Since a certain year, "winning the championship while the Buddha's light is not here" has become a popular word in the NBA era.

Just like in the 1980s, when the Demon Bird was tired, he won 8 championships in 10 years from 1980 to 1989.

In the 1990s, he won the championship while the dream of God and Buddha was not fully physically, retired or old. From 1990 to 1999, God and Buddha won 8 championships.

There are always a few superstars who dominate an era. Now the Buddha's light is still shining in the NBA, but there are still some superstars shining.

The 76ers team in the 1999s, and the Pacers team in the 2000s.

Those two years were exactly two years when Anfini Hardaway was at its peak, but the Suns were killed by the Lakers and the Trail Blazers. Not only did they fail to win the championship, they didn't even make the finals.

In the first game of the new season, although Anthony Hardaway scored 16 points and 10 assists, he performed 6 of 20 shots. Although the meat grinder composed of Artest, Zhang Hao and Ben Wallace was very strong in defense, Anthony Hardaway was also a man who could score 41 points in a single game in the playoffs under O'Neal's franchise and Payton's outside defense.

Now Anfini Hardaway is still skilled and has an all-rounder in the game, but the personal offense seems so weak in the opening game... Barkley's words made Penny fans uncomfortable, and this can be clearly felt by McGrady fans in the original time and space.

But in every era, there are always some players who amazed the world but are difficult to leave his mark in NBA history. For example, Mickey Richmond, who was known as the second point guard in the league and surpassed Drexler in fame, is now retiring after losing streaks and losing streaks. In the end, he was unable to touch the O'Brien Cup, which has given up millions of dollars and still cannot touch.

However, more people will not notice the frustrated ones.

The opening match of the Supersonics attracted much attention. Zhang Hao still performed well, Kassel became stronger and stronger, Artest's progress was amazing... The most surprising thing was Ben Wallace!

In the first game, Ben Wallace played for 35 minutes, with 7 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks... Looking at this game alone, Ben Wallace was on the court, limiting his opponents to score 85 points per 100 rounds!

Everyone thought last season was Ben Wallace's peak, but who would have thought that in the new season, Ben Wallace looks even stronger!

Anyone who watches the game will find it incredible to see Ben Wallace's sweeping defense.

As swift as Rodman, as fierce as Malone, as sharp as Garnett...

With Ben Wallace on the court, Artest or Ginobili or Brent Barry, who are defending the top arc, can focus more easily on one defense and one and the wing movement defense after being passed. Zhang Hao or Chandler who are guarding the frame can focus on guarding the frame without worrying about being directly rushed in by the outside.

You can focus on simpler things, making these people more defensively efficient!

From a longer-term perspective, Ben Wallace can also lead players who are not doing well in defensive cooperation or are not doing well in defense. In the future, find a more suitable, simpler and more effective defense method, which will drive the team's defense to improve!

Fox Sports' commentator, Eagles' legend, Dominic Wilkins, nicknamed the essence of human films, sighed in an interview: "I thought about how the Supersonics will get out of the inevitable recession brought by Jordan's retirement. Seeing that they have introduced so many young players, I thought they would tap their offensive potential from young players to make up for the offensive recession brought by Jordan's retirement.

I used to think the operation of the Supersonics management was very risky because they had no intention of introducing experienced veterans this year. Many veterans in their early 30s and powerful have given up signing.

But I never thought that they wanted to start from the defensive end. What surprised me even more was Wallace's defensive performance..."

...

Last season, Ben Wallace won the rebounding king + blocking king + DPOY, was selected as the All-Star, defended the second team and won the Player of the Month at one time. Everyone thought that it was already the limit that a defensive player could do.

Even Mutombo's defensive performance in his peak season or Olajuwon, who doesn't look at his offensive performance, is not as good as Ben Wallace's performance last season.

But Wallace was shocked when he opened the new season!

On the defensive end, Ben Wallace's presence, and Zhang Hao's presence on the offensive end, are not at all inferior!

...

...

After the opening game, the Supersonics' new season officially kicked off.

The day after playing against the Suns, on the morning of October 31, the Supersonics left Seattle and started their away journey.

Three consecutive away games, playing against the Warriors on November 1, the Rockets on the 3rd, and the Hornets on the 5th, basically half a circle along the southwest of the United States.

After lunch in Oakland, the Supersonics held a routine post-match analysis in the afternoon.

From the post-match analysis, although it is not clear that some players with less analytical skills cannot see it, but if you can find Jaylen - without Jordan, Ben Wallace's performance on the defensive end is even more explosive.

It’s not that Jordan is not good, but that when Jordan was there, Ben Wallace might not have that much to do.

For example, Jordan's ability to switch to power forwards and move to the elbow area to prevent cutting.

But Ben Wallace's defensive space has also been subject to certain restrictions.

Of course, if Jordan does not retire and can maintain his condition last season, the Supersonics management will definitely beg Jordan not to retire.

But, it’s a blessing to lose one’s wife.

Jordan has not retired and his style of play is stable. When strengthening, he does not have to take risks to attract young people. He can strengthen according to the style of playing in the past two years, but he cannot allow Ben Wallace to fully release his abilities.

Each has its own benefits.

In the post-match analysis, the focus was on the things that each player did not do well.

For example, Ben Wallace made two pass mistakes after grabbing the offensive rebound, so he needed to better protect the ball and better predict the teammate's moving route.

For example, when Ginobili is in good condition, he should throw more. When he is in poor condition, his teammates should pay attention to offensive rebounding. Even if Ginobili scores the previous goal, his teammates should pay attention to offensive rebounding when Ginobili shoots next time...

For example, when Parker observed the wings and followed up his teammates' vision in his counterattack, Parker did not do well.

...

"I miss Boss Qiao, I love to organize my teammates to have a meeting, I miss Mason, I want to show my leadership in the locker room, I miss Marley is so strict with my teammates, I miss Johnson and I talk to my teammates..."

Hearing Zhang Haoyi's verbal connotation, Jason Williams took a sip of the soup first, and after a while, he responded: "Aix, you are already a mature boss. Don't expect others to help you with everything?"

Kassel nodded silently.

Artest wanted to say something, but he was a little excited, but he suppressed it and could not be expressed too clearly.

If you can't fight, you may be beaten when you quarrel, you may be beaten, so you'll still come secretly.

After the afternoon training, the five supersonics teamed together to find a restaurant for dinner at home.

It tastes... Anyway, it was not the same thing as Zhang Hao when he returned to China, but when he came to the Bay Area, five of the ten restaurants were named "Chinese cuisine", so he still had to come and eat it.

When Zhang Hao heard this, he rolled his eyes: "I am only 25 years old. When you were 25 years old, you were still playing substitutes for others."

These remarks can be said to be a sequel to the point of being shot!

Cassel, Ben Wallace, Jason Williams, and Artest collectively felt that his heart was shot!

In January next year, Zhang Hao will only turn 25 years old. When it comes to this, it will be a dimensional reduction blow to any basketball player!

To change the topic, Jason Williams said: "Boss Jordan's life is very interesting now. I heard that he is pestering several other small shareholders of the team every day and wants to acquire all their shares."

"Does Michael want to control the team? No..." Artest felt quite bad when he heard this.

Zhang Hao asked curiously: "What's wrong?"

Artest responded: "Jason said before that Michael wanted to trade Andre for Starkhouse..."

"Oh, this, it's okay, Mr. Schultz refused. Mr. Jordan just likes the players from North Carolina very much."

Zhang Hao knew about this, and he refused. At that time, before signing Brent Barry, John Starkhouse was indeed one of the alternatives, but unless there was nothing he could do, such as Ginobili suddenly did not intend to join the NBA, the most extreme situation happened, so he would consider it.

I feel that my teammates are very worried about Boss Qiao's power. Zhang Hao comforted him: "Mr. Jordan just likes to work. He has been involved in the role of being a boss, but there is no need to worry. He will not be in charge of player operations. Mr. Schultz is preparing to hand over the team's commercial operation work to Mr. Jordan and his team."

The owner of the Supersonics team is not just Howard Schultz, but it is just that Howard Schultz originally bought nearly 90% of the shares, and now it has more than 80%.

There is still a little more than 11% of the shares in the hands of several local celebrities or business tycoons in Seattle. In the past three years, the Supersonics' market value has doubled more than it has. It is indeed not easy for Jordan to collect other shares.

Moreover, even if Jordan buys all the shares of others, it will not affect the team's decision-making power.

Jordan is responsible for commercial operations and shows his face in public, so that people know that the Supersonics are Jordan's team. They can not only satisfy Jordan's vanity, but also provide Jordan with players' operations...

...

After complaining to his teammates, Zhang Hao still couldn't change the fact that he needed to do more in the team.

But he had no choice, it was already like this.

Thinking about it better, participating in this aspect is also to prepare for future retirement.

After a night off in Oakland, the next day, the new month came, and the Supersonics came to challenge the Warriors away.

The Warriors finally have a rise this year!

In the opening match on October 30, the Warriors overthrew the Western Conference Kings 118-112 away game!

Earl Boykins scored 12 points and 10 assists, Jason Richardson scored 23 points, Antoine Jamison scored 27 points, Troy Murphy scored 14 points and 14 rebounds, Danpier scored 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks...

The Warriors' draft ability is always amazing.

It was five or six years ago that the Warriors had squandered all their accumulated talents for five or six years last time. After five or six years, people were surprised to find that the Warriors had gathered a bunch of talented players!

It is this salary. Jamison's maximum salary renewal was $88 million for 6 years. The salary in the first five years was as high as Zhang Hao. It started execution this year. Danpier faced the issue of renewal in 2004. Boykins, the shortest player in the league, will expire after the end of this season and faces the issue of renewal.

Bob Sulla, who is in the substitute, has a high salary of US$5 million, Chris Mills has two years and 12.6 million left in the big contract that year, Dunleavy's rookie contract is high and expensive... The Warriors only have two rookie contracts, Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy, who are worth it.

But even with the rookie contract with Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy, which expired in 2005, the Warriors' total salary this season has reached US$48 million.

No matter how many known and surely thunders have been buried on the Warriors' road ahead, the Warriors do have a rise at the moment.

The players are talented and have begun to realize their strength.

The lineup is strong and the players are well matched.

At 7 p.m., the Supersonics and Warriors game started.

Most of the young players like the Warriors are at the bottom for a long time and have finally made a trend of turning around, it is always difficult to deal with.

In the opening game, the Warriors just overturned the Kings, the second-strongest team in the Western Conference last season, and their confidence increased greatly.

Also, the Warriors are really not easy to defend. Boykins used the ball like a loach to stir up the inside line. The Warriors made a 28-pointer in the first quarter.

The Supersonics did not defend well in the first quarter and were also affected by the offensive end. They were two points behind 23-28 after the first quarter.
To be continued...