Chapter 1111: Chapter 354: Not This Time, Craig—We Can’t Do That to Roger
This is the only way.
As soon as Popovich made this decision, Gary Payton jumped up as if he were on an electric chair: "No Craig, no way! We can’t defend like this, it’s too stupid!"
Popovich frowned; in the Silver and Black Army, no one had ever spoken to him like that, and no one had ever used the word "stupid" to describe him.
He wouldn’t allow anyone who spoke like that to exist in the Spurs locker room.
This whole season, Gary Payton had been well-behaved, not showing any star syndrome.
So now, with Payton suddenly standing up and arguing like he was possessed, it made Popovich find it unbelievable.
"Gary?" Popovich didn’t lose his temper immediately; instead, he decided to give him another chance to reorganize his words.
But Payton didn’t get it and continued to curse on his own: "I said, we can’t defend like this! We’d rather let Amar’e go than gamble on Roger’s offense!"
"Gary! Are you looking to sit out and calm down?" Popovich could no longer endure it, retorting in an unquestionable tone.
Of course, he knew Roger’s difficult jump shots were also very accurate, but Amar’e Stoudemire had already scored 20 points. How could Popovich continue to sit idly by? How could he continue letting him shoot?
He had to put pressure on Stoudemire; it was the only way to break the Warriors’ momentum.
"Craig, you have no idea how terrifying Roger is when he’s all fired up!" Gary Payton refused to back down. In his view, even if Stoudemire scored 50 points, they couldn’t relax on Ruki.
"You’re right, I don’t know, because I’ve never lost to him in the playoffs, unlike you! Gary, if you can’t handle Roger, then shut the hell up, because not everyone is as incompetent as you!"
These words made Payton so angry he wanted to get up and hit someone. Throughout the whole season, he and Popovich maintained the most basic mutual respect.
And now, his dignity as a star player was completely trampled by Popovich.
Payton frowned, his mouth crooked, as if reminding Popovich: "Don’t treat me like this, old boy, I’m Gary Payton!"
But Payton’s intimidation didn’t work at all; instead, it provoked Popovich to angrily curse even more: "Why the hell are you looking at me with that expression? Do you mean to say the truth is black?"
The Gloves were rendered speechless by the rebuke, and in the end, Popovich still adopted his own strategy and benched Gary Payton.
At that moment, Gary Payton realized that his era had passed.
He was just an ordinary player now.
Making himself so humble for a ring, is it really worth it?
Gary Payton fell completely silent, sitting on the bench, watching his teammates go on the court.
Then, he couldn’t help but mutter: "We’re all doomed!"
Popovich no longer paid attention to Payton; the game on the court had already started.
Roger dribbled past half-court and faced Bowen, raising his left hand.
Every time they saw Roger make this move, every time he raised his hand, all the Spurs players would get nervous, like seeing Roger raise a gun.
Because his hand-raising means he’s calling for a screen.
Amar’e Stoudemire seemed like a soldier loyally executing orders; every time Roger gave the order, he would timely appear and set the screen for Roger.
Most star big men are like women; they need coaxing. You have to let them comfortably take a few low-post plays before they’re willing to help you do the dirty work.
Shaquille O’Neal is like this, and so will Dwight Howard in the future.
But Amar’e Stoudemire had no such issues; he could be said to be completely obedient to his idol, Roger.
Stoudemire got in position, Roger broke through, yet another damn pick-and-roll, Roger and Stoudemire tirelessly directed the same tragedy for Spurs fans.
Since the Spurs couldn’t stop the pick-and-roll, they’d keep using this move until it crushed them.
The targeting between both teams was vividly displayed in this round.
After the pick-and-roll, Roger quickly keenly noticed that the Spurs’ strategy had changed.
Duncan didn’t retreat to the paint; instead, he kept a close watch on the opened-up Stoudemire.
The originally matched-up Admiral switched after the pick-and-roll formed but didn’t step up to apply pressure, only spreading his arms to maintain a certain distance from Roger, trying to protect both midrange and the paint.
Seeing that the Admiral wasn’t stepping up like before to squeeze his jump shot space, Roger unhesitatingly stopped abruptly after getting past the screen, preparing to hold the ball with both hands.
The Admiral hurriedly took a big step forward, trying to contest, as Bruce Bowen also raised his arms, rushing as fast as possible towards Roger.
However, after they both leapt off the ground, they realized Roger had only made a fake shot!
Roger elegantly weaved through them and went straight for the basket, scoring with a one-handed slam!
The Admiral and Bruce Bowen seemed like the clumsy cats from the cat and mouse company’s mouse traps, colliding with each other after being played.
Popovich’s strategy change in the first possession didn’t change anything, and the Warriors continued to widen the gap!
If you want to defend against Roger, you either cut off the mid-range or resolutely retreat to deny a chance to attack the rim.
The "want both" style of defense has no effect on Roger.
Relaxing his fingers, Roger landed steadily, just in time to meet eyes with Tim Duncan.