basketball player

Chapter 34 034: The Late Explosion
The Pacers' victory made Daniel Granger and Holiday the most high-profile stars of the night. After the game, they were also heavily sought after by reporters.

Granger scored 32 points and 8 rebounds in the game.His steady performance at critical moments extinguished the Bobcats' counterattack fireworks.

Holiday scored a season-high 25 points and 7 assists. His three-point long-range shots and fast breakthroughs made the Bobcats' defense a headache.And the precise points again and again made Dunleavy eat his fill.

Apart from these two stars, Henson is the most popular in this game.The rumor that O'Brien has lost the right to speak has recently caused a lot of noise throughout Indianapolis, and today's game seems to have fulfilled the authenticity of this rumor.In the press conference after the game, the reporters asked Jim O'Brien a lot of questions.But embarrassingly, these questions are all about Henson.

"Coach O'Brien, let Holiday start and play 32 minutes today. Is it your idea or Henson Joe's idea?" A reporter from the "Indiana Evening Post" very straightforwardly raised this question that everyone cares about.

O'Brien's face was not very good-looking, and even a trace of uneasiness flashed through him who was still smiling just now.

"This is the result of our discussions with the coaching staff. Of course, this proposal was initiated by Coach Henson." O'Brien spread his hands, trying to keep himself smiling.

"Coach Henson Joe is arranging tactics for most of the timeouts today. Why is that? Did you arrange this on purpose?" The reporters persisted and vowed to dig out some valuable information.

"We all know that there are not many games left in this year's regular season, and we are very sorry that we have almost been locked out of the playoffs. So for the remaining games, I hope that the team's assistant coaches will also exercise."

If Henson heard O'Brien say that, he would definitely look at this guy with admiration, because O'Brien was the first person Henson had ever met who would not change his face when he told a lie.

When Jim O'Brien returned to the locker room, the atmosphere in the locker room was unprecedentedly lively.After all, this group of players has not experienced such a hearty victory for a long time.Although the point difference is not big, but at least the process is hearty, the Bobcats have been suppressed by the Pacers throughout the game.

But O'Brien also found that this victory didn't seem to have much to do with him.Although Henson drew all the tactics and handed them over to himself, today he has no way to change his coaching habits so quickly, so he let Henson be in charge for a day.Who knew that Henson succeeded in just one day.

The players talked and laughed, but few of them took the initiative to talk to O'Brien.What about Henson?He seems to have hit it off with the players.

Henson has accurately grasped the "degree" among the players. He will neither alienate others, but he will not make himself too much like a "good guy".He won't make players hate him, but he can also establish a certain prestige.Compared with O'Brien, a coach who has always been known for his gentleness, Henson seems to have better control of the locker room.

"Well, you all did a great job today, at least it proved that you still have some value. But winning one game is not enough. From tomorrow's back-to-back battle against the Cavaliers until the end of the season, we must maintain this momentum! Maybe we can still find a glimmer of hope to enter the playoffs! LeBron James may have thought that he has the chance to win, so let's surprise the people of Cleveland! Pack up, we should go to the airport."

Henson gathered everyone and explained a few words, and then obediently went to take a shower.

Henson can make the players play comfortably and win the game, of course they are willing to obey.O'Brien lost his voice in the locker room?It might have been just rumors at first, but not now.
※※※

Since leading the team to a game victory, Henson's work has become busy again.In the past, O'Brien didn't listen to Henson's opinions very much, so Henson's job was actually to observe the rookies and the opponent's players, but Henson didn't have anything to do during training.

But now, at five o'clock in the morning, Henson has to rush from the hotel to the training ground. Since today is the game day, he must prepare for the next training and the game in the evening.

Arriving at the training ground with Henson is also Stephen Silas, who is now Henson's right-hand man. This video analyst, who was once a temporary head coach, is actually very good at tactics and can often give Henson some useful advice.

They started poring over tape from the Cavs' last few games and crafting plans for the night.

Of course, besides Henson and Silas, many people in the team have already started to get busy.The team's trainers have begun to place the items needed for training on the court, or check the equipment that the players are about to use in the strength training room over and over again.

Although the most glamorous stars in an NBA game are those omnipotent stars flying to the sky, but it is also the efforts of staff like Henson and others behind the scenes that give the stars the opportunity to show themselves.

Henson and Silas probably made today's training plan and game plan, and then they turned off the video and went to the cafeteria to have breakfast with the players.

Over breakfast, O'Brien only greeted a few old acquaintances from the coaching staff, while Henson was clearly more popular with the players.I don't know, I really thought Henson was the head coach of this team.

"Jim, here is today's training plan and game plan. You can take a look at it." Holding a cup of coffee, Henson handed over the results of his morning work to the head coach. After all, O'Brien is still the boss of the team now.

O'Brien flipped through it at will, whether it was a training plan or a game plan, he did it perfectly.He also decided that he would personally coach the team according to Henson's plan today, and not let Henson's limelight overwhelm him.

So later today, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who own the "little emperor" LeBron James, lost at home very "unexpectedly".

The current No. [-] Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference certainly didn't expect the Pacers' offense to be so turbulent. The Cleveland's underestimation of the enemy made them pay the price.

Roy Hibbert scored a season-high 2 points on the head of JJ Hickson, who is only 06 meters tall. Hibbert's huge height advantage made Hickson watch "Black Yao Ming" easily put the basketball into the frame again and again.

Granger misplaced to power forward and also scored 19 points on Jamison.If he played against LeBron today, it would certainly not be possible to play so smoothly.And Holiday also continued his outstanding performance in the last game, with 15 points and 9 assists, a quasi double-double.

On the other hand, the Cavaliers, apart from LeBron James' 32 points, it is difficult to find a second outstanding player.The Cavaliers may have thought that this was an easy "point-giving problem", but they did not expect to die in the end.

99 to 94, the No. [-] Cavaliers in the East actually lost to the Pacers who had already lost their playoff qualifications, and the entire league was in an uproar!And this game has become the biggest upset today!
"Their defense is very good, the offense is also well-organized, and they are not chaotic. This is a warning, warning us not to underestimate any opponent." When interviewed by reporters after the game, the young LeBron also shook his head.He may not know it now, but for many years to come, the Indiana Pacers, who are still insignificant, will become a stumbling block on his way to winning the championship.

O'Brien walked into the media reception room with a happy face. All the tactics when the game was suspended today were arranged by him personally according to Henson's plan.However, after the press conference began, the first question the reporters asked O'Brien was still about Henson.

"Do you think Coach Henson Joe has the potential to be a head coach?"

The smile on O'Brien's face disappeared in an instant, and he felt that he had been completely replaced by Henson.

※※※

Under Henson's dedication and O'Brien's "enlightenment", the Pacers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, boosted their morale, and launched the final impact towards the playoffs.At the end of the regular season this season, the Pacers won 14 of the 10 games in one breath!
After yet another losing season, the Pacers finally seem to be on the right track.

During this period, Henson performed his duties conscientiously and fulfilled all the requirements of O'Brien with all his strength.And O'Brien also won consecutively, and he even regretted why he didn't cooperate with Henson earlier.

In the end, the Pacers' record this season was fixed at 32 wins and 50 losses. Although it was not as good as last season's 36 wins, although it still failed to hit the playoffs in the end, at least it gave people a glimmer of hope.

At this time, O'Brien was still complacent about the 14 wins in the last 10 games of the season. He thought that such a performance could impress Bird so that he could stay.But at this time, in Bird's heart, the Pacers' future journey has no place for him.

Bird knew very well that it was not the head coach O'Brien who led the team to 14 wins in 10 games.

(End of this chapter)