[外電] Again a well-oiled machine (From Bos …

看板Pistons作者kerrys (台北不是我的家)時間16年前 (2007/12/19 19:24)推噓15(15推 0噓 5→)

留言20則, 16人參與討論串1/1

原文出處： http://0rz.tw/1e3qm -- The Heat are a mess. The Bulls are a mess. The Nets are a mess. Those three, all thought to be legitimate playoff teams, were 18 games under .500 entering last night, with Miami, less than two years removed from an NBA title, holding down the cellar. None would even make the playoffs if the season ended today. 熱火，亂。公牛，亂。籃網，還是亂。上述三支球隊在開季前全都被視為季後賽的當然成員，但在昨晚前他們合計距離五成勝率還差了18場勝利，而不到兩年前甫拿下隊史首座總冠軍的邁阿密，甚至還成了東區的爐主。如果球季在今天結束，他們三隊全都進不了季後賽。 Ah, but then there are the Pistons. We'll always have Auburn Hills. 啊，不過活塞將會晉級。我們總會在季後賽看到來自奧本山的熟面孔。 One quarter into the season, you can scan the Eastern Conference and see one team, really, that poses any threat to the rampaging Celtics. Yup, it's the Pistons, who make their first Boston appearance of the season Wednesday. 球季過了四分之一，掃描一下東區的各支球隊，你會發現只有一支球隊有能力威脅季前獲得雷槍和KG而戰績爆衝的超塞。是的，就是那支在星期三將首度造訪波士頓的活塞。 Orlando might pose a threat on paper, but how can you take the Magic as seriously as Detroit with a stretch they just went through, i.e. home losses to Atlanta and Indiana and a road loss to Milwaukee? 理論上奧蘭多也可能威脅超塞，但看過他們最近的表現之後，意指在主場敗給亞特蘭大和印第安那還有在客場輸給密爾瓦基，你還會認真地把魔術看成和活塞一樣level的一級勁旅嗎？ No, it's Rip, Chauncey, Sheed, and the fellas who have to concern Celtics fans - if any team in the East does. Heading into the weekend, the Pistons had the second-best point differential in the league (well behind the Celtics, though) and still have that enviable mix of youth, experience, and playoff savvy. 當然不會，如果說東區有哪支球隊可能威脅超塞重現'80年代的榮景，那只有RIP、槍蜥、溪蛙及其他活塞硬漢才足以讓超塞迷感到芒刺在背。到這個週末為止，活塞與對手的場均得分差距名列全聯盟第二傑(雖然，超塞在這項統計數據排行居NBA之冠)而且他們更是一支年輕活力與沙場經驗配合得當的季後賽識途老馬。 Just think of the run they've had (which shows no sign of abating, either). They've won 50 or more games six straight seasons; no other Eastern Conference team currently has as many as three straight 50-win seasons. They've made five straight trips to the conference finals, matching the run of the vaunted Bad Boys teams from 1987-91. In that span, they've twice made it to the Finals, losing in 2005 and winning in 2004. They've done it under three coaches, but the constants remain on the floor (the aforementioned lads, who've been the anchors the last four years along with Tayshaun Prince) and in the front office (the venerable tag team of Joe Dumars and John Hammond). 只要回想一下他們過去幾年的表現(重點是他們一點也沒有逐漸式微的感覺)。他們已經連續六個球季贏得50或更多場球賽；到目前為止，東區球隊中還沒有任何一支球隊能夠連續三個球季拿下至少50勝。他們已經連續五次闖進東區冠軍賽，追平了自負的"壞孩子" 於'87-'91年球季所寫下的隊史紀錄。在這段期間，他們兩度晉級總冠軍賽，在'04年抱回睽違14年的總冠軍，但在隔年浴血鏖戰七場後不幸輸給了黑衫軍馬刺。他們在三位總教練的指導下完成了這項成就，不過場上的核心成員(上述三位和小王子是過去四年以來活塞的不動先發)以及球隊高層人員(令人肅然起敬的老喬和John Hammond雙人組)倒是沒改變過。 With 16 wins in the first 23 games the Pistons are on course for another 50-win season and Dumars is pleased with what he sees. He was not so inclined last spring, when he watched the Pistons blow a 2-0 lead in the conference finals and drop four straight to the Cavaliers. He talked afterward of restoring the team's edge, grit, and toughness, traits he had when he played and traits he tries to instill in his players. 在前23場球賽中拿下16勝，看樣子活塞將可以順利把連續50+勝球季的紀錄繼續推進，老喬對於眼前的這一切也感到相當滿意。其實在春天時他並不這麼樂觀，因為當時他目睹活塞於東區冠軍賽先下兩城後反遭騎士直落四掃地出門。之後他說他會想辦法找回活塞打死不退、永不言敗的堅毅特質，那是他在球員時代最為人著稱的個人風格，也是長久以來他一直對麾下球員灌輸的核心觀念。 "We came back with a very good focus," Dumars said by telephone Friday. "And we've added some youth, depth, and athleticism to the team. I'm pleased with what I've seen over the first 20 games." "我們帶著相當高度的專注力回到球場，"星期五老喬在接受電話訪問時說。"而且我們球隊還多了一些年輕活力、板凳深度還有運動能力。我很高興在前20場球賽看到的成果。" While the Pistons can point to early contributions from the likes of Jason Maxiell and Arron Afflalo, and anxiously await the debut of impressive rookie Rodney Stuckey (hand surgery), this is still a team whose success hinges on those names that have become so familiar to us over these last five years. But as with any group that has had prolonged success, it is natural to see some slippage at some point, which Dumars saw last spring in the playoffs. 儘管活塞本季的優異表現與J-Max和Arron Afflalo立即且傑出的表現脫不了關係，別忘了板凳上還有在夏季聯賽大殺四方但卻因左手骨折而高掛免戰牌的Rodney Stuckey迫不及待想要上場貢獻所長，不過他們克敵制勝的關鍵人物仍是那幾位過去五年來我們已經相當熟悉的仁兄。但不能免俗的，就像過去任何一支曾經締造宏圖霸業的超級強隊，在某個時間點看到他們的表現有所滑落是再正常不過的，就像老喬在春天的季後賽看到的那樣。 There is no way the Pistons should have lost to the Cavaliers, let alone lose four straight. But they did. Dumars still can't bring himself to watch a tape of Game 5, when LeBron James went otherworldly. Or Game 6, when Daniel Gibson put on a shooting clinic from Youngstown. It's too painful. And too revealing. 沒道理活塞會輸給騎士，更不用說是連續四場敗北。但他們確實吞下了四連敗。老喬仍無法說服自己去看第五場球賽，那場比賽LBJ殺進殺出，如入無人之境，豪取48分、9籃板、7助攻帶領騎士於延長賽擊敗活塞。或第六場比賽，那場比賽菜鳥Daniel Gibson三分球五投五中，狂下31分，親自示範幫活塞上了一門外線投射要怎麼投比較準的課。這真是太令人難過了，而且有當頭棒喝的強烈感覺。 "If you're honest with yourself," he said, "something like that is bound to kick in when you've had the success we've had, five straight trips to the conference finals. That's why it's imperative for me in my job to push the envelope, to push the buttons. We need to keep the main components we have and add to them. We have a great core here." "如果你誠實地面對自己，"他說，"像那樣的事情應該會把你從連續五個球季晉級東區冠軍賽的美夢中敲醒。那是為什麼它提醒了我要好好努力，試圖讓球隊再向上提升的原因。我們需要保有原有的主力球員並且進行補強。我們已經擁有了出色的球隊核心。" These Pistons score - they are averaging 99.3 points a game through their first 23. They are among the league leaders in turnovers (fewest committed) and in assist-to-turnover ratio. Only the Celtics allow fewer points a game, so they're also able to make stops. And they're among the league leaders in blocked shots. 活塞的得分 - 他們在前23場比賽中平均可以攻下99.3分。他們是全NBA失誤次數最少的球隊而且在助攻失誤比這項統計數據上獨步全聯盟。只有超塞每場失分數比他們少，所以他們的防守能力一樣不容小覷。而且他們每場送出的火鍋數也是聯盟最多的。 The NBA and one of its broadcast arms, ESPN, recognized the attraction of Wednesday's game by moving it to its early game for the night. And, in a real break for both teams and their fans, each team will have had two offdays prior to Wednesday's game. No one will be on the second leg of a back-to-back, which so often happens during the season. NBA以及他們最得力轉撥助手之一的ESPN都認為星期三的比賽將會相當引人注目，所以他們把那場球賽調整為當天晚上的早場比賽。而且在星期三的比賽之前，雙方以及他們的球迷都能得到充分的休息，因為兩支球隊都會休兵兩天。雖然背靠背的困難賽程在本季屢見不鮮，不過這次不會有誰成為背靠背第二天連續出賽的受害者。 Unfortunately, it will be the first of just three regular-season meetings. But based on what we've seen over the first quarter of the season, we could be in store for a few more in May. The Pistons have played four different teams in the conference finals the last five years. Is Boston going to be No. 5? 很不幸地，這將會是本季例行賽兩隊唯三次遭遇中的第一次捉對廝殺。但根據我們在本季前四分之一的時間的觀察，我們在明年五月份的季後賽應該還有機會看到兩隊狹路相逢。活塞在過去五年的東區冠軍賽已經和四支不同球隊交手過，超塞將會成為那第五支嗎？ "Obviously," Dumars said, "Boston is going to be a force in the East that everyone is going to have to deal with." "很明顯地，"老喬說，"超塞已經成為東區中人人害怕與之交手的超級強隊了(不然怎麼叫超塞XD)。" -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 210.241.111.125

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fish549

12/19 19:39, , 1^F

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kuankubank

12/19 19:45, , 2^F

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※ 編輯: kerrys 來自: 210.241.111.125 (12/19 19:48)

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frank88311

12/19 19:52, , 3^F