At this time, McMillan took a piece of paper and read: "The list that just came out, the top eight in the West are our SuperSonics, the Kings, the Kings have played 61 wins this season, and the performance is stronger than last season." Behind them are the Spurs and Lakers, who also have 58 wins, and from five to eight, they are the Mavericks with 57 wins, the Timberwolves with 50 wins, the Trail Blazers with 49 wins, and the Jazz with 44 wins.

In the East are the Nets with 52 wins, the Celtics with 49 wins, the Magic, the Numbers, the Raptors, the Pacers, the Hornets, and the Pistons.

We have five teams in the West with 50 wins and only two in the East. ”

"Nate, what about the first-round matchup?" Zhou Quan asked.

McMillan continued: "In the first round of the West, the SuperSonics vs. the Jazz, the Lakers vs. the Mavericks, the Kings vs. the Trail Blazers, the Spurs vs. the Timberwolves.

The first-round matchups in the East are: Nets vs. Pistons, Numbers vs. Raptors, Celtics vs. Hornets, and Magic vs. Pacers.

The first round of the playoffs starts on April 20 and 21, and the first round of the SuperSonics is on the 20th, with only two days to rest and adjust. ”

Zhou Quan said: "We are almost certain to play the Lakers in the second round, and it is difficult to say in the West Finals, the Timberwolves should not be able to beat the Spurs, and the Trail Blazers should not be able to beat the Kings, and it is really hard to say who will enter the West Finals between the Kings and the Spurs." ”

Speaking of this, he sorted out his expression, stood up and said to everyone seriously: "Guys, this is the second time that SuperSonics has defended the triple championship, and it is also my second time defending the triple title, I won't say much about the importance, if it is successful, from the coaching staff to the players, I will personally give each of you a top men's watch worth 30,000 US dollars." ”

"Oh roar!"

Up and down, everyone cheered.

The number of coaches of NBA teams, plus trainers, team doctors, etc., is fixed according to the rules of the league and cannot be increased at will, one head coach, two to three assistant coaches, one or two team doctors, plus several trainers, a total of nine.

Everyone counts the early twenties, and the reward of six or seven hundred thousand dollars can stimulate everyone's morale, Zhou Quan feels that in order to defend the title for the second time three consecutive crowns, his second dynasty, it is still cost-effective to personally come up with this money.

After taking a shower, he asked the coaching staff about the Bulls.

The Bulls' record has not improved after the big trade, with a 28-54 record in the regular season this season, with a winning rate of only 34%, ranking first from the bottom of the East, tied with the Mosaics for fifth from the bottom of the league, and there are several bad teams in the West.

Yao's season stats are 30.5 minutes per game, 16.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.5 steals, 2 blocks, 2.1 turnovers and 2.8 fouls, shooting 51.2% from the field, 37.5% from three-point range, and 81.1% from the free throw line.

He feels that the Bulls are indeed a little bad, this team is struggling to rebuild like the number team back then, this season there are three head coaches alone, and he doesn't know how to do it next season, whether Da Yao will fall into a mud pit, he is a little worried.

Judging from a series of operations, Jerry Krauss has lost his previous shrewdness and ability, and it feels like the time for this old man to retire.

Da is lucky, the Mavericks are getting stronger and stronger, and they can play in the playoffs every year, which is better than Da Yao's luck.

On the bus side, the Nuggets are 11th in the West and have no chance to play in the playoffs.

The bus has no status in the Nuggets, and there are not many opportunities to play, and he has played a total of 32 games this season, starting 11 games, averaging only 16 minutes of playing time per game, with 5.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 1.2 turnovers, and 3.5 fouls, with a shooting rate of only 40.2%.

As a big center, there is no efficiency on the offensive end, the shooting rate of forty percent can be said to be negative efficiency, there is no contribution on the defensive end, the rebounding is average, there are too many turnovers and fouls, especially fouls, there are no bright spots, there is no competitiveness.

He feels that the bus has no future in the NBA, the Nuggets should not renew the contract, the Nuggets can't even play in the playoffs, they don't need to deal with O'Neal at all, and the bus doesn't even have a chance to play the role of a meat shield.

The young man didn't listen to him, or listened but didn't do it, maybe he did it but couldn't do it, and he didn't perform as well as Dazhi, who still listened to him.

Leaving the locker room, Zhou Quan and Ben Wallace were on their way to a press conference when they called the bus to ask about his contract renewal.

"Brother?"

"Big bus, is there any chance to renew the contract with the Nuggets?"

"Oh, they, the management didn't talk to me about a contract extension."

"You don't have an agent, don't you know the general manager, and now that the season is over, you go and talk to him."

"Okay, brother."

"So let's do it first. By the way, if you want to watch the playoffs, give me a call. ”

"Okay, I see."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Quan called Da Yao again.

"Hey, brother......"

"Da Yao, do you want to come over and watch the playoffs?"

"I haven't decided yet, brother, I'll call you when you come. Brother, our team is going to change the head coach again, and I heard that the general manager is also retiring. ”

Speaking of which, Da Yao is indeed a little confused.

He changed three head coaches in a season, this one was just a little familiar, and then he changed new people, and his teammates were also changed one by one, and he just got used to his teammates a little bit, and then he changed again, and now even the management has to be changed.

Zhou Quan also said with a headache: "If the bull's situation does not change, the record will not be better." By the way, how many years is your rookie contract? ”

"$16 million for 4 years." Da Yao said.

"Let's do it first, and be careful not to gain too much weight. How much do you weigh now? Zhou Quan said.

"138 kilograms." Da Yao replied.

"Don't lose your agility, don't give up your mid-to-long-range shooting ability, don't blindly fight between the low post and the basket, be smart, you can learn from the big dream, take advantage of your pace, you don't have to be the second O'Neal, there will definitely be a lot of injuries like that." Zhou Quan reminded.

"Got it, brother." Da Yao replied.

Zhou Quan said something that was not good to Yao Min, looking at the operation of the Bulls this season, even the champion show Brand was traded casually, and he gave up a big forward who debuted at the peak in only two seasons, there is no doubt that the Bulls management does not cherish interior players, even if they are very good inside.

This kind of thinking should stem from Jordan's excellent performance, and the Bulls management, and even the Bulls owner, may want to rebuild a Jordan second-generation team, a team with the outside as the core.

And interior players like Brand and Yao Min are not very important in their eyes, and the master of destiny they are looking for is the next Jordan.

This kind of thinking is not surprising, from the eighties to the present, for twenty years, although the league has produced a batch of advantageous interior lines, including the four super centers, but this league has always been controlled by one outside player after another, and the team with the center as the core has always lacked competitiveness.

Starting with small forward Larry Bird, then Magic Johnson, then the Smiling Assassins, Jordan, and himself, these people arguably not only dominated the league for two decades, but also pushed the league up several steps.

And those excellent interior players, including super centers, have contributed far less to the development of the league than their outside lines.

Based on these facts, if the Bulls give up on Yao Min in the future, he also thinks it is not impossible to happen.

Now, of course, he can't say this to Yao Min, so as not to mess with his state of mind.

……

"Click, click, click......"

In the hall of the press conference, when Zhou Quan and Daben came in, the flashing lights turned on.

The first to ask was a reporter from the Seattle Times, who excitedly asked, "Iron Fist, with a supersonic record of 74 wins in the regular season, what do you think are the chances of completing a second triple crown dynasty?" ”

Zhou Quan said modestly: "Sir, you really don't have to expect me to be 100% sure, there will be accidents in everything." But I have to say, this time I won't allow the unexpected to happen, absolutely not. ”

"Haha......"

The local reporters at the scene, and the pro-hypersonic reporters, as well as the supersonic staff, all laughed when they heard this.

"Tekken, 74 wins, that's the highest winning percentage in league history, do you think this supersonic team is the strongest team in league history?"

The next question was asked by a Washington Post reporter, and the question lifted everyone's spirits.

Zhou Quan smiled and said calmly: "We are indeed strong this year, stronger than before, where is the strength?" The strength is overall, we have a lot of people who can play.

As for whether it is the strongest team in history, the question is actually not very meaningful, and we will not be able to compare it across time and space. ”

"Iron Fist, do you think there's still a chance to sweep the Lakers this time?"

The third question was asked by Zhang Lili, and the question caused many reporters to laugh on the spot, only the reporters in Los Angeles were a little embarrassed and unhappy.

Zhou Quan also laughed, and then said: "The Lakers have ...... Swept four times, right? Kobe Bryant this season is a little stronger than before, O'Neal is also maintaining his weight quite well, his strength is still at his peak, the Lakers are stronger than last year, and I think our chances of sweeping the Lakers are not as good as last year. ”

"Iron Fist, Kwame Brown has been confirmed to be a parallel import, what do you think of Michael Jordan's draft vision?" The next reporter asked.

"Well, there are still a lot of good players in the rookies in '01, and there are a few good centers as well, and he just picked one of the worst, so I can't praise his draft vision, it's really a bit bad." Zhou Quan said happily.

"Haha......"

There was another burst of laughter in the press conference hall.

The reporter asked: "So Iron Fist King, who do you think will be the best rookie between Gasol and Yao Min?" ”

"What are Gasol's stats?" Zhou Quan asked.

The reporter came prepared and told the data of the two of them.

Gasol averaged 36.7 minutes per game, 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.5 steals, 2.1 blocks, 2.7 turnovers and 2.4 fouls while shooting 51.8% from the field. Yao Min is ......"

Zhou Quan compared, and then said: "The gap is not very big, but from the data point of view, Gasol is a little better."

But if you take into account the playing time of the two, I think they're actually about the same level, what do you think? ”

Many reporters nodded in agreement.

The next reporter asked, "Ben, do you think you'll get DPOY this time?" ”

Ben Wallace was a little happy to see that he finally had the question on his head, it was not easy to grab a reporter's question by the side of the Iron Fist King.

He thought for a moment and said, "I hope you can see my efforts, and I believe that my performance is worthy of the honor of DPOY." ”

"Iron Fist King, what do you think?" The reporter asked, turning his gun.

Zhou Quan nodded and said: "Ben's defensive performance this season is the best, he is our defender of the restricted area, and won both the rebounding king and the block king, the first in the league in defensive efficiency, he deserves this honor, I think there is no suspense in this, including the defense for a while." ”

After the press conference, Zhou Quan returned to the locker room and invited his teammates and coaching staff management to his birthday party tomorrow, which is his thirtieth birthday.

……

The next day, when Zhou Quan's birthday party began, the league announced a series of individual accolades for the regular season.

Ben Wallace got his first DPOY, and head coach McMillan also won Best Coach.

The Rookie of the Year went to Gasol, but Yao Ming and Gasol were selected for the Rookie Squad at the same time.

The selection for the MVP has also begun, which will be announced after the first round.

At one o'clock in the afternoon of the 19th, Sir arrived in Seattle.

For jazz, for black and white, the media in the United States now uses the word "pathos", such as sad jazz, sad black and white, sad postman Carl Malone and so on.

And John Stockton, who was Zhou Quantianke, who has not had a loud nickname for so many years, is now about to retire, and the media finally gave him a nickname, tragedy.

At the request of the media, at 3 p.m., the Jazz held a press conference at the hotel, and the black and white steam attended the press conference as the player's representative.

"Postman, what are you expecting from the first round?" A reporter from the Seattle Post asked.

"Even if the opponent is the Iron Fist King, we will not give up hope of qualifying." The postman was adamantly authentic.

"Tragic ......"

The reporter turned his gun and just shouted John Stockton's nickname when he was glared back by the postman's murderous gaze, and he quickly changed his words: "John, what kind of tragic performance do you expect to play against the Iron Fist King?" ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he was dumbfounded again, it's over, it's over, why am I still leaking my mouth?

The postman's face was already dark, and John Stockton's face was not good, and it was so gloomy that it was about to rain.

In a bad mood, the two stopped accepting interviews with local reporters and hurriedly ended the press conference.

After leaving the press conference, the two entered the elevator, and there was no one else, and John Stockton suddenly said: "Carl, you still have a year of contract, right?" ”

"How?" The postman asked.

Stockton smiled bitterly: "I didn't want you to leave before, but I want you to leave in the past few years." ”

The postman nodded, when he signed this big contract of 4 years and 66.5 million US dollars in 99, the old man did ask him to think carefully before signing, but he needed money to retire and pay a large amount of alimony, and finally chose to renew the contract for the money.

"Karl, you still have gas, why don't you give up the last year of your contract and try it at another team. Like the Lakers. Stockton said.

“……”

The postman fell silent.

It's not that he didn't think so, he almost joined the Lakers back then.

John Stockton added: "You will be 39 years old soon, 40 years old next year, there is no obstacle to joining the Lakers with a base salary, and no one will say that you hug your thighs."

You team up with the Big Sharks, and you have Kobe and Rick Fox on the outside, and no matter how good Tekken is, you have a better chance of winning.

Carl, don't wait, don't wait until you run out of gas, your body can't move, then even if you join the Lakers, you probably won't be able to beat the Iron Fist King. ”

"I ...... Think about it. The postman hesitated.

His final year of contract was the largest, more than $19 million, the highest year of his career, and it was a shame to give it up.

But the championship, I really want it.

(End of chapter)