Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

When the morning light first shines, the streets of Brooklyn are still immersed in the tranquility of the early morning.

However, for Lu Yong, the day's work has already begun quietly.

While outside media and fans were praising his unique vision and coaching ability, Lu Yong remained rare sober and humble.

The next morning, Lu Yong got up very early.

After finishing the busy team affairs, he suddenly thought of Zhou Qi who was far away in the training ground.

Since the last dinner with Yao Ming and Zhou Qi and the promise to sign Zhou Qi to the Nets next season, he handed the big man from China to the team trainer Clifford for training.

Zhou Qi's skills and physical fitness are top-notch in Asia, but there is obviously still a big gap if he wants to gain a foothold in the NBA.

During this period, Lu Yong was busy preparing for the finals and knew little about Zhou Qi's situation.

At this moment, he sat at his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed Clifford's number.

On the other end of the phone, Clifford's voice sounded a little tired, but still professional and enthusiastic.

"Clifford, it's me, Lu." Lu Yong said straight to the point, "I want to know about Zhou Qi's training situation during this period."

Clifford paused for a moment, as if to organize his thoughts. "Coach Lu, Zhou Qi has made great progress. His static talent is excellent, and his running and jumping abilities are also above average among inside players in the league. But some of his basic skills need to be improved, and his physical confrontation ability does not fully meet NBA standards."

After hearing this, Lu Yong frowned slightly and asked, "What specific aspects need to be improved?"

"It's mainly about his footwork under the basket and his position choice when defending," Clifford explained. "In addition, his shooting stability under high-intensity confrontation needs to be improved. But don't worry, we are conducting special training for these problems."

Lu Yong nodded. Although he couldn't see Clifford's expression, he could feel his professionalism and dedication. "Very good, Clifford. I believe in your ability and Zhou Qi's potential. Please continue to train according to your plan. Don't rush to increase his weight in a short period of time. We are currently focusing on his shooting and basic skills. We can talk about weight gain later."

Clifford responded on the other end of the phone, "Understood, Coach Lu. I will adjust the training plan based on Zhou Qi's actual situation to ensure that he can better adapt to the rhythm and intensity of the NBA next season."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Yong fell into deep thought.

He knows very well that bringing Zhou Qi to the NBA is not an easy task. It not only requires Zhou Qi's own efforts, but also the support and cooperation of the entire team.

But it is precisely such challenges and opportunities that make him full of expectations for the future.

That afternoon, Lu Yong decided to go to the training ground in person to see Zhou Qi's training situation.

The afternoon sun shines through the large windows of the training hall, onto the smooth floor, creating patches of mottled light and shadow.

After finishing his telephone conversation with Clifford, Lu Yong decided to go to the training ground in person to check out Zhou Qi's training situation.

When Lu Yong pushed open the door of the training hall, he immediately heard the "bang bang" sound of a basketball hitting the floor.

He looked around and saw Zhou Qi concentrating on shooting training under the guidance of Clifford.

The basketball drew beautiful arcs in the air and then passed through the hoop accurately.

Seeing Lu Yong coming, Clifford and Zhou Qi immediately stopped training and walked quickly to Lu Yong.

"Coach Lu, why did you come here in person?" Clifford greeted with a smile.

Lu Yong smiled back, "I want to come and see Zhou Qi's training. After all, he is an important signing for us next season."

Zhou Qi stood aside, looking a little nervous, but his eyes revealed determination and expectation, "Coach Lu, thank you for giving me this opportunity, I will definitely not let you down."

Lu Yong patted Zhou Qi on the shoulder and said, "I believe in your ability. As long as you work hard, you will definitely have a place in the NBA in the future."

Clifford also encouraged: "Zhou Qi has worked very hard recently and his progress is obvious. We are conducting special training for his technical shortcomings and I believe he will adapt to the rhythm of the NBA quickly."

Lu Yong nodded and turned his gaze to the training ground. "Continue training. Let me see your strength."

Zhou Qi and Clifford smiled at each other and returned to the training ground.

The basketball was flying in the air again, and every shot seemed so confident and determined.

Lu Yong stood on the sidelines, watching Zhou Qi's every move intently.

He saw Zhou Qi's concentration and decisiveness when shooting, and also saw his agility and tenacity when defending.

At this moment, Lu Yong was full of expectations for Zhou Qi's future.

After the training, the three got together again.

Lu Yong looked at Zhou Qi, whose face was covered in sweat, and praised him: "You have indeed made great progress, but the competition in the NBA is very fierce, and you still need to continue to work hard."

Zhou Qi nodded, "I know my shortcomings, and I will work harder. Next season, I want everyone to see my strength."

Clifford also added: "Coach Lu, don't worry, I will continue to help Zhou Qi improve his skills and strive to reach his best condition before next season."

Lu Yong looked at the two of them with a smile, "I believe in you, let's work hard together!"

The three of them smiled at each other, and the atmosphere in the training hall became relaxed and pleasant.

Lu Yong knew that this trip to the training ground not only allowed him to see Zhou Qi's strength and potential, but also made him see the hope for the future of Chinese basketball.

Zhou Qi trained harder under Clifford's guidance.

He knew very well that this opportunity was hard-won and that he was carrying the expectations of many people.

Lu Yong also looks forward to this young player shining brightly on the NBA stage.

The night is low and the stars are shining.

After finishing a day of training, Zhou Qi was filled with gratitude and decided to invite trainers Clifford and Lu Yong to dinner. At the same time, he also wanted to take this opportunity to invite Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, who were watching the finals in the United States, to join the party.

Zhou Qi's voice was full of sincerity during the call: "Coach Lu, I would like to invite you and trainer Clifford to dinner tonight. If you have time, I would also like to invite Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian. This is both a thank you and a relaxing gathering."

Lu Yong thought about it for a while. He had no other plans for the evening, and he was confident about the upcoming finals with the Lakers, so he readily agreed: "Okay, Zhou Qi, this is a good suggestion. I'm free tonight, you can arrange it."

At seven o'clock in the evening, Lu Yong drove to the agreed Chinese restaurant.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, Zhou Qi and Clifford sitting around a round table, and the atmosphere was very lively.

"Coach Lu, you're here, please take a seat." Zhou Qi greeted him warmly.

Lu Yong sat down with a smile and looked around. "It seems that I am late today. I have to drink a glass as punishment."

"Coach Lu, you're so polite. It's thanks to Zhou Qi's suggestion that we can get together today," Yao Ming said gently.

Yi Jianlian also nodded in agreement: "Yes, such a gathering is rare. Come on, everyone raise your glasses and have a drink first."

The five people raised their glasses to celebrate, and the atmosphere became more lively.

As a trainer, Clifford has seen Zhou Qi's progress. He said sincerely: "Zhou Qi has made great progress in this period. I believe he will have an outstanding performance in the NBA in the future."

"This is all thanks to the careful guidance of Coach Lu and Trainer Clifford," Zhou Qi said gratefully.

As experienced people, Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian also gave their own suggestions.

Yao Ming said: "Zhou Qi, you still have a long way to go in the NBA. You must stay humble and work hard to continuously improve yourself."

Yi Jianlian encouraged him: "You have great talent. As long as you work hard, you will be able to gain a foothold in the NBA."

At the dinner table, the five of them were chatting and laughing, and the topic unknowingly turned to the upcoming finals between the Nets and the Lakers.

Lu Yong seemed very confident about this. He calmly held up four fingers and said, "We are confident that we can sweep the Lakers in this finals. I won't give them any chance."

Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian looked at each other and saw admiration in each other's eyes.

They know that Lu Yong is not blindly confident, but has sufficient preparation and strength. "Lu, we have full confidence in you and the Nets," Yao Ming said. "In this finals, we will definitely pay attention to every game and cheer for you."

Yi Jianlian also nodded in support: "Yes, Coach Lu, we believe that the Nets will be able to achieve good results."

The dinner came to an end amid laughter and joy.

The five of them agreed to get together again after the finals to celebrate their victory.

This night of gathering not only deepened their friendship but also strengthened their belief in future victory.

While Lu Yong and the core players of the Chinese national team were laughing and talking and looking forward to the future at the dinner, the atmosphere in the Lakers training hall thousands of miles away was completely the opposite.

During a break in training, Wall habitually picked up his phone to check social media. Suddenly, his eyes fixed on a tweet.

It was a message sent from Lu Yong’s account, the content of which was simple and arrogant: 1/4.

This number means a lot to the Lakers players who are about to meet in the finals - the Nets intend to sweep them.

Wall frowned and handed the phone to James next to him, "Take a look at this."

James took the phone and saw the tweet at a glance.

His eyes suddenly became sharp, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a disdainful arc, "This guy has a big mouth."

Davis also came over to take a look and sneered, "Who do they think they are? We are not that easy to deal with."

Rondo was doing stretching exercises on the side. Hearing this, he looked up and said, "This kind of provocation will only inspire our fighting spirit. In the finals, we will make them look good."

Howard slammed his fist on his palm and said, "It's time to teach them a lesson."

Inside the training hall, the Lakers players' emotions were completely ignited by this tweet.

They sat together and began to discuss how to give the Nets a strong counterattack in the finals.

"We can't be affected by this kind of provocation, but we can't turn a blind eye to it either." James, as the team leader, spoke first. "We must speak with strength and let them know the gap between rhetoric and actual actions."

Davis nodded, "Yes, we have to play our style on the court and let the Nets know that we are not easy to mess with."

Wall made some specific tactical suggestions, "We can use our speed advantage to disrupt their rhythm. At the same time, we can strengthen the defense in the interior so that they can't score easily."

Rondo added: "Also, we have to pay attention to controlling turnovers and not letting the game get into their rhythm."

As a veteran, Howard also gave his own opinion: "Don't forget our team spirit, which is our most powerful weapon. As long as we unite as one, nothing is impossible."

The players expressed their agreement, with determination gleaming in their eyes.

This tweet not only did not disrupt their training plan, but instead strengthened their determination to win the championship.

In the following training, the Lakers players showed unprecedented fighting spirit and concentration.

Every movement and every run reveals their desire for victory.

Lu Yong, who is far away in New York, may not realize that his tweet has aroused the fighting spirit of the Lakers players.

On the stage of the finals, a tit-for-tat contest is about to take place.

Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't care.

What Lu Yong wants is to make the Lakers players angry. Sometimes anger can make people stronger, but sometimes, anger will only make people lose their minds.

Facing a calm and strong opponent like the Nets, anger will only become the fuse for the Lakers to ruin the game.

As the finals approach, the preparation atmosphere between the two teams becomes increasingly tense.

The Lakers players train hard every day, repeatedly rehearsing the Nets' tactics.

They know that only by paying attention to details can they gain an advantage on the field.

As the leader of the team, James not only leads by example in training, but also constantly motivates his teammates in the locker room: "We are a team, a whole. No matter what happens on the court, we must believe in each other and face it together."

Davis also demonstrated his strength as an inside dominant player, training against inside players such as Howard every day to improve his dominance under the basket.

Wall became the team's commander, constantly shouting tactical instructions during training so that his teammates could respond quickly on the court.

As the team's think tank, Rondo not only gives advice to his teammates during training, but also carefully analyzes the Nets' tactical characteristics in game videos to develop more precise tactical plans for the team.

With the joint efforts of the Lakers players, their team spirit reached a new height.

Everyone knows that the upcoming Finals G2 will be a tough battle, but they are fully prepared.

They want to prove with strength that Lu Yong's bold words are just empty talk, and that the Lakers are the real winner of the championship.

On the eve of the second game of the finals, there was already a bustling crowd outside the Brooklyn Arena.

The fans' enthusiasm seemed to be higher than usual, and they were looking forward to another exciting matchup.

However, before the game officially started, the off-court competition between the two teams' players had already quietly begun.

Nets player LeVert accepted an interview with the media in the morning.
Standing outside the gym, the sunlight shone on his solid muscles, reflecting beads of sweat, making him look even more resolute.

Facing the camera, he looked calm and composed, as if he had already secured victory.

The reporter first asked: "LeVert, what are your expectations for tonight's game?"

LeVert smiled slightly, his eyes revealing confidence, "Of course, we look forward to winning every game. The Lakers are a strong team, but we are confident that we can defeat them."

The reporter continued to ask: "The Lakers players said that the loss in the first game did not affect their confidence. They will play differently tonight. What do you think?"

LeVert's smile revealed a hint of disdain. "I admire their confidence, but the result of the game is determined by strength. We will see the truth on the court."

"Davis said this game is just the beginning of the finals. What's your response?" the reporter tried to bring up the topic.

LeVert shrugged. "The finals have just begun, but the balance of victory has already tilted towards us. We will let them know what it means to be overwhelmed by strength."

Not to be outdone, the reporter continued to ask: "As a member of the Nets, do you have any special strategies for defending LeBron James?"

LeVert thought seriously for a moment, "Defending James is indeed a challenge, but I believe in our team's ability and the coach's arrangement. We will use our collective strength to limit his performance."

For the last question, the reporter asked directly: "Are you confident about this round of finals?"

LeVert answered without hesitation: "Of course I am confident. We are a united team with excellent coaches and players. We will work hard for the championship."

Throughout the interview, LeVert remained extremely confident.

His words revealed his desire for victory and his trust in the team.

Although he is just a substitute player, he plays an important role in the Nets' rotation system.

Being assigned to defend LeBron James many times is enough to illustrate his status and value in the team.

After the interview, LeVert turned and walked towards the arena, leaving the reporter there to ponder his words.

Little did he know that Leville, who turned around and left, was secretly delighted.

Usually only the core members of the team have the opportunity to show off their prowess in public, but today he got the chance, so no matter what, he decided to show off first.

This game is crucial for both the Lakers and the Nets, and both teams need to compete fiercely with their strength.

But LeVert is really confident in the team. There is no other way. Lu Yong standing on the sidelines can play the role of a stabilizing force. Seeing him, the whole team is full of energy! ! (End of this chapter)