推 eloveb:push 02/11 14:58
“I was happy – very happy,” said Billups, averaging 34 minutes a game this
year, down from the 36-plus of last season, and the number figures to go down
slightly as Stuckey finds his way. “Us logging so many minutes so many years
and playing so deep into the playoffs, it wears on you a little bit. Joe
drafting guards – some really good guards – told me we were going to be able
to rest some this year and be fresh in the fourth quarter. It’s been a long
time since we’ve been able to do that.”
"我很高興 - 非常高興，"槍蜥說，他今年平均上場時間34分鐘，比起去年36分鐘多減
少，而且統計數據也在Stuckey逐漸步上軌道的同時稍微下降了。"我們這麼多年來在場上
拼鬥的時間這麼長，而且在季後賽也都走得很遠，難免會有點身心俱疲的感覺。老喬挑選
了後衛 - 一些真的很棒的後衛 - 並告訴我我們今年將可以多休息一些時間，這樣就可以
保留體力在關鍵第四節好好表現。距離上次我們能夠這樣已經好長一段時間囉(遠目)。"
The Pistons made a habit of getting plenty of rest in the fourth quarter
through December when they went 15-2 and were dominating their opponents. The
seas have gotten a little choppier of late, but they remain committed to giving
playing time to Stuckey and Afflalo, Stuckey especially as he tries to make up
for time lost due to the hand injury.
在十二月拉出一波15勝2敗高潮，充分展現對敵手壓制力的同時，活塞也養成了第四節
輕鬆打的習慣。近來戰況變得有些詭譎難測，但他們仍保障給予Stuckey和Afflalo一定的
上場時間，特別是正試圖彌補因為手傷而流失不少上場時間的Stuckey。
“It was great,” said Hamilton, down from 37 to 35 minutes a night, of
drafting two guards in the first round. “Stuckey and Afflalo give us guys who
are going to come in and play with energy, which at times we lacked. It will
give me a break, Chauncey a break, Tayshaun (Prince) a break. We’re not
looking for them to just be rookies. We’re looking for them to be players.”
"太棒了，"RIP說，活塞於第一輪挑選兩名後衛後，他每晚工時從37分鐘降為35分鐘。
"Stuckey和Afflalo讓我們可以保留充沛的活力上場拼戰，這有時是我們欠缺的。這能讓我
，讓槍蜥，讓小王子多一些休息時間。我們並不只是把他們當菜鳥看待，我們可是把他們
視為正式球員啊。"
And the veterans are fully invested in helping the process along, too, just as
the guards who preceded them in the rich fabric of Pistons guards helped those
who would follow.
這些沙場老將也都把全部心力投注下去，以活塞後衛海前輩的身分，盡力幫助這麼未
來準備接棒的後生晚輩成長茁壯。
“I’m definitely going to take on a mentoring role,” Billups said when the
season started. “One of our biggest deals this year is the development of our
young guys. Quite naturally, I’m going to be tutoring and trying to keep them
straight and stress how much we need them in what ways and how to do it.”
"很肯定地我將會擔任導師的工作，"槍蜥在球季尹始時說。"今年我們最重要的目標之
一就是年輕球員的發展。自然而然地，我會負責教導並試圖讓他們清楚明白地知道我們在
哪些方面有多需要他們以及該如何做到。"
The three summer months between the draft and training camp did nothing but
reinforce everything Dumars believed about Stuckey and Afflalo on draft night.
在選秀會和訓練營之間長達三個月的暑假所做的事就只有努力提升老喬在選秀夜相信
的Stuckey和Afflalo的各種能力。
Stuckey was the buzz of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League and continued lighting
it up everywhere he went over the summer. Afflalo, in a more understated way,
turned heads, as well. And it goes way beyond their talent. It goes to work
ethic and humility and an understanding of the opportunity presented them.
Stuckey是NBA拉斯維加斯夏季聯盟的當紅炸子雞，整個夏天在所到之處都是鎂光燈的
焦點。而相較之下低調許多的Afflalo也用紮實可靠的表現吸引了大家的目光。他們之所以
有如此傑出的表現並不完全是憑藉過人的天份，而是職業道德和人格特質，以及對於展現
在他們面前的機會充分了解及適時把握所致。
“They are both workaholics,” Dumars said. “Sometimes guys show up and
they’ll give you the typical two hours of practice and they’ll walk out of
the gym. They practice hard and give you everything you ask for two hours and
that’s it. These guys, you get the two hours out of them and then for two more
hours they’re still in the gym, working out. And that’s not a given. They’re
gym rats.”
"他們倆都是工作狂，"老喬說。"有時候球員們只是例行性地在練習時現身兩小時，結
束後他們就會離開體育館。他們在那兩小時內認真練習並做到你要求的每一件事，就是這
樣。不過像他們倆的那樣的傢伙，不只例行練習的兩個小時，之後再過兩個小時你會看到
他們仍在體育館內揮汗苦練。而那並不是球隊要求的，他們是標準的球館老鼠。"
“They compete,” Hamilton said. “When they come out in practice, they compete
and go hard. They don’t want to be rookies. We’re going to treat them like
rookies at times, but when we get out on that floor we can’t treat them like
rookies. We’re going to treat them like basketball players – because we’re
going to need them.”
"他們很拼，"RIP說。"當他們加入訓練時，他們會認真拼鬥。他們不想只是菜鳥。我
們有時候會把他們視為菜鳥，但上場後我們就不能把他們看作菜鳥了。我們必須把他們當
成籃球員對待 - 因為我們將會需要他們的貢獻。"
“I’m really impressed with these guys,” said Hunter, the remaining link in
the second generation of Pistons guard tandems. “They are tremendous human
beings as well as basketball players and they’re so receptive to learn. They
sky’s the limit when you have that kind of attitude and they both do.
"我對這些傢伙真的印象深刻，"活塞第二世代後衛組合僅存的獵人說。"他們不只有可
敬的人格特質，身為籃球員的職業精神也同樣令人敬佩，而且他們相當樂於學習。當你擁
有這樣的態度，只有天空才會是你的極限，而他們倆都是這樣的人。"
“They want to be good and to see that in young guys is rare. A lot of guys
have been handed so much in their careers and then they get to this level and
it’s, ‘Oh, I’m here.’ These guys want to excel and that’s what’s so
exciting and so good about them. They’re very humble guys. And when you meet
guys like that, you want to reach out to them even more.”
"他們希望變得更好，這在年輕人身上是很難見到的特質。很多傢伙在他們的職業生涯
裡獲得許多有形和無形的回報，不過一旦他們踏入NBA後就會停下腳步，就像'喔，我到了
啊。'這樣完全放鬆。但這些傢伙希望突破自我，這就是令人興奮，讓人感到和他們同隊很
棒的原因。他們是很謙虛的小夥子。而當你遇到像這樣的人，你會希望將十八般武藝全數
傳授給他們。"
Hunter has been on both sides of the equation – student and mentor – and
knows it takes both understanding their place to make it work. So does Dumars.
獵人站在等號的兩端 - 身兼學生和導師二職 - 他知道要先充分了解兩個身分的特色
，才能扮演好老師的角色。老喬也是。
“It has to be a two-way street,” he said. “Both sides have a responsibility.
Stuckey and Afflalo have the responsibility to watch and listen and learn to
compete – and compete – against those two guys every day. And Chauncey and
Rip have the responsibility of being All-Stars and leaders and captains and the
type of guys you want them to be to show those two young guys. Young guys have
to embrace being in that position.”
"這就像一條互通的雙線道，"他說。"雙方都有責任。Stuckey和Afflalo有責任去看，
去聽，去學習如何競爭 - 並且實際在每一天和他們倆競爭。而槍蜥和RIP則有身為全明星
、領袖、隊長，以及像這樣前輩的責任，表現出大哥的風範給那兩個小老弟學習。年輕人
必須要虛心接受，做好學生的本分。"
By all indications, Stuckey and Afflalo are fully embracing their present and
eager for their future. <> “It hasn’t just been Chauncey,” said Stuckey,
being groomed as Billups’ heir apparent at point guard. “It’s been all the
veterans. Lindsey Hunter, Rip, Joe Dumars … I just try to take whatever they
tell me and use it in my game. It’s only going to help me out. I’m happy to
be in this situation. I’m just going to work hard every day and get on the
court and hopefully help my team win.”
種種跡象顯示，Stuckey和Afflalo非常滿意當下的狀況並且渴望在未來大展長才。"不
只有槍蜥很熱心地教導我，"普遍被視為槍蜥第二，活塞未來主力控衛的Stuckey說。"而是
所有的前輩們。獵人、RIP、老喬...我只是盡可能吸收所有他們告訴我的並把它運用在比
賽之中。這一切都會幫助我盡快走出撞牆期。我很高興可以加入這支球隊。我只要每天認
真練習、上場打球，希望能幫助我的球隊獲勝。"
“Those guys are great,” Afflalo said of his veteran mentors. “It’s a great
feeling knowing that your teammates – guys that don’t have to do that – do
it and do it lovingly and want you to be a part of the team to help the team
win.”
"那些人都很棒，"Afflalo這麼說他的老學長們。"知道你的隊友 - 他們其實不必這麼
做的 - 為你做這麼多，心甘情願地做，並希望你成為球隊的一份子，一起幫助球隊獲勝，
這感覺真的很棒。"
Stuckey and Afflalo, without conscious thought to their place in franchise
history, began developing an easy rapport with each other in their early days,
rooming together in Las Vegas during Summer League, sharing meals and bonding,
and staying in constant contact over the summer before training camp.
並不是很清楚自己在球隊歷史上的地位所在的Stuckey和Afflalo很早就開始培養良好
的朋友關係了，他們在拉斯維加斯夏季聯賽時住在一起，一起享用美食、同甘共苦，在訓
練營開始前的整個暑假都一直保持聯絡。
Hunter sometimes wistfully wonders what might have been had he and Houston
stayed together with Grant Hill.
獵人有時會很渴望知道如果休士頓留下來和他以及Grant Hill打拼，會有些什麼不一
樣的事情發生。
“We still talk about that,” he said. “ ‘Man, could we have gotten a
championship if we hadn’t broken up? Could we?’ But everything happens for a
reason. God had him in New York and me here for a reason. We still keep in
contact and we’re still the best of friends, and that’s all that matters. But
you wonder.”
"我們仍會聊到那件事，"他說。"'老兄，如果我們沒有拆夥會不會早就拿到一座總冠
軍了，會不會？'但每件事都有它發生的理由。老天希望他去紐約而我留在這裡，自有其道
理。我們仍保持聯絡而且我們仍是最好的朋友，那才是最重要的。但你難免還是會想，如
果我們沒有拆夥，blah blah blah..."
Joe Dumars saw enough of Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo to confirm his
draft-night convictions that they would become very good NBA players no matter
where they had eventually landed. Very good separately, like Lennon and
McCartney. But together? If they can become utterly brilliant, the fourth
generation of Pistons guards might help add a fourth – and a fifth and a sixth
and beyond – NBA championship banner to The Palace’s proud rafters.
老喬在Rodney Stuckey和Arron Afflalo身上看到的已經足以確認他在選秀夜看好他們
不管最終加入哪支球隊都能成為非常好的NBA球員的信念是對的。本身就非常好，就像約翰
藍儂和保羅麥卡尼。但通力合作呢？如果他們能成為所向無敵，活塞後衛史上第四對完美
組合並協助球隊拿下第四座 - 和第五、第六... - 總冠軍旗幟，高掛於宮殿球場的天花板
上。
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