The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 813 Fear
Bird felt great to be back with the team.

On the way to Boston, everyone covered themselves with blankets and took a nap to conserve their energy for tomorrow's game.

Bird couldn't sleep, not only because he was going to see many of his old teammates the next day, but also because he was thinking and preparing for the game.

Constantly reviewing the data and reports from the previous fifteen matches, video analyst Spoelstra made notes and annotations for each game.

Bird didn't quite understand some of the data; these were advanced data processing methods that Spoelstra had learned from Bobby Bellman.

As a former professional player and superstar, Bird trusted his on-court instincts more than these manipulated statistics.

However, adhering to the principle that listening to both sides leads to clarity and believing only one side leads to obscurity, and the idea that people should continuously learn and improve, Byrd still tried his best to understand these symbols and their underlying meanings.

Spoelstra sat next to Bird and explained to him that the beauty of these statistics is that even without watching the video, you can get a general idea of ​​a player's performance in a game just by looking at the data.

They are not just about points, rebounds, and assists; they also include more detailed and sophisticated content and advanced analysis.

These numbers attempt to digitize a game, much like baseball does, by building a mathematical model to represent a basketball game.

Of course, basketball games are very different from baseball games. Baseball is a round-robin game with a very strong pattern, while basketball is more dynamic and has many more variations.

It may be difficult to depict a basketball game using only numbers, but coaches and analysts will continue to try to get closer.

Spoelstra worked with the team during Ramsey's era, doing video editing and data analysis. Later, he went to college, and after graduation, his father wanted him to go to Miami, but he insisted on staying in Portland to contribute to the Trail Blazers.

“Looking at these statistics, Sonny’s overall stats have declined this season, but his efficiency is improving and his contribution to the team remains very consistent.”

"That's right, when Sonny is on the court, our net rating is very impressive. Our defensive efficiency is also terrible; we control the opponent's scoring in every possession. Our paint defense is impeccable."

"What if Sonny isn't around?"

"He wasn't there, and our control was pretty good, it's just..."

"Just what?"

"I found that our offensive efficiency would decrease if Kobe was on the court. And it's true, our offense wasn't as fluid when he was on the court."

Spoelstra secretly complained to Bird that, in his opinion, the Trail Blazers' roster and playing style were quite perfect.

But Kobe was like a jarring ink blot on a perfect painting, or a glaring steel nail on a marble sculpture; his presence somewhat disrupted the overall harmony.

The data and his performance on the field both reflect this; the coaching staff doesn't really like this guy.

However, Bird insisted on giving him more playing time despite opposition, and General Manager Buckwalt and Owner Donald also strongly supported giving Kobe more opportunities to perform.

These are different perspectives and ways of thinking, leading to different opinions about the same player. Spoelstra tends to view things more from the perspective of team basketball.

Bird put away the data book and said to Spoelstra, "Basketball can be quantified, but there's also a beautiful, unpredictable aspect to it. You have to preserve that part forever; that's what makes basketball complete."

Little Spoelstra seemed to understand but not quite, not really grasping the concept.

He didn't have the opportunity to play professional basketball, so his understanding of certain things isn't very deep.

Many principles, from knowing them to understanding them, then to implementing them, and finally to deeply comprehending the unity of knowledge and action, are separated by countless mountains and rivers at each step.

Spoelstra Jr. has only just begun his journey.

Upon arriving in Boston, Bird checked into a hotel. That evening, Dan Drake, Bird's former physical therapist and now the director of the Celtics Medical Center, visited his room.

Drake was concerned about Bird's heart condition and asked him why he didn't rest for a while longer until his condition was completely stable before returning to work.

“Heart problems are no small matter. The intensity of a coach’s work is no less than that of a player. You should be more careful.”

"Oh, I'm really all better now, don't worry. I need to go back to work to give my heart a workout, otherwise I'm afraid I'll lose my job."

Bird joked that the Trail Blazers' excellent performance and winning streak during this period put him under tremendous pressure.

As a former superstar, Bird enjoys pressure and challenges, and this comeback against the Celtics is a challenge for him.

After the start of the new season, the Celtics acquired Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, and Cliff Robinson, and they are no longer the bottom-feeder with only 15 wins.

In previous games, the Celtics achieved a record of 12 wins and 5 losses, ranking first in the Eastern Conference.

If they win a few more games after December starts, their total number of wins will surpass that of last season.

Duncan's influence was considerable, so this game was also a battle between the top teams in the East and West.

If the Trail Blazers lose, not only will their perfect record be broken, but Bird will also face public criticism.

They were winning well when you weren't there, but they lost as soon as you came back, and even lost to their former team.

Bird had already thought about what kind of attacks he would face if he lost the game and how he should deal with them.

But he didn't care. If a person is afraid of failure and taking responsibility for failure, then he will find it difficult to experience a truly significant victory.

Bird was never that kind of person. While chatting with Drake about the past, he also tried to find out about the current situation within the Celtics.

"Bobby is a good manager, but he would be even better if he used less profanity. He's a fucking PhD in profanity studies, and I suspect some of the words are his own invention."

"Bobby was like this when he was on the Dream Team. He shut up all the spectators on the sidelines, hahaha."

"Moreover, Bobby is much tougher than people imagine. He completely ignores Red Head's instructions and opposes everything Red Head says. Now Red Head is too lazy to manage team affairs and has handed everything over to Bobby. He has completely retired."

"In the summer, Bobby said he wanted to trade Antoine Walker, and everyone objected. I thought Bobby would compromise, like Garvert did. But Bobby was unusually insistent, saying he wouldn't do it if they didn't agree, and even said he would curse the Celtics to never win a championship and to take Duncan away from Boston. I couldn't believe it when I heard that; he was threatening Red Head! Anyone else doing that in the past would have been kicked out. But now, Red Head really isn't good for him after his heart bypass surgery; he's changed a lot, and this time it was Red Head's turn to compromise."

Hearing Drake say that, Bird admired Bellman even more.

Bird worked in the Celtics' management team, and those years were the most unpleasant time of his career.

It was then that he realized he wasn't a complete Celtic, even though he had earned so much for the team.

Auerbach's classic catchphrase "So you are overpaid" was not just a joke.

It's a subconscious form of suppression, telling you that I've already paid for your contributions, or even more, so don't expect higher compensation.

When he was young, Bird didn't realize this as a player; it was only after he retired and experienced more that he understood it more deeply.

So he still loves the Celtics and cherishes that wonderful life experience, but he no longer hopes to become a true part of the team.

Some people and things are best enjoyed from a distance; once that distance is crossed, things can turn sour.

But Behrman, with his seniority, experience, and reckless courage, seized power in the Celtics at the opportune moment.

He implemented sweeping reforms to the team, overseeing every personnel change and decision related to basketball.

Bobby Bellman vowed to transform the Celtics from a family-run club into a truly modern NBA team.

The Portland Trail Blazers completed this process in the 80s. In 1989, Larry Weinberger sold the Blazers, and after Dominic Tam took over, the Blazers became a huge sports and entertainment company.

The Celtics, due to their long history and deep roots, had not yet achieved "modernization" of the team until the mid-to-late 90s.

The team has a complex interpersonal relationship system, with every position from top to bottom filled with personal connections and close relatives cultivated by the Celtics system in the past.

Therefore, from an outsider's perspective, the Celtics are a distinct group, while other NBA team managers, coaching staff, medical personnel, and so on are free to move around.

Today you work for the Chicago Bulls, and next year you might be poached by the Detroit Pistons because of your outstanding performance.

He's currently working for the Trail Blazers, and his next job might be in Miami or Los Angeles, where he'll bring his Portland success story with him.

The Celtics are different. Their employees are all locals, relatives, descendants, disciples, and friends of those who have played or worked for the Celtics.

Their marketing and management are stuck in the 60s and 70s, relying on personal relationships to maintain daily work and activities. Team promotion and activities are entirely confined to the local community and have not spread to the whole United States or even the world.

The stock purchase in 1986 was a remarkable attempt, but it only deepened the connection between the Celtics and their local fans. In terms of personnel management and team operations, the Celtics still resembled an old-fashioned family workshop rather than a modern enterprise.

The most direct manifestation of this is in player selection. As the Big Three gradually declined and faded, the Celtics never found a good successor.

Because they have been using the methods of the 60s and 70s to find players, but that method no longer works in the 80s and 90s.

For example, in the 1989 draft, the Celtics spent a long time selecting a 6-foot-10 white forward named Michael Smith.

The reason for choosing him is simple: Auerbach said he could become the next Larry Bird.

His shooting form and demeanor do resemble Bird's somewhat, but this kind of drafting method that relies purely on intuition and imitation is no longer able to find talent.

Michael Smith was able to get into the draft because he was an outstanding player in college.

The problem is that his technical characteristics and potential are more in line with the standards of the 50s and 60s than those of the 80s and 90s.

When Auerbach was making his own decisions and relying on impressions, there was no step in the Celtics' draft process that could stop him.

Redhead walked into the office with a cigar in his mouth, pointed at a name, and everyone agreed.

Not only did no one object, but everyone also expressed their approval, believing that the choice was correct.

How could any other team possibly compete with such a draft method and process?

That year, the Celtics missed out on Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp.

The Celtics' tanking in the 1997 season foreshadowed their compromise with the new era of the NBA. They could no longer rely on trickery and brute force as in the past, and had to obediently follow the rules, tank, and rely on luck.

David Stern gave the Celtics a break, and Tim Duncan came to Boston.

Bobby Bellman's arrival truly ushered in the Celtics' modernization and corporatization process.

On the evening of December 1st, while Bird and Drake were catching up, Gan Guoyang also called Bellman to chat with his old coach.

"How about we grab lunch tomorrow?"

"No, Sonny, I need to prepare for the game, I don't have time to eat."

"Don't be like that. I'm in Boston, and you don't even show me proper hospitality? You're not like this in Los Angeles."

“I’m really sorry, I’m much busier with the Celtics. And… to be honest, Sonny, I can’t have dinner with you, at least not before the game.”

"What, you've learned to avoid suspicion now? Do you think you'd lose a competition over a meal?"

“I definitely wouldn’t do that with anyone else, but with you… I don’t know what you’re up to, I can’t have dinner with you, my gut tells me it’s dangerous.”

"Shit, what are you talking about?"

Bellman declined Gan Guoyang's lunch invitation; he was simply too afraid.

Previously, when Gan Guoyang coached Shaquille O'Neal with the Lakers, O'Neal had already developed psychological trauma from being beaten by him.

Now coaching Duncan, Bellman realized that he was another gem after Forrest Gump.

All other "Forrest Gump 2.0" claims are nonsense; only Duncan is the real deal.

Duncan was the cornerstone of Bellman's confidence in carrying out sweeping reforms with the Celtics.

Without Duncan and the backing of victories on the court, his reforms would not have been able to proceed.

Therefore, he absolutely could not let Forrest Gump ruin this gem; he had to be extremely careful and vigilant.

"See you at the game tomorrow night, Sonny. Tim is a good kid, he's always admired you. He can cook too, and he's very interested in cooking."

Bellman tried to soften Gan Guoyang's heart with these words, implying that he shouldn't be too ruthless tomorrow and should give the child a way out.

Gan Guoyang replied, "If you're good at cooking, you'll be begging forever. Alright, see you at the game tomorrow. We'll meet again next time you're in Portland."

Even after hanging up the phone, Bellman remained uneasy.

The next morning during team practice, Berman specifically pulled Duncan aside and instructed him: "Don't talk to Forrest during the game tonight, not a single word! Don't listen to anything he says, just pretend you're deaf."

Duncan blinked at Bellman, thought for a moment, and said, "Are you afraid he'll use psychological tactics to interfere with me?"

Bellman said, "It's not interference, it's leaving a mark on you, a mark! That thing is terrifying."

Duncan remained expressionless and said, "I studied psychology in college, I'll be fine, don't worry."

Berman is completely at ease about Duncan's performance on the court.

But he's no match for Forrest Gump; there's still a gap between this guy and Forrest Gump.

“I know you’re fearless, but everyone has fears and anxieties. Forrest Gump always managed to draw out and exploit those fears. Is there anything you’re particularly afraid of, Tim?”

Duncan paused for a moment when faced with Bellman's question.

"No, I'm not afraid of anything, don't worry, coach."

"I hope so. Anyway, you'd better not talk to Forrest Gump, just ignore him and focus on playing basketball."

"I understand. Don't worry."

Since joining the Celtics, Duncan has received the highest level of treatment here.

When Berman took over the team, he put Duncan first and took good care of him in every way.

The team's tactics were entirely built around Duncan, and the roster was a perfect fit for him, allowing him to play comfortably.

In the first dozen or so games of the season, Duncan had already played at a near All-Star level.

His skills and methods are completely NBA-level; he doesn't need any training.

Back in 1995, Jerry West was certain that if Duncan had entered the draft, he would have been the number one pick.

The same thing happened in 1996, but Duncan insisted on finishing college and getting his degree in order to keep his promise.

In the 90s, a time of frenzy driven by economic interests, this was truly remarkable—a testament to their unwavering commitment to self-discipline.

If Duncan had entered the NBA from high school like Kobe or Jermaine O'Neal, he could have played professionally in 1993.

Entering the NBA four years earlier would have been enough for him to earn tens of millions more dollars in salary, but Duncan didn't do it.

In 1989, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Before she passed away, she made Duncan vow to go to college and get a degree.

In the same year, a hurricane named "Hugo" swept through his hometown of St. Croix, destroying the island's only standard swimming pool.

Duncan's dream was to become a swimming champion, participate in the 1992 Olympics, and win a gold medal in the pool.

The hurricane destroyed his swimming dream, and he had nowhere to train. Fortunately, the basketball hoop his sister gave him survived the hurricane.

So Duncan started playing basketball. With his athletic talent, he quickly got the hang of it and soon became a hot commodity across the United States.

Years later, when people asked Duncan why he gave up swimming for basketball, Duncan said it was because the swimming pool was destroyed by a hurricane.

Some people asked why they didn't train in the sea. It's said that many swimmers on the island swim in the sea; they haven't given up.

Duncan then honestly told the questioner, "Because I'm afraid of sharks in the sea. They lurk beneath the surface and you never know when they'll pop up and eat you. I can't swim anymore."

(End of this chapter)