But Bozer, after all, stood at a height of 2.06 ters, just slightly shorter than the conventional power forward, while Millsap was only 2.01 ters tall.
His overly short stature, lacking small forward-level mobility, ant that even with college averages of 18.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 1.99 blocks per ga, Millsap was still only selected in the second round in the minor year of ’06.
Because there were too many players like him, they often ended up as "neither one thing nor the other" duds.
No one dared to gamble with a high draft pick.
Including Larry Bird, who, if not for holding the 30th pick of the first round, might not have chosen Millsap even with Su Wan’s recomndation.
It was clear from the Pacers’ pre-season physical condition that everyone had followed Rick Carlisle’s sumr phone calls, including Dior.
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This could be seen from the state of the team during physical evaluations; although they weren’t yet in their Absolute State during the season, they clearly trained more in the sumr and maintained their condition.
For the Pacers, aiming for "three consecutive championships," this attitude was a good start.
Since everyone was in pretty good shape, Rick Carlisle didn’t delay and began to practice the new tactics right away.
Although they still played a Small Lineup, the new season’s Pacers had added a fair amount of three-point strategies. Su Wan was sowhat worried; this era wasn’t one that relied on a high volu of three-point shots to win gas, and...
Right now, they looked a lot like the future Warriors.
But the Warriors had the "Splash Brothers" to provide stable three-point shooting.
They didn’t have that kind of consistent three-point capability.
Compared to the future Warriors, attacking the basket was a better choice for them.
Their three-point shots were still primarily for drawing defenses.
Most importantly, while they didn’t have the Warriors’ later three-point ability, the Warriors didn’t have players like Su Wan and young O’Neal, who presented a formidable threat to the basket.
This ant the Pacers couldn’t copy the future Warriors outright and must stick to their strengths.
Fortunately, Rick Carlisle revealed his true thoughts to him; currently, they focused on familiarizing themselves with these tactics through intensive training. The new season’s Pacers increased periter shooting, but not to the extent shown in training.
This reassured Su Wan considerably.
Anthony Parker quickly displayed his excellent catch-and-shoot three-pointers, along with his defensive ability, on the training ground, which thrilled Rick Carlisle.
That’s what they had signed him for.
If Anthony Parker t expectations, then Millsap brought a pleasant surprise to Rick Carlisle.
Like Dior, he was a player with a high basketball IQ and quickly integrated into the team’s system.
Plus, he was full of drive, clearly understanding what he needed to do every single mont on the court.
Grabbing rebounds, stretching the space beyond the three-point line, or executing high pick-and-rolls.
He showed the instant combat ability expected of an upperclassman, along with a clarity of thought not often seen in professional players.
Honestly, his performance on the training ground exceeded Su Wan’s expectations.
What Su Wan didn’t know was that Millsap would average 28.6 minutes per ga in his first season with the Jazz, scoring 6.8 points with 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.9 blocks on 52.5% shooting from the field, including a 33.3% three-point percentage.
Such performance was exceptional even among first-rounders.
Of course, he had his issues, such as a weakness in passing and free throws, but Su Wan clearly rembered that he later showed significant improvent in these areas, aning they were changeable.
Moreover, the Pacers didn’t need him to play a significant role, just an occasional "inspiration" was enough; the expectations were not high.
Indeed...
If the Pacers’ hopes of victory for the new season were placed on Millsap, then it was evident, without saying, that they were dood!
At the end of September, another trade explosion rocked the League, the Phoenix Suns sent Stephen Jackson to the Warriors.
From the reasons leaked by the dia, it seed that Stephen Jackson was dissatisfied with his role on the Suns and had conflicts with D’Antoni, leading the managent to decide on a swift resolution to avoid impacting the new season.
They might not realize what this ant, but Su Wan glanced at the Warriors’ new season roster:
Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Biedrins, Michael Pietrus...
Although it was a bit different from the original script, the "Golden State Gang" had still assembled before the ’06-’07 season.
Old Nelson, who had left in a huff two years earlier, was back with his Warriors, specifically built to take revenge against Mark Cuban’s team!
However, at this mont, the Dallas dia were clearly unaware of what was to co; they believed the new season’s Mavericks were definitely strong contenders for the championship.
The reason was simple:
Nowitzki was at the peak of his powers, Devin Harris was entering his third season realizing his talent, and the growth in other Mavericks players’ conditions was evident.
This Mavericks team was not just a "seniors’ dance" with only the present and no future; given their age, they could dominate for at least another 3-4 seasons. And this season, learning from the disappointnt of the Finals loss and craving for the championship, would be the strongest Mavericks, the most formidable Mavericks team.
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