來源: Yahoo Sports
網址: https://tinyurl.com/yay29jd7
Cavaliers feared Rockets, not Warriors, in 2015, Kendrick Perkins says
Kendrick Perkins說 在2015年時 騎士比較怕火箭 而不是勇士
The Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers battled in one of the best rivalries in
NBA history, playing in five straight NBA Finals. But before their first
matchup in 2015, the Cavaliers preferred Golden State Warriors over the
Houston Rockets, thinking the Rockets would be tougher matchup, according to
former Cavs big man Kendrick Perkins.
勇騎大戰士近年NBA史上最佳的對決之一，他們連續在五屆總冠對決。而根據前騎士大個
Kendrick Perkins，在2015總冠賽勇騎第一次對決時，騎士是比較想要跟勇士打，而不
是跟火箭，認為跟火箭打會比較辛苦。
"When we was watching the Western Conference finals, I was like, 'Man, I want
to play the Rockets,' " Perkins told the Runnin' Plays Podcast. " 'I think
we'll sweep the Rockets. I really don't want to play Golden State.'
「那時候我們大家在看西決，我是想，『老天，我想跟火箭打，』」Perkins在Runnin'
Plays的Podcast節目上說到。「我認為我們可以把火箭橫掃出門，我真的不想跟勇士
打。」
"But everyone in the Cavs organization kept saying, 'No, we want Golden
State.' And I kept saying, 'Nah, there's something about this team, man. I'm
telling y'all, I don't really want to play them.' "
「但是球團裡每個人都一直說，『不，我們要勇士。』而我則是一直說，『不對，我跟你
們講，勇士這隊伍有些不同的地方，我真的不想跟他們打。』」
At the time, the Warriors, led by Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay
Thompson, handily beat the James Harden-led Houston Rockets in the Western
Conference finals in five games. During the season, the Warriors won 67 games
as Curry earned his first of two MVPs. Meanwhile Curry and Thompson were
forming one of the best backcourts in league history, gaining Perkins'
respect along the way.
那時候的勇士隊是由Stephen Curry，Draymond Green跟Klay Thompson所率領，在西決輕
鬆地以五場擊敗James Harden所領軍的火箭。在那個球季，勇士拿下67勝，Curry拿下他第
一座MVP，而Curry跟Thompson這對聯盟最佳的後場組合也因此得到Perkins的尊敬。
"I was just like, 'Ah man, I don't really know about facing them,' " Perkins
said. "I'm looking at Steph and Klay, those two guys that's capable of going
for 50-plus a night. You don't want to play those type of guys. And I just
was like, 'Man, I don't know.' But everyone's like, 'Nah we want to see
team.' "
「我那時是說，『阿老兄，面對他們我真的沒頭緒，』」Perkins說。「我看著Steph跟
Klay，兩個人可以單場得50分以上，真的不想跟這種球員打，我是想說，『兄弟，我真的
不知道餒。』但是騎士裡的其他人都像是，『不是啦，我們要看整個隊伍的。』」
Perkins' worst fears were realized during the series. Despite LeBron James
averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists, the Cavs succumbed to
the Warriors in six games, even after taking a two-games-to-one lead in the
series, failing to overcome injuries to All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin
Love.
後來Perkins的惡夢成真，儘管LBJ場均35.8分，13.3個籃板，8.8次助攻，騎士最後還是在
6場後輸給了勇士，儘管一開始是2:1系列戰領先，但是還是無法克服全明星Kyrie Irving
跟Kevin Love的傷勢。
Along the way, Andre Iguodala averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0
assists, winning Finals MVP, despite the Cavs not paying him much mind while
scouting the Dubs.
儘管在騎士的球探報告沒有多加著墨，到最後，Andre Iguodala以場均16.3分，5.8個籃板
以及4.0次助攻拿下FMVP。
"To y'all credit, Andre Iguodala, he stepped up," Perkins said. "Because we
disrespected him. People don't understand. In the game plan, we disrespected
him. We were told not to challenge his shots. Like let him shoot, let him
have it his way. And he stepped up, and all of a sudden the rest is history."
「必須要稱讚Andre Iguodala，他挺身而出，」Perkins說。「因為我們沒尊重他，大家不
知道，在我們的作戰計畫裡，我們沒有尊重他。我們被告知說他投球可以不用去理，就讓
他投，就讓他打，然後他就站出來了，剩下的部分大家就都知道了。」
In all, Perkins said the biggest reason for Golden State's run was the team's
nucleus.
總之，Perkins說勇士的成功最大的原因是這支隊伍整個是個一體的。
"You can tell when a team is a real family," Perkins said. "That first
championship, you could tell guys were a unit. You could see it. From the
outside looking in, I knew that when they went to dinner, outside the
basketball court, everybody went to dinner together.
「大家可以看得出來這支隊伍像是一個真的家庭，」Perkins說。「那是他們第一座冠軍
杯，可以看得出來他們是一個團隊，可以看得出來的。從旁觀者的角度來看，我知道他們
在場外會一起去吃晚飯，每個人都會一起去。」
"Those guys fooled with each other off the court."
「他們在場外也是一起玩的。」