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Chapter 290 Qin Yue's Human-like Cheat Code: GOAT's Most Uninvolved Moment

5 month 19 day.

Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals continued at Oracle Arena.

In the first quarter, under the tacit approval of referee Dick Bavetta, the shooting percentages of both the Lakers and Warriors were abysmal.

As someone who's been through it all, Qin Yue knows very well that in order to maintain the suspense in the NBA, the Warriors, who have already won three consecutive championships, cannot avoid being targeted by the league.

Therefore, as long as the referees maintain a consistent standard of judgment, Qin Yue believes that the Warriors are already receiving preferential treatment from the league.

As for the "Qin Yue Law" that the league resumed from the playoffs?
how?

Does being a GOAT mean Qin Yue can't play basketball without star referees?

During the break after the first quarter, ESPN commentator A. Smith specifically consulted Jeff Van Gundy, the special guest of the night, about why high-intensity competition would be more advantageous for the visiting Lakers.

Van Gundy's explanation for this was quite simple.

That is, because the Warriors are a team that relies relatively heavily on offense, in a game where no one can guarantee their shooting touch, the Lakers can, in turn, use physical confrontation to further narrow the objective gap in strength between them and the Warriors.

"I don't understand offense, but I know very well that in the NBA, defense has always been a prerequisite for creating miracles."

"Jeff, in your opinion, does this kind of officiating mean that the Lakers received more favorable treatment in this series, as some have said?"

Upon hearing this, Van Gundy shook his head and said, "That's not how it works."

At that moment, Van Gundy, whose mind was not really sharp but not stupid, realized almost instantly that A-Smith was setting a trap for him.

What an international joke.

Even if Van Gundy knew better than anyone that the league was targeting the Warriors, he couldn't possibly make public statements questioning the officiating standards.

Moreover, what's more...
So far, there has been no obvious manipulation of the game in this Western Conference Finals.

In short, the same thing applies.

To achieve a four-peat, the Warriors can't expect to be the most special one, like a complaining woman who thinks, "If the referee doesn't call for me, then there must be something fishy going on."

The camera returns to the stadium.

On this night filled with the sounds of muscles clashing, Ray Allen became the first X-factor to step up for the Warriors.

As a veteran, Ray Allen, whose mentality is much more relaxed than other Warriors outside shooters, hit two crucial three-pointers and a buzzer-beating mid-range jumper in the first half of the second quarter.

In contrast, Klay Thompson, who performed exceptionally well in the previous game, and Curry both became "bricklayers" in this game.

In his past life, Qin Yue will be remembered by Curry's fans in the future as the elementary school student who didn't build muscle back then.

But Qin Yue can now tell those wishful thinking Curry fans that if you swapped Curry from the 14/15 season with Curry from the 21/22 season, even if they played a hundred times, the Celtics would still win in the end.

why?
Because before he built up his muscles, the baby-faced killer couldn't compare to the later-era muscle giant in terms of hard-hitting ability.

If Curry, before completing his muscle-building phase, encounters high-intensity physical contact on the court during a game, his chances of going into peak form will drop significantly.

This is also the main reason why Durant was able to win the Finals MVP for two consecutive years when he teamed up with Curry.

Although, in the eyes of some "idiots" who can even call reading a strategy guide for playing "Elden Ring" a "strategy guide", Durant's FMVP award is only due to the "super team" Warriors.

But this is like a certain major Eastern power having its J-10 fighter jets, which are already obsolete in its own country, shot down several Rafale fighter jets, and then using a psychological victory to show that it hasn't lost.

Distorting facts and black and white might garner some traffic.

However, the outcome that has already occurred in the real world will not be changed because of this.

Of course, Curry does have many shortcomings at this stage.

However, on this night, Curry's role as Qin Yue's wingman, when partnering with Qin Yue, was something that his individual statistics could not reflect.

After all, while the J-10 is undoubtedly the MVP in outperforming the Rafale fighter jet, does that mean the PL-15 missile and its supporting systems are unimportant?
In the latter part of the second quarter, Curry, who was willing to run tirelessly on the court to draw away the defenders for Qin Yue, used his own unique style to set up a stage for the GOAT to attack the Lakers.

On the court, it's the Warriors' offensive possession.

During the pick-and-roll between Qin Yue and Curry, even the notoriously inflexible Curry was not allowed to leave the Lakers open, allowing Qin Yue to face Pau Gasol directly and almost instantly pierce through the Lakers' defense the moment he received the ball.

On the sidelines, on the Lakers' bench, "Black Bread" Brown lamented inwardly, "Which bastard said this Warriors team could easily win the championship without Stephen Curry?"

In Qin Yue's previous life, in order to discredit Curry, some fans shamelessly claimed that Curry was an ordinary shooter who could be left wide open.

But what's interesting is...
During a game, when Curry is left open, these fans will immediately turn around and ask, "Why are you leaving Curry open?"

In fact, for this Warriors team with Qin Shi Huang, whether Curry can make those magical three-pointers is not important.

Importantly, Curry's presence provides Qin Yue with a comfortable offensive environment.

For example, the next round.

Curry, who led Paul around the court, successfully disrupted the Lakers' wing defense by making back-and-forth runs with the help of his teammates' screens.

Seeing this, Qin Yue, who was in charge of the ball, did not hesitate to use his historic ability to penetrate the defense to break through the Lakers' defense once again.

ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy said, "The scales of this game are gradually tipping in the Warriors' favor. In my eyes, Stephen and Messiah are likely to be the most dominant inside-outside duo in NBA history."

In Van Gundy's view, Curry is like Qin Yue's human cheat code.

As long as Curry is on the court, Qin Yue's offensive power will be amplified many times over.

At halftime, the Lakers trailed the Warriors 46-57, an 11-point deficit.

That night, due to a collective lapse in outside shooting, the Lakers, who should have further narrowed the gap in strength with the Warriors in the physical battle, instead became the victims of this high-intensity game.

After all, in a game where defense inevitably affects offense.
In today's league, who is better at this kind of hand-to-hand combat than Qin Yue?

It's worth noting that Qin Yue has been targeted by referees almost every season over the past four years.

Qin Yue's strength in physical battles was also confirmed by the statistics, as he made 8 of 14 shots in the first half, making him the only player on both the Lakers and Warriors teams with a shooting percentage of over 50%.

However, just like the first match.

The Lakers, who never give up until the very last moment, showed their resilience in the second half.

In the third quarter, Kobe and Paul, who combined for 5 of 15 shots in the first half, accounted for the Lakers' first 15 points.

Kobe and Paul's return to form allowed the Lakers to narrow the gap to 6 points after three quarters. However, in the final quarter, Curry, seemingly tireless, took advantage of the Lakers' defensive slowdown and hit two consecutive three-pointers.

That night, Klay Thompson, who struggled throughout the game, couldn't match Curry's offensive firepower for the Lakers in the first half of the fourth quarter.

As for Paul, who was in superb form in the third quarter?

Not
Since it's come down to the crucial moment, can you really expect Chris Paul to make a difference?

In the fourth quarter, Qin Yue, who had rested on the sidelines for a full six minutes, returned to the court when the Warriors' lead had increased to 13 points.

Moreover, it seems to be to avoid tiring out GOAT.
That night, Shaun Livingston, who was left on the court by Malone, took the initiative to break down the Lakers' defense after Qin Yue returned to the court.

On the court, Livingston, who had been on target every time he hit Paul, extinguished the Lakers' hopes of a comeback with three consecutive smooth mid-range shots.

"Is this the player who has been selected to the All-Defensive Team for several consecutive years?"

"Why do I feel like beating him is easier than training?"

During the game, as Livingston easily scored against Paul, this is what he was thinking.

In fact, compared to players of similar size, Paul's defensive ability at his peak was absolutely outstanding.

only.
Faced with absolute height, Paul's tricks were destined to be no match for Livingston.

On the sidelines, on the Warriors' bench, Malone, who hadn't expected Livingston to become a surprise weapon in this game, laughed and said, "It seems we've gained another clutch player who can handle the key plays."

Although Livingston has already proven in his daily training that he has a certain ability to solve hard puzzles under timed conditions.

But playing for a dynasty team like the Warriors, Livingston also needs crucial moments in key games to earn the trust of the head coach.

The final score was 99 to 114.

The Warriors crushed the Lakers at home.

As for Qin Yue's most unremarkable performance in the decisive moments in recent seasons, Qin Yue himself remarked after the game: "I think you all saw it too, I am not invincible."

Indeed, in this game, Qin Yue, who was closely guarded by his teammates in the decisive moments, only managed to score 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in the final moments.

It can be said that this was the match in recent years in which Qin Yue felt least involved during the decisive moments.

On the court, if Kobe and Paul hadn't provided him with several rebounds in succession, Qin Yue would have even had the illusion that "what's the difference between me and someone who gets carried by their teammates?"

Of course, if possible.
In the NBA, who wouldn't want to win all the time?

For example, Kwame Brown, who has already been sidelined for two consecutive games.

In the post-game interview, a very cheerful Brown said, "I know Mark got another double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds in front of me, but so what?"

After a pause, Brown added in a tone that even a seasoned observer would recognize as insightful: "My role cannot be reflected in statistics, and that is the main reason why I can always play the winner in front of Mark."

It has to be said that Brown once again demonstrated what "winning strategy" means after the game.

Although most fans won't take Brown's statement seriously.

But after Brown twisted the truth, Marc Gasol, who had been beating up Brown alongside Pau Gasol every year and playing the loser every year, finally broke down.

Why should he tell me to look for my own problems?

When asking Qin Yue for an autograph, Marc Gasol, who seemed to be itching to go straight into the octagon and fight Brown to the death, said, "Is it my fault that my teammate isn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yue, unsure how to comfort Gasol, chose to remain silent.

Meanwhile, "Black Bread" Brown also broke down his defenses during his handshake with Malone.

The reason is...
After accepting the congratulations, Malone immediately said to the other party in a condescending tone: "Mike, your tactics are too rigid. Even the cat outside Oracle Arena can predict how the Lakers' offense will start and how the Lakers' defense will be arranged."

Inflexible tactics?

At that moment, with his eyes fixed on Malone, Brown could only think that if Malone dared to trade Qin Yue to the Lakers, his tactics might be just as unpredictable and varied as Malone's.

After all, the reason why the Warriors' tactics are so unpredictable and varied is precisely because they have Qin Yue.
However, after Brown expressed his thoughts, Malone retorted: "Mike, I'm not questioning your coaching ability, but believe me, a player of Messiah's caliber is not someone you can handle right now."

Can't grasp it?

Then you fucking trade Qin Yue to me, let me see if I can handle it!
Do you dare? You son of a bitch, Mike Malone!

To be fair, Qin Yue believes that the reason Malone is still active in the NBA is probably because other team coaches have hired a killer from India.

After all, apart from this reason, Qin Yue really couldn't think of any other reason why Ma Long could still live in this world.

According to the schedule, the Warriors, who are leading 2-0 in the series, will move to Staples Center a day later to face the Lakers in Game 3 of the series.

Although the Warriors are in a very good position to advance after winning two games in Oakland.

But for Qin Yue, who knows that the Lakers will inevitably gain more off-court weight at Staples Center, this series is just the beginning.

What? You're saying Qin Yue is being overly cautious?

The day after the Lakers and Warriors' Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals ended, in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks, who led the Heat by as many as 25 points in the first half, paid a heavy price for their excessive relaxation in the second half.

On the evening of the 20th, the Heat completed an incredible comeback in New York that thrilled LeBron James.

Post-match interview.

Even as he walked into the press conference, Durant couldn't accept the fact that the Knicks, who had dominated the first half, were reversed by the Heat in the second half.

Without a doubt, this is a game that will at least keep Durant up at night for a week.

The Knicks wouldn't have lost if they hadn't played recklessly; they lost entirely to themselves.

Moreover, at the press conference, Durant was asked a question by a reporter that instantly broke him down.

"'KD,' if LeBron were still here, do you think you could have avoided being reversed in this game?"

In response to this question, an exasperated Durant roared, "What do you mean by 'LeBron is still here, and we can avoid being reversed'? If he were still here, could we have led the Heat by 25 points in the first half? Answer me!"

……

PS: Oh no, I'm going to lose another centimeter today, TnT (Also, I won't be predicting tomorrow's Eastern Conference Finals, because if I really cursed Harry to death, I'd lose all my WeChat friends. So, I'll predict the Champions League Finals instead. To be honest, I really think we can start popping champagne for Inter Milan this year.)
(End of this chapter)