Monta Ellis told Payton, "No matter what, even if I have to train 23 hours, I’ll give it my all, because that’s the only way I can raise the value of my next contract. The cost of Jason’s published apology could fund three months of basketball for , and I’m not playing in the NBA for such a ager contract. Also, I need to beco a top star player!"
Gary Payton didn’t know why he was once again moved by a player like this, wanting to help Monta Ellis. He felt that kid had guts like Kidd.
But he didn’t want to co off as "Hey, I’m just a washed up, easy-to-bully old-tir," so while the Glove pretended to be fierce, he also showed patience with Monta Ellis.
Every day, he’d play one-on-one with Monta Ellis, then throw in so trash talk.
"Your hands are fast, but gambled steals are the dumbest thing in the world, even dumber than Shaq leaving Roger."
"Haven’t you ever dealt with won? Playing defense without little tricks is like doing the deed without bringing a gun."
"Eat more, train more. Being so skinny, you’re only fit for the WNBA. No, you can’t even handle slightly stronger big ladies."
The two indeed had a strange chemistry, as Roger’s hotown saying goes, one willing to hit, and one willing to take it.
Besides just Payton, Monta Ellis also started pestering others.
He’d ask Jeff Hornacek to adjust his jump shot.
He’d consult Roger for tips on techniques.
He’d voluntarily help Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson carry their bags, aid at getting more passes from them in training gas.
He was like a sponge soaked in water, tirelessly absorbing the nutrients of the Golden State Gangsters.
And the Warriors players took this young guy as a little brother, teasing him while patiently helping him grow.
In the last ga of November against the Raptors, Monta Ellis got a chance to play during garbage ti.
At the end of the ga, facing Jalen Rose’s defense, Monta Ellis flashed past the line with lightning speed, spun in the air in the face of Chris Bosh’s help defense, and completed a highly spectacular 360° spinning layup!
"Look, the Mississippi Bullet shot through Jalen!" The on-site comntator used a taphor as brilliant as the layup itself.
At that mont, the Warriors’ main players on the bench all stood up, cheering for the rookie.
Gary Payton was certainly among them.
"Hahaha! Take him out, take out that trash! I told you, kid, you should play tougher inside, you have the talent to finish without even looking at the basket!!"
Amongst the shouts, Gary Payton noticed everyone was staring at him, and only then did he realize he got a bit out of hand, his cool persona sowhat collapsing.
So Gary Payton coughed a few tis, then resud his scowl, sat back down on the bench, grumbling: "Boring, boring stunt, a normal layup would do, has to spin in the air!"
Erik Spoelstra shook his head with a smile, at least Gary Payton no longer hated it here.
This scene beca a topic of discussion on TNT’s show that night.
Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Kevin Harlan weren’t discussing that garbage-ti layup, but rather the fact that the Warriors cheered for a rookie who played during garbage ti.
"Which team in this league would get so excited over a rookie’s basket? I can’t imagine how united the Warriors are internally, their chemistry and team atmosphere are unparalleled.
You see, Amar’e is out for the season but hasn’t missed a single ho ga.
Gary never seems to respect anyone, yet he’s always praising and supporting his teammates in public.
They even cheer for a rookie’s basket,
and we’ve never heard any discord among the others either.
This doesn’t seem like a team aiming for a three-peat; their hunger for victory is like a bottomless pit, never satisfied, their passion like an unquenchable fla.
Look at the ’93 Chicago Bulls, the ’97 Orlando Magic, the ’02 Atlanta Hawks, every team aiming for a three-peat in those seasons was a ss.
But the Golden State Warriors, no matter how hard journalists try, they can’t dig up any internal discord.
We have to admit, the Golden State Warriors’ talent isn’t the best in the league after losing Amar’e.
But Roger is like a top chef, crafting the finest feast with less than stellar ingredients.
They turn every ga into a humiliation with their seamless team defense and self-sacrificing offense.
They’re like Jason Voorhees in ’Friday the 13th’, impossible to kill.
I must remind everyone, since losing to the Nuggets, the Golden State Warriors haven’t lost another ga.
This team is dangerous, and even more so when their three-point shooting is on point."
Charles Barkley gave the Warriors the highest praise, and truly, it’s what sets the Warriors apart this season.
This atmosphere even made Monta Ellis a unique presence, even though he doesn’t play much and often plays in the developnt league, he gained imnse popularity and a strong presence thanks to the praise and encouragent of his teammates.
anwhile, the Warriors’ other rookie, Brandon Bass, remained much more low-key.
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