Chapter 893
"He's Not Truly Happy"
On Thursday, November 13, 2014, the Warriors once again played a nationally televised game in the new season.
Thanks to Steve Kerr's good relationship with TNT, there was a lot of hype before the game, with several commentators even mocking tonight's opponent, the Nets.
Since Kevin Garnett was traded, the former MVP has rarely spoken out of confidence like he used to. At the start of the new season, Garnett has not only become quiet, but his playing time has also decreased.
For Nets fans, what's even more unfortunate is Andrei Kirilenko's injury. He only played 7 games before his interior defense faltered, casting doubt on his prospects for the new season.
Joe Johnson and Carmelo Anthony were unaffected; new head coach Lionel Hollins wasn't as "tough" as Kidd, allowing the superstars to dominate the team, and the two had a blast.
Although the team's performance was poor and failed to meet fans' expectations, the new season has just begun, and "a promising future" is the best excuse. Arriving in San Francisco, Anthony didn't forget to paint a rosy picture before the game:
"I want to compete for the MVP in the new season. You know, I'm already 30 years old, and I don't want to have any regrets in my career!"
"."
Aside from Carmelo Anthony's fans who believe in their idol, most fans think that Anthony, who believes "the dollar is more important than basketball," is talking nonsense, and that the Nets, as a "second team," would never get votes from basketball commentators.
Regardless of how fans and media reporters evaluate it, Anthony did show his eagerness after the start of the season, frequently increasing his shot attempts and displaying a state of mind that he wanted to shoot his opponents to death in every game.
Regardless of their team record, just looking at their individual stats, Anthony's ability to compete for the scoring title with this kind of performance has greatly encouraged his die-hard fans, who have praised their idol's ability to "hold out" for scoring opportunities.
Unlike the Nets, the Warriors have performed unexpectedly well. I thought Kyrie Irving was just being polite during the preseason, but now it seems this young team has real talent!
During TNT's pre-game show, the four members unanimously praised the changes brought about by Steve Kerr, all putting on an act of praising the rookie coach as a renowned manager.
Kenny Smith was relatively objective, and after the director presented the Warriors' three-point shooting statistics, he praised them with reason and evidence:
"In all seven games, the Warriors have attempted 30+ three-pointers in each game, something only the Knicks have done in the past."
"Clearly, Steve Kerr's arrival has liberated the Warriors' offense. Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green are all shooting three-pointers, and their offensive spacing is excellent."
"As General Manager Myers said, when you have the ability to shoot three-pointers, it's the best offensive option, and the Warriors have done that in these few games."
Unlike other teams, the Warriors have adopted a "complete and uncompromising New York style" for the new season. Curry's offensive options are more unrestrained, and Draymond Green has impressed many commentators.
"Coach Steve Kerr has clearly freed up Curry, who no longer takes as many shots with the ball as he did in the past two seasons. Under the new tactical system, Curry is more involved in off-ball offense."
Charles Barkley, unusually serious in his analysis, showed a highlight reel of Curry's catch-and-shoot plays, and the outspoken Barkley added:
"Clearly, the Warriors have amplified Curry's shooting advantage. After entering the league, he proved that he couldn't play like Lee, but in terms of results, as long as he can make those shots, he can still get +3."
"I think the new season is an opportunity for the Warriors. The two teams in Los Angeles are very strong, but they also have a chance to reach the Finals."
"The only question is whether Curry can stay healthy and maintain his current offensive efficiency."
While I didn't call Curry "injury-prone" out of politeness, like most basketball commentators, not many people are optimistic that young players can play healthily, and no one can guarantee that Curry's ankle injury will not recur.
The Warriors' free-spirited basketball style turned Shaquille O'Neal into a fence-sitter. At the end of last month, the old Shaq was still praising the Clippers, believing that the "aircraft carrier" could crush the Western Conference.
As a result, neither of the two Los Angeles teams had a particularly impressive performance after the start of the new season, while the Warriors showed extraordinary energy.
"Yee! You're right. If this trend continues, only a healthy team can beat the Warriors in the Western Conference playoffs."
"I would rather cast my MVP vote for Curry than for Anthony."
"One of the few players in the league who can replicate Lee's three-point shooting, if Curry maintains his excellent form, he will receive the recognition he deserves."
Stephen Curry has never said he wants to pursue the MVP award. Even after winning the World Cup in Spain this year, he didn't get cocky and always said in interviews that he was still in the adjustment period.
On one side is the arrogant old man, and on the other side is the humble young man. Public opinion is overwhelmingly against him. No one supports the inefficient stat-padder Carmelo Anthony. Everyone prefers to see "the next Lee"!
Before the game, TNT didn't forget to give its pre-game predictions. The 62.5% win rate shows that everyone is optimistic about the Warriors. As for Carmelo Anthony's Nets, no one believes that he would suddenly explode because of his dissatisfaction.
At 19:30 p.m. that evening, Oracle Arena was packed to capacity. The Warriors fans were overjoyed by the team's excellent performance, and many had never imagined that the home team could have such a wonderful start.
The visible chemistry made the fans especially happy. The Warriors had been quiet for many years. Although the upset of the 8th team was legendary, everyone wanted to experience the feeling of crushing the opponent!
After the game started, the Nets quickly took the lead with their simple and aggressive offense. When Joe Johnson made a step-back jumper against Klay Thompson on the right wing, a chorus of boos erupted.
Klay Thompson was clearly getting a bit "tired" after being targeted repeatedly, and his jump shot after receiving the ball missed several times in the face of the opponent's targeted defense.
Fortunately, Anthony's shooting percentage dropped in the second half of the first quarter. He not only blocked shots, but also missed several of his multi-threat jump shots after the triple threat against Iguodala's excellent defense.
After a successful 8-0 run, the score reached 34-36, with the Warriors taking the lead.
"Oh!!"
Amidst joyful shouts, Iguodala repeatedly high-fived his teammates in celebration. Compared to the Lakers' locker room environment, he preferred leading the Warriors' young players.
Although Curry didn't have any standout performances, he joined the veteran in shouting and yelling, successfully limiting Anthony, which made the Warriors team extremely happy.
8中4，罚球4中4，安东尼拿到12分2篮板1助攻1失误的数据，TNT解说席上，翻看过技术统计的凯文-哈兰笑呵呵称赞道：
"I like the aggression Anthony has shown since the start of the season! If Garnett can find his form, the Nets might be able to go even further!"
The new season has just begun, and the league is already showing a trend of the West being stronger than the East. The Pacers and Heat are both showing signs of falling behind, and the Bulls are also very slow to get going, even with Derrick Rose's return.
Apart from the Knicks, who have been making frequent and powerful moves, only the Hawks and Raptors have shown good form, but commentators are not optimistic about these two teams, as the lack of a superstar is their biggest weakness.
Reggie Miller had recently "cooled down" the Hawks, and now, upon hearing his teammate praise Anthony, he's making sarcastic remarks again:
"This was indeed a good opportunity for them, but Anthony did not show any leadership qualities!"
"He should focus more on the defensive end; impressive individual stats don't always help the team."
"The MVP is different from the scoring champion. Leading a team to achieve excellent results in a long regular season is never an easy task."
Kevin Harlan did not refute Miller's point of view. He believed that impressive stats were a prerequisite for winning the MVP award, and that without impressive stats, one was destined to miss out on the trophy.
During the rotation phase, the Warriors continued their recent good form, with Barbosa and Livingston both having outstanding performances. When the point difference reached double digits, Oracle Arena erupted in cheers.
Curry only played 15 minutes in the first half and scored only 2 points, but the Warriors still dominated their opponents.
With the score at 54-66, Anthony, who had scored 20 points, finally broke into a smile. His shooting touch was pretty good tonight, and 30+ points was a sure thing!
The two teams continued their offensive battle in the second half, making this nationally televised game particularly exciting. When Curry hit consecutive three-pointers, Steve Kerr on the sidelines also raised his hand to celebrate.
The Warriors managed to seal the game in the third quarter, but Anthony persevered until the very end, continuing to fight and play aggressively in the final quarter.
直到全场比赛还剩最后的三分多钟，砍下40分10篮板3助攻3失误1盖帽的安东尼才被替换下场。
Some Warriors fans even applauded, as they enjoy watching star players perform. As the buzzer sounded, the score was 102-118, with the Warriors securing a resounding victory at home and continuing their hot streak since the start of the season.
Oracle Arena remained lively after the game. Curry, who had finished the first three quarters, was all smiles. During his interview, his teammates kept crowding around and cheering excitedly. Sager, caught up in the energy of the young players, asked a question with a smile:
"This is the Warriors' best start in recent years, and the team seems to have developed some really great chemistry!"
"If you can maintain this hot streak, will you actively pursue the MVP award?"
The old man was clearly making fun of the current state of the league, where not only Howard and Anthony are jumping out to perform and pursue trophies, but also players who put up impressive stats after each game come out to cheer.
With Durant sidelined due to injury and James losing favor, a new MVP is bound to emerge. Winning a championship is too difficult, but every star player wants to compete for individual awards.
“I hadn’t thought about any of that! To be honest, I was also very surprised to have such a perfect start.”
Curry, draped in a towel, spoke his mind. When Barnes leaned in and made a strange noise, the young man joked around for a while before continuing:
"Every player craves statistics and accolades, and I'm no exception. I love seeing fans cheer for my great performances; it feels amazing!"
"But compared to personal achievements, I'd rather stand on the finals stage. You know, I've been a fan of Li since I was very young."
"Like many young people, I also fantasized about facing my idol in the finals."
"I will continue to work hard towards this goal, as I don't have much time left."
-
On Tuesday, November 18th, the league-leading Lakers began their road trip, facing the Hawks, who have been in excellent form this season.
Unlike the Warriors, where everyone is happy, the Lakers' locker room drama just won't stop.
This morning, the Los Angeles Times reported on the special treatment Kobe received. According to an unnamed source, the Mamba was almost punched by his teammates in the locker room.
With a record of 9 wins and 1 loss, James and Howard became the real decision-makers, and head coach Byron Scott also compromised, resulting in Kobe getting fewer and fewer opportunities in 10 games.
In Sunday's loss to the Warriors, Kobe Bryant was called for a DNP after taking over the game early in the fourth quarter. At that time, there were shots of Dwight Howard seemingly arguing with Mamba.
Although no photos have surfaced, the conflict between Howard and Kobe has been confirmed. Their winning streak was ended, and James made a pointed remark at the post-game press conference:
"We have to play for each other. To achieve greatness, some statistical sacrifices are necessary."
"No one can enjoy special privileges in the team. If you can't contribute on both ends of the court, then you have to follow the coaching staff's instructions."
"."
At 19 p.m. that evening, half an hour before the game was scheduled to start, a group of sports reporters updated their Twitter accounts after receiving the news, and the Los Angeles Grand Stage did not disappoint:
"Kobe Bryant is suspected of being benched, and Wayne Ellington will start tonight."
After the game started, Atlanta fans, like sports reporters, frequently focused their attention on Kobe, who was sitting on the bench with a sullen face.
Interestingly, Ellington got frequent opportunities after the start of the game. James took good care of his teammates, and even Howard actively screened for him. This dramatic scene made the fans in the arena scream.
James knew he couldn't win the MVP award, so he not only conceded on the statistics but also lowered his usage rate.
James often plays on the wing during the game, cutting along the baseline from time to time. Whenever a fast break opportunity arises, he transforms into "Superman" and ignites the atmosphere with a dunk.
Boozer had a great shooting night, hitting all his free throws and tenaciously guarding Millsap on defense.
As the game time went by, the Lakers easily suppressed their opponents with their more efficient offense. Howard not only scored repeatedly in the low post, but also made a strong impression with several offensive rebounds.
With the score at 33:20, the first quarter ended, and the Lakers' bench erupted in celebration, with Clarkson rushing up to celebrate with his teammates early on.
Grinning widely to reveal a set of white teeth, Howard swaggered back to his seat, not even glancing at Mamba, and shouted happily:
"Danger, family! Don't even think about ruining my team!"
"."
Coach Byron Scott, who was instructed by Jim Buss to put Kobe under pressure, didn't say anything when he saw this. During the rotation, Kobe was still kept on the bench.
The Lakers exploded tonight, scoring 67 points in the first half. Their outstanding performance left head coach Budenholzer shaking his head in frustration. With a 17-point deficit, the game was essentially over.
Kobe didn't get any chances, and in the end, the Lakers easily defeated their opponents 125-109.
17中11，罚球6中3，砍下25分11篮板1助攻2盖帽1失误的霍华德赛后开心极了，“快乐兽”逢人就抱，接受采访时更是自信回应道：
"This is just the beginning. You know, LeBron is my good brother, and with his and my teammates' support, I'm confident I can win the MVP!"
"I will not allow anyone to sabotage our chemical reactions."
-
On Friday the 21st, the Lakers played their last away game of the week, and to the surprise of many commentators, Kobe, who returned to the starting lineup, suffered a crushing defeat.
109-139, the Mavericks had a three-point explosion, shooting 18 of 35 for a 51.4% success rate.
At the post-game press conference, Howard and James, unaffected by the loss, engaged in mutual praise while continuously complimenting Vince Carter's outstanding performance.
The young reporters in the audience almost lost their composure, with many suspecting that the two had conspired with their teammates to deliberately embarrass Kobe.
In the visiting team's locker room, many reporters surrounded Mamba, ignoring Kobe's expression and continuing to press him with questions:
"Kobe and Andre Iguodala are saying they are very happy with the Warriors and believe they made the right choice."
"Having replaced the opponent and returned to the Lakers, are you happy with the team's excellent record?"
Seeing the mocking looks from the reporters around him, Kobe forced a smile and responded simply:
"Of course, I am proud of our results. It's a perfect start, but now is not the time to relax. We need to stay focused."
Despite Kobe's efforts to maintain decorum, most sports reporters showed little respect, and some have already started updating their Twitter accounts simultaneously, resulting in a surge of traffic at the Los Angeles Grand Stage.
"Kobe was unhappy with his role and never felt happy returning to the Lakers." (End of Chapter)