Jeff Van Gundy's first sentence turned Hayes upside down. "I want you to be the starting power forward next season!"

"Then I won't let you down. Hehe. Hayes couldn't help but laugh.

In fact, Hayes had already expected this result, but he didn't expect happiness to come so quickly. The Rockets' power forward position is very weak, and in addition to himself, the only one who can be used is the veteran Juwan Howard. Howard's physical condition has been getting worse as he has gotten older, and he can't keep up with the game on the defensive end. On the offensive end, he can only rely on mid-range shots to provide some support for the team. Hayes, on the other hand, has a tough defense, is in his prime of play, and has good development prospects. The only downsides are the disadvantage of height and the lack of scoring ability on offense.

Now that Jeff Van Gundy has seen Hayes' shooting practice, he immediately has the idea to let him start because he no longer has the problem of not being able to score.

"You kid has a lot of confidence. I can start you, but you'll have to execute my tactics thoroughly. Jeff Van Gundy laughed and brought a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi from under the table. Some? I'm not in a good state to drink alcohol, but it's okay to drink some Pepsi. ”

"Coach, I can't drink it, isn't Coke forbidden for us players? It's not good for bones......" Hayes said.

Athletes are absolutely forbidden to drink carbonated drinks such as Coke, because drinking too much of this drink will have a great adverse effect on the bones of athletes, that is to say, drinking this drink will make athletes prone to fractures, so drinking some alcohol in the sports world is nothing, but you can't drink carbonated drinks such as Coke.

"It's forbidden to exaggerate, so it's okay to drink once in a while. Otherwise, you can only be thirsty, and the bucket of water has not been changed for more than a month, and I think it is a miracle that it has not grown moss. Jeff Van Gundy said, pointing to a water dispenser not far away. If you drink Coke once and the bones become brittle, then Pepsi should have closed its doors a long time ago, are they selling poison? ”

Hayes is right to think about it, Henry, Beckham and other football stars still advertise for Pepsi endorsements, if they don't drink at all, isn't that to deceive consumers? He took the two plastic cups handed over by Jeff Van Gundy and filled them full.

"Tell us what you think of the new season." Jeff Van Gundy took a sip of Coke and said.

"This ......," Hayes hesitated. Jeff Van Gundy has come across as notoriously egocentric, stubborn, and dismissive of other people's opinions. He feared that he would annoy Jeff Van Gundy by talking about it, and that he would ruin the first-mover promise he had just received. If you follow Jeff Van Gundy's thinking and make a fool of yourself, he worries that the Rockets won't go far this season.

The Rockets already have some capable bench players this year, and Hayes really doesn't want history repeating itself, watching Novak sit on the bench all the time, Bunch Wells on the water drain for a season, and Spanoulis calling him home for dinner.

Hayes didn't know what to do, and at this time, Jeff Van Gundy said seriously: "You don't care about my thoughts, just say it." Whether it's the owner or the fans, the newspapers and TV media often say that I don't listen to people's opinions, and this time I listened carefully. I'm not afraid of you laughing, I believe in fate very much, just now I was thinking about the team's affairs in the corridor, I didn't know what was going on and walked to the stadium, and then I saw you playing there. I already admired your hard work last season, but I didn't expect you to be able to shoot again in a short period of time. I've never seen a person finish college and improve their playing skills in such a leap and bound. You are simply reborn from the fire, breaking out of the cocoon into a butterfly...... Don't be complacent when I praise you like that. However, your improvement has been the fastest of any player I've seen. I have a hunch that you are the person I want and that you can make a big difference to the Rockets in the new season. ”

Hayes swallowed and foamed. How can Jeff Van Gundy see it so accurately? What other Chinese idioms can you say? I almost told me where I came from. This guy can't be cross-ed, right?

"Coach, the idea of the new season is a bit too general and I don't know where to start. It's better to ask you in more detail, and I'll answer it. Hayes stabilized his mood and smiled.

Jeff Van Gundy frowned, put on a sad expression, and asked, "Which team do you think is most likely to win the championship in the new season?" ”

Without thinking, Hayes replied, "San Antonio Spurs." ”

Jeff Van Gundy laughed when he saw Hayes admiring the team in the Southwest Division. "And what about last year's champions, the Heat, and the Western Conference champions, the Mavericks? And MVP Nash's Suns, don't you like them? ”

Of course I don't think much of them. I know that the calf has been hacked by eight miracles. The Heat were swept in the first round by the Bulls. The Cavaliers reached the finals and were picked up 4-0 by the Spurs without a temper. Hayes said to himself. He certainly couldn't just tell Jeff Van Gundy about the results. As the saying goes, the secret of heaven cannot be revealed, and those who leak the secret of heaven are basically either dead or unlucky. And, with his arrival, there will certainly be a chain reaction, and the history he knows may not be accurate.

Hayes thought about it carefully, organized the language, and said with a smile: "I'll start with the calves in the same district as us." In terms of lineup, the Mavericks are strong. Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Terry are all awesome. There are fierce men like Dampier and Diop on the inside, and Devin Harris also has the potential to be tapped. There are also Hassel and Stackhouse on the bench, and the bench depth is strong. But they have a shortcoming, that is, the leader Nowitzki's style is too soft, although he is a power forward, he relies on a good hand to play, and they can play in the preseason, but in the playoffs they fight for momentum and perseverance. They can be overturned in the finals this year, how much can they do next year? I don't think they have the temperament to be champions and it's just luck to get to the final this year. ”

Jeff Van Gundy smiled and didn't comment. Then he asked, "What about the Hot Team?" They are the defending champions. ”

"The Hot Team is definitely not playing. There's one reason for that - O'Neill is old. He has already shown fatigue this year, and he basically can't play our Yao Ming. With this championship, it is estimated that he will not have much left to fight for victory. Without an invincible interior team, it is difficult for Wade to break through the first round of the playoffs by relying only on Wade. Hayes took a sip of Coke and talked. That confident look as if he was the coach and Jeff Van Gundy was the assistant.

"Let's talk about the sun. They played beautifully last year. Jeff Van Gundy crossed his legs, not disgusted by Hayes' remarks, and continued to be in front of the audience.

Hayes now thinks that Jeff Van Gundy is a better person to get along with than he imagined, and before he knows it, he is addicted to talking. Just say what is in your heart. "The sun is playing beautifully. But there is a fatal flaw, that is, relying too much on Nash, if Nash's play is restricted, the run-and-gun tactics will be greatly reduced. Moreover, no matter how well Nash plays, they will not be able to win the championship. I think that a sharp offense can only get a good result in the regular season and make it to the playoffs, and if you want to go far, you have to have a tenacious defense. The Suns are defenseless. That's why I'm most bullish on Spurs. The Spurs have a good combination of inside and outside, with a balance of offense and defense. The star of the house is Duncan, the most consistent power forward in history, and there are many veterans with experience in the playoffs and finals. This is something that no other team can compare. ”

"Do you have any other teams besides the Spurs?" Jeff Van Gundy asked again. He thought to himself, you kid must be talking about rockets next, and then published a series of big ambitions.

As if he didn't realize that he was a member of the Rockets, Hayes said slowly: "I'm also optimistic about the Utah Jazz in the West and the Cavaliers in the East." The Jazz have a tenacious style, Boozer and Oku are not weak inside, and point guard Deron Williams has one of the strongest bodies among point guards and has good passing awareness, and they are likely to explode into dark horses this season. The Cavaliers' LeBron James is also getting stronger and stronger, and there are already few strong teams in the Eastern Conference, and they are likely to make it to the Finals this year. ”

"I said, you stinky boy, why don't you keep mentioning rockets? This year, we have a full complement of personnel and a bit of strength. Don't you think we have a chance to make it to the final and win the championship? "Jeff Van Gundy saw that Hayes kept talking about other teams, and finally he was a little out of breath. He now wants to know more about Hayes' views on the Rockets and figure out how to make up for the team's shortcomings.

"What I'm going to say next may not sound so good, I hope you can forgive me, coach." Hayes said with a grimace on his face. He knows that his advice will definitely have a positive impact on the team, but many of the fingers will point to Jeff Van Gundy's tactics for fear of offending the big man who controls his job.

"Don't sell it. If you have any opinions, just say it. There are many people who question me, don't be afraid to offend me. "Jeff Van Gundy is also an old fritter who has been mixed for n years, so he can naturally see through Hayes's thoughts.

"I think...... The Rockets will be a strong contender for the championship. Hayeston paused and said.

"Hmph, don't you say that? Play me am, right? Jeff Van Gundy sneered.

"Coach, I'm not done yet, provided we need to make a few changes, and I personally summarized three points. I believe that the coach must have planned for the new season, and if there is a conflict with your ideas, please don't be angry and seriously consider my advice. Hayes said unhurriedly. Be careful to sail the ship of 10,000 years, although Jeff Van Gundy has repeatedly said that he can speak freely, and he still has to make some face clear.

"Let's talk about it." Jeff Van Gundy laughed.

"First, reduce Yao Ming's playing time." Hayes said.

"Why? He's our trump card. Jeff Van Gundy asked. Why don't he feel embarrassed by this question, but it's a pity that the Rockets, who have always been poor, can no longer introduce a good center as Yao Ming's backup, and he also hopes that someone can discuss it with him and find the answer as soon as possible.

Hayes drank the whole glass of Coke in two sips, poured himself another glass, and said, "Because Yao Ming is too tired." This is a big hidden danger. Yao Ming is one of the league's top centers, and last year he ushered in a new peak in his career, playing a big role on both offensive and defensive ends. Perhaps, this year he will improve. But we can't forget that he is now playing for the Chinese team in the World Championships, and after flying back to train with us for a few days, he has to play preseason again, and he has already played too many games before the regular season starts. Yao Ming's injury last year should serve as a reminder that his playing time must be reduced. Although Mutombo is not good offensively, he is no worse than Yao Ming in defense. It's time to consider letting him fight a little longer. ”

Hayes only dared to make this suggestion when he knew that Yao Ming was injured when the Rockets won 22 consecutive games in 2008, and Mutombo had a second spring, rebounding double-doubles in consecutive games. He knew that "Uncle Mu" had absolute strength.

Jeff Van Gundy thought of this as well and nodded. "And the second?"

"The second is to give more opportunities for the substitutes to play and try to play to everyone's strengths. Let them dare to attack and play with confidence. The main lineup is strong, and it may not be able to go too far in the playoffs, if the substitutes can't play, no matter how high Yao Mai's score is, it's useless. Hayes said. If you can talk about Jeff Van Gundy in this regard, it will definitely be good for the Rockets.

Jeff Van Gundy is so easy to change, then it's not Van Gundy. His face became a little ugly, and his usual expression appeared when he lost, and he said, "It's easy for you to say." There aren't many substitutes who can score in the first place, how to change? For whom? ”

Hayes laughed and said, "I can't make a decision on this, otherwise I will overstep my power." Coach, I can only suggest a few people to you, I heard that Bunch Wells will be coming, this guy's strength is obvious to all this year, and he can definitely improve the strength of the team. And then there's the Greek Spanoulis, a European who is good at team basketball and he should be able to bring us something new. Of course, he's just coming to the NBA, and it's definitely going to take time to get used to, and it's hard to be effective right away. I think we should give him more chances, as long as he adapts to the rhythm of the NBA, even if he is not as good as the Spurs Parker, he can fight against it. And Novak, he's really accurate. ”

Jeff Van Gundy thought about it and felt that there was some truth to these words. However, the specifics can only be determined after seeing the performance of these people. At this time, Bunch Wells, Span Nollis and others entered Jeff Van Gundy's mind, and sometimes, people's fate can be changed because of a single sentence.

"Let's tell me about your third as well." Jeff Van Gundy drank all of his Coke and asked. His face softened, and the person he was most optimistic about now was "Chuck Hayes" in front of him.

Hayes filled Jeff Van Gundy's cup with Coke and said, "The third is tactical. Didn't it say earlier that Yao Ming's playing time should be reduced, and the purpose of reducing time was to ensure Yao Ming's physical strength. The defensive tactics played by our team are man-to-man in the half-court, so that it is not easy to mess up when defending, but the physical exertion is also relatively large. Especially the physical strength of the veterans and Yao Ming, I suggest that you can try the regional joint defense, which can not only save physical strength, but also break the opponent's blocking, and when the opponent has a big man who can shoot, we will use people to mark people. When attacking, we can also try some new tactics, such as when Yao Ming is not on the court, we can use Maddy and Alstom's breakthrough to quickly counterattack, and hit the Sun's run-and-gun tactics. ”

"Yao Ming doesn't play, isn't Mutombo slower than him? What are you doing? "Jeff Van Gundy thinks there is some truth to the regional defense, but the Rockets' suggestion to run and shoot is a bit funny and whimsical. A man like him, who has the word "defensive" engraved on his head, would never want to see a team lose its defensive formation in order to run and attack.

"It's only done against special teams, like the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks...... The Suns and Warriors basically play without defense, and it's easy for us to fall into the opponent's rhythm when we play with him. As for the Mavericks, they are afraid of running and bombing, just look at this year's finals. Hayes continued to persuade Jeff Van Gundy.

Maybe it's Hayes, the reborn personality, that explodes, or maybe Jeff Van Gundy really believes in fate too much. In short, he began to seriously consider these suggestions, and did not refuse, asking: "This tactic is too risky, and the speed of our two centers is impossible to do." This consumes physical strength and lacks efficiency. ”

"The speed of the two of them is slow, but in that case, coach, why don't you just find a short head and a fast inside line? It's best to shoot three-pointers from the inside. Hayes said, turning his head to look away, and rubbing his nose.

Jeff Van Gundy looked at Hayes, his eyes narrowed, and he said to himself: 'I'll rub! People can't be shameless like that. What kind of tactical suggestions, after a long time, you kid just want to fool me into formulating tactics around you? Isn't you the only one on my team who is short, fast and can shoot three-pointers? ’

Jeff Van Gundy pretended not to hear and deliberately did not speak.

Hayes waited for a moment, but didn't hear a response. So he said: "Our team has a fierce man like Yao Ming, of course the run-and-bomb tactics will not become the main game, and it is more appropriate to learn the mode of the Spurs trio." Duncan held back inside, and Parker and Ginobili broke through or dropped a three-pointer. I think that this year, we have stronger outside firepower than the Spurs, and with Battier, Alston, Novak, Padget, and Hyde as a dry pitcher, we can play a beautiful combination of inside and outside offense. When Maddie encounters a tight defense and Yao Ming is trapped, as long as he quickly pours the ball to the outside and shoots, he can show them a three-point rain...... This one...... Actually, coach, don't look at me like that, I think I still need to improve, but if you really think that my current level can be considered a pitcher and can go out and shoot threes, then I will listen to you all in the new season, and I will do it. ”

Hayes's face did not change, his heart did not beat, and he continued to recommend himself. Jeff Van Gundy was right, what he said earlier was foreshadowing, and convincing Jeff Van Gundy to allow him to shoot more shots on offense was the goal. No matter how good the defense is, how can it compare to a high-scoring style?

"I don't think you're like a pitcher, you're like my assistant coach." Jeff Van Gundy was joking with Hayes, and he pondered the three pieces of advice and was delighted. Some of the things coincided with his thoughts, and although many of the words Hayes said for himself, it opened a door in Jeff Van Gundy's heart, and everything suddenly became clear. He felt that the Rockets' lineup problem seemed to be solved all at once. Although Yao Ming still has shortcomings on the inside after he is off the court, the strong outside firepower should make up for all this. When the Rockets are blooming on the outside in the new season, who can say that he Jeff Van Gundy will only play Yao Mai's blocking offense? When the time comes, he will speak with facts and silence all those who question it.

"As long as I can help the coach, it's my pleasure." Hayes "climbed up the pole," laughed.

"You're a funny kid. Why didn't you talk when you first came, I thought you were very shy, pretending to be low-key? Jeff Van Gundy quipped, recalling Hayes' honest appearance when he first arrived.

"Coach, I'm not pretending. With a short contract of 10 days, I was nervous every day, worried that my career would end in 10 days. As soon as I played, I played with my life, and when I got off the field, I wanted to play how to stay, and I couldn't sleep at night, so I didn't talk much. Now that I'm finally here, I'm starting to think about how I can make myself stronger and make the team go further. I don't have Kobe, Maddie's athletic talent, and I don't have Yao Ming's height, so I can only practice more, but fortunately, it has some effect. Hayes smiled wryly, and these words were completely heartfelt.

Jeff Van Gundy suddenly felt a little moved when he heard this. I am afraid that only such hard-working players will be willing to give up the entire vacation and practice shooting hard to make such great progress. As for whether Hayes is reused and how he should be used, Jeff Van Gundy will depend on his performance in training and preseason. What is certain is that he has been on the manager's list of key scouts.

"If you were asked to take the lead, what would you think you should do? What is the advantage over Juwan Howard? "It's the first time Jeff Van Gundy has said so much to a fringe player who needs to play in summer league. If it was just an assumption when the two first started chatting, now Jeff Van Gundy is thoroughly prepared to give Hayes the start.

"My strength is strength. I'm less than two meters tall, but I can defend by pushing the opponent's interior out of the three-second zone. When the opponent blocks and dismantles, I can also prevent it from getting out. The most important point is that when the opponent's outside player breaks through, I can stand in front of Yao Ming and play a role in protecting Yao Ming. Now many teams are trying to make Yao Ming foul at the beginning, and they have lost their interior pillars, and our game will be difficult to play. Also, I'm confident that I can contribute something to the team on the offensive end. For example, if I'm a power forward and a pick-and-roll for an outside player, I can free up Yao Ming and allow him to better participate in the offense. If Yao Ming is defended by the opponent, packed, or Maddie can't break through, just give the ball back to me, and under the switch defense, I can easily get a chance to shoot, even if someone else defends it, I can also give the ball to Yao Ming on the inside, or reverse the outside......" Hayes gave advice to Jeff Van Gundy. This tactic is the usual offensive method of Argentine "actor" Scola after arriving at the rocket. He firmly believes that as long as the coach uses this tactic, he can guarantee a high jump shot percentage like Scola. You can also pull out and shoot threes.

Hearing this, Jeff Van Gundy thought for a while and said, "Let's go down now." I'd like to see the results of your practice. ”

"Again, I won't let you down." Hayes raised his Coke glass and clinked it to Jeff Van Gundy, both of whom drank it all. He knew that Jeff Van Gundy's desire to see the results of his practice meant starting to seriously consider his advice and use him as Scola as soon as he was sure that his shooting ability was up to par. His status with the Rockets will leap to the No. 3 firepower spot.

The two returned to the training ground together. Hayes called Kevin to help pass the ball and showed Jeff Van Gundy his usual shooting style.

Hayes didn't do the strength training and running that he had planned for the afternoon, and after a break in the office, he was now full of strength again. In unguarded situations, whether it was a dribbling pull-up jump shot or a run-and-catch jumper, Hayes maintained a high shooting percentage. After performing a modified stance, a free throw shot of more than 80 percent from the field, and a small hook attack on either side of the basket, he completely impressed Jeff Van Gundy, and it was clear that he had surpassed Howard on the accuracy of his shots.

"I didn't expect you to be able to practice shooting to this point by yourself, as long as you maintain this shooting rate, with Yao Ming and Maddie to contain the opponent, you don't have to worry about not having a chance to shoot." Jeff Van Gundy patted Hayes the shoulder and said.

Jeff Van Gundy's small physique, which can actually shoot Hayes, grinned and had a sore shoulder.

Hayes smiled and asked, "Coach, are you ready to use the tactics I said?" ”

"What tactics you mentioned, I wanted to do this for a long time, but I didn't have anyone on my hands. As long as Yao Ming stays healthy this year, Maddie will be supported by outside firepower. How can you not make it through the first round of the playoffs? This year, we have to show them that Houston is the king of the Southwest Division! Not only do we have to get past the first round, but we also have to go to the final! Hahaha. Jeff Van Gundy laughed. After talking to Hayes, his ambition was also stimulated.

Hayes asked tentatively, "Coach, what ......is my position in the new season?"

Jeff Van Gundy laughed, "Let's have a good fight." My starting power forward. ”;