https://goo.gl/TsgnVL
Throughout this Trail Blazers season, an important development has been
unfolding on the sidelines: the coaching of Jusuf Nurkic by Terry Stotts.
In probably one of his more dogged and pointed undertakings in his six
seasons as coach of the Blazers, Stotts this season has been relentless in
his pursuit of excellence from the 23-year-old center.
攤開整個賽季內容，拓荒者本季最大關鍵在於Stotts對Nurkic的指導與開發。
Stotts總是為這個23歲的中鋒設下高標，讓他追求卓越
“I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it in practice. In huddles. He will get after him,
’’ Damian Lillard said.
Stotts acknowledged that this season, and in particular the past two months,
he has taken great effort to reach Nurkic.
“I think I’ve probably given him more attention than other guys,’’ Stotts
said.
Sometimes it has been through film study. Sometimes it has been with a sharp
reminder. And a few times, it has been a reduction in Nurkic’s minutes.
In all, Nurkic doesn’t dispute that Stotts has been hard on him.
“He should,’’ Nurkic said. “I’m 23 years old. I’m still growing up. In
basketball, it’s my fourth year, and almost like my second in the NBA. It’s
a learning process for me.’’
「不管練習、還是在賽前的通道之類的 我都會看到總仔在和他溝通」 Lillard表示
總仔也承認這個球季，特別是這兩個月，相較於其他人，他投注更多心思在Nurk身上
有時是看影片、有時候是尖銳的言辭、甚至是冰在板凳上，但不管Stotts是用什麼方法
Nurk都沒有抱怨Sttots怎麼這麼嚴格
「應該的啦。我才23歲，還在成長期。雖然打四年了，但我覺得自己像二年級生
還在學習階段啦」 Nurkic表示
Lillard, who does his own share of mentoring Nurkic, has watched Stotts deal
with Nurkic with a curious eye. He says what Stotts has done with Nurkic
underscores the most “underrated” facet of Stotts’ coaching – the ability
to get the most out of a player.
“With Nurk, (Stotts) might raise his voice a bit, but it’s never like
embarrassing him, or saying ‘That was soft!’" Lillard said. “It’s more, ‘
Nurk! You are better than that!’ … or ‘Stop doing that! We need you to go
up strong!’ And it’s stuff Nurk needs to hear at times.’’
身為Nurk的心靈老師，Lillard很好奇Stotts怎麼指導Nurk的。
他認為這是Stotts執教內容當中最被低估的一部份 - 善用隊上每一個球員的能力
「對Nurk講話時，他會比較大聲，但不是為了要罵他」Lillard說
「內容比較像是『Nurk，你可以做得更好』 或是 『別那樣打，我要你硬起來』
而這些東西是Nurk有時候需要聽到的」
For how dominating Nurkic can be – such as Monday, when he had 27 points, 16
rebounds and three blocks in the Blazers’ win over Miami – he can also be
frustrating.
Throughout the season, he has forgotten plays. Missed a bevy of close-range
shots. And drifted mentally.
Nurkic said in his past – his first two seasons in Denver – those types of
transgressions were met with benchings and the silent treatment.
With Stotts, they have been met with stern lectures that are centered around
teaching.
“I never have a coaching experience like his personality,’’ Nurkic said. “
I’ve never had a coach who has trusted me that much … I had a coach before
(Denver’s Mike Malone) who never talked to me or play me; now I have a coach
who talk to me about every play, and in the film room with me, to work on the
stuff I need. He shows me how I can be better. That’s what it is all about.’
當Nurk硬起來的時候，是能夠繳出像打熱火那場27分16板3鍋的宰制表現，但他也常隱形
整個賽季，Nurk常常忘記要打什麼play、隨手亂扔，心態上也患得患失
Nurk說換做在過去 - 他在丹佛的時光，這樣亂打就等著被冰，而且教練對你惦惦的
不過Stotts整個賽季都會不斷幫他上課，雖然很嚴格
「我從來沒遇過這款教練」Nurkic說「從來沒遇過哪個教練這麼信任我...以前丹佛那個
不會跟我講東講西也不會讓我繼續打。現在我遇到了一個會跟我討論每個play的總仔
這是我夢寐以求的。而且他告訴我自己可以更強，這就是林北想要的
It is at the core of Stotts’ coaching philosophy: teaching through positive
reinforcement and challenging in a positive, rather than negative, manner.
“I don’t like to over-coach players,’’ Stotts said. “I think they get a
lot of information from different people – other players, agents, their
families – so I try to be to-the-point and helpful.’’
這是Stotts的執教哲學 - 用正向有理的角度和球員討論、溝通，取代責罵
「我不想給球員高高在上的感覺」Stotts說「我想他們也會從經紀人或其他球員、家人那
吸收很多資訊，所以我多半講重點且盡可能點到為止。」
But make no mistake, Lillard says, Stotts challenges Nurkic. Stotts this
season has probably been as forceful and pointed as he has been with a player
in Portland, outside of Meyers Leonard. Lillard smiles when thinking about
Stotts’ tactics with Nurkic, because he knows the perception is that Stotts
is always Mr. Nice Guy.
“It’s underrated about Coach Stotts, because he is such a nice dude,’’
Lillard said. “Like, he’s not always screaming and being angry – you see
him smiling and being happy all the time. But I think it’s underrated that
he is willing to get it out of you.’’
但別搞錯了，Lillard表示，Stotts總是會給Nurkic挑戰，而且可能跟除了小賈外的任何人
一樣兇，Lillard說這是Stotts的方針。畢竟大家每次想到Stotts都說他是好好先生
「大家總是低估總仔，因為他人太好」Lillard說「他不會大吼大叫 - 總是笑咪咪的
但忽略他總是能讓你學到東西」
Stotts, however, points out that it all starts with the player. A coach can
push and prod all he wants, but ultimately it is up to the player.
“And I give Nurk credit,’’ Stotts said. “He has put in a lot of work with
our assistants and in having a serious approach to improving. It always
starts with the player.’’
But with Nurkic, there appears to be a key to unlocking his talents, as
evidenced by his rocky time in Denver. Lillard says he thinks there is a
certain way to handle the 7-footer and Stotts has found it with coaching that
blends a nurturing style with moments of cracking the whip.
“I think we’ve all learned that Nurk will respond (to criticism); he doesn’
t get in his feelings and all that stuff,’’ Lillard said. “So Coach, he
understands that Nurk has the ability to float sometimes, and if you get on
him, he will give you something. Coach is good about things like that – not
being constantly on a guy’s back, but if something needs to be said, he will
definitely say it.’’
Stotts說不管教練講什麼，始終取決於球員本身態度。
「我要給Nurk肯定」Stotts說「他很認真的在和我們助理教練學習。
球員要進步，還是得發自內心主動」
而在Nurk身上，關鍵是如何挖掘出他的天分。Lillard認為Nurk在丹佛的時像是塊璞玉
Stotts則是交替用糖果與鞭子的方式讓他成長
「我們後來了解你如果念Nurk，他會回嘴。他不開心的時候就會這樣」Lillard表示
「總仔也知道Nurk有時候會很毛燥，他會給你一些空間。但該指正的錯誤，他絕對會講」
Probably the most concrete coaching moment came around the All-Star Break,
when the staff restructured his shooting workouts, which had devolved into a
series of nonchalant and finesse shots. Nurkic says there is a new rule: He
can only practice shots he will take in the game.
“It’s about getting away from the flip shots and staying in control,’’
Stotts said. “Him taking the time to steady himself and get game-like
shots. And he has worked hard at it. That work he has put in is starting to
pay off now.’’
Since the All-Star Break, Nurkic has seen improvement in every category: his
shooting percentage has improved from 48 percent to 55 percent. His scoring
from 14.1 to 15.0 and his rebounding from 8.2 to 10.3.
“If we can get that from him,’’ Lillard says, “we are a different team.’
也許最具體得的執教內容在於明星賽期間，教練團重新設計了Nurk的投籃訓練內容。
Nurk被告知他只能練習在比賽中會用到的投籃方式以取代無意義的亂扔
「遠離亂拋」Stotts說「他現在投入更多模擬實戰的投籃練習，看來逐漸收到回報」
明星賽後，Nurk有著全方位的進步 : 命中率從48%->55%，得分從14.1->15.0
籃板則是從8.2變成10.3個
「如果他能一直這樣」Lillard說「我們會是不同的球隊」
Nurkic says that point – his importance to the Blazers - has been one of the
main themes Stotts has hammered home to him throughout the season.
“Just to point (out) how much I know this team needs me,’’ Nurkic said. “
Everybody knows. My teammates they really know how much I can bring. So when
I’m at my best, we have a great chance to win.’’
The scary part is Nurkic says he still has room to improve. And Lillard says
with the way Stotts is pushing Nurkic’s buttons – by both being demanding
but nurturing – that improvement will come.
“Once somebody like him sees they really believe in me, and that Coach is
getting on him but it’s ‘You are better than that’ … he feels the love,’
’ Lillard said. “He not crazy. He’s one of those guys who if he feels the
love and he knows you want the best for him, he’s going to give you
everything he’s got.’’
Nurk說他的表現對球隊有多重要，是Stotts整季一直對他耳提面命的重點
「他告訴我這個隊有多麼需要我」Nurk說「隊友們知道我能繳出什麼成績，只要我表現好
我們贏球機會就很大」
更驚人的是Nurk還有不小的進步空間。Lillard說Stotts這種鞭策模式促使Nurk打開進步的
開關「當他信任我、也接受教練的相信我之術『你可以更好』之類的互信關係」Lillard說
「他感受到了大家的愛，他不是怪胎。只要你真誠待他，希望他更好，他會用他的全部
來回報你」