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After the entire game, Curry finished with 23 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. Although he achieved a double-double, he only scored 7 points in the second half and was heavily restricted by the Heat.
He could only share the ball when facing a double team, which naturally led to more assists, but the other Warriors players weren't strong enough to capitalize on the opportunities. The wide-open threes couldn't guarantee a stable shooting percentage. Only Klay hit 4 of 6 three-pointers, for a total of 16 points. Butler shot 2 of 5, Matthews made 2 of 6, Yi Jianlian shot 1 of 4, and Green went 0 for 3, which made the Heat more unscrupulous in defending Curry, creating a vicious cycle.
On the other hand, the Heat's Big Three exploded together. James had 30 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds, Wade had 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Bosh scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, totaling 81 points.
Although the Heat didn't have anyone else scoring in double digits besides the Big Three, shooters like James Jones and Carlos Arroyo took advantage of the open shots they got, each hitting two three-pointers, providing ample space for the Big Three to play freely. As a result, the Warriors paid the price for their minimal contributions, allowing the Big Three to have enough space to play individually.
This also relates to the fact that the Big Three have excellent ball-handling skills. If the Warriors dared to double-team, the Heat would easily handle a 4-on-3 situation. Except for Curry, the rest of the Warriors have a lack of ball-handling ability. Even Green, who is the best at this later on, still needs more development.
And the Warriors managed to keep up with the Heat's Big Three. In the last game, the Spurs showed the league how to beat the Warriors.
Such a painful loss made the Warriors' bench filled with a heavy atmosphere. The relaxed jokes from the past disappeared, and the players stared at the court with solemn expressions, silent, even Curry, the most optimistic, distracted, covering his head with a towel, resting his cheeks in his hands, his clear blue pupils filled with confusion.
After the red light came on, he seemed finally relieved. He quickly got up, walked to the center of the court, shook hands with several players on the Heat's bench who had stayed on the court, and intended to walk to the players' tunnel.
But it backfired. As soon as Curry turned around, a rough voice came from behind him:
"Hey Stephen, wait a minute..."
Curry froze, turned around, and saw James walking toward him with a flawless smile on his face.
"You're playing really well. I'd like to swap jerseys with you, is that okay?" James hugged Curry with a familiar manner and looked at him with a smile.
Curry hesitated, just wanting to go home early and forget this game, but since James mentioned it, he could only promise:
"No problem."
Afterward, they exchanged jerseys, and James finally shook Curry's hand vigorously and said:
"Bro, when you come to Miami, let's meet up for a bit. I'll take you to meet Dwayne and Chris."
With that, he gave Curry a pat on the arm and turned to leave.
Curry stood still for a moment, his expression much more relaxed. James' style was very comfortable, his attitude was warm and didn't put on the superstar act, which made Curry feel good.
...
After James and Curry separated, they looked around, their eyes lighting up as they made their way through the crowd toward the scorer's table.
In front of the scorer's table, Liam was shaking hands with Spoelstra, and smiled bitterly as he said:
"Erik, you've found all our weaknesses, and I don't feel offended."
Spoelstra waved his hand repeatedly:
"Well, to be honest, your game against the Spurs inspired me. I've been anxious for a while, and recently I've been improving a little..."
The two chatted for a bit and immediately felt familiar with each other.
Both were the only head coaches of Asian descent in the league. Though Spoelstra was American and had played in the NCAA, racial discrimination against Asian-Americans in the United States was deeply rooted, and he had faced many difficulties. His attitude toward Liam was very friendly, similar to meeting someone from his hometown.
"… Liam, the Warriors have a lot of potential, and I'm very optimistic about your future development..." Spoelstra and Liam exchanged a few more jokes, and from the corner of his eye, he saw James approaching. He turned his head and smiled:
"Hey LeBron, I worked hard for you tonight, uh, sorry, Liam..."
Halfway through his sentence, Spoelstra realized it wasn't the time for the winner to celebrate, and quickly apologized to Liam, who waved his hand to show he wasn't offended. Spoelstra said a few more words and walked away.
James looked at Liam, replacing the rough "big brother" smile he had given Curry with a humble and polite smile. He considered it carefully and said:
"Hello, Coach Liam, the Warriors played a great game tonight…"
Liam was surprised and looked James up and down. He still remembered that after the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers last season, his comments didn't leave James with much affection. It was only natural for James not to hold a grudge, but this attitude was unexpected.
He saw the jersey of Curry that James was holding and asked:
"No matter how amazing it was, I'm losing to you, LeBron. Are you swapping jerseys with Stephen?"
James nodded, still maintaining a humble smile, and Liam felt strange inside but decided to test it:
"You know, LeBron, sometimes people can't help themselves. What I said earlier about the Cavaliers' draft picks might have been a bit harsh, but that's not my intention…"
"I understand, you're just doing it for the Warriors' sake, and that's fine," James nodded understandingly, "I've been through a lot since I came to Miami, and everything from the past doesn't matter. It's a new journey."
Liam stood stunned for a moment, not expecting James to have such an open mind. But he clearly remembered the shouting match between James and Phil Jackson, when they went all out against each other, criticizing James for not passing the ball in a critical moment and predicting he would leave the Cavaliers, which should have offended him even more. Why was James so humble in front of him?
Afterwards, the two exchanged a few more words, but the conversation was limited to that night's game. Finally, after Liam revealed his intentions, James's eyes twinkled, and he said nonchalantly,
"Coach Liam, I had a good relationship with Yao before, and when I went to China last time, he gave me a lot of useful advice. China is a beautiful country, and I plan to visit this summer."
"Chin?" Liam was taken aback for a moment and then smiled, "It will be much better than Miami. I wish you a good trip."
James nodded and smiled, "Thank you, the fans in China are really enthusiastic, and they are great people. I am grateful for their support, and I really like the Chinese culture ... However, I am not very familiar with China, Yi won't you have any suggestions?"
"Of course, there will be an interview later. Could you give me your phone number? When you come to Miami, I will ask you these questions," James said.
Liam smiled faintly, "No problem, my assistant will give it to you later."
Hearing this, James's face lit up with joy and he said,
"Then I won't bother you."
After speaking, he turned to leave. Liam looked at his retreating back, squinting slightly, and after a while, he signaled Jonathan,
"Wait outside the visiting team's locker room and tell James my cell phone number."
When Santiago heard this, his face lit up with joy, and he said:
"Then I won't disturb you."
After speaking, he turned around to leave. Liam looked at his retreating back, squinting his eyes slightly, and after a while, he signaled to Jonathan:
"Wait outside the visiting team's locker room and tell James my cell phone number."
Jonathan nodded, curious: "Boss, did he just reach out to contact you? You weren't..."
Jonathan was also aware of the past grievances between Liam and James, and as Liam's assistant, he knew very well that Liam's attitude toward James hadn't been particularly friendly. So it was quite a surprise to him when Liam suddenly decided to give out his contact information.
Liam vaguely said: "He has something to ask me."
Jonathan didn't ask any more questions and quickly left to do what Liam had instructed. Liam followed and walked toward the players' tunnel.
He knew what James was thinking, but he didn't tell Jonathan or Pan, and there was no need to explain much to his assistant.
The world is noisy, all for profit; it's noisy for everyone, all with profit in mind.
James wants to smooth over his relationship with Liam, and even strengthen it, with the simple goal of doing so for business interests.
After the "Decision" incident, James was criticized and vilified by everyone in the United States, his reputation severely damaged, and after the financial crisis, the economic situation in the U.S. was bleak, and the commercial backing of NBA stars was also heavily affected.
Moreover, after the government injected a "four trillion" stimulus into the economy, development maintained a thriving momentum. After Yao Ming's injury, Yi Jianlian and Jeremy Lin joined the Warriors that summer, and the Warriors quickly became the new home team for Chinese fans.
This is also a key reason why NBA stars have repeatedly traveled to Chinas in recent years. With James' business acumen, this interests him a lot. He went to China once in the summer of 2009. In Liam's previous life, he went to China a total of 11 times, the most among all NBA stars, although he was still affected by the epidemic. Otherwise, his trips to James would have been even more frequent.
This summer, James did not engage in any commercial activities, but stayed in Miami for training, also to avoid the edge of public opinion. However, it is clear that he will resume his touring activities in China next summer to further develop the Chinese market and compensate for the loss of his business development.
And for that he needs Liam's collaboration. The Warriors are now the main local team for Chino fans, Jimmy and Yi Jianlian have been a big boost for the Warriors, especially after Yao Ming's injury, as many Chinese fans who supported the Rockets have now switched to watching the Warriors.
Liam's previous assessment of James was not very favorable. Combined with the "Decision" incident, James' reputation among Chinese fans was not very good, and the league heavily promoted the "23 VS 24", which caused many Kobe fans to dislike James. The combination of several factors caused considerable resistance to James' business development in China.
James took the initiative to improve relations with Liam, clearly not just because of some "suggestions". Based on Liam's speculation, James' team would likely request a future cooperative proposal, using the Warriors as a free hand to jointly pursue commercial development. At the very least, Liam could not become an obstacle to James' adventures in china.
In fact, this is not a bad thing for the Warriors. James has accumulated a large following in China. Despite the controversy surrounding him, if the Warriors cooperate with him, they can pick up new fans. After all, the Warriors and Heat are on opposite coasts and there is no conflict of interest. The fans can be "one big family."
If Kobe Bryant is not an issue, the Lakers and Warriors are rivals in the same district, and may face each other in the playoffs, or the competition in the regular season may also be fierce.
On a deeper level, James' approach may have been instructed by Pat Riley. No NBA team can ignore the dividends the Rockets have reaped in the Chinese market, and they are eager to become the next Rockets. The Mavericks, Spurs, Bucks and Lakers have all tried, but alas, there is only one Yao Ming. The players the teams selected from China have not even made it into the rotation, and their efforts to develop the Chinese market have failed.
Due to the formation of the Big Three, the Heat's salary cap pressure has increased dramatically, surpassing the luxury tax threshold by $70 million, facing a large tax burden. Expect the Heat's spending to only increase in the coming years, and the team must find new sources of revenue.
China, with its strong basketball environment and booming economy, is the best option. But the Heat don't have a base on the other side of the ocean, and partnering with the Warriors would achieve twice the results with half the effort.
They should not be greedy, just use the Warriors as a springboard to enter the Chinese market. The Chinese market is huge, and no one team can dominate it alone. Even the original Rockets have their competitors. Not to mention the Warriors. Liam clearly remembers that, in his past life, Tsai Chongxin's Nets were not well treated by domestic fans, even though he was the owner and head coach. But, at the end of the day, the NBA revolves around the stars, and the appeal of others is much less. If they can tap into the appeal of the Heat's Big Three, the Warriors' business development will be much smoother.
It's complicated to say, but Liam figured it out in the blink of an eye. He didn't know if his speculation was correct, but there was a possibility. Liam didn't mind cooperating with James and the Heat. Not to mention anything else, Pat Riley has deep NBA experience and great power. If he can establish a good relationship with him, it will greatly benefit the Warriors in trades, the draft, and player signings.
Even if Liam guessed wrong, cooperating with James would still be beneficial and harmless. One could say no one in the world knows James better than Liam. From his brother's basketball, his hometown's basketball, to family basketball, James is a person who prioritizes his interests. He and the team behind him always make the decisions most beneficial to themselves. He and Liam should cooperate wholeheartedly because it can bring them enormous benefits.
When Liam was still a fan, he greatly disliked James. Then, as the head coach and owner of the Warriors, he gradually understood James' approach.
James is a great businessman, a husband, a father, but he's definitely not a great player.
Every decision he made was the best for his career and business in basketball, which is understandable. He faithfully honored every contract, never caused any scandals during the contract period, gave his all, and won championships for all the teams he played for, which is a remarkable achievement.
But what he did was basically for his own career, for the championship. He would ask the team to study and treat all rookies and draft picks as trade assets to acquire veterans for a championship run. As long as he could win a championship, he wouldn't care about the risk of a locker room collapse after winning. The team would be in a long-term depression, only to rebuild after he left.
This is also true. Winning a championship in the league is incredibly difficult. As long as there's a chance to compete for one, you must do everything. It's worth sacrificing a lot for it. If James had straightforwardly stated from the beginning that his goal was to win the championship, no one could have said anything about him. After all, he does what he says.
But James wants too many things. Clearly, he only wants the championship, only wants to improve his status, and after exhausting the potential of one team, he doesn't hesitate to go to another team, form a new Big Three, and a dual-core team. But he repeatedly claims that his goal is not to win the championship, but to play brotherly basketball, hometown basketball, and family basketball.
And his comments are always contradictory. His front foot promises never to leave, but his back foot takes decisions one, two, three. Last season, he also made bold promises to build a dynasty, but this year, when he saw there was no hope of winning the championship, he immediately sought a new goal.
This is the fundamental reason James is obviously honored, but still questioned.
He can manipulate the media, but he cannot manipulate the fans.
However, these things don't matter to Liam. Liam is no longer a simple fan. From the perspective of the team owner, James is easier to cooperate with. His behavior is more predictable, and the trade with the Cavaliers helped the Warriors gain huge benefits.
The most important thing is that with Liam's presence, James' path will be extremely difficult, whether it's "The Greatest of All Time" or "Go to another team."
...
After returning to the locker room, Liam gently closed the door, and when he turned around, he saw the Warriors players sitting in silence, quietly doing their own thing. Only Silas and Ron Adams were quietly discussing something in the corner, and the room was filled with a heavy, low pressure.
Liam looked around and saw Curry packing his things, Butler sitting there with his eyes forward, as if in a daze, Clay silently scrolling through his phone as usual, and Green, usually very active during the week, sitting quietly in his seat. His expression kept changing, sometimes grim, sometimes frustrated, and sometimes mocking.
"Draymond, what are you thinking about? Speak up, I'm listening." Liam broke the silence and looked at Green with a smile.
Green was called on by Liam. He looked up, saw Liam's seemingly smiling expression, and wasn't nervous. He sighed deeply, lowered his head again, and spoke gruffly:
"Coach, don't joke with me. I know I played badly tonight. Chris Bosh hit me, and they replaced me when I was chasing points... Uh, easy, sorry, I didn't mean to say that. You're good on the court..."
Halfway through, he realized he wasn't paying attention to what he said and quickly apologized to Yi Jianlian. Yi Jianlian waved generously and smiled ironically:
"It's fine. I didn't make a difference. If only I had hit two more open threes..."
After being with the Warriors for so long, Yi Jianlian had become much more comfortable communicating with his teammates and had lost the inhibitions he once had with the Bucks and Nets.
"Hey..." Liam sighed deeply, drawing everyone's attention before saying, "You know you can do it. If you do your part, we will definitely win."
Everyone seemed surprised that Liam was speaking so bluntly, and Curry and Butler had shocked expressions. In their memories, Liam had never scolded a player so harshly.
Liam glanced around without expression. The room was still silent. Ron Adams couldn't take it anymore and said: "Liam, everyone did their best..."
"I know. None of you were slacking off on the court," Liam interrupted him, then slowed down, "So what's there to blame yourself for?"
—"Huh?"
"Boss, then you..."
Everyone was confused by Liam's sudden shift. Liam continued:
"If you didn't play according to the tactics I set or slacked off on the court, there's no need to blame yourself, and I won't forgive you!"
His voice was so heavy that both Curry and Butler flinched when they heard it, and they both remembered the painful memories of Liam's words.
After Liam bought the Warriors, he quickly cleaned out a group of veteran players from the team. Everyone else was surprised, and no one dared to ignore him. But when he coached the Bulldogs, he didn't think the players were weak enough to execute the plans, and they were furious. The punishment training he organized for the whole team afterward was extremely intense.
After a warning, Liam slowed his speech again:
"However, tonight, everyone played according to the tactics. No one slacked off, no one overdid it, so you didn't make a mistake. If there's an error, it's my fault. I didn't organize proper tactics for you or set tactics that were beyond your ability. You don't need to blame yourselves. After you shower, sleep well, train hard tomorrow, don't dwell on this game, and just win next time."
"No, coach, the tactics you set are very good, but my defense is poor and I can't hit three-pointers, the court is empty! If I could have scored, Stephen wouldn't have been so difficult to trap in the bag. Green disagreed and said reproachfully.
"I know, not only did I not hit any three-pointers, but I also let the ball be held, I didn't play well, and I couldn't defend against him..." Butler whispered, looking lonely.
Curry also spoke up:
"I didn't play well either, my passing ability was still a bit weak, many times I saw a chance under the basket, but I couldn't pass it, I could only pass it to the perimeter…"
"I didn't do a good job protecting the rim, and I made it too easy for Wade to score inside…"
Suddenly, everyone started self-reflecting, looking for their own problems one by one. Liam wanted to stop them at first, but seeing the appearance of the team members didn't seem fake, so he said nothing more and just listened in silence.
After the players finished speaking, he didn't speak, just smiled at the crowd, and the players also looked at him. For a moment, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Finally, Liam spoke:
"I thought I wasn't training an NBA team, it felt more like a high school or college team."
Everyone smiled in embarrassment. What they had just said was a bit exaggerated. They were all eager to take responsibility for the loss, which was also influenced by Liam. He had no intention of blaming anyone, which made the players feel a lot of self-reflection.
"As you all remember, our goal is to make the top half of the playoffs, right?" Liam asked.
"Remember!"
"Of course…"
Liam spread his hands:
"Isn't that what matters? Since you haven't forgotten it, what's there to blame? We're still second in the West, and the fifth team in the West is still three wins behind us. We're far from the point where you need to blame yourselves! And we faced a Big Three, the Heat are the number one favorites to win the championship. Do you think you can beat them just because they had a bad start?"
At Liam's question, the players showed shame on their faces, and some of them were embarrassed, touching their noses or foreheads to hide their discomfort.
Although the Warriors had just lost to the Spurs, and even though the Heat had a four-game winning streak before the Warriors, some players were fascinated by the victory, thinking that the team had a good chance of beating the Heat and were tempted to underestimate the enemy.
"We lost to the Lakers and the Spurs not long ago, and the Heat are a team as strong as them, and we're a young team, so it's normal to lose to them.
Liam's tone became increasingly severe, and everyone lowered their heads. Green's expression of self-blame was particularly obvious. He had been praised by the outside world for his performance at the end of the first round, but had played a poor game here. He had been quite agitated, and the training remained as hard as always, but there were no lack of arrogant words. Liam had heard several times that he believed he had the level of defense and even the best defense, thinking that they had hopes of competing.
"Of course, we can be proud of our good results, and we should be proud, but our consecutive losses to potential playoff opponents, the Lakers, Spurs, and now the Heat, show that there is still a big gap between us and the best teams. Why be arrogant? Beating the Bulls in the East? They're a young team, they finished eighth in the East last season, they're not as good as us, and if we can't beat them, that's something to reflect on!"
Liam's voice grew louder, and the anger on his face became more obvious, but deep in his eyes, there was still a clear color.
In reality, he didn't feel much blame in his heart. It was more about playing on the subject. The Warriors players were a bit arrogant, the first-place ranking in the West gave them a mistaken perception of their own strength, and they really thought they were qualified to compete for the O'Brien Trophy, no longer paying attention to other teams.
This sharpness is typical of a young team, but if it's too sharp, it becomes too much.
Of course, the Warriors' strength is very strong. With Curry leading the way, a solid defense in a semi-system, and a lot of shooters, the Warriors are very stable, and the top four in the West that Liam spoke about is a very practical goal. As long as the Warriors play consistently, there's a great chance to achieve this goal.
But the Warriors' flaws are also obvious. The biggest characteristic of a rookie is instability. They can score 20+ in the last game, and then score zero in the next one. Except for Curry, the other rookies on the Warriors have had such performances and still need to grow.
And the team's understanding of each other is still insufficient. Often, there are overlapping running lanes when moving without the ball, and there are errors in communication when covering and switching defenses. This also takes time to improve. They're not the Heat, who can win the game just by relying on the performance of the Big Three.
In the past, the Warriors could rely on Curry's daily performance to achieve a winning streak, but in these two games, after Curry was strongly defended, no one else on the team stepped up, and the Warriors had to swallow two consecutive losses.
After Liam frustrated the spirit of the players a little, he finally said slowly:
"Of course, it's not advisable to be arrogant or overconfident. It's still early in the season, and a loss is the right time to see the team's problems. Once the problems are solved, I believe the team will start a new winning streak. The video lesson tomorrow morning will analyze the two games against the Spurs and the Heat. Everyone will be on the court at eight sharp. Is that clear?"
"No problem!" everyone said in unison.
The regular training session for the Warriors begins at 9 a.m., but the video sessions aren't physically exhausting. They take more time and require the players to arrive at the Oracle Center an hour earlier.
"Alright, Stephen, come with me for an interview. Everyone else, pack up and go home to rest a bit." A smile reappeared on Liam's face as he spoke quietly.
He waved at Curry, who stood up and left the locker room with him. After his words of encouragement, the low-pressure atmosphere in the locker room dissipated. Although there were still no smiles on everyone's faces, the buzz of whispered discussions among them spread, and the players regained their vitality.
Ron Adams in the corner couldn't help but smile when he saw this scene and sighed to Silas beside him:
"Liam's words really brought everyone back to their fighting spirit, which is rare. I used to be an assistant coach with the Thunder, and after a loss, Brooks would give a speech, but it never worked as well."
Silas chuckled:
"You have to look at your identity! Liam won two consecutive NCAA championships! Which of these rookies hasn't seen the Bulldogs play before entering the league? Not to mention Stephen and Jimmy, they'd probably be sitting on the bench the whole time, and they wouldn't have a single complaint. And Liam's still the boss… Do you think he can speak without impact?"
Ron Adams smiled, shook his head, and sighed:
"You're right. If you hadn't said that, I'd never have thought we'd have such a unique head coach!"
…
Liam, of course, didn't know what Ron Adams and Silas were discussing about him. After he and Curry left the locker room, they walked slowly toward the press room. As they met the Warriors staff along the way, Liam would chat and laugh with them, showing no signs of depression after the loss, as if the Warriors had actually won that night.
Midway through, Liam's smile gradually faded. He slowed down, turned to look at Curry, and said:
"Stephen, get ready. You might have a tough time ahead, and other teams will have a lot more to pack for you."
Curry let out a long breath and nodded:
"I know, coach. After playing against the Spurs last season, other teams started to clamp down on me. It was only for a short time, but it was really annoying. But I'll get through it."
"No, this time it might not be a short period. It'll last for a longer time." Liam shook his head and said.
"A long… time?" Curry was surprised.
Liam said very seriously:
"To be exact, many strong teams should be able to wrap you up next. Their defensive discipline is good enough, the rotations are fast enough, and they can interfere with Klay, Wesley, and Drummond's shots. Their long-range shooting still needs to improve, and they might not be able to provide you with enough help in this case."
"So, when you meet a strong team, it'll be hard to play?" Curry understood what Liam meant.
Liam nodded helplessly:
"Exactly. Our opponents won't let our flaws go unexploited. Greg and Eric are worthy of being famous defensive coaches, and the 'standard answers' they make will definitely be copied by others."
Curry wondered: "Famous? Coach Spoelstra is a coach too?"
"Um, he will be in the future…" Liam coughed lightly and then changed the subject, "In short, before others consistently practice their shooting, you'll encounter many double-teams. This period might last for quite a while. You have to be mentally prepared. Starting tomorrow, your practice for breaking double-teams will increase."
"No problem, coach. You know, I'm used to this stuff from when I was in college." Curry shrugged and said nonchalantly.
When Liam heard this, he shook his head and smiled. When Curry was at the Bulldogs, he faced a double-team in almost every regular-season game. Those teams in the Horizon League treated Curry like a superstar, and there was even a game where the opposing coach organized a two-man trap on Curry throughout the entire game.
In that game, even if Curry didn't have the ball, he was followed by two people every step of the way. He tried to attack at first, but every time he was hit with a tight trap, forcing him to pass the ball. Eventually, he just stood in the corner, watching his teammates play a four-on-three game under the two-man trap, concentrating on defense.
At the end of the game, Curry finished with 0 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, and 1 block. But the Bulldogs defeated their opponent Loyola Academy by 24 points, 96-66. The head coach of Loyola College, Passos, also proudly said, "No one will remember that the Bulldogs beat us by 30 points, but people will always remember that we held Curry to 0 points!"
"But now you're in the spotlight. Those reporters, those fans, they don't care if you're trapped. They only look at your stats. You'll face a lot of criticism. There are too many people in this world who don't understand the game and are irrational." Liam said colorfully.
Curry nodded heavily:
"Don't worry, coach, I know how to handle it."
Liam felt a little relieved and then advised:
"Don't talk to Jimmy about this. I'm afraid it'll put too much pressure on them. I know, this might be a bit unfair to you…"
Curry interrupted: "'With great power comes great responsibility!' Coach, what do you think of me? I get the most praise and the most criticism from everyone on the team. I understand. And I know you won't blame me, coach."
At the end of his speech, he couldn't help but laugh. Having followed Liam for so long, Curry also clearly understood Liam's behavior after a loss. He knew that Liam would only take responsibility for himself.
Liam also laughed at himself and said:
"It's good that you understand these things. But since you know what I'm going to do, try to score as many points as possible to reduce the pressure on me."
Curry said seriously: "Coach, is it too pessimistic? Jimmy, Klay train hard every day. I think they'll improve quickly."
Liam opened his mouth, stopped speaking, and finally nodded:
"I hope so."
That said, he quickened his pace and walked towards the press room.
Liam couldn't tell Curry that these seasons might be the most chaotic two seasons in the West in the past decade, and they're the best opportunity for the Warriors to come out of the West. This requires the players to grow quickly, and the "progress" he expects isn't the same as Curry's idea of "progress."
…
After reaching the press room, Curry was interviewed first, and his answers were the same as always—no leaks or scandalous comments.
After Curry, it was Liam's turn, and the reporters faced him with a much bolder question: "Coach Liam, you didn't seem very optimistic about James joining the Heat before. You lost to the Heat tonight. Do you still stick to your previous opinion?"
"Wait! When didn't I think he should go to the Heat? I think I was the first to suggest that James might leave the Cavaliers, right?" Liam asked rhetorically.
"Uh…" the reporter stammered.
"Actually, I'm very optimistic about James going to the Heat. He, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh are good brothers. This is true brotherhood basketball, I believe he's found a real home in the Heat, and he'll always play for the Heat. I don't think you need to ask him, he must think the same…" Liam spoke eloquently, unintentionally digging a hole for James.
After finishing his speech, the reporter continued asking:
"What do you think about the Warriors' performance tonight? They didn't handle the offense well, didn't take advantage of open three-pointers, and were crushed by the Big Three on defense. Was their poor performance the main reason for the loss?"
Liam answered:
"No, of course not. They did the right thing on the court. They just didn't hit those open three-pointers. The luck wasn't on our side… As for defense, no one can defend against the Heat's Big Three. No one!"
"Then what do you think of Stephen's performance? He's been trapped in the game by his opponents in these two games. Will that become the norm?"
Liam thought for a moment and said:
"I hope not, but I can't influence other people's minds."
Finally, a reporter from USA Today asked:
"Coach Liam, is there anything else you'd like to say about tonight's game?"
Liam didn't hesitate:
"I remind you, don't forget to vote for Stephen and Tyson. I think the Warriors deserve two spots in the All-Star Game. As for tonight's game… forget it!"
End of this chapter
I made as many changes as possible with the next arcs in mind.
Bull shit
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