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Chapter 374 - 174. It seems easy to guard against you.

Chapter 374: 174. It seems easy to guard against you.

Old Nelson had originally planned to strong-arm the opposition after Baron Davis effectively wore down Felton and forced the Bobcats into isolation play.

But the other side saw right through it!

That Felton is impulsive and reckless, yet quick in strategic response and willing to correct his mistakes; he really is a promising prospect.

Although the Warriors average more points per game than the Bobcats, going toe-to-toe in offense would most likely not work in their favor.

Facing guards like Felton and Deron is quite a struggle for core player Baron Davis.

He can shoot threes and long twos but lacks accuracy with just over 30% shooting; almost no mid-range game; main scoring areas are close-range and under the basket; primary scoring methods are drive attacks and fast breaks; offensive play is centered around split plays... With such player type, going one-on-one with ’Emperor Eater’ Felton is always a sorry sight, and the Jazz Team has also adopted the Bobcats’ strategy.

The Warriors have too, with James facing them twice this season, making 9 out of 21 shots in one game and 13 out of 31 in another. Although they didn’t defend as well as the Bobcats and even lost both games, James scored mostly from off-ball cuts and fast breaks in those matches, performing below his usual standard when holding the ball.

And while Felton may not be able to single out Baron Davis, he can still run pick-and-rolls, which the Warriors cannot defend with Biedrins playing at center.

Given that, they might as well bring the intensity!

Old Nelson substituted a lineup of Ellis, Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Biedrins, and Foyle.

Dunk King Richardson is routinely kept on the cold bench by Old Nelson.

With Kobe Jr. around, Dunk King has become dispensable.

When it comes down to star players, under normal circumstances, Jason Richardson and Ellis each have their strengths – the former is better at perimeter shooting, and the latter is sharper on the drive.

But given a choice, Old Nelson would undoubtedly prefer Ellis.

At 26, Jason Richardson’s talent has plateaued; he averaged 23 points with unrestricted shooting last season and has a regular capacity around 17-18 points per game.

Poor offensive selection, lack of passing and ball-handling skills, sloppy shooting mechanics, always doing superfluous things on the court – shooting 20 times a game as though it were exhausting... He may have had potential and talent once, but the last 5 years have been squandered by the Warriors, and now he’s at most a leading scorer on a strong playoff team.

Old Nelson doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of his predecessors and has decided to focus on the more talented Ellis.

He won’t hesitate like Eric Musselman did back in the 01-02 season, struggling to decide between focusing on Jason Richardson or Larry Hughes, which resulted in wasting the Dunk King’s rookie season and Hughes high-tailing it to follow his idol Jordan right after that season.

After Larry Hughes left, the Warriors used a top draft pick to select Mike Dunleavy, and Arenas rose strongly in his sophomore year. Musselman was then indecisive about who to focus on, delaying the Dunk King’s development by another year. Arenas ran off after his rookie contract expired, and Mike Dunleavy flopped.

When new coach Montgomery came in the third season and was ready to focus on Richardson, he had already wasted the precious early years of his NBA career, aged 20 and 21. His skills had become fixed, and he picked up a bunch of bad habits from losing teams, showing almost no progress over three years... One can tell from his free throws, shooting just 65% from the line in his sixth year as a shooting Guard.

This season, seeing the team had a chance to win, Richardson started to adjust his playstyle and became diligent, which Old Nelson actually appreciated. Although the player’s habits had been spoiled by former coaches, he was good-natured, with a strong character, and determined to correct his mistakes.

However, the Crazy Scientist has coached over 2000 NBA games, his heart hardened beyond measure, with a soft side, sure, but definitely not for a newcomer like the Dunk King.

Old Nelson had made up his mind to trade off Jason Richardson and his 6-year, $70 million contract while it still had trade value, aiming to reach a 50-win level strength for the Warriors next year.

Old Nelson’s team-building approach was clear-cut, but he couldn’t foresee that the next season would begin a crazy era in the West like never seen before, a mere 50-win strength...

...

The Bobcats brought in Rondo, Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, Millsap, and Perkins.

Zhang Yang stepped on court and eyed the players approaching from the other side... Was this the lineup that managed to hold the Mavericks to just 80+ points in several playoff games?

Apart from Azubuike and Barnes, two players who focused on defense, there was the French Jordan, Pietrus, sitting by the sideline.

About the Warriors’ underdog victory, many remember Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington’s exceptional defense tormenting Nowitzki, holding him to a mere 38% shooting percentage. Yet, they overlook the Warriors’ equally effective defense on Terry and Stackhouse. In a few games, the Warriors virtually clamped down the entire Mavericks team, allowing for many fast breaks and essentially running the Mavericks ragged.

It was just that Nowitzki, as the regular season MVP, had to bear all the infamy alone.

The game continued after the timeout, with the Warriors on offense.

Perkins and Foyle, both standing 208 cm tall and weighing 123 kg, stared each other down by the sideline inside the three-second area.

Matt Barnes, with a 36.6% three-point shooting percentage, averaging 1.6 made per game, and Azubuike, with a 43% three-point shooting percentage, averaging 1 made per game, stretched out for ample space.