Chapter 105: Having a Veteran in the Team Is a Treasure

In fact, Curry could be considered one of the well-known point guards in the league.

With 40 seconds remaining, it was natural to shorten the offensive time. They stalled near the midcourt. At this moment, Kidd was defending. Although the aging Kidd might not keep up with Curry’s pace, his judgment of Curry’s direction and positioning during the drive was precise—relying on his intellect and experience.

When 20 seconds were left, Curry made his move, Kidd followed closely. Curry took a step forward and passed the ball to Kynes, who powerfully drove into the paint, attempting a layup. Dirk Nowitzki happened to be right beside him. The shooting angle was difficult, forcing Kynes to pass back to Curry. Kynes was not at the level of a point guard; he seemed completely unaware of the dwindling time. By the time Curry caught the ball, only one second remained. Kidd was tightly guarding him. Curry’s shot was highly challenging due to the pressure and time constraint, so he barely managed to release it. The ball rimmed out without touching the net, and the referee called a 24-second shot clock violation.

The Mavericks’ last chance naturally belonged to Kidd. His presence changed the atmosphere. He signaled Chandler to move slightly left and indicated Nowitzki to raise his position a bit higher. Kidd drove forward, using his body to force his way past Curry. After bypassing him, he passed to Nowitzki, who caught the ball at the high post and turned around. This time, he didn’t jump shoot. Even though his turnaround jump shot was nearly unguardable in the league, he noticed Kidd was positioned better for a three-point shot. In fact, after getting older, Kidd’s shooting seemed even better than in his youth, especially from beyond the arc. Kidd hesitated momentarily before passing to Nowitzki, the ball landing in Dirk’s favorite offensive spot. Dirk turned and hit a fadeaway jumper.

There were 2 seconds remaining! The timing was perfect, and the offensive coherence was no exaggeration! This was Kidd.

Witnessing this, one couldn’t help but marvel at Kidd’s abilities. Though aged, his skill remained undeniable. Truly, an old player on the team is a treasure! That’s precisely what Kidd represented—a veteran nearing 40 years old!

With 2 seconds left, the Warriors naturally longed for the player who could perfectly blend speed with midcourt shooting, but sadly, he was off the court.

Clauderson inbounded the ball with a long pass to Kynes near the midcourt. Kynes caught it and launched a wild shot from horseback, seemingly unaware of the basket’s location. Fortunately, the ball hit the backboard but missed the rim. Kynes looked innocent.

The Warriors trailed by two points, the situation seeming a bit passive.

But never forget, Nelson was the Mavericks’ true nemesis.

At the start of the second half, the Warriors clearly accelerated their pace, reverting to their fastest style—emphasizing the philosophy that "the ball moves faster than the players." This style struggled to reach its full potential when Lin Fei was on the court, as Lin was a player who needed to hold the ball frequently, whereas this "ball faster than players" philosophy stressed continuous passing. The ball had to reach the basket in the shortest time and the most reliable manner. If executed well, all five players on the court could become competent point guards. This style often maddened opponents because they couldn’t identify defensive targets or locate the ball’s direction. By the time they spotted the ball, the Warriors had likely completed a beautiful play.

In the second half, Curry, Kynes, and X formed a rapid three-line fast break that was unstoppable. Kynes, undoubtedly the showman, coupled with his excellent off-ball movement, easily finished plays. Much of this success relied on the tactical system.

Mavericks' Kidd came off the court, replaced by the bench to contend with the Warriors. As mentioned, the Mavericks’ bench players all had stories; despite being substitutes, three or four could start on other teams.

By mid-third quarter, Nelson sensed trouble. His players were fatigued, struggling even to run. Kynes and Curry were relatively okay, but Clauderson, Jobs, and X appeared exhausted.

At this critical moment, they had to hold firm. This was the playoffs. Nelson dared not use the bench lightly. Even during the regular season, he emphasized that the Warriors had no absolute starters or substitutes, but in the playoffs, only a few trusted players truly mattered.

Looking at the Mavericks’ luxurious bench, the situation looked precarious.

The Warriors held the ball. They changed players but not tactics, maintaining their whirlwind-fast style. However, after substitutions, the tactical execution and offensive power significantly declined. The Warriors’ backup point guard struggled to locate teammates even when dribbling past midcourt. Often, chances last only moments; missing them means losing them for good. It was unclear how many opportunities Smith missed. If your organizing skills falter slightly, strong offensive power can compensate, but Smith clearly struggled to adapt to the intense defensive pressure of the playoffs. He seemed nervous. One frontcourt pass went astray, stolen by the Mavericks who immediately launched a fast break and dunked. Alas! Point guard mistakes were often the most fatal. Against a team with quick-break experts, turnovers practically gift them points.

At this moment, how great it would be to have Lin Fei on the court. With him, the Warriors’ offense would be exponentially stronger, their attack continuity unstoppable by any team.

On offense, Smith immediately passed to a teammate, who returned the ball. Smith hesitated briefly and took a three-point shot, missing. The crowd booed loudly—Mavericks fans were clearly fervent.

After four minutes, the Warriors were down by eight. Nelson was frustrated but had no choice but to send his main players, Kynes and X, back in. These two could swap positions, both capable of playing shooting guard and small forward. X was slightly taller and could occasionally fill in as a power forward.

Now, with X on the floor, he was undoubtedly the Warriors’ main offensive threat, with Kynes as the secondary option. Many experts favored Kynes for his excellent defense, promising offense, and all-around skills, though his talent was overshadowed by rookie Lin Fei on the same team. His playing time and stats didn’t fully reflect his abilities.

Sure enough, with X on the court, moving between the small forward and power forward spots, combining inside and outside play, he scored twice in a row. In fact, X was quite comparable to Marion, though younger and more battle-ready.

The Warriors gradually turned the tide. After the Mavericks scored, the Warriors inbounded and launched a fast break. Kynes handled the ball, passing to the running X at the three-point line. X drove inside, forcing Mavericks defenders to collapse. X then passed back to Kynes, who stepped back and hit a three-pointer.