Chapter 110

Popovich's praise created a lot of momentum through the media.

The regular season is about a month away from ending, and the competition for many awards has become particularly intense.

Every player hopes to use trophies to pad their resume, perfect their honors, and thereby obtain a super salary and influence.

In the NBA regular season evaluation system, the regular season MVP is the supreme award. Winning this trophy basically means they are the best-performing superstar of the season, finding a perfect balance between individual ability and team record.

In addition, the All-NBA Team is also a focus for stars. The All-NBA Team is divided into the First Team, Second Team, and Third Team, totaling 15 players. Those who can make this list are basically influential players.

The All-Defensive Team is to honor defensive players.

In addition, there are Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Most Improved Player.

Defensive Player of the Year is also a very important indicator; being able to get this honor point, in the current league atmosphere, makes it very easy to get a max contract.

Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player have indicative significance... representing that this player is about to become a star-level player.

And among all honors, Rookie of the Year is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Blake Griffin and John Wall have almost fought until their brains were scrambled during this period to compete for this award.

Neither the Clippers nor the Wizards have any possibility of entering the playoffs, so both teams feed a large amount of ball possession to the two super rookies to help them obtain super stats.

Ever since Fan Xi dominated the All-Star Weekend and won the All-Star Game MVP over a bunch of superstars, more and more people have listed him as a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.

However, one problem is that Fan Xi has played fewer games than the other two.

In the NBA's judging criteria, there are also relatively strict requirements for the number of games played.

However, having Popovich, this super head coach who dominates the league, stand up and speak will still bring positive effects.

The San Antonio Spurs have played very successfully this season; they have a fine tradition of going wild in odd-numbered years, and this year, 2011, happens to be an odd-numbered year.

If the Spurs want to win the championship this season, their biggest opponent in the West is undoubtedly the Los Angeles Lakers.

This is also the reason why the Spurs assistant coach deliberately tried to suppress Fan Xi during the All-Star Rookie Game.

It's just that his suppression didn't work; Fan Xi instead made a splash by winning the Rookie Game MVP. Subsequently, Popovich's "praise-to-kill" in the All-Star Game didn't work either; Fan Xi won an unprecedented MVP in the All-Star Game.

It can be said that the Spurs have suffered two major losses because of Fan Xi.

Therefore, this time they met, all the colleagues in San Antonio had a strong desire to lock Fan Xi down.

This was also carried out into the game.

On Fan Xi's first ball, he was double-teamed by Tony Parker and Ginobili.

Fan Xi himself was a bit confused, and he passed the ball to Kobe. Kobe was also confused: for so many years, he had always been one-on-two or one-on-three in the backcourt, and suddenly he was given an absolutely open shot.

It directly left the Black Mamba stumped.

The Black Mamba simply challenged the difficulty, rushed into the paint to fight with Duncan and Bonner, and completed a two-plus-one with his habitual one-on-two.

The Spurs were also more or less confused.

This one ball directly made them understand.

Fan Xi and Kobe stand on both sides of the arc; you must arrange at least three people to defend.

The Spurs don't quite believe in evil.

The Spurs have always felt that they are a team with a long history, and under the playing style centered on Tim Duncan, they have been strong for more than ten years.

Duncan is indeed a super evergreen tree; he was a superstar the moment he entered the league. At first, the Spurs had some thoughts of cultivating him, but it turned out unexpectedly that he directly took off with David Robinson, one of the former four great centers. They won the championship in the second season, '99, and then went on a rampage, becoming unstoppable. They won one in '03, one in '05, and another in '07.

In '09 it was taken by the Lakers, and in the blink of an eye, it's '11.

Tim Duncan actively lost weight last summer to adapt to the changes of the times. Now he is light as a swallow and has returned to his youth; people in the basketball world call him the No. 21 rookie.

Fan Xi's performance in this game is not much; he is more standing on the weak side for support and facilitation.

The main body of the offense is Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba is in hot form, and his one-on-one on the strong side is like fresh seafood; the Spurs simply cannot defend against him.

Because the Spurs' perimeter must divert some attention to Fan Xi, even though Fan Xi does not have the ball on the weak side.

However, his three-point ability is suffocating, and he can enter the paint at any time when he receives the ball, and he can also accurately transfer the ball.

These have never existed in the history of the Lakers in the past ten years.

Fan Xi, Kobe, and Gasol form a true triangle offense.

In this triangle offense system, Fan Xi appears as an auxiliary.

Phil Jackson is very happy to see this result; the Lakers show unprecedented fluidity.

He originally thought there would be a period of adjustment.

However, the fact is so smooth.

The only thing that makes him feel a little sorry is that doing this... the team's strength is unprecedentedly powerful, and the offensive operation is unprecedentedly smooth.

However, Fan Xi's growth rate will be limited.

Any superstar is fed by ball possession in their rookie season.

108:103.

The Lakers defeated the Spurs in a steady manner. Kobe, as the offensive spear in this game, scored 42 points.

Fan Xi only shot 7 times in this game, scoring 10 points, while having 11 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.

The advanced stats are extremely eye-catching and are the highest of the two teams: when he is on the court, the Lakers' plus-minus is as high as +17.

In contrast, although Kobe scored 42 points, his plus-minus is 0.

Advanced stats are something created by a bunch of data analysis experts at ESPN. It is not very friendly to offensive players like Kobe, but rather favors all-around players like LeBron James.

"Jack, you need to learn Kobe's offensive style in the game. We will have strong and weak side transfers one day."

Phil Jackson specifically pulled Fan Xi aside for a talk after the game.

He wanted to tell Fan Xi that Kobe Bryant is currently the team's primary initiator and the primary tactical core. But one day, you will become this, and Kobe will become the number two figure on the wing to escort you.

Fan Xi believes this day will come.

He has never doubted this point.

Kobe Bryant thinks so too, and acts accordingly.

He often demonstrates his offensive methods to Fan Xi on the court.

Observation in actual combat has brought great help to Fan Xi.

"Phil Jackson never knows how to use a point guard."

Popovich fired at Phil Jackson after the game: "All along, he has only relied on the ability of superstars. He has no patience for training rookies."

"I am very worried that a superstar will be delayed by him like this, and destroyed by him like this."

Popovich said "earnestly."

He has always been a person who loves to say strange things.

Around 2000, he and Pat Riley mocked Phil Jackson, saying that Phil Jackson only relied on superstars and his actual ability was very weak.

Now 10 years have passed, and he is bringing up old matters again.

It makes it very difficult to guess what his thoughts are.

"A seedling like Tony Parker can be trained into a Finals MVP under my hands. If Jack were under my hands, I can't imagine his achievements."

Popovich continued. "The atmosphere in San Antonio is far more relaxed than in Los Angeles; everyone here is easy to get along with. Tony Parker can pick up Eva here, why can't Jack continue to date his girlfriend?"

It sounds like Popovich is very indignant about Fan Xi's encounter, and he also emphasized that if Fan Xi comes to the Spurs, he will definitely give him the best treatment.

"This is deliberately destroying our unity."

Kobe Bryant said to Fan Xi on the bus to Dallas: "Gregg Popovich is the league's number one conspirator; he is very good at using yin and yang to stir up relationships between other teams."

"He knows that it is impossible for us to trade you to San Antonio, and he also knows that it is impossible for Phil to look down on you. He just wants you and Phil to have a rift."

Kobe said firmly: "He has always been like this."

Fan Xi nodded; he believes Kobe's statement very much.

The San Antonio Spurs did not leave a good impression on him.

Including that Tony Parker.

Tony Parker is a French man. When he was young, he was called the French Sports Car. He and Chris Paul are good friends, and at the same time, he is also one of the players with the closest relationship between the NBA and Hollywood.

He married "Desperate Housewife" Eva Longoria. It was very lively at the time. Fan Xi had just arrived in the United States, and he watched the news on TV, which was very sensational.

However, they divorced last year. The reason was that Tony Parker had an affair with the wife of team veteran Brent Barry.

Eva hated this and cut off the relationship.

During the game, Tony Parker told Fan Xi as an experienced person: never enter the marriage hall with a Hollywood woman, and never think that you can dominate those women. They will destroy you.

Fan Xi didn't talk to him about these messy things, although he has also been entangled in gossip news recently.

At the critical moment of the fourth quarter, Tony Parker completed a beautiful layup under Fan Xi's defense.

At that time, he told Fan Xi: "This breakthrough technique was learned from Chris Paul. I don't even have two-thirds of his level. You can't defend me, how can you be compared to him?"

Fan Xi was very angry at the time.

He didn't have a good impression of Chris Paul at all, and Tony Parker mentioning Paul in front of him made him very unhappy.

However, he didn't get the ball possession next, and Kobe dominated the final moments of the game.

Although there was nothing wrong with this, Fan Xi still felt a little bit... how good it would be if I could solve it.

Kobe can understand this feeling because he has also experienced such things.

Therefore, after scoring, he said to Fan Xi: "Next time, I'll let you do it."

Kobe is much "gentler" to Fan Xi than O'Neal was to Kobe back then.

The Dallas Mavericks are also a Western powerhouse team. Although their history is not as glorious as San Antonio's, in many cases, they are on par with the Spurs.

Nowitzki is the Mavericks' signature.

His shooting is called an undefendable weapon in the NBA.

For so many years, he has been competing for the championship.

This season, the Mavericks have made many drastic reforms. Their owner, Mark Cuban, has introduced many players.

Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Stojakovic, Shawn Marion, Caron Butler, Haywood, Corey Brewer... and a large group of elite soldiers.

If this lineup existed five years ago, it would definitely be aiming for the championship.

But now, when Mark Cuban shouted before the regular season started: our goal is the championship.

People think this is a ridiculous joke.

Nowitzki, who was at his peak back then, couldn't win the championship, so if this old-age club still wants to win?

There is still a difference between dreams and delusions.

Fan Xi and Nowitzki are now very good friends. They formed a deep friendship at the All-Star Game. Although they haven't known each other for long, those tacit cooperations make Nowitzki unforgettable.

After returning to Dallas, Nowitzki kept saying good things about Fan Xi in front of Mark Cuban. He firmly believes that Fan Xi will become a superstar.

This made Mark Cuban have a strong interest in Fan Xi.

Mark Cuban is the most peculiar one among all NBA owners. He is a true man of temperament, and he loves basketball very much.

And, he loves Nowitzki very much.

When treating other players, he may have some "ruthless" business side. But for Nowitzki, he has achieved true consistency from beginning to end.

Therefore, he is very willing to accept the advice given by Nowitzki. Especially when Nowitzki told him: if we can get Jack Fan, we will have the potential to compete for the championship for the next ten years.

Mark Cuban came to the court specifically before the game started, and he said to Fan Xi openly: "Are you willing to join Dallas? Nowitzki highly recommended you to me. He thinks you are a superstar, I believe him, and I can give you a max contract."

Mark Cuban spoke too frankly.

So much so that Fan Xi was stunned.

Nowitzki on the side hurriedly said that you can consider this matter. But if you come to Dallas, you must be the core.

"I miss the tacit cooperation with you in the All-Star Game. If the two of us join forces, we will definitely be able to surprise everyone who looks down on us. Basketball is not just a game for black people."

Nowitzki said very seriously in Fan Xi's ear.

This is a tempting proposal.

Fan Xi raised his eyebrows.

But he still emphasized that he is a Lakers player and he has no intention of leaving.

The game in the evening started quickly.

Fan Xi's opponent is Jason Kidd, the former NBA triple-double king and former number one point guard.

Jason Kidd once had a nickname called "Ji Bu Gong" (Kidd doesn't attack).

But now, it is different.