warrior godfather

Chapter 602 The Greatest Performance

After the game between the Warriors and the Nuggets, Zhang Yu led the players and bowed to the audience. He also delivered a speech in person, thanking them for watching the Warriors' last regular season game at the Oracle Center.

But since there are still playoffs to be played, Zhang Yu just said a few words, inviting fans in the Bay Area to watch the Warriors' playoffs, and ended this simple ceremony.

In the post-match interview, the reporter asked Zhang Yu how he felt about the Warriors winning 74 wins. Zhang Yu replied:
"I'm so happy to end the final regular season at Oracle Center with a win, everyone did a great job, Giannis played the best game of his career so far, he gave back to the crowd with a great performance , Thank you to all the Bay Area fans who came to the scene today, thank you for your support!"

At the same time, the news that the Warriors won 74 wins, the popularity has risen all the way, surpassing several other teams fighting for playoff rankings and places.

Zhang Yu announced before the game that he would limit the playing time of the main players. People thought that the Warriors would lose the game, but no one thought that the Warriors defeated the Nuggets with all the main players on the bench.

More than 70 wins is a true one-win-one-stop record, with a final record of 74 wins and 8 losses, raising the NBA record to a new level.

The depth of the Warriors' strong lineup is amazing, and Antetokounmpo's performance has left a deep impression on people. He has scored high scores many times during the main rotation.

People began to pay enough attention to him, and no longer treated him as a pure blue-collar insider.

Antetokounmpo's progress rate is really too fast. Before, he was just a defensive blue-collar with no talent, no skills, only cut to the basket to eat cakes, rough defense, and insufficient confrontation.

Now that he has grown taller, his talent has exploded even more. He has practiced dribbling, passing, fast-break counterattacks, and the Eurostep, which is far beyond ordinary people's direction changes in breakthroughs, has become his signature.

This season, Antetokounmpo played 82 games with full attendance, averaging 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. , Few people can block his impact.

At the same time, in this high-profile game, Jokic showed an offensive influence not lost to Antetokounmpo, and he was even better at driving his teammates, and he also received a lot of praise.

As a white center with insufficient athletic ability, the outside world was not optimistic about his development at first, but he gradually secured his position as the Nuggets' starter, and he played better and better, step by step becoming the future core of the team's efforts to cultivate.

In the game, Jokic showed a soft touch and broad vision. He has a high degree of tactical participation and is playing an increasingly important role in the Nuggets' tactical system. Although he averaged only 12.2 points and 3.4 assists per game, he is very good. Many cover and support functions are not reflected in the data.

However, Jokic has a fatal shortcoming, that is, his pace is too slow to prevent him, so he can only guard the pit.

Zhang Yu took advantage of his weakness to let Dinwiddie and Olynyk pick and roll, Olynyk bounced outside, Jokic couldn't defend it, and Olynyk made an open three-pointer.

Antetokounmpo and Jokic have almost equal offensive influence, but his teammates are stronger than Jokic's teammates. The Warriors finally won the Nuggets and drew a successful end to the regular season.

However, the waves caused by Antetokounmpo and Jokic are fleeting. People are optimistic about the future development of these two young people, but they just think that they can become good starters in the future, and the upper limit is the All-Star.

Jokic is limited by mediocre physical talent, can't defend, and has poor frame protection. For a center, this is a fatal weakness.

His strengths are passing and touch, which is good for a point guard, but it seems so unsuitable for a center forward. It can be said that all skill points have been added wrong.

How can a center become a superstar by relying on touch and passing without relying on his body?

Antetokounmpo didn't shoot, 90% of his shots were concentrated in the three-second zone, and free throws were not accurate, which had great flaws on the offensive end.

Unless he can play O'Neal's dominance at the basket, the All-Star is his limit, and he can only make progress by relying on the attributes of both offense and defense.

People are most concerned about the superstars. These two young people are just the protagonists today, but Curry is the protagonist of the Warriors forever.

With the end of the regular season, the selection of major awards is about to begin. Among them, the most important regular season mvp has been recognized as being won by Curry.

Curry played 79 games this season, averaging 34.6 minutes per game, scoring 30.3 points, 6.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 0.3 blocks. 50.3 clubs, super high output and super efficient.

Moreover, the Warriors' record is an unprecedented 74 wins and 8 losses. Curry's scoring, efficiency, and record are all tops in the league. He is the only 180-club scoring champion in NBA history. Ahead of No.2, if he doesn't get mvp, no one dares to get it.

After the regular season, the gambling company adjusted the odds of Curry being elected as the mvp to the lowest in history, and many stars also tweeted about Curry.

Nowitzki:

"Isn't Curry really playing a game?"

DeRozan:
"He's definitely not human!"

Porzingis:
"Is this real life?"

Many reporters who participated in the mvp voting expressed on social media that they would vote for Curry as the first vote. Commentators from all over the world rarely reached a consensus.

O'Neill said bluntly on TNT's show:

"Everyone who doesn't vote for Curry for mvp is an idiot. The league should disqualify him from voting in the future because it proves that he doesn't understand basketball and doesn't care about the game."

Even Barkley, who still does not believe that the Warriors will win the championship after the Warriors broke the record, believes that Curry is definitely the mvp:

"Curry will get the mvp, let me discuss the next topic..."

Smith said in his characteristic accent:
"Curry played the greatest regular season performance in NBA history, even better than Michael Jordan in the 1995-1996 season. Their statistics are similar, both are 30+6+5, but Curry's efficiency is higher. The Warriors Won two more games than the Bulls, he must be the mvp, there is no suspense for this award!"

In China, Yang Yi posted a long Weibo:

"Congratulations to the Warriors! Congratulations to Zhang Yu! Congratulations to Curry! Curry must be the mvp of this year. Many friends may not understand the meaning of the 180 club's 30+ scoring leader, or appearing on a guard who shoots a lot of three-pointers, saying it is a miracle It’s not an exaggeration, he subverted the traditional perception of basketball.”

"This is even more shocking than Jordan averaging 37 points per game. Chamberlain has already had a season averaging 50 points per game, and Curry is telling the entire league that the era of the insider winning the world is over, and now it is three points. Whoever wins the world, if he wants to win the championship, he must shoot three-pointers. From then on, the NBA has completely entered the era of small balls, and Curry will be the king of the era of small balls!"

"This is a memorable moment. Lao Yang, I specially prepared a batch of sweaters to commemorate the Warriors' 74 victories. Welcome everyone to pay attention to Lao Yang's official account..."

No matter from various perspectives, Curry will be the mvp of the regular season. All media, commentators, and fans have reached an unprecedented consensus. Whether they like Curry or hate Curry, it is undeniable that only he is worthy of mvp.

There are not even people who are deliberately grandstanding, declaring that other talents are mvp in order to gain attention. In the past, even in Jordan's peak season, there were such people.

But they couldn't find a black spot in Curry. His performance was impeccable. As O'Neill said, anyone who thinks that Curry is not an mvp is either stupid or bad, and will only be attacked by groups.

……

When the whole world awarded the MVP to Curry in advance, the Warriors avoided the vortex of public opinion. No one showed their faces in front of the media. They all kept a low profile and prepared for the playoffs. Even Curry himself refused any interviews. .

The 74 wins did not go to their heads. The defeat last season was too tragic, and the regret of failing to complete the three consecutive championships has never dissipated.

Especially for Curry, who stayed on the sidelines throughout the playoffs, the feeling of regret, annoyance, and powerlessness reached an unforgettable level, which he will never forget.

After the regular season ended, he devoted himself to training to recharge his batteries for the playoffs, forgetting about 74 wins, scoring champions, and mvp.

After the end of the regular season, the league announced the playoff schedule the next day. The Warriors will host the Pelicans on April 4.

It was on the last day of the regular season that the Pelicans secured the eighth spot in the Western Conference and returned to the playoffs after three years.

Previously, the records of the Pelicans and the Thunder were the same, both with 44 wins. Both teams had games on the last day, and the Pelicans can only guarantee to enter the playoffs if they win.

The Thunder also had a game and started earlier than the Pelicans. Westbrook scored 37 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, leading the Thunder to a 134:113 victory over the Timberwolves. The Thunder temporarily overtook the rankings, and the pressure came to the Pelicans.

The young Pelicans withstood the pressure and scored 31 points and 13 rebounds. In the last 2 minutes, they scored 4 points, 2 rebounds and 2 blocks. hell.

For the Warriors, the Pelicans are a good opponent.

The Pelicans' defense is too dependent on the thick eyebrows. As long as the thick eyebrows are brought out through the pick-and-roll, the Pelicans' inside defense will collapse. The Warriors can hit the penalty area at will. If he just doesn't come out, just shoot the Pelicans to death.

In the past three seasons, the Warriors have used this trick to repeatedly rub the Pelicans on the ground.

This is also the easiest way for the Warriors to win. With thick eyebrows guarding the inside, the risk of directly attacking the Pelicans penalty area is very high. The thick eyebrows have won the block leader for the past two seasons. One person supports the Pelicans' defensive system, and is the most suitable super defensive insider for the small ball era.

But this has further deepened the Pelicans' reliance on thick eyebrows on the defensive end. As long as he is stripped out of the team's defensive system, the Pelicans' defense will decline sharply. At this time, it is the opponent's best chance to defeat the Pelicans.

However, the thick eyebrow moves very fast, and the defensive range can be extended from the basket to the three-point line. After the expansion is delayed, it can be retracted in time. Opponents generally do not do this.

But Curry can take a step outside the three-point line, and even initiate a pick-and-roll just after passing the center line. As long as the thick eyebrows don't come out and give Curry a little space, he can make a three-pointer. If the thick eyebrows come out, the Pelicans will lose the inside line The only defensive barrier.

This is a problem that thick eyebrows have never encountered when playing against other teams.

At this moment, how much he longs to have a high-quality 3D striker by his side to help him escort him, so that he can switch defenses with confidence.

But as long as the Pelicans' lineup does not upgrade for a day, the Warriors will always be able to overcome the Pelicans.

……

On April 4, the Warriors played against the Pelicans at home.

At the beginning of the game, the Warriors reduced the ratio of passes and cuts and directly attacked the thick eyebrows.

Curry holds the ball and Green picks and rolls, thick eyebrows do not switch defenses, and delays Curry's shot before chasing back.

But Curry's pick-and-roll position is getting higher and higher, thick eyebrows can't reach the three-point line, beyond reach, Curry used the cover to make a three-pointer, scored 14 points in the first quarter, scored 4 three-pointers, and the Warriors took the lead The Pelicans scored 8 points.

In the second quarter, the thick eyebrows took a break, the Pelicans lacked scoring points, and their defense also declined sharply.

Under the leadership of Leonard and Clay, the Warriors widened the point difference to 14 points and only played 4 minutes. Monty Williams had no choice but to change the thick eyebrow back.

After Nongmei came back, he scored consecutively inside the Warriors and helped the Pelicans stop the decline.

Thick Eyebrow's ability to finish under the basket is extremely strong. As long as he comes to the penalty area, there are too many ways to send the ball into the basket, and he also has a precise mid-range jumper. Antetokounmpo could be limited a bit.

But the thick eyebrows can't prevent the Warriors. Leonard avoided the thick eyebrows and singled out Pondexett, Evans, and Cunningham on the other side. In the end, there was nothing Nongmei could do about him.

This is another advantage of the Warriors. The Pelicans' forward defense is too poor. Leonard is an absolute strength, and no one can limit his scoring.

Leonard and thick eyebrows confronted each other, and the Pelicans failed to narrow the point difference. After the Warriors returned from the first round, the Pelicans lost their best chance to chase points.

After the start of the second half, Curry and Leonard took over the possession of the ball, thick eyebrows and fists, and the point difference further widened. At the end of the third quarter, the Warriors' lead came to 18 points.

In the fourth quarter, the thick eyebrows finally started to defend, but it was too late. After Curry adjusted the thick eyebrows, he handed the ball to Leonard and Clay. He stood on the three-point line and smoked. Be by Curry's side, pass him the ashtray, watch teammates get run over.

Nongmei really wanted to go to help defend, but standing next to him was the number one shooter in history and the four-time scoring champion. He dared not take a step away from Curry.

In the end, the Warriors beat the Pelicans 121:102, leading 1:0.

Curry scored 27 points, Leonard 25 points, and Clay 21 points. The three scored 73 points together, and the thick eyebrows scored 33 points and 15 rebounds, but they could only score empty.

(End of this chapter)