basketball player

Chapter 29 029 Perfect Your Behavior
Since O'Brien gave Henson a slap in the face in front of all the coaching staff, Henson no longer had any conflicts with O'Brien.At the beginning, Henson only hoped to do his best to assist O'Brien, live up to Bird's expectations, and make the team better, at least to catch the last train of the playoffs.

But after Henson entered the coaching staff, he found that things were not as good as he thought.O'Brien has gone crazy. In order to consolidate his handsome position and reputation, this guy has become a maverick, and he doesn't even listen to Frank Vogel's words.

His defensive style of play made the Pacers' offensive efficiency drop to the bottom three in the league without Daniel Granger!The team atmosphere has become a mess due to continuous losses, and the players' training status has become more and more lazy.

At this time, Henson simply started his "job". He asked Stephen Silas to observe every game of Paul George, and sent himself George's game videos regularly.In addition, Henson also pays special attention to the status of Wesley Matthews and Danny Green in the Development League, closely monitoring their every bit of progress.

According to O'Brien's practice, he will definitely be kicked out by Bird next season.At that time, whether Frank Vogel takes office or Bird finds someone else to replace him, Henson will do it himself.But facing Jim O'Brien?Even if he was given the best coaching staff in the league, he couldn't be saved.It's just a pity that the Pacers wasted another season that could have made a breakthrough.
Before Christmas, on December 12, the Pacers will leave for Boston and will play a game against the Celtics with the "Big Three".At this time, the team's record is 22 wins and 9 losses.By the end of December in the regular season, O'Brien's team hadn't even reached double digits. It goes without saying how sad such a result is.

Except for Granger's 4-game winning streak when he was healthy, the Pacers basically lived in a vortex of failure and failure every day.

Before this game, the Pacers had just experienced their fifth three-game losing streak this season.The whole team was in disarray, and the discussion in the locker room was about how to spend the Christmas break, not how to win the game.

Before the start of today's game, Henson was observing the team's training as always.He always heard some complaining voices from time to time, and Henson was used to it.

Zhu Holiday wants to improve his off-ball ability, and Hibbert wants to practice mid-range shots.But so far, they haven't even touched the ball.Throughout the morning, the Pacers have been conducting defensive drills.The boring stance and lateral movement soaked the players' vests and dampened their enthusiasm.

Henson didn't know how a team without passion would win on the court.

It is not completely unreasonable for O'Brien to do this. First, he hopes to emphasize discipline through this kind of training and rectify his recent lazy style.Secondly, he also hopes to force the "defense first" game idea into the players' minds.

However, can the Pacers really play defensive tactics?In Henson's view, no one in this team can be called a defensive champion.Even, there is no player who is tougher than Matthews.

O'Brien is a typical "tactical madman". He only knows how to apply his favorite tactics, but he doesn't care whether the players are suitable for such a system.

Henson stood on the sidelines watching for a while, and O'Brien, with two big dark circles under his eyes, came out of the office.When he saw that the players were still sluggish, this guy completely went berserk.

"I said, can we be more careful!? Do you still think your results are very good!? 9 wins and 17 losses, gentlemen! This is a shame, a shame for you, me, and everyone present!" O'Brien's roar made the training hall become silent, and the atmosphere was exactly the same as when O'Brien rejected Henson's training plan half a month ago.

"Ju Holiday, tell me what you practice!? Defense, do you know what defense is? At this time last year, I heard from our scouts that you are a hard-working and serious player, but looking at it now, it seems like a big mistake!" Afterwards, O'Brien pointed the finger at Holiday.Of course, this is tantamount to pointing the finger at Henson.After all, he was "that scout."

In the past days, O'Brien has always been gentle with the players and rarely had conflicts with the players.But this kind of "weak" coach usually has a disadvantage, that is, it is difficult to establish his own prestige.A gentle coach will be loved by everyone, but it is difficult to convince the players.The lazy training state of the Pacers was not developed in a day or two.Without Granger's "Ding Haishen Needle", the players are even more lawless.

If a coach can't even make the players obedient, what's the point?
So this season, driven by tremendous pressure, O'Brien has changed.He became cranky and irritable, stopped being close to the players, and sweared casually.The reason is simple, O'Brien found himself needing to build credibility, he wanted to be tougher.

Today, O'Brien undoubtedly wants to take the rookie Holiday as a knife.

"Coach, me." Holiday couldn't tell because he was the one who came first and left the last almost every day.But even so, after two months, his playing time is still not guaranteed.

O'Brien changed his lineup several times this season. After Holiday played the starting lineup for a period of time, O'Brien thought that Holiday's desire to attack was too strong, and he also used Dengtai Jones as the first position. Later, he found that it was not working, and started with the 30-year-old Earl Watson.

The current Earl Watson is a player who is too mediocre to be mediocre.He may be able to make a living in the NBA, but only to the point where he can make a living.And what about O'Brien?He would rather let a mediocre player play the starter than let Holiday stay in the starting position, even as a fake starter.

Needless to say, I know how aggrieved Holiday feels.When Henson let him shine in the summer league, he was full of expectations for his career.Who knew that it wasn't Henson who coached him, but Jim O'Brien who didn't trust the rookie at all.

"Before the game starts this afternoon, we will conduct offensive drills. But Holiday, you continue to practice lateral movement and switchbacks! Now, continue to practice the ball for me!"

After O'Brien finished scolding, the coaching staff all winked at Henson, hoping that he, who is good at rhetoric, would come forward to resolve the embarrassment.But Henson was unmoved, and watched coldly with his arms folded.

Henson doesn't want to clean up O'Brien's mess!

As soon as the fire came down, the players were indeed a lot nervous.But how long can such tension last?Three days or a week?O'Brien was afraid that Henson would squeeze him out, and he was unwilling to be just a transitional coach.But now, it is O'Brien himself who is tearing himself down.Since O'Brien doesn't want to do it anymore, Henson will let him do it.

After O'Brien left, Henson walked over and patted Holiday on the shoulder.Poor little fellow, he looked terribly depressed.

"Cheer up, Jules, I'm sure you're stronger than people think."

"Mr. Henson, isn't it up to you to formulate the team's training plan? Why?"

"I made it, and I tried my best. But Jim, he didn't adopt my plan." Henson spread his hands helplessly.

Holiday smiled bitterly, "I guess so, he is the head coach, and everything has to be obeyed by him."

"No, Jules, in the Pacers, everything will only listen to Larry Bird!"

Holiday suddenly looked up at Henson, not knowing what he meant.Of course he understood every word and knew who Larry Bird was.But Holiday didn't know the deeper meaning of Henson's words.

"Hold on, at least through this season. Do your job and try not to piss off Mr. Jim. Then trust me, everything will change. Next season at most, and everything will be fine. Do you trust me? You trust me, right? Jules."

"I believe in you, Mr. Henson." Holiday nodded. If there is anyone in this team whom Holiday trusts the most, it is undoubtedly the Chinese coach who once let him win the MVP and let him show himself on the basketball court.

"That's good, train hard now and be obedient." Henson touched Holiday's head and left with his hands behind his back.

As for how O'Brien gets along with the players in the future, that's none of Henson's business.

It seems that it is not the head coach O'Brien who is controlling this team, but the mysterious Henson Joe.

(End of this chapter)