NBA: Warrior godfather.

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Phoenix, Arizona. 

Phoenix welcomed the Warriors' arrival. After defeating the Rockets, they immediately traveled to this desert city to face the Suns on the road.

At the hotel where the Warriors were staying, Liam sat in his room with a serious expression, studying the Suns' game footage.

Silas opened the door. He had just finished checking on the players' rooms. The Warriors were still a young team, and he was slightly concerned about their readiness.

He approached Liam, glancing at the laptop screen as Nash threw an alley-oop to Stoudemire. Silas tried to console him:

"Liam, get some rest early. Don't overthink it. We just need to play our own tactics."

Liam pressed the spacebar irritably, pausing the video. Removing the headphones draped around his neck, he muttered:

"The Suns' defense is a weak point, but their offense is so strong it's hard to match their firepower."

He had spent the entire day analyzing game footage, his mind racing, yet he still couldn't find a definitive way to defeat the Suns.

Unlike the Rockets, who were missing key players, the Suns had a complete lineup. Only Richardson was sidelined due to injury; the rest of their main players were intact.

Nash was the best run-and-gun point guard in the league. Although D'Antoni had left for New York, Gentry continued to employ the run-and-gun tactics that Nash thrived in, making him the league's top playmaker.

Though Nash didn't average 20 points per game, he was undeniably the soul and engine of the Suns, driving their relentless offensive machine and outpacing opponents.

Stoudemire was an unstoppable force in the paint, Channing Frye a rare floor-spacing big man, and Barbosa—the "Brazilian Blur"—brought an explosive impact. Grant Hill still showcased his skills despite his age. While the Suns' bench was average, their starting lineup was among the league's best.

Even though the Suns had defensive vulnerabilities to exploit, their offensive ingenuity made them formidable against any type of defense.

The Warriors, on the other hand, weren't known for their defense. Their players were relatively new, and their style mirrored the Suns' in many ways.

If the Warriors played at a fast pace, it would favor the Suns. Yet without the run-and-gun style, the Warriors lacked a backup tactical system.

Liam sighed, shut his laptop, and got up to wash up.

No matter the opponent, he always had the confidence to fight hard. The Warriors' style meant they had the potential for offensive explosions. If the players were in sync, they could beat even the strongest teams.

But against the Suns, Liam was at a loss.

To beat the Suns, they needed to rely on offense and play at a fast pace. But the Suns were simply better at that game. Matching them in a high-speed battle seemed futile.

Staring at his bloodshot eyes in the bathroom mirror, Liam slowly brushed his teeth as his thoughts churned.

"Let's start with run-and-gun. If it doesn't work, we'll have to adjust."

---

At 10 p.m. the following day, the game between the Warriors and Suns officially began at the American Airlines Center.

Because U.S. time is standardized based on Washington D.C., the wide gap between the East and West Coast—covering three time zones—meant that Western games often aired late.

The Warriors, Lakers, and Trail Blazers usually played the final games of the day.

As the game started, Liam instructed the Warriors to try a run-and-gun style. But seven minutes into the first quarter, he quickly called a timeout to adjust the strategy.

Curry's inexperience was evident. In a fast-paced game, his ability to control the tempo lagged behind Nash's mastery.

In just seven minutes, both teams had played at a breakneck pace without fouls, completing each possession in less than 10 seconds. The rapid transitions were dizzying.

Nash controlled the chaos with precision, orchestrating the Suns' offense and finding weak points in the Warriors' defense. Although Nash didn't score much himself, his assists quickly climbed to seven.

Meanwhile, Nash subtly increased the tempo, making the already fast-paced game even faster, leaving the Warriors struggling to keep up.

Biedrins, for instance, would complete a dunk only for Channing Frye to hit a fast-break three-pointer seconds later off Nash's quarterback-like pass.

The fans at the American Airlines Center were thrilled. They were used to seeing the Suns run-and-gun, but witnessing both teams intentionally speed up the game was a rare treat.

The game resembled a track meet, with players constantly sprinting and engaging in physical battles, and the lack of fouls made it even more exhilarating to watch.

At first, the Warriors' offense flowed smoothly. Curry controlled the rhythm well, and their scoring came from multiple players. The lead alternated between the two teams.

But as Nash relentlessly pushed the pace, Curry began to falter.

His vision wasn't as sharp as Nash's, and his lack of experience became apparent in the ever-quickening transitions. It grew harder for him to find open teammates, and the Warriors' rhythm began to break down.

Curry resorted to focusing on his own scoring, excelling at finding opportunities in the chaos.

However, the Suns were prepared. Gentry had studied the Warriors' opening game and was deeply impressed by Curry's performance. He assigned Barbosa to shadow Curry relentlessly.

The Brazilian Blur used his speed to deny Curry any space, making it difficult for him to establish his rhythm.

Curry was forced to attack the basket, and while he scored efficiently, the Suns countered with three-pointers that widened the gap.

When the score reached 28–33, with the Suns leading by five, Liam called another timeout.

Though there were five minutes left in the first quarter, he knew that if the game continued at this pace, the Suns could stretch their lead to 15 or more.

Unable to win in a run-and-gun battle, Liam decided to slow the game down—a strategy most teams in the league adopted against the Suns.

---

After the timeout, Curry followed Liam's instructions, no longer rushing into fast breaks. Instead, he methodically advanced the ball, running a pick-and-roll with Biedrins to force a switch against Stoudemire.

The Warriors didn't have many options in a half-court offense, and Curry's one-on-one plays were the safest bet for scoring.

The Suns' defensive flaws were evident. Curry easily created space with a quick dribble move, sinking a three-pointer over Stoudemire's outstretched hand.

Gentry immediately shouted from the sidelines:

"Amar'e, step up! He's a shooter as good as Steve—you can't give him any room to take those threes!"

Stoudemire shrugged, nodding reluctantly, but inwardly disagreed.

"A shooter as good as Nash?"

Stoudemire thought of Nash's shooting as an art form. If not for Nash's focus on passing, he could easily average 30 points per game.

---

The game's pace continued to swing back and forth, with the Suns repeatedly trying to speed things up and the Warriors slowing it down.

However, midway through the second quarter, the Warriors' offensive rhythm broke again. The Suns capitalized, ramping up their tempo and widening their lead.

Liam tried to encourage his team, shouting from the sideline, "Stay steady! Don't rush!"

Yet, the Warriors' youthful roster and limited time together made it difficult to maintain composure under pressure.

---

At halftime, the Suns led 78–60. Liam observed his players as they entered the locker room, visibly dejected despite their 60-point half.

Liam decided to remain calm. The season was just beginning, and he knew this team's true potential was still unfolding.

End of this chapter

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