Chapter 140: Yao Ming's Weight Loss
Since Lian Dao needed to practice extra at night, he planned to rest for a while after finishing his training meal and then get back to work.
After he ate, most of his teammates left, leaving only Millsap still in the arena.
Apart from Lian Dao, Millsap was the hardest worker on the Knicks. He had fought his way up from being a second-round pick and knew that he wasn't as talented as some of the others. Because of this, Millsap dedicated a lot of time to training, which is why he secured his spot in the starting lineup.
D'Antoni appreciated Millsap's hard work. In the league, many players have physical talent, but few truly make the most of it. Many gifted players lose their way after entering the NBA and end up becoming mediocre. In contrast, recent players who have shown consistent improvement aren't typically standout second-round picks; they've battled through rigorous training to earn their place on the team.
After finishing his meal, Lian Dao greeted Millsap.
"Do you want to practice together?" Lian Dao asked with a smile.
Millsap shook his head in refusal, as if he had heard something scary. Lian Dao understood; everyone has their own training style, and high-intensity practice isn't the best for everyone. After saying goodbye, he walked to his training area.
The Knicks struggled with their outside scoring; besides Lian Dao, there was no reliable second scorer. In their last game, when Lian Dao was held back, no one else stepped up to score.
Wilson Chandler had the skills to shoot three-pointers and mid-range shots, but his shooting stability was lacking, especially from beyond the arc, where his percentage was low. Recently, D'Antoni had him focus on improving his three-point shooting, but significant changes would take time.
Another issue for the Knicks was their inside game. They were among the shortest teams in the NBA at that moment. The tallest starter, David Lee, stood at just 2.06 meters. While Lee excelled in scoring, rebounding, and passing, his defense was a major weakness—something that became clear during games against the Jazz.
General Manager Donnie Walsh recognized this issue, but acquiring reinforcements through trades was challenging. Walsh had firmly stated that cheap players weren't available for the Knicks.
Some teams had shown interest in Danilo Gallinari, who was performing well this season, especially off the bench, where he was emerging as a potential sixth man. However, offers from other teams were too low, and Lian Dao had developed good chemistry with Gallinari. D'Antoni also opposed trading him, intending to shape Gallinari into a solid sixth man.
The player the Knicks most wanted to trade was Al Harrington. With his contract ending this season, and Millsap already locked in as the starting power forward, Harrington's role had diminished significantly. Walsh hoped to trade Harrington, even for just a first-round pick, but many teams were hesitant.
Interestingly, the Jazz were looking to acquire Harrington. They hadn't matched Millsap's contract and needed to save salary cap space to re-sign Boozer, who hadn't yet extended his deal with the team. The Jazz were desperate for depth at the power forward position as they aimed for a playoff push.
However, Boozer had long been noncommittal about staying with the Jazz, and the current situation was tense—both sides were in a tricky position.
Initially, the Knicks had traded Jamal Crawford for Harrington, offering a 2010 first-round pick and a 2011 first-round pick. But the Jazz rejected this proposal. They were unlikely to trade two consecutive first-round picks, especially with the 2011 draft expected to be strong.
Now, the two teams were stuck in negotiations, each waiting for a breakthrough.
After arriving at the training area, Lian Dao began to work on his footwork inside the paint. He planned to save his multiplayer confrontational shooting and double-teaming breakthrough drills for his training in the system space later that night. In that space, there were virtual defenders with a much higher defensive quality than those of the trainers, offering twice the effectiveness for his practice.
With the points he had accumulated in recent games, Lian Dao could exchange them for more training time in the system space.
His footwork training technique was based on advice he received from Yao Ming. It included low-handed layups and hooks, structured in groups where he would perform a set number of hooks for a set number of groups. The trainer acted as a defender, using two extension sticks to block Lian Dao's shots at the basket.
*When!*
*Swish!*
The sounds of their training echoed in the gym. Millsap focused on improving his three-point shooting. The Knicks needed him to hit those outside shots to create space, making it easier for Lian Dao to drive to the basket. If the opponent collapsed on defense, Lian Dao's penetration could set up open looks for Millsap.
After an hour of training, Lian Dao took a break. He understood the importance of balancing training and rest; training had to be scientific. Chris Brickley had emphasized this point as well.
Many players suffered from lingering injuries due to overtraining. Once these injuries flared up, they could significantly affect a player's career. A prime example was Gilbert Arenas. Selected by the Warriors as the 31st overall pick, Arenas rose from the bench to become an All-Star. However, his peak seemed to end in the 2006–07 season, when he scored 60 points at Staples Center. He gradually faded from the spotlight, mainly due to injuries, which were largely caused by excessive training.
Years of pushing his body beyond its limits led to accumulated injuries, and when they finally surfaced, he could never return to his previous form. Therefore, scientific training was essential for every player looking to extend their career, and Lian Dao knew this well.
Speaking of Arenas, Lian Dao recalled that the "Gun Gate" incident would break out in December of this season. It was now November, and the event was just around the corner.
Just then, Millsap approached to say hello after finishing his extra training. He asked if Lian Dao wanted to join him, but Lian Dao told him to go ahead as he still had more to complete.
Once Millsap left, Lian Dao dove into his next round of training.
After finishing his workout, Lian Dao took a short rest and showered before driving home.
As soon as he got home, his phone rang—Yao Ming was calling. He congratulated Lian Dao for winning the Player of the Week award twice and breaking the NBA rookie scoring record. Yao Ming also shared some big news: he had decided to lose weight. His decision was partly inspired by Lian Dao's impressive performance at the start of the season, reigniting his competitive spirit for the 2012 Olympics.
Moreover, Yao Ming's doctor had advised him to lose weight to protect his health.
Excited by the news, Lian Dao remembered feeling regret over Yao Ming's injuries and retirement in his previous life. He was thrilled to have a chance to help change that outcome in this life.
Lian Dao provided Yao Ming with the contact information for his master, Guo Nianguo, and then called his master to give him a heads-up about Yao Ming's interest in Chinese medicine treatment.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone