NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 683 Missing 1 card from the outside of the soup bowl

Ultimately, the Clippers defeated the Warriors by 30 points, slaughtering their opponents.

As the Clippers' core player, Jia Fei didn't even go all out. He only played three quarters before racking up a triple-double, and his opponents didn't give him a real challenge.

The Clippers secured a victory in Game 1, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

After this game, those who had previously speculated that the Warriors could upset the eighth seed fell silent. It was clear that the gap between the two teams was much larger than imagined. This was not a decisive March Madness game; it was a best-of-seven series, and the much stronger team had a much higher chance of winning.

This is why there are so few major injuries and upsets in the eighth and seventh rounds. The teams ranked higher in the regular season are likely to be stronger, and stronger teams are more likely to win the series. The reason why upsets in the eighth and seventh rounds are so noteworthy is simply because they happen so rarely, and the underdog's victory is particularly eye-catching!

On May 26, Game 2 of the Clippers vs. Warriors series.

In this game, the Clippers, who won the previous game, did not change their lineup, while the Warriors, who lost, did.

In this game, the Warriors made a lineup change, with Lue, who started the game last time, coming off the bench and Cup Cat starting.

This means the Warriors are fielding their "death lineup".

Compared to the original "Death Lineup," this new small-ball lineup has seen a significant downgrade in its small-ball strategy. Durant has been replaced by Wiggins at the 3 position, a clear relegation. While Durant was the second overall pick and Wiggins the first, even critics wouldn't consider Wiggins superior. Iguodala's position has been filled by Cup Cat. While Cup Cat might be a tiny bit better shooter than Iguodala, Iguodala is superior in almost every other aspect. Furthermore, Cup Cat's shooting isn't actually that great; he can shoot, but it's inconsistent, and his accuracy is average. His starting position isn't due to exceptional ability, but simply because the team had no other options.

Kerr's love for small-ball lineups is well-known; he absolutely adores them, practically wanting to play them every single day, just to show off. The only reason he can't indulge in that lifestyle now is simply because he doesn't have a maxed-out account. His protégé, Walton Jr., is also a die-hard fan of small-ball lineups. Regardless of the team's actual situation, he just sends a bunch of short guys up front, relentlessly pushing for transitions and switching defenses, stubbornly persisting even when the paint is being torn apart. He's more stubborn than a donkey, and I have to admit, he's incredibly persistent!

The Clippers didn't change their lineup, and their defensive strategy remained the same. Jia Fei was still primarily guarding Green, switching on every screen; Olynyk was guarding Cup Cat, avoiding double-teams and switching on every screen, focusing on defending the Splash Brothers' offense, while the others primarily provided one-on-one defense. Even if they made a shot, they wouldn't easily change their strategy, letting the role players beat them.

Curry exploded in this game...

Facing Bridges' one-on-one defense, he often forced his way into the game without even needing a screen, hitting many incredible three-pointers.

However, Klay Thompson failed to have a breakout performance and was unable to combine his offensive prowess with Curry's.

No one else had a breakout performance either. Wiggins remained lukewarm, Cup Cat couldn't even dominate Olynyk, and Green's three-pointers haven't made a single one in this series...

Curry exploded, and the Clippers' strategy was to have Jia Fei increase his individual offense. He was singled out by the opposing team, and he could score however he wanted. In fact, many experts and fans online criticized Kerr for being inflexible and lacking adaptability, questioning why he didn't double-team Jia Fei and take a gamble, letting Jia Fei take on every Warriors player one-on-one – it was utterly humiliating. The Clippers didn't even specifically target Curry; they didn't even bother with a "song request," demonstrating their immense psychological advantage.

In this game, Curry scored 40 points, but the Warriors still lost by 20 points, not only because Jia Fei scored 50 points, but also because the Clippers scored 129 points.

The Warriors' once-proud defense is completely gone; their defensive system has utterly collapsed...

The Warriors have lost another game, and they are now down 0-2 in the series...

They lost by a total of 50 points in the two games, and the scene was even more appalling than the scoreline suggests.

Those who hoped Curry could dominate and end the Clippers' four-peat have to face reality. The reality is, the Warriors can't beat the Clippers now, and are practically their natural counter.

The Clippers' strength is based on two main underlying factors: one is the league's top player, Jia Fei, who is versatile on both offense and defense and is the cornerstone of the team; the other is the team's defense.

The Clippers' defensive strength primarily stems from their formidable perimeter defense. They boast one of the league's most powerful perimeter defensive frontcourts, with players like Jahlil Giannis, Paul George, Bridges, Dillon Collins, Grant Williams, and Kelly all being outstanding defensive wing players. Even their backup point guard, Brunson, is no pushover. Hart and Bruce Brown are versatile guards capable of playing the small forward position. Rookie Jaden McDaniels and sophomore Grant Williams, who didn't make the rotation, are also defensive stalwarts.

The Warriors' interior defense has always been weak. Their big men are primarily defensive, good on defense but lacking offensive depth. Their offensive prowess, from the "super team" era to the present, has always relied on a strong perimeter game. Kerr's passing and cutting system is also built upon the Splash Brothers' exceptional shooting ability.

The best way to defend against this kind of passing and cutting is, of course, to have tall, fast forwards swarm you, switch on screens, double-team and rotate, and prevent shots from going in.

With Durant, the Warriors could still employ a spread-out, isolation-based strategy, adding another ace to their small-ball lineup. But without Durant, their options are much fewer. Expecting Wiggins to play Durant's role is clearly unrealistic; he simply doesn't have that ability.

Trailing 0-2 in the series, the Warriors are on the brink of elimination.

On May 28, Game 3 of the Clippers vs. Warriors series took place at the Warriors' home arena.

The Warriors continued to adjust their starting lineup for this game, starting with Pu Er alongside Curry and Thompson.

Clearly, the team led by Cup Cat Cole, who started the game in the last match, was dissatisfied, as they neither provided effective defense nor dominated Olynyk on offense.

The Clippers did not change their lineup for this game, with Olynyk starting again.

With Pu'er starting, the Warriors unleashed their full offensive potential.

This is somewhat unlike Kerr's style, as he has always been a coach who places great emphasis on defense. Although he is stubborn about small lineups, his focus on defense is undeniable. But now he doesn't have a better solution; his small lineups can't find suitable partners to complement Curry, Thompson, and Mousse, and he lacks a key player for his small lineups.

After the game started, the home team Warriors launched a furious attack. Puer went straight for the kill, and Olynyk was shaken by a crossover and step-back move in the first possession, providing a meme-worthy moment.