Chapter 31: Before the draft

　　 On Tuesday, June 29, 2000, Washington, the weather was still a bit hot. Fortunately, a torrential rain washed away the summer heat, and the transpiring ground was cooled by water drops. The clear sky after the rain stopped was particularly blue.
At the "Chinese Doll" restaurant in Chinatown, Washington, Reed Auerbach had just finished a lunch with his old guys. He was the first to walk out of the restaurant, wearing a gray-green casual shirt and dark brown. Cropped pants, holding a cane in his left hand and a cigar in his right hand.
　　 After the children's basketball training camp in Marshfield ended, Auerbach returned to his hometown, Washington. Today is Tuesday, and it is a day for him and his old friends to have dinner at the Chinese Doll Restaurant.
　　 When he was a coach in the 1960s, Auerbach had a habit of eating Chinese food. The reason is simple. In major cities in the United States, most of the restaurants that open until late at night are Chinese restaurants.
Every time after the game is over until nine o’clock in the night, Auerbach will order the dishes in advance at the Chinese restaurant near the arena. He will drop by to pick it up on the way back to the station after the game, and then take the food before leaving here the next morning. When the food is hot, he will be energetic all 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 "Chinese Doll" in Washington, and made it a ritual in the following decades. marrow.
　　 "Hurry up, hurry up." Auerbach urged to the old friends behind him, and at the same time walked towards his car-a silver-grey Mercedes with a "Celtics" license plate.
　　 The old friends who were still gathered at the door in twos and threes knew that Auerbach was impatient, and finally reluctantly said goodbye to each other, and then two old people about the age of Auerbach followed Auerbach into his car.
"It's a little bit faster. We won't be able to play the cards for long this afternoon. We have to hurry." Auerbach roared, not looking like an old man in his 80s at all, but an urgent need after school. Children going home to play games.
　　An old man who looked a lot like Auerbach responded: "Reid, it's only a little bit. We can play cards until nine o'clock in the evening, and sometimes it's time."
He is Reed Auerbach’s younger brother, Zane Auerbach. After dinner together, he will go to Woodmont Country Club to play bridge with his brother. Auerbach must participate every Tuesday. Event, after retreating from the Celtics first line to the second line, his activity is unstoppable.
　　 After listening to his brother, 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 Jack Kwanz, a former sports coach at George Washington University. He listened to the conversation between the brothers and said to the confused Zane: "Tonight is the NBA Draft! "
　　Zane suddenly realized that his brother had more important things today. No wonder he rushed to play cards in such a hurry. For Auerbach, not playing bridge on Tuesday is as uncomfortable as not smoking cigars all day.
　　Understanding this, Zane understood what his brother meant, and chatted with his brother about the Celtics in the car.
He thought that a lot of people had been passing the Boston Celtics recently. A young scout came from Auerbach’s direct disciple, who was picked by Auerbach to eventually replace Pitino, so he asked: "That ball. Who is Tan? Many people are saying that he is your student. I don’t remember that you have a habit of enrolling students. Your last student should be Bill Russell."
Auerbach shook his head and replied: "I am not his teacher, I just gave him a chance to learn. Tonight was when he showed his learning results, I haven't contacted him for a while. Listen to Michael- Carl said that his speed of learning and progress is amazing, his mind is almost like a computer. I kind of want to meet him, this is an interesting guy."
　　 Zane heard his brother’s evaluation of this scout, and thought it was rare. Auerbach has always wanted to meet young people. He would even want to meet a scout, which shows that he is really unique.
　　 It was already half past one when they arrived at the Woodmont Club together. Auerbach didn't waste any time. As soon as they entered the club's private room, they pulled away their chairs and sat at the table to prepare to play cards.
　　 In addition to his brother and Kwanz, Rob Eze, a union lawyer, joined the Auerbach club in 1980.
　　 Leon’s service in the Marshfield community was finally done by Mr. Eze.
　　 "You are not always so anxious, Mr. Auerbach." Eze also saw Auerbach's hurried expression, and it seemed that he would never be able to play cards without starting.
　　 After the start of the card game, Auerbach seemed to be worried. In bridge, a project that requires precise calculations and calm emotions, it is a taboo. As time went on, Auerbach became less and less mindful of playing cards.
"Bid, you want to bid!" Kwanz reminded Auerbach that he must bid before the card is dealt every time after the card is dealt, but this time Auerbach has forgotten the basic rule and just put the card. Threw it out.
　　 "No more! Not in the state today!" Auerbach was anxious and threw the cards to the table without playing, then lay down angrily on the chair, took out a cigar and began to smoke.
Obviously, the night’s draft has disturbed Auerbach’s heart. He hasn’t been like this for several years. Since Lewis’s death, in addition to having a chance to win Tim Duncan in 1997, Auerbach whether he is in the Celtics or not. As the chairman, I don’t care much about the draft.
　　 In this draft, there is no rookie comparable to Duncan, and the Celtics are not well placed. The reason Auerbach cares so much is only because this will be when Fox-Lyon submits his answer.
　　 Just the day before yesterday, Michael Karl sent a message to Auerbach that Fox-Lyon has successfully persuaded the coaching team to determine the final candidate for the draft.
Auerbach did not ask who the final candidate was, nor did Leon how to convince the team to choose his favorite player. At this time, the old bishop's most worried thing is that if the final result of the draft fails, all responsibility will be Blame it on Leon, what impact will this have on his return to the Celtics.
　　 Thinking of this, Auerbach is not in the mood to play bridge at all. He just wants to call Leon as soon as possible and ask what is going on inside the team's coaching staff.
　　 After hesitating again and again, Auerbach left the chess 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 everything about Leon’s daily schedule and work. .
After the rookie training camp was over, Leon first went to Las Vegas to observe a small training camp held there. Among the participants were several rookies this year; then, Leon went to Los Angeles, and Rees-Wallace watched Moiso's training together at UCLA. After this training, Leon used a scouting report to dispel Wallace's idea of ​​choosing Moiso in the draft.
　　 After three days in Los Angeles, Leon ran to Minnesota. This time he was with Pitino and Vogel, the goal was of course Pulzbila.
　　 However, the Houston Rockets seem to have taken the lead. They have discussed with the Milwaukee Bucks to take the Minnesota center with the 9th pick, 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~EbookFREE.me~ There is one person throughout these trips. Accompanying, that is Weissland, in fact the task he got from Auerbach is to track everything about Leon and report to Auerbach. So Leon wrote the first scout report, Leon’s player data analysis sheet, including a copy of Leon’s notebook content, and finally was sent to Auerbach’s desk.
　　Only in the end, Westland had to leave because of Boston affairs. Leon finally went to Ohio alone to meet with Michael Reid. Auerbach knew nothing about it.
Now, he doesn’t know what the Celtics’ final choice is, and what Leon’s proposal is. This makes the bishop feel the heart beating. He is not a person who likes to watch excitement and heartbeat in the draft. He Enjoy the sense of control that "the dust is settled before everything starts", which he often did in the draft.
　　 Finally, the call was made. Leon was at the Target Center in Minnesota, less than two hours before the start of the draft.
　　 "Hello, Leon, this is Auerbach!" Auerbach said loudly, now his ears are not good.
As soon as he finished speaking, Leon replied like a cannon: "Hello sir! I'm in the target center. The draft is about to start. There are a lot of people. I know you want to know our choices, otherwise you can't sleep. Okay. But I can’t say now. Just hold back if you have any questions and wait to see the results on TV. Okay, let’s not say I’m going to hang up and turn off the phone. I’ll call you when it’s over. Goodbye."
　　 Then, Leon hung up the phone.
　　 Auerbach is already mad~EbookFREE.me~ Book friends are welcome to visit and read, the latest, fastest and hottest serial works are all at ~EbookFREE.me~ mobile phone users, please go to read.