If there were an if...
Johnson is the one who wins money, while Barkley is the one with the black face.
Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs"...
......
Although the playoffs had already reached the second round, Gentry still gave the players a day off.
Cummings called the arena as soon as he got up in the morning.
really...
The Mavericks also rented a day for tactical practice.
It can't be called a coincidence.
The playoff format is that the team with the lower record plays two away games first, and then two home games.
Flying back and forth at this time is too much of a hassle, so most teams will stay in the away city after the first game and fly back after both games are played.
The Mavericks won't be flying back to Dallas either...
Their hotel was not far from the American West Arena, and the best-equipped arena in the vicinity was the one owned by Cummings.
I heard the Mavericks will also be training at the arena.
Cummings then went to the arena again...
He was wearing the same outfit as last time, dressed in a cleaning uniform, a baseball cap, and even a mask. He was carrying a bucket and mop just like a real cleaner.
Inside the arena, the Mavericks are holding a scrimmage.
Johnson sat on the sidelines with several assistant coaches around him, and Cummings sat down next to him.
Johnson glanced at Cummings and frowned slightly. The cleaning staff at this arena was a bit inconsiderate... Didn't he see the team was practicing? What was he doing sitting next to them?
Johnson said, "This is not a place for you to sit."
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."
Cummings stood up to apologize and explain, "I grew up in the slums, loved basketball since I was a kid, and dreamed of becoming a professional athlete..."
But... a car accident when I was a child took my right leg, and I've never been able to stand on the court again. Now I can only work as a cleaner at the stadium... My biggest dream now is to be able to watch a game live.
But I can't afford a ticket. Seeing so many stars suddenly got me so excited I sat down. I'm so sorry...so sorry...so sorry...I'll leave now...I'll leave now...I'll leave now..."
He spoke haltingly, then stood up and slowly moved, dragging his right leg as if he really had broken it.
Johnson felt distressed listening to it, and even more distressed watching it, so he pulled Cummings aside and said, "I don't know your story. If you want to see it, sit down and read it."
Is it really possible?
"It really works!"
"Thank you, you're such a kind person!"
Let's watch the game...
Johnson didn't know what to say, so he just sat down next to Cummings.
......
"Terry, your three-point attempt just now wasn't decisive enough!"
"Stackhouse, you need to imagine Dampier as Wei Guo. If the guy standing under the basket just now was Wei Guo, would you still have attacked the rim?"
......
Cummings secretly curled his lip. What kind of person was Dampier that he could make others imagine him as a defender of the country?
Actually...
When the opponent is fixed, the team's tactical drills are like this: imitate the opponent's tactics and players in order to find the opponent's weaknesses.
The Lakers signed Tyronn Lue with the intention of having him imitate Allen Iverson, and Lue did a great job; he even copied Iverson's hairstyle.
After the group scrimmage, the players have a half-hour rest period.
Everyone noticed that a cleaner was sitting next to the head coach. Although they were puzzled, they didn't ask. After the players finished their rest, they sat together to discuss tactics.
Cummings looked at Johnson with teary eyes, "Can I participate? I just want to experience what it's like to be a professional player. I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that... I'm sure I'm bothering you... I'm sorry..."
Johnson couldn't stand this guy's constant apologies, so he waved his hand helplessly, "You're not the Suns' coach, so it's fine if you hear me. Come closer."
Thank you~ Thank you~
Nodding like a chick pecking at rice, its eyes full of flattery.
The tactical analysis wasn't complicated; it was simply about analyzing the reasons for the previous loss and then deciding on the strategy for the next game. The discussion lasted about an hour and then it ended.
Cummings held Johnson's hand, tears streaming down his face. "You're a good man. I'll remember this day forever."
Nowitzki watched Cummings drag himself off the court on his right leg and couldn't help but ask, "Coach, who is that guy?"
"A pitiful person..."
Johnson explained, "He loved playing basketball, but he lost his right leg in a car accident and could never play on the court again."
"He's not short, and if he's trained from a young age, he might be able to make a living in some lower-level leagues."
"Why does his back look so familiar..."
"Does it look familiar? This back view is quite ordinary. Aren't all men who are 1.9 meters tall like this?"
"I feel like I've seen this person somewhere before, but maybe it's just my imagination."
"Hey you, wait a minute!"
Johnson called out to Cummings.
Cummings paused, a sense of panic washing over him. His disguise was spot-on... How could he be recognized like that?
He couldn't just run away; that would give him away more easily. If the Mavericks found out, getting a beating wouldn't be a big deal, but Cummings would completely embarrass the Suns and Wei Ge. He turned back, bracing himself for a second, and asked, "Hey sir, is there something you need?"
"Let me give you a gift."
Johnson picked up the basketball from the ground, had the Mavericks players sign it, and then gave it to Cummings, "as a souvenir."
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~"
Cummings breathed a sigh of relief, took the basketball, and thanked them, "Thank you... thank you... thank you... you're all good people."
Nowitzki said sadly, "It seems... he really is a pitiful man."
......
Cummings threw off the cleaning staff's clothes and prepared to leave the arena.
The receptionist, idly munching on sunflower seeds, saw Cummings and jokingly asked, "Boss, any good business today?"
"Here you go~"
Cummings casually tossed the basketball to the receptionist, saying, "Here you go. Keep today's events a secret."
"Keep it a secret!"
The receptionist blinked and took the basketball.
The basketball has the signatures of Nowitzki, Finley, and others, making it quite collectible. It could fetch a good price online, which the receptionist really likes.
......
The Mavericks players quickly forgot about Cummings and returned to their hotel to rest after afternoon practice.
At midnight, Johnson tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Johnson sat up, lit a cigarette, and, thinking of the poor janitor he had met that morning, couldn't help but slap himself. "I'm so damn stupid... He was such a pitiful person, and I didn't even let him sit on the sidelines."
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