NBA: Warrior godfather.

Chapter 168: The Famous Coach Liam Seems to Have a Fake Reputation!



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December 23, New Orleans, Louisiana.

This city, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina just four years ago, has gradually recovered from the disaster. Although the destruction from that time has disappeared, the painful memories have always remained in the hearts of the people.

At this moment, sporting events have become an important way for the citizens of New Orleans to express their emotions and step out of the darkness.

Tonight, over 16,000 spectators gathered at the Smoothie King Center, filling almost the entire arena, cheering for the Hornets, who were playing at home against the Warriors from afar.

This season, the Hornets largely retained their lineup from the previous year, but shortly after the season began, the management quickly fired head coach Byron Scott and replaced assistant coach Jeff Bower after the team suffered a poor record of 2 wins and 7 losses. Ball was promoted to head coach on an interim basis.

After taking over, Ball made no major changes and fully delegated power to Chris Paul. The tactics were basically the same as when Byron Scott was in charge, but Ball got along well with the players and managed the locker room dynamics very well. He earned the trust of the players, which was a stark contrast to Scott, who almost had confrontations with players.

In a relatively united atmosphere, the Hornets had regained their winning edge under Paul's leadership. Although they were only in 9th place in the Western Conference, they had maintained a growing momentum and were currently in the middle of a 6-game winning streak. They could make their way to the upper half of the playoffs.

Paul had gradually reached his peak and firmly controlled the direction of the team. The entire team played very well together. David West, the "Seventeen-Foot Assassin," had a simple but firm mid-range shot, and his 3-pointers were accurate. He was a powerful sidekick to Paul, and other role players also fulfilled their functions, contributing to the team under Paul's command.

After the Hornets finished 7th in the Western Conference last season, the outside world increasingly praised Paul. Everyone believed that he would be the number one point guard in the league after Steve Nash and that he would start his era in the next decade.

But only Liam knew that finishing second in the MVP race behind Kobe Bryant was already the peak of Paul's career. It would still be a long time before he could even reach the Western Conference Finals that he dreamed of, a period Paul himself would never be able to achieve. Imagine the long years that would never come...

At 8:20 PM, just ten minutes before the game started, the cheers in the Smoothie King Center gradually grew louder, welcoming their Queen Bee, Paul, mixed with some boos, as the Warriors arrived.

This game was broadcast live across the United States, with ESPN sending a star-studded team of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson to comment on the last game between the Warriors and the Hornets before Christmas.

It is said that David Stern once lost his temper because the league did not schedule a Christmas game for the Warriors.

Curry's popularity had been rising since he entered the league, and it reached its peak after defeating the Lakers. The Warriors also attracted public attention with their impressive offensive play and remarkable record, generating a lot of excitement throughout the country.

Had they known the Warriors would be so popular this season, the league office surely would have scheduled a Christmas game for the Warriors to let fans watch Curry perform on Christmas Eve.

Unfortunately, it was already too late, and the Warriors players had already escaped, heading back home for Christmas as long as they won against the Hornets tonight.

Mark Jackson acted as the interrogator as usual:

"Mike, Jeff, what do you think of this game? Who will win this match?"

Breen answered without hesitation:

"There's no doubt it's going to be the Hornets. They're on a six-game winning streak, and their form is peaking. Who can argue with getting a big win and then heading home happy for Christmas?"

Naturally, Van Gundy disagreed:

"I think the Warriors will win."

"Why? They just lost to teams outside the playoffs like the Wizards and Grizzlies and are in really bad form," asked Mark Jackson.

"Because the Warriors have played really poorly in their last two games, even committing 26 turnovers against the Grizzlies. They can't play worse. I think they'll hit rock bottom. On the other hand, the Hornets, despite winning six games in a row, barely beat the Pistons last game. Their good form has ended, so the Warriors will win," said Van Gundy.

Breen laughed:

"Reggie, are you seriously saying the Hornets will lose just because they played well? That's ridiculous. By your logic, the defending champions should be at the bottom of the league next year."

"Would you like to take a bet, Mike?" Van Gundy didn't argue but smiled.

Breen's expression shifted slightly and he laughed twice:

"Haha, forget it, let's just focus on the game…"

After Breen changed the subject, the players from both teams came onto the court, and the atmosphere in the arena became more animated. Liam also went up to the sideline to shake hands with Jeff Bower, and the game began immediately.

The Warriors sent out their regular starters: Curry, Azubuike, Butler, Varejao, and Biedrins. The Hornets also had their regular five starters: Paul, Devin Brown, Peja, David West, and Okafor.

"Bip—"

The referee threw the ball into the air, and Biedrins passed it to Curry first, winning the jump ball and giving the Warriors the first possession.

Liam stood on the sidelines and waved his right hand forward. The Warriors players ran to the frontcourt like a tide. Curry looked up, took two steps, and forcefully threw the ball to the frontcourt.

Azubuike received the ball, and the Hornets were caught off guard before anyone could retreat. He rushed easily into the paint and dunked!

2-0.

The Warriors scored less than 5 seconds into the game, catching the Hornets off guard.

Jeff Bower didn't take the ball seriously and didn't blame the players. He sat firmly in his seat, watching the game with a smile, as if everything were under control.

When he was an assistant coach, he knew how to be the head coach for the Hornets, and he felt even more comfortable after taking over. That is, handing the ball over to Paul. This was something Byron Scott had been doing.

Jeff Bower had been on Byron Scott's coaching staff since he was the head coach of the Nets. After nearly ten years of being influenced by him, Ball felt he had finally learned the essence of Byron Scott's coaching: the team needed a super point guard, and then the ball should be handed over to that point guard to handle.

From the Nets to the Hornets, Byron Scott could only achieve good results when he had a super point guard on the team. Once there was a conflict with his superstar guard, the team's record would immediately plummet.

Jeff Bower glanced around and thought: I can do this too!

He consciously found a bright path to become a famous coach. When Byron Scott was fired by the Hornets, Ball didn't choose to go with him but instead accepted the interim head coach position, hoping to make something great happen.

Indeed, after Jeff Bower established a good relationship with the players, the team's record improved as he had expected, and they were now on a six-game winning streak.

Jeff Bowerremembered when Byron Scott led the Nets to the Finals two years in a row. His eyes on Paul became more intense, and he felt that he was not far from becoming the best coach in the league.

What are the Warriors? With Paul in my hand, I have the world!

Jeff Bower had been with Paul for many years and was very aware of Paul's high basketball IQ. His judgment of situations and tactical decisions were even better than Jason Kidd's, according to Jeff Bower. "Paul is a god!"

With Paul here, Jeff Bower would organize the tactics before each game and leave the task of handling emergencies to Paul in the moment.

The same thing happened in this game: after the Warriors had a good start with a counterattack,Jeff Bower didn't give any instructions and left Paul to handle the matter.

Paul continuously controlled the ball as he dribbled into the attacking zone, playing a pick-and-roll with David West. The Warriors switched their defense. Paul slowly reached the mid-range position and looked at David West, who was standing near the free-throw line.

Varejao thought Paul was going to pass the ball and instinctively extended his hand to intercept it, but Paul suddenly faked him out, gathered the ball, and took a jump shot. Varejao missed the block, and the ball bounced off the rim.

2:2.

"What a beautiful fake! Paul shook his defender with just a look. This is incredible!" praised Kenny Smith enthusiastically.

Barkley chuckled softly:

"Reggie, seeing Paul do that, do you still think the Warriors are going to win this?"

Reggie Miller smiled and replied:

"The game just started, let's wait and see."

On the court, Biedrins threw the ball in from the baseline. Curry sprinted up the court after receiving it. The other Warriors players also raced ahead, but this time, the Hornets were ready and quickly retreated.

Curry dribbled across half-court, and Paul cut him off. He looked around to observe his teammates' movements but couldn't find a good opportunity.

He then looked at the basket, slowed down, adjusted his rhythm, and launched a three-pointer with his left hand!

When Curry shot, he had just passed the Hornets' logo. Paul didn't expect him to shoot from there. He didn't even raise his hand to contest the shot, watching the ball sail in a long arc before swishing through the net.

5:2.

Reggie Miller turned to Barkley:

"Charles, this is why I think the Warriors are going to win."

Barkley didn't respond immediately. He stared at Curry in disbelief. After a moment, he muttered:

"We'll see. That shot was a bit ridiculous..."

If Liam had heard Barkley's words, he would have felt much more relaxed about this game. No one understood better than he did the quirks of Barkley's commentary style.

After David West missed a mid-range shot, the Warriors once again pressed for a fast break. This was a strategy Liam had set up before the game, and the Warriors players executed it resolutely.

The Hornets had a solid starting five, but none of them were particularly mobile. Okafor and David West were slow in the paint. Peja, now aging, wasn't much faster. Paul had never been a fast defender. The other defender, Devin Brown, was an undrafted player with limited talent, and he didn't retreat quickly on defense.

Liam took advantage of the Hornets' weaknesses and insisted on pressing fast breaks. Although the Hornets relied on their defensive discipline and made a few defensive mistakes, the flaws in their game were evident, and their offensive efficiency was much higher during fast breaks than in half-court play.

The Hornets relied on Paul's floor control and played a very stable half-court game. They continuously worked on simple plays for Paul, mid-range shots from David West after the ball was passed out, and even Peja made a catch-and-shoot three-pointer after a nice pass from David West.

Liam saw all of this but couldn't find a good solution. He could only ask Curry, who was guarding Devin Brown, to help Varejao on defense.

The Warriors didn't have anyone available to play the small forward position. Liam couldn't replace Anthony Tolliver with someone better. Tolliver's defense wasn't as solid as Varejao's.

As a result, both teams ended the first quarter with the Warriors trailing the Hornets by 6 points, 23-29.

Not long after the game started, the Warriors' players were still struggling to find their rhythm. They made only 3 of 10 three-pointers, with Curry hitting only 2 of them. The team primarily relied on scoring during fast breaks.

The Hornets' scoring method was clearly more stable. Varejao and Anthony Tolliver, who had come off the bench 3 minutes into the first quarter, were constantly attacked by the opponents and allowed easy points. This was the main reason the Warriors were trailing.

Barkley said proudly:

"Reggie, did you see that? The Warriors just play fast with no structure, while the Hornets play with clarity, constantly targeting the Warriors' defensive weaknesses. The Hornets will definitely win this game."

Reggie Miller nodded unexpectedly:

"I agree with you. The Hornets' tactics are very clear. They take turns targeting the Warriors' interior defense, but the Warriors aren't playing randomly. The problem of the Hornets' defense is obvious. They just had a bad shooting start. After a while, we'll see the effect of their fast breaks... Look at the smile on Coach Liam's face. I think he saw this coming."

After Reggie Miller finished speaking, the camera focused on Liam at the right moment. He wasn't in a rush at all, simply smiling and waving at the players leaving the court.

As Reggie Miller said, Liam was very aware of the difference in pace between the Warriors and the Hornets. He was well-prepared for the situation at hand and wasn't panicking.

He didn't make any major adjustments during the break but once again emphasized the importance of fast breaks, urging his players to continue pushing the pace.

After the second quarter began, the Warriors went to the bench, replacing Big Z with Anthony Tolliver as the center, with Lowry and Watson as guards, and Matthews and Reggie Williams as forwards.

Kenny Smith couldn't help but exclaim:

"Is Coach Liam crazy? He's actually letting a player who can only shoot threes play center, with two guards under 6 feet 3 inches as defensive partners and two forwards up front!"

Barkley laughed and said with some amusement:

"Well, let's see what effect this lineup has. I just hope Okafor doesn't turn into Shaquille O'Neal!"

Jeff Bower was even more pleased when he saw this lineup.

"Is this defensive? Looks like the famous Coach Liam has a fake reputation!"

End of this chapter

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