Chapter 410: Chapter 322, The Warriors’ Resilience!!
The ceiling of Oracle Arena hummed with the waves of sound.
The Warriors’ resilience exceeded the Nuggets’ expectations.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Cole slapped the tactical board with a "bang," waving to send out a lineup of Curry, Durant, and Green with two substitutes.
Cole realized the seriousness of the situation; if they couldn’t catch up with the score during this time, the game might end here.
The Nuggets are not an ordinary team; if underestimated, the Warriors would indeed be taught a lesson.
On the sidelines, Mike Malone loosened his tie, and Zeng Xingyang’s name was circled in red on the tactical board: "Let him rest for three minutes." He then turned to Butler and Jokic, raising his chin, "Take the rookies and make a rush."
Zeng Xingyang had been closely guarding Durant while taking on significant offensive responsibilities, which greatly exhausted Zeng Xingyang’s stamina.
Butler and Jokic were on the court with Siakam, Dejounte Murray, and Brogdon.
The Nuggets’ rookies would have some advantages against the Warriors’ second lineup, but against Green, Durant, and Curry, they were at a disadvantage.
The Warriors players were more mature, and the rookies were somewhat nervous facing these superstars.
Zeng Xingyang sat on the bench observing the situation on the court. When the camera cut to Zeng Xingyang drinking water, Oracle Arena suddenly erupted with boos.
The on-site fans constantly targeted Zeng Xingyang, putting pressure on him.
With Zeng Xingyang off the court, Durant seemed to shed his psychological burden, starting to explode with inside and outside shots.
In one sequence, Butler’s hand was almost on Durant’s cheek, yet Durant ignored it, making a jump shot. The basketball brushed the front of the rim and fell into the net.
"KD’s rhythm!" Barkley exclaimed, knocking over his thermos. Coffee splashed on the broadcast stand. "Look! The Warriors are gaining momentum!"
During the first three quarters, Durant’s offensive play was sporadic, making Warriors fans feel quite stifled.
Now, they frantically pounded inflatable sticks, shaking the floor and chanting "MVP!"
Durant went crazy during the second lineup time.
Durant led the team to a 13-5 offensive surge, bringing the score to 95-91.
With 7 minutes and 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Malone put the Nuggets’ starting lineup back on, clearly indicating that it was time for the final showdown.
When Zeng Xingyang re-entered the game, there were still beads of ice water on his forehead.
On the offensive end, when Zeng Xingyang started a pick-and-roll with Jokic, Thompson suddenly dashed in from the flank, disrupting the bounce pass, which rolled off Jokic’s fingertips and out of bounds. The golden sea of fans erupted, as that was a turnover.
"Defense! Defense!"
"They’re panicking! The Nuggets made a mistake!"
Curry dribbled to the frontcourt and passed to Green on the right.
Green squatted, ready to make a bounce pass, and his peripheral vision glimpsed Zeng Xingyang’s figure suddenly darting. Zeng Xingyang wasn’t blocked by Durant; instead, he slipped around him.
"Pop!"
Barkley’s scream pierced the dome of the arena: "Zeng Xingyang stole the ball! My God!"
When Zeng Xingyang seized the ball, his shoes screeched sharply against the floor.
Durant belatedly reacted but could only watch as the figure darted toward the basket like an arrow.
Iguodala chased back at lightning speed, trying to catch up and block Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang showed no intention of attempting a transition three-pointer but opted for a decisive tomahawk dunk.
The basketball slammed into the rim with a beastly roar, making it 97-91.
If he had gone for a transition three-pointer, there was a high chance Iguodala would have blocked it.
"Well done, beautiful." Mike Malone jumped up and punched the air, a button on his suit popped off.
On the bench, Murray and Brogdon high-fived to celebrate; even though they weren’t on the court at that moment, they could feel the pressure the Nuggets were under.
Such a steal and dunk in a fast break was a rare occurrence.
"Zeng Xingyang’s defense is strong; he anticipated Green’s pass," Zhang Weiping commented.
"Durant seems somewhat intimidated by Zeng Xingyang mentally; he can’t even receive the ball comfortably," Yu Jia added.
Cole was jumping furiously on the sidelines, shouting: "Be steady! Drummond, you need to look up before passing!"
Green’s face looked grim; being intercepted by Zeng Xingyang like that was very detrimental.
Curry quickly dribbled forward, with Butler moving to defend him, while Zeng Xingyang continued to tangle with Durant on the other side.
The Nuggets’ defense was like precise gears, with each defensive player maintaining a half-arm’s pressure distance from their offensive target.
This made it very uncomfortable for the Warriors’ offensive players.
At this time, Durant made his move.
Green set an off-ball screen for Durant, allowing him to receive the ball smoothly.
Zeng Xingyang quickly circled Green to cling to Durant.
Durant faced Zeng Xingyang with consecutive direction changes. His crossover steps were wide, but he found Zeng Xingyang always maintained a perfect defensive stance.
Durant couldn’t create space; at this moment, Iguodala cut inside.
Durant passed the ball to Iguodala, who soared for a layup, with Jokic interfering under the basket.
Jokic’s layup went too high; Zeng Xingyang went back to secure the rebound.
When he landed, his knees bent slightly, and he wiped his sweat with his right hand, flicking it onto the floor—this matchup also consumed Jokic greatly, but Jokic could withstand it.
The Nuggets’ offense.
Jokic dribbled to the frontcourt; the Warriors’ defense in the fourth quarter was noticeably less aggressive than in the third.
Zeng Xingyang circled out to receive the ball, then Jokic set a screen for him again.
Zeng Xingyang used the screen to execute a crossover and broke through.
His first step was as fast as if on springs, extremely quick, making Green almost stumble during his defense.
Jokic simultaneously rolled down, further compressing the Warriors’ defensive line. In the rapid movement, Zeng Xingyang passed the ball to Butler on the other side.
Butler made a jump shot from a close range on the right side.
The basketball arced beautifully, bounced off the backboard, and fell into the net.
99-91.
"Butler was very clever with that shot, positioning himself away from Zeng Xingyang and Jokic’s sweet spot, so he didn’t feel much pressure," Zhang Weiping said. "If Butler can maintain his offensive efficiency, it will continue to seriously impact the Warriors’ defense."
After Curry dribbled over half-court, he called a timeout.
While drawing on the tactical board, Cole jabbed his fingers so hard they nearly pierced the paper: "We need more aggressive help defense! When Zeng breaks through, the weak side must collapse; don’t let him easily distribute the ball!"
"OK!" Sweat kept streaming down Curry’s forehead. Durant stood silently in the corner, wiping his wrist, knowing that neither he nor Iguodala could limit Zeng Xingyang, leading to the team’s overall imbalance.
The Warriors found themselves in huge trouble, constantly matched by the Nuggets’ intensity.