[外電] A rebirth in Dallas for ex-Hawk
A rebirth in Dallas for ex-Hawk
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/18/06
Miami — He talks about it without hesitation, without any
reservation or any trace of regret in his voice.
It was five years, five trying years for a player who relishes
winning above all else, no matter what others may believe.
The Jason Terry who Hawks fans got to know during the first five
years of his NBA career is not the same player — and certainly
not the same man — these days.
Time, maturity and a taste of NBA success have a way of changing
a person, as Terry can attest now that he's in the midst of
starring on the NBA's biggest stage. Terry and the Dallas
Mavericks face off with the Miami Heat Sunday night in a
pressure-packed Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The winner will emerge
with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
And there's no doubt that for Terry, life in the NBA's global
fishbowl suits him much better than life on the fringe.
"I was blessed to be drafted to Atlanta," said Terry, the 10th
pick in the 1999 draft. "I'm serious when I say that. It was a
blessing — even with all the struggles we had as a team and the
fact that the organization was really just out there in terms of
the way things were run.
"But now I'm able to enjoy success a lot better because I went
through those tough times. And that's not a knock on anybody in
Atlanta. It's the way it was."
Traded by the Hawks to Dallas along with Alan Henderson and a
future first-round draft pick in August 2004, Terry knew a
departure from the Hawks is what both sides needed.
He knew that he needed a fresh start and that he didn't want to
be caught in the transition from one ownership group and
management team to another. And like so many other former Hawks,
he's blossomed since departing.
His career-best individual numbers were all recorded in a Hawks
uniform — 19.7 points in his second season and 7.4 assists in
his fourth. But he didn't play in the postseason until last year,
his first with the Mavericks.
And while Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard have received the bulk
of the attention from the worldwide media horde here covering the
Finals, Terry's name is the one that comes up most often when
the Heat talk about the player they have to focus on stopping.
"When you get to this point of a season, it's all about which
guys is willing to step up and take the big shots, which guys is
willing to leave everything on the floor to get that
[championship] ring," said Heat veteran guard Gary Payton,
Terry's longtime idol and one of his closest friends. "I've know
JT since he was in high school and he's always been that kind of
player, the kind of guy who's going to risk everything for that
ultimate prize.
"That's what separates the average players from the exceptional
ones, from the greats."
Terry's lifelong ambition has been to be held in such regard. He
knows legends are made in the postseason, and for the record, his
18-point scoring average in 33 career playoff games is higher
than his career average (15.8).
While several of his teammates have buckled under the pressure of
the Heat's ferocious comeback in this series, Terry's
in-your-face approach has remained. After a 32-point Game 1 and a
nine-assist Game 2, he led the Mavericks with 17 points in their
Game 4 loss. He was the only Dallas player who stayed aggressive
as the Heat pulled away late.
Mavericks coach Avery Johnson roasted his own team after the way
they fell in Game 4, arguing that they needed to adopt a more "
playground" approach in a series that has taken on that sort of
take-no-prisoners feel.
"You can't expect anybody to bail you out," Johnson said.
It's a style that suits Terry, who'll have added pressure on him tonight
since veteran Jerry Stackhouse has been suspended because of the body-block
he delivered on Shaquille O'Neal.
Terry and Stackhouse have been the players the Mavericks have
relied on all season to give them that edge, that swagger, that
fearlessness that's surely needed on this stage.
Terry, a free agent at season's end, draws his strength from the
pressure he has faced down off the court. His 9-year-old niece
Imani Horne died in March, a blow Terry admits he'll never get
over. His mother, Andrea Cheathem, is severely anemic and suffers
from hypertension and congestive heart problems. She's here
watching her son a week after having stomach surgery.
Finding his balance on the basketball court is nothing compared
to the balance he's had to maintain away from it during such
trying times.
"I know some people might look at the situation we're in right
now as this high pressure environment," he said. "But I put it
in perspective. I want to win in the worst way, just like every
other man on this team. But it's 48 minutes and then it's over.
All we can do is handle our business the best way we know how."
資料來源
http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0618breakdown.html
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 61.230.33.40
※ 編輯: ZazaPachulia 來自: 61.230.33.40 (06/21 14:09)
Hawks 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
