NBA: Warrior godfather.

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Butler wanted to double-team, but Monta Ellis cut to the basket, making him hesitate.

"Go up and attack him! Don't worry about the others!" shouted Liam.

Butler immediately rushed to defend but was still a step too late. LeBron James powered through, knocking Curry down, then drove into the paint, spun, and made a layup.

After the ball went in, the cheers at Quicken Loans Arena erupted again. James smiled and looked at Curry:

"Stephen, welcome to the NBA!"

Curry rubbed his sore chest and replied with a wry smile:

"LeBron, is brute force your only game?"

"I'm holding back already. You're too skinny—you need more muscle!" James patted Curry on the back and quickly ran back on defense.

Despite their intense on-court competition, James and Curry had a good relationship.

James had attended a March Madness game two years earlier when Curry was playing for Davidson. Impressed by Curry's performance, James had signed one of Curry's jerseys and gifted it to him after the game.

At that time, Curry's name was already known nationwide, and it was clear he would enter the NBA. With James' knack for building relationships with talented newcomers, he didn't miss the opportunity to connect with Curry.

The NBA is no longer a life-or-death battleground but more of a brotherhood—a league where friendships are forged.

Yet, back in the game, James stood in front of Curry, defending him relentlessly, showing no mercy.

A game is a game, and personal relationships are separate. James made that distinction clear.

Curry kept trying pick-and-roll plays, but James was well-prepared, slipping past Biedrins' screens and cutting off Curry's options.

Curry tried to isolate James, but the intense physical defense threw off Curry's movements, leaving him with no room to shoot.

As the shot clock ran down, Curry passed to Azubuike, who hurriedly attempted a three-pointer but missed.

O'Neal grabbed the rebound and launched the ball forward. James sprinted like a freight train, intercepted the pass mid-air, and advanced to the free-throw line. With one step, he soared and slammed the ball through the hoop with ferocity.

"Oh, what a dunk! James is like a tank—once he charges, there's no stopping him!" exclaimed ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy.

Mark Jackson nodded in agreement:

"LeBron's size is one thing, but his sprinting speed is like a guard's. That level of talent is rare in NBA history."

Liam, watching closely, wasn't focused on James' dunk but on his defense against Curry.

At this stage of his career, James still had a mix of agility and strength, while Curry was not yet in his prime. Against James' defense, Curry struggled to find his rhythm.

Liam thought for a moment, then instructed assistant coach Paul Silas:

"Get Stephen a short break."

Without hesitation, Silas walked over to the referee.

"Tweet—"

The whistle blew, signaling a timeout, and both teams left the court.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, unsure of Liam's strategy, opted for motivational talk and reiterated his game plan:

"Give the ball to LeBron. As long as he locks down Curry, we'll win!"

The brief timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court. Jeff Van Gundy, observing the Warriors' lineup, remarked:

"Liam has subbed out Azubuike and brought in Kyle Lowry. That's an interesting choice. Azubuike had 13 points in the first half and was the team's second-best scorer. Lowry only played six minutes in the second quarter, with just three points and three assists. What's the plan here?"

Mark Jackson responded:

"In my opinion, Liam wants another ball-handler on the court. Curry, despite his incredible three-pointer over James earlier, has struggled against LeBron's defense. Lowry can organize the offense when Curry is heavily guarded. The downside? The Warriors are smaller, and James will be even harder to stop when driving."

As the analysts debated the changes, Mike Brown noticed Liam's adjustments but wasn't overly concerned.

Lowry's strength lies in his penetration, but his shooting is average. Although Shaquille O'Neal is older, he remains a formidable presence in the paint and isn't worried about Lowry's drives.

As long as James limits Curry, the Cavaliers will have the upper hand.

Confident in his strategy, Brown watched as the Warriors inbounded the ball to start the play.

Curry received the pass, and James immediately pressed up on him, giving him no room to operate.

Rather than forcing a one-on-one or calling for a pick-and-roll, Curry passed to Lowry at the top of the arc and sprinted toward the weak-side corner.

James followed closely, but Curry stopped abruptly and screened James with Butler, briefly delaying him. Then Curry skillfully cut to the strong side at a 45-degree angle, using a back screen from Biedrins.

James, caught in traffic, struggled to recover and was solidly blocked. Curry found himself momentarily open.

Lowry passed at the perfect moment, and Curry caught the ball and shot.

As the ball left Curry's hands, James fought through the screen but was too late to contest the shot.

Swish!

The ball arced through the air and hit nothing but net. Curry had finally bested James in their matchup.

"Great shot! Curry used his off-ball movement to score a three. James just can't match Curry's agility in these situations," Jeff Van Gundy praised.

"That was a smart play. As I mentioned, Lowry handling the ball frees up Curry to run without it, maximizing his strengths. If the Warriors continue this approach, they've got a real shot. James is simply too big to keep up with Curry," added Mark Jackson.

In the following possessions, Curry consistently avoided James' defensive strength by playing off-ball. Lowry's job was to deliver timely and accurate passes to Curry, a routine the Warriors had practiced extensively.

Switching from on-ball to off-ball frustrated James, who found it increasingly difficult to defend Curry.

Curry weaved through screens like a fish in water, slipping past defenders with ease. James, slowed by his size and lack of defensive synergy with his teammates, found himself beaten as Curry made easy cuts to the basket.

When Mike Brown reassigned Monta Ellis to guard Curry, Curry switched back to playing on-ball. He either isolated Ellis or ran pick-and-roll plays with Biedrins, continuing to score efficiently.

Jeff Van Gundy marveled:

"Before this game, Curry amazed everyone with his scoring, averaging 27 points per game—top five in the league. Some thought it was just a fluke, that teams could stop him with the right focus."

"But tonight, even under James' tough defense, Curry has shown he can score steadily off-ball, forcing the Cavaliers to adjust. His ability to seamlessly switch between on-ball and off-ball play is terrifying. His offensive arsenal is unpredictable; no one can truly contain him."

Mark Jackson nodded:

"Curry has been phenomenal since joining the NBA. It's hard to believe he's just a rookie with only ten games under his belt. Despite his defensive shortcomings, he's already outstanding. He's a star who doesn't need dunks—his precision shooting is his signature. But his shot selection can seem reckless."

Jeff Van Gundy chuckled:

"Mark, maybe Curry sees those so-called 'bad shots' as great opportunities."

Mark paused, then nodded thoughtfully:

"That makes sense. Honestly, I've never seen a player like Curry. Whether off the dribble or off screens, he shoots threes with no hesitation—even in awkward positions. He just lifts and fires. It looks irrational, but hey, the shots go in. It's like he's been blessed by the basketball gods!"

While the analysts heaped praise on Curry, the Warriors still faced challenges.

Lowry's presence gave the Warriors a secondary playmaker, allowing Curry to focus on off-ball movement. However, it further reduced their lineup's size, leaving them vulnerable inside.

O'Neal and James exploited this weakness, dominating the paint.

Boom!

In the final play of the third quarter, James bulldozed past Butler, powered through Biedrins, and slammed the ball home just as the buzzer sounded.

The arena erupted as James celebrated with his teammates, his fierce expression captured on the big screen. Despite the Cavaliers' lead, Liam maintained his composure, high-fiving his players as they exited the court.

The scoreboard read 83-78, with the Cavaliers leading.

Jeff Van Gundy remarked:

"Liam seems satisfied with the Warriors' performance in the third quarter, even though they're down by five."

Mark Jackson added:

"This is a respectable result for the Warriors. Nobody expected them to keep up with the Cavaliers for three full quarters."

Jeff Van Gundy agreed:

"This game highlights several flaws in the Cavaliers. Their offense is strong, but their defense has glaring weaknesses. The combination of O'Neal and Jamison is old and slow, incapable of handling elite guards. This could pose a hidden danger for their championship aspirations."

On the Cavaliers' bench, James wore a somber expression.

He hadn't expected to exert so much effort in the third quarter only to see the Warriors keep the score close. Even defending Curry personally hadn't solved the problem.

Why was it so difficult to beat this undersized Warriors team?

End of this chapter

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