At the beginning of the death entanglement, Curry followed me to slam dunk

Chapter 60 Evolution
In the early morning, in the training hall of the Warriors, the sound of banging irons kept coming.

The maker of the noise is naturally Du Zhe, who is constantly practicing strong three-point shots under the defense of the trainer.

"Brother Du, come early!" Stephen Curry, the second rookie to arrive at the training ground.

After greeting Du Zhe, Curry simply warmed up, and then he was going to dunk a few baskets and exercise his muscles first.

"Brother Du! Do you want to come and join us?" Seeing Du Zhe on the side preparing to take a short rest, Curry wanted him to come over and show off his hands.

"Okay, then I'll have one." Du Zhe took the basketball from the trainer

Dribbling-sprinting-jumping, he didn't play any tricks, just completed an unremarkable two-handed dunk.

It's not that Du Zhe doesn't want to play tricks, it's just that with his current slam dunk ability, it's too easy to mess up with tricks, or this kind of unpretentious dunk is more suitable for his ability.

This made Curry, who thought that Du Zhe would have a 360-degree dunk or a folded back button, a little disappointed.

In his opinion, Du Zhe is too healthy now. If he has Du Zhe's dunk ability, he would like to dunk a few in every game.

And as time went on, other Warriors players also arrived.

Although the starting center Mickey Moore in recent games is temporarily unable to play due to injury, but for the Warriors who are used to injuries, this is not a problem at all.

They survived the seven-man rotation in the middle, and now with the return of veteran Devin George and the signing of Chris Hunter, the team's current players who can play have reached an amazing level as many as ten people.

Old Nelson couldn't help but sigh that he hadn't fought such a rich battle in a long time.

As for the problem of the emptiness of the inside line after the veteran Moore retired from injury.

Nelson said, if it’s difficult to do, then don’t do it!
Anyway, Moore was only a blue-collar center who averaged 10 minutes per game and contributed 5 points and 3 rebounds before he retired from injury.

As for the other two insiders, Chris Hunter is the firefighter signed by the team from the Development League.

Although the team also gave him some opportunities to play, but at present, not every lottery ticket bought from the Development League can win the first prize like Du Zhe.

With Hunter's current strength, he can only get some sporadic playing time in garbage time, or respond to emergencies when the team is really short of manpower.

As for the second-year pick Anthony Randolph, although he has good physical fitness and seems to have some potential, it is undoubtedly a fantasy to expect him to go inside to deal with Duncan now.

Since the regular lineup was used to deal with the Spurs before, in exchange for one failure after another, the old Nelson simply took this opportunity to make a wave of changes.

Then he announced today's game plan in front of the whole team.

Today's starting lineup has changed a lot. Nelson sent Ellis, Curry, Maggette, Morrow and Radmanovic as the starters.

Du Zhe, Watson, Randolph, Devin George and Hunter came on as rotating substitutes.

As soon as the lineup was announced, except for Du Zhe and Ellis, the other players all looked puzzled and exchanged confused looks with each other.

What is the coach thinking?The opposite side is the Spurs team with "Stone Buddha" Duncan. If they send this kind of starting lineup, aren't they afraid that Duncan will directly blow up the inside?
After all, 5 of the 4 starters are perimeter players under two meters in height, and the only insider, Radmanovic, is a big white man who is strong offensively and defensively weak, and belongs to the bankrupt version of Nowitzki. players.

This kind of formation is not a clear statement to the Spurs - "Uncle, our inside line is undefended, please come in and play freely."

Although no one at the scene spoke, Old Nelson still saw some confusion in the eyes of everyone.

"Don't be surprised, guys. Most of you haven't played under me for too long and may not know me very well."

"I came up with this lineup today not because I am crazy. On the contrary, this is a bold attempt that I decided to make after careful consideration."

"In fact, I have brought out a similar lineup before, but most of you here have not experienced that era."

Having said that, Old Nelson subconsciously paused.

Among the many players, only Ellis nodded secretly.

Indeed, when they beat the Mavericks in the playoffs in 07, they sent a lineup similar to today's.

It's just that among the players in that lineup back then, only him and Biedrins are still in the Warriors.

And Biedrins gradually faded out of the Warriors' rotation due to injuries and style of play.

Ellis is the only one who can still stand here today.

"Compared with the Spurs, our experience and strength may be slightly inferior."

"But relatively speaking, we are also a younger and more energetic side."

"I believe everyone knows that in yesterday's away game, the Spurs tried their best and failed to win a victory from the Suns."

"And today, they still have to face us, boys, you have to run! Don't give those old men a chance to breathe."

Old Nelson's words were impassioned, and everyone in the audience was excited after listening to them, and they were all gearing up.

Although Du Zhe felt that the old Nelson thought the Spurs were too old and underestimated the enemy, but judging from the past records of the fight, today's change is a bold attempt.

After all, in the previous games against the Spurs, the Warriors used their regular lineup to deal with it, but every time they failed, they lost by a big score.

In Du Zhe's view, the Warriors, who are good at chaotic battles, are undoubtedly self-defeating. It is better to change to a smaller lineup to actively speed up, and try to use speed to wear down the old and tired Spurs.

…………

"The last one out, the Warriors shooting guard, the Bullets from Mississippi, Monta Ellis—!"

With the home DJ roaring at the top of his lungs, Monta Ellis, the last player in the Warriors' starting lineup, came on the stage.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was slightly surprised to see the Warriors fielding this starting lineup.

He couldn't help muttering in his heart: "It seems that this old guy Nelson has started to play tricks again, trying to beat me with speed and offense? It's just a dream!"

"With their colander lineup, Tim alone is enough to teach them how to behave." Popovich has unreserved trust in Duncan, an old man who has fought side by side for more than ten years.

As for the Warriors' starting lineup, Popovich didn't pay attention at all.

In his opinion, this is just a group of colanders who can only attack but not defend. With a little intensity, these people will all be dumb.

On the opposite bench, there was a guy worth noting.

Compared with the main force of the warriors on the field, that Huaguo kid named Du Zhe does have two talents.

After noticing the existence of Du Zhe, Popovich also went back to look at the video of the opponent's previous games.

It's okay if you don't read it. After reading it, he was immediately shocked by Du Zhe's talent and speed of progress.

In his first appearance in the NBA, this Huaguo boy showed the NBA's top perimeter defensive potential and awareness.

And in the subsequent games, he was even able to lose his temper in the interior against players of David West's level, which shows that Du Zhe also has the potential to become a high-quality interior defensive player.

As for the offensive end, at first the boy named Du Zhe seemed to have nothing to offer, and could only steal a few points by cutting and dunking.

But Popovich could see that many of Du Zhe's dunks were quite difficult. Without excellent physical fitness and first-class coordination, such dunks could not be completed.

After watching the video of this season's games, Popovich was even more surprised by Du Zhe's improvement at the three-point line.

Last season, this kid was obviously just a three-point shooter who didn't dare to shoot when he was vacated, but this season his three-point shooting percentage suddenly jumped to the forefront of the league.

It even reached the terrifying level that as long as there is space, it can basically hit.

It can be said that there are often three-point shooters in the NBA, but there are not many three-point shooters as stable as Du Zhe.

Young, top defensive, solid three-pointers, and explosive physical fitness, these are the labels Popovich put on him after watching the video of Du Zhe's game.

"I didn't expect Huaguo to be able to produce such outside players..." Although the arrogance and prejudice in his heart made Popovich feel a little uncomfortable instinctively, he also had to admit that Du Zhe's talent and strength really made him People salivate.

At this time, the game on the field has already begun.

Compared with the Warriors with a record of 13 wins and 11 losses and the Spurs with a record of 12 wins and 10 losses, although the two teams seem to have similar records, the Spurs obviously have a psychological advantage.

After all, they easily defeated the Warriors in a recent match.

The lineup sent by the Warriors, in the eyes of the Spurs, is obviously a food delivery.

There is not even a real insider on the field, what can they use to resist their core player Tim Duncan?
Just rely on the bankrupt version of Nowitzki-Rademanovich?

If the Warriors coach really thinks so, then the Spurs feel that this may be the funniest joke they have ever heard.

Even if Nowitzki comes in person, he may not be able to get any advantage from Duncan, not to mention that today this is just a bankrupt version of Nowitzki.

You must know that although Duncan is almost 34 years old, he still belongs to the top insiders in the league, and it is not easy to come here and touch porcelain.

Seeing that several teammates underestimated the enemy, the mature and prudent "Stone Buddha" Duncan repeatedly warned everyone not to be careless.

After all, the team's current record is mediocre, and in this cruel Western Conference, if there is a slight difference, they may not even be able to maintain their qualifications for the playoffs.

Although several Spurs players promised again and again, the contempt for the Warriors in their hearts will not be reversed for a while.

Especially after seeing the wonderful lineup of the Warriors, many people put all their energy into preparing to directly defeat the Warriors in the first three quarters and let the game enter garbage time.

This will also allow them to have a slightly easier time during back-to-back away trips.

But the development of the first quarter of the game was somewhat beyond the expectations of the Spurs.

The Warriors, who had finished their rest, were as if they were full of energy on the court, raising their rhythm and speed to the fastest level as soon as they started.

Everyone in the Warriors team knows that with today's lineup, it is simply impossible to guard Duncan near the three-second zone.

This inside player who claims to have "big basic skills", if he wants to score on Radmanovic's head, there are estimated to be [-] ways to easily send the ball into the basket.

So the basic strategy of the Warriors' game today is to run. As long as there is a chance to launch a counterattack, the team must try to end the battle within 7 seconds.

Only in this way can we avoid falling into the quagmire of hand-to-hand combat with the Spurs, and only in this way can Duncan's role on the defensive end be eliminated as much as possible.

Of course, there is another purpose for the Warriors to speed up, which is to consume the physical strength of Duncan, the core of the Spurs, through fast-paced offensive and defensive transitions.

Although it is true that Duncan is very strong, he is a nearly 34-year-old player after all, and the passage of time has more or less left some marks on him.

And just yesterday, he also fought another running and bombing team in the league-the Phoenix Suns.

He played 35 minutes in that game, made 22 of 14 shots, scored 34 points and 14 rebounds, but it was still difficult to restore the team's defeat.

For a 34-year-old player, participating in two such high-intensity games in a short period of time will more or less affect his state.

In the first quarter, Duncan was overwhelming inside. Just 10 minutes into the game, he made 6 of 4 shots and 4 of 4 free throws, scoring 12 points and 5 rebounds.

As for the Spurs' other core player, point guard Tony Parker, he performed equally well, scoring 5 of 3 in a single quarter, 2 of 2 free throws, and 8 points.

As for Radmanovich, the only insider on the Warriors' court, it was no surprise that he was educated miserably by Duncan.

Needless to say, his performance on the defensive end, and he unfortunately lost himself on the offensive end.

慑于邓肯在内线的防守能力，拉德马诺维奇只敢飘在三分线外出手，结果3次出手全部打铁，他在第一节直接交出了0分1板1助1失误1犯规的“全能”数据。

Fortunately, the outside players feel pretty good. Curry, Ellis and Maggette's shooting percentages are all above [-]%, which also allows the Warriors to hold on to the score for the time being.

At 20:25, the Warriors were temporarily behind by 5 points.

In the last 2 minutes, Du Zhe and Randolph played, replacing Morrow and Radmanovich.

The dominant Spurs have made several rounds of personnel adjustments before. Popovich's rotation is very bold. Now all five Spurs players on the field have been replaced by substitute players.

Among them, the leading player is the famous "Demon Sword" Manu Ginobili.

In addition, there are also excellent bench players such as George Hill, "Red Mamba" Matt Bonner, and short inside man DeJuan Blair.

After Du Zhe came on the field, he naturally shouldered the important task of marking the core of the Spurs - Manu Ginobili.

(End of this chapter)