Carrying an old science teacher with him

Chapter 66 Keep it simple, keep the way you play ball simple.

2005年12月26日，勇士队换帅之后的首个主场比赛开打，对手是13胜14负的丹佛掘金。

In his first home game as head coach of the Warriors, Don Nelson didn't make many changes to the team's lineup, only returning Murphy to the power forward position and starting Biedrins at center.

At just 30 years old, Foyle has already been relegated to a veteran position by Nelson, and it will be difficult for him to get a starting opportunity in the future.

Young Biedrins had not been highly regarded before, but Don Nelson believed that the young center was good enough to protect the rebounds.

Wang Kai played the shooting guard position in this game. Of course, his position is not fixed. Don Nelson's lineup changes very quickly, and players' positions are rarely fixed.

As soon as the match started, both sides launched an offensive battle.

On the Nuggets' side, their record was poor at the start of the season, and George Karl's coaching ability has been questioned to some extent.

However, once the game started, it was the Nuggets, playing away, who were the first to get into the game.

Anthony hit a three-pointer to start the game, followed by baskets from Andre Miller and DeMar Johnson.

Although the Warriors couldn't withstand the opponent's offense at the start, their own offense was also quite successful.

Wang Kai scored five points in a row after the start of the game, helping the Warriors keep the score close. Jason Richardson, who moved to the three position, seemed a little uncomfortable, unable to defend against Anthony and his offense was a little too rushed.

Baron Davis didn't take many shots in the first quarter, but he dished out 6 assists. Murphy, who returned to the power forward position, made 2 of 3 three-point attempts and also completed a three-point play.

In the first quarter, both teams scored high points. The Warriors scored 37 points at home, showing strong offensive firepower. However, the Nuggets, playing on the road, showed better form. Carmelo Anthony scored 13 points in the quarter, Andre Miller had 11 points and 5 assists, and Marcus Camby had 11 points and 2 rebounds. The Nuggets had a field goal percentage of 70% in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Dunleavy, who came off the bench, played exceptionally well, scoring 11 points. Thanks to the outstanding performance of their bench players, the Warriors led the Nuggets by 1 point at halftime.

In the third quarter, both teams' offenses went cold. Wang Kai was double-teamed by the Nuggets and didn't get many shots. The score was 19-17 in the quarter, with the Nuggets leading by one point going into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, what was expected to be a battle between the two teams' key players was broken by Boykins, who is only 1 meters tall. He scored 12 consecutive points with a shooting percentage of over 65% in the fourth quarter, helping the Nuggets secure a victory on the road.

The Nuggets scored 118 points in the game, with Anthony contributing 28 points and 4 rebounds. Wang Kai had a mediocre performance, scoring only 20 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.

Don Nelson's changes to the lineup made the Warriors players feel slightly uncomfortable. Byron, who returned to the point guard position, recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists, but his shooting percentage was just over 40%.

A day later, during the Warriors' daily practice, Don Nelson asked the players to play a "simpler" game on offense.

"What is simplicity? It's using your strengths to attack the opponent's weaknesses. Byron, what are your strengths? It's your strength and your ability to hit the back of the basket. So, don't always try to shoot from the outside. You don't have the touch of a king. So, back down the ball. As long as the opponent isn't as strong as you, you have the advantage of 'simple play'."

"Wang, you need to play simpler. For players who are shorter and have shorter wingspans than you, you don't need to do complicated dribbling moves. Use simple crossover moves to create space for your shot and then shoot decisively. I believe in your shooting ability, and you have to believe in yourself too."

"And you, Jason, why didn't you shoot right away after getting the rebound? Were you waiting for them to pressure you?"

Nelson summarized the loss in the previous game, hoping that the players could be smarter and more direct in the game, instead of always thinking about how to coordinate tactics.

In Don Nelson's coaching philosophy, tactical coordination needs to be honed through matches. The simpler the coordination, the more the players' characteristics can be brought out. He doesn't have fixed tactical routines, but only the full display of the players' abilities and characteristics.

It must be admitted that some of Don Nelson's ideas were very ahead of their time. As players' physical condition and technical and tactical abilities become better and better with the development of the times, the simple playing style that can bring out the characteristics of the players will allow them to play their own style more effectively.

"Kid, you have to be selective in what you listen to. This old guy never won a championship in his entire life, so you can't believe everything he says. But he said he wants you to play a little easier, so you can give it a try. You're not me, you can't master all the offensive techniques, so playing a little easier is fine."

Kobe agrees with Don Nelson's assessment to some extent. He believes that if Wang Kai doesn't develop comprehensively, he might end up like that future "traitorous coward" (guess who this is)—looking impressive but failing in real battles.

However, Lao Ke also felt that Wang Kai is still young and there is no need to be too demanding.

Having survived a brush with death, the veteran Kobe Bryant wouldn't demand that everyone work as hard as he did back then.

After losing to the Nuggets, the Warriors will face the Celtics on December 28.

The Celtics, hoping to wash away their humiliation, were unable to secure a victory at the Warriors' home court.

Wang Kai tried to play a simpler game in this match. His off-the-ball play remained stable, but his attacks after receiving the ball were slightly rushed.

Facing Pierce's defense, Wang Kai scored 17 points in the first half with a field goal percentage of over 50%, but in the second half, he only scored 5 points, with a field goal percentage of less than 40% after taking possession of the ball.

It's unrealistic to expect to change his playing style in a short period of time. Wang Kai is used to dribbling the ball and finding his rhythm before shooting. Now that Don Nelson is asking him to rely entirely on his touch, he's finding it somewhat difficult to adapt.

On the Warriors' side, Jason Richardson found his offensive rhythm. He only attempted two three-pointers throughout the game, with the rest of his points coming from inside the three-point line and under the basket. Jason Richardson made 16 of 24 shots, scoring 36 points.

Thanks to Richardson's outstanding performance, the Warriors defeated the Celtics 115-109 at home once again.

For the Celtics, Pierce, Ricky Davis, and Mark Plant all scored over 20 points, but unfortunately their bench performed poorly, scoring only 13 points throughout the game.

After defeating the Celtics, the Warriors embarked on another road trip, heading to Texas to face the Mavericks and Rockets before 2006.