunder and Jazz really goes to a tie-break, then the Rockets' semifinals journey will not start for at least another week. No one dares to say that the Rockets can maintain their condition without a week of training alone!

No matter how dry the firewood is vigorous love, the passion will inevitably fade and decay over time!

Underestimating the enemy, burnout, and fatigue can make the Rockets go home in a loss-and-go knockout system, and an inattentive whole season of hard work is wasted!

So the worry that flashed on the face of the old handsome D'Antoni was righteous and out of Xiaochun's heart!

After the press conference, the reporters in the room walked around, coach Mike D'Antoni greeted several old friends from the media, and after accepting the congratulations of the other party, he was also about to get up to leave, Yu Xiaochun finally mustered up the courage to stop the coach.

"Koharu, do you have something to do?"

"Coach, I'm sorry, how bothering... I was actually thinking about the things I mentioned at the press conference to keep the team in shape. That's what I thought too..."

"What do you think too?" D'Antoni deliberately emphasized the word "also". The other party's expression was very strange, but he felt a little different.

"What I'm thinking is... Maintaining the condition of the Rockets may indeed be a major event related to whether we can win the championship..."Seeing that the old man D'Antoni did not interrupt him this time, Yu Xiaochun organized his words again and said boldly: "Help the team maintain its condition and maintain its desire to win, I have an idea to propose." ”

"I want to hear about it."

"There is an old method that is often used in the Chinese team to mobilize morale, the team's glorious history education. This way, this way..."Yu Xiaochun told his plan in the ears and coils of Coach D'Antoni.

"That's a great idea, give it a try! Otherwise, the implementation of this idea will be left to you, Mr. Koharu, and I will entrust the team assistant Miss Meritis to cooperate with you throughout the whole process, how about it?! ”