warrior godfather

Chapter 614 Jordan on the three-point line

The moment the red light came on, colorful fireworks were sprayed into the air and fell down.

The Warriors fans at the scene lingered for a long time, staying in the field to celebrate the victory, giving warm applause to every Warriors player, and the Oracle Center became a sea of ​​joy.

Even Wiggins, who helped the Bulls close the score in garbage time, was not blamed. Fans in the front row stretched out their hands, and Wiggins was flattered, smiling and high-fiving everyone.

In the face of victory, his blacksmithing is nothing. Instead, the fans saw his enthusiasm for rebounding and serious defense.

Of course, if the Warriors lose this game, Wiggins' strike will become a wild shot, and he will be booed all over the sky.

Curry, who scored 33 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, and scored 7 three-pointers, was worshiped by the audience. People chanted his nickname "Chef", and Curry smiled and waved around The response caused waves of louder voices.

"Stephen, you won today." Rose walked over from the side, hugged Curry, and said reluctantly.

The Bulls lost today, and Rose's statistics are not as good as Curry's, only 27 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. He also sent 4 turnovers. The efficiency is very low, and the shooting percentage is only in the early 40%.

Curry laughed:

"It's even, you won last time, it's my turn today."

"That's different, that's just the regular season, this is the finals..." Rose shook his head, "But I'll win the next game, we'll see."

"Give it up, Derek, this is Oracle, where the Warriors are invincible!" Curry laughed, waved Rose goodbye, and walked to the player tunnel.

At the same time, in front of the technical stage, Zhang Yu and Stevens held hands together.

"You disappoint me so much, Brad, you really don't dare to go to the fifth elementary school." Zhang Yu seemed to shake his head regretfully.

Stevens snorted coldly:
"The aggressive method? I lost faster in the fifth elementary school."

"Haha, how do you know if you don't try?"

"Don't be too happy, if we didn't fight the Cavaliers to the tiebreaker, we might not lose, we will see the outcome in the next game."

"I remember you said that yesterday, right?"

"...Hmph, let's wait and see anyway!"

Stevens turned and left with a cold face, but after seeing the Bulls players, his expression immediately eased, and he regained his usual calmness and reason.

Only in front of Zhang Yu will he reveal his true temperament.

In the post-match interview, the reporter asked Stevens why the Bulls lost, and he took all the responsibility on himself:
"I am the head coach of the team. Today's loss is all my responsibility. I had problems with tactical arrangements and rotation arrangements, which led to the collapse in the third quarter. Of course, we just finished a brutal tie-break. , the rest time is shorter than the Warriors, and they are not physically dominant, which is one of the reasons for the loss... We will not take this loss to heart, the series has just begun, and the Bulls are the most resilient in the league Team, this will be a protracted battle, and we will definitely win the final victory."

Rose, Butler, and Gasol also expressed their confidence in winning. This defeat did not seem to have any impact on them, but instead further stimulated their competitiveness.

When it was the Warriors' turn to be interviewed, the reporter asked Zhang Yu why the Warriors always had an advantage in the third quarter. Zhang Yu said with a smile:
"Actually, there is no secret. Our tactics in the third quarter are the same as in the first half, but our physical fitness is better, we work harder than the Bulls, we pay attention to every detail of offense and defense, and our tactics are executed better. That's all. .”

"Better physically fit?"

"That's right, the Bulls' main players played too long in the first half, and our starters were sitting on the sidelines to rest at the time. When we exerted our strength in the third quarter, they couldn't cope." Zhang Yu's answer was very frank .

Different from the regular season, the post-match interview of the finals was also broadcasted by Tencent Sports. The audience in the live broadcast room heard Zhang Yu's answer, and the speed of the bullet screen swiped a little faster:

"I said, why did Zhang Yu keep getting stuck in substitutions in the first half? This is a big game of chess!"

"Hey Zhang? Zhang Sheng! Where's the troll? Come out and kowtow to apologize!"

"I have already said that Zhang Yu's tactics must be fine. Can you have a champion coach who understands the ball?"

"Go away, you were the one who sprayed the most ruthlessly just now..."

The Warriors fans were all smiles. Zhang Yu, who was questioned by swiping screens in the first half, has now become a famous coach who has strategized.

Everyone kowtowed, apologized, and shouted for their father on the spot. The Tencent live broadcast room was almost turning into a large-scale confession scene.

While the Warriors fans were reveling, the Bulls fans were wondering how to crack the Warriors' tactics:
"The young coach will also use a long rotation in the next game, so that the Warriors will not be afraid of the third quarter."

"You're stupid. In the first half, the young marshal killed the main players and only led the Warriors by 2 points. If you follow the Warriors in a long rotation, what will you do?"

"That's right, the Warriors have the only backup in the entire league. They can't play without a short rotation. Middleton's mid-range shot is so ruthless that he is almost catching up with Leonard. Only Butler can defend it. Others would have knelt down long ago." ..."

"Why do you think Zhang Yu dared to speak out? The depth of the Warriors' roster is there. No matter what the young coach does, he will suffer. This is an advantage in strength, which cannot be compensated by tactics."

After the press conference, the Bulls area was still full of gloom, and they couldn't think of a way to compete with the Warriors in the transition period without shortening the rotation.

"Hey, why are the Bulls so unlucky? Against the Cavaliers, James played 40 minutes easily, and finally won the tie-breaker. Can't beat..."

"No way, who let us meet the Warriors, Foreman is good enough, the trade is very shrewd, got Butler, won the championship, and signed Gasol, it is no problem to say that the Big Four lineup... But the Warriors rely on the draft, and they also got a Big Four. They also selected high-quality role players such as Alphabet, Middleton, Olynyk, and Danny Green. This lineup is too perverted, wow!"

"What are you afraid of? No matter how strong the Warriors are, there are still five players on the court. Our main lineup is not bad at all. We have already reached the finals. Don't expect to win the championship easily. At worst, all the main players will play for 40 minutes. Fight them!"

In the end, Bulls fans can only pin their hopes on the toughness of the players, which is also a tradition that runs in the blood of the Bulls.

They firmly believe that this Bulls team, which has won the championship again and rebuilt its glory, can defeat the Warriors with resilience and fighting spirit, just like the Iron-Blooded Bulls in 98.

But they seem to have forgotten that Rose is not Jordan, and Curry is more like Jordan of this era.

……

On June 6, at 7:07 in the evening, the second contest between the Warriors and the Bulls started at the Oracle Center.

Both teams rested for two days and stood on the same starting line. The Bulls' physical fitness is no longer a disadvantage.

As soon as the first quarter came up, Zhang Yu still arranged for Asik to start, with a regular pass and cut style of play.

The Bulls' defense was very strict, the Warriors did not take advantage of the passes and cuts, and Zhang Yu did not have a hard time. After 2 minutes, Curry and Leonard turned to attack with the ball.

In the high-intensity finals, passing and cutting can no longer be used as the main tactic, and returning to the basics of singles and pick-and-rolls is king.

But Cole felt a little regretful. He suggested Zhang Yu to use the pass-and-cut tactic. He insisted that the pass-and-cut is the best tactic in the world. Did it?

Zhang Yu does not have this kind of obsession. He will use whichever tactic is easy to use.

But his adjustments didn't have much effect. Asik's offensive threat outside the penalty area was insufficient. Noah could jump up and delay Curry's shot, and then it would be too late to chase back.

Curry and Green pick and roll, Gasol also dared to defend, Noah assisted in blocking Green, Butler shrunk to protect the frame, and Green's pass to Asik was not effective.

It is also very difficult for Leonard to single-handedly beat Butler. Butler's talent is not as good as Leonard's, but his experience is more abundant than Leonard's. A top striker like Le is still powerless.

At 6 minutes and 21 seconds into the first quarter, the Bulls led the Warriors by 4 points. Zhang Yu made adjustments again, replacing Antetokounmpo and Asik, and the dead five debuted.

When the five primary schools come out, who will compete with them.

Noah didn't dare to delay Curry's shot. As long as he gave Antetokounmpo a chance to go down, he would never want to catch up again. The result was either a dunk by Antetokounmpo or an open space that missed the outside line.

Gasol didn't dare to throw it out, Green caught the ball and rushed in, and Noah came up to help defend.Green threw it casually, and Antetokounmpo made an alley-oop dunk. If Noah didn't come up, Green made a layup by himself.

Asik's offensive threat is not enough, Noah can still defend two, but as long as Antetokounmpo is given a little space, he can upset the Bulls penalty area.

The Bulls delayed Curry for two rounds, Antetokounmpo had two dunks in a row, and Stevens had to adjust his defense.

Wade, who was a guest commentator on ABC TV, greatly appreciated Antetokounmpo:
"Incredible talent! Giannis has changed the Bulls' defense. He is a monster, a player who can only be pinched in 2K. Such a player can only be a substitute for the Warriors. It is too extravagant. He has the potential of a superstar. Z The coach should give him the starting position, such a talent should not sit on the bench, the sky is the limit for him!"

……

It was a painful decision for the Bulls to switch back to defending against the pick-and-roll and put Curry on the line, but Stevens' rationality allowed him to make a decision to give priority to protecting the basket, which is also a choice that every head coach will make.

No head coach will relax the defense of the basket in order to prevent ultra-long three-pointers from 25 feet away, even if Curry is opposite Zhang Yu, he will not do so.

The retreat of Noah and Gasol blocked Antetokounmpo and Green's cut-in route, but Curry regained the chance to make a shot.

To the despair of the Bulls fans, Curry's touch did not fluctuate at all. He made a three-pointer with a cover from one step outside the three-point line, and a three-pointer with a step back. Divide the ball.

Clay also stood up, ran off the ball twice, and used the cover to hit and catch a three-pointer, complementing Curry.

He only scored 16 points in the last game. Except for 1 three-pointer in the opening game and 3 chasing three-pointers in the transition in the second half, he had no other performance. The protagonists were Curry who scored 33 points and Curry who scored 23 points. Leonard.

But today, the Bulls didn't dare to switch defenses at will, and let Dunleavy face Leonard. Clay ran out of two fleeting gaps and seized these two opportunities.

The Bulls' offense was better than the previous game. Rose's assault needed to shrink to limit it, and there was a gap in the perimeter defense.

Dunleavy made a three-pointer, Butler caught the ball and made a surprise attack, causing Leonard to foul and made two free throws.

Gasol's low-post singles are still sharp, the Spanish veteran burned all his energy in front of the chance to defend his title, dreamed back to the top, reproduced superb skills and gorgeous footsteps, hit two turnaround jumpers and a hook, cut Down 6 points.

The two defensive teams ranked first and second in the league, but they fought against each other on the court. The star level of both sides was too high, the lineup was extremely balanced, and there were few shortcomings, which could no longer be restricted by the defense.

第一节进行到2分45秒时，比分来到了24:25，勇士领先1分。

In the last round, the Warriors attacked, and Noah slapped Leonard's breakthrough layup out of the baseline. Taking advantage of the dead ball, Zhang Yu made adjustments, replacing Clay and Leonard, and replacing Middleton and Danny. - Green.

Stevens responded quickly. He replaced Gasol and Dunleavy, replaced Gibson and Hinrich, and left Butler on the court to target Middleton's defensive weakness.

Subsequently, the Bulls' offensive focus shifted to Butler. Rose launched an assault, attracted the defense, and then distributed the ball to Butler, allowing him to attack Middleton's defense. The effect was immediate.

At the end of the first quarter, the Bulls led the Warriors by 28 points 26:2.

Middleton was strong offensively and weak defensively, but was fouled twice by Butler, and the Bulls successfully overtook the score.

However, when Butler participated in the defense, he made an open two-pointer, and used offense to make up for the shortcomings of defense.

Danny Green's replacement of Clay also reduced the Warriors' defensive strength in the backcourt a lot, making Rose's breakthrough a lot easier.

Fortunately, the Warriors still have Curry and Antetokounmpo, and the defense cooperation between the two is still unsolvable, supporting the Warriors' offense.

In the second quarter, the Warriors rotated normally, and Clay and Leonard played to lead the team, but Stevens left Butler on the court and asked him to lead the bench with Gasol.

The Bulls fans who watched the live broadcast suddenly became nervous. The scene of the Bulls being dragged down by the Warriors in the third quarter of G1 is still vivid. Is it going to repeat the same mistakes today?
Under the leadership of the two stars, the two sides maintained a balance of power. To the comfort of the Bulls fans, Butler played for 3 minutes in the second quarter and then went off to rest. At the same time, Hinrich was also replaced and Rose played.

This is a deliberate adjustment made by Stevens.

Butler and Rose are the two most irreplaceable people in the Bulls lineup, and it is impossible for Stevens to rest them both.

The two can only take turns to play, and both sacrifice a little rest time, but it also reduces some physical consumption.

After Rose came on the field, the balance slowly tilted in the direction of the Bulls. If Curry didn't play, he was the only superstar on the field and controlled the situation.

It wasn't until 6 minutes and 08 seconds that Zhang Yu replaced Curry, Clay and Leonard. At this time, the Warriors had been overtaken by the Bulls by 5 points.

But the Warriors fans did not panic at all, and no one questioned Zhang Yu's operation.

Those who sprayed Zhang Yu in G1 were all slapped in the face. They all know now that the temporary lag in the first half was for the counterattack storm in the second half, and they all patiently waited for the Warriors' counterattack.

But at the end of the second quarter, the Bulls led the Warriors by 62 points 54:8, which made Warriors fans start to panic.

The state of the Bulls players is obviously better than that of G1. The loss in the last game also made them more eager to win, and they were more active than the Warriors. .

During the halftime break, Wade also preferred the Bulls to win. He believed that the Bulls had more momentum, and Zhang Yu's stubborn long rotation would swallow the bitter fruit.

But the Bulls fans did not feel at ease because of the 8-point lead. The Warriors' offensive firepower was too fierce. In the face of the Splash Brothers' three-point rain, the 8-point difference was leveled in an instant, and their hearts were still hanging in the air.

……

In the third quarter, Zhang Yu started the death five, and people knew that the real showdown was coming.

As soon as the Warriors came up, the strength was full, and the defensive flexibility of Wu Xiao was vividly displayed. As long as Rose, Butler, and Gasol entered the penalty area, they would immediately usher in a pinch attack, distribute the ball to the outside, and the Warriors' rotations can also be very fast. in place.

In the first half, the Warriors' main force, who had a good rest, exploded with all their energy, but the Bulls players were well prepared and in better condition than G1.

Rose and Butler repeatedly split the ball to reduce long-range three-point shots. At the same time, they took advantage of the twin towers inside and rushed to grab offensive rebounds to minimize the Warriors' counterattack.

Stevens wants to kill the Warriors' counterattack from the source, and not give the Warriors a chance to speed up and drag down the Bulls.

In the second half of G1, the Bulls' players consumed a lot of physical energy and were unable to repeatedly attack the Warriors inside.

But today, Stevens' adjustments have worked. The consumption of the three stars of Rose, Butler, and Gasol has been reduced, allowing them to exert their impact on the inside.

The resilience and toughness of the Bulls allowed them to not lose the wind in the offense, controlled the mistakes, and reduced the chances of the Warriors to counterattack.

However, the pick-and-roll between Curry and Antetokounmpo is still unsolvable. In order not to give Antetokounmpo a chance to attack the inside, Stevens can only put Curry one step away.

But Curry's three-pointers are ridiculously accurate. No matter whether there is a rhythm or not, no matter how tight the pursuit is, unless there is always a defender in front of him, as long as there is a slight gap, Curry will shoot three-pointers like an arrow, and his throat will be sealed with blood.

At the end of the third quarter, Curry made 9 of 4 three-pointers, and one of them was 3+1. In addition, he scored 15 points with a long two-pointer on the three-point line, tying the previous three-pointer. Points made.

The score came to 86:82, and the Warriors were only 4 points behind.

The offensive efficiency of the two teams is not much different, but the three-pointer is one point more than the two-pointer, and the Warriors increase their points faster.

During the intermission, Wade still firmly believed that the Bulls could win. He didn't believe that Curry could keep going, but Rose could continue to attack the Warriors inside.

But a sentence from ABC commentator Dan Shulman silenced Wade:
"When the Warriors and the Heat played in the finals, didn't Curry keep going?"

……

After the start of the fourth quarter, the two sides rotated their lineups. This time, Stevens did not dare to kill the main players. Both Butler and Rose stayed off the court to rest, but replaced Gasol who rested in the second half of the third quarter. and Dunleavy.

The Warriors had only Clay as the starter to lead the team, but the advantage of the depth of the lineup was reflected at this time. The overall strength was stronger than the Bulls, and they quickly caught up with the score and achieved a lead.

At 8 minutes and 12 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Warriors led the Bulls by 2 points. Stevens switched back to the main force, and Zhang Yu was not far behind.

The Bulls still gave Curry a step in defense against the pick-and-roll. This is a defensive strategy that Stevens insisted on throughout the game. Although Curry made 7 three-pointers, the Bulls did not fall behind in the score. Of course not give up easily.

But Curry immediately broke Stevens' confidence with two three-pointers.

He first had a pick-and-roll with Antetokounmpo at halftime, Noah stepped on the three-point line to defend, Curry was two steps away from the three-point line, and made a super long three-pointer, 96:91, the Warriors led by 5 points ,
Looking back, Rose broke through Clay's defense, folded in the air, evaded Green's help defense, and made a layup, 96:93.

The Warriors attacked, Curry took two steps outside the three-point line and Antetokounmpo picked and rolled.

Noah still didn't come out, Rose struggled to squeeze the cover, but was firmly blocked by Antetokounmpo, and was a step slower.

Curry made a super long three-pointer, shot out of the frame, and was protected by Gasol.

"Oh……"

There was a loud sigh from the auditorium, and the few Bulls fans breathed a sigh of relief, their hearts that were about to jump out of their chests fell back down again.

In the next round, Butler singled out Leonard and hit the iron with a mid-range shot.

Green grabs the rebound, drives quickly upcourt, and passes to Curry.

Curry had just passed halftime, but he didn't hesitate.Catch the ball and shoot it. Gasol in front of him has no time to interfere. He hits the net with a super long three-pointer, 99:93.

The heart of the Bulls fans was beating violently again, and they were about to have a heart attack.

"Di-"

Stevens immediately called a timeout. Curry's performance has exceeded his tolerance limit. Now he only has one thought, that is, he can't let Curry make another three-pointer!
Wade was even more silent. Dan Schulman was amazed at Curry's ultra-long three-pointer. He silently watched Curry dancing on the field, recalling the two distant finals where the Heat lost to the Warriors.

At that time, Curry made a three-pointer like this. With a three-pointer beyond everyone's imagination, he defeated the Heat and ascended to the throne.

When the referee blew the whistle to continue the game, Wade finally spoke:

"I take back what I said before, Curry can always shoot, if he wants, he can make three-pointers, because he is Stephen Curry, he is Jordan on the three-point line!"

Dan Shulman praised:
"Curry's performance is phenomenal, his shooting is so beautiful, so the question is, Curry's unstoppable three-pointer, Antetokounmpo's impact is so strong, how will the Bulls respond? "

(End of this chapter)