NBA: Warrior godfather.

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Chapter with Chinese narrators, I am not American and I don't know much about their narrators I do my best not to leave Chinese names and choose names I feel comfortable with.
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The break between quarters passed quickly, and the final quarter began. The two teams returned to the court.

Mike Breen said in surprise:

"Curry didn't take a break, he came back onto the court! He played the entire third quarter, does he still have the stamina to keep playing?"

Jeff Van Gundy responded with a somewhat ominous tone:

"It seems Curry wants to avoid Kobe's defense and see if he can make a difference during transition play. But he has to stay on the court during the critical period, right? He's not James. I'm really worried. I wonder if he'll have enough energy to keep playing."

There were different opinions from the live commentary booth:

"Curry is too scared to face Kobe head-on."

"Scared? If you can, tell the Lakers to stop double-teaming. Phil Jackson is really shameless for double-teaming a rookie like this."

"Haha, who said Curry can't break double teams? Isn't he strong enough and blaming the Lakers for their good defense?"

On the court, Curry naturally didn't hear any of this. He kept his full focus on the game.

The loud noise from the crowd faded, and the fans of the Lakers in front of him blurred into the background. In his eyes, there were only the five players in purple and gold jerseys, the orange basketball, and the white hoop.

The first possession was for the Golden State Warriors. Curry dribbled the ball past half-court, with Kobe sitting out. The player guarding him was the Lakers' backup guard, Jordan Farmar. Even though Liam knew Curry would likely face a double team on the pick-and-roll, he instructed him not to run it with Big Z. Instead, he asked Curry to play one-on-one with Jordan Farmar alone.

There was a big difference between him and Kobe's defense. The most obvious difference was that Farmar couldn't cover both Curry's shots and his drives.

When Kobe defended Curry before, his positioning was very smart. He could interfere with Curry's shots and retreat to block his driving route. But Jordan Farmar could only handle one aspect.

Under Phil Jackson's instructions, Farmar stayed close to Curry, not allowing him to get a clean look at a three-pointer. However, this strategy left him unable to react to Curry's driving.

Curry only needed a slight change in direction or a simple change of pace, followed by a burst of speed to blow past Farmar.

Liam hadn't instilled the concept of a "magic ball" in Curry's mind yet. Right now, he wasn't demanding Curry to score at will. The Lakers were guarding from the outside, preventing any three-pointers, and they also protected the paint tightly, meaning Curry would have to shoot mid-range.

Curry's touch hadn't cooled off during the quiet two quarters. Instead, it got even hotter. After getting past Farmar, his mid-range jump shots fell smoothly into the basket with pinpoint accuracy.

With Curry's scoring and momentum, the Warriors quickly overtook the Lakers in the first 3 minutes of the final quarter, leading by 4 points, 106-102.

Now, Phil Jackson couldn't stay calm. Even though it was just a regular season game, the two sides had been playing fiercely for three quarters. The game was far from decided, but Jackson couldn't ignore Curry's scorching play on the court.

BEEP--

So, Phil Jackson, who rarely calls for timeouts, quickly requested one.

He had hoped to wait longer and bring Kobe back into the game in a way that would leave Curry isolated. However, it turned out that the Lakers didn't have anyone down low to guard Curry.

Apart from Kobe, Derrick Fisher was the most reliable defender on the Lakers, but Fisher's lateral speed was slow compared to the more agile defenders. It was also hard for him to keep up with Curry's quick moves, not to mention Luke Walton's defense.

Phil Jackson had no choice but to bring Kobe back on the court and let him lead the defense against Curry. Kobe didn't complain and immediately re-entered the game.

This was the life of Liam in the past, which is why Jordan said in his tribute speech to Kobe Bryant:

"When Kobe left, it felt like part of my body stayed with him."

It wasn't just Kobe's playing skills; his competitive spirit was the closest thing, or even superior, to Jordan's.

Throughout Kobe's career, he never slacked off on defense. Even after his Achilles tendon injury later in his career, his athleticism significantly decreased, and his defensive pressure wasn't as intense as in his prime, but he still played outstanding defense. He always had excellent team defense instincts, like positioning and rotation, and gave everything he had.

In fact, as the offensive core and superstar of his team, Kobe could completely take on the defensive side as well. A player's physical condition is limited, and if they invest more energy in offense, their defense continuity may suffer.

But Kobe's attitude was always to do his best and never back down defensively.

It's a pity that those who took over as point guards after Kobe could even post a ten-minute highlight reel, focusing on defense; meanwhile, those who defend the "Mamba mentality" seem to ignore the ball entirely, concentrating on grabbing rebounds in the backcourt...

After the timeout, Kobe returned to the court and stood in front of Curry.

Curry no longer played isolation basketball but followed Liam's instructions to run a pick-and-roll with Big Z.

The Lakers were still double-teaming him, but Big Z wasn't Biedrins. He had a very reliable shot, and after getting open, he hit two consecutive mid-range shots, helping the team maintain a slight lead.

Phil Jackson quickly reacted. Gone was his previous passive approach. He took advantage of a dead-ball situation to bring the entire starting lineup back into the game all at once.

"The Lakers have indeed called back their entire starting lineup with 7 minutes left. They want to settle this battle early!" said Mike Breen.

Jeff Van Gundy said harshly:

"You've never played before, so you wouldn't understand. This game is bloodthirsty. Both sides are angry and want to win. Curry didn't take a rest in the final quarter, and the Lakers have brought back their starting lineup early. This is a real fight."

The audience in the live commentary room also expressed their opinions:

"Jeff Van Gundy's words sound very offensive, but they make sense. It feels like the playoffs."

"Does the Warrior really need to call on the bench?"

"Of course, Coach Liam is very adaptable, so he will definitely have to go back to his starting five."

Indeed, Liam decisively called a timeout after the Lakers' starting lineup returned to the court and the lead was reduced to just 2 points.

He gave Big Z a thumbs-up:

"Zydrunas, you did a great job!"

Big Z smiled warmly:

"Coach, I'm so happy to help the team."

This big 7'3" pivot said this every time he left the court with a warm smile, and Liam always gave him a thumbs-up in return.

Although Big Z no longer had the same strength he once did, he trained diligently, played calmly, and always gave his best effort every time he played, contributing as much as he could to the team.

Despite having the highest salary on the team, he only played around 18 minutes per game, contributing around 8 points and 5 rebounds. No one on the Warriors disliked him, and everyone liked this big man with a warm smile.

Having successfully completed his mission, he trusted his teammates to secure the final victory.

Liam waved his hand and didn't take the tactics board handed to him by Silas. He didn't need it. He looked at Curry and said solemnly:

"Stephen, it's all up to you."

Once the Lakers reintroduced their starting lineup, Big Z was no longer suitable. His defense would become a weak point for the Warriors. Even though the combined defense of Biedrins and Varejao wasn't stellar, they could still resist the Lakers' interior attack.

Liam had previously thought of using a "5 out" lineup with Curry, Butler, Azubuike, Matthews, and Anthony Tolliver, like when he played against the Mavericks.

However, as soon as this idea appeared, he dismissed it.

This lineup had strong shooting ability, with five players capable of shooting threes. The offensive wings could provide enough space for Curry, and the Lakers would no longer dare to double-team.

But on the other hand, the lineup with Anthony Tolliver as the center couldn't defend against the Lakers' twin towers inside. It was essentially a paper defense.

Liam couldn't risk being beaten inside to run the final offensive play, so he reluctantly abandoned that option.

Now, Phil Jackson's quick response had thwarted the Warriors' hopes of scoring from the Lakers' bench. The game had returned to square one: someone had to step up and provide a difficult solution to break through the defense. The defense would be led by Kobe Bryant.

This task could only be left to Curry.

Curry took a deep breath and nodded solemnly:

"Coach, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time!"

After Kobe Bryant entered the game, the Warriors' offensive focus shifted to Big Z. Curry had been holding back his desire to attack for a long time. He wanted to see more of Ayesha's smiling face. Even in the face of Kobe, he wasn't afraid.

Liam called for a quick timeout, which passed swiftly, and both teams returned to the court for the decisive final battle.

The Warriors had the ball, and Curry moved it up the court. Kobe was still guarding him, but this time, he seemed a bit more relaxed and didn't defend as aggressively as in the first three quarters.

Curry never challenged Kobe's defense one-on-one, which made Kobe subconsciously think it would be the same as before.

However, instead of passing the ball to his teammates, Curry took two steps back behind the three-point line, raised his hand, and launched a three-pointer.

Kobe wasn't prepared for this and moved a little slower, failing to contest Curry's shot.

Swish!The basketball sailed in a perfect arc and dropped cleanly through the net.

114:113, the Warriors took a one-point lead.

After scoring, Curry patted his chest and pointed to the sky, then gestured toward Ayesha. The two shared a smile, and this moment was captured by the cameras and shown on the big screen in the stadium.

Kobe looked furious when he saw it. Is this game some kind of flirtation with women?

Looking back, Kobe immediately responded and made a jump shot over Butler.

114:115, the score moved up again.

Kobe gave Curry a cold stare, exuding a powerful, oppressive aura.

Curry didn't care at all. He kept dribbling in front of Kobe, while other Warriors players spaced the floor.

He took small steps and shifted direction in front of Kobe. Suddenly, he took a small step back, slapped the ball with his right hand, placed his left hand on the basketball, glanced at the hoop, and stood on his toes, preparing to shoot a three-pointer.

Kobe, instinctively, jumped to contest the shot. However, as soon as his body launched into the air, Curry pressed down on his right wrist, slid his left hand over the basketball, shortened his body, and slipped past Kobe with a smooth move.

What a beautiful move!

Phil Jackson had placed great trust in Kobe's one-on-one defense and hadn't arranged for anyone else to help him defend. After Curry made his successful move, he had a clear path ahead.

He didn't hesitate for a moment and ran straight toward the basket. Bynum couldn't just sit back and watch him make the layup, so he could only come closer to help defend. Curry released the ball into the air freely, and from behind Bynum, Biedrins leapt up, pressing against the broad back of the "Big Whale" and slammed the ball into the hoop.

Boom!

After a powerful dunk, Biedrins almost rode Bynum's back. Bynum, embarrassed, lowered his head to avoid Biedrins' legs. Biedrins roared after landing, slapped Curry on the back, and got knocked to the floor by his opponent.

116:115.

"Great shot! Biedrins has made one of the top five plays of the day! This is a little shark with a dunk!" exclaimed Mike Breen.

Jeff Van Gundy said, a bit angrily:

"Kobe got careless on that one. Curry won't be able to pull off that little trick again."

"No, Jeff—why do you always underestimate Curry?"

"No need to say it, who gave Curry the title of 'Master of the Game'? Can't he take back the ground for the Emperor?"

"No, this is a game between the Warriors and the Lakers. Why is James involved?"

"Haha, did I say James? The eunuch is in a hurry~"

The messages in the live commentary room were as fleeting as the wind, confusing everyone.

Back on the court, the Lakers attacked. With less than 3 minutes remaining, Kobe took possession of the ball, backed down Butler, and hit a jump shot.

116:117.

At the end of the possession, Curry faced Kobe with the ball. This time, Kobe didn't relax at all and focused all his attention on Curry's movements.

Curry dribbled the ball in search of opportunities but couldn't find one. He passed the ball to Azubuike, received it back, and took a step outside the three-point line, entering a triple-threat position. As Kobe shifted his weight slightly, Curry pulled the trigger—he shot a three-pointer!

This time, Kobe blocked the shot as soon as Curry raised his hand, but Curry's release was too quick. He completed the shot in the blink of an eye. The ball flew past Kobe's fingertips and bounced off the rim!

119:117.

The Staples Center fell silent. Everyone was stunned by Curry's clutch shot.

"Great shot! Curry had the guts to take that deep three with 2 minutes left. That shot was unreal!" shouted Mike Breen.

But looking back, Kobe also hit a three-pointer over Butler, and the Staples Center erupted in applause.

119:120.

Kobe spent a long time dribbling, trying to find his rhythm. Almost 24 seconds passed. Only 1 minute and 28 seconds remained in the game, and the atmosphere grew more tense.

When Curry moved the ball up the court, the entire stadium filled with the chants of Lakers fans, led by the DJ shouting "DEFENSE," like a mountain, like a tsunami, deafening.

But Curry was not affected at all. His eyes were fixed on Liam, who nodded to encourage him, and then on Ayesha, who stood up and made a hand gesture.

Curry took a deep breath, barely managing to calm his racing heartbeat. He reached the top of the arc, and Kobe was already waiting for him.

Curry lowered his body to dribble and suddenly made a sharp change of direction in front of his body. He transferred the ball to his right hand, and Kobe slid to his left. Then, Curry dribbled behind his back and passed the ball to his left hand. He followed his center of gravity, leaning right, then shrugged his left shoulder, slapped the ball with his left hand, passed it from behind to his right hand, and took a big step to his right.

What a smooth change of direction + double cross! Curry completely fooled Kobe and created a huge lane to drive!

He sprinted past Kobe, took a step in front of the free-throw line, and launched a smooth jump shot with his right hand. The basketball slid effortlessly through the net!

121:120.

This chapter builds up a lot of drama and excitement, as Curry performs some incredible moves, outshining Kobe in the final moments.

"Bip--"

After scoring, only 46 seconds remained, and Phil Jackson called a timeout.

Curry chest-bumped his teammates one by one in celebration, his excitement palpable. He smiled and looked at Ayesha, who blew him a kiss, making him smile even wider.

This basket was crucial and gave the Warriors a vital one-point lead. Though the one-point difference seemed insignificant, it gave the Warriors the initiative and allowed Liam to implement his tactics.

On the Warriors' bench, Liam took the tactical board and shouted loudly: "The opponent will likely focus on the interior later and try to get solid two-point shots, so I want you to flank Gasol..."

On the Lakers' bench, Phil Jackson looked at Gasol seriously: "Paul, it's on you later."

Beside him, Kobe clenched his fist but said nothing. He simply gave Gasol a pat on the shoulder:

"Let's go!"

Even though he really wanted to take the shot himself, he knew that against the Warriors' weak interior defense, Gasol would be the safer option to score.

Over time, the boy who had once told Ma Long to "leave" had now grown into a mature leader.

After the timeout, Kobe received the ball on the offensive side from Fisher and passed it to Gasol, who was in a better position inside.

Gasol had Varejao behind him and began to post up. He leaned in twice, and just as he was about to receive the ball, all the Warriors players collapsed inward to defend. Butler and Curry cut off his passing route, and Biedrins raised his hands to block Gasol's path to the basket.

For a moment, Gasol was trapped in a defensive ambush from all sides!

Even with his solid fundamental skills and ability to handle pressure, he couldn't find a passing route for a while. He could only hold onto the ball tightly and barely avoid the Warriors' pressure.

However, the Warriors followed Liam's instructions and suddenly flanked Gasol while he was dribbling, not allowing him to lift the ball. Gasol couldn't make the pass and could only crouch to protect the ball, knowing he was vulnerable to interception at any moment.

"Bip--"

Seeing this, Phil Jackson immediately called another timeout while the ball was still in Gasol's control, but only 2.6 seconds remained on the shot clock.

"The Warriors' pressure was extremely successful and almost caused the Lakers to make a mistake. Though they didn't steal the ball, the Lakers only have just over 2 seconds left on the shot clock. The Warriors' goal was achieved. Coach Liam organized a double-team attack! Very subtle!" Mike Breen said.

"Is this the master tactician at work? I love it!" Jeff Van Gundy replied.

"Haha, don't get cocky. I think you just made a mistake."

"You said it's easy, why don't you go up and cover it?"

"Stop shouting, smith. Watch closely and study hard. This is something a coach like Phil Jackson, who only relies on superstars, will never learn!"

While everyone debated in the live broadcast room, the timeout ended.

The Lakers inbounded the ball from the sideline, and the Warriors' positioning was very specific: Liam arranged for Butler and Azubuike to cover Kobe, and no one was allowed to interfere with Fisher's inbound pass.

Liam stood aside with his arms crossed over his chest, smiling as he watched the court. He was confident that Phil Jackson would let Kobe Bryant finish this attack!

He was right. This was Phil Jackson's setup. When he saw the Warriors' positioning, his expression immediately changed.

But there was no time to reorganize, and he could only nervously watch as Fisher took the ball from the referee.

"Bip--"

The referee blew the whistle, held up five fingers for the countdown, and the Lakers immediately began running.

Kobe first cut to the paint with his hands free, then stopped and ran with the help of Bynum's screen. As soon as the whistle blew, Butler and Azubuike closely followed him, one in front and one behind.

Though Bynum blocked Azubuike, Butler stayed close to Kobe without any interference.

On the bench, Fisher held the ball with both hands high. There was no one in front of him, but his face was extremely anxious. Phil Jackson had instructed him to pass the ball to Kobe, but Butler continued blocking the passing lane to Kobe, and Fisher had to pass the ball hurriedly, which was probably a mistake.

The referee's fingers were raised one by one: 5, 4, 3...

Just as the referee was about to bend his last finger, Kobe raised his right hand high and signaled to Fisher.

Fisher gritted his teeth and threw the ball.

Butler did everything he could to interfere, placing one hand behind his back and raising the other to intercept, but Kobe suddenly exploded with tyrannical force, jumped high, overwhelmed Butler in the air, and grabbed the ball with his right hand.

After landing, he didn't dare waste half a second and immediately leaped again with extreme speed.

Butler knew there was no time left for Kobe to make extra moves, and he had already anticipated it. He leaped to block the shot with all his might, even touching the ball with his hands.

But Kobe leaned back to the limit in midair, avoided Butler's interference, and launched the ball with force!

Not long after the ball left his hands, the 24-second shot clock light turned on. Everyone watched the orange basketball soaring through the air. After spinning rapidly, it hit the expected target and swished through the net.

121:123, the Lakers took a two-point lead with 21 seconds left in the game!

"Bip--"

Liam immediately called a timeout and looked at Kobe with a stern face.

One could only say that it was Kobe who managed to catch the ball in this situation and score a three-pointer just before the buzzer sounded.

The entire Staples Center erupted, and all the Lakers fans jumped and screamed, releasing their tension and emotion. Kobe jumped high and slammed with force, a fierce expression on his face.

In this game, he found the feeling of competing with the Celtics in last year's Finals. His competitive spirit was fully stimulated in the faceoff with Curry!

"Great shot! This is the role of a superstar. He hit the clutch shot at the critical moment. This is going to be tough for the Warriors. Curry is not Kobe. He's still a bit away from superstar status. What he did earlier was impressive, but Kobe's obviously even better!" Jeff Van Gundy shouted loudly.

Curry's brilliant performance had lasted the entire fourth quarter, but now he had fallen silent during the final moments and finally found a chance to explode.

"Although I hate Jeff Van Gundy, he's right— the Lakers are stable!"

"Who said that? It's not that the Warriors don't have a chance. Curry is in great form, so it's not impossible for him to hit the buzzer."

"Haha, if Curry can hit the buzzer, I'll stand on my head and wash my hair!"

Messages flooded the live broadcast chat like a waterfall, with most fans leaning toward the Lakers winning this game.

Back at Staples Center, Liam was organizing tactics on the Warriors' bench.

He looked at the crowd and shouted: "We need to score quickly on this next play! Wait a minute, everyone will cover for Stephen..."

On the Lakers' bench, Phil Jackson said calmly: "The Warriors will definitely let Curry finish this attack. Everyone focus on Curry!"

The timeout quickly ended, and both teams returned to the court.

Liam replaced Azubuike with Lowry and instructed him to inbound the ball from the sideline. Curry walked to the baseline, with Kobe closely following him.

The two had been tangled up from the beginning until now.

"Bip--"

The referee blew the whistle and handed the ball to Lowry.

At that moment, Curry suddenly moved along the three-point line to the top of the arc. Kobe followed him closely but soon got blocked at a 45-degree angle by Varejao, who was covering Curry.

Gasol, remembering Phil Jackson's instructions, switched the defense with Kobe and followed Curry. However, Biedrins set another screen at the top of the arc, and Gasol could only switch the defense with Bynum.

Curry used two consecutive screens to create space. Artest noticed this and decisively rushed toward him. Fisher, who was originally interfering with Lowry's pass and guarding Butler, quickly moved over to Butler's side.

For a moment, Curry was pursued by defenders in front of him and blocked from behind. He was surrounded by enemies on all sides!

Phil Jackson watched this scene and smiled faintly.

He didn't believe Curry had the explosiveness of Kobe to catch the ball under such pressure.

But at that moment, the confident Zen Master's pupils shrank, and his expression suddenly changed!

After Biedrins protected Curry, there was no hesitation, and he rushed toward the basket. Gasol's focus was entirely on Curry. When he reacted and caught up, already behind Biedrins, Lowry saw the opportunity and threw the ball to the basket!

Biedrins took a big step, and there was no obstacle between him and the basket!

Liam, standing aside, clenched his fist tightly and showed a happy face.

This was the tactic he had set up. It seemed that the Warriors players were setting multiple screens for Curry, but in reality, they were using Curry to draw the Lakers' defensive attention and create an opportunity for Biedrins to cut to the basket.

Looking at it now,

the strategy was about to succeed!

But just as Liam relaxed, something unexpected happened. Kobe shot from the side, blocked Biedrins, interfering with his alley-oop, and the ball hit the backboard and bounced out in a triple!

It turned out that Kobe was very aware of Biedrins' movements. After being blocked by Varejao, he ran to the basket and blocked Biedrins' alley-oop just in time.

Once again, Kobe relied on his extraordinary personal ability to decipher Liam's tactics that were almost successful.

This made Liam's heart race again, while Phil Jackson let out a long sigh of relief.

But it still wasn't over. After a chaotic scramble, the agile Curry grabbed the ball that had bounced off the three-point line and was blocked by Bynum.

Liam immediately noticed this. He stepped aside and shouted:

"Move! Move! No pick and roll, Stephen plays individual, you play individual!"

Even in the noisy arena, the Warriors players clearly heard Liam's urgent shouts.

They followed Liam's instructions and spread out, leaving Curry and Bynum at the top of the key.

The Lakers certainly didn't want Bynum to defend Curry one-on-one. Curry's reputation for being small but powerful had long been established. However, all the Lakers players had their respective matchups, so the Warriors players expanded their positions, creating even more distance between them.

If the Warriors used this opportunity to change positions, there would be more open shots and fewer defensive adjustments. At this crucial moment, Phil Jackson would never allow such a fatal situation in the Lakers' defense.

So after playing most of the game, Curry finally had the chance to face off against Bynum directly: a chance for a 2.13-meter-tall center!

Liam put his hands over his mouth and shouted:

"Stephen, don't worry, take your time, you'll kill them with one blow!"

Curry heard Liam's instructions and didn't rush to complete the attack. Instead, he slowly backed up, taking Bynum out of the three-point line, leaning forward, and dribbling carefully, paying close attention to the shot clock.

Bynum also heard him but was naturally at a disadvantage as a defender. He had no choice but to nervously track Curry, watching every change in his movements.

The entire Staples Center fell silent. Everyone focused on Curry, who appeared calm, as if he were dribbling in his own backyard. Everyone knew his play would determine the outcome of this game.

11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

At 5 seconds left, Curry made his move.

He took his characteristic small steps, made an early change of direction, and pressed forward. Bynum could only retreat step by step, raising his right hand to cover Curry's shot space.

At 4 seconds, Curry made a sharp move to the right, causing Bynum to lean to the side.

At 3 seconds, Curry swung his right shoulder, trying to push to the right, forcing Bynum to take a small step back.

At 2 seconds, Curry suddenly pulled his left foot back, passed the ball between his legs to his left hand, and then stepped back with his right foot.

With 1 second left, Bynum rushed forward, but Curry held the ball and launched it like a rocket.

The red light came on, and the basketball flew past Bynum's fingertips. Under the gaze of everyone, it soared into the sky like a retrograde meteor!

At that moment, Staples Center seemed to have fallen into a state of suspended time and space. Everyone held their breath, their movements frozen, focusing all their attention on the basketball.

Swish!

It was as if ten thousand years had passed, and the crisp sound of the net echoed as the ball swooshed through.

"Game over! Game over! Curry just killed the Lakers. Curry hit a three-pointer with a step-back to seal the deal! In his fifteenth game of his career, he took down the defending champions. This is the most incredible rookie death shot I've ever seen!" Mike Breen roared hysterically.

End of this chapter

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