The Warriors are experiencing a honeymoon phase.
After defeating the Lakers in the opener, they lost 2 of the next 4 gas, finishing the first ten gas with only a 6-4 record, which caused serious doubts about the team, dubbed the "Universe Warriors" by fans before the season started.
However, it was later proven to be just the usual growing pains of Jas’ team’s integration period.
After all, Jas is not a player like Durant who can be "a tactical supplent"; he needs the team to revolve around his strategies, testing the new team’s adaptability and adjustnt capabilities.
In reality, the Warriors have shown they are worthy of being a 73-win team; they seamlessly integrated into Jas’ tactical system, creating a new Warriors team.
They have remained undefeated in December, achieving a 12-ga winning streak.
The Splash Brothers have seamlessly integrated into this tactical system, and the Curry-Jas pick-and-roll has beco a lethal weapon for the Warriors.
This season, Jas is averaging 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, reaching a career-first average double-double.
Curry’s average of 27.3 points per ga has slightly decreased from last season, but his scoring efficiency is almost unchanged. Considering the team has added a new primary ball-handler, this performance is already outstanding.
Thompson, on the other hand, has reached a career peak, with a 44% three-point shooting rate, averaging 23.5 points, a career best.
During the "history" when Jas played hotown basketball with the Cavaliers, Jas fans longed for Thompson, at one point wanting to trade Irving, but the Warriors were not interested.
Now, if you can’t co to my city, then I’ll go to your city, perfectly fulfilling Jas fans’ long-held wish.
In Jas fans’ eyes now, Thompson is the best shooter in history (with Curry being the best point guard in history).
Of course, when a mature team suddenly incorporates a primary ball-handler, soone is bound to be affected.
Green is the one affected.
After losing his ball-handling duties, he is more like a 3D interior player, responsible for sweeping on defense and spacing on offense.
He is averaging 10.2 points and 7.9 rebounds, the lowest since becoming a starter for the team, and his average assists have dropped drastically from 7.4 last season to 3.8, almost the sa as in his third year as a rookie.
However, Green has yet to complain about his changed role on the team.
The reason?
According to reports from Bay Area dia, under Jas’ leadership, Green is pioneering an unprecedented comrcial territory in the Bay Area.
It’s uncertain if Curry is Jas’ brother, but Jas truly treats Green like a younger brother.
So this ga won’t be easy for the Cavaliers.
Yet, it’s a ga they must give their all to win.
During the pre-ga warm-up, the caras frequently switched back and forth between players from both sides.
Among them was Warriors rookie Zhou Qi.
Besides being a Christmas showdown, this ga is also another Eastern Conference derby.
Both live and TV audiences are eagerly anticipating it.
The Cavaliers Warriors showdown 2.0 is star-studded, and who knows how many fans’ youth will be marked by it.
During the opening ceremony, Jas received the highest visitor treatnt, even more significant than at the Staples Center.
This is Cleveland’s "love" for Jas.
From Jas’ furrowed brows, it was clear that scenes from last season’s finals were automatically unfolding in his mind.
After the opening ceremony, the starting lineups for both teams were announced.
Warriors: Curry, Thompson, Jas, Green, Pachulia
Cavaliers: Irving, Hansen, Tucker, TT, Jokic
To alleviate luxury tax pressure, the Warriors traded away the veteran Bogut, who has been frequently injured in recent seasons, and signed Georgian center Pachulia from the Bucks to serve as the starting center.
However, whether it’s Bogut or Pachulia, given the Warriors’ heavy usage of a small-ball lineup, they won’t get many opportunities.
Amidst the fans’ cheers, Jokic tipped the ball back to the Cavaliers’ half, officially unfurling the curtain on the Christmas battle.
The Cavaliers opened with Irving handling the ball against Curry.
Malone used the sa strategy against the Warriors’ regular lineup that he did against the Celtics.
Curry indeed couldn’t defend Irving.
Curry’s defense is certainly better than Little Thomas’, but it’s like comparing soone scoring 58 to soone scoring 68; it doesn’t an much.
In fact, it was only after Curry significantly increased his muscle mass and improved his positional play that he avoided being singled out on defense.
However, once Irving broke through, he quickly encountered Jas’ help defense.
Jas didn’t idle away this sumr either; he slimd down, now weighing about the sa as during his late Cavaliers years when Hansen was a teammate.
He did this to adapt better to the Warriors’ fast-paced system; to excel in fast breaks, you need to run fast.
But this also brought back his help defense sweeping ability.
Seeing Jas, Irving instinctively went bloodthirst, using a swift crossover to successfully bypass him.
However, when Irving was maneuvering around Green’s help defense, Jas caught up from behind and seized the mont to block Irving’s shot out of bounds.
After the block, Jas flexed his biceps in a "strong" celebratory gesture, causing a stir in the venue.
The Warriors’ defensive efficiency this season has returned to being the best in the league; the defensive system built by Mark Jackson is now part of their bloodstream.
Cavaliers’ baseline ball.
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