warrior godfather

Chapter 567 Thank you, my brother!

After the end of G1 between the Warriors and the Mavericks, Carlisle was interviewed and said very helplessly:

"We got our ass kicked by the Warriors, they have a tough defense, they have more energy than us, they have more guys who can play, Coach Z is definitely one of the best head coaches in the league, he found us Weaknesses...but it's just the first game, this series is far from over, we won't give up, I will study the game tape, find out how to deal with the Warriors' defense****** to the Warriors At that time, Zhang Yu was interviewed with Clay, Green and Middleton, who performed well today.

Clay was asked about today's performance. He looked at the technical statistics and blamed himself:
"I feel a little bad today, and I will play better in the next game. When Stephen is not around, I must take the responsibility of scoring..."

Green talked eloquently in front of the reporters, praised the team's tenacious defense, praised Middleton's performance, and said that after Curry was injured, the Warriors did not panic. Under the leadership of Zhang Yu, everyone has confidence Support until Curry returns from injury.

This season, Warriors players have been injured in turns. Green has participated in more and more post-game interviews. His answers are clear and to the point, and are popular with reporters.

Then came Middleton, who was interviewed for the first time in the playoffs, a little nervous:
"I'm just training hard and trying to take every opportunity I get to play. I'm happy to contribute to the team, especially in a stage like the playoffs. Thanks to the coach for giving me this opportunity..."

In the end is Zhang Yu. He said that this is a team victory. With the joint efforts of the whole team, the Warriors can win the game. He emphasized Green's defense and Middleton's scoring:
"With Stephen out, Drummond is our backbone on the court. He doesn't score much, but he leads the team with a phenomenal defense. He definitely deserves to be selected for the best defensive team...Chris will get more More playing time, his scoring is very important, without him, we can't win this game..."

This victory also relieved the uneasy Warriors fans. In the past two days, they have been arguing endlessly on the Internet.

Some are optimistic, thinking that even if Curry doesn't play, it will be a piece of cake for the Warriors to beat the Mavericks; some are pessimistic, thinking that the Warriors will not be able to play without Curry. Zhang Yu's reputation is all based on Curry. The truth will be revealed; there are also unidentified elements who are provoking wars everywhere, sowing discord, and fishing in troubled waters...

It turns out that only victory can bring people together, including fans.

After the Warriors won G1, the discordant voices were quickly suppressed. No one questioned Zhang Yu anymore. Those who stubbornly believed that Curry was the core of the Warriors and that Zhang Yu "stealed" Curry's reputation did not dare to speak anymore. Whether it's Reddit or Hupu's warrior zone, everything is peaceful.

……

On April 4, the Warriors and Mavericks took a day off to play the second game at the Oracle Center.

I don't know if the league did it intentionally or not. On this day, only two games were scheduled. The other game was the Clippers vs. Grizzlies, which ended just as the Warriors-Mavericks game started.

The national live broadcast is another exclusive time period. This game has attracted the attention of fans all over the United States. Many neutral fans are also interested to see what level the Warriors can play in the second playoff game after Curry is absent.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the stage has been set up, just waiting for the players to perform on stage.

Then, Klay Thompson began his performance.

In the last game, he took 17 shots and only made 7 hits. He made 12 of 5 three-pointers and no free throws. He scored 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. The efficiency was terrible.

Today, he accomplished redemption.

In this game, Clay was so hot that he exploded. In the first two rounds of the Warriors after the opening, he made two consecutive three-pointers with the cover, and then made another mid-range post-up single and hit a fadeaway jumper. , scored 8 points in a row, beat the Mavericks 8:0, Carlisle called a timeout urgently.

The moment the referee's whistle sounded, Clay punched hard and walked towards the Warriors' bench. The audience burst into cheers, and the audience raised their arms, and people shouted Clay's name.

At this moment, Curry was not on the scene, and Clay took over Curry's responsibilities.

After the timeout ended, the Mavericks stepped up their defense against Clay. When he ran without the ball, two people chased and intercepted him. This is the treatment that Curry only has.

But in front of Clay, who has found his touch, any defense is useless. He ignores all interference, shoots as soon as he catches the ball, and the ball is deadly.

第一节，克莱10投7中，三分球7中5，没有罚球，狂砍19分2篮板1助攻，率领勇士以31:18领先小牛13分。

Clay's outbreak also spread at an explosive speed on social media. More and more people turned on the TV to enjoy Clay's performance, and ESPN's ratings rose rapidly.

In the second quarter, the two sides switched to rotation. Clay also felt a little cold when he returned to the court because he sat on the bench for more than ten minutes. He only scored 5 points. The Mavericks chased the score to 42:47. Only 5 points behind the Warriors, the ratings also dropped a little.

But after the start of the second half, Clay fired again, scoring 3 three-pointers in a single quarter in the third quarter and scoring 13 points.

At the same time, Zhang Yu put on a lineup consisting of Clay, Leonard, Parsons, Antetokounmpo, and Green. With a score of 23:12, they beat the Mavericks by 11 points and widened the point difference to 16 points, establishing a huge lead.

Although the Warriors' lineup lacks ball-holding points, Clay feels hot and can attack without the ball. He accounts for more than half of his points.

Of the remaining 10 points, Leonard scored 5 points, Parsons 3 points, Antetokounmpo 2 points, and Green, as the only organization point, focused on defense and connecting teams without scoring a single point.

The Warriors' own score is not high, but the score of the Mavericks defense is even lower, successfully dragging the opponent into the quagmire of blacksmithing, and then defeating the opponent with rich experience.

Antetokounmpo didn't play in the last game, but Zhang Yu suddenly put him in the rotation today, and let him play together with the starter in the third quarter. As a member of the defensive version of the death five, it had an unexpected effect.

After he played, Zhang Yu arranged for him to dislocate to defend Marion, let Parsons, who is currently facing a better opponent, go against Nowitzki. The elastic net lures the Mavericks to come in, and then the three long-armed monsters, Green, Leonard, and Antetokounmpo, immediately surrounded them, forming an impregnable wall with strong defensive aggression, and immediately formed a counterattack opportunity after the steal.

Of Clay's 3 three-pointers, two were chasing three-pointers in a fast-break counterattack, and Antetokounmpo's 2 points also came from a dunk in a counterattack.

Green was the main instigator of the Warriors' counterattack. He scored 5 assists in a single quarter and revitalized the team's offense.

The Warriors didn't score many points in the third quarter, but the robbery defense and fast-break counterattack like a storm were very entertaining. ESPN's ratings soared again and greatly affected the morale of the Mavericks.

After entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors' momentum was like a rainbow, and the Warriors fans on the scene also spared no effort to make noise and shout loudly, creating an atmosphere that the Devils should have at home.

Inspired by the home fans, the Warriors players were more active in defense, while the Mavericks team was sluggish and their momentum was sluggish.

Although the Warriors' offensive efficiency was not high when Klay was not on the court, the Mavericks' offense was also in a quagmire.

In the end, the Mavericks never managed to narrow the point difference to single digits. The Warriors defeated the Mavericks 94:83, leading by 2:0.

Clay ushered in a big explosion. He made 26 of 16 shots, 16 of 8 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, scored 42 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, creating a personal career playoff scoring record. The record for the number of points made is an absolute contributor to the Warriors' victory.

He is also the second player in the Warriors to score 40+ in the playoffs besides Curry, which proved his strength once.

After Butler left the Warriors, the outside world generally believed that Clay would not be able to replace Butler and become the Warriors' second-in-command. No one believed that a player who mainly scored off the ball could still make a difference in high-intensity games.

Even though Clay had a relatively stable performance in the playoffs and finals before, people said that it was because the Warriors had Curry and Butler, and Clay was only the Warriors' third offensive option in order to maintain efficient performance.

In the regular season, Clay slapped them in the face, averaging 22.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. The three shooting percentages were 47.5%, 43.9%, and 87.9%. Even taller than Curry.

If he hadn't suffered an injury before the All-Star game and had a month's rest, he would definitely be selected for the All-Star team.

Although it is impossible for Clay to be selected as an All-Star starter because of the presence of first-line guards such as Westbrook, Paul, and Harden, it is more than enough to be selected as an All-Star substitute.

There is no way, the competition in the backcourt in the Western Conference is too fierce. If Westbrook, Kobe, and Clay all suffered injuries before the All-Star Game, Lillard, who has led the team to the ranks of the playoffs, and the veteran Star guard Parker can't even make it to the All-Star bench.

After Curry was injured, the outside world raised doubts about Clay again. Without "Curry has gravity", can Clay's off-ball running still work?

Clay has not responded. Today, he gave the answer on the court and severely slapped those who questioned him.

Clay's dazzling performance also covered up the light of others.

Nowitzki did not perform well today, only scored 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block, and sent a full 6 turnovers, especially at the critical moment when the Warriors opened the score in the third quarter, they sent 3 in a single quarter. mistakes.

The long arms of Green, Leonard, and Antetokounmpo straddled the passing lanes of the Mavericks players, laying a net of heaven and earth. In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks made 8 turnovers in a single quarter, 7 of which were steals. This is also the basis for the Warriors to set off an anti-polar storm.

At the end of the game, the Warriors were all soldiers on the defensive end, sending out a total of 14 steals. Whenever the Mavericks were about to rise, they would be intercepted and counterattacked by the Warriors.

格林是勇士防守端最大的功臣，得到6分11助攻12篮板5抢断1封盖的奇葩两双，统治了防守。

伦纳德13分5篮板2助攻3抢断，阿德托昆博5分5篮板1助攻2抢断，也是勇士防守端的功臣。

After the game, the Oracle Center turned into a sea of ​​joy. The audience didn't even have time to care about whether they would encounter traffic jams. They stayed in the arena to celebrate the Warriors' victory.

After winning G2, the Warriors led by a big score of 2:0. The odds of winning this round of the series have greatly increased. Warriors fans who are worried about the team's playoff prospects after Curry was injured can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

However, Zhang Yu was not as relaxed as the fans. He first praised the team's performance:
"Winning is a happy thing. We played tough defense again. Drummond is our soul on the defensive end. His every judgment is amazing... Klay's every shot is amazing. It's art, he leads us to wins, he's without a doubt one of the best shooting guards in the league..."

But then he said solemnly:

"But we still can't take it lightly. Winning the away game is the beginning of winning the series. What we need to do now is to forget about these two games and focus on the next game!"

Green and Clay also expressed the same opinion as Zhang Yu. They won two championships with the team. Although their rookie contracts have not been executed, they have already had a lot of experience in the playoffs, without the arrogance of young people.

Clay also said when asked about today's outstanding performance:
"Steph is not here, we all have to step up, I just happened to have a good hand today, I'm sure someone else will step up in the next game...Steph has saved the team many times, now it's our turn to fight for him !"

Curry still couldn't come to the scene to watch the game, but he saw Clay's interview at home, and when he was overwhelmed, he immediately sent a tweet:
"Thank you my brother for waiting for my return! @Klay-Thompson"

The tweet was accompanied by a photo of Curry holding popcorn and grinning, showing his gaping teeth.

Below this tweet, a Warriors fan joked:

"Stephen, take good care of your injuries and don't be in a hurry to come back. Clay is enough for us."

"Who is this guy who only knows how to giggle? He can't play basketball just by looking at it."

"You don't know who's swimming naked until the tide goes out, so you got tested!"

Ten minutes later, Clay sent a tweet to respond to Curry, but he didn't say anything, only a row of expressions wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigar, quite coquettish.

The ridicule of the fans showed their relaxed mood. If one victory is not enough insurance, two victories are enough to show that the Warriors are stronger than the Mavericks, and it should be no problem to win the first round.

Not only Warriors fans, but commentators also believe that the Mavericks are not the Warriors' opponents. Bill Simmons said:
"Thompson's performance is surprising. It seems that the Warriors must use the maximum salary to keep him... Warriors fans can rest assured that without Curry, the Warriors can win by relying on defense. Curry can recover from his injuries. Coach Z arranged Best fit, those who say Coach Z wouldn't be coaching without Curry can shut up"

O'Neill even praised:

"Coach Z may be the best head coach in the league, not even one of them. He used Middleton in the last game, and he used Antetokounmpo in this game. They all played the role of surprise soldiers, and Which coach dares to boldly use rookies in the playoffs? Is there anything Coach Z dare not do? Maybe the Warriors can really wait until Curry returns, let us wait and see."

For a while, people were very optimistic about the Warriors' playoff prospects, as if Curry's absence did not have much impact, and the Warriors were still the invincible Warriors.

But soon, no one thought so.

On April 4, the Warriors and Mavericks came to Dallas for Game 23 of the series.

In this game, the Warriors' offense fell into a quagmire, and the two teams staged a defensive battle again, and the score remained stalemate until the last moment.

In the last 2 minutes of the fourth quarter, Nowitzki came out and scored 5 points in a row, but the Warriors had no one to respond, and the offense was all black.In the end, the Mavericks defeated the Warriors 87:82, tying the score to 1:2.

This defeat completely exposed the disadvantages of Curry's absence. The Warriors do not have a stable scoring point. The offense depends on the sky. As long as the feel fluctuates, they can only hope for the defense to win.

But it is a pity that Nowitzki was relentless at critical moments. Although he only scored 24 points and made 21 shots, the efficiency was very low, but the goals he scored were all at critical moments. The Mavericks narrowed the score when they fell behind, overtook the score when they were in a stalemate, and sealed the victory at a critical moment, all of which came forward when the team desperately needed to score.

The Warriors lack such a star. Klay felt very volatile today. He scored 14 points in the first half and hit 3 three-pointers. 5 of 22 three-pointers, 7 of 12 free throws, 4 points, 1 rebounds, 1 assists and 19 steal.

伦纳德的表现稍好一些，全场18投7中，三分6中2，罚球3中2，砍下18分6篮板1助攻2抢断1封盖，攻防两端都有贡献。

But his offensive efficiency is not high. He only made 12 of 5 shots from the three-point line.

In the original series between the Spurs and the Mavericks, Leonard's performance was relatively average, averaging only 11.9 points per game, and his shooting percentage was good, with 49.1%.

But that was Leonard's performance next to the GDP combination. The Mavericks' defensive attention was all on Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan. Leonard made some easy balls.

But now, the Warriors don't have Curry, and Clay's touch is average. Instead, Leonard has become the Warriors' first offensive point. He can hand in such an answer sheet, which is already very good.

This is because Zhang Yu's cultivation of Leonard is more targeted, and he intends to train his offense with the ball so that he can perform better under a higher intensity defense.

But that's all, Leonard is not enough to play the production and efficiency of the star, unable to lead the Warriors to victory.

If it's just Klay and Leonard's poor performance, the Warriors may not have no hope of winning, but today the Warriors team felt cold, shooting 40 of 9 three-pointers, and the shooting percentage was only 22.5%. If it weren't for the tough defense as always Tough, it's not even possible to fight the Mavericks to a critical moment.

But even at the critical moment, without Curry, the Warriors lack a star who can solve hard, and they still can't win, they can only look at the feel.

After the game, some Warriors fans relapsed and began to worry about whether the Warriors could win against the Mavericks.

Some people even began to question Zhang Yu, why he asked Clay and Leonard to take so many shots knowing that they didn't feel good, and his tactics were wrong, otherwise the Warriors would definitely win.

Some people began to criticize Clay, completely forgetting Clay's outstanding performance in the last game, thinking that he ruined the game.

Many media have also begun to look down on the Warriors. Some commentators firmly believe that the Mavericks can succeed in the black seven, and the Warriors just lost this game, but they seem to have reached the end of the road.

(End of this chapter)