2013-14賽季NBA熱門問題，布魯克林1.89億美元的投資會打水漂嗎？近期美媒體評論道，這個數目是籃網老闆米哈伊爾-普羅霍羅夫今年在陣容上的投資，包括領先聯盟的工資單(league-leading payroll)和8900萬美元的奢侈稅(luxury taxes)。如果籃網打造這個陣容不是為了奪冠，那簡直太糟了。如果他們這些魅力非凡的老將們團結一致打趴了年輕的競爭者，將會是個精彩至極的故事（It would be a tremendous story if their charismatic stars could rally together to beat the younger contenders.）。但是顯然很多年輕的隊伍更適合NBA漫長的賽季（But there are too many younger teams better suited to withstand the long NBA schedule.）。

籃網也許可以從馬刺那裏獲得靈感，但是馬刺仍是冠軍的有力爭奪者，因為在鄧肯和馬努-吉諾比利身邊有充滿活力的年輕人，同時托尼-帕克仍舊盡可能常常推動比賽節奏。籃網並不適合力量打法（These Nets are not built to exude energy.）。布魯克-洛佩茲和喬-約翰遜身邊的凱文-加內特，保羅-皮爾斯和傑森-特裏，都超過36歲了。他們最年輕的巨星，29歲的德隆-威廉姆斯，由於近年來的傷病速度也慢了下來。除了安德烈-基裏連科外他們沒有速度，基裏連科很難保持健康，在他最近的8個賽季中缺席了151場比賽。説籃網有足夠深度通過常規賽取得成績的人實在太不切實際了。在賽季結束的時候他們還會變老，年齡是他們脆弱的一面（They're still going to be old at the end of the season, and their age is going to leave them vulnerable. ）。

Will Brooklyn make good on its $189 million investment?That's how much Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is investing in this year's roster between his league-leading payroll plus $89 million in luxury taxes. It's as if he's trying to compete with the Yankees rather than the Heat. The short answer is that the Nets are not built to win the championship, and that's too bad. It would be a tremendous story if their charismatic stars could rally together to beat the younger contenders. But there are too many younger teams better suited to withstand the long NBA schedule.

The Nets may seek inspiration from San Antonio, but the Spurs have remained relevant because they've worked in young athletic legs around Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili while Tony Parker has continued to push the tempo as often as possible. These Nets are not built to exude energy. They've surrounded Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, all 36 or older. Their youngest superstar, 29-year-old Deron Williams, has been slowed by physical setbacks for a couple of years now.

DOLLINGER: Nets in top 10 of preseason Power Rankings. They have little speed apart from Andrei Kirilenko, who has had problems staying healthy, missing 151 games over his last eight NBA seasons. Those who say the Nets have the depth to pace themselves through the regular season are being romantic. They're still going to be old at the end of the season, and their age is going to leave them vulnerable.

☆☆☆☆☆籃球專業術語
☆payroll工資單， league-leading payroll聯盟領先工資單；
☆luxury tax奢侈稅；
☆rally (球類運動等)連續對打，rally together群起而攻之；
☆long NBA schedule漫長的NBA賽季；

☆☆☆☆☆五星級詞彙及短語
☆investment投資n. 投資；投資額；可投資的東西；投資的財産，投資的對象
(時間、精力等的)投入；
☆charismatic超凡魅力的；神賜能力的，charismatic star具備超凡魅力的巨星；
☆exude vt. 散發；流出；使滲出；vi. 流出；滲出；發散；exude energy激情四射，力量爆發；
☆ vulnerable易受攻擊的，易受…的攻擊；易受傷害的；有弱點的，經常用來形容球隊脆弱的詞語。