The Warriors’ offense starts again.
Curry dribbles to the frontcourt and passes the ball to Green in the low post. Green leans against Jokic, slightly crouching, looking for the best opportunity to attack.
Then, Green passes the ball to the cutting Barnes. Zeng Xingyang’s defense is cleverly delayed by Iguodala, and Grant couldn’t switch defense in time.
Barnes receives the ball, pushes off with both legs powerfully, and rises like a rocket, completing a two-handed dunk in mid-air.
The Nuggets’ offense unfolds immediately.
Zeng Xingyang continues to match up with Curry.
This time, Curry doesn’t let Zeng Xingyang succeed easily. He and Barnes double-team Zeng Xingyang. Facing the double-team, Zeng Xingyang decisively passes the ball to Harris.
Harris is left open; instead of shooting, he dribbles with large strides towards the paint, but Green holds his position ahead of time.
"Bang!" Harris crashes heavily into Green.
"Beep beep!" The referee blows the whistle, indicating an offensive foul, and possession goes to the Warriors.
"Ah!!" Green stands up and roars loudly.
He’s trying to boost the Warriors’ spirits; it’s already halfway through the third quarter, yet the Warriors are still being suppressed by the Nuggets.
The Warriors initiate their offense.
Curry dribbles to the frontcourt and, after a series of quick and smooth passes, executes a pick-and-roll with Green.
Curry’s offensive draw is noticeably greater than Green’s, so Harris and Grant both double-team Curry.
Curry seizes the moment for a bounce pass to the cutting Green. Green takes the ball, takes a step past Jokic, then leaps for a layup and makes the shot.
to 71. The Warriors’ offensive efficiency is too high; the Nuggets’ defense is working hard, but not as intense as in the first half, making it difficult to stop their offense now.
The Nuggets continue their offense. Jokic receives the inbound pass from Grant, and as soon as he crosses half-court, he sees Zeng Xingyang waving in the distance.
Zeng Xingyang uses a spin and reverse move to cleverly shake off Thompson’s defense. Jokic understands, quickly sending a long pass. Zeng Xingyang receives the ball, like an arrow leaving its string, charging into the Warriors’ paint.
Barnes and Iguodala couldn’t anticipate Zeng Xingyang’s swift entry. They try to double-team but are a step too slow, allowing Zeng Xingyang to drive through the weak defense in the middle and lay the ball in effortlessly.
Barkley excitedly shouts, "What a beautiful play, Nikola passed the ball without hesitation and found Zeng, who attacked decisively when there was a chance." His voice is full of passion, as if igniting the entire studio.
Smith says, "The two teams are locked in a shootout." His eyes are fixed on the screen, not missing any exciting moment. For original chapters go to NoveI~Fire.net
On the sidelines, Cole loudly shouts to the players, "Move faster on defense."
His face is full of urgency, dissatisfied with the Warriors’ defensive performance. If they can’t stop the Nuggets’ offense, it’s difficult for the team to catch up on the score.
In the following two possessions, both sides show high-quality defense. Players hustle on the court, fighting fiercely for every ball, resulting in both teams missing shots.
Although Jokic is frequently drawn outside, Grant keeps moving flexibly to the basket to help, putting great pressure on Curry’s penetration.
The Nuggets have a clear advantage over the Warriors, which is height. In almost every position, the Nuggets’ players have a height advantage, reflecting in subtle details that can’t be captured in stats.
Especially during rotational defense, Nuggets players in almost every position rarely get outplayed directly.
The Warriors break their scoring drought with a fadeaway jump shot by Barnes.
The fans at Oracle Arena shout loudly. Their voices are coordinated and loud, continuously cheering for the Warriors’ players.
Zeng Xingyang dribbles to the frontcourt again, running a pick-and-roll with Jokic. After the pick-and-roll, Zeng Xingyang uses a low-hand crossover, quickly drives in, and Green and Barnes jointly double-team Zeng Xingyang. At this moment, Grant seizes the opportunity, cuts into the paint, and Zeng Xingyang swiftly dishes the ball to Grant. Grant receives the ball under the basket, makes a fake to lift Iguodala, then easily lays the ball in.
"Don’t let them cut inside." Cole shouts helplessly from the sidelines. The Warriors’ small death lineup is frequently breached by the Nuggets. The Nuggets continuously exploit their height advantage to attack the rim, which is very effective, putting the Warriors in trouble.
Both teams fall into a tug-of-war. The Warriors’ main strategy is to pull Jokic outside, under this strategy, Jokic gets outplayed on the perimeter.
Fortunately, the Nuggets respond quickly to the offense, not allowing the Warriors to widen the score gap.
The third quarter soon ends, with the score at 95 to 85.
The Nuggets still maintain a 10-point lead. The efficient play on offense by Zeng Xingyang and Jokic is the core factor in the Nuggets’ lead.
Unlike the Warriors who rely on three-pointers and penetration, the Nuggets’ later strategy is more about attacking the basket, either causing damage or scoring directly. This approach by the Nuggets is very reasonable, making it very difficult for the Warriors.