BACK TO WORK: Feeling the Heat again (下) - 底特律活塞 Detroit Pistons

Eye on the enemy
主要對手搶先看

We take a look at how the Pistons' main rivals fared in the off-season.
讓我們先來看一看活塞在季後賽主要對手上個球季、暑假休兵期間的表現以及'06-
'07年球季的展望。

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MIAMI
邁阿密熱火

Last season: Won NBA title in six games over Dallas and eliminated Detroit, 4-2
, in the East finals.
上個球季：於東區冠軍賽以4比2擊退活塞挺進總冠軍賽，先輸了兩場再直落四把經驗
不足的達拉斯小牛打發回家，一舉奪得總冠軍。

Off-season: The core is back, including coach Pat Riley, Gary Payton and Alonzo
Mourning.
暑假休兵期間：球隊核心全都續留陣中，包括油頭教練，老將手套以及黃金腎鬥士。

Outlook: Worse. Dwyane Wade makes the team a title contender. But Shaquille
O'Neal, Payton and Mourning appear to be slowing down. And will Antoine Walker
and Jason Williams behave and be hungry enough for another title run?
未來展望：將會更差，雖然典韋續約確保了未來幾年熱火都還會是總冠軍的大熱門，
但大歐、手套和黃金腎鬥士已經逐漸展露了老態。此外走路人和J-Will是否能安分守己並
且維持繼續爭取另一枚總冠軍戒指的渴望也還是個問號。

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CLEVELAND
克里夫蘭騎士

Last season: Lost to Pistons, 4-3, in the second round.
上個球季：於季後賽第二輪以3比4敗給活塞。

Off-season: LeBron James agreed to an extension, and all of Cleveland was
relieved. The Cavs added veterans David Wesley and Scot Pollard and drafted MSU
guard Shannon Brown.
暑假休兵期間：LBJ同意續約，這讓騎士球團從上到下全都鬆了口氣。另外球隊還增加
了老將D.Wesley、S.Pollard並在選秀會中挑選了來自密西根州大的後衛S.Brown。

Outlook: Better. James nearly beat Detroit last season. This year, the
supporting cast must improve enough under second-year coach Mike Brown to
surpass the Pistons.
未來展望：將會更好，LBJ上個球季差點以一己之力把活塞打包回家。今年其他球員必
須在第二年擔任總教頭職務的M.Brown帶領下有長足的進步，騎士才有機會突破活塞這道高
牆。

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SAN ANTONIO
聖安東尼奧馬刺

Last season: 2004-05 champs lost in the second round to Dallas.
上個球季：'04-'05年球季的總冠軍，但在去年季後賽第二輪敗給達拉斯小牛。

Off-season: The core of the team -- Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili
-- returns. Duncan, who struggled with a sore foot last year, should be
healthier. The team replaced Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed at center with
Francisco Elson.
暑假休兵期間：球隊的核心包括 -- 叮噹肯、泊車小弟、Manu -- 全都歸隊了。上個
球季飽受腳部酸痛困擾的叮噹肯身體狀況應該比較好了，另外球隊將以甫自金塊轉檯而來
的F.Elson取代分別投奔暴龍以及活塞的大N和回教人。

Outlook: Same. The Spurs will be a contender again, though some of their
supporting cast (Brent Barry, 34, and Bruce Bowen, 35) is past their prime. .
未來展望：不會更好但也不會變差，馬刺仍會是總冠軍的強力候選隊伍之一，儘管陣
中某些球員(例如34歲的B.Barry和35歲的B.Bowen)的職業生涯黃金時期已經過去了。

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DALLAS
達拉斯小牛

Last season: Had Miami on the ropes in the Finals, but collapsed in four
straight games.
上個球季：初生之犢不畏虎，在總冠軍賽一開始連續賞給熱火兩場敗仗，但最後反被
直落四而與隊史第一座總冠軍盃擦身而過。

Off-season: The Mavs might have added good role players in MSU's Maurice Ager
and veterans Devean George and Austin Croshere.
暑假休兵期間：小牛增添了來自密西根州大，出色的功能型球員M.Ager以及老將D.
George和A.Croshere。

Outlook: Better. They're the No. 1 contender. They have to hold off resurgent
Phoenix. And Dirk Nowitzki must recover from an awful NBA Finals.
未來展望：將會更好，他們是NBA本季最具冠軍相的球隊。他們已經具有足夠能力擺脫
重生的太陽，但Dirk必須盡快從上個球季糟糕的總冠軍賽中站起來。

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CHICAGO
芝加哥公牛

Last season: Baby Bulls put up a strong fight before losing to Miami in the
first round.
上個球季：年輕的公牛寶寶們在季後賽第一輪敗給熱火前打出了一個精采的系列戰。

Off-season: Ben Wallace is the key addition. Ben-esque center Tyson Chandler
was shipped to the Hornets for better-scoring veteran P.J. Brown.
暑假休兵期間：班蛙的加盟是至為關鍵，和班蛙風格相近的中鋒並送至黃蜂並換來得
分能力較為優異的老將P.J. Brown。

Outlook: Better. Could contend with Pistons for division title, and some are
calling them a championship contender. But tying up millions of dollars in a
one-dimensional player like Wallace is a gamble.
未來展望：將會更好，公牛具備和活塞爭奪分區龍頭的能力，甚至還有些人認為他們
有機會爭取總冠軍。但將數千萬美元砸在像班蛙這樣只有單一功能的球員確實是場豪賭。

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