CarryingCharles Barkley’seager anticipation,Zackled the Warriors on a new "reckoning tour." This time,Zack’starget 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 toAmar’e Stoudemireforcing himself to play through injury, was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

This season, withStoudemirerepaired at the Phoenix repair shop, and in order to protect the integrity ofSteve Nash’sconsecutive 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’svisibly 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 2006-07Stoudemire, 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),Stoudemirehas indeed achieved "attacking where they are unprepared, appearing where they are unexpected" on the court.

In his prime,Stoudemire’sincredibly 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 byMike D’Antoni(1: Historically, in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons,Stoudemire’saverage 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 thatNashis not a trophy thief. But to completely remove the "trophy thief" label fromNash, 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 thatNashwas the rightful 2005-06 regular season MVP. They only allowed the Warriors to get lucky last year becauseStoudemireplayed injured.

Having only been in the league for a season and a half,Zacknow has enemies everywhere. The Messiah of the Bay Area, the Destroyer Satan of the NBA. On the evening of the 7th, the momentZackstepped 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 fromStoudemire’sinjury last year, are now the healthier team.Kwame BrownandBaron Davis’sabsence has not only weakened the Warriors’ interior defense but also left them without a star guard who can actively challengeNashone-on-one on the court. But in the NBA, since every team can potentially face injuries,Zackcannot use injuries as an excuse to shy away from battle. That doesn’t fitZack’scharacter, nor does it fit the Warriors’ spirit.

At center court,Dan Crawfordheld the ball and walked to the tip-off circle. AfterStoudemireandBiedrinsjumped, this hatred-filled, unspoken game officially began.

To preserveZack’senergy on offense and allow the Warriors to engage in a full-throttle offensive battle with the Suns,Biedrinswill guardStoudemirefor 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’sdefense is usually reliable, butNashis precisely the type he struggles most to handle, becauseNashis incredibly fast.

Back on offense for the Warriors.Mike D’Antonipredictably deployed a "broken" version of the "one-on-one, four-zone" defense. "The Matrix"Shawn Marionhad astonishing mobility. On the perimeter, aside from forcing a contested pull-up over Marion, evenZackfound it difficult to create a mismatch advantage against him. Additionally,Boris DiawandRaja Bellcould effectively control both sides of the court. But withStoudemireandNashbeing 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,Zacksmoothly posted up underMarion’srelentless harassing defense. The Suns’ "one-on-one, four-zone" immediately collapsed. On the wing,Diaw’sdouble-team came in time, butDiaw, 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 toArtest, whomDiawhad left open. Although the next second,Artesthit a frustrating clank, makingZack, who hated such sights, flinch,Biedrinswas incredibly alert and grabbed the offensive rebound. Then,Biedrins, whose eyes were always onZack, immediately passed the ball back to him. The pass was poorly placed, forcingZackto bend down to catch it. However, it also, in a way, showcasedZack’slegendary waist, which had amazed many female companions.

Stoudemire’shelp defense was late, andZackscored 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 remindZack: "Everything Big Brother Kwame can do, I can do!"

Big Brother Kwame? At that moment, ifBiedrinshadn’t mentioned it...Zackalmost forgot that such a person existed on the Warriors team.

Since both the Warriors and Suns are teams that actively seek transition offense opportunities, on the court, in a flash,Nashdribbled 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 drainZack’senergy, preventing him from handling a large volume of possessions as usual. Fortunately,Jack’ssmart tactical foul interrupted the Suns’ offensive push.

On the Warriors’ bench,Mike Malone, knowingZackneeded more rest time tonight, called forMatt Barnesearly and instructedTroy 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,Malonereally 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 keepZack’splaying 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 leftDiaw, the Suns’ second playmaking threat, open after noticingMarion, who was guarded byArtest, subtly cutting into the Warriors’ paint. At this stage,Diaw’sscoring mainly came from under the basket and long two-pointers. His three-point threat was minimal, allowingZackto 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,Zackcouldn’t help but inwardly curse, "Who taught him to play like that?"Marion’stechnical movements were extremely strange. InZack’smemory, during the famous "8-point game," he once gaveLeBron Jamesa headache. Additionally,Marion, with a forward’s height and a big man’s wingspan, quickly madeZackabandon the idea of using finesse on the perimeter against him. Because underMarion’srelentless defense,Zack’sperimeter finesse might turn into timid jump shots, like a startled lizard.

In the low post,ZackadjustedMarion’sfootwork with quick-slow-quick rhythms, then exploded off the dribble, creating a whirlwind in the America West Arena. UnlikeCarmelo Anthony’s"washing machine" spin, becauseZack’sframe 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’sextremely arrogant "three-gun headshot" was less a tribute to "Teacher Melo" and more of a deliberate taunt to the home fans.

Phoenix hatedZack. If they could, they genuinely wished a meteor would suddenly fall and take that "bitch"Zackaway. And on TNT, even thoughZackwas playing his former team tonight,Barkley, that true "bitch," was incredibly eager forZackto be even more aggressive.

In the first quarter, the momentZackusedBiedrins’sscreen to cut to the basket and received a pass fromJackfor a strong finish,Barkleysaid with extreme emotion: "AND-ONE! No! Why isn’t that an AND-ONE?!" Next to him,Kenny Smith, knowing whyBarkleywas 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, inBarkley’seyes, as long as a Suns player made contact withZack, 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 byBiedrins.Marioninstinctively tried to cover forNash, but this suddenly leftZackopen, allowing him to briefly transform into the future "Little Green" and "Big Green." Facing such humiliation fromMarion,Zackimmediately gathered the ball and shot from the top of the key.

Clang!Clang!Swish!

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

WouldMarioncontinue to leaveZackopen for three-pointers? He actually would. Unlike other athletes who would get emotional after a slight provocation fromZack,Marionhad long been a player who excelled at observing and calculating to determine his defensive strategy. This season,Zack’sthree-point percentage was 37%. In the current era, this percentage was already considered excellent. However, when reviewingZack’sthree-point attempts,Marionfound that sinceZackoften got easy three-point looks on the court, and his three-point production only significantly increased on nights when his shooting was hot... soMarionalso wanted to testZack’sshooting touch first before deciding his defensive strategy for tonight.

At least in the first quarter,Marion’ssubsequent defensive strategy was successful. At the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 29-35. AlthoughZackscored 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 limitedZack’sexplosive 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’ssuccess tonight lay in the fact that he applied intense pressure onZackin every low-post matchup and boldly gambled onZackmissing consecutive three-pointers with a "sag-off" strategy. In tonight’s high-speed offensive and defensive transitions, ifZackcouldn’t drive the whole team through his offense, he would get increasingly tired. Clearly, exhaustingZackwasMarion’smain goal. Especially after noticingZack’saverage three-point shooting in the first quarter,Marionunhesitatingly 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 ownNash, through an offensive shootout.

InZack’sprevious 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 sacrificeZack’soffense and haveZackfully commit to defense,Zackstill couldn’t stopStoudemirefrom scoring on the court. Because ever since he entered his prime, ifStoudemire, 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’sability 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 foolishMike Malonewas, he wouldn’t choose to sacrificeZack’soffense just to see ifZackcould limitStoudemire. To win, the short-handed Warriors had to find ways to endlessly amplifyZack’simpact on offense. This was a test forMike Malone, and even more so, a test for the entire Warriors team.

In the second quarter,Malonepulled 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 keepTroyon 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 Malonehad 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 strengthenedMalone’sresolve to keepMurphyon the court.

In the latter half of the second quarter, the Warriors’ on-court lineup wasZack, Murphy, Artest, Richardson, and Jack. America West Arena, Warriors’ offensive possession.RichardsonbulldozedBelland then passed the ball with a drive-and-kick toMurphyat the top of the key. Seeing this,Mariondidn’t dare to delay and quickly rotated in front ofMurphy. ButZack, whomMarionhad left open, had subtly slipped to the right corner. This wasZack’smost accurate shooting spot from all three-point areas since entering the NBA (2: This foreshadowing was mentioned in Chapter 83, the right corner isZack’smost accurate shooting spot).

At the top of the key,Murphy, noticingZack’smovement, feigned a shot, then foundZackwith a precise pass.

Then...Swish!

On the court,Marion’sexpression immediately turned serious afterZackhit that three-pointer. Because compared to the three-point attempts he had intentionally allowedZackto take earlier, this was an easy scoreZackachieved proactively through off-ball movement.

From last season until now,Troy Murphyhad been an unassuming bench player for the Warriors. Even beforeZackjoined the Warriors, the 6-year, approximately $58 million contract extensionMurphysigned with the Warriors led to him being labeled as a "high-paid bench player" this season. But only Warriors players and past coaches knew thatMurphywas an indispensable part of this Warriors team. Because only he... could unleash the third bottle of poison forZackon the court!

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

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com