NBA: Miracle Workers

On Sunday, June 7, 2015, after a two-day break, Oracle Arena hosted the crucial Game 2 that evening.

Before the game, mainstream sports media were cheering for the new MVP, and most commentators believed that Curry would play with the same efficiency as in Game 1's garbage time in the crucial game.

Unfortunately, the "Oracle Library" reappeared after halftime, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Warriors will suffer another crushing defeat tonight.

The score difference of 61:45 may seem small, but the MVP's performance was extremely poor.
During halftime, ABC continued to display key player statistics to fans who had just turned on their TVs:
出场19分钟，10中2，三分线外7中1，罚球4中3，库里砍下8分1篮板2助攻2失误；

出场17分钟，12中9，三分线外9中6，罚球6中6，李佑拿到30分4篮板5助攻2抢断1盖帽的全能数据。

The video features highlights of Li You's game. Aside from fast breaks, long-range three-pointers make up the majority of his shots, and his second-chance points near the logo are similar to those in Shooting Stars All-Star games.
In fact, the Knicks' young players were not very efficient, but the Warriors' 20 points in the first quarter dug a deep hole. They bounced back during the rotation phase, but it was too late.

As the newly crowned MVP, Curry has received a massive amount of attention, but this attention is now backfiring on younger players. On social media, most fans are criticizing him, while some players are seizing the opportunity to make sarcastic remarks.

"An MVP who relied on referees and illegal screens—someone has tarnished this trophy!"

After remaining silent for over a week, Howard immediately took to Twitter to mock Li You by name, while Damian Lillard, a loyal fan and extreme imitator of Li You, also made sarcastic remarks on social media:

"When the officiating is uniform, who's afraid of the new MVP? Everyone's attacking him. This is the funniest Finals performance I've ever witnessed."

Rudy Gay, whose team was swept by the Warriors in a gentlemanly fashion, even kept up with the pace of the game on social media, continuing to tweet during halftime:

"Bogut's ass isn't working anymore! The Warriors are the only team in the league that allows screens with your butt, and under the same officiating standards, they're 'vulnerable'."

"Stephen Curry is clearly a poor imitator. An MVP who relies on the system to maintain his individual strength? He will continue to prove himself in garbage time!"

"."

Although the game is not over yet, no one believes that the Warriors can turn the tide. Many teams are troubled by illegal screens, and everyone is taking advantage of the situation to kick them while they're down.

People used to laugh at Kobe Bryant, but looking back now, the Mamba was much better than an MVP like Curry!
Both players had bad shooting, but at least Kobe was willing to match up against Li You, while Curry couldn't find anyone to guard on the defensive end. As the team leader and MVP, he actually delegated the defensive core role to his teammates.
Having grown accustomed to basketball where the strongest teams face off against each other, fans were somewhat uneasy watching this kind of Finals matchup for the first time.

In one and a half games, Curry never matched up against Li You on the defensive end, while on the offensive end, Li You was constantly chasing down the MVP.

If it weren't for Kyrie Irving's "leaky" performance that allowed Klay Thompson to have consecutive breakouts, the Knicks would obviously have won by more. Whether with their big lineup or small lineup, the defending champions dominated their opponents.

The public opinion trend did indeed affect the young Warriors players; they never expected that making it to the Finals would turn them into the target of ridicule and criticism.

In the home team's locker room, Curry, sitting in his seat, covered his face with his hands in frustration. He had some opportunities to exploit mismatches in the first half, but he was unable to make his jump shots.

What frustrated Curry even more was that Kyrie Irving kept trying to isolate him during the game, while Jimmy Butt was spreading "key insights" like crazy.

The two players never stopped talking during the game, practically unleashing a barrage of insults at the MVP.
Despite his teammates standing up for him, whenever he retaliated, Irving and Butler would raise three fingers, pointing at the Warriors players and continuing to taunt them:

"Three championships! Three consecutive championships! An achievement you'll never reach in your lifetime."

The Warriors' championship run was a closed loop. Aside from their impotent rage, they couldn't find many solutions during the game. Their trash talk had limited effectiveness, and their basketball skills weren't very effective.

Steve Kerr clearly noticed this as well; the opponent wasn't performing that well, but they were creating such a strong momentum that even their missed shots had to be put on a show.
After explaining the tactical details of the rearranged play on the whiteboard, Steve Kerr, who also had championship experience, clapped his hands again to attract the players' attention, and then calmly said:
"I said at the beginning of the finals that I would take care of things off the court, and you just need to focus on training."

"Those reports affected our mood; smiles disappeared from everyone's faces. This is not the level of basketball we have shown throughout the season."

“In the past, there were only newspapers, no Twitter, not so many social media platforms, but the principle is the same: you must believe in yourselves.”

"."

In Game 1, Klay Thompson was off his game, but tonight he exploded in the first half, shooting 9-for-13 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range, scoring 20 points in the first half alone!
Thompson, who is usually quiet, also spoke up after the coach's speech, with the young man loudly encouraging him:
"Catch the ball, shoot, that's all we need to do. Don't let the opponents affect you. The fact is they're not efficient, and they can't completely stop us."

"We are the better team and can turn the game around in the second half."

Livingston was elbowed by Markieff Morris while driving to the basket during the rotation. He was in great form at the time, hitting consecutive mid-range jumpers, but his performance ended after he fell to the ground.

Having experienced a serious injury, Livingston clearly had a better mindset than the younger players. Although he had a cut near his eye, he still strongly encouraged them:

"Yes, we are the better team, believe in each other."

The mental victory strategy still works in the world of basketball. If you can't even deny yourself, then you're completely finished!

Young people who used to scoff at the Mamba Mentality suddenly realized that Kobe was truly remarkable. They thought that losing one game would lead to such public opinion, while the Mamba almost lost his entire career but was never "knocked down".

Curry stood up and gave a loud high-five, while Iguodala called to the others. As they arrived in the player tunnel, everyone let out a shout, as if releasing their emotions:
"Logging is tiring!"

After the start of the second half, Oracle Arena erupted in cheers. Irving's drive and pass went awry and was stolen by Thompson, allowing the Warriors to launch a fast break.

"Oh"

Amidst the sighs of the crowd, Curry's three-pointer from the left wing missed again. Butler, who had been actively fighting back on defense, grabbed the rebound and began his usual taunts:
"Look at this clown, he won't have a chance even if you give him one!"

"He should really return the trophy to the Boss; a softie who only disappears on defense doesn't deserve a trophy."

Even though no one from the opposing team paid any attention to Butler, the "sycophant" who ran to half-court after passing the ball kept talking.

Even referee Scott Foster, who was following the movement, was starting to get nervous; the Knicks' "style" was always different.

Irving, who had just made a mistake, saw Li You waving from the left corner. The young man called for Gasol to set a screen, then accelerated and drove hard with the ball in his right hand, forcing his way into the paint without Curry losing his position.

Suddenly turning around while moving, Irving hit a mid-range jump shot over Curry's block and made it!

Amid boos from the crowd, Kyrie Irving, visibly agitated as he retreated on defense, shouted at the top of his lungs:
"This clown is the MVP? He can't guard me, this softie can't do anything."

"."

In the first half, Kyrie Irving went 3-for-7 from the field, 1-for-3 from three-point range, and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line, scoring only 9 points. But now he's playing like he's scored 30, making the Knicks' bench laugh. Danny Green, who's been consuming a lot of Irving's playing time tonight, is now standing on the sidelines loudly chattering with his supporters.

"Respond to that bastard! MVP, shoot! Stop passing the ball!"

The Warriors executed another classic play, with Curry setting a screen for Thompson near the baseline on the left side. The Knicks switched defense as usual, and Li You immediately chased after his opponent to the right corner.

Irving was also very familiar with this tactic, and quickly chased Curry back to the left wing.

Green passed the ball from the top of the key, while Barnes pulled Butler back on the same side of the baseline. Curry received the ball without hesitation and, in almost the same position as in the previous possession, took another jump shot that missed.

Curry was only a fraction of a second too slow before calmly launching his jump shot. Irving, seeing Ibaka grab the rebound, perked up again, grinning as he continued his attack:

"He can't make shots! All he can do against my defense is jump shots."

Draymond Green, who was trying to steal the ball under the basket, could only retreat hastily on defense. When the Knicks attacked again, Butler quickly stepped up to screen for Irving. Curry was bumped as he squeezed through, and the opponent suddenly accelerated as he bent over.

Irving accelerated laterally, took a step to shake off the defender, and suddenly stepped back with the ball. On the right wing, facing Barnes's defense, he forced a jump shot from beyond the three-point line!
"Oh"

As the basketball swished through the net, a low murmur arose in Oracle Arena. The difficult jump shot went in, and Kyrie Irving faced the stands, repeatedly pounding his chest, his dark face beaming with confidence.

The point difference widened again, and Steve Kerr on the sidelines shouted a reminder. Curry, who was double-teamed at the top of the arc, promptly passed the ball to Green, who was cutting down the middle.

Noticing Butler's early positioning in the paint, Green, attempting a breakthrough, tried to control his body and feigned a pass to Harrison Barnes in the right corner.

The two players wrestled near the baseline, but the referee made no call. Barnes, unguarded, missed a jump shot, and Oracle Arena grew increasingly quiet.

Li You, who grabbed the rebound near the free-throw line, was quickly fouled and failed to launch a transition offense. D'Antoni, who had his hands in his pockets the whole time, slipped over to the referee and complained a couple of times.

Two minutes into the game, Mark Jackson fell silent again in the ABC commentary booth, while Van Gundy actively analyzed the situation on the court:
"Curry is facing the same difficulties that Lee went through. When the opponent double-teams you aggressively in pick-and-roll situations, you have to find a solution as soon as possible."

"Good off-ball movement, but perhaps due to too much exertion on the defensive end, Curry hasn't found his shooting touch tonight."

"Maybe he should try cutting off the ball. Irving makes mistakes on defense too, and Curry needs to play smarter."

When Li You arrived at the top of the arc, he passed the ball to Owen on the right wing, and then waved to signal everyone to take their positions in the half.

The young man who received the ball remained very confident in front of Curry. He dribbled between his legs, switched to his left hand, lowered his center of gravity, and suddenly accelerated, making a decisive cut in from the left wing.

Amid the cheers of Warriors fans, Irving surged ahead, dominating the paint, and used a step-back maneuver to slow Curry, causing him to stumble and lose his position. Facing Bogut's help defense, he faked a pass and then made a real pass.

"what!"

Gasol received a pass at the bottom left of the basket, and with no one guarding him, he slammed it home with one hand and roared. Irving, who had completed the assist, came over to high-five him and then shouted again towards the stands behind the basket:

"I utterly destroyed your MVP! I'm his nightmare!"

"."

Kyrie Irving's constant attempts to show off were met with boos, and Curry, feeling provoked, could no longer hold back.

When receiving the ball on the same off-ball movement, Curry feinted on the right wing, drawing the center of gravity of the defender chasing Irving. Curry then nimbly dribbled once to easily get rid of the defender, and then pulled up for a jump shot that went in.

Curry yelled at Irving after scoring, and the two began a "friendly" exchange. At this stage of the series, even the most mild-mannered person can get angry.
The two exchanged barbs until Thompson reminded Curry at the top of the key to help defend, at which point the young man hurriedly retreated into the paint.

Li You easily cut in from the right wing, and after a sudden stop and crossover near the restricted area, he instantly accelerated his dribbling speed. Before Curry could reach out from the top line, he took a step-back in the paint, knocked Thompson aside, and launched a right-handed lob shot!

"Oh!!"

The New York fans in the screaming seats started celebrating wildly again. In one-on-one battles, no one on the Warriors could match up against GOAT. His offensive timing and accuracy were superior to everyone else on the court.

Using Bogut's screen at the top of the arc, Curry, who was holding the ball with his left hand, was initially delayed by Gasol. Before he could move to create space for the attack, Li You had already squeezed to his side.

Bogut received a bounce pass and cut into the middle to attempt a dunk, but was interfered with by Ibaka who was helping on defense.

After the collision, Bogut grabbed the offensive rebound again and attempted a layup. Just as he was about to throw the ball, Ibaka jumped up and blocked it head-on. Amid gasps of surprise, Li You, who had regained possession of the ball, flicked it behind his head without looking.

The basketball soared across the half-court, and Butler, seizing the opportunity to start early, shook off Barnes behind him and dunked with a one-handed step-back in the paint, taking a 1-on-0 lead!

"A connection of the greatest players of all time!"

"I'm going to beat the shit out of you cowards!"

After completing the dunk, Butler remained on the baseline, ignoring Thompson's dark expression as he chased back on defense, and launched into a tirade against his opponent.

Thompson, sprayed in the face, finally snapped. The young man angrily shoved Butler, but the latter flew out of bounds and slid right into the camera's view.
"Oh!"

The sudden conflict caused a stir in Oracle Arena. The referee quickly blew his whistle, and Butler, who was lying on the ground, covered his face with his hands. Through his fingers, he saw that the referee had given a technical foul and immediately smiled.

When his teammates helped him up, Butler reverted to his "tough guy" persona, looking at Thompson and continuing to yell:
"Three-peat! An achievement you'll never reach in your lifetime, rookie. You have no right to talk trash in front of me!"

The Knicks' bench erupted in laughter again, and amidst the cheers, Klay Thompson, who had been restrained by his teammates, angrily launched into a tirade:

"You're just a spineless coward who stole the championship, you damn black guy, who do you think you are?"

"."

Thompson, usually a man of few words, broke through defenses and unleashed a furious scoring spree. A heated exchange between the two players brought the game to a halt. Seeing the 20+ point difference, Mark Jackson, the ABC commentator, could only sigh in disappointment.
"No more miracles! The Warriors will face a nightmare Game 3 at Madison Square Garden the day after tomorrow night."

"In the frenetic atmosphere of playing away games, all we can hope for is a response from Curry." (End of Chapter)