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2014年8月5日 星期二

[舊聞] The Jazz stink- and it's a wonderful thing 爵士臭酸-但是件美好的事



It was quiet in the Jazz locker room late Monday night. As defeat hung thick in the air, only whispers were heard, as though Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert were studying at the school library.
周一夜晚爵士球員休息室裡靜寂無聲,連敗的低氣壓下只能聽見幾聲低語,肥佛、黑蛙跟狗博彷彿像在大學圖書館用功一樣。
                                                                                
The fans already had filed out of EnergySolutions Arena, many before the final seconds slid off the clock. Another loss, this one to (fill in the blank, it really doesn't matter) had gotten almost everybody's dobber down.
球迷早已散去,或許在最後讀秒階段就走光了。又一場敗仗,讓(填補空缺,反正也無所謂了)大夥都快喪氣了。
                                                                                
It shouldn't have.
The Jazz now are oh-fer in their first eight outings, heading into games against the Pelicans on Wednesday and the Spurs on Friday - and those will likely be losses, too.
There's only one word to describe the situation here …
Perfect.
但不必如此
我們現在雖然處於8連敗中,周三對Pelicans、周五打Spurs,且這些以敗像居多
但這只有一個字能形容阿
讚!
別逃避,擁抱他,擁有他。


It's OK. It really is. Keep reminding yourself this season is different than any you've ever experienced. Up is down, down is up, wins are losses, losses are wins … do-do-do-do, you've entered the Twilight Zone. You've entered the land of the Bobcats, with one exception: Jazz management actually knows what it's doing to extricate itself. It has a plan, a good plan, a plan that can help the club navigate the jagged realities for a small-market team in the NBA.
這OK的,真的OK的,記得這季與先前地截然不同,上即是下,下即是上,贏就是輸,輸就是贏……哇嗚,有如墮入迷霧之中,恭喜進到山貓的世界,但例外的是,我們的管理階層知道他們在幹嘛,他們有計畫,好的計畫,這計畫可幫我們這支小市場球隊在NBA裡乘風破浪。
                                                                                
It can't get a star in free agency, so get him through the draft.
It's up to that management to make the correct decisions presented by their plan, but the plan itself is sound … unless basketball fans around here want to fight for the final playoff spot in the West every year. And they don't. They want to legitimately contend. This is the dark way to that contention. It's the only way.
既然不能在自由市場搶大魚,就只能透過選秀啦
這取決於管理階層的決策,但這計畫聽來…至少球迷希望年年進入西區決賽,但制服組不這麼想,他們採用合乎邏輯的競爭方式,前途看不到光亮,但卻是唯一道路。
                                                                                
If the locker room seemed like a library, that's what it should be - a place for young minds and young bodies to learn lessons well. Kevin Durant learned those same lessons not so long ago.
According to the standings, the Jazz are the worst team in the league, the only team without a win. Everyone else, except Sacramento, has at least two wins. Phoenix and Philadelphia are leading their divisions. Let the phools have their pholly.
The Jazz are taking the direct path.
如果球員休息室像圖書館,那就讓它是吧,這地方讓青春心靈與肉體好好學習,Kevin Durant也曾處於這樣的情形過。
以目前排行來看,我們最後一名,也是唯一沒開胡的,連國王都有兩勝,太陽與七六人是該分組榜首。
而爵士是在正道上!
                                                                                
After gaining the lead late against the Nuggets on Monday night, they got outscored by 30 points. They missed shots, they fumbled the ball away, they had more turnovers than assists. They did what they've been doing since the seasonstarted - they played 4-on-5.
在被金塊逆轉時,爵士球員投不進又漏球,失誤多於助攻,他們持續再做他們開季時就在的事-以四打五。
                                                                                
With Trey Burke still sidelined with a broken finger - the rookie will start workouts and be reevaluated in a couple of weeks - the Jazz could find no fuel at the most important position on the floor: point guard. Right now, they have no point guard. No offense to John Lucas or Jamaal Tinsley, but those guys bring no offense - or defense. It really is as though the Jazz, every night, are
playing a man down, and in the NBA that gets you beat every night.
Trey Burke仍有指傷疑慮,解禁前還得評估評估,爵士後場就像少了推進的動力,John Lucas或Tinsley毫無進攻威脅性,防守也差不多。爵士也在這聯盟每晚都被撂倒。
                                                                                
Against the Nugs, Lucas and Tinsley combined for four points and five assists while Ty Lawson and Andre Miller totaled 32 points and 11 assists. The Jazz have to continue to take advantage of that lopsided situation at the point - by losing at every opportunity. They'll probably keep on losing once Burke is back because he has his lessons to learn, too.
對金塊那一場,John Lucas+Tinsley=4分5助攻,Ty Lawson + Andre Miller=32分11助攻,這後場一直被人吃乾抹盡,但就算Burke上了應該也一樣,他菜嘛。
                                                                                
The only risk along this path is if the young promising players get discouraged in defeat. But their whispers said otherwise on Monday night.
"I'm good, man," said Favors, who had 21 points, 13 boards and 3 blocked shots.
"Just got to stay positive, keep working hard, and get through it. We'll get a win sooner or later. Got to keep playing hard. Everybody's staying together. I feel good about my game, I feel comfortable. We're just going through a rough stretch, but we're staying motivated."
唯一危機在於年輕球員越打越沒自信,但他們周一的細語透露出截然不同的意象。
「我很好。」肥佛說,他拿下21分13籃板 3火鍋,「保持正向的心,持續努力不懈。就會迎來柳暗花明之日。贏球只是早晚的事,我們必須繼續奮戰,大夥團結一心。我對我的比賽還算滿意,我們只是在歷經重建之痛罷了,我們會精進不休的。」
                                                                                
Said Ty Corbin: "The guys are great. They're frustrated with losing. We understand we have to get better in situations. We're making some mistakes that are costing us, but they're still fighting and I'm pleased with that. This group of guys won't quit."
烤餅道:「他們很棒啦!他們吃敗仗時沮喪,我們也了解如何在這情形下成長,我們犯錯時就會付出代價,但我們就這樣打,我也很滿意這樣,這些傢伙是不會放棄的。」
                                                                                
Richard Jefferson, a 13-year veteran, said the Jazz know they're not a good team right now, but confidence isn't lacking: "It's just us not executing the way we need to."
Asked about what players must do to weather what he called a "perfect storm," Jefferson said, "You have to be a man. We're paid to perform." He added that, as presently constituted, the Jazz are "young men … you have to go through this… we have quality, talented young players. There's a lot of great young players in this league who are now all-stars that are carrying playoff teams that struggled early on. …
十三年級生Richard Jefferson說爵士現在稱不上是好球隊,但絕非缺乏自信喔,「只是球兒不聽使喚罷了。」
問到遇到這「完美風暴」時球員該怎麼辦,RJ說:「像個男人!!我們可是支薪打球的。」


又說:「年輕人,你必須經歷這場洗禮的,我們有潛能的球員,聯盟中有很多球員早些也深陷泥沼後來又大放異彩的阿。」
                                                                                
"You don't see us holding our heads, we're not fighting, we're not arguing with coaches. There's not a fragile psyche. We just got to get a win."
They don't even need that.
They just have to improve as time goes on and keep a good attitude. They have to survive - and pick the right player in next year's draft. Everybody outside the locker room has to forget about winning, stay focused on the plan and enjoy the ride.
「你沒見我們抱頭(鼠竄),我們不爭吵,不怪教練,這裡沒有脆弱心靈,我們只是需要一場勝利。」
他們不需這麼做。
他們只待與時並進,維持這樣的態度,並在這戰場上生存-還有,下個賽季選對新人。出場後心中對勝利無罣礙,專注在重建計畫,並且,好好享受這過程就好:)



2014年8月2日 星期六

Randy Hollis: Jazz can't shoot straight (我的投籃會轉彎)


Back in 1971, there was a delightful little movie entitled "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight."
讓我們回到1971年,那時有部片叫「我的子彈會轉彎」
(註1:IMDB分數5,感覺不妙:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067124/)

                                                                                
Based on a novel by Jimmy Breslin and featuring a fine young actor you might've heard of named Robert De Niro, "The Gang ..." was a story about a bunch of bungling hoods who tried repeatedly - and failed miserably - to whack a Mafia boss.
原著是Jimmy Breslin,並由當時地當紅小生Robert De Niro主演,大意為一群笨拙的小混混嘗試幹掉黑幫老大,卻又一再失敗的故事。
                                                                                
Well, it seems that a sequel to that movie is being filmed this year in SaltLake City, and this one stars ... wait for it ... the Utah Jazz.
嗯,現在看來這部片的續集在鹽湖城上映中,領銜主演的…等等…就是爵士隊。
                                                                                
Yep, when it comes to a gang that can't shoot straight, look no further than your 2013-14 Jazz ballclub. Alas, NBA opponents are apparently just as safe as that Mafia boss was in the 1971 movie.
是的,當提到我的子彈會轉彎時,別做他想就是指13球季這支爵士隊。唉阿!我們的對手也如同這部電影中黑幫老大的福大命大。

                                                                                
After all, through their first six games - all losses - the Jazz were shooting just 39.4 percent as a team. They actually shot somewhat better than that in Saturday's game at Toronto, but it didn't prevent the Jazz from trailing by 26 points at halftime and by 31 at the end of the third quarter.
畢竟在頭六場勝仗中,爵士團隊命中率只有39.4%,周六對暴龍時雖然有比較好,但中場與第三節結束時還是分別落後26與31分。
                                                                                
So far, Utah's performance this season has been even uglier than those camouniforms the Raptors were wearing in Saturday's eventual 115-91 decision.
且目前為止,爵士的表現也比身穿迷彩的暴龍還慘,最終以91比115落敗。
                                                                                
Through that 0-6 start, two of Utah's top young players, Alec Burks and Derrick Favors, were hovering right around 41 percent from the field.
在這六場勝仗中,Alec Burks 與Derrick Favors這兩位頂級新星命中率徘徊在41%左右
                                                                                
Gordon Hayward, the guy who's supposed to be their best player, was barely over 43 percent, and a couple of NBA veterans, Richard Jefferson and John Lucas III,  were shooting less than 30 percent.
黑蛙,這位應當為球隊支柱的球員,命中率只有43%,兩位老薑Richard Jefferson 與John Lucas III更是三成不到
                                                                                
Jamaal Tinsley, never really known for his shooting, was barely over 21 percent from the field, including a woeful 1-of-14 from 3-point range. Thankfully, he didn't take a shot on Saturday.
還有這一位,Jamaal Tinsley,打從娘胎出生就不知怎麼投籃的Jamaal Tinsley,僅有兩成一的命中率。但我們也要好好感謝的是-他周六沒有投籃。
                                                                                
In fact, only one Jazz player, center Enes Kanter, had managed to make more than half of his shots thus far this season.
好加在的是,有一位球員-Enes Kanter,有超過五成的命中率。
                                                                                
The "can't shoot straight" malady may have even affected Utah's free-throwing efficiency, as the Jazz came into Saturday's game at less than 69 percent from the foul line. And their 3-point shooting is absolutely awful, too.
「我的投籃會轉彎」的毛病也影響了爵士的罰球命中率,爵士周六是帶著低於69%的罰球命中率來到Toronto,且三分命中率也是嚇嚇叫!
                                                                                
Not only can the Jazz not shoot straight, they apparently are having a lot of trouble passing the ball and dribbling it straight, too.
而且喔,不只是我的投籃會轉彎,現在連我的傳球跟運球都會轉彎了。
                                                                                
They were averaging almost 20 turnovers per game heading into Saturday, but only committed 14 against the Raptors. What's more, they made 20-of-24 free throws, so maybe there's some light at the end of that long, dark tunnel ahead for a frustrated team that has now fallen to 0-7.
他們帶著場均將近20失誤的成績打周六的比賽,還好最後只讓暴龍得逞了14次,且罰球也投24中20,所以說不定這是在迢迢陰暗的七連勝中透露出了些許希望。
                                                                                
OK, we knew the Jazz youth movement was going to struggle this season, and probably struggle mightily. Most preseason predictions had them winning anywhere from 20 to 30 games, but I was feeling optimistic and picked 'em to win 30, figuring they'd win around half of their 41 home games and a fourth of their 41 road games.
好吧,我們知道這些年輕人在這季的成長過程中會有些許的陣痛,或是生猛有勁的陣痛。很多妓前預測不是也說我們能拿下20至30場嗎?我很樂觀的覺得是30場,20場在我們老家10場在客場之旅。
                                                                                
Based on what we've seen so far, though, maybe that was faulty logic. And far too optimistic.
但根據目前的所見所聞,或許我的推估是有缺陷且太過樂觀了

The Jazz performance has been decent at times, but absolutely abysmal on other occasions during this young season. After narrow losses at home against Oklahoma City and on the road against Phoenix, the Jazz built a double-digit halftime lead in their next home game against Houston, only to get clobbered and outscored by 27 points after intermission.
我們的表現有時「發乎情,止乎禮」,但有時又糟糕透了,在家小輸雷霆,作客小輸太陽後,中場前以兩位數領先火箭,最後卻被狂追27分,在全國觀眾面前被打臉。
                                                                                
Saturday's loss to Toronto mercifully ended an 0-4 road trip which also included losses to Brooklyn, Boston and Chicago. But now they return to Utah for their next three games, and certainly there must be a win waiting for them out there somewhere, isn't there?
周六後我們帶著四戰客場不敗金身回家,其中包含了Brooklyn, Boston 與Chicago,現在我們有三場比賽要宅在家,很明顯地我們就要開胡了,不是嗎?
                                                                                
Maybe Monday against the Denver Nuggets? Perhaps it'll come Wednesday against those pesky Pelicans from New Orleans? Or Friday when the San Antonio Spurs come to town? (OK, probably not Friday).
趁人之危對Nuggets時?又或是周三對Pelicans時?或是周五打Spurs?(好啦,我承認周五比較難)
                                                                                
Keep in mind that it's a long season, and that the Jazz have played five of their first seven games on the road.
請謹記在心這是一個漫長的球季,且我們頭七場比賽有五場是在別人家裡作戰。
                                                                                
They will get better, no doubt, provided they don't get so discouraged that they simply give up. That would make a bad situation even worse.
毫無疑問他們會變強的,不會灰心喪志以至於提早放棄比賽,那只會讓現今情勢惡化罷了。
                                                                                
Some folks out there are blaming Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin. But keep in mind that Corbin's simply playing the difficult hand he was dealt.
有些乳摸在責怪Corbin教頭,但我們也要謹記在心的是他手上的這副牌著實難打。
                                                                                
And besides that, he's not the guy throwing up bricks or throwing the ball away for this Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.
因為,他也不是「我的子彈會轉彎」的球員。