plumnovel Chapter 501 Eastern Encounter
Chapter 501 Eastern Encounter
Paul was very happy to win this important game, but he also knew in his heart that the Warriors didn't do their best.
From Zhou Yang and Curry's mental state, playing time, and their number of shots, it can be inferred that the Warriors just regard this game as a regular season.
So Paul, Zhou Yang, and Curry hugged tightly, and said modestly: "It's just luck. Our two teams will continue to fight in the regular season. You must work harder then!"
Zhou Yang said with a smile: "Luck is also a part of strength. I guarantee that the next game will be more exciting than this one!"
Curry also said: "Chris, you and Thompson can also be called Splash Brothers!"
Paul laughed and said, "Splash Brothers is your patent, I dare not call it, we need a new name, haha!"
Although the three-pointers were tit-for-tat on the court, after the game, they were still chatting and laughing, and the relationship was quite good.
Then Thompson and Griffin also came over and chatted hotly.
Paul finally invited several Warriors players to his home for dinner.
The chairman of the union is not in vain. Paul has a good relationship with most of the players, except for Cousins, Rondo, and Ingram.
……
The Clippers defeated the Warriors and won the first five consecutive victories. They and the Thunder both won five consecutive victories, ranking first in the league.
The Warriors have three wins and two losses, and have retreated to sixth in the West.
Many media are full of concerns about the Warriors' record this season.
Especially ESPN, they discussed the possibility of the Warriors' three consecutive championships in a column program.
A-Smith, known as Yang Yi of the United States, boldly predicted that the Warriors will reach the Western Conference Finals this year, but they will stop at the Western Conference Finals, because the Thunder and Clippers are stronger teams.
He took out a lot of data and analyzed: "The Thunder's offensive efficiency is the highest in the league. The Clippers rank second, the Cavaliers rank third, and the Warriors only rank fifth."
Several other guests also supported his point of view, and O'Neill, who is about to retire, also participated in this discussion.
Although he is a big center at the historical level, he likes Zhou Yang and Curry very much.
O'Neal has a well-known trait, that is, being lazy in the regular season and working hard in the playoffs.
Because of this, Kobe and him quarreled a lot.
So O'Neal analyzed the Warriors from his perspective, and he believed that the Warriors would still be invincible in the playoffs.
"When I was with the Lakers, we won two consecutive championships, and our Lakers players didn't care much about the regular season record, so I understand the thinking of the Warriors players. They don't need to risk their lives in the regular season. You all worry too much! "
None of the other guests agreed with O'Neill.
Van Gundy Jr. is the younger brother of Van Gundy and has also been the head coach of the Rockets. His coaching characteristic is to emphasize the importance of defense.
He expressed his opinion, saying: "I am not optimistic about the Warriors this year, because their defensive strength is declining. This is not good news. At the same time, the Warriors' offense has been studied too thoroughly, and their offensive power is no longer the best in the league. "
a Smith nodded again and again: "Yes, the Warriors' defensive enthusiasm and defensive tacit understanding are not enough. If they can't adjust in time in the second half of the regular season, the Warriors will definitely not be able to pass the second round of the playoffs!"
Zhou Yang and his teammates also saw these media discussions during training.
Nelson Sr. gathered the players together, pointed at the comments, and asked, "What do you guys think?"
"They don't understand anything, they talk nonsense," Livingston said.
The teammates all laughed, and Old Nelson also laughed, asking, "Why do you say that?"
Livingston said disdainfully: "To be honest, I have played in the playoffs for several years in a row, and I don't have much interest in the regular season, and I can't lift my spirits."
Both Zhou Yang and Curry lowered their heads and couldn't help laughing.
"Zhou Yang, Stephen, what are you two laughing at? Are you not responsible for the team's loss?" Old Nelson actually understood the real situation of the Warriors, but as a coach, he still had to do some work.
The ratings of the Warriors games have been slowly declining recently. Of course, even if they drop, the ratings of the Warriors are still the number one team in the league.
Zhou Yang coughed and said, "Coach, it's my responsibility. Since the start of the game, I haven't paid enough attention, and I haven't played the responsibility of leadership."
Old Nelson shook his head and said, "You guys are just so proud that you all have your little tails up. I warn you, if you don't make it to the playoffs this season, you won't even have time to cry!"
This warning played a little role, but it didn't put too much pressure on the players.
In the next game, the Warriors won two consecutive victories, and then they will start their trip to the Eastern Conference.
The schedule is like this, there will be multiple away games every year, and it also includes back-to-back.
The Warriors' first Eastern Conference opponent is the Heat.
The Heat players this season are all holding their breath.
Neither Wade nor Bosh expected that James would leave without saying goodbye just because of two finals defeats to the Warriors.
The two didn't know the news of James leaving the Heat until James left.
The two brothers are still figuring out how to make a comeback next season and break through the Warriors.
Although James left, it was his freedom. Wade didn't say anything on the surface, but only expressed his understanding, but he must be psychologically uncomfortable.
The Cavaliers welcomed back the little emperor James, sent two generals, Jamison and Casspi, and 13 years of draft picks.
The Heat's lineup is actually not bad. In the first seven games in the East, they achieved five wins and two losses, the same as the Warriors in the West.
The Cavaliers got off to a bad start, with four wins and three losses, ranking seventh in the Eastern Conference.
After all, James just came back, and the lineup still needs to be adjusted.
However, a tabloid reporter published an article and said one thing, that is, Irving and James are fighting for the ball.
Of course, these are all internal issues, the team will not easily expose them, and the reporters are just guessing.
Many fans watched the Cavaliers game and felt that James seemed to have a large proportion of off-ball in the first few games, which is rare in James' previous career.
Owen's offense with the ball is very important.
However, the greater the proportion of Owen holding the ball, the worse the Cavaliers' record.
In addition, when James plays without the ball, he often stands near the center line and does not run.
Therefore, after discussion, the Cavaliers' coaching staff decided to let James hold the ball more, and Irving will only be the end point.
In this way, the Cavaliers' record immediately improved.
The Cavaliers won two consecutive victories at once, and also defeated the Pacers, the powerhouse in the East.
……
The game between the Heat and the Warriors has also become a focus battle.