??In NBA history, as of the 2013 season, three of the 15 existing teams in the West have not reached the division finals.

The Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans (Hornets) and Memphis Grizzlies respectively.

In fact, if Li Liang had not changed the historical trajectory, the Grizzlies would have made history in the 2013 season to enter the Western Conference Finals.

There are actually only two teams that have never reached the Western Conference Finals, the Clippers and the Pelicans.

Coincidentally, both of these two teams were Chris Paul.

He once led the team to the Western Conference semi-finals, but in the end he returned in a bad way, and his luck was really bad.

However, Paul is still young and is at the peak of a player, and there are still infinite possibilities.

After the media day, the entire Clippers took a bus to the University of San Diego gymnasium.

On the way, Chris Paul finally felt a little bossy and stood in front to give a speech to the players.

"...A brand new season, we started from the University of San Diego since the first training session. This season, we will definitely make breakthroughs and get what we want, sure!"

Although Paul is small, he has a big heart.

He is very competitive on the basketball court and often uses any means to win.

So although Paul is very popular on the court, he has also heard endlessly about his dirty playing ball.

Li Liang has an understanding of this. This little man really dares to attack when defending.

Hearing Paul encouragement of the whole team and looking forward to the new season, Li Liang said directly: "This season, our goal is to win the championship, not to go further. One step is not enough."

Li Liang's words were very simple, far less passionate than Paul said.

But his words were even more shocking, aiming at the championship, not every player has the courage to say it.

Li Liang has this courage because he already has a championship trophy.

For members who win the championship, everyone can keep the trophy for a week.

Li Liang put the trophy in his home for a week.

He neither brought him back to China to show off nor took him to participate in activities everywhere.

Because Li Liang felt that the trophy he had already obtained lost its greatest significance as a trophy.

Just like a wife always...wrong, as Bailey said, the best goal is always the next one.

Li Liang’s goal is to win the next championship, not to recall the previous one.

Paul heard Li Liang's words and joked: "We will win the championship, but you will not get FMVP again."

Paul means that if you win the championship, the most valuable player is mine.

This confidence is really unparalleled, and it really looks like Kobe.

Li Liang just chuckled and said, "Are you more awesome than Kobe?"

As soon as he said this, Paul was speechless.

Paul is amazing, but can he be as powerful as Kobe?

In the 2008, the two had a direct conversation in the regular season MVP, Paul lost to Kobe.

Kobe has performed well in the finals. Although he lost the opportunity to get FMVP due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, to be honest, Kobe couldn't beat Li Liang's 60-point performance in a single game.

The car drove for a while and arrived at the University of San Diego in the afternoon.

San Diego, also known as San Diego, is the home location of the Clippers.

The Clippers were formerly called Buffalo Braves. After moving to San Diego, they were named the Clippers because it was a famous beachfront resort in California and there were a large number of yachts parked in the bay all year round.

In 1981, after Sterling bought the Clippers, he moved the team to Los Angeles.

But this did not bring any good luck to the Clippers.

On the contrary, the Clippers decided to go to San Diego for training, hoping to get the blessing of their former home city.

The University of San Diego is located in the northwest area of ​​San Diego, close to San Diego Ocean Park.

There is a large sports center in the school. From a height, the sports center is shaped like a swept-wing aircraft.

There is also a large swimming pool outside the sports center, four tennis courts and a large football field.

Here, Clippers players can conduct more comprehensive and rich training to prepare for the new season.

After arriving, the players changed their clothes and started warming up on the court.

This is not only Li Liang's first training session when he came to the Clippers, but also his first training session when coach Rivers came to the new team.

Compared to Li Liang's words of the championship, Rivers was much more nervous when he quarreled with Paul on the first day.

He remained silent all the way, you should know that he still talked a lot on weekdays.

As a player-type coach, Rivers has always been known for his "player-type coach" in the league.

The so-called player-type coach is to coach in the team, be able to get along with the players, and gain the respect and love of the players.

Compared to player-type coaches, there are management-type coaches, and this type of coach is more like the managers of players.

Of course, some of the great NBA coaches have both.

Rivers himself is a player, and when it comes to tactics, he does not have any particularly high attainments.

But Rivers is a good player in pinching players, gaining the love of players, and consolidating the team's confidence.

Leading the Celtics to the championship in 2008 is his masterpiece of his career.

This is also one of the reasons why Paul hopes that the team must win Rivers.

As early as June, Paul contacted Rivers, hoping that he could come to the Clippers.

Rivers was very moved because the Celtics were about to enter the reconstruction period, and Rivers did not want to accompany the Celtics to rebuild.

And the Clippers are undoubtedly a good place for him to show his strength.

There is no heavy history here and no strong management. He will have greater power after coming.

More importantly, the Clippers' lineup is very good and has great potential.

Rivers' arrival is just enough to give the Clippers an upgrade.

So, Rivers was full of confidence before coming, but he didn't expect Li Liang to join the team suddenly.

Of course, it is a good thing for Li Liang to join. When he was at the Celtics, Rivers was very jealous of Li Liang and thought this kid was really useful.

As a result, Rivers' chin was shocked by one operation in the finals.

Then he came to the Clippers, Rivers was first surprised, and then fell into trouble.

Originally, Rivers had already thought about it, and the Clippers built the team's tactics completely based on Paul as the core.

This is what any coach with a normal brain will do.

But Li Liang joined, Rivers hesitated all summer. What tactical status should he give Li Liang?

According to common sense, Paul continued to be the core and Li Liang became the second in command. This is an obvious and reasonable configuration.

Although Griffin is the No. 1 pick and has played for a longer time, the playoffs has been decided by which he or Li Liang is better.

Moreover, Li Liang is not on the ball in terms of playing style and is quite versatile on the defensive end, which is perfectly matched with Paul's ball-holding style.

But in several exchanges with Li Liang, Rivers vaguely realized - well, there is no need to vaguely detect it, Li Liang clearly stated that he hoped to gain the power to attack with the ball.

“I developed my own ball-holding offense in the summer and hope to get some ball rights.”

Li Liang said to Rivers so simply and bluntly.

Rivers is not Mike Brown. If Mike Brown heard it, he would definitely believe it.

Rivers didn't believe it very much. He had almost no offensive ability to hold the ball last season. Later, Li Liang, who had a little ability to stop and jump shot, was able to control the ball and offense in one summer.

But Rivers dared not say no, a player-type coach, he wants to coax the players well.

Besides, Li Liang, you have to coax the team. The boss of the team is Li Liang’s fan. Li Liang said that he wanted to play and hold the ball, so how dare you not design tactics for him?

So, this is where Rivers feels a headache.

Judging from the situation on the media day and on the bus in the morning, Li Liang and Paul are both tough guys and are not very convinced by each other.

After all, the Lakers and the Clippers played hard last season, and they were even more opponents in the playoffs.

Li Liang is a special player. He is not a black man or a white man. He is a Chinese man.

If you are a black brother, no matter what hatred you had before, as long as it is not a conflict off the court, you will be in a team in the new season, with a "brother" on the left and a "Nigo". If you go to the nightclub to have fun, you will be as close as a family.

But Li Liang is completely different from black players in terms of culture and is not in the same system.

Therefore, if there is a barrier, it cannot be eliminated in just a few words.

Only by fighting side by side on the court can you slowly become a comrade-in-arms.

Rivers was just worried that in the past, Paul, as the absolute boss, had a guy who was incompatible with culture, had very simple qualifications, but had very strong strength, and had more honors than everyone else. How should the team be built?

Thinking of these questions, Rivers's head, which was already quite big, suddenly became bigger.

Rivers was watching the players warm up on the court while discussing the team's training policy with assistant coach Gentry and Hill.
To be continued...