Chapter 783 - 18 Far Ahead_2

"We’ve been doing very well, and we laid a solid foundation in November. Losing some games in December is acceptable to us. The season is long, and the greatest loss to us would be if you can’t play in the playoffs."

Beelman was already familiar with the Trail Blazers’ regular-season rhythm.

Start strong in November when energy is high, then in December begin the away games, allowing for a bit of slack and not worrying too much about losing some games.

Until the All-Star break in the following year, there’s a chance to slowly adjust, build cohesion, and deal with the players’ injuries.

Then after the All-Star game, stop experimenting with lineups, with everyone healthy, and start powering towards the playoffs in March.

In April, when the playoffs start, move full force towards the goal of a championship.

Hearing Beelman speak, Sabonis knew it made sense; the playoffs are what’s truly important.

It’s just a pity for his current excellent form and ever-growing confidence, along with the increasingly tacit understanding in his cooperation with Ah Gan.

Last season, Sabonis was merely an assistant following around Ah Gan, but this season he was evolving towards being Ah Gan’s formidable partner.

Thinking of Ah Gan, Sabonis couldn’t help but ask worriedly: "If I rest, does that mean Ah Gan’s time on the court is going to increase again?"

Beelman said: "Don’t worry about that, Ah Gan is like nuclear power; he never gets injured."

"I really envy him; his body is so healthy and strong. I can’t discipline myself like that. Tonight, when I go back home, I feel like having a drink. Coach, would you like to join me for one?"

"No problem, let’s have a drink. Relaxation of the mind is just as important. Not everyone can be like Ah Gan; he’s not a good role model, hard to emulate."

In the evening, Bobby Berman went to Sabonis’s house for drinks.

After deciding to settle down in Portland, Sabonis had bought a house in Oswego Lake Park, where he settled down with his wife.

Beelman witnessed Sabonis’s remarkable capacity for alcohol; he drank vodka as if it were water, and a 1.5-liter bottle was quickly half empty.

With his massive physique, Sabonis must also have a robust liver and kidneys, capable of withstanding large amounts of alcohol.

While drinking, Sabonis said: "As an athlete, smoking and drinking aren’t too good, they can harm the body. But as an athlete, if you don’t drink, you can hardly carry on. It’s really... too painful."

Most of the time on the team, Sabonis is quiet and reserved.

He dislikes exposure to the media, refusing many TV interviews after winning the championship.

He doesn’t say much in post-game interviews either, always using his poor English as an excuse, saying a few words before quickly leaving.

In reality, Divac, who initially spoke the worst English, always managed to say a lot, whereas Sabonis’s English was better than Divac’s.

Sabonis spoke four languages; he simply didn’t like to reveal his emotions in public.

Sabonis started playing basketball at age 13, entered the Soviet Union’s national junior team at 15, and became a professional player at 16.

Life on the national team was monotonous; the training was extraordinarily hard, and with collectivism prevailing, personal pleasures were out of the question.

When most European and American teenagers were skipping classes, dating, and oversleeping at the age of 15, Sabonis was already undergoing high-intensity, heavy, and lengthy training sessions.

Waking up before dawn every day, running in the cold morning, then starting a day of endless sweaty practices, both stamina and strength training were pushed to the limit early on.

Actually, this training method wasn’t very good for young athletes’ physical development and laid the groundwork for future injuries for players with big weight and height like Sabonis.

At first, Sabonis wasn’t the most shining one; in the junior team, he showed talent, but not enough to make a name across Europe.

A significant part of his later achievements came from the Soviet national team’s early emphasis on strength training, which quickly gave him a body much stronger than ordinary people.

He was somewhat similar to Ah Gan in this respect, but Ah Gan truly had innate strength—with just a bit of scientific training, he became invincible in California and later swept through All-America.

For Sabonis, however, there was an element of forcing growth, and this lifestyle continued for 10 years, bringing countless pains and injuries to Sabonis.

When injuries struck, the only companions and saviors he had were cigarettes and vodka; otherwise, he could only keep company with loneliness, pain, and fear.

The closed-off training lifestyle of a professional athlete shaped Sabonis’s reticence, but in reality, he was not indifferent; on the contrary, he had a passionate heart but didn’t express himself.

Only after smoking would he relax a bit, and after a few bottles of alcohol, he would reveal some of his thoughts.

Beelman also drank some, but his tolerance was nowhere near Sabonis’s. In the face of such strong drinks like vodka, after two glasses, he felt a bit dizzy.

"Cheers, coach... Coach, coach! You should look into my eyes, coach, yes, that’s right~" Sabonis toasted Beelman, reminding him to make eye contact.

For Slavs, it’s mandatory to look into each other’s eyes while toasting; otherwise, it’s considered disrespectful.

Beelman looked up, into Sabonis’s eyes. His usually honest and calm gaze, under the influence of alcohol, acquired a hint of slyness and wildness.

"Thanks, but this is my last glass... I really can’t drink anymore, I have training tomorrow."