69novels Chapter 11 Playoff Debut: A Battle of Sixth Man of the Year!
Chapter 11 Playoff Debut: A Battle of Sixth Man of the Year!
"If that Chinese player can score another fifteen points against the Jazz on that hellish high-altitude plateau, I'll kiss a donkey's ass!"
Barkley's tone was firm.
"Fifteen points? Don't forget the Chinese player's explosive performance the day before yesterday!"
"Not only did it contribute to the top ten goals of the year, but it was also a game-winning goal in extra time. I even think that if the Warriors had pulled off an upset, this goal could have made it into the top ten goals of all time!"
A goal that is merely spectacular can only be considered Player of the Week or Player of the Month.
However, if a goal is both a brilliant one and one that determines the fate of the team, then we can move on to the next level of discussion.
"So what? I wasn't even there!"
"He scored 15 points in the last game, but it was only his second plus-minus; both teams were exhausted!"
In the NBA playoffs, the broadcasting rights for the NBA in the United States are split between ESPN and TNT.
TNT secured the broadcasting rights for the Eastern Conference play-in games, while ESPN broadcast the Western Conference games. Neither of them provided commentary for that game.
"Alright, I'm really looking forward to seeing you, old man, kiss a donkey's ass!"
Salt Lake City, VIEINT Smart Home Stadium.
The Warriors have changed their starting lineup!
Against the Grizzlies, Kerr fielded a starting lineup of Curry, Moore, Wiggins, Green, and Looney.
Apart from Wiggins, there's basically no one else on the perimeter who can provide offensive firepower.
With both Klay Thompson and Kelly Oubre Jr. out for the season, the only one who can provide offensive support is Joe Poole!
but.......
Once Jordan Poole is promoted to the starting lineup, what will happen to the second unit's transition lineup?
The second unit has no scorers, and the score gap could be widened quickly.
But even with Curry's excellent stamina, he still needs rest. If the Warriors can't score during this transition period, the point difference won't be easy to close!
Therefore, Kerr had no other choice but to field this starting lineup, as he had no other options.
But at the end of the last game, a piece of gold was discovered!
After a brief discussion yesterday, Kerr decided to start Poole and rotate Wu to the second unit.
Actually, their roles should be reversed.
Poole's ability to break through defenses is much better than Wu Qian's, but Poole's tactical understanding and teamwork are superior to the former.
The goal of the second unit is simply to stabilize the starters during their rest period and give Curry time to adjust.
The longer the second unit remains deadlocked, the more rest Curry gets.
Therefore, the Warriors' starting lineup for this game is Curry, Poole, Moore, Wiggins, and Green, a three-guard lineup!
The Jazz, on the other hand, have a twin-tower lineup consisting of Mitchell, Conley, O'Neal, Bogdanovic, and Gobert.
At this moment, five minutes and twenty-seven seconds have passed in the first quarter of the game.
The score was 21-17, with the Warriors trailing by four points!
Cole's expression was serious.
The Utah Jazz continued to employ the tactic of double-teaming Curry and then giving Poole one-on-one opportunities.
This tactic has worked before, even if you replaced Poole with Durant. So, it's even more effective with Poole!
"Wu, get ready!"
After Curry was double-teamed and made a passing error, Kerr decided to make a substitution!
In this match, the opposing team had all the advantages: favorable timing, geographical location, and popular support.
The timing was perfect; the Warriors had just tore into the Grizzlies the day before yesterday, and yesterday they were on a plane...
My physical strength and energy are both in a relatively poor state!
The location is advantageous; this is not only the second tallest arena in the NBA, but the stadium's design is also incredibly challenging.
Cole felt like his ears were about to explode!
As for the human element, the warriors were a remnant of their defeated army, while the opposing force was strong and well-equipped...
"clear!"
Wu Qian immediately began a simple warm-up.
The formal warm-up had already taken place before the competition; this is just an early warm-up.
While he was warming up, Kerr also called in the substitute players.
"Wu, listen up, in the eighth minute, I will substitute all the players on the field!"
Kerr only called a timeout during the game, and apart from Bell taking a short rest, the other four players on the court remained unchanged.
I had a bold idea before the competition.
Fight with the reserve team!
Of course, this lineup depends on Wu Qian's performance.
If Wu Qian's touch remains as hot as it was the day before yesterday, then his tactics will surely be effective.
Either the opposing team's starters are outmatched, or the Warriors' bench players are draining their energy.
Or will the Warriors' bench start their comeback?
Wu Qian's eyes widened in surprise. Five mornings?
Playing this aggressively in the playoffs?!
Looking at the people around him, Payton and Rooney, these two are the pieces of the puzzle for winning the championship next season.
Although Payton has yet to make a name for himself, Rooney has already become an important rotation player.
The others include Anderson, nicknamed Little Green, and the workaholic!
Mulder, a scoring shooter, had good accuracy in the regular season.
But the playoffs......
Inaccurate all year round!
Mannil, a second-round pick in 20, is a bench player and probably won't get any playing time.
Jordan Bell, a familiar face to the Warriors, was signed in an emergency due to the team's dire need for interior players.
Wu Qian felt he could roughly guess who the contestants were from these five people...
Rooney and Payton Jr., the former has been on the field for a minute, while Wiggins was substituted off for a short rest.
Anderson, the tireless worker, also replaced Moore on the field for two minutes!
As for the last person...
It's most likely Mulder!
Wu Qian's registered position is similar to Anderson's: shooting guard and small forward.
This is thanks to his height of 2 meters.
The leagues below are all about scorers and forwards, but there are more forwards.
While he was thinking, Kerr looked at the players with a serious expression.
"Wu, Payton, Anderson, Mannilon, Rooney, you five come on!"
"Remember, your mission is to create opportunities for Wu and Anderson to make their move!"
Kerr's words were clear: these two players have unlimited shooting rights when they come off the bench.
Originally, only one player in the second unit received this treatment: Poole!
Although Anderson was on the second unit, Poole was still the most important scorer.
"clear!"
After arranging the tactics, Cole pulled Wu Qian aside for a moment.
"Wu, don't feel pressured, just perform to your training level!"
Despite saying that, the latter saw the light in his eyes.
That is.......
A ray of hope!
Kerr is gambling now; he hopes to use this game, which he is likely to lose, to test the full potential of this Chinese player!
This game, no, it should be this series.
If the substitutes don't step up, we'll probably lose!
So he decided to take a gamble in Game 1 of the playoffs, boldly adopting a five-in-five-out lineup.
"Coach Kerr, I'll do my best!"
"good!"
Tencent Sports.
Because of the incident two years ago, CCTV CT has not yet resumed broadcasting NBA games, and at that time only Tencent Sports was the exclusive broadcaster.
For Game 1 of the Warriors vs. Jazz series, Tencent Sports invited two heavyweight commentators, Yang Yi and Yu Jia.
One is a tactical mastermind and a football expert.
One is a vocal powerhouse and a basketball poet.
These two are absolutely the best of the best.
The special guest was Wang Shipeng, a basketball legend and one of the strongest men's basketball players on the roster that year.
Of course, only high-profile teams like the Lakers and Warriors can get such a star-studded commentary lineup.
"Hey, let's look, eight minutes and forty-seven seconds left, both sides need a transition, the Warriors are the first to call a timeout!"
"Our young player Wu Qian is about to enter the game, marking his first NBA playoff debut!"
"My God? Has Kerr gone mad? The Warriors' head coach Kerr actually opted for a five-in-five-out lineup?"
In the live stream, Yu Jia's voice was so excited that he almost stood up, nearly turning into a voice-breaking warrior.
"Wow, that's quite a bold move. Kerr has a big heart, actually going for a five-in-five-out play in the playoffs?"
Even Yang Yi, who is known as a tactical mastermind, couldn't figure out his thoughts for a moment.
So he looked at Wang Shipeng beside him and asked, "Shipeng, can you analyze Cole's actions?"
The latter shook his head slightly, saying, "The Warriors are down by seven points now, but Curry definitely needs to go off the court!"
"Once Curry goes down, the other team will definitely seize the opportunity to extend their lead. We might as well go all the way and give our entire starting lineup a rest!"
"This is also a bet that the Jazz will field their second unit, since with Clarkson leading the team, the Warriors' bench can't compete!"
Yu Jia and Yang Yi nodded, "Ultimately, it's because the Warriors' rotation is too limited. Without Klay Thompson and Oubre, their scoring options are too easily contained!"
"Alright, let's look forward to seeing how Wu Qian, our Chinese player, performs in his NBA playoff debut!"
The chat in Tencent's live stream was instantly flooded with comments.
[Here he comes! These past few days, TikTok has been practically hyping him up to the skies, calling him a "surpasser of Yao Ming," "China's Jordan"... Hopefully, he doesn't get crushed by Clarkson!]
[He was hailed as a god after scoring a few three-pointers in overtime, but his true colors were quickly revealed!]
[They're all our own children, why are you so hostile?]
[Warriors are destined to lose; the Jazz have blown them out in three quarters!]
However, although there were some rational fans, they were quickly overwhelmed by the wave of support.
Most of them were fans who bet on the Warriors losing this game.
Winet Smart Home Stadium.
As soon as the timeout ended, Wu Qian immediately stepped onto the court.
As Kerr predicted, the Jazz also opted to have Clarkson lead the second unit.
The Jazz are now leading by seven points. Clarkson and Joe Ingles will not only not be at a disadvantage against the opposing lineup, but they could even be considered to be on fire!
During the regular season that year, the Jazz often relied on their bench players to score points.
After all, Clarkson and Joe Ingles can be compared to the Warriors' two elders from the era of the Cosmic Warriors!
Iguodala and Livingston!
These two are definitely starter level!
Now, the Jazz's suit-wearing thug, Quin Snyder, stands calmly on the sidelines, looking like a professional assassin.
The Tencent Sports live stream was filled with comments like "How many did they kill last night?" and "They went on a killing spree!"
The coach is in a good mood right now.
Apart from Anderson, the opposing second unit poses almost no threat!
You mean the Chinese players who had an incredible performance in the last game?
Quinn Snyder believed it was just an accident.
Every player may have days when they're having an incredibly hot streak, but it's rare for a fringe player to have such a streak.
January, a season, or even an entire career!
"Wu, you execute the first tactic and get a feel for it!"
Before going on the court, Cole put his hands in his pockets.
Wu Qian nodded slightly, a fiery light flashing in his eyes.
He only had five clear-cut chances to score, but...
To reach 20+, you must use these five opportunities wisely!
Wu Qian glanced at the second random effect that was fixed for today.
"This time... it's up to you!"
He must score 20+ points and win!
"Beep!"
The referee blew the whistle, and the game officially began.
The Warriors had possession of the ball on the first possession.
With just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the score was 27-20.
The Jazz players are Clarkson, Joe Ingles, Forrest, George Niang, and Derrick.
This lineup has three players who can shoot from the outside, and their defense isn't weak either. It's arguably the strongest bench lineup in the league this season.
"Forrest, you go and guard that Chinese kid. Teach him a lesson!"
Forrest is the defensive player in this lineup.
Although Snyder thought the Chinese player was just average, well, it's the playoffs...
Let's teach this newbie a good lesson!
For the Warriors, Payton was responsible for blocking shots, Wu Qian and Anderson were responsible for the two and three positions, and Looney and Manuels were responsible for rebounding at the four and five positions.
"Hey, you rookie from China, welcome to the NBA! I'm not that loser Grayson! I'll make sure you don't score a single point!"
Flex immediately clung to Wu Qian, speaking in a very unceremonious tone.
Trash talk?
Wu Qian won't back down!
"You? Bring in your team's Gobert. I can even score 15 points against him. As for you... hah..."
Frax's lips twitched.
Is this Chinese player really that arrogant?
Are they going to challenge for Defensive Player of the Year right off the bat? And then score fifteen points against him?
crazy!
If this weren't an NBA game, he really wanted to pull Gobert up there right away and see what he could do about all that bragging!
Fifteen points?
That's when you truly won't get a single point!
However, Payton Jr. had already served the ball on the sidelines, and Wu Qian also started making runs.
Frax calmed himself down and immediately began a tenacious defensive strategy.
He was ineffective on offense; his role was primarily defensive, limiting scoring.
"Come!"
Payton Jr. controlled the ball and immediately called for Rooney to set a screen.
He glanced at Wu Qian and frowned slightly.
That defense is incredibly tight!
So he quickly gestured to Anderson, who was standing next to him, and the two worked together very well.
Immediately, the outside player issued a screen, setting a pick and roll for Wu Qian, who was flanking on the side.
"Change!"
The Jazz switched defenses very quickly.
George Niang, who was on the outside, rushed over.
Wu Qian also took advantage of this time difference to accelerate the start-up!
However, just as he stepped into the three-point line, his path ahead was blocked.
but……
"Bang!"
Wu Qian's goal is right here!
Before being signed to a two-way contract by the Warriors, he was already a very accurate shooter.
With a mid-range shot and a spot-up three-pointer, he can be considered a stretch wing player.
This is also why the Warriors chose to sign two-way contracts.
Not only can it legitimately boost its presence in the Chinese market, but it can also try to find a hidden gem.
"call out!"
Stop, jump shot, release!
"call out!"
The basketball swished through the net!
This goal did not use a guaranteed goal effect because...
This ball is his sweet spot, and it even has an added bonus...
[Random Effect: Mid-range shot accuracy moderately improved]
Then he turned to look at Fricks and said disdainfully,
"I told you, send that big guy, otherwise..."
"You'll be riddled with holes by me!"