原文出處：
http://myurl.com.tw/6bf2
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Underdog tag could motivate Pistons
輸家的標籤將會激勵活塞
On Tuesday, the Pistons will open training camp in a familiar and favorite
position -- as the underdogs.
星期二活塞將會在他們熟悉而又喜愛的形勢下展開季前訓練營 -- 被視為輸家。
That's probably not a bad thing.
那或許不是一件壞事。
The rival Miami Heat stands as NBA champions. They're the big boys in the East
now. Ben Wallace relocated. That move has many discounting the Pistons as
has-beens.
對手邁阿密熱火是現任的NBA總冠軍，他們現在是東區不可忽視的一方之霸。班蛙換了
新東家，他的出走讓很多人看衰活塞。
Thanks to those sentiments, Pistons executives already feel the vibes of a new
degree of motivation and chip-on-our-shoulder attitude from the players.
由於那些負面的評論，活塞行政團隊已經在球員身上感受到一股全新的，不同於以往
的動力以及摩拳擦掌、躍躍欲試的積極態度。
Again, that's probably not a bad thing.
再重申一次，那或許不是一件壞事。
The next month will show just what kind of passion and attitude the 2006-07
Pistons will bring into the season. It will also answer other questions about
what this team will look like in the post-'Fro era, how they will recover from
their maddening collapse last May, and how a team that was once all defense
will make the final step toward a more balanced attack.
下個月我們將可以看出活塞將帶著什麼樣的熱情和態度來面對'06-'07年球季，也將可
以知道這支球隊會如何解決後爆炸頭時代遭遇的其他問題，他們將如何從五月令人惱怒的
失敗中恢復過來，以及一支曾經完全專注於防守表現的球隊怎麼藉由發展更均衡的進攻手
段而蛻變成完全體。
Here's a rundown of the team and a few early answers to preseason questions:
以下是這支球隊的概況以及對於季前一些問題的初步解決方案。
‧ First, this will be a highly motivated group. They must respond to the
criticism of not making it to the NBA Finals last season when the Pistons
considered themselves the best team in the league. Plus, some are already
predicting their demise in the wake of Wallace's free-agent march to Chicago.
This team has always played well when it feels overlooked and underrated.
Again -- a good thing.
‧首先，這將會是一個鬥志被高度激發的團隊，活塞必須去回應上個球季被認為是聯
盟最佳球隊卻未打進總冠軍賽這件事，而且有些人已經預言他們的堅強實力在班蛙遠走風
城後將會不復存在。這支球隊總是在被看輕和看扁的情況下打出好成績，再強調一次 --
這是件好事。
‧ The team has 14 players under guaranteed contracts, including rookie point
guard Will Blalock, second-year forwards Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson and the
returning Ronald Dupree. Two training camp invitations -- Rick Rickert and Rob
Griffin -- will get a chance to play with the team until the end of October,
but they won't make the roster.
‧有14名球員與球隊簽有保障合約，包括菜鳥控衛W.Blalock、二年級前鋒J.Maxiell
、A.Johnson以及剛剛回鍋的R.Dupree。受邀參加訓練營的R.Rickert、R.Griffin在十月結
束以前將得到和這支球隊一同打球的機會，但他們不會打進正式球員名單之中。
‧ There are no major health issues coming into camp. And it sounds as if the
guys are all coming into camp in relatively good shape. As good a shape as a
player should be in October. Remember, they want to be in their BEST shape in
April, May and, if all goes well, June.
‧訓練營開始前並未傳出任何一位球員有重大傷病問題，那聽起來就好像所有的球員
都將帶著相對地還算良好的體態回來參加訓練營，就像球員在十月應該的體態那樣。記住
了，他們希望在四月、五月，如果一切順利的話，還有六月維持最佳的身體狀態。
‧ It will be interesting to watch Flip Saunders in his second year as head
coach. He has hinted throughout the summer that he will be tougher, more
demanding. But don't expect a 180-degree change. Saunders has more than a
decade of NBA coaching experience and years of developing his style beyond that
. He's not going to adopt a new personality overnight. And the veteran Pistons
team wouldn't respond well to phoniness anyway, especially given the 64 wins
last year under a mild-mannered Saunders. But in some areas, Saunders will have
to get the players on his page. Especially with the defense. They believe in
his offense. And with Wallace gone, the biggest detractor in playing a zone --
or double-teaming the ball for that matter -- is removed. That should allow
Saunders to get his point across -- that they WILL play more zone this season
-- and for it to sink in with relative ease.
‧觀察老桑擔任活塞總教頭的第二年能變出什麼把戲將會是一件有趣的事，暑假期間
他已經他將會更嚴厲，要求更多，不過不用期待他會有180度的大轉變，因為他在NBA已經
有超過10年的執教經驗，他在聯盟中打滾了很長一段時間，而不是一天兩天就養成現在這
樣的執教風格，他沒可能在一夜之間就變成另外一個人，而且這支見過大風大浪的活塞並
不會因為這種虛偽的發言而有多大的反應，尤其是去年在態度溫和的老桑指導下依然寫下
隊史勝場數新高的紀錄的前提下。但在某些方面，老桑將必須讓球員們繃緊神經，尤其是
防守部分。他們相信他在進攻方面的造詣。活塞陣中最反對區域防守的球員班蛙出走了 --
或者說是包夾對手的能手 -- 已經離開了，那應該能讓老桑的觀點被球員了解及接受 --
那就是他們本季將會使用更多的區域防守 -- 而且是在遭受較少阻力的情況下灌輸球員這
個觀念。
...to be continued
...未完待續
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※ 編輯: kerrys 來自: 210.241.111.125 (10/03 17:12)