October 2nd.

As time goes into October, on this day, the league's preseason schedule has been completely released.

Among them, the Thunder will face the first preseason game in the 2008-09 season, and will face the Grizzlies' challenge at home on October 3rd, that is, tomorrow.

Although this is just an unimportant preseason game, for Yang Fan, he still wants to make the team stand out in the new season and surprise everyone.

And Yang Fan was also satisfied with the team's opponent Grizzlies in the first game of the preseason.

The Grizzlies' overall strength is not strong. Faced with such an opponent, the Thunder are likely to "violently kill the bears" in this game, thus winning the first victory in the preseason.

But if nothing unexpected happens, the ratings of this game will probably be the lowest in any preseason.

You know, the Thunder are the third-last in the West last season, and the Grizzlies are the fourth-last in the West last season. These two teams can be said to be a pair of brothers in distress.

Even though the Thunder are undergoing a transformation at this moment, only Yang Fan, as the head coach, knows all this clearly.

For other outside fans, the Thunder and the Grizzlies are completely the two top bad teams in the league. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were pecking each other in a game.

So if nothing unexpected happens, the ratings of this game tomorrow will probably be very dismal.

As for whether some viewers in China will turn their attention to Thunder due to their own reasons, Yang Fan thinks that there should be some effect.

But Yang Fan does not think China can broadcast the game between the Grizzlies and the Thunder.

Simply put, it's not worthy!!!

With the upcoming NBA preseason, the new players of the Thunder seem very excited, because from tomorrow on, they will be able to enter the NBA arena in the true sense.

Even if this is just a preseason game that is not important, it is more about getting all teams in and warming up.

But for the new players, this is still a memorable milestone.

Similarly, this upcoming preseason game also made Yang Fan feel a little excited, because it was also the first NBA game he had coached in the true sense.

The most important thing is that after a whole offseason hard work and training, tomorrow, Yang Fan can finally verify his achievements this offseason.

Even if the team cannot play all their strength in this NBA preseason, at least this kind of confrontation that meets each other is definitely much stronger than the group confrontation within the team.

It can be said that even though the old teams in the league basically do not take preseason seriously, Yang Fan has already regarded these preseason games in October as a perfect whetstone.

After all, Yang Fan has too many theories in his mind at this moment. During this offseason, he also put in too much effort for the team's tactical system and the players themselves.

But before all this is applied to reality, it is often just a mirage.

So for tomorrow's preseason game, Yang Fan, as the head coach, has been waiting for a long time...

At this time, in the Thunder's stadium, the players were shooting warm-ups.

Since the Thunder will face the Grizzlies at home tomorrow, today, Yang Fan did not arrange heavyweight training for the players.

I just plan to use the morning time to let the players get some skills in order and give some advice to the players by the way.

Then you can rest in the afternoon to keep your body in order to prepare for the upcoming preseason journey.

As the players were shooting and training in skill on the field.

Shooting coach Dimaxi gathered everyone together as Yang Fan's wishes.

"Hey, guys, let's put the things in your hands first, Coach Yang has something to say."

Seeing the players moving towards him from all directions, Yang Fan, who was sitting on the bench on the sidelines, still kept a smile on his face.

There was no sign of too much seriousness on his face, and there was no such airs that he should have as a head coach.

"Actually, there are not many things. I just want to say a few words, and then everyone can go back and rest so that they can present their best condition tomorrow."

"First of all, although tomorrow is just a matchup in the NBA preseason, in a sense, this can be regarded as the first NBA journey for many people in the team."

"Although the winning or losing in the preseason is irrelevant, I still hope that you can show your strength on the field, not hide too much, and play whatever you should, and be truly focused on the court."

"Even in this preseason, I'll disrupt all your playing time, and it's certainly not very high."

"But I hope that when you stand on the field, you will be able to do your best and display your strengths."

"Don't forget the goal we set together in the new season, which is to do our best and also make the quota for the Western Conference playoffs."

Looking at the obviously slightly immature faces in front of him, Yang Fan, who was standing up from the seat at this moment, said to him with a relaxed look on his face.

When Yang Fan spoke above, the players below were also in a state of relaxation, and everyone seemed to have a smile called "satisfaction".

No one whispered below because they respected Yang Fan, and they were in a relaxed state because they were in such a state of getting along with Yang Fan on weekdays.

To put it in Yang Fan's words, "I don't want myself to be as stern as facial paralysis, nor do I want my relationship with you to be between superiors and subordinates."

"I hope you can all feel happy playing under my hands, play happy basketball on the court, and be truly satisfied in your heart, not just to win."

However, just as the players thought Yang Fan was going to say what he wanted to say, the head coach Yang Fan, who was standing above, suddenly became serious.

Seeing Yang Fan's expression suddenly became serious, Durant and others also curled their smiles. Everyone seemed to stand up straight at the first time, completely no longer as lazy as before.

Because they have been familiar with each other throughout the offseason, they know very well that Yang Fan has always been a smiling good person on weekdays, and he doesn't feel like a head coach at all, but rather like a friend.

Even when facing some jokes and jokes from the players, Yang Fan would never be angry.

Simply put, it seems that Yang Fan can't see any airs at all. He gives people the feeling that he is more like a coach who is willing to communicate with you and shares with you.

Instead of the kind of rigid person who I say you have to do whatever you want, otherwise I will punish you according to the rules.

But at the same time, the 15 players standing on the stadium at this moment know that although Yang Fan always has a smile on his face.

But when his expression suddenly became serious, this means that Yang Fan will become very serious in his next speech.

And it is the kind that cannot be violated or questioned at all.

As for the reason, someone has experienced it personally during the offseason, and the ending still makes the players present feel vivid in their minds.

So while Yang Fan's expression suddenly became serious, the players present stood up straight at the first time, and everyone raised their ears, as if they were quietly preparing to listen to what Yang Fan said next.

"The other thing that's the most important thing is that our roster is very young, and likewise, I think each of you has potential."

"So in the new season, the team will not have a stable starting lineup. In other words, each of you will likely be transferred to the starting or substitute to play."

"In addition to your personal state on the court, this is also related to the team you are facing."

"So in the new season, you must be mentally prepared and be prepared to switch back and forth between the starting and the substitute at any time, because I don't want someone to ask me questions at that time."

"Or, if you feel dissatisfied, then I don't mind having one less player on the team from now on."

As Yang Fan said this, everyone in the middle of the stadium fell into silence, and no one made a sound.

No one knows whether everyone has accepted Yang Fan’s opinion in their hearts at this moment, or is that no one wants to stand up and act as the first guy to stand up.

Anyway, at this moment, everyone in the middle of the stadium remained very quiet, as if they subconsciously agreed to Yang Fan's warning.

"Oh, by the way, in addition to that, I will widen the lineup rotation in the new season, and at the same time, I will take some players to rest in some games that are not difficult."

"Because a season will be long, I hope to keep your bodies healthy during this long season."

"Whether it is for the team or for the individual, health is always something you should put first."

"Even if you do this, the team may lose some games that shouldn't be lost, but compared to the team's record, I still hope that in the playoffs, I can still see you appear in front of me in a healthy face."

After hearing what Yang Fan said, many players on the scene were surprised.

Any player who has been fighting in the NBA for several years can be said to be very familiar with the active rest.

After all, every time the playoffs are approaching, most teams will take the main players to take turns or reduce their playing time to facilitate playoff preparations.

But this is the first time that coaches like head coach Yang Fan, who have just started the season and are preparing to take large-scale rest in the new season.

However, in fact, such things as resting on the turn is the advantage of the players. Under normal circumstances, the head coach should be on the side of the management and can be regarded as the same front as the management.

So when the players heard Yang Fan's words, they felt a little surprised.

"Okay, I won't take up more time for everyone. Next, everyone has some afternoon and one night to rest."

"I hope everyone can cultivate their spirits today and deliver a perfect answer to the upcoming new season journey tomorrow."

As everything he wanted to explain had been explained, Yang Fan gently explained in Snyder's ear, then turned around first and walked towards the exit of the arena.

This time, it was not only a farewell to the past Thunder, but also a beginning in Yang Fan's coaching career...
Chapter completed!