The Whip of the God of Basketball

After a bear hunting trip to Cardin Mountain, in Boston, on an ordinary morning at the end of July, Dick Hart was in a small media meeting room at the Boston headquarters in front of two or three invited Boston reporters. , accompanied by Fox Leon and Danny Ainge, announced that he would retire from basketball and would no longer hold any coaching position or serve as a team consultant.

Hart is 73 years old this year. He has experienced more than 30 years of ups and downs on the basketball court and more than 20 years in the NBA. He is famous in the league but does not have a championship.

Although following the current Celtics, he will have a great chance to win a championship, the only championship in his coaching career. However, he decided to give up. This stubborn old man who emphasized never giving up in defense chose to leave at this time.

After the news was released, fans who were not very familiar with Hart did not react much, but Hart's old friends, league executives, and coaches of various teams, such as Larry Bird and David Stern , Popovich, all called to express condolences.

Most of them asked why Hart wanted to leave before such a good situation, and the answers they all received were similar - "I just think it's time to leave. The championship is my dream, but it's not the only one. I still have myself." life, and it won’t be long, I want to cherish it.”

Hart's departure was very sudden, like a bear emerging from behind a big rock. Even Leon didn't expect how to deal with it this time. In the plan for the new season, Hart is a very important part. His accomplishments on the defensive end will maximize Garnett's defensive value. At the same time, Leon can devote himself to the shaping and construction of the team's offense and chemical reaction. go.

Although Hart told Leon that in terms of defensive attainments, Leon, who has a strong learning ability, is no longer inferior to Hart in theory. As long as he practices more in the new season, the Celtics' current lineup can completely create a first-class defense. system. But after all, Leon is not a man of three heads and six arms. The Celtics will have a stronger lineup next season, but they will have more things to worry about.

Last season, Leon could focus solely on building the offense, and devote part of his energy to public opinion wars and team building, leaving the important defense to Hart. If he has to take care of the defense next season, Leon is optimistic about his performance this season. After the ceremony, Khomeini was asked to carry her ashes to the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

However, Hart's mind has been made up. Whether it is Angie's earnest persuasion, Leon's temptation with the championship, or some senior fans in Boston writing letters to persuade him to stay, the old man's determination is as airtight as the defense he has molded for the team. ,indestructible.

In the end, everyone had to give up the idea of ​​persuading Hart, and instead wished the stubborn old man that he could live a healthy and comfortable life without basketball.

In comparison, Leon's good days that lasted for just a few days have come to an end, and he has to fight again to find a suitable assistant coach for himself. Of course, Danny Ainge has several candidates on his hands, such as Carroll, Paul Conmier, and Lester Connor. These are all assistant coaches who have a relationship with Ainge and know them well and can trust them.

But Leon didn't want any of them. He told Anji bluntly, if you just assign me an assistant coach, then you might as well turn me into an assistant coach. Faced with Leon's insistence, Angie did not object or stop him. He just said to Leon: "If you have the ability to let him be the team's assistant coach, then it doesn't seem like it would be too much to turn you into an assistant coach." Bad choice."

The man Ainge refers to is none other than former Celtics player and Pistons head coach Rick Carlisle, who is currently unemployed at home.

As early as more than two months ago, after the Pistons were eliminated by the Celtics at the end of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the conflict between Carlisle and the Pistons boss and senior management completely broke out. Under the instruction of Pistons boss Davis, Dumars had to decide to fire the coach who just won the best coach last season and led the Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

On the day of the contract termination press conference, the scene was hilarious. Carlisle originally did not need to attend this potentially embarrassing press conference. He was on vacation in South Carolina at the time, but after hearing about the press conference, Carlisle decided that he must attend.

Not only did Carlisle come, he also brought his wife, dressed in elegant clothes, to attend the conference. Carlisle did not give Dumas any face at the press conference. Although Dumas looked embarrassed and said some embarrassing remarks from time to time to ease the atmosphere, Carlisle ignored Dumas's words and directly stated that he would live in the future. Very happy.

Of course, Carlisle also knew that it was not Dumas's decision to fire him. He still said a few words for Dumas, saying that Dumas was not the one behind the scenes, but that he could not disobey his orders. But in the end, Carlisle did not forget to add that his house in Birmingham was ready for sale two hours ago, so if you want to buy it, hurry up...

This press conference can be said to be a shame for the Pistons management, but when Dumars hired Larry Brown from the Philadelphia 76ers for the Pistons, most people felt that the dismissal might be meaningful. Judging from this year's Eastern Conference finals, Rick Carlisle has no chance of winning in front of Fox Leon, and although Larry Brown also lost, when he has the Pistons, everything may become different.

During the offseason, Carlisle was naturally invited by the head coaches of several teams, including the Indiana Pacers under Larry Bird. He once served as an assistant coach with the Pacers and was also a good friend with Bird. In 2001, Bird wanted Carlisle to coach the Pacers, but in the end the boss chose the more famous Thomas.

Facts have proved that in the coaching profession, there is no one else but Larry Bird whose reputation is directly proportional to his strength as a player. The boss did not listen to Bird. As a result, the Pacers had an impressive regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. He was counterattacked by the lower position, and Thomas was dismissed from get out of class.

Now Bird is trying to get Carlisle to accept the suggestion of coaching with the Pacers, but Carlisle is still hesitant. He must admit that coaching with the Pacers is a good choice. The lineup, coaching environment, and fans are all very good.

At that time, deep in Carlisle's heart, he still had a glimmer of hope, that is, to return to Boston. That guy Fox-Leon has been nagging about Garnett for two years, and finally he succeeded. He also wanted Carlisle to be an assistant coach for two years. Carlisle didn't think he would "condescend" to become an assistant coach again, but He is indeed very interested in the current Celtics.

But Dick Hart's sudden retirement soured his interest that two days later, when Leon called Carlisle and asked him to come to Boston to replace Hart, Carlisle refused without hesitation.

He said: "In my heart, I hope to go to Boston and work with Hart, not replace Hart."

Leon was a little confused at this time. He originally thought that Carlisle would miss the good times with Hart in Indiana and choose to come to Boston to realize the championship dream with Hart. Unexpectedly, Hart insisted on retiring. , Carlisle doesn’t want to come now.

Leon is scratching his head in Boston. In this matter, his scouting network and media relations are of no use at all. Last year, his coaching staff was put together by Auerbach alone. This year, Auerbach I have given up completely and will no longer interfere with his affairs.

Just when Leon was trying to break his mind and even came up with some strange and damaging moves, Dick Hart, who had returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania, gave Leon a call.

"You must be very distressed now. I heard that Rick doesn't want to come. This kid... he always talks hard. Well, I have a way to solve this problem and at the same time help you with defense. I A letter of introduction has been mailed to you and you will know when you receive it,” Hart said on the phone.

This will be Hart's last assist to the Boston Celtics and Leon.