NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 738 Clippers vs. Warriors: Several Battles

The Clippers swept the Timberwolves 4-0, marking what appears to be their umpteenth consecutive playoff sweep. Their last playoff loss seems to have been several seasons ago. They also set an NBA playoff winning streak record; although no one has publicly acknowledged it, it is now a reality because they achieved it.

To maintain a winning streak in the NBA playoffs is extremely difficult. Sweeps are rare, and consecutive sweeps require exceptional strength.

In today's NBA, only the Clippers have consistently swept their opponents. They have won countless series, all by sweeps. This dominance is so overwhelming that many teams are intimidated by them.

The Clippers swept the Mavericks to secure their place in the Western Conference semifinals. Their next opponent will be the winner between the Warriors and the Mavericks.

The Warriors and Mavericks are locked in a fierce battle, and it looks like it will go to at least six games, possibly even a Game 6.

In the other two matchups, the Suns and Lakers are currently leading by a large margin and have a greater chance of advancing.

Ultimately, the Warriors defeated the Mavericks 4-2, setting up a playoff showdown with the Clippers for the second consecutive year. In the other Western Conference matchup, the Suns and Lakers will face off.

The Clippers vs. Warriors matchup is a highly anticipated one. Even though the Clippers have dominated the Warriors for a long time, the Warriors are the only team to have eliminated the Clippers in the playoffs in the past six years.

Since Jia Fei joined the Clippers, the only time they've lost a series was against the Warriors. Back then, Durant was the Warriors, and the Warriors were the super team. The Warriors of today are certainly not the super team of yesteryear, and the Clippers are no longer the "Clippers of human resilience" led by Coach Doc Rivers.

Predictions for this series have begun, with more people favoring the Clippers. The reasons are simple: the Warriors excel at passing and cutting, an offensive tactic based on the Splash Brothers' unstoppable shooting. The Clippers, on the other hand, are the league's best team against teams with strong perimeter offense. Their defensive resources are incredibly abundant, and their small-ball lineup is very well-developed.

Although Green boasted before the game that he would crush the Clippers, many people know that boasting like that is useless. With the Warriors' current roster, crushing the Clippers is practically a dream come true.

In dreams, you can have anything: beautiful women, money—as much as you want.

On May 4th, the Clippers will face the Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals at the Clippers' home arena, IntuitDome.

The Clippers' home arena, Intuit Dome, is truly a lucky place for the team. Since the new arena officially opened, the Clippers have remained undefeated in official games. Above the arena, four championship banners hang prominently, symbolizing that this team has been the NBA's dominant force for the past four years.

This team's dominance continues. This season's Clippers have had a better regular season than any previous one, with an 80-2 record that makes them incredibly difficult to beat. Perhaps the Warriors in their prime might have had a slight chance of defeating them, but certainly not the current Warriors.

Today's Warriors have Curry who is still as sharp as ever, but he is 34 years old after all; Klay Thompson's injuries have made him no longer the Buddha he once was; Green is still tough, but his toughness has been misdirected, leaving only dirt, and his offense is almost non-existent.

This match was broadcast live on Tencent, with commentators Wang Zixing and guest Su Qun providing commentary.

Wang Zixing exclaimed, "Mr. Su, the Clippers have once again shown a tendency to sweep all teams and reach the Finals this season. Do you think the Warriors can stop them?"

Su Qun adjusted his glasses and said, "It's still very difficult. Both teams are very familiar with each other. They played each other in the playoffs last season. The Warriors are stronger this season than last season. They made some great acquisitions in the offseason, but even so, it can't change the fact that they are the weaker side when facing the Clippers."

The starting lineups for both teams have been announced.

The starting lineup for the home team, the Fast, is Jia Fei, Paul George, Bridges, Grant, and Hart.

Surprisingly, the Clippers started with a small lineup!

This means that Jia Fei is very likely to play center in this small lineup!

The Warriors' starting lineup for the away game is Curry, Payton Jr., Klay Thompson, Wiggins, and Green.

The Warriors also started with a small-ball lineup, and Green was moved to the center position by Kerr.

"Teacher Su, the Clippers are using a small lineup. They guessed it perfectly, as if they knew the Warriors would use a small lineup," Wang Zixing said in surprise.

Su Qun smiled slightly, as if everything was going according to his plan: "Even if the Warriors start Looney, the Clippers won't be at a disadvantage with this small lineup. The Warriors' interior defense lacks independent offensive capabilities and can't handle the Clippers' small lineup. To create offensive space, the Warriors will have to play Green at center. If Green and Looney play together, the paint will be too crowded!"

Both teams fielded small lineups, but the Clippers were noticeably taller overall than the Warriors.

Many basketball stars are in attendance tonight, including Payton Jr.'s father, "The Glove" Payton, Klay Thompson's father, and Stephen Curry's father, among others. In fact, whether it's Payton Jr. or the Splash Brothers, their fathers were all former NBA professional players.

Jia Fei and Green are preparing for the jump ball near the center circle; the game is about to begin.

The jump ball began, and Jia Fei won the jump ball against Green, giving the Clippers possession for the first offensive possession.

Hart dribbled the ball across half-court and passed it to Jia Fei.

Wiggins was guarding Jia Fei.

Wiggins, nicknamed "Goji Berry Bro," is the Warriors' designated defender against Jia Fei. When he plays seriously, he's the Warriors' strongest defender on the wing. His physical talent is undeniable.

The Warriors' strategy was half-court man-to-man defense: Wiggins guarded Jia Fei, Curry guarded Hart, Klay guarded George, Payton guarded Bridges, and Green guarded Grant.

Jia Fei dribbles at the top of the key, and Hart comes over to set a screen. Clearly, the Clippers want Jia Fei to target Curry.

In today's league, the use of pick-and-roll tactics is becoming increasingly common. However, it's not easy to use pick-and-roll tactics well. First, the player initiating the pick-and-roll must have outstanding individual skills. If your passing ability is poor, the opponent will simply double-team you. Second, the player setting the screen must have shooting ability. Otherwise, if the opponent delays and returns to position, giving you space to shoot, it will be a waste if you can't capitalize on it.

After the Clippers removed Hartenstein and put on a small lineup, it became a five-outside lineup. No matter who Curry guarded, that person could set a screen for Jia Fei, allowing Jia Fei to target Curry.

Jia Fei's passing ability and exceptional individual offensive skills make it difficult for the Warriors to make defensive choices. If they switch directly, they can only watch Jia Fei isolate against Curry. Double-teaming Jia Fei means giving the player Curry is guarding an open shot.