Chapter 116 - 115: The Third Bottle of Poison!

Chapter 116: Chapter 115: The Third Bottle of Poison!

Carrying Charles Barkley’s eager anticipation, Zack led the Warriors on a new "reckoning tour." This time, Zack’s target for settling scores was the Phoenix Suns, who held court at the America West Arena. Last year’s Western Conference Finals, where the Suns suffered a crushing defeat due to Amar’e Stoudemire forcing himself to play through injury, was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

This season, with Stoudemire repaired at the Phoenix repair shop, and in order to protect the integrity of Steve Nash’s consecutive MVP awards, the entire Suns team demonstrated with their performance just how much this city adored Nash. As of now, the Suns sit atop the Western Conference. Their selfless investment in the regular season always allows them to bite off one strong opponent after another in games.

Additionally, Stoudemire’s visibly improved face-up game has made him a true face-up scoring master. Amar’e Stoudemire, standing at 6 feet 10 inches (208 cm), possesses excellent footwork and an exceptionally rare ball-handling coordination for his height. This makes it easy for him to create mismatch advantages on the court with his mobility. Historically, the 2006-07 Stoudemire, while having a nearly 70% finishing rate at the rim, also had around a 45% shooting percentage from mid-range. Since proactively studying "The Art of War" (Sun Tzu’s Art of War), Stoudemire has indeed achieved "attacking where they are unprepared, appearing where they are unexpected" on the court.

In his prime, Stoudemire’s incredibly efficient offense was always a key firepower guarantee for the Suns. His true shooting percentage this season reached an astounding 64%. Furthermore, as the only player on the Suns whose playing time was managed by Mike D’Antoni (1: Historically, in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, Stoudemire’s average playing time was below 34 minutes per game, as advised by the Suns’ team doctors), he could consistently provide "20+" points for the Suns with only about thirteen shots per night.

With "Full Power Stat" back, the Suns have proven through one legitimate offensive shootout after another that Nash is not a trophy thief. But to completely remove the "trophy thief" label from Nash, all Suns players and every Phoenix fan know clearly: they must settle the score for last year’s Western Conference Finals and that regular season MVP trophy with the "Destroyer Satan" in the highest-level offensive showdown of the current era. Only by settling this score can they clearly tell the world that Nash was the rightful 2005-06 regular season MVP. They only allowed the Warriors to get lucky last year because Stoudemire played injured.

Having only been in the league for a season and a half, Zack now has enemies everywhere. The Messiah of the Bay Area, the Destroyer Satan of the NBA. On the evening of the 7th, the moment Zack stepped into the America West Arena, the entire stadium instantly gave him an unprecedented "reception."

And, as fate would have it, the Suns, who suffered greatly from Stoudemire’s injury last year, are now the healthier team. Kwame Brown and Baron Davis’s absence has not only weakened the Warriors’ interior defense but also left them without a star guard who can actively challenge Nash one-on-one on the court. But in the NBA, since every team can potentially face injuries, Zack cannot use injuries as an excuse to shy away from battle. That doesn’t fit Zack’s character, nor does it fit the Warriors’ spirit.

At center court, Dan Crawford held the ball and walked to the tip-off circle. After Stoudemire and Biedrins jumped, this hatred-filled, unspoken game officially began.

To preserve Zack’s energy on offense and allow the Warriors to engage in a full-throttle offensive battle with the Suns, Biedrins will guard Stoudemire for most possessions, except when absolutely necessary. On the opening possession, Nash, embracing the spirit of "even if the wind howls fiercely, life never gives up," used a pull-up jumper to give the visiting Warriors an early warning shot. Jarrett Jack’s defense is usually reliable, but Nash is precisely the type he struggles most to handle, because Nash is incredibly fast.

Back on offense for the Warriors. Mike D’Antoni predictably deployed a "broken" version of the "one-on-one, four-zone" defense. "The Matrix" Shawn Marion had astonishing mobility. On the perimeter, aside from forcing a contested pull-up over Marion, even Zack found it difficult to create a mismatch advantage against him. Additionally, Boris Diaw and Raja Bell could effectively control both sides of the court. But with Stoudemire and Nash being two major defensive liabilities inside and out, the Suns’ "one-on-one, four-zone" was like trying to make dumplings with strawberries—it just didn’t look right.

In the frontcourt, after settling into a 1-3-1 formation, Zack smoothly posted up under Marion’s relentless harassing defense. The Suns’ "one-on-one, four-zone" immediately collapsed. On the wing, Diaw’s double-team came in time, but Diaw, who only wanted to be human, clearly couldn’t break free from the limitations of his human body. In the low post, Zack, who kept the ball held high, decisively swung the ball to Artest, whom Diaw had left open. Although the next second, Artest hit a frustrating clank, making Zack, who hated such sights, flinch, Biedrins was incredibly alert and grabbed the offensive rebound. Then, Biedrins, whose eyes were always on Zack, immediately passed the ball back to him. The pass was poorly placed, forcing Zack to bend down to catch it. However, it also, in a way, showcased Zack’s legendary waist, which had amazed many female companions.

Stoudemire’s help defense was late, and Zack scored with a strong move under the basket. While retreating on defense, Biedrins, who had just earned a rebound and an assist, didn’t forget to remind Zack: "Everything Big Brother Kwame can do, I can do!"

Big Brother Kwame? At that moment, if Biedrins

Since both the Warriors and Suns are teams that actively seek transition offense opportunities, on the court, in a flash, Nash dribbled the ball past half-court. This was precisely why the Suns always dominated the Warriors in the regular season last year. When they were fully healthy, their frenetic pace would rapidly drain Zack’s energy, preventing him from handling a large volume of possessions as usual. Fortunately, Jack’s smart tactical foul interrupted the Suns’ offensive push.

On the Warriors’ bench, Mike Malone, knowing Zack needed more rest time tonight, called for Matt Barnes early and instructed Troy Murphy: "In the first half of the second quarter, you’ll need to play the Messiah’s role." Murphy, back from injury, was overjoyed: "I’ll do my best to complete my work."

This summer, if possible, Malone really hoped the Warriors could acquire another power forward with shooting range and playmaking ability. Because as the pace of NBA games gets faster and faster, Malone needs to keep Zack’s playing time around 35 minutes to ensure he doesn’t get worn down by the long regular season.

On the court, Zack, who enjoyed the best defensive resources of the entire Warriors team, decisively left Diaw, the Suns’ second playmaking threat, open after noticing Marion, who was guarded by Artest, subtly cutting into the Warriors’ paint. At this stage, Diaw’s scoring mainly came from under the basket and long two-pointers. His three-point threat was minimal, allowing Zack to always recover to the paint and collect blocks with his athleticism.

However, Marion, that anomaly, surprisingly scored after getting the ball with an incredibly awkward twisting floater. Although the rim rejected the floater, Zack couldn’t help but inwardly curse, "Who taught him to play like that?" Marion’s technical movements were extremely strange. In Zack’s memory, during the famous "8-point game," he once gave LeBron James a headache. Additionally, Marion, with a forward’s height and a big man’s wingspan, quickly made Zack abandon the idea of using finesse on the perimeter against him. Because under Marion’s relentless defense, Zack’s perimeter finesse might turn into timid jump shots, like a startled lizard.

In the low post, Zack adjusted Marion’s footwork with quick-slow-quick rhythms, then exploded off the dribble, creating a whirlwind in the America West Arena. Unlike Carmelo Anthony’s "washing machine" spin, because Zack’s frame was larger, once he gained turning space in front of a defender, his turn gave the illusion of a "tornado destroying a parking lot." The next second, he finished with a turnaround layup. Under the exasperated gazes of the home crowd, Zack’s extremely arrogant "three-gun headshot" was less a tribute to "Teacher Melo" and more of a deliberate taunt to the home fans.

Phoenix hated Zack. If they could, they genuinely wished a meteor would suddenly fall and take that "bitch" Zack away. And on TNT, even though Zack was playing his former team tonight, Barkley, that true "bitch," was incredibly eager for Zack to be even more aggressive.

In the first quarter, the moment Zack used Biedrins’s screen to cut to the basket and received a pass from Jack for a strong finish, Barkley said with extreme emotion: "AND-ONE! No! Why isn’t that an AND-ONE?!" Next to him, Kenny Smith, knowing why Barkley was upset, chuckled, "Hey, Charles, the referees aren’t going to blow the whistle for that level of physicality."

What do you mean, "the referees aren’t going to blow the whistle for that level of physicality"? A black whistle! Definitely a black whistle! At this moment, in Barkley’s eyes, as long as a Suns player made contact with Zack, the referee should have blown the whistle!

On the court, Zack, who had aggressively attacked the paint for several consecutive possessions, was highly efficient, shooting 4-for-5. But feeling his energy bar rapidly depleting, he inevitably needed to slow down.

It was the Warriors’ offensive possession. Zack, holding the ball at the top of the key, easily broke the Suns’ "one-on-one, four-zone" defense. Nash, while navigating around a screen on the wing, was unfortunately screened off by Biedrins. Marion instinctively tried to cover for Nash, but this suddenly left Zack open, allowing him to briefly transform into the future "Little Green" and "Big Green." Facing such humiliation from Marion, Zack immediately gathered the ball and shot from the top of the key.

Clang!Clang!Swish!

Although Zack admitted he almost became a joke for future fans when the ball bounced off the rim repeatedly, after the ball finally went in, Zack immediately changed his expression, shrugging and yelling at Marion: "Don’t guard me, keep leaving me open if you dare."

Would Marion continue to leave Zack open for three-pointers? He actually would. Unlike other athletes who would get emotional after a slight provocation from Zack

At least in the first quarter, Marion’s subsequent defensive strategy was successful. At the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 29-35. Although Zack scored 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in the quarter, shooting 6-for-9 from the field, 1-for-3 from three, and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, Marion, through his defensive strategy, effectively limited Zack’s explosive impact on the entire Warriors team in the latter half of the first quarter.

Does successful defense always mean preventing the opponent from scoring? The answer is clearly no. Marion’s success tonight lay in the fact that he applied intense pressure on Zack in every low-post matchup and boldly gambled on Zack missing consecutive three-pointers with a "sag-off" strategy. In tonight’s high-speed offensive and defensive transitions, if Zack couldn’t drive the whole team through his offense, he would get increasingly tired. Clearly, exhausting Zack was Marion’s main goal. Especially after noticing Zack’s average three-point shooting in the first quarter, Marion unhesitatingly put on his "Matrix" coat, repeatedly working with teammates to stop the Warriors’ wing offensive tactics. Even if the Suns’ 29 points allowed in a single quarter were far from excellent, as long as the Suns could score more points through their offense, they could absolutely win this game, which was about defending Phoenix’s honor and protecting their own Nash, through an offensive shootout.

In Zack’s previous life, the fact that these Suns could consistently rank in the top three in the Western Conference for multiple seasons already proved their worth. Furthermore, facing "Full Power Stat" on the Suns’ roster, even if the Warriors chose to sacrifice Zack’s offense and have Zack fully commit to defense, Zack still couldn’t stop Stoudemire from scoring on the court. Because ever since he entered his prime, if Stoudemire, who always "attacks where they are unprepared and appears where they are unexpected" in games, was that easy to defend, how could he have produced such an efficient stat line in his prime? And last year, Zack’s ability to "dominate" those superstar big men never relied on the defense that "DPOY" trophy had built up. It was by wielding those two desperate "poisons" and scoring more points than his opponents.

Zack’s "unconventional" scoring composition and his scoring methods meant he possessed an explosive scoring power far beyond traditional superstar big men. So, no matter how foolish Mike Malone was, he wouldn’t choose to sacrifice Zack’s offense just to see if Zack could limit Stoudemire. To win, the short-handed Warriors had to find ways to endlessly amplify Zack’s impact on offense. This was a test for Mike Malone, and even more so, a test for the entire Warriors team.

In the second quarter, Malone pulled out his clipboard and gestured to the substituted starters: "Tonight, it’s the Suns who need to speed up, not us. Jarrett, you don’t need to rush the ball past half-court. Because even in a half-court set, the Suns’ defense can’t stop our offense. Ron, Jason, I need you to initiate more drives with the ball in this game; we can’t put all the burden on the Messiah. Also, if the Suns continue to actively collapse their defense in the rest of the game, I’ll keep Troy on the court. This is a game about whose offense is higher quality. We can only laugh last tonight if we seize those damn opportunities."

After more than half a season of integration, Mike Malone had shown significant growth. And on the court, Murphy, back from injury, also displayed a decent performance. This three-point artillery, with some playmaking ability, shot 2-for-3 in the first half of the second quarter, totaling 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. This strengthened Malone’s resolve to keep Murphy on the court.

In the latter half of the second quarter, the Warriors’ on-court lineup was Zack, Murphy, Artest, Richardson, and Jack. America West Arena, Warriors’ offensive possession. Richardson bulldozed Bell and then passed the ball with a drive-and-kick to Murphy at the top of the key. Seeing this, Marion didn’t dare to delay and quickly rotated in front of Murphy. But Zack, whom Marion had left open, had subtly slipped to the right corner. This was Zack’s most accurate shooting spot from all three-point areas since entering the NBA (2: This foreshadowing was mentioned in Chapter 83, the right corner is Zack’s most accurate shooting spot).

At the top of the key, Murphy, noticing Zack’s movement, feigned a shot, then found Zack with a precise pass.

Then... Swish!

On the court, Marion’s expression immediately turned serious after Zack hit that three-pointer. Because compared to the three-point attempts he had intentionally allowed Zack to take earlier, this was an easy score Zack achieved proactively through off-ball movement.

From last season until now, Troy Murphy had been an unassuming bench player for the Warriors. Even before Zack joined the Warriors, the 6-year, approximately $58 million contract extension Murphy signed with the Warriors led to him being labeled as a "high-paid bench player" this season. But only Warriors players and past coaches knew that Murphy was an indispensable part of this Warriors team. Because only he... could unleash the third bottle of poison for Zack on the court!

That bottle of poison called "off-ball and on-ball integration."

Who says Zack can only be a ball-dominant, do-it-all player? Now, it’s the Warriors’ turn to unleash their offensive wave!