Tomato hater, Sports lover

X-Files: Deron Williams

X因子球員檔案：Deron Williams

原文網址－

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/79492/x-files-deron-williams

It was late in the third quarter of a Game 1 blowout in Brooklyn. The Nets were scorching their depleted visitors from Chicago. Carlos Boozer set a screen along the left wing to free up Luol Deng, who snuck past Gerald Wallace and attacked the middle of the court. As Deng dribbled toward the free throw line, the right hand of Deron Williams suddenly intruded. In one strange but cohesive motion, Williams snatched the ball, spun around, and commenced a one-man fast break. Four dribbles later, Williams arrived at the opposite goal and elevated. What happened next was surprising to a lot of us — especially those who had watched Williams closely all season long. 

這發生在布魯克林主場G1屠殺秀的第三節。籃網隊正痛宰氣力放盡的芝加哥公牛隊。Carlos Boozer在左翼設立掩護幫助Luol Deng擺脫防守，Deng旋即溜過Gerald Wallace並進攻中路。當Deng運到罰球線時，Deron Williams突然伸出右手。在一個奇怪但附著性極強的手部動作中，Williams硬生生將球抄過來、轉身，並開啟一條龍的快攻。四個運球後，Williams到達球場另一端，然後起跳。接下來發生的事驚豔大部份的人，尤其是那些整季都仔細觀察Williams的人。

Nets broadcaster Jim Spanarkel was jolted: “Wow! We have not seen that from him … Deron Williams taking off and making a statement all in one drive to the basket, showing that his health is there, his ability to get up, and he looks strong and confident.” 

籃網隊播報員Jim Spanarkel震驚道：「哇！很久沒看到他這麼做了……Deron Williams起飛了並在一個上籃內證明一切，他證明他很健康、他有能力起飛同時他看起來強壯且信心滿滿。」

They don’t say that when most NBA players finish a fast break, but Williams isn’t a normal player — he's a max contract point guard in the prime of his career who plays for one of the league’s most high-profile teams. And on top of that, he had a bizarre year last season. He started off horribly, his coach got fired, and he finished incredibly strong. 

對多數的NBA球員快攻得分時並不會有這些評論，但Williams不是普通球員。他是一個領頂薪且正值巔峰的控衛，並且為聯盟最受人注目之一的球隊出賽。除此之外，去年他有著怪異的球季。他季初表現糟糕、他的教練被炒魷魚接下來他表現優異的結束賽季。

Last year, Williams once again put up close to 20 points a game, but how he got those points was a little different. He relied more on 3-pointers last season and much less on attacking the basket. In fact, since joining the Nets, he has become far less aggressive; he spends less time penetrating and more time behind the 3-point line. His new coach, Jason Kidd, exhibited a similar transformation during his career. The shift is evident in Williams’s numbers. Last season, he only averaged 8.7 2-point attempts per game, the lowest amount since his rookie year; he also only averaged 4.7 free throw attempts per game, the lowest since his second season. Meanwhile, he set a career high in 3-point shots, taking 447 — that’s a lot, you guys. 

上季，Williams得分再度來到場均近20分，但他得到這些分數的方法有些不同。他上季更多的依賴三分球並減少攻擊籃框的次數。事實上，自從來到籃網隊後，他不再保有積極切入的慾望。他減少切入次數並增加三分出手數。他的新教練Jason Kidd的生涯有著相同的轉變。這種轉變在Williams的數據中顯而易見。上一季，他場均只有8.7次兩分出手，這是自從菜鳥年以來的生涯新低。他同時場均只有4.7次罰球出手數，這是自從第二年以來最少次。在此同時，他的三分出手數來到生涯新高，總共出手447次。嘿！這真的很多欸！

I wrote about Williams in January, just a few months into the Brooklyn era. The piece focused on the troubling patterns in Williams’s numbers, specifically his decreased tendency to attack coupled with an increased reliance on mediocre outside shooting. Back then, Williams was headed toward the worst season of his career, only a few months after he signed a $100 million contract. All the signs pointed to Williams’s new deal being a bust. Then something remarkable happened — the good Deron Williams showed up and turned that narrative on its head. 

原作者在一月，也就是籃網隊來到布魯克林沒幾個月時，寫一篇關於Williams的文章。這篇文章著重於Williams數據中的問題所在，尤其是他減少進攻籃框的傾向同時過度依賴中庸的外線出手。在當時，就在他簽下總價值1億美金合約的幾個月後，Williams正準備完成他生涯最糟的球季。所有的現象都顯示Williams的新合約是個大錯誤。結果某件不可置信的事情發生了，優秀的Deron Williams回來了並徹底改變原作者文章中提到的問題。

It was as if he had a New Year’s resolution to stop messing around and start dominating. His numbers before New Year’s Day were atrocious; his numbers after were great. Simply put, it was one of the most drastic midseason turnarounds in recent NBA history. 

就好像他許了新年新希望來停止亂打球並且開始統治球場。他在新年前的數據糟到谷底；他在新年後的數據卻令人眼睛一亮。簡單來說，這表現是近年NBA歷史中最戲劇性的季中轉折。

The improvements were particularly evident in his jump shooting. Before January 1, 69 NBA players had attempted at least 100 3-point shots. Williams was the fourth-worst of the bunch, converting a lousy 30 percent of his attempts. (Only Monta Ellis, Bradley Beal, and Shannon Brown were worse. Williams was slightly worse than Byron Mullens. Ouch.) After January 1, he was one of the top 20 long-range shooters in the league, making 42 percent of his 287 3-point attempts and outshooting players like Steve Novak, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Ray Allen. 

最明顯的改善之處在於他的跳投。在1月1號前，69位NBA球員出手至少100顆三分球。在這群人中Williams是倒數第四，只有不堪入目的30%命中率。（只比Monta Ellis、Bradley Beal和Shannon Brown好。Wiliams比Byron Mulluns還差一些。慘！）在1月1號之後，他是聯盟前20佳的長距離射手，在287次三分出手中命中率達到42%，而且這數字比Steve Novak、Klay Thompson、Kevin Durant和Ray Allen等球員都來的好。

It was a new year and he was a new player. 

新年新球員。

What happened? In part, Williams was energized by a coaching change; Avery Johnson was fired in late December, and P.J. Carlesimo took over. But more importantly, Williams got healthier as the year progressed. He lost weight and his aching wrist healed up. He played with a sprained right wrist for the first few months of the year, and that injury was likely responsible for his atrocious shooting numbers. Williams used the February All-Star break to detox with a juice cleanse (hippie!) and to receive cortisone shots and that newfangled platelet treatment on his ankles. All that stuff worked together, the real Deron Williams stood up, and the Nets were a much better team. 

發生什麼事了？某部分原因是Williams被換教練一事激勵了。Avery Johnson在上個12月時被炒魷魚，然後P.J. Carlesimo接手教練一職。但更重要的是，Williams隨著時間推移漸漸回復健康。他減了重且手腕傷痛恢復了。他帶著扭傷的右手腕打球季前幾個月的比賽，而且這個傷勢很可能是他投籃命中率糟糕的原因。趁著2月的全明星休息周，Williams使用果汁斷食法來減重（像嬉皮一樣！）同時施打可體松（譯按：常用於治療關節炎）並以新式的血小板治療法醫治腳踝傷勢。所有的方法一起發生效果，然後大師兄回來了，籃網隊便成為更優秀的球隊。

Williams was Brooklyn’s X factor last season, and that won't change anytime soon. With the drastically altered lineup this year, Williams seems poised to be the playmaking rising tide that lifts the scoring boats of his elite teammates. When the Nets acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and Andrei Kirilenko during the offseason, NBA observers immediately began wondering about “chemistry.” That is a valid concern (2013 Lakers, etc.), and from a tactical perspective, the burden of making sure Brooklyn's new pieces work together falls squarely on the shoulders of the point guard. 

Williams是上季籃網隊的X因子，而這短期內並不會改變。隨著今年先發陣容大大改變後，Williams似乎準備好做為進攻發動機，激起浪潮使滿載精英隊友的得分之船能更加提升。當籃網隊在休賽期間獲得Kevin Garnett、Paul Pierce、Jason Terry和Andrei Kirilenko時，NBA觀察家們立即開始納悶是否有「化學效應」的問題。這是個合理懷疑（像是2013的湖人隊…等等），並且從戰術上考量的話，確保籃網隊的新拼圖能成功的擔子就正好在控球後衛的肩上。

It’s obvious the Nets are going to be very much improved on defense. In Garnett, they acquired one of the best defensive player-coaches in NBA history. If he remains healthy he will be a force in both defensive tactics and spirit. The Nets need Williams to provide similar leadership and orchestration on the other side of the floor. On paper, the Nets now feature a sturdy array of scoring talent, but talent on paper does not guarantee wins. Winning also requires cohesion and effective schematics (see: Mike D’Antoni, 2013). 

顯然籃網隊的防守將會有突飛猛進的進步。他們得到Garnett這位NBA史上最佳場上防守教練。只要他維持健康，他無論在戰術面還是精神面都會是強大的防守力量。籃網隊需要Williams在進攻端也提供相當的領導力和整合力。單就陣容來說，籃網隊現在有穩健的得分天份。但紙上談兵的天份不保證勝利。贏球同時需要整合和有效的策略（看看2013的Mike D’Antoni）。

On offense, the Nets have the potential to space the floor better than almost any team in the league. Their fleet of scorers each brings unique skills to the table, and there are few redundancies in their hot spots. As a distributor, Williams will have a mighty ensemble of options to choose from. Garnett is one of the best pick-and-pop players in the league. Pierce can still knock down above-the-break 3s at a high rate. Brook Lopez is one of the league’s best interior scorers, and Joe Johnson is more than capable from the corners and wings. 

在進攻方面，籃網隊大概比聯盟任何一隊都更有拉開空間的能力。球隊中得分部隊的每一員都能給予獨特的得分技巧，而且他們的進攻熱點幾乎沒有什麼重疊。身為一個分球者，Williams將有一支強大團隊讓他選擇該把球分給誰。Garnett是聯盟中檔拆後跳投的最佳好手之一。Pierce仍能以高命中率投進弧頂三分。Brook Lopez是聯名中最優秀的禁區得分手之一，而Joe Johnson在底角和側翼表現更佳。

Kidd and his staff need to design sets that get these players good looks in the right spots; Williams needs to execute them. A lot of the key actions will start with Garnett’s famous screens, which will free up Williams to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. If he plays to his potential, it’s likely that Williams’s assist numbers will soar this season. He only averaged 7.7 assists per game last year, which was very low for him. But this year, more of his passes will land in the hands of great scorers. It will be up to Williams to attack the shape of the defense, create those passing angles, and deliver the basketball to his shooters. For this reason and because of his inconsistent health, he is the Nets' greatest X factor. 

Kidd和他的教練團需要設計戰術讓這些球員能在正確的位置得到好的出手機會。而Williams則需要執行這些戰術。很多關鍵戰術將以Garnett知名的掩護開啟，這將讓Williams獲得空間以製造出手機會或傳給隊友。如果他能發揮應有的潛力，Williams今年的助攻數很有可能飆高。他去年只有場均7.7次助攻，而這對他來說相當低。但今年，更多他的球將會傳到優異的得分手手上。將依賴Williams來撕裂防守陣型、創造各種傳球角度，並把球傳到他的射手群手上。這個球季又因為他不確定的健康問題，他將成為籃網隊最重要的X因子。

It’s still hard to characterize Deron Williams as a player. It’s tempting to call him that intense, great shooting point guard who we saw at the end of last season. But the truth is murkier than that. Williams can only go as far as his body takes him, and while his recent acknowledgement of last season’s weight issues was an encouraging sign, his ankles remain a serious concern. He has already missed games this preseason, and he may not be ready in time for the Nets' season opener at Cleveland. 

現在依然很難去定位Deron Williams是哪種類型的球員。雖然很想要稱他是上季我們看到的那種攻擊欲望強且準的進攻型控衛。但事實比我們所見的更不明確。Williams的身體健康影響他的成就，而雖然他上季意識到體重問題是個好現象，他的腳踝依然是個嚴重的顧慮。他在熱身賽已經少出賽幾場，而且他可能無法趕上籃網對騎士主場的開幕戰。

At this stage of his career, Williams remains enigmatic — the highs have been high, but the lows have been low. At his best, he has been undeniably one of the top-tier point guards in the NBA — this is why he was on that gold medal team in London. At his worst, he has been overweight, difficult to coach, injury-prone, and trade-worthy. Still, the past is the past and this season is looking very promising for Williams and the Brooklyn franchise. If he can get healthy, there’s a good chance we’ll be watching him play deep into May and perhaps even June — months when he’s usually on vacation. This could be the breakout season for both Williams and the Nets. The challenges involve “making it work” and “keeping everybody happy” — those are good challenges to have in the NBA, but they’re still challenges. If the Nets overcome them, it will be because the good Deron Williams showed up and orchestrated. If they don’t, well, another coach will probably get fired. 

在他生涯的這個階段，Williams仍是個謎。生涯高點相當出色，但低潮亦慘不忍睹。在他狀況最好的時候，他無疑的是NBA控衛翹楚，這也是為什麼他是倫敦奧運金牌團隊中的一員。在他狀況最差的時候，他既過重、難以執教、容易受傷和值得被交易。仍然，往事如煙而且這個球季對Williams和籃網團隊來說前途一片光明。如果他能恢復健康，我們看到他一路打到五月甚至六月的機會不小，而過往這幾個月他通常都已經放暑假了。這球季對Williams和籃網隊都是個突破點。挑戰在於「讓一切順利運轉」和「保持大家心情愉悅」，這對NBA球隊來說是個好的挑戰，但依然困難重重。若籃網隊解決這些挑戰，那會是因為優秀的Deron Williams現身並整合團隊。若他們無法搞定一切，嗯…另一位教練大概又要捲鋪蓋了。

心得：

看完文章，就覺得籃網好準阿！！！！（還有湖人又被鞭屍了）
但是籃網要打的有效率的話，我認同D-Will絕對是X因子。

看來，小胖要變成小瘦才是上上策。他的身材優勢果然也對他的雙腳帶來不少負擔。
新的籃網不需要他自己硬上，瘦下來專心分球才是最佳解。

今年D-Will很有機會重回全明星。希望他能打出「第一控衛」的領袖氣質。
當然，保持健康和維持正確心態很重要。不然單靠老邁的PP當進攻發動機，配合JJ單打，並不是籃網老闆繳那些豪華稅的想看到的。