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.
摊开整个赛季内容，拓荒者本季最大关键在于Stotts对Nurkic的指导与开发。
Stotts总是为这个23岁的中锋设下高标，让他追求卓越
“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.’’
“不管练习、还是在赛前的通道之类的 我都会看到总仔在和他沟通” Lillard表示
总仔也承认这个球季，特别是这两个月，相较于其他人，他投注更多心思在Nurk身上
有时是看影片、有时候是尖锐的言辞、甚至是冰在板凳上，但不管Stotts是用什么方法
Nurk都没有抱怨Sttots怎么这么严格
“应该的啦。我才23岁，还在成长期。虽然打四年了，但我觉得自己像二年级生
还在学习阶段啦” 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.’’
身为Nurk的心灵老师，Lillard很好奇Stotts怎么指导Nurk的。
他认为这是Stotts执教内容当中最被低估的一部份 - 善用队上每一个球员的能力
“对Nurk讲话时，他会比较大声，但不是为了要骂他”Lillard说
“内容比较像是‘Nurk，你可以做得更好’ 或是 ‘别那样打，我要你硬起来’
而这些东西是Nurk有时候需要听到的”
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.’
当Nurk硬起来的时候，是能够缴出像打热火那场27分16板3锅的宰制表现，但他也常隐形
整个赛季，Nurk常常忘记要打什么play、随手乱扔，心态上也患得患失
Nurk说换做在过去 - 他在丹佛的时光，这样乱打就等著被冰，而且教练对你惦惦的
不过Stotts整个赛季都会不断帮他上课，虽然很严格
“我从来没遇过这款教练”Nurkic说“从来没遇过哪个教练这么信任我...以前丹佛那个
不会跟我讲东讲西也不会让我继续打。现在我遇到了一个会跟我讨论每个play的总仔
这是我梦寐以求的。而且他告诉我自己可以更强，这就是林北想要的
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.’’
这是Stotts的执教哲学 - 用正向有理的角度和球员讨论、沟通，取代责骂
“我不想给球员高高在上的感觉”Stotts说“我想他们也会从经纪人或其他球员、家人那
吸收很多资讯，所以我多半讲重点且尽可能点到为止。”
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.’’
但别搞错了，Lillard表示，Stotts总是会给Nurkic挑战，而且可能跟除了小贾外的任何人
一样凶，Lillard说这是Stotts的方针。毕竟大家每次想到Stotts都说他是好好先生
“大家总是低估总仔，因为他人太好”Lillard说“他不会大吼大叫 - 总是笑咪咪的
但忽略他总是能让你学到东西”
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说不管教练讲什么，始终取决于球员本身态度。
“我要给Nurk肯定”Stotts说“他很认真的在和我们助理教练学习。
球员要进步，还是得发自内心主动”
而在Nurk身上，关键是如何挖掘出他的天分。Lillard认为Nurk在丹佛的时像是块璞玉
Stotts则是交替用糖果与鞭子的方式让他成长
“我们后来了解你如果念Nurk，他会回嘴。他不开心的时候就会这样”Lillard表示
“总仔也知道Nurk有时候会很毛燥，他会给你一些空间。但该指正的错误，他绝对会讲”
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.’
也许最具体得的执教内容在于明星赛期间，教练团重新设计了Nurk的投篮训练内容。
Nurk被告知他只能练习在比赛中会用到的投篮方式以取代无意义的乱扔
“远离乱抛”Stotts说“他现在投入更多模拟实战的投篮练习，看来逐渐收到回报”
明星赛后，Nurk有着全方位的进步 : 命中率从48%->55%，得分从14.1->15.0
篮板则是从8.2变成10.3个
“如果他能一直这样”Lillard说“我们会是不同的球队”
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说他的表现对球队有多重要，是Stotts整季一直对他耳提面命的重点
“他告诉我这个队有多么需要我”Nurk说“队友们知道我能缴出什么成绩，只要我表现好
我们赢球机会就很大”
更惊人的是Nurk还有不小的进步空间。Lillard说Stotts这种鞭策模式促使Nurk打开进步的
开关“当他信任我、也接受教练的相信我之术‘你可以更好’之类的互信关系”Lillard说
“他感受到了大家的爱，他不是怪胎。只要你真诚待他，希望他更好，他会用他的全部
来回报你”