May 19.
The second game of the Western Conference Finals continues at Oracle Arena.
In the first quarter, under the tacit approval of the main referee Dick Bavetta, allowing high-intensity confrontation, the shooting accuracy of both the Lakers and Warriors was dismal.
As someone who's been through this, Qin Yue knows very well that to ensure suspense in the NBA, the Warriors, who have already achieved three consecutive championships, are bound to be targeted by the league.
Therefore, as long as the referee's decision remains consistent, in Qin Yue's eyes, the Warriors are actually being favored by the league.
As for the "Qin Yue's Law" reinstated by the league since the playoffs?
What?
Does being the GOAT mean Qin Yue can't play without superstar calls?
ESPN, at the end of the first quarter, during the break, commentator A. Smith specifically asked the evening's special guest Jeff Van Gundy why high-intensity confrontation would favor the visiting Lakers more.
Van Gundy's explanation was simple.
Simply put, since the Warriors are a team relatively reliant on offense, in a game where no one can ensure their shooting touch, the Lakers could take advantage of physical confrontation to further narrow the objective strength gap they have with the Warriors.
"I don't understand offense, but I know very well that in the NBA, defense has always been the prerequisite for creating miracles."
"Well Jeff, in your opinion, does this kind of officiating mean the Lakers, as the outside world says, are receiving more favor in this series?"
Upon hearing this, Van Gundy shook his head and said, "Not really."
At this moment, though his mind doesn't quite turn around, Van Gundy isn't actually foolish, and in an instant, he realized A. Smith was setting him up.
What kind of international joke is this?
Even though Van Gundy knows better than anyone that the league is targeting the Warriors, he couldn't possibly voice doubts about the officiating in a public setting.
Moreover...
So far, this Western Conference series hasn't shown obvious human-controlled refereeing.
In short, as always.
To achieve four consecutive championships, the Warriors must not act like a "victim" who expects special treatment whenever the referee doesn't call for them.
Back to the court.
On this evening filled with the sound of muscle collisions, Ray Allen on the Warriors side emerged as the unexpected X factor.
As a veteran, with a more composed mindset than other Warriors shooters, Ray Allen hit two critical threes and a buzzer mid-range shot in the first half of the second quarter for his team.
In contrast to his excellent performance from the last game, Klay, this game, along with Curry, turned into the "Brick Brothers."
In Qin Yue's previous life, Curry fans would always miss the schoolboy who hadn't gained muscle.
But right now, Qin Yue can already tell those wishful thinking Curry fans, if you swapped the 14/15 season Curry with the 21/22 season Curry, even if you played a hundred times, it'd always be the Celtics winning in the end.
Why?
Because before gaining muscle, the baby-faced assassin's hard resolutions are simply outmatched by the later demon-muscled Curry.
Once Curry before gaining muscle faces high-intensity physical confrontation during the game, his breakout probability would greatly decrease.
And this is also why Durant could earn consecutive Finals MVP while partnering with Curry in later years.
Although, for some who compare playing "Elden Ring" guides to reading "Strategy" as "brainless," they might view Durant winning FMVP as just being in the "Cosmic Warriors" environment.
It's like an Eastern nation using domestic-made J-10s to shoot down several Rafale fighter jets, then claiming they didn't lose with mental victory.
Distorting facts might gain some flow.
But the results in the real world wouldn't be altered because of this.
Sure, Curry has many shortcomings at this stage.
However, on this evening, as Qin Yue's wingman, Curry's role when pairing with Qin Yue is still beyond what his personal stats can reflect.
After all, while the J-10 grounds Rafale jets, it might be MVP, but aren't Thunderbolt 15 and the accompanying system just as crucial?
In the latter part of the second quarter, Curry willingly ran hard on the court, pulling defenders away for Qin Yue, laying the stage for the GOAT to capture the Lakers' position.
On the court, a Warrior offensive round.
Due to Curry being impossible for the Lakers to leave open, Qin Yue could face Big Gasol directly, and almost immediately upon receiving the ball, pierced through the Lakers' defense.
On the sidelines, at the Lakers' bench, "Black Bread" Brown lamented inwardly: "Which idiot said this Warriors could easily win the championship without Stephen Curry?"
In his past life, to disparage Curry, some fans presumptuously claimed Curry was just an ordinary shooter who could be left open.
But interestingly...
When Curry indeed was left open in a game, those fans quickly turned around to question why Curry was left open.
In fact, for this Warriors team with Great Qin, whether Curry hits those magical threes isn't what matters.
What's crucial is Curry's presence providing Qin Yue a comfortable attacking environment.
Take the next round.
Curry, leading Paul on a circuitous route across the court, successfully disrupted the Lakers' wing defense with his teammates' screen in his back-and-forth running.
