He was anxious. He had too many reasons to be anxious.
There is no need to elaborate on those long reasons, but he has indeed reached the point where he cannot afford to lose.
And after watching the previous two games, he knew that the only way for the Warriors to defeat this Nets was to fight for the key ball until the end.
To achieve that goal, stalemate is the goal and doing the details well is the way.
Let’s not talk about the past, but let’s talk about tonight. The two changes in the situation came from details.
Thompson's three-pointer and Lin Ying's breakthrough dunk were two rounds that changed the situation on the court.
And the three-point difference just now, the point difference of 6 points and the point difference of 9 points are also completely different.
So he was very dissatisfied with Green's failure to make up the defense in time.
"You know Lin's ability, you should have made up for it long ago?"
"That was definitely a round that needed to be made up. How could we allow that to happen?"
Green actually knew this, so when Cole called him to stop and gave him the steps, he had already gone down the steps and shut up.
But James's endless chatter finally made him feel very unhappy.
Yes, he has actually been unhappy with James for a long time.
This is something that has built up all season long, especially at the beginning of the season when he struggled.
Look at what Lin Ying did when the opponent Durant was in poor condition, and then think about what he did back then. In a sense, James' public remarks were even promoting his trade!
So looking at James's face, he seemed to see something that made him extremely nauseated. Finally, he couldn't help it anymore, stood up and shouted at James:
"Shut up! We were already champions before you came!"
Poof!
These words were like a sharp blade, thrust directly into James' chest.
His chattering disappeared instantly, followed by an indescribable feeling of suffocation.
He joined a team that won a championship and won 73 games. This was a fact that he could not change no matter what.
Therefore, no matter how much pressure the outside world puts on him or the most difficult road, he can endure it.
But only these words from his teammates made him unable to breathe for a moment.
He joined to achieve his most difficult breakthrough from 1 to 2, which is of extremely important significance to him personally.
But for the Warriors, they already have a championship, and they can win 73 games with the original lineup alone. It is not impossible to defeat the Nets.
It's just that he happened to have an opportunity with the salary cap skyrocketing, which gave him such an opportunity.
Or to put it more bluntly, his joining is not a timely help, but the icing on the cake.
As soon as James became quiet, the tense atmosphere disappeared.
But Cole didn't feel relieved, but felt deeply helpless!
What Green said is not wrong, but it is really inappropriate to say it at this point!
It is very possible that because of this sentence, they will lose James this summer.
Even closer, they will lose this game early!
If your teammates are criticizing you, what’s the point of trying your best to win this championship?
With James, they were able to fight the Nets at the last minute in the past two games. Without James, or a James who cannot play at full strength, can they still do it?
The answer is obvious.
He wanted to say something, but he found that no matter what he said, it seemed so weak at this time.
Green's trash talk is so lethal!
There was Butler's formula before, and Green's formula now. There is really nothing you can't think of in this league.
The rest of the Warriors looked at me and I looked at you. The atmosphere on the bench was no longer tense, but it became particularly weird.
In the end, Cole could only put on airs, threw the tactical board on the ground, and shouted to his players:
"That's it? So you give up? Is this the ending you want after working hard all season?"
This wave is also soul torture.
And whether you are an original Warrior like Green or a new member like James, you need to examine and think about such issues.
"Look at your opponents, what they were doing when we launched the climax of the counterattack, and look at you again? If you think you can win the championship this way, then I tell you, it is absolutely impossible!"
Cole's historical status is higher now than in history. He has won championships as the general manager during the Suns period and as an assistant coach during the Nets period. In addition to the championships he won as the head coach of the Warriors before, it can be said that
History is only.
So what he said was very convincing and resounding.
"Think about what the purpose of your coming here is? If you have time to complain about each other, why not spend all your energy on your opponents. You all know what losing this round of finals means to you, so stand up for me.
Get up!"
I have to say that Cole is a very smart person, and his success along the way is inseparable from this.
After saying these words, the team members all stood up one after another.
Curry saw that James didn't move, so he gave him a hand.
"Warriors, champions."
A group of people folded their hands together and shouted the Warriors' slogan.
"beep!"
At this moment, the short whistle sounded on the sidelines and the timeout was up.
After the timeout came back to the Warriors, James did not attack with the ball, but stood on the weak side to create space.
Curry used Green's pick-and-roll to attack the basket and faced Jokic's difficult throw.
"Whoa!"
This ball shows Curry's personal ability.
When he feels bad, he can still score through breakthroughs.
Especially after such a round, his score can very well stabilize the morale of the army.
"Defend! Defend!"
The fans at the scene also cheered for the home team again under the leadership of DJ.
Like Thompson's difficult three-pointer before, this is another opportunity for the Warriors to reverse the situation.
only……
After the transition between offense and defense, Lin Ying faced James after a pick-and-roll, and directly faced James and scored on horseback.
James' defense didn't seem to have any problems, but after the defense failed, he didn't have any emotional fluctuations and went to the baseline to serve the ball immediately.
You can clearly feel his desire to compete visibly declining.
This is very realistic.
To give a vivid metaphor, if you stab someone with a knife, then wrap the wound with gauze, and then wear a piece of clothing to cover it, can you pretend that nothing happened?
James may also know that he must win this game, but his body's instinct does not allow him to ignore the fact that Green hurts his heart.
Cole held his mouth on the sidelines, and then sighed helplessly.
He could already foresee what the outcome of tonight's game would be.
Curry continued to attack the basket and was flanked, passing the ball to James on the weak side.
James did not hold the ball and hit the basket like in the past, but returned the ball to Thompson who was running on the other side.
After Thompson caught the ball, he was quickly blocked and had no chance, and finally passed the ball back to James.
James still didn't attack. He dribbled the ball and waited for Curry to move out before giving the ball to him.
Curry turned around and shot a three-pointer after receiving the ball... and it missed.
The Warriors seemed to have no problem playing on the court, and James played very reasonably.
But in a game of this level, can one win just by being reasonable?
When competing against top teams, what is more important than the style of play is the desire to win!
If you don’t have the heart to win, how can you defeat a powerful enemy?
"Crack!"
Lin Ying jumped up and grabbed the defensive rebound at the free throw line.
Then, he accelerated and began to rush forward.
He quickly passed James.
When the two figures crossed each other, two completely different desires for the game appeared on their faces.
The Nets quickly formed a 3-on-2 situation in the frontcourt. After a while, Lin Ying received Bradley's pass, jumped into the air, and smashed the ball directly towards the basket through Curry!
Curry did not avoid it like he did in the All-Star Game, but stretched out his hand to meet it.
But the scene in front of me can be best described in four words: a mantis acting as a chariot.
A little brave, but also a little tragic!
"Bang!"
In the eyes of the fans, Lin Ying directly smashed the ball into the basket through Curry, and the huge impact directly knocked Curry over into the crowd of photographers under the basket.
The scene was agitated, and many viewers looked distressed.
When did the Warriors need Curry to serve as a background again and again, and then block the gun?
But compared to Curry's fall, what was more dazzling came from the following scene.
After James chased the ball to the backcourt, he glanced at Curry and did not pull him. He turned around and prepared to serve.
On the contrary, Lin Ying saw that Kuli didn't get up, so he reached out and gave him a hand.
Curry smiled bitterly after getting up, and then continued to attack.
At this time, not only Cole, but also several people in the commentary box, including many spectators in the audience, also noticed the changes in James.
But most people didn't know what was going on. Barkley and the others were just there complaining about James' performance.
"Disappointment", "Maybe this is the reason why he couldn't succeed", words like this are endless.
It was in this atmosphere that the Warriors began to gradually collapse.
Basketball games are not simple math problems. This sentence has been proven countless times and it still applies to this finals.
Which team is stronger, last year's 73-win Warriors or this season's Warriors?
The answer may be easier.
But which one is stronger, tonight's Warriors team or last year's Warriors team in the Finals?
This may be a question mark.
At halftime, the Nets led the Warriors by 15 points, 58-43.
This is also the largest point difference between the two teams since the finals.
It’s still unclear whether Green’s formula will ruin this Warriors team, but tonight’s game has already been ruined.
On the way back to the locker room after halftime, Curry turned his arm and took a look.
There was a large scratch on his relatively thick arm.
It was thrown out after being dunked by Lin Ying. There was no bleeding at that time and no treatment was given.
I was concentrating during the game, but now I feel burning pain after resting for a while.
"well enough?"
Thompson noticed this behind him and came over to ask with concern.
Curry forced a smile and nodded.
Compared with the scratch, what hurts him more now is his heart.
Hidden beneath his thin, even sometimes entertaining personality is a heart with a strong desire to win.
Not everyone can be questioned from the beginning and then develop into a superstar step by step after suffering an ankle injury that is almost devastating for a defender.
His success, in addition to his shooting talent, is inseparable from his hard work.
Last year's 73-win overall runner-up was actually the most uncomfortable thing for him. He thought he could bring more to the Bay Area.
This is why he kept his profile so low when recruiting James in the summer.
He just wants to win, and he will make any sacrifices to win.
Even if the coaching staff now arranges for him to play as a substitute, he is willing to do so if it can help the team win.
But now, even though he tried his best, he could not reverse the decline.
His current emotions are extremely complicated, partly because he has never been able to find his touch, and partly because of the conflict between Green and James.
He is confident that he can get his touch back in the second half, but the cracks caused by Green's formula can no longer be repaired.
And he knows Green's character very well, and he also knows James' personality.
It is unrealistic to persuade Green to apologize to James, and even if he reluctantly does so, it will not come from the heart.
As for James, when faced with the apology, he would most likely accept it verbally, and then hugged and said that we are still brothers, but we will still do what we should do on the field.
What could be more heartbreaking than facing such a situation and trying to make up for it, only to find that it is as irreparable as a broken mirror and can even cut one's fingers?
After the halftime break, the game between the two sides continued.
Neither team made any adjustments to their starting lineup, and the Warriors took the lead in the second half.
Curry made a splash as soon as he came up. He took the initiative to hold the ball and hit a quick three-pointer after picking and rolling with Green.
After hitting a three-pointer, Curry gave a rare roar. He was venting his anger and wanted to use this method to inspire his teammates.
This directly detonated Oracle Arena.
With a big score behind at halftime, Curry's three-pointer sent a very positive signal.
Moreover, the Warriors still have the "Brave Three Crazy". As long as Curry can get better, being 15 points behind at halftime is not a big deal for them.
But reality soon gave them a heavy blow.
Because on the Nets side, Durant immediately hit a three-point answerball from the outside!
The Geminis fought fiercely at the beginning, but after the half-time break, their physical fitness also recovered!
In the third quarter, Curry regained his touch, but could not withstand the firepower of the Gemini stars. This was a drama of "two fists are difficult to beat with four hands".
Moreover, the Nets are getting smoother and smoother, especially for Durant, who is good at shooting. The smooth shooting really depends on how he shoots.
You can throw the ball in at an angle, with one hand, or even with your body twisted.
There was an air of despair throughout Oracle Arena.
With two minutes left before the end of the third quarter, the Nets had already opened the point difference to more than 25 points.
There is no suspense in the game.
However, Lu only replaced Lin Ying to rest, while Durant remained on the court.
Durant has already scored 39 points, and with two more points he will get his first 40+ points in the Finals.
Lu is still very considerate in this regard.
On the Warriors side, Cole was the only main force that was not replaced. I don’t know if he was planning to call it quits after this quarter, or if he was treating this as a punishment.
Then it was against this background that an accident happened.
Chapter completed!