Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1107 - 618 The Murderer is the Clippers_2

Chapter 1107: Chapter 618 The Murderer is the Clippers_2 Chapter 1107: Chapter 618 The Murderer is the Clippers_2 Powered by precise arrangements and effective execution, the Clippers easily defeated the Golden State Warriors in the first game.

In the subsequent second game, the Warriors decided to leverage their player’s physical strength, as their young core appeared too naive in front of Yu Fei, with no psychological advantage whatsoever.

It was a correct choice, while at the same time, the Clippers were happy to see the Warriors do so.

Rivers disliked going against coaches who play mind games the most; he preferred pure strength and talent-based contests, which the Clippers lacked most.

However, the Warriors not only slowed down the pace but also reduced both sides’ shooting percentage with strong defense.

But they overlooked one point, failing to make a clear arrangement between offensive rebounding and getting back on defense.

Without clear intentions from the coaching staff, players naturally tried hard to hit the boards, but the Warriors didn’t have a defensive advantage.

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Griffin, pushed to the number five position in a small lineup, struggled in front of Jokić.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo’s talent was fully displayed when fighting for rebounds.

What made the Warriors most uncomfortable was that Yu Fei’s rebounding ability was also among the top forwards, whether in positioning, physicality, or the nose and awareness for grabbing boards.

Keep in mind, he is a player who has played over 1100 games, averaging double-digit rebounds per game.

Although taking advantage of a big core playstyle meant enjoying the benefit of teammates willingly conceding rebounds, it was on the premise of strong rebounding skills.

Forcibly competing with the Clippers on defense, wanting to hit the boards but failing to do so, resulted in Yu Fei and Jokić constantly showcasing, after grabbing rebounds, rapid passes to the frontcourt as if firing bullets, passing to the fast-breaking Antetokounmpo and Thompson.

By the time the Warriors realized, the disadvantage was already too great.

2-0

The Clippers effortlessly took two cities in a row, only two more games away from their second trip to the finals.

Media began writing elegies for the Warriors and explaining why rising alongside the Clippers was their sorrow.

They made good points.

This is because the Warriors first became significant in the Western 2013-14 season, coincidentally Yu Fei’s first year with the Clippers, after which they were soundly defeated.

Then there was last year when, after a hard fight to defeat the Spurs, they were swiftly passed by the Clippers in the conference finals.

Although Leonard and Lillard continued to improve, Yu Fei was already 33 and a half, and his future was definitely on the decline.

But, the rate of improvement for Antetokounmpo and Jokić was not slow at all.

And Yu Fei hadn’t shown any significant signs of decline.

In the predicament of the Clippers growing stronger, with the Warriors’ rate of growth unable to surpass them, it seemed difficult for the Warriors to avoid being crushed three years in a row.

For the third battle, both sides moved to Oracle Arena.

The Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr was optimistic about the direction of the series: “Kawhi said to us, end them on our home court. Yes, you may not believe it, but I really like where we are now.”

Whether it was bluster or optimistic posturing, the Warriors indeed used home-court advantage to apply great pressure on the Clippers.

Lillard’s pick-and-roll offense became fierce, and Antetokounmpo, unable to find his shooting touch, was awkward.

This was the plight of the two young core players of the Clippers.

They were easy targets.

Perhaps one day, they will grow strong enough to counter their opponents, but not now.

Today, they are still far from the complete form Yu Fei had envisioned.

When they encounter roadblocks, without an older leader to take responsibility, they would undergo growth trials similar to the main timeline.

Failure, then failure again, until success; the taste of emerging through hardship is different from the feeling of winning early under someone else’s leadership.

Such pressure, such difficulties, can only be understood when they take on the team’s burden.

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But now, Yu Fei will carry most of the pressure.

A small part will also fall on Yao Ming.

Yao Ming will also be trained by Lillard, but after getting substituted, his mindset is very stable; he no longer mentally exhausts himself after being targeted for continuous pick-and-rolls.

He knows his role is to protect the rim, rebound, set screens, and shoot threes.

Actually, big men who can do two of these four things well can find a place in the league; those who can do all four deserve multimillion-dollar contracts.

Lillard could train big men, but Yao Ming could also hit threes.

This was his biggest difference with Jokić tonight.

Jokić got exploded by Lillard, the defensive inability led to inefficiency on the offensive end, but Yao Ming fully accepted this outcome.

When the Clippers were on the verge of being suppressed, the two veterans counterattacked, and then the other veterans in the team also began to contribute.

Richard Jefferson helped with a block on Lillard, finishing with a dunk on the counterattack.

Monta Ellis decisively took the ball and drove when Yu Fei was double-teamed, playing the role the Clippers had hoped for when they signed him.

Battle-hardened veterans became the ballast stone for the team at this moment.

In contrast, the Warriors, featuring a youthful storm, found veterans to be a minority in the team.

Prideful when leading but flustered when caught up, and once overtaken, they could only rely on those with strong resilience to cling onto the game.

For the Warriors, the one responsible for this was Lillard.