Hayes promised Gao Tongxuan to cook after the game. The next day, he found that there were not enough ingredients at home, and some Chinese ingredients were difficult to buy in the supermarket, so he went directly to Yao's restaurant and prepared to ask the chefs for some.

As soon as he entered the restaurant, Hayes saw an acquaintance. This person looks kind and kind, and is the kind of person who feels warm at first glance. He was dressed in a straight suit and sat by the window. Hayes suddenly felt deeply helpless about his jumping surname thinking, because the first adjective that came to his mind when he saw the old man was "the charm is still there".

The man saw Hayes as well and smiled and beckoned to him.

This one is Mike D'Antoni. He does look sunny, is it a hidden surname when he is the head coach of the Suns?

"Hello, Chuck, please be seated." D'Antoni said after shaking hands with Hayes.

"Hi, Coach D'Antoni." Hayes sat down. He didn't want to sit down, but just out of politeness to talk to the other person. He doesn't hate D'Antoni, but talking to the other party at this juncture, it is easy to have scandals, and if the Rockets lose the next game, he will be treated as an undercover agent.

D'Antoni smiled: "It's nice to meet you, you're also here for dinner, right?" I've always wanted to try Chinese roast duck, and if you don't mind, let's eat it together. ”

"No, I'm just here to find a chef to order ingredients, and I have friends waiting for me to come home and cook." Hayes said truthfully.

"Can you take some time to talk to me? I've always wanted to talk to you. D'Antoni asked.

Hayes is not good at refusing. I had to nod and say, "Of course." ”

The waitress at Yao's restaurant poured a glass of water for Hayes, and when she left, she couldn't help but take a few more looks, the main players of the Rockets and the head coach of the Suns sat together, which is indeed easy to evoke.

"What are we talking about? Coach D'Antoni? Hayes asked.

"Call me Mike, even though it's an opponent on the court, I don't think it prevents us from being friends." D'Antoni smiled, sincerity in his eyes.

"Okay, Mike. You're not asking me if I'd like to join the Suns, are you? Hayes laughed.

D'Antoni laughed and said, "No. Don't worry, I'm not here to poach. Of course, it's not that I don't have this idea, it's that the Suns' salary is no longer allowed. Frankly, I admired you when we met for the first time in the regular season. ”

"My hands were too hot that day, and I wanted to score more than 40 points in the future." Hayes laughed. He was also impressed with the 49-point game. The Rockets reversed the score in an unfavorable opening situation. Since then, the rocket has found a way to deal with the sun.

"You scored less points in the second half of the regular season, but I think you're getting better and better, you're improving. You are much stronger than Marion, the funny thing is that next season, his annual salary of 16 million is not too little, so that the agent issued an early renewal condition of 60 million for three years, I think he must be crazy, if he can get 20 million a year, you should get 40 million annual salary. D'Antoni took a sip of water, then stopped a waiter, saying that the food could be served later and that he wanted to talk to a friend.

Hayes agrees with D'Antoni that he has seen Marion's future as an overrated player who has left the Suns' run-and-gun system and his stats have dropped severely. Even the defensive efficiency will be reduced a lot, because his single defense ability is average.

"Mike, aren't you afraid that I'll get out when I'm interviewed? Doesn't that affect the unity of your team? Hayes thought to himself that this guy had too much trust in his character.

"If you're afraid, I won't say anything." D'Antoni laughed: "It doesn't matter what I say now, the sun is no longer united." ”

Hayes felt a little wrong. Although Anthony was laughing, his words gave people a somewhat bleak feeling. Moreover, when he came to Yao Restaurant to eat, he was actually alone.

"What's the situation you're in right now? Can you talk about it? Hayes asked curiously.

"Yes. After the last game, a lot of people started to question my tactics, and I'm afraid I'm going to be fired because of you kid. D'Antoni said lightly.

"Isn't it?" Hayes only smiled wryly.

D'Antoni looked indifferent and smiled: "The boss and I have a disagreement. Because you have played so well this season, he began to disbelieve in run-and-gun tactics, and felt that defense should be the mainstay, and the combination of inside and outside could win the championship. But I always felt that the Suns played well, but the players were not good enough to attack, and the main problem was that we lacked someone who was good at attacking with the ball. ”

Hayes was a little cold, he didn't know what to say, persuade this old man? The other party doesn't seem to care much about losing his job.

"Chuck, what do you think we're going to do in this series?" D'Antoni asked. He asked about the score, but he didn't ask who would advance.

Hayes has thought about this question countless times. The Rockets have also figured out ways to bring down the Suns, whose fragile defenses are difficult to defend. He smiled confidently, "If I say it directly, don't be angry. ”

"Let's get it straight. Let's see if we think the same way. D'Antoni said.

"4-0, the Rockets swept the Suns." "Because you can't stop our offense, we have a way to cut off Nash from the rest of the players and force you to play," Hayes said. ”

"I agree with you, the Suns really can't beat the Rockets." D'Antoni simply admitted.

Hayes was surprised: "I didn't expect you to say that, I thought you would be very disdainful of my words, and fight us to the end with a run." You're such a practical person. ”

If the Rockets do sweep the Suns, I'm afraid there will be another butterfly effect to happen, and D'Antoni is likely to leave the class a season early.

"To be exact, I don't think the sun can stop you. If you swap Marion, at least the outcome is unpredictable, and the Suns have half the chance to advance, but right now, we're definitely lost. Your physique is as hard to defend as LeBron James. Your breakthrough is not as good as his, but your three-point shot is more accurate than his, and your back-to-back shooting ability is better than his. You're just poor in terms of fitness, and before this season, I didn't think a player of your fitness could be so good. D'Antoni laughed.

Hayes was overjoyed, but he still said modestly: "You are exalting me too much." If LeBron and I go head-to-head, I'm going to lose. ”

"Steve (Nash) was single-handedly on the team, and no one could beat him. On the field, he's the MVP. D'Antoni said, "You know what? I don't think it's a tactical issue for the Rockets to win over the Suns, it's that your roster is too strong. It's not just you, Yao Ming, and Maddie, your first mover...... Even the two rookies, David Lee and Millsap, are very good. I'm really jealous of the Rockets' staffing, Dawson shouldn't be retiring, he has such a good eye. ”

"yes, Dawson is an amazing manager, a nice guy. I also wish he a few more years. Hayes smiled: "Listen to what you mean, even if you leave your job, you will continue to run in the future, right?" ”

"Running and bombing, supplemented by positional attack, I will prove sooner or later that offense can win championships. You're actually a good guy for running and shooting, you react quickly, you have a lot of offensive means, and you shoot accurately. Bombardment allows people to fully exploit their strengths. Of course, you have a high basketball IQ and know how to help your team win, and you can also bring victory to your team on the offensive field......," D'Antoni said, "Are you sure you're going to stay with the Rockets this season?" ”

"I want to stay, I said it at the press conference."

D'Antoni sighed lightly and said seriously: "That's a pity. I don't think you recognize your worth yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sow discord between you and your teammates. It's just a little bit of my own opinion, I think the rocket buried your talent. With your abilities, you can be the leader of a team, not a role player who sacrifices offense for the team and focuses on rebounding. ”

"If I'm a role player, it's easier for the team to win championships, shouldn't I do that? To win, the team is important. Hayes said.

"You're doing the right thing, but have anyone else done it? Did Maddie do it? I've watched a lot of Rockets games, and I found a problem, when you're just on the floor, the Rockets play more beautiful team basketball. During the time Maddie was out, you played very flexibly, and you made the Rockets better. ”

Maddie brushed up on the data late in the regular season, and connoisseurs could see it. D'Antoni's words have been said very bluntly, and Hayes knows it very well. The Rockets can play beautiful team basketball, but Maddie often introduces the game into individual hero mode. His stats are very beautiful, but if his teammates don't catch the ball for a long time, they will become cold hands because of his singles and become spectators. Sometimes, when a problem could be solved more simply, it becomes more complicated.

It's like it's much easier for Fisher to single Nash, but Maddie insists on singleing Marion, even if he beats Marion, is it the right way?

Maddie's basketball IQ is not low, but he does it a lot, especially after the All-Star break. Hayes knew that Maddie was there to compete for the MVP.

Hayes was silent for a moment and said with a smile: "I understand what you said, I'm leaving, and my friends are still waiting for me to go back." ”

"Well, you're losing time. Sometimes, you have to think for yourself, you have the strength, there are things to fight for, don't give it to others. See you tomorrow's game. D'Antoni laughed.

"Thank you."

Hayes walked out of Yao's restaurant and thought for a long time. Maybe he really has the strength to be the boss. Let's play well first, and then wait until next season. As has been the case in history, Maddie was not a good leader. But this boss, should he fight? How to fight?

When Hayes got home, he remembered one thing and forgot to take it......

(To be continued)