原文出处： http://0rz.tw/1e3qm -- The Heat are a mess. The Bulls are a mess. The Nets are a mess. Those three, all thought to be legitimate playoff teams, were 18 games under .500 entering last night, with Miami, less than two years removed from an NBA title, holding down the cellar. None would even make the playoffs if the season ended today. 热火，乱。公牛，乱。篮网，还是乱。上述三支球队在开季前全都被视为季後赛的当 然成员，但在昨晚前他们合计距离五成胜率还差了18场胜利，而不到两年前甫拿下队史首 座总冠军的迈阿密，甚至还成了东区的炉主。如果球季在今天结束，他们三队全都进不了 季後赛。 Ah, but then there are the Pistons. We'll always have Auburn Hills. 啊，不过活塞将会晋级。我们总会在季後赛看到来自奥本山的熟面孔。 One quarter into the season, you can scan the Eastern Conference and see one team, really, that poses any threat to the rampaging Celtics. Yup, it's the Pistons, who make their first Boston appearance of the season Wednesday. 球季过了四分之一，扫描一下东区的各支球队，你会发现只有一支球队有能力威胁季 前获得雷枪和KG而战绩爆冲的超塞。是的，就是那支在星期三将首度造访波士顿的活塞。 Orlando might pose a threat on paper, but how can you take the Magic as seriously as Detroit with a stretch they just went through, i.e. home losses to Atlanta and Indiana and a road loss to Milwaukee? 理论上奥兰多也可能威胁超塞，但看过他们最近的表现之後，意指在主场败给亚特兰 大和印第安那还有在客场输给密尔瓦基，你还会认真地把魔术看成和活塞一样level的一级 劲旅吗？ No, it's Rip, Chauncey, Sheed, and the fellas who have to concern Celtics fans - if any team in the East does. Heading into the weekend, the Pistons had the second-best point differential in the league (well behind the Celtics, though) and still have that enviable mix of youth, experience, and playoff savvy. 当然不会，如果说东区有哪支球队可能威胁超塞重现'80年代的荣景，那只有RIP、枪 蜥、溪蛙及其他活塞硬汉才足以让超塞迷感到芒刺在背。到这个周末为止，活塞与对手的 场均得分差距名列全联盟第二杰(虽然，超塞在这项统计数据排行居NBA之冠)而且他们更是 一支年轻活力与沙场经验配合得当的季後赛识途老马。 Just think of the run they've had (which shows no sign of abating, either). They've won 50 or more games six straight seasons; no other Eastern Conference team currently has as many as three straight 50-win seasons. They've made five straight trips to the conference finals, matching the run of the vaunted Bad Boys teams from 1987-91. In that span, they've twice made it to the Finals, losing in 2005 and winning in 2004. They've done it under three coaches, but the constants remain on the floor (the aforementioned lads, who've been the anchors the last four years along with Tayshaun Prince) and in the front office (the venerable tag team of Joe Dumars and John Hammond). 只要回想一下他们过去几年的表现(重点是他们一点也没有逐渐式微的感觉)。他们已 经连续六个球季赢得50或更多场球赛；到目前为止，东区球队中还没有任何一支球队能够 连续三个球季拿下至少50胜。他们已经连续五次闯进东区冠军赛，追平了自负的"坏孩子" 於'87-'91年球季所写下的队史纪录。在这段期间，他们两度晋级总冠军赛，在'04年抱回 睽违14年的总冠军，但在隔年浴血鏖战七场後不幸输给了黑衫军马刺。他们在三位总教练 的指导下完成了这项成就，不过场上的核心成员(上述三位和小王子是过去四年以来活塞的 不动先发)以及球队高层人员(令人肃然起敬的老乔和John Hammond双人组)倒是没改变过。 With 16 wins in the first 23 games the Pistons are on course for another 50-win season and Dumars is pleased with what he sees. He was not so inclined last spring, when he watched the Pistons blow a 2-0 lead in the conference finals and drop four straight to the Cavaliers. He talked afterward of restoring the team's edge, grit, and toughness, traits he had when he played and traits he tries to instill in his players. 在前23场球赛中拿下16胜，看样子活塞将可以顺利把连续50+胜球季的纪录继续推进， 老乔对於眼前的这一切也感到相当满意。其实在春天时他并不这麽乐观，因为当时他目睹 活塞於东区冠军赛先下两城後反遭骑士直落四扫地出门。之後他说他会想办法找回活塞打 死不退、永不言败的坚毅特质，那是他在球员时代最为人着称的个人风格，也是长久以来 他一直对麾下球员灌输的核心观念。 "We came back with a very good focus," Dumars said by telephone Friday. "And we've added some youth, depth, and athleticism to the team. I'm pleased with what I've seen over the first 20 games." "我们带着相当高度的专注力回到球场，"星期五老乔在接受电话访问时说。"而且我们 球队还多了一些年轻活力、板凳深度还有运动能力。我很高兴在前20场球赛看到的成果。" While the Pistons can point to early contributions from the likes of Jason Maxiell and Arron Afflalo, and anxiously await the debut of impressive rookie Rodney Stuckey (hand surgery), this is still a team whose success hinges on those names that have become so familiar to us over these last five years. But as with any group that has had prolonged success, it is natural to see some slippage at some point, which Dumars saw last spring in the playoffs. 尽管活塞本季的优异表现与J-Max和Arron Afflalo立即且杰出的表现脱不了关系，别 忘了板凳上还有在夏季联赛大杀四方但却因左手骨折而高挂免战牌的Rodney Stuckey迫不 及待想要上场贡献所长，不过他们克敌制胜的关键人物仍是那几位过去五年来我们已经相 当熟悉的仁兄。但不能免俗的，就像过去任何一支曾经缔造宏图霸业的超级强队，在某个 时间点看到他们的表现有所滑落是再正常不过的，就像老乔在春天的季後赛看到的那样。 There is no way the Pistons should have lost to the Cavaliers, let alone lose four straight. But they did. Dumars still can't bring himself to watch a tape of Game 5, when LeBron James went otherworldly. Or Game 6, when Daniel Gibson put on a shooting clinic from Youngstown. It's too painful. And too revealing. 没道理活塞会输给骑士，更不用说是连续四场败北。但他们确实吞下了四连败。老乔 仍无法说服自己去看第五场球赛，那场比赛LBJ杀进杀出，如入无人之境，豪取48分、9篮 板、7助攻带领骑士於延长赛击败活塞。或第六场比赛，那场比赛菜鸟Daniel Gibson三分 球五投五中，狂下31分，亲自示范帮活塞上了一门外线投射要怎麽投比较准的课。这真是 太令人难过了，而且有当头棒喝的强烈感觉。 "If you're honest with yourself," he said, "something like that is bound to kick in when you've had the success we've had, five straight trips to the conference finals. That's why it's imperative for me in my job to push the envelope, to push the buttons. We need to keep the main components we have and add to them. We have a great core here." "如果你诚实地面对自己，"他说，"像那样的事情应该会把你从连续五个球季晋级东区 冠军赛的美梦中敲醒。那是为什麽它提醒了我要好好努力，试图让球队再向上提升的原因 。我们需要保有原有的主力球员并且进行补强。我们已经拥有了出色的球队核心。" These Pistons score - they are averaging 99.3 points a game through their first 23. They are among the league leaders in turnovers (fewest committed) and in assist-to-turnover ratio. Only the Celtics allow fewer points a game, so they're also able to make stops. And they're among the league leaders in blocked shots. 活塞的得分 - 他们在前23场比赛中平均可以攻下99.3分。他们是全NBA失误次数最少 的球队而且在助攻失误比这项统计数据上独步全联盟。只有超塞每场失分数比他们少，所 以他们的防守能力一样不容小觑。而且他们每场送出的火锅数也是联盟最多的。 The NBA and one of its broadcast arms, ESPN, recognized the attraction of Wednesday's game by moving it to its early game for the night. And, in a real break for both teams and their fans, each team will have had two offdays prior to Wednesday's game. No one will be on the second leg of a back-to-back, which so often happens during the season. NBA以及他们最得力转拨助手之一的ESPN都认为星期三的比赛将会相当引人注目，所 以他们把那场球赛调整为当天晚上的早场比赛。而且在星期三的比赛之前，双方以及他们 的球迷都能得到充分的休息，因为两支球队都会休兵两天。虽然背靠背的困难赛程在本季 屡见不鲜，不过这次不会有谁成为背靠背第二天连续出赛的受害者。 Unfortunately, it will be the first of just three regular-season meetings. But based on what we've seen over the first quarter of the season, we could be in store for a few more in May. The Pistons have played four different teams in the conference finals the last five years. Is Boston going to be No. 5? 很不幸地，这将会是本季例行赛两队唯三次遭遇中的第一次捉对厮杀。但根据我们在 本季前四分之一的时间的观察，我们在明年五月份的季後赛应该还有机会看到两队狭路相 逢。活塞在过去五年的东区冠军赛已经和四支不同球队交手过，超塞将会成为那第五支吗 ？ "Obviously," Dumars said, "Boston is going to be a force in the East that everyone is going to have to deal with." "很明显地，"老乔说，"超塞已经成为东区中人人害怕与之交手的超级强队了(不然怎 麽叫超塞XD)。" --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 210.241.111.125 ※ 编辑: kerrys 来自: 210.241.111.125 (12/19 19:48)