Basketball fans in Ohio and the Bay Area will obviously think it's wonderful having the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers meet in the first three-match in NBA history. Basketball fans in general get to enjoy two of the most dominant teams ever assembled go at it in what's quickly become an annual series of haymakers.
对于俄亥俄州和湾区的球迷朋友们来说，看着勇士和骑士历史性连续三年在总决赛的舞台上二人转，他们心里其实乐开了花。而对于一般的篮球迷来说，能看到两支前所未有的超级强队一年一次地捉对厮杀，也不失为是一种享受。
And yet it's also possible that you can love basketball but at the same time hate that the same two teams are facing each other for the third consecutive year in the NBA Finals. The most obvious argument against such an occurrence is that it has devalued what the other 28 organizations have accomplished in that time. The NBA has become predictable.然而，作为一个真正的篮球迷，有时，你可能会因为这两支球队连续三次出现在总决赛而感到忿忿不平。让人气愤的是，其他球队辛辛苦苦大半年，却是在为他人做嫁衣。忽然间，NBA不再是那个奇迹发生之地了。So, for the next few days, VICE Sports will take a look at every team that's conceivably in line to end the dynastic Warriors vs. Cavaliers stranglehold, possibly as early as next season.所以，在接下来的几天中，VICE体育（体育栏目组）将深入探索联盟中的每支球队，立足事实，找出能打破骑士vs勇士格局的球队。也许，下个赛季，它们就能成功。The teams will be separated into three categories—"Growing long shots", "The fatalistic upper-middle class", and "(Maybe) one player away".我们把这些队伍依照特点分成三组：“我是潜力股”，“命中注定我克你”，和“我们就差谁谁谁了”。First up, the long shots: two young teams that are on the right track, and could leapfrog teams in front of them as early as next season if they make a few creative moves this summer.首先，我们看第一组“我是潜力股”：这组中，有两支球队已经迈上正轨，如果夏天来几波神操作，就能在下赛季翻身做主，把那些强队按在身下摩擦了。Minnesota Timberwolves
明尼苏达森林狼At first glance, this is ridiculous. The Timberwolves won 31 games as the NBA's youngest team last season. They finished 26th in defense (dead last in back-to-backs), and, perhaps even more disturbing, 30th in three-point rate.
我知道，乍一看，森林狼不该出现在这里。这支平均年龄联盟最小的球队上个赛季支赢了31场比赛。他们的防守排在联盟第26位（背靠背的比赛中则排在倒数第一）。在三分方面，他们的命中率全联盟最差。All that's very bad. But the first year of Thibodeau's reign was more of a necessary culture shock than an alarming disappointment. The Timberwolves have their framework set: a brilliant head coach, a franchise center, and a physically-gifted wing.这些都不是什么好迹象。但是，这毕竟是锡伯杜执教的第一年，他需要时间来为狼队注入他的比赛理念。这时候就对他失望透顶，还为时过早。年轻的森林狼已经有了合适的建队基础:一位出色的教练，一个伟大的中锋，再加上一个运动天赋爆棚的侧翼。But if accelerating said timeline and competing with Golden State next season is the goal, Minnesota can throw itself into the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes by offering the Bulls whoever's selected with the seventh pick (Jonathan Isaac, Malik Monk, Dennis Smith Jr., etc.), LaVine, Gorgui Dieng, and their first available unprotected first-round pick two years after the previous one is conveyed.但是，如果森林狼下赛季打算搞个dfuis，想和勇士扳扳手腕的话，那么，他们应该把宝压在吉米-巴特勒身上。他们可以打包今年的七号签、拉文、吉昂和他们下一个不受保护的一轮选秀权，从公牛换来巴特勒。If real-life factors such as the luxury tax (which Minnesota would shoot into by 2019) or a desire to patiently cultivate their preternaturally gifted youth are eliminated from the equation, it's technically possible for Minnesota to offer someone like Paul Millsap a four-year max contract. Rubio, Wiggins, Butler, Millsap, and Towns is a hellacious starting five.现实情况是，考虑到森林狼大概会在2019年开始交奢侈税，而他们无与伦比的天赋会慢慢衰退，森林狼可能会给保罗-米尔萨普开出四年顶薪大合同。“卢比奥+维金斯+巴loc+米尔萨普+唐斯”，这先发五虎真是强到爆炸。All this seems fantastical because it probably is, but the Timberwolves will still need to take a swing in free agency this summer before their cap space gets tied up in extensions for Wiggins and LaVine, then Towns the following summer. It's doubtful Thibodeau wants to get any younger, so it's reasonable to wager that this year's draft pick may be on the block.理想很丰满，现实却很骨感。这个夏天，森林狼需要在自由市场上一展拳脚，才能赶在维金斯和拉文的薪水（在他们之后，唐斯也要续约了）填满工资帽前，给球队带来希望。站在锡伯杜的角度说，他并不希望森林狼的球员更加年轻化，所以我敢打赌，森林狼会兜售今年的选秀权。This new version of the Timberwolves would be a championship favorite heading into most seasons, but are they good enough to compete with the Warriors? It's possible.这种设想下的森林狼无疑是一支总冠军争夺者，但是，他们有能力和勇士一较高下吗？答案是肯定的。If Towns makes a gargantuan Year 3 leap (particularly defensively) and Wiggins continues to excel as a cutter within an offense that no longer needs him to post-up three times every game. These Timberwolves would provide match-up questions on both ends that Golden State has never seen before.如果唐斯能在他的第三个赛季继续飞速进步（尤其是防守端），维金斯能在合适的体系下减少低位单打，增加无球切入，那么森林狼就有机会打败勇士。到时候，森林狼会在攻防两端给勇士带来前所未有的挑战。Minnesota's improved three-point shooting would remain a concern, but it's possible that wouldn't even matter if Golden State couldn't stop Towns.的确，森林狼的三分球可能会成为他们的短板。但是，如果勇士队找不到限制唐斯的办法的话，那么这块短板也就不那么致命了。Unleashing Godzilla in the post, forcing defenders to double off Wiggins, Rubio, Butler, and Millsap could play into Minnesota's hands. If Towns can control tempo with his back to the basket and force the Warriors to mud wrestle in the half-court, it'd be fun to see how they respond.进攻端，森林狼可以让唐斯落入低位，变身成哥斯拉，也可以迫使防守球员去包夹维金斯，从而最大化卢比奥、巴loc和米尔萨普的作用。甚至，如果唐斯能够控制自己要位的节奏，在中场就和勇士球员缠斗，很难想象勇士能如何应对。Milwaukee Bucks
密尔沃基雄鹿队The big difference between Milwaukee and Minnesota—besides one's attempt to topple the Warriors and the other trying to stifle LeBron James—is flexibility. The Timberwolves can open up max cap space while the Bucks may not have any to spend at all.
雄鹿队和森林狼队最大的不同便是，森林狼想挑战勇士，而雄鹿队则想把詹姆斯从王座上拉下来。然而，森林狼有的是薪资空间，而雄鹿没有。It starts with Greg Monroe's $17.8 million player option. Even if he and Spencer Hawes (owner of a $6 million player option) both opt out, Milwaukee renounces all its cap holds, and then trades the 17th overall pick, the most cap space they can clear is about $15 million.这还得从格雷格-门罗那个价值1780万美元的球员选项说起。即便门罗和斯宾塞-霍伊斯（身背600万美元的球员选项）都不接受球员选项，雄鹿再想方设法清理空间，交易掉他们今年的第十七顺位，他们能拿出来的最大的薪资空间也支有1500万美元而已。With that they can afford about half of a max-caliber player, which, you know, isn't great.这1500万能让他们签下一名半顶薪的球员，但是我们都知道，这点钱签不来超级巨星。If Milwaukee desires cap space, it can probably dump John Henson's contract by attaching it to their first-round pick, but if Monroe opts out they'll actually need Henson to play some backup five.如果雄鹿队急着释放薪资空间的话，他们可能会搭上自己的选秀权，找球队接下约翰-亨森的大合同。可是，如果门罗跳出了合同，那么他们又需要一位像亨森这样的替补中锋。Add all this together and it means the Bucks have to bank on improvement from what they already have. The good news-- They own a house made of gold.综上所述，雄鹿外部补强的机会不大，只有从内部挖掘潜力了。好消息是，“雄鹿自有黄金屋，雄鹿自出MVP”。It's hard to fathom how good the Bucks can/will be once their three best players are all healthy and near their prime at the same time. Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, and Khris Middleton shared the floor exactly zero minutes last season. The year before, those three played 1475 minutes together, with a +0.3 net rating.如果雄鹿的三名核心球员都能在各自的巅峰期保持健康的话，这支球队的战力将不可估量。事实上，上个赛季中，雄鹿的三位明星球员——字母哥，贾巴里-帕克和克里斯-米德尔顿，一同出场的时间是零。上上个赛季，他们仨在一起打了1475分钟，每百回合净胜分只有+0.3。But none were as good as they'll be in 2017-18, especially Antetokounmpo. There's a decent chance sometime next year "move like Giannis" will permanently replace "move like a gazelle" as the go-to simile that describes graceful gallivanting.当然，那时候他们仨都没现在这么厉害，尤其是字母哥。以前，我们看到球员优雅地行进，会笑着说他是“动如藏羚羊”。而明年，我们很可能会换个说法，来上一句“动如字母哥”。A quick glance at his body reveals that it was built for two possible occupations: 1) gliding by NBA defenders in the open floor, 2) supplanting the United States Postal Service as a new way to deliver cross-country mail.他那副体格，天生就是做两种事的材料：第一，一步过那些NBA里的球员；第二，用他那长手长脚去送快递，让美国邮政相形见绌。Already a second-team All-NBA tornado, elite shot-blocker, pseudo-MVP candidate, and consistently improving phenomenon who's accomplished all he has without a respectable outside shot, Antetokounmpo will be only 23 years old next season.
目前，字母哥已经是2阵成员，出色的盖帽手，潜在的MVP球员，一个没有精准跳投却仍让防守方闻风丧胆的现象级球员。更恐怖的是，下个赛季，他才23岁。A top-10 player who can elevate into the top five is the most critical ingredient required by any Eastern Conference team that wants to sack the Cavs. But it's not enough.要想在东部狙击骑士，最基本的要求就是当家球星的实力得“坐十望五”。但一个人的力量是不够的。The Bucks need Parker to be 100 percent healthy (he's not expected to return until next year's All-Star break), competent on defense, and to perform with the experience and maturity of a 28-year-old. (He'll be 22 next year.)雄鹿需要帕克满血归来（帕克得到下个赛季全明星周末后才能复出），需要他打出铁血的防守，还需要他表现的像个经验丰富的老兵（帕克下赛季22岁）。Even still, assuming everyone on last year's team is better next season, the Bucks still have a schematic issue to solve against the Cavaliers.但是，就算雄鹿的每个球员都能在下赛季更进一步，雄鹿还是得解决他们的当务之急，才能击败骑士。Even when executed with consistency, Milwaukee's trap-and-recover defense is illogical against Cleveland's three-point shooting. Instead, given the length and quickness up and down their roster, they should switch every screen without skipping a beat. That's the best way to limit open three-point opportunities and force the Cavaliers to attack in less dangerous ways.虽然雄鹿在防守端纪律严明，但是，他们对骑士“诱敌深入再补防”的防守策略却是不明智的。他们应该做的是，调整身高和速度，在面对挡拆时坚决换防。这样，他们才能限制骑士三分出手，迫使骑士在进攻端冒险。Antetokounmpo and Maker provide unprecedented physical gifts as a rim-protecting duo that can also contain ball-handlers in space. And their evolution could very well be what ends LeBron's run.字母哥和梅克的身体天赋使得他们俩既能护框，又能对持球者施压。所以，一旦他们完成进化，就很有可能封死詹姆斯的突破。If their collective progress transpires at a faster rate than most expect, we could see a new team in the Eastern Conference Finals as early as next season.而如果雄鹿队全队都能超出专家们的预期，更快地完成进化，那么，最快在下赛季，我们就能见证另外一支东部球队登上总决赛的舞台了。更多精彩内容请关注微信公众号、新浪微博：篮球英文堂