Due to the fact that Murphy’s weaknesses are just as evident as his strengths, how could the Warriors possibly have started him at the beginning of this series?
Moreover, the Warriors had won the first two gas.
In the NBA, it’s a common consensus among many head coaches not to change tactics or make personnel adjustnts after winning.
However...
After the Spurs tied the series at 2-2, and with the Spurs’ current defensive strategy, Troy Murphy beca an unexpected ga-changer tonight.
In the first quarter, he was the decisive move on the Golden State Warriors’ chessboard in this Western Conference Semifinals.
At the ATT Center, the first quarter ended with 35-28.
The golden tide, having been dormant for two gas, surged once more.
In the second quarter, Qin Yue, with far less stamina consumption than the previous two gas, perfectly demonstrated his ability to break through defenses.
On the court, during a Warriors offensive play, after Qin Yue settled in the low post against the replacent for Duncan, Horry, he suddenly turned and forcefully made his move.
Horry attempted to intercept by jumping at the sa ti, but was stunned to see Qin Yue, who jumped earlier, still holding the basketball in one hand while in the air after Horry landed!
It was another shot that would make Jordan wince in pain.
On the sidelines, upon seeing this, Duncan imdiately threw off the towel on his shoulders and headed to the scorer’s table, refusing any dissuasion from the Spurs coaching staff.
It is known that different levels of defense and defenders consu offensive players differently.
If the defender during Kobe’s "Dragon-Slaying Night" was peak Michael Jordan, even if Kobe could still score high relying on his hot hands, he certainly wouldn’t attempt forty or fifty shots recklessly.
Because long before taking forty or fifty shots...
He would be exhausted from the intense confrontations with Jordan.
The sa goes for Qin Yue.
In the previous two gas, regardless of how Qin Yue completed his offensive moves, Duncan would relentlessly defend, so every ti the ga reached the early second quarter and late third quarter, Qin Yue would inevitably hit two stamina peaks.
Before safely getting through these stamina peaks, no matter how rich his offensive ans, he could only offer limited help to his teammates on the court.
Warriors’ head coach Montgory had considered adjusting Qin Yue’s playing ti, subbing him out to allow him more rest.
But almost collapsing in the early second quarter of the fourth ga, Montgory dared not bench Qin Yue later.
This Warriors team could never do without Qin Yue at any point.
Even when he needed to surpass his stamina peaks, he could still use his inherent gravitation to disrupt the opponent’s defense.
Tonight, the unexpected addition of Murphy reduced Qin Yue’s stamina consumption, allowing Qin Yue to remain vigorous in the early second quarter.
Duncan knew this clearly.
So, he had to get back on the court.
On ESPN, Smith described this mont as tragic the next second.
And Van Gundy, who always found this scene familiar, imdiately fell silent.
At this instant, there were many reasons for Van Gundy’s silence.
But most importantly, Van Gundy suddenly found himself sowhat unable to understand the sport of basketball.
From the Warriors winning this series to Qin Yue’s powerful drive under the basket just now...
Van Gundy felt there was a clearly visible thread that tightly connected these events.
Why couldn’t the Spurs’ zone defense hold the Warriors’ offense?
Why could Parker’s isolation plays do as they pleased in the Warriors’ lineup?
Why was Qin Yue’s breakthrough so fierce and unyielding?
Why did Murphy’s entry dismantle the Spurs’ defensive rules?
When replaying these scenes in his mind, if Van Gundy’s current thoughts were translated into Chinese, they would roughly be:
Wall-sitter Jeff Van Gundy, I am your wall-breaker!
"Three-point shooting!"
"Hey, Jeff, why suddenly ntion three-point shooting?"
"Three-point shooting has tipped the balance of this series. The Spurs’ tactics, the Warriors’ offense... it’s all actually to create easier three-point shooting opportunities."
Feeling like he had discovered a new continent, Van Gundy imdiately looked at the technical statistics of the previous four gas with excitent, and he was satisfied with the results.
In the current era, the three-point attempts by the Warriors and Spurs in this series were undoubtedly crazy.
More three-pointers created a broader offensive space, and a broader offensive space inevitably led to a more relaxed shooting environnt...
After the league abolished the Hand-check rule, a new world already appeared in Van Gundy’s mind.
The breakthroughs of periter superstars were destined to beco more difficult to defend.
As a counterasure, the defense could only be forced to shrink.
As such, the importance of three-pointers was bound to increase significantly.
Because the more accurate your shooting, the easier it is for your penetrators to face the basket directly.
The abolition of the Hand-check rule not only changed the ecology of basketball but also changed the environnt of the sport.
Van Gundy felt he had already seen the future.
And this future was right here in this arena!
At the ATT Center, the Spurs put Duncan back in.
In the Spurs’ offensive possession, Ginobili’s ghostly breakthrough remained difficult to defend, but the Warriors were no longer fixated on any single possession as in the first two gas.
Murphy’s entrance inspired the Warriors’ coaching staff.
In the early second quarter, the player partnering with Qin Yue in the paint was no longer Brown and Biedrins, but Ron Artest.
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