The game was over, but Hu Qingniu didn't join the Wizards' locker room revelry.

He made it straight to the door of the Spurs locker room and happened to meet his target, Greg Popovich.

Greg Popovich is a legendary man born to European parents in a complex multi-ethnic community in Indiana. Later, Popovich University chose to major in Soviet studies, and his identity as a descendant of Eastern Europe made his dream come true, and he became a top-secret agent working in Moscow.

These experiences have planted a special seed for Popovich's basketball coaching career, that is, tolerance and rigor.

Who is the best player in basketball history is a hot topic of debate among fans. As a coach, Hu Qingniu admires Popovich's coaching method more, and he has let Hu Qingniu see real team basketball, and it is also a real basketball team.

Not only that, Popovich did not stick to the immutable philosophy of his teacher Larry Brown, but adapted to the changes in the team's personnel and changed the tactical system, making the Spurs the favorites to win the championship all year round, and no matter who fell, Popovich could make the team play to its maximum strength.

The '99'03 championship is usually considered to be Duncan's core win. The '05 championship came from Manu, who was the only elf of the two teams to come and go freely in a series like the "Verdun Meat Grinder" campaign, a spear that broke the balance. The MVP of '07 belonged to Parker, who played the Cavaliers' guard line.

"Hi Mr. Popovich, I'm the Wizards' current offensive assistant coach, Hu Qingniu. I love learning from you. ”

"Hello, I've heard your name. Miraculous Mr. Chinese Medicine, it's all thanks to you that Michael is in such good shape now. There are also figure-8 tactics, elevator tactics, and your beautiful tactics give this old alliance a refreshing feel. The old man Popovich praised Hu Qingniu very graciously, not everyone has this kind of bearing on the night of the team's loss.

'My philosophy is to get everybody involved in the tactics and that's a great way to improve the efficiency of the team. There are so many goals scored in a basketball game that efficiency can be the lifeblood of any team. ”

Popovich was amazed by this theory, this is a young man with a lot of ideas, efficiency is the lifeblood of the team, and it is a good theory to get everyone involved.

"Your idea is so interesting, I guess you'll have time to have dinner with me." Old man Popovich was very interested in this young man, and it should be interesting to eat with his admirers.

SBC Center is an old arena located in the downtown area of San Antonio, and Popovich's favorite restaurants are just down the street from SBC Center.

In addition to Hu Qingniu, he was accompanied by the silent Tim Duncan, the trembling Tony Parker, and the active Ginobili who likes to make gestures.

Since the store is not far away, all five people walk, and in the middle of it is through the San Antonio Riverside Walk, a famous attraction in the Holy City, a green boulevard that attracts visitors from all over the world. The river is lined with restaurants, shops, and many other entertainment venues. Walking on the riverside promenade, bathed in the breeze of the river, you can feel a strong sense of poetry.

The weather in December was a little wet and cold, and the old man Popovich wore a white vest over a Spurs training uniform, and Tim Duncan still wore a white plaid shirt.

Parker, Manu and Hu Qingniu, who were dressed in suits and leather shoes, followed the old man and the young master like three bodyguards.

Manu was a social elite who spoke English with a strange accent and spit on Hu Qingniu, ignoring the sad expression on his little brother Parker's face.

Manu was like a hospitable host, explaining everything about the Holy City in a rambling manner, forgetting that he seemed to have only been here for more than two months.

"There are about 122,000 lights illuminating the riverwalk, and it is expected that there will be activities in disguise as the Virgin Mary and Joseph looking for refuge."

The five people who had not been walking for a long time had already stepped into a brightly lit place, with streamers and boats cruising on the river.

"Wow, is this beautiful every day?" Hu Qingniu complained in his heart, he said the holy village every day in his previous life, but he didn't expect it to be so luxurious.

"Of course ~ no," Manu, who dragged out his pitch, also danced and gestured, "because tomorrow is "Christ Mass", the birthday of Jesus. That is, Christmas. ”

"Cannon Festival?!" Hu Qingniu blurted out that even witty people can't control their reflexes. After the Christmas epidemic, although it was also for Chinese, it was not the same as Westerners. After coming to this world, Hu Qingniu didn't spend much Christmas, and he missed his relatives every festive season, and Hu Qingniu, who had never had a family in two lives, was inexplicably a little sad.

"Cannon?!" Old man Popovich wondered, "Is there any connection between war and Christmas?" ”

"Oh, I heard you wrong, sorry, Mr. Popovich. Isn't Christmas all about being with your family? ”

"Me and Tim's family aren't here, Tony and Manu are still young singles. We're not bad now, let's have a Christmas Eve dinner with our colleagues. Right, my fellow Wizards and Spurs colleagues. ”

"Uh, okay."

Colleague, Hu Qingniu was speechless.

Popovich ordered a carrot cake before the meal began and pushed him in front of Duncan.

Ginobili whispered to Hu Qingniu that this was a courtesy only for Tim, and every time Tim was unhappy, the coach would buy him a carrot cupcake.

Hu Qingniu also heard about this incident, and it was already Duncan's jersey retirement ceremony.

"Hu, I'm very interested in your thoughts, can you talk to me about it?" Old man Popovich had picked up his favorite red wine, and could talk about what he thought was the most important thing to do tonight, besides buying cake and drinking.

"I think people are the most important thing in basketball, not just one star, but everyone. It's not just about the skill of the player, it's also about the player's character, his selfless qualities. The culture of the team is based on the selflessness of each individual, and such a team will return to a cohesive and strong team. ”

"I think what you're talking about is very similar to the kind of team I want," Popovich said, "You can work on your skills, but it's hard to change the quality of a person, and I want to make the Spurs the kind of team you say, selfless and dominant." ”

Duncan, who was sitting on the side to eliminate the cake, also raised his head and looked at Hu Qingniu. Didn't speak, kept staring at him, it was a pair of big, very bright eyes. Hu Qingniu felt that his deep pupils were challenged for the first time, and stared back.

Such a look at each other until Duncan habitually reached out and touched the back of Hu Qingniu's head, and said a good word.

Hu Qingniu unknowingly fell under the curse of hair loss, the most vicious in the world. You don't see, Manu is still a beautiful man with long hair and fluttering, and when he is 30 years old, the back of his head is bald.