Mayo's poor form has some worries for the Mavericks' players, and now that Nowitzki is injured, the Mavericks need everyone who can use them to put in a good performance. In this way, they will be able to get a good result before Dirk returns, and then go to a higher ranking after Dirk's return.

Fortunately, Mayo seemed to be rejuvenated during the morning training session on the day of the game. The 24-year-old Mayo is not Terry, who was in his thirties last season, and Kidd, who is almost 40 years old, and the speed of physical recovery of young people is the envy of the old guys.

Seeing that Mayo adjusted his condition, Carlisle was also a lot more relieved. In today's game, their opponents are not a team like the Bobcats. If Mayo is in a slump, the Mavericks' chances of winning will definitely be much less.

The Portland Trail Blazers, a team that has gone through the era of Roy and Oden, has gradually stepped back on track.

Aldridge has grown into a star who can take on big responsibilities. Matthews also became one of the league's most successful draft picks. Frenchman Nicholas. Batum's strength has grown year by year, and this year, the Trail Blazers also used a No. 6 pick to select the promising older rookie Damien. Lillard!

Of course, the most terrifying thing about the Trail Blazers is their super center Anjie! The horror that this guy is wreaking havoc on the field is not ...... Wait, who is Anjie? Carlisle scratched his head, as if he had just lost his mind.

Facing the Trail Blazers today, what I really have to mention is actually Carlisle's former assistant, Terry. Stotts! After last season, Stotts was out on contract with the Mavericks. When Cuban offered Stotts a bid, the coach refused. It's not that Cuban doesn't have enough money, but that Stotts wants to get a head coach's errand at this time, and he wants to stand on his own instead of continuing to be someone else's assistant. 、

For Stotts's departure, both Carlisle and Cuban regretted it. Stotts is a truly fantastic coach, and with him, the Mavericks' offense is always playing. But it is normal for people to go to higher places. Stotts wants to take his career to the next level, and Carlisle and Cuban have no reason to stand in the way.

As a result, Carlisle had no choice but to say goodbye to Stotts, his right-hand man. The latter, on the other hand, received an offer from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Carlisle is well aware that that Stotts guy is definitely an offensive master. His style is also a perfect fit for this Trail Blazers' aggressive lineup. So today's game is destined to not be easy for the Mavericks. The offensive firepower of the Trail Blazers is bound to bring a lot of trouble to the game.

"LaMarcus. Aldridge! Needless to say, you know how dangerous this taciturn man is! Try not to get him close to the basket, and even if you are far away from the basket, don't give him an easy shot. Kaman, I need you to defend Aldridge and use your tonnage and height to overpower him. Brand, you defend the Trail Blazers' No. 5 position. Hickson is a short center, and you don't suffer too much in terms of height. Of course, in addition to Aldridge, we have to focus on one person. Carlisle gestured a finger.

"Nicholas. Batum? Marion took Carlisle's words.

"The French striker is really good, but I'm not talking about him. Also, I want you to take good care of Damien. Lillard is a rookie. Don't take it lightly, the strength of this pioneer No. 0 is definitely not to be underestimated! ”

"Damien. Lillard? Yiyang felt that the name was somewhat familiar, and he remembered that he had heard of it since he was in college.

At that time, some media were discussing who was the biggest dark horse in this year's NCAA between Yiyang and Lillard. However, Yiyang has begun his third NBA season, and Lillard has only just entered the league.

"Familiar name, right? He's an older rookie who finished his junior season before being announced for the draft. People feel that he has little potential to tap and can only be used as an ordinary instant combat force. That's why it fell to sixth. But I think there's still a lot of room for Damien to develop. He's very strong in his own right, so treat him well. I'm well aware of Stotts, and that guy is definitely going to put more offensive duties on Lillard. Like, back then, we looked up to you. ”

Yiyang nodded, he didn't care if the other party was a rookie or not, and he didn't care if the other party had played in college for a few years. As long as it's an opponent, knock them all down!

Forty minutes before the start of the game, Yiyang, who had finished his warm-up, was ready to go back to the locker room to change into a clean jersey. When I just warmed up, in addition to sweating a lot, I was already completely soaked with the one I am wearing now.

Yiyang walked through a few corners and was about to walk to the locker room. In the long, bright hallway, he met the No. 0 guard Carlisle was talking about, Lillard.

The two looked at each other from a distance, but neither of them spoke first. Just as the two sides were about to pass by, Lillard suddenly stopped. Seeing this, Yiyang also stopped. They met for the first time, but there was a special sense of affection.

In the quiet tunnel of players, there were only Yiyang and Lillard. The distance between the two defenders was no more than a meter, and there were 38 minutes left before the start of the game. It stands to reason that they shouldn't see each other right now. But God, such a meeting was arranged.

"Hello, I used to watch you play when I was in college." Lillard, like Yiyang, was cold and didn't talk much.

"Hello Damien, thank you."

"Hey, I like you so much. I love your style of play, I love your desperate fight, and I love your decision to stay in Dallas this summer. You love a challenge, don't you? I mean, if you go to the Lakers this summer, the championship will be too easy for you and Kobe. Lillard faced the person he had been looking up to in college, and the conversation box didn't stop the car.

"Perhaps, everybody is hungry for a challenge. In fact, joining the Lakers is actually another challenge. ”

"Haha, you're exactly what I imagined. They all said that my sixth pick was a bit inflated. But you'd better not think so, because I'm going to do my best later. "Lillard wrote a letter to Yiyang, how to show respect for a player on the basketball court? It's very simple, fight him with real knives and guns!

"Rankings are meaningless. Want to prove yourself? Then come and fight me! Yiyang smiled, he suddenly liked Lillard, a familiar and unfamiliar opponent.

Unfamiliar, because this is just the first meeting between Yiyang and Lillard. is familiar, Yiyang seems to see his former self in Lillard. Under this kid's taciturn appearance, there is always a ruthlessness!

"Hehe, then I'll go to the stadium first! Don't be soft, I can handle it! Lillard excitedly swept past Yiyang, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes shining.

Yiyang's ghostly passing, Rose's dreamy pull-up, Irving's gorgeous change of direction, Paul's all-round wisdom, and Westbrook's visual limits with every ball...... In this heyday of point guards, no one can think of Lillard. In college, he occasionally made headlines and occasionally made headlines for comparing him to a superstar, but the next day, no one could think of Lillard.

Neither high nor low draft picks, bad or bad physical fitness, lukewarm team influence, unstable three-point shooting, off-court life without grandstanding, only a few words in the face of the media, and a cold temperament as if not giving outsiders a chance to understand him. This can be used to describe Yiyang in his rookie years, and it can also be used to describe Lillard's current appearance.

The two defenders drifted away in opposite directions in the tunnel but eventually, they were destined to circle back onto the pitch, look at each other again, and then draw their swords against each other!

After returning to the locker room to change into a new jersey, Yiyang jumped on the spot twice. Can't wait to fight me? I'll let you know what the NBA is, boy!

Yiyang was also excited, I don't know how many pounds and taels of the name Lillard heard in college?