Carrying an old science teacher with him

Chapter 38 Let's have a competition.

"Why tighten up the defense? Honestly, is our defense even effective against them? Even without Stoudemire, can our defense keep up with their speed?"

Before the game against the Suns, Warriors interim head coach Tom Jackson told his players to tighten their defense.

Wang Kai couldn't help but express his strong opposition.

"Their tallest center, Kurt Thomas, is only 2.06 meters tall. Troy, don't mind me, you really can't keep up with them, so why should we field two tall big men against a lineup that doesn't even have a center?"

"Bro, you mean we have to race them?"

Baron Davis wasn't angry because of Wang Kai's opposition. On the contrary, he had always disliked the team's current starting lineup, which involved shooting so many three-pointers every game and fielding two players who were over 2.1 meters tall. Sometimes he even felt that there was something wrong with the team's team-building strategy.

"Why not compete? They don't need a center, and we don't need one either. Defensively, I'll protect the rebounds in the paint, with Troy and Adona coming off the bench. Tom, you control the pace of the substitutions and race against them in speed."

Tom Jackson, as the acting head coach, is well aware of his position in the team, and he will not be angry because of Wang Kai's rash remarks.

"And what about offense? How will you play? Will you still focus on outside shooting?"

"No, we can play a drive-and-kick game. Byron has a big advantage against Nash. The main thing is to drive into Nash, disrupt their perimeter defense, and throw their rotations into disarray."

Wang Kai's analysis has his own ideas, but it is mostly based on Lao Ke's experience.

Although Kobe Bryant has been a basketball player for half his life and has always been stubborn, it would be absurd to say that he has a problem with his understanding of basketball. Moreover, Kobe now has plenty of time to recall his games from back then. He clearly told Wang Kai that the Suns at this time often only had an eight-man rotation.

D'Antoni is the kind of coach who uses only one style of play regardless of the players. His style of relying heavily on his starters is similar to Tom Thibodeau's "five donkeys" tactic in later years.

Wang Kai's suggestion was approved by most of the Warriors players. Apart from Troy Murphy, who was somewhat dissatisfied, veteran Adornal Foyle had no objections. He was too old to fight hard on the court.

When the Warriors started their away game against the Suns, the Warriors' roster surprised everyone.

Wang Kai, the hottest rookie recently, stood in the paint and jumped for the ball with Kurt Thomas at the center circle.

The Warriors retain Baron Davis at point guard, and have Monta Ellis, a fellow high school player and Wang Kai's draft classmate, at shooting guard. Jason Richardson will play small forward, and "second-generation basketball player" Dunleavy will play power forward.

Taking advantage of his youth, Wang Kai, with his faster reaction time, won the jump ball.

Baron Davis received the ball and immediately threw it forward, and Wang Kai, who had just completed the jump ball, sprinted towards the Suns' basket.

The Suns didn't expect the Warriors to play so quickly from the start, and they were somewhat unprepared for the Warriors' lineup changes.

Wang Kai stepped into the three-point line, received the basketball, and immediately launched a powerful dunk, scoring two points.

The Warriors took an early lead, and the Suns didn't control the pace either. Marion, who came back from the backcourt, immediately passed the ball to Nash. Both sides floored their engines from the start, and whoever hit the brakes first was considered a coward.

The Warriors' defense was thorough, and the Suns' fast break failed. However, Nash used Kurt Thomas' screen to drive in and then made a beautiful pass to Raja Bell on the baseline.

Raja Bell decisively took a three-pointer and made it.

Raja Bell is already considered a relatively mature "3D" player this season. His number of three-point attempts and shooting percentage in the first five games have greatly improved compared to the 04-05 season.

"Elbow him! Go elbow him now and avenge me!"

Kobe Bryant will never forget Raja Bell's chokehold. Although Raja Bell hadn't yet choked Kobe at that time, it was in Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs that season that Raja Bell directly choked Kobe.

Wang Kai ignored Lao Ke's rambling. He knew Lao Ke was vengeful, but he didn't expect him to be this vengeful.

The Warriors quickly passed the ball out from their backcourt, and by the time it reached the frontcourt, the Suns had already set up their defensive positions.

Baron Davis decisively drove hard to break through Nash's defense. Facing a Davis who weighed nearly 8 kilograms more than him, Nash was simply unable to stop Davis's breakthrough.

The Warriors' players haven't quite adapted to the team's new style of play yet, but they've all been playing basketball for many years, and they all understand the basic principles of basketball.

Baron Davis drove into the paint, and the Warriors immediately created space. Kurt Thomas helped defend Baron, attempting to double-team him with Nash. Baron Davis passed the ball to Jason in the corner. Jason hesitated slightly after receiving the ball, but still took a three-pointer.

Although the basketball bounced off the rim, Wang Kai's positioning was accurate, allowing him to grab the rebound and score on a second-chance opportunity.

Both teams played very quickly from the start, and the Suns' home fans were in for a treat today, as they love this kind of high-scoring game.

The Suns' offense was indeed sharp, and their tactical system had become increasingly sophisticated in recent years. Coupled with Nash, a passing maestro, the Warriors' defense was quickly dismantled by the Suns.

However, the Warriors weren't there to compete with the Suns on defense today; they were planning to outplay the Suns on offense, and in a chaotic, disorganized battle.

Compared to the Suns' well-developed offense, the Warriors' offense was somewhat disorganized, but that didn't matter. The Warriors had plenty of experience in chaotic battles, and they hoped to break the Suns' rhythm and drag them into their own chaotic battles.

Wang Kai didn't take many shots at the start of the game. He focused more on protecting the defensive rebounds and fighting for offensive rebounds, scoring only four points through second-chance opportunities and free throws.

However, as the game progressed, the Warriors' chaotic style of play began to show results.

Nash was the Suns' defensive weakness on the court. He was fine against other teams, but against teams like the Warriors with strong guards, Nash often suffered.

Baron Davis drove to the basket and passed the ball to the outside, where Monte Ellis, young and fearless, continued to drive to the basket.

The Suns' defense began to fall apart as Nash was repeatedly breached.

Wang Kai is young and definitely faster than Kurt Thomas. Although he is at a disadvantage in weight, under Kobe's guidance, he has a very accurate judgment of where the rebounds will land.

With the rebounds secured, the Warriors were more decisive in their shots, with Jason Richardson and Dunleavy both hitting three-pointers.

With about four minutes remaining in the first quarter, the score was tied at 26.