2019 is undoubtedly a painful memory for the Warriors - a triple crown, Durant's departure from Brooklyn, Iguodala to Memphis (later joined the Heat), Thompson and Curry have been injured in quick succession, and Livingston has retired. It is undeniable that the smallest loss for the Warriors is probably Livingston's retirement, but to some extent, the Warriors have been able to achieve brilliant achievements before, and Livingston has contributed to it.
His reputation didn't make the Starter Five loud, but the effect of livingston's Iguodala combination sustained the Warriors' second-team lineup. In the Warriors' system, his tasks are also simple: empty cut baskets, counter-attack down, no-ball cover, and weak side defensive rotation, but these simple tasks, Kerr can not send others to glue the team as smoothly as Livingston.
For Livingston, his ambitions should be more than that, but the hidden dangers of injury have forced him to do so. Fans familiar with Livingston should know that he suffered a serious leg fracture in 2007 that almost cost him a career, but Livingston did not give in, and in the process of recovering, Livingston often tried to return to the game.
But also affected by the after-effects of injury, he returned to the game more like a kind of "lingering", in order to continue to live in the NBA, Livingston suffered a lot of upheavals. But Livingston did not succumb to fate, and he also tried to seize every opportunity that God had given him, and finally, Livingston, who regained his glory in the Warriors, choked the throat of fate. Looking back on his career experience is more like reading an inspirational story.
In 2004, Livingston was spotted by the Clippers, who also picked him off with the 4th pick in the first round. Based on the team's poor record, Livingston is also seen as a hope for a revival for the Clippers. What neither side expected, nor perceived, was that Livingston's journey in the NBA would be toss and turns.
In his first season, Livingston played only 30 games, and although he had 27.1 minutes of playing time per game, his stats were not abrupt and his performance did not match the strength of the fourth pick. If it is forgivable that a high-ranking player did not play well in the first season, then the second year, the third year is still at the usual level, which is difficult to say. Unfortunately, Livingston is just that.
However, the subsequent injury made Livingston walk on thin ice, and in an ordinary regular season game in 2007, Livingston broke his calf, and in the eyes of many people, Livingston's leg break was one of the most horrific injury moments in the history of the NBA. So much so that now that we watch that video, we can't bear to look directly at the picture at that time. In this way, under the devastation of injury, Livingston was abandoned by the Clippers, and his future was thus overshadowed.
Fourth pick in the first round, what a great start! Without injuries, Livingston would have been at the heart of the Clippers' team and a good wing forward in the league, but all of this was ruined by the fate-changing leg.
The NBA is brutal, and the team will not ruin the future of the team because of sympathy. After being abandoned by the Clippers, in the long days of recuperation, Livingston thought about giving up countless times, but often put this idea out of his mind. For Livingston, he was not reconciled, after all, he was only 21 years old in 2007, and if he gave up at this time, then his dream would be completely shattered.
In this way, Livingston, who did not succumb to fate, returned to the game again. It's just that based on the injuries in front of him, no team dares to overuse Livingston, so his statistics are also bland. From the Heat to the Thunder, from the Thunder to the Wizards, from the Wizards to the Bobcats (now the Hornets), from the Bobcats to the Bucks, as well as the Wizards, Cavaliers, and Nets, in just 6 seasons, Livingston has changed 8 teams!
During this period, the word displacement may only be used to describe Livingston. No matter which team he went to, Livingston was never used heavily, and it is undeniable that he also started and won high scores, but in the absence of a clear foothold, Livingston is still a "wanderer" after all. This tortuous day continues.
But even so, Livingston still did not give up, he found that his situation slowly improved, found that there is still strength to contribute to the team, he chose to move forward in pain. Finally, in the summer of 2014, Livingston caught up with this opportunity: this year, he joined the Warriors, and it coincided with Kerr's appointment and the "big change" of the Warriors' personnel, and in this way, Livingston's real career began.
In the Warriors' system, Livingston was placed as a substitute by Kerr, and although his playing time has decreased compared to the previous year at the Nets, the team has shown a different competitive state.
We all know the latter things, the Warriors have won 3 championships in 4 years, perhaps for the fans, they remember Curry, remember Thompson, remember the dream Green and coach Kerr, but when it comes to Livingston's name, they will not feel strange. After all, behind the superstar shine, it is he and many blue-collar players who silently support; after all, without Livingston, it is doubtful whether the Warriors can reach such heights.
Warriors fans must know that on the bench, the combination of Livingston and Iguodala is known as the "Second Elder of the Dark Ones." Not only because of their experienced and sophisticated, but also partly because of the suddenness of the two's skills, Iguodala's role as a member of the Death Five is naturally obvious, and for Livingston, his empty cut, his no-ball cover, and his "eating" signature - mid-range jumper are the moves that the Warriors' bench rely on the most.
In another dimension, Livingston is the glue to the Warriors' lineup. If there is a sharp spear, there must be a strong shield; if there is a fierce player, there must be a docile representative, so as to ensure the balance of the team's posture. Among them, Livingston is not the most capable, but his advantages can be used by the Warriors, which in turn releases his value.
In this way, the Warriors' fame is not only because of the superstar's play, their success is of course inseparable from characters like Livingston.
Perhaps Livingston felt credited with success, or perhaps Livingston felt his value stopped and he announced his retirement in the summer of 2019. But even so, Livingston must have no regrets, because he has fought, he has fought against fate, he has fought for his dreams, and even he has won championships that many star players can not touch in their lifetime.
From Livingston's point of view, it was all worth it! Not yielding to fate, he finally choked the throat of fate...