The Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns clash is the former's final game of the first half of the 2017-18 NBA season. The game was played calmly, and the suspense was lost after the second quarter, our protagonist Yang Yiming entered the restricted area at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and also showed off a split dunk, and got the last 2 points of the game after the break, and the report card stayed at 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

This sudden dunk surprised the Rockets bench, but it was difficult to arouse the enthusiasm of the few home fans on the scene.

This scene made Yu Xiaochun sigh, and he glanced at the arena, but he happened to see an acquaintance he hadn't seen for a long time, Scott Kalonsky II was sitting in the stands opposite at 11 o'clock, and he happened to look at him.

Why is this old guy here? Is it also to watch this inconsequential game?

1/

After Yang Yiming's split, both the Rockets and the Suns replaced the main forces, and a bunch of substitutes played on the court.

Yu Xiaochun sat on the bench, and also played sign language with Karonsky II opposite across the court, and the comparison was lively. Although the old man was wearing glasses, his eyes were not bad, and he caught Yu Xiaochun's eyes from a distance, and made a "come here" gesture at him.

Come here? Yang Yiming spread his hands and tapped the watch on his wrist, which meant to say, "The game is still playing, how can you let me pass?" ”

Kalonsky II pointed to the players' tunnel on one side and took off his shirt again, as if to say: "Come back when they go to the locker room to change." ”

Yu Xiaochun thought about it and felt that it made a little sense, so he compared it to OK and agreed to it.

Counting the timeout, the two sides only played for less than 15 minutes in the eight-minute game before Mingjin closed the game, and the Rockets won 112-95. Yu Xiaochun saw that the players and staff had dispersed, and made an excuse to find Yang Yiming to gather directly on the bus later, and finally was able to go around to the other side of the court, climb more than ten steps, and sit down under the slope of Kalonsky II.

"Why are you here?"

"Why can't I come? Remember, I'm a scout. "Kalonsky II is right, he first met Yu Xiaochun, and he introduced it like this.

"Data strategist, I don't think this game is that strategic, do I?" Yu Xiaochun asked rhetorically, pointing to the scoreboard with a score difference of more than double digits. Data strategist is the more luxurious title on the other side's business card.

"That's the difference between ordinary people and us." Kalonsky II looked at the empty center court at this time, as if he was still reminiscing about the past two hours, "The game that is worthless in the eyes of ordinary people may just reflect a lot of problems for us." There is a huge disparity in strength, and what you see is that there is no interest and no hope; What I see is the actions of young people in difficult situations, their struggles..."

"Hmm..."After Karonsky II said this, Yu Xiaochun remembered what he had just sighed, it is true that on the road of the growth of young people like the sun, there are too few people who can really appreciate and support them. The struggles of the young man...", he couldn't help but repeat the other man's words.

"Yes. For example, our friend, Yang Yiming. ”

"What's wrong with him?" Speaking of Yang Yiming, Yu Xiaochun couldn't help but be a little nervous, and sat up straight. Karonsky II really didn't appear in Phoenix City for no reason, although he felt that Yang Yiming's performance in these games was not bad after being selected, but he was still worried that the other party was here to announce some bad news.

"Don't be nervous." Karonsky II clearly read his body language and reassured, "I'm here to tell you about his progress." He's improved so much that I didn't even expect it! ”

2/

"What did you say?"

"I said that our friend Yiming, he has improved a lot." In order to dispel Yu Koharu's doubts, Karonsky II repeated the original words again.

"Great improvement?" Yu Xiaochun paused, countless questions surged in his heart, but after thinking about it, he picked out the most straightforward one and said, "But why don't I feel this way?" ”

"It's normal." Kalonsky II held out three fingers and counted them one by one, "I think there are three reasons. One, you're not a professional scout, you're not a data strategist, some changes have happened, but you're still in the dark, and when you really notice, you're just like the people who came back to watch the whole stadium, thinking they saw some overnight miracle. Second, even if a player has improved a lot, it does not necessarily mean that he will be able to turn the clouds and rain on the court right away, the right timing, the right configuration, and an unlucky opponent can create an amazing outburst. Three, the improvement in your mind is probably not quite the same as my understanding, and what you think is probably that he is about to cash in on his talent and become the next Michael Jordan. No, no one has made that much progress in such a short period of time. But he's really improved, so I'm going to come and tell you about it, and I'm going to make a summary for you. ”

"If you can't become Michael Jordan right away, at least you can become Andre Jordan." Yu Xiaochun realized that he was joking, he didn't want his friend to become a center who could only dunk, and the conversation immediately changed and said, "So what is the progress you are talking about?" ”

"Growing up after a struggle."

"What?"

"Do you remember what I said earlier, the five dimensions that give a player a rating?" Seeing that Koharu was confused, the old man began to explain little by little.

"Of course I remember, physicals, techniques, mentals, intelligence, and talent, so in what areas has Yang Yiming improved?" Yu Xiaochun's theory of Calonsky II's scoring has been well understood.

"Physical fitness, I've told you about this before, and you can see Yang Yiming's progress. He is faster, stronger and jumps higher. Technique, I don't know how he did it, but his three-point shooting and blocking skills have improved. I know that the 10 consecutive blocks were a great result of the material from my son, Scott Kalonsky III. But what I didn't expect was that the average person would have this kind of information and use it up in ten games and it would no longer be useful. But Young, your friend—" Karonsky II lifted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, "perhaps it also confirms that I was right - he has played ten games, and he still retains some of his improved blocking ability." ”

"Well, I've noticed that, too." Yu Xiaochun also raised his glasses as if he had a tacit understanding, remembering that Yang Yiming could indeed maintain an average of more than 1 block per game after ten games.

"There's also basketball awareness and mental strength. Karl Malone's guidance really worked, but unexpectedly it worked. His pick-and-roll now feels exactly like a veteran who has played for the Rockets for several seasons — and while the Rockets aren't a pick-and-roll team, the improvements are enough. Kalonsky II swallowed, "As for mental strength, after five consecutive defeats, after the pain of not being able to help the team, through the confusion of the rookie - these are the struggles of young people I am talking about, after all this, you look at Yang Yiming on the field today!" ”

"That's a dunk." Yu Xiaochun slapped his thigh.

"yes, look at that dunk!" A mysterious light flashed on Kalonsky II's lenses, "That's the self-confidence of the phoenix after nirvana, a performance that only a player who struggles to stand up again." ”

"Hmm!" Even Yu Xiaochun clenched his fists, "So in this way, in the last battle of this half, you really have good news for me." Thank you, old man. ”

"You're welcome, with such good news, it's worth a long trip."

"Thank you for the trip."

Yu Xiaochun thanked him again, but Kalonsky II didn't care, shook his head, put his hand on his shoulder and said, "You have grown up too, my friend." ”

"Me?"

"yes, after all this time, you didn't even ask me about the numbers. You can't wait until you do it. You see, that's the change that comes with growing up – it's all just a matter of course. ”

"Haha, I forgot. So how much is Yang Yiming's value now? Yu Xiaochun asked with a smile, he really didn't care so much in his heart, after all, the most important thing is that his friend's progress is confirmed.

“81。 Yang Yiming's ability value now has 81 points. ”