[外電] Flip的藍圖
來源：http://www.cbssports.com/nba/feature/25551583/flips-script
Flip's script
Flip的藍圖
EMBODIED BY KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, GUARDED BY KEVIN GARNETT, THE 20-YEAR VISION
OF THE LATE FLIP SAUNDERS REMAINS ALIVE.
由KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS體現，KEVIN GARNETT守護，已逝世的FLIP SAUNDERS這20年的藍圖
仍然執行中。
BY ZACH HARPER / April 12, 2016
NBA writer
Kevin Garnett was drenched in sweat as he breathed desperately. It was 1995.
High school players were again making the jump to the NBA, and as the focused
eyes of executives who would decide Garnett's fate gazed upon him, judging
his every movement, the entire weight of reopening the history books rested
on his shoulders. It was making him a wreck. There was too much adrenaline in
his body. Shots were wildly missing and nothing was going according to plan.
Kevin Garnett滿身是汗、氣喘吁吁。那是在1995年，過了這麼多年，再度有高中生打算
跳級至NBA[註]，一雙雙球探專注的眼睛將決定Garnett未來的命運，他們注視著他的每一
個動作，而這個再度寫下歷史新頁的重擔深深地壓在他的肩膀上，讓他喘不過氣來。他的
體內分泌了過多的腎上腺素，投籃頻頻打鐵，沒有一件事情按照計畫進行。
註：根據Wiki的資料： https://www.wikiwand.com/en/NBA_high_school_draftees
在1995年前，上一次有高中生被NBA選中是1975年的Bill Willoughby，但自從1995
年KG被選中後，接下來每一年都有高中生被選中，直到2006年禁止高中生參選為止。
Well, at least not KG's plan.
至少，這不符合KG的計畫。
Flip Saunders' plan, however, was right on schedule.
然而，Flip Saunders的計畫，則正在順利進行中。
The 1995 draft class was stacked with college stars. Two in particular, North
Carolina teammates Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse, had the eye of
Saunders, whose Timberwolves held the No. 5 pick. Those two weren't likely to
fall that far … unless … Saunders could somehow push Garnett up.
1995年的選秀充斥著大學明星，持有五號籤的Saunders特別注意到來自North Carolina大
學的Rasheed Wallace和Jerry Stackhouse，然而他們兩位的實力不太可能跌至第五順位
，除非，Saunders想到辦法把Garnett哄抬上去。
Saunders was famous for his ability as an amateur magician, often able to
find quarters behind your ear or impossibly show you the card you picked from
the middle of the deck. His newest trick was to feign enough interest in
Garnett to get people thinking he knew something they didn't. Get one of the
teams with a top-four pick to bite on him. It wouldn't be easy. At the time,
particularly with all that college talent available, using a top-four pick on
a skinny high school kid was something more than risky. It was playing with
your job. Maybe your career.
Saunders以他業餘魔術師的能力聞名，像是在你的耳朵後方取出一枚硬幣，或是不可思議
的向你展示你在牌堆中預先選中的牌等等，而他最新的把戲是想辦法裝做自己對Garnett
很感興趣，讓人們想知道他是否知曉什麼不可告人的祕密。要讓手握前四順位簽的其中一
支球隊買他的帳並不容易，特別是在那時候有這麼多具有天賦的大學球員可供選擇，要你
花一個前四順位籤去選一個骨瘦如材的高中小子實在是太過冒險，你這麼做是在玩火，你
可能玩掉你的職業生涯。
Still, that was the plan. Until, in an instant, it changed.
儘管如此，這個計畫仍舊持續進行。直到某一刻，事情發生了變化。
Before the eyes of Saunders and Wolves GM Kevin McHale and everyone else in
that gym, Garnett began to display the freakish ability that would one day
turn him into a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He started to find a rhythm with
his jumper, showing off a feathery touch that belied his big-man frame. Upon
request, he casually jumped and slapped the top of the box above the rim. His
feet had hardly touched the ground before he exploded again, this time
conjuring images of a spring-loaded action figure as he violently slapped the
same spot on the board with two hands.
在Saunders、灰狼隊總經理Kevin McHale以及其他在體育館的人們注視下，Garnett開始
展現他那前所未見的能力，那將會讓他在未來成為第一輪無異議通過的名人堂球員。他開
始找到跳投的節奏，展現出與他巨大身軀不符的柔軟手感。在其他人的要求下，他輕鬆的
起跳並拍擊籃框上緣，緊接著在他腳才剛碰觸地板時，他再次起跳，這一次他感覺像個彈
簧人，暴力的用雙手拍擊籃框上緣的同一位置。
That got everyone's attention, and suddenly, Flip's plan had turned against
him. An hour earlier he'd wanted someone else to take Garnett. Now he and
McHale wanted him for themselves. No, they were desperate for him. As
desperate as the adrenaline-saturated breath of the young man showing that
the doors to high school prospects were more than just wide-open. They'd been
kicked off the hinges.
那抓住了每一個人的目光，而突然間Flip的計畫改變了。一個小時前，他希望某個人在他
之前挑走Garnett，但現在他跟McHale希望能自己選走Garnett。不，應該說他們極度渴望
選走Garnett，與這位呼吸中充滿著腎上腺素的年輕人渴望進NBA的程度相同。他不只為高
中生打開了進入NBA的大門，更是踢開了那門上的鉸鏈。
***
In today's NBA, the traditional big man is all but extinct. Some will tell
you nobody knows how to operate in the post anymore. Truth be told, you damn
near can't operate in the post anymore, the defensive rule changes
implemented in 2004-05 -- which allow defenses to zone off an entire side of
the floor -- having eradicated most of the necessary space to do so. Now
along comes Jahlil Okafor, the Duke freshman phenom out of Chicago's Whitney
High School who is supposed to revive the back-to-the-basket big.
在現今的NBA，傳統的大個子屈指可數，有些人會跟你說不再有人知道如何打低位了，但
事實是你幾乎無法再打低位了，聯盟在2004-05球季更改了防守規則，允許單邊區域聯防
，那消滅了低位單打所需要的空間。而現在冒出了Jahlil Okafor，這位優異的Duke大學
新人從芝加哥的Whitney高中畢業，被人們期待是復甦低位單打的救星。
It is 2013. Saunders has since returned to Minnesota as part owner and team
president, and he's rebuilding the Wolves on the fly. He'll hire Milt Newton
as the general manager soon to help out with front office dealings. In a
year, he'll become the coach once again. In a 2014 three-team deal, he'll
trade Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package that includes No. 1
pick Andrew Wiggins, who will go on to win Rookie of the Year. On paper, the
Timberwolves suddenly have a promising young core. Zach LaVine has more
bounce than a trampoline. Shabazz Muhammad is a bully at the wing. Gorgui
Dieng could be a double-double machine who protects the rim.
時間來到2013年，Saunders回到了明尼蘇達，成為了灰狼隊的部分持有人以及籃球事務總
裁，他開始著手重建灰狼隊。他雇用Milt Newton作為球隊總經理來協助管理層的決策。
他也在一年內回任教頭。在2014年的三方交易中，他交易Kevin Love到克里夫蘭騎士隊，
換來了當年的狀元Andrew Wiggins，後者接著奪取了年度最佳新人獎項。灰狼隊突然間有
了讓人感到希望的年輕核心，Zach LaVine比一般人踩著彈簧墊還要會跳，Shabazz
Muhammad是側翼上的惡霸，Gorgui Dieng可以作為一位能夠護框的雙十機器。
Mired in more than a decade of ineptitude, the Wolves haven't made the
playoffs since 2004, when Garnett and Saunders led them to the conference
finals. This latest rebuild has to work. This is the reason Saunders and
Garnett, now the aging veteran, have returned. To finish what they started.
因為超過十年連續的操作失敗，灰狼隊從2004年起就沒進過季後賽，那一年Garnett和
Saunders率領狼群打進了西區決賽。因此重建是必須進行的，這也是Saunders和Garnett
在上了年紀後還回歸的原因，要讓球隊重返季後賽。
But they need one more piece to really start bringing it together. Saunders
likes Okafor, who is in the process of leading Mike Krzyzewski to a fifth
national championship. He compares him to Tim Duncan. Believes he can change
a franchise. Make post-play cool again. The Wolves, after a brutal 16-win
season, have the best odds to land the No. 1 pick, but given their cursed
draft history, that only means they have a 75 percent chance of not landing
it.
但他們還需要一塊拼圖把事情都組合起來。Saunders喜歡Okafor，後者在Mike
Krzyzewski教練的執教下，帶領Duke大學奪取第五次的NCAA冠軍盃。Saunders把他比做了
Tim Duncan，相信他會改變整個球隊，讓低位單打再次盛行。灰狼隊在這慘烈的16勝球季
後，有了最佳的機率奪得狀元籤，但是考量到他們過去悲慘的樂透歷史，更該意會到他們
有75%的機率抽不到狀元籤。
Flash to May 19, 2015. Glen Taylor and his wife Becky are representing the
Wolves at the draft's lottery in New York City. Saunders and his crew are
back at the Target Center watching on television, awaiting their fate. The
No. 4 pick goes to the New York Knicks. "Give me one more [spot]," Saunders
says to the television. "I won't be greedy."
時間快轉到2015年5月19日，Glen Taylor和他的老婆Becky代表灰狼隊在紐約市參與樂透
抽籤大會，而Saunders和他的工作夥伴則待在Target Center看著電視，等待著決定他們
命運的一刻。電視正在宣布四號簽屬於 -- 紐約尼克隊。「讓我再上升一個順位就好，」
Saunders對著電視說。「我不會太貪心的。」
The room cheers as the Philadelphia 76ers are announced as the No. 3 pick.
接著電視宣布探花簽屬於 -- 費城七六人隊，房間裡傳出了歡笑聲。
"Give me one more!" Saunders exclaims. "I'm selfish! I'm selfish right now!
Just give me one more!"
「再讓我上升一個順位！」Saunders喊叫。「我很自私！我現在很自私！就讓我多上升一
個順位吧！」
Out of the envelope in commissioner Adam Silver's hand emerges ... a Los
Angeles Lakers logo. The room completely erupts as reality sets in: the
Wolves will have the top pick in the 2015 draft. Everyone is high-fiving and
cheering like kids, jumping around with their arms above their heads. "Wow"
comes out of nearly every person's mouth. Nobody can believe it. For months
Saunders has been unraveling scenarios in his mind, how he could fashion an
entire scheme around the kid who will play Lazarus to the post game. Now
Okafor is theirs for the taking.
接著NBA官方主持人將白板打開，那是一個 -- 洛杉磯湖人隊的圖樣。整個房間都陷入了
瘋狂，灰狼隊將會拿到2015年NBA選秀會上的狀元籤。每個人都在擊掌、笑的像小孩子一
樣，手臂舉起來跳來跳去，每個人都在叫著「Wow」，沒人相信它是真的。幾個月來
Saunders已經在腦海中設想了許多計畫，關於他如何塑造一整套的體系來圍繞在那個會讓
低位單打起死回生的孩子身上。現在，Okafor是他們的了。[註]
註：當時球隊的興奮狀態可參考： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHLRD_w6cPo
Meanwhile, the hype around another big man, this one out of Kentucky, is
starting to heat up.
與此同時，另一個來自Kentucky的大個子開始被媒體吹捧，並逐漸火熱了起來。
***
"I guess I'm in search of the perfect game," Karl-Anthony Towns says.
「我只是試著讓比賽完美。」Karl-Anthony Towns說道。
We are sitting in a hotel lobby in Salt Lake City, a light piano tune playing
to soothe the weary traveler, and I've asked Towns if he's ever able to take
a step back and realize his rookie season puts him in the company of
Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan -- and that's it. Nobody else. Towns shrugs
off the suggestion. He doesn't celebrate himself. He's been quoted as saying
it's hard for him to even admit when he's had a good game. He's never
satisfied.
我們坐在鹽湖城某家飯店的大廳中，輕柔的鋼琴聲撫慰著疲勞的旅人們，而我問Towns是
否有留意到他傑出的新人球季是比肩於Shaquille O'Neal和Tim Duncan兩位名人堂級球員
的？Towns聳聳肩表示對他而言他甚至都不覺得自己有打好過一場比賽，他從來沒有滿意
過。
Shaq is part of the long history of the Wolves' poor lottery luck. In 1992
they had the best odds to land the No. 1 spot, something they'd never owned.
Securing it would've meant O'Neal. Even the No. 2 pick would have meant
Alonzo Mourning, who also would have gone a long way in expediting the growth
of a cellar-dwelling franchise just a few years in existence.
Shaq是灰狼隊長年悲慘樂透運的一部分，在1992年他們有最佳的機率奪得隊史首次狀元籤
，而那基本上就是代表著Shaquille O'neal。即使是榜眼籤也可以選到Alonzo Mourning
，另一位名人堂級別的球員。
They ended up with the third pick. Christian Laettner.
然而他們最終只拿到了探花籤，選中了Christian Laettner。
The next year the Wolves had the second-best odds behind the Dallas Mavericks
at landing the No. 1 pick. That could have meant Chris Webber or Penny
Hardaway. The Wolves ended up with the fifth pick, selecting Isaiah Rider.
Even when things have broken their way, as they did in 2009 when they owned
both the fifth and sixth picks, they've failed to take advantage. In what
will go down as one of the all-time draft blunders, Minnesota used both its
picks that year on point guards -- Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn -- and in
doing so, passed not once, but twice, on Stephen Curry, who went seventh to
the Golden State Warriors.
隔年，灰狼隊有僅次於小牛隊、第二高的機率取得狀元籤，那代表著Chris Webber或是
Penny Hardaway。但灰狼隊最終只獲得了5號籤，選擇了Isaiah Rider。而即使是像2009
年他們同時手握5號籤、6號籤，他們也沒有好好利用，甚至可以說是選秀歷史上最大的錯
誤之一，他們用這兩個籤去選了兩個控球後衛 -- Ricky Rubio和Jonny Flynn -- 錯過了
兩次能夠選到Stephen Curry的機會，後者被勇士以7號籤選走。
But that one time, in 1995, everything broke right. Garnett fell to them at
No. 5, and soon after a string of eight consecutive playoff appearances
began. In KG, Saunders and McHale had found that rarest of combinations -- a
Hall of Fame talent with a desperate work ethic and an almost psychotic
competitive streak. He was obsessed with getting better. Miscues danced in
his head far more than the highlights ever could.
但是在1995年，一切的一切都做對了。Garnett落到了他們的5號籤中，開啟了連續8年進
入季後賽的盛世。在KG身上，Saunders和McHale發現了極為稀有的混合體 -- 一個人具有
名人堂等級的天賦卻極度勤奮訓練又有著一個接近精神病的競爭心態。他極度渴望變的更
好，而相較於美好的片段，那些失利總是盤據在他心中。
In talking to Towns, you might as well be talking to a young KG. The previous
time Towns was in Utah to face the Jazz, he scored 32 points on 13-of-17
shooting to go with 12 rebounds, and he was ticked. The Wolves had lost by
double digits. His frustration boiled over in the locker room after the game
as he lamented the way he performed. Reporters that had gathered around him
did double takes at their score sheets to make sure they were talking to the
right guy.
跟Towns的談話就好像在跟年輕的KG談話一樣，在客場對陣爵士隊的比賽中，他17投13中拿
下了32分12籃板，但他賽後只是責備自己。那場比賽灰狼隊輸了超過10分，他在賽後的更
衣室中對自己的表現感到非常惱火，記者們圍繞著他時還要再度確認一下比賽紀錄表，確
定他們沒有搞錯人。
"I think the people closest to me understand I'm never satisfied," Towns
says. "I can have games like I had in Utah and say I honestly felt I didn't
play well. It's upsetting sometimes, but I think maybe when my career is
over, I can look back and start appreciating a little more what I was able to
accomplish and what I was blessed to do."
「我相信親近我的人就會知道我對自己從來不滿意，」Towns說。「就像在猶他的比賽，
我真的不覺得自己打的很好。有時候這確實是有點煩人，或許在我的職業生涯結束後，當
我回首過去時，才比較會對我達到的成就以及人們的稱讚感到自豪吧。」
Looking back at his career when it's over is a long time away. By then, the
trophies will have filled a case in his parents' house. He's not concerned
with them. He's won Rookie of the Month every single month this year, but he
doesn't have any of the awards. He likes that he won the Skills Competition
in Toronto at All-Star weekend because he was the first big man to do it, but
that's not something he's interested in displaying in his home. In a few
weeks he'll be named Rookie of the Year, but he's not making room for that
trophy either. Like all the others, that'll go to his family, too.
他要回首職業生涯還久的很，那時候他爸媽的房間大概擺滿了勝利的戰利品，他自己並不
是很在意這些東西。他拿下了本季所有的單月最佳新秀獎，但他並沒有自己保留這些獎盃
。他很高興在多倫多全明星賽贏得了技術挑戰賽獎盃，但他並沒有興趣放在家裡展示。再
過幾周他就要拿下年度最佳新人獎，當然他也沒有打算把獎盃放在家中，而這些都會被他
的家人收藏著。
The only thing Towns cares about is finding a way to win NBA championships.
Everyone says this. It's the right thing to say. Towns means it. He's
single-minded like that. Obsessed, even. He expected to make the playoffs
this year, even with a team that won just 16 games the previous season.
Towns唯一在意的是贏得NBA冠軍盃，雖然每個人都這麼說，但Towns是真的很看重這件事
情，也視其為唯一目標，甚至可以說是著迷於這件事。他甚至期待這支去年16勝的隊伍在
今年就可以進入季後賽。
"I came in expecting a lot," Towns admits. "I don't think statistically
speaking we're going to be able to reach the goal that I had set for us, but
we're making strides."
「我對球隊的期望很深，」Towns承認。「能不能達到目標當然不是我說的算，但是我們
確實大有進步了。」
As he transitions to discussing those strides he and his teammates are
making, his eyes get big. Towns is proud of the way the Wolves have moved
toward finishing the year, how they've grown together, how they've turned
another embarrassing campaign into one of grand optimism for the future.
Usually they're in tank mode by this point in the season, but it wasn't long
ago that they walked into Oracle Arena and knocked off the Warriors,
something only two teams have managed to do this year.
當轉移話題談論到他與隊友在這個賽季的進步時，他的眼睛睜的大大的，Towns對球隊結
束時的狀態感到驕傲，他們一起成長了，也將灰狼隊從輸家的角色轉向一片光明的未來。
通常他們在球季後段會開啟擺爛模式，但是他們這季倒吃甘蔗，還在賽季末於客場擊敗勇
士隊，要知道本季只有兩支球隊能夠在勇士主場擊敗他們。
To make that win less of a surprise and more the expectation, Towns knows the
work that must be put in. If the Wolves practice at noon, Towns is there by
8:30, 8:45 a.m. at the latest. He eats breakfast, and goes to work, logging
up to two workouts before practice starts. LaVine is the opposite -- a night
owl working on his game into the wee hours. Between the two of them, the gym
lights are practically always on.
那場勝利並不是僥倖獲勝的，Towns知道要怎麼收穫就要先怎麼栽。如果當天灰狼隊是在
中午練習，Towns常常早上8:30以前就到了，最晚8:45會看到他。他吃完早餐就開始工作
，在練習前先做好兩次訓練；LaVine則完全相反，他是個夜貓族，常常練到三更半夜。因
為他們倆人的關係，體育館的燈幾乎永遠都是亮著的。
The standard Towns has established for himself necessitates this maniacal
commitment. Per 100 possessions, he's scoring 28.6 points, grabbing 16.5
rebounds and blocking 2.7 shots. Three rookies have done that in NBA history:
Towns, Shaq and Duncan. Throw in Towns' 3.1 assists per 100 possessions and
Shaq is no longer in this group; it's just Duncan and Towns. Add in Towns'
1.1 steals per 100 possessions, and it's just him all alone since 1973-74,
which is as far back as Basketball-Reference goes for this stuff.
Towns所達成的數據標準需要發狂般的決心才能達到，在每100次進攻中，他可以得到28.6
分、抓下16.5個籃板、蓋下2.7個火鍋。在NBA歷史上，只有三個新人能夠達到這個標準：
Towns、Shaq和Duncan。如果把Towns每100次進攻可以獲得3.1次助攻放進去，Shaq就不在
這個群組中，只剩下Duncan和Towns。接著再把Towns每100次進攻可以拿到1.1次抄截放進
去，則自從1973-74球季後(Basketball-Reference的資料從這年開始統計)，他是唯一一
人達到這個標準的。
If straight per-game numbers are your thing, he's the 26th rookie to average
18 points and 10 rebounds. Filter it with his 54 percent from the field and
it's back to just him, Shaq and Duncan. Swap out field goal percentage for
true shooting percentage (59.1 percent) and it's just him and David Robinson.
It's unfair, admittedly, to compare rookies with names like these. Too soon
for expectations like that. But everything about Towns' rookie season forces
you to think about greatness.
如果你想看的是每場比賽的數據，他是第26位可以每場拿下18分10籃板的新人，如果再考
量到命中率54%以上，那就只剩下他、Shaq和Duncan。把命中率拿掉，多加上真實命中率
(TS%)59.1%以上，則只剩下他和David Robinson。或許拿這些名人堂神獸來跟一個新人對
比不太公平，那太早加諸過多的期望壓力在他身上，但是Towns在新人球季的所有表現逼
迫你去思考他的未來會有多偉大。
Yet he sees himself as the guy who has to work his tail off just to stay in
the league.
然而他自認自己需要盡所有努力才能夠勉強留在聯盟中。
Perhaps the motivation comes from never having been on top. In his 2014 high
school class, 247 Sports had Towns ranked second behind Emmanuel Mudiay.
Rivals had Towns ranked fifth in his class behind Jahlil Okafor, Mudiay,
Stanley Johnson and Cliff Alexander. ESPN had Towns ranked ninth overall and
the third best center behind Okafor and Myles Turner.
或許動力來自於他從不被視為是最佳的，在2014年，247Sports網站將他排在全美高中生第
二名，第一名是Emmanuel Mudiay。其它網站將他排在第五，在Jahlil Okafor、Mudiay、
Stanley Johnson和Cliff Alexander後面。ESPN將他排在第九名，中鋒位置上落後於
Okafor和Myles Turner。
"I've lived my whole life with a sense that I wasn't good enough," Towns
says. "Every day I work out, even today, it feels like there's something I've
got to prove to somebody. When I work out and I practice, I work out
desperate. If I don't do well in this workout, I won't be playing in the NBA
no more. I won't be playing this game of basketball no more."
「我一生都處於覺得自己不夠好的狀態，」Towns說。「我每天都做訓練，即使是今天也
一樣，因為我覺得我需要去證明自己。當我做訓練和球隊練習時，我習慣練到筋疲力盡，
我就是想著如果我沒有在訓練上做好，我就無法再存活於NBA，也無法再打籃球比賽。」
***
About a week before the draft, Okafor was in Minneapolis for a couple days.
He saw the new practice facility, worked out for the team, and met everybody
he needed to meet within the organization. When the Wolves found out they
were picking No. 1, despite the fact that some in the organization had been
scouting Towns pretty extensively and were hoping Saunders might reconsider,
most assumed the draft process was a mere formality. For months, Okafor was
Saunders' guy.
大約在選秀前一周，Okafor來了明尼亞波利斯幾天，他參觀了新的球場設施，也為球隊做
了試訓，和球隊中的重要人士都見了面。在灰狼隊抽到狀元籤後，雖然球隊中的一些人對
Towns有了廣泛的考察，也希望Saunders再考慮看看，但大多數人都認為選秀已經只剩下
形式，因為過去數個月來，Okafor早就是Saunders想要的那個人。
Something changed a few days later. Ricky Rubio was still in town during the
period when the Wolves were working out draft prospects. He saw all the young
guys coming through. Saw Towns. All of a sudden, it was pretty obvious to the
Spanish point guard.
幾天後，事情突然發生了改變。當球隊正在試訓新秀時，Ricky Rubio還待在明尼蘇達。
他看了所有新秀的試訓，包含了Towns，而突然間，對這位西班牙控衛而言，該選誰再明
確不過了。
"When I came here for the draft, and I saw the young guys working out, I only
needed like two minutes to see that he was the guy," Rubio said about Towns
on media day.
「當我為了幫忙考察新秀來到球館時，我幾乎只花了2分鐘就確認了他就是我們需要的那
個人。」Rubio在媒體日時這樣說Towns。
It maybe took Saunders a bit longer to come around, but not much. Much like
with KG, before the workout was over, he knew Towns was the guy, too. For a
man of his size and athleticism, Towns' skill set and motor were truly
special. His attitude was infectious. His addiction to the game was fully
evident. In an era of constant prospect comparison, the decision had little
to do with anything Okafor may have done wrong in his workout. Towns simply
shined brightest.
這可能花了Saunders比較多的時間去做確認，但並沒有很久。非常類似於KG當年的狀況，
在試訓結束前，他也確認了Towns就是那個人。對於一個像他這樣尺寸和運動力的球員來
說，Towns的技能和動力真的很特別，他的態度是有感染力的，他對比賽的投入是顯而易
見的。Okafor並沒有在試訓中做了什麼錯誤的事情，而是相比之下，Towns所散發出的光
芒顯然更明亮。
"[After my workout], I didn't know where I was going to get picked," Towns
recalled. "I know [Flip] was impressed with my workout, but you never know
how things happen."
「在試訓後我並不知道我在第幾順位會被選上，」Towns回憶道。「我知道Flip對我試訓
的表現印象深刻，但是你永遠不知道會發生什麼事。」
Towns may not have known, but Saunders did. And this time he didn't have to
trick his way into getting his guy. On June 25, 2015, the Wolves took Towns
with the No. 1 overall pick. Garnett would be his mentor, if he could prove
to Garnett that he was worth mentoring. And you better believe working with
Garnett is a full-time job. Even with the way Towns loves to be in the gym,
Garnett is another level of driven.
Towns或許不知道會發生什麼事，但是Saunders知道。而這次他不需要使用欺敵戰術來選
到他想要的人。在2015年6月25日，灰狼隊以狀元籤選擇了Karl-Anthony Towns。如果他
能夠證明他有被教的價值，那麼Garnett很樂意作為他的導師。但你最好知道跟Garnett一
起工作是無時無刻的，即使是像Towns這麼喜愛待在體育館，Garnett的驅策都是不同層級
的。
In a workout in Toronto before a preseason game against the Raptors, KG has
Towns in school. He teaches him the sometimes-awkward art of establishing
position. How to set up a flash to the middle. How to attack from certain
spots on the floor. How to change that attack once you've established a
mid-range jumper. He's using Wiggins and coaching intern Gary Trent as
obstacles he'll have to navigate.
在一次季前熱身賽在多倫多對戰暴龍前的訓練中，KG學校收下了Towns，他教了Towns如何
要位。如何攻佔腰位、如何從球場上特定的位置發起攻勢、在你有了中距離能力後，如何
改變攻擊模式等等。他請Wiggins跟實習教練Gary Trent作為障礙物來實戰演練。
KG moves toward Trent, who is "guarding" Wiggins but getting in the way of
Towns. Garnett gets tangled up with Trent, before breaking free with a
forceful but savvy shove.
KG往Trent的方向移動，此時Trent正在防守Wiggins但妨礙了Towns的移動，KG與Trent糾
纏在一塊，透過強而有力卻精明的推擠製造出了空間。
"Throw that mother-------!" Garnett exclaims. He's teaching Towns to not
hesitantly sneak through contact but to raise his arms and "play big." It's
the classic KG move, initiating contact while raising his arms high and away
from his defender in the process. It accomplishes a few things -- giving both
a wide passing target to his teammate, and putting an even bigger target on
the back of his opponent for the officials. These are the tricks of the
trade, but they only go so far. There's something more to being great.
「把那該死的球投出去！」Garnett喊叫著。他告訴Towns不要猶豫著想要躲過對抗，要舉
起他的手臂，勇於對抗。這就是個經典的KG動作，在高舉手臂時與防守者接觸並接著遠離
防守者。這達到了一些目的 -- 讓隊友有一個寬闊的範圍可以傳球給你、也可以讓裁判更
注意到防守者是否有犯規。這是一些小技巧，但這只是個開頭，還有很多東西要學。
"You can't teach the beast," Garnett told Jackie MacMullan, regarding Towns.
"It's either in you or it isn't. You can't just go to the store and buy a
six-pack of beast. It don't work like that."
「你不能教人變成猛獸，」Garnett向Jackie MacMullan談到Towns。「他就是存在或著不
存於你身上，你不可能去商店買個六罐裝的猛獸飲料而期待變成猛獸，那是不可能的事情
。」
Towns, indeed, has proven to be worth mentoring.
Towns，當然，證明了他是猛獸的料。
"It's big because he's been through so many years of this," Towns says of
Garnett. "He's already a first ballot Hall of Famer. To [have access] to
years and years of experience -- not just experience but Hall of Fame caliber
experience -- is a blessing."
「他對我非常重要，因為他已經在聯盟中強勢了這麼久，」Towns談到Garnett。「他已經
是個無異議的名人堂球員，有著豐富的比賽經驗 -- 不只是經驗，而是名人堂等級的經
驗 -- 我真的很幸運。」
Garnett, it turns out, was one of the guys who influenced Towns when he was
coming up. But Len Bias is his favorite player of all-time. He owns a Bias
Maryland jersey, one of the few he possesses. While he wasn't born until
nearly 10 years after Bias' sudden death, the magic of YouTube helped Towns
grow a fondness for him. As he got older, he started to look to Patrick Ewing
and Hakeem Olajuwon and "old school" Tim Duncan.
Garnett是Towns來到灰狼隊後，影響他很大的其中一個人，但是Len Bias才是他最喜歡的
球員。在他少少的幾件球衣中，就有一件是Bias在Maryland大學的球衣。雖然Towns是在
Bias離奇的死亡後[註]快10年才出生，但是透過神奇的Youtube，他得以一窺這位天才球員
的身手。隨著年齡漸長，他才開始觀看Patrick Ewing、Hakeem Olajuwon和Tim Duncan。
註：根據Wiki，Len Bias在1963年出生，可說是天才型球員，他擁有良好的跳躍力和體型
以及爆發力，在大學時代哩，他幾乎一個人打對方全隊，因而得到兩屆ACC最佳球員。
許多教練都認為Bias是他們執教以來碰過最難對付的球員。說他是最接近Michael
Jordan的人一點也不為過。在1986年，賽爾蒂克用榜眼籤選了他，但他於第二天被發
現已死亡，震驚籃壇，原因是他吸毒過量，得年22歲。
https://goo.gl/g9yNBs
The only guard Towns really looked to was Magic Johnson. His dream was to be
a combination of Bias and Magic because of the explosiveness he wanted and
the passing game he admired, but in reality, he was a big man from the start.
Not one of those late bloomers, Towns was 6-foot-10 his freshman year in high
school, and if growing up some big kids are prone to hide their awkward size
-- at least until they start dominating in sports -- KG is quick to point out
that doing so won't do you any favors in the NBA. Sneaking through a door
isn't the same as busting through the door and convincing the ref it was
someone else's fault.
他唯一觀看的後衛是Magic Johnson，而他夢想成為Bias與Magic的混合體，他崇拜前者的
爆發力以及後者出神入化的傳球。但事實上，他從小就是個大個子了，他不是那種發育晚
的小孩，在高一的時候他就有6尺10吋了，而如果大個子想要隱藏他們的身形 -- 直到他
們開始稱霸球場後 -- KG馬上說那不會給你在NBA帶來任何幫助。默默不被人注意跟打破
刻板印象證明是其他人看走眼了這是兩回事。
"Man, when you're a rookie you need everything," said Wolves coach Sam
Mitchell, who mentored KG in his playing days. "Have you ever seen a rookie
come into this league and have a complete game? KG was no different. Only
difference is he had a high basketball IQ so he picked up things really
simple and easy. The thing we found amazing about him is if you show him
something one time, he generally got it. You didn't have to go over and over
and over.
「哥們，當你是個新秀，你什麼都得學。」灰狼隊教練Sam Mitchell說道，他在KG剛入聯
盟時就指導他打球。「沒有新秀在剛進入聯盟就可以表現的完美無瑕，KG也不例外。與其
它新秀的差別在於Towns有著很高的籃球智商，所以他學事情很容易也很快速，常常教他
一次他就學會了，不需要反覆的一直講一直講。」
"He wanted to win at everything," Mitchell continued. "Any time you have a
guy that wants to win at every sprint, wants to win in every scrimmage, wants
to win every drill, anything we do competitive, he didn't want to win; he had
to win. That's the difference. You've got a lot of people who want to win."
「他想要贏下全部，」Mitchell繼續說。「當你有個球員想要贏下每一次的短跑衝刺、每
一次的爭球、每一次的訓練，那麼我們就會有競爭力。他不只是想要贏，他是要求自己要
贏。這是不同的，想要贏的人太多了。」
Towns has never seen this Garnett interview with John Thompson back in 2005,
when the Timberwolves were starting to crumble after those eight straight
playoff appearances. And yet, he parrots so much of it. Wanting to play every
game. Obsessive about losing. Excuses don't live in Towns' brain.
Towns從來沒有看過Garnett跟John Thompson在2005年的訪談[註]，當年灰狼隊在連續八
季打入季後賽後陷入了麻煩，沒有進入季後賽。但是他的表現就跟KG當年一樣，想要打好
每一場比賽，痛恨任何的失利，任何藉口都不許存在於Towns身上。
註：2005年灰狼隊陷入掙扎沒有進入季後賽，KG在John Thompson的訪談中痛哭失聲：
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpAv_ao7rBs
"I've never believed in the excuse, 'He's too young,'" Towns says. "You've
just got to do it. We chose to be in the NBA. We chose when to leave college.
We chose that we were ready to play this game at the highest level."
「我從不相信藉口這回事，像是『他太年輕了，』」Towns說。「你就是必須把他做好。
是我們自己選擇進入NBA、選擇離開大學，那麼我們就該準備好在這最高等級的聯盟打好
比賽。」
A recent loss to the Phoenix Suns in which Mirza Teletovic hit the winning
shot over Towns still keeps him up at night. There are stories about how
upset he was in the locker room after that game. He still racks his brain
with how he could've played it differently.
在球季末一場輸給太陽的比賽中，Mirza Teletovic在Towns面前投進絕殺球，而那一球至
今仍然會讓Towns晚上睡不著覺。那場賽後有幾篇報導，關於他是在更衣室中如何懊惱、
沮喪的故事，他總是在想著他該怎麼做才可以讓比賽有不一樣的結果。
"I don't like to lose in anything," Towns says. "When he hit a shot like that
on me -- it was a great shot, it was an amazing shot by him -- but when the
game is on the line, you make him miss that shot."
「我不喜歡輸球的感覺，」Towns說。「當他就這樣在我面前投進那球 -- 當然那是一個
非常棒的投籃 -- 但是不該是在我面前投進的。」
The pace of an NBA season, as Towns adapts to the grind of it all, is tough
to figure out. He's restless by nature. He credits the coaching staff for
forcing him to not come in some days. To get that crucial rest. But he can
hardly stand it.
NBA的球季步調快速，Towns需要花非常大的力氣去適應，但他天性不喜歡休息，他感謝教
練有時候會強迫他坐板凳休息，雖然他總是忍不住想上場。
"I don't like to rest," admits Towns, who dribbles a ball while he plays
Xbox. "I can't sit down too long without touching a basketball. I get like
the addict where you take something away from me and I need it."
「我不喜歡休息，」Towns承認，他習慣在玩X-box時也要一邊運球。「我不能長時間不碰
籃球，感覺像是得了籃球成癮症了。」
Flip's vision, when he had to pivot the direction of the franchise from a
playoff hopeful to yet another rebuild for the Wolves, was to grab two or
three stars in some way. Considering there isn't a South Beach near downtown
Minneapolis, most likely he'd have to go through the draft or via trade.
Getting Wiggins was the first step. Twenty years after they got KG, having
Towns fall into the franchise's lap was the stroke of lottery luck they
desperately needed.
當球隊從有機會進入季後賽轉向到重建狀態時，Flip的藍圖是透過某些方式想辦法取得兩
到三個明星球員。考量到市中心明尼亞波利斯並不像邁阿密有南灘，他最好的方式會是從選
秀或交易中來達成目的。拿到Wiggins是第一步，而在選到KG的20年後，能夠幸運的抽中狀
元籤、選到Towns則是他們迫切需要的。
Unfortunately and tragically, Saunders lost his life while battling Hodgkin's
Lymphoma right before Towns' rookie season officially began. But even in the
short amount of time they interacted, Saunders left an impression on the
rookie. He left an impression on everyone. Towns still has a message that
Flip left him on his phone. Saunders was excited about what he had in Towns.
What he was close to starting to finish in Minnesota.
不幸的是，Saunders因為淋巴癌而駕鶴西歸，那時Towns的新人球季甚至都還沒開始。但
即使他們只有短短幾個月的相處，Saunders已經在這位新人心中留下了深深的烙印。他總
是在每個人心中留下深刻的印象，而Towns還留著Flip給他的一個訊息在手機中。
Saunders對於Towns有著深深的期望，甚至開始想像他會在明尼蘇達退役了。
"He was proud of me, the way I was progressing at summer league," Towns
recalls. "We actually talked a lot about me getting better not for me, but
getting better for the team.
「他對我在夏季聯盟的進步感到驕傲，」Towns回憶道。「我們談了很多，要為了球隊更
好，而不是為了我自己。」
"And I stress that a lot, whatever steps I have to take to help us be the
team that [Flip] and I had private conversations about being. Whatever I have
to sacrifice, I [have to be] willing to do. We had conversations about that
all the time."
「我很看重那句話，腦海中縈繞著該如何讓球隊如同我們私下談論的那般進展，我很樂意
做任何犧牲奉獻，而我們總是彼此討論著這件事情。」
Despite Flip's passing, and in so many ways in honor of it, the vision lives
on. His son Ryan is an assistant and one of the more respected developmental
coaches around. Fittingly, Garnett is back to usher it all in. And all the
while, Towns is eager to get back to work. His bond with Wiggins, LaVine and
the rest of the core runs deep. He knows they're getting closer every day to
where Flip saw them going. He doesn't want to screw it up.
雖然Flip逝世了，但他的藍圖持續的影響著球隊。他的兒子Ryan是助理教練，是個受人敬
重、成長中的教練。Garnett適時的回來，讓一切事務在軌道中正常運行。而Towns積極的
想把工作做好，他與Wiggins、LaVine及其他核心隊友有著深厚的情誼。他知道他們正如
Flip期望中的依靠彼此，不想把這一切搞砸。
"I think we've just built something so special," Towns says. "We're never
going to have this experience again, so we have to take advantage of it."
「我認為我們建立起了特別的效應，」Towns說。「我們不會再有這樣的機會了，所以一
定要好好把握它。」
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc), 來自: 36.231.192.221
※ 文章網址: https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/Timberwolves/M.1462030602.A.F4C.html
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※ 編輯: ymhon (36.231.192.221), 04/30/2016 23:44:21
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05/01 03:14, , 15F
05/01 03:14, 15F
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05/01 03:19, , 16F
05/01 03:19, 16F
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05/01 10:25, , 17F
05/01 10:25, 17F
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05/01 10:49, , 18F
05/01 10:49, 18F
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05/01 10:55, , 19F
05/01 10:55, 19F
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05/01 11:05, , 20F
05/01 11:05, 20F
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05/01 11:36, , 21F
05/01 11:36, 21F
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05/01 11:38, , 22F
05/01 11:38, 22F
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05/01 11:47, , 23F
05/01 11:47, 23F
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05/01 12:12, , 24F
05/01 12:12, 24F
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05/01 12:31, , 25F
05/01 12:31, 25F
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05/01 12:38, , 26F
05/01 12:38, 26F
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05/01 12:43, , 27F
05/01 12:43, 27F
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05/01 12:48, , 28F
05/01 12:48, 28F
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05/01 13:36, , 29F
05/01 13:36, 29F
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05/01 14:04, , 30F
05/01 14:04, 30F
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05/01 14:13, , 31F
05/01 14:13, 31F
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05/01 14:19, , 32F
05/01 14:19, 32F
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05/01 14:28, , 33F
05/01 14:28, 33F
→
05/01 14:28, , 34F
05/01 14:28, 34F
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05/01 15:01, , 35F
05/01 15:01, 35F
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05/01 16:31, , 36F
05/01 16:31, 36F
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05/01 17:41, , 37F
05/01 17:41, 37F
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05/01 18:39, , 38F
05/01 18:39, 38F
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05/01 20:30, , 39F
05/01 20:30, 39F
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05/01 20:36, , 40F
05/01 20:36, 40F
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05/01 20:41, , 41F
05/01 20:41, 41F
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05/01 21:28, , 42F
05/01 21:28, 42F
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05/01 22:01, , 43F
05/01 22:01, 43F
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05/02 08:17, , 44F
05/02 08:17, 44F
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05/02 12:33, , 45F
05/02 12:33, 45F
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05/03 00:30, , 46F
05/03 00:30, 46F
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05/03 01:15, , 47F
05/03 01:15, 47F
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05/03 09:10, , 48F
05/03 09:10, 48F
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05/03 16:36, , 49F
05/03 16:36, 49F
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05/03 20:17, , 50F
05/03 20:17, 50F
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05/03 23:19, , 51F
05/03 23:19, 51F
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05/04 11:17, , 52F
05/04 11:17, 52F
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05/06 10:54, , 53F
05/06 10:54, 53F
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05/06 12:22, , 54F
05/06 12:22, 54F
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05/09 22:06, , 55F
05/09 22:06, 55F
推
05/12 22:34, , 56F
05/12 22:34, 56F
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