[外電] Ratliff fitting right in with Pistons

[kerrys (台北不是我的家)]

    原文出處：
              http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/17175076.html

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Former Timberwolf Theo Ratliff's return to the Detroit Pistons is a homecoming
in two ways.
    前灰狼球員Theo Ratliff回鍋底特律活塞對雙方來說都有種像是見老朋友的親切感。

He's back on a playoff-bound team for the first time since he played with Allen
Iverson in Philadelphia eight years ago. He's back with the franchise that
drafted him when he was a young, supple fellow 13 years ago.
    自從8年前在費城和戰神小艾並肩作戰後他首度回到一支可望進入季後賽的強隊。他回
到13年前挑選他的活塞隊，13年前他還是個青澀的小夥子。

"There are still a lot of the old faces around here," he said. "As an
organization, they haven't strayed from who they are. It does feel a little
like home."
    "隊上仍有許多老面孔存在，"他說。"作為一個團隊，他們不曾忘記初衷。感覺活塞確
實像個大家庭。"

Former teammate Joe Dumars is now president of basketball operations, Michael
Curry is an assistant coach and Lindsey Hunter still plays for the Pistons.
Some of the security guards he greets now entering the Palace of Auburn Hills
every night worked there when he was a rookie.
    前隊友老喬現在是籃球事務總裁，Michael Curry是助理教練，只有獵人仍留在場上奮
戰。有些和他打招呼，每晚都會進奧本山宮殿的保全自從他還是菜鳥時就已經在此工作了
。

Most important for a 12-year veteran who turns 35 this month and has undergone
more surgical operations than he can count: Trainer Mike Abdenour and
conditioning coach Arnie Kander are still there.
    對於這位本月就要滿35歲而且接受過的手術已經不盡其數的12年級生來說，最重要的
是：訓練員Mike Abdenour和體能教練Arnie Kander仍在這裡。

"Arnie's been working on me," Ratliff said Monday before the Pistons flew to
Minnesota for tonight's game against the Wolves. "He's popping things and
getting things moving that haven't moved in a long time."
    "Arnie的回春妙手已經在我身上看到作用，"Ratliff在星期一活塞飛往明尼蘇達為今
晚與灰狼隊的比賽準備前說。"他讓一些已經停滯許久的問題開始有了改善。"

Ratliff played 10 games for the Wolves after he was included in last summer's
Kevin Garnett trade and before he and the team worked out a contract buyout
that allowed him to sign with the Pistons as a free agent on March 4.
    在去年KG交易案中被打包送至灰狼後，一直到他和球隊達成買斷合約共識，讓他可以
在3月4日以自由球員身分和活塞簽約為止，Ratliff只打了10場比賽。

Those four games played in November and six in February were separated by a
mystifying knee injury that eventually required arthroscopic surgery. You might
have presumed the Pistons, a team already loaded with talent and a set rotation
, signed him as an insurance policy and yet Ratliff immediately started two
games because Rasheed Wallace was injured. Ratliff has found his way into the
team's rotation on a limited but consistent basis since then.
    那4場在11月以及6場在2月打的比賽中間隔著一個謎樣的，最終走上關節鏡手術一途的
膝傷。你可能會想活塞，一支已經塞滿天份且輪替陣容固定的球隊簽下他只是加買一份保
險，不過因為溪蛙受傷，Ratliff很快就被推上先發火線兩次。從此Ratliff也在受限但穩
定的基礎上找到了自己進入球隊輪替名單的方法。

"First two games activated, they threw me right out there," he said. "I'm
trying to do a little bit."
    "頭兩場可上場的比賽，他們就把我擺了上去，"他說。"我試著拿出更多的貢獻。"

He has blocked a shot in seven of 10 games with the Pistons and is yet one more
weapon on a legitimate title contender that already had plenty of them. Ratliff
has reached the playoffs four times but never advanced beyond a conference
semifinals (with Philadelphia in 2000) in his career.
    "他在活塞上場的10場比賽中有7場送出鍋子，他是已經坐擁許多優質大個的總冠軍強
力候選隊伍中另一具秘武。Ratliff有過4次季後賽經驗但他職業中自從'00年效力於費城後
就不曾闖過第二輪了。

"I like 'em a lot," Ratliff said when asked about the Pistons' title chances. "
This is the most talent I have ever played with. It sure is a lot better
playing with these guys than battling every night against them. This is an
ideal place for me at this point of my career."
    "我很看好他們，"被問到活塞奪冠機會有多大時，Ratliff回答說。"這是我待過最有
天分的球隊。很肯定地和他們並肩作戰要比與他們為敵好太多了。我的職業生涯走到此時
此刻，這對我來說是個理想的地方。"

Ratliff said he is "very grateful" to Wolves basketball boss Kevin McHale and
the team for the contract buyout that allowed Ratliff to leave for a contender
and saved the Wolves money on the remaining weeks of Ratliff's expiring $11.6
million salary. He and his agent quietly proposed a contract buyout to the
Wolves weeks before the two sides agreed just before the March 1 waiver
deadline.
    Ratliff說他"非常感謝"灰狼籃球總裁Kevin McHale以及灰狼買斷合約讓他可以加入一
支有競爭力的球隊，不過灰狼也省下了Ratliff本季高達1160萬鉅額薪資剩下幾週的部分薪
水就是了。雖然雙方在3月1日的揮棄底限前才達成協議，不過早在數週之前他和經紀人就
已經低調地向灰狼提議合約買斷事宜。

"He handled it the right way," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. "I enjoyed my
time with Theo. I thought he was a very professional person and that goes a
long way in my book."
    "他處理得很正確，"灰狼教練Randy Wittman說。"我很享受和Theo同隊的時光。我認
為他是一個非常出色的職業球員，我會懷念他的。"

The Wolves and Pistons haven't played each other all season. They'll now begin
and end their two-game season series in the first two weeks of April.
    灰狼和活塞本季尚未交手過。在四月前二週他們將會打完本季兩場例行對戰。

"I know, it's funny," Ratliff said. "It'll be fun seeing the guys. I enjoyed
those guys. I know they're losing right now, but they were a lot of fun to be
around."
    "我知道，這很有趣，"Ratliff說。"再看到這群傢伙會很有趣。我很享受和他們共事
的日子。我知道他們現在持續輸球，但跟他們打球的那段日子一直都很有趣。"

Asked if he would be looking to block one of big Al Jefferson's shots tonight,
Ratliff laughed. Wolves guard Rashad McCants was asked if he expected Ratliff
to swat a couple of shots tonight.
    被問到他是否期待今晚可以送給Big Al一記麻辣鍋，Ratliff笑了。灰狼後衛RMC被問
到他是否預期Ratliff可以在今晚扮演好火鍋店長的角色。

"Well, he blocks about three shots a game," McCants said, "so I expect he'll
get a couple."
    "嗯，他一場比賽差不多送出三次阻攻，"RMC說，"所以我猜他會敲幾個鍋子吧。"

--
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◆ From: 203.203.139.158
推 Kreen:推～
推 frank88311:推 ~
推 Ratliff:神氣~~~
推 Loj:12年級生 XDD
推 pennymarcus:I know they're losing right now 或許可以翻成「我知
→ pennymarcus:道他們現在持續輸球。」？
推 kakah:推呀！
推 ccab99:推~~
推 cd928:推~~
推 movieholic:推
→ movieholic:"they were a lot a fun to be around" 也許可以翻
→ movieholic:"跟他們打球的那段日子一直都很有趣" ?
※ 編輯: kerrys          來自: 210.241.111.125      (04/07 11:45)