warrior godfather

Chapter 781 The Pragmatist

Harden never expected that it would be so difficult for him to find Curry in a pick-and-roll.

The Warriors were defending against Harden, trying their best not to get rid of it, the basket was in place, and the corners and 45-degree rotations were quick.

After a whole set of defense is done, although Harden can't be completely restricted-harden can only do his best, obey the destiny, and can't force it-but the Rockets' overall offense is still contained.

Looking back, Curry approached Harden with a sharp focus. Harden's defensive enthusiasm and lateral movement speed could not be compared with Curry at all. He could easily lose his defensive position and was rushed by Curry. Not chasing after the defense will not only fail to help the teammates' follow-up defense, but also add a lot of obstacles to them.

D'Antoni saw that the Warriors took a lead of more than ten points, and he didn't care about letting Paul rest. He called a timeout again, replaced Paul, and played with all the main players, fighting to the death.

But Zhang Yu finally showed his fangs, removed Lopez, pushed Antetokounmpo to the fifth position, Covington played the fourth position, with Curry, Jaylen Brown, Wiggins, and the death five debuted .

Not to mention that Paul's physical fitness is close to exhaustion, even if he is in his prime, he can't find any misalignment points to target.

Both sides are in the top five, but because the Warriors have Antetokounmpo, the offensive threat is more three-dimensional and the defense is more stable.

By finding targets, playing singles, shrinking rotations, and defending against Harden with all their might, the Warriors overwhelmed the "creeping" system that the Rockets are proud of this season in the positional offense. After taking a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, they have maintained the lead, and the Rockets have never been able to complete the comeback.

Paul, who showed great power in the first three quarters, disappeared directly after Zhang Yu replaced the dead five hours, and Harden also fell into the Warriors' net.

The dual-core could not drive the offense, and the Rockets' offense was close to collapse. On the contrary, it was Gordon's tough breakthrough after a few crotch cooking, and his ignorant three-point shot after receiving the ball, which caused some trouble for the Warriors.

But his efforts alone could not help the Rockets turn the situation around. In the end, the Warriors defeated the Rockets 119:106, leading 1:0 and getting a good start in the Western Conference Finals.

库里全场21投13中，三分9中4，罚球5中5，狂砍35分8助攻6篮板2抢断1封盖，其实第四节单节砍下21分，除了一个半快攻后撤步三分，其他全是突破得分。

阿德托昆博前三节主攻，全场23投12中，三分3中0，罚球11中7，砍下31分14篮板5助攻2封盖2抢断的大号两双，统治了内线。

The Warriors scored 30+ with both cores, and only Wiggins scored 17 points, Lopez scored 12 points, and no one scored in double figures.

This is a typical game dominated by superstars. In the face of the Rockets' infinite defense changes, Antetokounmpo and Curry successively acted as the main attack points. Through pick-and-rolls and screens to target the Rockets' defensive weaknesses, they played excellent results and finally won. game.

The Rockets have also continued their consistent singles strategy, and it has indeed received good results. Paul performed very well in the first three quarters, scoring 36 points in the three quarters, supporting the Rockets' offense and helping the team keep clinging to the score.

But in the fourth quarter, with the decline of Paul's physical fitness and the debut of the Warriors' death five, Paul's offensive efficiency dropped greatly. Not only did he lose the efficiency of the first three quarters, he even fell short of his usual level and only scored 4 points. , The score of the whole game is fixed at 40 points.

This is still a terrifying number, but most of them were concentrated in the first three quarters. In the most critical fourth quarter, Paul took 6 shots, but only hit 2 goals. He was almost invisible, and the Rockets lost their last chance to chase points.

Of course, this can't be all blamed on Paul. Paul carried the first three quarters, and the team leader Harden should have carried in the last quarter.

But today the Warriors' defense against Harden is very targeted. From Zhang Yu's insistence on using Lopez to protect the frame, he would rather let Paul hit the mid-range, and never let Harden break through the frame and feed Capela, and then to the fourth Five minors died at the festival, Curry delayed Harden, and the striker rotated to fill in, pinching Harden to break through.

Zhang Yu's purpose is very clear, that is, Paul can score casually, Harden can't, and even Harden's pass can be intercepted at any time.

全场比赛下来，哈登仅仅17投8中，三分7中2，罚球7中7，砍下25分7助攻7篮板1抢断，还送出了4次失误。

The data of 17+25+7 in 7 shots is still in the extremely high-intensity Western Conference Finals. Putting it on ordinary stars, it is definitely worth bragging about, but for Harden, it is just passing.

He is the big core of the Rockets holding the ball, and the ball is all concentrated on him and Paul. Naturally, corresponding output is needed for the Rockets to win.

Paul supported the offense in the first three quarters, and Harden needed to stand up in the fourth quarter, but he only scored 11 points, only half of Curry's, which is undoubtedly extremely unqualified.

Moreover, Harden was not only restricted on the offensive end, but also repeatedly stepped over by Curry on the defensive end, without any delay, which directly led to the collapse of the Rockets' infinite defense system, and was the culprit behind Curry's 20+ in the fourth quarter culprit.

The data can't reflect Harden's damage to the team on the defensive end, but apart from the Rockets fans who hate iron and steel, and the Warriors fans who taunt with the triumph of the winner, Harden can't get any punishment.

In the post-match interview, the reporter asked Harden about his defense against Curry. Harden said casually:

"Stephen is one of the best players in the league. His breakthrough is very threatening. No one can completely guard against him, but we will try to find a better way to limit Curry's scoring..."

He didn't mention at all that he was stepped over by Curry, he just said something very clinker.

Harden doesn't think there is a problem with his defense. He has always played like this. He is so heavy and moves slowly laterally. If he defends desperately, how can he focus on the offensive end?
And when a reporter asked about the Warriors' defense against him, Harden replied:

"Our offense was fine, Chris played great, I had a little bit of trouble in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't a big deal, I'll go back and look at the tape of the game and find a way to score... "

Paul seemed to be much more competitive. Facing the reporter's question, he blamed himself very much:

"I didn't play well in the fourth quarter and only scored 4 points. Obviously, this can't help the team. I must be responsible for the team's loss. I will play better in the next game and play well at critical moments." Performance……"

Rockets fans are used to the styles of the two. Harden always looks indifferent, even if he reaches the Western Conference Finals, he seems so careless. Paul has always been serious, even if it is just an ordinary regular season Serious and abnormal, very in line with his status as the chairman of the players union.

These two people with very different personalities partnered together and achieved such outstanding results, which exceeded many people's expectations.

But whether they can maintain such a harmonious state and coexist, no one knows the answer.

Rockets fans can only believe that the light bulb combination can always lead the Rockets to win, at least they will not fall apart until they get the O'Brien Cup.

……

Unlike the Rockets soldiers who were questioned after losing, the winning Warriors only need to celebrate the victory. Zhang Yu praised the performance of Curry and Antetokounmpo, and he is very confident that the Warriors will win the Western Conference Finals.

Curry and Antetokounmpo are also full of smiles. The Rockets' unlimited defenses are in their hands. Curry is the first in history without the ball, and the ball is also top in history. Antetokounmpo is a low-post killer. It is the easiest way to score with the highest success rate.

Especially in the face of the Rockets' short lineup, Capela and Tucker's advantages are switching defenses, and they are far inferior to Antetokounmpo in terms of confrontation and strength. It's also very lazy, Curry doesn't even need to take out his best three-pointers, he can solve the problem with a breakthrough.

Two days later, the Warriors and the Rockets started their second matchup at the Chase Center. The Warriors again won 123:111, leading 2:0.

In Zhang Yu's previous life, after the Warriors won G1 in an away game, they lost to the Rockets by 2 points in G22, which was surprising.

It was a typical Warriors game, and one the Rockets wanted to see.

After winning G1, Cole reverted to his old ways. The Warriors habitually adopted the pass-and-cut style at the beginning of the game, then made a lot of mistakes, and then gave up the pass-and-cut style of play, completely fighting against the Rockets.

Kerr also didn't know how to take advantage of the Rockets' short lineup. When the five small teams faced each other, the pressure on the basket was not enough, and it turned into an isolated one-on-one game where the teammates basically lost contact.

Although Durant continued his excellent form in G1 and scored 38 points, Curry made 19 of 7 shots and only scored 18 points, and Clay only scored 11 of 3 shots and only scored 8 points. The Warriors, however, became a one-man team completely dependent on Durant and ushered in a fiasco.

Cole seems to have completely forgotten how the Warriors won G1. Except for an off-ball cooperation with Iguodala at the beginning of the game, Clay targeted Harden. None of them can consume Harden.

Before the start of the Western Conference Finals, he could still carefully formulate targeted tactics and treat the game cautiously, but as long as he won a game, the temptation of passing and cutting made him difficult to control, and he went back to the old way. In a panic, he went from one extreme to another, no more pass and cut, and all changed to singles.

Durant scored 38 points, but had no assists in the game. He seemed to forget that there were teammates around him. After getting the ball, he only saw the basket and couldn't cooperate at all.

Even Curry didn't find his teammates very much this time, and he didn't give an alley-oop. The target of breaking through and scoring the ball was Iguodala, who was inaccurate for three-pointers.

But Zhang Yu is different from Cole. He has no obsession with Chuanqie, and he doesn't feel that singles "have no beauty and depth".

He is a pure pragmatist, he can use whatever tactics can win the game, and he is not even obsessed with small ball tactics. If a big center can win by squatting, then he will reuse Lopez.

In this regard, Zhang Yu is very similar to Sir Alex Ferguson, the godfather of Manchester United.

As one of the greatest coaches in the history of football, Ferguson did not make any innovations in tactics, which was very different from Guardiola who was in charge of "noisy neighbors", but he led Manchester United to many championships and ruled The Premier League has dominated Europe and produced superstars one after another.

The same is true for Zhang Yu. After winning 5 championships with unlimited defense + defensive counterattack + pass and cut, he returned to the traditional routine of big center squatting + star singles + defensive counterattack, but at critical moments, he will still use dead five small ones decide the outcome.

In this game, Zhang Yu continued the tactics of G1, with Lopez protecting the frame in regular time, Antetokounmpo as the main offensive point, Wiggins as the secondary attacker, resolutely attacking the inside of the Rockets, Curry more as an organizer, Attract the defense and create opportunities for teammates.

Although Curry is the absolute core of the Warriors, the weakness of the Rockets' small lineup is the inside line. Antetokounmpo is more suitable as the main attack point and is more lethal to the Rockets.

Curry doesn't care about the reduction of his ball rights, as long as he can win, he can do anything, and he is willing to be a green leaf for Antetokounmpo.

The Warriors rely on the inside advantage and always take the initiative on the offensive end, but D'Antoni did not sit still and made adjustments to the problems exposed by the Rockets G1.

G1 Harden actually changed the Warriors' defense, but at the execution level, the forward players' ability to handle the ball and seize opportunities is insufficient.

In this game, Tucker no longer hesitated. Regardless of whether there was anyone in front of him, he shot very resolutely. He made 3 corner three-pointers.

Ariza was inaccurate on three-pointers in the last game, and he was shorted more in this game. His hand felt warmer, and he also made three three-pointers, which forced Curry to dare not let him short again, and then broke through his fixed point typed out.

In the past, the Rockets used the ball-holding core to drive the shooters. This time, the shooters were allowed to handle the ball one more time. Ariza and Tucker did it.

In this game, after the singles breakthrough of the light bulb combination, it can match the fixed-point breakthrough of the role players, and the breakthrough is not forced, and there are subsequent points and second launches. In this way, the Warriors' defense and rotation are disrupted. It's a mess.

But Zhang Yu immediately made adjustments, removed Lopez, Antetokounmpo took the fifth position, and changed to unlimited defenses. The fixed-point breakthrough of the Rockets' role players was immediately abolished.

Zhang Yu will not be as stubborn as Cole, clinging to the defense rotation and not letting go. Since the Rockets' role players are in hot form and have made breakthroughs and handling the ball that cannot be played normally, he will also make a compromise and not let them handle the ball. Space.

The Rockets can only change back to the unlimited singles of the light bulb combination, and Paul cannot break through the Warriors' strong forward defense. In fact, it is only Harden's one-man show.

Switching to other teams, it is difficult to come up with the offensive firepower that matches Harden, but the Warriors happen to be able to, and even better.

Also in singles, Curry's breakthrough against Harden was more agile, and facing the cumbersome Tucker, he was able to catch a small hit and a big one.

Even if Harden finds Curry in a pick-and-roll, he still has to face Curry's stalking, followed by the Warriors' timely defense, which is greatly restricted, and the offensive efficiency is not as good as Curry.

Like the script of G1, Antetokounmpo was overwhelmed in the first three quarters, and Curry made a final decision in the fourth quarter and finally won the game.

Now that he has found a weakness, Zhang Yu will target it to the death. There is no such thing as a show operation after winning the game, and everything is about winning.

What annoyed Zhang Yu was that D'Antoni also knew that the Rockets couldn't defend against Antetokounmpo on the inside. When defending inside, the confrontation was very fierce. Antetokounmpo fell to the ground several times, and fell twice. Extra ruthless.

Fortunately, this is at the Chase Center, and the Warriors have home court advantage. Every time Antetokounmpo was violated, the referee blew his whistle and gave Tucker a first-level malicious foul. Antetokounmpo scored a total of 14 He made 9 free throws and scored 34 points, 7 points more than Curry. It can be said that he is the biggest contributor to the Warriors' victory.

However, Zhang Yu was still quite worried, and told Antetokounmpo to protect himself, and at the same time control his emotions, so as not to be affected by the Rockets' rough actions.

Antetokounmpo didn't care much, grinning:

"Haha, boss, don't worry, they can't prevent me at all, we will definitely win!"

(End of this chapter)