warrior godfather

Chapter 301 Shocking reversal (5000)

April 6, San Antonio, AT&T Center.

In the slightly dim video room, Popovich and Budenholzer are getting together, watching Leonard's college game tape attentively.

Seeing the young man on the screen viciously stealing the opponent face to face, Popovich nodded slightly. He admired the young man's keen sense of smell and toughness on the defensive end.

Budenholzer noticed the change in Popovich's expression and said:
"Greg, we have been in the first or second round for three consecutive years. It is time for a change. I firmly believe that Leonard is the talent we are waiting for. I can guarantee that if we miss Leonard, we You will regret it later!"

Popovich leaned back slightly, leaned on the back of the chair, put his left hand on his chin, rubbed it gently, and frowned.

Two days ago, Leonard came to the Spurs to participate in the trial training. Budenholzer watched the whole trial training. In the past two days, he has been strongly recommending Leonard to Popovich.

"Mike, I like this kid too, but you know, we don't have the right bargaining chip, so..." Popovich shrugged, the unfinished meaning was very obvious.

Budenholzer said in a slightly eager tone:
"No, we can send George. With Tony here, George won't have too many opportunities. We can use him to trade up for a lottery pick, and then pick Leonard!"

"George? No, he is Tony's successor, we can't send him away." Popovich refused decisively.

"Greg, Leonard's potential is far higher than George!" Budenholzer looked a little anxious, and suddenly his eyes lit up, and he said, "Warriors! The Warriors tried out Leonard alone, and Ronan is also very excited." Optimistic about his potential, this is a strong proof that Leonard's talent has been recognized by him."

Popovich moved in his heart and asked:

"Ronan? He is an excellent head coach, and he has indeed selected many outstanding young people. If he is also optimistic about Leonard, it can really explain something... What did he say?"

Budenholzer said:

"He didn't participate in the trial training of Leonard. It was Larry Riley who led the trial of Leonard. Ronan didn't make any comments on Leonard, but the Warriors did try out Leonard alone..."

"Mike, you should be very clear. If this workout is organized by Larry Riley and Ronan is not even there, then it means nothing. Don't all the rookies that the Warriors try out are all Ronan Is someone optimistic? And Ronan is not sharp-eyed, he also has misjudged times, and just one trial training can't explain anything. It is impossible for the Warriors to select Leonard with the No. [-] pick." Popovich said.

Budenholzer whispered:

"Maybe they'll trade down and split the No. [-] pick into several late first-round picks."

Popovich sneered:
"If it were you, would you do this?"

Budenholzer shook his head dejectedly, but he soon cheered up again, and said firmly:

"Greg, I am really optimistic about Leonard. His talent may not be so outstanding, but he is a very hard-working player. His current skills are poor. Not everyone is an unborn super genius like Tim who can learn everything in a short period of time. But I see a lot of the same qualities in Tim in him - low-key, tenacity, tenacity, hard work, believe me, just pick With him, he will be the cornerstone of the Spurs for the next 20 years!"

Popovich was infected by Budenholzer's sincere attitude, thought carefully, and then said in an uncertain tone:
"Mike, I know you are thinking about the team, Richard is old, we do need to add new blood to the wing ... But Leonard is not a shooter, he is not a scorer, he is just a rebounder He's just a big man, and Hill has shown his potential. Leonard only has static talent, and he lacks athletic ability. After coming to the NBA, no one knows whether he can grab so many balls from his opponents. He's full of unknowns."

Budenholzer understood it with emotion, and Popovich moved with reason.

Popovich likes Hill very much, thinks he can succeed Tony Parker in the future, and doesn't want to send him away.

Moreover, he is very resistant to players like Leonard who are not solid enough in basic skills, which is contrary to his basketball philosophy. In addition, Leonard's performance in physical tests that reflect athletic ability such as jumping and back-and-forth running is very mediocre. Popovich is not optimistic about his future development prospects as a forward player.

Budenholzer opened his mouth, but he didn't say anything to refute. He knew that what Popovich said was true, but his intuition cultivated as an assistant coach for many years told him that the Spurs would miss Leonard. regret.

He sees star potential in Leonard as he did when he first met Duncan years ago.

Budenholzer took a deep breath:

"Greg, for the sake of our ten-year friendship, please seriously consider my suggestion. Leonard is really not to be missed!"

Popovich looked at his old friend's sincere eyes, and smiled wryly. Budenholzer had already said this, and he couldn't refuse, so he could only nod helplessly:
"Okay, I will definitely think about it seriously, give me a few more complete game videos of Leonard, I need to study it carefully."

……

After Leonard, the Warriors also organized several trial trainings, but these were not individual trial trainings, but invited several rookies with relatively low drafts at one time to conduct trial training together.

The closer Kings and Lakers also invited the Warriors to hold a large-scale joint trial, but Larry Riley refused.

He is well aware of the value of the list given to him by Zhang Yu. How can he share the rookies that the boss is optimistic about with other teams?
Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, Davis Bertans, Chandler Parsons, Reggie Jackson and Isaiah Thomas were all in Oakland for workouts.

Larry Riley is quite satisfied with their performance. Although it is impossible to get them all in the bag, the Warriors have more choices.

Of course, in order to confuse the public, Larry Riley did not arrange the trial training completely according to the list given by Zhang Yu. He invited many candidates who were not within the scope of the Warriors' inspection, so that other teams could not judge the real goal of the Warriors.

At the same time, he also explored other teams' draft targets by asking the public relations department to study media reports and use contacts to scout for news.

Every draft is a different kind of war for the teams with high draft picks. The management of each team tries their best to hide their goals, listen to the goals of other teams, and then make decisions. Various trades and sniping to find the most talented rookie.

Only the Cavaliers, holding the No. [-] pick, can flirt with Kyrie Irving with confidence, without worrying about other teams cutting off their beards.

Besides the Cavaliers with the No. [-] and No. [-] picks, the Warriors have received the most attention from other teams.

There is no other reason, Larilai attracted everyone's attention with a big news, he wants to trade the Warriors' No. [-] pick!

This is expected by other teams. As a team that reached the Western Conference finals, the Warriors already have too many rookies in the team. Coach Z is unlikely to choose many more rookies, and the Warriors have no room to train.

As for the Warriors seeking gold from low-ranked rookies, no one has considered this possibility. No matter how good Coach Z is, it is impossible to select excellent immediate players from the second-round picks and undrafted picks every time.

Just look at Jeremy Lin, who performed very mediocre last season, and Whiteside, who had few opportunities to play, and you can know that Coach Z also sometimes misses it.

Therefore, in the face of the No. [-] pick put out by the Warriors, many teams that want to rebuild are ready to move. This year is a small year in the draft, but the No. [-] pick is still worth a gamble.

Soon, Larry Riley received several offers, some of which were tentative and some really wanted to trade, but he did not rush to agree, but patiently waited for the follow-up reactions of other teams.

Before the start of the draft, Larry Riley will not make a decision easily. The Warriors now have the initiative and he wants to maximize his interests.

Unable to make a decision, he must perform the tasks assigned by the boss to the best. This is his last stubbornness as a "tool man" general manager.

……

For the majority of fans, the draft is still very far away from them, and their attention is all on the finals in front of them.

At this point, the series between the Mavericks and the Heat has reached the fourth game.

The miserable defeat in G1 did not let the Heat lose their balance. They quickly completed their revenge in G2.

This was a game where neither side made too much of a mistake. Nowitzki regained his touch and scored 27 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. After recovering from the exhaustion of the seven-game battle with the Bulls, he took turns to play, and Sanying was the king of the field. The situation in the audience was very anxious.

At the critical moment, the Heat had better luck. James made a mid-range shot, but Nowitzki missed the equalizer three-pointer, and the Mavericks lost G2.

However, they retreated from Miami with a score of 1:1, and the situation is very favorable for them.

But the Heat then gave the Mavericks a blow in G3.

Wade showed his power, facing the Mavericks' zone defense, he used the most powerful way to force his way to the inside, dodging around the penalty area, scoring all kinds of magic shots, every ball must be dropped, and he repeatedly stood at the free throw line.

Nowitzki, who returned to the home court, performed in a mediocre state, only making 17 of 6 shots, and his state was very bad.

第四节打到7分钟，韦德就狂砍36分，率领热火以80:65领先小牛15分。

In the extremely fierce and slow-paced finals, this is already a very huge point difference.

Subsequently, Wade came off the court to rest, and James led the team on the court.

The Mavericks fans at the scene looked at Wade who returned to the bench, as if they saw the high-spirited and fast-moving Flash five years ago, and remembered that round of the series that they didn't want to recall anymore.

Is the painful past going to repeat itself again?

However, when the American Airlines Center fell into silence, the Mavericks players told the fans with practical actions that the past is gone, and they will never allow their former opponents to step on their bones to win the championship again.

This group of veterans who saw hope burned everything they had for the championship!
The Heat attacked, James missed a three-pointer, and Terry counterattacked and made a successful shot.

67:80, still 13 points away.

Looking back, the Mavericks defended, and James gave the ball to Chalmers at 45 degrees. The latter made an open three-pointer.

69:80, still 11 points away.

"Di-"

The Heat called a timeout.

Cheers reappeared in the silent American Airlines Center.

After the timeout ended, with 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Wade returned to the court.

But after the Heat sent a sideline ball, James did not give Wade, who felt hot, but chose to lay up himself, but Marion chased after him, Bogut blocked the layup and missed the layup, and Kidd grabbed it again. Rebound, passed to Terry, the Jets hit the basket, causing Bosh to foul, stand at the free throw line, and made two free throws.

71:80, still 9 points away.

Turning rounds, the Heat still held the ball to organize the offense, but facing the Mavericks' disciplined and full zone defense rotation, he never found a good opportunity. At the last moment, he distributed the ball to Bosh. The Dragon King made a mid-range shot at the buzzer and Marion protected him Rebounded, rushed out of the crowd, went straight to the frontcourt, and made a one-stop layup.

73:80, still 7 points away.

Looking back, James' breakthrough finally caused a foul and made two free throws.

73:82, the Heat lead by 9 points.

The Mavericks attacked, Nowitzki played with his back, the Heat flanked, Nowitzki scored the ball, and Kidd hit an open three-pointer steadily.

76:82, still 6 points away.

Round transition, James singles Marion with the ball, hits the iron in the mid-range shot, Bogut protects the rebound, Kidd dribbles across the half, the Mavericks lands, Terry and Nowitzki pick and roll, and Nowitzki draws away After the Heat's defensive attention, Yun stepped forward and hit a two-pointer.

78:82, still 4 points away.

"Di-"

The Heat called a timeout again, Spoelstra's face was as gloomy as water, and the American Airlines Center was already boiling.

Back from the timeout, the Heat sent a sideline ball, but Bosh stepped on the line and went out of bounds when receiving the ball, and the ball was transferred.

The Mavericks attacked, Kidd and Nowitzki picked and rolled, and the ball was given to Nowitzki, who was on the outside, and the king made a successful mid-range shot.

80:82, still 2 points away.

Looking back, James organized the offense and sent the ball to Haslem at the free throw line. The latter made a shot and the Mavericks counterattacked.

The Heat's offense was still organized by James holding the ball, but the Mavericks' zone defense was very tight, and the Heat's continuous transmission from the outside did not get a good chance. When the 24 seconds were approaching, Chalmers made a strong three-pointer.

At this moment, Wade rushed out from the crowd, point to the rebound, and Bosh point to James.

Afterwards, James continued to organize the offense with the ball, but the Mavericks once again defended against the Heat's offense. Almost 24 seconds later, James missed a three-pointer. Haslem grabbed the front board, but was intercepted by Marion. Kidd Dribble across half court.

The Mavericks fans at the scene all stood up, their voices were like thunder.

Dirk Nowitzki singled Bosh, the Heat's defense appeared chaotic, there was no flanking, Dirk Nowitzki's iconic golden rooster went into the net independently and hollowly.

82:82, the score was tied.

"Di-"

The Heat called a third timeout, Spoelstra took a deep breath, and barely suppressed the fury, while the American Airlines Center was completely boiling.

After returning from the timeout, the Heat sent a sideline ball, and Wade ran out in a circle to catch the ball.

This is the first time he has held the ball after scoring 36 points. At this time, it has been 6 minutes since his last single play with the ball.

Wade chose to play Kidd in singles, but his fiery touch cooled down in these 6 minutes. Wade missed a three-pointer and the rebound was protected by Bogut.

At this time, with 1 minute left in the fourth quarter, the blue ocean in the American Airlines Center was surging. Amidst the cheers, Nowitzki and Bogut set double screens for Terry in the high position, and then Bogut suddenly turned around Make a screen for Nowitzki, Terry points the ball to Nowitzki, Nowitzki catches the ball and shoots, and the three-pointer goes into the net.

85:82, the Mavericks lead by three points.

"Di-"

The Heat used the last timeout.

After the timeout, James held the ball to organize. He patiently looked for opportunities at the top of the arc, and finally gave the ball to Chalmers in the right corner. The latter hit a three-pointer that dreamed of returning to the 2008 NCAA Finals.

85:85, the score was tied.

"Di-"

The Mavericks called a timeout, and with only 16 seconds left in the game, the atmosphere at the scene became tense.

Soon, the timeout ended, the Mavericks sent a sideline ball, Kidd spent 7 seconds after hitting the ball, and distributed the ball to Nowitzki.

Nowitzki faced Bosh at the top of the arc, and the rest of the Mavericks opened up the space. Nowitzki observed Bosh's defense, dribbled the ball with his right hand, then turned his back, leaned hard on Bosh, and suddenly turned to the right Turn, make Bosh live a clean life, and hit a layup with a low hand!
At this time, there were only 3.4 seconds left in the game, and the Heat had no timeout. They quickly sent the baseline ball. James rushed to the frontcourt to pass the ball to Wade. Wade rode a horse and shot an arrow from a long distance. The rear edge of the box pops up high.

The difference is a thousand miles away.

boom!
The sound wave like a mountain roar and a tsunami swayed in the arena, and the fans seemed to be in a frenzy, laughing, jumping, and shouting, venting the ecstasy in their hearts.

With the Mavericks trailing by 15 points, they played a wave of 22:5 super climax. Nowitzki only made 17 of the first 6 shots, and made 5 of 4 shots at the critical moment, sweeping the last 9 points of the Mavericks. He scored a quasi-lore and led the team to complete a shocking comeback!

This victory gave the Mavericks a 2:1 lead over the Heat, and the Heat had problems on their own.

From this game on, James seemed to suddenly become unable to play, and he was completely lost in front of the Mavericks' defense.

In G4, Carlisle used a clever strategy to let the 38-year-old Kidd defend James.

James tried to catch the ball and play Kidd with his back, but Kidd accurately predicted every move of James, which made him return without success many times.

At the end of the second quarter, James tried to foul Kidd by breaking through, but Kidd predicted his action and stood up in advance, and James was called an offensive foul instead.

Since then, James has completely languished on the offensive end. He can't even beat the 1-meter Barea!

He has been organizing, has been organizing, and missed a few shots in the middle. He only made 7 of the first 1 shots, and his performance was terrible.

Fortunately, the Heat still have Wade, and the Flash once again supported the Heat's offense. After the first three quarters, the Heat even led the Mavericks by 74:65.

Zhang Yu intercepted Hu Chandler and replaced the center with Bogut, which still had a great impact on the Mavericks' inside defense.

But in the fourth quarter, Terry stood up again, driving the Mavericks to set off a counterattack frenzy, and James' singles completely disappeared in the third quarter. The Mavericks completely focused on Wade. The Flash always has a thousand ways There is nowhere to show his skills, and he can only watch helplessly as the point difference is gradually smoothed out.

In the end, with Nowitzki breaking through Haslem's key layup, the Mavericks narrowly beat the Heat 86:83, leading their opponents 3:1 by a big score, and won the final match point!
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(End of this chapter)