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Saturday Today was our first game of the season, and it was at the elementary-school hall. Coach Patel asked everyone to get there half an hour early so we could go over the plan and warm up. Mr Patel showed us a few new plays he designed, which looked like they must've taken all night to draw up. I just hoped the other guys on the team understood what all the little symbols were supposed to mean, because it was complete gibberish to ME. 130

星期六 今天是我们本赛季的第一场比赛，赛场就在小学体育馆里。 帕特尔教练让大家提前半小时到场，这样我们就能过一遍战术、做好热身。 帕特尔先生给我们展示了几个他设计的新战术，看起来肯定花了一整晚才画完。 我只希望队友们都能看懂这些小符号的意思，因为这对我来说完全是看不懂的乱码。 130

While we were going over the plays, the stands started filling up. I was nervous to play in front of a crowd, but it turns out I didn't need to worry about it. Because when Coach Patel put in his starting line-up I wasn't in it. We were playing against Franklin, which is a town that's twenty minutes down the road from us. Things got off to a rocky start when Franklin won the opening tip-off and took it all the way down to the other end for a lay-up. And that set the tone for the rest of the game. 131

我们商量战术的时候，看台上渐渐坐满了观众。 要在众人面前打球，我特别紧张，结果我根本没必要操心这个。 因为帕特尔教练报首发名单的时候，里面根本没有我。 我们的对手是富兰克林队，富兰克林镇离我们这儿要走二十分钟的路。 比赛一开始就出师不利，富兰克林队抢到开场跳球，一路冲到我们篮下投进了上篮。 之后整场比赛的糟糕基调就这么定下来了。 131

Kevin Pomodoro was our point guard, because he's the only kid on our team who can dribble while looking up. But Kevin was basically playing one- handed, because every time he needed to yell out one of Coach Patel's plays he'd have to take his retainer out so people could understand him. BLUE SIX! BLUE SIX! BOOMP Eventually the Franklin players caught on, and whenever Kevin would call a play they'd go for the steal. SGUNHA SWIPE 132

凯文·波莫多罗是我们的控球后卫，因为他是队里唯一一个能边抬头边运球的孩子。 但凯文基本只能单手打球，因为每次他喊帕特尔教练的战术，都得把牙套取下来大家才能听懂。 蓝六！ 蓝六！ 轰！ 后来富兰克林队的球员摸出了规律，每次凯文喊战术他们就上来抢球。 唰啦 抢断 132

Our team was trying its best to follow Coach Patel's new plays, but I don't think anyone knew who was an X and who was an O, so it was just pure confusion out there. SCRATCH SCRATCH OOF! OOF! ZCRUNCH Coach Patel started yelling at the kids on the bench like what was happening out there was OUR fault. And I just acted like I was ashamed because it seemed like that's what he was looking for. 133

我们队尽力跟着帕特尔教练的新战术打，但我觉得没人分得清谁是X谁是O，球场上完全乱成一团。 咯吱 哎哟！ 哎哟！ 咔啦 帕特尔教练开始对着板凳席的我们吼，说场上的烂摊子全是我们的错。 我就装出一脸惭愧的样子，因为这看起来就是他想看到的反应。 133

Coach Patel started subbing kids out of the game, and I was getting worried he was gonna put ME in. So I moved to the end of the bench and just prayed he'd forget I was there. But Mom was in the stands, and she wasn't exactly helping.

帕特尔教练开始把场上的孩子换下来，我越来越担心他会把我换上场。 所以我挪到了板凳的最末端，只祈祷他能忘了我还在这儿。 可我妈妈就在看台上，她完全没帮上忙。

Even though the elementary-school hall is our home court, it's not like we have a home court ADVANTAGE. First of all, the hall is about seventy years old, and there are all sorts of dead spots on the floor. So even when someone on our team would try to get something going they'd end up losing their dribble. Plus, there's bubblegum and other crud caked on the floor. And on a fast break Jabari Bruce actually lost a shoe running down the court. 135

虽然小学体育馆是我们的主场，但我们根本沾不到一点主场优势的光。 首先，这个体育馆已经有七十年历史了，地板上到处都是不平的死点。 所以就算我们队的球员想组织进攻，最后都会把球弄丢。 再说了，地板上还粘满了口香糖和各种脏东西。 一次快攻的时候，贾巴里·布鲁斯跑全场居然把鞋子给跑掉了。 135