2015-12-26

【Aiden in English】

        With 2015 Christmas over, it is quite boring in the prospect of the NBA. The Golden State Warriors overcame the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James getting too old I believe, and the Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs (ughhhh). The day after Christmas, well, unless you had NBATV, it was going to be a boring day. But at the friends’ party mom brought me to in Maryland, all sports channels including NBATV were very much available to the guests tonight.

        The Washington Wizards beat the Brooklyn Nets earlier on, which is a good sign. Ever since Paul Pierce was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, things weren’t going John Wall’s way. The Wizards were only winning 50% of their games, which in the East was not terrible, landing them in the number eleven spot. At least they’re doing better than the Philadelphia 76ers who are 1-30. Ouch! It was quite the opposite of the Warriors. John Wall had a crazy night of assists with thirteen. The main focus of the night was Anthony Davis and the Rockets at the New Orleans Pelicans. The Rockets, coming off a victory from the number two in the West, the Spurs hope to capitalize on the little momentum they have created. James Harden was moved to the shooting guard position, where Ty Lawson and Patrick Beverly took their jobs at point guards. I liked James Harden more because there was less of the chance of him drawing a foul, as sometimes he didn’t even touch the ball. Ty Lawson though shot the three like Klay Thompson. The game started with A.D., which I’m telling you, he’s in the MVP race. The Pelicans pulled off an early lead, but in the second quarter, Ty Lawson hit a few three’s that pulled the Rockets ahead by twelve. Then, right before the half, Eric Gordon happened and had a perfect first half, four out of four, most of which came in the second quarter. It brought the Pelicans ahead by one at the half, as they went on a run of 13-2 in the final few minutes. The announcers were quite right about one thing. This match was a game of runs, and whoever had the last run won the game.

        Well, the Rockets had their run in the mid-way point of the fourth when Ty Lawson hit three’s. Up to eight, the clock ticking, the Rockets had a comfy lead, a little too comfy, since here Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis came. Fear the brow, as they would say because Anthony Davis hit a pull up three that set off a chain reaction throughout the team. Eric Gordon followed up with a few jumpers, and in a blink of an eye, they were ahead by one. With four seconds to go, the Rockets down by two, 108-110, their coach called a timeout. With a play drawn up, they were inbounding the ball in Pelicans’ court. A three would win the game, and the Rockets had been shooting a fairly high percentage the entire game, and all the shooting guards were in for them. Everyone was ready for the inbound, and on the pass, Tyreke Evans intercepted the pass and the game was over. Pelicans 110, Rockets 108.

        To me, it is always fun to watch the NBA games, especially when the holiday party goes on.

【紅霞譯文】

        送走2015年聖誕節，美職籃比賽也跟着進入低谷，金州勇士隊戰勝克里夫蘭騎士隊，我覺得勒布朗·詹姆斯上了年紀；休斯敦火箭隊打敗聖安東尼奧馬刺隊，哈哈哈。喔對了，聖誕節後第一天，除非你有美職籃寬頻電視節目，否則度過這麼一個沒有任何賽事實況轉播的日子實在叫人抓狂，但今晚媽媽要帶我去馬里蘭州參加朋友聚會，主人家恰好為全體來賓提供了包括美職籃在內的所有體育頻道。

        在此之前，華盛頓奇才隊力挫布魯克林籃網隊，這真是一個好兆頭。自從保羅·皮爾斯易主去了洛杉磯快船隊，隊友約翰·沃爾打得並不順手，奇才隊僅贏了50%的比賽，當然在美職籃東部賽區尚不算差，排名第十一位，起碼比費城76人強，後者戰績為贏一場輸卅場，媽呀！跟勇士隊正好倒了過來。今晚約翰·沃爾打瘋了，助攻十三次，不過焦點集中於安東尼·戴維斯所在的新奧爾良鵜鶘隊迎戰到訪的火箭隊比賽。火箭隊剛剛凱旋而歸，目前暫居美職籃西部賽區第二名，馬刺隊希望乘勝追擊，詹姆斯·哈登臨場改打得分後衛，泰·勞森和帕特里克·貝弗利則為組織後衛。儘管泰·勞森像克萊·湯普森擅長遠投三分球，但我更喜歡詹姆斯·哈登，因為他極少犯規，有時甚至根本不去碰球。比賽由安東尼·戴維斯首發開始，順便說一句，這傢伙有望獲得最有價值球員。鵜鶘隊先贏後輸，但在第二節泰·勞森投了幾個三分球，又把比分追回了十二分；比賽結束前，埃里克·戈登巧施球技，四發四中，但其得分主要在第二節里，從而圓滿了結上半場爭奪。在最後幾分鐘內，鵜鶘隊反攻奏效，以13比2的進球成績領先火箭隊一分。正如解說員所說，這場比賽可謂你爭我奪的競技較量，堅持到底的球隊才能贏取最終勝利。

        下半場第四節中間，泰·勞森投中了三個三分球，火箭隊打得虎虎生威，緊要關頭又以八分優勢遙遙領先，可他們高興得太早，因為對方埃里克·戈登和安東尼·戴維斯被換上場，人們常稱後者為“可怕的一字眉”，安東尼·戴維斯跑動擲三分球，並以此帶動全隊積極進攻；接着埃里克·戈登頻頻騰空投籃，眨眼工夫，鵜鶘隊反倒領先一分。終場四秒鐘時，火箭隊以108比110落後兩分，教練叫了暫停，給球員部署站位戰術，他們打算把球直接投入鵜鶘隊場上，只要再投進一個三分球即可穩操勝券，而火箭隊在這方面確實命中率很高。這時，所有的得分後衛已各就各位，個個做好界外傳球的準備，正當藍球從火箭隊出手之際，鵜鶘隊的泰瑞克·埃文斯截球成功，比賽宣告結束。鵜鶘隊110分，火箭隊108分。

        對我而言，觀看美職籃球賽樂趣無窮，尤其在節日聚會的時候更加來勁。