Chapter 491: Shy big man

More than half of March, most teams ended half of the schedule.
The Pistons are far ahead.
Since the start of the season, they have only lost two games with a record of 22 wins and 2 losses. The two teams that beat them are the Pacers and Celtics.
In the game against the Celtics, Duncan was awe-inspiring, slashing 34+20+10+8 blocks, plus Rick Pitino’s full-field pressing strategy, successfully running, the piston was caught off guard, The game was lost with a double-digit difference.
In that game, they lost happily, because the Celtics were well prepared, the piston was suppressed in the whole game, and the loss was reasonable.
The end of one streak represents the beginning of another streak.
Today, the Pistons have a seven-game winning streak.
Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and the second largest city in the Pacific Northwest of the United States after Seattle.
This is the home base of the Trail Blazers.
This season's Trail Blazers have unusual ambitions. In order to become a championship-competitive team, the management is aggressive. First, it carried out a tripartite deal that shocked the league last summer and harvested Chris Webb in one fell swoop.
After the lockout ended, they got Sprewell who nearly strangled Carlesimo last season through a trade.
In this way, the trident that impacted the champion has been formed.
Weber, Sabonis, Sprewell. The problem is that Sabonis is a good old man. Weber's six-year career can only be regarded as a talented problem player. As for Sprewell, a person who dares to lock up the throat coach, is it good?
The Blazers played while running in, and in the first ten games, they had a 50% win rate, which did not match their own luxury configuration.
Team boss Paul Allen was so bad at first sight, so he invited Webber and Sprewell to the party overnight, showing their sincerity.
That night, Allen informed the two that they would renew their contract at the end of the season.
You know, even the current lineup of Blazers, their total salary has reached 53 million.
What concept is this?
This season's salary cap is 30 million, they are far beyond this line, the luxury tax is only 34 million, and they exceed the tax by nearly 20 million.
Therefore, Allen not only has to pay huge salaries, but also almost pays the same luxury tax at a 1:1 ratio-how much is the tax and how much is paid.
In other words, maintaining this lineup is equivalent to paying $70 million.
If you still want to renew Webb and Sprewell and others at market prices, the Blazers will be a veritable 100 million yuan team starting next season.
However, this is Paul Allen's person, rich and willful.
After that meeting, the Blazers got through the second leg of Ren Du, and won 14 consecutive victories. They are currently ranked first in the West with 19 wins and 5 losses.
This is the top battle between East and West.
It can also be said that since the meeting, they have not lost a game, and began to show the momentum of the strongest team in the West.
The Jazz, who had a strong start earlier, lost state in a large number of back-to-back games.
The Pistons walked out of the airport and were interviewed by live media before heading to the hotel.
After a while, Mo Mengchen and Hill received the news.
The Blazers owner Paul Allen invited them to lunch.
"Do you know him?" Hill asked.
"There is no intersection." Mo Mengchen couldn't understand the invitation.
Hill smiled freely: "Let's accept it, it's no big deal anyway."
Does Mo Mengchen know that Hill is optimistic? Still optimistic? Still optimistic? Who is Paul Allen? The world’s richest man; a genius who graduated from high school with a SAT score of 1600 points; dropped out of college for two years to join hands with his younger brother Bill Gates to create Microsoft; Gates’ lifelong think tank; one of DreamWorks’ shareholders; a lot of charity funds Sponsor of the meeting.
Such a person invites them to lunch together, how could it be "no big deal"?
However, it was precisely because Allen was unusual that Mo Mengchen and Hill were necessary to go to the banquet.
Valencia
There is a famous restaurant in Portland, but it is not from the name of Paul Allen, but Allen likes to eat here.
"The two of you are more punctual than I thought." Alan smiled lightly.
It seems to him that the players are not very punctual?
Maybe, maybe because the gang of players under him doesn't understand how awesome their boss is, so they neglect him? It is impossible to think about it carefully.
"Please sit down, you can order food from anywhere, and they can all make it." Allen wanted to look natural.
Hill and Mo Mengchen couldn't believe it, and Allen sitting in front of them was a little nervous.
This one of the most successful people in the world has fan-like psychology in front of two sports stars.
Mo Mengchen looked at the menu and occasionally glanced at Paul Allen. Is it because of PS? Allen's skin looked different from the posters everywhere on Portland Road.
"Sir, this is the best restaurant I have seen in the United States, but did you invite the two of us only for this?"
Some words are better explained in advance.
Allen suddenly calmed down and smiled freely: "I am a pure basketball fan, I like your game, so when you come to Portland, I finally have the opportunity to call you here for a private conversation."
Private?
Hill ordered an order without realizing that Allen said something.
"How private?" Mo Mengchen asked.
Hill also looked up, wondering what the legend was going to say.
"Recruit you two." Allen said startlingly, "Enough private?"
Hill didn't speak, and Mo Mengchen replied: "If Mr. President learns about this, he will be happy to take millions of fines from you."
"The lion doesn't care if someone removes a mane from him. It only cares what it wants." Allen let go. "No matter how much you two want, I can be satisfied. Please believe me." "
It's a bit overwhelming.
Can money really do anything? In most cases it is possible.
Mo Mengchen and Hill looked at each other.
Hill said: "This is probably not a matter of money."
"My management told me that the players are all on par with money, so I think the success rate of this recruitment is very high." Allen was somewhat smug.
After this conversation, Mo Mengchen found that Alan was not much different from the ordinary people we know.
The difference between him and ordinary people is that he has such a free mind as ordinary people, but unlike ordinary people can only think, he has enough financial resources to get everything he wants.
The dishes are up.
Strict as Mo Mengchen is also difficult to pick the chef of this restaurant, it is indeed the world's top cooking.
"Sir, the season is continuing. I don't have any idea about this matter. It's illegal for you to talk to us, so why not let us change the subject?" Hill said with a laugh.
Allen’s main target was Hill, and Mo Mengchen didn’t know why he targeted Hill.
Is there any reason? Hill’s contract didn’t expire until the following year. Is it too early to recruit?
Wait a minute... maybe not the year after?
Mo Mengchen thought of player options.
"Well, I just want to let you know that as long as you are interested, I can sign you no matter how much money you have." Allen, like those rich people, really thought that money would solve all problems.
He only put down the cutlery after eating half of it: "The recent appetite is getting worse... I used to eat two plates in one go."
After all, he coughed continuously.
"Sorry." He said embarrassedly.
Suspected skin lesions, cough, poor appetite...
Combining these symptoms, I think of Alan's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the 1980s-Mo Mengchen suddenly said: "Sir, have you been to the hospital for a check recently?"
After hearing this, Allen looked sharply at Mo Mengchen: "I did."
Mo Mengchen asked: "Anything found?"
Allen smiled: "It's the same as you think."
"It seems that you found it in time." Mo Mengchen said.
Otherwise, you should be preparing for the future, instead of recruiting him and Hill.
"What are you talking about?" Hill was silly.
Allen laughed: "I was seriously ill recently, and Ethan saw it."
Mo Mengchen remembers that Alan controlled his condition in the 1980s. It was a big miracle. The recurrence rate of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was very low, and the re-examination rate of people like him was very high, even if they relapsed. , The condition will not develop to an uncontrollable point.
However, getting such a disease in that era was like walking away from hell.
"How do you feel when you get sick?" Mo Mengchen asked.
Allen laughed and said, "I'm free now~EbookFREE.me~ He has money (holding a 28% stake in Microsoft). And, through this illness, he knows that life is short.
He was a shy Seattle teenager, but since he was free, he decided to let go of his love. For example, he started the largest toy collection in the world at that time; for example, he bought a bunch of old World War II old fighters (real guys, not models); he collected guitars and records, and he donated to the University of Washington in Seattle $18 million to build the library. As for his various charitable foundations, there are countless.
Allen talked about the disease and how he felt: "Since then, this matter has become the most important tool I use to motivate myself to make major life decisions."
At the end of lunch, Hill still didn't know what they were talking about.
Before leaving, Allen said: "I will go to the scene tonight, I can't wait."
Mo Mengchen and Hill had to say on the spot that they must go all out tonight, strive to live up to his expectations, and explode the Trail Blazers from the inside out.
Wait, is this really his expectation?