Vol 3 Chapter 650: Unwavering

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As the preseason of the new season was about to begin, something happened that made Westbrook, Anlow and others very uncomfortable. In ESPN's prediction for the new season's regular season record, the defending champion Thunder has only 50 wins.
50 wins are a lot! In the competitive West, not many teams can win 50 wins. For any team, it is a joy to be considered to be able to win 50 games before the season has started. But the Thunder is different. This is not a very optimistic prediction. You know, the Thunder won 66 wins last season and played 60+ games in the regular season for two consecutive years. However, compared to several other mainstream media, ESPN is already the most optimistic about Thunder. Even so, they are only slightly optimistic about Thunder than other media.
In the hearts of everyone in the Thunder, although there is one less Paul George, they still have Westbrook and An Luo, and their overall strength has not been greatly reduced. Paul George is indeed very strong, but Gallinari is not too far behind. You know, in the past season, Gallinari averaged 33 minutes per game and was able to deliver 19.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The overall shooting percentage was 46%, of which, the three-pointers hit 43%. And Paul George last season, averaging data is indeed much better than Gallinari, but he shot more times, and the overall shooting rate was only 43%, and the three-point shooting rate was only 37%.
But this is just the Thunder's own opinion. From the outside world, they are a superstar without a double-team, while Gallinari is just a quasi-All-Star player. The gap between the two is not small. After all, the gap between stars and ordinary players is not reflected in those numbers. The impact on the team's offensive and defensive ends, the explosive power at critical moments, and the catalytic effect on other players, ordinary players must not do well. For stars, especially super stars, it is very easy to do these things as long as they want. This is also an important reason why some teams quickly degenerate into a big belly after the head star leaves.
From this point of view, it will be difficult for the Thunder to extend their performance in the first two seasons in the new season. At least, the mainstream media and basketball players are not optimistic about them. You know, for the Clippers and Lakers, ESPN has given a 60+ win prediction.
However, Anlow, Westbrook and others disagree with such predictions. At the beginning of each season, everyone makes various predictions. Different people and different media have different opinions. Various versions of "seed" teams will also emerge. But in fact, most of these predictions will turn into jokes as the schedule progresses.
"The championship is always our goal. We were successful in the first two seasons. We defeated all our opponents and became the ultimate winner. I think we should be able to maintain this momentum this season. The championship made an impact. I believe we have that ability and we have that experience."
When facing media interviews, Westbrook did not deliberately conceal his thoughts. Of course, it may be a protest against the outside world's disapproval of the Thunder. He appeared particularly confident when it came to hitting the championship.
"We have won the championship for two consecutive years. Every time, our opponents are very strong. But we worked together, everyone tried our best and finally defeated them. This is the result of all of us. Me, Ann, Paul, Steven, etc. are all part of it. Now, the new season is about to begin again. We are very aware of that state and we have enough experience to face any opponent. I will Tell the new teammates what we have done in the first two seasons, and we will work hard together, just like the previous two seasons."
"I know that many people are not optimistic about us. But I do not agree with this view. Our overall strength has not weakened. Daloni and Shay are both very powerful guys! They will bring us more. With different things, our game will become different, but no matter what, we will still be the most powerful contenders for the championship. What I want to say is, don’t underestimate us, after all, we are champions in the first two seasons ."
When he was asked about the deal with the Clippers, Westbrook did not show any particular emotions.
"Indeed, something very special happened during the offseason just past. Our team has reached a deal with the Los Angeles team and exchanged some players~EbookFREE.me~ Such things are quite normal. , Every season there will be a variety of transactions, no surprise. Paul is a very good player, in the past two years, he is the key to our two championships."
"No one has a different choice. Paul is from Los Angeles. It is natural for him to return to Los Angeles to play. I believe that he can lead his team to a good result in the upcoming season."
Except for Westbrook, almost all the Thunder players last season were asked by the reporters and media. Although everyone's rhetoric is different, the meaning expressed is very unified: the Thunder will not be weakened by the departure of Paul George, nor will they give up the pursuit of the championship due to changes in personnel.
Among them, the most confident person is An Luo. Westbrook is already very confident, but still not as good as An Luo.
"In the past two seasons, the championship is Oklahoma City Thunder, not Russell Westbrook, not Anlow, and not Paul George. This is a team with championship blood. We players It's just one of them. This team will not be different because of who is missing, and it will not stop its direction due to changes in certain personnel."
"We are still a championship-level team, like Los Angeles, Houston, Oakland, Milwaukee, Brooklyn. I have full confidence in our team, we will have an unexpected season, like It was the same two years ago. At that time, there were not more people who were optimistic about us than now. But in the end, we had the last laugh."
Many people agree with the remarks of An Luo, Westbrook and others, and many people are not optimistic. But whether it is optimistic or not, there are always some people who are unswervingly advancing towards the championship.