The Whip of the God of Basketball

On Tuesday, June 29, 2000, in Washington, the weather was still a bit hot. Fortunately, a heavy rain washed away the summer heat, and the transpiration ground was cooled by water droplets. After the rain stopped, the clear sky looked extraordinarily blue.

Reid Auerbach was the first to emerge from the China Doll restaurant in Washington's Chinatown after a lunch with his old buddies, wearing a gray-green slack and dark brown Capri pants, with a cane in his left hand and a cigar in his right hand.

After the children's basketball training camp in Marshfield, Auerbach returned to his hometown Washington. Today is Tuesday, and he and his old friends have dinner at the Chinese Doll Restaurant.

As early as the 1960s when he was a coach, Auerbach had the habit of eating Chinese food. The reason is very simple. In major cities across the United States, the restaurants that open until late at night are basically Chinese restaurants.

Every time after the game until after nine o’clock at night, Auerbach would order food in advance at the Chinese restaurant near the arena, and he would pick it up on the way back to the station after the game, and then take the food before leaving here by plane the next morning. Once the food is hot, he will be full of energy throughout the day.

He maintained this habit for more than ten years until he left the coaching position, and then he began to eat at a restaurant called "China Doll" in Washington, and made it a ritual in the next few decades. marrow.

"Hurry up, hurry up." Auerbach urged his old friends behind him, while walking towards his work car - a silver-gray Mercedes-Benz with the license plate "Celtics".

The old friends who were still gathered at the door in twos and threes knew that Auerbach was getting impatient, and finally said goodbye to each other reluctantly, and then two old people who were about the same age as Auerbach followed Auerbach into his car.

"It's getting closer. We won't be able to play cards for long this afternoon. Let's hurry up." Auerbach said anxiously. He didn't look like an old man in his 80s at all, but an old man who was in a hurry after school. Children playing games at home.

An old man who looked very similar to Auerbach responded: "Reid, it's only one o'clock. We can play cards until nine o'clock in the evening. There is plenty of time."

He's Reid Auerbach's younger brother, Zane Auerbach, and after dinner, he and his brother are going to play bridge at Woodmont Country Club, which Auerbach has to attend every Tuesday Activities, after retiring from the first line of the Celtics to the second line, his activities are unshakable.

After hearing what his younger brother said, Auerbach snorted and said, "You don't understand." After speaking, he started the car and drove to the destination.

Another old man sitting in the car was Jake Kwanz, a former sports coach at George Washington University. He listened to the conversation between the two brothers and said to Zane who was confused: "Tonight is the NBA Draft! "

Only then did Zane suddenly realize that his brother had more important things to do today, no wonder he rushed to play cards in such a hurry. For Auerbach, not playing bridge on Tuesday was as uncomfortable as not smoking cigars for a day.

Knowing this, Zane understood what his brother meant, so he chatted with him about the Celtics in the car.

He thought that many people have recently been rumoring that the Boston Celtics have a young scout who is a direct disciple of Auerbach and was chosen by Auerbach to eventually replace Pitino, so he asked, "Which ball is that scout?" Who is Tan? Many people are saying that he is your student, but I don’t remember that you have the habit of accepting students, and your last student should be Bill Russell.”

Auerbach shook his head and replied, "I'm not his teacher, I'm just giving him a chance to learn. Tonight is the time for him to show what he's learned, and I haven't contacted him in a while. Listen to Michael— Carl says he's learning at an amazing rate, he's like a computer. I kind of want to meet him, he's an interesting guy."

When Zane heard his brother's evaluation of the scout, he thought that it was really rare. Auerbach never waited to see young people, but he wanted to meet a scout, which showed that he was indeed unique.

It was already half past one when they arrived at the Woodmont Club together. Auerbach didn't waste any time. As soon as he entered the private room of the club, he pulled away the chair and sat at the table to play cards.

In addition to his younger brother, Kwanz, at the same table was Rob Ez, a trade union lawyer who joined the club in Auerbach in 1980.

Leon's service in the Marshfield community was finally done by this Mr. Izzy.

"You're not always in such a hurry, Mr. Auerbach." Iz also saw Auerbach's hurried expression, as if he would never be able to play cards if he didn't start.

After the game started, Auerbach seemed to be preoccupied. In bridge, which requires precise calculation and calm emotions, restlessness is a taboo. As time went on, Auerbach became less and less interested in playing cards.

"Call, you have to call!" Kwanz reminded Auerbach that every time the cards are dealt and before the cards are played, Auerbach has to call, but this time Auerbach even forgot this basic rule, and just put the cards away. Throw it out.

"Stop playing! I'm out of shape today!" Auerbach was in a hurry, he threw the cards on the table and stopped playing, then lay down on the chair angrily, took out a cigar and began to smoke heavily.

Apparently, Auerbach's mind was disturbed by the night of the draft. He hasn't in years. In the position of chairman, he doesn't care much about the draft.

In this draft, there is no rookie comparable to Duncan at all, and the Celtics' pick is not good. The reason why Auerbach is so concerned is because this will be when Fox-Leon submits the answer sheet.

Just the day before yesterday, Michael Karl sent news to Auerbach that Fox Leon had successfully persuaded the coaching team to determine the final candidate in the draft.

Auerbach didn't ask who the final candidate was, nor did he ask how Leon persuaded the team to choose his favorite player. At this time, the old bishop was most worried about whether all the responsibilities would be taken if the final result of the draft failed. Blame it on Leon, what impact will this have on his return to the Celtics.

Thinking of this, Auerbach was not in the mood to play bridge at all. He just wanted to call Leon quickly and ask how the team's coaching staff was going.

After hesitating again and again, Auerbach still left the chess and card room, picked up the phone in a small office next door, and dialed Leon's cell phone.

They have not been in contact for nearly a month, but it does not mean that Auerbach is ignorant of Leon's behavior. On the contrary, Auerbach continues to know Leon's daily schedule and work content. .

After the rookie training camp, Leon first went to Las Vegas to observe a small training camp held there. Among the participants were several rookies this year; Rhys-Wallace watched Moiso's training together at UCLA. After this training, Leon used one of his scouting reports to dispel Wallace's idea of ​​picking Moiso in the draft.

After staying in Los Angeles for three days, Leon went to Minnesota again. This time he was with Pitino and Vogel, and the goal was of course Przybilla.

However, the Houston Rockets seem to have taken the lead. They have already negotiated with the Milwaukee Bucks to use the No. 9 pick to win the Minnesota center, and then send him to Milwaukee in exchange for the chips the Rockets need.

It was here that Leon learned that many NBA drafts and transactions are not completely open and transparent. Many pre-draft tacit understandings and private contacts are part of the NBA draft.

These trips were accompanied by one person throughout the trip, that is Weisslander. In fact, the task he got from Auerbach was to track everything about Leon and report to Auerbach. So the first scouting report written by Leon, the player data analysis sheet Leon made, including a copy of Leon's notebook content, were finally sent to Auerbach's desk.

Only in the end, Westland had to leave because of business in Boston, and Leon finally went to Ohio alone to meet Michael Reed, Auerbach knew nothing about it.

Now, he doesn't know what the final choice of the Celtics is, and what Leon's proposal is, which makes the bishop feel scratchy. Enjoy the sense of "it's all done before it even starts" control, which he used to do in the draft.

Finally, the call got through, and Leon was at Target Center in Minnesota, less than two hours before the start of the draft.

"Hello, Leon, I'm Auerbach!" Auerbach said loudly, now his ears are not very good.

As soon as he finished speaking, Leon replied like a cannonball: "Hi old man! I'm at the Target Center. The draft is about to start. There are many people. I know you want to know our choices, otherwise you won't be able to sleep Good. But I can’t say it now, if you have any questions, just hold back and wait to see the results on TV. Well, I’m going to hang up and turn off the phone, and I’ll call you when it’s over, goodbye.”

Leon then hung up the phone.

Auerbach, on the other hand, was already mad.