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After being defeated 7-0, the Suns players became more cautious. Nash was very steady in controlling the ball at the top of the arc, while the others moved without the ball, eventually creating an opportunity for Richardson to run, receiving a pass from Nash and taking a mid-range jump shot.
Gentry, who was standing on the sidelines, sighed with relief and sat back down.
He was considering whether to call a timeout right then, but it seemed Nash could still stabilize the situation.
However, in the next round, Gentry couldn't sit still.
The Warriors kept falling to Green in the low post, and Curry and Chandler ran down the strong side. This time, Robin Lopez was very alert in defending early and didn't give Curry the chance to shoot from the open position.
But when the Suns players focused their defensive attention on Curry, Butler in the lower left corner first cut inward with the help of Tony Allen's screen, and when he was defended by Turkoglu, he continuously sprinted toward the strong side, reaching the lower right corner with Green's coverage.
Curry made a timely back-pass and delivered the ball with great elegance. Butler, unguarded, even dribbled for a while before raising his hand to shoot a three-pointer.
Swish!
The basketball sank through the net, 10-2, and the Warriors continued to extend their lead.
After the shot went in, Butler smiled, high-fived Curry, and returned to the backcourt.
"Tic-"
Gentry finally couldn't take it anymore and immediately called a timeout. The score was 10-2 after just the first play, and the game was completely different from what he expected. He had to adapt.
"The Suns have been stopped, the Warriors have a lot of momentum in the opening. Director Liam, what do you think of the Warriors' early performance?" asked Mike Breen.
Liam Gonzalez paused for a moment and said:
"How should I put it? The Warriors are obviously well-prepared. The performance of rookie Green is impressive. I don't know if everyone has noticed, but the Warriors' points are coming from off-ball tactics and defensive fast breaks. Among them, Green's defense and his strategy in the low post have been very crucial, directly contributing to these two points, but Curry hasn't had much ball handling, which is rare for the Warriors."
— "Do you think this is a new tactic for the Warriors?" asked Mike Breen.
"I need to watch more, but I think Gentry can see it, otherwise he wouldn't have called a timeout after just 3 minutes of play. The Suns were caught off guard by the Warriors," said Liam Gonzalez with a smile.
The position of the domestic commentator has always been clear, that is, to support the Rockets and the Warriors. Yao Ming was absent from injury for the entire last season, which resulted in the Rockets not being as "favorite" as the Warriors are now.
Gentry requested a brief timeout, and the two teams exchanged a few words. The timeout ended, both teams returned to the court, and the game resumed.
Mike Breen was surprised:
"Look at the Warriors' changes! Number 12, Klay Thompson, replaced Tony Allen, Matthews replaced Butler. They're in a good position. Why did they proactively change?"
When Gentry saw the Warriors' adjustment, he looked at Liam Gonzalez in disbelief, and Liam noticed his gaze and smiled back.
He turned to Silas and said:
"The Suns' defensive weakness has been exposed. It'll depend on Chrysteffin to act now."
— "Wouldn't that be too cruel...?" Silas looked at Turkoglu on the court with some hesitation.
On the court, the Suns inbounded the ball. Nash and Robin Lopez set a screen, and after Robin Lopez fell, Nash didn't pass the ball back. Instead, he faced Chandler and took a mid-range jumper.
10-4.
Looking back, the Warriors players ran quickly to the frontcourt. If it weren't for the Suns consciously speeding up their defense, they might have been caught by a semi-fast break from the Warriors.
"Hey, look at the Warriors' pace, they're faster than last season, and the young guys can run," Liam Gonzalez said with a smile.
On the court, Curry saw there was no opportunity for a fast break, slowed down, controlled the ball at the top of the arc, and signaled. Green moved up to set a screen, Curry walked toward the screen, and then Green immediately dropped down and used his hand to stealthily grab a belt, blocking Richardson's steps so he couldn't keep chasing Curry, forcing him to switch defenders so Curry wouldn't face Turkoglu.
The versatile forward, once known for his flexibility in the league, faced Curry with open hands and a serious expression, not daring to be careless.
Defense had always been his weak link throughout his career, and against a super shooter like Curry, he involuntarily took two steps forward to avoid Curry launching a sudden three-pointer.
After witnessing Curry's shooting performance for a season, the entire league now knows how terrifying his three-point shooting is with ball handling. At this point, the Lakers have more say, and Odom may never forget the three-pointer Curry hit on him for the rest of his life.
Curry saw Turkoglu pressing toward him, raised his hands, and made a gesture to shoot, causing Turkoglu's center of gravity to shift forward. He then gathered the ball, slammed it hard to the floor, stepped out with his right foot, and ran from Turkoglu's right side. The Turkish player couldn't keep up with Curry's passing speed at all. Curry knocked him off on the first step and left him far behind on the second.
Robin Lopez immediately lunged at Curry, but Curry didn't signal to clear a path. He stopped at the free-throw line and took a shot before Robin Lopez could get in position.
Swish!
Basketball through the net, 12-4.
In the next round, Turkoglu held the ball on the left side of the three-point line, a beautiful sight for fans after the Suns made the summer exchange: both he and Nash have the ability to initiate pick-and-rolls, which makes the Suns' tactics more unpredictable.
But after Turkoglu and Robin Lopez set a screen, Chandler immediately switched onto him, Green skillfully approached Robin Lopez and blocked Turkoglu's passing lane. The rest of the Warriors players were focused on their opponents, trapped between Turkoglu and the Suns' players, not giving him the chance to pass.
After several attempts, Turkoglu couldn't get the ball out, and with a movement of his hand, the Suns opened up space for him, and all eyes were on him, waiting for his move.
The Turkish player had no choice but to back off and play one-on-one against Chandler, but he was never known for his ability to play solo. Chandler's mobility was superior at the center position, and Turkoglu couldn't shake any space. He finally barely managed a backward jump shot, nearly blocked, which went wildly off the mark. The ball landed near the restricted area for a rebound.
Bang!
The rim of Turkoglu's shot struck like a signal, and the Warriors players ran to the frontcourt. Curry dribbled the ball on the floor and rushed quickly. The entire Suns team was like startled birds, retreating hastily. They followed Gentry's instructions, focusing on protecting the basket and not allowing the Warriors to easily attack the rim.
But neither Klay nor Matthews, who had been positioned at the wings, moved to the three-point line. Instead, they stopped on both sides. Hill followed Matthews, and Nash hesitated, standing at the free-throw line, trying to block Green while he cut to the basket.
At that moment, Curry, who had just dribbled past half-court, passed the ball directly to Klay. Green had been paying attention to the ball movement, and when he saw this, he suddenly accelerated, heading straight to the basket and drawing Nash's attention.
Swish!
Nash, who reacted, didn't have time to leap, and could only watch as the basketball went through the hoop.
With a 15-4 score, the Warriors continued to extend their lead.
Mike Breen smiled:
"Number 13 for the Warriors, Klay Thompson, the 13th overall pick this year, is a shooter, and the Suns' defense wasn't cautious enough to give him that much space."
He had done his homework before the game and knew every detail about the Warriors' players because he knew he would likely cover dozens of Warriors games this season and had to be prepared in advance.
Gentry, who had just been sitting for a short while, stood up again, unwilling to sit during this game.
He shouted on the court:
"Focus on defense, don't lose anyone!"
All the Suns players heard his reminder, but his words were ineffective. They knew they shouldn't let players slip past, but the Warriors' defensive fast breaks were extremely quick, often starting right after they grabbed a rebound. They were well-structured, with shooters opening space on both wings and one player going straight to the basket. The Suns players were caught off guard, only able to follow close defense and not having time to find their opponents. It was difficult not to lose players.
Luckily, Gentry reminded them:
"Get the rebound in the frontcourt, and if you miss the shot, get back to defense immediately!"
The Suns players took the cue. In the next round, Richardson missed a three-pointer from a fixed spot. Chandler protected the rebound, passed it to Curry, and the Warriors tried to push the fast break, but the Suns quickly returned to defense and didn't give the Warriors another chance to attack.
Gentry sighed in relief. If they were defeated again, he wasn't sure if he should call another timeout to slow things down, but now, they were only down by 13-4.
On the court, the Warriors found themselves caught in a positional battle. Curry looked back at the bench, where Liam patted the top of his head with his right hand and raised his index finger towards him.
Curry understood and signaled to Green, who immediately initiated a pick-and-roll, moving Turkoglu back in front of Curry once again.
Turkoglu didn't want to switch defenders in his heart, but Green's screen was so solid that after the pick, he would be left with no chance to block, as per the defensive arrangement Gentry set before the game. Richardson had no choice but to follow Green, leaving Turkoglu to guard Curry.
Turkoglu learned from his previous mistake defending Curry. He didn't get too close to avoid letting Curry drive by, but Curry had no intention of attacking the basket. Instead, he faked and changed directions in front of Turkoglu's body, making the Turkish player lose his balance. Then, Curry stopped abruptly and fired.
Turkoglu rushed to extend his arm to interfere, but his movements were slow, as if in slow motion compared to Curry's ultra-quick release, and he couldn't affect the shot. All he could do was watch as the basketball arced high and dropped through the net.
18-4.
Curry raised his right hand into the air, watching the basketball go through the hoop. He pounded his chest and pointed to the sky with one finger, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
"Chef! Chef!"
This nickname was given to Curry by American fans. "Curry" means curry, and his three-point shots are like a feast, which is where the nickname comes from.
Mike Breen sighed: "Turkoglu can't stop Curry at all. First, Curry got past him and then hit a three-pointer right in his face; it's like a trap for Turkoglu."
Jeff Van Gundy added, "It looks like Curry's offensive desire is really strong, and he's continuing to play big and small in the first quarter. Although Turkoglu isn't exactly 'big,' he's slow and can't keep up with Curry, which causes a mismatch."
The Suns attacked, Nash ran a pick-and-roll, and the Warriors' defense had a slight lapse. Nash passed to Turkoglu, who was left open by Green, and Turkoglu nailed an open three-pointer.
18-7.
Back on the Warriors' side, Curry found Turkoglu again through another pick-and-roll, and in one move, he blew by the Turkish player and launched a shot just outside the free-throw line.
20-7.
"Tic-"
Desperate, Gentry called another timeout. Although only 6 minutes had passed in the first quarter, Curry had already repeatedly torched Turkoglu, and if no changes were made, the Suns might be completely overwhelmed by the end of the first.
As the Warriors left the court, Mike Breen gave them high-fives one by one and smiled at Curry: "Great job, Stephen! Keep targeting Turkoglu until he's out of the game!"
What Jeff Van Gundy didn't know was that it wasn't just Curry's desire to attack, but that Liam had specifically set up a unique out-of-place tactic for him.
Unlike Kerr, Liam insisted on fluid coordination within the passing and cutting system but also valued Curry's individual ability.
Liam wouldn't run things like Kerr, where Curry ran without the ball as a decoy to draw defenders and create space for others.
The team offense was indeed important, but Liam firmly believed that a star's strong individual skills were the foundation of a strong team.
Of course, Curry wasn't at his peak just yet. Without the halfcourt trap, the Warriors could count on having 3 shooters running the floor at all times. But even if Curry reached his peak, Liam still wanted him to focus on attacking with the ball, complemented by some off-ball action.
He didn't think it was realistic for a star who ran around so much during the regular season to switch to ball-handling mode and take control the moment the playoffs began.
He wanted Curry to maintain his aggressive attack mode, and the Curry with the ball was the most powerful Curry.
Liam would let Curry run without the ball to drive the Warriors' overall offense, but he wouldn't put the cart before the horse and let Curry run endlessly without the ball.
After the timeout, Hill pointed at Matthews and made a driving motion. Matthews' defense was still much weaker than Butler's.
20-9.
The Warriors attacked again, and Gentry made a strong move to stop Curry. They were definitely not letting Turkoglu defend Curry alone this time. No matter how the pick was made, Turkoglu couldn't defend Curry after switching.
However, with that approach, Green, who had fallen after setting the pick, found space and Curry passed him the ball as soon as possible. Green dribbled, and Robin Lopez was forced to step up to help defend.
At that moment, Green demonstrated he wasn't just a typical big man. Instead of taking the shot himself or stopping to look for his teammates, he cleverly passed the ball to the sky. Chandler, who was lurking behind Robin Lopez, jumped high, caught Green's pass, and dunked the ball with both hands.
22-9.
Mike Breen exclaimed: "Green, what kind of move is this? He set a pick, covered for Curry, received the pass from Curry, held the ball, and passed it to Chandler for an easy dunk. He's playing like a wing, a point guard, and a big man all at once!"
Jeff Van Gundy smiled and said: "Green's versatility is incredible. He's under two meters tall, yet his skills are like a guard, but with the defense and coverage of a true big man. I've never seen a player quite like him."
Mike Breen glanced at the stats and added: "Green had two triple-doubles in college, and it looks like he's continued to develop his all-around game in the NBA. The Warriors definitely found a gem here."
…
In the following game, the Suns could not cope with the Warriors' tactical shifts.
After Green had delivered two assists in a row, Gentry was forced to substitute out Turkoglu, but the Warriors had already built a significant lead in the first quarter, scoring 37 points in the quarter and entering the second quarter with a 37-20 advantage.
However, on the defensive side, the Warriors still had many lapses, and they couldn't be considered defensive juggernauts. Matthews' defense was still much weaker than Butler's.
In the second quarter, the bench lineup led by Jeremy Lin came in. Liam left Matthews on the court but substituted the rest of the players. The defensive performance of this lineup was worse than it had been, and although the Suns' bench wasn't very strong, Dragic played well, scoring 8 points in the quarter and helping the Suns cut much of the deficit.
Jeremy Lin's performance was much less impressive than in the training game, and it seemed like he struggled to adjust to the intensity of NBA competition. He only scored 4 points on 2-of-5 shooting, dished out 2 assists, and had 2 turnovers, missing many good opportunities.
At the end of the first half, the score was 60-47, and the Suns had narrowed the gap to just 13 points, bringing back the suspense in the game.
In the visiting locker room, Gentry encouraged his players loudly:
"Great job, everyone, in the first half. We're gradually closing the gap. In the second half, let's keep the pressure on! The young, inexperienced Warriors players won't be able to handle it. We've got to keep pushing and win this game!"
In the home locker room, Liam didn't criticize the defensive mistakes of the Warriors in the first half but focused on motivating them:
"I told you before this game, it's a revenge match! The first half ended, and we have a 13-point lead. This is the result of everyone's hard work. Draymond, you've been doing great. In the second half, I need you to keep working hard, and make everyone who doubted you see how wrong they were. Let's keep playing like this..."
After he finished speaking, all the Warriors players looked at Green with strange expressions in their eyes.
Liam said slowly:
"We've practiced this lineup many times. Is there a problem, Draymond?"
Green looked at him, took a deep breath, and replied: "There's no problem, Coach!"
"Good, Draymond. You're the core of this lineup. As long as you play the way we want, we can use this quarter to completely bury the opponent!"
Soon, the 15-minute halftime passed, and the two teams returned to the court for the second half.
Mike Breen glanced at the Suns' lineup and noted, "It's the same starting five from the first quarter."
Then, he looked at the Warriors' half of the court and his eyes widened as he said, "Wait a second, the Warriors... are they really using this lineup?!"
End of this chapter
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